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Volume 56 • Issue 44
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Finance minister hosts consultations on upcoming provincial budget BY KACPER ANTOSZEWSKI KACPER@THOMPSONCITIZEN.NET
EXPANDING THE NORTHERN ECONOMY NEWS - PAGE 8
OVERCOMING OBSTACLES NEWS - PAGE 12
IMPROV INSTRUCTION NEWS - PAGE 16
Manitoba Finance Minister Cameron Friesen was in the Thompson Regional Community Centre Oct. 21 to speak with a panel of northern stakeholders – and to a lesser extent, the general public – to get their perspective on budget considerations for the 2017 fiscal year. Accompanying Friesen were Dr. Jon Gerrard, MLA for River Heights representing the Manitoba Liberal Party, and NDP The Pas MLA Amanda Lathlin near the end of the session. Business-minded panellists agreed that, despite untapped resources and extensive room for growth, private investment in Northern Manitoba has been underrepresented from both foreign ventures and local entrepreneurs. Doug Lauvstad noted that mining and forestry came second only to agriculture in terms of economic contributions to the province, but that the industries have been permitted to stagnate, and are now struggling to compete in the current commodities market. “Right now, we’re in a situation where, worst-case scenario, with the forestry sector, mining sector, and the downturn in construction, we could be losing 2,000-plus high-paying primary jobs,” Lauvstad noted. “With secondary and tertiary jobs, we will have a major economic hit.”
KING MINERS MAUL OPPONENT SPORTS - PAGE 10
Thompson Citizen photo by Kacper Antoszewski Manitoba Finance Minister Cameron Friesen was in the Thompson Regional Community Centre Oct. 21 to get a northern perspective on budget considerations for the 2017 fiscal year. Vale Manitoba Operations is one of the primary industrial firms facing downsizing in the coming years, and corporate affairs and organizational development manager Ryan Land noted that the provincial government needs to simplify and invest in the process of exploration in the province’s remote regions. “It is especially important in a prolonged commodities downturn,” said Land, “to be the most attractive and competitive jurisdiction for attracting new investment and retaining long-standing operators.” Land noted that in addition to grants
and loans, the administrative process needed to be timely, as many largescale industrial investors require junior firms to verify approvals and project progress within predetermined timeframes to receive funding. “Any delay means that the money doesn’t get spent, and essentially disappears.” Vice-president of Smook Contractors Peter Paulic noted that underlying any industrial development is strong infrastructure, which he notes has been neglected nationwide: “In 2009, Canada was ranked 10th for our infrastructure, globally. In 2016, we’ve dropped to 23rd. 23rd.”
Paulic also insisted that transportation routes like the Hudson Bay Railway and the Port of Churchill were severely underutilized. “Churchill port allows global access, especially to the European Union, an $18 trillion market. It's a huge emerging market we can’t miss the boat on.” “Given the city’s long history of contribution to the economy, we would hope for a significant investment that matches that contribution. Our employees have been sweating for this company and for this province for 60 years, and we need to return the investment they made in making g the nor north and the great.” province gr reat.”
Industrial players were only part of the picture: Thompson Chamber of Commerce president Oswald Sawh noted that small businesses accounted for 80 per cent of private sector jobs within Manitoba, and it concerned him that self-employment was not perceived as a viable career path as strongly among northern youth as it once was. Sawh did suggest that entrepreneurs and existing small businesses require improved access to capital and supports, but more importantly, he suggested that fostering a culture of selfemployment was a critical Continued on Page 2
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