Madam Speaker: The honourable member for Thompson, on a nonpolitical statement. Does the honourable member for Thompson have leave for a nonpolitical statement? [agreed]

Mr. Steve Ashton (Thompson): Madam Speaker, I referenced earlier a very significant event that took place in Pikwitonei this past weekend. I was pleased to be able to join with the Minister responsible for Northern Affairs (Mr. Newman), the Manitoba Hydro and elected representatives of Thicket Portage and Pikwitonei, along with many community residents, to celebrate the opening of direct-line hydro power in those communities.

I think what is significant to reference is the fact that there was, I think, a particular irony of the number of people being present--Bill Shanks who is regional manager for Manitoba Hydro who installed the first poles in the communities of Thicket Portage and Pikwitonei for diesel power in those days. Others were invited. I know Judy Kolada, a former co-ordinator with the Department of Northern Affairs who worked on much of the application that took place, and many of the people who have served as mayors and councillors over the years were either present at the opening or were recognized for their work.

I want to stress how important this is for the communities involved. I know it has been responsible for a lot of people being involved. This will mean that people will be able to have the same kind of access to electricity that many of us in the rest of Manitoba take for granted. If you compare the impact that it is going to have on the community, it is not only going to be a question of greater personal comfort but I believe a tremendous opportunity for the communities, the two communities involved, for economic development.

So, on behalf of Thicket Portage and Pikwitonei, two communities I am very proud to represent in the Manitoba Legislature, I want to congratulate all those who were involved in bringing direct-line hydro power, whether it be at the provincial government level, Manitoba Hydro, and most specifically, I want to really congratulate the people in those communities because they have persevered, they have worked hard, and I can tell you Saturday's event was a very joyous occasion and represented the great feeling of optimism for the future in Thicket Portage and Pikwitonei. So congratulations to those two communities, Madam Speaker.

Mr. Marcel Laurendeau (St. Norbert): Madam Speaker, may I have leave for a nonpolitical statement?

Madam Speaker: Does the honourable member for St. Norbert have leave for a nonpolitical statement? [agreed]

Mr. Laurendeau: With the flood, we have had a large amount of people coming out to work to do some debagging, and we have established a Green Team formula for doing some of the debagging. I would like to congratulate some of those students who came out on the weekend. We had approximately 50 from Murdoch MacKay from the honourable member for Transcona's (Mr. Reid) riding, and we had another 185 from Springfield Collegiate from the Minister of Highways and Transportation's (Mr. Findlay) riding, as well as approximately another hundred students.

They have now cleaned up approximately 99 percent of my community, which was probably the highest ratio of bags in the city of Winnipeg, and I think they deserve a great big hand of applause for the work they have done and also their ability to work together. It brought the communities closer, brought the kids closer, and it gave me a better understanding of all the children within our community and within our province. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Ms. Jean Friesen (Wolseley): Madam Speaker, do I have leave to make a nonpolitical statement?

Madam Speaker: Does the honourable member for Wolseley have leave for a nonpolitical statement? [agreed]

Ms. Friesen: I would like to offer our congratulations to the 13 graduates of the Access programs at the University of Manitoba who were honoured at a banquet last week.

Madam Speaker, it has been a long journey for many of these students, and today we want to celebrate their immense achievement and to recognize the support of their families, many of whom were present with them that evening.

I would like to congratulate, in particular, Louise Bombay from Winnipeg from the Dakota Tipi, who graduated with a Bachelor of Arts; Wanda Ferland from Duck Bay with a Bachelor of Social Work; Donna Head from Cranberry Portage, who came through the IUN program from Flin Flon and graduated with a Bachelor of Social Work; Stephanie Hutchinson from Cormorant had a Bachelor of Social Work; George Kemp from Berens River, who graduated in Law; Vanessa Rupp with a BA in criminology from the Peter Ballentyne Band; Brenda Shinoff from Winnipeg, who graduated with Bachelor of Social Work; and Val Vint from Winnipegosis, with a Bachelor of Fine Arts.

In the Special Premedical Studies program, we congratulate Trevor Dandurand of Winnipeg, Sherry Lavallee of Boggy Creek.

Finally, in the Professional Health program, we would like to offer our congratulations to Bonita Flett from Norway House, who graduated as a pharmacist; to Gilles Pinette from Ste. Rose du Lac, who graduated in medicine; and finally, Norman Monkman of Winnipeg, who graduated with both a BSc and an MD and who has been accepted into the psychiatric training program at the Clarke Institute.

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I particularly would like to add a note of congratulation to Norman Monkman, whose mother was my student, and Norman himself, many years ago, babysat very welcomely my younger child.

Madam Speaker, on behalf of all my colleagues on this side of the House, we congratulate them. We wish them well in their future studies and their jobs and in their place in the wider Manitoba community.

Mr. Daryl Reid (Transcona): May I have leave for a nonpolitical statement?

Madam Speaker: Does the honourable member for Transcona have leave for a nonpolitical statement? [agreed]

Mr. Reid: Last evening I had the opportunity to attend the Transcona Collegiate and John W. Gunn Junior High concert, entitled In the Mood. It was a concert whose participants were comprised of Grades 7, 8 and Senior 1 students performing both in bands and choir activities, and it was a very special evening.

This special performance by a number of very, very talented young people was very well appreciated and received by the residents of the community of Transcona. The evening starting with the Transcona Collegiate Institute jazz choir followed by the John W. Gunn trio and the Senior 1 band and proceeded to include performances by the Senior 4 students, including Amanda Ross, Wendy Dobson, Joy Henricks, JoAnna Cometa, LoriAnn Buhler and Melissa Mueller.

This is a very, very well received evening, and I must congratulate not only the students that participated and the teachers themselves, Ms. Judy Ruchkall, who is the musical consultant in the Transcona-Springfield School Division and also Jackie Crowell, the band instructor, and also the principal, Mr. Jim Beveridge, so I would like to congratulate all the participants and the staff of these schools that were involved and thank them very much for a very enjoyable evening.