Bills defeated but more work to do
Advertisement
Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 07/10/2021 (603 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
Over the past year and a half, Manitobans have faced significant challenges, owing to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Here in northeast Winnipeg, I’ve heard from countless families worried about everything from a safe return to school for their kids, to dealing with the financial burdens of the pandemic, and concerns about the worsening addictions crisis.
All the while, the Progressive Conservative government made it clear they had no intention of tackling the issues at hand. In fact, the disastrous legislation and privatization agenda it introduced earlier this year would have only made things worse.
That’s why our NDP team fought back — and won.
This spring, we committed to Manitobans we would fight the government’s reckless legislation tooth and nail by delaying its bills and ensuring folks had a chance to analyze what these new laws could mean for their families. Here in Concordia, I spent the summer meeting with dozens of concerned community members to hear their thoughts about these proposed bills.
Every educator, school trustee, or parent at schools in Concordia who I met expressed their concerns about how Bill 64 would slash our education system.
Families struggling to make ends meet told me they were worried about skyrocketing Hydro bills, which would have only been made worse by Bill 35. Community members who raised the addictions crisis stressed the need for more addictions programming funding, which would have been jeopardized had Bill 40 passed. These laws — or any other of their dangerous bills — would have been bad news for Manitobans.
Fortunately, the work of our NDP team, coupled with the efforts of thousands of concerned Manitobans who fought back, has stopped these bills dead in their tracks.
Let’s be clear — while the demise of these bills is a good start, the fight isn’t over yet. Over the past year alone, we still saw $5 million cut from schools, record-long wait times and backlogs at our hospitals, and continued Hydro rate hikes. Meanwhile, every PC MLA stood lockstep with the Pallister government to make this happen.
Families in northeast Winnipeg deserve a government who will stand up for healthcare, education, and making life more affordable. The NDP team remains committed to fighting the PCs’ cuts and pushing for a government that puts their priorities first.
If you would like to share your thoughts on how we can invest in a better Manitoba, I can be reached at 204-654-1857 or matt.wiebe@yourmanitoba.ca
Matt Wiebe
Concordia constituency report
Matt Wiebe is the NDP MLA for Concordia.