Selinger outlines keys to Manitoba's future

Trade, education, hydro, the environment and innovation are the keys to Manitoba's future, Premier Greg Selingersaid at his annualState of the Province address.

"It's not often I quote Maclean's a national magazine," Selinger said.

"But they have said it's the Manitoba miracle out here. They've said Manitoba has emerged as the shining star of Canada's recession and subsequent recovery."

Selinger also promised to create a new trade council to pursue opportunitiesforManitoba businessesin foreign markets. The council will be chaired by Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce head Dave Angus and Trade Minister Peter Bjornson, he said.

The premier also announced two upcoming deals involving Manitoba businesses: Fort Garry Industries is set to sign an agreement to export fire engines to the Philippines, and New Flyer Industries is preparing a deal to improve technology for fuel-efficient buses.

Selinger also reiteratedthe NDP'scommitment to buildthe Bipole III electrical transmission linedown the west side of Lake Winnipeg.

Stadium deal dominates

It was theproposed new Blue Bombers football stadium for Winnipeg, however,thatdominated questions by media following thespeech.

The $190-million facilitywill be open for the 2012 CFL season and will include safeguards for taxpayer money, Selinger said.

But the onus will be on the Winnipeg FootballClub to improve revenues and pay back much of the building's cost. The province isfrontingthe club $85 million, which is required to be paid backover 44 years.

Although WFC board chair Bill Watchorn has saidhe isnot worried about the long-term viability of the club being burdened with that much debt, the teamhas required taxpayer bailouts in the past.

Selinger told reporters after his State of the Province address that if the Bombers struggle to make their payments, accountants will be brought in to revamp the team's business plan.

Team president Jim Bell, who sat next to Selinger at the luncheon, said heis confident the team can afford the debt load, because the new stadium will include luxury boxes and other money-making items.

Costs forced Asper out

Selinger also spoke about why David Asper dropped out of the stadium plans, sayingrisingconstruction costs forced thebusinessman out and thanking Asper for hisparticipation.

Asper, whooriginally committed $100 million in private money to building the stadium on the University of Manitoba campus, bailed out of the project after the original cost estimate of $115 million ballooned to $190 million.

Without the private sector investment by Asper, the facility will now be fully paid for by municipal and provincial levels of government and theWFC. Asper, meanwhile, will be repaid $4 million for his contributions to the project thus far, Winnipeg Mayor Sam Katz said on Monday.

The WFC board of directors unanimously approved the team's role during a meeting late Monday afternoon.

The deal must still be OK'd by the University of Manitoba, where the stadium is to be built. Officials there are meeting Tuesday night for that purpose.

If approved, it will go to city council for a vote on Wednesday.