Year: 2017

 

Greg Nesbitt, MLA for Riding Mountain

 

NEWS RELEASE

November 23, 2017

For Immediate Release

 

PROGRESSIVE CONSERVATIVE GOVERNMENT INVESTS IN

COMMUNITY-BASED TRAINING AND EMPLOYMENT SERVICES

 

Riding mountain  to Receive Total Funding of $227,003

Shoal Lake, Manitoba – Greg Nesbitt, MLA for Riding Mountain today announced that the Manitoba Government is investing in community-based training and employment services in the Riding Mountain constituency.
“I am pleased that our Progressive Conservative government is investing in employment and training services in our constituency,” said MLA Nesbitt. “This investment will help unemployed and low-income Manitobans in the community learn new skills to improve their employment opportunities. By connecting Manitobans looking for work with jobs that are in-demand, our government is delivering on our commitment to improve people’s lives while growing our local economy.”

 

Through this investment from Manitoba Education and Training, the Manitoba Government will be providing $227,003 for two projects:

 

• Parkwest Regional Employment Resource Centre, $141,657,

 

• Yellowhead Regional Employment Skills & Services Inc., $85,346.

 

The investments in Riding Mountain are part of an overall investment of $25 million supporting 86 projects across Manitoba.

 

 

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For more information, please contact:
Greg Nesbitt, MLA for Riding Mountain, 204-759-3313

Hybrid plan unveiled for cannabis sales in Manitoba
Our government is taking action for the health and safety of Manitobans as the federal legalization of marijuana in July 2018 draws closer.
We have unveiled a hybrid model for the distribution and retail of cannabis, providing roles for the public and private sectors, to ensure the safety of Manitobans and keep criminal gangs out of the business while creating market opportunities for retailers at the same time.
Under this model, the provincial Liquor and Gaming Authority will regulate the purchase, storage, distribution and retail sales of cannabis. Manitoba Liquor and Lotteries Corp. will secure and track the supply of cannabis sold in our province, while the private sector will operate all retail locations.
Our plan allows the public and private sectors to do what they do best. The public sector will regulate and oversee the distribution and supply system, while the private sector will provide competitiveness and accessibility. The ‘best of both worlds’ approach will help eliminate the black market that has so far controlled the marijuana trade, and keep profits from cannabis sales out of the hands of organized crime. Our government’s distribution and retail model will also help keep marijuana away from children through a strong regulation of licensed retailers.
For public safety and to create a highly competitive business environment, we will not co-locate cannabis sales with the retail of alcohol. This model also eliminates a need for an immediate public capital investment in new storefronts and provides choices for consumers.
We have issued a request for proposals from qualified applicants to operate cannabis retail locations. The deadline for submissions is Dec. 22, 2017 for initial outlets to open on July 2, 2018. A diverse retail sector is the best way to meet the demand established by the market, and our government is sending a clear message that Manitoba is open for business.
Though we remain concerned about the federal government’s timeline for marijuana legalization, we have moved forward responsibly and diligently to prepare for this major change. Our Cannabis Harm Prevention Act is the most comprehensive legislation yet passed in any province to deal with the public safety consequences. As well, Manitoba Public Insurance has launched an education campaign about the dangers of drug-impaired driving, and our government will continue to make road safety a top priority.
During our pre-budget consultations this fall, Manitobans told us to ensure safety with marijuana and to keep gangs out of the trade. We have listened and are acting accordingly.
The health and safety of Manitobans continue to be paramount for our government in the face of this significant shift in public policy. Our distribution and retail plan for cannabis marks a very important step.
Greg Nesbitt is the Member of the Legislative Assembly for the Riding Mountain constituency. He can be reached at 204-759-3313, 1-844-877-7767 or by e-mail at gregnesbittmla@mymts.ne

PRESS RELEASE

 

Prairie View receives funding

for Community Heritage website

 

Funding under the Heritage Grants Program will assist the Prairie View Municipality in establishing a Community Heritage website.

The Honourable Cathy Cox, Minister of Sport, Culture and Heritage, has announced that a $3,000 grant has been awarded to the municipality.

“While many of the grants from our department are related to ongoing operating funding, the Heritage Grants Program supports special, one-time projects,” said Minister Cox.

Riding Mountain MLA Greg Nesbitt said he is pleased that communities are taking the lead in projects such as this.

“Preserving and being proud of the heritage of our communities is so important,” said Riding Mountain MLA Greg Nesbitt. “I want to extend my appreciation for the work being done by community volunteers.”

 

For more information

 

Greg Nesbitt

MLA Riding Mountain

204-759-3313

ridingmountainmla@mymts.net

 

Made in Manitoba Climate and Green Plan better than Trudeau’s plan
Climate change is real, and Manitoba is feeling the impacts – from flooding to extreme weather to melting ice roads. Doing nothing on climate change is not an option. And doing nothing in the face of a federal threat to impose a $50 carbon tax on Manitobans is not an option either.
Our government has introduced the Manitoba Climate and Green Plan, which has a much lower cost to Manitobans. It’s a made-in-Manitoba plan that will support our province’s economy and sustain our environment for future generations. Built on the strategic pillars of climate, jobs, water and nature, it supports our vision to make Manitoba the cleanest, greenest and most climate-resilient province in Canada.
Our plan has a made-in-Manitoba carbon price of $25 per tonne beginning in 2018 – a low and level price that respects our province’s clean energy investments, supports our economy and actually reduces emissions. Under our plan, Manitoba’s carbon price will be half the $50 per tonne tax mandated by Ottawa and will give our province the second-lowest carbon price in Canada by 2022.
Our price will also save Manitoba families and businesses more than $260 million compared to the federal carbon tax over the next five years, while saving an average Manitoba household $245 during the same period. As well, carbon revenues will be recycled back to households and families through direct rebates and tax relief.
If we say no to our made-in-Manitoba plan, we will get Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s much higher carbon tax. The federal government’s carbon tax plan does not respect the massive hydro nvestments Manitobans have made, decade after decade, to build one of the world’s cleanest electricity systems. Our Manitoba Climate and Green Plan was developed through more than a year of  consultations with environmental, business and other expert stakeholders, and it understands our province is already a leader in clean energy.
Our Climate and Green Plan is based on Manitoba needs and priorities. It projects cumulative emissions to drop by more than one megatonne over the next five years – 80,000 tonnes more than through the federal carbon tax. It also encourages low carbon economy jobs through green infrastructure, clean technology, innovation financing, and skills and training.

Our Manitoba plan further includes exemptions for agricultural emissions, while the carbon levy will not apply to farmers’ marked fuels. Moreover, it sets out initiatives to protect wetlands and watersheds, water quality, wild species and habitats.

Manitobans are invited to give their views on our Climate and Green Plan through an online survey at www.ManitobaClimateGreenPlan.ca until Nov. 30.
The Manitoba Climate and Green Plan costs less and reduces more than Ottawa’s carbon tax, and builds a prosperous lowcarbon economy while putting Manitoba first. It’s better for the
environment, better for the economy and will make a difference today for a better Manitoba tomorrow.
Greg Nesbitt is the MLA for the Riding Mountain constituency.
He can be reached at 204-759-3313, toll free 1-844-877-7767 or by email at gregnesbittmla@mymts.net.Made in Manitoba Climate and Green Plan better than Trudeau’s plan

PC government listening to the views of Manitobans
Our government believes in listening to Manitobans, and we have done so since taking office more than 17 months ago. We respect their views on the important issues facing our province, as we govern in partnership with them.
What Manitobans have told us, through unprecedented participation in pre-budget consultations this fall – including one held in the Riding Mountain constituency on Oct. 2 – is we’re correct in taking our moderate approach to fixing our province’s finances and working toward fiscal balance. We will continue to take this approach by looking within our government for efficiencies, controlling expenditure growth and reducing senior management – not by adding a tax burden to Manitoba families.
With this in mind, we will not proceed with a health-care premium at any point in our first term. Through the consultations we launched in September with public meetings, telephone town halls and an online survey, it’s clear Manitobans do not support a health-care premium. They have indicated they want us to make some reallocation decisions to move toward a balanced budget, though our government believes that leaving more money in the hands of Manitobans is positive for our economy and for Manitoba families.
We do, however, have a deferred health-care premium in the form of a large deficit left to Manitobans by the previous NDP administration, and we’re continuing to work to fix this mess we inherited. If we had continued on the path of the NDP, Manitoba’s deficit would have climbed to $1.7 billion by 2019. But our government has made strong progress in reducing the deficit to $764 million, which is $147 million lower than budgeted for the fiscal year.
We are committed to further reducing the deficit by at least $100 million per year. This will assist, over time, in moving Manitoba back to sustainability and to a more secure health-care system.
It will take hard work to maintain this progress. A decade of deficit spending by the NDP has led to a debt that doubled within six fiscal years, and three credit rating downgrades have increased the cost of borrowing. We have budgeted almost a billion dollars just for debt service costs this year. At the same time, the threat of higher interest rates adds pressure to our fiscal situation and federal transfer payments are decreasing. Our current situation is simply unsustainable.
Manitobans generally agree we are on the right track. By Oct. 24, close to 37,000 of them had provided input through our consultations and 49 percent urged us to continue on this path. Our online survey has brought more than 18,000 responses. More than 16,000 people have taken part in the telephone town halls, and hundreds have attended consultation meetings held by all members of the PC caucus.
Our government needs this input from Manitobans as we make these important choices. We have 17 years of mismanagement to clean up, and have had a little over 17 months to start. We are undertaking this work with enthusiasm and passion, and doing it with Manitobans as our guide.
Greg Nesbitt is the Member of the Legislative Assembly for Riding Mountain. He can be reached at 204-759-3313, toll-free 1-844-877-7767 or by email at gregnesbittmla@mymts.net.

Manitoba government standing up for farmers and small businesses
Our provincial government is standing up for Manitoba’s small businesses and expressing serious concerns about the impact of the federal government’s proposals to change the taxation of private corporations.
The tax changes proposed by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and federal Finance Minister Bill Morneau strike at the very heart of the economy, and amount to a complex and poorly conceived overhaul of Canada’s tax system. The changes would dramatically increase taxes paid by smaller corporations, tax their savings and penalize families that pass a business from one generation to another.
The federal proposals would have a negative impact on the thousands of small and medium-sized businesses in Manitoba, and the tens of thousands of people who work for them. Agriculture producers, professionals, manufacturers, small businesses of all kinds and ultimately consumers would be affected. The proposed changes also insult the very people who create jobs, make goods, develop Manitoba’s wealth, take risks and support local projects and initiatives.
These tax reforms were clearly conceived by people who have no understanding of small businesses and the sacrifices made by those who operate them.
Our business community is the foundation of Manitoba, and our government understands and appreciates the risks taken by small businesses and the investments they make in our economy. Premier Brian Pallister and our Manitoba government have been swift to support and defend small businesses in our province.
Our government has had to make many important decisions as we fix our provincial finances, repair our services and rebuild the economy. We are making progress in improving the business outlook and optimism in our province. What we don’t need is the federal government in Ottawa hurting the progress we are making in Manitoba.
As Premier Pallister has said, the federal government needs to pull back on the
misguided proposition that we should have class warfare in Canada between small,
family-run businesses and everyone else.
Tackling tough issues at home and defending Manitoba’s interests abroad are what
a strong leader and a strong government do. Our Manitoba government is calling
on the federal government to withdraw these proposals.
Greg Nesbitt is the Member of the Legislative Assembly for the Riding Mountain
constituency. He can be reached at 204-759-3313, toll free 1-844-877-7767 or by
email at gregnesbittmla@mymts.net.

Premier Brian Pallister and Finance Minister Cameron Friesen announced earlier this month that on-line and in-person pre-budget consultations would be held this fall to allow Manitoba families to share their views on three key issues for Manitoba’s future – sustaining health care, controlling marijuana use and balancing the budget.

“I believe in deliberative democracy. I believe in a government that listens to the people because it trusts the people,”said Premier Pallister. “This pre-budget consultation is an exercise in listening. Your Manitoba government needs to hear from you.”

To that end I will be hosting a pre-budget consultation in the form of a town hall meeting for residents of the Riding Mountain constituency at the Shoal Lake Community Hall on Monday, Oct. 2 beginning at 7:00 p.m.

To ensure every Manitoban has the chance to give their input, the province has launched an on-line survey at www.manitobansmakingchoices.ca.  Manitobans are encouraged to take the survey and have their say on a number of issues including:

• •Controlling marijuana use, with questions about the legal age of consumption, price, availability and public safety;
• •Balancing the budget, including questions about the path government should take to balance the budget and ways to reduce government spending; and
• •Sustaining health care, with questions about how to sustain services and the possibility of introducing health-care premiums.

These are the same issues we will talk about at the in-person consultation.

As your government we have to make choices about how we spend your tax money to best benefit all Manitobans. Our government inherited a serious negative fiscal situation from the previous government.

Health care is the largest spending item by the provincial government, and record spending levels have not meant better results for patients, seniors, and families.

Now, the federal government is reducing the growth rate in health care transfers to provinces from what was planned starting next year. That creates a $2 billion gap in what we expected to receive and what we will receive over the next 10 years.

I want to emphasize that this is truly a consultation process. No decisions have been made.

I know Manitobans are already heavily taxed. That is why the Trudeau government’s backing off from their obligation to fund health care is frustrating and a serious abandonment of their responsibilities.

Balancing the budget is essential to live within our means, keep taxes low, and provide an inviting business environment for new investment.

“Balancing the budget too quickly by deep spending cuts risks services people rely on, and balancing the budget more slowly by reducing spending growth leads to higher debt and taxes on future generations” said Finance Minister Cameron Friesen. “We want Manitobans to look at each of these options and have their say on what should be done to improve the government’s finances.”

On marijuana, the federal government intends to make consumption legal on July 1, 2018. We have concerns about that arbitrary deadline. Nevertheless, we need to be ready.

There are important questions to answer about distribution, public safety and health that we want your input on.

The Minister of Finance will be holding open town halls to get input from Manitobans in several locations across the province, including Brandon and Dauphin.

The ministers of Finance, Health and Justice will be holding telephone town halls with thousands of Manitobans.

And as your MLA, I am holding a public town hall to get your feedback on these important issues.

Our government was elected to serve the people. To do that, we want your input, your ideas, your suggestions for a stronger Manitoba.

I encourage you to make your views known by going on-line to www.manitobansmakingchoices.ca and completing the short survey. If you don’t have access to a computer and the internet, please stop by my office at 515 – 7^th Avenue in Shoal Lake and my assistant will load the survey for you to complete.

I look forward to seeing many of you in person on Monday, Oct. 2.

In order that we have some idea of how many people to expect, we are asking citizens to pre-register if they can (not mandatory) by calling 204-759-3313 or stopping in at our office.

Greg Nesbitt is the Member of the Legislative Assembly for the Riding Mountain constituency. He can be reached at 204-759-3313, toll free at 1-844-877-7767, or by email at gregnesbittmla@mymts.net.

Our government is delivering on our commitments to invest strategically in infrastructure, and to ensure value for taxpayers’ dollars and strong returns on investments.

Over the past year, we have undertaken the most robust municipal infrastructure consultations that Manitoba has seen in decades. These consultations were part of our government’s commitment to give municipalities a fair say on how provincial funding is invested in their communities. What we heard is that water and wastewater infrastructure is critical to growth.

Our government agrees. That is why I was proud to announce an investment of $2 million in a new water treatment plant that will deliver long-term benefits in for the community of Birtle. The Prairie View Municipality will match this provincial funding.

This investment is part of the Manitoba Water Services Board (MWSB) mandate to assist municipalities outside of Winnipeg with the development of water and wastewater infrastructure. This mandate was expanded in our 2017 provincial budget, which added $2 million to the MWSB annual capital plan for a total of $18.8 million this year for new investments. In addition, our 2017 budget includes a record investment of $60 million for water-related infrastructure. This represents a 33 percent increase over last year for flood protection, drainage and other water control infrastructure.

These investments are ensuring that our government keeps its commitment to deliver no less than $1 billion in infrastructure investments annually. In fact, this year’s budget provides a total of $1.7 billion for infrastructure across the province. This is one of the largest infrastructure investments in Manitoba’s history.

Our government is determined to get value for the money we spend. This extends to funding for organizations, as well as municipalities across Manitoba. In some cases this has meant that grants were delayed while due diligence was being done to insure each and every project matched our government’s goals.

I am pleased to report that since our government was elected in April 2016, a total of over $21 million dollars of funding has flowed to the Riding Mountain constituency. This funding consists of $11,800,000 from the federal government and $9,300,000 from the province. Municipalities and organizations have chipped in $5,400,000 as part of cost sharing arrangements.

This funding has been used to support housing initiatives, water and wastewater projects, handi-transit in communities, sustainable development projects as well as Community Places grants to organizations for worthwhile projects across the constituency.

We were elected by Manitobans to fix the financial mess left by the previous NDP government, which had Manitoba on a path to a $1.7-billion deficit by 2019 if the structural deficit had been left unaddressed. However, our government also recognizes that we cannot jeopardize the services Manitobans depend on. That’s why we are committed to continue making strong investments in our communities and in strategic infrastructure across Manitoba.

Greg Nesbitt is the MLA for the Riding Mountain constituency. He can be reached at 204-759-3313, 1-844-877-7767 or by email at gregnesbittmla@mymts.net.

Strengthening of EMS system will improve pre-hospital care in rural Manitoba

 

Manitobans deserve predictable and reliable ambulance service, no matter where they live across our province. As our government improves patient care, we are developing a much more integrated, responsive, reliable and sustainable emergency medical services (EMS) system. One of the new facilities coming through these improvements is planned for the Riding Mountain constituency.

Recently, Health Minister Kelvin Goertzen announced the creation of Shared Health Services Manitoba, an entity tasked with better planning and distribution of health resources across our province so that Manitobans have access to the right care, at the right time, in the right place. Shared Health Services Manitoba will be responsible for physician recruitment, laboratory and diagnostic services and procurement among other areas, and for the management of the EMS system.

Our government is developing a truly provincial EMS system with round-the-clock staffing and reliable ambulance service whose roots lie in a 2013 report commissioned by the previous government (the 2013 Manitoba EMS System Review). However, unlike the NDP, who didn’t act on the recommendations of the report they commissioned, our government is acting on the expert advice in order to provide better care for Manitobans.

Part of our plan includes the construction of five new rural EMS stations to provide strategic coverage for Manitobans and to improve response times. Improved response times are important because paramedics can provide high-quality pre-hospital care to Manitobans who are sick or injured in their time of need.

One of the new EMS stations will be built in Miniota, with EMS facilities in Birtle and Hamiota merged into that location. As part of the reorganization to improve ambulance service and response times with full-time staff, the current EMS station in Rossburn will eventually be closed.

There have been several comments on location of stations and response times. The emphasis is not on bricks and mortar but the time it takes for an ambulance to arrive with paramedics on board when you call 9-1-1 in your time of need. The goal under this plan is for an ambulance to reach the doorstep of 90 percent of Manitobans within 30 minutes 90 percent of the time.

Our government’s investment in round-the-clock staffing will expand our strong provincial EMS network and bring a much more rapid response to emergency calls, while reducing a reliance on on-call and call-back paramedics in rural areas.

Our reorganization and improvement will provide rural Manitobans with much more comprehensive pre-hospital patient care by highly skilled paramedics, as well as an inter-facility transport system that is integrated, reliable and sustainable. We are committed to ensuring all Manitobans have access to emergency medical services when and where they are needed most.

Greg Nesbitt is the MLA for the Riding Mountain constituency. He can be reached at 1-844-877-7767, 204-759-3313 or by email at gregnesbittmla@mymts.net.

In my column last week, I mentioned that our Progressive Conservative team passed 28 government bills and two private member’s bills in three months of hard work at the Manitoba legislature during the recently completed spring session.

Continuing on our path to make Manitoba the most improved province in Canada, we have new laws that will help fix the province’s finances by reducing the deficit, sustain our public services, improve the child welfare system, bring predictability to the minimum wage and save Manitobans money on their power bills, among many other important measures.

After our entire 40-member PC Caucus decided in early March to take a freeze on our MLA salaries until the next general election, we began to work even harder in the House to fix Manitoba’s finances. Our government’s new Fiscal Responsibility and Taxpayer Protection Act ensures financial sustainability for our province with a commitment to smart fiscal management, after the previous NDP administration doubled the provincial debt in just eight years. This new law requires real progress toward balanced budgets through progressively smaller deficits, and includes pay cuts for cabinet ministers who fail to achieve legislated deficit-reduction targets.

With other legislation, we are protecting and repairing the services Manitoba families depend on. The Public Services Sustainability Act brings more certainty to public-sector compensation costs by establishing a rolling four-year period to set a framework for future pay increases. At the same time, we are encouraging our provincial government employers and unions to work together to find savings that can be returned to Manitobans. This balanced and measured approach does not involve wage rollbacks and does not affect workers’ pensions.

Our government is also taking strong steps to better meet the needs of children in care by giving the Children’s Advocate increased powers and responsibilities. The new Advocate for Children and Youth Act expands the mandate of the Advocate’s office beyond Child and Family Services in order to help other vulnerable kids and young adults.

For workers and their families looking for wage predictability, as well as for businesses, we have passed the Minimum Wage Indexation Act that adjusts the minimum rate on Oct. 1 of each year to reflect inflation. We are raising the minimum hourly wage to $11.15 this fall and ensuring regular, predictable increases with a sensible approach that will keep the wage steady in years of negative or no inflation.

As well, we are assisting families and businesses with their power bills through Efficiency Manitoba, a new Crown agency that will develop energy-saving programs. This agency, created with new legislation, will reduce energy bills for consumers and companies after proposed rate increases resulting from the NDP’s mismanagement of Manitoba Hydro.

We completed a lot of important work this past spring. We look forward to returning to the House in the fall, as our government and PC team continue to work for Manitobans by fixing our finances, repairing our services and rebuilding our economy.

Greg Nesbitt is the MLA for the Riding Mountain constituency. He can be reached at 204-759-3313, 1-844-877-7767 or by email at gregnesbittmla@mymts.net