Manitoba’s Members of the Legislative Assembly are putting off their summer plans as the Tories are doing what they can to delay the passing of Bill 20, the bill to raise the Provincial Sales Tax.
Tory house leader, Kelvin Goertzen has been granted a filibuster, or the opportunity to speak for an extended period of time, in opposition of the bill. Opposition leader Brian Pallister said, “$1,600 dollars per Manitoba household of additional tax over the last two budgets is a considerable amount of money. The PST comprises a big portion of that. We think that money is better left in the hands of Manitobans who work for it.”
The PST was originally slated to increase from 7 per cent to 8 per cent July 1.
Goertzen plans on passing the time by listing the thousands of items covered by the tax. He expects the filibuster to start at some point in the week starting June 10.
Manitoba is also one of the few provinces with mandatory public hearings on all legislation. Hundreds of people have signed up to get their minimum ten minutes. Those hearings have not been scheduled.
The legislature normally breaks for the summer on the second Thursday in June. NDP house leader, Jennifer Howard said the government is prepared to sit through the summer if need be. Premier Greg Selinger said, “we’ve got a lot of work we want to accomplish and we’re keen to be there to get the work done to make sure Manitoba is a better place.”
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