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.
Yesterday's speech from the throne was delivered by Lt. Gov. Peter M. Liba, to open the second session of the 38th Manitoba Legislature, the first full session since the June 3 election. The speech outlined the government's major priorities, including: a new water protection act to set targets for water quality; new one-stop agency to help Manitobans save money through conservation; expanding low-impact hydro and clean energy alternatives like wind and ethanol; legislation dedicating all provincial gas taxes to highways, roads and municipal infrastructure, as well as any new share of federal gas taxes; new education and training to support growing biotech and life sciences sectors; more doctors, nurses and diagnostic technicians; a new Manitoba wait list reduction plan; new resources to fight organized gang crime; reform of the provincial court to tackle backlogs and the "remand culture"; action to reform the legal aid system; and extending summer again in 2004 so students don't return to school until after Labour Day The speech also stated that the government has received the recommendations of the All-Party Task Force on Environmental Tobacco Smoke, which calls for a provincewide ban on indoor smoking in provincial public places and provincial workplaces. The minister of healthy living will introduce legislation that reflects the all-party consensus. The speech also noted the challenges facing the Manitoba economy since last spring: the effect of the BSE crisis and drought on cattle producers and farmers, the severe drought leading to one of the worst forest fire seasons on record and the impact on export sectors due to a rapidly rising Canadian dollar. Despite these pressures, Manitoba has maintained four years of balanced budgets and paid down $384 million in operating debt and pension liability-policies that have earned two successive upgrades in the province's credit rating. The speech pledged that the government will follow through on earlier promises including tax reductions scheduled for 2004: a six per cent personal income tax cut for middle-income earners, bringing total tax cuts to $220 million since 2000; a further reduction in business tax by increasing the small business threshold 10 per cent, meaning more businesses qualify for the small business tax rate which has fallen to five per cent from eight per cent in 1999; and á further cuts in the general corporate income tax, reduced two years ago for the first time in 50 years. Manitoba will also increase the minimum wage by 25 cents an hour, effective April 1, 2004.
