March 4, 2020
Manitoba Government Issues Ministerial Mandate Letters, Sets Agenda for Legislative Session, Budget 2020
– – –Our Commitments are Clear and Ambitious - to Move Manitoba Forward to Greater Stability, Prosperity and Opportunity for All Manitobans: Pallister
As the spring legislative session begins and in advance of Budget 2020, the Manitoba government is issuing mandate letters to all ministers outlining the government’s ambitious agenda to build a better, brighter future for all Manitobans and their families, Premier Brian Pallister announced today.
“We are a government that keeps its word. Our commitments are clear and ambitious – to move Manitoba forward by providing better services, protecting our environment, making our communities stronger and safer, and making life more affordable for all Manitobans”, said Pallister. “Manitoba became the most improved province in Canada in our first term which has provided a strong foundation as we move Manitoba forward to greater stability, prosperity and opportunity. Budget 2020 will focus on the issues that matter most to Manitobans.”
The Manitoba government will work as a team to honour its commitment to Manitobans to achieve the five-point guarantee Moving Manitoba Forward that will see further tax relief, better health care sooner, more schools for students, more jobs for Manitobans, and made-in-Manitoba climate-change solutions, the premier noted.
The mandate letters further support the government’s ongoing commitment to be transparent and accountable to Manitobans. Highlights of the mandate letters include:
• ensuring Budget 2020 has sufficient resiliency to help protect Manitobans from the effects of possible flooding and other emergencies;
• stabilizing the capital funding baskets to allow urban and rural municipalities to plan better;
• working with other levels of government to explore the feasibility of utilizing a P3 delivery model and the Canada Infrastructure Bank to finance and deliver the necessary upgrades to the City of Winnipeg’s North End Water Pollution Control Centre;
• championing Manitoba as an ideal location for business investment and expansion and capture new opportunities through a renewed trade strategy;
• developing partnerships with Indigenous communities to develop natural resources and economic infrastructure;
• growing the highways budget by 14 per cent to $400 million from $350 million over the next four years;
• advancing the redevelopment of the St. Boniface Emergency Department to strengthen Winnipeg’s emergency health services;
• continuing to advocate for a strengthened partnership with the federal government on funding health care;
• enhancing public safety and continuing the modernization of the criminal justice system;
• creating a $25-million Teachers’ Idea Fund to support front-line educators who propose innovative projects that improve literacy and numeracy outcomes;
• transforming the Employment Income Assistance (EIA) Program to a benefit that provides a short-term bridge to meaningful employment from one that encourages dependency on government;
• developing a new Portable Child-Care Benefit that will help lower-income families find child care;
• developing of a provincial trail network and enhancing recycling, composting and waste management systems;
• implementing on-line licensing for outdoor enthusiasts including hunters, trappers, anglers and park visitors; and
• enhancing the film tax credit to encourage more permanent investments in film production.
“Our government has established Ideas Funds across all departments to encourage front-line workers to come forward with innovative ideas to modernize and improve the way we deliver the services Manitobans depend on,” said Pallister. “We will build a better, more efficient, responsible and open government that provides quality services to all Manitobans.”
Mandate letters for legislative assistants, the special envoy for military affairs and Crown corporations will be issued at a later date, the premier added.
The Manitoba legislature resumes today and Budget 2020 will be delivered on March 11. Over 20 bills are expected to be introduced during the spring session, on top of the 20 bills already introduced last fall.
To view the mandate letters, visit www.gov.mb.ca/openmb/infomb/ministerials.html.
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