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Manitoba Government Withdraws Five Anti-Social BillsOn the day Kelvin Goertzen was sworn in as the interim Premier of Manitoba, he announced that five anti-social bills that had been presented to the legislature in the spring session would be withdrawn. Goertzen takes over from Brian Pallister who resigned as leader of the ruling Conservative Party. The next provincial election will be in two years and Goertzen will remain as Premier until he is replaced by a new Conservative leader. The timing of the choosing of a new Conservative leader has not been announced.
The legislation that has been withdrawn is Bills 16, 35, 40, 57, and 64. Bill 16 would have stripped away workers' right to have their contract settled by an independent arbitrator after 60 days of a strike or lockout. Bill 40 would have opened the door to large-scale privatization of liquor sales in Manitoba. Bill 35 would have allowed the provincial cabinet instead of the non-partisan Public Utilities Board to determine hydro rates. Bill 64 would have abolished elected school boards. Bill 57, the Protection of Critical Infrastructure Act, would have prepared the ground for all-out criminalization of workers, environmentalists, social justice advocates, Indigenous people and anyone fighting for their rights under the guise of prohibiting 'interference' with critical infrastructure. The definition of critical infrastructure in the legislation was so broad that it criminalized the right to speak and organize on everything from pipelines, railways, personal care homes and any infrastructure the use or presence of which "makes a significant contribution to the health, safety, security or economic well-being of Manitobans." Although the bills have been withdrawn there is no guarantee that they will not be reintroduced in future as the government continues on its anti-social course of restructuring to hand over everything to narrow private interests and to criminalize all opposition. Manitobans have not been passive since the bills were introduced and remain vigilant. (Photos: MGEU)
This article was published in Article Link:   Website: www.cpcml.ca Email: editor@cpcml.ca |
The five bills
had been deferred to the fall session of the
legislature. They were met with broad
opposition with workers, environmental
activists and others determined to have them
withdrawn.