Workers in Churchill - and their families - will be disappointed to learn that the dire situation they face does not even merit a mention in the Government of Manitoba's Speech From the Throne.
On the government's website, the Speech From the Throne is described in the following terms: "The Speech from the Throne summarizes what the government expects to achieve during the session. The contents of the speech are prepared by the premier and the government in power."
The Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) and the Union of Canadian Transportation Employees (UCTE) believe that all those affected by the state of the Hudson Bay Railway and the closure of the Port of Churchill deserve better than to be ignored by the provincial government in their hour of greatest need.
Premier Pallister should act now to institute a fuel subsidy to offset the exorbitant gasoline prices that northern communities are facing, and sit down with all the partners in Churchill to help develop an economic plan that includes fixing the rail line and re-opening the valuable Port of Churchill for business again.
To read the Manitoba Speech From the Throne, click here.