Mr. Marcel Laurendeau (St. Norbert): Madam Speaker, today, May 21, is World Catholic Education Day. This day is noted annually as the day on which Roman Catholic schools around the world engage in some activities that recognize their international associations.
These activities take various forms which even include engaging in an Internet hookup with Catholic schools of the same name in several other countries. The Canadian Catholic Schools Trustees Association holds the view that Catholic schools contribute a great deal to the scholastic, spiritual and social aspects of life wherever they exist. In Canada, the continued support of parents of over one million students say it is a great deal, even in St. Boniface.
I am pleased to rise in the Chamber today to extend congratulations and best wishes to all those who today celebrate World Catholic Education Day.
Thank you, Madam Speaker.
Ms. Rosann Wowchuk (Swan River): Madam Speaker, this year we are having many celebrations in the Swan River Valley as we celebrate our centennial. A few families came to the valley down the Sifton Trail from Dauphin, but those did not stay for any length of time. A hundred years ago the Canadian Northern extended railway service to Cowan, which the pioneers used, then crossed the Duck Mountain over the Cowan Trail to settle in the valley. These people faced many hardships and challenges but they persevered and soon opened up some of the most fertile land in the province and began growing excellent crops.
A hundred years have passed and many of these homesteads that were taken in 1898 are still in the hands of family members of those first settlers. On Sunday, I attended a Centennial Farm Recognition supper at the Swan River museum, which the member for Portage la Prairie (Mr. Faurschou) also attended, where 16 of these families had their centennial farms recognized. They are Alex Anderson, A. J. Cotton, Robert Emmond, Charles Henry Goodman, Albert Gray, Dan Hawes, Christopher Henderson, John Lambert, William Samuel Leslie, Patterson Lyons, Archibald McArthur, Tom Metcalfe, Arthur Peyton, Essly Rose, Thomas Silverthorn and Richard Newt Staples.
All of these families had farm plaques presented to them, to members of their families. These people who got the plaques are still owners of the existing farms that were taken up by the homesteaders.
Many other families should also be recognized. However, their farmlands are not being held by the same families. In the next few years we will be having many more awards in our part of the province, and I want to take this opportunity to recognize the many pioneers who have settled in the Swan River Valley, and made it such a wonderful place to live.
Mr. Edward Helwer (Gimli): I rise today to ask all members to join with me and with the Minister for Culture, Heritage and Citizenship (Mrs. Vodrey) in congratulating the volunteers and community groups who made the kickoff to Summer Active '98: A Taste of Activity just a great success.
Summer Active '98 is a four-week celebration of healthy, active living taking place all across Canada from May 21 to June 19. In Manitoba, at least 214 communities are offering a wide variety of fun-filled events, whether it is a noon-hour walk by residents in Selkirk or outdoor games in Waterhen or a sneaker hunt in Killarney, people of all ages and abilities are encouraged to participate and enjoy the healthy benefits of regular physical activity.
Today's kick-off event on the legislative grounds was made possible by the partnership and enthusiasm of community groups like the Heart and Stroke Foundation, Manitoba Recreational Trail Association, the Winnipeg Native Alliance and the RCMP, just to name a few. In total, over 18 organizations have set up information booths and/or displays. In addition to the information booths, there were demonstrations by local athletic associations showing that whether a person jumps the rope or juggles or dances or plays volleyball or just goes for a walk, they will all benefit from a healthy, active lifestyle. So today's event was made even more special by the participation of 21 Manitoba schools. Approximately 300 students watched and visited the information booth and the demonstrations, learning from the benefits and importance of regular physical activity.
Again, I urge all members to join me and Minister Vodrey in congratulating the volunteers, community groups, participants and students in making Summer Active '98: A Taste of Activity, a great success.
Mr. Stan Struthers (Dauphin): I am pleased today to rise and put a few comments on the record about the deplorable conditions of the roads in this province. I want to draw particular attention to the roads in one particular part of the province, a particular part of the province that is doing some things I think that are very positive and very much depends on decent road conditions, No. 1, Madam Speaker, for safety and No. 2 for economic development.
I talk about the area known as Waterhen, Mallard, Skownan and the provincial road, No. 328, that connects that area to the Interlake, connecting up with No. 6 highway. I had the opportunity to drive on this road less than two weeks ago and bounced my car all over the road. I must say it is in terrible condition, and the folks at Waterhen have approached me several times about the condition of this road. They have also put together petitions, one of which I would like to submit to the House today, and hopefully the Minister of Highways will read the petition and see that the conditions of PR 328 and PR 276, within the community of Waterhen, are in dire need of some attention.
As I said, Madam Speaker, this is an area of the province that is doing some good work in terms of economic development. It really needs to be connected with the rest of the province by a good decent road that is safe for its citizens and also a road which they can use to attract some kind of economic activity to the area. In that way, hopefully the area can prosper, but they cannot do it without a decent transportation system like any other town in our rural areas. So, with those words, I hope that the government starts to take seriously the condition of our roads in this province. Thank you.