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Articles by Kelvin Goertzen
America really does like Canada. Just not enough to matter
Opinion What I’ve come to appreciate now, and what I didn’t want to see before, is that Americans genuinely like Canadians, just not enough to matter when it matters most. President Donald Trump arrives to speak during a back to school event in the Rose Garden of the White House, Monday, Aug. 24, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon) It felt like the right way to end one of the most enjoyable parts of my political life.
COLUMN: View from the Legislature – Antisemitism grows in wake of terrorist attack
Wednesday was the third anniversary of the horrific attack in Israel that killed at least 1,200 Israelis. The Oct.7 assault was led by the terrorist organization Hamas, and it resulted in not only the deliberate targeting and killing of hundreds of civilians, hundreds more were taken captive and held for months, and in some cases years. Those that were fortunate enough to survive the captivity have told of the horrendous conditions they were forced to endure.
COLUMN: View from the Legislature – Harper does it right
The appearance of former Prime Minister Stephen Harper at the recent investment summit in Toronto likely upset a few federal Conservatives and federal Liberals. Conservatives because it was a signature event of Liberal Prime Minister Mark Carney and Liberals because more than a few still likely harbour ill feelings to the man who was Canada’s last Conservative prime minister.
COLUMN: View from the Legislature – Uncertainty surrounds fall session
The transition from summer to fall in Manitoba brings with it a number of familiar routines. Vacations, summer festivals and time at the lake start to be in the rear-view mirror and the focus shifts to families adjusting to school and regular work schedules. The gradual change in temperature and the changing of the colours on the trees isn’t always welcome by many, but there is something comforting about the predictability that Manitoba’s four distinct seasons bring.
COLUMN: View from the Legislature – Nostalgia is not a plan
For many years I had the honour of serving as the Canadian co-chair of the Midwest Canada-U.S. Relations Committee. During that time, I worked with hundreds of U.S. state senators and members of state legislatures. Whether on trade, security, tariffs or other cross border issues, I was always confident in the longstanding relationship that exists between our two great nations. That isn’t to say there weren’t challenges during my time on the committee.
COLUMN: View from the Legislature – Co-operation in politics still exists
It would be easy to assume, by just watching the daily news, that there are no longer places where elected officials of different political parties co-operate. And while it is certainly true that partisan politics has become much more divided, and some would say toxic over the past several years, there are still some parts of the political system that function on a relatively bipartisan basis.
COLUMN: View from the Legislature – Inflation remains high in Manitoba
It naturally doesn’t get the attention it did when inflation was running at seven or eight percent and interest rates were increasing seemingly every month, but Manitoba continues to record among the highest inflation rates in the country month after month. The most recent data that was released, for July, shows that the inflation rate for our province was 4.2 percent. That is well above the national average of three percent.
COLUMN: View from the Legislature – Focus on addictions recovery still missing
On Aug. 11, Manitoba’s NDP government opened the province’s first taxpayer funded drug consumption site for the supervision of the use of illegal drugs. The opening followed almost three years of controversy and multiple proposed or considered locations. A previously selected location was ultimately abandoned because of protests that it was too close to a school and to a daycare.
COLUMN: View from the Legislature – U.S. office closure more than just symbolic
The vast majority of Manitobans would have been unaware that for past quarter of a century, in an office high above the iconic Portage and Main intersection, was a United States diplomatic office. While many are familiar with the term ambassador and understand that countries position these diplomats in each others’ nations, they are less familiar with the position of consul.
COLUMN: View from the Legislature – Manitoba needs to be at major projects table
The talk over the past 18 months in Canadian politics has been focused largely on the need to accomplish major projects that help build Canada’s self reliance. Of course, this has been sparked because of the decision by the Trump administration to place tariffs on many Canadian goods and making it clear that the days of a North American Free Trade zone are either over or going to look very different under this administration than they have for the past several decades.
COLUMN: View from the Legislature – Finding democratic civility
Earlier this month I had the opportunity to attend the regional meeting of the Canadian Parliamentary Association (CPA) together with other Canadian elected representatives from across the country. It was a meeting that had a variety of topics related to current policy issues. But one of the topics that took up the most time and garnered the most discussion on the agenda was that of parliamentary decorum. Essentially, the way in which elected representatives act toward each other.
COLUMN: View from the Legislature – Gordie Howe Bridge worth the wait
In the summer of 2023, I had the opportunity to visit and tour the construction site of the Gordie Howe International Bridge, the massive cable-stayed structure that crosses the Detroit River and connects Detroit, Michigan with Windsor, Ontario. At that time, the two sides had yet to be connected but you could see just how impressive the structure would be when completed.
COLUMN: View from the Legislature – Volunteers power Manitoba summers
Skip to content The Carillon Local COLUMN: View from the Legislature – Volunteers power Manitoba summers Print Email Read Later Anyone who has lived in Manitoba for any length of time knows that the summers are the most cherished time of the year. The warm summer days coupled with sunlight well into the evening make it one of the best places to live during the summer months.
COLUMN: View from the Legislature – 24 Sussex – Love it or list it?
If you have ever taken the “behind the scenes” tour of the Manitoba legislature, the one that takes you to the roof of the building and up near the Golden Boy, you may have noticed a strange display. After climbing the first enclosed spiral staircase that takes you to the roof level of the building, the first thing you saw, until recently, was a folding table that had heavy pieces of brick and ornaments displayed on it.
COLUMN: View from the Legislature – Still much to celebrate in Canada
As has become tradition at the annual Summer in the City celebration in Steinbach, time was taken to recognize several families who had obtained their Canadian citizenship over the past year. Each had the opportunity to address those in attendance and to tell them how special it was to be a Canadian citizen, citing the opportunities and quality of life they enjoy in Canada and Manitoba specifically.
COLUMN: View from the Legislature – Floods and fairness
Flooding in Manitoba has been a part of life for its residents since its existence. People still tell stories of the flood of 1950 and the many local buildings at the time that benefited from salvaged wood from flooding in Winnipeg. The destruction was so catastrophic that it resulted years later in the construction of the Red River Floodway. Criticized by many at the time, the vision of Premier Duff Roblin has saved countless millions of dollars in property damage.
COLUMN: View from the Legislature – NDP show motion but no movement
Earlier this week the Manitoba Legislature concluded its spring sitting. As is usually the case for the spring sitting, most of the discussion and debate surrounded the provincial budget. This was particularly true this year as Manitobans face an affordability crisis that is among the worst in the country.
COLUMN: View from the Legislature – For the love of Canada….again
It was a long time ago, but I remember it very clearly. It was 1995 and it was the night of the second Quebec referendum which would decide whether Quebec would leave Canada or stay part of the federation. I was working as political staff in the government of Premier Gary Filmon, and like most staff, had remained in the building that evening to work and to watch the results. Late into the evening, my work was done.
COLUMN: View from the Legislature – NDP divide Manitobans on construction projects
It’s a pretty good slogan that Manitoba’s NDP premier has gotten lots of political mileage out of. Yet it is becoming increasingly clear that when Wab Kinew talks about “One Manitoba” it really is a slogan and not much more. Because the longer the NDP are in office, the more it seems clear that there are winners and losers that are being selected by the government. The most recent example is how the NDP have divided the Manitoba construction industry.
COLUMN: View from the Legislature – Manitoba is worth celebrating
This past Tuesday, Manitoba celebrated its 156th birthday on what is officially known as Manitoba Day. While there are still many Manitobans who are unaware that May 12 is Manitoba Day, it is worth celebrating the anniversary of the day that our province officially entered the Confederation of Canada.
COLUMN: View from the Legislature – A long overdue ruling
Manitoba Speaker of the legislative assembly Tom Lindsey issued an important ruling on Monday. For several years now, Manitobans who observed the proceedings of the Manitoba legislature have been shocked at the behaviour displayed. While politics has never been for the faint of heart, the types of personal attacks that have been disguised as parliamentary debate has become, frankly, disgraceful.
COLUMN: View from the Legislature – More questions than answers
It is the sort of behind the scenes work that most people never see. When a government makes a major policy announcement, for the public, it is often the first time they become aware of it. While it may feel like the beginning of a process, for those working in government on the announcement, it is often the culmination of weeks or months of preparation and work. Everything from where the announcement is made to the communications material behind it are usually carefully scrutinized.
COLUMN: View from the Legislature – The truth is out there somewhere
One of the things that shows up repeatedly in both public conversations and in polling done of Canadians is the growing concern that it is becoming increasingly difficult to discern truth. This is because it is becoming harder for people to believe what they are seeing with their own eyes or hearing with their own ears. The rapid advent of artificial intelligence has led to the proliferation of fake images and videos online that both look and sound real.
COLUMN: View from the Legislature – Manitobans expressing concern
In the world of economics, a term that is often used is leading indicator. A leading indicator is some data point or a set of data that show or predict where things might be heading. As an example, even if the economy is strong in a given moment, if data shows that business or consumer confidence is low, that may be a leading indicator that things are likely to weaken in the near future. In politics, there are also indicators of things that may come as well.
COLUMN: View from the Legislature – Portrait unveiling told a story
It is, as far as anyone knows, the first time that former Premier Brian Pallister had stepped back into the Manitoba legislature since he resigned as premier of the province almost five years ago. He returned on the last Thursday in March to help unveil his premier’s portrait, which has now taken its place alongside those who served before him in that role.
COLUMN: View from the Legislature – Manitoba needs premier’s full attention
It’s not unusual for provincial leaders to comment or be engaged with issues that go beyond their provincial borders, most often involving other parts of Canada or in some cases other parts of the world. But engagement is different than obsession.
COLUMN: View from the Legislature – NDP budget fails on what matters most
It’s an often used strategy in politics that before any significant announcement, leaders and officials work to lower the bar of expectations. That’s because how positively the public receives an announcement is directly correlated to what their expectations were. This is apparently a strategy that NDP Premier Wab Kinew is not a fan of, as he managed to take the exact opposite approach in the lead up to Tuesday’s provincial budget.
COLUMN: View from the Legislature – Gradually and then suddenly
Mike Campbell, a character in the Ernest Hemingway novel The Sun Also Rises, is asked about his financial trouble and how he went bankrupt. His response was “Gradually, then suddenly.” This is an often-quoted phrase that describes how many things in life which seem to be immovable, suddenly change. It’s a phrase that I used recently when media asked me about the chances that Manitoba would do away with changing the clocks twice a year. This is a debate that has gone on for decades.
COLUMN: View from the Legislature – Taxes set to go up again in budget
At one time in Canada, the contents of provincial and federal budgets were the best kept secrets in town. Only a few key members of the government and civil service would know the contents and any premature disclosure, either of the specifics of the budget or even in a general sense, was treated as a serious breach. Today, governments see the budget as a messaging exercise as much as a financial one.
COLUMN: View from the Legislature - Royal Canadian Legion celebrates 100th anniversary
This year marks the 100th anniversary of the Royal Canadian Legion in Canada. While many Canadians are aware of the legion, few know its history or likely the broader purpose of the organization. I would include myself in the group of Canadians who grew up knowing that a legion existed and assuming it was just for those who had served for Canada in war. A hundred years ago, that is essentially how the legion began.
COLUMN: View from the Legislature - Manitoba and Canada must focus on what they control
While many Canadians last week were focused on the Olympic games, and in particular the heartbreaking losses in the Gold Medal game for both our men’s and women’s hockey teams, political watchers were also watching news from the United States capital. While perhaps not as exciting as the action on the Olympic ice, the long-awaited ruling by the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) regarding many of the tariffs the Trump administration has levied on Canada and other countries was released.
COLUMN: View from the Legislature - Provincial budget must show real path forward
Many years ago, when the province started doing what is called pre-budget consultations, it must have seemed like a novel but important concept. Essentially, the minister of finance and some other government officials would go to a variety of places around the province and listen to Manitobans, who had filled a hall, to hear about what their priorities were for the budget. Usually, these meetings took place in the fall prior to the spring budget to provide input and guidance for the government.
COLUMN: View from the Legislature - Canadian leaders demonstrate a better kind of leadership
With the return to Ottawa last week of former Prime Minister Stephen Harper and many of those who were in and supported his government, there was a bit of a nostalgic feel in the nation’s capital. Many people, of all political stripes, commented that, regardless of what they felt about the tenure of the Harper government, it did feel like a simpler time.
COLUMN: View from the Legislature - Harper legacy one of stable government
It is the nature of our electoral system that when governments, and by extension their leaders, are voted out of office, it takes some time for their true legacy and impact to be understood. That is because when governments change, its likely the public is dissatisfied with some aspect of the government or, as the political saying goes, its time for a change. Also, any new incoming government spends some time, usually too long, disparaging and denigrating the government they have just defeated.
COLUMN: View from the Legislature - Does it really have to be this way?
By now most people have probably become numb to the various ways that people in elected office attack and belittle each other seemingly on a daily basis. While politics has never been for the faint of heart, the overall slide into toxicity that it has taken over the past few years has been well documented.
COLUMN: View from the Legislature - All party committee got it half right
Throughout my time in politics, I have been supportive of political parties working together on issues that should rise above the usual partisan bickering that happens in every legislature. When political parties do work across partisan lines, it is usually through the respective house leaders of each party and more often than not it is done quietly and without much fanfare. Sometimes however, there are issues that are big or pressing enough where a more formal structure is needed.
COLUMN: View from the Legislature - Steinbach right on the button with GSOC event
In some ways, the just completed Grand Slam of Curling (GSOC) event, which occurred at the Southeast Event Centre last week, took many local residents by surprise. Not just that it was happening at all, but the fact that it was such a prestigious event. To be sure, local curling enthusiasts knew what they were in for when it was announced the GSOC was coming to Steinbach. But that only accounts for a certain segment of the community and region.
Community challenges need community support
One of the most significant challenges that Manitoba, and other parts of Canada face, is an addictions crisis. There are few people who have not been touched, either directly or indirectly, by the increase in addiction. And while addiction has been a problem for many decades, the nature of todays drugs, including opioids and fentanyl, add both complexity and severity to the challenge.
COLUMN: View from the Legislature - Deficit doubles while NDP shrugs
Let’s be clear. Almost nobody in Manitoba actually expects the NDP government to meet any of the financial targets that it sets for itself every year. After all, the current NDP government has missed every financial budget for the past two years, and the previous NDP government before this one, missed all their targets for years as well. So, the fact that just before Christmas the NDP again announced it had blown past its projected deficit for the year wasn’t really surprising to anyone.
COLUMN: View from the Legislature - Shining light into darkness
On Sunday morning I had planned to send to a number of my friends in the Jewish community a text message wishing them a happy Hanukkah as it was the first day of the celebration. Before doing so, I scrolled the news on my phone and, like so many others who saw it, was shocked by the news from Australia. There, 15 people were killed by a terrorist who targeted people celebrating the beginning of Hanukkah.
COLUMN: View from the Legislature - With a heart filled with gratitude
This week I announced that, after more than 22 years serving as the MLA for the Steinbach constituency, I will not seek re-election in the next provincial election. This was an extremely difficult decision for my family and I to make because we have loved serving the constituency and the amazing people that call it home. But I also am aware that it is time for someone new to bring their own energy and ideas to the Manitoba legislature representing the region. Time is an interesting thing.
COLUMN: View from the Legislature - Questions remain unanswered at session’s end
The winter session of the Manitoba legislature came to an end on Thursday with many important questions to Manitobans and their future still remaining unanswered. Whether in relation to Manitoba’s growing debt, the continued deterioration of health care or public safety, the NDP spent more time dodging questions than providing some clarity to Manitobans about the plan going forward on these key issues.
COLUMN: View from the Legislature - Frustration grows with little progress
Last Monday, I joined many residents of Steinbach and the Southeast in celebrating the very long anticipated completion of the construction project at Highway 12 and Loewen Boulevard. The project, which I announced in the fall of 2021 together with then Infrastructure Minister Ron Schuler, was one of the largest intersection reconstructions in the city’s history.
COLUMN: View from the Legislature - Time of growth and renewal
The vast majority of people have never attended or likely have any desire to attend a political convention. For most people it likely sounds like a time of meetings and discussions about government policy. And to some extent that is true, but for those who are active in politics either as volunteers, staff or elected officials, political conventions have a number of different functions.
COLUMN: View from the Legislature - Uniting around Remembrance Day
Last Tuesday, on Remembrance Day, Canadians from across the country came together with the common cause of honouring the men and women who have served our country since its inception. These days it is difficult to find many things that unify different factions of the country and people of various views. But Remembrance Day is something that most Canadians agree is important to observe.
COLUMN: View from the Legislature - Who should have the final say?
In any well functioning democracy, there are checks on power. In a country like Canada those checks can take a variety of forms. The most obvious is the voter. While elections are often separated by several years, every government knows that at some point it must appear before the ballot box for the voters to pass electoral judgement. This naturally serves as a check on the actions of any government.
COLUMN: View from the Legislature - Time for NDP to get serious
There are a lot of challenges facing Canada and the world these days and there are many days where you just want to get away from the news. In fact, for many people, that is probably a very healthy response where a break from the daily onslaught of news is the right thing to do. That is a little more challenging for those in elected life where the job is to maintain an up to date understanding of the things that impact our province and country.
COLUMN: View from the Legislature - Big money but few results
Since the U.S. government began applying tariffs on a number of Canadian sectors, such as autos, steel and aluminum, there has been a significant effort to increase the profile and advocacy of Canada in Washington. The number of trips by Canadian officials and federal politicians to Washington for meetings with their counterparts has increased greatly as efforts continue to find deals that are agreeable to both countries.
COLUMN: View from the Legislature - Praying for a lasting peace
For more than two years, members of the Winnipeg Jewish community, along with other supporters, would gather every week along Kenaston Boulevard holding pictures of the hostages who were taken during the horrific terrorist attack of Oct. 7, 2023. They vowed to continue this weekly gathering until all the hostages who were being held in Gaza were returned to Israel.
COLUMN: View from the Legislature - Goofball politics
Question period at the Manitoba legislature, or any legislature in Canada for that matter, is a heated affair. The issues that are debated are important and sometimes emotional. Combined with the fact that the whole exercise has become more theatrical, words are sometimes spoken that are not always well thought out and that would not be considered appropriate by viewing members of the public. Added to this dynamic is the fact that not everyone’s words are measured equally.
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