Manitoba.

• Author: Signorelli, Andrea
• Position: Legislative Reports

3rd Session of the 41st Legislature--Spring Sitting

The Third Session of the 41st Legislature resumed on March 7, 2018.

The Government has introduced a number of Bills so far this session addressing different areas of governance:

Bill 4--The Legislative Assembly Amendment Act (Member Changing Parties), repealing the provision of The Legislative Assembly Act that requires a Member of the Assembly elected as a member of a political party to sit as an independent if they cease to belong to that party;

Bill 11--The Safe and Responsible Retailing of Cannabis Act (Liquor and Gaming Control Act and Manitoba Liquor and Lotteries Corporation Act Amended) authorizes and regulates the retail sale of cannabis in Manitoba when such sales are permitted by the federal government;

Bill 16--The Climate and Green Plan Implementation Act, enacting a new Act requiring the government to develop a plan with a comprehensive set of policies, programs and measures designed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, address the effects of climate change, promote sustainable development and protect Manitoba's water resources and natural areas. The Bill also enacts another new Act establishing an output-based pricing scheme to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from industrial operations in Manitoba and it expands the existing fuel tax rates to include a carbon tax rate;

Bill 25--The Non-Smokers Health Protection and Vapour Products Amendment Act (Prohibiting Cannabis Consumption in Outdoor Public Places), to prohibit the smoking or vaping of cannabis in outdoor public places and other places specified by regulation;

Bill 26--The Impaired Driving Offences Act (Various Acts Amended), which amends various acts to include the new criminal offences in relation to administrative driver's licence suspensions and disqualifications for impaired driving.

Budget Debate

On March 12, 2018, Finance Minister Cameron Friesen delivered his third budget. Highlights included:

* increasing the threshold under which individuals pay no income tax by $2,020 over the next two years;

* raising the small business income tax threshold to $500,000 from $450,000;

* investing $102 million to establish an independently run conservation trust that will fund projects to support the Made-in-Manitoba Climate and Green Plan;

* decreasing ambulance fees to $340 from $425;

* support for funding for more than 700 new childcare spaces including funding for the construction of 251 new spaces;

* a $13.7-million...