Making Education a Priority

This session I am focusing on education to highlight the critical issues that affect us all. Long wait lists for early childhood education and the highest high school drop rates in Canada are only two of the deep seated issues that challenge our current education system. I will be encouraging more NDP commitment for providing financial access to post-secondary for those who have the ability and desire to further their education at any stage of life.


Education affects all of us. A solid education will impact how we do as a society and as a province. Studies have proven that investment in education can lower the costs to Manitobans for health care and justice over the long-term. Our massive provincial deficit this year means that moving forward, Manitoba must carefully spend each and every revenue dollar and maximize our returns and that means that investing in education is a logical answer.


Kevin Lamoureux, Deputy Leader of the Manitoba Liberal Party, has accepted the task of being our critic for health care and the environment so that I can focus on education, justice issues, finance and the economy as well. We want to re-assure Manitobans that we are committed to all the issues that the province faces in the journey to be a have province.


Over the next several months, I will be reaching out to and consulting with people around Manitoba to discuss our education system, where it is headed, what changes are needed and how we can better include the emerging best practices to build a world class education system in Manitoba.


As always, I welcome your thoughts and suggestion on how Manitoba’s education system can improved! I can be reached by email at contact.gerrard@leg.gov.mb.ca, by mail at Room 169, Manitoba Legislature, 450 Broadway, by phone at 945-5194 and through facebook. I will be noting my activities on twitter and can be followed there by those who are interested.