Preventing Addictions reduces crime - Our announcement today - investing in effective addictions treatment

Preventing crime is important, particularly violent crime.  Yet, under the NDP violent crime has increased in Winnipeg and Manitoba as I have pointed out in previous blogs. We need to reduce crime.

Today, at the Behavioural Health Foundation in St. Norbert, I announced that Manitoba Liberals will invest $1.2 million in addictions treatment to decrease wait times for addictions treatment at facilities like the Behavioural Health Foundation.

I made the announcement because up to 70% of those convicted of violent crimes have a history of substance abuse.   Effective treatment of addictions will reduce crime.  We know this because of the remarkable success rate at the St. Norbert Behavioural Health Foundation.  Careful follow up has shown that 95% of those who complete the St. Norbert Behavioural Health Foundation treatment program do not during follow up get involved in the justice system.   Many of the people who start this program have had troubles both with addictions and with the law.   Without effective treatment, many of these would have been offenders again. 

It is important to know why the Behavioural Health Foundation treatment is so effective.  Those who are admitted for treatment are immediately put to work at the Centre - in the kitchen, in the laundry etc, to ensure they have life and work skills.   After a month of being at the centre and working, they have a choice to take continue with the work program or to take education to complete their high school.   After two more months, some will begin work in the community.  Others will continue with the education.  When the treatment program is completed, there is follow up. 

Effective treatment of addictions in this fashion is crime prevention.  Under the NDP, effective addictions treatment has been neglected and wait lists for effective treatment are far too long (I have heard of up to a year). 

This announcement is part of our Liberal smart on crime approach.  Effective addictions treatment coupled with improved recreation opportunities for youth (announced yesterday) are two important steps to reducing crime.

In the top photo, I am with Amanda Sansregret, President of the Behavioural Health Foundation.   In the bottom photo, from left to right are Marcel Laurendeau (our Liberal candidate in St. Norbert), Jean Doucha (Executive Director of the Behavioural Health Foundation), Amanda Sansregret, myself and Troy Osiname (our candidate in Seine River).

Added - evening Sept 7, 2011: In the Globe and Mail today on Crime:
"So far, Liberal Jon Gerrard is the only one of the three party leaders to tackle the issue head-on.

He wants to see another $1.2-million spent to reduce wait times for people seeking treatment for addictions. Mr. Gerrard says research shows 70 per cent of people convicted of violent crimes have substance abuse problems.

“Make sure that people don’t commit crimes in the first place,” he said Wednesday. “It doesn’t solve problems by filling jails up.”

This morning we announced our support for Community Centres - for recreation directors and for programming

Top photo, I am with Twyla, Roldan and Gerard our candidates in Burrows, Tyndall Park and St. James as we announce our plan to provide $4.6 million in support for Community Centre programming to provide recreation for young people to keep them involved in positive activities and out of gangs. 

In the bottom photo, Gerard Allard is talking about how important this initiative is to prevent crime based on his experience over 24 years with the Winnipeg Police Force.

Off and Running - the writ is dropped and the election is formally underway

The Election is formally underway.  Top photo show me and Twyla at the corner of Mountain and McPhillips early this morning.

A Sikh Celebration and a Hindu Wedding Ceremony

One of the wonderful advantages of living in Manitoba is the fact that we have such a diverse population, with people who have come to our province from all over the world. It enriches our society culturally and economically.   It improves our ability to trade with people around the world.  We are blessed as a result.  This weekend, I was fortunate to have the opportunity to attend a major Sikh celebration and a Hindu wedding ceremony.

The Sikh Anniversary: Sunday afternoon, in Memorial Park just north of the Legislature, I joined many thousand of Sikhs in celebrating the 407th anniversary of the installation of the Guru Granth Sahib, the holy book of the Sikh religion.   This is a very special day for Sikhs.   Indeed, a number of years ago, in 1999, our Liberal MLA for Inkster, Kevin Lamoureux, (now the Liberal MP for Winnipeg North) moved a resolution in the Manitoba Legislature to recognize this Anniversary.  It was seconded by Marcel Laurendeau, now our Liberal candidate in St. Norbert.  It received unanimous support from all MLAs, and as a result for the first time this important event was recognized in the Manitoba Legislature.  Today, the Sikh population in Manitoba is growing.  After ten years, a Punjab Cultural Centre is now under construction.  I felt honoured and fortunate to be able to join many friends in the Sikh community yesterday.

The Hindu Wedding: On Saturday, Naomi and I were pleased to be able to join others to celebrate the wedding of Samantha Charran and Paul Turenne.  They were married in a Hindu ceremony (above).  Samantha worked in my office at the Legislature as my Communications Officer in 2007 and 2008.   Paul is a reporter for the Winnipeg Sun.   Paul and Samantha - Naomi and I wish you the very best in your lives together.

Manitoba Financial Report for 2010-2011; poor financial management by the NDP, and how Liberals would do better

The NDP are claiming that they have a deficit of only $298 million this year. This is still a large deficit!

But, Manitobans also need to know that to do this they are using what is called a summary budget which includes $150 million in revenue from Manitoba Hydro as if it were government revenue which they are free to spend. In reality, what is most important is the surplus or deficit on Core Government Operations. In 2010-1011, the deficit on Core Government Operations was $340 million.

It is important to make two point about this $340 million deficit.

1) A $340 million deficit is a very large deficit for Manitoba. It means over the last three years our cumulative provincial deficit is more than $1.3 billion.

2) One of the reasons for the high deficit is continuing overexpenditure by the NDP on their expenditure budget. This year the NDP spent $135 million more than they budgeted for expenditures. They planned expenditures of $10.755 billion and ended up spending $10.890 billion. As I have stressed repeatedly, good financial budgeting and financial management means bringing in an expenditure budget which has an expenditure target which you can meet, and then meeting it. In 12 years of budgeting the NDP have never met their expenditure target. On average, they have spent $166 million over target each year. In total this has meant expenditures of almost two billion more than planned. Manitoba Liberals would budget differently. We will budget in a way that we can meet our targets, and to do this we will include where necessary in our budgets the contingency funds to allow for unexpected situations which may arise.

For more on NDP overexpenditure, please see:  http://manitobaliberals.blogspot.com/2011/07/continuing-saga-of-ndp-overspending.html

Retired Teachers - the Manitoba Liberal Party Commitment

Going back several decades Manitoba teachers were promised by the provincial government that they would receive a full annual Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) on their pensions.  This commitment was never fulfilled under the Conservatives or the NDP.  The situation has been particularly bad under the NDP in the last 12 years.  Indeed, the purchasing power of teachers pensions has diminished by 13% since 1998.   Members of the Retired Teachers Association of Manitoba (RTAM) have been incensed at the treatment they have received from the NDP.  President Richard Benoit said talked in his year end report about "how flagrantly unfairly and unjustly we are being treated." 

Manitoba Liberals will honour the commitment made by the provincial government several decades ago when retired teachers were promised a full COLA.  We will honour this commitment, even though it was not a Liberal government which made the commitment.  We believe that such solemn commitments should be honoured.   We will fulfill this commitment in our second budget should Manitobans elect a Liberal government on October 4th.   We will do it in our second budget because we judge it will take a year to do this properly, given the current state of the province's finances and the need to ensure all the details are properly worked out. 

In their recent RTAM newsletter, the retired teachers ask four questions:
1) If you are elected, would you support/commit to making COLA improvement for retired teachers a priority during your term in office?  Our answer is YES.
2) If you are elected, would you support/commit to ensuring significant funding to enable a long-term and fair and equitable resolution of the COLA problem for retired teachers?  Our answer is YES.
3) If you are elected, would you support/commit to similar significant funding in support of retired teachers' COLAs as has occurred for civil servants' COLAs, or a funding plan, as has occurred for nurses COLAs?  Our answer is YES.
4) If you are elected, would you support/commit to making provision for a voice for retired teachers at the Teachers' Pension Task Force?  Our answer is YES.

We Manitoba Liberals will let retail operators set their own hours to be open for shopping on Sunday

This morning we announced that Manitoba Liberals will give retail operators the opportunity to set their own hours on Sundays.  This change will give hard working Manitoba families the ability to better manage their busy schedules and to chose when they shop for affordable food and clothing.
The NDP and the Conservatives have opposed this legislation, which in our view demonstrates that they are both our of touch with the needs and values of ordinary Manitoba families. 

As part of our legislation, store owners would not be required to be open on Sundays.  Also, workers with commitments to religious services or other important family matters will not be forced to work on Sundays. 

This proposed legislation is part of the Manitoba Liberal Plan for strong families and healthy communities.

Our announcement was supported by Dave Angus, President and CEO of the Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce (second photo above), and by Tarik Zeid the owner of the Food Fare at the corner of Lilac and Corydon where we made the announcement (bottom photo).

My blog - Open Government - Meetings yesterday with members of the Manitoba Society of Pharmacists

For six years I have been writing this blog.  It is part of my desire for, and approach for, a more open style of government.  It is in this context that I have written about meetings with members of lobby groups who come to see me.  Today, I continue in this pattern, to write about a meeting I had yesterday with Scott Ransome, Mel Baxter, Scott McFeetors and Amy Oliver of the Manitoba Society of Pharmacists.

The came to see me about two items:

1) Bill 41, the Phamaceutical Act.   Bill 41 the Pharmaceutical Act was passed by a unanimous vote of Manitoba's legislative assembly approximately 5 years ago.  It has still not become law.  This bill is an important bill and it moves the practice of pharmacists forward in our province so that we can catch up to practices already introduced in other provinces some years ago.  The initial delay was because the new regulations required approval of pharmacists in a democratic vote by pharmacists in Manitoba.  This vote, was held last year and received very strong support from pharmacists - passing with 84% voting in favour.  It should have immediately been made the law in Manitoba, which the NDP had the power to do.   For the last year the NDP have inexplicably delayed implementing this legislation.  It is no wonder that Manitoba is behind in this area when the NDP have been so slow to act.   I committed that were a Liberal government to be elected in Manitoba on October 4th, we would make sure this bill was made law promptly.

2) Reforms in Drug Pricing for Generic Drugs:  Other provinces have moved forward in the last three years to implement reforms in drug pricing for generic drugs.  Ontario took the lead, acting in 2008.  The results have been significant cost savings for the Ontario government and for consumers in Ontario.   I was told that similar action in Manitoba could achieve savings of about $100 million annually, of which $50 million of the savings would be to the Manitoba Government's pharmacare plan.  The other $50 million would be to individuals and to third party insurers.  I was also told that it is very important that there be a transition so that pharmacists can adapt to the change.   It is curious that the NDP have been so slow to act when there is such potential for savings.  I committed to the Manitoba Society of Pharmacists representatives that a Liberal government will bring in reform to drug pricing for generic drugs and that we would do so with an appropriate transition so that pharmacists can adapt to the change.

I am writing this note on my blog as part of my effort to increase transparency in government.  I believe this is important.  I challenge the other party leaders to write a similar daily blog in order to have improve transparency and openness in government in Manitoba.

Official Opening of Roldan Sevillano's campaign office in Tyndall Park

We had a large crowd of supporters out this morning for the official opening of Roldan Sevillano's campaign office in Tyndall Park.   On hand was Justin Trudeau to speak passionately about the need for better understanding of the positive benefits of a broad inclusive vision in which every person counts, and the need for the Liberal Party in Manitoba with our ability to provide such a positive vision of the future of our province.

Tyndall Park replaces Inkster, previously represented by Kevin Lamoureux and a Liberal stronghold.  Kevin was on hand to support Roldan Sevillano.   Roldan has a strong team.  He is young, age 26, and charismatic.  He has already spent the last two years being mentored by Kevin Lamoureux as he prepared for this campaign.

Manitoba Liberals Launch Election Campaign with Justin Trudeau

Last night, we launched our Liberal campaign to a packed house at a Community Pizza dinner at the Crescentwood Community Centre in River Heights.   Justin Trudeau helped us kick off the campaign. Thank you Justin.

My main message was "Liberals are ready"  We have 57 candidates.  We have a bold, dynamic and visionary platform which we will be unveiling in the days ahead.  Our focus is talking about the needs of everyday Manitobans and on building strong families and healthy communities. 

Last night I announced that we would introduce a Manitoba Katimavic Youth Corps program.  It will be modelled after the national Katimavic program, and will get young people from all over our province working together to help others in Manitoba. 

Thanks to all of our great team for such a good job organizing this event and making it such a success.