Liberal Leader Jon Gerrard

Manitoba Liberals unveiled an aid package of grants and tuition rebates for post-secondary students who maintain good marks. Leader Jon Gerrard says the 57 million dollar program will be beneficial for students in rural areas, particularly in communities where graduation rates are low. He says students who do well would be in line for tuition rebates. Gerrard explains, "The NDP provided for a rebate on your tuition after you graduate. We're going to move that up and provide that during the school year so there's better opportunities for students to be able to finance and survive economically through their education years." He adds, a Liberal government would also cap tuition increases at the rate of inflation.

Meanwhile, the Liberal Party leader says there is a great future for Manitoba's rural communities. Gerrard says rural communities want to grow and expand by attracting business and industry, but do not have access to basic services such as broadband. Gerrard says if elected, his party would help establish broadband access to all of rural Manitoba. He notes, "The people who need it most have been least served in the last little while. And, we need to make sure that the people who need it most in rural Manitoba are really well connected." Gerrard has also pledged to allow the growth of more wind turbines and renewable energy, particularly from a community base. He believes such investment would create jobs in communities as well as investment and taxes.

Gerrard is also calling for change of thinking when it comes to drainage. He says, "We've got to do a much better job at holding water back. It's been calculated that the amount of water coming off the land where we've had extensive drainage alone is about 30% greater than it would have been naturally. And that 30% greater of course is contributing enormously to the flood that we had this year on Lake Manitoba."