Manitobans want to build a prosperous province with widespread opportunity for our future generations. Yet they find their economy at home is lagging behind those of our neighbours. Manitoba has slipped behind every other western province in economic progress, and there is no plan to improve our prospects. This government’s backward thinking for Manitoba is exemplified by its intention to build the BiPole III Hydro line on the longer west side route. This misguided plan will result in more than $500 million in additional capital costs, 40 megawatts in power loss, $17 million per year in lost sales and will make each Manitoba family more than $5000 poorer.
With this senseless and wasteful directive, the government will leave a legacy of debt to our children and grandchildren. A Progressive Conservative government would immediately initiate consultations to proceed with the east side route. In changing course, our government would be pleased to have the support of eminent Manitobans such as Manitoba Hydro CEO Bob Brennan, former Premier Ed Schreyer, Elijah Harper and countless east-side Aboriginal leaders, all of whom have spoken out in favour of an east side route.
Principled leadership would be restored by rescinding the Wabanong Nakaygum Okimawin Council of Chiefs Accord and replacing it with a transparent East Side Commission to arbitrate claims and benefit sharing with all communities. The East Side Commission would be responsible for ensuring economic benefits are 3 shared between First Nations communities from the construction of the transmission line.
A Progressive Conservative government would show leadership in areas where the NDP government has failed. The 34,000 Manitobans who lost their savings in the Crocus fund are still waiting for answers. Our government would shed light on the Crocus crisis by launching a full inquiry into the collapse of the fund. By sweeping the matter under the rug, the Premier has damaged Manitoba’s capital markets and is jeopardizing our future prosperity. The current government has not heard the calls of Manitobans who are demanding an end to the ineffective Spirited Energy advertising campaign. Manitobans don’t understand what Spirited Energy means. They are even more confused by an advertising campaign that promotes Manitoba only to Manitobans. While the current government believes a 3 million dollar made-in-America campaign promotes Manitoba best, a Progressive Conservative government would put the promotion of our great province back into the hands of Manitobans.
Our government would cancel Spirited Energy and return to “Friendly Manitoba”, a brand that has ably served our province for decades. Manitobans realize building a province of opportunity takes more than empty rhetoric. Our province now ranks behind Saskatchewan in 10 of 11 tax competitiveness categories. Manitobans pay the highest taxes west of Quebec, and it is estimated more than 10,000 of our 4 young people will leave the province between now and the end of the NDP government’s current term. At a time when Manitoba should be making the most of Canada’s economic strength, the NDP government has remained complacent. Our Opposition recognizes the need for a competitive tax structure to build a province of opportunity.
A Progressive Conservative government would reduce taxes for Manitobans in all areas, starting with an immediate increase in the basic personal tax exemption to bring it in line with that of Saskatchewan. This would give our province the fourth highest personal tax exemption in Canada. Within four years, our government would further raise the personal tax exemption in line with that of the federal government. This would give our province the third highest personal tax exemption in Canada, and would take tens of thousands of low-income Manitobans off the tax roll altogether. Our government would encourage job creation by eliminating the payroll tax within five years. Our government would also introduce significant reductions in education property taxes for home and cottage owners and for seniors, and would eliminate the education tax on farmland by 2009. The problem of Manitoba’s uncompetitive tax environment is compounded by the current NDP government’s refusal to index personal income tax brackets for inflation. As salaries increase with inflation, many Manitobans are pushed into higher income tax brackets.
A Progressive Conservative government would put an end to the hidden cash grab. Consistent with the policies of every other 5 western province, this measure would achieve long overdue fairness for taxpayers. Manitobans are dismayed that ours is the only western province to have increased its debt burden in recent years. Despite record revenues for our province, Manitoba’s debt remains the worst in the west, with a debt-to-GDP ratio of 53%. Having cancelled the previous PC government’s 30-year debt repayment plan, the NDP government is placing an unfair burden on our children and grandchildren.
A Progressive Conservative government would reinstate this important commitment for the benefit of our future generations. Our Opposition believes the government must send the message that Manitoba is open for business. Unfortunately, the business climate in Manitoba lags behind our western Canadian neighbours. A Progressive Conservative government would move to correct this, beginning with the practice of publicly reporting the number of regulatory requirements within the province, with a plan to cut red tape. Such a practice would decrease the province’s regulatory burden on our businesses. Manitobans demand competent management of crown corporations such as Manitoba Hydro. Our Opposition believes that with prudent government management of our public utility, Manitoba Hydro can become Canada’s leading clean energy company.
A Progressive Conservative government would ensure fairness to ratepayers in pricing and tax levels by creating the Blue Ribbon Panel on Tax & 6 Hydro Rate Policy. This panel would maximize the return on investment of Hydro as a public asset while encouraging energy conservation. Homegrown corporations are another source of pride for Manitobans, particularly when they achieve success abroad. Manitoba-based businesses such as McNally Robinson and Frantic Films are growing both within Canada and internationally. They are examples of true Manitoba success stories. MTS is another Manitoba corporation achieving success beyond our borders. The next step in the growth of MTS is realizing its goal of building a national wireless network.
Our government would support this initiative by appealing directly to the federal Minister of Industry to set aside Advanced Wireless Spectrum for new entrants such as MTS in the upcoming government wireless spectrum auction. Breaking down barriers to entry in the wireless industry is a measure that would benefit consumers nationwide and Progressive Conservatives are encouraged that MTS is at the forefront of this change. A Progressive Conservative government would work to restore Manitoba’s status as the transportation hub of Canada. To address issues ranging from local road improvements to province-wide transportation networks our government would bring forward a comprehensive transportation strategy befitting of a province at the centre of North America.
A central tenet of this strategy would be rail transportation. Unfortunately, distribution of goods by rail has fallen to a record low under the current government. A Progressive 7 Conservative government would work with the federal government to place a moratorium on rail line abandonment while working with the private sector to encourage rail infrastructure investment. We would also build on the current highways plan. Our government would strengthen recent initiatives to improve infrastructure connecting the Port of Churchill to the rest of Manitoba, recognizing Churchill’s increasingly prominent role in shipping goods to and from Canada. Urban infrastructure requires attention from the government as well.
As Winnipeg grows, its transportation network will need the support of the Government of Manitoba. Our government would work with the City of Winnipeg and the federal government to set aside land for a future rapid transit network and establish a rapid transit fund to ensure the initiative is adequately funded in advance of construction. A modern City of Winnipeg is essential to Manitoba’s prosperity. Our government would make Winnipeg a vibrant place to live by working with the city to create unique urban villages and by creating economic conditions that encourage the success of arts and culture, as well as professional sports franchises such as the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and professional hockey teams. The City of Brandon would also be strengthened by a Progressive Conservative government. As Brandon grows and realizes long-term progress, its citizens deserve greater power to manage their own affairs.
A Progressive Conservative government would show leadership for this great Prairie city by expanding the Brandon Charter, giving the city more authority to make land use decisions, 8 establish business improvement zones, and granting tax exemptions and a full range of licenses from business to recreational facilities. In recognition of Brandon’s desire for services comparable to those offered in the City of Winnipeg, our government would also provide licensing for specialty wine stores in the city. Manitoba’s cities are strengthened by a record number of new Canadians choosing our province as a place to live, work and raise their families.
Our Opposition supports the province’s increasing immigration numbers and feels the government should do more to encourage the success of new Manitobans in our economy. A Progressive Conservative government would place a greater emphasis on the transition and integration of immigrants into the workforce and our society. To break down barriers faced by new Manitobans, our government would refocus the provincial immigration branch to provide newcomers with information and assistance to gain employment in their chosen profession, including language training where required. Our government would develop an internship program to provide newcomers with work experience, and would create within the Ombudsman’s Office a specific function to oversee the recognition process.
We would also ensure that newcomers understand both the opportunities and the obligations that come with living in our great province. Because rural communities are central to our goal of building a prosperous province, our Opposition is disappointed that rural Manitoba has been ignored by the NDP government. As the Manitoba 9 cattle industry faces increasing pressure from the rising dollar, the government has applied a negative tax option on cattle producers. A Progressive Conservative government would abolish this levy while maintaining provincial support for the cattle sector. Our government would match voluntary investments from producers and private sector representatives who wish to invest in initiatives such as slaughter expansion. Our government would also recognize the need for responsive farm programs for agricultural producers. The CAIS program has not delivered for Manitoba, and its negative impacts continue to be felt by producers across the province.
A Progressive Conservative government would speak loudly on the national level to ensure the next generation of federal-provincial farm programs is bankable, easy to navigate and responsive to producers’ needs in a timely fashion. Commitments to long-term research and development are another means of helping Manitoba’s agricultural economy thrive. In partnership with the federal government, our government would propose the Agricultural Centre of Excellence, a research facility to turn Manitoba into a hotbed for food and agricultural innovation. Our Opposition believes rural and northern Manitobans deserve comparable technologies and services to those enjoyed by Manitobans in urban communities. A Progressive Conservative government would accelerate the development of rural and northern Manitoba by providing greater access to modern infrastructure such as broadband Internet.
Our government would also support the 10 deployment of modern infrastructure to First Nations communities provincewide. It is unfortunate that First Nations feel they must resort to illegal land blockades and side deals to achieve results from the government. Even more unfortunate is the Premier’s apparent endorsement of this way of doing business. The Progressive Conservative Opposition believes Manitoba’s First Nations communities should have access to the Premier on a regular basis rather than use the current and ineffective patchwork approach to relations.
A Progressive Conservative government would put relations with First Nations groups back on a principled basis by creating the Premier’s First Nations, Métis and Aboriginal Council. It is time for the Premier to show leadership and personally address the needs of Manitoba’s First Nations, Métis and Aboriginal populations.
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