November 18, 1999
PREMIER ANNOUNCES APPOINTMENT
OF LEGISLATIVE ASSISTANTS
Premier Gary Doer today announced the appointment of six legislative assistants to the Executive Council.
"These assignments are intended to further strengthen our government by enhancing the ability of cabinet to meet its challenges," said Doer. "To assist us in following through on our commitment to reduce the number of cabinet and deputy ministers, legislative assistants will be essential to ensuring that the views of Manitobans are heard and our initiatives are compatible with what Manitobans are saying.
"Legislative assistants will contribute significantly by assisting ministers in meeting their departmental responsibilities and expectations. They possess a wide range of skills and abilities which will support and complement those of the cabinet ministers to whom they have been assigned."
Legislative assistants provide support to ministers by supplying recommendations and policy advice on departmental matters, and by representing the ministers at meetings, public forums and speaking engagements. Conversely, legislative assistants are provided an invaluable experience and are encouraged to gain an appreciation for the ministerial responsibilities associated with a cabinet position, Doer said.
The appointments are as follows:
- Cris Aglugub (MLA for The Maples) - Labour
- Nancy Allan (MLA for St. Vital) - Education and Training
- Linda Asper (MLA for Riel) - Culture, Heritage and Tourism
- Scott Smith (MLA for Brandon West) - Industry, Trade and Mines
- Marianne Cerilli (MLA for Radisson) - Family Services and Housing
- Stan Struthers (MLA for Dauphin-Roblin) - Health
"Each of them possesses a unique set of skills and perspectives that they can bring to their new roles and I look forward to their contributions," said Doer.
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BIOGRAPHIES ATTACHED.
LEGISLATIVE ASSISTANTS
BIOGRAPHIES
Cris Aglugub (MLA for The Maples)
Prior to his election to the Manitoba legislative assembly, Cris Aglugub worked for Manitoba Agriculture and Food, providing computer programming and technical support for the provincial soil survey program.
He holds a bachelor of science in agriculture and graduated from Red River Community College as a computer programmer/analyst.
Originally from the Philippines, Aglugub made Winnipeg his home nearly 30 years ago.
As a community volunteer, he served on the mayor's race relations committee and as a delegate and interpreter for the Manitoba Citizenship Council's language bank and worked on the Winnipeg Folk Arts Council and Folklorama.
Aglugub is a past president of the Philippine Association of Manitoba. He helped found the first Philippine centre in Manitoba and establish a community day care facility. In 1996, he served as a delegate to an APEC pre-planning conference in Manila.
More recently, Aglugub helped facilitate a twinning agreement between the cities of Winnipeg and Manila.
Nancy Allan (MLA for St. Vital)
Nancy Allan has been active in social and political issues for over 20 years. She was elected as a school trustee in 1995 and 1998. She helped accomplish the amalgamation of the Norwood and St. Boniface divisions.
Allan served as chair of the St. Boniface School Division finance committee and co-chair of the Investing in Manitoba Campaign. A small business owner, she manages Nancy Allan Associates, which provides fund development and strategic planning services to small business and non-profit organizations.
Allan and her husband Neil have two school-aged children, Joel and Jessie.
Linda Asper (MLA for Riel)
Linda Asper has served the people of Manitoba for over 30 years in education, public service and the volunteer sector.
She has had a lengthy career in public service including terms as a school trustee in the Seine River School Division. She has also served as president of the Manitoba Teachers Society and as vice-president of the Canadian Teachers Federation.
Asper has also served as a member of the St. Boniface College board of governors, a member of the faculty council at the University of Manitoba and an executive member of the Manitoba Action Committee on the Status of Women.
She has been actively involved in community work as the treasurer of the Fort Garry Women's Resource Centre and a volunteer with the Prendergast Day Care Centre and the St. Vital South Family YM-YWCA Day Care Centre.
Asper supports the Manitoba Theatre Centre, Royal Winnipeg Ballet, Manitoba Opera, Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra and Warehouse Theatre. She has served as a Girl Guide leader and has coached basketball, volleyball, track and field and badminton.
Marianne Cerilli (MLA for Radisson)
Marianne Cerilli grew up in East Kildonan and now lives in Transcona. She graduated from the University of Manitoba with bachelor of education and bachelor of physical and health education degrees. She has 15 years experience in competitive track and field. She was a school track and field coach for seven years. She has been employed in the areas of recreation, fitness and health.
Cerilli has been a board member of the Unemployed Help Centre, the Volunteer Centre of Winnipeg and has served with Athletics Manitoba. She was on the steering committee of the Winnipeg Career Symposium and on the organizing committee of the Western Canada Summer Games. She was also a program consultant with Manitoba Employment and Youth Services for three years, helping people find jobs and gain work experience. And she managed a volunteer program and created leadership development programs for youth, recreation and multicultural organizations. She has also served on the board of the Wee Bairns Day Care, the Winnipeg Folk Festival and Media Watch, a national committee dealing with violence and sexism in the media.
Prior to being elected as the MLA for Radisson in the September 1990 general election, Cerilli was employed as a counsellor with the Winnipeg School Division for two years. Her student-centred approach to education is based on skills in conflict resolution, group facilitation, problem solving and assertiveness.
In her nine years as an MLA, Cerilli has been her party's spokesperson for housing, safety and health, youth, the environment, sports and fitness, and multiculturalism and citizenship.
Scott Smith (MLA for Brandon West)
Scott Smith was born, raised and educated in Brandon where he worked as a firefighter and city councillor.
Smith was first elected to Brandon city council in 1995 and was re-elected in 1998. For the last three years he has also served in the elected position of provincial director of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities.
As a member of Brandon city council, Smith held a number of key positions including chair of the grants review commission and member of the task force on impoverishment and the taxi review committee. He was also a member of the Recreation Centre Review Committee, the Brandon Chamber of Commerce, the Brandon Economic Development Board, the Downtown Business Improvement Area and the board of the Brandon Family YMCA. And he has served as treasurer of the Keystone Centre.
Smith is an active member of the Brandon community. He coaches youth soccer and baseball. He provided volunteer help for the World Curling Championships, the Canada Games and other Brandon sporting events. He has also served as a volunteer teachers' helper and as a volunteer at community youth centre dances.
He is 40 years old and has been married to Val for 18 years. They have two daughters Ashton (6) and Caitlin (10).
Stan Struthers (MLA for Dauphin-Roblin)
Stan Struthers was born in Swan River in 1959. Struther's father worked for the CNR, so he grew up in several rural towns in Manitoba and Saskatchewan.
After graduating from Swan Valley Regional Secondary School in 1977, Struthers received his bachelor of arts and bachelor of education degrees from Brandon University and his master of education degree from the University of Manitoba.
A teaching career that began at Norway House Reserve led to a two-year term as principal of Rorketon Collegiate, then to his more recent position at the Winnipegosis High School.
Struthers and his wife Michelle currently reside in Dauphin.