Hon. Frank Pitura (Minister of Government Services): Madam Speaker, I have a statement for the House.
Tomorrow, May 8, is the birthday of Henri Dunant, founder of the International Red Cross movement. This date is celebrated as World Red Cross Day by 177 Red Cross and Red Crescent societies around the world. Tomorrow the Red Cross flag will fly over Memorial Park to commemorate this important day.
The Red Cross is respected and known for its protection of human rights and its assistance to the most vulnerable across the world and across the street. Nowhere was this more evident than in the response offered by Red Cross to Manitoba's flood of the century. Red Cross was there throughout the disaster, bringing together more than 2,200 volunteers to answer Manitoba's call for help. At the height of the crisis Red Cross registered more than 25,000 evacuees from the flood zone. Its call centre has handled more than 26,000 inquiries relating to the flood. It reunited more than 1,250 families.
One year after the devastating floods, the Canadian Red Cross continues to provide much-needed assistance to many affected by the disaster. Through the Red Cross Manitoba flood appeal fund, to which generous Canadians have donated more than $23 million, 20,000 people have been assisted.
Red Cross is an important partner in Manitoba's Emergency Management Organization.
Manitobans should know that in times of disaster or emergency, the Red Cross will be there. As members look upon the Red Cross flag flying in Memorial Park tomorrow, please contemplate for a moment what Red Cross means and what the world might be like without the Red Cross. Thank you.
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Mr. Gary Doer (Leader of the Opposition): Just to add a few words to the minister's comments today, we too would like to pay tribute to the volunteers in the International Red Cross and the Red Crescent societies across the world. We would like to particularly note the comments made by the minister to pay tribute to the Red Cross volunteers who worked so hard last year in our province of Manitoba. We had the opportunity at some of the evacuation centres, some of the places that were ravaged by the flood, to meet people from the Red Cross, along with people from the Mennonite Central Committee, people from our food banks and other organizations that were working so hard to help people recover from this flood last year.
Madam Speaker, the Red Cross and the Red Crescent societies work across our world and work on behalf of people in disaster or people who are living after a disaster has taken place. We would want to also heed the advice of the Red Crescent and Red Cross organizations working with people like the Doctors without Borders, who are speaking out on behalf of the victims of disasters, whether they be man-made through wars, or whether they be made through nature, that today as we pay tribute to the thousands of volunteers, we should listen to the words of people working on behalf of those who are suffering from both man-made and natural disasters in our world.
Hon. Glen Cummings (Minister of Natural Resources): I have a statement for the House.
Madam Speaker, every year at this time Manitobans and Canadians celebrate National Forest Week between May 3 and May 9 in this current year. As part of this campaign to help Manitobans become more aware of this special week, the Manitoba Forestry Association has provided spruce seedlings to all members of the Assembly, and we thank them for the lovely trees we have here today. Receiving a spruce seedling each spring is a reminder to all of us just how important forests are to Manitoba and to all Canadians.
The forest industry in our province is now worth more than $700 million to our economy with the potential to be worth $1 billion with significant forest industry development. The forest industry in our province continues to grow and prosper and benefits all Manitobans. National Forest Week follows the signing of Canada's Forest Accord and the initiation of a new National Forest Strategy. Manitoba was pleased to be a signatory to Canada's Forest Accord and is committed to implementing the National Forest Strategy. The accord and strategy are key documents supported by many stakeholders in forestry regarding our commitment to sustainable forest management.
The new strategy represents a progressive five-year agenda for the members of the Canadian forest community. That community is represented by government, industry, aboriginal people, environmental groups, private woodlot owners and other nongovernment organizations. A series of partnership agreements were announced last week at the eighth National Forest Congress where 350 prominent forest community representatives were presented with the new strategy. The announcements included initiatives from Manitoba for an eco-based pilot project and the new forest inventory standards of Manitoba Natural Resources.
National Forest Week is a special time to celebrate our forests. I congratulate the Manitoba Forestry Association for its efforts each and every year and for the past number of years for reminding us of this valuable resource. I ask all members of this Assembly to join me in supporting their effort.
Mr. Stan Struthers (Dauphin): I wish to thank the minister for bringing this statement forward today. I want to join with him in congratulating the Manitoba Forestry Association for bringing this to our attention. I have a spot planned for my Colorado blue spruce in my yard already. Thanks to the MFA for providing me that tree and the rest of us in the House.
It seems like just a couple or three weeks ago, Madam Speaker, that we did already make a statement on National Forestry Week, but it is a pleasure to do so again. I want to commend the Forestry Association for its work in educating people, its efforts in educating people as to the importance of trees. I would suggest to the Manitoba Forestry Association that they work a little bit on this government and this minister so that they can become more educated on the importance as well and know how important it is to live up to the national accords that they do sign.
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With those words, congratulations to the Forestry Association for providing us with the opportunity today in the Legislature to put a few words on the record as to the importance of trees and the rate at which we cut trees in this province. Thank you very much.