Russell and Bio-regional Economic Development

The evening of July 2, we stayed in Russell at the Sanderson's Hill bed and breakfast operated by Joan and Ron Clement. It was an excellent opportunity to enjoy good hospitality in Russell and to get an appreciation for the economic development efforts in the region.

Both Joan and Ron are champions for their community and their region. Ron has been a strong advocate for bio-regional economic development - economic development which is based on the advantages of the region.

People in Russell have done an excellent job of moving forward with tourist development efforts which recognize the importance of year round activities. In the winter, the Assissippi Ski Hill is a major draw for the region. In the summer, the wonderful advantages of fishing and of various regional tourist attractions (Fort Ellice, the Inglis elevators and the Skinner farm are examples) to draw visitors. The community has built on these natural attractions with various summer learning or schooling programs - for hockey, for art, for music and for dance.

In the past I have met with various community leaders with respect to plans for regional economic development. A proposal to harness the water power at the Shellmouth Dam for hydroelectricity is one example.

This visit, Ron talks at length about his dreams to develop a Storybook Village in Russell. Ron makes the point, a good one, that it is important for communities to look at sustainable, continuous draws for tourists, not just at "event" tourism. I agree. I have seen many good examples of communities which have developed local tourist attractions which bring in visitors in a steady consistent fashion. To date neither the Tories nor the NDP in Manitoba have shown much interest in this approach. We may need a Liberal government in our province to move this forward Ron and Joan. But even from our current position in opposition, we will continue to work with you to help move your ideas forward.