NDP tactics delay provincial budget release

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This article was published 12/03/2020 (2060 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Manitoba’s provincial budget has been delayed following a move by the provincial NDP to block its introduction in the Manitoba legislature.

The budget was supposed to be introduced by Finance Minister Scott Fielding Wednesday afternoon, but several NDP MLAs spoke at length on matters of privilege, running down the clock and blocking it.

NDP Leader Wab Kinew said in an interview the move to speak for hours on points of privilege wasn’t about blocking the budget itself, but about stopping the government from introducing 20 bills the opposition believes are being hastily pushed through.

“Really what we’re blocking is the government’s legislative agenda. They’ve got 20 bills on notice that they’re trying to introduce right now … and these bills will cut schools, pensions, jobs and so we’re blocking those moves. It just so happens the government is trying to sneak those through on budget day,” he said following the legislature adjourning for the day.

Brandon East Progressive Conservative MLA Len Isleifson said the way the NDP blocked the provincial budget was unfortunate, but part of the democratic process.

“If they were legitimate, then fine, but if you make up things just to fit your schedule and your reason for being, doing a reply or even bring a motion … speaking one word at a time just to slow down the clock, I think that’s very disrespectful to Manitobans,” Isleifson said.

“But that’s the democratic process, and we’ll see what happens in four years.”

He said the NDP’s statement the party was trying to block 20 bills from being tabled was “unjustified.”

“They know the way it works … you don’t debate them until you get to see what the bill is about,” he said.

On Wednesday afternoon, Flin Flon NDP MLA Tom Lindsey, Fort Garry MLA Mark Wasyliw, Union Station MLA Uzoma Asagwara and St. John’s MLA Nahanni Fontaine all rose to speak, filling the time until 5 p.m. Each rose one by one, speaking very slowly a few words at time.

Late in the day, Speaker Myrna Driedger appeared frustrated and warned Fontaine against showing disrespect to the legislature by not getting to her point.

“I don’t know if there’s much relevance to repeating the same thing over and over again … just going around in circles four or five times, I don’t know if that’s the point of a matter of privilege,” Driedger said to Fontaine.

Kinew said he has respect for the Speaker and the party will take what she said under advisement in the following days.

“We’re going to consider how we can still carry out our plan in a very respectful way of the Speaker,” Kinew said.

The Official Opposition would be willing to block the introduction of the budget speech in the same way for a few more days, he said.

Isleifson said he is hopeful the budget can be presented today, but the possibility remains the NDP could run down the lock again.

Kinew said the Progressive Conservatives could table the budget without delivering a budget speech, but Premier Brian Pallister dismissed the idea in a late-afternoon press conference. He said the budget speech is tradition and shows respect for Manitobans.

The 2020-21 provincial budget is the Progressive Conservatives’ first budget since being elected a second term in the September 2019 provincial election.

Mayor Rick Chrest and Brandon Chamber of Commerce president Cathy Snelgrove had both travelled to Winnipeg to hear the budget speech.

Brandon West MLA and Central Services Minister Reg Helwer could not be reached for comment on Wednesday afternoon. 

Media in Winnipeg and interest groups were provided the contents of the budget earlier in the day, but are not being allowed to reveal it until the document is presented in the chamber.

The legislature is scheduled to sit today at 1:30 p.m.

» dmay@brandonsun.com

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