May-June 2007

Annual General Meeting
The Winnipeg Green Party's April 21st annual general meeting brought a few changes to the executive. Dave Watson is now our secretary, responsible for producing minutes and sundry administrative functions. Dave, a media technician with Manitoba Education, Citizenship and Youth, is passionate about urban environmental issues. Elizabeth Fleming decided not to continue in the role of president, but remains active in the Winnipeg Greens. I will be undertaking the president's duties for the next year and look forward to a lively and enlightening time.

VLT Forum
Winkler Mayor Martin Harder braved blizzardy conditions to make it to the Winnipeg Green Party's February 13th public meeting. Held at the newly renovated Edge Gallery at 611 Main Street, keynote speaker Mayor Harder's talk, "Are Governments Addicted to Gambling Revenues? How the Citizens of Winkler Said 'No' to VLTs", was fascinating and inspiring. Winkler's experience of banning VLTs after a referendum shows that towns can and do thrive without gambling revenues or the provincial transfers derived from them.

Winnipeg Green Party spokesman Markus Buchart expanded on Mayor Harder's theme, giving the history and legal background behind Winkler's rejection of VLTs, and discussing provincial legislation inspired by the Winkler referendum that allows Manitoba local governments to follow Winkler's example.

Even the venue of the meeting, the Edge Gallery, had an interesting tale. Lee Holleron, programming manager of the Red Road Lodge with which the Edge Gallery is affiliated, gave an impromptu talk on the story behind the conversion of the New Occidental Hotel, an ongoing project that began around 2002. Lee spoke of its transformation from notorious Main Street hotel to alcohol- and VLT-free establishment, a move that greatly improved the security and general atmosphere of the immediate neighbourhood.

Future activities
As we plan our next public meeting and other activities over the summer, we hope to engage more civic-minded Winnipeggers in the political process, as well as continue to infuse City politics with Green ideas.

Pam Sanford
President