MANITOBANS WILL HAVE SAFER NEIGHBOURHOODS, FASTER ACCESS TO HEALTH CARE UNDER INITIATIVES INTRODUCED IN FALL SESSION OF LEGISLATURE: HOWARD

December 9, 2010

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Plans Include Family Doctors for All Manitobans, Quick-care Clinics, Winnipeg Police Cadets, More Job Training, Elimination of Small Business Tax, More Provincial Parks

The province focused on speedier access to health care, strengthening the justice system, growing the economy and protecting the environment during the fall sitting of the 39^th legislature, house leader Jennifer Howard said today.

 

“The initiatives we introduced in this sitting build on our five-year plan to guide Manitoba out of the recession,” Howard said.  “The plan, launched earlier this year in Budget 2010, invests in the economy, infrastructure and the environment while reinforcing health care and beefing up crime fighting.”

 

The house will resume sitting in the spring of 2011.

 

Howard said important anti-crime measures initiated during the fall sitting included:

·        legislation passed allowing Winnipeg’s new 30-member police cadet corps to help make neighbourhoods safer,

·        legislation passed denying victims’ compensation to convicted criminals,

·        legislation passed requiring parents to pay the legal aid bills of their children,

·        legislation in effect taking drivers’ licences from drug dealers,

·        legislation passed making impaired driving laws tougher, and

·        legislation passed holding lawbreakers who don’t pay fines responsible for fine collection costs.

 

Health-care initiatives launched included:

·        a commitment to provide access to family doctors for every Manitoban by 2015,

·        a commitment to establish quick-care clinics staffed by nurse practitioners,

·        announcement of a new one-stop location for addictions and mental-health services,  

·        introduction of legislation which would restrict prescription of narcotics and other controlled drugs,

·        provision of more addictions beds for women seeking treatment,  

·        adoption of incentives for doctors who agree to practise in rural and northern parts of the province,

·        announcement of a new clinic for northwest Winnipeg, and

·        legislation introduced which would extend workers compensation health coverage for firefighters and paramedics.

 

Economic initiatives launched included:

·        elimination of the Small Business Tax on Dec. 1,

·        reduction in rates of Workers Compensation Board premiums for businesses and workers,

·        passage of legislation allowing unrestricted shopping when Boxing Day falls on Sunday, and

·        opening of a one-stop centre for immigrants to help augment the successful Provincial Nominee Program.

 

Initiatives to help train youth for the jobs of tomorrow included:

·        introduction of legislation which would require all Manitobans to pursue their education through the age of 18,

·        creation of the Manitoba Youth Corps to connect 2,500 Manitoba youth to mentor and job opportunities and create nearly 350 jobs for at-risk youth, and

·        adoption of a new policy allowing for penalties for late student assignments and clarifying that schools have the right to fail students for poor performance.

 

Initiatives to help families and individuals included:

·        the launch of a website to help Manitobans get information about private pension plans, 

·        creation of a 24-7 elder abuse hotline,   

·        $10.7 million for construction of new affordable housing for families and people with disabilities, and

·        passage of legislation to provide leave from work for immigrants to attend citizenship ceremonies.

 

Initiatives to benefit the environment included:

·        creation of two new provincial parks,

·        passage of legislation allowing for creation of the Polar Bear Centre, and

·        introduction of legislation which would strengthen rules governing pig barns and other large livestock operations. 

 

Initiatives for rural and northern communities included:

·        unveiling of a world-class water bomber for northern firefighting,

·        creation of a new, $1-million small communities transit fund,

·        announcement of $2.3 million in funding for innovative agriculture research,

·        announcement of consultations with municipalities on a new municipal bridges program,

·        announcement of a new hospital for Notre Dame du Lourdes,

·        introduction of a new grasslands project to keep pollutants out of Lake Winnipeg,

·        construction of a new dialysis service for Berens River,

·        opening of a new Workers Compensation Board office in Brandon, and

·        provision of improved compensation for producers who lose livestock to wildlife. 

 

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