At one time in Canada, the contents of provincial and federal budgets were the best kept secrets in town. Only a few key members of the government and civil service would know the contents and any premature disclosure, either of the specifics of the budget or even in a general sense, was treated as a serious breach. Today, governments see the budget as a messaging exercise as much as a financial one. Not only are there announcements for weeks after the budget, but some details are even provided before the budget is tabled in the legislature or Parliament.

And there is strategy behind budget communication. To ensure that the actual budget day media coverage is filled with as much good news as possible, the government will often provide indications of bad news in advance. By doing this, it doesn’t take away from the things it wants to highlight on budget day. That is likely why Premier Wab Kinew was in the media late last week dropping hints that taxes will be going up in the provincial budget March 24.

It will likely surprise no one that the Manitoba NDP is increasing taxes. It seems to come every spring that they are in government, as predictable as the spring melt. But in a year when all Canadians are facing the highest increases in recent times for food and other necessities, there was at least the hope that the NDP might hold off on tax increases. Especially since they have already jacked up taxes on all Manitobans in recent weeks.

It began in January when once again the NDP refused to adjust the income tax brackets to inflation. This is often called a sneaky tax. As wages go up and workers move into higher tax brackets, they pay more income taxes on that income if there is no adjustment in the tax brackets. Added to that was the fact that Manitoba school divisions are again announcing big tax increases, some over 10 percent. When asked about these big school tax increases, which have occurred two years in a row, Premier Kinew shrugged his shoulders and said this was a school board decision, ignoring the significant funding and support role the province plays.

“In the parched deserts of postmodernity, a blessing can be like the discovery of a fresh well. It would be lovely if we could rediscover our power to bless one another. I believe each of us can bless. When a blessing is invoked, it changes the atmosphere.” -John O’Donohue

Speaking blessings aloud is a powerful spiritual practice. We see it done in a community setting when our churches end their service with a benediction that is usually a blessing. One of the oldest known blessings and still most common is what the Hebrews used in their assemblies: “The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace” (Numbers 6:24-26). This winter at the graveside of a friend this blessing was used. While the casket was still open, through the trees, the sun began shining right on his face before the casket was closed and he was lowered.

Spoken blessings can also be done for others and yourself. First Peter chapter two tells us, “you are a chosen people, royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.” Followers of God are part of His royal priesthood and high on the list of priestly duties is to bless others. Blessing others is another way to ‘declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light’. Across many traditions, spoken blessings are seen as a way of participating in God’s creative work - shaping our reality through intentional speech. Declaring a blessing is both a prayer and a proclamation, strengthening spiritual identity and cultivating trust rather than fear.

Here are the four secret ingredients for a powerful blessing:

It’s been a busy few weeks of preparation for the start of the new legislative session.

The Manitoba legislature began its spring sitting last week—it will sit until the first week of June.

Health care and affordability are the two main issues our PC team is tackling first.

Under Wab Kinew and the NDP, health care has become demonstrably worse.

with insights from Tracy Whitby, Executive Director“While not all of the survivors we serve are women, the majority are,” shares Tracy Whitby, Executive Director at Agape House. “International Women’s Day is a powerful opportunity to shine a spotlight on the strength and resilience of women in our community. Every day, we witness stories of courage, determination, and success. IWD provides the perfect platform to highlight those stories—to celebrate not only survival, but growth, healing, and empowerment.”

Women and families often enter shelter at one of the most difficult moments in their lives. “They have uprooted everything familiar to them and stepped into a new, shared, and unfamiliar space in order to be safe. That transition alone requires tremendous courage,” says Tracy. Each day, women work alongside the shelter team to rebuild their lives—“setting goals, prioritizing next steps, navigating medical, legal, and housing systems, and often starting over; all while caring for their children and managing the many responsibilities of daily life.”

Over time, transformation unfolds. “We see confidence grow. We see belief take root; belief that they can do this, and that they and their families deserve safety and stability. Watching that strength unfold is truly why we do this work,” Tracy adds.

Recognizing International Women’s Day also helps raise awareness about gender-based violence in the community. “For Agape House and our community, International Women’s Day is closely connected to our largest annual fundraiser—the Purple Gala. This event brings together community members who want to see positive change. It creates space to share stories, successes, and challenges, and to work collectively to reduce the shame and stigma surrounding gender-based violence,” explains Tracy.

Broadway Moments

March 19-21

7 p.m.

SRSS Theatre

$30 Regular, $15 Students

Broadway Moments is a concert-style musical revue celebrating over a decade of community musical theatre in Steinbach. This high-energy production brings together emerging artists and seasoned local performers to showcase the music, voices, and storytelling that define SAC’s musical community.

Former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher once said, “The problem with socialism is that you eventually run out of other people’s money.”

Judging by the projected budget deficit ($1.6 billion and counting), Manitoba’s NDP government is finding out just how easy it is to run out of other people’s money. There’s a limit to how much money you can squeeze out of hard-working Manitobans.

Unfortunately, it looks like Premier Wab Kinew plans to double down on failed NDP economics. During a recent radio interview, Kinew hinted at a tax hike coming for the wealthiest Manitobans.

“We’re going to have some help in the budget on the education property tax front, and we might be asking the top one per cent to help us out with that,” explained Kinew.