Lockout at the Legislature: Doer government runs from opposition scrutiny

Today Kevin Lamoureux and I held a news conference in front of the doors to the Assembly Chamber at the Manitoba Legislature. Back in 1999, then Leader of the Opposition Gary Doer pulled a photo stunt where he and his caucus held a mock Question Period in the Rotunda protesting how Gary Filmon had not recalled the Legislature back to work.

Since Gary Doer is looking today a lot like Gary Filmon did back then, Kevin and I decided to pull a bit of a stunt of our own - right where Gary Doer did his - to express our frustration that the Doer government has so far refused to call the Legislature back into session this fall.

Below is a short YouTube video clip of today's event. Click on the image to run the video, but note that it may take a little while to load up and the sound is a bit soft. You may have to turn up the volume on your speakers.

The bottom line - is this - The House of Commons is in session. The Manitoba Legislature should be in session. It has now been 115 days since the Manitoba Legislature has sat. Gary Doer should stop hiding from questions and public scrutiny in the legislature. We have work to do - including some bills which were not passed in June. There are many critical issues to deal with - including an important report on Manitoba's Child and Family Services which the government has received by not yet released.

Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs Rally

This past week the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs held a rally in the Manitoba Legislature. Chiefs of the AMC gathered for a peaceful rally to protest recent funding cuts to First Nations healthcare.

More than 400 people marched from the offices of the federal government's First Nations and Inuit Health Branch to the Manitoba Legislature. I had the opportunity to speak to the rally. Below is a video clip of part of my presentation. To watch, just click on the image:



First Nations people are facing a great deal of obstacles in getting timely healthcare. Diabetes has grown to epidemic proportions in aboriginal communities and the AMC also noted that aboriginal communities have significantly higher rates of tuberculosis (8-10 times that of the Canadian average) and Hepatitis A (5 times that of the Canadian average).

For reasons only known to them, Gary Doer’s NDP has neglected First Nation communities and the NDP's current practice of pointing the finger at the federal government is not helping at all. First Nations can no longer have their health care needs put on the government's backburner. Manitoba needs to stick up for the rights of Manitoba First Nations. We need to put the health of the First Nations communities first, and worry about how to divide up the funding afterward.

Agricultural Research

While in Brandon on Monday, I passed by the Brandon Research Centre - a major site for agricultural research in Manitoba.

Though the Brandon Research Centre is a federal institution, agricultural research is a shared provincial and federal responsibility.

In this context, the performance of the NDP government has been singularly disappointing. A visit to the NDP government web site does have a place where you can click to find out about the NDP approach to agricultural research. Clicking on this spot - one is referred to a site where there is a list of funded programs including ARDI (the Agricultural Research and Development Initiative), BSE and CAIS. The latter are not research programs though the former is. What is disappointing is that there is no clear provincial vision for agricultural research.

Why is this important? It is important because research and innovation lead the way to the future. If there is no vision for agricultural research and innovation, there is no vision for the future of agriculture. Investments in agricultural research are vital to the future of agriculture in Manitoba. A clear provincial vision for agricultural research is vital to a clear vision for the future of agriculture in our province.

The lack of a clear NDP vision for agricultural research in Manitoba is one more sign of the directionless government of Gary Doer's NDP. It is one more reason why we need to change the government. It is one more reason why we need a Liberal government in our province to set a clear direction for agricultural research and the for future of agriculture in our province.

Doug Paterson - searching for fair treatment for western Manitoba

Doug Paterson, Councillor for Ward 1 in the City of Brandon produced a report to Brandon City Council which raises concerns about the unfairness with which Brandon and area has been treated by NDP and Conservative provincial governments.

Brandon with about 45,000 people and serving a region with about 190,000 people deserves to be treated fairly by the provincial government.

Doug Paterson's report asks why the provincial government provides $1,223,000 in 2006/07 to Destination Winnipeg, to promote economic development and tourism in Winnipeg and yet provides nothing to the City of Brandon.

Doug Paterson's report asks why the provincial government has allows Manitobans access to private wine stores in Winnipeg and yet not in Brandon. It is time that people all over Manitoba were given equal opportunities.

When I met with Doug Paterson on Monday he had other examples - including insufficient representation from Brandon area on provincially appointed boards. Clearly it is time to treat Manitobans fairly whereever they live in Manitoba.

Doug Paterson's report will be coming back to the Brandon City Council for further discussion after the municipal election.

Bringing the news, and local stories to people in Brandon area is Lewellyn Laycock of CKX-TV in Brandon. She grew up on a farm near Russell, trained in Media Production at Assiniboine Community College in Brandon, and had additional learning at the University of Regina, and York St. John's College in England. Lewellyn is known for her courage (including skydiving), and for asking tough questions.

Tobias Norris - the Liberal Premier who moved Manitoba ahead

Monday I was at the Virden Collegiate Institute talking about Toby Norris, the Liberal Premier from 1915-1922 who came from Griswold, just east of Virden.

Norris led one of the most activist and reformist governments in the history of Manitoba. In addition to introducing the vote for women, Norris introduced the most progressive social legislation of any province to that date.

The historian Margaret McWilliams said of Norris's government "Nothing, perhaps, in the whole history of Manitoba is more interesting or stimulating that the speed with which, from generally being counted as one of the backward provinces, the province came to stand at the forefront of the whole dominion in laws concerning social matters."

The years 1915-1922 were an exciting time for Manitoba - and it all started with Toby Norris - who grew up in Griswold - operated a livery stable, traded horses, sang in the Griswold choir and was one of the best auctioneers of his day.

To learn more about Norris, see Battling for a Better Manitoba ( http://www.hrtlandbooks.com/books/battling.htm)

In the photo above, I am standing in the Virden Collegiate Institute library with Glen McKinnon - former principal at the Collegiate and former Member of Parliament for Brandon Souris (1993-1997).

In Portage la Prairie, the home of former Premier Douglas L. Campbell gets a facelift

When I was in Portage la Prairie Sunday evening, I noticed the efforts to restore the home of former Liberal Premier Douglas Campbell. The house, now at the Fort La Reine Museum, was originally near Flee Island north-east of Portage la Prairie.

First elected to the Manitoba Legislature in 1922, D.L. Campbell entered the cabinet in 1936 and became Premier in 1948, serving in that capacity until 1958. Campbell did much to provide electicity to people in rural Manitoba. He also did much to develop northern Manitoba, guiding the development of the City of Thompson in northern Manitoba, following the discovery of nickel there.

Filling up with water - changes needed - changes coming

I have been hearing concerns lately about possible contamination when people fill up with drinking water at outlets like this one on the west edge of Winnipeg - on Portage Avenue just beyond the perimeter. Changes are being made to procedures which are becoming effective October 16th.

These changes are being made at Winnipeg outlets. But there are other sites around the province where water is available. Are changes going to be made at these other sites too?

Rhonda Gordon is our Liberal candidate in Wellington Constituency

Rhonda Gordon is a remarkable woman - who has been involved in a remarkable range of activities. She has worked with CBC Radio, with the National Film Board of Canada, with the Fifth Estate on CBC-TV, with the Manitoba Human Rights Commission, as the Communications Coordinator with Winnipeg Harvest, as a Community Development Facilitator with the Mother of Red Nations and for a year as my Executive Assistant in the Legislature. It is a range of experience that gives her the background and the ability to be an outstanding Member of the Legislature. Now, all we need to do is make sure she gets elected.

Rhonda has a rare talent for listening to people's problems and for finding helpful solutions. I have watched her in action and I have seen her do well.

Rhonda is known for standing up for human rights. On one occasion, when she and her daughter Angela were harrassed - she found the courage and the way to stand up and make a difference. Her experience was later documented in the National Film Board documentary production For Angela. In follow up, Rhonda herself facilitated racism awareness workshops in many of Manitoba's schools.

Rhonda's ability to care for and help others is rooted in her own experience, growing up in poverty. Today with her partner Scott, her daughter Angela and her granddaughter Alexa, Rhonda continues to make a difference in people's lives.