Manitoba Tories focus on crime, tax cuts in agenda for next year

Brian Pallister's Progressive Conservative government plans to crack down on crime in downtown Winnipeg and will introduce small tax cuts on some services, fulfilling promises made during the provincial election campaign.

Those were among the highlights included in the government's new speech from the throne, which outlines the province's plan for the coming year.

The speech, read Tuesday afternoon at the legislature by Chief Justice Richard Chartier, says the government is "deeply concerned" about crime rates and is determined to combat an increase in gang violence.

The Tories, who were re-elected in September, said in the speech that they'll make it easier for authorities to liquidate drug dealers' assets by expanding the civil forfeiture process, and will invest $10 million in a crime-fighting strategy that will see resources to bring drug dealers to justice beefed up.

Cash for tips about drug dealers

The City of Winnipeg has seen 41 homicides already this year — matching 2011 for the worst year on recent record for homicides in the city.

The government says it will make additional investments to the RCMP to help fight crime in rural Manitoba, and new Crime Stoppers campaigns will be launched in Winnipeg, Brandon and rural communities.

The province will also give new cash to tipsters who call in with information about drug dealers, the throne speech promised, and there will also be greater support for the Winnipeg police tactical team.

PST cut on wills, tax returns

The Tories also unveiled measures focused on Pallister's election campaign promise to help Manitobans "keep cash on the kitchen table."

His government will eliminate the provincial sales tax on wills, tax returns and salon services over $50, the throne speech said. Vehicle registration fees are being reduced by 10 per cent and probate fees will be removed by July 1, 2020.

The government still plans to eliminate the education portion of property taxes in the first year after the budget is balanced, according to the speech.

The government will also step up enforcement and prosecution of the ban on night hunting, enacted during Pallister's first term in office. As part of that effort, eight additional conservation officers will be hired.

The Tories also plan to introduce a resolution that reaffirms the province's commitment to freedom of conscience and religion for public servants — a reaction to Quebec's ban on public servants wearing religious symbols.

$3.4M for women's health

The Tories are promising to spend $3.4 million on women's health. The cash will provide support for women who suffered childhood sexual abuse and for sexually exploited girls, and will expand treatment for eating disorders.

In other health-care promises, the throne speech said the government will follow through on an election campaign promise to create 200 new nursing positions by 2023.

A total of 80 additional rural paramedics will also be hired, with the goal of having 24/7 care within 30 minutes for 90 per cent of Manitobans, 90 per cent of the time. No timeframe was given for the promise.

As well, the throne speech promised the creation of a sobering facility, with mental-health professionals capable of treating up to 20 patients at a time.

Another health-care promised focused on patients who have urinary tract infections, and could soon be able to get a prescription from a pharmacist, instead of having to go to a doctor. The province plans to start consultations on that issue, the speech from the throne said.

There are also changes coming to the province's labour law that will allow survivors of sexual violence to take time off from work to get counselling, regardless of whether they were in a relationship with the perpetrator.

Other throne speech promises include:

• Starting consultations on removing people living with disabilities from the employment and income assistance program. The Tories say they want a distinct and separate program for people with disabilities.
• Restructuring fiscal arrangements around  IG Field to increase transparency, after years of financial woes related to the construction of the stadium.
• Introducing legislation that will allow Sunday and holiday shopping restrictions to be removed if municipalities want.
• Enhancing the Manitoba film and video tax credit.
• Exempting Manitoba craft distillers, cideries and breweries from government mark-ups on craft products sold on-site.

Opposition, MGEU pan speech; praise from mayor

Opposition NDP Leader Wab Kinew criticized the throne speech for lacking reference to community partnerships in its approach to tackling crime.

"We're not going to get a handle on crime in Manitoba unless communities are involved, and that's lacking from this government's approach," Kinew said.

He argued funding groups like the Bear Clan Patrol would be a better use of government dollars than focusing only on police enforcement. 

Liberal Leader Dougald Lamont, meanwhile, said the government's announcements on dealing with the province's meth crisis don't go far enough.

"I see very little in this throne speech that's actually going to turn any of it around, and I see a lot of stuff that's actually going to make it worse."

The Manitoba Government and General Employees' Union also criticized the speech, with union president Michelle Gawronsky saying it gives no reassurance that public services will remain a priority.

"It's a major concern, we know, that we're down 2,000 civil servants already in three years. What is going to happen in the future? What's going to happen to the infrastructure, the snow clearing? What is going to happen to the services Manitobans rely on?"

Winnipeg Mayor Brian Bowman, though, had praise for the throne speech.

"There was a lot of attention was paid to the city of Winnipeg. Some of the big issues that we have as a community right now are economic development and public safety, and there was discussion about that," Bowman said. 

"The key is going to be the implementation, and how collaborative it is."

Bowman said recent discussions with Municipal Relations Minister Rochelle Squires have been "excellent." While he said he'd welcome a meeting with Pallister, he plans to meet again with Squires in the coming weeks.