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Manitoba pre-budget community meetings coming soon

The Manitoba Government and General Employees' Union (MGEU/NUPGE) is calling on members to use this opportunity to talk about supporting public services rather than cutting them, and tovoice their opinions on what investments must be made do this.

Winnipeg (13 Oct. 2016) — During the last provincial election in Manitoba, the government ran on a promise to protect and invest in public services. Recently, however, the government has begun to soften its tone on that promise, which is concerning news both for Manitobans and for people who provide public services.

Take your opportunity to tell the government what should be in the provincial budget

The government recently announced it will be hosting pre-budget consultation meetings (October 17–26) in several communities across Manitoba. The government is accepting written or online suggestions as well. 

The Manitoba finance department says this process is “your opportunity to suggest how provincial spending should be prioritized, what innovations should be pursued and what waste should be eliminated.”

How to get involved in pre-budget meetings

The Manitoba Government and General Employees' Union (MGEU/NUPGE) is calling on members to use this opportunity to talk about supporting public services rather than cutting them, and tovoice their opinions on what investments must be made do this.

Should you choose to make a submission, here are some ideas for points MGEU/NUPGE members might want to emphasize:

  • The government ran on a commitment to protect and invest in public services, and Manitobans expect them to honour that commitment and follow through on it (eg. home care, corrections, highways).
  • To ensure public services are there for families, you need to have dedicated professionals delivering those services. When you cut behind the scenes, Manitobans will notice the negative effects to the delivery of services.
  • The government needs to find ways to deal with the budget issues, but they can’t and shouldn’t balance the books on the backs of hard-working families. As well, it's short-sighted to turn to privatization in fiscally challenging times.
  • In a recent survey done by the MGEU/NUPGE this May, 74 per cent of the respondents supported tax increases for people living in households with incomes of over $200,000 in order to protect or improve public services.
  • Furthermore, 74 per cent opposed cutting public services to reduce the deficit.

If you plan on attending a meeting, please pre-register by emailing minfin@leg.gov.mb.ca or calling the Finance Minister’s office at 204-945-3952. The deadline for written submissions is November 9, 2016.

Pre-budget consultation meeting schedule 

  • Monday, October 17 Winnipeg  
  • Canad Inns Transcona, Ambassador Room A, 826 Regent Avenue West, 7 to 9 p.m. 
  • Thursday, October 20, Brandon 1-545 Conservation Drive, Brandon, 7 to 9 p.m. 
  • Friday, October 21, Swan River,  473 Westwood Road, 5 to 7 p.m.
  • Monday, October 24,Thompson 274 Thompson Drive, 1:30 to 3:30 p.m.
  • Wednesday, October 26, Winnipeg, Winnipeg Grand Mosque at 2445 Waverley Street, 7 to 9 p.m. 

NUPGE

The National Union of Public and General Employees (NUPGE) is one of Canada's largest labour organizations with over 360,000 members. Our mission is to improve the lives of working families and to build a stronger Canada by ensuring our common wealth is used for the common good. NUPGE