A Different Perspective

MFL President responds to Winnipeg Free Press story, editorial.

- By Darlene Dziewit
President, Manitoba Federation of Labour

I read with a great deal of interest, as well as considerable frustration, both the front page news story regarding population loss in Manitoba in the Winnipeg Free Press on January 4, and the subsequent Free Press editorial the following day on the same topic. It appears to me that both the Manitoba Chambers of Commerce and the Free Press editorial writers have missed a very important point here as to why people are leaving Manitoba, if indeed the Statistics Canada figures quoted are accurate.

The Manitoba Chambers of Commerce are wringing their collective hands and describing the figures of population loss "alarming". The solution, according to the Chambers, is to have deeper tax cuts. Of course, tax cuts are the Chambers' solution to everything, especially tax cuts for businesses.

The Free Press Editorial goes even further in assigning fault. It blames everything from the weather and mosquitoes, to "the dead hand of socialist pragmatism", to taxes (of course), as the reasons for the population losses. Then the editorial goes on to demand answers, even though the writer appears to have already decided where the truth lies.

I suspect that the answer as to why there may be a population loss is much simpler than either the Manitoba Chambers of Commerce or the Free Press believe.

The Free Press and the Manitoba Chambers of Commerce talk long, loud and often about "competitiveness". They use the word as an excuse to slam the Manitoba Government for not cutting taxes to the level of oil rich Alberta or for not cutting spending for public programs even further. We must remain competitive they say, so cut, cut, cut.

But when it comes to being competitive with Alberta or elsewhere with regards to employees' wages, benefits and rights, they are strangely silent. Or, sometimes they are outright opposed to this kind of workforce competitiveness.

What is the position of the Manitoba Chambers of Commerce on minimum wage? How about workers compensation, health and safety or Employment Insurance benefits? Or what about the Employment Standards Code, which provides the minimum conditions of employment for non-union workers in Manitoba?

All of these things can make employers more competitive in keeping employees from leaving both their jobs and Manitoba. Where are the Chambers or Free Press Editorial writers when it comes fighting for wage and benefits competitiveness?

The Free Press editorial compared the potential population loss in Manitoba to what is known in the business world as a loss of "market share". One way to stop this loss, in business, as well as in Manitoba, is to become more competitive in the "market", which in this case means keeping working Manitobans at home.

Better pay. More benefits. Job security. Better protection at work. A safer workplace.

Seems pretty simple to me.