PCs Call on NDP to Prioritize Action Against Domestic, Gender-Based Violence; Introduce Bills to Cut Red Tape for Farmers, Municipalities
WINNIPEG — In addition to reintroducing an anti-stalking bill today, Progressive Conservatives are calling on Wab Kinew to make addressing domestic and gender-based violence a priority for his NDP government, after over two years of inaction.
“In order to end domestic violence and the MMIWG crisis, we have to treat them as serious, urgent threats to our society,” said Selkirk PC MLA Richard Perchotte. “Rural Manitoba has the highest rate of intimate partner violence in all of Canada. This makes the NDP’s lack of action especially concerning and tells Manitobans that domestic violence is not a priority for the Kinew NDP—particularly after the issue was entirely left out of their throne speech.”
In contrast, PCs continue to prioritize Manitobans’ safety. Today, Perchotte introduced Bill 212, The Highway Traffic Amendment Act (Stalking-Related Measures), which allows courts to impose an automatic driver’s licence suspension on people convicted of criminal harassment (i.e., stalking) if a vehicle was used in committing the crime. The bill also authorizes police to seize and impound a vehicle if officers discover that the person using the vehicle was committing criminal harassment. The legislation was originally introduced in the spring, only to be killed by the NDP.
“Stalking is often a continuation of intimate partner violence, with many stalkers fixating on their partners and ex-partners in an attempt to exert control,” said Perchotte. “Bill 212 would help impede such dangerous behaviors and prevent further victimization.”
The NDP have also failed to act on Clare’s Law for the second year in a row. Introduced and passed by PCs in 2022, Clare’s Law informs Manitobans if their partner has a history of domestic or sexual violence. After ironing out regulations, Clare’s Law was set to be proclaimed and take effect at the end of 2023. Now two years later, Families Minister Nahanni Fontaine has yet to proclaim the legislation. As Domestic Violence Awareness Month comes to an end, PCs are urging the NDP to both support Bill 212 and finally proclaim Clare’s Law to signal a commitment to take action against domestic violence in Manitoba and protect victims.
To further help Manitobans, Morden-Winkler MLA Carrie Hiebert reintroduced The Retail Sales Tax Amendment Act today. Bill 208 reduces red tape and the paper work burden for agriculture retailers and farmers when claiming the Retail Sales Tax exemption for farm business inputs, products, and supplies used in a farming operation. The bill would allow an agricultural retailer to obtain a farmer’s identification number that can be used in place of an in-person or digital signature by retailers when recording farm purchases.
La Vérendrye MLA Konrad Narth introduced Bill 222, The Highway Traffic Amendment Act (Speed Limits on Provincial Roads), which allows towns to set the speed limits on provincial roads running through their communities. Bill 222 reduces red tape and supports an Association of Manitoba Municipalities resolution brought forward by a group of towns and cities who have identified that community growth and development is outpacing the government’s regulatory process for adjusting speed zones.
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