Manitobans deserve climate action

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.

I was proud to serve as the official Opposition environment and climate critic for the past three-and-a-half years. During my time in this role, the government shuffled through four ministers and most recently moved responsibility for provincial parks out of the environment department altogether.

This government’s failure to act comes at a time when the stakes are higher than they’ve ever been. The effects of climate change in our province have never been more apparent, with exceptional droughts and floods and record-breaking temperatures, yet most of the commitments made in the PC climate and green plan are nothing more than broken promises.

Instead of working with and for Manitobans to fight climate change by setting aggressive emissions targets and taking action to meet them, the PC government spent millions of Manitobans’ money on a failed lawsuit to try and strike down the federal carbon levy.

It’s not just climate change – this government’s record on all environmental issues is terrible. They rolled back cosmetic pesticide restrictions with Bill 22, meaning pesticides are now permitted near schools, child-care centres and in city parks. Increasing the amount of toxic chemicals that children in Manitoba are exposed to is a step backwards.

Manitoba has one of the worst waste management programs in the country, the least investments in electric vehicle infrastructure and few incentives for citizens to get off fossil fuels and utilize more of Manitoba’s clean hydro energy. In 2021-22 the department of environment, climate and parks underspent its budget by millions, after cutting annual funding for many environmental organizations.

The PCs have broken so many promises and failed to act for so many years that Manitobans just don’t trust them to take real, meaningful action on the climate crisis. Manitobans care about protecting the environment and addressing climate change. You deserve a government that cares too.

As the MLA for Wolseley, I want to hear about the issues that matter to you. You can contact my office at lisa.naylor@yourmanitoba.ca or 204-792-2773.

Lisa Naylor
Wolseley constituency report

Lisa Naylor is the NDP MLA for Wolseley.

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