After two weeks of Tory filibustering, the Doer government has bailed on key elements of its election legislation, a gesture that appeared Thursday night to break the stalemate that has gripped the Manitoba legislature.
The NDP agreed to lift the party spending cap that limits advertising in non-election years -- a cap the Tories called unconstitutional and threatened to take to court.
The Doer government also said there would be no government censorship of routine MLA mail-outs, the kind the Tories have begun using to criticize the NDP in target ridings.
Instead, an all-party legislative committee will try to reach a consensus on the content and cost of the flyers. If they can't reach a consensus, the Speaker will appoint an independent arbitrator.
"I don't think that will happen. We tend ultimately to grind things out" through negotiation, said Justice Minister and house leader Dave Chomiak. "There will be no government censorship."
Chomiak said consensus is essentially the process that has always been in place when dealing with the content of direct mail flyers -- the amendments will just enshrine the process into law.
The amendments come after nearly two weeks of committee hearings -- some stretching into the wee hours of the morning -- at which the Tories stacked the list of speakers with opponents and filibustered to delay several bills they oppose.
The amendments also paved the way for serious all-party negotiations Thursday evening that could see the house rise on schedule June 12 instead of dragging on throughout the summer.
Several bills, including some of the controversial ones such as the hog barn ban, could be held over until the fall.
The NDP wouldn't acknowledge the amendments are a climb-down, though, and there was tough talk from the Tories.
Tory Leader Hugh McFadyen said the amendments to the election bill make little difference, since the NDP failed to abandon a plan to give the parties $1.25 per vote from public funds.
"The vote tax is the issue people lined up to speak out against," McFadyen said. "I don't understand what part of 'no' the NDP doesn't understand."
The Liberals say they will vote for election legislation as amended.
Meanwhile Thursday, the Doer government's budget passed -- a quiet event amid all the recent hoopla.
Intense debate is expected to continue this morning as public hearings on the proposed hog barn ban begin. More than 400 people, mainly angry hog farmers, are registered to speak.
maryagnes.welch@freepress.mb.ca
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