Statement by MFL President Kevin Rebeck on the Pallister government’s Throne Speech:

Manitobans are concerned right now. They are concerned about keeping themselves and their loved ones safe from COVID-19. They are concerned about their jobs, and they are concerned about the future.  

People are waiting far too long to get a COVID-19 test, forcing them to wait in their car for hours and put their jobs on hold. Working families want to see tangible results that bring these wait times down as we continue to see rising cases of COVID-19 in our province. But making COVID-19 testing easier was barely mentioned in this speech.  

Working families also want to see a plan for rebuilding our province, one that creates good, mortgage-paying jobs. This needs to include expanded non-for-profit, affordable child care to allow parents to get back to work.  

We do give the Pallister government credit for one thing: we are glad to see them commit to the calls from labour unions to institute a paid sick leave program for Manitoba workers. Ensuring that all workers can stay home when they are sick without losing pay will play an important role in stopping the spread of this virus.