Tories to Table First Budget
It's budget day in Manitoba.
Finance Minister Cameron Friesen is hinting at spending restraint and some possible tax relief, but adds there has not been a lot of time to enact changes since the Tories came to power in April.
The Tories already signalled some of their key budget items during the election campaign.
They include lower ambulance fees, more personal care-home beds and government spending cuts.
Friesen says front-line services will be protected and the savings will come from efficiencies in government operations.
The minister says he plans to move toward a balanced budget, but it will take time because the deficit is currently more than $1-billion.
The Tories are also expected to eliminate a public subsidy for political parties and find savings through a red-tape task force.
The party's biggest campaign promise -- a reduction in the provincial sales tax -- will not be in the budget.
It was promised by 2020.
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More Rain Forecast for SW MB/SE Sask
Rainfall warnings are in place for southeastern Saskatchewan and the very southwest corner of Manitoba.
Environment Canada says another 20-30 millimetres is expected today in an area which includes Virden, Boissevain, and Turtle Mountain Provincial Park.
The weather organization says localized flooding is possible in low-lying areas, and rain will be heavy at times.
The system is expected to taper off this evening.
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Assisted Dying Bill May Not Meet Deadline
The Trudeau government's controversial bill to govern medically assisted death is expected to receive final reading today in the Commons before it heads to the Senate.
But the government admits it might not be able to meet the Supreme Court's June 6th deadline for passage.
MP's voted last night on many amendments to Bill C-14, though all proposed changes were rejected.
And the legislation isn't expected to get an easy ride through the Senate, where some have questioned its constitutionality and others will propose substantive amendments.
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Former MP Thinks It's Time to Move on from Elbowgate
Former MP Keith Martin doesn't think Prime Minister Trudeau should face any more punishment for the flap that erupted this month when he tried to hurry a Conservative MP to his seat, elbowing a New Democrat in the process.
Currently the executive director at the Consortium of Universities for Global Health in Washington, DC, Martin says Trudeau has "apologized profusely'' for the incident and thinks the House needs to get on with the big issues affecting the country.
The Commons' Procedure and House Affairs committee could deal with the unparliamentary behaviour as early as today.
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Elbow Episode Shows Trudeau's Character, Says Manitoba MP
Meanwhile, the Conservative MP for Dauphin-Swan River-Neepawa thinks Justin Trudeau's actions were un-prime ministerial.
Robert Sopuck spoke to CKDM last week. He called the prime minister's behaviour "appalling."
"Mr. Trudeau, the Prime Minister, should've acted like a Prime Minister, waited for Mr. Brown to assume his place, and let the vote begin."
Speaking of last week's G7 summit, Sopuck said what the Prime Minister did did not look good on Canada.
