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

Madam Speaker, my statement relates to the additional rainfall that has occurred over the Souris River watershed last night. We saw an average of about 10 millimetres, which in itself is not significant, but there were some areas that received up to 40 millimetres of rain in thunder showers. The levels of the Souris River rose less than an inch at Melita yesterday but between .2 and .4 feet at Napinka, which is downstream. Forecasted crest stages from Napinka down-stream have been revised upward from .3 to .4 feet due to the additional rainfall runoff. The Antler River crested last night as a result of heavy rainfall which caused that crest to occur, that rainfall having come last Friday.

There will be little change in the river level at Melita for the next three to four days. Crests are expected this weekend at Napinka and Hartney, and near the middle of next week at Souris and at Wawanesa. Additional rainfall of 12 to 15 millimetres is predicted late this week on Friday and Saturday. If this occurs, fore-casted crests may need to be revised somewhat higher.

Madam Speaker, sometimes it is very difficult for us in this building and for other Manitobans to appreciate the problems that are occurring in relationship to this untimely and huge amount of rainfall that has occurred in one section of the province. I think it is appropriate that this House be apprised of the knowledge.

Mr. Gary Doer (Leader of the Opposition): I thank the minister for his statement. Certainly all Manitobans are concerned about the record-high rainfall and the record amount of rainfall that is falling all across this province and its impact on communities, its impact particularly on farmers, and potentially its impact on future flooding in other areas affected by the downstream flow of the water.

We have raised the issue of the Fairford communities prior to this statement. I would agree with the minister that it is often difficult here to understand what is going on out there in the communities. I know, with the tremendous flooding that took place in the Red River Valley, it was almost like a tale of two cities with the floodway in Winnipeg and the communities that were devastated in the valley a couple of years ago. We have similar concerns for southwest Manitoba, for these rainfalls. There are already indications that many producers will not even get on the land this year to seed and have a crop. That follows on a very, very poor year for prices for some grain and cereal producers. We are all Manitobans, together as one community, and we share the suffering that is going on with people in communities with this record flooding and rainfall.

Our critic, the Natural Resources critic, is meeting with people in southwest Manitoba today, tomorrow and Saturday pursuant to the minister's advice that it is sometimes difficult in here to understand the realities in our communities. We appreciate the statements from the minister and we appreciate being kept up to date on a timely basis.