In today’s Speech from the Throne, Premier Heather Stefanson laid out the PC government’s agenda to kick-off the next session in the Manitoba Legislature.

There were promising words that the government will address important areas of concern for MGEU members through a commitment to recruit and retain staff in the Civil Service and to review previously planned changes to rural health care. In the speech, the province said:

“As we move forward, we will continually look for ways to improve our government programs and services, health-care and education systems and to increase inclusivity through all areas. Our government and Manitobans are well served by civil servants and public sector workers. Too often, their contributions are taken for granted. We know they are critical if we are to succeed in fulfilling our priorities, implementing our programs, and achieving our vision for the benefit of all Manitobans. We will recruit and retain the best possible talent to continue to serve Manitoba.”

“We were pleased to see an acknowledgement that critical staffing shortages in the Civil Service are hurting provincial public services and the Manitoba families who count on them,” said MGEU President Kyle Ross. “We’ll be looking for this new Premier to follow through on the commitment in this Throne Speech to recruit and retain in the public service.” 

The demand for public services is growing, yet provincial cuts over the past five years have left the Civil Service with 2,600 fewer employees to do the work. Our members have been left to do more with fewer and fewer resources. 

“Manitobans need strong public services now more than ever as we fight through this fourth wave of the pandemic,” said Ross. “Our members continue to show up to deliver these services, but they need a government that also shows up and works on their side -- not against them. We will be looking for the next provincial budget to back up today’s promising words with real investments in public services and the people who provide them.”

Other Throne Speech commitments that impact MGEU members include:

  • Re-examining the reforms planned for rural health-care;
  • Improving access and co-ordination of mental health and addictions services;
  • Introducing a homelessness strategy this winter;
  • Expanding funding for Family Violence Shelters;
  • Increasing investments in education and training;
  • A new funding formula with post-secondary institutions to "encourage the desired outcomes;"
  • Expanding ICU capacity and striking a surgery-backlog task force.

Ross says that MGEU members, who continue to meet the needs of Manitobans, both on the front lines and behind the scenes as the pandemic drags on, are looking for a firm commitment to stop the ill-considered privatization schemes and cuts that have defined the last few years. 

“We’ve been through this long enough now to know that cuts and privatization are not working,” he said. “Hopefully today’s promising words will turn into meaningful change for the better. MGEU will continue pressing the province to support and hire more people to do the work of providing provincial public services.”