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

  James Teitsma: Health care has changed immensely in the last 30 years but our health care system in Manitoba has not kept up. Today the back of an ambulance is as well equipped as some smaller emergency rooms were 30 years ago. Medical staff are more specialized and the kind of care we can receive is better as a result. Centralizing specialized medical staff provides better care sooner. We know that because we see it working in other jurisdictions just like we've seen it for working cardiac care at St. Boniface. Improving patient flow is key to getting better care sooner and for building a health care system that's sustainable. More work needs to be done to redirect resources from upper and middle management to the front lines of health care.

  LIB

  Tanya Hansen Pratt: I have major concerns about how the changes to the acute care facilities were implemented and the speed at which the changes were made. There have been obvious problems with wait times and stressful conditions for front-line health care workers. I also have concerns about the multiple levels of administration contributing to the problem. More time and care needs to be taken to work along side health care professionals who know vastly more about this topic than anyone in government, using their guidance to develop a plan to create a world-class health care system. Overhauling an entire provincial system isn't something that should be rushed between elections.

• 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

  James Teitsma: Government needs to give clear mandates to MPI, Hydro and other crown corporations. The boards of these corporations need to be held accountable to their responsibilities. That doesn’t mean micromanaging, but it does mean protecting the interests of ratepayers, taxpayers and the public.

  LIB

  Tanya Hansen Pratt: Crown corporations are publicly owned, so they should be publicly operated. However, I do believe there should be consistent cooperation and communication between the government and Crown corporations to maximize efficiency.

• 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

  James Teitsma: We are already paying over $1,000,000,000 in interest a year. That's money that could be better spent on building great infrastructure or providing great services or keeping more money on the kitchen tables of Manitobans. What's worse is that half of our debt was accumulated in just a few short years of Selinger's NDP government. Government needs to provide good value for our tax dollars and it's clear the NDP didn't do that. Getting us back to balance means we can start paying off our debts, improving our credit rating and lowering our interest payments.

  LIB

  Tanya Hansen Pratt: Balancing the budget should be a priority, but not at the cost of the health, wellness, and employment of Manitobans. There must be a sensible balance between eliminating the deficit and taking care of social needs. That balance lies in a long-term approach that may require some short-term spending and investments in order to make significant strides in the long-term. I feel that aggressive attempts to eliminate the deficit in the short-term can have devastating long-term effects on social needs, and vice versa. There has to be a balance between the two extremes of fiscal and social responsibility.

• 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

  James Teitsma: We're investing over $1 billion annually in infrastructure but I'd love to see even more in the future. By focusing on getting good value for our tax dollars, we will be able to return to a balanced budget and increase infrastructure investments on highways to $400M by the end of the term and even more in the future.

  LIB

  Tanya Hansen Pratt: Along with a good health care system and quality education, good infrastructure is part of the foundation of a modern economy. This goes back to finding a healthy balance between balancing the budget but also taking care of social needs. A quality infrastructure is a necessary part of the equation for a healthy economy. Cutting spending on infrastructure in the short term looks great on a spreadsheet when balancing a budget, but will result in long-term negative effects on the overall wellness and economy of the province.

• 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

  James Teitsma: Meth isn't safe. If you want to help an addict, you should be helping them beat their addictions. Instead of spending time with fellow addicts, they should be helped by former addicts and others who can help them overcome their addictions. That's what is in the best interest of both the addict, their families and loved ones, and the public.

  LIB

  Tanya Hansen Pratt: This is a complex subject that requires a comprehensive and well-researched plan. This focus on harm reduction is required to reduce deaths, injuries and serious health concerns associated with unsafe drug use. These sites can provide space where individuals living with Substance Use Disorders, addictions, and other mental health issues are treated with dignity and respect. People are often more likely to make healthy life choices when they are treated with compassion. Safe-injections sites can be an important part of a network of recovery support, if included with brief interventions and access to long-term care.

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

  Urgent

  Important

  Neutral

  Not important

  Unnecessary

  PC

  James Teitsma: We need to pull our weight and we have been. Manitoba is one of the cleanest, greenest provinces in Canada. We need to also adapt to climate change by building resilience and taking advantage of opportunities the changing weather patterns afford.

  LIB

  Tanya Hansen Pratt: Climate change is real. If we want a future for our children, we have to act. Every person, every city, every province, every country is responsible for playing their part. I am proud to support the Manitoba Liberal Plan for Green Growth and Renewal to make our province carbon neutral by 2030.

• 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

  James Teitsma: Studies have shown that carbon taxes can be effective in changing consumer behaviour, but they carry the risk of just becoming another source of revenue for government as we are seeing with the current federal carbon tax. They can also make it harder for industries like agriculture and air travel to compete in a global marketplace. I believe there are many other effective ways to lower emissions and improve our already leading status as a green province.

  LIB

  Tanya Hansen Pratt: Yes, I think the carbon tax can influence people to make decisions that will have a positive impact on the environment. However, that's only one small component of the carbon tax. It's about generating money to get us off of our dependency on fossil fuels and move toward more renewable sources of energy. Our entire economic system is dependent on fossil fuels. Fossil fuels subsidies, heavy reliance on hydro-electricity, and low natural gas prices discourage large-scale commitments to renewable energy. Revenues from the carbon tax are necessary to invest in a growing and much-needed green energy industry. If we look at the big picture, and the long term impact on the environment, the economy, and the types of jobs that are needed in this province, the carbon tax makes incredibly good sense.

• 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

  James Teitsma: This is a false dichotomy. Our government has managed to both lower taxes and increase spending on all major files during our first term. That's because as the province grows and thrives, our tax base expands. That's a sustainable and desirable way to make Manitoba a better province to live in - lower taxes, good services and a thriving economy.

  LIB

  Tanya Hansen Pratt: Again, I feel strongly about balance. I have no problem paying taxes for things that have long-term benefits for society as a whole. Look at the countries that are consistently considered the "best places to live" with regards to health care, education, employment and quality of life. They are overwhelmingly countries that tax fairly and use those taxes to provide excellent social structures. But the key is fair taxation. Businesses and citizens should pay their fair share. Providing tax havens for businesses and the wealthy often serves to hurt the average working-class taxpayer. A fair taxation system will help to ease the tax burden for all Manitobans.

• 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

  James Teitsma: It has become increasingly clear that some school boards have created bloated bureaucracies They seem all too willing to pass on these costs to the taxpayer with little to no accountability for doing so. Our focus in government has been to ensure that the administrative load is reasonable so that more resources can be directed to where they belong - the front lines. School boards need to make an effort to do the same.

  LIB

  Tanya Hansen Pratt: Each school board is familiar with their own student's needs, so I think they should have much more control over how they teach their students and create their budgets and spending models. There must be open communication and partnership with the government, but each school board should have the freedom to plan, budget and function in a way that best serves the students in their communities.

• 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

  James Teitsma: Your history and your life experience prepare you to serve in public office. You need to show yourself trustworthy with the small stuff of life before you take on greater responsibilities.

  LIB

  Tanya Hansen Pratt: I think a candidate's personal history requires context. If their past does not impact their ability to do their current job, if they have made an effort to learn, change, and grow, and have matured in their ability to make sound decisions, then I would be more concerned about their professional experience than their personal past. When choosing a candidate to support, I am looking for someone who supports the policies that are important to me and my community, and preferably someone with relevant experience to advocate for those policies.

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