BY RUBY AND DARREL GRYMONPRE
Premier Selinger and Minister Ashton
We cannot be ‘on hold’ until election day for decisive action!
It appears the NDP government is more concerned about winning the election than addressing the urgent environmental and safety concerns facing residents along Lake Manitoba.
As of August 15, the RM of Woodlands was in the process of removing destroyed structures and debris from its Twin Lakes Beach community. This commendable effort was halted by the provincial government’s Manitoba Agriculture Services Corporation (MASC). With North or North Westerly gale winds blasting Lake Manitoba over the past 2 days, building debris that could have been removed is further contaminating Lake Manitoba and increasing hazards to its residents.
Why would Sellinger’s flood program stall such a common sense, pro-active, non-partisan initiative on the part of the municipality? MASC Program Administrators have not been available to authorize mitigation expenses. Flood victims, who have tried to protect their properties may discover that their best efforts are not eligible for compensation. Provincial appraisers have been silent in revealing their estimates of ‘fair market value’ to affected residents.
In their election campaign the NDP government is patting themselves on the back in regards to their quick announcement of the 2011 Manitoba Flood Recovery Initiative. That was over 3 months ago. The politically motivated delay tactics on the part of the NDP in actually rolling out the Flood Recovery Initiative are suspicious and unacceptable given the urgency of this situation.
Premier Selinger, flood victims cannot be ‘on hold’ until election day for decisive action!
Sincerely and Respectfully submitted,
Ruby and Darrell Grymonpre
