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.
Finance Minister Greg Selinger has released the report of public opinion polling conducted before the release of the 2004-05 provincial budget. "Our intention in commissioning this research was to get further input about the attitudes, perceptions and priorities of Manitobans," said Selinger. "This information, along with the feedback we got through our pre-budget consultations, helped in guiding us along our budgetary process and we look forward to continuing to hear the views of Manitobans on these important issues." Areas probed include perceptions and priorities, health care, taxation and the "New Deal". Some of the significant findings included: 76 per cent of Manitobans believed that the provincial government was doing an acceptable, good or very good job in the previous six months. 81 per cent of Manitobans believed that their personal finances would improve or stay the same over the next year. Health care remained the top priority of Manitobans (51 per cent, well ahead of taxes at four per cent). "Many of these findings confirm the direction the government is already taking. For example, like most Manitobans, health care is our number one priority," said Selinger. Selinger also pointed to two encouraging projections from independent economic forecasters: The eight major independent economic forecasters are projecting an average GDP growth rate of 2.8 per cent in Manitoba in 2004. The eight major independent economic forecasters are also projecting that Manitoba will have the lowest unemployment rate in Canada in 2004. Selinger noted the GDP projection would rank Manitoba the third best in Canada. The research surveys were conducted by Prairie Research Associates between Feb. 5 and 13, 2004. The margin of error for the pre-budget survey of 1,003 respondents was plus or minus 3.2 per cent, 19 times out of 20.
