Mrs. Shirley Render (St. Vital): Madam Speaker, do I have leave to make a nonpolitical statement?

Madam Speaker: Does the honourable member for St. Vital have leave to make a nonpolitical statement? [agreed]

Mrs. Render: Madam Speaker, it is with great pride that I rise to recognize the Winnipeg Music Competition Festival. The Winnipeg Music Competition Festival is the longest running consecutive music festival in Canada; 1919 marked the inaugural festival and since that year it has assisted in the development of countless local musicians. Now in its 79th year, the festival has witnessed dynamic change in popular music. It has gone from Charleston to Big Band, from classical to jazz, but one thing does remain constant and that is the tireless efforts of its organizers. Manitobans are well known for their volunteer spirit, and the longevity and the success of the Manitoba Music Competition Festival speaks volumes to that fact.

This year's festival had 3,550 entries and over 24,000 participating musicians from across the province. The festival began February 24 and will conclude with its final concert tonight. The festival pays tribute to the countless hours of practice on the part of our musicians, the tireless support of their families and the tutoring and adjudicating efforts of music instructors from all corners of our province.

I invite all honourable members of the House to attend the final concert of the Winnipeg Music Competition Festival tonight at Pantages Theatre at 7:30 p.m., and I believe that all members will join with me in congratulating the Winnipeg Music Competition Festival for another successful year. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Hon. James McCrae (Minister of Environment): Might I have leave, Madam Speaker, to make a nonpolitical statement?

Madam Speaker: Does the honourable minister have leave to make a nonpolitical statement?

[agreed]

Mr. McCrae: Thank you, and I thank my colleagues for their indulgence.

I would like to extend my congratulations to the Brandon Wheat Kings on their recent victory. For the third straight season Brandon captured the WHL's East Division regular season title. The Wheat Kings finished with a 47-24-1 record to edge out second-place Swift Current by two points. Despite numerous injuries, the Wheat Kings finished the year by winning five straight games.

The team will begin the opening defence of their WHL championship title with a best of seven conference quarter-final series against the Moose Jaw Warriors. This series will begin this Thursday at the Keystone Centre. Honourable members all know about the Keystone Centre in the city of Brandon. Hope to see them there soon.

The Wheat Kings have their sights set on attending their third consecutive Memorial Cup National Junior Tournament, which will be held in Hull, Quebec, this May. The Wheat Kings were led this year by most valuable player Peter Schaefer, as well as a total of 13 Manitobans, among them all-stars Justin Kurtz of Winnipeg, Brian Elder of Oak Lake, Stefan Cherneski of Thompson, and Kelly Smart of McAuley.

I would like to extend my congratulations and those of all of my colleagues in this House to the team's general manager, Kelly McCrimmon, and head coach, Bob Lowes, also assistant coach Mark Johnstone and all the players. I would like to wish the Wheat Kings the best of luck in their quarter-final series against Moose Jaw, and I am sure all honourable members will join me in that sentiment. Thank you.

Hon. Mike Radcliffe (Minister of Consumer and Corporate Affairs): Madam Speaker, do I have leave for a nonpolitical statement?

Madam Speaker: Does the honourable Minister of Consumer and Corporate Affairs have leave for a nonpolitical statement? [agreed]

* (1430)

Mr. Radcliffe: Madam Speaker, I would like to add to the remarks of my honourable colleague the member for St. Vital (Mrs. Render) who was talking about the Winnipeg Music Festival. I would like to congratulate the Kelvin Choir at Kelvin High School under the auspices of the conductor, Derek Morphy.

Kelvin High School, which is my old alma mater, entered Kelvin Chamber Choir, the Kelvin Girls' Choir, the Kelvin Boys' Choir and the Kelvin Choir into the music festival, and I am pleased to advise my colleagues in this Chamber and the people of Manitoba that the Kelvin Girls' Choir was the winner of the Beth Douglas Trophy for the most outstanding performance by a public school choir. Countless hours of hard work and skill go into this sort of a performance, and I congratulate the conductor and all the contestants. This is truly an event which makes Manitoba and Winnipeg a richer and more rewarding place to be.

My congratulations to Kelvin High School.

Mr. Gary Kowalski (The Maples): I would like leave to make a nonpolitical statement.

Madam Speaker: Does the honourable member for The Maples have leave? [agreed]

Mr. Kowalski: This being antiracism week in Canada, I had the opportunity to attend an event at Maples Collegiate, along with the Minister of Culture and Heritage (Mrs. Vodrey) today. It is their unity day. This is the second annual unity day to mark antiracism week. Their event today was called Making a Difference. I want to congratulate the students and the teachers who assisted them for the wonderful program that they are putting on attacking racism in the community.

They talked about how racism is not something that you are born with. It is something that you learn. They, as young students, are going to make sure that knowledge is the best way to combat racism. His Honour the Lieutenant Governor was present at the opening ceremonies, along with the minister, myself, Bill Balan, regional executive director of the Department of Canadian Heritage, and others.

Again, the work being done by this unity group is becoming world renowned on the Internet, and I want to congratulate the work that they are doing. Thank you.

Mr. Edward Helwer (Gimli): I move, seconded by the member for St. Vital (Mrs. Render), that the composition of the Standing Committee on Privileges and Elections be amended as follows: the member for River East (Mrs. Mitchelson) for the member for Kirkfield Park (Mr. Stefanson), the member for Turtle Mountain (Mr. Tweed) for the member for Sturgeon Creek (Mr. McAlpine).

Motion agreed to.