NDP could do more to prevent H1N1 flu infecting Manitoba hogs

This afternoon, I called on Manitoba's Minister of Agriculture to provide assistance to the hog industry.

At the top of the issues today is the threat from the H1N1 flu virus. I believe we must do everything we can to take measures that will ensure Manitoba hogs do not get exposed to the H1N1 virus. Already hogs in a farm in Central Alberta have been infected with the virus when a farm worker carrying the virus returned from Mexico and visited the hog barn while he was infectious. As early as last Wednesday, I called on the Minister of Agriculture to ask people coming to Manitoba from Mexico to avoid going to hog barns for five days after arriving in Manitoba. This measure would have prevented a similar situation to that in Alberta, but the Manitoba Minister of Agriculture refused to support it.

We must do everything that we can do ensure that Manitoba’s hogs remain free of the H1N1 Virus. While I am upset with the Chinese Government’s actions to refuse entry of all Canadian hogs into the country, and I do not believe this action was necessary, we do need to do everything possible to keep Manitoba’s hogs healthy to avoid any further trade embargoes that would create significant hardships for our hog industry. I believe the Minister should work with Manitoba Pork to do everything possible to guarantee that hogs in Manitoba will not become infected with the H1N1 virus. Sadly when put to the Minister, she replied "No we can't".

Last year, the Government imposed Bill 17, which has put the industry into a straightjacket. It was a bill that reduced equity and limited the industry’s ability to innovate. Now with low prices for hogs and the recent threats to Manitoba’s markets, the industry needs all the help it can get.

Herm Martens, a hog farmer, and reeve of the R.M. of Morris said “We feel that we’ve been abandoned by the NDP in this province. It is time for the provincial government to come forward with a plan to help those who are still surviving in the hog industry before it is too late."