Should Manitoba have a Bill of Rights for Children?

We had a heated discussion at our Annual General Meeting this morning as to whether we should have a provincial bill of rights for children.

Our guest speaker, Celeste McKay, indicated that she felt there was legal protection for children, but that the problem was implementing such protection.

Actual implementation of such protection in Manitoba has been woefully inadequate. The sad story of the 31 children who have been killed while in the care of Manitoba's Child and Family Services, or shortly after leaving care, is but one example of this deficiency. (see also http://www.manitobaliberals.ca/2006/04/battling-on-behalf-of-children-in.html , and http://www.manitobaliberals.ca/2006/04/candle-for-children.html )

Sharon Carstairs spoke to emphasize that we still allow corporal punishment in Manitoba, while it is forbidden under the UN Convention.

The top photo shows Celeste McKay with delegates Rhonda Gordon, Kristine McGhee and Mary Lou Bougeois. In the bottom photo, I am with the organizers of the session - Joan Kennedy, Selina Bieber-Sapong and Sheila Jonasson.

If you have thoughts or suggestions on this question, please send me an email at jgerrard@leg.gov.mb.ca

Fun at the Young Liberal's Friday night social

With music from Rob Hrabluk and Kris Merrells (top photo), and plenty of enthusiasm and energy, lots of young Liberals and a few older ones turned out for a fun evening at the York Hotel last night.

Ken Dryden (third photo) and Carolyn Bennett (bottom photo) two of the federal Liberal leadership candidates were around to meet and mix with the crowd.

Accountability and the hot seat

For two hours last night, at our Manitoba Liberal Party Annual General meeting, it was accountability time. First Warren Thompson (top photo), our party president, reviewed the operations of the party during the last year, and faced questions from the assembled delegates.

Then Kevin Lamoureux and I were on the hot seat, as delegates questioned us about our legislative strategy, our efforts to recruit new members and our plans for the upcoming provincial election. We had a good number of candidates and potential candidates in the audience.

There is a little difference between an economic analysis and a press release Mr. Doer

Gary Doer has been making the case that the Olywest Hog Processing Plant is good economics but bad politics. Today, I challenged Mr. Doer in question period to table his economic analysis.

Twice, he refused to do so. Instead Gary Doer said he had a press release. Most people understand that there is a big difference between a press release and a careful and rigorous economic analysis.

Until Mr. Doer tables better evidence than he has to date, we must conclude that he has not done the economic analysis. Once again, lots of spin and little substance from the NDP.

Red Deer Lake - everyone is pitching in to help

Red Deer Lake residents are all pitching in to help protect their community.

At the top, I am visiting with the sandbagging crew. As well as local residents, quite a number of helpers have come in from nearby Sapotaweyak Cree Nation. In the next photo I am with the Mayor of Red Deer Lake - Annette Hather and Ken Hather.

In the next photo, I am with Annette Delaronde and the kitchen crew who are working hard to ensure everyone is well fed.

In the bottom photo, I am with Dennis Barker from nearby Burrows. In deciding on a plan to protect the community, local knowledge is important. Dennis felt strongly that an emergency dyke should be built quickly around the community and the sandbagging may not be enough to protect the homes. For now, the NDP government is acting to help with the sandbagging operations, but I think they should have listened more carefully to Dennis Barker and his views of the potential to put up a dyke quickly around the whole community. Whatever happens, a long run plan to protect the community must be developed and implemented.

Flooding at Red Deer Lake

The community of Red Deer Lake is under threat from high water. The water has been coming in record amounts from Saskatchewan and has risen rapidly over the last few days. The peak is not expected until next Wednesday so members of the community and nearby residents are working hard to fill sand bags and protect the homes in the community.

The top shows the view from the air (I was there yesterday along with Deputy Premier Rosann Wowchuk and Emergency Measures Minister Scott Smith. Gary Doer and Stuart Murray were also to be going along but both cancelled at the last minute).

The middle photo shows a home with sandbags all around. It is now surrounded by the lake.

The bottom photo shows Dennis Cook, who is coordinating emergency activities in the community. He is showing us the expected peak height of the water.

Should hog processing plants be urban or rural economic development?

There is much concern about the Olywest hog processing and rendering plant being proposed to locate in the St. Boniface Industrial Park in Winnipeg. I have been listening carefully to proponents and opponents. A critical issue here is whether such a hog processing plant belongs in the city next to high tech industries which have very rigorous requirements in terms of air quality. I have heard from Reeve Herm Martens who believes he has a much better site in the R.M. of Morris. I hear there are others who believe there are better sites in their municipalities.
Many citizens in Winnipeg would agree that this plant provides a major opportunity for rural economic development, and should be located in a rural area rather than in the city of Winnipeg.

We are going to have a resolution on this issue at our Annual General Meeting, and I expect it will be thoroughly discussed there this weekend.

Come and participate in politics at our AGM

I invite you to join me in a weekend of politics, entertainment, and socializing at the Manitoba Liberal Party's Annual General Meeting this weekend at the York Hotel (formerly the Sheraton) in Winnipeg.

There are a lot of exciting activities planned for this year's AGM. The heart of the event will be the many policy debates on the future of our province - everything from children's rights to the quality of health care to the future location of hog processing plants. This is your chance to be a part of the action.

There will also be a number of interesting people and personalities for you to meet, including Senator Sharon Carstairs, federal Liberal leadership candidates Michael Ignatieff and Ken Dryden (perhaps even more), and radio personality Ace Burpee.

The Manitoba Liberal Party is an open and inclusive party, and I invite you to come and see what Liberals are all about. To be a voting delegate you will need to be a Liberal member, but you can also attend as a non-voting observer. If you can't be at the AGM for the full weekend, there is the option of selecting a particular breakfast, lunch or dinner event to attend to listen to our keynote speakers.

I look forward to seeing you at our AGM.

For more information about the AGM, including a schedule of events, please visit our party website at http://www.manitobaliberals.ca/ and click on the links below the Annual General Meeting graphic.

Lem Shuttleworth - a boy from the prairie

This afternoon, I attended the funeral for Lem Shuttleworth. Lem, the MLA for Hamiota constituency from 1949-1959, served as Minister of Public Utilities and Power Commissioner from 1953-1958. In this capacity he oversaw the Campbell government's program of rural electrification - an important milestone in Manitoba History.

From 1956-1958, Lem Shuttleworth also served as Minister of Agriculture. A farmer, Lem was born in 1910 on land homesteaded by his great grandfather ten miles southeast of Minnedosa. All his life, he worked hard on behalf of farmers and agriculture in Manitoba. He served on the Board of the Grain Comissioners starting in 1965, and from 1972-1977 was the first chariman of the Canadian International Grain Institute.

Lem also contributed to various Delta Waterfowl projects and wildlife activities in the Minnedosa area.

A major contributor to agriculture, Lem Shuttleworth was inducted into the Manitoba Agricultural Hall of Fame.

As Rev. Shawn Ankenmann said at the funeral "Lem was a little boy from the prairie who grew up and went on to do so astonishing things."

We will miss you, Lem. I extend my condolences to family and friends.

Another hypothetical NDP Minister

To my surprise, during question period today, the NDP Minister of Conservation, Stan Struthers, talked about the "hypothetical" Olywest Hog Processing Plant. It is very odd for a Minister of the NDP government which has committed $27.5 million of provincial government money toward this plant, to talk about it as "hypothetical."

Last week, it was the NDP Minister of Finance who was hypothetical. This week it is the NDP Minister of Conservation. Which Minister will be next? What other expenditures committed by their own government will the NDP next call hypothetical?

Happy Easter and Happy Passover

Easter is a time to reflect on the meaning of life and death. For us, this year, it is particularly special because only two months ago Naomi and I were in Jerusalem at the site where Jesus was crucified two thousand years ago (see http://www.manitobaliberals.ca/2006/02/jerusalem.html ).

Easter is also a time for family. Naomi and I send Easter wishes to all our extended family. Today, I will focus on our daughter Pauline, her husband Roger and their daughter Grace.
Recently, Pauline and Grace were in Pennsylvania with Naomi and with Naomi's mother Anna (the top photo shows all four generations). A few days later, Grace and Pauline visited the offices of the World Wildlife Fund in Washington (second photo). Pauline and Roger work for the World Wildlife Fund in Laos.

Today, we received photos from Laos of Grace (third phot0), and of Roger reading to Grace (bottom photo).

Naomi and I wish you a happy and health Easter, and to our Jewish friends we wish you a happy and healthy Passover. And to those in Laos, where this is the Laotian New Year - a Happy New Year.