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Hundreds of concerned producers gathered at the Ste. Rose Community Hall to discuss the new changes regarding crown land leases.
The government of Manitoba introduced new changes to crown land leases, effective as of October 1st. Some of those changes include: all new leases are 15 years long and non-renewable, allocations of new leases will be determined by auction results, and rental rates are to be based on cattle prices. The rental rate system will result in producers paying, in some cases, more than double the amount they are paying now.
Another change is that ranchers have to pay their total amount of rent owed within thirty days, otherwise their leases could be considered void.
After hearing these changes, the producers in the room became very emotional. Some producers voiced their concerns that the farms that their families have worked for generations could be lost easily.
Others shared the struggle that young farmers and newly re-located producers face in trying to start an operation on the guarantee of only 15 years.
In the room of nearly 400 producers, were some delegates from Manitoba Beef Producers, including General Manager Carson Callum. Callum stressed that ranchers were not alone in their opposition to the changes; he added that MBP had met with Ag Minister Ralph Eichler that morning.
In that meeting, MBP proposed the government give current leaseholders the first right to refuse, meaning that if they maintained the conditions of the lease, and they wanted to continue using the land, they would have the choice to do so.
Ideas of how to fight the changes bounced around the room, ranging from picketing at the legislative building to pursuing legal action.
Producers that doubled as nurses, bankers, and real estate agents all shared their concerns that producers losing the use of crown lands, would result in economic disaster for communities that rely on farmers. They stressed that without farmers, hospitals and schools would shut down.
One of the most immediate courses of action the group took was the signing of a petition.
Most of the leased agricultural crown land is in the Parkland.
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- Contributed by Josh Sigurdson
Mazergroup in Dauphin was the victim of a break-in Tuesday night.
The thief smashed a small back window on the back door and got into the building that way.
They made their way to the front of the office, where they found the company’s cash box and managed to get away with it.
Mazergroup is urging anyone who has any information on the location of the cash box, or about the break-in, to call the Dauphin RCMP.
RCMP continue to investigate.
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- Contributed by Josh Sigurdson
Just before 8 Wednesday morning, Dauphin RCMP attended a house in Gilbert Plains engulfed in flames.
Fire personnel on the scene informed the RCMP a body had been found inside the house.
The Office of the Fire Commissioner and the RCMP are continuing the investigation.
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- Contributed by Isaac Wihak
Cathy Scofield-Singh is back at it, this time running for MP in the federal election. Scofield-Singh is excited for this opportunity.
“It’s a new idea for me. When I start thinking about it, it allows me to speak up for people at a bigger table. I mean, this isn’t just provincially this is federal.”
Scofield-Singh is running because she wants to advocate for people.
“As a nurse-practitioner, I’m able to advocate on behalf of an individual. The reality is, there are so many issues at a community, provincial, or federal level that needs to be advocated for and I’ve always had that desire.”
She notices a difference between the provincial election where she was the underdog and finished 3rd of three people and the federal election where she enters the race with the Liberals are polling second out of 6 in the Dauphin-Swan River-Neepawa riding.
“With the provincial election, it was a very different feeling. With the limited time I had for campaigning, I was the underdog in that situation. In the federal election, I have the opportunity to earn people’s vote and there’s a good potential that I could be the next representative of the Dauphin-Swan River-Neepawa riding. I’m excited about that.”
The federal election is October 21st.
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- Contributed by Isaac Wihak
The RCMP have a suspect in custody following a social media threat to a school.
The Swan Valley Regional Secondary School stayed open today and have counselling available to students that are concerned.
Parents received an email notification of the threat.
The nature of the threat hasn’t been released.
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- Contributed by Isaac Wihak
Frank Godon is the People’s Party of Canada MP candidate for the Dauphin-Swan River-Neepawa constituency.
He is running out of Boissevain.
Godon has experience running in an election before, in 2013 he ran in Brandon-Souris for the by-election.
Godon is feeling positive this campaign and has been to every part of the riding, talking to lots of people. The federal election is on October 21st.
The main points he’s looking to address are sustainable immigration, simplifying the Canadian Tax System, and working with the aboriginal population to abolish the Indian Act.
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- Contributed by Isaac Wihak
The province announced that Manitobans can now apply for birth, death, and marriage certificates online.
The change was made to help ease delays and allow 24/7 access for people to apply for vital event documents.
Since testing launched in April, more than 5,000 requests have been submitted to the Manitoba Vital Statistics Agency.
The implementation of the online service is also intended to reduce the number of people going through third-party services that usually result in higher costs and longer delays, rather than going through the VSA.
To apply for vital events documents, go to www.vitalstats.gov.mb.ca and click on Online Certificate Application.
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- Contributed by Josh Sigurdson
A familiar face is running in the 2019 federal election.
Laverne Lewycky has been named the NDP candidate for the Dauphin- Swan River- Neepawa riding, where he once served as the MP from 1980 to 1984.
While he’s not new to political campaigns, he is excited about the current race.
“I’m one of those people that has run multiple times, in many elections,” said Lewycky. “Each campaign is a little bit different, but I feel good about this particular one. I think that I bring a little bit of expertise and experience that, probably, other candidates can’t bring because I’ve been a Member of Parliament for this area before, and I’ve taught Canadian society and things like that.”
Lewycky adds that he is excited to work with youth on important issues like climate change and hopes to bring the results that youth would like to see.
The federal election is set for Monday, October 21st.
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- Contributed by Josh Sigurdson
Four libraries in the Riding Mountain Constituency are receiving grants from the 2019-20 Rural Library Technological Sustainability Grant Program.
The libraries are receiving a total of 16,448 dollars from the grant.
Minnedosa Regional Library is getting 3,598 dollars, Rapid City Regional Library is receiving 2,056 dollars, Border Regional Library in Virden will be given the most with 7,196 dollars, and the Reston District Library is getting 3,598 dollars.
Sports, Culture, and Heritage Minister, Cathy Cox says the grant program is designed to assist libraries to maintain and upgrade their resources for patrons.
A press release shared a part of a letter Cox sent to the chairperson of each library.
“Library systems serve as critical information hubs for their communities and regions through access to current technology.”
Riding Mountain MLA, Greg Nesbitt says in a press release, a strong library is important to a community.
“I applaud the great work done by local volunteer board members and their municipal partners.”
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- Contributed by Isaac Wihak
All current crown leaseholders are asked to attend a public meeting put on by concerned ranchers.
The meeting will be held tonight at 7 pm at the Ste. Rose Hall.
There will be presentations on the new crown lands policy and how it will affect producers, and what producers need to do to adapt to the changes.
For more info call Clayton at 447-7076 or Brent at 656-4202.
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- Contributed by Josh Sigurdson
Manitoba livestock producers affected by drought conditions will be receiving much-needed help from the provincial government.
Agriculture Minister Ralph Eichler listed a number of measures Monday to offer producers some relief after a hot, dry summer forced 16 municipalities to declare states of agricultural disaster.
Among the list of measures is the Manitoba Agricultural Services Corporation -the Crown Corporation in charge of providing insurance and loans to producers- has been asked to defer loan payments for up to six months, with a possibility of an extension of up to another six-months.
MASC will also be providing loans in financing for the purchase of calves with a minimum weight of 181 kilograms, using the livestock as security. The loan would be repayable when the livestock is sold.
Minister Eichler said the federal government is also providing some relief. In the past, producers were able to apply to the MASC for a cash advance of up to 50 percent. The feds have now given permission to raise that amount to 75 percent.
Eichler also urged producers facing feed shortages to check the Manitoba Hay Listing service daily.
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- Contributed by Josh Sigurdson
