COLUMN: Report from the Legislature – Falling jobs and failing farmers

It’s been a busy first month back at the Manitoba Legislature.

The fall sitting began Oct. 1 with a shuffling of shadow cabinet/critic portfolios.

I was deeply honoured to be named by PC Leader Obby Khan, as the new critic for agriculture, as well as for business, mining, trade and job creation.

As a third-generation farmer, agriculture is a subject that is near and dear to my heart. I understand, firsthand, the challenges facing Manitoba’s farmers. From tariffs to drought conditions to this Winnipeg-centric, out-of-touch NDP government, Manitoba’s farmers are facing a lot. I am grateful for this opportunity, and glad farmers will have one of their own to have their back in the Manitoba legislature.

I will also be the critic for business, mining, trade and job creation—all of which are almost non-existent under this NDP government.

(I will also retain my role as deputy house leader for the PC party.)

These two new portfolios have been front and centre already this sitting, as recent numbers from Statistics Canada show unemployment in the province is on the rise.

Statistics Canada shows Manitoba lost over 5,000 jobs in August.

These were not seasonal jobs. Two thirds of these were full-time jobs.

One of the hardest hit sectors was manufacturing. In just one month, over 4,000 jobs were lost on this failing NDP government’s watch.

Job losses are bad enough, but when one delves into the numbers, one can see the problem goes even deeper.

Manitoba represents less than four percent of the Canadian manufacturing workforce, yet the province was responsible for 22 percent of Canadian manufacturing job losses. The math just doesn’t add up. Why are one in five Canadian manufacturing jobs lost in this province where we don’t even make up five percent of the sector?

Another sector with a significant drop was the mining sector. Employment in Manitoba’s resource extraction sector declined 13.4 percent in August, another nearly 1,000 jobs lost.

When asked about these deeply concerning numbers, rather than take responsibility, the premier and his ministers simply threw out schoolyard taunts and rambled about U.S. President Donald Trump.

Clearly this premier and his failing and flailing NDP government have no answers and no plan when it comes to creating jobs in the province—unless that is you work for one of the unions that backs them politically.

Earlier this month, the government signed the so-called Manitoba Jobs Agreement. A deal with a coalition of union bosses that ensures open-shop companies and tradespeople will be kept out of bidding for and working on many government projects.

So much for “one Manitoba”.

Sadly, their newly announced (so-called) “net zero” plan will only serve to further kill jobs.

As our economy declines, this government continues to reward its friends and pat itself on the back, all while issuing a deluge of misleading statements and hyper-partisan attacks to cover up for their incompetence.

Manitobans deserve better.

On the agriculture file, last week, I raised a special grievance in the legislature on behalf of Manitoba’s farmers.

I compared our government’s performance (or lack thereof) to that of Saskatchewan.

With recent tariffs from the U.S. and China, Saskatchewan has been actively working to open up new markets for their ag products—and they’ve been finding them. Some $10 billion in trade deals with various Asian markets.

Saskatchewan is getting it done for their famers while our premier and minister of agriculture have been missing in action.

Existing programs are not tariff relief, and farmers would rather be able to sell their product than get a government handout.

Manitoba’s PCs will continue to advocate common sense legislation to make life safer and more affordable for all Manitobans, fix healthcare and housing, push back on government overreach, create jobs and stand up for our farmers.

Only Manitoba’s PCs are standing up for southeast families and values. As your MLA, I’m standing up for you.

I will continue to work hard every day to serve my constituents and bring the common-sense voices and views of La Vérendrye residents to Manitoba’s legislature.

As always, you can reach out with issues or concerns at konrad.narth@leg.gov.mb.ca or by phone at 204-434-6736.