The Manitoba NDP and Liberal parties were entrenched in another day of election campaign fervor, making platform declarations on Sunday in anticipation of the forthcoming provincial election.
Liberal leader, Dougald Lamont, chose the serene environs of King’s Park, near the University of Manitoba, as his backdrop to discuss potential tuition relief for post-graduate students. Lamont claimed a firm commitment from the Manitoba Liberals to bring financial respite to local graduates, in the form of debt relief, should they remain within the province. This would be possible, he shared, through a revival of the previously suspended Tuition Rebate Program.
According to the proposed Liberal Plan, graduates who commence employment in Manitoba following graduation could expect a rebate, amounting to as much as 60% of pertinent tuition fees. The program also seeks to restore health coverage for international students, whom Lamont maintained, well deserved their entitlement to Medicare. He further reasoned, “As they form the largest potential segment of future permanent residents and immigrants in Manitoba, they too are Manitobans.”
In an attempt to sway NDP supporters, Lamont added, “Every election, the NDP maintains that they are the only ones capable of taking down the PCs. However, this doesn’t mean one has to vote similarly each time.” He urged Manitobans to place their faith in the Liberals, implying that their party best reflected the values of the populace, as opposed to other parties.
Meanwhile, NDP leader, Wab Kinew, was found outside the Health Sciences Centre (HSC), where he unveiled his plans to construct a new CancerCare facility. “We pledge to construct a brand new, state-of-the-art CancerCare headquarters right here on the HSC campus,” Kinew announced.
He indicated that the establishment of a modern CancerCare Manitoba facility has been overdue, its construction having been halted by the PCs’ withdrawn funding in 2017. He further stated, “Not only did the PCs disrupt the building of this new facility, they also sliced funding to CancerCare by $2.5 million.”
Presently, CancerCare has to utilize its own operating capital to rent space from other HSC buildings to cater to its patients. Kinew aims to replace this with a self-contained CancerCare unit, which would facilitate increased cancer screening, ramp up early detection and expand clinical trial capabilities. Moreover, it would limit the necessity of out-of-province treatments for Manitobans.
Kinew emphasized, “The aim here is to ensure that more people can access care closer to home.” The election to observe who will emerge victoriously and form the forthcoming provincial government is scheduled for October 3.