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BORIS MINKEVICH / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS L-R Luxton Elementry School's James Mushaluk and Cooper Vint chat with Winnipeg School Division Supt. Pauline Clarke and Manitoba Minister of Finance Cameron Friesen at Sisler High School where a government credit program was announced.

Two provincial Tory ministers effusively praised the interactive digital media tax credit for its record as a job-creating success Monday -- without mentioning the NDP created the tax credit.

Finance Minister Cameron Friesen and Growth, Enterprise and Trade Minister Cliff Cullen went to Sisler High School to announce enhancements to the tax credit.

"Clearly, this is a tax credit that works," Friesen declared.

The credit provides a 40 per cent rebate on expenses for companies in the growing field. Monday, Friesen and Cullen said they were eliminating both the tax credit's maximum of $500,000 and the maximum two years that eligible projects could claim.

"There's some tweaking going on," said Cullen.

He said in response to reporters' questions that the tax credit has been in effect since 2008 but it had limitations, even though in 2011 it returned $12 to Manitoba's economy for every $1 paid out.

Friesen said the Pallister government will invest in programs which lead to Manitoba jobs. "We're allowing areas of interest to align with opportunities for employment," he said. "It is an emerging sector."

They chose to make the announcement in one of the nine sophisticated labs housing interactive digital media and cyber security at the province's largest high school.

Sisler has won numerous national and international awards for development and innovation, and has partnered with the Vancouver Film School, and works with Disney, Facebook and Nickelodeon.

There will be 796 students enrolled in the specialized courses in September.

"There will be more good jobs waiting for our students when they graduate," Friesen said.

"It's about keeping talented Manitoba kids here in Manitoba," said Cullen.

To be eligible for the 40 per cent tax credit, a company must pay at least 25 per cent of its wages within Manitoba. A company with a lower percentage can get a 35 per cent tax credit if its Manitoba wages are at least $1 million.

"It's based on their activity within Manitoba," Friesen said.

Cullen said Manitoba' tax credit will now be in line with Ontario's.

Cullen laughed when asked how he felt about praising a tax credit the NDP had created. He said in an interview that the Pallister government is reviewing every tax credit to see which ones work.

nick.martin@freepress.mb.ca