Not a week goes by that I hear from constituents who know of young people leaving their communities to find jobs and opportunity elsewhere. Where are they going? Last year, young Manitobans left our province like never before. 8,258 young Manitobans left Manitoba last year to go to Alberta – that’s an airplane load of young Manitobans every week seeking opportunity elsewhere, because that same opportunity is not available here in Manitoba! The number of young Manitobans leaving the province is escalating. In 2004, 5,317 Manitobans left for Alberta, and in 2005 that number escalated to 8,258. If Manitoba stays on its present course, we will continue to be a “have not” province for a very long time. We need these young Manitobans to stay here, because when they go, they take our future with them. How can we reverse this trend?

Manitoba is a great province. It has the potential to do so much better. Our current government has not produced the kind of province that will keep our young people here. To create the opportunity that young Manitobans want, we need to create a vibrant economy capable of creating high paying, meaningful, permanent jobs that our young people want. In order to create that type of economy, we need new, fresh ideas which will transform our province from a “have not” province into a “have” province. Our current government has failed to do this. Instead of focusing its attention on growing the Manitoba economy, it directs its attention to Ottawa for more handouts, more federal transfer payments. A sure sign of a weak and declining economy is receiving more transfer payments. Even Saskatchewan has a more vibrant economy than Manitoba. For the first time ever, Saskatchewan is not receiving any transfer payments this year – it has transformed its province into a “have” province. Manitoba is now Western Canada’s only “have not” province!

Manitoba has unlimited potential. What we need is a focused government with fresh ideas to deliver results that Manitobans deserve. Manitoba can’t afford another NDP Government.