Manitoba Liberal Party

DMV2016 asked each leader after the Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce Debate on April 14, "What is your message to DMV2016 supporters before Election Day?" 

Priority Issue: A Fully Accessible Manitoba

Is your party committed to the full and timely implementation of the Accessibility for Manitobans Act (AMA) that was passed with all party support in December 2013?

Yes, the Manitoba Liberal Party remains in full support of the Act and its intended effects.

Will your party commit to establishing standards in the following areas during the next term in office: employment, transportation, information and communication, and built environment?

Yes, the MLP is committed to seeing that the AMA takes effect in all the intended areas.

What will your party do to ensure that organizations follow the standards that are developed.

Regulation and compliance will be part of the development of the standards as intended by the act, developed in consultation with all stakeholders. That will take time, but it’s worth doing and worth doing well.

Priority Issue: Fair Wages for those Serving Manitobans with Intellectual Disabilities

What will your party do to ensure a stable, fairly paid and qualified work force providing service to Manitobans with intellectual disabilities?

Making sure psychological and psychiatric services are covered under medicare will provide more professional mental health support for Manitobans with intellectual disabilities. Expanded home care support in the health care system will also make more resources available. 

Will your party commit to eliminating the wage disparities currently in place for Disability Support Workers?

Competitive pay and benefits will be part of the reforms planned for home care and support workers. Best practices will be followed. 

Will your party commit to implementing standards and equitable wages for all Disability Support Workers comparable to other caring professions in Manitoba?

Competitive pay and benefits will be part of the reforms planned for home care and support workers. Best practices will be followed. 

Priority Issue: Timely Access to Services for Manitobans with Disabilities and their Families

What will your party do to ensure the comprehensive reduction of wait times for disability services?

Cutting wait times is a priority of the Manitoba Liberal Party throughout the health care system. Many of these initiatives would benefit people with disabilities including,

A plan to make psychological and psychiatric services available to all by covering it under medicare;

A focus on home care to reduce pressure on hospitals and provide better health care outcomes and increased dignity for the disabled and seniors;

The Manitoba Liberal Party will reduce the unacceptably long wait times for applied behavioural analysis for children with autism, through a $3 million increase in annual funding.

Will your party commit to a transparent and accountable system of measuring and publicly reporting on progress towards reductions in wait times for disability services?

The Manitoba Liberal Party is committed to improving information technology within the health care system and making e-health function as intended. Where there are investments in disability services, a Liberal government will ensure that timeliness and other milestones are tracked and met.

Priority Issue: Unleashing the Employment Potential of Persons with Disabilities

What will your party do to ensure equity in employment for Manitobans with disabilities within the Government of Manitoba?

The MLP supports employment equity in the workplace, wherever one’s unique abilities can best be used to their potential. All human rights will be respected.

What will your party do to realize the employment potential of persons with disabilities with the broader provincial economy?

The MLP plan to turn student loans into grants will increase the number of disabled persons able to access post secondary education and the employment possibilities that come with it. 

What will your party do to ensure that Manitobans with disabilities are promoted to the business community as valuable and viable contributors to the workforce?

A MLP government would partner with the Society of Manitobans with Disabilities and other stakeholder groups including industry groups to promote the employment of disabled people. 

Priority Issue: Dignified Incomes for Persons with Disabilities Facing the Most Profound Barriers to Workforce Participation

What income level does your party see as being socially acceptable for Manitobans with severe and prolonged disabilities who face profound barriers to labour market success?

We believe all Manitobans should be viewed the same way and that is why we have a minimum wage.  Whether that minimum wage is a living wage will be debated long after this election is over, and that is why we have committed to study and implement a Basic Income if we find this make sense both fiscally and socially.  This will allow people a basic income and to supplement that income without penalty until they reach a level where it is clearly no longer needed.

Will your party commit to introducing an alternative income program for Manitobans with severe and prolonged disabilities during the next term in office?

We will work with stakeholders to ensure all Manitobans are seen for their ability and not their disability.  We will establish supports for those that need it most and if our study on Basic Income or Mincome is successful we will implement that to ensure those who need full supports have it.