Last year when the NDP government racked up a record $1 billion deficit, Premier Greg Selinger went on a media tour saying over and over again that the massive deficit was simply the result of the 2011 spring flood. No doubt, Mr. Selinger assumed that if he said it often enough people would believe it.
While there is no doubt that the 2011 flood had an impact on the provincial budget and on those Manitobans affected by it, it was always true that not even half of the deficit was a result of the flood. The 2011 flood went from being the flood of the century for many communities in western Manitoba and those living along Lake Manitoba to being the excuse of the century for the NDP government to blame every financial problem on it.
It was helpful last week to get some clarity from the provincial auditor on the true finances of the province. The auditor’s job is to take a non-partisan look at the expenditures and financial practices of the province and to report on them. Last week the auditor reported that less than half of the billion dollar deficit from last year was a result of fighting the flood and paying for the damage. The majority of the budget was simply the result of the NDP overspending and poor financial management.
As the NDP prepare for the new provincial budget, likely to be released in March or April, it is time for them to stop making excuses and to start ensuring Manitoba’s finances start moving back into the black. That is one of the reasons that I was disappointed that the NDP government once again decided not to hold a pre-budget consultation meeting this spring in Steinbach or in Hanover. In the eleven years that they have been in government, the NDP have only ever held a pre-budget meeting in Steinbach or Hanover once.
That is particularly concerning given the fact that both Steinbach and Hanover are among the fast growing and most successful parts of Manitoba. You would think that the NDP government would want to do everything they could to learn and hear from the residents of a region who have been so adept at building successful communities. No doubt residents of the region would have many good suggestions for the NDP on how to bring the province back into balance while ensuring that important services are still being provided.
But it may be that Greg Selinger and his NDP government are not really looking for solutions. We found out last year that they are very comfortable just offering excuses for the deficit. Unfortunately for Manitobans, eventually the excuses run out and all that you are left with is debt and bills that need to be paid.
