View From the Legislature

On Tuesday morning a cargo plane arrived at the Richardson International Airport in Winnipeg. That in and of itself is not unusual as Winnipeg is a major transportation hub. But its cargo was must unusual.

It is hard sometimes in the middle of a storm to see the other side. And as COVID-19 cases are rising in most places in the world and many families are dealing with the loss of a loved one, this feels like a particularly difficult time.

In this most unusual of years, there is at least one unusual happening that should be welcomed by most Manitobans. Rebate cheques from Manitoba Public Insurance (MPI) have happened occasionally in years past.

Last week Friday, Manitoba Public Health made the decision to move schools in the Hanover School Division to critical on the Pandemic Response System. This meant that, generally, students would move to at home learning.

It can be difficult to judge the heart of a community just by driving through. But, if you are around for a while, you can quickly get a sense.

2020 has been a challenging time for everyone. It has been a time of stress, worry and anxiety that has touched virtually all parts of society.

Over the past few months many parts of our society have been required to innovate. Individually, many people have had to become innovative as they adjusted to new work realities with some people moving their workplace to their homes.

As we approach Remembrance Day, this year’s ceremonies will be different than any in recent memory.

October is traditionally known as the month of thanks because of the Thanksgiving holiday falling within it. And while that itself is a reason to be thankful there are several other things that October commemorates that, especially this year, are deserving of mention.

Last week a new session of the Manitoba Legislature began with the reading of the speech from the throne by Manitoba’s Lieutenant Governor Janice Filmon.