By The Canadian Press
In this composite image made from three photographs, from right to left, Progressive Conservative Party of Manitoba Leader Heather Stefanson speaks during a news conference in Whistler, B.C., Tuesday, June 27, 2023; Manitoba NDP Leader Wab Kinew speaks at the Canadian Mennonite University in Winnipeg, Wednesday, Aug. 16, 2023; and Manitoba Liberal Party Leader Dougald Lamont speaks to the media at the Legislature building, in Winnipeg, Tuesday, March 7, 2023. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck, John Woods, David Lipnowski)
WINNIPEG — Manitobans go to the polls on Tuesday. Here’s a look at some of the promises announced by the province’s three major parties over the past month:
— Stand firm in the government’s decision not to search the Prairie Green landfill for the remains of slain First Nations women Morgan Harris and Marcedes Myran, citing safety concerns.
— Cut in half the rate applied to the bottom personal income-tax bracket, saving the average person earning $50,000 in annual income $1,900 per year when fully implemented in 2028.
— Remove the federally imposed carbon price on the natural gas portion of hydro bills.
— Eliminate the land transfer tax for first-time homebuyers, saving about $5,700 on the average home.
— Spend $120 million over four years to recruit health-care workers.
— Provide up to $10 million in capital funding to develop of a First Nations-operated addiction centre in Winnipeg.
— Commit to searching the Prairie Green landfill, without pledging a specific funding amount.
— Make the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, Sept. 30, a statutory holiday in the province.
— Open four family medical centres in Winnipeg and one in Brandon staffed with emergency room doctors, nurses and technologists.
— Temporarily suspend the provincial fuel tax until inflation subsides.
— Freeze hydroelectric rates for one year.
— Lift the provincial sales tax on the construction of new rental units.
— Fund a search of the Prairie Green landfill on a 50/50 basis with the federal government, with an initial commitment of $42 million.
— Make the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation a statutory holiday.
— Establish a minimum income for people over 60 and people with disabilities.
— Allocate bonus pay of between $5,000 and $10,000 for front-line health-care workers.
— Provide medicare coverage for people who need access to mental health services.
— Create a $300-million-a-year fund to pay for climate change initiatives.
