Lieutenant Governor Janice Filmon delivered the speech on Wednesday
By Diego Flammini
Staff Writer
Farms.com
The agricultural industry and rural Manitoba received some mention during Wednesday’s throne speech.
Lieutenant Governor Janice Filmon delivered the remarks at the Manitoba Legislature to set the stage for what Premier Brian Pallister’s government hopes to accomplish over the next four years. The province’s residents recently awarded Pallister his second straight majority government.
After winning re-election, Premier Pallister announced his intentions to remove education property taxes within 10 years.
Manitobans now know when that process will begin.
Citizens “need more tax relief sooner, not later, and your government will provide it,” Filmon said during Wednesday’s throne speech. “The phased elimination of the education property tax, paid by individual Manitobans, will begin next year.”
Phasing out the tax could save the average homeowner more than $2,000 per year, the premier said in November 2019.
Another notable item for the ag community is the government’s plan to host a protein summit in 2021.
The provincial government held its first summit in 2019 to address the increasing interests in plant and animal proteins.
“Your government will host a Protein Summit next year to assert our global leadership in sustainable protein production,” Filmon said during the throne speech. The government “will invest further in sustainable water and irrigation management to maintain Manitoba’s agricultural advantage.”
The Pallister government promises to continue its work through the Made-in-Manitoba Climate and Green Plan.
The government released its plan in 2017 and looks to reduce carbon emissions.
The government promises “new initiatives to reduce carbon emissions across all sectors of our economy, building on our clean energy advantage,” the lieutenant governor said Wednesday. The government “will invest in natural infrastructure projects and release a provincial water strategy aimed at making the most of this vital resource sustainably.”
Manitoba’s water strategy hasn’t been updated since 2003.
The provincial government also promises to honour 4-H.
The first 4-H club in Canada started in Roland, Man. in 1913.
Recognizing that legacy is part of Premier Pallister’s agenda.
“Your government will honour the values of head, heart, hands and health by establishing a 4-H scholarship endowment strategy that will help provincial and local organizations to provide these unique opportunities for young Manitobans.”
Farms.com has reached out to industry groups for comment.