At first glance, it may have looked like a giant Christmas card. But MGEU President, Michelle Gawronsky wasn’t bringing tidings of comfort and joy to the Legislative Building yesterday. She was delivering 1,500 signatures to the government from Manitobans who don't want to see the Pineland Forest Nursery privatized.
In May the provincial government announced it was ending operations at Pineland by December 31, 2018 and selling the nursery near Hadashville – a massive tree-growing operation that serves as a vital contributor to Manitoba’s environmental sustainability.
Gawronsky delivered the petition signatures, arranged in the shape of a tree, to Sustainable Development Minister, Rochelle Squires to remind the government that Manitobans don’t support their continued efforts to sell-off valuable public assets.
“This is one more example of how the Pallister government continues to whittle away at our public services and our public assets,” said Gawronsky. “It’s really sad for the families in Hadashville right now who have so many questions about their future. It’s also very sad for all Manitobans to lose this service. What will this cut mean for the future of our forests?”
Sustainable Development recently told Gawronsky that they will plant 1-2 million seedlings annually after the sale, significantly less than the 4.6 million trees the province planted in 2008.