An announcement from the province was made yesterday about some positive news regarding money going forward to complete the Lake Manitoba Lake St Martin flood outlet.

Premier Brian Pallister says he spoke with the federal government.

"This is a top priority for our province," says Pallister. "Our provincial government's been pushing for this outlet to be built and for a partnership with the federal government that's essential to get it built since we came to government, and that's 4 1/2 years ago. And we have found, over the last number of years, that the federal government seems to keep coming up with reasons why it should be delayed as opposed to reasons why it should go ahead. And I want to note that that's changed since our meetings last September in Ottawa. And I want to say thank you to the federal government for that. We met with the Prime Minister and discussed this issue. We met with the Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs, and I had a further discussion with Dominic LeBlanc this morning on this and other issues. We met with the infrastructure minister. We met with the Environment Minister. We met with their senior officials and we followed up to build on that working relationship. And I am pleased to say that the federal government is demonstrating finally, rather than, 'Why we shouldn't do this,' to 'How can we get this move forward?' And that discussion continues this week with further meetings between our departmental leaders and federal environmental team. It will continue next week. And it is my sincere hope that we can move forward on this project."

ay with Dominic LeBlanc, our Intergovernmental Affairs Minister, to ask for his assurance that the federal government move forward to sign the flood agreement with the Province of Manitoba. I'm asking them to advance their commitment to join with us in Manitoba to protect Manitobans now, and future generations of Manitobans, from future flood disasters by officially signing the Joint Canada Manitoba Funding Agreement for the long-delayed Lake Manitoba/Lake St Martin Channels Project."

He adds delays are dangerous, delays add human costs, and delays don't give people their lives back.

"And the people of this area, people of Manitoba, our friends, our neighbours and our families have been sacrificed for generations now to protect the rest of us," says Pallister. "Now it's time for the rest of us to get together and stand up for those same people. That's what we're going to keep doing. I speak for Manitoba's MPs and saying this is a high priority project and I would hope that all our MPs would make their voices heard, whether in the government side of the House or in the opposition side here, regardless, that this is a project that needs to happen and it needs to happen now."

He says consultations are already underway, and every First Nation that's affected is signing on.

"And we're working through the consultation process with them as is required by federal legislation, and we look forward to getting shovels in the ground as soon as possible and getting this underway. The sooner, the better," says Pallister.

Pallister notes it's a 50/50 deal.

"We've already committed close to $80,000,000 to the preparatory work for this project as a province," continues Pallister. "But the project itself has been estimated at about $450 million we expect. Those estimates were being done a couple of years ago. It's higher now, but we need to get the project going. And I have had a verbal commitment from the Prime Minister in the past that this is a project the feds would share in supporting. But I want written commitment now because I think that's the way to give the folks in Manitoba the assurance that the project is going to go ahead."