The Manitoba NDP government appears to be gearing up for the provincial election in April. This week's speech from the throne unveiled a list of goodies aimed especially at Winnipeg voters.

The Selinger government is promising a three-year extension of its multi-billion dollar infrastructure program to 2020, bringing the total investment to $10 billion. Included in that promise is a $1 billion New Partnership with the City of Winnipeg for roads, public transit, wastewater treatment plants and recreation centres.

Several new projects for our provincial capitol were identified in the throne speech, including the widening of Kenaston Boulevard, a new Louise Bridge, and the westward extension of the Chief Peguis Trail expressway. The province is also promising to spend up to $800 million to upgrade intersections along the south Perimeter Highway.

Not to worry, though, if you're living in rural Manitoba as the throne speech addresses the infrastructure needs outside the Perimeter Highway as well.

"That's why we have the Growing Communities Fund. It will allow us to continue to renew roads, extend more infrastructure money for roads, bridges, water and sewer infrastructure and also things like recreation centres and multiplex facilities," said Selinger. "Rural communities offer a good quality of life and they're looking for the things that will allow their families to do things together, allow young people to play sports, but they also need the basics like water and sewer infrastructure, roads and bridges and we'll have a fund that allows that to happen."

Selinger made the comment for this week's Premier's Report which airs Fridays at 11:45 a.m, on CFAM Radio 950. You can hear this week's program in its entirety by clicking on the audio file below.

Meanwhile, Opposition Leader Brian Pallister says Selinger government is desperate and is trying to buy votes. He said the government does not have a plan to restore balanced budgets which makes all these promises unsustainable and unachievable.

"It was classic evidence of what the issue is going to be in the next election, which is, 'who do you trust to keep their word.' It wasn't a speech about what the government is going to do; it was a speech about what they have failed to accomplish in the past 16 years."

Pallister commented on the throne speech and some other issues on this week's program The Other Side, which airs Fridays on CFAM Radio 950 at 1:15 p.m. You can hear the program in its entirety by clicking on the audio file below.