The MLA for Morden-Winkler and Minister of Justice and Attorney General for Manitoba, says the provincial Tories have some bold plans in the works for 2022.

To continue to move ahead, Cameron Friesen said we need to emerge from this pandemic and he said Manitoba can be a leader in the process.

Friesen said a very significant immigration focus will be needed to help us get the skills and labour that we need, and that includes here in the Pembina Valley region.

"I continue to be at the table working with the Minister (Advanced Education, Skills and Immigration) and the premier on how to expand immigration," said Friesen.

Friesen says Manitoba's Provincial Nominee Program has been very important for our province, but added it clearly needs to be tweaked to make sure it's working properly for communities like Winkler, Morden, and the RM of Stanley.

"We'll be bringing some very significant legislation forward that will continue to pave the way. We know that we need to be able to get jobs for Manitobans. We know we need to build a more resilient healthcare system."

Friesen says the province has already made huge a commitment to hiring nurses, adding permanent ICU beds long after the pandemic is over, and giving more authority to pharmacists to be able to deliver health-care on the frontlines. He says being able to make investments throughout the province to build a stronger healthcare system, not only gets people faster care, but closer to home.

As the province aims to build a stronger healthcare system in 2022, Friesen says the Boundary Trails Health Centre will play an important role. He noted the upcoming expansion to the hospital is a very comprehensive plan, one which will include new spaces for surgery.

"What's exciting about that, is while we talk about adding surgeries and procedures in Manitoba, some people think that means adding surgeries and procedures exclusively at places like Health Sciences Centre and St. Boniface Hospital, and that's certainly not the case. We can lead. This area of the province has shown that we have the ingenuity, we have the capability, we have the doctor capacity, and surgical capacity, and we will continue to see that Boundary Trails will have a key role when it comes to more surgeries."

As the global pandemic lingers on, Friesen added that the province will continue to support businesses, organizations, and industry in 2022. In 2021, he says the province invested millions of dollars to help sectors manage - including making grants available, and making special payments through the Bridge Grant Program.

"These things have been important to businesses where we live," said Friesen. He went on to say that many industry and business leaders have stated how important the support the Manitoba Government has given has been, at a time when people saw their incomes affected, and when businesses where shuttered for a period of time.

"We know that it's been a struggle for businesses and organizations, but our government will continue to be there."

Friesen says more than $178-million has been provided to businesses and organizations, and more than $26-million has been given to home-based businesses.