Manitoba.

• Author: Signorelli, Andrea
• Position: Legislative Reports

The Fourth Session of the 40th Legislature began on November 20, 2014 with the presentation of the NDP government's Speech from the Throne. Delivered by Lieutenant Governor Phillip Lee, the address highlighted a range of government commitments and proposals, including:

Offering interest free student loans;

A ban from using tanning beds for persons under the age of 18;

Cutting government costs through the reduction of office space by 9,290 square metres;

Increasing the speed limit on the Trans-Canada Highway to 110 kilometres an hour from the Saskatchewan boundary to Winnipeg;

A new bridge to be built at Morris to reduce flooding on Highway 75;

New benefits for first responders suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder;

The creation of a new agency to promote energy efficiency;

A new law that will target invasive species such as zebra mussels; and

A new potash marketing strategy to be launched to solicit interest in potash mining in western Manitoba.

Official Opposition Leader Brian Pallister's non-confidence amendment to the Address in Reply motion made reference to the recent resignation of five ministers and the subsequent cabinet shuffle, noting that:

Some Government and all Official Opposition members agree that Manitobans are angry and believe that the Provincial Government has broken their trust;

Some Government members have concluded that serving this Provincial Government with integrity is no longer an option and that they do not regret speaking honestly as being truthful and holding on to integrity is something that Manitobans have been raised to do;

Some Government and all Official Opposition members are gravely concerned that priorities may move up the queue based on political interest and ahead of what Manitobans consider to be their priorities and needs;

There is a genuine concern amongst some Government and all Official Opposition members that the Provincial Government has become more preoccupied with remaining in power than necessarily doing things that are in the best interest of Manitobans.

Following the defeat of Mr. Pallister's amendment on December 1, 2014 by a vote of yeas 20, nays 34; on December 2 the main motion carried on a vote of yeas 35, nays 20.

The fall session saw the introduction of a number of bills, addressing various areas including:

Bill 2--The Public Schools Amendment Act (Small Classes for K to 3), which designates that 90 per cent of the kindergarten and Grade 1 to 3 classes within a school...