Q&A WITH THE HONOURABLE WAB KINEW
economy going and we won’t go back to the days of lockdowns due to breakdowns in health care. With a strong economy, we will also be able to invest in our province’s social supports so more Manitobans can get the help they need to choose a better path towards a positive future. MCC: The Manitoba Chambers of Commerce believes that our province must have an effective and fiscally prudent government that is committed to creating a tax environment to attract and retain new investment. Manitoba’s business community has consistently communicated to us that the elimination of the payroll tax, which is considered a disincentive to growth, and personal tax measures, including continued increases to the Basic Personal Amount, will make Manitoba more competitive and must be priorities of the new provincial government. What is your taxation strategy for Manitoba and which taxation measures will you prioritize within your mandate? WK: We know that Manitoba needs to be competitive, and one of the first steps we will take is to cut the provincial gas tax. This will save Manitobans 14 cents a litre every time they fill up. This will help not only individuals when they fill up at the pump, it will also help local businesses cut down on costs. We will also keep the education property tax cut at 50 per cent to help homeowners and farmers keep money in their pockets. With our plan to fix health care and lower costs, Manitoba will continue to attract businesses to the province and grow our economy. MCC: Manitoba has long been recognized for its diversified economy. The depth and breadth of industries found here have served our province well and have allowed us to weather economic downturns with relative stability. Manitoba has what the world needs, and with increasing demand for clean energy and critical minerals, we have an opportunity in our province to support and actively champion new and emerging areas of growth for our economy. Which sectors and industries do you see as having the greatest strategic opportunity in Manitoba and what is your plan to leverage these opportunities?
education by offering more opportunities in training and apprenticeship, from health care to energy. We will also lower costs to offer more students a fair start in life. We will provide health-care coverage to international students and improve the housing and rental stock in Manitoba. With our jobs plan, we will encourage more folks to work on local projects with local contractors right across the province. Manitoba has so much to offer with our arts and culture, and our government will help this sector thrive so more folks in the province can enjoy local talent, whether it's live music or a new exhibit. MCC: Immigration now accounts for almost 100 per cent of Canada’s labour force growth, and, by 2023, it is projected to account for almost 100 per cent of our country’s population growth. Increased economic immigration into Manitoba has been a strategy for which the Manitoba Chambers of Commerce has long been advocating, and the Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program has positioned our province as a leader in attracting talent to Manitoba. However, Manitoba’s immigrant retention rate for newcomers who arrived in 2015 is low at only 67.7 per cent. What is your government’s plan to streamline foreign credential recognition and how will you improve Manitoba’s immigrant retention rate? WK: We have so much untapped potential here in Manitoba. Many newcomers in our province were previously trained in health care and they are ready to get to work and care for Manitobans. We will help more newcomers get to work in the professions they trained for by cutting red tape and streamlining accreditation for internationally educated nurses and other health professionals. To ensure newcomers stay in Manitoba, we will focus on reunification for families. I know how important it is to be able to come home and spend time with your family after a long day, and we want more people in Manitoba to build a life here, with their family close by. We will also reach out to work with post-secondary institutions across Manitoba to support international students who want to stay and get to work in our province.
WK: Our province is a leader in clean energy through Manitoba Hydro. We will ensure that Manitoba Hydro is a strong player in new projects across the province and that this resource remains a valuable export for the province. With the rise in demand for critical minerals, Manitoba’s mining sector is essential for our economy, locally and abroad. This is why we will develop a Critical Minerals Strategy to sustainably grow the sector in partnership with Indigenous Peoples and leadership. Our government will play an important role in helping to build relationships between governments and industry. Our government will support farmers to build up our agriculture sector by reversing the changes that the previous government made to Crown land leases. Across sectors, we will support businesses to do good work in our province so that everyone can benefit. TALENT ATTRACTION AND RETENTION MCC: Manitoba has one of the youngest populations in Canada with a median age of 37.7 years old. Capitalizing on our young talent will be one of our most significant opportunities in the years ahead. However, we have a growing retention problem in Manitoba, and we are increasingly losing youth to other provinces. Retaining youth talent in Manitoba is a priority for the Manitoba Chambers of Commerce, and we have collaborated with the Canada West Foundation and local partners to determine why youth are leaving our province in increasing numbers. Will your new provincial government begin to tackle Manitoba’s significant net interprovincial migration losses within your first 12 months in office and, if so, how do you plan to address this major challenge? WK: What I want for my kids is what I want for every child in Manitoba. Our government will introduce strong programs and policies to ensure that more Manitobans choose to stay close to home and build a life with good-paying jobs they can rely on. Right now, many young people are choosing to leave because other provinces are offering competitive education and careers. Our government will invest in post-secondary
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7 WINTER 2023
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