Manitobans are heading to the polls today after four weeks of candidates making promises, having debates, and running ads that sparked controversy..Heather Stefanson would make history by becoming the first woman to be elected as premier in a Manitoba general election if she leads the Progressive Conservatives (PCs) to win a third consecutive majority..Stefanson assumed the leadership position after the previous premier Brian Pallister retired in 2021. In the last election, the PCs won 36 out of 57 seats..New Democrat Party (NDP) leader Wab Kinew would become the first First Nations premier of a Canadian province. In the last election, the NDP won 18 out of 57 seats..It is a tight race, but opinion polls show the NDP has a slight lead with strong support in Winnipeg..Kinew has been actively campaigning, holding press conferences in areas where the PCs are strong and showcasing the local candidate. .Stefanson spent most of the election outside the public eye, sometimes with over a week between press conferences. She held no media scrums from September 22 until Monday, the day before the election..“We are the only party with a plan to pay for the necessary services that Manitobans rely on,” said Stefanson on Monday..Support for the PCs declined during the COVID-19 pandemic. This happened while hospitals faced challenges coping with a surge in case numbers and many ICU patients had to be transported to other provinces..The NDP focused their campaign on making healthcare the main issue..“It’s our belief that this is the number one issue in Manitoba that needs attention,” said Kinew on Monday, talking about healthcare..Kinew pledged to reopen three hospital emergency departments that had services reduced by the PCs..The NDP committed to creating more childcare spaces, freezing hydroelectricity rates for one year, and suspending the 14-cent-per-litre fuel tax temporarily until inflation goes back down..The PCs promised to hire additional healthcare workers and allocate funds to construct new hospital facilities..The PCs promised to lower taxes to help Manitobans deal with inflation and stimulate the economy. They have committed to decreasing personal income taxes and eliminating a tax that employers pay based on their total annual payroll..According to PC advertising, the NDP is a potential danger to the economy and the province's finances..Pointing to final budget figures released last week, the PCs said the province recorded a surplus in the 2022-23 fiscal year for only the second time since 2009..The PCs have said they will not search the privately owned Prairie Green Landfill in the search for the remains of two indigenous women believed to have been killed and disposed of there last year. A man has been charged with first-degree murder in connection with this case..They placed advertisements opposing the “landfill dig,” including billboards, in which the PCs pledged to “stand firm" due to safety issues related to asbestos and other hazardous substances.
