MLA Morley-Lecomte Introduces Bill Allowing Union Members to Direct Portion of Dues to Charity
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May 14, 2021
MLA Morley-Lecomte Introduces Bill Allowing Union Members
to Direct Portion of Dues to Charity
This week, Janice Morley-Lecomte, MLA for Seine River, introduced Bill 230: The Labour Relations
Amendment Act, enabling union members to direct a portion of dues to a registered charity.
In a news release, MLA Morley-Lecomte said, “This legislation will allow Manitobans who are
members of a union to direct a portions of union dues to registered charities to support these
organizations, while recognizing workers freedom of choice to not participate in politicized union
activities that are conduced on behalf of all members.”
The portion of funds that would be earmarked for charitable donations would only be the portion
of dues that are already earmarked for political purposes. This includes activities such as election
communication expenses, third party partisan activity expenses, or election survey expenses. This bill
would not affect the portion of dues allocated for daily operations of unions.
MLA Wowchuk Introduces Resolution
Recognizing Importance of Manitoba Parks
Rick Wowchuk, MLA for In a news release, MLA the vital importance of
Swan River, was pleased to Wowchuk said, “Our provincial parks to the mental
introduce a Private Member’s provincial parks continue and physical wellbeing of
Resolution (PMR) this week to provide a safe space for Manitobans both during the
acknowledging the vital role Manitobans to explore and pandemic and beyond.”
of Manitoba’s provincial enjoy the outdoors while
parks and commending the connecting with nature,” said
province for its commitment Wowchuk. “I am pleased to
to enhancing accessibility for introduce this Resolution in
all Manitobans. the Legislature to recognize
Province Provides $71 Million for Businesses
Impacted by Public Health Orders
The Manitoba government Response System. This brings Approximately 1,800
announced an increase in its the total program investment restaurants will benefit from this
budget for the Manitoba Bridge to $286 million, which is $86 assistance, totalling $3.6 million.
Grant and a fourth round of up million above the province’s An additional $2 million will
to $5,000 payments for eligible original commitment of $200 also be provided to the Dine-
businesses and organizations million. In Restaurant Relief program
to help protect them through The province also announced to help restaurants shift their
the third wave of the COVID-19 an additional $2,000 top-up for operations toward a delivery
pandemic. restaurants in addition to the model. The Dine-in Restaurant
Eligible businesses that $5,000 Manitoba Bridge Grant Relief Program, administered
received prior bridge grant payment to help cover the costs by the Manitoba Chambers
payments will automatically of food waste, employee wages, of Commerce in partnership
receive a fourth payment of up maintenance or insurance. with the Manitoba Restaurant
to $5,000 beginning as early and Foodservices Association,
as Friday, May 14 and will launched in January 2021 to
be notified of the deposit via provide a rebate to dine-in
email. Through a fourth round restaurants that shifted to a
of payments, the province will delivery model due to public
provide up to $71 million in health restrictions. The program
immediate financial support helps offset costs related to
to eligible small and medium- delivery services, whether a
sized businesses, not-for- restaurant provides its own
profits and charities impacted delivery service or uses a third-
by the #RestartMB Pandemic party delivery company
Province Passes Paid Leave for COVID-19 Vaccine Appointments
This week, the province soon as possible, but could body with representatives
introduced and passed not require a physician’s note of employer and labour
changes to the Employment or medical certificate to avoid organizations. This paid
Standards Code to allow unnecessary burden on the vaccine leave complements
Manitoba workers to take medical system. Employees the recently announced
a three-hour paid leave who need more time to travel Manitoba Pandemic Sick
to receive COVID-19 to vaccination appointments or Leave program, which is
vaccinations. who suffer from vaccine side a voluntary program to
The legislation makes it effects would be allowed to reimburse eligible employers
mandatory for employers to take a longer unpaid leave. for providing paid time off to
allow employees up to three These changes align with employees who are absent for
hours of paid leave each other Western Canadian reasons related to COVID-19.
time the employee requires provinces and received The program covers up to
a dose of vaccine. The wage support from Manitoba’s $600 per employee for a
rate would be fixed at an Labour Management Review maximum of five full days of
employee’s regular wage Committee, an advisory COVID-19 related sick leave.
rate, or the average wage
for employees whose wage
varies, such as those paid
on commission. Employers
would be able to require
employees to provide them
with reasonable verification of
the necessity of the leave as
Province Expands COVID-19 Vaccine Eligibility to 12+
Manitoba made significant
progress in the fight against Over 600,000 doses
COVID-19 this week as the of the vaccine have
age eligibility to book a vaccine been administered
in Manitoba
appointment dropped to
anyone 12 years old and up.
Manitoba is among the first
provinces to lower the eligibility
this significantly. To date, over
Manitobans are encouraged
600,000 doses of the vaccine
to book their appointment
have been administered in online at:
The province announced
Manitoba. Manitobans are www.protectmb.ca
expanded vaccine
encouraged to book their eligibility this week.
appointment online at:
www.protectmb.ca
Manitoba Provides Supports to Address Impacts of Remote Learning on Child-Care
The Manitoba government expected to pay child-care by increasing its monthly
announced $1.9 million to fees during this time, while the investment in personal
support and protect families province provides this funding protective equipment for
and early learning and to these ELCC facilities to the sector by an additional
child-care (ELCC) facilities offset their losses of revenue. $415,000 per month, to
affected by the new move to Families will also retain their increase its monthly allocation
remote learning in Winnipeg child-care spaces during this of protective masks to 1.1
and Brandon as part of the period. The new funding will million from 100,000 and to
province’s public health be provided to the affected raise the daily provision of
measures. facilities in addition to their masks for each ELCC worker
early learning and child-care continued operating grants. to four from one.
facilities that provide school- This announcement builds on
aged care in Winnipeg and the province’s commitment
Brandon will experience of the child-care sector
reduced attendance as to quality care, while also
schools move today to remote ensuring precautions are
learning, which could affect taken to prevent the spread
more than 10,000 school-aged of COVID-19. The province
spaces. Parents of children is further supporting early
in these spaces will not be learning and child care
Province Partners with Xplornet to Improve Broadband Connectivity
Following a competitive with cellphone access. services to Manitobans, as early
tendering process, the as this fall.
Through Manitoba Hydro, the
province announced the
province owns thousands of The Manitoba government,
signing of a memorandum of
kilometres of fibre-optic cable Manitoba Hydro and Manitoba
understanding with Xplornet
across Manitoba, however Hydro Telecom are collaborating
Communications Inc. to connect
much of the network is surplus, to finalize the contract in the
more than 125,000 unserved
unused capacity. The network coming weeks.
or underserved Manitobans to
was created to communicate
reliable, high-speed internet
with northern hydroelectric
services.
facilities and transmit data.
The agreement between
The province led a multi-stage,
the province and Xplornet
open competitive process and
Communications Inc. will
an independent third-party
provide broadband services
fairness monitor oversaw it.
to nearly 30 First Nations,
Through this agreement, the
and approximately 270 rural
government will make this
and northern communities.
surplus capacity available
Additionally, this agreement will
to Xplornet to expand its
also serve 350 communities
broadband and cellphone
Welcoming the Opening of Le P’Tit Paradis Childcare Centre in Windsor Park
Hon. Audrey Gordon, MLA for Diversity Child Care Start- sector, including freezing fees
Southdale, was pleased to Up Grant is targeted towards for three years and supporting
join Families Minister Rochelle community organizations to over 600 new licensed child-
Squires virtually to celebrate develop child care options care spaces through Budget
the opening of Le P’Tit Paradis that address service gaps by 2021.
Childcare Centre, providing meeting the unique needs of
the Francophone in Windsor their families. This facility is
Park with expanded child care licensed for 36 child care spots
options. to serve the community of
This centre was the recipient Windsor Park.
of a $100,000 Diversity Child This announcement builds on
Care Start Up Grant from the the province’s commitment to
Department of Families. The strengthening the child care
Manitoba Reducing Vehicle Registration Fees on July 1
Infrastructure Minister Ron Combined with last year’s province has reduced fees by
R. Schuler announced the 10 per cent reduction, the 20 per cent in two years.
province’s intention to reduce province has reduced fees by Manitobans will benefit from a
vehicle registration fees on 20 per cent in two years. $10 decrease to the existing
July 1 for the second year in a Vehicle registration fees will $139 vehicle registration fee
row by a further 10 per cent. be reduced by an additional as a continued step to reverse
Vehicle registration fees will 10 per cent starting in July, the 30 per cent increase in
be reduced by an additional keeping $15 million in the 2012 implemented by the
10 per cent starting in July, pockets of Manitoba drivers. previous NDP government.
keeping $15 million in the Combined with last year’s
pockets of Manitoba drivers. 10 per cent reduction, the
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