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Manitoba’s Adrien Sala Earns Failing Grade as Canada’s Poorest Performing Finance Minister in 2025
Manitoba Finance Minister Adrien Sala received a failing grade from the Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF) in its 2025 Finance Minister Report Card, tying with Newfoundland and Labrador’s Siobhan Coady for the worst performance among Canada’s provincial finance ministers. The report, released on June 10, 2025, evaluates ministers on debt, debt interest payments, spending increases, and tax relief, with Sala scoring no better than a D in any category.Link
Background
The CTF’s assessment highlights Sala’s fiscal mismanagement under Premier Wab Kinew’s NDP government. Manitoba’s 2025-26 budget, tabled by Sala on March 20, 2025, has drawn criticism for exacerbating the province’s financial challenges, including a 2.3 billion in annual debt interest payments.LinkLink
Key Issues
Soaring Debt
Sala earned a D grade for debt management. The Manitoba government increased its debt by 36.6 billion by year-end—equivalent to $24,268 per Manitoban, the fifth-highest per capita debt in Canada. This trajectory raises concerns about long-term fiscal sustainability.Link
Crippling Interest Payments
Sala received an F for debt interest payments, which cost taxpayers 1,554 per person—the second-highest in Canada. These payments, which fund no public services, highlight the urgency of addressing Manitoba’s borrowing habits.LinkLink
Reckless Spending
With a 7.1% spending increase—more than double the combined inflation and population growth rate of 3.2%—Sala scored another D. The budget includes 794 million projected deficit for 2025-26.LinkLink
Tax Hike via Bracket Creep
Sala’s worst performance was in tax relief, earning an F for introducing bracket creep by pausing inflation indexing of tax brackets and the Basic Personal Amount. This sneaky tax hike is expected to cost Manitobans $82 million annually, making Manitoba one of only two provinces (alongside Prince Edward Island) not indexing taxes to inflation. While minor relief measures, like a payroll tax cut and an enhanced homeowners’ affordability tax credit, were introduced, they fail to offset the tax burden.LinkLink
Political and Public Reaction
The CTF’s report has sparked widespread criticism. Gage Haubrich, CTF Prairie Director, stated, “Sala is making life more expensive for Manitobans with a sneaky bracket creep tax hike.” Jay Goldberg, the report’s author, urged Sala to reverse bracket creep, curb spending, and reduce borrowing to improve future performance.LinkLink
On X, sentiment reflects public frustration, with posts noting Manitoba’s 2.3 billion interest payments as evidence of fiscal irresponsibility. Political analysts, like Paul Thomas from the University of Manitoba, argue Sala faces a steep challenge in balancing the budget by 2027, especially amid U.S. tariff threats.LinkLink
Recommendations for Improvement
The CTF and analysts suggest Sala could improve by:
- Reducing the deficit to slow debt growth.
- Lowering borrowing to decrease interest payments.
- Capping spending increases below inflation plus population growth.
- Reinstating tax bracket indexing to eliminate bracket creep.
Conclusion
Adrien Sala’s F grade in the Canadian Taxpayers Federation’s 2025 report card underscores significant fiscal challenges for Manitoba. With a $36.6 billion debt, skyrocketing interest payments, excessive spending, and a controversial tax hike, Sala’s performance has drawn sharp criticism. As the NDP government navigates its mandate, Sala must prioritize fiscal restraint and tax relief to restore public confidence and improve Manitoba’s economic outlook. Failure to act risks further financial strain for Manitobans.