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

  GPM

  James Ducas: It is the policy of the Green Party of Manitoba to ensure that there are no further emergency room closures.

• 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

  GPM

  James Ducas: The government needs to set clear overall goals and objectives for these corporations and then let them operate without interference to achieve them. If it doesn’t like the way they’re operating, then it should review the goals and objectives and set more appropriate ones.

• 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

  GPM

  James Ducas: Any attempt to balance the books should consider the critical importance that public services have to the functioning of our society. It is a fallacy to believe that cutting public services will save you money in the long run.

• 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

  GPM

  James Ducas: The PC government says we’ve been spending too much on roads and physical infrastructure, based on the idea that it has exceeded the rate of inflation. But that benchmark is false if the deterioration of the physical infrastructure has been happening at a rate faster than the rate of inflation. What is required is a level of capital investment that maintains the infrastructure at an acceptable state of repair. But, even more, we need a level of investment in green infrastructure that reverses the deterioration in the province’s natural capital like the water quality in our waterways, the health of wetlands, the health of our agricultural soils. These have been deteriorating over the last 30 or 40 years and continue to deteriorate. We need substantial investments to reverse these trends.

• 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

  GPM

  James Ducas: Safe injection sites will allow healthcare workers to practice preventative medicine on people who already have established addictions, and they will assist healthcare workers in referring people with addictions to treatment services. Safe injection sites will not incentivize drug use in non-users, and they are not perceived as an affirmation of injection drug use in the public's eye. Safe injection sites will reduce the physical harm associated with drug use and they will keep needles off of our streets.

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

  Urgent

  Important

  Neutral

  Not important

  Unnecessary

  GPM

  James Ducas: If left unaddressed runaway climate change will destroy our civilization. Without immediate and comprehensive action on climate change our world will soon reach a tipping point where combating it will become an uphill battle. Only the Green Party's platform takes the necessary steps to meaningfully address the causes of climate change. As a member of the Green Party of Manitoba environmental issues will always be a priority for me if I am elected to the legislative assembly.

• 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

  GPM

  James Ducas: Every consumer knows that increasing the cost of a product or service results in their buying less of it or looking for a cheaper substitute. Economists know this to be true. Recently, 5 prominent Canadian economists released a report through the Eco Fiscal Commission of Canada refuting 10 common myths about carbon taxes. The bottom line is that they work and they can be designed to be fair to the consumer and result in lower carbon emissions.

• 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

  GPM

  James Ducas: Taxes are the price we pay for a civilized and compassionate society. It is the primary responsibility of the government to spend tax income wisely. Fiscal responsibility is a core value of the Green party of Manitoba. If elected we will require the public release of a full costing of all significant new government initiatives before they are implemented, and we will only undertake significant new public expenditures or taxation measures after first undertaking meaningful public consultation.

• 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

  GPM

  James Ducas: Manitoba is the only province in Canada that still gives local school boards the authority to set budgets and raise taxes through the highly regressive education property tax, which sees low income homeowners often paying a larger percent of their income on education taxes as high income homeowners. The Green Party of Manitoba will replace the education property tax with an increase in the personal and corporate income tax rates that, overall, raise the same amount of money. It will leave some discretionary spending authority with local school divisions.

• 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

  GPM

  James Ducas: I personally believe in the potential for all humans to grow and develop. We are all trying our best to be happy and we are all works in progress. The innate human drive towards maturity exists in everyone, and it is nurtured in others by being empathetic, accepting, and genuine. This principle I hold is strongly informed by my Buddhist convictions and by my education in psychology. Therefore, I believe it is unfair to prejudice oneself against a political candidate who has expressed sincere regret for past indiscretions. The primary matter one should consider when deciding who to vote for is the substance of the candidates' platforms.

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