As they traded barbs, passed bills and emptied their desks in the chamber Monday, both sides of the Manitoba legislative assembly claimed victory as they rose for the summer break.
“I’m proud of our team,” government house leader Nahanni Fontaine told reporters after question period. She said the NDP is accomplishing what it set out to do.
“Manitobans elected our government to make transformative change, to do what’s in the best interest of Manitobans,” the member for St. Johns said.
MIKAELA MACKENZIE / FREE PRESS FILES
Manitoba families minister Nahanni Fontaine says the NDP is accomplishing what it set out to do.
“We’ve got some really good bills that will provide safety for Manitobans, will address crime, will address access to reproductive health and changes to (social assistance),” the families minister said.
On Monday, she introduced Bill 38 – An Act Respecting Child and Family Services (Indigenous Jurisdiction and Other Amendments), just before the house went on break until Oct. 2.
Fontaine said it’s needed to make legislative changes necessary to support Indigenous nations on path to assuming jurisdiction for child welfare. In 2020, the federal Bill C-92 affirmed the rights of First Nations, Inuit and Métis to exercise jurisdiction over their own child and family services.
Fontaine said her bill wasn’t introduced until the end of the spring sitting because she had to do her “due diligence” first and consult with Indigenous organizations to make sure they approved of it.
The Progressive Conservatives said Monday that they’ve proven they’re ready to be back in power.
“I think definitely this session for us as a government-in-waiting was a very good session,” said interim leader Wayne Ewasko.
He said the NDP in its first year has made several “missteps” and broken promises on such things as reducing violent crime.
“We have more work to do to hold them to account,” he said.
He said the Tories are pleased that two of their private member’s bills were to receive royal assent Monday. Bill 201 — the Manitoba Emblems Amendment Act (Provincial Stone), designates Tyndall stone — the mottled dolomitic limestone quarried near Garson and Tyndall — as the official stone of Manitoba.
Bill 211 — the Drivers and Vehicles Amendment Act (Manitoba Parks Licence Plates) that makes a licence plate available that includes the words “Manitoba Parks” along with an associated graphic. Money collected from the plates may be directed to a charity that supports projects in provincial parks.
carol.sanders@freepress.mb.ca
Carol Sanders
Legislature reporter
Carol Sanders is a reporter at the Free Press legislature bureau. The former general assignment reporter and copy editor joined the paper in 1997. Read more about Carol.
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