Business leader heralds ‘new spirit of collaboration’ among three levels of government

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This article was published 27/10/2023 (734 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

After what one business leader described as years of “naked hostility between warring factions,” the federal, provincial and municipal governments signalled Friday they’re working together toward revitalizing Winnipeg’s downtown and a greener, more prosperous Manitoba.

Premier Wab Kinew, Winnipeg Mayor Scott Gillingham and Winnipeg Liberal MP Terry Duguid (Winnipeg South) held a news conference at the United Way’s Main Street office to say they’re collaborating on downtown revitalization, trade, northern infrastructure, Indigenous entrepreneurship and the province’s green-economic advantage.

“A much bigger symbol here is that we have three levels of working with shared purpose, common action and a new spirit of collaboration and alignment,” something Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce president and CEO Loren Remillard said he hasn’t witnessed in his 17 years with the organization.

“I was at the chamber when we made improving the civic-provincial relationship one of our strategic priorities but what we saw over the years was it got worse,” he said after the media event.

“(There was) naked hostility between warring factions, people airing differences on social media,” Remillard said.

Former premier Brian Pallister and former mayor Brian Bowman were publicly at odds on many issues, and Pallister’s Progressive Conservative government had an often-combative relationship with the federal Liberals.

“I think what we’re seeing now among the three levels of government is, ‘We’re here to serve the people and we have to do that with common purpose,’” Remillard said.

The federal government announced Friday nearly $2 million in funding for Manitoba social enterprises — community-based businesses and non-profits with a social mission — to pay for a green retrofit, training and economic development.

“You give a non-profit a dollar and they’ll give you $2 in return,” said Gillingham, who applauded the “renewed relationship” that includes all levels of government — including First Nations, the private sector and non-profit organizations — to improve the quality of life for all community members.

“You can expect to see the premier, myself and the federal government working collaboratively more often and consistently through the coming months and years ahead.”

Northern Affairs Minister Dan Vandal (Saint Boniface-Saint Vital), who was scheduled to attend Friday’s meeting was unwell and planned to reschedule a virtual meeting, his spokesman said.

Kinew said all three levels of government have shared values when it comes to addressing “the existential crisis of global warming” and pollution control — including the North End Water Pollution Control Centre, that is expected to cost $2.2 billion.

When asked about affordability, and the federal government waiving the carbon tax on home heating oil (which mostly benefits those in Atlantic Canada) but not for natural gas that most Manitobans rely on, Kinew indicated he’s not putting up a fight.

“I think that taking action on climate change is an important area of priority that I really look forward to working on with the federal government,” he said.

“We know that the past government in Manitoba often played politics with this issue and wasted so much money with pointless court challenges…. The path forward is with collaboration and working together.”

Maximizing Manitoba’s clean energy and energy-saving measures such as expanding the use of geothermal systems and heat pumps is a better way to go, Kinew said.

The Canadian Taxpayers Federation said Kinew should be fighting to have home heating exempt from the carbon tax for Manitobans.

“Kinew needs to stand up for affordability and demand carbon tax relief,” its prairie director Gage Haubrich said Friday in a statement. “Winter is here and heating bills are starting to rise, the time to stand up for Manitobans is now.”

— with files from Danielle Da Silva

carol.sanders@freepress.mb.ca