Stefanson releases PC platform costs afternoon before Manitoba election
CBC
Manitoba Progressive Conservative Leader Heather Stefanson made an appearance in front of reporters in Winnipeg for the first time in 10 days to deliver her party's fully-costed platform on the day before the provincial election.
Speaking to reporters at the party's campaign headquarters on Inkster Boulevard Monday afternoon, Stefanson touted the PC's promises to lower the cost of living for Manitobans, reduce crime and invest in health care — promises which she says are "under threat" from the New Democratic Party.
It was the first time Stefanson had taken questions from the media in more than a week, and the first time in Winnipeg since Sept. 22.
"Next time, I'm gonna take the media with me when I'm outside the Perimeter Highway of Winnipeg, out to Selkirk, to Gimli, to Neepawa, to Dauphin, to Gladstone," Stefanson said when asked about her apparent absence from the province's capital.
It was also the first time Stefanson has addressed reporters since the PCs began running advertisements promoting the party's opposition to a search of a Winnipeg-area landfill for the remains of two First Nations women believed to be the victims of an alleged serial killer.
Indigenous leaders in Manitoba have described the ads as hurtful to the families of the victims.
Stefanson said her "heart goes out to those families," and said her party is focused on trying to prevent similar tragedies in the future, mentioning her party's commitment to give $10 million to Quest Health Recovery Centre — a First Nations-run addictions recovery centre.
"I don't get into the weeds in terms of deciding what goes in our advertising and all these things. We have a very competent, capable campaign team," Stefanson said.
The party estimated its promises would add up to $442 million in new spending over four years.
It also expects surpluses in each of those years of between $88 million and $541 million.
The final audited numbers for the 2022-23 fiscal year projects a surplus of $270 million, for only the second time since 2009. A deficit is projected for the current fiscal year.
Stefanson said the province's financial health is key to all public services.
"We need to be growing our economy, so that there is more money for health care, education, social services," she said.
"That's why in our budget that we released this spring, we made a 9.2 per cent increase to the investments in our health-care system."
