Winnipeg Free Press

Winnipeg Free Press (Newspaper) - February 10, 2014, Winnipeg, Manitoba C M Y K PAGE A3 Psychology works for: P ANIC D ISORDER Manitoba Psychological Society Visit us at www. mps. ca HONESTY . INTEGRITY . EXCELLENCE . RESPECT A+ ACCREDITED BBB MEMBER * Plus applicable taxes. Furnace may not be exactly as shown. Some conditions apply. 204- 774- 1474 IT'S TIME TO CALL 635 Ferry Road www. ontimegroup. ca INSTALLED! LIMITED QUANTITY! CALL NOW TO SEE IF THIS UNIT IS RIGHT FOR YOUR HOME! $ 2 , 499 * NEED A NEW FURNACE? We are a participating supplier in the Manitoba Hydro's Power Smart Program. APPLY TODAY & GET PRE- APPROVED WE DO THE THE PAPERWORK Hi- Efficiency Furnace TOP NEWS WINNIPEG FREE PRESS, MONDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2014 winnipegfreepress. com A 3 The NDP resolved at its annual convention to: . Urge the province to mandate the teaching of history, culture and contributions of indigenous people in elementary school and high school; . Urge the province to increase the social assistance allowance so recipients can better pay for rent, food and other necessities; . Call on the government to increase the earnedincome exemption to $ 6,000 for those collecting social assistance; . Request the government consider requiring pharmacists to display dispensing fees on the receipts they issue; . Call on the province to dedicate a portion of increased infrastructure spending to active transportation projects; . Demand Ottawa reverse its plan to terminate the band constable policing program in First Nations; . Urge the province to restrict the purchase of farmland to citizens who are active farmers residing in Manitoba; . Ask Ottawa to conduct an independent " sciencebased" investigation into natural gas and oil pipeline safety; and . Urge the province to expand a high school apprenticeship program by creating more apprenticeship spaces in schools. ' On the path to re- election' P REMIER Greg Selinger closed the Manitoba NDP's annual convention Sunday with the declaration the party was " unified" and he and his caucus were energized by the threeday event. While there had been speculation Selinger's decision last week to bounce former cabinet minister Christine Melnick from his caucus would create dissension within the party, there was little evidence of that over the weekend. Selinger explained his actions at the Friday night kickoff, and that seemed to be the end of it. The premier received loud ovations whenever he spoke, and the party appeared determined to put the matter behind it. " I heard a real desire to make sure we're focused on things that make a difference in Manitoba - a steadily growing economy, good jobs, quality health care, making sure the infrastructure is being built in this province," Selinger said. " Those are the kind of debates we had and I thought they were very productive." Although polls show NDP support has plummeted over the past two years, in part over government tax increases, the premier told the more than 400 convention- goers the party can still be re- elected if it is effective in explaining the government's priorities and its road map for the future. " When we're fighting for the things that we believe ( in)... we're on the path to a brighter future. We're on the path to re- election. But it takes all of us in this room to do it. There's no one person that does it," he said. It appears the NDP also believes it can win re- election in 2016 if it is successful in demonizing the Conservatives under Brian Pallister. On the weekend, the party unveiled a new 30- second television attack ad that portrays Pallister as a reckless cost- cutter who would threaten health and education services. The ad will run throughout the Winter Olympics at a cost of $ 6,000 each time it airs. The Conservatives have dismissed the negative ads as a sign of desperation on the part of the NDP. Party members spent the bulk of the convention debating policy resolutions, passing nearly 50 from a booklet that contained about 200 motions. They urged the government to increase the social assistance allowance so welfare recipients have more money to pay for rent, food and other necessities. The government had resisted calls by social- welfare groups and business leaders alike to boost the social assistance housing allowance to 75 per cent of the median market rate. However, on Saturday, Jobs and Economy Minister Theresa Oswald said the government now considered it a goal, although it may not be able to implement it all at once. Delegates urged the government to follow up on the recommendations of the recently released report into the death of Phoenix Sinclair, a five- yearold child who was murdered while in the care of Winnipeg Child and Family Services. They also called on the party and the government to use " alternative media such as YouTube channels and other social media" to get their message out to the public. A resolution, passed by the convention, said " mainstream media is rarely onside" with the party's beliefs and " ignores or perverts" its accomplishments. Social media would be an effective way to reach the younger generation, the motion said. - with files by Bruce Owen larry. kusch@ freepress. mb. ca Selinger sees unified party as it takes on Conservatives By Larry Kusch JOIN THE CONVERSATION Will the NDP get a post- convention boost? Go to winnipegfreepress. com and add your comments to the conversation THE Manitoba government says a federal plan to stop funding band constables in 31 First Nations threatens public safety in those communities. Public Safety Minister Steven Blaney informed the province and First Nations earlier this year Ottawa would cease funding its bandconstable program as of March 31, 2015. The program has operated since 1969. Manitoba Justice Minister Andrew Swan said Sunday First Nations leaders are " very concerned" about the move. Swan, addressing a resolution opposing the program cut at the Manitoba NDP's annual general meeting, said the move would effectively end front- line policing in many remote First Nations where there is no permanent RCMP presence. NDP delegates passed the motion unanimously. Swan said while Ottawa has discussed the possibility of providing the province with equivalent funding - $ 1.7 million a year - to purchase police services, the solution has several drawbacks. The province would only be able to hire the equivalent of about 15 Mounties with that money. With around- theclock shifts, that means there would only be only about four additional officers on duty at any one time. " You tell me how four officers on patrol are going to provide public safety to 31 First Nations across Manitoba including... remote First Nations that are not connected to a road network," Swan told the more than 400 party members attending the convention. Another issue is the constables currently work under federal legislation that allows them to enforce band bylaws - an area that is out of provincial jurisdiction. " The Conservative government tells us they're about law and order. They may be about law, but they're certainly not about order," he told the crowd. New Brunswick and Alberta have similar band- constable programs. Manitoba, because of the number of remote First Nations within its borders, would probably be the most severely impacted by the program cut, Swan said. Swan said as well as enforcing local band bylaws, the constables assist the RCMP and can often " prevent situations from escalating" until the Mounties arrive. A northern Manitoba delegate to the NDP convention said instead of eliminating the program, Ottawa should boost its funding. He said some communities hold bake sales and dip into their own funds to keep band- constable vehicles gassed up. larry. kusch@ freepress. mb. ca DAN LETT ON THE NDP'S FUTURE / A4 Band- constable cuts opposed NDP says plan puts public safety at risk By Larry Kusch MIKE DEAL / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Greg Selinger enters the NDP convention floor to give his closing speech to the party faithful Sunday afternoon at Canad Inns Polo Park. A_ 03_ Feb- 10- 14_ FP_ 01. indd A3 2/ 9/ 14 8: 25: 57 PM ;