View From the Legislature

2020 has been a challenging time for everyone. It has been a time of stress, worry and anxiety that has touched virtually all parts of society.

Over the past few months many parts of our society have been required to innovate. Individually, many people have had to become innovative as they adjusted to new work realities with some people moving their workplace to their homes.

As we approach Remembrance Day, this year’s ceremonies will be different than any in recent memory.

October is traditionally known as the month of thanks because of the Thanksgiving holiday falling within it. And while that itself is a reason to be thankful there are several other things that October commemorates that, especially this year, are deserving of mention.

Last week a new session of the Manitoba Legislature began with the reading of the speech from the throne by Manitoba’s Lieutenant Governor Janice Filmon.

It is tradition in many Canadian legislatures as well as the federal Parliament to begin a new fall sitting with a speech from the throne.

In 2016 when the Progressive Conservative Party was elected to government in Manitoba, one of the key platform promises was that within two terms the provincial books would be returned to balance.

March feels like a very long time ago. Back when in-class learning was suspended prior to the traditional spring break, which was eventually extended for the balance of the school year, there was little that was certain about what lay ahead.

Last week was National Trucking Week, an annual time when various provincial trucking associations honour the job that our professional drivers do ensuring that the shelves of our stores remain stocked for customers and that online packages get delivered.

While summer is not officially over, it is hard not to notice that there has been a change in the air with the beginning of September.