Time to do away with delayed bills
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This article was published 27/08/2021 (641 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
Families in The Maples want a government that is committed to strengthening health care and education and keeping life affordable. But the PC government has a different agenda — putting money ahead of people and cutting services families rely on.
Our NDP caucus is listening to Manitobans and fighting for you. That’s why we are calling on the government to withdraw the five bills we delayed from the last legislative session, including Bill 64. Unless they have the courage to kill the bills and set a new agenda, Manitobans can be sure that Pallister’s legacy will continue no matter who sits in the premier’s chair.
We delayed Bill 64 to give parents and school staff time to learn about the bill and fight back. Because of this, a vocal majority of Manitobans have publicly criticized the bill and signed up to speak at committee in record numbers. In addition to Bill 64, we delayed Bill 35 to keep Hydro bills low. We also delayed Bill 16, the government’s anti-worker bill that would erode worker’s fundamental rights, and Bill 57 which undermines Manitobans’ democratic rights to gather for peaceful protest. Lastly, we delayed Bill 40 to fight the addictions crisis and keep communities safe.
The government has let down families in the Maples for years. It supported the gutting of our health-care system — closing Seven Oaks ER, cutting acute care beds, and allowing dangerously high nursing vacancy rates. They voted to hike up Hydro rates during a pandemic — circumventing the Public Utilities Board. And when Manitoba was the only province in Canada to have to transport critically ill COVID-19 patients out of province, not one of them spoke out.
The government has to make a choice; will they listen to families, or follow through with Pallister’s harmful agenda? Two-thirds of the PC caucus, including the minister of education, stood behind Heather Stefanson when she announced that, if elected PC leader, she would kill Bill 64. The PC government should recall the legislature immediately so that we can vote down Bill 64 along with the rest of Pallister’s legislative agenda.
Any PC MLA who continues to stand behind these bills is confirming that Pallister’s legacy will continue as long as the PCs are in power. Manitobans want and deserve better from their government.
The NDP is ready to get back to the legislature and get to work helping Manitoban families.
Contact my office any time at 204-417-3486 or Mintu.Sandhu@yourmanitoba.ca
Mintu Sandhu
The Maples constituency report
Mintu Sandhu is the NDP MLA for The Maples.