NDP vote against accountability, against equity and against more open government

In a stunning and shocking series of votes yesterday afternoon the NDP voted against accountability, against more fairness and equity in government services and against more open government. The so-called "Today's NDP" have become the party of the past - an arrogant party which clearly intends to operate the government of Manitoba behind closed doors, in a fashion that they can discriminate against people based on who they like and dislike and in a way that is no longer accountable. The full details of the debate can be seen by visiting: http://www.gov.mb.ca/legislature/hansard/4th-38th/vol_86b/h86b.html#b21 This takes you to the debate on the Report Stage Amendment for Bill 21, and the debate on other bills follows this.

Grosvenor School - Earth Day Parade

This evening was Grosvenor School's Earth Day Parade. It was a community event with students and teachers parading in costume to emphasize the importance of looking after our environment.

Grand Rapids - Years of NDP injustice

When the Grand Rapids Dam was built in the early 1960s, a considerable number of residents were displaced. Among them was Dorothy Dorion Paraschuk (photo below). Her family home was torn down and she and her family were forced to live in tents. This apparently happened to quite a number of families. For many years, she and others have tried to get some compensation from the provincial government - and have had no success with either NDP or Conservative governments. Now, they are camped out in front of the legislature. I listened to Dorothy's story and to those of others. It is time there was appropriate compensation for what happened 45 years ago.

NDP slams door shut on debate in Legislature

Today, the NDP proved once again that the ‘D’ in NDP definitely does not stand for ‘democratic’. It stands for 'draconian'.

In the space of one single afternoon, my colleague Kevin Lamoureux and I saw the Doer government today shoot down 25 proposed amendments to 12 different government bills - without allowing a single word of debate.

That’s right, other than shouting the word “nay” all afternoon, MLAs from the 'New Draconian Party' said absolutely nothing as they voted down 25 amendments that Kevin and I had proposed to their legislation. No reasons given, no explanations offered, no discussion. Just a quick slam of the door shut on 12 bills.

So it now appears we can put parliamentary democracy as the latest victim in the Crocus Fund saga – because that’s where all this came out of.

Back in December, Kevin and I put the 'No Debate Party' on notice: ‘call a public inquiry into the Crocus scandal or we were going to make it very hot for you in the next session’. We were determined to prevent Gary Doer and friends from simply slithering away from the Crocus scandal without at least feeling some heat.

And if you have been following the events of the past few months, you know that Kevin and I (along with the Conservatives until they cut and run from the fight) were able to significantly slow down the government’s legislative agenda. We had decided the NDP government wasn’t going to get off the hook easy, and we lived up to that pledge.

The result has been that the 'No Disclosure Party' has decided it would prefer to invoke closure, and stifle debate, and basically undermine the whole principle of parliamentary democracy rather than call a public inquiry into the Crocus scandal.

You really got to wonder what the Premier and his cohorts are hiding from to resort to this level.

When is a Board a Board, and when is a Board not really a Board?

In Bill 35 The Public Schools Finance Board Amendment and the Public Schools Amendment Act, the NDP are emasculating the Public Schools Finance Board and replacing it with an in-house committee of three deputy ministers. The NDP are calling the committee of three a Board, but it is so only in name. Decisions will be made under the cloak of secrecy. It will be a Board only in name, but it will clearly function more like a committee of three which makes internal decisions. To learn more visit http://web2.gov.mb.ca/bills/sess/b035e.php to see the Bill, and http://www.gov.mb.ca/legislature/hansard/4th-38th/vol_72b/h72b.html#bill35 to see my comments on this bill.

Bill 25 The Payday Loan Bill - Are there loopholes?

In Bill 25, a payday loan is defined as "a loan of money with

(a) an initial advance of no more than $1,500.; and

(b) an initial term, ignoring any extension or renewal, that is no longer than 62 days."

The question which arises is this: Will lenders start using loans of $1501 to escape being subject to the terms of Bill 25? Or will lenders start using terms of 63 days in order to avoid being subject to the terms of Bill 25?

Bill 25 has been put forward by Greg Selinger the Minister of Finance. If lenders start using loans of with amounts of $1501 or with terms of 63 days, will such loans be called "Selinger" loans because they are designed to avoid the terms of Greg Selinger's Bill 25?

If you want to have your say about this bill, you have a chance to present to the Manitoba Legislative Committee at 8:30 a.m. Thursday June 8. To do so, you need to arrive by 8:30 a.m. in the committee room and register to present.

[Note added in Apri 2010: This Pay Day Loan Bill turned out to have such major problems that Greg Selinger had to bring in a completely new bill in a later session to rectify the problems with it]

NDP sloppy and arrogant this legislative session

This legislative session has been characterized by a sloppy and arrogant NDP government. Far too much of the legislation presented has been poorly written. We have had inquiries called into Child and Family Services over many children who were killed while under the care of Manitoba's child and family service system, or shortly after they left care. But the inquiries are poorly designed and two months after they were called we still have not seen the terms of reference for the external inquiry. The floodway is now $135 million over budget. The NDP still refuse to call a public inquiry into the Crocus Investment Fund, in spite of increasing evidence for the need for the inquiry.

Today, eleven bills go to Committee Stage as the NDP try to rush through legislation in the last few days of the session. Bills going to committee today include a number of poorly designed and problematic bills - like Bill 11 - The Winter Heating Cost Control Act; Bill 14, The Water Rights Amendment Act; Bill 35, The Public Schoools Finance Board Amendment and the Public Schools Amendment Act, Bill 19: The Agri-Food and Rural Development Council Act http://www.manitobaliberals.ca/2006/06/bill-19-sloppy-ndp-legislation.html; Bill 20: The Family Farm Protection Amendment and Family Farms Ownership Amendment Acts http://www.manitobaliberals.ca/2006/06/bill-20-shows-ndp-style-lack-of.htmlBill 30, the Fires Prevention and Emergency Response Act http://www.manitobaliberals.ca/2006/06/bill-30-ndp-legislation-needs-revision.html.

Bill 22 The Elections Reform Act will be in committee this evening. It is another bill that could have been much better than it is.

For a full list of bills going to committee see http://www.manitobaliberals.ca/2006/06/it-is-your-turn-now-to-comment-on.html

Meet many of the federal Liberal leadership candidates

You are invited to a fun evening - a "Bud, Spuds and Steak" fundraiser from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. on Saturday, June 10. It will be at the Tijuana Yacht Club (Canad Inns Polo Park) - 1405 St.Matthews Ave. at Empress. Tickets are $12.00 per person. No children under 18 years of age.

A number of federal leadership candidates are coming. Confirmed to date include Joe Volpe, Stephane Dion, Maurizio Bevilacqua, Bob Rae, Gerard Kennedy, Martha Hall Findlay, Dr. Carolyn Bennett and Michael Ignatieff.

Tickets are available from Melba Allen at 204 453 2888 or allen.mm@mts.net, from Distant Caravans at the Forks Market, or from Molgat Place, 635 Broadway (988-9384). Hosting this event is the River Heights Liberal Association.

The Manitoba Society of Artists Show

Today, at City Place, was the opening of the Manitoba Society of Artists Show. The First Place award went to a powerful piece of art by Gerald Folkerts called Darryl. It is part of a series of poeple - featuring their heads and feet.

Congratulations also to the following who received awards: Ann Bednar, Jerry Bone, Pauline Braun, Jill Brooks, Teresa Burrows, Glenda Enns, Helen Gomez-Perales, Susan Graham McDougall, Luther Pokrant and Leo Simons.


The top photo shows artist Peter Von Kampen entertaining the crowd with music. The bottom photo shows Robert Coulter and his art. Bob taught our son Thomas at River Heights School many years ago.

Arbor Day - Trees in Manitoba

Today is Arbor Day. Today Joel Enns and Sarah Wood representing the Coalition to Save the Elms were out at Assiniboine Park (top photo) providing information to people about how to protect our elms.

In Winnipeg, we also have a big problem with canker worms (bottom photo). This may make the trees less resistant to Dutch Elm disease, so it is important to do what you can to protect our trees. For more information call 832-7188 or email elms@mts.net

Bill 30: NDP legislation needs revision to have proper checks and balances

Bill 30, the Fires Prevention and Emergency Response Act needs changes in order to provide for reasonable checks and balances. This act will be before the Legislative Commitee (the Standing Committee on Agriculture and Food) on Monday June 5 starting at 9:00 a.m. If you would like to present your views, you need to arrive at the legislative committee and register - you should best arrive just before 9:00 a.m. to ensure you have a chance to speak.

This legislation gives the fire commissioner and local municipalities the power to allocate costs to individuals or businesses under a variety of circumstances. At least we need to make sure these are reasonable costs.

This legislation gives immunity to various individuals acting under the authority of this act. While some protection may be reasonable, this bill goes too far in protecting individuals for anything done or not done, even when there is gross negligence or gross incompetence. Manitobans deserve better than this. The relevant clause is shown below.

"Protection from liability
41 No action or proceeding may be brought against the fire commissioner, a designate or any other person acting under the authority of this Act for anything done or not done, or for any neglect,
(a) in the performance or intended performance of a duty under this Act or the regulations; or
(b) in the exercise or intended exercise of a power under this Act or the regulations;
unless the person was acting in bad faith. "

This legislation also makes the assumption that orders sent by email or fax have been received. I have seen too many instances, where for a variety of reasons, emails or faxes have not been received. We need better certainty than this that the orders have been received.

For a full list of bills at committee stage on Monday - see http://www.manitobaliberals.ca/2006/06/it-is-your-turn-now-to-comment-on.html

Bill 19 - Sloppy NDP legislation

Bill 19, the Agri-Food and Rural Development Council Act establishes the Agri-Food and Rural Development Council. It will be reviewed at the legislative committee at 9:00 a.m. on Monday June 5. If you would like to present your views on this bill, you should come to room 254 of the Manitoba Legislature by 9:00 a.m. Monday June 5.

The purpose of this bill is to set up the potentially valuable Agri-Food and Rural Development Council. While the purpose has merit, the legislation itself is sloppy. Let me give you some examples.

1) The responsibilities of council are too vague. It would be better to give the Council greater effectiveness by empowering the council to undertake research and analysis of existing provincial programs. The NDP appear to not want to give the council this power for fear it might be critical of the NDP.

2) The Council is of indeterminate size - it is to consist of an "unlimited" number of persons. Councils which are too large are not effective. A specific size of council should be specified.

3) We believe some level of screening by an all-party legislative committee should occur - to ensure all appointees are not just NDP Party hacks.

For a full list of bills at Committee stage on Monday see http://www.manitobaliberals.ca/2006/06/it-is-your-turn-now-to-comment-on.html

Bill 20 - shows NDP style lack of accountability

Bill 20 will go to committee Monday morning. A concern with this bill is that the changes provided for in this legislation will give poor accountability.

The bill amends two acts to insert very similar language to protect people acting on government appointed boards from liability.

The language with respect to the Manitoba Farm Lands Ownership Board is as follows:

section 32:
"No action or proceeding may be brought against a member of the board, an employee appointed in accordance with subsection 6(9) or any other person acting under the authority of this Act for anything done or not done, or for any neglect, a) in the performance or intended performance of a duty under this Act; or b) in the exercise of intended exercise oa a power under this Act; unless the person was acting in bad faith."

The problem with this language is that it provides virtually complete immunity from accountability for the board and others acting under this act.

If you object to this clause you can come to room 254 in the Manitoba Legislature at 9:00 a.m. Monday June 5 to present your objection.

For a full list of bills to be considered at committee stage on Monday see http://www.manitobaliberals.ca/2006/06/it-is-your-turn-now-to-comment-on.html

Transcona Parade and the Butterfly Lade - Dana Lawrence

This year there are about 70 parades in various communities all over Manitoba. Transcona is, I believe, the first of the parade season. Congratulations to the people in Transcona for an excellent event.

The photos show scenes from the parade including the Red Hatters (second photo), Susan the Clown (third photo), and a friendly maple leaf (bottom).

After the Transcona Parade, I visited several of the booths. One featured the Butterfly Lady - Dana Lawrence (to my left in the top photo). She specializes in raising butterflies and in setting them free.

If you are looking for a unique gift - a live butterfly with fresh flowers - call Dana at 222-5312.

Dana says: "When you capture a butterfly, make a wish and set it free. In return, it will take your wish to the heavens above where your wish will be granted."

Sarah Anne Johnson

Sarah Johnson had an art opening, together with Shaan Syed at the Plug In Institute of Contemporary Art on Friday evening. Her exhibition, Either Side of Eden, features photographs from the Galapagos Islands, and is interspersed with dolls made in her studio.

In the photo, my wife Naomi is enjoying a moment of conversation with Sarah.