Kinew says gas tax holiday, Portage Place renovation announcement are coming soon
Manitoba premier also pledges to launch 2 promised public inquiries within a year
A gasoline tax holiday and some form of provincial commitment toward True North Real Estate's proposed Portage Place renovation are coming in the next few weeks or months, suggested Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew, who also pledged to launch a pair of promised public inquiries within his NDP government's first year.
Speaking to reporters at the Manitoba Legislative Building on Monday, Kinew said his new government should be able to quickly follow through on an election promise to temporarily eliminate the 14-cents-per-litre gasoline tax.
"I think that the gas tax measure is probably the thing that we will do first and the specific details of that, we will have more to say about very soon," the premier said following a swearing-in ceremony for all 34 members of the NDP caucus.
Kinew also strongly suggested his NDP government will follow through on the former PC government's support of a True North purchase of Portage Place with the purpose of transforming it into a downtown community campus.
Former premier Heather Stefanson suggested in May the province would assist the project by offering tax incentives toward the proposed $550-million renovation as well as by signing long-term leases within a 15-storey medical tower that would rise above the easternmost segment of what's now a mall.
Kinew did not get into specifics but said there will be an announcement before the end of 2023, which is the deadline for True North to pull the trigger on a purchase of Portage Place, the parkade below it and the air rights to build above it.
"I can confirm that we'll have news to share before the end of the year," Kinew said.
The premier also promised to launch public inquiries into Manitoba's COVID-19 response as well as the City of Winnipeg's procurement and construction scandals before Oct. 3, 2024, which is one year after the NDP wrested power away from the PCs.
The precise scope of the inquiries and their budgets still have to be determined, he said.
"The previous government always made excuses and what we're saying is we're gonna cut through that. We're just going to give you, the people of Manitoba, an opportunity to hear some answers and most importantly some recommendations on how do we avoid a situation like this in the future," Kinew said.
Kinew also defended his government's decision to ask a newly-appointed Manitoba Public Insurance board to negotiate a settlement of a 56-day-old strike rather than allow it to be settled via binding arbitration, something that becomes an option in four days.
"We're big believers in 60-day binding arbitration, but we inherited a situation where the clock was already around the 50-day mark and so we're committed to creating a bit of time here because we believe that the best place for these situations to get resolved is at the bargaining table," Kinew said.
The 22-member Progressive Conservative caucus also got sworn in on Monday but the party's interim leader, former premier Heather Stefanson, chose not to speak to reporters.
Fort Whyte PC MLA Obby Khan spoke in Stefanson's place but declined to offer any opinion about the way the NDP government is handling the MPI strike.
Khan also danced around the question as to whether he will run to become PC leader once the party holds a contest to replace Stefanson. The PCs intend to hold a leadership race within a year to 18 months.
"This is the first I've heard of it, from you," Khan said after his PC caucus colleagues were sworn in. "I'm kidding, you can still make jokes with the media."
With all parties preparing to return to the legislative chamber, NDP Leader Kinew said he's not ready to joke around with the PCs. He said he's still upset with the Tory election campaign, which relied heavily on negative advertising.
"My message to the PC party will be that they should explain why they campaigned on division and to account for the choices they've made," Kinew said.
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