Last month Premier Greg Selinger was ranked last among all Premiers in the country on financial management ability. No doubt that was a bit embarrassing for Manitoba’s former finance minister.
So undoubtedly he was looking for an endorsement from someone, anyone, that he was doing a good job running the finances of Manitoba. And he found it.
This week Premier Selinger was summoned to Ottawa for a meeting with federal NDP leader Thomas Mulcair. And after the meeting, Mr. Mulcair went before the assembled media and declared that Greg Selinger is making Manitoba an economic success. That’s an interesting endorsement.
Many would suggest that what success Manitoba is having is a result of the entrepreneurs of the province and the workers who succeed in spite of the NDP government. In fact, a close look at the NDP track record when it comes to finances makes it clear the NDP have been anything but successful with the finances.
Currently the NDP are running a $600 million annual deficit. This after having doubled the provinces debt since coming to office. Just as concerning is the fact the NDP have no idea when the province’s books will be back in balance. At first they promised to do it by 2014 but as soon as the last provincial election was over, they broke that promise and now have no idea when we might be back in the black.
The only thing going up faster than the debt under the NDP are taxes. Just last spring Greg Selinger increased taxes by the highest amount in a quarter century. Manitobans now pay higher taxes than the residents of almost all other provinces. In addition, the provincial sales tax has been extended to products such as home insurance. It all adds up to the conclusion that what success Manitoba is achieving isn’t because of the NDP government, but in spite of it.
So why was Thomas Mulcair so quick to sing Greg Selinger’s praises? The obvious answer is that they are from the same political party but more precisely it is clear they think the same way when it comes to the economy. It is Mr. Mulcair who would like to introduce a carbon tax that would take $20 billion out of the pockets of Canadians. The federal NDP under Mr. Mulcair’s leadership would like a new sales tax and want to add $56 billion in new spending. Sounds a bit like the NDP plan in Manitoba, just on a bigger scale.
Mr. Selinger had to travel to Ottawa in an effort to find support for his financial management and he finally found an ally in NDP leader Thomas Mulcair. That’s a team that Manitoba just can’t afford.
