Police raises up to Ottawa: Manitoba government

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This article was published 04/04/2023 (1242 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Manitoba municipalities faced with hefty bills for policing costs will have to look beyond the provincial government for help to cover expenses.

Justice Minister Kelvin Goertzen said the governing Progressive Conservatives continue to advocate on behalf of local governments for Ottawa to cover retroactive raises awarded to RCMP in its collective bargaining agreement.

However, Goertzen would not say if the province is prepared to step up with additional money.

“We’ve come to the table with additional financial support when it comes to municipalities,” Goertzen said, referring to a recent provincial boost to municipal operating funds. “But we’ll continue to implore the current federal government or a future federal government to do the right thing on this issue.”

Municipal leaders had hoped to see the federal government cover the costs in its latest budget.

“Municipalities were not meaningfully consulted during these negotiations despite being paying contract partners,” the Association of Manitoba Municipalities said in a joint statement with other provincial associations.

“The federal government’s unwillingness to absorb these costs will directly result in significant property tax increases, delayed infrastructure projects, and other cost-cutting measures to the detriment of local communities at a time when municipalities are dealing with inflationary pressures and affordability concerns from ratepayers.”

The New Democrats called on the Tories to provide financial help to municipalities, which will have to foot the bill.

“These municipalities have been clearly asking for help, the provincial government has been conspicuously silent, and now we’re hearing about the impacts,” NDP Leader Wab Kinew said Monday.

Premier Heather Stefanson said the Tories have provided a 28 per cent increase to operating funding in its 2023 budget. Basket funding was previously frozen for seven years.

The premier said her government supports law enforcement and will not tolerate discussions of defunding police.

“The leader of the Opposition pretends to care about police funding in the province of Manitoba when he wants to defund the police,” the premier shot back at Kinew in question period.

Speaking to reporters after question period, Goertzen said the province has a long record of advocating for employers — municipal and provincial governments — to be involved in contract discussions with the RCMP. He hopes the federal government will reconsider its position and cover the back pay.

“Ministers of justice, largely across the provinces, have joined together over many months to implore the federal government to ensure that those costs are covered,” he said.

“So, we were disappointed when we learned several days ago that the current budget doesn’t contemplate that.”

— Staff