Missing ‘labour’ surprises MFL

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This article was published 03/05/2016 (3546 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

There are some words missing from the job titles of the new cabinet ministers.

Words such as environment, labour, child, water, conservation, immigration, disability, northern.

A few other words that people might have grown accustomed to seeing in cabinet titles over the years: housing, community development, natural resources, youth, jobs, employment, tourism, multiculturalism, literacy.

The word highway no longer appears in anyone’s job title. Nor do emergency services, family services, or transportation, economy, Hydro, liquor, lotteries.

Beyond the words you’d expect to see, such as health, justice, finance and education, the only new words that jump out are international relations, sustainable development, growth and Crown services.

Premier Brian Pallister told reporters Tuesday there are hundreds of thousands of words that aren’t used in his cabinet ministers’ titles.

“Words are not as important as the work we’ll be doing,” Pallister said.

The Wilderness Committee has already “denounced” the disappearance of the conservation minister.

“This is a red flag. It appears that protection for fresh air, nature and clean water that Manitobans value may not be a priority for this government,” said Wilderness Committee Manitoba campaign director Eric Reder, who called the Tory decision regressive and misguided.

Pallister shrugged off the criticism and said his government has a focus on the environment,

“Well, of course there is,” he said.

Pallister said labour, like other areas, falls under several ministers. In late afternoon, his staff released a list that said labour has been transferred into the new Department of Growth, Enterprise and Trade, while immigration goes into Education and Training.

Loren Remillard, executive vice-president of the Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce, commended Pallister for his choice of departmental names.

“When you take a look at the names of the portfolios as well: very straight and to the point,” Remillard said.

“The premier is correct the labour file cuts across a number of different areas.”

But labour was not impressed Tuesday by the disappearance of “labour.”

“Surprised would sum it up in a word — it was a shock not to see it,” said Kevin Rebeck, president of the Manitoba Federation of Labour.

“There’s no obvious connect with the names we see. We’ve always had a labour minister (Conservative Gary) Filmon had one. It’s too soon to tell what this really all means,” Rebeck said.

— with files from Larry Kusch

nick.martin@freepress.mb.ca