Wab Kinew is a prominent figure in Manitoba’s Indigenous community. He is also a strong advocate for social justice and equality. This year marks the first anniversary of the Manitoba NDP government, led by Premier Wab Kinew. Kinew’s popularity has soared since taking office, making him the most popular premier in Canada. This success can be attributed to several factors, including his strong leadership, his commitment to social justice, and his focus on economic development.
With its first anniversary fast approaching, Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew’s NDP government has to start setting its vision for the future. (File) Governments often articulate a vision for the future — for the Gary Filmon Progressive Conservatives, it was sustainable development, and for Gary Doer’s NDP it was flood protection — but past administrations were not faced with the prospect of the combined and interrelated threats of climate change, global retrenchment and international conflict creating a dramatic disconnect with the predictable past. To deal with an uncertain future, we have to have a realistic sense of future probabilities and develop the infrastructure and institutions to adapt to a wide variety of eventualities. Governments tend to plan to meet the challenges of the past, while resilience and flexibility are required to adapt to unprecedented change.
The summary provided highlights the urgency of addressing climate change. It emphasizes the accelerating effects of climate change and the gap between promises and actions. Let’s delve deeper into these points:
**Accelerating Effects of Climate Change:**
The summary correctly points out that the effects of climate change are becoming increasingly severe and widespread. This is a critical point that requires immediate attention.
This is creating a ripple effect across the global economy, impacting everything from consumer prices to employment levels. **Trade wars are well underway.** This statement highlights the current state of affairs in international trade. It emphasizes the escalating tensions and conflicts between nations, leading to a significant disruption in global trade patterns.
Manitoba, a province in Canada, is facing global economic shocks and is looking for ways to navigate these challenges. The province is considering a shift towards self-sufficiency, driven by three key drivers of change:
We can’t say the same about oil. The world is facing a water crisis, but it’s not a crisis of scarcity. It’s a crisis of access. The majority of the world’s population lives in areas where water is readily available, but the problem lies in the distribution and management of this water.
The government should prioritize policies that stimulate economic activity and create new jobs. This can be achieved through investments in infrastructure, education, and research & development (R&D). These investments can lead to increased productivity and innovation, ultimately boosting the economy.
Wouldn’t it be something if our current government, while meeting our present needs such as health care, could see beyond the election cycle, beyond its own term of office, and make investments whose benefits will accrue to future generations? This may not be the vision of our current government but whatever that vision may be, perhaps it might soon be revealed. » Norman Brandson is the former deputy minister of the Manitoba departments of environment, conservation and water stewardship.
