The NDP government was forced to defend its crime and public-safety strategy Wednesday, after critics pointed to funding cuts for some Manitoba Justice services in this year’s budget.
Some new measures unveiled Tuesday in the province’s 2024-25 fiscal plan were met with mixed reviews, while Premier Wab Kinew promised to improve safety in all communities.
“Our overall approach is we’re going to be tough on crime, but we’re also going to be tough on the causes of crime,” Kinew said at an unrelated news conference.
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Premier Wab Kinew was forced to defend the 2024 budget Wednesday after critics pointed to funding cuts for some Manitoba Justice services in it.
Kinew said the budget contains a combined $20 million in increased spending on policing and prevention.
He insisted new measures in other areas, such as health care and education, will also help to reduce or prevent crime.
“When we get to the question of how do we prevent that garage break-in in the future? How do we prevent the really unfortunate tragedies that have become all too common? That’s where we need to do things like the universal nutrition program in schools,” he said.
“Let’s create a path for a young person to stay in school and become a positive, contributing member of society instead of the alternative that’s become too common for too many young people.”
During question period, interim Liberal leader Cindy Lamoureux cited a nearly $4-million cut to the community correction services budget, alongside cuts to the Manitoba Criminal Intelligence Centre, the Justice Department’s crime prevention office and the family resolution service.
She pressed the government to create a comprehensive strategy to prevent intimate partner violence.
Progressive Conservative justice critic Wayne Balcaen, a former Brandon police chief, pointed to some of the same cuts, along with a reduced budget for the Independent Investigation Unit civilian police watchdog and freezes for the Manitoba Prosecution Service and Legal Aid.
“It just shows that not only are they soft on crime, they are absolutely weak on the causes of crime,” Balcaen told the Free Press.
Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs Grand Chief Cathy Merrick raised concerns about a $600,000 reduction in Victim Services salaries and employee benefits.
“This funding is crucial in supporting families affected by violent crimes,” she said in a statement.
After question period, Justice Minister Matt Wiebe said the province is putting money “into where the need is.”
“It just shows that not only are they soft on crime, they are absolutely weak on the causes of crime.”–Justice critic Wayne Balcaen
Despite cuts in some areas, he said justice spending increased by three per cent, and the public safety division saw an eight per cent hike, compared with 2023.
“We want to make sure the money we’re committed to is being spent in a way that actually delivers on better public safety,” said Wiebe.
Kinew said some types of crime hit record highs or reached levels not seen in years while the Tories were in office.
Budget highlights include $31.7 million for programs to link youth with supports, $20 million for a missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls and Two-Spirit strategy, $6.3 million for a public-safety strategy with a focus on youth crime prevention and $4 million to hire up to 25 mental-health staff to work alongside police.
Coun. Markus Chambers, chair of the Winnipeg Police Board, said the measures are in line with council’s priorities.
“I’m really happy to see these commitments in the budget,” said Chambers (St. Norbert-Seine River)
Kam Blight, president of the Association of Manitoba Municipalities, said the public-safety basket saw a “zero increase” for municipalities.
AMM members were hoping to see new measures in line with the NDP’s promise to get “tough” on crime.
“A common murmur has been they felt it was lacking,” said Blight.
He said the AMM will work with the government to address municipalities’ concerns about matters such as property crime and repeat offenders.
The province also pledged to build at least 350 social and affordable housing units, set up a supervised drug consumption site in downtown Winnipeg and open more detox beds.
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Community activist Sel Burrows said Winnipeg’s core neighbourhoods still lack recreation facilities and other opportunities for kids, which drives them to crime.
Community activist Sel Burrows said Winnipeg’s core neighbourhoods still lack recreation facilities and other opportunities for kids.
Burrows said programs that support at-risk youth must operate beyond typical working hours, and he also called for a crackdown on money laundering and further efforts to restrict bail for “dangerous offenders.”
The province has vowed to bring in an unexplained wealth act. Its plan to bolster Crown bail policies was criticized as “redundant” by Balcaen.
A $300 rebate for home and business security systems featured prominently in the budget announcement.
SeoRhin Yoo, Manitoba-based policy analyst for the Canadian Federation of Independent Business, said the rebate is a “step in the right direction,” but it might be “insufficient” to entrepreneurs dealing with repeat offenders or smashed windows.
CFIB had been hoping for a program similar to one in B.C. that offers as much as $2,000 to help cover vandalism repairs and up to $1,000 for security equipment.
Blight said the camera rebate puts the onus on households or businesses.
“That is not addressing crime,” he said. “And that is what we want to see… measures addressing crime.”
When images of crimes are recorded, follow-through is necessary to identify and arrest the perpetrators, said Burrows.
Yoo welcomed funding that is intended to address “root causes” of crime, but she hoped for more support for rural businesses.
“More security presence would be appreciated by small businesses in those areas,” she said.
— with files from Carol Sanders
chris.kitching@freepress.mb.ca
Chris Kitching
Reporter
As a general assignment reporter, Chris covers a little bit of everything for the Free Press.