Tories prod premier over homicide rate

Progressive Conservative Leader Obby Khan called out the Kinew government Wednesday for a rise in homicides in Manitoba while national numbers showed a decline last year.

“The murder rates nationally have declined,” Khan said during question period, referring to a Statistics Canada report Tuesday that shows there were 788 homicides across Canada in 2024. That’s eight fewer homicides than the previous year, and a four per cent decrease in the national homicide rate. Manitoba recorded a 22 per cent increase in its homicide rate last year.

“Can the premier tell everyone in the house and all Manitobans how much did Manitoba exceed the national average?” Khan asked Premier Wab Kinew.

“How many more murders have to happen in Manitoba before this premier removes his failing justice minister to keep Manitobans safe?”

Kinew didn’t provide an explanation for the increase in homicides under his watch last year.

Statistics Canada reported that among Canadian cities, Winnipeg had the third-highest homicide rate (4.66 per 100,000) with Thunder Bay, Ont., recording the highest homicide rate (6.08), followed by Chilliwack, B.C. (4.75).

The premier said he prefers to focus on solutions.

“What are the solutions when we talk about public safety? Well, we know that you need to have law enforcement,” the premier said. “You also need to have the correctional facilities to care for people while they’re getting straightened out. You’ve got to have strong connections with community and you’ve also got to focus on prevention by doing things like feeding kids at school. We’re focused on all four of these things,” said the premier.

“Guess what the member opposite did while he was a cabinet minister? He cut all four,” Kinew said, pointing to a reduction of 55 police officers in Winnipeg, the closure of the Dauphin jail and the Agassiz Youth Centre in Portage la Prairie under the Tories’ reign.

carol.sanders@freepress.mb.ca