Article appeared in the Aug 11 issue of the Interlake Spectator…
Each year Manitoba New Democrats hold a caucus retreat at a different location in the province. This year’s was held in Gimli at the Lakeview Resort and Conference Centre where the party’s MLAs gathered for a planning meeting on Aug. 3. The upcoming election in October was the main topic on the agenda, but meetings were also set up with key players in the region with representatives from the Fishers about some of their concerns, and the Arborg Bifrost Community Development Corporation about the need for paved roads north of Arborg.
The retreat was prefaced by a community lunch at Valentino’s restaurant in Winnipeg Beach on Aug. 2, hosted by restaurant owner, Don Pepe, with Gimli MLA, Peter Bjornson as emcee. Numerous local community members were invited to share lunch with MLA members. After a brief address by Deputy Premier, Roseann Wowchuck, about what the provincial government has accomplished in recent years, the floor was opened to questions, giving guests an opportunity to directly raise issues with politicians in attendance.
The first to raise his hand was Fred Bieber, chair of the Gimli Seniors Resource Council. He asked about what is being done to get the message out to all of the 5 million people who live within the Lake Winnipeg drainage basin, whose behavior also affects Lake Winnipeg water quality. Bjornson replied that forums have been held with neighbouring provinces and states to discuss issues and challenges, and informed him of the recent adoption of the Save Lake Winnipeg Act, as well as various Lake Friendly initiatives in the community, in addition to the province working in partnership with the Lake Winnipeg Foundation.
Stan Struthers, Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Initiatives added that Premier Greg Selinger is meeting with many parties and looking at water quality and quantity, and treating it as a watershed issue.
Local artist, Helma RogueRaiders raised the point that the state of Lake Winnipeg is also an issue of great concern to artists in that the lake and local culture go hand in hand. “Our lifestyle is threatened. It’s not just the farmer,” she said.
She addressed her concern to Minister of Culture, Heritage and Tourism, Flor Marcelino, that there is little focus on the independent creative artist.
“We are not on the radar,” she said.
RogueRaiders strongly suggested that a lot of work needs to be done to give individual artist a more prominent profile, such as support with tourism brochures, for one. She raised the issue that people following an artistic career path cannot make a living at it.
Marcelino pointed her in the direction of the Manitoba Arts Council, “a very responsible outfit…they are into providing support, not just to Winnipeg artists, but many rural artists.”
RogueRaiders, who is well established in the Manitoba arts scene, agreed that the arts council will give support, but was equally adamant that this does not address the difficulty artists have in making a living with their work.
“No, it doesn’t work like that,” RogueRaiders said. “I am interested in reaching the public.”
Bob Bowman of Diagio’s in Gimli raised his concern about the difficulty his business has in promoting his Crown Royal products. He asked Bjornson, Minister of Entrepreneurship, Training and Trade, whether restrictions to advertising will be removed. Bjornson responded that Crown Royall is a very fine product, and that he has personally promoted it while on trade missions to the United States. However, he gave no indication that the rules would be changing, although he did acknowledge the challenge.
Winnipeg Beach Mayor, Tony Pimentel, posed his question as a business owner. Pimentel, who owns Playland in Winnipeg Beach, asked if a tiered system for minimum wage would be implemented by the province. He argued that there should be a youth minimum wage and an adult minimum wage to offset the cost of a seasonal operation.
Minister of Labour and Immigration, Jennifer Howard, replied that a two-tiered system would provide a “perverse incentive” in which employers would opt to hire youths rather than adults. She pointed out that the small business tax in Manitoba is zero, and said the province is still open to other ideas to help small businesses. She added that employers would be given a full year’s notice prior to an increase in minimum wage, rather than the six month time frame given in the past, to ensure that employers have an easier time budgeting for the season.
Next, Rob Jantz of Evergreen Basic Needs asked how the NDP might build partnerships to help people help themselves, seeing that still one in 10 children in Canada still lives in poverty, and that there is an over-dependence of food banks in Manitoba.
Three ministers tackled different aspects of the issue. Bjornson began by saying, “Our commitment is multi-facetted…Education is a very big part of eliminating poverty.”
Minister of Housing and Community Development, Kerri Irvin-Ross continued.
“There is no one answer,” she said. Irvin-Ross talked about working with all levels of government to break down barriers, from preschool onward, and developing strategies for long-term funding, for example, five-year funding as opposed to one-year funding to give more stability to organizations working on the problem.
Minister of Health, Theresa Oswald picked it up from there, commenting that health care and poverty are linked, noting the increased costs to health care with poor nutrition. She agreed on the importance of working to build partnerships.
The last to speak was May Peiluck, past volunteer with Northeast Interlake Palliative Care which serves Gimli, Arborg, Riverton, Winnipeg Beach and surrounding areas.
She pointed out the inequity of funding between rural palliative care and that of Winnipeg. She questioned why the Palliative Care’s coordinator’s salary is not provided for in rural Manitoba, and must be maintained by fund-raising drives. Oswald acknowledged that it is “tougher” in rural areas. She agreed that there is a problem and that there is movement on this issue.
