Monday's throne speech in the Manitoba Legislature outlined how the PC government plans to get a handle on the deficit and spending.

 

The Pallister government plans to cap wages for workers in hospitals and universities. The government is also plans to eliminate dozens of provincial boards and commissions.

 

Here are some of the other throne speech highlights:

 

- complete extensive provincewide pre-budget consultations with Manitobans and work on the Fiscal Performance Review to ensure investments are made in the areas that matter most to Manitobans;
- reform the governance of major Crown corporations, abolishing the Crown Corporations Council and redeploying its resources to increase efficiency;
- establish a Red Tape Reduction Task Force and create regulatory accountability through legislation; and
- introduce a stand-alone referendum law to restore Manitobans’ right to vote on increases to major taxes.

In terms of repairing services, highlights from the throne speech include:
- address the needs of Manitoba’s most vulnerable children by developing a plan that will act upon the many outstanding reports and recommendations that have followed tragedies within the child welfare system;
- improve access to justice and to reducing unreasonable court delays with a system-wide review focused on the efficiency of the justice system;
- reform Manitoba’s Employment and Income Assistance program and release a new provincial housing strategy to address homelessness, affordability and repairs to existing housing stock;
- complete a comprehensive assessment of the health system via the Health Sustainability and Innovation Review;
- focus on public education measures and other steps to counteract the opioid crisis facing Manitoba and warn Manitobans about the dangers of fentanyl-laced drugs;
- form a provincial agency for doctor recruitment aligned with provincewide priorities of doctor recruitment and retention; and
- create pooled retirement pension plans to provide a new option of saving for retirement for those Manitobans who do not have access to a workplace pension.

In terms of rebuilding Manitoba's economy, highlights from the throne speech include:
- continue work on Manitoba’s Look North initiative, a northern economic development strategy to create jobs, increase investment and ensure long-term stability for the region;
- introduce Manitoba’s new Premier’s Enterprise Team members who will offer their entrepreneurial expertise to the development of a provincial strategy for growth and diversification;
- celebrate the 150th anniversary of Confederation at special events and activities throughout the province during 2017 via a hosting partnership with the Government of Canada and the City of Winnipeg that will see the Canada Summer Games take place in the province’s vibrant capital;
- develop a long-term literacy and numeracy strategy with a focus on education through the early years and invest in professional development for educators and supports for school divisions;
- eliminate the backlog of Provincial Nominee Program applications and partner with the federal government to improve the processing speed of visa applications;
- implement a return-on-investment test to prioritize government investments in infrastructure including roads and bridges, water-management projects and social and cultural capital;
- introduce a made-in-Manitoba carbon pricing and climate change plan that both addresses the unique environmental circumstances and meets the province’s unique economic realities.

"What we see in this throne speech is a pronounced disconnect between the people of Manitoba and the people assigned to making decisions on their behalf," says Judy Klassen, MLA for Kewatinook and Interim Manitoba Liberal Party Leader.

She says the Conservatives have displayed a lack of leadership in a number of areas including;

Northern issues, which require more than a series of summits and meetings to correct course. Housing, affordable food and access to adequate healthcare remain an immediate matter of life and death and a plan to combat this should have already been put in place. 

Brain and mental health, which extends beyond addictions. Despite having received a comprehensive brain health report complete with 98 recommendations on how services in our province can be improved we heard very little in this Throne Speech, says Klassen. 

Seniors, who deserve access to care no matter where they live and yet under this government rural and northern care for our seniors remains an issue, according to Klassen. She notes seniors need a proper plan of care that includes 24 hour access to assistance. 

Klassen adds designated stroke units save lives and despite an election promise to instate one we have yet to see action on this. 

And finally, she says ambulance costs remain at an all-time high, again, the Tories have promised to reduce these fees and while they delays we continue to have our vulnerable residents affected.

Klassen says the time for blame on the past government has passed. She says Manitobans see a government that has been in power for six months but that spent 17 years in opposition.

"They should have had plans ready and should have been able to hit the ground running," says Klassen