Manitoba.

AuthorGrenier, Monique
PositionLegislative Reports

Budget

The Third Session of the 40th Legislature resumed on March 6, 2014, with the delivery of the first budget from new Finance Minister Jennifer Howard.

The 2014-2015 total operating expenditure of $12.3 billion represents an increase of 2% from 2013-2014. Highlights of the government's budget included:

* Creating jobs and more opportunities for young people while keeping life affordable and protecting the front-line services families count on;

* Creating more apprenticeship and training opportunities to help grow Manitoba's workforce by 75,000 by 2020;

* Setting up a five-year plan to invest $5.5 billion in core infrastructure to improve the province's roads, bridges, flood protection and municipal infrastructure and create tens of thousands of jobs;

* Achieving further administrative savings to be reinvested in front-line services for families including the extension of corporate administrative spending caps to all regional health authorities; and

* Creating a lean council tasked with providing advice to government on new ways to offer better services more efficiently across government departments.

Opposition's Response to the Budget

During his contribution to the budget debate on March 7, 2014, Official Opposition Leader Brian Pallister moved a motion expressing non-confidence in the government which stated that the budget failed to address the priorities of Manitobans by:

* failing to repeal the massive tax and fee increases imposed in Budget 2012 and Budget 2013, including the PST hike;

* refusing to hold the legally required referendum before increasing the PST;

* breaking the promise to eliminate the structural deficit of nearly $400 million;

* failing to address the growing threat to services Manitobans count on such as health and social supports;

* failing to raise the employment and income assistance rental allowance rates to 75 per cent of median market rents;

* failing to provide promised tax relief for seniors;

* stifling economic growth and prosperity through excessive red tape and unwarranted taxation; and

* failing to join the New West Partnership.

On March 18, 2014 Mr. Pallister's amendment was defeated on a recorded vote of yeas 19, nays 35, while the main budget motion carried on a recorded vote of yeas 34, nays 20.

Legislation

In addition to the bills introduced in the fall, the spring session to date has seen the introduction of approximately 16 bills addressing a variety of governance areas including:

* Bill 37--The...

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