Manitoba Minute: Issue 97

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

📅 This Week In Manitoba: 📅

• Premier Wab Kinew announced that a major energy company is showing interest in expanding the Port of Churchill and Arctic shipping, though he did not name the company. The Province is preparing to sign a non-disclosure agreement to allow detailed discussions to continue. Kinew has promoted upgrades to the rail line and port as a way to enhance Arctic sovereignty, create an alternative shipping route, and potentially transport western energy, offering a solution to a dispute between Alberta and British Columbia over oil shipments. The port faces challenges, including limited ice-free seasons, remote rail access, and storage constraints, but renewed interest has been sparked by trade disputes with the US. The federal government has funded a study on specialized icebreakers and vessels at the port, which Kinew asked Prime Minister Mark Carney to expedite. Manitoba has also invested $51 million in rail improvements and a critical-minerals storage facility at Churchill to support future development.
  
  
• Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew says the ongoing dispute over Crown Royal whisky with Ontario could be resolved if Diageo, the parent company, provides Ontario Premier Doug Ford a “path forward.” The conflict began after Diageo announced it would close its Amherstburg, Ontario, bottling plant and move operations to the US, prompting Ford to threaten removing Crown Royal from LCBO stores unless the company replaced lost jobs. Kinew emphasized that both premiers are focused on protecting workers and suggested Diageo should make concessions to de-escalate the situation. While a resolution has not yet been reached, Ford has indicated flexibility if Diageo presents a plan to preserve employment, and some displaced workers have already secured new jobs in Windsor.
  
  
• Manitoba’s Education Minister Tracy Schmidt has ordered all 37 school divisions to ensure their teachers hold proper certification after a former Steinbach Regional Secondary School teacher was charged with luring a child under 16 and invitation to sexual touching while apparently working without a valid teaching certificate. The teacher had previously held limited teaching permits, which allow uncertified teachers to work temporarily with required criminal and child-abuse checks, but he did not obtain full certification and continued teaching after his permit expired in fall 2024. The Hanover School Division says it followed all provincial protocols but did not renew his permit, expecting him to secure full certification. Schmidt’s directive requires divisions to verify that all teachers, including those with limited permits, have current authorizations and up-to-date record checks. The case highlights the challenges of relying on limited permits, particularly in rural areas where certified teachers are harder to recruit.
  
  
• A new report estimates Manitoba physicians spend an average of 9.7 hours per week on administrative tasks - above the national average of 9.1. Based on a survey of nearly 2,000 doctors, the report argues 47% of this work is unnecessary and could be eliminated, simplified, or delegated. It is estimated that cutting unnecessary paperwork could free up 660,000+ hours annually, described as capacity equivalent to 326 doctors. It also says reassigning tasks that can be delegated could free capacity equivalent to 199 full-time physicians. Doctors Manitoba President Dr. Nichelle Desilets said paperwork pulls doctors away from patient care and that reducing the burden could improve access and help retain physicians. Some identified sources of unnecessary work include system processes, insurers, government forms, pharmacies, and electronic records. Proposed fixes include streamlining referrals and test ordering, simplifying forms, interoperable records, and using AI scribes for clinical notes. The Province has also signalled plans to eliminate some sick notes for short absences.
  
  
• Premier Wab Kinew defended the new Manitoba Jobs Agreements (MJA), saying the framework ensures local workers benefit from government-funded projects without discouraging competition. The first projects under the MJA, including four new schools in Winnipeg and Brandon, are starting this week, with six contracts already awarded evenly between union and non-union firms. The framework sets targets for hours worked by Manitoba workers, equity groups, and apprentices, and aims to provide predictable planning for contractors. While Kinew emphasized the policy is open to all qualified bidders, the Winnipeg Construction Association warned it is too early to declare success, citing potential lower competition, higher costs, and project delays. Manitoba Building Trades argued the framework will reduce disruptions and ensure projects stay on schedule, though it requires contractors to plan and coordinate differently. The schools are expected to open in fall 2027, and the redevelopment of Victoria General Hospital’s emergency room is also set to begin soon.

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