Wage Freezes?

Earlier this week the NDP government announced that it would be asking provincial civil servants to take a wage freeze for the next two years as a way to help reduce the NDP government’s record deficit of $600 million.

That shouldn’t have come as a surprise as many governments across the country are taking similar measures as a result of a reduction in revenues coming to government. This may very well be a measure that needs to be taken but it is important, if nothing else than for the sake of credibility, that the NDP ensure it has also eliminated waste and poor spending from its own government decisions. In fact, over $1 billion in needless spending has been identified as a result of just two poor decisions made by Premier Greg Selinger and the NDP government.

A savings of $640 million could be realized simply by the NDP allowing Manitoba Hydro to build a new hydro transmission line along the east side of Lake Winnipeg instead of the west side that the NDP government is demanding. The eastern route is the shorter, cheaper, more secure and more environmentally friendly route.

Another $350 million could be saved by the NDP government reversing its decision to force the City of Winnipeg to remove nitrogen from its waste-water. The scientific community has been clear in saying that the removal of nitrogen will do nothing to protect Lake Winnipeg and in fact it could do some harm. The Mayor of Winnipeg has sided with the scientific community and has asked the NDP to reverse this decision and save millions of dollars.

These two decisions alone would help to save the province nearly $1 billion. For the Selinger government to approach the civil service asking for a wage freeze with any credibility it has to also show that it is doing things within its power to reduce wasteful spending.

Paging Dr. Phil!

Late last year the NDP government announced it would be spending $250,000 on television ads that were going to be directed at high-risk teenagers to try to scare them out of gangs. From the beginning, I doubted this advertising would have an impact on gang members and that it was more likely going to be targeted at adults to try to convince them the NDP were getting tough on gangs.

Sadly, that appears to be the case. Information released last week shows that the majority of the ads did air on programs that have primarily adult audiences. Shows like, Dr. Phil, Jay Leno, Canada AM, The CBC National News, CTV News, Ellen, The Price Is Right, Global News etc., etc.

I doubt the NDP believe many gang members are watching The Price Is Right. Instead it is likely they wasted a quarter of a million dollars on an ad campaign that was nothing more than political propaganda.