Mr. Jack Penner (Emerson): It was not too long ago that a farmer would grow a single crop in Manitoba, harvest it and continue the same process the following year. Over the last few years, however, that has all changed. Today our farmers recognize that diversification is crucial to their ongoing success.
* (1420)
During the Working for Value Task Force we heard of many rural Manitobans who expressed a keen interest in further diversifying their operations. We were told about the need for innovative and creative approaches for creating new investment incentives for funding local value-added ventures within rural Manitoba.
The Filmon government continues its approach of consulting with Manitobans and acting upon their ideas. Now Manitoba farmers looking at diversifying their operations will have great opportunities to receive loan guarantees. This follows enhancement of the Manitoba Agricultural Credit Corporation Diversification Loan Guarantee Program. A significant portion of rural Manitobans participating in the task force noted the potential of nontraditional livestock as an area of great opportunity.
As the number of farmers investing in bison continues to grow, so does our commitment to assist their efforts. Demand for breeding stock has increased significantly since MACC introduced the bison lending program as a diversification opportunity in 1995. In an effort to provide Manitoba bison farmers with access to higher levels of financing, our government also made changes to MACC's loan program for female bison breeding stock.
The Filmon government continues to work with farmers to develop and implement new programs and help build a stronger, more stable provincial economy. As more farmers diversify their operations, I am confident that our goal of expanding the range of Manitoba's value-added exports by $1 billion over the next decade will truly be realized. Thank you.
Mr. Stan Struthers (Dauphin): I rise on a member's statement on behalf of the citizens of the community of Gilbert Plains and their surrounding rural municipality of Gilbert Plains.
Madam Speaker, on Monday, in a response to a question from my colleague from Swan River, the Minister of Health (Mr. Praznik) implied that people signing petitions are not connected with reality. Well, I have on a petition here, from the citizens of Gilbert Plains, 880 names of real people who are concerned that they are going to lose their ambulance service in that community. Gilbert Plains has worked long and hard, despite this government, to build up an ambulance service that does a very good job for the citizens of its community.
Madam Speaker, these people who have signed this petition are worried now that they are going to lose this ambulance service that has served their area so well. The reason the ambulance service is in jeopardy is because of decisions that are made by this Health minister and this provincial government.
Every year that the Parklands Regional Health Authority has been the decision maker locally in health services, they have received a cut in money from this government. What the government does is give a pot of money to the Parklands Regional Health Authority, which is less than the pot of money that it gave it the year before, and simply tells the local folks to find where the cuts can take place.
Madam Speaker, because of those decisions made by this provincial government to underfund health care in the Parklands, we have yet another community that is in jeopardy of losing ambulance service. We have citizens in Gilbert Plains who live half an hour and 45 minutes from any kind of service, so this is something that is very important to these people, and I wish to present the 880 names here today to the Legislature.
Mr. Gerry McAlpine (Sturgeon Creek): I am pleased to rise today to make all members aware of an innovative program announced. BabyFirst is a program which works with parents to prevent at-risk situations and promote positive parenting. Through funding of $1.6 million this year and $2 million in the following years, our government in partnership with public health nurses will ensure BabyFirst meets its six objectives, and that is promote positive parenting, enhance parent-child relationships, improve child health and development, reduce child abuse and neglect by providing parenting skills, link families to a primary health care provider and improve use of community resources.
BabyFirst will provide in-home assistance and education through a home visitor to ensure infants receive the care and the stimulation so crucial to the long-term well-being and healthy development of the child. The assistance will also support the parent in adapting to life with an infant and learning the necessary skills to care for the child. It is anticipated that the program will require 10 additional health care nurses and approximately 30 home visitors throughout the province.
Madam Speaker, by basing this program on the very successful Hawaii Health Start model, which showed that early intervention can provide long-term benefits for families, I am confident Manitoba children and their families will be happier and healthier. So I congratulate the Minister of Health (Mr. Praznik) and the Minister of Family Services (Mrs. Mitchelson) for their commitment to our most precious resource, our children. Thank you.
Ms. MaryAnn Mihychuk (St. James): Today is indeed a black day for the province of Manitoba when we hear that we are losing 250 Whiteshell workers from the AECL location in Pinawa. Highly professional technical people are being laid off.
Madam Speaker, we are all extremely upset about this, and particularly upsetting is this government's bungling of handling the situation of the AECL change in ownership. This government 10 years ago--when they took over, there were 850 jobs. We now are losing 250, with the remainder of 325 having an uncertain future. The province, in response, is to make photo-opportunity events after the job is gone. The province has never really, all through the past few years, been involved in any negotiations. I happen to be one member of the province's so-called Manitoba task force that actually went to meet the federal minister involved. There has been no follow-up by the province of that committee. There has never been any type of consultation, and obviously that was basically another photo opportunity for the MLA who represents that area and nothing more meaningful than that by the province.
The province has been noticeably lacking in the negotiations over the past two years. There has been a series of deadlines, all of which have gone by without any response of either the federal or provincial governments. Now we lose so many significant jobs, 250 jobs in Manitoba, a black day for this province when we lose so many high-tech jobs without even a fight by this Tory government.
Ms. Marianne Cerilli (Radisson): Madam Speaker, I want to recognize the good work of a project entitled Together for Change: Crime Prevention through Social Development. This is a Youth Service Canada Project at Valley Gardens Junior High, and it is made possible by a $140,000 grant.
The co-ordinators of the program are Elana Sokolov and Julie Penhall, and they have worked to hire 14 youth workers or participants who will be employed for eight months doing a variety of projects in the Valley Gardens community. The participants are: Samantha Baird, Brandy Cook, Gary Goulette, Chris McIvor, Krista Ramsey, Jeromy Swan, Shana Wolochatiuk, Kristy Brandstrom, Nhat Doan, Janet Hymers, Shannon Patenaude, Kanwall Saran, Naomo Litman-Targownik and Warren Yerex.
* (1430)
These participants are doing a whole variety of projects, everything from providing positive peer support to 14 at-risk youth from the community. They are running a job-finding club that has already identified over 12 businesses to employ students from the Kildonan East high school in summer jobs. They have solicited support from a variety of other businesses which are too numerous, unfortunately, to read into the record. They are having education forums at various other schools. They have held antiracism seminars and assemblies to celebrate March 21. They are organizing a drop-in centre at the community club, basketball tournaments, crime prevention symposiums, and a unique program called Teen Talk to encourage kids to ask for help with difficult issues like peer pressure, drug use, et cetera.
It is a lot of activity for one year. It is an excellent model for a program. I want to also recognize the support of the River East School Division board, as well as the principal at Valley Gardens, Ron Hildebrand, staff at the schools involved in the catchment area.
Madam Speaker: Order, please.
Ms. Cerilli: As well as--Madam Speaker, if I might--members of the advisory board from Citizens for Crime Awareness, the parent committees, the community police, links with Child and Family Services, and Parks and Recreation.