Manitoba Election 2023: Leaders Survey

Each provincial election we reach out to the leaders of major political parties at the time the election is called and ask them key questions about their platforms and plans for small businesses and the economy should they form the next government.

This year, we asked the following 12 questions:

• If elected, what is your government’s specific plan to improve affordability around the cost of doing business for small business owners?
• If elected, what is your government’s plan to foster a better tax environment for small businesses in Manitoba (i.e. plans for the small business tax rate, fuel taxes, the health and education tax levy, education property taxes and the provincial sales tax)?
• If elected:
  1. What is your government’s specific plan to reduce the debt burden, and
  2. Does your government have a timeline in place to reach a balanced budget (please include specific timeline if available)?
• If elected, do you have a specific plan to reduce red tape for small businesses?
• If elected, what is your government’s specific plan to address the financial burden of energy and/or utility costs on small businesses?
• If elected, what is your government’s specific plan to lessen the burden of fuel costs?
• If elected, what is your government’s specific plan to address labour shortages in the province?
• If elected, what is your government’s specific plan regarding the minimum wage moving forward?
• If elected, what is your government’s specific plan, if any, to introduce either mandatory employer-paid, or government-funded paid sick days?
• If elected, what is your government’s specific plan on potentially introducing a new statutory holiday?
• If elected, what is your government’s specific plan to address concerns surrounding crime and community safety for small businesses?
• If elected, what is your government’s specific plan to increase competition in product distribution and/or provide wholesale pricing on alcohol?

Party leaders were issued the survey on September 5^th and given until September 21^st to answer.

You can view leader's responses as we received them, unedited, in the links below. Responses are presented in alphabetical order.

• Green Party of Manitoba (GPM)
• Manitoba New Democratic Party (NDP)
• Manitoba Liberal Party (MLP)
• Progressive Conservative Party of Manitoba (PC)