Politics of Manitoba

In Canada, each provincial legislature is composed of the Lieutenant-Governor and the provincial legislative assembly. As such, Manitoba is governed by a unicameral legislature, the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba.[7][8] The Legislative Assembly consists of the 57 members (MLAs) elected to represent the people of Manitoba.[1]

The Lieutenant Governor of Manitoba, who is appointed by the Governor General of Canada on advice of the Prime Minister, represents the head of state, the Crown.[2] The head of state is primarily a ceremonial role, although the Lieutenant Governor has the official responsibility of ensuring that Manitoba always has a duly constituted government, with the authority to summon, prorogue, and dissolve the legislature.[2][8]

In 1869, after the control of Rupert's Land was passed from Great Britain to the Government of Canada, Manitoba was created as the first Canadian province carved out of the North-Western Territory. It was given upper and lower houses, attaining full-fledged rights and responsibilities of self-government. The Legislative Assembly of Manitoba was soon established on 14 July 1870,[9] and would first meet on 15 March 1871 in Fort Garry (now Winnipeg).[4] In 1876, Manitoba would abolish its upper house, the Legislative Council, thereby becoming a unicameral legislature.[4] In 1980, the Office of the Chief Electoral Officer was established to serve as an independent office of the Legislative Assembly for the purpose of administering fair elections

The executive branch (or cabinet) of Manitoba—the Executive Council—is formed by members who are appointed by the majority party in the Legislative Assembly. That party's leader is the Premier of Manitoba, and is both the head of government and the President of the Executive Council.[8]

In addition to the Premier, the executive branch consists of government ministries and deputy ministers.

The Lieutenant Governor appoints and may dismiss the Premier and the members of their cabinets.[8]

Manitoba's judiciary consists of three courts:

1. the Provincial Court — This court is primarily a criminal court; 95% of criminal cases in Manitoba are heard in this court.[10]
2. the Court of Queen's Bench — This court is the highest trial court in Manitoba. It has four jurisdictions: family law (child and family services cases), civil law, criminal law (for indictable offences), and appeals for Provincial Court decisions.
3. the Court of Appeal — This court hears appeals from both the Court of Queen's Bench and the Provincial Court; decisions of this court can only be appealed to the Supreme Court of Canada.[11]

Following the Red River Rebellion (or Resistance) against the federal Canadian government—with concern over Métis land rights, among other things—local people of the Red River Settlement (or Colony) demanded for a voice to create the terms under which the Colony would be incorporated into the newly-formed Canada. As such, a popularly-elected convention supported the creation of a provisional government. This government, considered illegal by the federal government in Ottawa, was led by Louis Riel, himself a Métis. With a provisional government in place, Prime Minister John A. Macdonald decided to negotiate with Riel and his people. Riel's government drafted four successive lists of rights, the final version of which became the basis of federal legislation that created the Province of Manitoba: the Manitoba Act, which became part of the Constitution of Canada. Among other things, the final list demanded that Manitoba be admitted into Confederation as a province (rather than a territory). Though met with reluctance from Macdonald, Manitoba indeed entered Confederation as a province.[12]

Centred on the area of Fort Garry, or present-day Winnipeg, the initial geography of Manitoba was much smaller—roughly 1,400,000 acres (5,700 km²) acres of land were set aside for the Métis upon the Manitoba Act's passing.[12] (Cf. Manitoba's total area today: 160,610,000 acres or 650,000 km².)[19] The small population and size of the province made it unable to support itself financially. The federal government agreed to pay subsidies to the province, as well as grant it four seats in the federal Parliament.[12]

In 1870, only males who were established members of the community and in good financial standing, could vote. At that time, voting took place at public constituency meetings, in which each voter would publicly declare his preference. There, the electoral officer would record the votes, and the simple plurality (i.e., first-past-the-post or FPTP) system was used to elect members for the 24 seats in the Legislative Assembly. In 1888, the requirement to be in "good financial standing" was eliminated,[lower-roman 1] and two years later, those receiving government salary of CA$350 or more could now vote.[21][lower-roman 2]

In 1916, Manitoba would become the first Canadian province to grant women the right to vote.[21]

A new system of representation would not be introduced until 1917, when Winnipeg was divided into 3 constituencies, each represented by 2 members. Voters in each constituency were issued two ballots, one for each seat, and neither candidate could be listed on both ballots. The rural constituencies, meanwhile, would retain the plain FPTP system. Winnipeg would again be the center of innovation for Manitoba's electoral system with the introduction of a 'proportional representation' voting system in 1920. In this system, the city would be consolidated into a single constituency electing 10 members; and voters would indicate their preferences by numbering the candidates' names on the ballot paper (i.e., 1, 2, 3, etc.), which would be counted using a method of counting provided via amendments to The Elections Act. In 1927, the rural constituencies replaced its FPTP system with an alternative balloting system, wherein voters in constituencies with more than 2 nominated candidates, would rank their preferences by marking the ballot 1, 2, 3, etc.[21]

Advance voting was first introduced during the 1932 general election of Manitoba.[21][lower-roman 3]

In 1949,[lower-roman 4] the single, 10-member constituency of Winnipeg was replaced by 3 constituencies, each represented by 4 members. Moreover, the constituency of St. Boniface was given 2 members. Nine years later, Winnipeg was divided into 20 single-member constituencies. FPTP would be accepted at this time as the favourable system to the alternative one in both rural and urban constituencies.[21]

Manitoba would become the first province in Canada with an independent boundaries commission in 1957, when the Electoral Divisions Boundaries Commission is formed. The Commission would include three members until 2006, when the number was increased to five and the presidents of Brandon University and University College of the North were added.[21]

The voting age was lowered in 1969 from 21 to 18.[21]

In 1980, the Elections Finances Act (EFA) was proclaimed in Manitoba,[lower-roman 5] introducing spending limits on advertising for candidates and parties; a tax-credit system for contributions to registered political parties and candidates; and provisions for financial disclosure of contributions and expenses. Three years later, it would be decided that election day is always to take place on a Tuesday.[lower-roman 6] In 1985, spending limits were expanded to include all expenses, rather than just advertising. Since then, definitions were clarified (e.g., the definition of election expense), exclusions were made (e.g., voluntarism from being an election expense), and provisions were added (e.g., making advance payments and assigning reimbursements) throughout the decades. Effective 1 July 1986, only Canadian citizens would be eligible to vote, which would exclude British subjects and landed immigrants.[21]

In 1998, penalties for election offences were increased. Though spending limits for advertising were also eliminated that year, they would be reinstated in 2001. Five years later, in 2006, rewriting of the Elections Act would bring about significant changes to understanding Manitoba's electoral system.[21] A set election date was established in 2008, with the first election set to take place on 4 October 2011, and subsequent elections to take place on the first Tuesday of October every four years. Also that year, election expense limits and election advertising expense limits for parties and candidates were increased; political parties were made entitled to public funding (called an 'annual allowance'), with a requirement of having to file a statement in order to receive that allowance; the ban on government advertising and publications was extended to 90 days prior to a set-date election; and thresholds were increased for fundraising-event ticket sales and on items sold for fundraising.[21]

The current Premier of Manitoba is Brian Pallister, who leads the Progressive Conservative Party (PC) with 38 seats. The New Democratic Party (NDP) holds 18 seats, and the Liberal Party with 2 seats; however, the Liberals do not have official party status in the Manitoba Legislature.[3]