COLUMN: Report from the Legislature – MITT closure another blow to province

In recognition of February being I Love to Read month, as MLA for Lac du Bonnet and the PC critic for education and early childhood learning, I had the sincere pleasure of taking part at 15 schools, including a daycare, within the Lac du Bonnet constituency. It was a wonderful time spent reading to students and children of all ages throughout our local communities. I want to thank all the teachers and staff who participated in my visits to support I Love to Read month in Manitoba.

The Manitoba Institute of Trades and Technology (MITT) has been a post-secondary establishment for well over 40 years, and has made a significant impact on vocational education throughout our province. In January, the Kinew government announced that MITT will wind down operations over the next year. The closure of MITT is another blow to Manitoba’s battered economy that will result in fewer students graduating into high-demand, well-paying jobs. This NDP government is once again creating divisions and hindering job growth with its latest policies. First, the NDP changed the apprenticeship ratio from 2-to-1 to 1-to-1. Then, the Manitoba Jobs Agreement pitted unionized workers against their non-union counterparts. And now, they are reducing the number of skilled trades graduates entering high-demand positions. It’s no surprise that Manitoba’s economy is now ranked last in Canada.

The NDP government recently announced what they claimed to be a global 3.5 percent increase in school funding. But in reality, inflation in Manitoba is 3.7 percent, so the operating funding increase amounts to only 2.9 percent. As a result, if you do the math, schools are actually facing a funding decrease of .08 percent. Manitobans should brace themselves for another round of significant school property tax increases. Our school divisions will still require additional funding to cover operating costs, which will likely be passed on to ratepayers.

Upon taking office in 2023, Premier Wab Kinew chose not to follow through on urgent plans approved by our previous PC government to conduct an external review of Manitoba’s wildfire preparedness. The NDP opted instead to conduct internal assessments that produced no written recommendations regarding improvements to future planning and operating procedures. After experiencing one of the worst wildfire seasons in Manitoba history last year, the PCs are now demanding that the NDP government conduct a thorough external review before the 2026 wildfire season to identify any shortcomings that exist within the province’s wildfire service. Leading the charge on this, Riding Mountain MLA and PC critic for environment Greg Nesbitt stated “this is not about politics. Two Manitobans lost their lives. Thousands were displaced. We cannot afford to let that happen again.” Between 2024 and 2025, the NDP government cut Manitoba’s emergency expenditures budget by $50 million, or 50 percent, as well as slashing the province’s emergency management budget by $1.1 million.

March is designated as Lymphedema Awareness Month, a time devoted to increasing understanding and educating the public about lymphatic diseases. In 2014, I had the honor of introducing a private member’s bill that officially marks March 6 as Lymphedema Awareness Day in Manitoba. This day holds significant importance as it gives us a chance each year to spotlight Lymphedema, celebrate the advancements made by the Lymphedema Association of Manitoba, and honor all the Manitobans living with this condition.

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.