PCs Launch Marathon Debate to Demand Affordability for Manitoba Families
WINNIPEG — Manitoba Progressive Conservatives are holding a marathon sitting at the Legislature, fighting for meaningful affordability measures for Manitoba families, seniors, low-income earners, and students. PCs have been debating the NDP’s budget implementation bill (known as BITSA) through the night, since Tuesday afternoon.
“We’re urging Premier Wab Kinew and his NDP to adopt meaningful affordability measures in their budget bill,” said Obby Khan, Leader of the Official Opposition. “For months, we’ve been calling on the NDP to double Manitoba’s Basic Personal Exemption to $30,000. That increase would save families up to $3,000 every year. That’s $250 per month. We will continue calling for this increase until Kinew and his NDP finally listen.”
The debate over the NDP’s budget implementation bill stretched through Tuesday night into Wednesday morning, with PCs pointing out that the NDP’s removal of the PST on junk food, pop, and prepared meals would only save Manitoba families less than $100 per year according to the government’s own estimates.
“Manitoba families are suffering under the highest overall inflation and food inflation in Canada,” said Midland MLA Lauren Stone, PC Critic for Finance. “The latest numbers from Statistics Canada show that the affordability crisis is getting worse in Manitoba. Inflation keeps going up in key categories like food and transportation. These are necessities many Manitobans can no longer afford under this NDP government.”
PCs vowed to continue to debate on behalf of Manitobans looking for affordability relief.
“Wab Kinew has a choice to make,” said Khan. “He can collaborate with PCs and make life more affordable for Manitoba families, seniors, low income-earners, and students—or he can shut down debate and stick to his junk food tax cut. For the sake of families suffering under this affordability crisis, we hope he chooses collaboration to make affordability a reality for Manitobans.”
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