COLUMN: Report from the Legislature – Throne speech showed lack of vision

I had the pleasure of taking part in the annual Christmas on Park event in Beausejour on Nov. 22. It was a great way to ring in the holiday season and I thank all the businesses that participated, as well as the organizers and volunteers who continue to make this community celebration a tremendous success every year. Fortunately, the snow arrived in time.

Another annual event at this time of year is the Manitoba government’s speech from the throne, though the speech on Nov. 19 hasn’t been a cause for celebration. The NDP’s preview of its legislative plans for the year ahead showed no vision for addressing Manitoba’s rising crime, increasing healthcare wait-times, and overcrowded schools. The speech was a short-sighted failure in matters of affordability and our province’s economic health. Wab Kinew and his government are offering empty rhetoric on affordability with no effort to lower grocery prices, reduce taxes, grow the economy or improve trade, other than depending on initiatives and investments by the previous Progressive Conservative government.

The PC’s left this NDP government with an over $250 million surplus in 2023. They also received a historic $842 million windfall from the federal government in transfer payments. Federal transfers are going up this year with Manitoba receiving $4.3 billion in equalization that began in April. That is a 24 percent increase from last year. Yet after only one year since forming government, Kinew’s NDP has taken Manitoba into a $2 billion deficit.

The premier’s recent announcement of increased funding for municipalities appears nothing more than a financial shell game. In reality, the NDP has cut $16.9 million in annual funding from municipalities, including $12.5 million from the Building Sustainable Communities program and $4.4 million from Green Team. That means the premier’s promise of a $16.8 million guaranteed increase for municipalities actually nets out to less than zero, and that doesn’t even take into account his cuts to the arts, culture and sport in community grants, which was $100 million. So, while the premier is getting a 24 percent increase in equalization from the federal government, he is giving municipalities less than zero in new funding this year. I think Manitoba municipalities deserve better and I think the premier can do better, by sharing the wealth.

I attended the Association of Manitoba Municipalities (AMM) Convention on Nov. 26 and would like to take this opportunity to congratulate RM of Brokenhead Reeve Brad Saluk on his re-election as vice-president of the AMM. I would also like to acknowledge Town of Beausejour Mayor Ray Schirle and RM of Lac du Bonnet Reeve Loren Schinkel who are AMM Eastern Regional Directors.

An upcoming hydro rate freeze mentioned in the throne speech is another NDP recycled promise, and without any proposal to pay for it. This coming from a government that has just given itself the power to raise hydro rates at the cabinet table and raised hydro rates across the board by one percent last spring. A rate freeze today would bring rate shock and surging prices tomorrow and the independent Public Utility Board was created to assess hydro rates based on facts, not political pandering.

It’s the same lack of accountability from the Kinew government on other taxes. They hit homeowners with a $148 million education property tax hike while cancelling plans for nine new schools that included over 770 daycare spaces. Don’t forget, the NDP will also be ending the education property tax phase-out while allowing 17 percent school tax increases on homeowners and seniors. Manitobans really are paying more and getting less from this government.

Meanwhile, residents of Lac du Bonnet are awaiting construction of their town’s planned personal care home, and for the government to keep to the project’s timeline. We are hoping to see shovels in the ground on the $66.4 million care home before the new year, but the NDP have been slow to keep their promises on this project.

Another opening worth celebrating came on Nov. 23, when I joined in a ribbon-cutting for the Tyndall Play and Learn Centre. Thanks to long-term planning and partnership that included funding from our previous Progressive Conservative government, 74 new child-care spaces have been opened at this facility for families in Tyndall and surrounding areas.

This is the time of year when communities come together to aide those who struggle to make ends meet. We are fortunate in our region to have many organizations and businesses that make the effort to collect funds, food, clothing and toys for families in need. Whether it be a local charity, hamper or food bank, there are many opportunities to donate if you are able, so that all may share in a happy holiday season. Merry Christmas and all the best in the new year!

If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to email me at wayne@wayneewasko.com, or call me at 204-268-3282. Also, you can follow me on X (formerly Twitter) @wayneewaskomla and friend me on Facebook.