View From the Legislature

On Wednesday of last week, a new provincial Cabinet was sworn in at the Manitoba Museum in Winnipeg. I was honoured to be asked to continue to serve as the Minister of K-12 Education as well as the Government House Leader in this new Cabinet.

Two new Members of the Legislative Assembly were brought into Cabinet as part of the changes. Brandon West MLA Reg Helwer becomes the new Minister of Central Services and Fort Richmond MLA Sarah Guillemard becomes the Minister of Conservation and Climate. Both Minister Helwer and Minister Guillemard will be strong additions to the Cabinet and I look forward to working with them.

As I enter my fourth year serving in the provincial Cabinet, I continue to be very grateful for the support of local residents. While serving as the MLA for Steinbach is both my top priority and my best responsibility, being a part of Cabinet does require more time away from home. I am thankful for the understanding of both my family and the constituents I am elected to serve.

Remaining in Cabinet as the Minister of Education allowed me the opportunity to attend the Grand Opening of the Niverville High School on Tuesday. The new school will accommodate up to 450 students in Grades 9-12. It includes a large gymnasium and multi-purpose area as well as new science and digital learning labs.

The town of Niverville, like much of south-east Manitoba, is growing rapidly. That rapid growth is a result of residents who have built a community that is welcoming and that is attractive to live and raise a family. In turn that put tremendous pressure on the school system and the new high school will be an important part of accommodating that growth. Congratulations to everyone who was involved with the design and construction of the new Niverville High School. It will serve the students of the area well for many years to come.