Battling for a Better Manitoba - The Book Launch

Photos from the book launch of Battling for a Better Manitoba at McNally Robinson's at the Grant Park Shopping Centre are shown above. The book is a history of the provincial Liberal Party, and the story of the Liberal leaders including four who served as Premier including Thomas Greenway (1888-1899), Tobias Norris (19515-1922), Stuart Garson (1942-1948) and Douglas Campbell (1948-1958). Thanks to all who came. I hope you enjoy the book.

Yom Hashoah - Holocaust Memorial Day

Tuesday April 25 was Holocaust Memorial Day. I was one of the readers during the ceremony "Unto Every Person there is a name."

In the legislature, I spoke briefly

"Mr. Speaker, I would like to join my colleagues today, Holocaust Memorial Day, in remembering the tragedy of the Holocaust, the 6 million people who died, and the 1.5 million children who died, and in joining others in the resolve to do everything in our power here and elsewhere to prevent such tragedies in the future.
This Holocaust Memorial Day has a special meaning to me this year because I was in Jerusalem in February and had a chance to visit the Holocaust Museum. What an incredible experience going through and seeing the many stories.
After I read at the memorial, "unto every person there is a name." After I had read some of the names this morning, I had a chance to talk with one of the survivors who has lived here in Winnipeg now for many years. It was very moving, both on the one hand to hear her speak of the pain that is there every day for her even now, so many years later from the many people whom she knew and she lost in the terrible tragedy that was the Holocaust. But, Mr. Speaker, in spite of that pain being there every day, she has contributed in Manitoba in many, many ways, including working with children at the Children's Hospital for many years.
I think it is an important opportunity to salute those who have come through this terrible experience and, yet, have been able to contribute in one way or another so much here in Manitoba and others, of course, around the world.
This is a real opportunity to remember and to recommit ourselves to preventing this sort of thing from ever happening again. "

A Prayer Circle for Phoenix Sinclair, Heaven Traverse and other children who have died in care

It was very moving, this afternoon, to join many others in a prayer circle to remember Phoenix Sinclair and the other children who have been killed while in the care of Manitoba's Child and Family Services, or shortly after leaving care, and to pray for these children and for their families and friends.

It was also a time to dedicate ourselves to doing what we can to prevent further tragedies.

I had the opportunity to talk with a number of Phoenix Sinclair's relatives. She was an incredible child. Below are the words on a sheet of paper provided to me by Phoenix Sinclair's aunt (bottom photo).

Phoenix Victoria Sinclair

April 23, 2000 - June 11, 2005

Happy Birthday Sweet Angel

Your sweet smile and precious

hugs will never be forgotten

by those who love you.

"We'll always see your smile

Hear your laughter on the wind,

We'll feel you watching over us,

And all the love you send.

Forever in our hearts and souls,

We'll miss you everyday,

For you truly are an angel now,

And Heaven is where you play."

We will always think of you

spreading your angel wings

and dancing in the sky.

Liberal Policy - and the proposed Olywest Hog Processing and Rendering Plant

Many policy issues were discussed, debated and voted upon at our Manitoba Liberal Party Annual General Meeting. Without any doubt, the most contentious issue was the discussion and vote surrounding the Olywest Hog Processing and Rendering Plant proposed for the St. Boniface Industrial Park.

At the workshop session on Saturday, after much discussion, the resolution from representatives from the Transcona Liberal Association was voted upon and passed with the narrowest of margins. It then went to the plenary session, and this time the support for the resolution had built considerably. The resolution called for the location of the Olywest Hog Processing and Rendering Plant at an alternate site than the St. Boniface Industrial Park.

In essence, delegates from Winnipeg argued successfully that Winnipeg should be treated no differently than Brandon and Neepewa. In both Brandon and Neepewa the hog processing plant is located nearby, but away from the major urban centre. Delegates felt that having high density urban residences as well as high tech and other businesses surrounding the plant was not a good solution.

The Award Winners

Saturday night featured our annual Manitoba Liberal Party awards.

The Maria Lang Award, to a young Liberal went to Bronwyn Lawton (top photo).

Constituency Awards went to the Point Douglas Liberal Association (second photo) and the Inkster Liberal Association (third photo).

Life memberships were given to Meryle Lewis and to David and Victoria Shaw of Treherne. The fourth photo shows David (Victoria Shaw and Meryle Lewis were unable to attend).

The President's Award was presented to Walt Nilssen for his efforts as membership chair (fifth photo).

The Leader's Award went to Dr. Jennifer Lukovich for her efforts with respect to environmental policy and the Workshop on Saving Lake Winnipeg (bottom photo).

Policy and Personalities at our AGM

Our Annual General Meeting on the weekend, had lots of policy, lots of election preparedness and lots of personalities.

Several of the notable peronalities were seeking the federal Liberal Party leadership. Michael Ignatieff (top photo) gave us a rousing speech. He clearly knows Canada well, as well as many countries around the world. He began with a recognition of the loss, earlier on Saturday, of four of our brave soldiers in Afghanistan, a country he has visited on more than one occasion.

Also in attendance was Ken Dryden - much in demand for photos and autographs. He is a politician with a reputation for his concern for children. He is also the politican with the byline "the puck stops here."

A notable presence was Stephane Dion. A fighter for Canadan unity, Stephane Dion in the last several years has turned his attention to the environment. Step by step Stephane Dion, as federal Minister of the Environment put in place funding and programs to aid in supporting improved environmental practices. One of the major initiatives was a substantial commitment to fund the cleanup of Lake Winnipeg. He has been saddened by the gradual withdrawal by the Harper Conservatives from many of the environmental programs he worked so hard to establish. We are still waiting to see whether Harper will carry through on the support for efforts which are badly needed to clean up Lake Winnipeg.

Maurizio Bevilacqua stopped in for lunch on Saturday. A hard worker, with a formidable ability to keep in touch with people across Canada, Maurizio enjoyed a laugh listening to Ace Burpee.

Not a leadership contender, but also reaching out to meet Liberals from coast to coast, was Senator Marie Poulin (bottom photo). She is seeking the Presidency of the Liberal Party of Canada in the fall convention.

For more on personalities at the convention see http://www.manitobaliberals.ca/2006/04/fun-at-young-liberals-friday-night.html

Ace Burpee

The luncheon speaker at our Manitoba Liberal Party Annual General Meeting was Ace Burpee.
He is my kind of Manitoban - proud of our province and he loves it here. As Ace says "I ain't leaving until I ain't breathing."

Ace took a few pot shots at me and my blog - they were funny - and I took them in good humour. Hey, you gotta like a fellow blogger - see Ace's blog at http://www.hot103live.com/blog/129

He also took a pot shot or two at the NDP - over their plan for guaranteed wait times. The only government anywhere who is excited about guaranteeing you have to wait! As Ace said "the NDP write comedy."

We all had a good time - especially the young Liberals (photo).