Provincial opposition and PC leader Hugh McFadyen was in Altona for an early morning meeting on Nov. 16, launching a series of similar visits to locations in several southern Manitoba constituencies.

The invitation only event included close to 35 local business people, farmers, and municipal politicians, many who shared similar concerns.

Increasing regulation on producers and municipalities (especially regarding development) was a source of frustration to many, and McFadyen said he wasn’t surprised.
“It is what I expected,” he said. “I get a lot of questions about government policy decisions. It’s been a discussion point for a number of years.”

McFadyen said often the people with concerns aren’t upset about the policy itself. “The issue is the way government goes about it,” he said.

McFadyen also hinted at changing the make-up of his shadow cabinet in response to cabinet changes made by the NDP. “I don’t think it will be dramatic,” he said, adding that MLA Cliff Graydon will “continue to play an important role.”

Graydon is currently the critic for MPI, liquor control and gaming.

Keeping support in rural southern Manitoba may be simple, but McFadyen admitted they do have to connect with Winnipeg voters.

“We’ve got our work cut out for us,” he admitted. “In many ways the concerns of the people in Winnipeg are similar to other communities as well.”

But keeping in touch with their roots is very important to the PC party.

McFadyen said the reaction they are met with shows they remain on the right track.

“I think we are,” he said. “We’ve been rewarded with high levels of support. We never take it for granted,” he added.

A plethora of issues were discussed during the 1.5 hour breakfast meeting.

Infrastructure was a big concern for many, with rural municipal officials telling McFadyen that there are increasing restrictions on things like low level crossings, even though funding for the more costly bridge replacements is not forthcoming.

McFadyen also took the opportunity to praise both current MLA Cliff Graydon and former MLA Jack Penner for their work on the Letellier bridge. Work on the new one has begun after a decade of lobbying.

“Letellier bridge is now the most famous bridge in Manitoba,” McFadyen said, referring to the number of times that file was brought up in the legislature.

He also agreed with frustrated municipal politicians that getting subdivision approvals is harder. “There’s a general pattern of the regulatory side of government winning over the development side,” he said.

Agricultural issues were also brought forward. The ban on winter manure spreading was one example. Although the producer that brought that forward did not disagree with the intent, he pointed out a Nov. 1 beginning to the ban does not make sense in a year like this when the ground is not yet frozen.

Mayor Mel Klassen asked for support from McFadyen on giving one per cent of the existing provincial sales tax to municipalities. McFadyen’s PCs have committed to give half of a percentage point to start, and he pointed out that property taxes are an “imperfect” way of creating revenue.

McFadyen wouldn’t offer a firm opinion on the harmonized sales tax proposal, saying that the department of finance must release their analysis first.

He also weighed in on the Roseau River First Nation water issue, criticizing the lateness of the Public Utilities Board deadline of Dec. 31, 2010. “It just boggles the mind how these decisions get made,” he said.

McFadyen commented on minimum wage as well, pointing out that at one time it was very necessary. “Now its more of a political candy,” he said of the recent increases.

http://www.altonaecho.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=2183748

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