Manitoba Minute: Issue 69

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

📅 This Week In Manitoba: 📅

• The Manitoba government is doubling its inventory of GPS ankle monitors from 100 to 200 with a $1.2 million investment, aiming to enhance public safety by tracking people on bail or community sentences. The program, initially introduced in 2008, was scrapped in 2017 due to concerns over effectiveness but has been reinstated and expanded under the NDP government. The devices can accurately track an individual's location and issue alerts if they violate court-ordered conditions. A new smartphone-based curfew monitoring system is also being launched to supervise lower-risk individuals more efficiently. Officials say these tools help reduce the burden on police and provide reassurance to victims, particularly in domestic violence cases. The expansion will bring monitoring to more communities, including northern Manitoba. While officials acknowledge the devices aren’t foolproof, they stress their value in supporting compliance and rehabilitation. Local leaders, including Brandon’s mayor, have praised the move and called for broader bail reform.
  
  
• More than 6,000 Manitobans have been forced from their homes as wildfires continue to burn across the north. The province is preparing for thousands more, with shelters in Winnipeg already housing around 1,300 evacuees. Additional space for up to 7,000 more is being readied, including cot setups at the RBC Convention Centre downtown. Fire crews say they’re holding the line for now, but officials warn conditions can change rapidly. The city of Thompson remains on high alert, with over 13,000 people told to be ready to move quickly. This marks the second major wave of evacuations this summer after a brief reprieve in June. Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew visited evacuees and emphasized that contingency plans are in place as weather remains unpredictable.
  
  
• Speaking of the wildfires, Premier Wab Kinew has committed to launching an internal review of Manitoba’s response following the province’s worst fire season in three decades. The review will examine firefighting coordination, emergency sheltering, and northern infrastructure, with consultations planned across impacted communities. Kinew floated ideas like expanded runways for evacuation aircraft and new sheltering strategies. This year’s fires have burned over 10,000 square kilometres, displaced 12,000 people, and cost more than $50 million to date. Indigenous leaders have criticized the provincial response for being slow and poorly communicated, while the Opposition has pushed for an external consultant. Kinew said the Province must consider how to manage disasters more effectively in the future, not just wildfires but floods as well.
  
  
• The Manitoba NDP has announced or reannounced at least $334 million in funding for projects in southwestern Manitoba ahead of a required byelection in Spruce Woods, a historically conservative riding. Premier Wab Kinew and cabinet ministers have made several appearances in the region since May, drawing accusations from the Progressive Conservatives of trying to “buy votes.” Kinew denied any connection between the announcements and the pending vote, though he previously suggested he was delaying the call until the NDP was more competitive. Political observers say the timing is raising eyebrows, even if the projects are worthwhile. The byelection must be held by September 16th, and the seat has been vacant since March. The PCs have already nominated Colleen Robbins as their candidate, while the Liberals have named Stephen Reid. The NDP has not yet publicly identified its nominee.
  
  
• Manitoba’s Ethics Commissioner has cleared Innovation and New Technology Minister Mike Moroz of insider trading and conflict of interest allegations. The Progressive Conservatives accused Moroz of using insider information when he sold Telus shares following a 911 outage that was linked to the company. However, the commissioner found no evidence Moroz made any decisions involving Telus or had access to non-public information. The report confirmed that his knowledge came from publicly available documents and media reports. Moroz sold 500 shares for just over $10,000, incurring a personal loss. The 911 outage in March was linked to the death of a man in Fisher Branch, sparking further scrutiny. The ethics investigation concluded that expressing concern to Telus did not amount to making a government decision.

🚨 This Week’s Action Item: 🚨

Are you passionate about protecting Manitoba's freedoms, lowering taxes, and holding government accountable? 

Join the Manitoba Institute’s growing team of dedicated volunteers and help us make real change happen in our province. Whether you have a few hours a week or just want to help out at events, your time and skills can make a big difference. 

Sign up today and be part of the movement to build a freer, stronger Manitoba.

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