Liberal vision at virtual AGM
Pandemic support centre stage for active online sessions
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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 24/10/2020 (1250 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
This year’s annual general meeting was a particularly unusual one for the Manitoba Liberal party, which was held virtually Saturday with only organizers and MLAs physically present.
“It’s very strange to be in a place this empty, but people were very active in participating online. We had some great sessions,” party leader Dougald Lamont told the Free Press.
Pandemic support was a major topic at the meeting. Among the 21 motions that passed is a reform of long-term care facilities promising required annual continuing education, a minimum number of nursing aides per number of patients and maintaining adequate PPE on site under a Liberal government.
“There are huge problems with seniors care in Manitoba — there were before the pandemic. It’s become much more clear during the pandemic. It’s all being exposed,” Lamont said.
Other motions, Lamont said, were influenced by the economic side effects of the pandemic, including promising to create a debt adjustment board that would advocate for Manitobans struggling with debt.
“To me, (debt relief has) always been one of the most important things we need to do to be able to grow and to take that burden off Manitobans, it would make a huge difference in their ability to pay their bills and grow the economy,” he said.
A $100-million equity fund with dedicated funds for small Manitoba businesses and the implementation of a “buy for later” program, where a Manitoba Liberal government would buy up vouchers for Manitoba-based businesses and sold or used for public services, were also moved and passed.
The pandemic has made it more apparent the economic situation of many Manitobans is unstable, and motions like these are an attempt to alleviate some of the additional burdens placed on them this year, Lamont said.
“This crisis has shown just how sort of rotten a lot of our social safety nets have become. It’s really made it very clear how bad things are for a lot of Manitobans, how fragile their lives are,” he said.
The COVID-19 pandemic has made it particularly clear that a shift in leadership is needed, Lamont said.
Lamont said these motions give his party a chance to reach out to the public and gauge their next steps.
“Part of it is about saying, ‘Look, this is what our vision for Manitoba could be, and should be,’ that’s separate from what the PCs and NDP have done,” he said.
Lamont will stay on as leader of the Liberal party after a unanimous vote, also held Saturday.
malak.abas@freepress.mb.ca
Twitter: malakabas_