Minimum wage hike, youth work experience, pensions for child-care workers and more rural apprenticeships among speech's promises
Manitoba is focusing on creating a skilled and dynamic workforce and preserving and building on services such as health care, education and training, according to the province's throne speech.
The speech, read by Lt.-Gov. Philip Lee, focussed on innovation, trade, education, health care, security, quality of life, green initiatives and rural communities.
The province will eliminate the small business tax on Dec. 1; expand the Manitoba Innovation Council; provide small business incentives for women and young people; promote trade with Brazil, Russia, India and China; create a Manitoba Youth Corps to provide mentoring opportunities and work experience for young people; and create a new pension plan for child-care workers to be implemented Dec. 1.
The speech also promised to establish quick-care clinics, staffed by nurse practitioners, and that everyone will have convenient access to a family doctor by 2015.
The province will hire more Crown prosecutors and introduce more community-based policing. The speech also promised to increase the minimum wage and update the ALL Aboard poverty-reduction strategy.
The province will also expand efforts to reduce greenhouse gases and provide better access to Red Seal apprenticeship designation in rural and remote areas.
More highlights and the complete speech from the throne are available online.
