LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA
Thursday, November 27, 2025
The Speaker: O Eternal and Almighty God, from Whom all power and wisdom come, we are assembled here before Thee to frame such laws as may tend to the welfare and prosperity of our province. Grant, O merciful God, we pray Thee, that we may desire only that which is in accordance with Thy will, that we may seek it with wisdom, know it with certainty and accomplish it perfectly for the glory and honour of Thy name and for the welfare of all our people. Amen.
We acknowledge that we are gathered on Treaty 1 territory and that Manitoba is located on the treaty territories and ancestral lands of the Anishinaabeg, Anishininewuk, Dakota Oyate, Denesuline and Nehethowuk nations. We acknowledge Manitoba is located on the Homeland of the Red River Métis. We acknowledge northern Manitoba includes lands that were and are the ancestral lands of the Inuit. We respect the spirit and intent of treaties and treaty making and remain committed to working in partnership with First Nations, Inuit and Métis people in the spirit of truth, reconciliation and collaboration.
Please be seated.
Mrs. Lauren Stone (Midland): I move, seconded by the MLA for Roblin, that Bill 226, The Catholic Schools Week Act (Commemoration of Days, Weeks and Months Act Amended), be now read a first time.
Motion presented.
Mrs. Stone: The Commemoration of Days, Weeks and Months Act is amended to proclaim the second week of February of each year as Catholic Schools Week. This act will recognize the integral role that the 19 Catholic schools in Manitoba have served in providing education to over 5,500 kindergarten to grade 12 students in the Archdiocese of Winnipeg, St. Boniface and the Ukrainian Catholic Archeparchy of Winnipeg.
I hope all members will support the quick passage of this bill so that students, teachers and the entire Catholic community are acknowledged as they celebrate Catholic Schools Week each year.
The Speaker: Is it the pleasure of the House to adopt the motion? [Agreed]
The motion is accordingly carried.
Mr. Wayne Balcaen (Brandon West): I move, seconded by the honourable member for Lakeside (Mr. King), that Bill 225, The Deaf Awareness Week and Day of Sign Languages Act (Commemoration of Days, Weeks and Months Act Amended), be now read a first time.
Motion presented.
Mr. Balcaen: Bill 225 will proclaim deaf awareness week the last full week of September and the day of sign languages on September 23. It recognizes the contributions and rights of deaf and hard‑of-hearing Manitobans and the barriers they face. It promotes public awareness of deaf culture and the recognition of American Sign Language, Langue des Signes Québécoise and Indigenous sign languages.
The day of sign languages, observed each year on September 23, will celebrate the founding of the World Federation of the Deaf in 1951 and honour the use of ASL, LSQ and Indigenous sign languages in Manitoba.
Bill 225 raises public understanding of deaf culture and sign languages while encouraging accessibility in education, work and community life. It also positions Manitoba as a leader in advocating inclusion, helping reduce barriers and fostering a more welcoming, equitable society.
I look forward to all‑party support of this very important bill.
Thank you.
The Speaker: No further introduction of bills? Committee reports?
Is it the pleasure of the House to adopt the motion? [Agreed]
The motion is accordingly passed.
No further introduction of bills? Committee reports? Tabling of reports?
I have a report–I do not have a report. Sorry about that.
Ministerial statements? No ministerial statements.
The Speaker: I do have a statement for the House.
I would like to draw the attention of all honourable members to the Speaker's Gallery, where we have with us today the director of the Assembly Members' Allowances office, Jean Ramsay.
As members know, after more than 35 years of service to the Assembly, Jean has announced her retirement, with tomorrow being her last day in the office.
Jean is joined in the gallery today by her family: Alanna Ramsay, Colin Ramsay, Nicky Gill, Sean Ramsay, Niki Krasovec, Glen Smyth, Cindy Smyth, Lorne Smyth, Alex Smyth and Brittany Smyth; also by her colleagues from the Members' Allowances office, past and present: Wendy Burdon, Karen Krawler [phonetic], Kemi Ayoko, Sara Harms and Kathie Barnard.
Jean began her career with the Assembly in 1990 as a part-time senior accounts payable clerk with Members' Allowances, an office which had been established only two years before that in 1988. Jean was promoted to manager in 2011 and has been the director of Members' Allowances since 2014. Jean has been integral in helping the office grow from 1.5 staff when she started–and she was the 0.5–to a strong team of four full-time professionals today.
Members' Allowances changed in many other complex ways since 1990. In those days, members' claims were filled out in triplicate form, with vouchers for payment prepared and physically walked over to the Norquay Building for processing by Finance. All of that paperwork, including carbon copies, had to be shredded by hand, and all of the members' files fit into one file drawer.
As well, unlike today, most members in 1990 did not have constituency offices or constituency assistants.
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Since 1990, the Assembly has seen nine general elections, many by-elections, 202 MLAs and six Speakers of the Legislative Assembly. Each election and each new batch of members brought its own challenges and kept the job fresh and interesting, to say the least, I'm sure. Throughout all of these changes in the Members' Allowance office, Jean has been a constant presence and a key part of the transformation of the office.
Jean's career exemplified constant learning and evolving to keep up with technology and changing times, including adapting to new circumstances while maintaining the integrity of the office.
Even though the job has been challenging sometimes, especially when she had to say no to members, Jean genuinely loved her work supporting members and the work they do for constituents. Jean's devotion and dedication to the mission of the Members' Allowances is unparalleled and impressive.
Jean has always remembered that her role was to ensure that the public funds must be spent properly with full accountability and transparency. She never wavered from that solemn responsibility.
Jean also loves this building, its history and the people within it. She remembers being here in the days of the Meech Lake debate in this Chamber, when Elijah Harper, MLA, made his significant contribution to Canadian history. The Legislative Building is her home away from home, and she's often joked that one day she would become a fossil in the limestone walls.
Jean, thank you for your integrity, your devotion to duty and for your dedication to the work of the Members' Allowance office.
Congratulations on a remarkable career. Your Assembly family will miss you greatly, but we will console ourselves with the knowledge that you will be enjoying a well‑earned retirement.
I would ask all members to join me in congratulating and thanking Jean Ramsay for her years of service to the Assembly and to the people of Manitoba.
Congratulations on your retirement.
An Honourable Member: Point of order.
Point of Order
The Speaker: The honourable First Minister, on a point of order.
Hon. Wab Kinew (Premier): On behalf of the Province of Manitoba, I want to thank Jean Ramsay for her years of dedicated service to our democracy and on behalf of the people of Manitoba, to thank her for protecting the public purse.
Miigwech, merci, thank you very much.
The Speaker: The honourable Leader of the Official Opposition, on the same point of order.
Mr. Obby Khan (Leader of the Official Opposition): Same point of order.
Thank you, Jean Ramsay, for everything you have done for us. As a newish Legislature for the last three and a half years, your guidance, your wisdom, your counselling, your yes and a lot of your noes helped make sure that we headed in the right direction.
Thank you for everything you've done for all of us, for all of Manitoba, and I wish you nothing but joy and pleasure and a lot more yeses than noes as you move forward.
Thank you, Jean.
The Speaker: I would just point out it's not a point of order, but I'm sure Jean appreciates your sentiment.
Hon. Uzoma Asagwara (Minister of Health, Seniors and Long-Term Care): Honourable Speaker, this fall marked a remarkable milestone for one of downtown Winnipeg's most cherished gems: Bison Books is celebrating 25 years of inspiring readers and nurturing a love for books in our downtown community.
In the fall of 2000, Bison Books opened its doors in a cozy spot on Donald Street. The original owner, Michael Park, was an experienced bookseller, who, in keeping with the eternal bookseller cliché, had more books than space. In 2010, Bison Books found its home at 424 Graham Ave., a location that has become synonymous with literary discovery in our downtown. That same year, Aimee Peake reached–sorry–purchased the business, carrying forward its legacy with care and great vision.
With a meticulously curated collection of over 20,000 titles, from rare first editions and fine bindings to Indigenous studies, Canadian lit and classic fiction, this shop offers something for every curious mind. And behind the towering collection, Aimee and her incredible staff work tirelessly with care and dedication to ensure that every visit feels like an adventure. Their commitment to fair dealing, appraisals and collection development has earned them a reputation for professionalism and passion that spans decades.
Today, however, Bison Books faces a challenge. Recent transit changes have reduced the foot traffic along Graham Avenue, making it harder for these local businesses to thrive. And so I encourage everyone: take a walk down Graham. Step inside Bison Books, explore their shelves, find a hidden treasure and support a business that has given so much to our downtown Union Station community.
Let's celebrate 25 years of stories, knowledge and community, and ensure that Bison Books continues to be a cornerstone of downtown Winnipeg for generations to come.
Honourable Speaker, we do have Bison Books store owner Aimee with us here in the gallery today. I'd ask all my colleagues to stand up on their feet, say congratulations on 25 years and we wish you 25 great years more.
Mr. Kelvin Goertzen (Steinbach): The year was 1996. I had just finished my year as a legislative intern and I was hired by then‑Steinbach MLA, Albert Driedger. One of my first jobs was helping complete expense forms.
And so, I began making the frequent trips to the basement of the Legislature to a strange place called Members' Allowances. There, a young lady named Jean Ramsay took me under her wing and she taught me, as best she could, how to make sure that expenses were done right. Little did either of us know that I'd be making that trip to the basement frequently for more than 30 years.
Over three decades, Jean and I have had many deep discussions, such as what is the true definition of a token Manitoba gift. We also spent time analyzing why a hammer was an office expense, but not the hooks to hang a picture.
But we also had lots of other discussions. We talked about how each of our families were doing, the good times and the bad times. After my son was born, she would look at our Christmas cards every year and she'd comment how tall he was, until he was finally became taller than me.
Over three decades, we became friends; friends who still occasionally argued over the vagrancies of Members' Allowances regulations. The reality is that there are some hard jobs in this building. The hardest are those that involve force–enforcing rules. But Jean always knew that her job was to ensure that MLAs did the right things and did it the right way. She was doing that not to protect her, but to protect us.
Later this afternoon at your reception, Jean, I will present you with these non-claimable Manitoba‑branded golf balls, so that you know they came from my heart and out of my own pocketbook.
Jean, may your retirement be rich, may it be rewarding. And on behalf of all the members over the years that you have helped to support, thank you so much for your service to the members, to the Assembly and to the province of Manitoba.
One more standing ovation for our friend, Jean Ramsay.
Hon. Malaya Marcelino (Minister of Labour and Immigration): I rise today, Honourable Speaker, to honour Ms. Susan Calanza, an exceptional member of the Notre Dame community and a true pillar of Wellington School for more than 35 years.
Susan started at Wellington School in 1988 as a parent volunteer, and eventually, as a nursery and kindergarten educational assistant. And even though she planned to retire a few years ago, when she heard that the children of Wellington School would finally be getting the universal school nutrition program, she decided to stay on as foods co‑ordinator, her current role.
You see, Susan has been a steady source of warmth and belonging for generations of students, and for years she had been yearning for the ability to properly feed hungry kids in her care and properly nourish and support this school community. And now with the universal school nutrition program, Susan is doing just that.
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Child poverty rates in Winnipeg Centre are the highest among urban ridings across the whole country. Under the leadership of our province's late Education minister and former school principal, Nello Altomare, our NDP government listened to educators like Susan, who advocated for the universal school nutrition program.
And now, every day at Wellington School, it is Ms. Calanza who brings Nello's Law to life, preparing breakfast and lunch from scratch for nearly 300 students. With skill and dedication, she does her part to make every child matter. Every child starts their school day welcomed, nourished and ready to learn.
Susan has strengthened Wellington's Breakfast for Learning Program, providing snacks for nursery to grade 6, while mentoring grades 5 and 6 students who help plan and prepare those snacks, turning this meal program into a learning opportunity for older kids.
When I visited Susan, she expressed how much joy she feels watching students enjoy the meals that she prepares, and when families and school staff appreciate her, she just says she is only cooking food every day; it's just cooking food. But we all know that it's love that nourishes her work and makes it extraordinary.
Honourable Speaker, on behalf of the people of Notre Dame, I ask all members to join me in expressing our gratitude to Ms. Susan Calanza for her hard work and love for Wellington School.
And I would also like to recognize folks present with her today that make the school nutrition program happen for children across Manitoba: principal, Emil Contreras; vice‑principal, Kari Bergmuller; Norie Jubinville, EA assistant food co‑ordinator; Katherine Armstrong, WSD director of nutrition; and Eliana Holtz–Hotz–sorry–WSD nutrition program co‑ordinator.
Thank you, Honourable Speaker.
Mr. Rick Wowchuk (Swan River): Honourable Speaker, I rise today to express deep concern over the NDP government's silence in response to the Manitoba Wildlife Federation's call for action regarding the ongoing blockade near Bloodvein First Nation.
For weeks now, licensed hunters, anglers and outdoor enthusiasts have been prevented from accessing public lands, lands that belong to all Manitobans.
As this matter proceeds to the courts, this government has stated it will not take a position on the legality of these actions. But leadership requires more than silence. It requires standing up for the rights of all citizens and upholding the rule of law.
The Manitoba Wildlife Federation, representing thousands of Manitobans across our province, has appealed–[interjection]
The Speaker: Order.
Mr. Wowchuk: –to the Premier (Mr. Kinew) to ensure that access to public lands is restored. They are asking for clarity, for fairness and for this NDP government to do their job.
This government has a responsibility to speak up for all Manitobans. The Premier's refusal to act sets a troubling precedent, one where lawful access to public lands can be obstructed without consequent, leaving hunters, anglers and local businesses caught in the middle of a growing and unnecessary conflict. These include conservation‑minded moose hunters who follow regulations–[interjection]
The Speaker: Order.
Mr. Wowchuk: –purchase licences, and contribute directly to wildlife sustainability through these fees.
This government's decision to stand on the sidelines sends the wrong message. Manitobans expect their elected officials to defend equal access to Manitoba's shared natural resources and uphold the principles that keep our provinces fair and safe for everyone.
The blockade is unlawful, and all Manitobans have the right–[interjection]
The Speaker: Order, please. Order, please.
I would ask all members to kindly not be speaking while a member is doing a member's allowance. It's hard enough to hear people, so I'd just ask all members to sit quietly while member's allow–or while member's statements are going on.
Mr. Wowchuk: The blockade is unlawful and all Manitobans have the right to travel freely on public highways and access public lands without obstruction, especially as hunters prepare for the upcoming season.
Manitobans deserve better. They deserve a government that will stand up for everyone's rights.
Thank you, Honourable Speaker.
Hon. Nahanni Fontaine (Minister of Families): I rise today on behalf of the member for Point Douglas (Ms. Smith) to honour the incredible work of William Whyte Neighbourhood Association, a grassroots organization that continues to uplift and empower the people of Point Douglas.
This group has been a pillar of our community, but the recent launch of the William Whyte Power Line project deserves special recognition. The Power Line is a dedicated phone line that allows residents to anonymously report concerns like unsafe housing or vacant buildings. It's a simple idea with a powerful impact, giving folks a safe way to speak up and protect their community.
The Power Line is just one example of how the William Whyte Neighbourhood Association listens to the community and responds with action. From organizing cleanups and offering free paint classes to providing skating programs and supporting newcomers, their work is rooted in care, connection and community pride.
Their partnerships with groups like the North End Community Renewal Corporation and the Point Douglas Residents Committee and local churches show what's possible when we come together with a shared purpose.
The association also helps families access grants to home repairs. This makes it possible to fix roofs and windows or steps so homes stay safe, lived-in and are part of a thriving, beautified neighbourhood.
What inspires the minister so much is how personal their work is. It's about neighbours helping neighbours. It's about creating spaces where people feel seen, supported and–value.
On behalf of the minister and the member for Point Douglas, to the staff, volunteers and residents who make the work that you do so meaningful, miigwech. You are the heart of Point Douglas, and your work reminds us that real change starts with community.
I ask the House to join me in saying miigwech to the William Whyte Neighbourhood Association.
Mr. Obby Khan (Leader of the Official Opposition): The Premier and his Health Minister are failing on the No. 1 issue they campaigned on. ER wait times are longer than they've ever been. For the first time in history, two Manitoba hospitals are greylisted by Manitoba nurses. HSC is the worst performing hospital in Canada under this NDP government.
And now, Manitobans are paying the price with their lives. Genevieve Price died last weekend after waiting more than 30 hours in the Grace ER. Earlier this year, Chad Giffin died in the waiting room of the Health Sciences Centre waiting for treatment, and a year ago, Debbie Fewster died waiting for life-saving cardiac surgery that never came. Are these–and these are just a few of the tragedies that we know of.
How can the Premier justify keeping his failing Health Minister in their job in the face of this dismal performance?
Hon. Wab Kinew (Premier): The case of Genevieve Price is very moving because she and her family did everything right: went to a minor injury clinic; they went to an ER; they demanded the medical attention.
And that's why, in the wake of this terrible tragedy, we have asked not only for there to be a critical incident report, but we're also going above and beyond to examine what sort of accountability needs to happen there.
But when we're talking about accountability in health care, it's not enough to point out the dismal failure of the member opposite to carry a single question period yesterday. We have to talk about the hundreds and hundreds of nurses who were fired when he was part of the Cabinet. We have to talk about the emergency rooms that were closed while he was in government. [interjection]
The Speaker: Order.
Mr. Kinew: And yet the members opposite chirp, chirp, chirp because they know that they threw the stone and now tried to hide their hand.
We're going to work together to open more emergency rooms, to hire–[interjection]
The Speaker: Order.
Mr. Kinew: –more nurses, to return health-care services, because if the contest is–
The Speaker: Member's time has expired.
The honourable Leader of the Official Opposition, on a supplementary question.
Mr. Khan: Someone in Manitoba has died, and the Premier wants to stand up and put misinformation on the record. He won't even address the fact that another Manitoba family is about to experience the holidays without their loved ones under this NDP government.
No one trusts this Premier; no one trusts this Health Minister and no one trusts the NDP. They have broken every single promise they campaigned on. We know that this is at least the second fatality from someone waiting for treatment in a ER under this NDP government.
The Premier said he's okay with an internal review, but that's not made public. There's no accountability. There's no transparency. Manitobans are not okay with that.
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When Brian Sinclair died after 34 hours in health care, this NDP government–under the previous NDP government, a public inquest was required–was ordered.
Will this Premier, today, commit to having a public inquiry for this latest tragedy under his NDP government?
Mr. Kinew: We're talking about Genevieve Price and her family. We're talking about Manitobans who deserve our condolences, who deserve our sympathies and, of course, we extend our thoughts and our prayers to you at this difficult time.
We are working to ensure that there are going to be learning opportunities for staff in the hospital outside of the critical incident process, but more importantly, that there are accountability conversations that are happened.
For the members 'opposist' who caused the chaos in our health-care system, all we'll–all I'll say is this: Is it better to have more staff or less? Is it better to have more emergency rooms or fewer? Is it better to be cutting or to–investing–[interjection]
The Speaker: Order.
Mr. Kinew: –in health care. Because if you want more emergency rooms, more staff and more investments in health care, you got to get with our team, not yours.
They cut health care. They caused the chaos; we're working together with you to fix the damage.
The Speaker: The honourable first–the honourable Leader of the Official Opposition, on a final supplementary question.
Mr. Khan: The Premier wants to stand up and talk about accountability. Well, you have the opportunity to do it now. But he won't answer the question.
I asked him, will he order a public inquiry into this latest tragedy under his health-care minister; he won't answer it. It's all smoke and mirrors. He doesn't want to be held accountable or transparent to you, Manitoba. He has the opportunity today to say that he will fire his failing Health Minister where two Manitobans have passed away waiting for treatment.
And will he order a public inquiry today so that Manitobans will have full accountability and transparency into his failing NDP government?
Mr. Kinew: When we're talking about the health-care system, we know that accountability is rendered by Manitobans each and every single day.
When we're talking about the Price family, I extend my deepest sympathies to you on the loss of your loved one. We know that you did everything right and that the care that you sought fell short.
As a result, we are going to be launching a critical incident investigation. We are going to ensure–[interjection]
The Speaker: Order.
Mr. Kinew: –that there is an internal investigation, and of course, we have also asked the Chief Medical Examiner in Manitoba to examine this situation. And we will be delivering results and accountability to you, the people of Manitoba.
For the members opposite–the snivelling PCs that they are–they condemn by heckling because their time in office was full of emergency room closures, was full of nurses being put out of work, was full of Manitobans not getting the health care that they need. Shame on the PCs when it comes to health care.
The Speaker: Member's time has expired.
The honourable Leader of the Official Opposition, on a new question.
Mr. Obby Khan (Leader of the Official Opposition): The Premier shows such disrespect to Manitobans by not answering any questions.
The Premier stands in this Chamber like a snivelling NDP clown, like this is all a joke or a performance. I've asked over a hundred questions and not gotten one answer from this Premier.
The procedures and the decorum of this House do not apply to him or his colleagues, as we've seen.
Yesterday, the Premier made a bold statement, but he seems to have forgotten that he is only one of three members in this Chamber who has to report a criminal record. Not a single one of those is on this side of the House.
I guess he forgot he was charged with drunk driving, domestic violence, assault, fraud and refusing to–[interjection]
The Speaker: Order.
Mr. Khan: –show up for bail hearing. The people of Manitoba deserve a Premier with moral conviction instead of a Premier with a prior conviction.
Can the Premier–
Some Honourable Members: Oh, oh.
The Speaker: Order.
Mr. Khan: The Premier has the chance to stand up today and correct the record and admit that he is the first one in the history of this country to serve with a criminal record as a Premier.
Hon. Wab Kinew (Premier): You know, the worst part about how terrible the PC Leader is at question period is that when he gets a whupping in here, he's got to go away for 24 hours and then come back the next day with the comeback. Bravo. Wow, great job reading that piece of paper. Absolute embarrassment.
They got the whupping yesterday, why? Because on Wednesdays, they can't sustain a whole question period. They come in on Monday gassed up from the weekend. By Tuesday, you can tell that they're teetering. By the time we're Wednesday, we got to sit down after two questions.
What I have to say to the member opposite, what I have to say to all the snivellers around him–[interjection]
The Speaker: Order.
Mr. Kinew: –bring it on every single day. There's plenty more where this came from. We'll make you sit down, come back with your questions the next day–[interjection]
The Speaker: Order.
Mr. Kinew: –and you'll still get a licking.
The Speaker: The–[interjection]
Order. Order.
I'm not sure what's going on today. It's not Friday morning. But we all need to calm down, both sides.
Mr. Khan: Yes, the snivelling, arrogant Premier once again at his masterpiece right there. His facts of his criminal record have always been there. The Premier shows time and time again how petty, angry, juvenile, pathetic, callous, arrogant that he is.
Honourable Speaker, a Manitoban died after waiting 30 hours in the hospital, and the Premier stands up and makes jokes. Makes jokes about their passing away.
This is a repeat pattern by this Premier. I'm going to quote: While on the original bail, he failed to report, then released again and became reinvolved, and again breached an undertaking. And I'm informed the assault occurred while he was extremely intoxicated, end quote.
Who's that about? The Premier, Honourable Speaker. Why does the Premier still act like he's above the law, that the rules don't follow him and that his criminal record puts him apart as the first–[interjection]
The Speaker: Order.
Mr. Khan: –premier in the history of this country to serve with a criminal record?
Some Honourable Members: Oh, oh.
The Speaker: Order. Order.
Everybody needs to calm down. We can quit hollering back and forth across the way.
Mr. Kinew: The member opposite can keep talking about me. The only thing I'm talking about is you. Every single day in office, we're checking off another promise delivered for you, the people of Manitoba.
The first thing that we did: we cut the gas tax to put more money into your pockets. The second thing that we did–[interjection]
The Speaker: Order.
Mr. Kinew: –is that we searched the landfill. And as a result of that important and sacred work, we were able to bring Marcedes Myran and Morgan Harris home.
When it comes to health care–[interjection]
The Speaker: Order.
Mr. Kinew: –every single day, we have been hiring nurses, physicians, health-care aides, and as a result, there are 3,500 more health-care workers working in our province today.
And now I have a question for everyone in this House: What do you hear?
The Speaker: Member's time has expired.
The honourable Leader of the Official Opposition, on a final supplementary question.
Mr. Khan: I'll answer that end of that question for the Premier. What do we hear? We hear the Premier's embarrassing criminal record. We hear him and his entire Cabinet failing. We hear about Manitobans dying under his watch.
The Premier loves to spend time quoting me, so I'm going to quote the Premier here, and I start with a–[interjection]
The Speaker: Order.
Mr. Khan: –quote: Yes. End quote.
The Speaker: Order.
The honourable member for Kildonan-River East (Mrs. Schott) needs to come to order.
Mr. Khan: I'm going to start with a quote from the Premier, and I quote: Yes. End quote. What is the Premier saying yes to? When he was asked if he was pleading guilty to refusing a Breathalyzer, for being pulled over for drunk driving.
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Another quote, and I quote: Yeah. End quote. Yeah? When he was asked if he pled guilty for failing to report for bail supervision on those charges. Supposedly, this is the same guy that's supposed to protect Manitobans when he won't even respect the laws in this province.
Honourable Speaker, will the Premier admit today–[interjection]
The Speaker: Order.
Mr. Khan: –that bail conditions are not only for the rest of Manitoba, but they also apply for the Premier and his criminal record?
Some Honourable Members: Oh, oh.
The Speaker: Order.
Mr. Kinew: The member opposite is rolling around in the mud. And you know what a wise man once told me? Don't get in a mud fight with a pig because the pig will love it.
And that's why we're focused each and every day on fixing your health care. That's why we're focused each and every day on helping you with your cost of living. That's why we're focused each and every day on building up our economy.
Time was, the PCs used to stand for the economy, used to stand for law and order. Now all they stand for is attacking LGBT folks. They can keep doing that, sitting on the sidelines for many decades to come and we're going to keep focusing on you, because the only thing that member opposite has to offer is his claim to have played football for many, many years.
But you know what? In spite of those many, many years, I have exactly as many Grey Cups as he does.
The Speaker: Member's time has expired.
The honourable Leader of the Official Opposition, on a new question.
Mr. Obby Khan (Leader of the Official Opposition): There you have it, another racist comment by the Premier. The Premier knows I'm Muslim; he knows I won't wrestle with a pig, but I will wrestle with a criminal like him, Honourable Speaker.
The Premier has clearly never changed. The Premier doesn't want accountability and he doesn't want to answer to Manitobans.
The reason he walked was because he hired a defense lawyer, not much unlike the member from Fort Garry who he kicked out of his caucus for asking tough questions of this Premier.
How much longer will the Premier walk into this Chamber with a divided, incompetent caucus, failing Health Minister, failing Families Minister, failing Justice Minister and everyone on that side of the House, Honourable Speaker?
When will the Premier face the fact that, as a leader, for the first time in his life–[interjection]
The Speaker: Order.
Mr. Khan: –he has to take responsibility and accountability for his failures? [interjection]
The Speaker: Order.
The Minister of Education needs to come to order.
Hon. Wab Kinew (Premier): Well, let's just wind the clock back to 24 hours ago. Imagine the dour, downcast expressions in the PC caucus room after that whupping that they took yesterday–[interjection]
The Speaker: Order.
The member for Portage la Prairie (MLA Bereza) and Leader of the Official Opposition (Mr. Khan) also need to come to order.
Mr. Kinew: And again, after the Leader of the Opposition was getting an earful from all of those members saying: You really can't roll over every Wednesday; it's not becoming of a leader.
Then, of course, the staff, you know, rallied around him and said, don't worry, we'll come back with a strategy tomorrow. We'll write you some questions so that you can go ahead and ask the Premier and you can make yourself look like the big guy that you always claim to be. We got your back.
And then, of course, they turn to each other and say: It's painfully obvious this guy is not made for question period. So that's what they did yesterday.
What were we doing yesterday? Working for you, fixing health care, hiring teachers, fixing roads, investing in schools, making–[interjection]
The Speaker: Order.
Couple of times now, I've asked both sides to come to order. I've called some members to order. I expect better from all of us.
Mr. Khan: I see what's happening here, Honourable Speaker. I've struck a chord with the Premier. He's getting angry. He's getting mad.
Last night, we had the honour to attend the Punjabi–[interjection]
The Speaker: Order.
Mr. Khan: The Premier didn't have the courtesy or respect to introduce his own Punjabi MLAs, so I took that opportunity to introduce his Punjabi MLAs. He showed such little respect for his own teammates–Punjabis–that he assaulted a Punjabi cab driver.
The Premier is quoted as saying, and I quote from a police report: insulted the complaintant with some racial comments, which continued until the driver reached the intersection of Portage and Fort and stopped at the red light. At that point, the Premier exited the taxicab, attended to the driver's side window, which was half open, and continued to punch the plaintiff in the face. The victim began to step out and the Premier continued to punch him.
I'll ask the Premier: Does the Premier hate taxi drivers? Does he hate Punjabis–
The Speaker: Member's time has expired.
Mr. Kinew: I love the Punjabi community. I love taxi drivers. That's why, since my very first election, I have been very proud to attend many events with the taxi drivers in Manitoba.
And, of course, we were very proud, when the members opposite brought Uber into Manitoba, to stand with the taxi industry and to stand against the Uberification of the economy.
But when we're talking about the member opposite, my heart almost goes out to him: tossing and turning, as he did yesterday, unable to shake the images of getting absolutely worked in question period.
And, again, what I have to say to the member opposite is: It's okay to cry. It's okay to turn to your colleagues and tell them, I didn't do good yesterday. I'll do better tomorrow.
But the thing–[interjection]
The Speaker: Order.
Mr. Kinew: –that it's not okay to do is to waste everyone's time with your little ego trip.
We're focused on you. We're focused on health care. We're focused on education.
The Speaker: Member's time has expired.
The honourable Leader of the Official Opposition, on a final supplementary question.
Mr. Khan: I guess the Premier loves Punjabis like he loved Tara Hart.
November is Domestic Violence Awareness Month, of which I'm sure the Premier is familiar with; not with the month, but with acts of domestic violence by the Premier himself. While many of us were studying in universities, the Premier was out drunk driving in the North End. The Premier hit light standards and a couple rail guards, assaulted a cab driver and skipped out on his bail conditions.
That's not all, though. He was also accused of assaulting his former partner, one Tara Gail [phonetic] Hart. I want to make sure that this November, we take the time to think of the victims of domestic violence in Manitoba, including–[interjection]
The Speaker: Order.
Mr. Khan: –the one the Premier has assaulted, the one that he hoped Manitobans would forget about.
So will the Premier join us for a moment of silence after question period in commemorating domestic violence month awareness to Tara Hart, and will he apologize for his violent actions towards her today?
Some Honourable Members: Oh, oh.
The Speaker: Order.
Mr. Kinew: I've been called worse things by better people.
Now when we're talking about intimate partner violence and the responsibility for all of us to take action and to do the right thing–[interjection]
The Speaker: Order.
Mr. Kinew: –in order to be able to make our society safer, our government is taking action to help people right across the province of Manitoba.
We know that under the leadership of the Minister responsible for Women and Gender Equity (MLA Fontaine), we have $20 million annually for her part in a very important, first of its kind investment. At the same time, we also know that the endowment fund for missing and murdered Indigenous–[interjection]
The Speaker: Order.
Mr. Kinew: –women, girls and two-spirit people, this is a really, really important investment so that we can keep women, girls and two-spirit people in our society safe.
The one thing that we will never do when it comes to gender-based violence and intimate partner violence is politicize or trivialize the trauma–
The Speaker: Member's time has expired.
Mrs. Lauren Stone (Midland): The only people that seem to be okay with violent repeat offenders on our streets is–[interjection]
The Speaker: Order.
Mrs. Stone: –the NDP fake feminists that sit idly by with their boss's criminal record against women. Shame on the member for St. Johns (MLA Fontaine), shame on the member for Rossmere (MLA Schmidt), shame on the member for Radisson (MLA Dela Cruz), shame on the member for Kildonan-River East (Mrs. Schott) for sitting idly by their boss's criminal record against women.
According to Manitoba Harvest, roughly two thirds of food bank users are women. Single moms are being taxed to the edge of bankruptcy. And this NDP has offered nothing in return: makeshift policies that ended a year ago, that don't even save 90 cents per fill on gas, that don't even buy a can of soup.
* (14:20)
Why is this NDP taxing women into bankruptcy–
The Speaker: Member's time has expired.
Hon. Wab Kinew (Premier): We know that when it comes to the impacts of the cost of living on the women in our society, that we have to take action to ensure that everybody in Manitoba is able to respond. When we took direct action to put money back in your pockets to help with the cost of living by cutting the gas tax, women benefited from that.
When we ensured that the renters tax credit was restored after it was cut by the members opposite, women benefited from that. When we cut personal–[interjection]
The Speaker: Order, please.
I realize the Leader of the Official Opposition (Mr. Khan) is trying to make a point today, but he can stop. He can come to order.
Mr. Kinew: When it comes to those actions–[interjection] When it comes to those actions, they benefit every single–[interjection] When it comes to those actions, they benefit every single person in a society, including women. But we've gone beyond that by also ensuring that there is $20 million each and every year to meet the unique housing needs, the unique social supports and–
The Speaker: Member's time has expired.
The honourable member for Midland, on a supplementary question.
Mrs. Stone: All this Premier needs to do is apologize, and I would put our record for standing up for women of domestic violence ahead of this Premier's agenda.
NDP tax hikes are targeting women and the middle class. These folks used to be able to sponsor hampers, they used to be able to donate their time and their money to food banks. Now they're having to pick up extra jobs just to pay for food for their families.
Orange juice is up 10 per cent, coffee is up 30 per cent, beef is up almost 20 per cent. Yet the NDP have increased taxes by $400 million. [interjection]
I understand why the member for Rossmere (MLA Schmidt) is heckling me, because–[interjection]
The Speaker: Order. Order.
The Speaker is standing. And I'm not sure why things are as shameful as they are in here today. But everybody that's hollering back and forth across the way should be ashamed of their actions and their behaviour today.
People are watching. People know what goes on in here. And it's time that we showed some respect. If we don't like each other, that's fine. I don't care. But you will respect the positions you have in this place.
Mrs. Stone: Honourable Speaker, I'm just asking a question as to why these fake feminists on the NDP side won't stand up for women who need to use food banks.
Why are they taxing women and families into food banks today?
Mr. Kinew: Honourable Speaker, 91 per cent of the people, including women in her riding, are better off under our government's Homeowners Affordability Tax Credit; 100 per cent of women in her riding benefited when we cut the gas tax. And again, targeted investments that I was speaking about before my time expired in the last set of answers also are going directly to support women in her riding.
Meanwhile, what happened in the community of Morris while Brian Pallister was in office? Absolutely nothing.
What happened in the community of Morris when Heather Stefanson and the Leader of the Opposition were in office? Absolutely nothing.
We just had a wonderful get-together with the assembly of Manitoba municipalities, and what we heard from the rural south was: Keep investing our province. Keep investing in women. Keep investing in youth.
We've heard the message loud and clear. We're working hard for you.
The Speaker: The honourable member for Midland, on a final supplementary question.
Mrs. Stone: There it shows, Manitobans. The Premier will not even let a female within his caucus stand up and answer my questions about women using food banks. These fake NDP feminists continue to sit idly by their boss's domestic violence record against women during domestic violence month. It is shameful.
So I urge one of those females on that side of the House to actually stand up and denounce their boss and all men who have domestic violence charges against women.
Mr. Kinew: On our side of the House, we have ensured that there is a first-of-its-kind $20-million annual investment in protecting women, girls and two-spirit people.
But what I would ask the member opposite is: What about trans women? What about the trans women in our province? Do they feel safe with the people that you're sitting in the caucus with?
Maybe I'll go a step further and point out that under our government, women are benefitting the fact that 110,000 free birth control prescriptions have been filled under the leadership of the Minister of Families (MLA Fontaine), the Minister of Health and the Minister of Housing, Addictions and Homelessness (Ms. Smith).
Now I would ask that member to go back to her caucus room and ask Borderland, how does he feel about 110,000 birth control prescriptions being fulfilled. How does the member for Lac du Bonnet (Mr. Ewasko) feel about 110,000 birth control prescriptions being filled? Perhaps go to the member for Roblin (Mrs. Cook) and ask her–
The Speaker: Member's time has expired.
Order, please. Stop the clock.
Introduction of Guests
The Speaker: In the loge to my left, we have former MLA Shannon Martin, who was the MLA for Morris and McPhillips.
We welcome you.
Mr. Rick Wowchuk (Swan River): Yes. Manitobans are outraged by this government. When legal hunters and anglers attempted to drive down Rice River Road to access Crown lands, they were turned away by an unenforceable blockade, yet this government sent a lawyer to assert that the cowards in this Cabinet are, quote, not taking a position.
How exactly does the government not take a position when Manitobans' right to travel provincial roadways are infringed upon?
Hon. Wab Kinew (Premier): Every Manitoban has the right to access our public lands, and that is non‑negotiable.
When it comes to people who know how to hunt–I'm teaching my sons how to hunt safely.
The thing is, on this side of the House, you have responsible gun owners; you have real hunters. On that side of the House, you got a bunch of frauds who are playing dress-up on social media.
Now when it comes to the matter that a court decision was delivered on today, nothing could be further than the truth. We actually intervened and we intervened in favour of the access of all Manitobans.
While they continue to try and divide Manitobans–
Some Honourable Members: Oh, oh.
The Speaker: Order.
Mr. Kinew: –we are going to be there each and every single day to bring people together to ensure that every hunter, no matter where you grew up in in this province, are able to put food on the table, fill the freezer and show the next generation how to hunt.
The Speaker: The honourable member for Swan River, on a supplementary question.
Mr. Wowchuk: Honourable Speaker, sometimes in this Chamber, we see Pinocchio at his finest.
We all know that blockade kept the Premier–if the blockade kept the Premier in River Heights or the member of St. Johns in her home in Linden Woods, this government would have a very different story. Doesn't sound like one Manitoba to me.
There are Manitobans who did everything right. They waited their turn, finally got a moose tag and took time off work to hunt. And then they got turned away because this government won't take a position about it–Manitobans can drive down–or, where Manitobans can drive down a public provincial road.
Was this the minister's plan when he caved and passed his discriminatory regulations?
* (14:30)
Mr. Kinew: As a licensed gun owner, what I see when I go out into the community, and I see Indigenous–[interjection]
The Speaker: Order, please.
The honourable Leader of the Official Opposition (Mr. Khan) is trying to get named. He's going well down that path, so I would ask him to come to order.
Mr. Kinew: When I see Indigenous hunters and non‑Indigenous hunters, I see fellow Manitobans.
I see people who learned from the previous generation how to live off the land. I see people who are struggling with the cost of living because you have career politicians who are getting rich doing absolutely nothing to help. What I see are people who are self-sufficient, who are trying to fill the freezer.
And so on this side of the House, what we want to do is to bring everyone together. On that side of the House, they just want to get some likes on the Facebook account by trying to–[interjection]
The Speaker: Order.
Mr. Kinew: –pick people apart by culture, race or religion.
What I believe in is in the content of the character, and based on that insight, I know that all Manitobans are invested in one common future, one common destiny and that is what makes us one Manitoba.
Mr. Wowchuk: Yes, Honourable Speaker, one Manitoba? Again, Pinocchio at his finest.
All right, the chief of Bloodvein–[interjection]
The Speaker: Order, please.
I would strongly caution the member from Swan River. He thinks he's being clever, found a clever way to call somebody liar. He is not that clever. He will stop it.
Some Honourable Members: Oh, oh.
Mr. Wowchuk: The chief of Bloodvein said from the get-go that this minister supported her illegal blockade. That sure doesn't sound like not taking a position to me. It sounds like the minister is okay with Manitobans paying for tags and application fees for draws that they may well–which may well be cancelled.
Since he clearly supports this blockade, will he commit today to refunding these hunters' application and moose tag fees?
The Speaker: Member's time is expired. [interjection]
Order.
Mr. Kinew: On this side of the House, you got the people raised on moose meat. On that side of the House, you got the tofu eaters. You got the salad bar line-uppers. You got the latte sippers from regions unknown.
Shame on these members opposite, trying to act like they know what it's like to fill the freezer. They never cleaned that gun in their life. They don't know the difference between a clove hitch and a trailer hitch. [interjection]
The Speaker: Order.
Mr. Kinew: Each and every one of them would never, ever have a piece of blaze orange in their wardrobe if it wasn't for the PC Party affiliation.
If they want to get into a–in some contest with me, the only question I have for the member for Swan River: Is he allowed to use a phone again?
Mr. Greg Nesbitt (Riding Mountain): Honourable Speaker, there's no moose meat left for all of Manitoba.
When this Premier took conservation officers away from their duties in his attempt to appease Donald Trump, we knew what this Premier was really doing: furthering his goal of undermining the entire conservation officer system.
We saw, last summer, when a deputy minister announced that the wildlife laws as written were not to be enforced because it was politically inconvenient for the minister.
Why is this government's reaction always to strip away protections instead of doing the right thing?
Hon. Wab Kinew (Premier): I remember being at the Northern Manitoba Trappers' Fest with the member opposite, and they gave him a shotgun to fire at the start of the dog race. He didn't know how to use it. Quite an embarrassing sight to have a rural MLA getting the 101 on how to load a shotty.
But don't worry: your fearless Premier was there, shooting from the hip, like I do each and every day, like these members opposite–all these members opposite–when it comes to the nonsense that they bring forward.
He was the minister for Conservation. He never counted a single moose during his time in office. If he wants accountability on lack of moose in the Duck and the Porcupines, in any part of the province, he needs to look in the mirror.
Mr. Nesbitt: Honourable Speaker, Manitobans expect more from this government. They expect the rule of law to be universal, and they expect that provincial officials will not pick and choose what laws to enforce.
So I ask the Premier a simple question today: What have conservation officers been told not to enforce in their line of duty?
Mr. Kinew: Well, conservation officers have been told that this weekend, heading into next Monday, that they need to be there to ensure that all Manitobans have access to all regions of the province.
But on the subject of the universal applicability of laws, perhaps the member would like to look to his right and ask the member for Red River North (Mr. Wharton), what was it like to pay that fine: $1000, $2,000, $3,000, $4,000–I don't even want to waste everyone's time with how long it took him to pay his fine.
Perhaps he wants to call up his old boss, Heather Stefanson, and ask her what was it like to pay an $18,000 fine for violating the Constitution. Heather will probably say: I don't know what it was like. My accountant looks after it.
The point is, the members opposite do not live on the same planet as you. They want to waste a question period going after me? Fine. I'm going to keep zeroed in on fixing health care, helping with the cost of living and improving our economy in face of the Trump tariff threat–
The Speaker: Member's time has expired.
MLA Cindy Lamoureux (Tyndall Park): Honourable Speaker, I am asking for leave for time to be added to the clock. We have a responsibility here in this House to ask questions on behalf of our constituents, and negotiations have allowed for me to ask questions every single day in question period.
Unfortunately, due to the shameful behaviour today in the Chamber, I was unable to get to my question in question period. So, again, I'd like to ask for leave to ask my full set.
The Speaker: Is there leave for the honourable member for Tyndall Park to ask her full set of questions today?
Some Honourable Members: Agreed.
Some Honourable Members: No.
The Speaker: Leave has been denied.
Some Honourable Members: Oh, oh.
The Speaker: Order.
The honourable member for Riding Mountain–there was two seconds left on the clock by my clock, so the honourable member for Riding Mountain gets his last question.
Mr. Greg Nesbitt (Riding Mountain): Honourable Speaker, as they say, it's not the crime that gets you, it's the cover-up. The same is true with this minister, who was the first in the history of Manitoba to be found guilty by the Ethics Commissioner. Over 150 years and this minister was the first. Manitobans remember that he still hasn't sold the conflicting business like he promised, because this government has no problem misleading Manitobans.
* (14:40)
Is this attitude of suppression the reason this minister has refused to issue regular conservation enforcement bulletins for the past two years?
Hon. Wab Kinew (Premier): We're safeguarding Manitoba's natural resources for everyone. We are ensuring that there is moose to hunt–[interjection]
The Speaker: Order.
Mr. Kinew: –for every single Manitoban. When it comes to the member opposite, though–[interjection]
The Speaker: Order.
The honourable First Minister.
Mr. Kinew: We are safeguarding the natural resources in this province for every single Manitoban. We ensure that there is going to be a moose-hunting season for every single Manitoban.
When it comes to the member opposite, I actually kind of like the guy. He is better than participating in the nonsense that we saw from the PCs today. Again, no substantive questions about municipalities, not just today, but for the entire week. I really want to apologize to municipal leaders that the PCs didn't see fit to ask a single question about your issues this week.
So in lieu of a question from the opposition during question period, I'll table the progress report card that you've tabled from the AMM. And here's what it shows for both 2024 and 2025: a 100 per cent success rate at our government meeting your needs. [interjection]
The Speaker: Order, please. Order.
Hon. Nahanni Fontaine (Government House Leader): Is there leave of the House to allow the member for Tyndall Park (MLA Lamoureux) one single question and not the series of three.
The Speaker: Is there leave of the House for the honourable member for Tyndall Park to ask one question? [Agreed]
MLA Cindy Lamoureux (Tyndall Park): According to Autism Spectrum Disorders Manitoba, about 1 per cent of the population has autism. Research shows that there is no known cause, but that there are both genetic and environmental factors to be considered.
Due to high demand, current wait time for 'diagnostis' through the health-care system can often exceed one year, so many parents must turn to private diagnosis, which can cost two to three thousand dollars.
The Autism Alliance of Canada advocates for the importance of earlier diagnosis because of the barrier it can create to receiving necessary services.
What is this government doing to support families having to pay for a diagnosis to ensure their child gets the resources they need sooner rather than later?
Hon. Wab Kinew (Premier): When it comes to families who are raising neurodiverse children, I think that every single–[interjection] When it comes to children in this province who are neurodiverse and the families that are caring for them, I think every single person in this province has a heart and–[interjection]
I'm not sure why the PCs are heckling during a question about children with autism.
Anyway, every single person in this province has a heart. And we–[interjection]
Now we're hearing laughter from the opposition benches? Okay.
So we know that every single person in this province has a heart. That's why our government has been focused on enhancing services in the health‑care system. We've been focused on ensuring that there are more educational assistants, as well as accommodations in the K‑to‑12 system, but importantly, also in the early childhood education system.
I'll pause here for a second to point out to the member for Tyndall Park that when the PCs were in office, they cut accommodation services–
The Speaker: Member's time has expired.
An Honourable Member: Point of order.
Point of Order
The Speaker: The honourable First Minister, on a point of order.
Mr. Kinew: Sorry, I'd just like to ask for your guidance on this. We were not in question period, so I don't believe that the typical time considerations apply.
The Speaker: There was leave granted for one more question, which technically put us back in question period, and I never said question period was expired. So one minute does apply.
* * *
Mr. Khan: As you'll recall, during my question period time, I asked for the House, once question period was done, to join in a moment of silence commemorating and remembering and honouring all of the women for Domestic Violence Awareness Month, including Tara Hart and many other women.
Thank you, Honourable Speaker.
The Speaker: Is there leave for a moment of silence as requested by the Leader of the Official Opposition (Mr. Khan)? [Agreed]
A moment of silence was observed.
The Speaker: And for clarification, question period has expired.
Mr. Derek Johnson (Official Opposition House Leader): On a point of order.
Point of Order
The Speaker: The honourable Opposition House Leader, on a point of order.
Mr. Johnson: Yes, Honourable Speaker, this is obviously my first point of order and my first opportunity to get that point of order across.
Obviously, it was a serious and egregious question period, and the Speaker may not like the questions and the Speaker may not have control of this House, but when the Speaker refers to our members as not clever, it is disrespectful, it's embarrassing and it's unbecoming.
I ask not just for an apology immediately, but I would also ask for a written apology for the member for Swan River (Mr. Wowchuk) from the Speaker. [interjection]
The Speaker: Order.
Before recognizing any other members to speak to the point of order, I'd remind members to keep their comments completely pertinent to the point of order.
Mr. Kinew: There's no point of order here. There's no rule being cited and therefore no rule that can be broken.
In fact, there is a rule that the Chair needs to be respected and that the interdictions and interjections of the Chair are what are going to govern the conduct in question period.
Now, the members opposite clearly came in here with a strategy today to try and light up the, I guess, escalation of feelings and emotion in question period, and as a result, I think the Opposition House Leader should look in the mirror.
Because, again, you are a person just like anyone else, and in such a chaotic environment, it is easy to understand how the need to respond is going to match the tenor of the moment. And for additional consideration for the members opposite–the members hiding behind their desks right now–I would say that the only thing embarrassing, the only thing unbecoming–[interjection]
The Speaker: Order.
Mr. Kinew: –the only thing unintelligent–[interjection]
The Speaker: Order.
Mr. Kinew: –was the Leader of the Official Opposition (Mr. Khan). [interjection]
The Speaker: Order, please. Order, please.
So I recognize that today's question period was a shambles and was a lot of disgraceful behaviour all the way around, and as your Speaker, I should rise above that. For that, I will apologize to the member for Swan River (Mr. Wowchuk).
However, I will caution all members that when they're trying to skirt around unparliamentary language by using certain words or terms, that I have cautioned members in the past on trying to do that and I will continue to caution members on that.
* (14:50)
So I do apologize to the member for Swan River, and that is the end of that.
An Honourable Member: Was it a point of order?
The Speaker: There was no point of order.
* * *
The Speaker: Petitions.
Mrs. Carrie Hiebert (Morden-Winkler): On a point of order.
Point of Order
The Speaker: The honourable member for Morden-Winkler, on a point of order.
Mrs. Hiebert: Honourable Speaker, as I was sitting here watching what was happening today, I was listening to the member for Midland (Mrs. Stone) sharing and speaking about her question. The Minister of Education was yelling out names at her during her question.
And I don't appreciate that. I don't appreciate any of that in this whole space. I will say I'm standing up today because the whole front bench of the government tend to stand up all the–or say–call names, both to me and my colleagues–[interjection]
The Speaker: Order.
Mrs. Hiebert: It is not appropriate that that does not get–that is not being addressed. My team is amazing, I have utmost respect for them. Every single man on this team has been nothing but respectful to me as a woman, and I will stand up every day and speak proudly about the team that I'm on.
Thank you, Honourable Speaker.
Some Honourable Members: Oh, oh.
The Speaker: Order.
Before I recognize any other members to speak to the point of order, I'd remind them to keep their comments pertinent to the point of order.
Hon. Nahanni Fontaine (Government House Leader): The member–and I appreciate the member getting up and attempting to put forward a point of order on what perhaps she imagines happened on this side of the House during this really atrocious question period.
But I can assure the House and the Speaker that the Education Minister did not–I sit right with the minister–did not call the member for Midland (Mrs. Stone) any names. And unlike the men on that side who routinely get up and espouse their misogyny for–[interjection]
The Speaker: Order.
MLA Fontaine: –folks on–for the women and gender-diverse folks on this side of the Chamber, our member–[interjection]
The Speaker: Order.
When someone's speaking in a point of order, I need to hear what they're saying, so the rest of you need to be quiet.
MLA Fontaine: As I was saying, unlike the members opposite–in particular, the men that get up every single day when our women and gender-diverse folks are answering questions and espouse their misogyny, not one single member of my government caucus has ever called any one of the women on that side a name. And we would never do that. [interjection]
The Speaker: Order.
MLA Fontaine: To be clear, Honourable Speaker, I call the men on that side, day in and day out, a bunch of misogynists, and I stick by that.
Honourable Speaker, there is no point of order, and thank you.
The Speaker: Order, please.
I'd just like to point out that neither side in this Chamber has any moral ground to stand and call the other side today. Both sides' behaviour today was shameful and an embarrassment.
I will point out to the member of Morden-Winkler: she does not have a point of order.
* * *
Mr. Obby Khan (Leader of the Official Opposition): Petitions?
Introduction of Guests
The Speaker: There's some guests in the gallery that I need to introduce. I'd like to draw the attention of all honourable members to the public gallery where we have with us today Rajeev Sehgal and Mohit Goyal, who are guests of the honourable member for Burrows (Mr. Brar).
And on behalf of all honourable members, we welcome you here today.
And unfortunately, due to the behaviour of members in this gallery today, we had seated in the public gallery, from Churchill High School, 20 high school students under the direction of Chantelle Cotton. Unfortunately, they didn't get recognized while they were here because I was paying too much attention to what was going on on the floor.
Thank you.
Mr. Obby Khan (Leader of the Official Opposition): I apologize; I have a bit of a cough today. Petition.
Honourable Speaker, I wish to present the following petition–sorry–to the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba.
The background to this petition is as follows:
(1) Ensuring that teachers have a robust background in the subjects they teach is essential for maintaining high-quality education and fostering well-rounded learning experiences for all Manitoba students. Sorry.
(2) Recent amendments by the Province of Manitoba to the Teaching Certificates and Qualifications Regulation under The Education Administration Act have significantly lowered the standards for subject-area expertise required for teacher certification.
(3) These amendments eliminated all subject-area requirements for teacher certifications, including major and minor teachable subjects and subject-specific requirements for early/middle years streams.
(4) Specifically, the amendments removed: senior–(1) senior years credit requirements in an approved teachable major and minor; early/middle years credit requirements in approved teachable major and minor; and early/middle years credit requirements for specific subjects, including: math; physical or biological science; English or French; and history and/or geography.
(5) Key stakeholders, such as parents, post-secondary educators outside the facilities of education and business partners were not consulted about the changes.
(6) The removal of subject-specific requirements undermines the educational quality in Manitoba schools. The removal of subject-specific requirements undermines the educational quality in Manitoba schools by permitting teachers to enter the classroom without sufficient training in core academic areas, thereby compromising the education that Manitoba students receive.
We petition the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba as follows:
Mr. Tyler Blashko, Deputy Speaker, in the Chair
(1) To urge the Minister of Education and Early Childhood Learning to reverse recent amendments to the Teaching Certificates and Qualifications Regulation that weaken subject-area requirements for teacher certification and to reinstate teachable majors and minors and early/middle years requirements which are essential for ensuring teachers' majors and minors, which are essential for ensuring teachers have strong knowledgeable in one–knowledge in one core subject area.
* (15:00)
(2) To urge the provincial government to address teacher shortages through alternative measures that uphold rigorous subject-area standards, which are critical for providing quality education to all Manitoba students.
Honourable–or, sorry–Deputy Chair–Speaker–Deputy Speaker, this petition has been signed by Ross Stokke, Matthew Wiersma and Narad Rampersad, and many, many, many, many, many other Manitobans.
The Deputy Speaker: Before we move on to the next petition–[interjection]
Order.
Before we move on to the next petition, I'll remind members that you get three names at the end of your petition and two repetitions of the word many.
Mr. Kelvin Goertzen (Steinbach): I'd like to present the following petition to the House.
The background to this petition is as follows:
(1) Kellie Verwey, a beloved young woman from Portage la Prairie, Manitoba, was tragically killed in a car crash caused by a repeat violent offender with a long criminal history.
(2) Despite repeated violations of his bail conditions, the offender was free to roam the streets and to ultimately claim Kellie's life. This tragedy was entirely preventable.
(3) While the Criminal Code falls under federal jurisdiction, provinces have been given the responsibility for the administration of justice, allowing for meaningful provincial action on bail reform to ensure public safety.
(4) Other provinces have taken proactive steps to strengthen bail enforcement, but Manitoba has not used all the available tools to address this issue effectively.
(5) The provincial government has the ability and the responsibility to advocate for and implement measures that protect its citizens by ensuring that repeat violent offenders are not released into our communities without proper safeguards.
(6) Immediate action is required to close gaps in the justice system that allow dangerous criminals to remain free, which puts innocent Manitobans at risk.
We petition the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba as follows:
(1) To urge the provincial government to take immediate and decisive action on bail reform to address serious deficits in enforcement by utilizing all available provincial mechanisms to strengthen warrant enforcement, increasing bail supervision and opposing release of offenders, thus ensuring that repeat violent offenders are held accountable and that public safety is prioritized over leniency; and
(2) To urge the provincial government to lobby the federal government to immediately repeal provisions of the Criminal Code that allow for the continued victimization of law-abiding Manitobans while granting repeat violent offenders additional rights.
And this petition is signed by Jannelle Murray, Keith Murray, Louise [phonetic] Murray, and many, many other Manitobans.
Mr. Greg Nesbitt (Riding Mountain): I wish to present the following petition to the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba.
The background to this petition is as follows:
(1) Thanks to the investment made under the previous PC provincial government as part of the clinical and preventative services plan, construction for the new Portage regional health facility is well under way. The facility and surrounding community would greatly benefit from added diagnostic machinery and equipment, but specifically the addition of an MRI machine.
(2) An MRI machine is a non-invasive medical imaging technique that uses a magnetic field and computer-generated radio waves to create detailed images of organs and tissues in the human body. It is used for disease detection, diagnosis and treatment monitoring.
(3) Portage la Prairie is centrally located in Manitoba and is on the No. 1 Highway in the Southern Health/Santé Sud Health Authority. Currently there is only one MRI machine in the RHA.
(4) An MRI machine located in the Portage regional health facility will reduce transportation costs for patients as well as reduce the burden on stretcher service and ambulance use. It will bring care closer to home and reduce wait times for MRI scans across the province.
(5) Located around Portage la Prairie are the Dakota Tipi, Dakota Plains, Sandy Bay and Long Plain First Nations reserves. Indigenous peoples in Canada disproportionately face barriers in access to services and medical care. An MRI machine located in the Portage regional health facility will bring care closer to their home communities and provide greater access to diagnostic testing.
(6) Located in close proximity to the new Portage regional health facility is the Southport airport. This aerodrome has a runway length that is more than adequate to support medical air ambulance services. This would provide the opportunity to transport patients by air from more remote communities to access MRI imaging services.
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(7) The average wait times for Manitobans to receive an MRI scan is currently six to eight months. Having an MRI machine in the Portage regional health facility will help reduce these wait times for patients and provide better care sooner.
We petition the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba as follows:
To urge the provincial government to support the investment and placement of an MRI machine in the Portage regional health facility in Portage la Prairie, Manitoba.
Honourable Deputy Speaker, this petition has been signed by many Manitobans.
Thank you.
Mr. Ron Schuler (Springfield-Ritchot): I wish to present the following petition to the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba.
These are the reasons for this petition:
(1) Persons struggling with mental health as their sole condition may access medical assistance in dying unless Parliament intervenes.
(2) Suicidality is often a symptom of mental illness, and suicide is the second leading cause of death for Canadians between the age of 10 and 19.
(3) There have been reports of the unsolicited introduction of medical assistance in dying to non-seeking persons, including Canadian veterans, as a solution for their medical and mental health issues.
(4) Legal and medical experts are deeply concerned that permitting Canadians suffering from depression and other mental illnesses to access euthanasia could undermine suicide prevention efforts and risk normalizing suicide as a solution for those suffering from mental illness.
(5) The federal government is bound by the Charter of Rights and Freedoms to advance and protect the life, liberty and security of its citizens.
(6) Manitoba considers it a priority to ensure that adequate supports are in place for the mental health of all Canadians.
(7) Vulnerable Manitobans must be given suicide prevention counselling instead of suicide assistance.
(8) The federal government should focus on increasing mental health supports to provinces and improve access to these supports, instead of offering medical assistance in dying for those with mental illness.
We petition the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba as follows:
(1) To urge the provincial government to lobby the federal government to stop the expansion of medical assistance in dying to those for whom mental illness is the sole condition.
(2) To urge the provincial government to lobby the federal government to protect Canadians struggling with mental illness by facilitating treatment, recovery and medical assistance in living, not death.
This is signed by Tiffany Butler, Diane [phonetic] Davison, Bruce Apperley and many other Manitobans.
Mrs. Carrie Hiebert (Morden-Winkler): I wish to present the following petition.
The background to this petition is as follows:
(1) The Province of Manitoba has filed paperwork with the federal government proposing the establishment of a drug injection site for illegal drugs at 200 Disraeli Fwy. without significant–sufficient public consultation.
(2) The decision to locate the facility at 200 Disraeli was made despite that the site was located in the immediate vicinity of a daycare centre, a high school and multiple community gathering sites, including churches and cultural institutions.
(3) Residents, business owners and community organizations have raised concerns that the location is incompatible with nearby institutions serving thousands of youths and families, and believe it will erode public safety and confidence in the area.
(4) The existing community consultations specifically ignored concerns about public safety and were criticized by community members for being artificial and scripted.
(5) The provincial government has failed to introduce legislation and regulations to control where drug injection sites can be located.
(6) Other provinces are closing drug injection sites and adopting a recovery model, following the expertise of groups such as the Canadian centre of recovery and excellence.
(7) This decision to ignore the experts will leave people suspended in addiction and will not give Manitobans their lives or their loved ones back.
(8) The provincial government has failed to fund and operate any treatment or additional rapid access to addictions medication clinics to break this cycle.
We petition the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba as follows:
(1) To urge the provincial government to cancel injection sites in the Point Douglas community, including the proposed location of 200 Disraeli Fwy.
(2) To urge the provincial government to legislate that no further site will be proposed without community support.
This petition is sold–is signed by Joel Cormie, Andrew Yanyu, Conrad Anger and many, many, many other Manitobans.
Thank you.
The Deputy Speaker: One more reminder of three names and two manys when you're–with your petitions.
Mr. Rick Wowchuk (Swan River): Honourable Deputy Speaker, I wish to present the following petition to the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba.
These are the reasons for the petition:
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(1) Upgrading Provincial Trunk Highway 45 will accelerate economic development as it will enhance connectivity, facilitate efficient transportation and promote economic growth of the region.
(2) Economic development will be further enhanced as improved road infrastructure attracts businesses, encourages investments and creates job opportunities.
(3) Roads meeting the Roads and Transportation Association of Canada (RTAC) standards improve both safety and efficiency, as they can handle heavier loads, reducing the number of trips required for goods transportation.
(4) Safer roads further benefit both commuters and commercial vehicles, minimizing accidents and damage.
(5) Upgrading the RTAC standards ensures resilience to challenges caused by climate change, each as thawing and flooding, which negatively impact road conditions.
(6) Efficient transportation networks contribute to Manitoba's economic competitiveness, as upgraded roads support interprovincial and international goods movement, benefiting both trade and commerce.
We petition the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba as follows:
To urge the Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure to take the necessary steps to upgrade Provincial Trunk Highway 45 from Russell to Provincial Trunk Highway 10 to meet RTAC standards.
This petition has been signed by many, many Manitobans.
Thank you.
Mrs. Colleen Robbins (Spruce Woods): Honourable Speaker, I wish to present the following petition.
To the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba, the background to this petition is as follows:
(1) Provincial Trunk Highway 34, PTH 34, is a two-lane provincial primary highway that runs from the US border where it meets with ND 20 to PTH 16 at the town of Gladstone.
(2) PTH 34 runs north-south in the south-central region of the province. It is the main highway for the towns of Crystal City, Pilot Mound and Holland, serving as a main corridor for semi-trailers, farm equipment, daily drivers and local school bus routes.
(3) A new bridge is currently being constructed over the Assiniboine River at PTH 34, north of Holland, in the RM of Victoria. The bridge serves as an important north-south link over the Assiniboine River between the Trans-Canada Highway and PTH 2.
(4) The deterioration of PTH 34 has raised major concerns due to its narrow shoulders and numerous deep potholes that pose serious safety risks considering farmers often need to use the highway to transport heavy equipment.
(5) Construction of a new bridge in accordance–current 'digsign' codes and the RTAC standard, located at PTH 34 crossing the Assiniboine River, will support trade and commerce and improve public safety in the area, and also accommodate flood events on the Assiniboine River.
We petition the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba as follows:
To urge the provincial government to address the conditions of Provincial Trunk Highway 34, making the necessary upgrades to RTAC standard and to resurface the road once the new bridge has been completed.
This has been signed by–this petition has been signed by Kennedy Collins, Linda Ralph, Lori Manning and many, many more Manitobans.
Thank you.
Mr. Jeff Wharton (Red River North): I wish to present the following petition to the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba.
The petition–or the background to this petition is as follows:
(1) Thanks to the investment made under the previous PC provincial government as part of the clinical and preventative services plan, construction for the new Portage regional health facility is well under way. The facility and surrounding community would greatly benefit from added diagnostic machinery and equipment, but specifically the addition of an MRI machine.
(2) An MRI machine is a non-invasive medical imaging technique that uses a magnetic field and computer-generated radio waves to create detailed images of organs, tissues in the human body. It is used for disease detection, diagnosis and–excuse me–treatment monitoring.
(3) Portage la Prairie is centrally located in Manitoba and is on the No. 1 Highway in the Southern Health/Santé Sud Health Authority. Currently there is only one MRI machine in the RHA.
(4) An MRI machine located in the Portage regional health facility will reduce transportation costs for patients as well as reduce the burden on stretcher service and ambulance use. It will bring care closer to home and reduce wait times for MRI scans across the province.
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(5) Located around the Portage la Prairie are the Dakota Tipi, Dakota Plains, Sandy Bay and Long Plain First Nations reserves. Indigenous peoples in Canada disproportionately face barriers in access to services and medical care. An MRI machine located in the Portage regional health facility will bring care closer to their home and provide greater access to diagnostic testing.
(6) Located in close proximity to the new Portage regional health facility is the Southport airport. This aerodrome has a runway length that is more than adequate to support medical air ambulance services. This would provide the opportunity to transport patients by air from more remote communities to access MRI imaging services.
(7) The average wait times for Manitobans to receive an MRI scan is currently six to eight months. Having an MRI machine in the Portage regional health facility will reduce these wait times for patients and provide better care sooner.
Honourable Deputy Speaker, we petition the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba as follows:
To urge the provincial government to support the investment and placement of an MRI machine in the Portage regional health facility in Portage la Prairie, Manitoba.
Honourable Deputy Speaker, this petition is signed by Annie Thiessen, Millie Mason, Ben [phonetic] Small and many, many Manitobans.
Thank you.
Mr. Doyle Piwniuk (Turtle Mountain): I wish to present the following petition to the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba.
The background of this petition is as follows:
(1) As part of the ongoing strategic infrastructure investments in the provincial highway network, it was announced on August 2022 that almost $70 million would be spent to upgrade provincial road PR 227.
(2) Over 72 kilometres of PR 227 were to be paved along with the repair and replace of three bridges and multiple drainage works.
(3) Reeves, mayors, councillors and residents of the upgrading municipalities, cities, towns and villages were ecstatic and–overwhelming support for this plan.
(4) The plan for PR 227 was–connect to Provincial Trunk Highway 16, PTH 16, with PTH 6, thus creating an alternative route to Highway 1.
(5) PR 227 was to be part of Manitoba's trade and commerce grid initiative, an expanded grid of highways that connect–accommodate heavy commercial loading that will attract new industrial activity, reduce transportation costs and optimize supply chain efficiency, which will benefit all Manitobans.
(6) The 2023 multi-year infrastructure investment strategy is a five‑year, $4.1‑billion that–[interjection] Sorry–that would accommodate the heavy commercial loading that will attract new industries–activity, reduce transportation costs and optimize supply chain efficiency that will benefit all Manitobans.
(6) The 2023 multiple year infrastructure investment strategy is a five‑year, $4.1‑billion investment that Manitoba roads, highways, bridges, airports and flood protection and paving 2.227–does part of this strategy.
(7) The Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure has cut the P-T-R 227 project, notwithstanding that the project appears in a multi-year infrastructure investment strategy and is listed on the Manitoba Transportation and Infrastructure website and an active project.
(8) Additional keystone projects in the 2023 multi-year infrastructure investment strategy were they–Winnipeg $1-million perimeter freeway initiative, and the Lake St. Martin, Lake Manitoba outlet channels and the twinning of the Trans‑Canada Highway of Ontario border. The actions of this provincial government will now bring into question whether any of these projects will be completed as planned–[interjection] Sorry about that.
We petition the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba as follows:
To urge the transportation of–Transportation and Infrastructure to immediately restore funding to the Provincial Road 227 paving project.
(2) To urge the Manitoba transportation, infrastructure to keep the provincial government's commitment to Manitoba to carry out all of the projects and outlined in the 2023 multi-year infrastructure investment strategy in their totally, the same scope that is according to the previous stated timelines.
This has been signed by Chance Horn, Dwight Barre and Jason Morton.
The Deputy Speaker: The honourable member for Selkirk (Mr. Perchotte).
Your mic is off, honourable member for Selkirk.
Mr. Richard Perchotte (Selkirk): Honourable Deputy Speaker, I with to present the following petition to the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba.
The background to this petition is as follows:
(1) Small businesses are vital in supporting their local economy, and the provincial government has a responsibility to act and support them.
(2) The recent increase in vigilantism shows that Manitobans do not trust this provincial government to fulfill its responsibility.
(3) More than half–54 per cent–of small businesses in Manitoba are impacted by crime. Property damage, theft, littering and public intoxication are some of the crimes that affect most businesses, according to the Canadian Federation of Independent Business. There has been a 44 per cent increase in shoplifting incidents over the last year.
(4) In order to combat this rise of crime, small businesses try, unaided, to implement various out-of-pocket security measures and safety training for their staff, and they face increasing costs when they incur property damage or theft.
(5) Vandalism, break-ins and other senseless acts cannot be accepted as a cost of doing business for businesses throughout Manitoba, and the provincial government must do more to ease the burdens of–small businesses are carrying with its catch-and-release justice system.
(6) Failing to support small businesses is failing the Manitoba economy, failing Manitoba families and failing Manitobans' dreams.
(7) The security rebate program in place for homeowners and small businesses do not cover the real costs impacting businesses, such as vandalism, property damage and repairs.
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We urge the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba as follows:
To urge the provincial government to support Manitoba small businesses through specific funding to reimburse the expenses and insurance deductibles that they incur as a result of crime.
This petition has been signed by Reed Sutherland, Gerald Sawatsky, Luke Lovenjack and many other Manitobans.
Mrs. Kathleen Cook (Roblin): I wish to present the following petition, and the background to this petition is as follows:
(1) Phoenix School, a kindergarten to grade 5 school located in Headingley, has experienced consistent enrolment growth over the last several years. Enrolment is expected to reach 275 students in the next two years.
(2) Because the school is now over capacity, the school division has had to install portable classrooms on site as of fall 2024.
(3) For several consecutive years, the top capital priority of the St. James‑Assiniboia School Division has been the renovation and expansion of Phoenix School.
(4) In 2022, the Phoenix School expansion and renovation project was approved to proceed to the design phase. The project included, among other amenities, a new gymnasium, two new classrooms, a multi-purpose room and room for 74 child‑care spaces.
(5) In June 2024, the school division received notice from the provincial government that the project has been deferred. There is no guarantee if, or when, the project will move forward.
(6) There are currently hundreds of children on a wait‑list for child care in Headingley. The daycare operator in Phoenix School has been told that they will continue to have space within the school for the 2024‑2025 school year only, that further expansion of child‑care space within the school is not possible and that space may be reduced moving forward due to the shortage of classrooms. If new space is not constructed as planned, many families may be left without child care.
(7) It is critical that the expansion and renovation of Phoenix School proceed as planned in order to support the needs of students, teachers and families in the growing community of Headingley.
We petition the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba as follows:
To urge the provincial government to proceed with the planned renovation and expansion of Phoenix School without further delay.
And this petition is signed by Jessica Gillespie, Jess Siwicki, Megan Cretton and many other Manitobans.
Mr. Wayne Balcaen (Brandon West): I wish to present the following petition.
To the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba, the background to this petition is as follows:
(1) Kellie Verwey, a beloved young woman from Portage la Prairie, Manitoba, was tragically killed in a car crash caused by a repeat violent offender with a long criminal history.
(2) Despite repeated violations of his bail conditions, the offender was free to roam the streets and to ultimately claim Kellie's life. This tragedy was entirely preventable.
(3) While the Criminal Code falls under federal jurisdiction, provinces have been given the responsibility for the administration of justice, allowing for meaningful provincial action on bail reform to ensure public safety.
(4) Other provinces have taken proactive steps to strengthen bail enforcement, but Manitoba has not used all available tools to address this issue effectively.
(5) The provincial government has the ability and the responsibility to advocate for and implement measures that protect its citizens by ensuring that repeat violent offenders are not released into our communities without proper safeguards.
(6) Immediate action is required to close gaps in the justice system that allow dangerous criminals to remain free, which puts innocent Manitobans at risk.
We petition the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba as follows:
(1) To urge the provincial government to take immediate and decisive action on bail reform to address serious deficits in enforcement by utilizing all available provincial mechanisms to strengthen warrant enforcement, increasing bail supervision and opposing release of offenders, thus ensuring that repeat violent offenders are held accountable and that public safety is prioritized over leniency; and
To urge the provincial government to lobby the federal government to immediately repeal provisions of the Criminal Code that allow for the continued victimization of law-abiding Manitobans while granting repeat offenders additional rights.
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Honourable Speaker, this petition was signed by many, many Manitobans.
Thank you.
The Deputy Speaker: The honourable member for Interlake-Gimli (Mr. Johnson)–[interjection]
No further petitions?
The Deputy Speaker: The House will now resume debate on the address in reply to the Speech from the Throne and amendment thereto.
The honourable member for Elmwood (MLA Maloway), who has 14 minutes remaining–no–the honourable member for Fort Garry.
Mr. Mark Wasyliw (Fort Garry): I rise today to place some brief comments on the record as to, you know, this government's Throne Speech. And I'll talk first probably about the original sin of this government.
We saw again in the Throne Speech a renewed commitment by the Premier (Mr. Kinew) to balance the budget by 2027 and the incredible statement that he can do that without raising any new taxes. And, of course, he also claims to fix health care and lower wait times by ensuring patient safety.
Problem with that is that none of that is realistic. And, of course, it's delusional and something has to give.
Manitoba has a revenue problem. Our tax revenue has been cut substantially in the past 20 years. If we returned our tax levels back to the era of PC Premier Gary Filmon, it would add almost $4 billion in revenue to the province this year alone. We would have absolutely no deficit; we could fund our health care, education and infrastructure properly.
Most of the tax cuts that have been done have been–skewed our tax system and placed a huge tax burden on the middle class. And we have some of the lowest corporate and wealth taxes in the country.
And of course, to pay for this skewed and unfair system, we've had to cut services, including health care and education. And our Premier has adopted this strategy and made it his own, and he's pushed the tax burden on to middle class Manitobans and he's cut taxes, overwhelmingly helped corporations and the very rich.
He has invested some money into health care, education and infrastructure, but it's not made up for the cuts of the past or the explosion in population growth or year-over-year inflation.
The Speaker in the Chair
And as costs go up for Manitoba families, he keeps wages low. We have one of the lowest minimum wages in Canada. He refuses to enact labour laws and living wage laws to support Manitoba families. In fact, one in four Manitobans earn less than a living wage; it's overwhelmingly women with young children and newcomers.
We are the child poverty capital, once again, in Canada and inequality is, again, on the rise in Manitoba. Under this Premier, Manitoba is becoming meaner, less affordable and a less fair place to live.
And, of course, the notion that he's not raising taxes is disingenuous because when you underfund the municipalities, when you underfund the education system, school trustees are forced to raise school taxes, municipalities are forced to raise municipal taxes, and those disproportionately affect working and middle class Manitobans and it means very much that their taxes are going up.
It also means that there's fewer and fewer services. We see that with the City of Winnipeg raising transit fees year after year after year. And the most vulnerable Manitobans that are required to take public transit are the ones paying the most to get around in our communities.
So I'll deal with health first because this is obviously the No. 1 broken 'provint' from this Premier.
Honourable Speaker, 2024 statistics on people leaving ERs before being seen by a doctor were compiled and reported on by CBC. Manitoba has the second highest percentage with 13 per cent. Over one in 10 people leave a Manitoba ER because the wait is so long that they give up on seeing a doctor.
We know that, under this Premier–and tragically this happened yet again this week–four people have died in a waiting room in an ER waiting to see a doctor. We know that four of the worst ERs in Canada are in Manitoba, including the worst performing hospital in the country, which has been labelled the Health Sciences Centre. Wait times in ERs have gotten worse under this government, and we know that the Health Sciences Centre was forced to be greylisted by nurses, and so has the Thompson hospital.
It's the first time in the 45‑year history of greylisting that two hospitals simultaneously have been greylisted, and the nurses in Thompson voted 97 per cent to greylist their own institution. That's a shocking statistic.
Now, chronic understaffing leads to greylisting. You don't have enough staff, wait times explode, people become desperate, they need help, they're being forced into agonizing waits, often in pain and discomfort. That leads to increases in conflict and, sadly, to violence.
So greylisting is due to increase–is due to understaffing and is absolutely symptomatic of the underfunding crisis in health care by this government. We know that there are significant vacancies in health care, including 30 per cent vacancies in Prairie Mountain Health for nurses and 30 per cent in some units in Thompson that we can't staff; rural paramedic units, the government promised 200 new paramedics and have only been able to deliver 18.
And so what was equally concerning about the Throne Speech is the Premier (Mr. Kinew) had come out, and he says he wants to 'brank' staff‑to‑patient ratios and bring a law in that would require that. And of course that's a good idea, and he should be rightly applauded for that, but he also claims that he hired 1,200 nurses and spent more money than ever before on health 'quare.'
The problem with that is that we still have a nursing shortage and we still have a staffing crisis in Manitoba. And the Premier seems to now push responsibility and accountability on others, as is his way, and he's now saying that it's not him or his government, it's management. And he says that the management has the resources they need and that they have their staff that they need. And he–and I quote him, and this is a CBC interview: We do have the numbers; that's not in question. The issue is hospital administration. We gave them the money and staffing resources, and time to show results. They have to show–start showing improvement, close quote.
That's contradicted by the nurses. They still say there's a staffing shortage, and of course they also say that 60 per cent of nurses leave the profession within two years. Well, why is that? Well, because the working conditions are so bad and it's so chaotic in our hospitals that it's so stressful that nurses have no choice but to leave.
So more across the province, nurses' union are saying that there is a nursing shortage and this Premier's response is, we need the administration to do their job, and that there now will be standards, which begs the question of what, there wasn't standards before.
And the health‑care administration hasn't been doing a job according to the Premier for the past two years and if only they had standards then somehow things would change.
So it's concerning because now the Premier is engaging in blame‑shifting, and he's trying to blame health-care administration for his government's mismanagement and for health care getting worse under his watch. He's already building up the excuses when he doesn't, you know, come to the next election and he hasn't met his promise of fixing health care.
But also concerning, he's saying that health care has enough money and enough staff. So what he's signalling to Manitobans in this Throne Speech is no new money is coming and the hiring is done; and that the administration is going to have to deal with the money that's in place and the staff that's in place.
And the problem with that is it's simply delusional and it's not true. Under the Selinger government, Manitoba was ranked third highest in provinces in health-care spending per person in Canada. Now we are second lowest under this Premier. And if there was enough money, we would be at the top of the rankings, and of course we're not.
Nurses flatly point out that we don't have enough staff and there's huge vacancies, and it's clear the Premier doesn't even see the problem and isn't motivated to fix it. And buckle up, Manitoba, because health care is going to continue to get worse in the next two years, not better.
And of course, the Premier is picking fights with everyone. He's picked fights with nurses; he's picked fights with paramedics; now he's picking fights with health-care administrators. You cannot–
An Honourable Member: Don't forget the cab drivers.
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Mr. Wasyliw: Well, yes, sure, sure. And the South Asian community.
So–and then, let's turn to the affordability promises.
Now, the Premier said that he's finally going to stop unfair rent increases. Well, in opposition, he had promised to close the loopholes in our rental law. And despite being a rent-controlled province, landlords can apply and get around the rent control using above-guideline rent increases. And there's been lots of commentary in our community that this has been abused and certain companies are applying year over year. And they use routine maintenance and cosmetic changes to apply for this above-guideline increase.
And once the increases are in place–even if they're for major renovations like boilers–once the boiler's paid off, they don't lower the rent. It still stays at that artificially high rate, permanently raising rents in Manitoba, permanently causing an affordability crisis.
So since being in office, Manitoba leads, under this Premier (Mr. Kinew), the country in the fastest growing rents. Now, 40 per cent of Manitobans rent. And, in fact, we have a lower ratio of homeowners in Manitoba than almost any other province in Canada except Quebec. So this is something that is critical to Manitobans.
The Kinew government brought in legislation to close the loophole, but it appears the corporate lobbyists got to them; they let it die on the Order Paper. And now, two years in, they claim yet again that they're serious this time and will bring in the legislation.
So taking this government at its word, it'll take another year before that legislation–to pass and to come to law. That's three years into a mandate of skyrocketing rent–three years that this government has ignored the cost-of-living crisis. And cost of housing is one of the big drivers in Manitoba of the crisis.
There is no urgency from this government. This is a government that certainly bends and kowtows towards corporate lobbyists and makes it clear that their interests are more important to this Premier than the everyday needs of Manitoba families.
Then it comes to child care. This Throne Speech promises 402 spaces. Well, there's a deadline here because they promised 23,000 spots by 2026, just, you know, mere weeks away. New Brunswick, BC, Ontario, PEI have all reached their targets. Little Manitoba, it lags so far behind: 51 per cent of our province lives in child-care deserts. We know that only 23 per cent of that 23,000 child-care spaces have actually been created.
So we're not going to meet that target. This promise is going to be broken. This is a huge impact on Fort Garry families. This is one of the largest expenses for young families and they can't find child care, which means that many families can't get two parents into the workforce. It means that their costs to just live are extraordinarily high and expensive. And if they can find private child care, it's very expensive.
So child care pays for itself in tax revenue and economic spinoffs. It's probably one of the most efficient investments we can make. This should have been a priority. This should have been an economic development strategy by getting those 23,000 spaces, but this government just didn't prioritize for that.
Then, we have the commission on grocery store prices. Well, grocery store prices have skyrocketed in Manitoba. We lead the country in the fastest grocery–growing grocery store prices. Food bank usage in Manitoba has also skyrocketed; it's doubled in Manitoba since 2021. The Food Banks Canada 2025 HungerCount said that it's 17 per cent up from last year. And one of the reasons is the cost of groceries going up and that more and more people going to our food banks are full-time employed. That is a travesty. And food inflation is one of the main drivers of this cost-of-living crisis.
Now, been raising this issue for two years. The Premier has never taken it seriously. He's never acted on it. In fact, when Walmart was caught breaking the law–they were gouging Manitobans on the price of milk–it's one of the–it is the only grocery staple that we regulate in Manitoba and it's the only grocery staple that hasn't seen huge shocks in the 'cost-of-inlation' crisis.
How did the Premier respond? Well, he didn't. In fact, he stood in this House and he bragged that he was a proud Walmart shopper and that he supported US‑based mega corporations that had ripped off Manitoba families to the tune of millions of dollars. He wouldn't even launch an investigation. He wouldn't even attempt to recover money that was taken from Manitoba families.
So until recently, he ignored the problem. He had some very sort of performative piece of legislation about how big landlords would allow two large grocery store chains in the same strip mall, which is, of course, ridiculous because no strip mall in Manitoba has two large grocery store chains operating. There hasn't been any new movement of new companies coming into Manitoba. That law was never going to have an impact; we know it wasn't going to have an impact, and it hasn't had an impact.
And so, two years in now, given that this problem has been front and centre, the Premier decides, well, I have to study it now. Well, the federal government has been studying this for years. We've been talking in Canada for years. The solutions are already out there. Large grocery store chains, because there's only a handful of them, because they have a monopoly, they're able to charge fees to companies to advertise their products and put them in certain shelves in a grocery store. Well, those fees are expensive and they get passed on to Manitobans.
You know who doesn't do that? United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia, that all have laws that say you cannot charge these fees. And guess what? All of their grocery stores are cheaper and the price of groceries are cheaper in all of those communities. Manitoba could have done that and should do that, and that would immediately bring down grocery store prices here.
We can also follow the review of milk. You can add other made‑in‑Manitoba grocery staples and regulate them like we do the price of milk and you will see a sharp reduction in the price of groceries, and it has the added benefit of helping our producers and making sure that we build out our agriculture here in Manitoba and that we have food security.
None of this is new. The Premier (Mr. Kinew) understands all this, knows all this, but doesn't have the courage to act.
Then we have the promise for the $100-million Carberry 'overprass.' Now, this is truly, truly cynical, and it highlights everything that is wrong with this Premier and his ineffective leadership. The Carberry crash, it's horrific and this tragedy occurred June 15, 2023. Anytime you lose 17 people in an accident it's shocking.
Now, the Minister of Infrastructure and the Deputy Minister of Infrastructure and the experts in the ministry come to the conclusion that they can build an RCUT for $20 million in the next few months and it'll address safety concerns.
Now, the community's not familiar with RCUT intersections; they've never seen it; it doesn't feel right to them, and they want a more expensive $100-million cloverleaf. Now, the expert evidence say that the traffic volumes for that intersection don't support that expense and they could mitigate the danger with an RCUT.
Now, in the face of the backlash from that decision, does this promise attempt to explain the rationale behind their decision? Do they bring out expert reports that support their decision? No, the Premier overrides and demeans his minister and basically comes in with the cape and says, you know, despite the minister's work on this, yes, we're just going to ignore that. I'm the hero of the day and I'm going to give you a cloverleaf.
Now the problem is is what the people in Carberry actually want. If the Premier actually listened, they want a safe intersection. They want nobody else to get hurt, and they want no more accidents.
So because this government has painted itself in a fiscal corner, they can't actually build a cloverleaf. So they're talking about doing it, and this is the kicker–in 2030–that there will be a solution in 2030. That's seven years after the accident. That's seven years that the people of Carberry don't have a safe intersection and do not have their concerns addressed.
We don't even know if we–this will be the same Premier in 2030. The average life of a premier in Canada right now is six years, so the clock is ticking.
* (16:10)
So–but the reality is and what isn't funny to the Justice Minister is the fact that they are going to go seven years without a realistic response. There are going to be accidents and injuries and worse for the next seven years because this Premier want to don a cape and appear like a hero in a press conference. Instead of doing the mature thing, instead of doing the right thing, instead of showing leadership and listening to his minister who knows what she's doing, and give a proper and reasoned response to a very traffic–tragic situation. [interjection]
The Speaker: Order.
Mr. Wasyliw: There's so much more to say; just don't have enough time. But anyway–
An Honourable Member: Ask for leave.
Mr. Wasyliw: Yes, I should.
Thank you, Honourable Speaker.
Mrs. Lauren Stone (Midland): I have to say, it's so great to see so many NDP members anxious to listen to how terrible their Throne Speech was that this Premier presented. Because I do rise today, disappointed but not surprised, by this NDP Throne Speech.
Manitobans have been promised a lot of things by this NDP over the past couple of years, but the NDP is failing on almost every issue of importance to Manitobans. Rather than tangible solutions, Manitobans received a Throne Speech full of wait and see, hypotheticals and studies. It was nothing more than recycled talking points, empty promises and political spin. No plan, no urgency and no real solutions for the very real challenges that are facing hard-working, everyday Manitobans.
The NDP came in promising everything to everyone, and in the process, they have delivered next to nothing. What is actually going well in our province under the NDP government? Nothing. Cost of living: higher than ever before. Economy: the worst economic GDP growth in the country at a shameful 1.1 per cent. Youth unemployment is up. Health-care wait times are worse. Surgical and diagnostic wait-lists are getting longer. And nurses are leaving the profession and leaving the province.
Crime is up. Manitobans cannot even feel safe walking their kids to school, walking to the bus stop or walking to work. You can't even go into Polo Park and feel safe anymore, as there is an incident almost every single day.
For the first time, not just one but two hospitals are greylisted by the nurses' union due to safety concerns. The last time a greylist happened was also under an NDP government. This just proves how this government does not know how to manage health care which goes to show the D- given to this Health Minister, and they don't know how to govern this province.
It has been three months since Manitoba's largest provincial hospital was greylisted. While last week, nurses voted to greylist Thompson, and they have threatened more to come unless changes–very reasonable changes–are made. Greylisting has only ever happened under these NDP governments.
NDP spending is up by $8.6 billion since they took office. They have posted back-to-back deficits totalling $4 billion. And they've again missed their first quarter projections by nine–by an additional $88 million. They've now posted a projected $900‑million deficit this year alone. They've ballooned government bureaucracy and debt-servicing costs are now the fourth largest government expenditure as this NDP government places more spending and more debt onto the backs of Manitobans and the backs of future generations for a long time to come.
The Throne Speech provides no credible plan towards fiscal stability. Manitoba is missing out on opportunities in mining and manufacturing. In fact, Manitoba went from sixth in 2023 in mining, investment and attractiveness under the PC government to now 26th under this NDP. No progress has been made in mining extraction. No progress has been made in getting our resources out of the ground and to market.
Despite what this NDP talks and talks and talks, no action is being done. Manitoba's economy is the worst growth in the entire country. They are sitting on their hands, our resources are sitting in the ground and they are not getting into market because of the failures of this NDP Finance Minister, the failures of this NDP business, trades and jobs minister and the failure of this Premier (Mr. Kinew).
They claim to support nation-building projects, then they refuse to sign on to a memorandum of understanding for an east-west pipeline and are adding even more bureaucracy and red tape for investors by creating yet another Crown corporation. Businesses are leaving, investment has stalled, because under an NDP government, why take the risk?
My colleagues on this side of the House, we're hearing from investors, we're hearing from businesses, and what we're hearing is they do not want to invest in Manitoba because it is too risky. It is too risky to bring dollars and jobs to Manitoba because businesses and investors do not trust what this government is going to do. They do not trust that projects will move forward, and they do not trust that this NDP government won't tax those businesses into bankruptcy altogether.
What we heard from this NDP government in their Throne Speech two weeks ago is not leadership, nor is it governance. [interjection] And, you know, I know the Premier is heckling–
The Speaker: Order, please.
Members can quit hollering across the way. There's a member, has the floor, is trying to speak and I'm trying to hear what she's saying.
Mrs. Stone: I do have some very important things to say, and these are questions that Manitobans are asking. They're questions that businesses are asking.
Businesses are concerned about investing in this province because of this NDP government. We saw it before. We saw it before under the previous NDP government with investors leaving, businesses leaving, businesses scared to put money and bring jobs here because of what the NDP government might do.
The PCs made a lot of good ground in trying to make Manitoba more competitive with neighbouring provinces, and now this NDP government is reversing all those good decisions. Businesses are taking notice, and businesses are leaving and threatening to leave.
In fact, my colleague, the MLA for La Vérendrye, brought up in question period a couple weeks ago a very serious concern about a business in eastern Manitoba that's ready to walk away. They're ready to walk away because of this NDP government's anti-business rhetoric.
This is a government that is doing the bare minimum while Manitobans struggle every single day. The amendment the Leader of the Opposition brought forward was one of vision and action, drawing to attention the significant challenges facing Manitoba and where this NDP's failures lie.
So let's take a look at one of those significant failures under this NDP government: affordability and the cost of living. Cost of living is the No. 1 issue facing Manitobans. According to a report from Meyers Norris Penny, almost half of the Manitobans surveyed are reporting that they are within $200 of insolvency.
Yet, in this Throne Speech, nothing was announced to help Manitobans struggling with the cost-of-living crisis. There is no new affordability measures. In fact, the only thing that was in there was makeshift policies that ended a year ago. The Finance Minister stands up and pats himself on the back for saving Manitobans 90 cents to fill up their car. That does not even buy a can of soup, doesn't buy a box of KD and it certainly does not put food on the table for Manitoba families.
There was no new tax relief announced, which is the No. 1 thing Manitobans need right now to be able to afford the high grocery prices that–and foodflation that we are seeing within this province under this NDP government. There were no solutions yet presented to address the high costs of food. The only new commitment was a lame study to study grocery prices. Well, a study does not help Manitobans afford food. It does not help families put food on their tables for themselves and their children.
* (16:20)
Not only was it irresponsible for this Premier (Mr. Kinew) to commit to lowering grocery prices without any idea or any solution in how to do so, but it's been two years since he made that commitment during the election, and all they've come up with is a study? Well, news flash to the Premier: the studies have already been done. What a joke.
Manitobans don't need more studies. That's just this NDP government avoiding accountability and pushing the issue down the road, hoping that Manitobans will somehow forget about it.
So since the NDP failed to come up with any solutions on their own, (a) they can't think of them themselves or they are just pushing the can down the road and avoiding accountability, our PC team proposes solutions for them; No. 1 was tax relief. As I said, simplest way to help Manitobans afford the cost of living is to put more money into the pockets of Manitobans.
This is the best way to help Manitobans right now. We're not talking about a year ago; we're talk about today. We're headed into the Christmas and holiday season. Food is expensive. Families are trying to figure out how they can afford food for their children and their families. They're trying to figure out how to pay to heat their homes. They're trying to figure out how to pay for this NDP government's skyrocketing education property taxes.
The best way is to let Manitobans keep their hard-earned money, but all we see is this NDP government taking $400 million out of hard-working Manitobans' wallets. They're doing the opposite of affordability: $400 million in additional taxation since this NDP government took office. They jacked up income taxes by $82 million by ending indexation and bringing back bracket creep, so this just pushes more Manitobans into a higher tax bracket at in–as inflation eats away at their income, thus cancelling out any wage increases that those Manitobans might see.
The NDP are adding PST onto small businesses. What a terrible idea. During a time of US and Chinese trade wars, they think, oh, yes, let's add another tax onto small businesses that are already struggling. This NDP is so out of touch and out of clue with what businesses need and what Manitobans need today in this moment.
All of these hidden taxes are hurting Manitobans at a time of an affordability crisis while Manitobans struggle to afford groceries. Yet the NDP are ignoring these very real challenges and hoping a study will solve all of Manitoba's problems.
Another very simple solution we brought forward, and folks on our side of the House have called for this numerous times in question period, was for the Premier to call up his buddy Mark Carney to end the industrial-based carbon tax. The Premier stands up and grandstands and says there is no carbon tax in Manitoba. That's a joke. It's incorrect. So clearly, he either doesn't understand what an industrial-based carbon tax is or he's trying to avoid the question altogether to try to cater to his ideological base.
This carbon tax is placed on fertilizer production, on ag processing and on food processing, the very industries that actually produce our food that end up on our grocery shelves and during a time of US and China trade wars. This is a tax at every single stage of that food processing supply chain. That's what this Premier does not seem to understand. It takes fertilizer to grow our crops; well, there's a carbon tax on that. The canola seed then goes to be crushed; well, there's a carbon tax on that. Then it goes to further refinering. You know what happens after it's refined?
It turns into salad dressing. It turns into products on our grocery stores. Well, there is another tax. A tax on a tax on a tax. That's what the–yet this Premier (Mr. Kinew) says that there is no carbon tax in Manitoba, which is completely false. There is. It's called an industrial-based carbon tax. It's called the output-based pricing system. And that carbon tax is driving up our food prices at grocery stores. It is driving up inflation. It is a hidden tax that Manitobans don't necessarily see, but it is a tax that Manitobans certainly feel.
This carbon tax has pushed costs up, and as a result, Manitobans are paying more at the grocery store. Yet this Premier, time and time to–again, refuses to call on Mark Carney to remove this costly tax, and, unfortunately, Manitobans are suffering at the end of the day. We don't need another study; the studies have been done. What Manitobans need now is action, and this is where this government fails. They are all talk and no action.
Which brings me to another failure of this NDP government: the collapsing state of Manitoba's economy. When the NDP took office, they inherited: business investment rising; new projects coming online–I believe it was over 30 projects that were in the queue with the Economic Development Office under the PCs; and job growth was accelerating.
And what have they done with that momentum in just two years in office? They've chased it away. Manitoba's now dead last in economic GDP growth in the country at just a shameful 1.1 per cent. Businesses are telling us that the climate for investment has never been worse, companies are leaving, investors are looking elsewhere.
Their anti-business rhetoric is not providing any certainty or confidence to investors today. There was nothing in the Throne Speech to spur economic growth, no strategy to attract private-sector investment and no commitment to making Manitoba more competitive with our neighbouring provinces and other jurisdictions around the world.
We have now been in a trade war with the US coming up to a year. Earlier this year, the NDP, including the Finance Minister in committee, failed to acknowledge the pending trade war and actually said that they would not speak in hypotheticals, while as we all know, those hypotheticals very quickly turned into reality. Our team certainly called it long before the Minister of Finance (MLA Sala) even acknowledged it.
Almost a year later, businesses are still waiting for that support.
On top of that, our producers have been hit with Chinese tariffs. Our farmers, like many of my constituents in the constituency of Midland, are farmers and they've been attacked with 100 per cent tariffs on oil–canola oil, canola meal and peas, and a 76 per cent tariff on canola seed.
While other premiers have secured trade deals and stood up for their industries and opened up new markets, this Premier has spent the past year doing absolutely nothing but TikToks and smiles and press conferences with no action to follow.
Businesses are taking note of their lack of action and response to the Throne Speech. The Manitoba chamber said: Workforce challenges are not going away; we would have liked to see more of a strategy. The Winnipeg chamber said: We're at a historic economic moment and that Throne Speech should have met that moment.
And it wasn't just the chambers that underlined this NDP's shortcomings. The MNU questioned the viability of the NDP eliminating overtime, while there's almost a 30 per cent nursing vacancy rate. This is all while nurses have voted to greylist HSC, Thompson, and threatening more hospitals as a result of public safety.
The NDP, again, has proven they have no solutions to the challenges facing our health-care system.
An Honourable Member: Point of order.
Mrs. Stone: My colleague, the MLA for Roblin, has brought up scathing–
Hon. Wab Kinew (Premier): Point of order.
The Speaker: Order, please.
Point of Order
The Speaker: The honourable First Minister, on a point of order.
Mr. Kinew: Yes, Honourable Speaker, on a point of order.
You will know that a point of order is something that we raise when there is a rule being violated. So I'd like to, at the beginning of this commentary, invoke rule 1 of the House, which I don't have in front of me, but essentially says that where the rules of the House are silent, the traditions of this Legislative Assembly prevail.
Now, in this instance, I am citing that to point you toward a long-standing tradition in this House where the Premier is reserved the final speaking spot prior to the legislative deadline, bringing about the expiry of debate on reply to the Throne Speech motion.
Now, having been here as many years as yourself, you will recall, we would typically have to put up with Brian Pallister and his very unique soliloquies. We also had a couple of years of Heather Stefanson and her bizarre approach to being premier.
And so I want to point out for anybody who is a Conservative, that you ought to really be concerned with maintaining tradition and in only changing tradition when it is justified by some sort of public good or some sort of public exigency.
Now, in this case, they're breaking this rule because they know that no one in their caucus–[interjection]
The Speaker: Order.
Mr. Kinew: –will ever be premier in Manitoba. And so it's fine for them to break the rules because they're setting a precedent–[interjection]
* (16:30)
The Speaker: Order, please. Order, please. Order, please.
The hour being 4:30, in accordance with–[interjection] Oh.
Order, please.
I do need to address the point of order first, and I will say there is no point of order.
* * *
The Speaker: The hour being 4:30, in accordance with rule 47(3), I'm interrupting debate to put the question on the main motion and any amendments thereto.
So the question before the House is the proposed amendment by the honourable Leader of the Official Opposition (Mr. Khan) to the motion for an address in reply to the speech–[interjection]
Order, please.
–for an address in reply to the Speech from the Throne.
Do members wish to have the amendment read?
Some Honourable Members: Yes.
The Speaker: THAT the motion be amended by adding at the end–of–the following words:
But this House regrets that the provincial government has:
(a) once again failed to present a plan that reflects the realities faced by Manitobans; and
(b) failed to present a credible or transparent fiscal plan, while making yet another false promise to balance the budget despite record deficits, deteriorating credit outlooks and no path to sustainability; and
(c) misstated the progress in the health-care system while Manitobans continue to face unacceptable emergency room wait times, closed rural services, long surgical backlogs and a worsening shortage of front-line staff in many regions; and
(d) failed to address the growing cost-of-living crisis, offering short-term rhetoric instead of long-term affordability measures, leaving families, seniors, farmers, and small businesses without meaningful relief; and
(e) failed to offer a serious plan to rebuild the economy despite job losses, a weakening investment climate and stalled major infrastructure projects that are vital to Manitoba's competitiveness; and
(f) misrepresented the provincial government's record on public safety, as crime rates, drug trafficking and violent incidents continue to rise in many communities across the province, with no comprehensive strategy to tackle the root causes or support law enforcement; and
(g) failed to support municipalities, which continue to face downloading, infrastructure deficits and cost pressures, without stable long-term funding; and
(h) failed to address the severe impacts of drought, wildfire and climate-driven disasters, providing no concrete commitments to build provincial resilience, protect agriculture or support affected communities beyond vague reviews and slogans; and
(i) continued to overpromise on northern development and the Port of Churchill, offering speculative, uncosted announcements without supporting evidence, timelines or guarantees of feasibility, 'transparity' or value for Manitobans; and
(j) ignored the urgent needs of Manitoba students, with declining educational outcomes, teacher shortages, and a lack of clear standards or accountability for improving classroom supports; and
(k) relied on political branding, rather than measurable progress, offering a speech heavy on self-congratulation and light on evidence, vision or a realistic plan for the future.
As a consequence of these and many other failings, the provincial government has thereby lost the trust and confidence of people of Manitoba and this House.
All those in favour–is it the pleasure of the House to adopt the motion?
Some Honourable Members: Agreed.
Some Honourable Members: No.
The Speaker: I hear a no.
Voice Vote
The Speaker: All those in favour, please say aye.
Some Honourable Members: Aye.
The Speaker: All those opposed, please say nay.
Some Honourable Members: Nay.
The Speaker: In my opinion, the Nays have it.
Recorded Vote
Mr. Derek Johnson (Official Opposition House Leader): A recorded vote, Honourable Speaker.
The Speaker: A recording vote has been called, please call in the members.
Order, please.
So the question before the House is the amendment to the Throne Speech.
Division
A RECORDED VOTE was taken, the result being as follows:
Ayes
Balcaen, Bereza, Byram, Cook, Ewasko, Guenter, Hiebert, Johnson, Khan, King, Narth, Nesbitt, Perchotte, Piwniuk, Robbins, Schuler, Stone, Wasyliw, Wharton, Wowchuk.
Nays
Asagwara, Blashko, Brar, Bushie, Cable, Chen, Compton, Corbett, Cross, Dela Cruz, Devgan, Fontaine, Kennedy, Kinew, Kostyshyn, Lamoureux, Lathlin, Loiselle, Maloway, Marcelino, Moroz, Moses, Moyes, Naylor, Oxenham, Pankratz, Redhead, Sala, Sandhu, Schmidt, Schott, Simard, Wiebe.
Clerk (Mr. Rick Yarish): Ayes 20, Nays 33.
The Speaker: I declare the motion defeated.
* * *
* (16:40)
The Speaker: We will now move on to the question.
The question before the House is the motion moved by the honourable member for Transcona (MLA Corbett), that is, the motion for an address in reply to the Speech from the Throne.
All those in favour of the motion, please say–[interjection]
Is it the pleasure of the House to adopt the motion?
Some Honourable Members: Agreed.
Some Honourable Members: No.
The Speaker: I heard a no.
Voice Vote
The Speaker: All those in the House in favour of the motion, please say aye.
Some Honourable Members: Aye.
The Speaker: All those opposed, please say nay.
Some Honourable Members: Nay.
The Speaker: I believe the Ayes have it.
Recorded Vote
Mr. Johnson: Recorded vote, please.
The Speaker: A recorded vote has been requested. Please call in the members.
* (17:40)
Order, please.
The one hour for the ringing of the division bells has expired, so we will proceed to the question.
So the question before the House is the motion moved by the honourable member for Transcona that–this motion for an address in reply to the Speech from the Throne.
Do members wish to have the motion read?
Some Honourable Members: No.
The Speaker: No.
Division
A RECORDED VOTE was taken, the result being as follows:
Ayes
Asagwara, Blashko, Brar, Bushie, Cable, Chen, Compton, Corbett, Cross, Dela Cruz, Devgan, Fontaine, Kennedy, Kinew, Kostyshyn, Lathlin, Loiselle, Maloway, Marcelino, Moroz, Moses, Moyes, Naylor, Oxenham, Pankratz, Redhead, Sala, Sandhu, Schmidt, Schott, Simard, Wiebe.
Nays
Balcaen, Bereza, Byram, Cook, Ewasko, Goertzen, Guenter, Hiebert, Johnson, Khan, King, Lamoureux, Narth, Nesbitt, Piwniuk, Robbins, Schuler, Stone, Wasyliw, Wharton.
Clerk: Ayes 32, Nays 20.
The Speaker: The motion is accordingly passed.
* * *
The Speaker: The hour being past 5 o'clock, this House is adjourned and stands adjourned until 1:30 on Monday.
LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA
Thursday, November 27, 2025
CONTENTS
Bill 226–The Catholic Schools Week Act (Commemoration of Days, Weeks and Months Act Amended)
William Whyte's Power Line Project
Autism Spectrum Disorder Diagnosis
Opposition to Releasing Repeat Offenders
MRI Machine for Portage Regional Health Facility
Location of Safe Injection Sites
MRI Machine for Portage Regional Health Facility
Funding Crime Cost Mitigation for Small Business