Sanctity of Life
The party advocates:
– expanding health care coverage in Manitoba by:
(i) increased funding for conception planning under Medicare and Pharmacare; and
(ii) ensuirng access to abortion services across the province, including non-surgical abortion options

The party has provided no official statement regarding its policies or positions regarding:
– the sanctity, meaning or purpose of life
– euthanasia or alternatives thereto
– human engineering, including cloning or cell manipulation, or gender election surgery

Sanctity of Life
The party’s constitution states that:
– the party is committed to the dignity of individuals as the cardinal principle of a democratic society, and as the primary purpose for all political organization and activity in such society. In accordance with this philosophy, the Manitoba Liberal Party subscribes to the fundamental rights and freedoms of all persons and commits itself to the protection of these fundamental values.

The party has provided no official statement regarding its policies or positions regarding:
– the sanctity, meaning or purpose of life
– abortion, euthanasia or alternatives thereto
– human engineering, including cloning or cell manipulation, or gender election surgery

Sanctity of Life
The party advocates:
– prioritizing access to reproductive health care and offering free menstrual products in schools

The party has provided no official statement regarding its policies or positions regarding:
– the sanctity, meaning or purpose of life
– abortion, euthanasia or alternatives thereto
– human engineering, including cloning or cell manipulation, or gender election surgery

Sanctity of Life

The party states that, as a matter of principle,
– it is committed to building a province where compassionate care for those in need and meaningful support for those who are unable to support themselves are available to all

The party has provided no official statement regarding its policies or positions regarding:
– the sanctity, meaning or purpose of life
– abortion, euthanasia or alternatives thereto
– human engineering, including cloning or cell manipulation, or gender election surgery

The party states, as matters of principle, that:
– it believes that human beings are a part of nature, and not separate from it.  Whatever humans do to the web of life, we do to ourselves
– the evolutionary creativity and continued productivity of Earth and its regional ecosystems require the continuance of their key structures and ecological processes. Pollution of air, sediments and water, along with exploitive extraction of inorganic and organic constituents, weaken ecosystem integrity

The party further states that:
– the province stands at a moment of crisis. The latest reports from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change have stated in no uncertainterms that we must act immediately if we are to have any chance at mitigating the worst effects of climate change
– Manitobans want to embrace a clean, green economy without delay, with realistic planning decisions that prepare us for the carbon-free future.  They are looking for a party they can trust to take action
– its climate strategies are integrated into every area of our platform. It seeks to promote a shift in consciousness and guide Manitobans towards practices that promote the flourishing of people a swell as the planet
– through innovative policy, Manitoba can be positioned for an energy future that is robust, sustainable, clean and affordable

In order to address the climate crisis, the party advocates:
– creating greenhouse gas reductions to be achieved by 2030, 2040, 2045 and 2050, taking into consideration input from stakeholders and the public
– incorporating climate targets into budget reporting to ensure that climate policy goals and budget policy goals work together

Energy & Resources
The party advocates:
– to support the transition away from fossil fuels, investing in Green energy, transportation and agriculture
– protecting and managing provincial natural ecosystems in ways that reduce overall emissions

Sustainability
The party states, as a matter of principle, that:
– it promotes the precautionary principle – look before you leap — economic regulatory activity should considerthis adage when reviewing a practice or product which potentially posesa significant threat of harm to human health or the environment

To strengthen industry regulations and support sustainable commercial development, the party advocates:
– supporting only commercial development and operations that demonstrate a strong commitment to preserving and protecting ecosystems
– strengthening and enforcing regulations that serve to stop pollutionfrom all sources, with a focus on mining and fossil fuel operations
– improving the Made-in-Manitoba Climate &Green Fund and the Expert Advisory Council, by (i) refocusing the priority of the Made-in-Manitoba Climate & Green Fund on funding climate mitigation and adaptation measures; (ii) providing the Expert Advisory Council with specific year-end greenhouse gas reduction targets to achieve; (iii) esnuring that the advisory council develops the most cost effective measures to achieve year-end targets; and requiring the advisory council to release a report every second yearon the progress being made to reach the targets that have been set

To promote sustainable energy and efficiency, the party advocates:
– increasing the energy efficiency of homes and other buildings by: (i) establishing incentive programs to ensure that Manitoba’s existing buildings are properly insulated; (ii) changing building codes to ensure that all new buildings meet super-efficiency insulation standards, and include small-scale renewable micro-generators; (iii) halting the expansion of natural gas services for residential heating; and (iv) exploring alternative, renewable options to natural gas heating, such as geothermal and electric

Conservation
The party states that:
– Manitoba’s natural ecosystems have been taken for granted for many years, and their existence has become threatened as a result. For example, 70 percent of Manitoba’s wetland habitats have already been drained,damaged or destroyed as a result of agricultural and urban development
– failure to conserve wetlands has resulted in increased flooding, greater greenhouse gas emissions,and more nutrient run-off into our waterways
– the province’s natural ecosystems are a vital part of its infrastructure that protects against flooding, mitigates climate change, and sustains the provincial economy

To ensure that Manitoba’s ecosystems are preserved for futuregenerations, the party advocates:
– preventing further pollution to Manitoba’s lakesand rivers, by: (i) working cooperatively with the City of Winnipeg and the federal government to upgrade Winnipeg’s sewage treatment system to prevent diluted raw effluent from being spilled into the Red River; and (ii) mandating strengthening and enforcement of manure management regulations for hog barns, chicken barns and feedlots in the Red River Basin to eliminate manure run-off
– restoration of Manitoba’s wetlands and protection of the health of provincial waterways, by: (i) creating a grant program for farmers to move ponds and wetlands around their land for convenient farming, as long as the water is retained; (ii) using tax incentives to encourage the replacement of the natural water retention capacity where potholes and sloughs have been removed; (iii) protecting government owned wetlands and prohibit further wetland drainage; and (iv) ensuring that all public right of ways, including ditches, road allowances, lagoons and drainage ditches, preserve as much natural wetland habitat as possible
– preserving and restoring Manitoba’s boreal forests, by:  (i) in consultation with Indigenous communities having claim to territory through traditional occupation and/or use, identifying areas to be preserved and protected for hunting, fishing and gathering purposes; requiring that all woodland operations, including logging, be done in a way that ensures the regeneration of the affected forest; ending clear-cutting in provincial parks, and promoting healthy reforestation projects
– banning harmful resource extraction methods, including: (i) the mining of peat lands, which are the filter for Lake Winnipeg; (ii) fracking, in order to prevent contamination of ground waterwith toxic chemicals; and (iii) uranium mining and exploration

The party advocates
– harnessing Manitoba’s potential as a world leader in fighting climate change through implemention of a “Carbon Payment Plan” – funding projects that improve reductions and storage of greenhouse gases – planting trees, wilderness, efficiency projects, with the goal of making Manitoba Carbon neutral within a decade and carbon negative after that

The party has provided no official statement regarding its policies or positions regarding:
– species, diversity or wildlife
– energy & resources
– sustainable development

Climate Change
The party states that:
– the climate crisis, which is the defining issue of our time, with far-reaching globabl consequenes and real effects here at home, also introduces economic and health challenges
– the consequences are already affecting all Manitobans, in the form of floods, wildfires, and droughts
– but in Manitoba, climate change is also a great opportunity. While oil-rich provinces face tough choices between jobs and the environment, in Manitoba things are different. The province is rich in hydroelectric power, which is cleaner, healthier, and more reliable energy
– it is more sensitive now to the human costs of Hydro developments, and plans to actively address that legacy in a positive way
– because demand for hydro will continue to grow, even while companies and countries around the world phase out gas-powered vehicles and replace them with electric ones.  Thus there are many opportunities for Manitobans to come out ahead financially, and for the economy as a whole to benefit, while taking serious action on climate change

The party advocates:
– committing to meet climate targets of the Paris Accord with science and evidence-based policies, including the banning of oil and gas subsidies and fracking

Sustainable Development
To build good jobs and sustainable growth, the party advocates:
– returning Manitoba Hydro to provincial control, and using it to generate more green jobs with expanded broadband
– installing geothermal and solar energy systems using Hydro expertise, and begining to transition Hydro into a renewable energy company
– supporting mining jobs in northern Manitoba by granting multi-year mining permits

The party states that:
– as a matter of principle, it is committed to environmental leadership through responsible management of resources, conservation and a commitment to both present and future generations
– since it formed government in 2016, it launched the “Made-in-Manitoba” climage and green plan to reduce emissions, including investment of $100 million in green infrastructure through an innovative Conservation Trust Program, to help preserve and protect the environment for future generations
– as part of a new ‘Five-Point Guarantee’ during the prior election, it commited to continuing implementation of the Made-in-Manitoba green plan to provide environmental solutions that work for Manitoba

Climate Change

The party states that:
– the federal government has unfairly imposed its rising carbon tax on Manitobans, after rejecting its Made in Manitoba Climate and Green Plan that would have reduced more emissions than the federal carbon tax
– it filed a motion challenging the federal carbon tax and the special deals and exemptions it has granted to other provinces, and expects that Ottawa must respect the province’s billions of dollars in clean Manitoba Hydro investments

Sustainable Development
In support of the global focus on reduction of plastic waste, which has put a spotlight on the need to improve waste management and recycling, the party advocates:
– inorder to reform Recyclable Waste Regulations, (i) banning landfilling of materials in recycling programs; (ii) expanding recycling programs to include more materials, including organic waste; (iii) including commercial and industrial waste in recycling programs; (iv) working with cities and municipalities on consolidating landfills; and (v) setting ambitious targets regarding the share of municipal waste prepared for reuse and recycling to be met by 2025
– strengthening green retrofit programs by developing a $25 million/year retrofit program, delivered through Efficiency Manitoba, to grow Manitoba’s green economy by offering financial incentives for specific renovation products and services to encourage use of new energy-saving products and technologies in homes, farms and businesses, such as smart thermostats, envelope renovations (insulation, windows, doors) and high efficiency furnaces.  The party expects that at full implementation, this will achieve natural gas savings targets of 0.75% of annual domestic natural gas consumption, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 135,000 tonnes in three years while growing Manitoba’s green economy
– reducing transportation emissions, by:  (i) making Manitoba’s biofuel standards the cleanest in Canada with an ethanol requirement at ten per cent and the biodiesel requirement at five per cent in 2020, inorder to reduce carbon emissions from internal combustion engines, (ii) displacing fossil fuels, so as to reduce emissions by displacing 375,000 tonnes over three years, the equivalent of taking 75,000 cars off the road or planting 25 million trees; (iii) seeking advice from the Expert Advisory Council on the expansion of electric charging infrastructure to enable the transition to electrification of transportation, including public transport; and (iv) supporting tree planting through the Conservation and Grow Trusts

Species, Diversity & Wildlife
The party advocates:
– in order to improve both safety and wildlife welfare, ending night hunting, which is a dangerous and sometimes deadly activity, by (i) implementing the Safe Hunting and Shared Management Act; (ii) enhancing enforcement and prosecution of fish and wildlife offenses; and (iii) disclosing the names of indivuals charged for night hunting and fish wildlife offences
– in order to end suffering in provincial fish and wildlife populations due to fragmented management regimes and unsustainable harvest resulting in local conservation closures, implementing shared management to bring all of those who care about fish and wildlife management together to work collaboratively towards sustainable fish and wildlife populations, by (i) continuing to advance a meaningful and respectful shared management framework for wildlife and fish resources; (ii) launching additional shared management boards to advise on the management of regional fish and wildlife populations; and (iii) building on steps taken to date, better managing harvest, working with commercial fishers and anglers to sustain fish populations in Manitoba’s great lakes

Energy & Resources
The party states that Manitoba would benefit from better land and water planning to guide drainage and water retention efforts and make the provincial landscape more resilient in light of our changing climate

The party advocates development of a Provincial Water Management Strategy for:
– conservation of wetlands and enhanced water storage
– better drainage of high quality soils
– improved flood protection
– water quality improvements and carbon sequestration (emission reductions) through reservoirs (wetlands) holding and filtering water
– improved downstream water quality in our lakes and rivers
– enhanced biodiversity
– sustained agricultural production

Lake Winnipeg
The party advocates:
– enhanced conservation of Manitoba’s wetlands to protect the water quality of Lake Winnipeg, provide habitat for multiple species, store carbon, nitrogen and phosphorous, and mitigate the effects of flood and droughts brought on by climate change
– investing an additional $50 million in the Growing Outcomes in Watersheds (GROW) Trust Fund to raise our total commitment to $200 million, complementing the $154 million already invested in the Conservation Trust and in the GROW Trust Fund, such that both funds will provide stable and perpetual funding for the country’s most comprehensive green stewardship programs, focusing on threatened and temporary wetlands, complementing regulatory protection of permanent and semi-permanent wetlands under the Sustainable Watersheds Act

Parks
The party advocates a renewed parks strategy, to compensate for demands for maintaining municipal services, which has caused the ability to invest in other infrastructure to decline.  The strategy would include:
– promoting enhanced visitor experiences and better integration of parks with local communities
– achieving a more sustainable financial model for Manitoba parks
– partnering with other organizations on capital investment requirements and delivery of an improved parks experience
– developing opportunities for corporate/private sponsorship investment in parks including sponsorship and naming rights
– developing agreements with municipalities and First Nations to develop cottage lots, expand campgrounds, and operate and maintain these areas providing new tax, lease or fees revenue opportunities
– creation of dedicated funds/revenue accounts for provincial parks, which will allow private donations to flow to specific projects and parks
– maintaining and improving provincial trail networks, including (i) the Great Trail, which stretches 1,555 kilometers across the province and has been the object of approximately $9 million in investment, (ii) working to keep provincial trails accessible for hikers and bikers and provide Manitobans with more opportunities to enjoy the outdoors, even in winter months; (iii) partnering with 22 volunteer trail groups across the province to continue investing in and expanding the trail network; and (iv) working with Snoman and ATV Manitoba to further develop and maintain a trail system for snowmobiles and ATVs

The party has provided no official statement regarding its policies or positions regarding:
– climate change
– species, diversity or wildlife
– energy & resources
– sustainable development

The party states, as matters of principle, that:

– global sustainability and justice can only be achieved when responsibility is shared at all levels of society. We are all called to take responsibility for ourselves, our families, and our communities
– common resources such as water, air, forests and other naturalresources should be shared equitably. Communities create a collective culture and knowledge and the party supports everyone’s right and access to the more contemporary ‘common’ resources that we’ve come to expect,e.g., education and adequate health care
– it honours the diversity of life on our planet. An eco-centric worldview values Earth’s diversity in all its forms, the non-human, as well as the human
– cultural, biological, social and economic diversity are central to healthy, functioning communities

The party has published no official statement concerning its policies on:
– the role or importance of the family

Health Care
The party states that:
– a health care system must do more than respond to illness. Health care must also promote wellness at every stage of life
– it takes seriously the broad range of personal, social, economic and environmental factors that contribute to the overall health of Manitobans
– since poverty is a primary factor leading to poor health, poverty reduction will be our most significant initiative in preventative health care. This will reduce the burden on the health care system, which in turn will contribute to its fiscal sustainability
– in addition to prevention measures, our long-term vision is to provide a strong community-based network that focuses on well-being and preventative support.  Primary physical and mental health care will be delivered at a local level, within a collaborative model
– it opposes any move to privatize health care.  Properly funding public health care will always require a significant allocation of the provincial budget, but it is a price we pay for a fair and equitable society in which everyone has access to health care services regardless of socio-economic circumstances. That being said, we are continually searching for the most efficient and cost effective ways to provide the health care services that are needed

The party advocates:
– respect and support for frontline health careworkers, including:  (i) repeal of the Public Services Sustainability Act, to reverse the freeze on public-sector wages and honor the right to engage in collective bargaining; (ii) consulting and collaborating with front-line health workers before making any major changes to the health care system, and during any subsequent implementation process; (iii) increasing the number of health care practitioners working in the public system; (iv) eliminating mandatory overtime for health professionals; and (iv) expanding opportunities for cross-training between health professionals, and implementing appropriate expansions in scope of practice
– increasing the focus on preventative,community-based health care, including (i) increasing the existing provincial sales tax rate on “junk food,” and using the proceeds of this tax to increase funding for health promotion initiatives; (ii) allocating 2% of total health care spending to support best-practice preventative programs; and (iii) working toward a local, cooperative health care model in which communities have a say over their own health facilities and can cooperate to deliver health care in the best interest of the local community
– expanding health care coverage in Manitoba by: (i) providing universal basic dental care and vision care to all children 12 years of age and under; (ii) negotiating universal Pharmacare with the federal government to access volume buying and significantly reduce the cost of prescription drugs; (iii) funding conception planning under Medicare and Pharmacare; and (iv) ensuirng access to abortion services across the province, including non-surgical abortion options
– improving medical and emergency medical services across Manitoba, by (i) ensuring that there are no further emergency room closures; (ii) relieving of pressure on existing emergency rooms by increasing the number of health practitioners and after hours non-urgent care; (iii) ensuring that rural and Northern communities have adequate emergency transport services; providing better support and coordination to municipalities for health professional recruitment and developing a provincial health human resource plan; increasing the utilization of internet technology to address the needs of rural and Northern patients and reduce the burden of long-distance travel
– providing increased services and support options for seniors, including (a) increasing the capacity of housing and support options for seniors so that seniors can be independent and self-sufficient as long aspossible and avoid unnecessary, unwanted and costly stays in hospitals and personal care homes; (ii) support for active living programming for seniors to enhance physical, social and mental health; and increased investments in the areas of injury prevention, healthpromotion, and chronic disease management
– increased services for individuals with disabilities and their families, including reduced wait times for residential services for families with adult children with intellectual disabilities; increased availability of support services for children living with disabilities; and estblishment and implementation of an updated FASD strategy with a focus on enhancing prevention and intervention services for people with FASD

Elder Care

The party advocates:
– providing increased services and support options for seniors, including (a) increasing the capacity of housing and support options for seniors so that seniors can be independent and self-sufficient as long aspossible and avoid unnecessary, unwanted and costly stays in hospitals and personal care homes; (ii) support for active living programming for seniors to enhance physical, social and mental health; and increased investments in the areas of injury prevention, healthpromotion, and chronic disease management

Education & Young Workers
The party states that:
– it believes that an education system of quality must support students by addressing their individual needs, by providing them with high quality academic instruction, and by equipping them with the skills necessary for their future
– it acknowledges that individuals and communities have diverse learning needs and plans to provide them with appropriate funding and resources to meet those needs, including (i) addressing the financial inequities in the Manitoba Education System by providing equitable funding to all schools; and (ii) addressing further inequities by consulting with teachers and communities about the specific needs of their students and community, and addressing those needs accordingly
– it believes in assisting families in achieving these goals, as well as adults that are looking to further their education

To ensure that all students receive a quality education that meets their needs, the party advocates:
– revising the funding structure of public schools to ensure equitable funding for education, making education funding fair and transparent by funding education only through corporate and personal income taxes rather than partly through property taxes
– increasing support for students with specific needs by (i) reducing the wait time for assessing students with learning disabilities so that those who qualify for a special education designation receive early intervention and the necessary supports; (ii) providing culturally appropriate supports for newcomer students to receive early intervention when necessary; and providing funding to school divisions specifically in support of in-school, out-of-class tutoring services
– providing support in schools for children andfamilies living in poverty, including (i) putting into place programming and services that are designed to specifically address the in-school social, physical, and emotional needs of children and youth living in poverty; and (ii) providing support to enable all parents to fully participate in the education of their children
– improving the educational experience of Indigenous students by (i) developing a provincial strategy in partnership with Indigenous groups to eliminate educational and employment gaps between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Manitobans; promoting environments where Indigenous students feel a sense of welcome and belonging in public schools through the implementation of culturally appropriate educational programming and services; and (iii) developing culturally appropriate early childhood education programs for Indigenous families
– updating school curriculums to promote meaningful engagement by (i) centering the curriculum on participation in projects in order to incorporate diverse subject matter and teach a variety of skills,including critical thinking, problem solving, and collaboration; and (ii) requiring that all future curriculum development be done from the perspective of teaching students to be ecologically aware and literate
– providing support and autonomy to teachers and schools by (i) providing local schools with increased autonomy over their schedules and curricula in response to local needs; (ii) supporting all school divisions, in collaboration with teachers andschool administrators, in creating annual professional development plans for teachers and school administrators; and (iii) repealing the Public Services Sustainability Act, which will reverse the freeze on public-sector wages and honor the right to engage in collective bargaining
– providing increased assistance to post-secondary students to promote equal accessto education by (i) providing students in need of financial assistance with at least 50% of eligible assistance as non-repayable financial assistance; and (ii) introducing an an income contingent repayment plan, where the repayment of student loans is based on the ability to pay

The party has provided no official statement regarding its policies or positions regarding:
– the role & importance of the family
– culture arts & tourism

Support for Families
The party advocates:
– to ensure that no child ever starts the school day hungry, implementing a K-12 universal nutritional program, and make sure that schools get the funding they need to support every single student

Health Care
The party advocates:
– Fix Health Care: reducing wait lists by supporting nurses demands for life-work balance; lifting the cap on surgeries like hip, knees and cataracts, and demanding investments in prevention to keep people healthy, like insulin pumps and supplies to manage diabetes.

Care for the Elderly
The party states:
– for years, and in some cases decades, there have been no investments in improving care and support for seniors’ housing and health care in our province
– when the pandemic hit, the system broke in all the weak places – and it was oft en seniors and their families who were hit hardest
– it wants to take the protection and care of seniors in Manitoba to a new level, with more intensive preventive care, better oversight, and better housing protections

The party advocates:
– in view of their success in other jurisdictions, placing nurse practitioners in care homes to provide a higher level of preventive care. Nurse Practitioners can perform many duties and assessments comparable to physicians, including prescribing medications. Residents will see a significant improvement in the quality of care while preventing costly ambulance trips and visits to the ER and hospital
– protecting affordable housing for seniors, and preventing future sell-offs of seniors’ housing, like Lions’ Place, by bringing in legislation requiring the Minister to sign off on future sales, including commitment to support for affordable rents for seniors housing with current ownership
– empowering and establishing “Family Councils” to hold Personal Care Homes to account, including through legislation already introduced by the party
– improving staffing ratios to 4.1 hours of direct care per resident per day to make sure seniors get more attention and care
– ensuring seniors and their families have an independent advocate to turn to, including an independent office of a Seniors Advocate with power to take complaints and investigate on behalf of seniors and their families and report issues to the legislature, and a mandate to launch unannounced inspections of facilities to make sure they are compliant

Education & Young Workers
The party advocates:
– improving quality and inclusion in education, by ensuring that the students who are being left behind in the K-12 system have the tools and resources to succeed, and that provincial universities and colleges have the resources they need to innovate and graduate students to the peak of their abilities

The party has provided no official statement regarding its policies or positions regarding:
– the role & importance of the family
– culture arts & tourism

Support for the Family

The party states that public child care is a smart investment, one that meets the needs of children and the economy, while also being good for gender equity

In order to continue to work toward its goal of affordable, high-quality child care for all families, and to  maximize the social and economic benefits of public child care, the party advocates:
– bringing the child care system under the Department of Education. This change recognizes the continuity from early childhood education through K-12 schooling, to post-secondary education and beyond

In order to promote good jobs and systainable growth, the party advocates:
– building additional child care spaces for young families, and committing to an ambitious goal of affordable, high-quality, accessible child care for all families, starting with bringing the child care system under the Department of Education
The party advocates:
– helping families make greener choices and keep life affordable, while working with the Federal government to put a price on pollution and make big polluters pay

Education & Young Workers
The party states that:
– getting a good job in today’s economy requires education and training more than ever before
– the days of working one job for your entire career are largely a thing of the past
– it understands that everyone’s path to success will look different.  Under its plan, the individual will supply the hard work and ambition, while it seeks to make the path easier by (i) making it easier to transfer credits across institutions, (i) creating a world-class online education planner that will show which skills are in the highest demand in Manitoba; (iii) helping students chart a path to acquiring these skills; and (iv) working with industry to keep updating information about which sectors have the highest demand for more workers

To build good jobs and sustainable growth, the party advocates:
– restoring the cap on K-3 class sizes eliminated by a prior government, and putting more Educational Assistants in classrooms
– helping every child overcome the unique challenges they face by providing better supports in schools, such as mental health supports and healthy food
– helping post-secondary students pay for their schooling while learning valuable job skills with co-op job placements and paid internships
– making university and college more affordable by freezing tuition growth to inflation and keeping student loans interest-free
– restoring the ACCESS bursary for rural, northern and Indigenous students
– helping young agricultural producers by reviewing Crown Lands policy

Health Care
In view of cuts implemented by a prior government, the party advocates:
– reopening closed emergency rooms and opening more acute care beds
– end reduction in nursing staffs and istead hiring more nurses in critical areas, and seeking to reset the government’s relationship with nurses and health care professionals
– cancelling planed cuts to CancerCare, and improved services for cancer patients
– transforming mental health care for Manitobans, including appointing a Minister Responsible for Mental Health and Addictions, creating new community-based mental health services, doubling the number of counsellors in ACCESS Centres, and examining how to fund some eligible mental health costs for families
– increasing community-based health care, offering more family-friendly hours in clinics, and training more Nurse Practitioners
– making Manitoba a leading voice for universal national Pharmacare and working with the Federal government to lower drug costs for Manitoba families
– reinstating coverage for outpatient physiotherapy and sleep-apnea treatment, and reviving the Special Drugs Program through an enhanced Pharmacare program
– cancelling plans to privatize home care, which is more expensive, and redirect the savings into improving home care for Manitobans, including ensuring that the length of home care visits reflects the care offered, so that every person receives the time and support they need
– improved palliative care, including better training for health care professionals and development of a new province-wide palliative strategy
– prioritizing women’s health by supporting access to reproductive health care, offering free menstrual products in schools, reinstting lactation consultants released by the prior government, and retaining recently trained midwives
– improving health care for northern Manitobans health care by reinstating the obstetrics program in Flin Flon and Lifeflight, hiring more midwives in northern communities, and partnering with the Federal government on new hospital-level health centres in northern First Nations communities
– addressing social determinants of health by: improving Rent Assist by reversing recent cuts; improving EIA rates; restoring the Getting Started benefit; and beginning to transform EIA into a basic income by eliminating the “welfare wall” as a disincentive to work; and striking a task force on a basic income and a dignified income for people with severe and prolonged disabilities
– ensuring that LGBTQIA2S+ people have access to health care services that are respectful and appropriate; introducing a non-binary option on Manitoba government ID such as health registration cards and driver’s licences
– reducing health care bureaucracy at the highest levels, and ensuring any changes to health care administration prioritize front-line services aboev highly-paid bureaucrats
– opposing health care premiums
– to improve healthcare, the party would commit to spending $148 million over four years, while bringing the budget from a $270 million deficit (2020/21) to a 0.5 million surplus
– emphasis would be placed on prevention and the social determinants of health, including (i) reopening hospital emergency rooms in Winnipeg and adding acute care beds, (ii) training and hiring nurses and nurse practitioners, (iii) measures to support mental health care for Manitobans, and (iv) measures to support women’s health and northern health

Culture, Arts & Tourism
In order to promote good jobs and sustainable growth, the party advocates:
– supporting French-language students by restoring the Assistant Deputy Minister in the Bureau de l’éducation française and, working together, developing a strategy to recruit French-language teachers

The party has provided no official statement regarding its policies or positions regarding:
– the priority or role of the family

The Role and Purpose of Family
The party states that, as a matter of principle:
– it is committed to building a province where people can succeed
– it wants a province where families can thrive and enjoy strong economic and social development
– it aspires to create a climate where all can reach their full potential
– it supports promotion of conditions where the security of family and supportive communities allow all children to play, learn and develop into healthy and successful citizens

Support for families
The party states that
– since it formed government in 2016, it reduced PST from 8% to 7%, saving a family of four an average of $500 per year
– within four years of forming government in 2016, it increased spending in support of families from $1.9 billion to $2.2 billion
– as part of a ‘Five-Point Guarantee’ introduced prior to the last election, it committed to a tax rollback that would save families an average of $2,020 over four years, including (i) delivering reduction of the PST from 8% to 7%, resulting in $325 million to taxpayers each year for the next four years, (ii) ensuring that 7,720 additional low-income taxpayers will pay no incom tax, through indexing of personal income brackets and personal tax exemptions; (iii) removing PST from home insurance, haircuts, and fees for will and tax preparation; (iv) eliminating probate fees; and (v) beginning phase-out of education property taxes.  The reduction would be broken down, over four years, as follows:
* 1% PST Reduction from 8% to 7%:    $1335 million
* Indexing of BPA and Brackets:    $124 million
* Elimination of Probate Fees:    $32 million
* PST Exemptions:    (i) home insurance, $110; (ii) personal care services, $22; (iii) preparing tax forms, $10; (iv) preparing wills, $4; (v) reduction in education taxes, $141 = $287 million
**** Total provinical tax savings, over four years: $1,778 million
**** Total savings for each of 880,000 taxpayers:  $2020.00

Early Learning & Childcare
To improve early learning and child care, the party advocates:
(i) improving the affordability and availability of child care; (ii) building 1,510 more school-based spaces; (iii) developing a new Portable Child Care Benefit that will extend up to $500 per month to help 3,000 lower-income families find child care: (iv) creating new spaces sooner with help from the private sector; (v) reviewing the funding model to keep existing centres open; and (vi) addressing shortages and meeting staff training requirements at child care centres

Children & Family Services
To improve outcomes and continue reducing the number of children in care, the party advocates:
– reducing apprehensions and increasing reunifications
– increasing predictable funding made available to CFS Authorities to provide them with flexibility to direct resources where most needed
– developing a serious injury reporting regulation to identify the most effective and efficient way to report serious injuries
– strengthening Emergency Placement Resources (EPR) to prioritize the best interests of children and long-term permanent care arrangements
– woring toward fewer children in care for fewer days with better outcomes by legislating new amendments that align with Bill C-92

Health Care

The party states that:
– as a matter of principle, it is committed to building a province where access to high quality and timely health care, and access to resources that promote healthy living, are available to all
– since it formed government in 2016, (i) it reduced ambulance fees by 50%, (ii) shortened emergency room and other wait times, and (iii) has made record investments in health care, more than $400 million more, in 2019 ,than in the 2016 budget.
– within four years of forming government in 2016, it increased health spending from $6.2 billion to $6.6 billion
– as part of a ‘Five-Point Guarantee’ made prior to the last election, it would devote $2 billion in new funding to health care, for projects including (i) building a new emergency department at St Boniface Hospital, (ii) hiring 200 new nurses, (iii) hiring 80 more rural paramedics, (iv) continuing to recruit additional physicians, (v) expanding mental health and addiction treatment services, (vi) women’s health matters, (vii) creation of a $40 million front line idea fund, to gather innovative ideas from front-line workers on how to improve service (viii) increased capacity for hip, knee, and cataract surgeries, (ix) more echocardiograms and ultrasounds, (x) funding of new services for seniors, and (xi) developing a new diabetes prevention strategy
– improving emergency assessment, treatment and mental health walk-in services for high-risk, sexually exploited girls
– establishing a four-year Bachelor of Midwifery program at the University of Manitoba beginning in 2020 for up to six students, including three northern indigenous students
– lowering wait times for treatment of Manitobans with eating disorders by: (i) investing in two additional inpatient beds; (ii) establishing a medically supported feeding clinic for nutritional resuscitation of inpatients as well as outpatients who require tube feeding or meal support; (iii) expanding outpatient program capacity; (iv) improving programming for co-existing eating disorder and substance use disorder patient

The party’s 2023 budget includes investments of $7.9-billion in the health care system, including:
• providing $668-million more to heal health care
• $130-million to reduce the diagnostic and surgical backlog
• continuing to invest $200-million into the Health Human Resource Action Plan
• a $120-million infusion to the Pharmacare program, including extending coverage for insulin pumps for eligible adults with Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes
• $1.2-billion in multi-year capital investments in rural hospitals and other health infrastructure, in addition to renovations in Winnipeg to the St. Boniface Hospital, the Grace Hospital, CancerCare Manitoba and the Health Sciences Centre
• creating a new Hearing Aid Program for seniors
• an additional $15.9-million to advance initiatives under the seniors strategy
• $55-million to implement the recommendations from the Stevenson report on long-term care
• ongoing funding for RAAM clinics, including a new clinic in Winnipeg, which will be Indigenous-led through a partnership with the Aboriginal Health and Wellness Centre

Addictions
In order to provide continuous care for those caught in addiction, the party advocates:
– providing continuous care including: (i) acute medical sobering unit (ii) new recovery and drop-in centre (iii) enhanced mobile services (iv) an additional Rapid Access to Addictions Medicine (RAAM) clinic (v) more supportive recovery housing
– piloting a mentorship-based model to fight addictions using cultural services and community partners for families with parental substance abuse issues
– continuing to invest in supports for children and youth with complex needs, including (i) expanded Street Reach services in Winnipeg and Thompson; (ii) investing in Indigenous led healing services; (iii) expanding school-based mental health and addictions supports

To address escalating addiction and crime rates in Winnipeg and across the province, the pary advocates:
– modern education for children, including (i) development of a modern anti-addictions curriculum, emphasizing the role of peer pressure, social media and cultural influences, with evidence-based lessons; and (ii) engaging students with these modernized, age-appropriate learning outcomes related to substance abuse and prevention, starting in Grade 3
– providing more treatment services, faster, based on a comprehensive overhaul of mental and health addictions within the province; and (i) adding 12 new treatment and waiting spaces for those suffering from meth psychosis and other mental health and addictions issues at the Health Sciences Centre’s emergency room; (ii) creating a new sobering centre; and (iii) adding supportive housing, a new RAAM clinic and a new recovery and drop-in centre

Education and Young Workers
The party states that:
– as a matter of principle, it is committed to building a province where access to a quality education and affordable post-secondary education complete with resources for lifelong learning throughout the province is available to all
– within four years of forming government in 2016, it increased spending on education from $4.1 billion to $4.6 billion
– as part of a ‘Five-Point Guarantee’ offered during the prior election, it has committed to:
* building 20 new schools within ten years, across the province
* developing a $25 million Teachers’ Idea Fund, to promote innovative projects to improve literacy and numeracy outcomes, teachers’ practices, and student engagement and well-being
* fast-tracking development of Manitoba’s Skills, Talent and Knowledge Strategy, to focus on strengthening connections between industry, employers and apprenticeship and training providers
* expanding demand-led training opportunities, where employers and employment service organizations develop customized training opportunities leading to employment
* renewing Manitoba’s Sector Council program to increase employer investment in training, and ensure post-secondary training is aligned with the labour  market to give our students the best chance for rewarding career
* in order to help ensure that students with financial need can access post-secondary education, it enhanced provincial matching funds for scholarships and bursaries, to $6.75 million, and is committed to build Scholarship and Bursary support to $10 million of 1:2 matching funds, resulting in $30 million available to students after private sector matches
* renewing Manitoba’s employment and income assistance framework to ensure simplified and modernized benefit design and delivery, and enhanced pathways for employable recipients to enter the labour market
* improved alignment with labour market needs and other benefit systems including programs offered by the Government of Canada, student financial aid and other employment training supports
* to build upon the 9,900 Manitobans participating in registered apprenticeship programming, including 1,000 in the high school apprenticeship program, expanding the number of high school apprenticeship program participants in areas with unmet demand for training, and offering more opportunities for increased access to hands-on skilled trades programming for young people between the ages of 13-16
– support young workers while improving the environment, doubling  current funding for non-profit-organizations and municipalities providing Manitoba youth opportunities to take up summer jobs including technological and innovation projects, work in provincial and municipal campgrounds and waterbody cleanups

Culture, Arts & Tourism
The party states that:
– as a matter of principle, it is committed to encouragement and celebration of a vibrant and diverse culture of the arts, sports and volunteerism secured and sustained by a strong, steady economy
– to bolster the provincial film industry, which totaled $723 million between 2012 and 2017, focusing on provincial strengths by increasing the broader (‘all spend’) portion of the current film tax credit from 30% to 38% of all production costs, to encourage more permanent investments in film production

The party states, as a matter of principle, that rather than people being subservient to the economy, the economy should provide for human needs within the natural limits of the earth

The party further states that:
– it believes that the provincial economy must work for everyone, including future generations
– Manitobans want to embrace a clean, green economy without delay, one that will lead the province into the very realistic, carbon-free future
– it believes in divesting from projects related to fossil fuels. World experience indicates that when money is invested in alternative transportation systems and renewable energy, more jobs are created,household costs are reduced, and overall pollution is minimized
– it believes in supporting small businesses and entrepreneurs,especially those who ensure social, environmental, and economic benefits. It recognizes that a healthy small business community means more jobs, more diversity, and more resilient communities
– it supports the development of alternative business structures, such as social enterprises and community economic development. It understands that such community organizations emerge to meet local needs, and are a valuable part of a healthy economy and healthy communities
– the green economy thrives on meaningful citizen participation, promotes community involvement and does not accept poverty or social exclusion
– it is important to minimize and re-purposes waste, use resources efficiently, and protect natural ecosystems
– it looks for solutions which create good jobs, reduce household costs, reduce pollution and build a safe, healthy futurefor our children and grandchildren

To ensure an economy that works for everyone, the party advocates:
– ending subsidizatopm of dangerous and polluting industries with public money and lax environmental standards
– transitioning the provincial economy away from reliance on the use of fossil fuels
– support for businesses interested in making the transition torenewable energy
– holding polluters accountable by ensuring that they pay by introducing a fee on a broad range of fossil fuels that will rise each year, thereby encouraging behavioral change, and providing revenues to be used intransitioning to a carbon-free economy
– integrating environmental and social accountability in all economic processes, including (i) undertaking measures intended to ensure that all economic activity and its impact are both ecologically sustainable and socially just; (ii) undertaking actions to replace jobs lost during the transition away from fossil fuels with a larger amount of better, long-term employment opportunities with more social and environmental benefits; developing and using a “quality of life” measurement of the impact of economic activity in addition to continuing to measuring and reporting on changes to the provincial Gross Domestic Product
– localizing the provincial economy, by (i) making local industry a priority by encouraging trade that is sensible,sustainable, and ultimately beneficial to Manitobans; (ii) supporting and investing in small Manitoban companies producing goods for local markets by directing government assistance toward smaller businesses, especially new and young independent entrepreneurs; supporting and investing in community economic development initiatives

Poverty Reduction
The party states that:
– it acknowledges that poverty is a complex issue that must be addressed on many levels
– it seeks to mitigate poverty through removing barriers in education and training, health care, childcare, housing, and child protection
– it wants to equalize access to services that promote equity and address social marginalization, thereby expanding opportunities for people to escape the cycle of poverty
– it believes that it is important to ensure that everyone has a financial support net, provided in the most cost-efficient and effective manner possible
– the current method of providing income assistance to Manitobans is inefficient and costly to administer, with difficult-to-navigate bureaucratic processes. By introducing a Basic Income, it would be able to support Manitobans in a way that is efficient and that respects inherent human dignity
– introducing a Basic Income will support to individuals and families living in poverty, and drastically reduce the number of children living in poverty in Manitoba. It will reduce poverty rates among those groups that are disproportionately affected, such as seniors and people living with disabilities. It will also provide students and entrepreneurs with a safety net that will encourage education, innovation and entrepreneurship.
– investing in people pays huge dividends in long-term cost savings forhealth care, justice, and social services
– ending poverty is good forindividuals, and good for all Manitobans

To end the cycle of poverty and create an equitable society for all, the party advocates:
– introduction of a Basic Income (BI), administered through the income tax system and funded by the removal of selected refundable and non-refundable tax credits
– the BI plan would include:
● Eligibility: Any adult 18+ in Manitoba who has filed two consecutive tax returns
● The Guarantee: $7,200 for a single adult family and $10,180 for a two adult family
● The Benefit Reduction Rate: 13.5 per cent
● Exit Level (at which G=$0): $53,333 for a one adult family; $75,407 for a two adult family.
● Definition of Income Used to Reduce the Value of the Guarantee: Net Nuclear Family income which includes the following income sources for all adults in the family: earnings, public and private pension benefits, interest on investments, dividends, rental income, capital gains & losses, employment insurance benefits, Guaranteed Income Supplements and Spouses Allowances, Worker’s Compensation benefits, Old Age Security and Canada Child Benefits. It does not include provincial transfer payments from Social Assistance, 55PLUS, Manitoba Child Benefit or Rent Assist.
– ending homelessness, by (i) working with individuals, community organizations, andgovernments at all levels, to prevent, reduce and endhomelessness in Manitoba by 2025; (ii) implementing a Housing First strategy to address homelessness; (iii) increasing the supply of affordable housing through cooperatives and community supported projects; and (vi) restoring the cuts made to the Rent Assist Program
– ensuring income security for seniors by protecting pension plans, by (i) working with the federal government on an ongoing basis to ensure the adequacy and fiscal sustainability of the Canada Pension Plan, Old Age Supplement and Guaranteed Income Supplement until such time such measures could be replaced by a joint federal-provincial Basic Income; and (ii) enacting new legislation to require the courts and the PensionCommissioner and the Pension Commission of Manitoba to apply trust law to protect pension trust funds and earnings on behalf of the beneficiaries as defined by those pension plans and pension trust agreements
– introducing a fare-free public transit system to reduce household transportation costs and make transportation accessible to all Manitobans
– ensuring that quality, affordable child care is available for all Manitobans, by (i) increasing the number of spaces available for child care to meet the rising demand; and (ii) ensuring that the cost of child care exceeds no more than 10% of household income

Jobs, Unions & Employment
The party advocates:
– prioritizing the well-being and fundamentalrights of workers by (i) enouraging collective bargaining as a fundamental human right, and respecting collective bargaining agreements; (ii) implementing a 35 hour work week to promote work/life balance and protect the health and well-being of workers; (iii) ensuring that farm employees receive the same protections as in any other industry, including employment, labour, safety andworkers’ compensation protection; and (iv) ensuring rights and protections for front line health care and support workers

Industries, infrastructure, corporations and consumers

Agriculture
The party states that:
– it defines agricultural success by measuring the well-being of farms, the farmers that own them, and the communities in which they belong
– its long-term vision for rural Manitoba is for more small-scale farms to provide Manitobans with quality foods and other products, using sustainable and regenerative practices, and for those farms to be supported by the communities that surround them.
– it wants to work towards a food system that puts farmers’ well-being first, while providing good jobs and improving the air, water, and soil for future generations
– it does do not believe that Manitobans must choose between protecting the environment or protecting industry. With the useof sustainable and regenerative practices, the province can build strong and vibrant farming communities that work together to improve our environmentand create resilient, local food systems

The party advocates:
– providing support to new farmers by (i) directing government assistance toward new, smaller farms, ending the practice of giving big grants to already established profitable farms; and (ii) creating a land bank to provide retiring farmers with new succession opportunities and help make land available and affordable to new farmers
– reducing the financial burden of all farmers by (i) reviewing provincial farm land ownership laws to discourage land price speculation by non-farming shareholders, pension plans and foreign corporations; (ii) ending farmland school taxation; and (iii) supporting the rights of farmers to save their own seeds
– increasing finanical opportinities for farmers by (i) diversifying market opportunities to help stabilize and balance agricultural commodity markets, reducing Manitoba’s dependence on exports to the US and China; (ii) working to open new provincial, regional and local market opportunities and new international markets which appreciate Manitoba quality; and (iii) directing government procurement toward ‘Buy Manitoba’
– working with farmers to move away from greenhouse gas intensive agricultural practices by (i) encouraging the use of regenerative farming practices to reduce greenhouse gases, increase plant growth, and increase species diversity on pastures; (ii) providing transition programs to support farmers who wish to transition to organic and/or regenerative food production; (iii) encouraging and supporting the transition to energy independence on farms; and (iv) ecouraging clean energy production on farms, such as solar, wind, geothermal, small scale hydro energy, and energy storage capacity installations

Infrastructure
The party states that:
– in order to achieve a truly sustainable, low-carbon society, efficiency and intelligent design need to be at the core of all new infrastructure in the province
– it recognizes that some of these infrastructural changes take more time than others; however, we are also aware that in the face of the climate crisis these changes must begin now

To ensure low carbon, pollution-free and resilient communities, the party advocates:
– expanding green transportation and infrastructure by:  (i) improving active transportation opportunities, such as cycling, with further infrastructure investments; (ii) encouraging the creation of an intercity bus service in Manitoba; (iii) promoting the use of electric vehicles in Manitoba through fee-bate programs, government fleet purchases, and the installation of a greater number of electric car charging stations; (iv) providing Winnipeg and other municipalities with assistance to purchase Manitoba-made electric buses; (v) providing Winnipeg and other municipalities with the option for fare-free public transit; and (vi) exploring efficient and sustainable approaches to road maintenance and construction
– encouraging the creation of land-use projects such as urban greenspaces, urban forests, and rooftop gardens in order to decrease rainwater runoff, and cool down cities during warm summers; and (ii) exploring available options to protect urban canopies from blight and disease
– moving provincial solid waste management towards zero-waste by: (i) implementing a system of high environmental handling fees and adequate rebates to consumers for returning recyclable items; (ii) implementing province-wide municipal composting programs forresidential, industrial, commercial and institutional sectors; (iii) implementing a ban on all unnecessary single-use plastics, and exploring additional strategies to encourage the reduction of other plastic waste; implementing ban on all materials that cannot by recycled; supporting local initiatives that utilize local waste for the creation of new products

Poverty Reduction

The party states that:
– the 2022 Winnipeg Street Census showed that 68% of those who are experiencing homeless are Indigenous, with 89% of those sleeping outdoors being indigenous. It is estimated that more than half, 52%, of people who are homeless were once in custody of Manitoba’s Child and Family Services (CFS) system
– Manitoba’s ‘end homelessness’ policy requires six months of homelessness before people can get help
– organizations across the province are doing great work already, but need to be supported with long-term and stable funding to be able to maximize their resources

The party advocates:
– ending provincial homelessness within two years, by (i) implementing “same-day housing” by adapting models from Medicine Hat and other cities where rapid housing with relevant supports is the norm, (ii) to help people escape homelessness and poverty for good, assessing and treating the reasons people are homeless including poverty, addictions, the Child and Family Services System; Learning Disabilities; ADHD; FASD; autism; and those who are 2SLGBTQ; and (iii) creating a dashboard Linked to Supports, updated daily, to help people and organizations navigate to the help they need and find and use food, services, warming locations and shelter

Jobs, Unions & Employment

The party advocates:
– to improve health wait times for Manitobans, and encourage workers to stay or join the public health system, introducing ‘Thank You Retention Bonuses’ of $10,000 to nurses who have been working in the public system, $10,000 to nurses who return to the public system for two years, and $5,000 to all other health care workers

Industries, Infrastructure, Corporations, and Consumers

The party advocates:
– stronger, fairer business supports, especially for Manitoba-owned businesses to build and grow aft er the pandemic, including supports that are fair and based on need, rather than personal relationships

An Economy to Serve People

The party states that:
– one of the best things about Manitoba is that a good quality of life is affordable for families
– while most Manitobans are not rich, things such as camping in a provincial park, fishing trips, or maybe spending time at a family cottage on one of Manitoba’s 100,000 lakes are all within reach
– but in recent years it has become more expensive to heat your home, or to go to university or college, and in some places property taxes have risen.  There have also been attempts to raise the cost of auto insurance in order to protect the profits of private insurance brokers
– there have been promsies of attempts to implement a health-care premium, in effect forcing Manitobans to pay a new tax on health care
– the climate crisis, which is the defining issue of our time, with far-reaching global consequences and real effects here at home, also introduces economic and health challenges
– job loss is a possibility due to disruptions in industry and agriculture
– its plan for promoting good jobs and sustainable growth would cost $197 million over four years, while bringing the budget frm a deficit of $270 million (2020/21) to a surplus of 0.5 million.  Funds would be applied to support robust economic development and the creation of thousands of new careers for Manitobans; provide education, training, and other supports to allow Manitobans to embark on those careers; and to enable all communities to enjoy the benefit of a strong economy and labour market. This would include investments in education, child care, and EIA, and support for Indigenous and northern communities, as well as a four-year infrastructure program
– to build an affordable quality of life, the party would spend an additional 67.5 million in new programming, including construction of affordable housing, environmental protections, and initiatives to combat addictions.

The party advocates:
– helping families make greener choices and keep life affordable, while working with the Federal government to put a price on pollution and make big polluters pay
– continuing to index Personal Income Tax brackets and Basic Personal Amount to inflation
– maintaining the timeline to balance the provincial budget established in the Manitoba Budget of 2019
– asking the top 1% of income earners – individuals earning over $250,000 – to contribute a bit more, and using those funds to in vest in public services for all Manitobans
– helping small small businesses by increasing the small-business tax threshold to allow an estimated 2,000 more small businesses to pay no income tax
– commiting to meet climate targets of the Paris Accord with science and evidence-based policies, including ending oil and gas subsidies and fracking in Manitoba
– supporting mining jobs in northern Manitoba by granting multi-year mining permits
– making first home ownership more affordable
– making it easier to visit loved ones in hospital
– inreasing the minimum wage to $15/hr, to ensure that no one working full-time is forced to live in poverty
– enacting better consumer protection laws, including legislation to make cell phone bills more affordable, while improving cell coverage in rural communities
– cancelling $23 million in unnnecessary provincial contracts, and using the savings to fund vital public services
– ensuring that Manitoba Public Insurance is allowed to pursue its core mandate of providing low rates and comprehensive coverage
– working with the Federal government to build more affordable housing, invest in transitional housing and shelters for victims of domestic and intimate partner violence, and rebalance the appeals system to be more fair to renters
– srtrengthinging legislation that protects Manitoba Hydro from the threat of privatization, in order to keep electricity rates low
– supporting the United Nations Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, starting by reforming the child welfare system to recognize the right of Indigenous children to grow up in Indigenous households
– establishing a Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women Committee of Cabinet led by Indigenous women, who will work with families to implement recommendations coming out of the National Inquiry
– partnering with the Federal Government to enhance English-language services for newcomers while phasing out the $500 application fee for the Provincial Nominee Program
– making workplaces safer by restoring and improving workplace health and safety standards
– making communities safer by introducing meaningful, effective, evidence-based measures to combat addictions, including a Safe Consumption Site, Managed Alcohol Program, and new facilities
– working with the City and other municipalities to protect our waterways and improve surface-water protections

Job, Unions & Employment
The party states that:
– it is harder than ever for a young person to find a good job, or for working families to make ends meet
– the minimum wage has been kept by prior governments below poverty level
– post-secondary education has bemoce more expensive
– under new laws, children Kindergarten to Grade 3 receive less one-on-one time with their teachers
– Manitoba employers regularly single out skill shortages as their major impediment to growth
– every Manitoban who wants to work should be able to find work
– no one who works full-time hours should be stuck living in poverty
– it believes that opportunities offered by technology and education can allow people of all ages to overcome obstacles and succeed
– it is committed to investing in schools, universities, and colleges.

The party advocates:
– restoring the cap on K-3 class sizes eliminated by a prior government, and putting more Educational Assistants in classrooms
– helping every child overcome the unique challenges they face by providing better supports in schools, such as mental health supports and healthy food
– helping post-secondary students pay for their schooling while learning valuable job skills with co-op job placements and paid internships
– making university and college more affordable by freezing tuition growth to inflation and keeping student loans interest-free
– restoring the ACCESS bursary for rural, northern and Indigenous students
– improving investments in provincial roads, schools, hospitals, and other infrastructure, and working with industry to create a Centre of Excellence for Infrastructure Innovation
– making significant infrastructure investments in Brandon
– improving provincial transit for Manitobans by reinstating the 50-50 operating grant for municipal transit agencies
– returning Manitoba Hydro to provincial control, and using it to generate more green jobs with expanded broadband
– installing geothermal and solar energy systems using Hydro expertise, and begining to transition Hydro into a renewable energy company
– building additional child care spaces for young families, and committing to an ambitious goal of affordable, high-quality, accessible child care for all families, starting with bringing the child care system under the Department of Education
– supporting French-language students by restoring the Assistant Deputy Minister in the Bureau de l’éducation française and, working together, developing a strategy to recruit French-language teachers
– focusing on smart job growth by convening an annual Tech Summit, which includes innovation and creative economy, with education leaders, entrepreneurs, and labour, to listen to the experts, and make sure we are training workers for the jobs of tomorrow
– working with Indigenous communities to seek consensus before major projects (including Manitoba Hydro projects) begin, and creating job opportunities for Indigenous peoples by putting Resource Revenue Sharing into a Jobs Fund for Indigenous communities, starting by negotiating a fair deal on a gaming fund
– in order to create good jobs, and bring unemployed Manitobans back into the workforce while meeting meet social needs, seeking better alignment of social enterprises and government procurement
– using the Mining Community Reserve  Fund to put people back to work in Northern Manitoba
– striking an an emergency task force to help find new international markets for canola, pork, and other producers
– helping young agricultural producers by reviewing Crown Lands policie
– renewing the government’s relationship with fishers by committing to consult meaningfully with them
– developing a a disability policy lens and provincial disability strategy to address issues such as transportation, access to technology and housing, in ways that complement the Accessibility for Manitobans Act
– helping train more people in key professions like nurses, doctors and engineers with Return of Service Agreements

Industries, Corporations & Consumers
The party advocates:
– helping small small businesses by increasing the small-business tax threshold to allow an estimated 2,000 more small businesses to pay no income tax
– commiting to meet climate targets of the Paris Accord with science and evidence-based policies, including ending oil and gas subsidies and fracking in Manitoba
– supporting mining jobs in northern Manitoba by granting multi-year mining permits

An Economy to Serve People

The party states that:
– as a matter of principle, it is committed to building a province where compassionate care for those in need and meaningful support for those who are unable to support themselves are available to all
– creating a Team to Grow Manitoba that includes the Premier’s Enterprise Team, the provincial Economic Growth Committee of Cabinet, the new Manitoba Economic Development Office (EDO) and our strategic partners (Travel Manitoba, North Forge, World Trade Centre) and regional partners (Communities Economic Development Fund (CEDF), Economic Development Winnipeg (EDW), Rural and Winnipeg Metropolitan Region)
– developing performance-based metrics with our partners to measure and report on the success of provincial economic development
– establishing a new rural economic development hub, based in Brandon, to service the unique needs and growth potential of rural Manitoba

2023 Budget
With the goal of transforming Manitoba into a global trade and transportation corridor, the party’s proposed 2023 budget includes:
– more than $2.5-billion in trade-enabling highway infrastructure over the next five years
– a total of up to $160.4-million on an on-going basis for cost-shared investments in municipal capital projects, including water and wastewater projects
– $147.6-million over two years in the Hudson Bay rail line to the Port of Churchill
– an additional $50 million contribution to the Venture Capital Fund to grow businesses in Manitoba
– $2.3-million to increase the payroll tax exemption and the reduced rate threshold
– $92.5-million in funding to support post-secondary education and the labour market
– $2-million for the expansion of the Newcomer Community Integration Support Program
– $103.1-million contribution to AgriInsurance premiums to help protect producers against crop production shortfalls caused by adverse weather

Events
– increased investments in mining activities, expanding opportunities for northern and Indigenous communities

Poverty Reduction, Housing
To increase the quality and availability of affordable and social housing, the party advocates:
– continuing Rent Assist indexation at 75% Median Market Rent, and continuing to support more low income Manitobans
– deveolping a new housing strategy to determine greatest need
– renewing existing Manitoba Housing properties that have been allowed to deteriorate under previous governments
– investing $2 million in home ownership programming
– investing $450 million in social and community housing through a 10-year bilateral agreement with the federal government

Jobs, Unions & Employment
The party advocates, as part of a “Five Point Guarantee” made prior to the last election regarding creation of 40,000 new jobs within the province by:
– acting on the recommendations of the Review of Planning, Permitting and Zoning in Manitoba by implementing faster permitting systems with clear service standards and appeal mechanisms
– building on provincial strengths by increasing support for tourism and the film industry while also establishing sector strategies in key areas like food processing and commercialization, advanced manufacturing and aerospace
– enhancing the current ’96:4’ funding model by moving to a ‘95:5’ model, which will invest 5% of tourism related revenue back into promoting Manitoba tourism and investments, and applying the funds to promote world-class attractions in Winnipeg, attracting major events, and marketing Manitoba Parks

Industries, Corporations & Consumers
The party advocates:
– working with industry to identify opportunities to grow investment and job creation within target sectors including agriculture, food processing, mining, forestry,transportation/logistics, manufacturing (including greeninnovation) and financial services

Infrastructure
The party states that:
– since it formed government in 2016, it invested more than $1 billion annual in strategic infrastructure, including roads, bridges, flood protection, hospitals, schools, universities and colleges

The party advocates:
– a ten-year strategic capital plan for provincial highways
– growing the highways budget by 14%, from $350 million to $400 million over four years, and ensuring that the budget is either fully spent or rolled over into the following year
– dedicating funds for infrastructure projects which stimulate private sector investment and create more jobs for Manitobans such as the local highway improvements that support the Roquette pea processing plant and manufacturing jobs near Vidir
– to increase accountability and transparency in public infrastructure projects, (i) implementing the Regulatory Accountability Act, to enhance consultations with stakeholders and streamline the regulatory process; (ii) rentroducing the Public Sector Construction Projects (Tendering) Act to end the policy of forced unionization in the construction industry, thereby ensuring that all qualified workers and their employers, regardless of union status, have equal access to publicly funded construction projects in Manitoba; (iii) ensuring union leadership is accountable to their members for their financial decisions; and (vi) updating the lobbyist registry to ensure all organizations attempting to influence MLAs, including unions, are transparent

Human Rights
The party states, as matters of principle, that:
– governments should safeguard civil and political rights, but also have a responsibility to protect economic, social, and cultural rights
– related to subsidiarity, the province’s economic model should include a guaranteed local food supply of safe and healthful food

The party has provided no further official statement regarding its policies or positions regarding:
– civil liberties
– human rights
– responsibilities:  participation & subsidiarity

The party’s constitution states that:
– the party is committed to the dignity of individuals as the cardinal principle of a democratic society, and as the primary purpose for all political organization and activity in such society. In accordance with this philosophy, the Manitoba Liberal Party subscribes to the fundamental rights and freedoms of all persons and commits itself to the protection of these fundamental values.

The party has provided no further official statement regarding its policies or positions regarding:
– civil liberties
– human rights
– responsibilities:  participation & subsidiarity

The party has provided no official statement regarding its policies or positions regarding:
– civil liberties
– human rights
– responsibilities:  participation & subsidiarity

The party states, as a matter of principle, that it supports promotion of security in the rule of law with protection of personal and property rights and freedoms

Rights & Freedoms
The party advocates:
– to remove restrictions on Sunday and Holiday shopping, (i) repealing the Retail Businesses Holiday Closing Act to give Manitobans more freedom to choose when they shop; (ii) ensuring that local governments maintain the right to impose restrictions on shopping in their community if they choose; and (iii) continuing to mandate no shopping on Remembrance Day from 9am to 1pm

Responsibilities:  participation & subsidiarity
To grow Manitoba’s Community Foundation Network, the party advocates:
– extending provincial participation in Endow Manitoba’s 24 Hour Giving Challenge until 2026
– creating a $5 million fund to permanently support the growth of community foundations through training and development, technology support, and investment management services

The party has provided no further official statement regarding its policies or positions regarding:
– civil liberties
– human rights
– responsibilities:  participation & subsidiarity

The party states, as matters of principle, that:
– it seeks to promote a culture of tolerance, nonviolence and peace. It encourages and support mutual understanding, solidarity and cooperation among all peoples and within and among nations
– equality and fairness need to replace domination and control. Full andequal participation by all Manitobans is needed in the decision making processes of society. Individuals, families and communities have access to the resources of the society
– all have the right to a natural and social environment supportive of human dignity, bodily health and spiritual well-being

Supporting the Marginalized

The party advocates:
– increased services for individuals with disabilities and their families, including (i) reduced wait times for residential services for families with adult children with intellectual disabilities; (ii) increased availability of support services for children living with disabilities; and (iii) estblishment and implementation of an updated FASD strategy with a focus on enhancing prevention and intervention services for people with FASD
– increased support for mental health services, including (i) commitment of 10% of health funding to mental health supports and services; (ii) promoting easy access to effective mental health supports and services across Manitoba, including enhancing integration with primary care and other health care providers, increased technological approaches, and additional collaborative approaches; (iii) initiatives to reduce the stigma surrounding mental health; (iv) expanded mental health prevention and promotion initiatives with a focus on healthy childhood development and early intervention; and (v) ensuring that LGBTQ2S+ individuals have access to appropriate and informed mental health services
– increased support services for substance abuse and addictions, including (i) increased residential addictions treatment beds, which will make it easier for people to get immediate treatment at their points of readiness; (ii) implementation of an evidence-based meth response program that puts people’s well-being first, including promoting harm reduction by establishing safe use sites, establishing protective care sites, hiring additional addictions counsellors, and creating additional treatment spots; (iii) enhancing effective, holistic, community-based initiatives to support people experiencing substance abuse and addictions problems, with a focus on mental well-being as well as spiritual and physical well-being; (iv) initiatives to reduce the stigma surrounding substance abuse and addictions; and (v) expanded awareness and prevention services related to substanceabuse and addictions

Indigenous Peoples

The party states that:
– the historic and ongoing repression of Indigenous Nations are reprehensible breaches of Indigenous rights and human dignity. The Green Party of Manitoba believes we have a duty to ensure that the health and wellness, human security, justice, culture and equality of Indigenous Peoples is recognized, upheld and protected, as rights, on an equitable basis
– these injustices also rob Canadian settler society from a prosperity thatcan only be achieved through a vision of mutual benefit, where different peoples can share lands and resources, while respecting and sustaining their differences. To get there, we must recognize Indigenous Nations as the original occupants of this land, with rights to sovereignty and self-determination, and as true and equal partners, have a central role in moving Manitoba to its best possible future

To work towards reconciliation, the party advocates:
– recognizing Indigenous Nations as Nations, and endeavoring to reform government practice to behave in accordance with this recognition, by: (i) recognizing the right of Indigenous Nations to sovereignty and self-determination; and (ii) recognizing and respecting Indigenous constitutional rights as the original occupants of this land
– taking direction from Indigenous Calls to Action, including: (i) implementing the Calls to Action of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission that are within provincial jurisdiction; and (ii) pushing for implementation of the National Inquiry’s Calls for Justice
– engaging in meaningful consultation andcollaboration with Indigenous Nations, including: (i) working with Indigenous Nations to understand how colonialism shapes our structures, institutions, legislation and policies, and meaningfully moving towards indigenization of our institutions; (ii) working with Indigenous Nations to ensure that culturally appropriate services are offered across all sectors, including healthcare, education, and justice; and (iii) pursuing participant driven processes as a means of meaningfulconsultation with Indigenous Nations on all provincialinfrastructure projects
– reforming Child and Family Services, by: (i) hiring additional child welfare workers in order to decrease caseloads to a maximum of 20 per worker; (ii) providing enhanced training for child welfare workers, including training on best-practice risk assessment procedures, culturally appropriate supports, and the legacy of residential schools; and (iii) ensuring that supports are available to youth in care until the age of 25
– providing support to keep children and youth in their communities and with their extended families, by: (i) providing adequate resources to enable Indigenous communities and child-welfare organizations to keep families together where it is safe to do so; (ii) reducing the number of children in care by shifting resources to the support of families and extended families; (iii) increasing the annual fund available to families to purchase support services; (iv) implementing changes to the Adoption Act that would permit subsidized legal guardianship; instituting custom adoption practices to allow the child to be raised by a relative according to the customs of the community; and (v) helping families of children who are taken into care to regain custody when possible
– increased investment in restorative justice and alternative courts, including:  (i) development and funding a restorative justice program, as an alternative to the traditional justice system; (ii) supporting the development of a court system designed specifically for individuals with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD)
– supporting the promotion of Indigenous language and culture, by (i) supporting Indigenous-led organizations to provide safe, no-barrier, permanent, and meaningful access to Indigenous cultures and languages; and (ii) supporting quality youth programming that promotes Indigenous culture, language, and the transfer of intergenerational knowledge

Northern & Rural Communities
The party states that:
– it envisions strong, vibrant communities that are able to provide the services their residents need and value, including health care, education, services for seniors, support for small businesses, and ecologically sustainable agriculture
– such communities will be most possible when people in them have meaningful opportunities to participate directly in the local decision making that affects their lives

To support the development of vibrant rural and northern communities, the party advocates:
– increasing the level of input and autonomy of rural and northern communities, by (i) in partnership with communities, undertake a thorough review of the Municipal Act to ensure that it appropriately supports local decision making; and (ii) undertaking meaningful consultation with communities regarding government initiatives that will significantly affect them
– maintaining and strengthening existing rural and northern services, by (i) making every effort to maintain existing services in rural and northern communities, and working to enhance services where possible; and (ii) supporting the efforts of communities to provide accessible and affordable sporting and other recreational opportunities to their children and youth
– improving transportation services to and from rural and northern communities, by (i) restoring bus service to rural and northern communities by working with communities to develop an appropriate model; and (ii) establishing a transportation commission (using Saskatchewan as a model) to ensure that all options are explored
– increasing the availability and affordability of telecommunication services, by ensuring that rural and Northern broadband includes local service providers, to increase competition — and therefore the quality and affordability — of phone and internet service for rural and Northern Manitobans
– supporting the development of small businesses in rural and northern communities
– supporting rural and northern communities in transitioning to a green economy

The party has provided no official statement regarding its policies or positions regarding:
– immigration & newcomers

Indigenous Peoples & Relations
The party advocates:
– as a meaningful step in reconciliation, returning the $338-million in federal child benefits to First Nations children in CFS that was taken away by two preceeding provinial governments
– negotiating further restitution for the damage caused by the 2000s scoop

Immigrants & Newcomers
The party advocates:
– being more welcoming to new Canadians and Manitobans by ensuring that their education and credentials are recognized so they can get to work earning more

The party has provided no official statement regarding its policies or positions regarding:
– support for the disabled
– rural communities

Indigenous Peoples & Relations
In order to promote good jobs and sustainable growth, the party advocates:
– working with Indigenous communities to seek consensus before major projects (including Manitoba Hydro projects) begin, and creating job opportunities for Indigenous peoples by putting Resource Revenue Sharing into a Jobs Fund for Indigenous communities, starting by negotiating a fair deal on a gaming fund
– supporting the United Nations Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, starting by reforming the child welfare system to recognize the right of Indigenous children to grow up in Indigenous households
– establishing a Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women Committee of Cabinet led by Indigenous women, who will work with families to implement recommendations coming out of the National Inquiry

Northern & Rural Communities
The party advocates:
– improving health care for northern Manitobans health care by reinstating the obstetrics program in Flin Flon and Lifeflight, hiring more midwives in northern communities, and partnering with the Federal government on new hospital-level health centres in northern First Nations communities
– restoring the ACCESS bursary for rural, northern and Indigenous students
– improving investments in provincial roads, schools, hospitals, and other infrastructure, and working with industry to create a Centre of Excellence for Infrastructure Innovation
– supporting mining jobs in northern Manitoba by granting multi-year mining permits

Immigration & Newcomers
The party states that:
– partnering with the Federal Government to enhance English-language services for newcomers while phasing out the $500 application fee for the Provincial Nominee Program

The party has provided no official statement regarding its policies or positions regarding:
– support for the marginalized

The party states that, as a matter of principle,
– it is committed to building a province where compassionate care for those in need and meaningful support for those who are unable to support themselves are available to all

Support for the Vulnerable
Disabled People
The party advocates:
– transitioning Manitobans with disabilities currently receiving EIA benefits to a new alternative income program better suited to their actual needs
– supporting an employment-first approach where employment is the primary goal for working age adults with an intellectual disability
– creating a new Advisory group of employers and advocates to develop the employment potential of persons with disabilities
– committing to complete implementation of all five Accessibility for Manitobans Act standards implemented by the end of 2020
– continuing to improve funding models for respite, day services, home share, supported independent living and other services to ensure Manitoba’s frontline workers are compensated for their service
– focusing on a client-first approach to improve care and prioritize individuals with the highest need so long waits do not add to their hardship
– defining transparent performance standards and develop a means of tracking and reporting on the wait times on an annual basis

Victims of Abuse
To better support victims of domestic and sexual abuse, the party advocates:
– implementing legislation similar to “Clare’s Law” to ensure women can access information about their partner’s past history of domestic violence
– extending eligibility under the Employment Standards Code for leave to all victims of sexual violence
– enhancing shelters for victims of domestic abuse, including better crisis lines and integrated tracking

Northern & Rural Communities
The party advocates:
– to enhance connectivity across the province, (i) developing an innovative broadband strategy, in partnership with municipal and federal partners, to expand connectivity, support job creation, and encourage Manitobans with state-of-the art broadband and digital technologies to provide excellence in health care and educational services; (ii) leveraging Manitoba Hydro Telecom’s ‘dark fibre’ to enhance connectivity across Manitoba; and (iii) exploring substantial cost reductions per metre of fibre by streamlining broadband access, as part of our permitting and approval processes, via existing conduits

Indigenous Peoples and relations
The party advocates:
– establishing a $20 million Manitoba Mineral Development Fund (MMDF) to encourage mineral exploration and economic development
– engaging a minimum of eight First Nations in a new provincial mineral development protocol process, with a goal to have protocols formalized by the end of 2024
– continuing to work with the federal government on a proposal to supportIndigenous capacity building and participation in the mining sector
– continuing to support collaborative approaches that will increase Indigenous participation in all sectors, including resource-based partnerships such as the Nisokapawino Forestry Management Corporation and the consortium of four First Nations on the east side of Lake Winnipeg
– ensuring representation from Indigenous communities on both the Community Economic Development Fund and the soon to be launched Rural Economic Development Agency
– continuing to make the transfer of Treaty Land Entitlement lands a priority. Since May 2016, 85,785 acres of land have been transferred to Canada for reserve creation, accounting for approximately 6% of entitlement acres

Immigrants & Newcomers
The party states that:
– new Manitobans are waiting far too long for recognition of their credentials, meaning that means newcomers who are doctors, nurses, engineers, lawyers, midwives and 25 other self-regulated professions can’t practice their chosen profession
– between 2015-2017, more than 3,000 internationally educated New Manitobans applied to practice in their chosen profession, but only 470 were successful in registering

The party advocates raising timliness of foreign credential recognition with the Forum of Labour Market Ministers (FLMM) by:
– accelerating the one year standard for credential recognition to require an interim assessment within six months
– amending Manitoba’s Fair Registration Practices in Regulated Professions Act to include provisions that ensure respect for the New West Partnership and other domestic trade agreements Manitoba is a party to in respect of credential recognition decisions