[Canada] Call for Premier to support Manitoba’s taxpayer protection legislation

In Manitoba, Canada, the Canadian Taxpayers Federation is calling on Premier Wab Kinew to support Bill 235, the Fiscal Responsibility and Taxpayer Protection Amendment Act. 

The bill cuts politicians’ salaries if they try to bypass the province’s taxpayer protection legislation.

“No government should be allowed to hike taxes without asking for taxpayers’ permission in a referendum,” Gage Haubrich - CTF Prairie Director - said. “Manitobans already pay the highest provincial taxes in Western Canada and can’t afford to send a dollar extra to the provincial government.”

Progressive Conservative finance critic Lauren Stone reportedly introduced the bill in the legislature.

It amends Manitoba’s taxpayer protection legislation to cut ministers’ salaries if the government attempts to increase the rates of income tax, the retail sales tax or the payroll tax without the required referendum.

If a bill is introduced to repeal, override, or suspend the referendum requirement, 50 per cent of a minister’s additional salary would automatically be cut. 

If the government passes the bill, ministers will lose that additional salary until the next election.

Greg Sellinger - the former NDP premier - reportedly bypassed the referendum and raised the RST in 2013 after promising not to during the 2011 election.

Premier Wab Kinew increased Manitobans’ income tax bills by bringing back bracket creep in Budget 2025. 

Bracket creep is a tax hike which increases tax bills by bumping the province’s taxpayers into higher tax brackets through inflation.

“Taxpayers need more than a government’s promise not to raise taxes,” Mr Haubrich added. “Kinew needs to support this bill to prove to Manitobans that he won’t hike their taxes again.”

Source: Canadian Taxpayers Federation

(Quotes via original reporting)

In Manitoba, Canada, the Canadian Taxpayers Federation is calling on Premier Wab Kinew to support Bill 235, the Fiscal Responsibility and Taxpayer Protection Amendment Act. 

The bill cuts politicians’ salaries if they try to bypass the province’s taxpayer protection legislation.

“No government should be allowed to hike taxes without asking for taxpayers’ permission in a referendum,” Gage Haubrich - CTF Prairie Director - said. “Manitobans already pay the highest provincial taxes in Western Canada and can’t afford to send a dollar extra to the provincial government.”

Progressive Conservative finance critic Lauren Stone reportedly introduced the bill in the legislature.

It amends Manitoba’s taxpayer protection legislation to cut ministers’ salaries if the government attempts to increase the rates of income tax, the retail sales tax or the payroll tax without the required referendum.

If a bill is introduced to repeal, override, or suspend the referendum requirement, 50 per cent of a minister’s additional salary would automatically be cut. 

If the government passes the bill, ministers will lose that additional salary until the next election.

Greg Sellinger - the former NDP premier - reportedly bypassed the referendum and raised the RST in 2013 after promising not to during the 2011 election.

Premier Wab Kinew increased Manitobans’ income tax bills by bringing back bracket creep in Budget 2025. 

Bracket creep is a tax hike which increases tax bills by bumping the province’s taxpayers into higher tax brackets through inflation.

“Taxpayers need more than a government’s promise not to raise taxes,” Mr Haubrich added. “Kinew needs to support this bill to prove to Manitobans that he won’t hike their taxes again.”

Source: Canadian Taxpayers Federation

(Quotes via original reporting)