Manitoba.

• Author: Yarish, Rick
• Position: John Loewen resignedhis seat in Manitoba Legislature - Manitoba Legislature was honoured Michaelle Jean on her first official visit - Legislative reports

The Manitoba Legislature has been relatively quiet since the House adjourned for the summer on June 16, 2005.

Legislative activity resumed first in the Standing Committee on Crown Corporations, which met on four occasions this fall. During the meetings MLAs considered a number of outstanding annual reports from four provincial crown corporations:

* Manitoba Public Insurance Corporation;

* Manitoba Lotteries Corporation;

* Workers Compensation Board; and

* Manitoba Liquor Control Commission

At each meeting MLAs questioned both the Ministers responsible for the corporations as well as the respective corporate executives. Issues covered during these discussions included: auto theft rates; gambling addictions and responsible gaming, recent changes to legislation governing workers compensation, and the effects of the province wide smoking ban instituted in 2004.

In late September 2005, John Loewen (PC--Fort Whyte) resigned his seat in the Manitoba Legislature and announced his intention to seek the Liberal party nomination in the federal riding of Charleswood--St. James--Assiniboia. First elected in the 1999 general election, Mr. Loewen served as critic for the official opposition in a number of areas, including finance and Industry. He had been particularly...