Brian Pallister maintains a Progressive Conservative government would find a way to shrink the provincial sales tax to seven per cent by the end of its first term but didn’t specify how.
Pallister shared the Tory’s platform in a one-on-one interview with CTV political reporter Jeff Keele. It’s the final of four interviews with provincial leaders airing this week on CTV Morning Live leading up to the April 19 election.
When asked how he would reduce the PST at the end of his first term on top of the provincial deficit, Pallister said he would find ways to economize.
“We’re going to do it the way Manitobans do it in their own homes and in their own small businesses,” Pallister said.
“You have to find the expenditures that you’re making that you don’t think are that important. You have to review it and get your fiscal situation right, and Manitobans do it all the time.”
Pallister said his government will identify ways to shrink healthcare wait-times and develop infrastructure, saying he will launch a task force and consult industry experts.
“My strategy involves building teams, and working as a team person is something I have great experience doing,” Pallister said. “We’ve seen how a team doesn’t look in Manitoba with the government the last few months and years.”
Pallister said his solution to open up more daycare spots in the province hinges on removing red tape to opening new daycare facilities.
“I’m not ideological on this. The government is. They say it all has to be government run,” he said.
“I think we can work with providers, different kinds of providers because frankly, what families are telling me is they don’t care whether it’s the state or private people, a neighbourhood daycare. They just want quality spaces available.”
The provincial election is April 19.
