Manitoba Art Expo continues today - see The Sacking of Brandon House and many other works

Manitoba Art Expo - The Sacking of Brandon House:  Don McMaster's painting of "The Sacking of Brandon House" see above is, I am told, a representation of the action the first time in recorded history that the Metis flag was flown.  The scene is 1816 and Cuthbert Grant is featured riding his horse in the activity shown in the painting, and the Metis flag is visible.  Peter Fidler recorded this event in his journals - see http://www.mhs.mb.ca/docs/mb_history/16/sackingbrandonhouse.shtml  In the photo above, I am with Don McMaster the artist.

There are many, many other fascinating and wonderful paintings at Manitoba Art Expo.  It is open today (Sunday November 6) from noon to 5:00 pm, at the Assiniboine Downs.  My wife, Naomi, has some really neat paintings of children, and of rural Manitoba scenes.  There are in told 42 artists including Laura Beare, Leona Brown, David Brownlee, Elizabeth Delgatty, June Derksen, Elena El, Eleonore Esau, Marie-Lourdes Fillion, Gabriel Bely, Shirley Germain, Naomi Gerrard, Roman Gierek, Faye Hall, Monika Hansen, Joanne Harris, Glenn Hayes, Viera Jakubek, Eileen Kasprick, Pamela Kehler, Leon Kiva, Koseph Koensgen, Wendy Kroeker, Jennifer La Bella, Dianne Leatherdale Johnson, Diane Levet, Dianne Lund, Don McMaster, John Nielsen, Diana Persson, Leon Pewarchuk, Brenda Phillips, Elma Rauser, Estelle Menard Regnier, Lore Rietze, Melaney Robins, Guy St. Godard, Anthony Steffes, Judy Sutton, Hubert Theroux, Ellen Turbett and Randy Warren,

Spinal disc replacement surgery and the Winkler conference November 4

Friday this week, I was in Winkler to attend a conference organized by Ken Hiebert to have a discussion on the spinal disc replacement surgery being done at the Stenum Hospital in Germany.  I understand that about 100 people from Manitoba with significant back problems have travelled to the Stenum Hospital near Bremen, Germany for surgery to replace a badly deteriorated disc with an artificial disc.

At this meeting we heard very favourable testimonials and were presented with very positive results of the artificial disc surgery.  The fact that so many Manitobans have gone, apparently successfully for many, to the Stenum hospital for this procedure which is not available in Manitoba certainly speaks to the potential of this procedure.  As I entered there was a slide on the screen - a quote from Wilhelm II, a former German Emperor "I believe in the horse.  The automobile is only a temporary phenomenon." 

It may well be that spinal disc replacement surgery is the direction of the future.  It may well be that we should consider the possibility of Manitoba Health covering the cost of such surgery [or Worker's Compensation when it the injury is a workplace injury] or of having such surgery made available here.  But, I suggest that a first step would be for there to be an independent assessment done by Manitoba Health of the results in the 100 Manitoba patients who have been to Stenum Hospital for this surgery.  It is important to know the success rate, the overall effectiveness of the surgery and any complications or side effects that may have occurred.  When there is a potentially promising advance like this, we should not sit on the sidelines, we should become better informed of both the positive benefits and the shortcomings of this procedure.   It is also important that we know this information as Manitoba patients will be treated by Manitoba physicians when they return and Manitoba physicians should know what to look for in following people who have had this surgery.

LITE Breakfast

Friday morning this week I was at the LITE (Local Investment Towards Employment) breakfast to support their efforts.  In the top photo I am with LITE Board Members Jennifer Bogosh (left), and Lindsey McBain (far right), and Terri Proulx (to my right) who is a member of the LITE public relations committee.   In the middle photo, I am with Mindy Brooker of Mindy's Jewelery who is showing her varied and colourful assortment of earrings and other jewelry.  In the bottom photo, I am with Blaine Harris who is showing his traditional crafts.

FASD and Crime - the MCJA Crime Prevention Breakfast

Thursday morning this week, I attended the Manitoba Criminal Justice Association's Breakfast on FASD and Crime Prevention.  Speakers were Dr. Albert Chudley, an expert on FASD and Judge Marie Kate Harvie who has been dealing with offenders with FASD who come before the courts.

Dr. Chudley emphasized the fact that up to 17% of people in Manitoba's Stony Mountain Institution have FASD, and a larger proportion (70%) have some sort of brain or mental health condition.  Offenders who come before the courts can now, when referred, be assessed for FASD.  So far, of 133 offenders who have been assessed, 94 have been diagnosed with some form of FASD.  Sadly, the program has a long waiting time and 377 individuals of the 510 who have been referred have not yet been assessed.

For those who have been assessed, it can make a significant difference in using programming which recognizes the FASD and reduces subsequent delinquency.  For example, one of the problems with children with FASD is that a high proportion drop out of school [65% of children with FASD coming before the Youth Justice Assessment were not attending school http://www.ihe.ca/documents/026-Harvie.pdf ]
Following the identification that a child has FASD, the school learning program can be adapted, and the problems that a child with FASD has in getting into trouble can be addressed so further involvement with the criminal justice system is reduced.

A high proportion of the youth with FASD who get involved with the Criminal Justice System get involved with gangs (65%), and this may be because youth with FASD tend to be easily led and influenced.  Addressing FASD in a much better way can result in fewer youth getting involved with gangs and decrease gang problems as well as decreasing crime.

For many years, I have been pushing for better understanding of FASD and better approaches to preventing FASD and to helping those with FASD as a way of improving our society and reducing crime.  Some small steps are now happening, but we need to do much more in this area to prevent FASD in the first place, as well as to be able to do assessments quickly in order to help those with FASD so that they have better opportunities than getting into crime and gangs.   For more on this subject see my blog on
Gerard Allard and his efforts in this area. http://manitobaliberals.blogspot.com/2011/07/gerard-allard-liberal-candidate-in-st.html

The Brandon University Strike

This morning I was in Brandon to meet with faculty at the Brandon University who are on strike.  The strike is now in its 22nd day.  This is far too long.  It is severely impacting students.  It is also having an impact on Brandon University's reputation.  It is past time for the strike to come to an end, and yet the provincial NDP government has been slow to act to ensure a timely and fair resolution to the dispute so that students can complete their courses.   I hope both sides will reach an agreement soon.   But if provincial action were to need legislation, it will now be more difficult because the session ended yesterday, and the legislature would have to be recalled.

[Note added Nov 11: We are now in the 31st day of the strike. It has gone on too long.  Students are being severely affected.  Mediator Michael Werier has recommended binding arbitration, but under current legislation that may not happen for another 29 days.  Legislation to mandate that binding arbitration happen immediately could be introduced but would require a recall of the legislature.  Since students can be so affected by a strike, caught in the middle, it would seem logical to change the legislation as it applies to post-secondary education institutions to proceed more quickly to binding arbitration so that students do not lose out so badly in instances like this.  I value input from people on this - email me at jon.gerrard@leg.gov.mb.ca ]

Blink and you miss it session ends. Liberals focused on terrible shortcomings of the NDP

The all too brief Legislative session ends today.  We focused on exposing the ghastly abominable performance of the NDP on so many issues.  Here is a selection of my questions:

1) Liberals called on the NDP to immediately fulfill their promise to make all cancer drugs free for Manitobans, but it was soon apparent the NDP are more focused on finding loopholes to avoid keeping their promise than on doing what they promised.  See http://manitobaliberals.blogspot.com/2011/10/liberals-are-calling-on-ndp-to.html

2) Liberals called the NDP to account for dismally neglecting prevention of health problems like diabetes.  We exposed the fact that diabetes is not even on the provincial list of the top 98 public health problems.  With that kind of approach the diabetes epidemic continues out of control.  See http://manitobaliberals.blogspot.com/2011/10/ndp-neglects-diabetes-epidemic-not-even.html

3) Liberals called it for what it is.  Too many health care wait times in Manitoba are getting longer, even as spending increases due to poor NDP  management.  See http://manitobaliberals.blogspot.com/2011/10/health-care-wait-times-and-number-of.html

4) Liberals expose the fact that a shocking 72% of sexually exploited youth in Manitoba were actually in the care of the provincial government's child welfare system when exploited.  See http://manitobaliberals.blogspot.com/2011/10/sexual-exploitation-of-children-and.html

5) Liberals expose the fact that the Minister responsible for Child and Family Services is late with his report, is shirking his responsibilities and is likely trying to hide the face that the number of children in care has increased again under his watch.  See http://manitobaliberals.blogspot.com/2011/10/minister-of-child-and-family-services.html

6) Liberals expose the fact that Selinger's support of the Canadian Wheat Board is tepid at best - with reports he has almost given up on keeping the board, and that Selinger has no transition plan to help farmers, to help those who may lose jobs, or to keep the Port of Churchill.  See http://manitobaliberals.blogspot.com/2011/10/canadian-wheat-board-my-question-about.html

7) Liberals expose the NDP's neglect of inner Winnipeg which is contributing to gang activity and crime.  See http://manitobaliberals.blogspot.com/2011/10/high-crime-rate-in-part-because-ndp.html

8) Liberals expose the fact that Selinger has neglected northern Manitoba and never approached the federal government with a proposal like Ontario did to ensure clean running water for First Nations communities.  http://manitobaliberals.blogspot.com/2011/11/ndp-neglect-northern-communities-with.html

The session may end today, but Manitoba Liberals will remain active and vigilant in support of Manitobans from all over our province.   If you have an issue that needs to be brought forward, please email me at jon.gerrard@leg.gov.mb.ca

NDP neglect northern communities with no running water

As the Winnipeg Free Press's series "No Running Water" has more than amply demonstrated, the NDP have badly neglected northern communities.  More than 1400 homes have no running water.  This is the legacy of 12 years of NDP inaction.

Contrast this situation of NDP inaction, to what happened in Ontario. In 1992, the Ontario government took the lead in working with Ottawa on an agreement to ensure many communities in Ontario have access to running water for their residents.  This 1992 Liberal-NDP partnership agreement ensured homes in 21 First Nation communities in Ontario where there were homes without running water would have their homes connected to running water.  This was followed by a Liberal-Conservative partnership agreement in 1996 which ensured an additional 14 First Nations communities would have their homes connected to running water.  In spite of this example from Ontario, the Manitoba NDP have done nothing similar to ensure Manitoba homes are connected to running water and more than 1400 homes in Manitoba are still not connected.  Indeed, shockingly, one of Manitoba's senior Ministers said not long ago that he was not even aware of the Ontario agreements.

In June 2009, I was in Garden Hill and saw first hand the very poor conditions with many homes with no running water.  One of the homes I visited is in the photo above.  It is past time that this is changed and that communities all over Manitoba are ensured of having running water for their homes.  See http://manitobaliberals.blogspot.com/2009/06/h1n1-flu-and-garden-hill-in-northern.html

We are promoting a petition to get action to ensure all Manitobans have access to clear running water, and to be sure that First Nations communities in our province are treated fairly.  A copy of the petition is below.   Please print a copy of the petition, then gather signatures, and bring or send the petition in to my office in the Legislature - at Jon Gerrard MLA-River Heights, Leader-Manitoba Liberal Party, Room 169, Manitoba Legislature, 450 Broadway, Winnipeg, MB R3C 0V8.  You can also fax it in to 204-948-3220.  The petition is also available for downloading at http://mlp.manitobaliberals.ca/11/01/manitoba-liberals-initiate-petition-for-clean-drinking-water/

Today, I asked the Premier in Question Period - "Why in 12 years has he not ensured that people in northern Manitoba have access to clean running water? "  The Premier was clearly set on blaming the federal government for the problem.  But, it is quite clear that the federal government was very receptive to a proposal from Ontario, and would almost certainly have welcomed such a proposal from Manitoba, but to my knowledge Manitoba never presented a proposal like Ontario did.  Surely it is time for the government of Manitoba to come to the table, like the government of  Ontario did, and ensure people in First Nations communities in Manitoba have clean running water.  Please help this cause by signing the petition and get your signed petition to us so we can increase the pressure on the provincial government to act.