While New Brunswick’s Premier Susan Holt and her Liberal government are making serious moves to capitalize on their province’s critical mineral resources, here in Manitoba, Premier Wab Kinew and his NDP government are silent. Not a word. Not a dollar. Not even a photo op with a hardhat and shovel.
This is a missed opportunity on a scale that’s hard to ignore—unless, of course, you’re the NDP.
On Wednesday, New Brunswick’s Natural Resources Minister John Herron stood in their legislature and said what every leader who takes economic growth seriously should be saying. He told his team to get a strategy together to mine their rich deposits of critical minerals. Herron wants a plan in place within a year or less. Why? “The geopolitical, economic and trade landscape has greatly changed over the past few weeks,” he said. “It is vital that our province pursues opportunities to grow our economy.”
He’s right. Critical minerals are the backbone of modern economies. They are essential for our national security, for our allies, and for the industries we depend on—energy, manufacturing, defence, and technology. Ottawa knows this. That’s why they’ve designated 34 minerals as being critical to Canada’s economic security and the transition to a green economy.
Manitoba has 29 of them sitting in the ground. Lithium, nickel, cobalt, graphite, copper, zinc, rare earth elements, tantalum, cesium—you name it, we’ve got it. We’re sitting on one of the richest critical mineral deposits in Canada. You’d think Kinew’s government would be shouting from the rooftops about how we’re going to develop these resources to strengthen Manitoba’s economy and help Canada become a global supplier of these minerals.
But no. Not a word in the recent provincial budget. No investments to speed up permitting. No tax incentives to attract exploration or development. No roadmap. Nothing.
Meanwhile, New Brunswick, which has 21 of these minerals, is moving forward. Herron points out that your smartphone likely contains 13 different critical minerals. These are not abstract commodities. They’re essential to daily life, from solar panels to EV batteries to touch screens and defence technologies. Industries across the world are scrambling to secure reliable, ethical sources of these minerals. Canada—and Manitoba—should be leading that charge.
Instead, Kinew’s NDP is busy pushing Bill 43, which makes it illegal not to use someone’s “preferred pronouns.” That’s their focus. Not attracting major investment. Not creating high-paying resource sector jobs. Not reducing our dependency on transfer payments from Ottawa.
Just more performative politics.
And what’s the cost? Manitoba’s deficit spending is forecast to balloon to $1.9 billion. According to the NDP’s own budget numbers, they’re on track to saddle future generations with more debt, more taxes, and less opportunity. And yet, the government chooses to ignore one of our most obvious paths to economic self-reliance.
Look at New Brunswick again. Premier Holt’s inaugural budget shows the province will receive $4.6 billion in transfer payments from Ottawa in 2025-26. That’s about one-third of their $14.3-billion budget. Their opposition leader, Kris Austin, said it best: “I’m tired of young people going to Alberta and Saskatchewan and doing the very things we refuse to do here.”
He’s right.
We’re seeing the same thing here in Manitoba. But what do we hear from the opposition Progressive Conservative Party, nothing. They have social media posts saying they will take action and end the Liberal-NDP Carbon Tax – news flash it was already stopped and you don’t have the power to do anything about it.
Look, I’m tired of hearing from families leaving this province, business owners relocating, and young people telling me they see no future here because there’s no opportunity. I’m also tired of hearing politicians in Manitoba defend our dependency on Ottawa handouts instead of doing the hard work of building a strong economy.
Manitoba should be an economic powerhouse. We have everything we need: the resources, talent, geographic advantage, and a world hungry for exactly what we can provide. But under the NDP, we’re turning our backs on this opportunity.
Let’s be clear: critical mineral development isn’t about destroying the environment or ignoring Indigenous partnerships. Done right, with proper oversight and community consultation, mining these minerals can create sustainable, responsible economic growth. It can fund schools, hospitals, and infrastructure. It can offer good jobs that keep young people here instead of chasing opportunities west.
The Fraser Institute’s Annual Survey of Mining Companies 2023 ranked Manitoba 6th for investment attractiveness in mining. This is a province with some of the richest deposits in the country, and we’re at the bottom of the pack. The reason? Uncertainty about government policies, permitting delays, and a lack of clear commitment to developing the sector.
Premier Kinew and his government need to stop pretending we can fund our future through transfer payments and higher taxes alone. They need to do the work. They need to pick up the phone and speak to industry leaders. They need to clear the path for private investment, exploration, and responsible resource development.
If they don’t, Manitoba will continue to fall further behind. Alberta and Saskatchewan will continue to welcome our young workers and entrepreneurs. We’ll be stuck watching other provinces take the lead in the industries that should be building our future.