Manitoba Minute: Issue 78

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

📅 This Week In Manitoba: 📅

• Manitoba has filed an intervention with the Supreme Court of Canada, arguing that courts should be able to assess whether laws violate the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, even if those laws are shielded by the notwithstanding clause. The filing is part of a legal challenge to Quebec’s Bill 21, which bans public-sector workers from wearing visible religious symbols and uses the clause to protect itself from court challenges. Premier Wab Kinew emphasized that judicial opinions on such laws are important for both protecting religious freedom and informing voters, even if courts cannot strike down the legislation. Manitoba’s submission argues that allowing judicial commentary fosters dialogue between government branches and provides impartial information to the public. The intervention aligns with similar filings from the federal government and British Columbia, which seek limits on provincial use of the notwithstanding clause. Other provinces, including Alberta, Ontario, and Saskatchewan, support Quebec’s position. Manitoba previously indicated it would intervene in any Supreme Court challenge to Bill 21, citing the broader implications for religious freedom in Canada. The case could set a precedent on how the notwithstanding clause is applied and interpreted nationwide.
  
  
• According to the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Manitoba, the province has recorded what appears to be its largest-ever net increase in physicians, gaining 164 between April 2024 and April 2025, bringing the total number to 3,498 province-wide. The growth was driven largely by international and out-of-province recruitment, with more than half of newly registered doctors having graduated from medical schools outside Canada. The remainder were split between graduates from Manitoba and other Canadian provinces. The College also credits expanded medical school and residency seats and efforts to streamline licensing for international medical graduates. While the report highlights progress in addressing physician shortages, Doctors Manitoba noted concerns about retaining more locally trained doctors, who are familiar with the provincial health system but often choose to practise elsewhere. The new total includes 1,672 family physicians, 1,754 specialists, and 72 residents.
  
  
• Speaking of health care, wait times for several surgeries and diagnostic procedures in Manitoba have risen in 2025, nearing or surpassing pandemic levels, despite government pledges to improve access. Cataract and hip and knee surgeries have seen the largest increases, while spinal surgery waits in Winnipeg have shortened slightly. Some patients report long delays that affect daily life and caregiving responsibilities. Shared Health says a new centralized waitlist system now prioritizes those who have waited the longest, which makes public data appear worse even though surgical volumes have increased. Nearly 1,800 more cataract surgeries were completed in 2024 than in 2019, and hip and knee procedures are expected to grow by about 2,000 this year. However, some patients still face waits well beyond national benchmarks. Shared Health plans to release more detailed data through a new online portal by early 2026 and continues to recruit surgeons and expand programs to reduce surgical backlogs.
  
  
• A $1-million report recommending the creation of an independent office to investigate abuse of seniors in care has been on Manitoba’s health minister’s desk since December, leaving its future uncertain. The report followed a 2023 auditor general review that found serious failures at the Protection for Persons in Care Office, including dismissed abuse allegations and years-long delays in investigations. The former Progressive Conservative government had planned to dissolve the office and establish a new independent body, hiring former judge William Burnett to design it. Since the NDP took office, no funding has been allocated to implement the plan, and Health Minister Uzoma Asagwara has not committed to moving it forward. Instead, the government hired more investigators, cleared the office’s backlog, and is creating a seniors’ advocate without investigatory powers. Critics say the report’s delay wastes public money, while advocates argue an independent investigative body is still needed alongside the new advocate.
  
  
• Premier Wab Kinew has announced the Province’s first Manitoba Jobs Agreement, beginning with the construction of four new K-8 schools in Winnipeg’s Devonshire Park and Prairie Pointe, West St. Paul’s Meadowlands, and southwest Brandon. The agreement, created with Manitoba Building Trades, is designed to prioritize local workers on major public projects while setting standards for wages, benefits, working conditions, and safety. It will also require that at least 10% of work hours be completed by apprentices to help grow the skilled workforce. The policy will apply to public infrastructure projects valued at over $50 million. Kinew said the initiative will keep provincial investments within Manitoba while improving construction quality and creating stable jobs. Manitoba Building Trades leaders said it will allow unemployed union members to return to work and help train new workers. The Province plans to extend the policy to future large-scale infrastructure projects.

🚨 This Week’s Action Item: 🚨

The Manitoba Institute has a busy few months ahead - major campaigns, research projects, and accountability initiatives to make sure Manitoba is stronger and freer. 

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Right now, every single donation is being matched dollar-for-dollar, doubling your impact on the work we do. 

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🪙 This Week’s Sponsor: 🪙

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