Last week the Manitoba NDP government brought forward its annual Throne Speech. It kicked off what will be one of the shortest fall sessions (although fall is mostly a memory at this point) that the Manitoba Legislature has seen in recent times.
Given the dysfunction that is currently being demonstrated within the NDP cabinet and caucus, there were serious doubts that the Manitoba Legislature would sit at all during the remainder of 2014. And while the NDP did manage to put together a Throne Speech and commit to a two week sitting of the Legislature, it is clear that this is a government that is both internally divided and struggling to govern.
The Throne Speech contained mostly announcements and promises that have been made before. As they have for 15 years, the NDP promised to fix the problems in our child welfare system. They also committed to addressing the child care space shortage, a promise they’ve made for 15 years. Even the few new commitments the NDP did make in the Throne Speech caused confusion, as there is uncertainty who will be in the Premier’s chair to try to fulfill them.
Premier Greg Selinger has already said that he will put his leadership at stake in a leadership contest in March. But because he is determined to remain as Premier even as he campaigns to keep the job, it is hard to know what part of the Throne Speech was designed to benefit Manitobans and what part was designed to benefit Greg Selinger the leadership candidate.
It’s one of the reasons that so many people have said it is a discredit to the office of Premier of Manitoba to have an individual running as a candidate for leadership at the same time they are holding the office of Premier. It is unprecedented in Manitoba political history and really unheard of in Canada because it leads to many questions about how the resources and time of the Premier’s office are truly being used.
The lack of credibility for this Throne Speech is also a result of the fact that it’s difficult to trust a government that has mislead Manitobans so many times. In fact, it’s not just political opponents who are saying this. Five senior Minister’s in the NDP government resigned saying they themselves no longer trusted their leader or his government. When those that are closest to the government express a lack of trust it is hard for anyone else to have much faith in what is said.
Because of the dysfunction within the NDP government it was a Throne Speech that lacked credibility. And the dysfunction and mistrust doesn’t serve Manitobans or the Legislature well.
