The Reminder is making its archives back to 2003 available on our website. Please note that, due to technical limitations, archive articles are presented without the usual formatting.
The Bank of Montreal has downgraded Manitoba's economic forecast because of the anticipated damage of a higher PST. The announcement, made last week, had the opposition Progressive Conservatives renewing calls for the NDP to back down from its plan to hike the PST to eight per cent effective July 1. 'This NDP government doesn't realize it is forcing people to think hard about spending their money in Manitoba,' Finance Critic Myrna Driedger said. 'Money and investment goes where business can be competitive. The smart money leaves when it has a less stable, high-tax environment, like the one the NDP has created for Manitoba.' The PCs are further chastising the New Democrats for announcing they will accept a taxpayer subsidy for political parties. The NDP brought in the annual subsidy, now worth $1.25 per vote received in the previous election, in 2008. But until now the NDP has not accepted the funding. The PCs have never taken the subsidy and will continue to decline it. PC leader Brian Pallister accused the NDP of claiming the subsidy because the party is falling behind in its fundraising and needed it to keep up with the Tories. The NDP defends the subsidy as a way of creating a level playing field for political parties.
