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.
May brought the beginning of this year's graduation ceremonies. I joined family and friends in congratulating this year's Faculty of Social Work grads in Thompson on May 7. We are very fortunate to have this much needed program offered in the North and fortunate to have so many graduates dedicating themselves to the families and communities in the north. While in Thompson for the weekend I also attended the 610 CHTM Annual Trade and Leisure Show. The week before the long weekend was spent in the riding, allowing me to hold office hours in Thompson to meet with constituents. On May 20 I travelled to Garden Hill and St. Theresa Point to visit with community members and catch up on issues of concern in those communities. May has been a very busy month in Ottawa. May 11 was Opposition Day for the NDP in the House of Commons. Opposition Day is a day that allows the opposition party to set the agenda for the day. The NDP chose to debate the for-profit delivery of health care, an issue of increasing concern to all Canadians. My new responsibilities as Health Critic have given me a number of opportunities to question the Liberal government on their real health care priorities and in the House of Commons I held the government to task on for-profit health service delivery. The Health Committee is also reviewing the issue of food labelling and Trans Fats in our foods. The NDP unveiled the party's health platform. The platform outlines the NDP's health care priorities and my party's commitment to our national health care system. I am pleased to be able to present to Canadians a new and innovative health care plan that does not include for-profit taxpayer paid services. Debate began this month on Bill C-23, the First National Fiscal and Statistical Management Act. Bill C-23 was reintroduced to the House of Commons and is identical to its predecessors from the previous session Bill C-19. The week of May 10 to May 16 was National Nursing Week. Nurses represent the backbone of our health care system and have endured a decade of cost cutting and cutbacks in an ever-demanding field. I was pleased to have had the chance to rise in the House of Commons and extend my appreciation and thanks to nurses all across this country for their dedication and service. The election has been called, and I will be travelling the riding and hope to see as many of you as possible. My constituency offices will be operating on a part-time basis. For assistance with federal government matters, please call: Thompson 204-677-1333 or toll free 1-888-260-2231, The Pas 627-1440, Sagkeeng 367-6150. For information regarding the federal election, please contact: Returning Officer, Churchill Riding, 204-623-3579.
