Lisa Naylor

Lisa Naylor

Wolseley constituency report

Lisa Naylor is the NDP MLA for Wolseley.

Recent articles of Lisa Naylor

Manitobans deserve climate action

Lisa Naylor 3 minute read Preview

Manitobans deserve climate action

Lisa Naylor 3 minute read Wednesday, Mar. 22, 2023

Manitobans are worried about not having the health care available when they need it. They are worried about the cuts to their children’s education. They are worried about the cost of living. Many people are also worried about climate change. I hear this often when I am talking to people in Wolseley – they are disappointed by the Progressive Conservative government’s lack of action to address the climate crisis during two terms in office.

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Wednesday, Mar. 22, 2023

Dreamstime

Manitoba’s cosmetic pesticide restrictions were rolled back with Bill 22.

Keeping provincial parks affordable, accessible

Lisa Naylor 3 minute read Preview

Keeping provincial parks affordable, accessible

Lisa Naylor 3 minute read Wednesday, Feb. 1, 2023

Keeping Provincial Parks Affordable and Accessible

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Wednesday, Feb. 1, 2023

Winnipeg Free Press file photo

Manitoba’s provincial parks are natural treasures which should be preserved for generations to come.

Wrapping up the fall session

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Wrapping up the fall session

Lisa Naylor 3 minute read Wednesday, Dec. 14, 2022

The holidays are approaching, and I know that issues such as health care, affordability, and community safety are on your mind this season.

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Wednesday, Dec. 14, 2022

The holidays are approaching, and I know that issues such as health care, affordability, and community safety are on your mind this season.

Holding government to account

Lisa Naylor 2 minute read Preview

Holding government to account

Lisa Naylor 2 minute read Wednesday, Oct. 26, 2022

After a summer spent connecting with community members in Wolseley and hearing your concerns, I know that the greatest challenge Manitobans are facing right now is access to quality and timely health care. Community members shared many challenging experiences, including long wait times for diagnostic tests and surgeries and unacceptable waits for emergency care. I’ve also spoken with health-care providers who are dealing with mandated overtime. Unfortunately, no matter how hard staff work, it’s never enough to meet the demand in a broken system. Our team is advocating for government accountability and investments in health care, every single day in the Legislature.

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Wednesday, Oct. 26, 2022

After a summer spent connecting with community members in Wolseley and hearing your concerns, I know that the greatest challenge Manitobans are facing right now is access to quality and timely health care. Community members shared many challenging experiences, including long wait times for diagnostic tests and surgeries and unacceptable waits for emergency care. I’ve also spoken with health-care providers who are dealing with mandated overtime. Unfortunately, no matter how hard staff work, it’s never enough to meet the demand in a broken system. Our team is advocating for government accountability and investments in health care, every single day in the Legislature.

Education cuts, inflation concern Manitobans

Lisa Naylor 3 minute read Preview

Education cuts, inflation concern Manitobans

Lisa Naylor 3 minute read Wednesday, Sep. 7, 2022

Welcome back to school for our families and friends. It’s been an eventful summer meeting with constituents, attending events and hearing more about the issues that are top of mind for Wolseley residents.

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Wednesday, Sep. 7, 2022

Welcome back to school for our families and friends. It’s been an eventful summer meeting with constituents, attending events and hearing more about the issues that are top of mind for Wolseley residents.

Honouring disability rights activist Jim Derksen

Lisa Naylor 3 minute read Preview

Honouring disability rights activist Jim Derksen

Lisa Naylor 3 minute read Wednesday, Jul. 20, 2022

Jim Derksen was a Wolseley resident, disability rights activist, and friend to many. He died earlier this month at the age of 75. Jim was a well-known member of our community. I’ve heard from many people about his influence on their lives and it is clear he will be sorely missed. I offer my sincere condolences to Jim’s family and friends.

Jim began using a wheelchair at the age of six, owing to complications from polio. Several years later, he spoke up when he was being mistreated in the hospital. Jim’s self-advocacy was effective, and the mistreatment stopped. This marked the beginning of his lifetime of disability rights activism. Jim would go on to become a founding member of the Council of Canadians with Disabilities and the Manitoba League of Persons with Disabilities. He also chaired the Winnipeg Taxicab Board in the 1980s and brought in wheelchair-accessible taxis. Jim was instrumental in enshrining disability rights in Canada’s Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

When I sat down to learn from Jim a few years ago he didn’t just want inclusion, he insisted on the recognition of disability as something good and to be valued as part of the natural diversity of human life. Jim reminded me often that there is still much work to do surrounding human rights and supports for disabled people. Earlier this year, a woman living in Toronto made headlines when she found that it was easier to access Medical Assistance in Dying (MAID) than it was to receive the supports and housing she needed. This is unacceptable. No one should have to turn to MAID due to poverty or a lack of supports. Jim was a strong advocate on this issue.

Here in Manitoba, the PC government must do much more to support people living with disabilities. Urgent investments need to be made to ensure that disabled Manitobans have access to appropriate supports and affordable housing. The province should also work with organizations such as Barrier Free Manitoba and Abilities Manitoba to improve accessibility in public spaces and to solve the support-worker labour crisis.

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Wednesday, Jul. 20, 2022

Jim Derksen and Wolseley MLA Lisa Naylor, pictured together at the Wolseley Farmers’ Marketin 2021.

PCs fall short in many ways

Lisa Naylor 2 minute read Preview

PCs fall short in many ways

Lisa Naylor 2 minute read Wednesday, Jun. 1, 2022

As your MLA, I have been focused on the priorities of Wolseley, which reflect the needs of most Manitobans — health care, education, affordability, and action on climate change and reconciliation.

Manitobans were looking for hope in the 2022 budget — hope for health care, hope for an economic recovery and hope for a better future for their kids, but this budget let Manitobans down. Action on reconciliation demands investments in housing, health care, mental health, and education to help repair the damage of the past, but also to establish good opportunities, good health and well-being for Indigenous people going forward.

Premier Stefanson cut funding to hospitals, emergency rooms and front-line workers and did not set a timeline to clear the surgical backlog. Critical areas of our hospitals have vacancy rates of 20 per cent or more. Funding below inflation is not going to address the challenges faced in our hospitals and emergency rooms or the long wait time for an ambulance.

Budget 2022 fails to keep life affordable for regular families, as Hydro bills and the cost of everyday essentials increase. At the same time, this government has refused to raise the minimum wage, which is soon to be the lowest in the country. Most Manitobans who work for minimum wage are adults and many are women with children, working multiple jobs to make ends meet. They are also the ones who have been disproportionately impacted by the pandemic.

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Wednesday, Jun. 1, 2022

As your MLA, I have been focused on the priorities of Wolseley, which reflect the needs of most Manitobans — health care, education, affordability, and action on climate change and reconciliation.

Manitobans were looking for hope in the 2022 budget — hope for health care, hope for an economic recovery and hope for a better future for their kids, but this budget let Manitobans down. Action on reconciliation demands investments in housing, health care, mental health, and education to help repair the damage of the past, but also to establish good opportunities, good health and well-being for Indigenous people going forward.

Premier Stefanson cut funding to hospitals, emergency rooms and front-line workers and did not set a timeline to clear the surgical backlog. Critical areas of our hospitals have vacancy rates of 20 per cent or more. Funding below inflation is not going to address the challenges faced in our hospitals and emergency rooms or the long wait time for an ambulance.

Budget 2022 fails to keep life affordable for regular families, as Hydro bills and the cost of everyday essentials increase. At the same time, this government has refused to raise the minimum wage, which is soon to be the lowest in the country. Most Manitobans who work for minimum wage are adults and many are women with children, working multiple jobs to make ends meet. They are also the ones who have been disproportionately impacted by the pandemic.

Items on the spring legislative agenda

Lisa Naylor 3 minute read Preview

Items on the spring legislative agenda

Lisa Naylor 3 minute read Wednesday, Apr. 13, 2022

These past two years have been tough on all of us. Manitobans are looking for some hope and for a brighter future. The Legislative session resumed in March and our caucus has been hard at work introducing new legislation to help make life more affordable and equitable. NDP MLAs have introduced private member bills to address pay equity in the workplace, to provide menstrual care products for free in schools, and to protect renters from unfair rent increases.

We know that many of you are struggling with our broken health-care system, waiting in pain while the surgery backlog gets worse. Many of you are health-care workers, burned out and tired of being ignored throughout the pandemic. The Progressive Conservative government introduced its budget on April 12. Our team asked them to fix the health-care system. The government needs to hire more nurses and front-line health care workers, to end the surgery and testing backlog and to improve seniors care so Manitobans can age with dignity.

I know that many Wolseley constituents are also concerned about the health impacts of Bill 22 which is on the government’s current legislative agenda. This bill amends the environment act, which regulates the use of pesticides and bans cosmetic use of certain chemicals from municipal and residential lawns. The planned amendments will also permit the unrestricted sale of these pesticides at retail outlets.

Most provinces have legislation similar to the current law in Manitoba, but we are the only province moving backwards on this issue. This raises significant concerns for young families worried about the health of their children or pets playing on lawns or in municipal parks. Repealing this legislation is a move that goes against the advice of the Canadian Cancer Society and the Manitoba College of Family Physicians, among others.

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Wednesday, Apr. 13, 2022

These past two years have been tough on all of us. Manitobans are looking for some hope and for a brighter future. The Legislative session resumed in March and our caucus has been hard at work introducing new legislation to help make life more affordable and equitable. NDP MLAs have introduced private member bills to address pay equity in the workplace, to provide menstrual care products for free in schools, and to protect renters from unfair rent increases.

We know that many of you are struggling with our broken health-care system, waiting in pain while the surgery backlog gets worse. Many of you are health-care workers, burned out and tired of being ignored throughout the pandemic. The Progressive Conservative government introduced its budget on April 12. Our team asked them to fix the health-care system. The government needs to hire more nurses and front-line health care workers, to end the surgery and testing backlog and to improve seniors care so Manitobans can age with dignity.

I know that many Wolseley constituents are also concerned about the health impacts of Bill 22 which is on the government’s current legislative agenda. This bill amends the environment act, which regulates the use of pesticides and bans cosmetic use of certain chemicals from municipal and residential lawns. The planned amendments will also permit the unrestricted sale of these pesticides at retail outlets.

Most provinces have legislation similar to the current law in Manitoba, but we are the only province moving backwards on this issue. This raises significant concerns for young families worried about the health of their children or pets playing on lawns or in municipal parks. Repealing this legislation is a move that goes against the advice of the Canadian Cancer Society and the Manitoba College of Family Physicians, among others.

Sharing stories fundamental to understanding

Lisa Naylor 3 minute read Preview

Sharing stories fundamental to understanding

Lisa Naylor 3 minute read Wednesday, Feb. 23, 2022

February is I Love to Read month. This year Mulvey School invited me to tell students a story in my own words. Oral storytelling is a cornerstone of literacy and one of the primary ways we connect to each other as humans. Stories allow us to express our creativity, share our experiences, and work through problems. I am here to listen to your stories and am honoured each time a constituent shares theirs with me.  

One important set of stories is highlighted in February through celebrating Black History Month. In October 2021 I was pleased to stand with my colleague Jamie Moses by voting in favor of his bill, the Emancipation Day Act — the first bill introduced by a Black man and passed into legislation in Manitoba. This story has a good ending, but many of the experiences of Black Manitobans do not. I encourage you to explore Manitoba’s history of systemic racism and the effects of ongoing racism towards our BIPOC community members, neighbours and friends.  Through social media I have been sharing the stories of small businesses opening and was pleased to welcome several new small businesses to the constituency this winter. We are surrounded by amazing and resilient small business owners who provide job opportunities and important services in every corner of our community.  

As I return to the Legislature in March, I will continue working to change our story in Manitoba to be more equitable, affordable, and inclusive. So far this year, I’ve been preparing to do so by gathering signatures for a petition to recognize Eating Disorder Awareness Week in Manitoba, which is currently one of the last provinces to do so. As a formal petition, those who want to sign it need do so in-person. Please reach out to my office if you would like to add your name before session begins.

I’ve also been closely monitoring the sudden changes to public health protections in Manitoba. Even though many Wolseley residents appreciate the economic impact and want to return to normal life, many others continue to struggle with COVID-19 or care for those who do. Sadly, Premier Stefanson has shown disregard for health care workers and folks with additional health care challenges.

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Wednesday, Feb. 23, 2022

Supplied photo
Wolseley MLA Lisa Naylor reads a story to students during I Love to Read Month.

Reflecting on loss and responses to it

Lisa Naylor 3 minute read Preview

Reflecting on loss and responses to it

Lisa Naylor 3 minute read Friday, Dec. 31, 2021

On Dec. 9, 2021 my NDP colleague Danielle Adams, MLA for Thompson, died tragically on the highway on her way to Winnipeg.

Danielle worked tirelessly for her constituents to have access to quality health care, education, and good jobs in Manitoba’s northern communities. She was a loving partner, a mother to two young children and her commitment to her community was remarkable. Danielle was the official opposition critic for child care, and she had a strong vision and plan for an accessible child-care system for Manitobans. She is deeply missed by her colleagues, community, friends, and family.

I’ve been reflecting a lot on grief and the nature of loss throughout the pandemic. Loss comes in many forms. It can be the death of a loved one, the loss of good health or one’s home. People have lost jobs or are burned out from their work in health care. Many of us have cancelled vacations or lost the ability to gather as a family during important life events. Few Manitobans have been untouched by loss over the past two years.

We can each do things to cope with loss in individual ways — experts would say you should acknowledge your pain and turn to others, even if it’s just online support through a bereavement program or mental health resource. 

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Friday, Dec. 31, 2021

Jessica Lee / Winnipeg Free Pres
Thompson MLA Danielle Adams speaks in the Manitoba Legislative Assembly on Nov. 24, 2021. Adams sadly died in a traffic accident on Dec. 9.

A historic land acknowledgement

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A historic land acknowledgement

Lisa Naylor 3 minute read Friday, Dec. 3, 2021

We returned to the Legislature in late November for a short session made historic by the reading of a land acknowledgement that will forever remain a part of the daily rituals of the Legislative Assembly.   

I am proud to serve in the Legislature as part of a team that includes five Indigenous MLAs, all of whom helped to get us to this place. Wab Kinew is the first Indigenous leader of a political party in Manitoba. Amanda Lathlin was the first First Nations woman ever elected to the Manitoba Legislature.

Nahanni Fontaine is the first Indigenous house leader. Bernadette Smith and Ian Bushie are also strong Indigenous leaders; Bernadette has an MMIWG family member and Ian is the first sitting MLA to live on reserve and to previously have served as chief of a First Nation.  

Land acknowledgments matter because they keep us thinking about and talking about the history of our province and our country. They matter because they commemorate Indigenous peoples’ relationship to the land and the fact that colonization has not and cannot erase their connection to the land.

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Friday, Dec. 3, 2021

We returned to the Legislature in late November for a short session made historic by the reading of a land acknowledgement that will forever remain a part of the daily rituals of the Legislative Assembly.   

I am proud to serve in the Legislature as part of a team that includes five Indigenous MLAs, all of whom helped to get us to this place. Wab Kinew is the first Indigenous leader of a political party in Manitoba. Amanda Lathlin was the first First Nations woman ever elected to the Manitoba Legislature.

Nahanni Fontaine is the first Indigenous house leader. Bernadette Smith and Ian Bushie are also strong Indigenous leaders; Bernadette has an MMIWG family member and Ian is the first sitting MLA to live on reserve and to previously have served as chief of a First Nation.  

Land acknowledgments matter because they keep us thinking about and talking about the history of our province and our country. They matter because they commemorate Indigenous peoples’ relationship to the land and the fact that colonization has not and cannot erase their connection to the land.

Plenty achieved in short legislature session

Lisa Naylor 3 minute read Preview

Plenty achieved in short legislature session

Lisa Naylor 3 minute read Friday, Nov. 12, 2021

Although many of us are returning to a near-normal life thanks to vaccinations, Manitobans continue to struggle with changed circumstances and uncertainty, owing to the pandemic.

However, during the toughest months of the pandemic, the Progressive Conservative government made things even harder through health-care cuts, wage freezes, interference in bargaining, and the looming threat to the public education system through Bill 64.

We returned to the legislature in the fall, and I’m so glad to report that the government withdrew Bill 64, along with the four other bad bills the Manitoba NDP delayed last spring. The government’s withdrawal of these bills is a direct result of citizen action. Bill 64 was defeated because of your front-lawn signs, participation in town halls, and emails and letters to government.  

Later in the session, I voted against the budget implementation bill that cut funding for health care and other government services. I also had the chance to speak out on behalf of the University of Manitoba Faculty Association. Government interference in bargaining impacts recruitment and retention of staff, which has a real and negative impact on students’ education.

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Friday, Nov. 12, 2021

Although many of us are returning to a near-normal life thanks to vaccinations, Manitobans continue to struggle with changed circumstances and uncertainty, owing to the pandemic.

However, during the toughest months of the pandemic, the Progressive Conservative government made things even harder through health-care cuts, wage freezes, interference in bargaining, and the looming threat to the public education system through Bill 64.

We returned to the legislature in the fall, and I’m so glad to report that the government withdrew Bill 64, along with the four other bad bills the Manitoba NDP delayed last spring. The government’s withdrawal of these bills is a direct result of citizen action. Bill 64 was defeated because of your front-lawn signs, participation in town halls, and emails and letters to government.  

Later in the session, I voted against the budget implementation bill that cut funding for health care and other government services. I also had the chance to speak out on behalf of the University of Manitoba Faculty Association. Government interference in bargaining impacts recruitment and retention of staff, which has a real and negative impact on students’ education.

Supporting reproductive rights

Lisa Naylor 3 minute read Preview

Supporting reproductive rights

Lisa Naylor 3 minute read Friday, Oct. 15, 2021

The fight for reproductive rights is never over. We recently saw lawmakers in Texas attempt to ban abortion in every situation after just six weeks from conception - before many people even know they are pregnant.

In December the Supreme Court in the U.S. will hear a case from Mississippi that could overturn Roe vs. Wade, the case that enshrined reproductive health rights in law in 1973. On Oct. 2, hundreds gathered at the legislature in solidarity but also to send a message to the government that we will not tolerate any threat to our reproductive rights here at home.

The Supreme Court of Canada decriminalized abortion in 1988 and I was on the front line of that fight as an activist and volunteer at the Toronto Morgentaler clinic. I’ve met many Wolseley constituents who were fighting for our reproductive rights for well over 50 years. To these trailblazers, I say thank you.

Still, women and gender-diverse persons seeking reproductive healthcare are often subject to verbal abuse outside abortion clinics by non-peaceful protesters. My colleague Nahanni Fontaine, the MLA for St. Johns, has brought forward legislation three times that would require protesters to maintain a safe perimeter around health care facilities offering abortion services, to protect patients and health care providers from harassment and intimidation.

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Friday, Oct. 15, 2021

Supplied photo
Wolseley MLA Lisa Nayor and constituents particpated in a rally in support of reproductive rights on Oct. 2 at the Manitoba legislature.

Shelters reflect need for affordable housing

Lisa Naylor 3 minute read Preview

Shelters reflect need for affordable housing

Lisa Naylor 3 minute read Friday, Sep. 17, 2021

I’ve heard from a lot of people over the summer concerned about unhoused folks who are staying in Wolseley public spaces including many of our parks and along the river bank.  

Most people I talk to are compassionate and concerned for the safety and well-being of everyone in our community. Others are angry and frustrated about violence, theft and property damage.

Everyone in Manitoba should have a safe place to live with dignity and access to the services they need.

The growing number of makeshift shelters in our city is a symptom of much deeper provincial and federal policy problems on housing, poverty, and homelessness.

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Friday, Sep. 17, 2021

I’ve heard from a lot of people over the summer concerned about unhoused folks who are staying in Wolseley public spaces including many of our parks and along the river bank.  

Most people I talk to are compassionate and concerned for the safety and well-being of everyone in our community. Others are angry and frustrated about violence, theft and property damage.

Everyone in Manitoba should have a safe place to live with dignity and access to the services they need.

The growing number of makeshift shelters in our city is a symptom of much deeper provincial and federal policy problems on housing, poverty, and homelessness.

Manitoba needs climate leadership now

Lisa Naylor 3 minute read Preview

Manitoba needs climate leadership now

Lisa Naylor 3 minute read Monday, Aug. 16, 2021

This summer our beautiful blue prairie sky has been largely hidden by the dull, grey haze of forest fire smoke.

Forest fires affect all Manitobans. Those near the fires live in constant fear of losing their homes and being forced to evacuate. For many this summer, that fear has become a reality. Those of us in urban areas such as Wolseley are also affected, though in different ways.

Many of us love to spend our summers in nature. Whether hiking, camping, or going to the cottage is your passion, fires restrict where we can travel and what kind of activities we can engage in.

Many people think Manitoba is relatively safe from the impacts of climate change, but this is not the case.

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Monday, Aug. 16, 2021

This summer our beautiful blue prairie sky has been largely hidden by the dull, grey haze of forest fire smoke.

Forest fires affect all Manitobans. Those near the fires live in constant fear of losing their homes and being forced to evacuate. For many this summer, that fear has become a reality. Those of us in urban areas such as Wolseley are also affected, though in different ways.

Many of us love to spend our summers in nature. Whether hiking, camping, or going to the cottage is your passion, fires restrict where we can travel and what kind of activities we can engage in.

Many people think Manitoba is relatively safe from the impacts of climate change, but this is not the case.

Government not interested in accountability

Lisa Naylor 3 minute read Preview

Government not interested in accountability

Lisa Naylor 3 minute read Wednesday, Jul. 21, 2021

Now that public health restrictions are slowly easing thanks to Manitobans’ commitment to getting vaccinated, Wolseley families are looking forward to a great summer of safely reconnecting with loved ones and enjoying everything our beautiful province has to offer.

Unfortunately, the joys of summer will be dampened by the PC government yet again making life less affordable for Manitobans.

We recently learned that the Progressive Conservative government is planning to raise Manitoba Hydro rates 2.5 per cent each year for the next three years and is once again going around the Public Utilities Board to avoid giving Manitobans any input.

This comes after already raising rates by 2.9 per cent in December 2020 – also without any PUB oversight – meaning Hydro rates for Wolseley families will be going up 5.4 per cent in less than a year.

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Wednesday, Jul. 21, 2021

Now that public health restrictions are slowly easing thanks to Manitobans’ commitment to getting vaccinated, Wolseley families are looking forward to a great summer of safely reconnecting with loved ones and enjoying everything our beautiful province has to offer.

Unfortunately, the joys of summer will be dampened by the PC government yet again making life less affordable for Manitobans.

We recently learned that the Progressive Conservative government is planning to raise Manitoba Hydro rates 2.5 per cent each year for the next three years and is once again going around the Public Utilities Board to avoid giving Manitobans any input.

This comes after already raising rates by 2.9 per cent in December 2020 – also without any PUB oversight – meaning Hydro rates for Wolseley families will be going up 5.4 per cent in less than a year.

Legislature session wraps up

Lisa Naylor - MLA for Wolseley 3 minute read Preview

Legislature session wraps up

Lisa Naylor - MLA for Wolseley 3 minute read Friday, Jun. 25, 2021

This past legislative session has been unlike any other. The COVID-19 pandemic has changed how we do our jobs as MLAs, both in the chamber and engaging in our communities.

I look forward to the day that we can all gather again, and until then I hope I can help keep you informed about what’s going on in your Legislature.

I think many people in Wolseley were disappointed by the number of bad bills brought forward by the PCs this year. During the pandemic, when Manitobans needed to feel supported and safe, this government continued to cut services that matter to you and your family and only prioritized their own political needs.

At the end of May, the PCs used their majority to pass a record number of bills. This includes Bill 33, which gives the Minister of Education the power to decide which post-secondary programs should have higher tuition than others. Bill 47 opens the door for the privatization of childcare. Bill 71 is a massive tax giveaway for wealthy Manitobans on the backs of regular families.

Read
Friday, Jun. 25, 2021

This past legislative session has been unlike any other. The COVID-19 pandemic has changed how we do our jobs as MLAs, both in the chamber and engaging in our communities.

I look forward to the day that we can all gather again, and until then I hope I can help keep you informed about what’s going on in your Legislature.

I think many people in Wolseley were disappointed by the number of bad bills brought forward by the PCs this year. During the pandemic, when Manitobans needed to feel supported and safe, this government continued to cut services that matter to you and your family and only prioritized their own political needs.

At the end of May, the PCs used their majority to pass a record number of bills. This includes Bill 33, which gives the Minister of Education the power to decide which post-secondary programs should have higher tuition than others. Bill 47 opens the door for the privatization of childcare. Bill 71 is a massive tax giveaway for wealthy Manitobans on the backs of regular families.

Bill 71 cuts support for Wolseley renters

Lisa Naylor - MLA for Wolseley 2 minute read Preview

Bill 71 cuts support for Wolseley renters

Lisa Naylor - MLA for Wolseley 2 minute read Friday, May. 21, 2021

Just about every family in Manitoba has faced new financial hardships since the onset of COVID-19. Low-income families in Wolseley have been hit hard, many working frontline jobs and putting themselves at risk to afford rent and groceries. Now the PCs are leaving them even further behind.

Since the pandemic began, I’ve heard from many in our community who are worried about increases to their rent. It’s no wonder why: last year, every single above guideline rent increase that Manitoba landlords applied for was granted by the Residential Tenancies Branch, with no exceptions. At an apartment block on Wolseley Ave, renters were faced with a $300 above guideline increase in the fall.

It’s not just these increases making life harder for renters, though. As renters continue struggling to make ends meet, the Pallister government is now forcing them to take an additional $700 hit with their Bill 71.

This legislation puts big cheques into the pockets of the most well-off Manitobans while slashing benefits for renters. It will decrease the $700 tax credit that all renters in Manitoba currently receive by 25 per cent this year, an immediate loss of $175, while eventually phasing out the tax credit altogether. What’s more, these renters’ landlords will receive cheques in the mail for 10 per cent of their education property taxes on every property they own this year — potentially thousands of dollars, while renters are left worse off.

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Friday, May. 21, 2021

Just about every family in Manitoba has faced new financial hardships since the onset of COVID-19. Low-income families in Wolseley have been hit hard, many working frontline jobs and putting themselves at risk to afford rent and groceries. Now the PCs are leaving them even further behind.

Since the pandemic began, I’ve heard from many in our community who are worried about increases to their rent. It’s no wonder why: last year, every single above guideline rent increase that Manitoba landlords applied for was granted by the Residential Tenancies Branch, with no exceptions. At an apartment block on Wolseley Ave, renters were faced with a $300 above guideline increase in the fall.

It’s not just these increases making life harder for renters, though. As renters continue struggling to make ends meet, the Pallister government is now forcing them to take an additional $700 hit with their Bill 71.

This legislation puts big cheques into the pockets of the most well-off Manitobans while slashing benefits for renters. It will decrease the $700 tax credit that all renters in Manitoba currently receive by 25 per cent this year, an immediate loss of $175, while eventually phasing out the tax credit altogether. What’s more, these renters’ landlords will receive cheques in the mail for 10 per cent of their education property taxes on every property they own this year — potentially thousands of dollars, while renters are left worse off.

Legislative agenda affects Wolseley families

Lisa Naylor 3 minute read Preview

Legislative agenda affects Wolseley families

Lisa Naylor 3 minute read Tuesday, Mar. 30, 2021

March 2021 was our first month back in session at the Legislature this year and there’s already lots going on. It’s very important to me to keep our community informed about this government’s legislative agenda because many of the bills the Pallister government has brought forward will impact the lives of people living in Wolseley.

I know all Manitoba families are concerned about their children’s education. In March, the Pallister government released its K-12 education report along with Bill 64, the Education Modernization Act. This bill is going to dissolve school divisions and consolidate decision-making power with the Pallister government.

This is concerning as it is school divisions, not the province, which took the lead in keeping our kids safe and continuing their learning during COVID-19. The pandemic has shown that we need local leadership in order for students to thrive but this new plan is heading in the opposite direction.

Wolseley residents also very concerned about Bill 57, the Protection of Critical Infrastructure Act. Bill 57 gives the government power to levy significant fines against Manitobans who choose to protest in areas deemed “critical infrastructure” by the provincial government, which includes grocery stores, personal care homes, banks, and even the Manitoba Legislature. This is an unconstitutional attack on Manitobans’ freedom of assembly and an attempt to silence Indigenous land protectors and climate activists - that’s why we’ve committed to delay Bill 57 from becoming law.

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Tuesday, Mar. 30, 2021

March 2021 was our first month back in session at the Legislature this year and there’s already lots going on. It’s very important to me to keep our community informed about this government’s legislative agenda because many of the bills the Pallister government has brought forward will impact the lives of people living in Wolseley.

I know all Manitoba families are concerned about their children’s education. In March, the Pallister government released its K-12 education report along with Bill 64, the Education Modernization Act. This bill is going to dissolve school divisions and consolidate decision-making power with the Pallister government.

This is concerning as it is school divisions, not the province, which took the lead in keeping our kids safe and continuing their learning during COVID-19. The pandemic has shown that we need local leadership in order for students to thrive but this new plan is heading in the opposite direction.

Wolseley residents also very concerned about Bill 57, the Protection of Critical Infrastructure Act. Bill 57 gives the government power to levy significant fines against Manitobans who choose to protest in areas deemed “critical infrastructure” by the provincial government, which includes grocery stores, personal care homes, banks, and even the Manitoba Legislature. This is an unconstitutional attack on Manitobans’ freedom of assembly and an attempt to silence Indigenous land protectors and climate activists - that’s why we’ve committed to delay Bill 57 from becoming law.

Promoting literacy during a pandemic

Lisa Naylor 3 minute read Preview

Promoting literacy during a pandemic

Lisa Naylor 3 minute read Tuesday, Mar. 2, 2021

February was I Love to Read Month, which followed closely on the heels of Family Literacy Week. While I couldn’t visit classrooms this year, I shared my love of reading with all Wolseley elementary schools through a video. I read some of my favourite children’s stories and shared some ideas with parents for promoting literacy at home.

Studies have shown a direct correlation between illiteracy and poverty, as well as poor physical and mental health; 48 per cent of Canadian adults have literacy skills below a high school level and 17 per cent struggle to read basic information like the dosage on a medicine bottle. Those with low literacy are also more at risk of incarceration and not getting access to the supports they need.

Literacy starts in childhood and is fundamental to a thriving community, yet the Pallister government has repeatedly demonstrated that education, including early childhood education, is not a priority to them. They’ve frozen childcare funding - meaning fewer spaces for children to gain literacy skills before starting elementary school. They’ve also cut education funding year after year by not keeping up with the rate of inflation and enrolment.

Early childcare educators, teachers, and educational assistants have been stretched to the limit for our children’s care and learning throughout the pandemic. They’ve been at their breaking point for months on end. In thanks, the premier continues to cut their funding and hold back federal funds earmarked for keeping our schools safe during the pandemic.

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Tuesday, Mar. 2, 2021

Supplied photo
Wolseley MLA Lisa Naylor enjoyed the opportunity to read to area students during I Love to Read Month, even if she had to do so virtually.

Carbon-pricing: Good for Wolseley, good for all

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Carbon-pricing: Good for Wolseley, good for all

Lisa Naylor 3 minute read Wednesday, Feb. 3, 2021

When it comes to climate change, we have run out of time to delay action. I know many of us in Wolseley are deeply concerned about ensuring the habitability of our planet and are willing to make drastic changes to our society to protect the future of our children and grandchildren.

One of those changes we have to make is kicking our carbon dependency. Carbon pricing is a well-established and proven strategy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

The federal carbon pricing plan, if approved past 2023, will see the carbon price increase $15 per year starting in 2023, rising to $170 per tonne of pollution in 2030. Most of these funds will be returned to consumers and the remaining revenue will be reinvested in Canada’s electric vehicle charging infrastructure, incentives for purchasing zero-emission vehicles, home retrofits, and investments in natural capital like trees, wetlands, and agricultural lands.

Here in Manitoba, the Premier has continuously flip-flopped on carbon pricing - indecision we can’t afford in a crisis. He committed to carbon pricing in his 2016 campaign, then promptly refused to sign onto the federal plan. In 2017, he introduced the Made in Manitoba Green Plan with a flat $25 carbon price, but abandoned it one year later. Pallister then proceeded to waste taxpayers’ money with a lengthy court challenge of the federal carbon price, which is still ongoing. In March 2020 he reintroduced the $25 price, pending a one per cent reduction in the PST, but this has been deferred owing to COVID-19.

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Wednesday, Feb. 3, 2021

When it comes to climate change, we have run out of time to delay action. I know many of us in Wolseley are deeply concerned about ensuring the habitability of our planet and are willing to make drastic changes to our society to protect the future of our children and grandchildren.

One of those changes we have to make is kicking our carbon dependency. Carbon pricing is a well-established and proven strategy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

The federal carbon pricing plan, if approved past 2023, will see the carbon price increase $15 per year starting in 2023, rising to $170 per tonne of pollution in 2030. Most of these funds will be returned to consumers and the remaining revenue will be reinvested in Canada’s electric vehicle charging infrastructure, incentives for purchasing zero-emission vehicles, home retrofits, and investments in natural capital like trees, wetlands, and agricultural lands.

Here in Manitoba, the Premier has continuously flip-flopped on carbon pricing - indecision we can’t afford in a crisis. He committed to carbon pricing in his 2016 campaign, then promptly refused to sign onto the federal plan. In 2017, he introduced the Made in Manitoba Green Plan with a flat $25 carbon price, but abandoned it one year later. Pallister then proceeded to waste taxpayers’ money with a lengthy court challenge of the federal carbon price, which is still ongoing. In March 2020 he reintroduced the $25 price, pending a one per cent reduction in the PST, but this has been deferred owing to COVID-19.

Standing up for the people of Manitoba

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Standing up for the people of Manitoba

Lisa Naylor 3 minute read Monday, Jan. 4, 2021

The fall sitting of the Legislature came to a close in December and we don’t return until March, so I’d like to take this opportunity to report back to the people of Wolseley on the events of the past few months.

The political process should be accessible and transparent to all Manitobans and I am grateful to have this platform to share information with constituents.

My top priorities as a legislator are to stand up for Wolseley constituents, all Manitobans, and to fulfill my role as environment and climate change critic.

The Pallister government continues to disregard the environment — except for when it can profit from it. The most recent example of this is the premier’s move to privatize provincial parks by selling off cottage lots on park land. This is a slippery slope towards taking park lands out of the hands of Manitobans, leaving our parks vulnerable to exploitation. Provincial parks are valuable sources of both recreation and carbon sequestration, something we all benefit from. I will not stand by and allow the government to privatize such valuable ecological and social resources.

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Monday, Jan. 4, 2021

The fall sitting of the Legislature came to a close in December and we don’t return until March, so I’d like to take this opportunity to report back to the people of Wolseley on the events of the past few months.

The political process should be accessible and transparent to all Manitobans and I am grateful to have this platform to share information with constituents.

My top priorities as a legislator are to stand up for Wolseley constituents, all Manitobans, and to fulfill my role as environment and climate change critic.

The Pallister government continues to disregard the environment — except for when it can profit from it. The most recent example of this is the premier’s move to privatize provincial parks by selling off cottage lots on park land. This is a slippery slope towards taking park lands out of the hands of Manitobans, leaving our parks vulnerable to exploitation. Provincial parks are valuable sources of both recreation and carbon sequestration, something we all benefit from. I will not stand by and allow the government to privatize such valuable ecological and social resources.

The struggle against gender-based violence

Lisa Naylor 3 minute read Preview

The struggle against gender-based violence

Lisa Naylor 3 minute read Monday, Dec. 7, 2020

On Dec. 6, 1989 I was working at the reception desk of a feminist program on a university campus in Toronto, Ont., when a man entered a post-secondary school 500 kilometres away and shot 14 women dead because he was angry at feminists.  

At that time, I was also a student learning feminist counselling and advocacy skills in order to work with victims of gender-based violence.  I was 23 years old and the women murdered that day were my peers.

For 31 years, the massacre of women at École Polytechnique in Montreal has framed my activism. I am keenly aware that gender-based violence remains a daily threat to women, trans, two-spirit and non-binary Manitobans today. In fact, Manitoba’s rate of violence against women is currently double the national rate, and Indigenous women are killed at six times the rate of non-Indigenous women.

On social media, I have been highlighting the United Nations’ 16 Days of Activism against Gender Based Violence from Nov. 25 through Dec. 10.  

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Monday, Dec. 7, 2020

Supplied image
Wolseley MLA Lisa Naylor has been highlighting the 16 Days of Advocacy Against Gender Violence campaign on her social media platforms. It began Nov. 25 and runs through Dec. 10.

Now is the time to support local businesses

Lisa Naylor 3 minute read Preview

Now is the time to support local businesses

Lisa Naylor 3 minute read Tuesday, Nov. 10, 2020

Rising cases of COVID-19 and inadequate government planning to protect seniors has been devastating for many members of our community. My heart is with those families. Amidst the pandemic, families are deciding how to celebrate upcoming holidays in a way that honours traditions while ensuring the safety and well-being of those they love and our community as a whole.  

I encourage folks to support local businesses as part of your holiday plan. Right here in the Wolseley constituency we can eat cuisine from around the world, purchase locally produced coffee and honey or have a guitar custom made. We can take a knitting or cooking class, learn to sing, dance or play an instrument, visit a perfumery, engage in nature camps, go to the spa, and pick up inspiring books to read. Our neighbours are soap makers, brewers, tailors, and clothing designers.  

I had the opportunity to recognize one such group of business owners in the Legislature last month. Tall Grass Prairie Bakery recently celebrated 30 years of delighting us with cinnamon buns while supporting local small-scale organic farmers and paying fair wages to employees. The bakery now employs over 60 people and continues to mill their own grain. During the pandemic they even gave away batches of sourdough starter to community members learning to bake their own bread.  

We also said goodbye to Casa Grande Pizzeria, a longstanding family owned restaurant on the corner of Sargent Avenue and Wall Street. The pizzeria has been serving up classic Italian fare since 1977 and its candlelit tables and warm welcome will most certainly be missed by the community.  

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Tuesday, Nov. 10, 2020

Supplied photo
Lisa Naylor, MLA for Wolseley, presented a framed member statement to the owners of Tall Grass Prairie Bakery — Tabitha Barkman, Lyle Barkman, and Paul Langel. The fourth owner, Loïc Perrot, is not pictured.