Manitoba government withdraws controversial bills during short legislature sitting

Manitoba’s Progressive Conservative government has withdrawn five bills that have run into criticism and were to be passed into law this fall.

Premier Kelvin Goertzen says the government has listened to the public’s concerns and is wiping the slate clean for the Tory party’s next leader, who will be elected on Oct. 30.

The most contentious bill was an overhaul of the education system that would have eliminated elected school boards.

Some of the other bills would have allowed for more private liquor sales and eliminated the automatic right to binding arbitration in labour disputes.

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Goertzen says the next party leader and premier will decide which, if any, of the bills to revive, and says there was public support for expanded private sales of liquor.

The Opposition New Democrats are demanding that both candidates in the Tory leadership race, Heather Stefanson and Shelly Glover, commit to not reviving any of the five bills.

Goertzen was chosen by the Tory caucus to take over the premier’s chair after the retirement of Brian Pallister in September.

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