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.
When Manitoba Premier Gary Doer again refuses to appoint Flin Flon MLA Gerard Jennissen to cabinet, as he is guaranteed to do this term, many residents won't think twice. Why should they? Flin Flon is quite used to the northern bias of the Doer government, its unwritten decree that The Pas and Thompson shall be looked after before Flin Flon. So it will come as no shock when Mr. Doer instead appoints Frank Whitehead, the NDP candidate who will win the March 24 by-election in The Pas. Thompson MLA Steve Ashton, of course, will retain his high-profile ministerial duties. In relegating Mr. Jennissen to the backbenches once more, Mr. Doer will be overlooking not only our MLA's 14 years of service and loyalty, but also Flin Flon, an NDP city that needs the extra attention from the province. Don't think for a moment that portfolio-holding MLAs aren't a reason The Pas and Thompson get more goodies than us. Up until the untimely death last November of Oscar Lathlin, MLA of The Pas and Aboriginal and Northern Affairs minister, there may have been some valid arguments against bestowing cabinet duties upon Mr. Jennissen. For one, even though Mr. Jennissen was elected in 1995, he had less experience in government than both Mr. Lathlin (elected in 1990) and Mr. Ashton (1981). Mr. Jennissen will now have considerable seniority Ð 14 years to be exact Ð over Mr. Whitehead. There was also some discussion over how many cabinet postings Northern Manitoba can reasonably expect given that, population-wise, we're a tiny region. Well, Mr. Doer has determined that three northern seats out of four is a suitable cabinet ratio, since in addition to Mr. Lathlin and Mr. Ashton, Rupertsland MLA Eric Robinson was invited to the table, leaving Mr. Jennissen as the odd northerner out. When Mr. Lathlin passed away, Mr. Doer temporarily gave the late MLA's duties to Mr. Robinson, whose aboriginal heritage and largely aboriginal riding made him the logical choice. Now Mr. Doer has some other choices to make. Does he retain his three-out-of-four cabinet ratio in the North? Does he automatically hand Mr. Lathlin's duties to Mr. Whitehead? Or does he give Mr. Robinson the Aboriginal and Northern Affairs portfolio permanently and shift other ministerial duties? Most importantly, does he finally, after all these years, welcome Mr. Jennissen as a minister? I have talked to a lot of politicians over the years, and Mr. Jennissen ranks as one of the smartest and most dedicated. He's a constant presence in the riding, spending untold hours driving to far-off towns and bringing greetings to events ranging from playground openings to high school graduations. That's not meant to be a political endorsement. People can argue back and forth about Mr. Jennissen's politics and his government's fairness toward Flin Flon, but none of it changes the fact that our MLA is highly qualified to make the leap to cabinet. But as much as Mr. Jennissen deserves a portfolio, he will not get one. Mr. Whitehead will, and benefits that could have been Flin Flon's will, for what seems like the millionth time, land in The Pas. It's not just Flin Flon's loss this time, though. It's also Mr. Doer's. Local Angle runs Fridays.
