PCs fall short in many ways

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 01/06/2022 (363 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

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.

We all want better supports for our kids at school. Unfortunately, the Progressive Conservative government’s plan means cuts to K-12 education. It means larger classes and fewer supports for students. For our students heading to college or university, the PC government continues to increase the cost of tuition while freezing support for post-secondary institutions across the province.

The NDP caucus wants to ensure Manitoba is addressing the urgent issue of climate change. Unfortunately, the PCs haven’t issued a real plan with real targets to address the crisis. The budget documents clearly show that the PCs underspent millions of dollars that was intended to help Manitobans switch to cleaner energy and appliances.

The government’s financial decisions ultimately have a direct impact on the well-being of our province. Unfortunately, this year’s budget does not address the urgent problems faced by Manitobans. If you want to share your concerns about Budget 2022-23, please contact my office at 204-792-2773 or lisa.naylor@yourmanitoba.ca

Lisa Naylor
Wolseley constituency report

Lisa Naylor is the NDP MLA for Wolseley.

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