Disappointments continue for our MLAs in southwestern Manitoba in yesterday's Provincial Budget 2025.
"Very disappointed," says Riding Mountain MLA Greg Nesbitt. "A lot of recycled announcements from when we were in government, things that the NDP cut when they came into office and now are renouncing again. So, while I'm happy to see them going ahead, it's really not much of a new news budget."
"But rural Manitoba was pretty much left out of this budget," says Greg Nesbitt.
"To be quite honest, I see very little that's going to benefit a lot of the rural ridings," shares Nesbitt. "I see a 12% cut to infrastructure spending which is going to affect roadways and bridges and things like that in rural areas. Yes, they've announced some new schools around the province, but again, most of them were announced when we were in government, and they put them on hold."
Nesbitt says a few rural areas are seeing funding for schools like Neepawa and St. Anne.
"But rural Manitoba was pretty much left out of this budget," he says. "There was no mention of rural in the budget. There was no mention of agriculture in the budget. Very disappointing for a rural MLA."
Nesbitt says there was no real plan in the budget to deal with tariffs other than setting aside $500 million if and when the tariffs hit. "But of that $500 million, there's only $100 million ear-marked agriculture., and you know how important agricultural is to Manitoba and especially to the people who live in rural Manitoba, the farmers out there."
"And I just keep hearing from constituent after constituent about the canola situation and how we have to do something," he adds. "And so, it's very disappointing on my end that I hear no reference to agriculture in a budget when agriculture makes up such a big part of the gross domestic product here in Manitoba."
"We need more police in rural Manitoba as well, so that wasn't addressed at all," says Nesbitt.
Nesbitt says the budget did not address the rise in rural crime. "There was no mention of any increases in in helping with policing costs in rural Manitoba given the crime situation, it's not just in Winnipeg. They announced 12 new Winnipeg police positions. But no mention of RCMP or Brandon City police. Anything like that, they've added a couple $1,000,000, so you can buy some more doorbells for your homes. I guess that's their idea of home security," he adds.
"So that's a little frustrating too. I mean, crime is getting worse in rural Manitoba. And as you well know, the RCMP are stretched to the limit. We need more police in rural Manitoba as well, so that wasn't addressed at all. And I mean I if they're going to leave that all on the backs of the municipalities to try to, fund additional RCMP officers that's going to impact on local taxation as well."
"And municipalities are under pressure too, and that's the first person they go to, if there's increasing crime rate in the area, they're talking to their mayors and Reeves and counselors and things like that. So that that was disappointing to me as well.
"Like I said, there was very little for rural Manitoba in this budget."
"Some of this will become clearer as the days go by ... but I think Manitobans can expect higher hydro rates, they'll be paying more income tax moving forward, they're going to be paying more educational property tax, they're not going to be getting any more police protection, and I don't see much on the highway's front in rural Manitoba."
Please listen to more with Greg Nesbitt below.