During the last provincial election, the government ran on a promise to protect and invest in public services. Recently, however, the government has begun to soften its tone on that promise, which is concerning news both for Manitobans and for people who provide our public services.
The Province recently announced they will be hosting pre-budget consultation meetings (October 17-26) in several communities across Manitoba. They are also accepting written or online suggestions.
Manitoba Finance says this process is “your opportunity to suggest how provincial spending should be prioritized, what innovations should be pursued and what waste should be eliminated.”
How to get involved
The MGEU is calling on members to use this opportunity to talk about public services and voice their opinions on what investments must be made to support those services, not cut them.The union is encouraging members and supporters to submit their comments and/or attend a meeting in support of public services.
Should you choose to make a submission, here are some ideas for points MGEU members might want to emphasize:
- The government ran on a commitment to protect and invest in public services, and Manitobans expect them to honour that commitment and follow through on it. (eg. home care, corrections, highways).
- To ensure public services are there for families you need to have dedicated professionals delivering those services. When you cut behind the scenes, Manitobans will notice the negative effects to the delivery of services.
- The government needs to find ways to deal with the budget issues, but they can’t and shouldn’t balance the books on the backs of hard-working families. As well, it's short-sighted to turn to privatization in fiscally challenging times.
- In a recent survey done by the MGEU this May, 74% of the respondents supported tax increases for people living in households with incomes of over $200,000 in order to protect or improve public services.
- Furthermore, 74% opposed cutting public services to reduce the deficit.
Please note: If
you plan on attending a meeting, please pre-register by emailing minfin@leg.gov.mb.ca or calling the
Finance Minister’s office at 204-945-3952. The deadline for written submissions
is Wednesday, November 9, 2016.
Pre-budget Consultation Meeting Schedule
| Date |
City |
Location |
| Monday, October 17 | Winnipeg |
Canad Inns Transcona, Ambassador Room A, 826 Regent Avenue West, 7 to 9 p.m. |
| Thursday, October 20 | Brandon | 1-545 Conservation Drive, Brandon, 7 to 9 p.m. |
| Friday, October 21 | Swan River |
473 Westwood Road, 5 to 7 p.m. |
| Monday, October 24 | Thompson | 274 Thompson Drive, 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. |
| Wednesday, October 26 | Winnipeg | Winnipeg Grand Mosque at 2445 Waverley Street, 7 to 9 p.m. |