Kinew promises to balance budget, grow the economy
NDP Leader Wab Kinew, leader of the official Opposition, says if he is elected Premier this fall, his party will balance the provincial budget in its first term and will “set the economic conditions for future growth.”
Among its first steps, should it form government, the NDP commits to “taking politics out of infrastructure” planning by appointing a blue-ribbon panel of experts to advise on the infrastructure investments Manitoba most needs, Kinew told a Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce luncheon May 23.
“The economic horse pulls the social cart,” Kinew said.
Balancing the budget is necessary to ensure the province can afford to provide critical services to Manitobans.
“That’s very important to me and I expect you all to hold me to (the promise),” he said about balanced budget.
But the NDP leader was also firm on the other top priorities his party would set to address: repairing the health care system – recruiting and retaining nurses and doctors – and investing in education.
Kinew said that Manitoba’s strength has always been its diversified economy, but to chart a future of strong sustainable growth, the province must develop the trove of critical minerals the world now is clamoring for – electric vehicles and electronic devices require such minerals.
Manitoba’s ace in the hand is the fact potential trade partners can buy critical minerals from a stable, democratic government that holds to high labour, environmental and human rights standards.
Developing hydrogen for export was outlined as another lucrative pursuit.
Kinew said he would pursue strengthening diplomatic and trade ties with the US, to push back on protectionism and to keep agriculture and manufacturing exports finding markets with ease.
Kinew’s address to the Chamber lunch reprised many of the points he made in a recent meeting with executive members of the MHCA Board of Directors.
“I was glad to hear Mr. Kinew again commit to making infrastructure investments a top priority of an NDP government,” MHCA President and CEO Chris Lorenc said.
