The Reminder is making its archives back to 2003 available on our website. Please note that, due to technical limitations, archive articles are presented without the usual formatting.
New opportunities for northern communities will be among the issues tackled by a new Manitoba committee of cabinet ministers. Premier Greg Selinger will lead the newly created committee, which he said will coordinate major economic and policy initiatives. 'Our priorities are those of Manitoba families: a growing economy with jobs and opportunities, and strong services such as health, education and crime prevention,' he said in making the announcement last week. 'The Priorities and Planning Committee of Cabinet is one way our government will focus on meeting those goals.' In addition to Selinger, the committee is made up of Finance Minister Stan Struthers, Health Minister Theresa Oswald, Family Services and Labour Minister Jennifer Howard, Conservation and Water Stewardship Minister Gord Mackintosh, Innovation, Energy and Mines Minister Dave Chomiak, Aboriginal and Northern Affairs Minister Eric Robinson, as well as a rotating member of the government caucus. Selinger said the committee will focus on: education and economic development for future job creation, efficient delivery of strong services for families, new opportunities for rural and northern communities, and future infrastructure and community development. The committee will work closely with provincial departments to carry out its mandate, said Selinger who announced Anna Rothney will serve as secretary of the new committee, leading a small team of existing government support staff. Rothney, an economist, was most recently the associate secretary to the Community and Economic Development Committee of Cabinet. She has held senior positions in the executive council and Treasury Board secretariat. 'These are challenging economic times, across Canada and around the world,' said Selinger. 'This committee is an important new tool to help us work together with communities, businesses and other levels of government to face the challenges ahead of us and deliver on the priorities of Manitobans.' _ Compiled from a Government of Manitoba news release
