Winnipeg Free Press

Winnipeg Free Press (Newspaper) - June 30, 2004, Winnipeg, Manitoba Big change for Rookie tory maps family commutes to Manitoba part of planning for life in Ottawa by Paul Egan f or each of Manitoba a four Rookie maps mondays election Victory brings a $140,000 salary Perks such As free travel and a major life change. Manitoba a freshman class of Federal legislators is All conservative James Bezan from Selkirk Interlake Steven Fletcher from Charleswood St. James Joy Smith from Kildonan St. Paul and Merv Tweed from Brandon Souris. Tory Leader Stephen Harper plans to Welcome his new Manitoba maps to Ottawa at a caucus meeting next week. There a no telling How Long prime minister Paul Martins minority government will last. Bezan especially lease out his Herd of 75 and Tweed said they Don to cows or hire someone to think any of the parties with a minority look after them on his want another election ranch. We re still looking soon. But Fletcher said government at our he a ready to fight one As hell be seeking guid you can to make Early As tomorrow and Ance from his predecessor Smith said she a anxious any plans Howard Hilstrom about to defeat the liberals and getting an Ottawa apart return to the Campaign ment and setting up his ? James Bezan Ture in 1995. Tweed said his wife works As a registered nurse in his Riding and the couple has no plans to relocate. I a sure Well have an Opportunity to spend some time in Ottawa Tweed said. But he wants to spend As much time among his constituents As possible. Like Bezan and Smith Tweed said he will draw on the experience of others. He said hell be consulting with his predecessor Brian Pallister As Well As Toews. Canadas 308 maps each get 64 free Fletcher Lefta quadriplegic says wheelchair accessibility problems in parliament can be Bezan above left expects to commute weekly to Teulon. Tweed above right says he wants to spend a lot of time with constituents. Return air trips within Canada per year and unlimited free via rail travel for themselves their spouses and dependent children. Trail. I Hope they Don to last Long she said of the expected Liberal government. Fletcher 32, a Bachelor who is a quadriplegic As a result of a 1996 motor vehicle Accident said his new Job Means he will postpone plans to add a Law degree to his engineering degree and masters of business administration. A former president of the provincial conservative party Fletcher downplays his latest Challenge. I be done an mba literally without lifting a Finger he said yesterday. If it was going to be easy i would to do he toured parliament a few years ago and said its not As accessible As people might expect of Canadas Premier Public building. In the House of commons i saw stairs going up behind the curtain he said. Getting in and out of the chamber will be interesting. I can to use Normal doors. The lift to the parliamentary restau rant is too Small to accommodate my Power however these Are All minor details that can be Fletcher said his living arrangements and other such issues in Ottawa Are yet to be worked out but he expects to com mute regularly Between Winnipeg and the nations capital. Bezan a 39-year-old cattle rancher who is married with three Young Daugh ters said he is still working out the Logis tics of what he expects will be a weekly commute Between Teulon and Ottawa. We do plan on staying in the Riding Bezan said yesterday. Especially with a minority government you can to make any Bezans daughters Are 8, 11, and 12 and will stay in school in his Riding. He said he has to decided yet whether to office. Well be having a sit Down for Coffee in the next couple of Days Bezan said. Smith 57, is a former teacher who was elected to the provincial legislature in 1999 before losing her seat in the Spring 2003 election. She too will be commuting Between her Riding and Ottawa when the House of commons is sitting. Smiths husband also a teacher is close to retirement. Her youngest child is going into Grade 12 and is consider ing enrolling at Carleton University in Ottawa where shed be Able to spend More time with her Mother. She a very excited Smith said. In addition to her staff and contacts she made while in the legislature Smith said Shell be getting advice from Provencher conservative my Vic Toews on adjusting to living and working in Ottawa. Tweed 48, is also married with grown children. He gave up his car Dealership to become a full time lawmaker when he was elected to the provincial Legisla Western issues will stay on Agenda Goodale promises by Tony Sheskus and James Baxter Calgary ? despite overwhelming tory victories on the Prairies in mondays Federal election finance minister Ralph Goodale pledged Western Canadian issues will not slip from the National Agenda. The Regina my also promised the liberals would not aban Don plans to run balanced budgets even though their minor Ity government is certain to forge links with the new democratic party. All canadians need to see themselves reflected in that National Agenda said Goodale in an inter View. It cannot be an Agenda that is regionally exclusive Nei ther can it be an Agenda that is fiscally irresponsible. I will not be pushed off the balanced budget track. That is absolutely Deputy prime minister Anne Mclellan said to pull Back from the West now would Only confirm Long held suspicions that prime minister Paul Martins insistence that he would alleviate westerners frustrations was simply electioneering. Redouble our efforts what we have to do is redouble our efforts she said. We need to make sure Western canadians feel that this party is theirs and that we Are listening to them. The prime minister has made that commitment and quite clearly the focus needs to be As much Here As in Quebec or any where else ? perhaps More Here than in some other but tory maps were sceptical of the Olive Branch messages which followed an election Campaign that targeted the Alberta governments contentious plans to revamp the provincial health care system. On monday night the conservatives captured 68 of 92 seats in Western Canada including 26 of 28 seats in Alberta and 13 of 14 seats in Saskatchewan ? with Goodale being the Only Liberal seat in that province. Westerners Are going to feel like they re powerless in the Way this federation is working said Calgary conservative my Jason Kenney. Its unfortunate. We re trying to bring the West in and the liberals keep trying to push the West ? can West news service ;