December 8, 2017
Legislative Session Charts New Course, Focused on Long-term, Sustainable Measures
– – –Bills Relating to Cannabis, Watersheds and Child Care Introduced During Fall Sitting: Cullen
The Manitoba government introduced several legislative measures focused on fixing the province’s finances, improving services, and rebuilding the economy during the fall sitting of the Third Session of the 41st Legislature, Crown Services Minister and Government House Leader Cliff Cullen announced today.
“We have introduced legislation with measures that focus on sustainability to address the financial problems our government inherited, while improving the services relied upon by our citizens,” said Cullen.
Measures introduced during the fall sitting that reflect the government’s priorities for the new year include:
- the safe and responsible retailing of cannabis act, to help keep cannabis out of the hands of youth and away from the black market;
- the sustainable watersheds act, Canada’s most comprehensive watershed legislation to improve the health of Manitoba’s waterways and the first major step in the Made-in-Manitoba Green Plan;
- the public sector compensation disclosure amendment act, to better inform Manitobans on how tax dollars are spent;
- the public interest disclosure (whistleblower protection) amendment act, which enhances the investigative powers of the ombudsman while further strengthening protection for Manitobans who make disclosures;
- the government notices modernization act, which improves access to various government notices by publishing them online and free of charge on a weekly basis;
- the community child care standards amendment act, which amends the province’s early learning and child care legislation to reduce red tape, address gaps and enhance governance and accountability; and
- legislation to streamline provincially appointed agencies, boards and commissions to ensure they deliver effective services and provide value for money.
The government also re-introduced legislation to implement the Canadian Free Trade Agreement and to amend The Legislative Assembly Act. Additional measures will be brought forward in 2018, said Cullen.
“We look forward to having vigorous debate about all these pieces of legislation, as well as others we intend to bring forward, in our continuing effort to make Manitoba the most improved province in Canada,” he said.
- 30 -