Hon. Glen Cummings (Minister of Natural Resources): Madam Speaker, I have a statement for the House.

Madam Speaker, I rise to report that the weekend rain was relatively light over the Manitoba portion of the Souris River watershed; however, a significant portion of the watershed on the U.S. side received one to three inches. Some river rises are expected in the U.S., but we anticipate little change at this point for the rest of the week. The weather forecast is predicting the possibility of additional significant rainfalls. If this rain develops, levels of the Souris and its tributaries in Manitoba could again be on the rise. The amounts of additional rain will determine whether earlier crests will in fact be exceeded.

The Assiniboine River is on the rise from Virden to Brandon because of last week's rain. Secondary crests expected later this week should still be lower than crests during May. Overbank flows are not expected, but levels of the Assiniboine River from Brandon to Portage will rise later this week. Levels will remain below crests in May unless heavy additional rainfall occurs tomorrow.

The Portage diversion continues to be operated to maintain the river level at flood stage between Portage la Prairie and Headingley. We have also received rainfall over the Pembina River watershed. It was quite heavy last weekend and has stopped the river from receding. Significant rises will develop if additional rainfalls occur tomorrow. Rainfall over the Red River watershed was significant in some areas near the U.S. boundary and in farther northern areas. The Red River is on the rise at most U.S. points, and some minor rises may develop later this week. We have a situation where there have been heavy, significantly local heavy rainfalls over vast portions of agricultural Manitoba, and we are experiencing exceedingly large acreages that are in fact inundated and have become saturated.

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Mr. Stan Struthers (Dauphin): Madam Speaker, I thank the minister for providing us with an update of the conditions that are appearing in the southwest and other parts of our province over the weekend. In talking with some people in the southwest corner of the province, they tell me that the rain is very spotty and that, in some areas, like Waskada and a little bit east, they did receive almost three inches of rain since last we met here last week. So having put up with this much rain so far and more on the weekend has to be a very, very frustrating experience for farm families and communities who cannot get the crops out into the seeding position.

It is a terrible problem in the southwest part of our province but also in other parts of our province as well. Constituents of mine in Grandview and Gilbert Plains have been talking to me and to others about the amount of rain that they have received since last June and this spring as well, almost as much as what we see in the southwest part of the province. Constituents of the ministers in Laurier and McCreary have been telling me as well that in those parts of Manitoba they are experiencing very wet, saturated conditions and having a struggle to get onto their land as well. It seems that the southwest corner and then all around Riding Mountain and up into the Duck Mountains there is a real problem with farmers not being able to get to their land to do the seeding, so we on this side would urge the government to co-operate with all levels of government, especially with municipalities, in putting together a package of compensation to help the farm communities and farm operations in this province which we so greatly depend on for our source of economic wealth in rural Manitoba and indeed all of Manitoba.

Thank you very much.