The Gerrard Report

On Wednesday October 31, I raised concerns about the future of the walleye and sauger fisheries on Lake Winnipeg and called for the Pallister government to implement its commitment to eco-certification of the Lake Winnipeg fishery.  Fisheries Management Lake Winnipeg ECO Certification Hon. Jon  Gerrard  (River Heights):  Madam Speaker, I table graphs which show the declining commercial harvest of walleye on Lake Winnipeg and the increasing proportion of small walleye. The small walleye caught are not mature, and only half the female-sized walleye are mature.       As a 2011 quota task force review says: Ideally,  one to two years of maturity should pass before the fish become vulnerable to the fishery. But in Manitoba this year, about 80 per cent of the fish being caught were immature. Catching young fish is putting the Lake Winnipeg walleye fishery in danger.        To ensure better manage...

Sunday October 21, I hosted a Sharing Circle Forum in River Heights to look at how we can keep people healthy, safe and warm this winter and in the future.  Presenters included Michael Redhead Champagne, Marion Willis, James Favel, Evelyn Forget and Rick Lees.  I spoke on October 29th in the Manitoba Legislature on a Member's Statement about the Forum.  My comments, from Hansard, are below:  River Heights Sharing Circle Forum Hon. Jon  Gerrard  (River Heights):  Madam Speaker,  nine days ago, at a River Heights sharing circle forum we focused on keeping people healthy, warm and safe this winter and in the future–in essence, what's needed for Manitoba's preventive health plan.       Michael Champagne led. He said, stop calling people homeless; instead talk of our friends and relatives on the street. If not for chance, it could be us. Help starts with understanding, dignity and respect.     ...

On Monday October 22, I asked in Question Period for the government to table the amendments it is to make to Bill 16 its Climate and Green Plan Implementation Act. This bill had passed second reading October 4th.  Premier Brian Pallister had announced the day before that he was going to remove the carbon tax from this bill.  But in order to remover the carbon tax this meant very large changes to Bill 16.   The bill was originally to go to committee on October 11, but Manitoba Liberals delayed this so that more people would be aware of the committee meeting and the major changes being proposed by the Conservatives.   So with the committee meeting coming up (it was held October 24th and 25th), I asked the Conservatives to provide the precise details of their amendments to Bill 16 so that presenters at the committee meeting would have this information before they presented.  As you will see below, the Conservatives refused to provide this information....

On October 25th, Dwarfism Awareness Day, Bill 216, which puts "physical size and weight" as protected characteristics under Manitoba's Human Rights Code.   The bill would say it is no longer accepted in Manitoba to discriminate against people based on physical size and weight characteristics.   The debate at second reading is below.  Bill 216–The Human Rights Code Amendment Act Madam Speaker:  So, moving then to second reading of Bill 216, The Human Rights Code Amendment Act. Hon. Jon  Gerrard (River Heights):  Madam Speaker, I move, seconded by the MLA for Kewatinook, that Bill 216, The Human Rights Code Amendment Act; Loi modifiant le Code des droits de  la  personne , be now read a second time and be referred to a committee of this House. Motion presented. Mr. Gerrard:  Madam Speaker, members of the Chamber, this bill will put physical size and weight as protected characteristics under the Human Rights Code...

Tuesday October 23 Fishers rallied at the Manitoba Legislature concerned about the future of fish stocks, particularly Walleye and Sauger, in Lake Winnipeg.  The concern arises because the catch of Sauger is down more than 96% from the peak catches.  At the same time, anglers have observed a decline in the catch of large walleye and are raising a concern that the walleye population may be in danger.  While some commercial fishermen dispute the fall in walleye numbers, the fact is that the province is not adequately assessing the biomass of walleye in Lake Winnipeg.  Further commercial fishermen have been reporting large amounts of algae and what appears to be sewage inundating Grindstone on Lake Winnipeg.   The Pallister government promised they would improve the management of the fisheries on Lake Winnipeg, but they have not.   The Pallister government promised they would eco-certify the fisheries on Manitoba's three largest lakes, Lake Winnipeg,...

Monday October 22, I spoke on a Bill to make September 9, Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder Awareness Day in Manitoba.   As I indicated in my remarks in the Legislature which are below, Manitoba Liberals support this legislation.  Hon. Jon  Gerrard  (River Heights):  First of all, Manitoba Liberals support this bill. To have an FASD Awareness Day on September the 9th, I think this is important to do.       I'm going to focus my remarks on what we need to make people aware of. We have clearly some significant things that we need to be talking about. One is awareness that if you drink alcohol and you are pregnant, then your child might be born with FASD. I've suggested in question period and before this that we should have labels on all alcoholic beverages warning that if you drink when you are pregnant, then your child may develop FASD. I hope that the member for Fort Richmond (Mrs. Guillemard) will bring an initiative along this line ...

Monday October 22, the Manitoba Teachers Society held a reception at the Manitoba Legislature to talk about our education system and the improvements that are needed.   Cindy Lamoureux and I joined them to get their insight and to have a helpful dialogue on our public education system in Manitoba.  Below are some photos from the event. 

Thursday October 25th, I asked about the level of education in primary and secondary education about methamphetamine and about cannabis.   Clearly these are important areas for students to know about given the meth epidemic ongoing in Manitoba today, and the recent legalization of cannabis in Canada.  My questions and the Minister's responses are below.  Meth and Cannabis Awareness Inclusion in K-to-12 Curriculum Hon. Jon  Gerrard  (River Heights):  The meth crisis is extremely serious. One of the essential steps that should already have been taken to–is to ensure the K‑to-12 curriculum has material which deals with what meth is, why it's so dangerous, why it should be avoided and never used, what are the specific steps that a student should take if they have started taking meth and need help, who they can go to for help and where, and how they can help a friend who's started taking meth.       At this critical time in...

On Thursday October 25th, I called, in The Legislature, for more attention to learning disabilities and better support for children with learning disabilities in Manitoba.  My questions and the Minister's responses are below. Learning Disabilities Mr. Gerrard:  Madam Speaker, the government needs to be proactive, not just reactive.       Individuals with learning disabilities often experience frustration with the K-to-12 education system because detailed assessment of their learning disability is often slow and the help and support available in Manitoba is not as advanced as it needs to be, particularly for those with complex learning disabilities, including processing difficulties.       Students with learning disabilities are among the most vulnerable and, when not adequately helped, are more likely to be involved with substance abuse and to have mental health issues, as we learned at a recent forum I held in R...

At noon today, Dr. Sharma, Dr. Mary Forhan and Ian Patton presented at the Manitoba Legislature on their work on obesity and the need for improvements in the way we approach obesity. Ian Patton, Public Engagement Coordinator with Obesity Canada MC'd the event.  James Teitsma, MLA for Radisson spoke to give greetings and to emphasize the importance of ending discrimination.   Wab Kinew, MLA for Burrows and Leader of the NDP spoke to bring greetings and to emphasize the importance of treating people fairly and that "fat shaming" - the practice of shaming people who are fat is counterproductive as it hurts the very people it is trying to help.  Dougald Lamont, MLA for St. Boniface, also brought greetings and spoke about the need to design our health care system for everyone including those who are short or tall or have large or small bodies.  He gave an illustration in fighter pilots where it worked much better to design for everyone and did not work well when th...