Manitoba Minute: Arts Funding, Surgical Backlog, and PC Party Candidates

Manitoba Minute - Your weekly one-minute summary of Manitoba politics.

This Week In Manitoba:

• A new provincial bill would require continuing education for provincial judges on topics such as intimate partner violence, systemic racism, and the unique experiences of Indigenous and LGBTQ+ communities. Originally proposed by Liberal MLA Cindy Lamoureux, the initiative gained NDP support and permanent funding to ensure its enactment.
  
  
• Manitoba’s surgical backlog, worsened during the pandemic, remains significant despite recent increases in surgical volumes. Between April 2023 and March 2024, surgical procedures in Manitoba exceeded pre-pandemic numbers for the first time, with over 102,000 surgeries completed. However, Doctors Manitoba reports that this increase has not significantly reduced the backlog, which still totals over 40,000 cases.
  
  
• The Manitoba Arts Council will receive an additional $1 million in funding this year, bringing its total budget to $13.7 million. The Council distributes approximately $8.4 million in operating support to over 100 organizations and $3.5 million in project grants to institutions like the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra and the Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre. Additionally, the Manitoba Centennial Centre Corp. will receive a $500,000 boost, increasing its funding to $3 million.

Last Week In Manitoba:

• The two candidates for leadership of the Progressive Conservative party, Wally Daudrich and Obby Khan, shared their visions for the party and the province at a recent event. Daudrich, a businessman, emphasized fiscal responsibility and small government, stating he would run the government like a business to restore economic growth and address rising crime. Khan, a Fort Whyte MLA, highlighted his readiness to lead, advocating for a “big tent” party that balances fiscal responsibility with social support. He also called for an open dialogue on parental rights in education, aiming to represent diverse perspectives within the party. The PC Party will select its next leader in April 2025.
  
  
• The Manitoba government has announced a freeze on 2025 rental rates for agricultural Crown land leases to keep costs stable for cattle producers. This extension follows a similar freeze in 2024 and aims to help manage expenses for leaseholders. The Province has also extended the deadline for submitting appraisals and improvement costs for expiring leases, aiming to support affordability for Manitoba’s agricultural sector.
  
  
• NFL star Travis Kelce showed his support for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers by wearing quarterback Zach Collaros’s No. 8 jersey on his podcast. Kelce and Collaros, who were college roommates, drew attention when images of Kelce in the jersey quickly went viral. The CFL joined in on the fun with a playful post, and the Bombers celebrated Kelce’s wardrobe choice. Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew invited Kelce to visit the province and bring along his girlfriend, Taylor Swift.