Manitoba Needs Recall and Referenda

Manitoba Needs Recall and Referenda

With the federal election now behind us, more and more Manitobans are talking about the future of our province.

Across dinner tables, community halls, and coffee shops, people are asking serious questions and exploring bold ideas.

But there’s a problem: In Manitoba, citizens have no way to formally bring forward big ideas or hold their government directly accountable between elections. 

We don’t have recall legislation, which means voters can’t remove MLAs who break their promises or lose the public’s trust. 

And we don’t have citizen-initiated referenda, so even if an issue has massive public support, there’s no way to force a vote unless the government agrees.

That’s not how a healthy democracy should work.

Manitobans deserve the same democratic tools that citizens in other provinces already have.

In Alberta, citizens can recall elected officials and trigger referenda on issues that matter to them.

In Saskatchewan, residents can initiate plebiscites.

And British Columbia has had recall and initiative legislation for over 30 years. 

But, Manitoba is falling behind the rest of the west - and it’s time we caught up.

Fun fact: All four western provinces also had Citizen Initiative laws more than 100 years ago. Manitoba’s Initiative and Referendum Act was in force from 1916 until 1919, when it was struck down by the courts. To be clear, it was only struck down as unconstitutional based on how it worked - the concept of a Citizen Initiative in general isn’t unconstitutional.

We believe the people of this province should have a stronger voice in how it’s governed.

Recall legislation would allow voters to remove elected officials when they no longer serve the public interest. 

Citizen-initiated referenda would give Manitobans the ability to bring important issues forward for a province-wide vote. 

Whether it’s about taxes, healthcare, education, or provincial autonomy, citizens deserve a way to make their voices heard - even when politicians aren’t listening.

This isn’t a radical idea. It’s a basic principle of democratic government: That power should rest with the people.

We call on the Manitoba government to introduce and pass legislation to give citizens the right to recall their elected representatives and initiate referenda on issues that matter.

If you agree that it’s time to put more power in the hands of the people, please sign our petition: Manitoba Needs Recall and Referenda.

Let’s give citizens a real say in their future!