Manitoba has earmarked $1 million annually for its U.S. trade office, which is $200,000 more than what was previously revealed by the NDP government, as per documents obtained by CBC News. The allocated amount covers salaries, office space, and other expenses for Washington, D.C., trade envoy Richard Madan and his administrative assistant. The NDP government had initially cited a $800,000 total annual budget for the Washington trade office. However, recent information suggests that the estimated cost for the 2026-27 fiscal year could range between $800,000 to $900,000.
The disclosure discrepancies concerning the trade office’s budget have raised concerns. For instance, initial statements from the Kinew government have been found to be incomplete or inaccurate. While it was initially stated that Madan would earn a $387,000 salary, a signed contract later revealed that he receives $482,000 in annual consulting fees. Additionally, the province is spending $143,000 on an administrative assistant for Madan in Washington, D.C., and $221,000 on rent for the trade envoy and his assistant at the Canadian embassy in the U.S.
Progressive Conservative Leader Obby Khan criticized the fragmented financial disclosure, emphasizing the need for transparency and clarity in government budgeting. Notably, there is no specific line item in Manitoba’s budget documents that explicitly outlines the budget for the U.S. trade office. The spending on the office is reportedly included within a larger allocation for “grant assistance” in the “economic programs” budget.
The lack of detailed financial information has drawn criticism from Duff Conacher, co-founder of Democracy Watch, who highlighted the importance of transparency in government spending. Conacher stressed that the public has a right to know the costs associated with government programs to assess the value for taxpayer money. However, the NDP government has not disclosed the total expenditure on the U.S. trade office, citing pending financial statements for the 2025-26 fiscal year.
Efforts to obtain spending details through freedom of information requests have been met with resistance from the government, citing reasons such as cabinet confidence and potential harm to relations with the federal government. Conacher criticized these actions as undemocratic and called for greater accountability in public spending. Madan declined to comment on the matter, redirecting inquiries to NDP cabinet communications officers.