As is typical of government speeches from the throne, the 2017 Manitoba speech contains a lot of platitudes and little more. It hits on topics of importance to many Manitobans including a promise of "better health care sooner" and building "a better place for all of us for generations to come". It gives a nod to … Continue reading Manitoba Speech from the Throne 2017
Post-Secondary Education: For Elites Only?
Of course we knew that the Pallister government would be going after public education. Last week it held hearings on its Bill 31. As this CBC blog explains, “Bill 31, introduced in March and debated this week at the Manitoba Legislature, will permit university tuition fees to increase up to five per cent, plus the … Continue reading Post-Secondary Education: For Elites Only?
Housing the Homeless in Manitoba: What’s the Plan?
The National Conference on Ending Homelessness was held in Winnipeg October 25-27. Minister Scott Fielding joined Mayor Bowman and Adam Vaughan, the federal government's Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Social Development, to share with delegates what their governments are doing about homelessness. While those in attendance were encouraged to hear that the federal government … Continue reading Housing the Homeless in Manitoba: What’s the Plan?
Beware of “Mixed-Model” Home Care in Manitoba
In September the Pallister Government announced its plans to implement a 'mixed-model" home care system that smacks of privatization. In the article The Politics of "Mixed-Model" Home Care, Mary Jean Handle and Christine Kelly, scholars in the Department of Community Services at the University of Manitoba warn that Manitoba's home care services, described by Manitoba … Continue reading Beware of “Mixed-Model” Home Care in Manitoba
Decoding KPMG’s Manitoba Fiscal Performance Review: Privatization
In a previous post we provided an overview of KPMG's Manitoba Fiscal Performance Review (MFPR). Here we focus on a theme that runs throughout the report - privatization. Department Input? But before we do that, we want to provide a bit of context to how the KPMG report was shaped. KPMG was selected through a … Continue reading Decoding KPMG’s Manitoba Fiscal Performance Review: Privatization
KPMG’s Manitoba Fiscal Performance Review
For those of us who value a Manitoba built on a foundation of compassion and social and economic fairness, the recently released Manitoba Fiscal Performance Review is deeply troubling. If implemented by the Pallister government, the $740,000 KPMG Report will have far reaching, and in some cases irreversible implications for Manitoba. The report's recommendations include job cuts, … Continue reading KPMG’s Manitoba Fiscal Performance Review
“Manitobans Making Choices” The Pallister Government’s Healthcare Survey
A Value Manitoba volunteer recently checked out Brian Pallister's healthcare survey, hoping to tell the government why implementing a tax on healthcare is potentially a regressive policy move. He quickly learned that the survey is not only flawed, but also misleading. We think he did a great job noting the problems with the survey so … Continue reading “Manitobans Making Choices” The Pallister Government’s Healthcare Survey
Brian Pallister’s Healthcare Tax
There is so much wrong with Brian Pallister's plan to introduce a healthcare "premium" that its hard to know where to begin. It introduces a potentially regressive and significant tax by a government that has consistently criticized the previous government for increasing the PST by 1%. The Pallister government has promised to reverse that increase … Continue reading Brian Pallister’s Healthcare Tax
Saving Lake Winnipeg: No value for money spent
The following post was submitted by Don Sullivan. He shows how the Pallister government's policies to date show little regard for Manitoba's beloved endangered lake. Summers are short in Manitoba. Lake Winnipeg has long been the go-to place for many Manitoban's. A short drive from the city, campers and cottagers take full recreational advantage of … Continue reading Saving Lake Winnipeg: No value for money spent
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