Gary Doer and the NDP have broken another election promise. Bill 38, introduced by the NDP last week, sets the stage for deficits and a massive debt for future generations.

Progressive Conservative Leader Hugh McFadyen said scrapping Manitoba’s nation-leading balanced budget law is irresponsible and dangerous in our current economic uncertainty.

In the 1990s, Manitoba was among the first provinces to enact legislation preventing deficits and requiring debt to be repaid. Its strength was heralded across Canada and served as a template for other provinces in the years since.

During the 1999 election campaign, the current NDP government vowed to keep balanced budget legislation.

“If we have the privilege of governing Manitoba after tomorrow, we will be completely accountable to these core commitments,” Doer said of balanced budget legislation in an NDP news release dated Sept. 20, 1999 — the eve of his government taking office.

Under Section 3 (1) of Bill 38, the NDP can overspend and use the net income of Crown corporations like Manitoba Hydro and Manitoba Public Insurance, to give the illusion of balancing the books and are only required to actually have balanced books over a four year average. Watering down fiscal accountability even further, under section 3 (3) (d) of the bill, if another level of government or regulatory body makes a decision that has any impact on government revenue within 30 days of the provincial budget being tabled and “was not anticipated”, the NDP doesn’t have to balance the books at all.

“Bill 38 is nothing more than a series of excuses and loophole the NDP can use to overspend and leave taxpayers in the hole,” said PC finance critic Rick Borotsik.