Manitoba Minute: Issue 88

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

📅 This Week In Manitoba: 📅

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• Manitoba has signed a preliminary agreement with the federal government aimed at streamlining approvals for major infrastructure projects, including the proposed expansion of the Port of Churchill. The draft deal would allow projects to undergo a single set of environmental assessments and Indigenous consultations at the provincial level, rather than separate federal and provincial processes. Manitoba’s Environment and Climate Change Minister said the agreement reduces duplication and allows the province to take the lead on approvals. Prime Minister Mark Carney has emphasized faster project approvals to counter economic uncertainty caused by strained US trade relations. Progressive Conservative Leader Obby Khan welcomed the agreement but questioned whether Manitoba is prepared to pursue major projects, noting the lack of a Crown-Indigenous corporation promised by the government and unclear details about its powers. The Port of Churchill expansion remains conceptual, with studies planned to assess railway upgrades, icebreaking needs, and other requirements. The agreement is open for public comment, following similar draft deals signed by Ontario, New Brunswick, and Prince Edward Island.
  
  
• The Association of Manitoba Municipalities (AMM) is urging the province to update rules and provide financial support to address the growing problem of derelict buildings. These abandoned properties are creating safety hazards, increasing crime risks, and placing heavy financial burdens on small municipalities, with cleanup costs sometimes reaching $150,000. The AMM’s resolution calls for streamlined enforcement under the Municipal Act, financial assistance for demolition and remediation, and penalties for negligent property owners. Municipal leaders, including those from Brandon, Thompson, and the RM of Riding Mountain West, say derelict buildings strain budgets, taking funds away from roads, recreation, and infrastructure. Some municipalities, like Brandon, have introduced bylaws targeting abandoned properties, which have reduced fires and encouraged reinvestment. Leaders hope provincial legislation can hold owners accountable and explore options to redevelop or demolish unsafe properties. 
  
  
• A judge has dismissed the Manitoba Wildlife Federation’s request to halt Bloodvein First Nation’s checkstop, which restricts access to Rice River Road during moose hunting season. The checkstop, originally set up to prevent drugs and alcohol from entering the community, has been used to manage hunting on the First Nation’s traditional territory amid concerns about declining moose populations. Justice Theodor Bock ruled that licensed hunters would be “inconvenienced, but not wholly prevented” from hunting, and noted there was no evidence other hunting parties had been blocked. The judge also stated that while Bloodvein has the right to protest provincial hunting licences, it cannot do so through an illegal blockade, though whether the checkstop qualifies as one remains unresolved. Chief Lisa Young emphasized the checkstop’s role in protecting community safety and health, including guiding hunters through hazardous terrain. The Manitoba Wildlife Federation’s request for an injunction failed due to procedural issues, but a separate judicial review of the Province’s hunting buffer zone is still pending. 
  
  
• Premier Wab Kinew has called on Prime Minister Mark Carney to strengthen sentencing and parole rules for serious offenders, following the early release of Shawn Lamb, who was convicted of killing two Indigenous women in 2012. Lamb was released under statutory release, which allows most inmates to leave prison after serving two-thirds of their sentence, a move Kinew described as “not justice” and deeply disturbing. In a letter, Kinew requested harsher sentences for serial killers, a review of the parole board’s composition to ensure diverse perspectives, and oversight for parole decisions in serious violent cases. He emphasized that society should prioritize victims’ safety over the rights of offenders. Advocacy groups for missing and murdered Indigenous women also called for consecutive sentencing in multiple homicide cases, citing Lamb’s release as evidence of systemic gaps in Canada’s justice system. 
  
  
• Manitoba is piloting an expansion of Health Links - Info Santé by adding physicians to the phone service to improve access to primary care and reduce unnecessary emergency room visits. Health Minister Uzoma Asagwara said the change allows patients to speak directly with doctors, helping avoid long waits in emergency departments. The service, previously staffed by nurses who assessed symptoms and provided advice, now enables nurses to transfer callers needing more detailed evaluation to a physician. One doctor has joined the program, with a second to be added in December for overnight coverage, and nurse practitioners are expected to be incorporated in the future. Early results show promise: in the first 10 days, 160 callers were connected to a doctor, and only 10 were sent to the ER. Health Links receives around 400 calls daily, with about 40 normally triaged to emergency care. 

🚨 This Week’s Action Item: 🚨

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