Manitoba.

• Author: Yarish, Rick
• Position: Legislative Reports - Report

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

In accordance with a sessional order passed in June 2007, the second session of the 39th Manitoba Legislature resumed on April 9, 2008 to consider a new budget and legislative agenda. The session began with Finance Minister Greg Selinger (NDP--St. Boniface) presenting the NDP government's ninth budget. The 2008-2009 total operating expenditure of $9.8 billion represents an increase of 6% from 2007-2008. Highlights of the government's "opportunity and stability" budget included:

* Providing $182 million in new personal, property and business tax relief.

* Investing more than $100 million in capital projects at post-secondary institutions.

* Investing an additional $5 million in child care to provide more spaces, a new training and recruitment fund and higher wages.

* Committing to a multi-year funding plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by supporting sustainable farm practices, trucking technologies, active transport initiatives and green heating technologies.

* Proceeding with the $4-billion, 10-year plan to modernize highways and bridges across the province.

* Finalizing work on the Red River Floodway expansion project.

* Investing $7.2 million to educate and hire more doctors.

* Providing an additional $3 million to increase the number of nurses, health-care aides and allied health-care workers for personal-care homes in Manitoba.

* Providing $8.8 million more to the Manitoba Agricultural Services Corporation to reflect increasing crop values covered by production insurance.

* Funding $60 million in loan supports for hog producers.

* Introducing disability insurance for volunteer firefighters in Aboriginal and Northern Affairs communities.

* Providing more than $200 million in funding for the City of Winnipeg to provide local services including transit services and public safety.

* Providing support for Renaissance Brandon to help revitalize downtown Brandon.

During his contribution to the budget debate on April 11, 2008 Official Opposition Leader Hugh McFadyen (PC--Fort Whyte) moved a motion expressing non-confidence in the government, which stated that the budget failed "to address the priorities of Manitobans by":

* Increasing Manitoba's reliance on other provinces through equalization payments.

* Increasing Manitoba's staggering debt load rather than reducing debt.

* Ignoring the priorities of Manitobans by failing to provide adequate resources to combat crime.

* Failing to end hallway medicine, as promised...