A retired Pallister wasn't forgotten in question period's fall return

Retired Premier Brian Pallister was nowhere to be found at the Manitoba Legislature today, but his name was on a lot of people's lips during the first question period of the fall sitting.

The NDP took many opportunities Wednesday to draw comparisons between the current Progressive Conservative government and the former premier whose popularity plummeted in his waning months in elected life.

"We all know the damage that Brian Pallister caused to this province," NDP Leader Wab Kinew said.

"That's why he's no longer sitting in this chamber. That's why those members chased him out of his office," Kinew said, pointing to the Tory MLAs on the other side of the chamber.

"They need to tell Manitobans: do they support his plan, or not?"

Kinew was arguing that the provincial budget — which the government is striving to pass in an abbreviated six-day fall sitting — is an extension of Pallister's harmful agenda.

Five bills trashed

Meanwhile, new Premier Kelvin Goertzen called out Kinew for maligning a budget with significant new investments toward health care and education.

Taking over as premier after Pallister's departure in September, Goertzen has referred to himself as a "caretaker" until the Progressive Conservatives select a new leader on Oct. 30. He promised a clean slate for his replacement to make their own decisions.

To that end, Goertzen formally withdrew five pieces of legislation on Wednesday that the NDP delayed last spring. The one bill that drew the most contention was Bill 64, the embattled plan to reform education that would have thrown out English-language school boards.

The other scrapped bills are one that would have cracked down on protests interfering with critical infrastructure, such as rail lines, and another that would temporarily let the government set electricity rates.

A bill ditching the requirement for binding arbitration after a 60-day dispute between a union and employer is no more, along with a bill that might have led to the privatization of liquor sales.

The withdrawal of the bills led to a loud, emphatic applause from NDP members in the legislature, which the party described as a victory for Manitobans. The party held a news conference in which they brought out a garbage bin to literally trash copies of Pallister's bills.

"Ultimately, I think it's not a sign of weakness when a government listens to people. I think it's a sign of strength," Goertzen said.

He said the new party leader — either Heather Stefanson or Shelly Glover — will decide if any of these five bills should be revived. Goertzen noted there wasn't as much controversy around the bill for more private liquor sales.

On Wednesday, the Tories introduced one bill, the Budget Implementation and Tax Statues Amendment Act, which would put some tax changes into law.

It includes a new "Netflix tax," as it's sometimes known, as well as a tax credit for teachers who buy classroom supplies out of their own pocket — which some educators decried.

Aside from the repeated references to Pallister, the three parties in the legislature followed tradition by paying tribute to the retired party leader.

Goertzen commemorated Pallister's tenure in politics, calling attention to his time growing the party and leading the Tories to two consecutive majority governments.

"The pandemic has forced elected leaders to make decisions that have divided society deeply. Those have come at a personal cost to everyone, including those in elected life, and they took their toll on Mr. Pallister and his family as well."

On a lighthearted note, Goertzen joked he heard a rumour Pallister may have a "place down south," an obvious reference to his vacation home in Costa Rica.

"If that is true, my colleagues wish him many days of sunshine and safe hiking trails," Goertzen said, adding he hopes the challenges of elected life fade in his memory but not his achievements.

Kinew brought up his first meeting with Pallister at a large gala dinner in 2013 or 2014. He recalled the future premier grabbing him by the arm, leaning in close, and declaring "you'd make a hell of a MLA."

"I'd like to think that I've proven him right over the years, though perhaps for a different party than the one he had in mind," Kinew said.

Kinew and Manitoba Liberal Leader Dougald Lamont both said they often disagreed with Pallister, but thanked him for his decades of public service.

After question period, Lamont bemoaned the NDP for constantly bringing up Pallister's legacy in reference to the party's current decisions.

"I notice the NDP, they really seem to be missing Brian Pallister," Lamont said.

"I don't know if they're the only people in Manitoba who feel that way, but the fact is that he's not here anymore and we have to deal with a fourth wave [of the pandemic] and they are overwhelmingly fighting old battles."