The Gerrard Report

Too many Manitoba children with learning disabilities like dyslexia are not being identified and helped early on starting in Kindergarten and grades 1 and 2.   The Supreme Court ruled in 2012 that it is the provinces responsibility to ensure that every child learns to read, and even when, in the case of a child with dyslexia intensive intervention is needed.  In 12 years Manitoba has failed to produce a provincial plan to address this issue.  We are holding a Forum (see below) on this subject.  Please come out to the Forum.  There is no cost. Everyone is welcome.  To learn more about the need to do better helping children, youth and adults with a learning disability click on this link    

  In today's Winnipeg Free Press, there is an article I wrote calling for better accountability for politicians with regards to their failure to make big decisions in health care when they should have been made.  For the full article click on this link     In essence, the failures of NDP and PC governments to make critical decisions in health care have resulted in poorer health care quality and have cost Manitobans billions of dollars.  Manitobans need to better recognize the need to hold politicians involved in these decisions, or lack of decisions when needed, and the associated costs accountable. 

  Examples of Manitoba Liberal accomplishments in the last three years Ensured that 2,000 Manitoba fishers were able to earn a living in 2020   (To see the full story click on this link ). Introduced a bill that includes retired teachers on the Pension Investment Board which governs their pension investments. Introduced amendments to ensure school aged children are included in childcare and early childhood education plans moving forward. Called for improvements in the management of the COVID pandemic: ·          We called for attention to personal care homes even before there was a single case in a personal care home. ·            We called for a rapid response team to address outbreaks in personal care homes months before the PCs acted.  ·          We called for a science-based approach to preparing schools to   improve ventilati...

 On June 26th, Naomi and I were fortunate to be able to attend the reception by the Canadian Black Artists United at the Canadian Museum for Human Rights.  It featured art by Yisa Akinbolaji, Zavier Mutshipayi, Bola Oriyomi and Tuluwalope Toludare. 

  On Monday June 20th, Thomas Linner of the Manitoba Health Coalition, Arlene Last-Kolb Regional Director of Moms Stop the Harm and Winnipeg City Councillor Sherri Rollins were at the Manitoba Legislature to advocate for better measures to reduce deaths from drug overdoses, most particularly for safe consumption sites and for a safe supply, measures which can reduce overdose deaths.  

 On June 19th, I joined many others at the 30th anniversary celebration of the St. Norbert Arts Centre.   For the occasion, the Art gallery was named - The Women of Vision Gallery, in honour of Shirley Loewen.   The new stage was dedicated - the Jerry Atwell Theatre Centre.  The lane leading to SNAC was name - Louise Lane - after long time supporter of SNAC - Louise May.  It was an afternoon of entertainment and celebration. 

 On June 18, I joined others in Assinboine Park involved with the Brain Tumour Walk and the Walk for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS).  Photos are below.

  June 14 to 16, I spent three days at the Turtle Island Indigenous Science Conference.  It was very worthwhile.   Speaker after speaker talked of the benefits of using both western or mainstream science and Indigenous science.  There is much we can learn from both approaches.   With me above is Myrle Ballard, one of the principal organizers of the conference.  Myrle Ballard, from Lake St. Martin in Manitoba, worked closely with Roger Dube a professor emeritus at Rochester Institute of Technology, and many others to make this conference, the first of its kind, a success.  As Roger Dube, Mohawk and Abenaki, a physicist, commented "My feeling is that the fusion of traditional ecological knowledge and Western science methodology should rapidly lead the researchers to much more holistic solutions to problems."   Dr. Myrle Ballard was the first person from her community to get a PhD.  She is currently a professor at the University o...

 On the morning of June 12, I joined many others in a walk down Wellington Crescent to raise funds for the Children's Rehabilitation Foundation.