Manitoba government introduces election bill ahead of scheduled 2027 vote

An election in Manitoba is not scheduled until Oct. 5 of next year, but the province’s two major political parties have started laying some of the groundwork.

The NDP government introduced a bill in the legislature Thursday that would require candidates to reveal, in writing, whether they have been penalized for violating the conflict of interest law.

This comes after three Progressive Conservatives in the former government were found to have done that in relation to a proposed silica sand mine in 2023. 

The province’s ethics commissioner ruled the three wrongly tried to get environmental approval of the project after the Tories lost the 2023 election and before the NDP was sworn in. One of the three, Jeff Wharton, remains in the Tory caucus.

“This bill enhances transparency to the public around past ethics violations by current and former (legislature members) if they choose to run again for office,” Justice Minister Matt Wiebe said.

The bill mirrors a law passed by the former Progressive Conservative government in 2019 that required people to disclose past criminal convictions — a move that was seen as targeting NDP Leader Wab Kinew, who had received a record suspension for past crimes.

The Tories showed election preparation Thursday by making their first campaign promise. 

A Tory government would almost double the amount of income people can make before being subject to income tax — called the basic personal amount — to $30,000 from the current $15,780. It would be the highest threshold among the provinces.

The Tories said they have estimated how much the tax cut would cost the provincial treasury in lost revenue but do not plan to reveal it until closer to the election.

They said the change would help people struggling with the rising cost of living.

“Families are working harder than ever before but they feel that they are falling further and further behind,” Tory finance critic Lauren Stone said.

The NDP said the tax cut would primarily benefit people in higher tax brackets. They accused the Tories of caring more about millionaires than lower-income earners.

Kinew, who became premier in 2023, has floated the idea of an early election at times.

He told reporters last fall that he had considered a snap election when a government bill on detaining people on methamphetamines looked like it might not pass.

Kinew later said he would not call an election in 2026, but has since responded to questions by saying he is focused for now on health care, affordability and other issues.

The governing New Democrats have consistently held a strong lead in opinion polls and have been raising much more money than the Tories. 

The Tories have suffered setbacks including a byelection loss in Tuxedo — a longtime stronghold — and the departure from caucus this week of Bob Lagasse, who now sits as an Independent in the legislature.