Jul 25, 2021 - Premier announces $45 million trades and technology centre
The Premier of Manitoba was in Brandon Friday to officially announce the go ahead for phase II of ACC's relocation to the former site of the Brandon Mental Health Centre.
Phase II will see the historic Pineridge building redeveloped into a $45 million trades and technology centre that will allow the college to double its apprenticeship seats to meet the needs of a growing econony. The centre will have the capacity to house 1,404 students in a modern, efficient and adaptable facility. The announcement will also allow the college to expand programming to include machinist and truck mechanic courses, as well as other programs.
Premier Doer said that the facility will be named the Len Evans Centre for Trades and Technology, after the MLA who served Brandon East for 30 years. Evans was on hand for the announcement made Friday in front of the Pineridge building and thanked the crowd for the dedication and noted the need for investing in the economy and in skilled labourers.
Construction of the building will start this fall and is scheduled to be completed in time to accept students in September 2010. Phase I of the college's relocation was the restoration of the Manitoba Institute of Culinary Arts, which opened to Hotel and Restaurant Management and Culinary Arts students in September 2007.
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May 13, 2021 - MICHAEL BENARROCH PRESENTS ANALYSIS OF THE INTERNATIONAL VALUE OF THE LOONIE TO THE DISCUSSION GROUP
At its luncheon meeting of May 13th in the Norwood Hotel the Association’s "Discussion Group" heard a presentation by Dr. Benarroach on the factors affecting the international value of the Canadian dollar.
Linda Asper, vice-president and activities coordinator, opened the meeting welcoming the large group in attendance before turning the proceedings over to Len Evans, President, who introduced Dr.Benarroach, Dean of the Faculty of Business and Economics at the University of Winnipeg.
Professor Benarroach has had a long and distinguished academic career teaching at Carleton University, the University of British Columbia, the University of Manitoba and lastly at the University of Winnipeg. He has written on a wide range of topics in economics including trade barriers, foreign aid, international capital mobility , wage differentials and north-south trade.
Dr. Benarroach outlined several factors that have caused the value of the loonie to rise in recent times including the reduction of the federal debt, where Canada has become the least indebted as a percentage of the GNP of all the G8 nations. In addition inflation has been kept low while the economy is stable. At the same time in the U.S. the federal debt has risen sharply resulting in less confidence in its dollar. In comparison Canada, both at the federal and provincial level looks good. Also, the U.S. housing market has collapsed causing new housing construction to fall off.
Since this industry accounts for one-fifth of the U.S. economy, there have been repercussions in other sectors. The actions of the U.S. Federal Reserve to lower interest rates is a reaction to the decline and potential for further slow-down the economy. Because our Canadian economy is more stable our interest rate levels are likely to stay higher which in turn tends to strengthen the loonie.
At the present time Manitoba’s economy is performing well now achieving the second highest growth rate of all the provinces. While our exports to the U.S. have grown by about 7 per cent in the past year they have jumped 37 per cent to Asia. Our exports are in high demand including our agricultural products such as animal feed; our mining output such as nickel; plus the production of our aviation and bus manufacturing sectors.
Dr.Benarroach predicted that given the present state of our economy Canadians will continue to realize a continuation of a relatively high valued dollar.
A question and answer period followed the lecture.
The meeting concluded with Len Evans presenting Dr.Benarroach with a certificate of appreciation from the Association.
(See photos in the newsletter)
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May 16, 2021 - HOWARD PAWLEY AND FRIENDS
On Friday, May 16th some colleagues from the Pawley Government era gathered to greet former Premier, Howard Pawley and his wife, Adele, who came for a visit from Windsor, Ontario, where they now reside. Included in the group from outside of Winnipeg were John Bucklaschuk and his wife, who now live in Gimli where they have a real estate business; and Jerry Storie, now Dean of Education at Brandon University. Other former MLAs in attendance were Muriel Smith, Jay Cowan, Myrna Phillips, Doreen Dodick, Roland Penner and Len Evans.
(See photos in the newsletter)
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