Speech from

the Throne

At the Opening of theFirst Session of the41st Legislature

May 16, 2016

Delivered by:

The Honourable Janice C. Filmon, C.M., O.M.Lieutenant Governor of the Province of Manitoba

SPEECHFROMTHETHRONEHon.JaniceFilmon(Lieutenant-GovernoroftheProvinceofManitoba):MadameSpeaker,andmembersoftheManitobaLegislature:IwelcomeyoutotheFirstSessionoftheForty-firstLegislatureoftheProvinceofManitoba.Manitoba'sNewGovernmentbelievesinthevaluesofintegrity,caring,inclusion,commonsenseandteamwork.Thesearethevaluesuponwhichourgreatprovincehasbeenbuilt,anduponwhichwewillgovern.WeacknowledgethatweareonTreaty1territory,andintheheartlandoftheMetispeople.Together,wesharearich,vibrantandtolerantculturallandscapethatmakesustheenvyoftheworld.ManitobansarealsothemostgenerousandcharitablepeopleinCanada,givingbothoftheirtimeandresourcestosomanyworthwhilecauses.ItisinthatspiritofnationalprideandcitizenshipthatwestandwiththepeopleofAlbertainthewakeoftheterriblecircumstancesandsufferinginFortMcMurray.Manitobansknowalltoowellthetragedyandheavyburdensofmassivenaturaldisaster.AndtheyjoinourgovernmentinextendingconcernandsupporttoourAlbertaneighbors.Weacknowledgethecourageanddedicationofallthoseworkingonthefrontlinestoprotectpropertyandlifefromthefires–bothinAlbertaandhereathomeinManitoba.Ourmandateandfuturecourseisclear.Manitoba’sNewGovernmentiscommittedtomakingManitobathemostimprovedprovinceinallofCanada:tobetterhealthcareandeducationforManitobafamilies;tobetterjobsthatwillinspireouryoungpeopletomaketheirManitobatheirhomeintothefuture;andtoanopen,transparentgovernmentthatearnsanddeservesthetrustofManitobans.StrengtheningManitoba'sEconomyJobsandeconomicgrowthareatthecentreofourplanforabetterManitoba.Astrongereconomywillallowustoimprovefrontlineservicesinhealthcareandeducation;andwillenableinvestmentinprogramsandinitiativesmostimportanttosupportingManitobafamilies.Astrongfiscalplanisthenecessaryfoundationforsustainedgrowth.Manitoba’sNewGovernmentfindsitselffacingsignificantfiscalchallenges,thefullextentofwhichwasnotpreviouslydisclosedtoManitobans.Thismagnifiesoursharedchallenges.Butourcollectivewillisstrongandwewillmeetthesechallengestogether.Manitoba’sNewGovernmentwillimmediatelycommenceacomprehensivevalueformoneyreviewacrossgovernment,asafirststeptowardrestoringprudentfinancialmanagement.

ManitobansembracechangeandManitobabusinessesarechampionsofinnovation.Manitoba’sNewGovernmentwillpartnerwithbusinessandcommunityleaderstocreatenewandinnovativeeconomicopportunities.Andwewillcontinuetosupportandprotectjobsinvitalareasofoureconomy.Theaerospacesectorisonesuchexample.ManitobaishometothethirdlargestaerospaceindustryinCanada.Manitoba’sNewGovernmentwillcontinuetoadvocateforfocusedengagementandspecificfundingcommitmentsfromourpartnersinthefederalgovernment,toensuretheproposedchangestotheAirCanadaPublicParticipationActprovideanetinvestmentandjobcreationbenefitforManitoba’saerospaceindustry.Wewillembracemunicipalpartnerships.MembersofourcabinetwillmeetwiththeircounterpartsattheCityofWinnipegandmunicipalitiesfromacrossManitobatoprovidethemwithafairsayonstrategicinfrastructureinvestments.Andwewillensurelong-term,assuredandtargetedinfrastructureinvestmentsofnolessthan$1billionperyearwhilemakingfloodprotectionatoppriority.Tothatendwewilltakeimmediateactiontoworkwithourpartnersinthefederalgovernmentonfloodprotectioninfrastructure,beginningwiththeoutletneededtoalleviatefloodingaroundLakeManitoba.OurgovernmentwillestablishaPremier’sEnterpriseTeam,comprisedofbusinessleaderswhowillmakerecommendationsthatwillresultinnewjobsandstrongereconomicgrowthinourprovince.Andwewillengageinfocuseddiscussionswithindigenousleaderstodevelopaframeworkformeaningfulongoingconsultation.Andtogetherwewillworktobuildstrong,mutuallybeneficialrelationshipsbasedonaspiritofpartnershipandtrust.ManyjobsinManitobadependontradeandManitoba’sNewGovernmentiscommittedtopursuingenhancedtradingopportunities.Fortoolong,Manitobahasbeenisolatedfromitsneighboursandhasforsakenthecooperativeopportunitiestheypresent.OurgovernmenthasalreadytakenthefirststeptowardsjoiningtheNewWestPartnershipTradeAgreementwithSaskatchewan,AlbertaandBritishColumbia.Wewillworkdiligentlytocompletethenegotiationsnecessarytoconcludethisimportantinitiative.AndwewillseekthesupportofthisLegislaturefortheTrans-PacificPartnership,inordertosendastrongandunitedsignalthatManitobansareready,willingandabletotradewiththeworld.Manitoba’sNewGovernmentiscommittedtorealizingadditionaltourismpotential.Wewillincreaseourinvestmentsinthepromotionof

Manitoba’smanyuniqueattractionstovisitorsfromallovertheworld.WewilllaunchYes!Northtopromotepartnershipsneededtoattractnewcompanies,assistentrepreneurs,andfosterqualityjobsandastrongereconomyinnorthernManitoba.Andwewillfocusonthesustainabledevelopmentofournaturalresources,includingforestryandmining,topursueadditionalopportunitiesforbalancedgrowthandjobcreation.BetterCareforAllManitobansProvidingthebestpossiblecaretofamilies,seniors,childrenandpatientsisthemostfundamentalroleofgovernment.Thisrequiresongoingvigilanceandsupport,whileprotectingthejobsofthededicatedfrontlineworkerswhoprovidethoseservices.Manitoba’sNewGovernmentwilltakeimmediatestepstoreduceambulancefeesforManitobansincriticalneed.WewillestablishaWaitTimesReductionTaskForce,madeupofexpertswhowillguideourdecisionsasweimplementinitiativestoreducethetimethatManitobansspendwaitingforspecializedoremergentcare.Andwewilltakeinitialstepstowardimplementingourplanfortheconstructionofadditionalpersonalcarehomebeds.Manitoba’sNewGovernmentwillalsoaddresstheurgentneedsofourmostvulnerable.WewillimmediatelyintroduceTheProtectingChildrenActtomakeiteasierforgovernmentdepartments,childandfamilyserviceauthorities,communityserviceprovidersandlawenforcementagenciestoshareinformationandcollaboratewhendealingwithvictimizedandat-riskchildren.Thislegislationisthenecessaryfirststeptowardstheestablishmentofamade-in-Manitobacollaborativemodelthatputschildrenfirst.Wewillalsobegindiscussionstowardsdevelopingacomprehensivementalhealthstrategy,whichwillincludementalhealthandaddictionsprogramsandservicesemphasizingbettercoordinationandaccess.ABrighterFuturewithBetterEducationEducationisthepathforwardtopersonalsuccessandgrowthforallyoungManitobans.Investingineducationbenefitsnotonlythepresentdaystudent,itisaninvestmentinourprovince’scollectivefuture.Manitoba’sNewGovernmentwillimmediatelybegindiscussionswithfrontlineeducationstakeholderstowardsthedevelopmentofalong-termliteracyplanforourchildren.Thisplanwillincludemeasurablegoalstoallowustotrackprogressonimprovingstudentliteracythroughouttheireducationalcareer.

WehavealreadybegunconsultationswithleadersinManitoba’sbusinessandpost-secondaryeducationcommunitiesaroundincreasedfundingforscholarshipsandbursariesavailabletoManitobansseekinghighereducation.Thesediscussionswillcontinuetobefocusedonstrengthenedpartnershipswith,andincreasedinvestmentby,theprivate-sectorcreatorsofManitobajobs.CreatingaClean,GreenManitobaManitobaishometodiversenaturalareasincludingvastplainsandparklandregions,northerntundra,borealforestsandinlandseas.Wemustpreserveandprotectthisnaturalheritageforfuturegenerationstouseandenjoy.Manitoba’sNewGovernmentwillbegindiscussionswithourfederalpartnersandotherjurisdictionsaswedevelopamade-in-Manitobaclimateactionplan.Thisplanwillincludecarbonpricingthatfostersemissionsreduction,retainsinvestmentcapitalandstimulatesnewinnovationincleanenergy,businessesandjobs.Wewillconsultinthedevelopmentofland-useandconservationmeasuresthatsequestercarbon,improvewaterqualityandfosteradaptationtoclimatechange.AMoreHonest,AccountableGovernmentTrustandintegrityareattheheartofwhatManitobansexpectfromtheirelectedgovernment.Manitoba’sNewGovernmentwillenlistthedirecthelpofManitobansinevaluatingourprogresstowardspecificresults.OurgoalistomakeManitobathemostimprovedprovinceinthecountry.Wewilldevelopmeasurementstoreportonourprogresstowardsrestoringourpublicfinancestobalance,reducinghealthcarewaittimes,strengtheningourinfrastructure,improvingliteracyratesandrestoringtrustintheintegrityofgovernment.Hightaxesandredtapestiflejobcreationandeconomicgrowth.Manitoba’spersonal,corporateandpayrolltaxeshavegrowntobethehighestamongstourneighbouringprovinces.Manitoba’sNewGovernmentwillabolishthe‘votetax’subsidyforpoliticalparties,andwillrestoreManitobans’righttovoteonmajortaxincreases.Wewillestablishateamofbusiness,labourandcommunityagenciestofindandreduceunnecessaryredtape.Wewillrestoretherighttoasecretballotvoteinworkplaces,tofosteramoreopenandrespectfullabourenvironmentthatprotectsworkers’rightsandfreedoms.AndwewillallowallManitobans,whetherunionmembersornot,toparticipateinbiddingonworkforpubliclytenderedprojects.

Manitoba’sNewGovernmentwillensurethatby-electionsarecalledwithinsixmonthsofavacancy,unlesstheyoccurwithinone-yearfromageneralelection.Wewillestablishafixedelectionperiod–sothatthestartoftheelectionisknown–whileadheringtothecurrentfixedelectiondaterequirements.LegislativeAgendaInthecourseofthissession,MinistersinManitoba’sNewGovernmentwillpresenttothisLegislatureanumberofspecificproposalsforreview.Memberswillalsobeaskedtoconsiderestimatesfortherequirementsofthepublicservicesoftheprovinceinthenextfiscalyear,aswellasthemostrecentPublicAccounts.OurConcludingPledgeThesearetheearlycommitmentsandintentionsofManitoba’sNewGovernment,towhomthepeopleofthisgreatprovincehaveentrustedtheircollectiveconcerns.Theresultingresponsibilitiesaregreat.Buttheywillbeborneearnestly–withrespect,purposeandhumility–intheinterestsofallManitobans.Ileaveyounowtothefaithfulperformanceofyourmanydutiesandtrustthat,inmeetingthem,youmaybenefitfromtheguidanceofDivineProvidenceinallyourdeliberations.