COLUMN: Report from the Legislature – Opposition calls for investigation of Kinew’s behaviour

As we head back into another sitting of the Manitoba legislature, we have now reached the one-year mark of the Kinew NDP government.  The wheels are starting to come off the bus as the honeymoon comes to a crashing halt with this most recent rendition of the NDP.

We received startling revelations about the inner operations of the NDP government and the actions of the Premier himself from their own NDP colleague and MLA for Fort Garry Mark Wasyliw.  It was revealed in recent weeks that Premier Kinew has generated a toxic environment of disrespect, bullying, and demeaning treatment of MLA’s, Ministers, and staff within the NDP government. We continue to hear reports of assaults and intimidating behavior when during debate MLA Wasyliw spoke from the heart about the abuse, he experienced at the hand of Wab Kinew.

Upon hearing the many revelations about the troubled internal workings of the NDP government our PC team brought forward a motion calling for an independent investigation of these allegations and the harassment taking place within government ranks.  We believe it is important that these issues be brought to light and if the Premier is found culpable, he is held to account for his behaviour and actions. An ethics investigation is vital to restoring confidence and ensuring our leaders uphold the highest standards that everyday Manitobans would be held to at their own workplaces.

This dysfunction is leading to the NDP’s failure to make progress on their $3 billion in campaign promises and commitments. For example, since the Premier’s re-announcement last March, no money has flowed towards the new Lac du Bonnet Personal Care Home and its construction has been stalled under his NDP government. Despite many promises by the NDP, crime and random attacks have increased across Manitoba, emergency room wait times are getting longer, and grocery prices remain high with no sign of them lowering.

Our education system faces significant setbacks due to recent NDP budget cuts. Plans for nine new schools and essential upgrades have been cancelled or delayed. These NDP cuts to education have resulted in classroom overcrowding and added pressures on Manitoba families and teachers. The PCs are calling on the NDP to make education a priority by building schools and ending “Hallway Education.”

Following a post-election 6-month spending spree the NDP have managed to balloon the deficit to $2 billion, the largest non-pandemic deficit. Under the Kinew government, Manitobans will pay more interest on NDP deficit spending and borrowing than most government departments spend in a year.  Interest on the province’s debt and on Manitoba Hydro’s debt combined is now approaching $3 billion annually and will only get worse if Manitoba does not start running balanced budgets and paying down debt.

Instead, the NDP have chosen to increase spending on salaries, while cutting funding for roads, bridges, schools, daycares, personal care homes and hospital projects. Parks capital was cut in half. They are delaying needed long-term capital expenditures and instead spending on short-term NDP pet projects.

The NDP deficit spending includes $40 million on new hires in core government, $9.1 million in political staff salaries and big wage increases but only for their union friends. Not to mention, while Wab Kinew was sending out rejection letters for Green Team funding, he was hiding legislation to double taxpayer-funded election subsidies to the NDP party in his first $24-billion omnibus budget bill.

There’s a real cost to this dysfunction, which is being revealed through the decisions that the NDP ministers are making. Unfortunately, it is Manitobans that will have to pay.

On a more pleasant note, I want to take this opportunity to wish everybody a Happy Thanksgiving. I am forever grateful to represent the residents of the beautiful Lac du Bonnet constituency as their elected MLA and I thank you for your contributions to the peace and prosperity of Manitoba. May you all have a reason to be thankful.

If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to email me at wayne@wayneewasko.com, or call me at 204-268-3282. Also, you can follow me on X (formerly Twitter) @wayneewaskomla and friend me on Facebook.