With only a few days left until the election, parties and advocates are in the final stages of their plans. Regardless of the outcome of the election CCEDNet will need to continue to develop all-party participation in CED, apply pressure to gain new or leverage existing commitments and create accountability for action or inaction.
 

Party Responses

CCEDNet’s policy questionnaire was sent to all of the main parties. The NDP and the Green Party made it a priority to respond. You can find links to their full responses and a summary of what we heard below. After multiple communication attempts the Progressive Conservatives, the Liberal Party of Manitoba, and the Communist Party of Manitoba did not submit responses to our policy priorities.
 

New Democratic Party (NDP)

Read the full response

Community Poverty Reduction Strategy
The NDP has committed to renew the All Aboard poverty reduction plan and set targets and timelines to reduce poverty within 6 months of being re-elected. They have committed to three of six of Make Poverty History Manitoba’s Priority areas: Targets and timelines, 300 units of net new rent geared to income housing and 12,000 non-profit child care spaces. A commitment to raising minimum wage by 50 cents per year.

Creating Jobs through Social Enterprise
The NDP will continue to work in partnership to implement the Manitoba Social Enterprise Strategy, with $250,000 for both year two and three, implement a $10 million social enterprise loan fund and a government-wide social impact procurement policy to broaden public support for social enterprise.

Building a Green Economy
The NDP have committed to expand the PowerSmart program through PayAsYouSave loans program for energy efficiency upgrades in homes, businesses, and institutions. They have committed to create green jobs (e.g. geothermal, biomass, solar and wind energy projects) through social enterprises, specifically in rural, Northern and First Nations communities.

Investing in Northern Food Security
The NDP will double funding for the Northern Healthy Foods Initiative to increase access to healthy food and self-sufficiency in local economies. They will create a $10 million capital fund to build greenhouses, community kitchens and culinary arts classrooms in Northern schools, a province-wide $500,000 Healthy Foods Initiative Fund for community gardens and kitchens and $120,000 to develop a Manitoba Food Policy with community partners.

Strengthening Community-based Organizations
The NDP will continue to support community-based organizations who work to reduce poverty and create opportunities for low-income Manitobans through multi-year funding of the Non-Profit Organization Strategy. Phase 1 and 2 included support for 168 organizations.
 

Green Party of Manitoba

Read the full response

Community Poverty Reduction Strategy
The Green Party of Manitoba (GPM) has committed to a comprehensive plan through implementing a guaranteed annual income, 300 units of net new rent geared to income housing and 12,000 non-profit child care spaces.

Creating Jobs through Social Enterprise
The GPM “would look favourably on the creation of employment by local community groups like BUILD and be prepared to enter into discussions with those who created the Manitoba Social Enterprise Strategy to learn more about it and identify ways in which it could assist with implementing it.”

Building a Green Economy
The GPM will implement a $50/tonne carbon tax to allocate $166 million to our climate change action plan that includes:

• Public and active transportation options, electric vehicle infrastructure and financial incentives to offset costs of transitions to greener options and the use of airships to connect freight to northern and remote locations.
• Heating efficiency programs and grants to expand geothermal and solar heating and retrofits in residential, commercial and institutional buildings.
• Agricultural emission reduction through on farm systems for manure digestion, biodiesel production and nitrogen fixing, ecological farming practices, and organic farming.
• Minimizing waste through garbage dump methane capturing, household and commercial compost, waterless sanitation systems, and the creation of local industries to make recycled materials into new products.

Investing in Northern Food Security
The GPM supports a guaranteed annual income that “will provide additional income to low income households to better afford healthy foods”. They support local food production, country foods in remote communities and airship development for food distribution in the north.

Strengthening Community-based Organizations
“The GPM would be prepared to meet with experts in the field to understand what existing community-based organizations do in Manitoba, their track record in helping marginalized communities and the challenges they face in strengthening their capacity.” 
 

Community Campaigns

Our members and coalitions have also been busy engaging the parties, looking to raise awareness and get answers from candidates.

Make Poverty History Manitoba created a video highlighting KNOW Poverty, and held a debate attended by over 200 people.

Right to Housing rallied the community to the steps of the Legislative Building to deliver 300 tiny houses, reminding parties that we need commitments to affordable housing.

Disability Matters has run a very effective campaign including one of the best attended debates of the election.

CCPA – Manitoba create an amazing commentary through their UNSPUN Series.

This Friday, you can join to Fight for $15, a rally calling for a higher minimum wage.