COLUMN: Report from the Legislature – Letting school divisions choose

The Manitoba legislature reconvened for the fall sitting on Oct. 1. This brings us to the mid-term point of the NDP government under Premier Wab Kinew. As the official opposition, some changes were made to the ahadow cabinet by PC Leader Obby Khan, including adding newly elected MLA for Spruce Woods Colleen Robbins as critic for Manitoba Liquor and Lotteries, and critic for military affairs. I want to welcome MLA Robbins to the House. I am honoured to remain the critic for education and early childhood learning and will continue to hold the NDP accountable for their neglect towards education in our province and the setbacks of our schools’ and childcare needs.

Hopefully everyone has had a great start to the school year. As we move through, please be mindful of the school zone speed limits. Please also make sure as parents, guardians and family members, that you are aware of the procedures at your schools for drop-off and pick-up to ensure that our students and everyone else remain safe. Just a reminder as well to watch for those big yellow buses driving on our community streets, municipal roads and highways. Pay attention to the lights and the stop signs and be certain you’re stopping properly so that all students make it to and from school safely.

As the education critic I was happy to rise in the House to propose our PC Party’s amendments to the NDP’s Bill 40 in order to protect freedom of choice for local school divisions and preserve the singing of God Save the King in Manitoba schools. Bill 40 – An Act Respecting “O Canada” and Other Observances and Land and Treaty Acknowledgements in Schools, proposes the removal of the royal anthem as an optional patriotic observance in schools. Even though the requirements to sing the royal anthem in school hasn’t been enforced for decades, we feel school divisions should still have the option to choose whether or not to include the anthem as part of their daily routine, or for special events and occasions, alongside O Canada and with land and treaty acknowledgements. Our amendments will preserve school divisions’ freedom to make decisions at the local school division level.

On Oct. 5 we celebrated annual World Teachers’ Day to commemorate the contributions teachers make across the globe. The day is a great opportunity to appreciate and recognize Manitoba teachers for their dedication and commitment to the education of our children. As a former educator I know the hard work that comes with the profession and I thank all our teachers for their enduring contributions and continued efforts.

October is Breast Cancer Awareness month, designated as a campaign to raise awareness about the importance of early detection and treatment of breast cancer, as well as to honour and support those affected by the disease. In September 2024, the NDP government announced they had a plan to eventually lower the age for self-referred breast cancer screening from 50 to 40, starting with a promise to lower it to age 45 by the end of this year. Our PC Health Critic Kathleen Cook responded in October 2024 by introducing The Earlier Screening for Breast Cancer Act, to lower the initial eligibility age for routine breast cancer screening to 40 by Dec. 31, 2026. Other provinces have successfully lowered the screening age to 40 and Manitoba needs to follow suit.

October holds a special anniversary for me personally as it is the month in which I was first elected as the MLA for Lac du Bonnet. With another Thanksgiving passed I am reminded of the blessings I have in my life for which I am grateful. Thank you for allowing me the opportunity to serve you and our great province as your MLA.

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.