Legend

• PC Progressive Conservative
• LIB Liberal
• NDP New Democratic Party
• CPC-M Communist
• GPM Green
• IND Independent
• MF Manitoba First
• MBFWD Manitoba Forward

• The provincial government says consolidating Winnipeg’s six acute care hospitals down to three will improve overall medical care for patients. Is that the right move?

  Great idea

  Good idea

  We’ll see

  Not a good idea

  Terrible idea

  PC

  Shannon Martin: No Comment

  MF

  Dave Wheeler: The city of Winnipeg had more ERs than Vancouver. Streamlining health care is a good idea, it's just been done very clumsily by our current government, there was a complete lack of common sense when these changes were made. My mother worked in Nursing management for 20 years, I know first hand how they health care industry should have had more of a hands on role when these decisions were being made.

  LIB

  John Cacayuran: I understand why the current government wanted to go this route; however, it is not in the best interest for Manitobans, especially in North Winnipeg and the surrounding municipalities. Lives matter, and cost cutting measures that this government is imposing on us is not benefiting our health. Wait times in emergency rooms have increased, the quality of care is suffering as hospital staff are overworked and need more investment and patients are not seeing services they need. The right move is to reverse the changes to our hospitals, work with our stakeholders to determine how to spend our money wisely to ensure Manitobans will benefit in our health care system and invest in our health care system to alleviate the work loads that many staff members are facing.

  NDP

  Greg McFarlane: When I talked to families they all tell me the same thing—they didn’t vote to close emergency rooms or cause chaos in the health care system. Brian Pallister closed three emergency rooms across Winnipeg and it’s caused wait times to get longer and the quality of care to worsen. No one believes Brian Pallister when it comes to health care. The front line experts, like nurses and doctors, say his cuts have damaged our system and put patients at risk.

• How much control should the provincial government have over the operations of Crown corporations like Manitoba Public Insurance and Manitoba Hydro?

  Hands-off

  Not much say

  50/50

  Some oversight

  Direct supervision

  PC

  Shannon Martin: No Comment

  MF

  Dave Wheeler: Government is supposed to represent the best interests of its people, previous and current government have used our Crown corporations as their personal ATMs for too long. The Manitoba First party opposes the high level of government’s annual levies on Crown corporations, seeking a reduction to lower the burden on their ratepayers. Why does it make sense to charge the people of Manitoba more money for their energy than what we charge the U.S. for that same energy? This is not common sense at work.

  LIB

  John Cacayuran: Provincial oversight in crown corporation operations should be minimal. We have seen many instances of the current government’s involvement in crown corporations’ operations that have resulted in board members and executives leave their position. The direction of the current government to privatize or sell off our corporations is concerning as the loss of revenue and the failure to invest in Manitoba will impact all of us.

  NDP

  Greg McFarlane: Manitoba Hydro must stay public so rates can stay affordable for families and we can transition it into a renewable energy company by creating thousands of clean jobs across the province. Pallister’s political interference in the affairs of MPI is wrong. Time and again, he puts the profits of insurance brokers ahead of the needs of Manitoba drivers. Families have already seen their autopac rates rise because of his interference. Brian Pallister’s plan to privatize Manitoba Hydro and MPI will means higher bills for families, big payouts to executives and poorer quality service. The NDP will keep our Crown Corporations public so that life is affordable for all of us.

• The Pallister government plans to eliminate the deficit by 2022. Should balancing the books be a priority?

  Essential

  High priority

  Neutral

  Low priority

  Not important

  PC

  Shannon Martin: No Comment

  MF

  Dave Wheeler: The conversation of "What are we leaving for our children"?! The Manitoba First Party seeks fiscal accountability, a focus on better outcomes for public expenditures. We have to address the $50 Billion plus gross provincial debt, which costs taxpayers/ratepayers over $2 billion in interest annually. If we don't lead by example, how do we expect anyone who lives in this province to be responsible with their finances?

  LIB

  John Cacayuran: Balancing the budget is a goal that all governments should work toward, however not at the expense of our health and wellbeing. The aggressiveness and method in which the current government is working to balance the budget is not working for Manitobans. Cuts that this government is imposing on health care, education and wages for example have left many Manitobans dissatisfied and wanting a new way to do business. Growing our economy with investing locally, creating and reinvigorating employment opportunities and thinking outside the box will go along way in balancing the budget. We believe that adding to our economy rather than subtracting is a better formula to achieve better results for all Manitobans.

  NDP

  Greg McFarlane: Brian Pallister’s cuts to health care—like closing emergency rooms, cutting CancerCare or cutting physiotherapy—are hurting patients and causing chaos for front line workers. He’s made cuts on the backs of families, nurses, students and workers. It’s the wrong approach. I believe the solution to Brian Pallister’s extreme austerity is not extreme spending. The NDP’s fully costed platform has a plan to return to balance by 2024. We will achieve balance by making the right choices for Manitobans and eliminating Pallister’s wasteful spending--like $23 million in contracts to high-priced consultants or millions in expensive overtime pay for understaffed nurses.

• In Budget 2019, the provincial government spent approximately $350 million on highways. The construction industry says we need to invest more. Is $350 million the right amount?

  Way too little

  A little under

  About right

  A little too much

  Way too much

  PC

  Shannon Martin: No Comment

  MF

  Dave Wheeler: Of course the construction industry says we need to spend more, everyone who is out to make money says that you always need to spend more. If we're allocating these funds responsibly by using common sense, we could likely come in under budget. Manitoba First favours good public polices such as promoting bidding by open-shop contractors for infrastructure projects and bringing in gold-standard procurement policies throughout the public sector. Getting Manitobans to work on Manitoba is also a major priority.

  LIB

  John Cacayuran: Our aging infrastructure requires attention. The current government has left millions of dollars off the kitchen table that the Federal government offered Manitoba towards infrastructure development and refurbishment. Every day Manitobans drive on highways, road and bridges that require repair and investment. Safety on our roads is a must. $350 million is a small amount in comparison to the needs of our province. Projects such as the Chief Peguis extension, Arlington bridge replacement and regular maintenance of our highways are sound investments to our province that would provide jobs and increase safety to Manitobans.

  NDP

  Greg McFarlane: Brian Pallister cut the infrastructure budget by 40% and then underspent it by about half. It’s meant less jobs for working families and millions in lost revenue for the provincial economy. The NDP has a plan to invest $6.6 billion in strategic infrastructure—like roads, buildings and highways—to create 50,000 good jobs and keep our economy moving.

• There have been calls to install safe consumption and/or injection sites in Manitoba, so that people with addictions can consume or inject drugs in a space with medical supervision and more readily available access to addiction services. Are these sites a good idea?

  Urgently needed

  A good idea

  Not sure

  Not necessary

  A bad idea

  PC

  Shannon Martin: No Comment

  MF

  Dave Wheeler: As long as we put neon signs up on these locations and treat them like business establishments. We can even give them a name and call them "Pokey's Pub". It's no different than enabling an alcoholic by dropping them off at the neighbourhood bar. The opioid and meth crisis in this province is a radical problem, and calls for radical solutions. If we are going to enable these users with clean needles, it has to come with its fair share of education for the user. Compassion comes in many different forms, and we have to start thinking about how to solve the issue, rather than just sweeping it into the corner of downtown and pat each other on the back because at least they're out of sight from the general public.

  LIB

  John Cacayuran: In Winnipeg and across Manitoba, a genuine crisis in methamphetamine addiction is killing Manitobans, putting people on the frontline at risk, and tearing apart families who are pushed to the breaking point trying to find help for their loved ones. This epidemic is driving up property crime, violent crime, and sexually transmitted infections. Medically supervised drug-use sites can be an extremely effective option for certain types of drugs, opiates especially, and also alcohol. Meth is a different type of drug. Expert opinion has not concluded the efficacy of a safe medically supervised consumption site for methamphetamine. Meth often leaves people intoxicated for 12 to 14 hours, sometimes resulting in meth psychosis. Manitoba Liberals were the first to start talking about the meth crisis and we have been offering concrete solutions for more than a year and half. Manitoba Liberals have committed to adding drug stabilization units, medically supervised detox, expanding the number of addictions treatment beds, and ensuring there is a smooth, seamless transition from rehab to recovery. A 24/7 Virtual Addictions Coordination Centre so that families and people with addictions can get faster access to addictions treatment We need prevention programs, including a public awareness campaign for youth and for adults to create a much broader understanding of the dangers of taking methamphetamine.

  NDP

  Greg McFarlane: Experts are clear—safe consumption sites save lives and keep our communities safe. By providing safe and supervised access, these sites help people struggling with addictions to find treatment. Under Brian Pallister, Manitoba’s meth problem became a full blown crisis. His inaction has meant tens of thousands of needles in public parks, an unprecedented spike in syphilis and HIV rates, and a dramatic increase in property and violent crime rates. The NDP has a plan to immediately address the meth crisis, with some action being taken in the first 100 days of office. We will invest in long term treatment, harm reduction and supports for people with addictions so we can keep our communities safe.

• How important is it for the provincial government to take steps to address climate change?

  Urgent

  Important

  Neutral

  Not important

  Unnecessary

  PC

  Shannon Martin: No Comment

  MF

  Dave Wheeler: Government will never solve climate change, and that's a fact. You can't throw money into the air and expect the earth to comply with the transaction. Pulling more money out of the pocket of people is not going to shift the global climate no matter how much your elected officials tell you. If we are really committed to leaving a safe environment for our children, and their children. We need to take care of our water system. Dumping raw sewage into our rivers and lakes is not only disgusting, its irresponsible and goes to the show the hypocrisy of the previous (and current) governments by tricking you into thinking that they care about the environment. If they truly cared about OUR environment, they would make cleaning up our water the FIRST priority. It's another example of how common sense is missing with our current government.

  LIB

  John Cacayuran: The environment and the health of our planet should be a priority for all governments. Scientists and experts in environmental studies have concluded that we are in midst of an environmental change and countries must make changes on how they go about doing business. Reducing the dependence on fossil fuels, elimination of single use plastics and working toward the Paris accord measurements should be the goal. Investing in new environmental strategies and technologies can be a boon for Manitoba. The Manitoba Liberals Green Plan is the most aggressive and comprehensive plan that has been put forward by any party that is intended to work towards being carbon neutral by 2030. Investing in our environment and through innovative technologies will make Manitoba a leader in the industry and create new jobs for our new work force.

  NDP

  Greg McFarlane: The fight against climate change is a fight for our future—a safer, cleaner future for our kids. Families in my constituency want to do their part to help solve the climate crisis, but they also want life to stay affordable. Under Brian Pallister, emissions rose and our lakes and rivers continued to be polluted. First he supported a carbon tax, then he flip flopped and let big polluters off the hook. The NDP has a plan that will help families make cleaner choices. It starts by taking $350 off every household’s Hydro bill to encourage them to use clean energy. We’ll also invest millions to upgrade the North End Water Treatment plant to help return Lake Winnipeg to health and to protect wetlands across the province. Our plan to transition Manitoba Hydro away from building dams and towards funding renewable energy sources will not only protect the future of our environment but create thousands of good jobs across the province.

• Will a carbon tax influence consumer behaviour, such as encouraging people to drive less or make their homes more efficient?

  Definitely won't

  Probably won't

  Not sure

  Probably will

  Definitely will

  PC

  Shannon Martin: No Comment

  MF

  Dave Wheeler: Show me a viable option in this province for someone to commute. Winnipeg transit is a nightmare at the best of times, and the rapid transit project is not living up to its name of "rapid". Why aren't we using electric buses for starters?! More hypocrisy from government asking you to line their pockets with your dollars while they ignore their own decree. Why we're not building infrastructure on our river system for transportation is beyond me and if they government was truly interested in fixing environmental issues, they would be using more common sense instead of putting their hands in our pockets.

  LIB

  John Cacayuran: More education and incentives are required to change Manitoban’s position on the carbon tax. The idea to change the behaviour of someone from driving less or making their home more efficient requires a person to reason why they should do it. Right now, residents that have expressed their concern over another tax do not see the benefit. More education is needed toward making an informed decision on why the carbon tax is needed and what they can do to make better decisions.

  NDP

  Greg McFarlane: I believe a price on pollution will help families to become more aware of their greenhouse gas emissions. Our plan will go farther by incentivizing families to use more clean, Hydro power while giving them a break on their monthly costs. The money families save can go towards home retrofits or electric vehicles. The NDP will ensure 90% of revenue will be returned to families, and the remaining 10% will go towards green programs and infrastructure projects.

• I would rather have more money in my pocket through tax cuts than have the provincial government increase spending on public services.

  Strongly disagree

  Somewhat disagree

  Neutral

  Somewhat agree

  Strongly agree

  PC

  Shannon Martin: No Comment

  MF

  Dave Wheeler: Taxes are a fact of life, and no matter how much the government tells you that they're going to cut taxes, they're just going to find another way, under a different name, under a different guise of getting that money out of your pocket. Tax cuts and spending money on public services are not, and do not have to be mutually exclusive.

  LIB

  John Cacayuran: We all want more money in our pocket, however not at the expense of services that we rely on. A more balanced approach is required. Growing our economy, increasing the minimum wage to a livable standard and investing in Manitobans will put money in your pocket and keep public services, viable and present.

  NDP

  Greg McFarlane: We know Brian Pallister’s cuts to health care, education and social services has made the system less efficient and more costly. The NDP’s plan commits to keeping the PST at 7%, but we do ask the top one percent of earners (those making over $250,000/yr) to contribute a little more in taxes to fund public services that benefit all of us. I believe this is a fair and balanced approach.

• Manitoba’s K-12 education system is currently undergoing a review of curriculum and spending models. How much control should school boards have when it comes to making education budgets?

  Total control

  More control

  Current system

  Less control

  No control

  PC

  Shannon Martin: No Comment

  MF

  Dave Wheeler: Why wouldn't we have people in the industry given a voice when it comes to their budgets. It's ignorant to think that someone who doesn't work in the industry knows better than the people that do.

  LIB

  John Cacayuran: Successful local school boards are an invaluable resource to our education system. They are the voice of parents and community members who only want the very best for their children and their neighbour’s children. Because of this, we have some of the most innovative and successful programs, such as the Met schools in the Seven Oaks School Division. We need to ensure funding is fair so that schools with greater needs are funded adequately. School boards should be encouraged to review and, if necessary, reallocate a greater portion of their budgets to the classroom. Schools are often delivering and paying for programs or services that are separate from education, including mental health supports and social work. It is important for these programs to be delivered in schools, but they shouldn’t come out of the school budget. Manitoba Liberals believe the province should be contributing a greater share of public schools funding without overreliance on property taxes. We need to continue to support our local school boards so that they can continue their efforts to ensure that children in Manitoba get a high-quality education that enables them to learn the new ideas and skills that help them fulfill their full potential.

  NDP

  Greg McFarlane: Local school boards have the expertise and knowledge about the communities, parents and students that they serve. We know Brian Pallister is planning to cut education just like he cut health care. The NDP has a plan for education that will help every student be successful—by keeping class sizes small for early years, hiring EAs and investing in French-language education. I believe education is next on Pallister’s chopping block. Only the NDP can put a stop to his cuts and create a better education system for all of us.

• How much do you consider a candidate’s personal history - before they entered politics - when deciding who to vote for?

  Not at all

  Very little

  Neutral

  Somewhat

  A lot

  PC

  Shannon Martin: No Comment

  MF

  Dave Wheeler: This is a sneaky way of asking the "Wab Kinew" question and I think it's rather childish. In the same breathe, a lot of people have already made up their minds about me based on my radio career and the way it ended. Here's the beauty part about being a human being: we are all allowed to change our minds at any time we choose. We are also in control of how we choose to move lead our lives from this point moving on, if we all had to carry our mistakes around with us, it would slow every single one of us down from being able to do what we want to with our lives.

  LIB

  John Cacayuran: In my opinion, a candidate’s personal history will provide an idea of what can be expected from a candidate. Candidates that have demonstrated a commitment to helping others, living a positive lifestyle and having strong family values are areas that voters can use in determining who they want to vote for. You can’t fake who you truly are. People do change over time, however it’s what have you done previously is what people will learn about. Future good intentions are nice, however, what have you done in your life is what voters will think about.

  NDP

  Greg McFarlane: As a New Democrat, I’m proud to be part of a team that reflects Manitoba and I know voters feel the same way. My fellow candidates bring a diverse experience and skills that will make us the best team to lead a government that works for all of us—not just those at the top.

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