Province Législature Session Type de discours Date du discours Locuteur Fonction du locuteur Parti politique Manitoba 38e 1ère Discours du trône 23 juin 2003 Peter Liba Lieutenant- gouverneur NPD I welcome you to the first session of the Thirty-Eighth Legislative Assembly of the Province of Manitoba. Congratulations and good wishes are very much in order for all new members of this Assembly and for those who are returning to this House. The people of our province have entrusted you with heavy responsibilities at all times to advance the public interest and to provide leadership and vision in making decisions which will help shape the future of Manitoba. Due recognition should also be given to all the candidates who allowed their names to stand in the general election. All have made the highest possible commitment to public service. Your Government feels honoured to have been given a strong and clear mandate by the citizens of this province. Your Government will honour that mandate by proceeding to implement the commitments they have made to the people of Manitoba: to continue improving our health care system, to provide hope for our young people through education and training opportunities, to continue strengthening and diversifying our economy, to make our communities safer and more secure and to make Manitoba an even more affordable place to live. Some of the actions necessary to achieve these commitments were summarized in the last Speech from the Throne on November 27, 2002. Those actions were debated and received the approval of members at that time. Members also debated and passed the 2003-04 Budget, which was presented to the Assembly on April 22, 2003, shortly before the adjournment of the last Legislature. With the agreement of all parties, the new Legislative Assembly will be asked to adopt the agenda for action presented in the most recent Speech from the Throne and the budgetary policies that were approved two months ago. Review of the Estimates flowing from the 2003 Budget and consideration of new legislation will proceed when the House reconvenes in September. Our Government is proud to have received a strong mandate from all parts of Manitoba and will endeavour to uphold the principles of inclusion and fairness which should guide all the deliberations of this Assembly. In each region of our province new challenges as well as new opportunities have arisen in recent months. In the North we are confronted with renewed concern over shipping volumes through the Port of Churchill. At the same time, we stand on the brink of a major opportunity to develop untapped hydro resources through agreements with Manitoba First Nations and Aboriginal citizens and a clean energy partnership with the province of Ontario. In rural Manitoba, cattle farmers are feeling the impact from the single case of BSE found in Alberta which has resulted in a prolonged and potentially devastating halt to Canadian beef exports. At their recent meeting in Kelowna, the western premiers were united in calling for a strong national response focussed on reopening the border as soon as possible and addressing the losses to producers. Exporters in all sectors of our economy are carefully monitoring the impacts of a rising Canadian dollar spurred by the spread in short-term interest rates between the U.S. and Canada. Manitobans have enjoyed the benefits of a dynamic and resilient economy in recent years but now, more than ever, it is important that we build on our strategic partnerships and lay the foundations for strong growth into the future. To do so, it is critical that our provincial strategies are supported by federal leadership in such key areas as transportation, energy, agriculture and disease control. In the months ahead, members of this Assembly will be asked to stand together to defend Manitoba's interests and to work for national policies that will benefit all our citizens. I want to thank our guests, and in particular the families of our newly elected members, for joining us today for this first session of this new Legislature. Also, I wish to thank our Speaker and all members of the Legislature for the hard work that lies ahead. I want to thank our guests and in particular the families of our newly elected members for joining us today for the first session of this new Legislature. I also want to thank our Speaker and all members of the Legislature for the hard work that lies ahead. As you proceed to carry out the responsibilities the people of Manitoba have entrusted to you, I trust that divine providence will guide your deliberations in the best interests of all our citizens. Thank you.