Opposition challenges government to extend parental leave

The NDP opposition say the PC government could immediately get behind a bill on extending parental leave to eighteen months and it would be law by Monday. 

Federal government legislation comes into force on December 3rd. It automatically gives workers in federally regulated workplaces such as financial institutions, the public service and transportation companies extended leave benefits. That means the legislation does not cover the majority of Manitoba parents.  

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The NDP want to change that.

Under the federal law, eligible new parents will be able to spread 12 months of employment insurance benefits over 18 months after the birth of a child.

"The [federal] program comes into affect on Sunday. I think the province should just come out and tell us, do they support 18 month parental leave or not?" Kinew told reporters following Question Period Thursday.

The NDP have a private members bill that would create the legislation necessary to extend the benefit to Manitobans, but that isn't the proper route to take, says Growth, Enterprise and Trade Minister Blaine Pederson.

"That's why we turned it over to the Labour Management Review Committee. That's the proper process for it, that's what other provinces are doing right now, they are doing consultative work, Pederson says.

The LMRC has representatives from both business and labour on it and provides advice to government on legislative changes affecting both sides.

There has been concerns about the federal legislation — from both business and labour groups.

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Pederson says he's not fundamentally opposed to an extension of parental leave but doesn't want to "prejudge the consultative process."

But the NDP's Kinew says it will delay, perhaps by many months, the chance for Manitoba parents to stay home longer with a new-born.

"They're hiding," snapped Kinew. "They could pass the bill this weekend if they wanted to."

Kinew accuses the PC government of stalling another report that was referred to the LMRC on minimum wages for security guards.

"They use that process to their own political advantage. In this case it's a delay tactic, it's a stall tactic," Kinew says.

Pederson isn't buying the assertion new legislation could be whipped up over the weekend.

"I think you should ask the two house leaders about that; about moving a bill through three passages, and committee as a whole and bringing in the Lieutenant Governor to give it royal ascent on a private members bill," Pederson says.