Winnipeg Free Press

Winnipeg Free Press (Newspaper) - February 07, 2014, Winnipeg, Manitoba C M Y K PAGE A6 A 6 WINNIPEG FREE PRESS, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2014 MANITOBA winnipegfreepress. com NOTHING SAYS I Love You AS SMOOTHLY AS LINDOR Visit us for a wide selection of exquisite Lindt chocolates and gifts for Valentine's Day. For all store locations, please visit lindtboutique. ca Lindt Outlet Boutique 1570 Kenaston Boulevard, Unit 150 Winnipeg Manitoba R3P 0Y4 204- 487- 2946 204- 697- 1400 1400 McPHILLIPS WINNIPEG MB SAVE TIME . SHOP ON- LINE www. jimgauthierchevy. com www. jimgauthierchev. com THE GAUTHIER AUTO GROUP IS PROUD TO BE THE # 1 VOLUME DEALER IN WPG!! All pric ing re flfl flect $ 2,000 down or e quiv alen t tr ade. 2011- 2013 CHEVROLET CRUZE Starting As Low As S AIR CONDITIONING, POWER WINDOWS, POWER LOCKS, KEYLESS ENTRY, REAR WINDOW DEFROST, POWER STEERING & MUCH MORE! WPG! MOR $ 9 , 9 88 or $ 32 Wk. Wow! O VER 30 OVER IN STOCK Manager's Pick of the Day! AN automation error is to blame for about 35 letters from Manitoba Finance demanding payment for unpaid retail sales tax, being mailed to wrong addresses. The province says the statements appear to have been wrongly included in the envelopes for other businesses. The statements display the business name, address, account number and amount of retail sales tax in arrears. Manitoba Finance said when the mistake was discovered, it took immediate action to find the cause and fix it. The department has also contacted the provincial ombudsman to get advice about an appropriate plan for notifying affected businesses. A spokeswoman said Manitoba Finance has apologized for the error and continues to investigate. The error was discovered when a number of envelopes were left over from the recent mail- out. The spokeswoman said if business owners have not received a statement, or have a statement along with one concerning another business, they should contact Manitoba Finance at 204- 945- 5603 or 1- 800- 782- 0318. The province says anyone with concerns about whether personal information might be affected can contact the ombudsman's office at 1- 800- 665- 0531 or ombudsman@ ombudsman. mb. ca. C HRISTINE Melnick will not attend the NDP's annual convention that kicks off this evening, but her ouster this week from the party's legislative caucus is sure to dominate the hallway and coffee- break chatter all weekend. In an interview Thursday, the Riel MLA said she does not want her appearance at the three- day event to detract from important party business. " I stand by what I did this week. It had to be done. But I don't want to be disrupting people at convention," she said. Melnick, a former immigration and multiculturalism minister, shocked her party and her caucus Monday when she accused Premier Greg Selinger and his senior political staffers of hanging her out to dry over a twoyear- old controversy at the legislature. Melnick alleged she was simply following orders from senior staffers when she directed her department to invite local immigrant groups to attend a debate in the legislature. ( The premier had denied he or his political staff were involved and said Melnick acted without his knowledge.) The day after Melnick levelled her accusation, Selinger booted her out of the caucus, saying he had lost confidence in her. He denied Melnick's accusations, maintaining the former minister had acted on her own in directing the senior civil servant to issue the invite. She lost her cabinet job in October. About 450 NDPers are expected to register for the three- day annual general meeting in Winnipeg. Selinger kicks off the event with a speech this evening. The past 12 months haven't been kind to Selinger. His government is still licking its wounds from the fallout of its unpopular decision to increase the PST. The NDP is now at its lowest point in public opinion polls since wresting power from the Tories in 1999. The premier can take comfort, however, from the fact he won't have to face the electorate for another two years. The NDP will debate dozens of policy resolutions this weekend, prioritized from a total of nearly 200. Among the issues up for debate are an increase to rental allowances for welfare recipients and the institution of a junk- food tax. The latter is not supported by the government and is unlikely to pass. What kind of mood party members will be in is anybody's guess. But it's very unlikely anybody will formally call for Selinger's head, particularly over the Melnick controversy. One NDP stalwart said at least some dissension is common when a political party hits bottom in the polls. If anything, Melnick's outburst may cause the group to rally around the premier. " I don't think there's a movement afoot to overthrow the leader. I don't see that at all," the prominent NDP member said. " I think this might put people back in Greg's camp, so to speak." On the other hand, there may be anger voiced at Melnick this weekend for raising grudges in public and embarrassing the premier. " There will be people calling for her to be kicked out of the party," the NDPer said. But Ellen Olfert, provincial party president, said Friday that can't be done at convention. Under party rules, any motion to have a member expelled must be made to the party's executive, and then the member would receive a hearing. The party's annual convention would have the ability, however, to reverse a decision made at the executive level. Meanwhile, Melnick said Thursday she intends to seek re- election in 2016. She said she's aware she is almost certain to face a challenge for her party's nomination and could even face expulsion from the NDP. " Whatever people do, they do, and I don't have any control over that. I just know that I did what I felt was the right thing. And I stand by that," she said. Melnick also said Thursday she doesn't feel the need to apologize to the house when it resumes sitting March 6, for lying to MLAs about whether she ordered her assistant deputy minister to invite immigrant groups to the legislature. She said she's already " apologized many times before" for her mistake and explained the health problems she reckons that were behind it. Melnick said she has already received " an incredible amount of support" from constituents - via emails and calls to her office and at home - since going public with her accusations. " I'm very humbled by the support I have gotten, actually." larry. kusch@ freepress. mb. ca Sorry about letter demanding cash: taxman Don't expect to see Melnick at NDP confab But she'll be huge unofficial topic By Larry Kusch ' I stand by what I did this week. It had to be done. But I don't want to be disrupting people at convention' - Riel MLA Christine Melnick MELISSA TAIT / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS FILES A_ 08_ Feb- 07- 14_ FP_ 01. indd A6 2/ 6/ 14 9: 42: 50 PM ;