Steinbach MLA Kelvin Goertzen says Manitobans deserve clarity on the province’s finances, warning that the NDP government is far from meeting its first-term promise to balance the budget. “This is an NDP government who promised to balance the budget in four years,” Goertzen said. “Now we’re two years into that and they are nowhere close to balancing the budget. I don’t think anybody believes that they’re going to balance the budget. I haven’t talked to a soul, even in the NDP, who believe that they're going to balance the budget.” Goertzen says the government needs to be open about its financial plan. “If they’re not going to balance the budget, then what are the actual expenditures? What’s the deficit going to be and what’s that money being used for?” he asked. “If you’re going to run a deficit, what benefit is coming to me or my family or my community? Or is it just money that’s sort of like going into the wind and nobody really knows where it’s going?” Crime and affordability also pressing concerns Alongside finances, Goertzen says Manitobans are worried about affordability and crime, particularly in rural Manitoba. “In rural Manitoba, it used to be more limited to property crime, and you hear a lot about property crime,” he said. “We’re hearing a lot more about violent crime in rural Manitoba now. So I think there’ll be lots of questions about what is the government looking to do to address issues of violent crime? Not just in Winnipeg, but in rural Manitoba as well.” Goertzen says affordability pressures will also remain front and centre when the Legislature resumes next month. Short fall session ahead The fall sitting, expected to last six to seven weeks, will serve as a “clean-up” session to finish bills that did not pass in the spring. Goertzen says while fewer bills will be debated, question period will focus heavily on the government’s financial plan and its approach to affordability and community safety. He notes a new legislative cycle will begin at the end of October or early November with the throne speech.