Jackson named education critic in PC shuffle

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This article was published 13/03/2024 (918 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Manitoba’s Progressive Conservatives shuffled their shadow cabinet on Tuesday, a move that included a new role for a Brandon-area MLA.

Spruce Woods MLA Grant Jackson, elected last fall to replace the retiring Cliff Cullen, was named the party’s new education and child care critic. He is also the deputy house leader for the PCs.

The previous critic was Luc du Bonnet MLA Wayne Ewasko, who has since been appointed as the party’s interim leader after Heather Stefanson stepped down.

Jackson was formerly the party’s critic for Manitoba Hydro and the Public Utilities Board. Those roles are being taken over by Fort Whyte MLA Obby Khan, who is keeping the finance and public service critic roles.

Reached by phone Tuesday, Jackson said he believed he was still getting the hang of his previous portfolio but he’s “very honoured” that Ewasko thought he is up to the task of taking on education.

“As we know, this is the future of the province of Manitoba that we’re talking about here, when we’re talking about the issues that are facing this file,” Jackson said. “I have a lot of work to do not to get up to speed on all the various aspects of it.”

For priorities, Jackson listed funding and child-care availability as two things he’ll be keeping an eye on.

He said the NDP’s decision not to keep the freeze on education property taxes instituted by his party was a step backward and said the current government didn’t increase operating grants to schools by a sufficient margin.

“We’re one of the last provinces to fund education that way and it’s mostly on the backs of farmers, which we think is not fair,” Jackson said. “They’ve said that they’re revamping the education funding model. We haven’t seen anything on that, so we’ll certainly be watching their upcoming budget on April 2.”

In early February, Education Minister Nello Altomare announced his government would reveal a new funding model for school divisions around the same time next year.

On child care, Jackson said his party got more than halfway toward the goal of building 26,000 new spaces by 2026 after it signed a funding agreement with the federal government and he’ll be looking to make sure the NDP delivers on the remaining half.

On Monday, the Winnipeg Free Press reported that Manitoba Education had changed course and reinstated provincial exams for Grade 10 and 12 students after announcing their cancellation earlier this month.

While Jackson said his party is glad the government reversed its decision, he wondered why the decision had been made in the first place after the item was not part of the NDP’s election campaign.

Jackson set a personal milestone in the Manitoba legislature on Monday, introducing his first private member’s bill for first reading.

If passed, Bill 202 would establish April 26 as “Community Foundation Day” in Manitoba to honour community foundations like the Souris Glenwood Foundation and the Brandon Area Community Foundation.

He said he believes the staff and volunteers at community foundations deserve a day for their accomplishments to be recognized.

Another Westman representative, Turtle Mountain MLA Doyle Piwniuk, is now critic for Manitoba Public Insurance and Efficiency Manitoba on top of also serving as the caucus whip.

Piwniuk served as infrastructure minister under Stefanson.

Dawson Trail MLA Bob Lagassé is now the Tories’ sport, culture, heritage and tourism critic on top of his existing position as critic for francophone affairs.

Carrie Hiebert, MLA for Morden-Winkler, is now the critic for mental health and keeps her position as housing, addictions and homelessness critic.

Finally, La Vérendrye MLA Konrad Narth is now transportation and infrastructure critic as well as remaining critic for Manitoba Liquor and Lotteries.

“With the wisdom of our veteran MLAs and the energy of our newly-elected members, we have a strong team bringing new ideas to the table, challenging Wab Kinew’s tax-and-spend ideology, and being a voice in the legislature for all Manitobans,” Ewasko said in a media release sent out by the party.

“Despite having seven years to develop a plan, Wab Kinew’s NDP have yet to show Manitobans that they have any idea on how they’ll deliver and pay for their $3-billion election promises.”

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