12/07/2023

Treaty 1 and Dakota Territory, Homeland of the Red River Metis, Winnipeg MB – Wab Kinew’s Manitoba NDP made history this sitting as government by lowering costs, advancing reconciliation and fixing health care in the province.

"Our team is working for Manitoba families.” NDP Caucus Chair, Mike Moyes said, “We hit the ground running, delivering on our commitments. Like lowering costs with our gas tax holiday and advancing reconciliation, by making Orange Shirt Day as a statutory holiday and honour Louis Riel as our first Premier.”

The NDP’s first bill made Louis Riel the honorary first Premier of Manitoba. The Red River Métis have fought for recognition, dignity, and inclusion in Manitoba. This acknowledgement honours their tireless work to recognize Louis Riel’s role in founding the province.

The Manitoba NDP also passed the Orange Shirt Day Act, making September 30th a statutory holiday in Manitoba so that Manitobans can honour survivors and families and reflect together and help our province live up to the phrase “every child matters”.

Together these two bills represent significant steps towards resetting the relationship between the Manitoba Government and Indigenous governments.

This session the Manitoba NDP also took a significant step in lowering costs for Manitobans. The Provincial Government’s Fuel Tax Amendment Act will save families 14 cents a litre at the pumps.

The Manitoba NDP also introduced a private members bill to create a commemorative day for firefighters. MLA for Waverley, David Pankratz, proposed that May 4th be known as Firefighters Recognition Day. The NDP government is proud to stand with first responders who put their lives on the line every day.

Outside of the Legislature, the Manitoba Government kicked off their health care listening tour so that frontline health care workers’ voices are finally heard.

Over the next several months, the Premier, the Minister for Health, Seniors and Long-term care, and members from the NDP Caucus will meet nurses and doctors where they’re at, the frontline.

The NDP also took steps to reduce wait times by adding 31 new beds at the Grace hospital, freeing up funds for a mobile MRI service in the Northern Regional Health Authority, expanding surgical slates at the Grace Hospital, and expanding spinal surgery programs at the Brandon Regional Health Centre, Concordia Hospital and HSC.

The NDP Government continues make life better for Manitobans. Since forming government, their achievements include:

• Working right away to settle the MPI strike,
• 24/7 shelters across Manitoba providing wraparound services,
• Recognizing November 5th to 11th as Francophone Immigration Week,
• Securing $500 million in new investments from the Federal government to deliver low-carbon and affordable electricity,
• One-time $50,000 grant for Fort Gibraltar preservation,
• Establishing a new Westman Regional Cabinet Office in Brandon,
• Return of the Holiday Open House,
• Utilizing the Criminal Property Forfeiture Fund to install CCTV cameras on city-owned property in the City of Dauphin,
• Lowering Crown Land lease rates for agricultural producers,
• $1.46 million investment for nine municipal projects supporting service delivery improvements,
• Establishing the Southern Manitoba Cabinet Office in the Pembina Valley,
• Investing $2.75 million to expand the number of allied health staff and hospital co-ordinators,
• Introducing the Adult Literacy Act,
• $294,000 to expand the Watershed Districts Program,
• Amending the Manitoba Assistance Act to include adult education as an employment enhancement and receive EIA support.