Campaigning with Don Dewar in Dauphin-Swan River

Bus drivers, teachers's aides, school secretaries, library clerks, cleaners and custodians have been spending the last ten weeks walking outside on the picket line. As we heard when Liberal candidate Don Dewar and I visited and talked to affected workers in Ste. Rose, in Laurier, and in McCreary, there is a large difference in the hourly wage provided by the Turtle River School Division and the surrounding school divisions. One picketer put it succinctly: "Here they pay better for transporting cattle than they do for driving children!"

Part of the blame for the extended strike must be laid at the feet of the provincial Education Minister, Peter Bjornson. Minister Bjornson has been made aware of the situation, but he has not come up to visit and he has not made any move to see if there might be a way to bring the situation to a resolution. And of course, it's the school children who are suffering.

This strike needs to be resolved soon. If the weather turns colder, it will get very chilly and many families rely on their school bus drivers. Also, this is cattle country, so it is going to be even more difficult for families to transport their children when calving starts. But the bottom line is this: children should have proper support at school and these support staff are needed to ensure students are being well looked after.

Don Dewar and I also stopped at Oak Ridge Meats in McCreary. Since the onset of the BSE troubles in Manitoba, there has been one new slaughter facility for cattle. It is Oak Ridge Meats Limited in McCreary.

At the moment, Oak Ridge Meats operates its line two days a week and provides employment for people in the community. Gilbert Kohlman, the plant manager says they could go to five days a week if they had a market for their meat. They are working on establishing and enlarging their market and hope they will be able to go to five days a week soon.

Parc Molgat

Along the picturesque Turtle River at Ste Rose du Lac, Manitoba can be found Parc Molgat, named after former Senator Gildas Molgat who came from Ste. Rose.

I had a chance to visit the park when I was in Ste. Rose on Friday this week, and to see the plans to enhance the park and to make it more attractive for people to visit and to camp there.

In the upper photo, I am with Don Dewar getting a first hand look at the Park. In the lower photo, you can see some of the details of the planning for further development of the park.

The Manitoba Cattle Producers Association

While I was in Brandon on Thursday, I had a chance to stop by the annual meeting of the Manitoba Cattle Producers Association. People were in a much better mood than a year ago with prices for young animals considerably improved.

I learned several interesting facts:

1) In spite of the NDP government's attack on cattle producers and their activities along the creeks and streams around Manitoba, I heard very clearly that many cattle producers have been working hard to improve their riparian environmental stewardship for some time. Indeed, I heard remarkable stories of cattle farmers who continued to put money into improved riparian habitat even in the darkest days of the BSE problems. This is a story which needs to be told more often.

2) One farmer told me a story which illustrates the problems with wet weather this last year. He told me how he looked out over his field one day, and all he could see was whitecaps. Those who did not visit affected parts of rural Manitoba often don't really appreciate just how bad it was this last year.

3) I also heard kudos from a cattle producer for the federal and provincial support programs during the worst part of the BSE problem. They may not have been as quick as people wanted, and they may not have been perfect, but they did help many farmers get through some pretty difficult times. This cattle producer was going to vote Conservative, so he did not say this because of political bias, but he did say (without me even asking) that the help of the federal Liberal government made a difference.

Grassroots Farmer

A number of years ago, Murray Downing, farming with his wife Linda near Reston in western Manitoba, got very concerned about the situation of Manitoba farmers. So, he organized a group of grassroots farmers like himself and set out to change the way governments support farmers.

Since then, after many farm meetings and numerous trips to Ottawa, Murray has learned a lot and he is continuing to push for better programs to help farmers.

In 2004 and again this year, Murray is the Liberal candidate in the Brandon-Souris riding. He is the first to admit that his ideas aren't always perfect. He is also the first to put in a lot of effort to help farmers. One thing is certain, if Murray ever gets elected, there is no doubt he would fight like a tiger to get better conditions for farmers. And helping farmers in this riding where 85% of the economic activity starts on the farm is pretty important.

In the photo, I join Murray and other members of his team in the campaign office.

I wanted to be Elvis

This afternoon, Ray St. Germain launched his book I wanted to be Elvis, so what was I doing in Moose Jaw. Ray gave a warm and moving account of his book and his life - and did it with panache and humour. Ray has a great sense of humour and he had all of us in the audience laughing with him and enjoying his tales.

The book itself tells Ray's story and it is full of interest and moving moments - like how he got to know his brother, Brian, and only later found out that he was in fact his brother!

He also tells the story of how he started his Country and Western Talent show on CKND in 1976. As Ray says "Izzy Asper believed in Manitoba talent and thought there should be an outlet for gifted musicians and singers." Ray adds: "I wrote the scripts, was the singing host, and produced the shows." The show ran for 13 years!

And now Ray is running to be the Member of Parliament for Winnipeg Centre. Good luck Ray!

In the photo above, Ray and I share a moment together just before Ray signs my copy of his book.

John Loewen and Crocus

Yesterday afternoon, I was out helping John Loewen campaign in the riding of Charleswood - St. James - Assiniboia. John helped bring attention to problems at the Crocus Investment Fund in 2002. He showed courage then, and he is showing it again now in a close contest. His move to federal politics was certainly not for opportunism given the challenge he faces to get elected.

It was clear that John Loewen is well liked by many of those he met. Good luck John!

New Years Resolutions

It is time for New Years resolutions. Mine are three.

1) To get to the bottom of the Crocus Scandal. Nearly 34,000 shareholders, many of whom invested in the belief this was a safe investment, have lost money as a result of what happened with the Crocus Investment Fund. We need to know why this happened so we can ensure it will not happen in the future. Kevin Lamoureux and I are determined to push for a full Public Inquiry so that Manitobans will know what happened.

2) To use this blog, and other means, to provide for greater accountability, openness and public understanding of the provincial government in Manitoba. To improve economic conditions and quality of life for Manitobans we need more open and accountable government and better public understanding of the changes that are needed.

3) To take substantial steps to build the Manitoba Liberal Party so that Manitobans will have an alternate, and a better choice than the NDP and Conservatives when the next provincial election comes. Part of this effort will be in helping individual Manitobans with their issues. Part of this effort will be in improving our policies, organization, candidates and resources.