View From the Legislature

For a number of years, I’ve been asking elementary schools in the Steinbach Constituency to provide me with the name of some books that each would like to add to their school library. I then present these books during the month of February which, throughout Canada and much of the United States, is recognized as “I Love to Read Month.”

So, having gathered the lists from local schools, last week I spent time searching for these books. There were all sorts of books with all sorts of interesting and intriguing names. While much of our world has turned to digital media, there are no shortage of books to buy in physical form in addition to purchasing them electronically. And they are there to engage almost any interest of any reader of any age.

The benefits of early reading are well known. The lifelong skills that it embeds in children and youth are truly invaluable. The love of reading is very much a learned experience and the earlier it is developed the greater the benefits. I have seen this in my own son. In his early years my wife and I enjoyed reading stories to him. Now that he is older he reads on his own and often does so alongside us, as we each read whichever book interests us most. In a world of endless digital distractions, I am grateful that he is asking for books to read to break up the lure of screens.

I look forward to delivering these books early in February to our local elementary schools to mark another “I Love to Read” month. All Members of the Legislative Assembly will be encouraging Manitobans, regardless of their age, to use February to engage in a good book with their family or on their own.