The Manitoba government introduced more than a dozen bills in the legislature Thursday aimed at cracking down on machetes, reducing the use of sick notes and enacting other measures promised in its throne speech last fall.
Among the proposals is a ban on possession of pepper spray and long-bladed weapons in urban public areas such as parks. Using such weapons is already prohibited in urban areas, and the NDP government said cracking down on possession goes a step further.
“We know that simple possession of them in an urban area does not have any legitimate use,” Justice Minister Matt Wiebe told reporters.
“And so we want to give police those tools to … ensure that it doesn’t get used in a violent way that we’ve seen in the past.”
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Another bill would expand the province’s restriction on sales of long-bladed weapons by stores to people under 18. If passed, the bill would add pepper spray to the list and also apply to garage sales, flea markets and online platforms such as Facebook Marketplace.
A third bill would ban employers from requiring sick notes from workers unless they are absent for more than seven consecutive days or 10 days over the course of a year. The aim is to free up doctors’ time to treat more patients.
Other proposals include new licensing rules for selling animals and higher fines for people who mistreat animals. Maximum fines are to be doubled to $20,000 for a first offence and subsequent offences could bring $100,000 fines.
Yet another bill would increase some licence suspensions and other penalties for impaired drivers. It would also prohibit drivers of emergency vehicles, semi-trucks, buses and larger commercial vehicles from driving with any alcohol in their blood.
“We know that commercial truck drivers have to be some of the safest drivers on Manitoba’s roads because they are driving very, very big and very, very potentially dangerous vehicles,” Wiebe said.
Another bill introduced Thursday would allow more health professionals, not just physicians, to apply to have someone undergo an involuntary psychiatric assessment.
The NDP government is planning to introduce more than 30 bills in total for debate this year, and is set to deliver its budget March 24.
The Opposition Progressive Conservatives have the power, under legislature rules, to hold back as many as five bills until after the summer break for further debate in the fall.
