22Apr
MFUR President Paul Moist presented to the Standing Committee on Social and Economic Development on Tuesday, April 22, 2025 at the Legislative Building re: Bill (No. 39) – The Public Schools Amendment Act (Campaign Financing for School Trustees).
You can read the presentation below:
I am pleased to speak today as President of MFUR. We are retired union members and the Manitoba affiliate of the 500,000 member Congress of Union Retirees of Canada (CURC).
We appear today to speak in favour of Bill 39 and its primary goal to protect local democracy and to prevent third-party interference in school board elections. Bill 39 provides much needed transparency and spending limits, to align with the municipal, provincial and federal levels of government.
MFUR aligned with many citizens and community groups in 2021 in opposition to Bill 64, introduced by the previous government, which among other things would have eliminated elected boards of school trustees, in favour of a centralized non-elected body. Bill 64 was withdrawn in the face of massive citizen opposition, a clear demonstration that Manitoban’s value their elected Boards of Trustees.
Bill 39 further strengthens this important level of government, and we support it in the main. We do align with other groups, such as the Just Elections coalition and the Winnipeg Labour Council, in calling for amendments to Bill 39 to strengthen it further, these are:
1. Reduce Registered Candidate Personal Contribution Limit MFUR believes the suggested level of $7,500 for candidates to contribute to their own campaigns is too high and favours wealthy candidates over working-class candidates. Alignment with the Municipal Act and the City of Winnipeg Charter (councilor limit) which allow a maximum $750 personal donation is more appropriate.
2. Lower Individual Contribution Limit MFUR believes that a $750 personal donation limit, aligning with The Municipal Act and the City of Winnipeg Charter (councilor limit) would be more appropriate than the legislation’s suggested $1,500 donation limit.
3. Enabling Legislation for Contribution Rebate MFUR suggests that Bill 39 align with the Municipal Act and the City of Winnipeg Charter though incorporation of enabling language within the legislation to allow school boards, should they wish to do so, to provide a rebate or tax credit for election contributions.
Encouraging participation in the political process, including public support for citizen support for the candidates of their choice, strengthens democracy as it enables participation from citizens at all income levels.
4. Campaign Expense Limits Bill 39 should be amended to align with the Municipal Act and the City of Winnipeg Charter in terms of specific campaign expense limits.
5. Election Campaign Bank Account MFUR supports an amendment to Bill 39 which would require separate election bank or credit union accounts. This would support transparency and accountability and would see Manitoba align with school board election financing legislation in other provinces.
In closing we commend the government’s introduction of Bill 39 and will be pleased to answer any questions you may have.
