April 30th was the deadline for filing Personal Income Tax returns for Manitobans. Thanks to this NDP government, we notice the tax pinch much more than if we were taxed in other Provinces. Manitobans are the highest taxed to the West of Quebec. High tax rates make our Province non-competitive compared to other provinces and this is part of the reason people choose to live elsewhere and do business elsewhere.

A family of four with two income earners who made $60,000 in 2007, must pay the following amounts of income taxes to their Provincial government:

Manitoba   - $3,276
Saskatchewan  -  $2,996
Alberta   -  $1,831
B.C.    -  $1,306
Ontario   -  $1,187

The 2008 Budget only made a slight difference to our taxes in Manitoba. This same Manitoba family will only save $55.00 this year, however if they have 2 vehicles, their vehicle registration fee increase will eat up $40.00 of that saving. Therefore, the average family of 4 will only have a $15.00 net saving over last year. How will you spend your $15.00? All I will be able to buy for that $15.00 is a haircut.

The numbers speak for themselves.

I am very pleased to announce that PTH#11 improvements and repaving within the Town of Powerview – Pine Falls is scheduled for 2009. While it is disappointing that this roadway improvement will occur a year and a half from now, I am nonetheless encouraged that it will occcur. I have been continuing to advocate on your behalf to ensure that this very important stretch of road will be improved for the safety of all residents. The rebuilding of this roadway will only enhance the natural beauty of Powerview – Pine Falls. You have much to be proud of, and your road will be one of them.

For 2008, the Province will be constructing a Berm to the North of PTH#11 across Powerview Creek in an effort to stabilize the roadway. Those of you who travel across the creek on PTH#11 on the way to Clarke’s Corner to Broadlands, or to St. Georges every day already know about the slumping that has occurred for many, many years at this location. With the slumping comes a roadway that sinks and creates a massive bump at this location year round, and especially during the Spring. The slumping of the road has created a dangerous situation at this location for residents and tourists alike. The Berm will be constructed next year, following which will be monitored. If this measure is effective, then a permanent repair of the site will occur with a replacement of the culvert.

I continue to demand that the government rebuild PR#304 to the South of Powerview – Pine Falls. I continue to remind the NDP that if it does not rebuild PR#304, when a PC Government is elected, we will rebuild it, forthwith. I asked the government to rebuild this roadway in Question Period on November 28th, and the Minister responded with no commitment. The Minister however, gave me some credit when he stated “when it comes to his own backyard, the member for Lac du Bonnet Constituency is front and centre standing up for that.”

I am proud of my record fighting for improvements to our constituency and I will continue to advocate for improvements to our area.

Watching what has unfolded in Parliament over the last year makes me wonder whether the NDP and Liberal Members of Parliament are at all serious about cracking down on crime. They appear to be playing politics with the Federal Anti-Crime Bills, rather than doing what is right – and that is to allow speedy passage of the Federal legislation.

Since January, 2006 the Federal Liberals and the NDP have voted against and/or stalled several Conservative pieces of legislation, which included:
- Mandatory jail time for serious gun crimes
- Tough bail rules when a gun is used to commit crimes
- Increasing the age of protection for sexual activity from 14 to 16 years
- Cracking down on drug-impaired driving
- Ensuring that high-risk and dangerous offenders face tougher consequences when they are sentenced and,
- The dismantling of the Federal Gun Registry.

The Federal NDP and the Federal Liberals are soft on crime – so is the Provincial NDP. If Gary Doer and our Minister of Justice were serious about making it more difficult for criminals, they would speak to Jack Layton and their Federal colleagues and they would insist that the NDP support the Conservative Anti-Crime Bills.

Last month the Premier and the Minister of Justice in a Press Conference stood side by side with Jack Layton and publicly announced that they would support the Federal Anti-Crime Bills – yet a few short weeks later, they reversed their support and instead stood shoulder to shoulder with criminals. Instead of flip-flopping on this issue, the Premier and the Minister of Justice should call the NDP Federal leader, Jack Layton, and insist that he and the rest of his caucus support Federal Conservative Anti-Crime legislation. But we all know that that call will not be made!

After more than 2 ½ years of attempting to convince the Government to recognize the historical significance of PTH #44 and the role it played in the movement of goods and settlers in the development of Manitoba as a Province and Canada as a Country, I am pleased to announce that my Private Members Legislation, entitled The Historic Highway #1 Act, finally became a reality. This Legislation, proposed and developed by myself, received unanimous support by all political parties in the Legislature, and I thank all provincial politicians on all sides of the House in supporting this piece of Legislation.

Existing PTH #44 was the first entry point into Manitoba and the rest of Canada from Eastern Canada, and as a result settlers and goods essential to the settlement and development of Manitoba and the rest of Canada traveled through our area. PTH #44, known in 1920 as PTH #1, served as part of the first Transcanada Highway system until 1956 when the “new” Transcanada Highway was completed South of #44 which proceeded through Hadashville and Richer on its way to Winnipeg. Before the new Transcanada Highway was constructed, PTH #44 was known as Highway #1. When the new Transcanada Highway was constructed in 1956, our road became PTH #4 and finally in 1968 it became known as the present day Highway #44.

In 1920, our highway was little more than a bush road from the Ontario border, proceeding through West Hawk Lake, Rennie, Whitemouth, Seddons Corner, Beausejour, Tyndall, Garson and finally Lockport and Winnipeg. Sections of bog were crossed by a moss covered corduroy roadway. During the Depression, “reliefers” and local people were employed to complete the highway, and by 1936, the highway was hard surfaced with asphalt. Most of the highway was constructed using horsedrawn equipment and manpower. During one mosquito infested summer in the 1930’s, many of the horses came down with sleeping sickness. During the construction, an unmarked grave was discovered near West Hawk Lake in the Whiteshell Provincial Park marking the final resting place of one of our pioneers.

The recognition of PTH #44 as having historical significance to the settlement and development of Manitoba and Canada, will draw tourists off the existing Transcanada Highway into our beautiful area, and will only serve to enhance our businesses, and of course, employment in our area. Many tourists will also be encouraged to travel along the Laverendrye Trail, which also progresses through the Whiteshell Provincial Park and the communities of Lac du Bonnet, Pinawa, Powerview – Pine Falls and Sagkeeng First Nation.

The historical significance demands not only recognition for our area, it also demands an investment from Government in terms of adequate maintenance so that residents and tourists are assured that PTH #44 will be maintained to appropriate safety standards.

I acknowledge the support and encouragement I have had in respect of this Legislation from the Eastman Regional Development Corporation, The Eastern Manitoba Tourism Association and all the Municipalities through which PTH #44 goes.

For the last 2 weeks barricades have been up on a Public Road near Hollow Water First Nation, just outside Manigotagan. The Hollow Water community is protesting the fact that they were not consulted before the Province decided to subdivide and sell cottage lots on Lake Winnipeg near their community. Hollow Water may very well have a valid claim and certainly I would be the first to say that if there is a valid claim, then the Province should move quickly to resolve this issue.

The barricades erected by Hollow Water are constructed across a Public Road which prevents residents and cottage owners from freely coming and going to their properties. The Minister of Conservation has stated that the barricades are illegal, but that he is in no position to enforce the law. The RCMP believe that the barricades are illegal. According to Section 423 of the Criminal Code, it is illegal to block or obstruct a highway. In spite of the fact that the blockade is illegal, absolutely nothing has been done – the barricade remains and no charges have been laid. The Minister of Conservation refuses to negotiate with Hollow Water until the barricades are removed. Hollow Water will not remove the barricades until the Province negotiates. They are at a stand off and we don’t know when this issue will ever be resolved. The Minister needs to show leadership here, because the only losers are the cottage owners and residents who cannot access their homes and cottages.

Last week in Question Period I asked the Minister of Justice why he is not enforcing the law – he is the person ultimately responsible to enforce and to uphold the laws in Manitoba, and nothing has been done. Because the Justice Minister does not enforce the law, he is allowing those involved to rise above the Justice system. He is sending a message to Manitobans that the law is not applied fairly and equitably to all.

The Legislature has been called back into session on September 25th, and I will continue to be in session until December 6th. During that time there will be a full legislative agenda. The session will open with the Estimates process – the line by line analysis of the Budgets of each Government department and it’s expected that this process will conclude within 3 weeks. Following Estimates, a total of 22 Government pieces of Legislation will be analyzed. This Legislation was carried over from the Spring sitting of the Legislature and did not get passed at that time, because the provincial election interrupted debate and passage. On November 20th the Government will introduce a new Throne Speech and following the introduction, the Throne Speech will be debated until December 6th when we break for Christmas. All in all it will be a very busy session.

My Critic responsibilities were changed within the last couple of weeks, as were the Critic responsibilities of most of my colleagues. I was appointed the Critic for Justice, given my legal background, as well as the lead Critic for the Crocus Investment Fund scandal. On top of those portfolios, I was appointed “House Leader”, which carries with it the responsibility of all that happens in the Legislative Chamber, including Question Period, debate on legislation, the Budget and Speech from the Throne, debate in Committees and of course, ensuring that the rules in the Chamber are being followed. This means I provide all of the Points of Order, Matters of Privilege and Matters of Urgent Public Importance. I look forward to those duties and to that responsibility.

It’s time for this NDP government to step up to the plate. Over the last 2 years our area has been hit by devastating tornados which have caused millions of dollars in property damage, several personal injuries and tremendous crop damage. The first issue is the lack of an appropriate warning system. Last year after the Gull Lake tornado, the government announced it was now a priority to work on a warning system for Manitobans. This year, after the Whiteshell tornado, the government announced that it was intending to meet with government officials to discuss a warning system. One year has passed since the Gull Lake tornado, and not even a meeting had taken place! Not a thing was done to move to an appropriate system. Next, Steve Ashton, the NDP Minister responsible, announced that unless the Federal government would come up with $600 Million, nothing could be done! Excuse me! Alberta now has a warning system – Manitoba does not! I say step up to the plate, and do something – don’t stand around pointing fingers at someone else with your hand out waiting for money! Next, the Minister went on record by saying that an appropriate system would transmit messages about a potential tornado through the internet, through cell phones and Blackberrys. I challenge anyone to develop an effective warning system like that. There is no cell phone service or internet service in Pinawa, Whitemouth, Rennie, Seven Sisters, or anywhere in the North Whiteshell. I say lets get this area up to speed with the rest of the Province and ensure that they have access to the internet and cell phone service. Any message warning residents and cottage owners of the tornado using cell phones or the internet would not have worked because they don’t have that service.

The second issue is crop damage. I wrote the Minister of Agriculture well over a week ago about possible assistance for the farmers in North Eastern Manitoba who have been devastated by crop damage due to the excessive rains. Many farmers will have a total crop failure and cannot sustain this loss. Some farmers have crop insurance, but crop insurance barely covers the cost of the inputs for the crop – the seed, the fertilizer, sprays and fuel required to plant the crop! Once the insurance is paid out, farmers are still left with their mortgage payments, taxes, and an inability to feed their families. Some farmers do not have crop insurance because they cannot afford the premium, and this year they may be forced out of the farming business. Cottage owners who suffered damage to their cottages normally have replacement insurance – in other words, the insurance company will completely replace their cottage if destroyed or completely repair their cottage if damaged, and it will cost the cottage owner only a small deductible. Farmers who suffer crop damage are unique in the sense that they cannot purchase crop insurance to fully replace their crop – they can only purchase insurance to cover part of their input costs – there is no insurance to cover the actual loss of the crop – the profit that is necessary to pay their other expenses.

2007 is unique for North Eastern Manitoba farmers – many of them will lose their entire crop and as a result, a unique compensation package is necessary to keep them in business. I demand that this government step up to the plate and provide compensation. If they don’t, many farmers will be forced out of business. I have yet to hear from the Minister.

With the election finally over, it’s time to get back to serving you on a personal level. Unfortunately, during an election campaign, the Constituency Office cannot remain open and therefore after the election I have to work extra hard at returning the hundreds of phone calls and emails received at the Constituency Office during the election campaign. Most constituents are not aware that the Constituency Office cannot be open during an election campaign, and therefore some are upset that I cannot return their call or email immediately. Because of the backlog of calls and emails, I ask that constituents be patient – I will get back to you!

I offer my personal thanks to all your support and encouragement during the election. I am very thankful that I was warmly greeted and received by all residents in the door-to-door campaign. We are blessed with residents who are polite and respectful, regardless of whom they vote for. This makes it easy for all politicians and prospective politicians at the door, and allows us to fully discuss any issue raised, regardless of political affiliation.

I was personally disappointed that no all-candidate meetings were held during the election. I always look forward to debating at them – and I know you look forward to attending them! I always make myself available for them, but unfortunately no group organized one this year. I was, however, pleased to participate in a Finance and Economic Development debate on CJOB on May 15th with the Finance Minister. It reminded me of question period, and when the Minister of Finance made the statement that he thought that our economy was generating many full-time, meaningful jobs, I took great delight in reminding him that Statistics Canada reported that in 2006, Alberta’s economy created more than 100,000 jobs, British Columbia’s economy created more than 50,000 jobs, Saskatchewan’s economy created more than 20,000 jobs, and Manitoba’s economy created less than 3,000 jobs. Manitoba’s job creation record is pathetic, and it’s the primary reason why more than 35,000 young Manitobans left the Province to find hope and opportunity elsewhere. Those 35,000 young Manitobans is enough to create another city the size of Brandon!

Manitobans were expecting Budget 2007 to provide a vision and a direction for Manitoba, and a long term plan to make Manitoba a “have” province. They were looking for a Budget that would take advantage of tomorrow’s opportunities. Instead, Manitobans were extremely disappointed. The Budget did nothing to address the fact that 35,000 Manitobans left our province since 1999 in search of hope and opportunity elsewhere. The Budget provided nothing to create an investment climate in Manitoba so that businesses can expand and locate into Manitoba to provide long term, meaningful, permanent jobs that are required in order to keep our young people here. Budget 2007 did not provide any meaningful tax relief for Manitobans. Most of the tax cuts announced in the Budget will take place in future years, in 2008, 2009 and even 2010 – and then they may not – because the most meaningful tax cut measures were preceded by the statement “subject to Balanced Budget Legislation.” This isn’t a commitment to cut taxes – it’s just a statement of what might happen! If the NDP continues to spend revenues foolishly, there may not be enough money for the tax cuts announced for the Budget and therefore there may not be any tax cuts at all.

Other provinces are cutting taxes aggressively, and as a result, Manitoba is falling farther and farther behind. Manitoba is by far the highest taxed province West of Quebec, and we will be so for a very long time unless serious cuts to taxes are made! In the meantime, businesses in other provinces are expanding and other provinces are experiencing business and job growth like never before. In the meantime, Manitoba has the only economy that has not grown at a rate higher than the National Average for every year that the NDP has been in power. The only provincial economy with this dubious distinction.

Last week Statistics Canada reported that Manitoba job growth numbers are embarrassing when compared to all other provinces in Western Canada. Alberta, Saskatchewan and British Columbia all had job growth numbers well above the national average. Over the last year, the numbers of jobs created in Canada increased by 2.4% over the previous year. The number of jobs in Manitoba only increased by less than 1% over the previous year. Saskatchewan created more than 6 times more jobs than Manitoba did. The number of new jobs in Saskatchewan increased by 4.6% over the previous year. We simply cannot continue on the economic path we are on. More than 40,000 young Manitobans left our province since 1999, when the NDP took office, in search of long term, meaningful, well paying jobs elsewhere.

This government has no fresh ideas to turn our economy around. While it is busy spending millions of taxpayer dollars on pre-election advertising, Manitoba has the only economy in Canada which has not grown at a rate above the national average for each of the last 7 years. We cannot continue to allow our future – our children and our grandchildren – to keep moving away in search of jobs. It’s time to make meaningful tax cuts, to address the labour shortage and to work to provide opportunities for young people right here in Manitoba.

It’s now clear that the NDP had responsibility for the Crocus scandal and for the losses suffered by more than 33,000 Manitobans who put their hard earned money, and even retirement funds into Crocus.

In 2000, Greg Selinger, Manitoba’s Finance Minister, prepared a written Briefing Note and made a presentation to members of the NDP Cabinet, including the Premier. The Briefing Note indicated that Crocus managers had only recently realized that there would be a liquidity problem in Crocus and that liquidity problem could arise over the next few years. What is liquidity? It’s cash that is required to redeem shares in Crocus. You, as an investor, would certainly not put money into an investment unless at the end of the investment period you would get at least part of it back. This is what was happening at Crocus. Crocus did not have the money to pay back investors when the investment matured. Think of it in these terms – would you put money into an investment or account at your Credit Union or your Bank if you knew that the money or even part of the money would not be returned? Crocus management warned the NDP and Greg Selinger about this liquidity problem in 2000 that Crocus was facing a cash crunch and may not be able to pay investors who wanted out. What did Greg Selinger and the NDP do with this information? Absolutely nothing!

Did Greg Selinger and the NDP have a duty to warn unsuspecting Crocus investors? You bet they did! Greg Selinger’s presentation to the NDP Cabinet, including the Premier indicated that the majority of the thousands of Manitobans who invested in Crocus were neither wealthy nor sophisticated investors. The presentation further stated that “Crocus has not done what its Prospectus says it will do, which is to arrange its investment portfolio so that funds are made available through liquidation of investments to fulfill requests for redemption.”

As a potential investor in Crocus, if you knew what the Finance Minister, the Premier and the rest of the NDP Cabinet knew in 2000 about the state of Crocus would you have continued to purchase shares in Crocus? If you knew that Crocus was having trouble to raise enough cash to pay back the value of your shares when you wanted to sell them, would you have invested in Crocus? If you knew that Crocus had not done what its investment Prospectus has publicly said it would do, would you have continued to put money into Crocus, or would you have even considered purchasing shares in Crocus?

Greg Selinger, the Premier and the entire NDP Cabinet failed to disclose information that Crocus was having problems. Instead, the Premier, the Finance Minister, and all their Cabinet colleagues continued to trumpet the strength of Crocus until late 2004 when the Crocus fund collapsed. The message sent to all Manitobans by the NDP was that it was safe to invest in Crocus, yet the NDP knew full well that Crocus was having problems. The NDP enticed thousands of Manitobans to pour more money into Crocus and hoped that the Problem would disappear on its own. As a result, more than 33,000 Crocus shareholders lost more than $60 Million.

That’s why we have demanded that the Finance Minister resign. He had a moral and a legal duty to protect Manitoba investors – and he failed miserably in that duty!

The Farming Industry is one of the most important industries in our province. When the Farming Industry is doing well in Manitoba, our provincial economy does well, and when the Farming Industry is doing poorly, our provincial economy suffers. It is well known that our provincial economy follows the hills and valleys of the farming economy. The farm economy is often referred to as the backbone of the provincial economy. These principles seem lost on the NDP Government. The NDP have so badly mismanaged the farm economy in Manitoba that I am afraid that it will take years to recover.

Let’s look at the mismanagement of the Cattle Industry. When the first case of BSE in Canada set back our Cattle Industry 31/2 years ago, the NDP stated they were committed to increasing the slaughter capacity in Manitoba to ensure that there was a market for Manitoba Beef. After 31/2 years of total mismanagement by the NDP, and millions of taxpayer’s dollars, the slaughter capacity in Manitoba has not increased. Ranchers Choice finally gave up trying to establish a new slaughter facility after more than 3 frustrating years dealing with our Provincial Government. In the meantime, new slaughter facilities in Alberta and Saskatchewan have been established, and again, Manitoba has been left behind.

Next, the Hog Industry was so badly mismanaged that the Olywest consortium is on the verge of giving up on Manitoba. More than 1,200 jobs were planned in Manitoba, all of which go up in smoke if the project collapses. The NDP created a great deal of uncertainty in the Hog Industry when it announced a moratorium on hog production capacity in Manitoba. Instead of targeting old and inefficient hog barns, it targeted new and environmentally approved barns. By announcing the moratorium, old barns needing upgrades were left alone yet new barns which meet all environmental guidelines were not permitted. Does this make sense?

The third strike was the NDP mismanagement of the Canadian Wheat Board issue. Instead of working with the Federal Government, which has sole authority over this issue, and developing acceptable questions to ask farmers about the future of the Canadian Wheat Board, the NDP forged its own questions and interpreted its own results. What was the final result? The Federal Government held its own plebiscite, as it committed to do, and ignored the NDP vote, as it is entitled to do. The fact remains that the Federal Government has sole responsibility over the Canadian Wheat Board, and the NDP should have been working with the Federal Government, instead of trying to play cheap politics with this issue!

The extent of our Premier’s arrogance was revealed this past weekend at the NDP convention in Winnipeg. In a desperate attempt to turn around the sagging popularity of the NDP, the Premier went on the attack. It’s one thing to attack the policies and beliefs of another political party, and it’s yet another to personally attack people who hold a different view than you do. A personal attack is a sign of weakness and desperation. The media reported one of the most graphic accounts of the Premier at his best on the weekend. The Premier was quoted as saying that Hugh McFadyen and the provincial Tories are Alberta-centric monkeys. In my view, the Premier has sunk to a new all time low. Although I have personally witnessed the personal attacks of the Premier on all members of the opposition in the Legislature, and I shrugged it off to politics, however, I cannot stand idly by and let the Premier off the hook for this unwarranted personal attack. As a result, I will re-double my efforts by directing all my energy to defeating the NDP. I don’t believe that Manitobans need a Premier who calls his opposition “monkeys”! If he calls the opposition “monkeys”, what will he call you when you disagree with him?

Not only was the NDP convention full of personal attacks on the opposition, it was also full of fear mongering. The NDP delegates at the convention were apparently prodding the Premier to call an election. The Progressive Conservatives are ready – I am ready – BRING IT ON! It’s time to elect a government and a Premier who will respect all Manitobans, not just those who agree with the Premier.

The “LET’S PAY FAIR” website launched recently is having an effect on provincial politicians. It draws attention to the concern of Manitobans about how education costs are funded in Manitoba. A quality education is the right of every child in Manitoba. All Manitobans benefit from a quality education for our students, and therefore all Manitobans should contribute to the cost of that education. Over the last few years the NDP has substantially placed the burden on funding education on property owners who pay school taxes on their property. This system does not reflect the ability of the property owner to pay. Seniors who are on fixed incomes are particularly vulnerable. Farmers who pay school taxes on their vacant farmland and on their homes are double taxed. Business owners who pay school taxes on their commercial property at higher rates than homeowners are unfairly targeted. The province has underfunded the education system from general revenues and this has resulted in an increased reliance on property owners. Compare your school tax bill 7 or 8 years ago to today – you will not be surprised to learn that your school tax bill has increased faster than the rate of inflation.

The Progressive Conservative caucus understands your concerns. We believe that the cost of education should be borne more from general revenues and less from property taxes. Look at our election platform regarding school taxes. We look forward to working with you to develop a fair and equitable tax system for the benefit of all Manitobans.

The latest job creation numbers were released last week by Statistics Canada, and the numbers were less than flattering to Manitoba. Last year, Manitoba’s economy created only 3,900 jobs, the majority of which were created in the public sector. While 3,900 jobs may be a lot of jobs to some, it is but a drop in the bucket when we compare the job creation numbers of our neighboring provinces. During the same period of time, Alberta’s economy created 108,500 jobs, British Columbia economy created 51,300 jobs and even Saskatchewan’s economy created 23,000 jobs. The number of jobs grew across the country by 2.1% in 2006, but in Manitoba, the number of jobs grew by a paltry 7/10 of one percent, well below the national average. In comparison, the number of jobs grew by 6% in Alberta, and British Columbia, Saskatchewan, and even Newfoundland had job growth rates higher than the national average.

If Manitoba keeps posting low job growth numbers, we will remain a “have not” province for a very, very long time. If our economy keeps faltering and if we cannot keep up with our neighbors, both East and West, we will continue to lose more and more young Manitobans to British Columbia, Alberta, and even Saskatchewan. The NDP has run out of steam. It has no new ideas on how to grow our economy, and as a result we will continue to lose our children, grandchildren, nieces and nephews who are tired of waiting for hope and opportunity in Manitoba.

A report prepared by the Winnipeg Health Authority in 2003 indicated that the number of surgical procedures must increase to meet the demands of an aging population in Manitoba and to meet the demands of those who require dialysis and cancer surgeries. However, under the NDP, nearly 4,500 less major surgeries were completed in Winnipeg last year, compared to the number of major surgeries performed in 1999. This number represented a reduction in major surgeries of almost 10% from the time the NDP became the government in Manitoba in 1999. This reduction comes at a time when health care spending has gone up by more than $1.5 Billion over 1999 levels. We are spending more, but getting less! This proves the point that it’s not how much you spend that matters – what matters is how you spend the money that you have! Instead of demanding results for health care spending, we have a government that is content with throwing more money into a system without asking for results. This is just another clear example of NDP mismanagement, and as a result, thousands of Manitobans are forced to wait even longer for treatment every year. Under the NDP, there have been 1,000 fewer gynecological surgeries, which include surgery on cancer patients. Manitobans are being denied timely access to care when they need it.

The NDP government has been under fire for expanding the Province’s health care administration costs, including the bureaucracy at the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority, which now occupies seven floors of a downtown Winnipeg office building. The WRHA is the largest regional health authority in Manitoba and employs a Chief Executive Officer who was paid $358,923.00 last year, plus 6 vice presidents, 95 directors and managers, 31 coordinators, 63 administrative assistants, and many clerks and other workers. In addition, there are other well-paid bureaucrats at Winnipeg’s hospitals and long-term care facilities, including many more presidents, chief executive officers, executive directors, vice presidents and other managers.

All of these managers, and all these associated administrative costs, yet the Premier was insisting last week that health care administration costs were dropping in Manitoba. Those that work in our health care professions, and indeed, those who have been served in our health care system know this is not true. I only hope the Premier would open his eyes to reality. Health care costs have skyrocketed, and a great deal of those increased costs have gone into administration. Instead of increasing administrative costs, those extra dollars should have been spent for front line workers – those health care workers who deliver our health services, and those who make a difference in our care and in our quality of life.

The statement made last week by the Premier has about the same level of credibility as statements he made earlier this year that there are “zero” patients in emergency room hallways. Not only was he wrong then – he is also wrong now!

Last week, the Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce released the results of their business leader’s survey which confirmed that Manitoba continues to fall behind and that Manitoba is not competitive with other provinces. Manitoba is becoming more and more insignificant as each day goes by. The survey revealed that the anti-business environment in Manitoba is growing almost as fast as young Manitobans are leaving in search of hope and opportunity elsewhere. We have never seen such an exodus of young people from Manitoba as we have in 2005, when Statistics Canada reported that 9,880 more people left Manitoba to other provinces than came to Manitoba from other provinces. This doesn’t come as a surprise to most constituents, because I hear every day from those who are concerned about our young people leaving for British Columbia, Alberta, Ontario, and even Saskatchewan! We all know someone who has left – our nieces, nephews, brothers, sisters, cousins, and friends!

Only 3 out of 10 Manitoba businesses rated the NDP government positively. A resounding 93% of business owners believe that the NDP has failed to create opportunities for young Manitobans, which has resulted in the mass exodus of people out of our Province.

The business leaders have been calling for meaningful tax relief both for individual taxpayers on a personal level, and for businesses. While every other province in Canada is moving ahead with tax cuts and policies that encourage growth, Manitoba remains the highest taxed province West of Quebec. We have the highest taxes, but the worst roads!

The number of children-in-care forced to call hotels “home” is disturbing. According to the government’s own statistics, the number of children in hotels across Manitoba is well over 100 on a regular basis, and on August 31st of this year, 166 children were placed in hotels. This is a dire situation and one which requires immediate action.

Last week the government announced that it was increasing care rates for foster parents, which came as welcome news. We have been pushing government for increased rates so that more loving parents would be encouraged to become foster parents. The Manitoba Government gave this increase in rates, but failed to tell Manitobans the whole story. The government failed to tell us that it was keeping the Federal Government’s $100 a month National Child Care Benefit instead of passing it on to foster parents who are in need of this money to provide care to foster children. On the one hand our Child and Family Services Minister was seen to be providing increased funding to foster parents and on the other hand was seen to be clawing back the federal benefits available to foster parents by keeping the federal money for general revenue of the province.

What has the province done with this extra money that should have gone to foster parents? Well since then, the NDP has been spending millions of dollars on election campaign ads. Why would this government spend money to blow its own horn instead of launching an immediate campaign to recruit more foster parents in Manitoba? An election must be coming!

The Throne Speech by the Lieutenant-Governor each year is a chance for the Manitoba Government to explain its vision for the future of the province and the direction that it intends to go to make Manitoba a better place to work, to live and to raise a family. What Manitobans heard in the Throne Speech was disappointing to most Manitobans. The speech made countless re-announcements and neglected to address critical issues, many of which have been outstanding for years. No mention was made of new or competitive tax rates, hallway medicine, or even the Crocus scandal, the issues that should be high on NDP’s list of priorities. What concerns me is the absence of a plan to move Manitoba forward. Manitoba’s economy is clearly not competitive with its neighbors to the West, yet not a single mention was made of improving Manitoba’s economy, encouraging private sector investment or creating quality jobs as a way to help young people in Manitoba. Young Manitobans have the skill and ability to pursue their dreams anywhere in the world. When they make decisions about where to live, they ask themselves where the best opportunities are, and in Manitoba, we are falling farther and farther behind other provinces, particularly in Western Canada.

My view of the Throne Speech is shared by many others. The Canadian Taxpayers Federation noted that the NDP’s efforts to keep young people here are useless if our taxes are still so high. The Federation commented that there was little-to-nothing real in the Throne Speech for taxpayers. The Manitoba Chamber of Commerce was very disappointed and the Chamber commented that the government has not tackled the problem Manitoba has with retaining talent. In addition, there was no mention of help for low income Manitobans and none of the initiatives will lead to create more jobs in Manitoba. The Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce was extremely disappointed and stated that we need to get serious about youth retention, and we can’t do that until the government gets serious about tax relief.

Now that everyone has paid their property tax bills for this year, take a good look at your tax bill. Depending upon which municipality you live in, your school tax bill can make up 55% to 65% of your entire property tax bill. Our municipalities have generally held the line on tax increases over the last number of years and have managed your tax dollars wisely. I can also say that your School Trustees have been working extremely hard to ensure that the money they collect through your property taxes are well spent, but our School Trustees have had a difficult problem to deal with. That problem was forced on our School Trustees because of the forced amalgamation of the former Agassiz School Division with the Springfield portion of Transcona-Springfield School Division. This amalgamation was forced on our School Trustees by this NDP government. The forced amalgamation dramatically increased costs for Sunrise School Division. This NDP government did not substantially increase its funding of education to the Sunrise School Division to compensate, so our School Trustees were forced to dramatically increase its assessment on property owners within the School Division. As a result, your property taxes went up dramatically. Blame this NDP government for this, not your School Trustees!

It’s time that the Provincial Government uses existing general revenues to reduce or eliminate your school taxes on your property tax bill. By continuing to ignore those school taxes and by continuing to allow our school taxes to increase, many of our seniors who want to continue to live in their homes, will be forced to sell their homes to eliminate their property and school tax bills. This NDP government is over-taxing all Manitobans, and it affects those on fixed incomes the most – our seniors!

A large part of Manitoba’s economy is agriculture, and a large part of agriculture is the production of grain in this Province. In our area the largest part of our total agriculture economy is grain production. The Canadian Wheat Board is therefore an important institution to our area. The Canadian Wheat Board and its role is a Federal issue, not a Provincial one, though I thought that given the importance of the Canadian Wheat Board to our area, it was important to make comment about it.

Because of our geographic remoteness from ports and the direct and indirect benefits that accrue from the Canadian Wheat Board headquarters in Manitoba, where more than 400 people are employed, proposals by the Federal government to alter the mandate of the Canadian Wheat Board will have an impact on Manitoba’s economy.

The decision on the Canadian Wheat Board must equally consider all players in Canada’s grain industry. However, when we are discussing the future of the Wheat Board we must consider what is best for farmers and the grain industry. As a result, Hugh MacFadyen, the leader of the Official Opposition, wrote to Prime Minister Stephen Harper, explaining to him that while the Progressive Conservative Caucus of Manitoba supports the expansion of marketing choice, farmers should be consulted through a plebiscite on any fundamental changes to the Canadian Wheat Board’s mandate. Farmers need to be consulted, and farmers need to decide the Canadian Wheat Board’s future.

On a personal note, I am a Canadian Wheat Board supporter!

According to a Statistics Canada report in Manitoba last week, there was a 32.9% increase in the number of people given conditional sentences (house arrest) in 2004/2005. This comes after the Manitoba Justice Minister has publicly stated that conditional sentences don’t work. It’s one thing to bash conditional sentences and it is yet another to follow up words with actions. How can our Manitoba Justice Minister not be in favor of conditional sentences one week, and then next week sit back and let them happen. Justice is not about press releases and smiling for the camera, it’s about taking real action and backing up your words with action – something we have seen little of from our Justice Minister in this Province.

Bob Morrison, a senior Crown Prosecutor in Manitoba called our Justice Minister and the NDP “soft on crime,” and last week, confirming that statement, it was revealed that tens of millions of dollars in court related fines have gone unpaid. This is a clear sign that criminals have no respect for Manitoba’s Justice System. It’s clear that fines in the court system don’t mean much to those who are receiving them – this is why people don’t follow their probation orders or curfew orders. It’s time our Manitoba Justice Minister comes clean with Manitobans – it’s time for him to back his words up with action. Not do to so would mean that our Justice Minister’s words are hollow and meaningless.

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.

Last week we received the final numbers for the last fiscal year. The Minister of Finance once again over spent the budget approved by the Legislature. He over spent the budget by a whopping $220 Million. Normally this would have meant a deficit for the Province, or the Finance Minister would have raided the Rainy Day Fund to cover the shortfall. However, luckily for the Minister of Finance, Ottawa gave a handout to Manitoba in the amount of an extra $118 Million and other revenues to the Province were higher than expected from our high personal income taxes, sales tax rates, taxes earned from tobacco and alcohol use and gambling taxes. All of these increases saved embarrassment for the Finance Minister because without these increases, the Province would have created another deficit financial year or he would have needed to raid the Rainy Day Fund once again, just to balance the books.

What did this extra $220 Million of spending buy us? Not a penny went into our roads. Our roads are still crumbling before our eyes. Crime is running rampant in Manitoba. Not a week goes by without finding out that more grow-ops are being discovered. After all the political double talk by this government, our cattle slaughter capacity has not increased and as a result our cattle farmers are still vulnerable to the effect of BSE. Our universities and schools remain underfunded. Our health care system was rated last in Canada by The Conference Board of Canada. The Province’s debt has skyrocketed to over $20 Billion, and as a result, Manitobans currently pay more that $3.5 Million every day in interest costs.

This is not a record to be proud of. We need a government that will produce and demand results for increased spending. We now don’t have one!

Farming is one of the most important industries in this Province, yet the NDP is ignoring farmers’ concerns, particularly in Lac du Bonnet Constituency. Drainage is one of the most important issues facing farmers in our area, particularly since ½ of the water entering Lake Winnipeg goes through the constituency. This is a massive amount of water, and our drainage system needs to be properly maintained in order that farmers who depend on drainage are not flooded out. Farmers put massive amounts of money into the earth every year, and they hope and pray they will get a crop to pay for these expenses and to make a profit to feed their families. A lack of drainage can mean the difference between a crop and no crop at all. If part or all of their crops are destroyed by flooding they may break even or they may suffer a loss. Imagine working a whole year and losing money! Most of us would not stand for it, but that’s the reality of farming.

In 2002, a West St. Paul farmer had enough after his land flooded and destroyed his crops due to a lack of drainage. He sued the Province of Manitoba for his losses, stating that the Province of Manitoba was negligent because it failed to maintain culverts, it failed to maintain ditches, it failed to maintain roads, and it failed to maintain dikes to allow the flow of water without flooding his farmland. This farmer stated that the Province had received numerous warnings about the drainage system, and the Province refused to act on these warnings.

What was the response of the NDP Government? It wasn’t to admit that it failed to protect this farmer’s crops. It wasn’t to admit that it was wrong. No, it was to deny, deny, deny! The NDP denied it was, or is, under any obligation to construct drainage ditches to protect agricultural land. Why did the Government not admit it was wrong? Because the NDP does not protect farmers! How can you possibly deny that the farmer lost his crops? How can you possibly say that public drainage ditches are not the responsibility of government?

Well it took more than 4 years of fighting with the NDP Government, and huge legal bills, but this farmer proved his point when the NDP finally settled his claim when it paid him $40,000 under Order – in – Council 262/2006. Why should it take 4 years? Why wouldn’t the NDP admit it was wrong and pay the farmer what he was due? Why should the farmer spend thousands of dollars in legal expenses to prove what the government should have known all along? Is this what farmers should expect from their government? I say not!

Everyone will agree that the best way and the only way to manage is through long term planning. Set your objectives for the long term, and then slowly but surely take real concrete steps to realize those objectives. Waiting until there is a crisis and then trying to fix the problem at that point is not a solution, because it will then cost more and will not be fixed for the long term. 

The NDP is clearly in crisis management mode. Our roads are deteriorating badly – this does not come as news to anyone! The roads in this Province have been crumbling and have not been properly maintained for years. Our government needed to address this 5, 6, even 7 years earlier – instead it chose to ignore the problem. No matter whom I speak to across the Province, the issue that keeps coming up time and again is “crumbling roads.” If there had been proper management and long term planning, the NDP would have ensured that road maintenance and road re-construction would have occurred on an orderly basis. If this would have happened, our roads would not be in the poor condition they are today. Instead, the NDP chose to ignore what was very obvious to the rest of us. 

A recent poll of Manitobans indicated that the biggest concern of Manitobans was our crumbling roads. What is the immediate reaction of the NDP? The Premier announces that he will take $100 Million out of the Rainy Day Fund for roads. He is now in crisis management mode. Instead of planning for a long term fix to the problem, he attempts to fix the problem for the short term by taking money out of the Province’s savings account. We don’t need a short term fix – what Manitobans want is a long term solution to the problem. What Manitobans want is a sure footed strategic approach and one which will guarantee a long term solution to our crumbling roads. 

It’s estimated by the Manitoba Heavy Construction industry that Manitoba needs to spend more than $3 Billion over the next 10 years to renew our provincial road system and to address the problem of crumbling roads and bridges. The one-time knee jerk reaction by the NDP will not do it. The reaction by the NDP begs the question – where has the NDP been for the last 7 years? Why didn’t they see this coming? 

Most of those I spoke to about the tornado that ripped through Gull Lake, the Tall Timber Lodge area and the Pointe du Bois area were in disbelief. How could this happen? What was the extent of the damage? Why weren’t we warned? These were all questions that kept coming up time and again. One didn’t need to witness the horror first hand because of the newspaper accounts and pictures, and the coverage on the news. The devastation that was apparent made those areas touched by the tornado look like a war zone, and the shock, horror and disappointment in the faces of those directly impacted by the damage caused all of us to feel the pain.

I heard about the tornado within a couple of hours of the tornado touching down, and by that time our emergency personnel, our police, and ambulance crews were on the scene to coordinate rescue efforts and to ensure that those who were injured were treated. I am proud of the efforts of our response teams and I commend our Municipalities for implementing their Emergency Response plans efficiently and effectively – I thank them all for their efforts. The next day my family attended church as always, and our prayers had special meaning that day. Later, I toured some of the area to witness first hand the destruction that had taken place. I was thankful for the extraordinary efforts of our Manitoba Hydro crews, many of whom worked around the clock in order to restore service and to alleviate the danger of broken power lines.

After witnessing the destruction, I was thankful that more people were not injured or killed. My best wishes go out to those who were injured and my condolences to the family who lost a loved one. My sympathy goes out to those who lost their possessions.

What more can be done? Manitoba does not have a province-wide public warning system in place to warn of an impending natural disaster. By comparison, in Alberta, officials have the authority to briefly take over the electronic media to provide a warning. It’s difficult to say whether an Alberta-like warning system would have made a difference last weekend, but clearly more can be done to ensure that the public is warned as early as possible and more can be done to educate Manitobans about what severe weather looks like and what should be done if a severe storm is coming.

The Province can also assist in the cost of the clean up, and compensate for damage that is not covered by insurance because it is an uninsurable risk. It can also reimburse Municipalities for damage to infrastructure. The Province must step up to the plate first, and not wait for other levels of government. Assistance is needed now! In a disaster, there should be immediate assistance.

Last week we saw two MLA’s retiring from politics who have served their Constituents well. Early last week, Manitoba Health Minister, Tim Sale, announced that he would not seek re-election. While my views differ from our Health Minister, I can say that we both share the same vision – to improve the quality of life of Manitobans and the quality of health care in Manitoba. All MLA’s share this view, regardless of their political party – only the approach is different! I thank Tim Sale for his dedicated service to Manitoba.

Last Wednesday, Jack Penner announced that he would not seek re-election in the next general election. Jack has been an MLA for 18 years in Emerson Constituency, having first been elected to the Legislature in 1988. He has served the Province as Minister of Natural Resources and Minister of Rural Development in the 1990’s. He created the Department of Rural Development at the request of then Premier, Gary Filmon, because of his commitment to improve the quality of life in rural Manitoba. Jack’s commitment to rural Manitobans and to farmers was evident when he led the charge to ensure the support for the Beef Industry when the US border was closed to live Canadian cattle. Jack attended every Beef Barbecue in the Province for more than 2 years to show support for the cattle industry. Jack could not have done it without the support of his family. His wife Dora is looking forward to spending more time with Jack after his retirement from politics. Jack has four children and six grandchildren.

Having worked with both Tim Sale and Jack Penner in the Legislature, it will be sad to see them leave politics. I hope that those who replace them will be as committed to Manitoba and their Constituents as they have.

It is essential that whistleblowers are protected otherwise no one would come forward to expose mismanagement, corruption, or even political interference. The NDP introduced Bill 34 in the Legislature a few weeks ago to protect those who blow the whistle on their employer. As a PC Caucus, we support the principle of whistleblower protection, but our concern is to ensure that any proposed legislation has teeth. Bill 34 was poor legislation for a number of reasons. As Finance Critic, I introduced a number of amendments to strengthen protection for whistleblowers – but every amendment that I proposed was rejected by the NDP majority.

I proposed that protection be given to whistleblowers who complain about mismanagement in government, and who complain about corruption in government, or who complain about political interference. The NDP majority turned down this amendment – and I wonder why!

I proposed that protection be given to whistleblowers who complain to Ministers of the Crown and other MLA’s including opposition MLA’s when complaints are made about mismanagement, corruption and political interference in government. The NDP majority turned down this amendment, preferring to be able to fire employees who expose government mismanagement, corruption, or political interference!

I proposed an amendment to the Legislation to allow whistleblowers protection when alleging government mismanagement, corruption and political interference to the media, whether it be print, television or radio. The NDP majority defeated this amendment, preferring instead to muzzle whistleblowers who, go to the media!

It was revealed that the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority has increased its administrative bureaucracy by 34% in the last 2 years alone. During the 1999 election campaign, the NDP promised to reduce health care administrative costs, promising to take money out of the board rooms and into the emergency rooms.

The Winnipeg Regional Health Authority’s bureaucracy has expanded from 6 floors to 7 at 155 Carlton Street in Winnipeg. The administrative staff has grown from 244 in 2003 to 328 at the end of 2005, a 34% increase. How can the Province justify this administrative growth when we don’t have enough doctors to cover shifts in our emergency rooms?

Resources are being taken from direct patient care and being placed into administration. While the administrative bureaucracy is ballooning, doctor shortages throughout Manitoba’s emergency rooms continue to put patient safety at risk.

In addition, the salaries of the top eight administrative staff at the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority total $1.6 Million. This money should not be spent on huge salaries, but it should be used to reduce wait times and to ensure patient safety.

The Floodway expansion project was touted by the Premier as being “on time – on budget”, yet this week it was uncovered that the $665 Million project will now cost at least $235 Million more. Federal Justice Minister Vic Toews, and Manitoba’s senior cabinet minister has said that the Federal Government is worried about the escalating costs to upgrade the Floodway, and the Federal Government wants to know why this has happened!

Eight months earlier, the Premier indicated that the Budget for the expansion was $665 Million, and now that cost has escalated by at least $135 Million. This NDP Government has obviously a great deal of difficulty managing its spending. For further evidence one would only need to point to Provincial Budget overspending. Since the NDP became government in Manitoba in 1999, it has not been able to live within its budgeted expenditures, and overspent its budgets by a whopping $835 Million. What did we get for all of this overspending? According to the Conference Board of Canada, We have the worst health care system in Canada! According to Statistics Canada, we have an economy that has not kept up to the rest of Canada for the last 6 years! We have some of the worst roads in Canada! Overspending with no results is an indication of bad management.

$135 Million of overspending on the Floodway is a sign that no one is controlling spending. Overspending without results means that there is less money available for priority areas, such as our roads. $135 Million could have repaved every Provincial road in the Constituency – all in one year! This government must be held to account for its overspending, with little to show for it!

Since the release of the scathing report by Auditor General Jon Singleton on May 30, 2005, much has been said by unit holders, members of the public, the media and the Official Opposition about the need for an Independent Public Inquiry into the collapse of the Crocus Investment Fund.

Unfortunately, the Premier and his Ministers have done everything possible to hide the truth about their role in the failed fund, which lost more than $60 Million.

In his report, the Auditor General indicated there were enough “red flags” raised to government in 2001 and 2002 to prompt the Doer Government to investigate the operations of Crocus. Instead, the government chose to do nothing, and now claims to have never seen any of the “red flags”.

Perhaps, the Premier could then explain why a former Industry Minister with his government stated that she was in the midst of preparing legislation in 2002-03 to address the “red flags” at Crocus. That same former Minister has since publicly stated that she has nothing to hide and is prepared to testify under oath at an Independent Public Inquiry. Unfortunately, the Premier is not prepared to do the same.

The Premier and his Ministers refuse to discuss Crocus or answer any questions about how much they knew in 2001, when the fund was first in trouble and its direction could still have been changed.

Is the Premier not concerned that 33,000 Manitobans have lost more than $60 Million?

Is he not concerned that it will be more difficult to raise venture capital in this Province if we don’t get to the bottom of this scandal to ensure it never happens again?

Only an Independent Public Inquiry will uncover the truth about the collapse of the Crocus Investment Fund. Ironically, only the Premier has the power to call an Independent Public Inquiry.

If you believe the Premier should call an Independent Public Inquiry, contact him at (204) 945-3726 or Toll Free at 1-800-282-8069 (ext. 3726) and let him know.

Last week, Statistics Canada reported that last year, more than 22,000 Manitobans pulled up stakes and moved elsewhere, primarily to Alberta and British Columbia. Statistics Canada just confirmed what we already know! I personally know of 15 young families who have left our Constituency for British Columbia and Alberta during the last year alone. I am sure that each one of you can do the same. Why is this happening? It’s happening because this NDP Government has not grown our Manitoba economy in step with the rest of Canada. It’s happening because there is less hope and opportunity in Manitoba due to the fact that we have not been able to grow our economy to offer jobs to our young people that will lead to advancement and more opportunity. Young Manitobans are leaving Manitoba to other more prosperous provinces and they are leaving our potholes and our crumbling roads behind!

Statistics Canada also reported a drop in the number of people employed in Manitoba. At the same time, there was an increase in the number of people employed in the rest of Canada. Why is this? Could it be because Manitobans are leaving the province because of job opportunities outside the province? This NDP Government should stand up and take notice. It should take action to create an economy to keep our young families in Manitoba. Instead, the Premier seems to spend more time begging for handouts from the Federal Government than he does trying to grow our economy.

It’s time for this NDP Government to stop the flow of young families out of Manitoba. Our future depends on it. Our future is leaving Manitoba.

We are calling for the resignation of the Child and Family Services Minister. We are also calling on this NDP Government to take immediate steps to protect children in care.
Five year old Phoenix Sinclair was allegedly killed 9 months before anybody even noticed that she was missing. Phoenix had an extensive history with Child and Family Service agencies, but her case was closed three months before she died. Her death is a tragedy, and one which possibly could have been avoided. Judge Arnold Conner, and two other Provincial Court Judges warned the government that failure to follow judicial recommendations may result in the death of more children. Judge Conner released his report in February 2003 which called for an independent enquiry into the workload of careworkers, and amendments to Child and Family Services legislation. None of this was done! The government said that these recommendations were implemented, which prompted Judge Conner to exclaim it’s a “blatant lie.” Who do you believe – Judge Conner, or the Doer Government?
The amendments to the legislation that Judge Conner recommended included 3 provisions:

1. to require police officers to provide any important information when a child is being considered for protective custody,
2. to allow child welfare agencies to require others to release information relevant to bringing a child into care, and
3. to require caseworkers to bring evidence forward to a Judge to determine the best interests of the child.

All of these amendments are common sense solutions, but so far the government has put these amendments on hold – why?
In response to the government’s inability to manage child care services, we have called on the government to take a 3 step approach:

1. to take immediate action to ensure no other child is placed in harm’s way,
2. to conduct an independent external review of the 2,600 children in care who have been transferred from Child and Family Services to other authorities, and
3. to call on independent enquiry into the child welfare system in Manitoba so that no more vulnerable children have to die.

Thirty-one Manitoba children have died since 2001 while in care. Compare that with zero cases in Saskatchewan! Clearly, there is no accountability and management with this NDP government.
The government continues to ignore the red flags raised by this very serious issue. The Minister of Family Services has failed Manitoba children, indeed, she has failed all Manitobans – and that’s why we are calling for her resignation!

Much has been said by Crocus unitholders, the official opposition in the Legislature, indeed many Manitobans, about the collapse of the Crocus fund. What is abundantly clear is the need for an independent Public Inquiry in this matter.

Premier Doer cites several reasons not to call a Public Inquiry, pointing to the investigation by the Manitoba Securities Commission, the RCMP investigation, the class action lawsuit by Crocus unitholders and the Auditor-General’s report on Crocus. What the Premier conveniently forgets is the fact that not one of these investigations will investigate government’s role in the Crocus scandal. The Manitoba Securities Commission is investigating the Crocus Board of Directors and whether they broke any securities laws and regulations. The RCMP are investigating whether any criminal activity took place in the Crocus scandal, and I am not suggesting that what the government did or did not do was criminal. The government may have been negligent, willfully blind or even incompetent when dealing with Crocus, but surely it was not criminal. The class action lawsuit is not the vehicle to determine Government’s role either. The vast majority of lawsuits are settled before trial with non-disclosure agreements, and we may never get to hear the truth. There is also no reason to examine government’s role in the scandal when government is not named as a defendant in the lawsuit. In addition, it will take years before any settlement or any possible trial occurs, and after our labor sponsored venture-capital markets have all dried up. The Auditor-General’s investigation and report created more unanswered questions about government’s role in the scandal than it provided answers. One must always remember that the Auditor-General’s role was not to investigate the part that government played in the scandal. While the Auditor-General pointed to several red flags in 2001 and 2002 that should have caused government to intervene and take action in the Crocus file, the government chose not to intervene. Manitobans want to know why. Manitobans deserve answers. If the government chose to turn a blind eye to those red flags, the government should be held accountable for its lack of action.

The only way to get to the truth in the Crocus scandal is to compel witnesses to testify under oath at a Public Inquiry. The Premier, Maryann Mihaychuk (Minister of Industry in 2001 and 2002), Scott Smith and Eugene Kostyra, should all be called and compelled to testify as to their role in the Crocus scandal. Instead, the Premier points to the Public Accounts Committee of the Legislature, and alleges that the answers can be obtained in that committee. What the Premier doesn’t say is that testimony in Public Accounts is not under oath, and secondly, the only witnesses permitted under our Legislative rules to the Public Accounts Committee are the very people who cannot provide any answers to the government’s involvement in the scandal. Only the current Minister of Industry, the deputy Minister of Industry and the Auditor-General can give evidence at Public Accounts. The current Minister of Industry, Jim Rondeau, was not the Minister in 2001 and 2002 when all those red flags were flying. He doesn’t know what political interference was exerted and by whom, when the decision was made to ignore the red flags. The Auditor-General will not answer any questions related to political interference. The Deputy Minister of Industry similarly refuses to answer questions about political interference because under the rules of the Public Accounts Committee, he is permitted to answer questions related only to the recommendations of the Auditor-General in the report.

Clearly this government is stonewalling. It doesn’t want Manitobans to know the truth about the Crocus scandal because it has something to hide. Premier Doer will not call a Public Inquiry because he knows that witnesses who know about the political interference would be compelled to tell the truth. A Public Inquiry is required in order to clear the air. Clearly, if we can’t find out why more than 33,000 Crocus unitholders lost more than $60 Million, then our labor-sponsored capital markets will suffer. If they suffer, it will make it that much more difficult to raise venture capital in this Province. Our entrepreneurs will move to other Provinces to seek funds to start businesses and industries and our economy will suffer. According to Statistics Canada, Manitoba’s economy was the only economy in Canada to grow at a rate below the national average every year from 2000 to 2004. If we cannot get to the bottom of the Crocus scandal and make the appropriate adjustments to ensure that another scandal does not happen, then Manitoba’s economy will grow at a rate below the National average for a very long time. A Public Inquiry into Crocus would cost less than $3 Million. The 2006/07 Budget projects a surplus of $3 Million, so the money is available. It’s a small price to pay for a healthy economy. It’s a small price when compared to the $60 Million loss incurred by the more than 33,000 Crocus unitholders.

It is expected that interest rates will climb another ½ percent before the end of the year. To many Manitobans, this is an almost unnoticeable change. Some Manitobans will pay more interest on their debt, and some Manitobans, who have the good fortune of having savings, will receive slightly more interest on their investments. Either way, the ½ percent increase in interest rates will not change their lifestyles.

For the Provincial Government, however, a ½ percent increase in interest rates makes a profound difference. According to the 2006 Manitoba Budget the Total Debt of the Province is projected to climb to $20.362 Billion. There will be a $618 Million increase to the debt this year alone. How much is $20.362 Billion? If you stacked $100 Bills on top of each other, the stack would be 300kms. (180 miles) high! That’s the amount of money that the Province pays interest on. The interest paid on the massive debt is $1.281 Billion a year. This interest amounts to an incredible $3 ½ Million a day!

We pay $3 ½ Million a day on the Province’s debt. What could this interest pay for? For less than 3 days interest we could rebuild P.R. #304. For less than 3 months interest, every Provincial Road and Provincial Trunk Highway in Lac du Bonnet Constituency could be rebuilt!

What is the effect of a ½ percent increase in interest rates to the Province? Because of the massive provincial debt, it means that Manitobans will be paying an extra $100 Million every year in interest! Clearly the Province should be concerned about this increase in interest rates. Instead of adding to the Total Debt, in these days of surpluses, we should be paying down our Debt! Instead of paying down our Debt, the NDP is adding $618 Million to the debt, this year alone!

This year, more than any other year, the condition of our roads and highways has become a very serious issue. Our roads and highways are deteriorating more than ever due to a lack of attention to their condition. The City of Winnipeg recognized this when Mayor Sam Katz introduced his 2006 Budget last week. Recognizing that the condition of Winnipeg roads need to be improved, the Mayor announced that the City will spend $61 Million this year on major repairs to streets and bridges in an effort to catch up with years of neglect. By adding in new money for routine maintenance programs to fill in potholes, that total is expected to reach $73 Million.

IF ONLY THE NDP WOULD FOLLOW WINNIPEG’S LEAD!

Over the last several weeks we have heard reports about the terrible condition of many roads across the Province, including the South Perimeter Highway, PTH #75 South to the U.S. Border, and the Trans Canada Highway, but to name only a few!

One constituent remarked that on her way to North Dakota travelling South of Morris on PTH #75, large trucks were travelling on the shoulders because they were smoother than the highway. There was a marked improvement in the condition of the road as soon as she crossed the border into the United States. Why? Because the Americans make their roads a priority!

Six months after new pavement was installed on the South Perimeter Highway, Manitobans were reporting that they had to reduce their speed to 60 km/hour, just to stay on the road. Why? Because instead of fixing the road properly, we fix it on the cheap with only a thin layer of asphalt – it looks good, but it doesn’t do the job.

This week the NDP posted signs to slow down on yet another highway – the Trans Canada. A trucker was quoted as saying that riding on the Trans Canada East of Winnipeg felt the same as driving over railway tracks every few meters. Items in his cab jostled and fell to the floor. Why? Because this Government will not spend the money to fix our crumbling infrastructure!
The NDP will point fingers at Ottawa and blame the Federal Government for not giving the gas tax collected in Manitoba back to Manitoba for roads. The fact is that the Province receives almost $3 Billion annually from the Federal Government in transfer payments. Use some of that money for roads! The fact is that the Province isn’t using all of the Provincial gas tax it collects on roads! According to the Manitoba Heavy Construction industry, the Province collected $15 Million more in gas taxes than it spent on Road construction and maintenance.

In the final analysis the Province is fully responsible for its roads. I call on the NDP Government to take responsibility for them and take action to address this problem – and start with some of the roads in Lac du Bonnet Constituency – like PR #304, PTH #15, PTH #44, PTH #11, PTH #12, PR #520, PR #307, #309, #313, #302 and #317, just to name a few!

Within hours after the Conference Board of Canada released its results of a National Health Care study ranking Manitoba’s Health Care system as dead last among all the provinces of Canada, our Manitoba Health Minister, Tim Sale, pointed the finger of blame at our elderly, our poor and our aboriginal people. This was a pathetic sight to see. Instead of accepting responsibility for the results of this independent study, and pledging to work toward improving our health care system for the benefit of all Manitobans, our Health Minister chose to point his finger at anyone and everyone except himself. Instead of committing to improve the living conditions of the elderly, the poor and our aboriginal people, our Health Minister chose to blame them for our failing health care system. Clearly if our Health Minister is not committed to improving our health care system, then I call upon our Premier to find someone who will.

What will we hear next? That Manitobans who are ill are at fault? Clearly if there were no sick people in Manitoba we would likely have the best health system in Canada. I hope that I have not given the NDP any ideas on who to blame next! The NDP has had nearly 7 years to improve our health system and they have failed to do it in spite of the 4th highest per capita spending on health care in Canada.

Last week a National Study conducted by the Conference Board of Canada ranked Manitoba’s Health Care System as dead last among all the Provinces of Canada. This in spite of the fact that the NDP has spent the 4th highest per capita on health care in Canada. This is obvious proof that throwing more money at a system that is not working will not improve the system. It’s not a question of spending more money – what is more important is what you do with the money that you put into the system!

Manitoba’s ranking comes as no surprise to many constituents who have experienced our Manitoba Health Care system first hand. Many constituents have to wait years for hip and knee surgeries. Many constituents wait months for diagnostic tests such as CT scans and MRI’s.

Let me ask you – if you wanted the oil changed on your vehicle, and were told by your mechanic that he was so backed up that you would need to wait 6 months for that service – what would you do? Of course, any reasonable person would just make the appointment with someone else! We would not tolerate a 6 month wait for service to our vehicle, yet we stand back and accept it for our health care services! Why is that? Could it be that we have come to expect poor service from the NDP health care system?

I do not blame anyone employed in Manitoba’s health care system. In fact, I applaud the efforts of our frontline workers in our system. They are doing the best they can with the system they are given and their dedication to their profession is commendable.

Clearly there is much that can be done to improve our health care system in Manitoba. Throwing money at our health care system without expecting or requiring any improvement is not one of them! The NDP has had nearly 7 years to improve the system – clearly the NDP has made Manitoba’s health care system the worst in Canada and has spent our money to do it!

Over the last couple of years I have had numerous complaints about the cost of Ambulance services. We live in a rural area, and therefore generally the distance travelled from our home to the hospital is much greater than it is in Winnipeg, and therefore the cost becomes greater. No one has complained to me about this cost, but I often receive complaints from Constituents who are required to take the ambulance from a local hospital into Winnipeg to receive service. It’s these interfaculty services that are contentious. Why should we pay for ambulance services from our own local hospital to another hospital if our local hospital does not have the service and it is medically necessary to take the ambulance? I believe these services should be covered by the general Health department budget – either cover these costs, or provide the service in our local hospitals! In rural Manitoba we are treated very differently than those in Northern Manitoba. If you are transported to Winnipeg by air ambulance (airplane or helicopter) to receive medical treatment you don’t pay for the cost of the air ambulance – it’s absolutely free! I’m not suggesting that the air ambulance be paid for by the user, but why should we in rural Manitoba pay for ambulance costs to be transported into Winnipeg when our own hospital does not provide the service?

A recent example of this occurred in Brandon when a Brandon mother received a $808.00 ambulance bill to transport her 7 year old daughter to Winnipeg for emergency surgery in Winnipeg because no surgeon was available in Brandon. She refused to pay the bill on the grounds that the emergency surgery that her daughter needed ought to have been available in Brandon!

Those who live outside Winnipeg should not be treated like second class citizens!

A number of potential opportunities with respect to economic development are presenting themselves at this time, and as your MLA, I have been working extremely hard to ensure that these opportunities are available to our area. I hope that all of these opportunities become reality for our area.

O.S.B. PLANT. The location of an O.S.B. plant for our area, specifically in the Powerview/Pine Falls area would be welcome news. An announcement for its location somewhere in Manitoba is expected to be made shortly. Municipal councils, specifically the R.M. of Alexander and the Town of Powerview/Pine Falls, and generally, all Municipal councils in Eastern Manitoba, and several First Nations communities are working diligently to ensure that this plant is located in the Powerview/Pine Falls area. I have been speaking to government Ministers involved to push the positive attributes of our area.

ETHANOL PLANT. The ethanol plant in Minnedosa has been approved by both the Federal and Provincial governments. There is no doubt that another ethanol plant will be required to be built in Manitoba to meet the demand for ethanol in Manitoba. It’s just a question of where. The Beausejour/Brokenhead Development Corporation has been working extremely hard to convince interested companies to locate in the Beausejour/Brokenhead area. I commend the BBDC and its volunteers for their hard work on this project. I have been working hard to convince Provincial government officials that an ethanol plant is needed in the area.

WIND POWER. The wind power generating facility in St. Leon provides a tremendous economic boost to the St. Leon area in terms of capital investment, ongoing maintenance support, and as another source of income to farmers who rent their land for the location of wind generators. I have been advised by companies in the business, that the Brokenhead/Lac du Bonnet/Whitemouth area appears to have the necessary wind quality within which to establish a wind farm. I will continue to work closely with them in the hope that this will become a reality for the Constituency.