The Canadian Taxpayers Federation is calling on Premier Wab Kinew to support Bill 235, the Fiscal Responsibility and Taxpayer Protection Amendment Act, that cuts politician’s salaries if they try to bypass Manitoba’s taxpayer protection legislation.

“No government should be allowed to hike taxes without asking for taxpayers’ permission in a referendum,” said Gage Haubrich, CTF Prairie Director. “Manitobans already pay the highest provincial taxes in Western Canada and can’t afford to send a dollar extra to the provincial government.”

Lauren Stone, Progressive Conservative finance critic, introduced the bill in the legislature.

The bill amends Manitoba’s taxpayer protection legislation to cut minister’s salaries if the government attempts to hike the rates of income tax, the retail sales tax or the payroll tax without the required referendum.

Specifically, if a bill is introduced to repeal, override, or suspend the referendum requirement, 50 per cent of a minister’s additional salary would be cut automatically. If the government passes the bill, ministers will lose that additional salary until the next election.

Former NDP premier Greg Sellinger bypassed the referendum and hiked the RST in 2013 after promising not to during the 2011 election.

“That’s total nonsense,” said Sellinger after being accused that he would hike the RST.

Premier Wab Kinew increased Manitoban’s income tax bills by bringing back bracket creep in Budget 2025. Bracket creep is a sneaky tax hike that increases tax bills by bumping Manitobans into higher tax brackets through inflation.

“Taxpayers need more than a government’s promise not to raise taxes,” Haubrich said. “Kinew needs to support this bill to prove to Manitobans that he won’t hike their taxes again.”

A Manitoba family earning $75,000 pays more provincial taxes than a similar family living in Regina, Calgary, Vancouver, Toronto, or Montreal.