Manitoba Committee Hansard — 3 April 2017 (Legislative Affairs Committee, Sitting 3, 41st Legislature, 2nd Session)

41-2-la3

Manitoba — Debates (Hansard)

Second Session – Forty-First Legislature of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba Standing Committee on Legislative Affairs Chairperson Mrs. Sarah Guillemard Constituency of Fort Richmond Vol. LXX No. 3 - 10 a.m., Monday, April 3, 2017 ISSN 1708-668X

MANITOBA LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY Forty-First Legislature Member Constituency Political Affiliation ALLUM, James Fort Garry-Riverview NDP ALTEMEYER, Rob Wolseley NDP BINDLE, Kelly Thompson PC CLARKE, Eileen, Hon. Agassiz PC COX, Cathy, Hon. River East PC CULLEN, Cliff, Hon. Spruce Woods PC CURRY, Nic Kildonan PC DRIEDGER, Myrna, Hon. Charleswood PC EICHLER, Ralph, Hon. Lakeside PC EWASKO, Wayne Lac du Bonnet PC FIELDING, Scott, Hon. Kirkfield Park PC FLETCHER, Steven, Hon. Assiniboia PC FONTAINE, Nahanni St. Johns NDP FRIESEN, Cameron, Hon. Morden-Winkler PC GERRARD, Jon, Hon. River Heights Lib.

GOERTZEN, Kelvin, Hon. Steinbach PC GRAYDON, Clifford Emerson PC GUILLEMARD, Sarah Fort Richmond PC HELWER, Reg Brandon West PC ISLEIFSON, Len Brandon East PC JOHNSON, Derek Interlake PC JOHNSTON, Scott St. James PC KINEW, Wab Fort Rouge NDP KLASSEN, Judy Kewatinook Lib. LAGASSÉ, Bob Dawson Trail PC LAGIMODIERE, Alan Selkirk PC LAMOUREUX, Cindy Burrows Lib. LATHLIN, Amanda The Pas NDP LINDSEY, Tom Flin Flon NDP MALOWAY, Jim Elmwood NDP MARCELINO, Flor Logan NDP MARCELINO, Ted Tyndall Park NDP MARTIN, Shannon Morris PC MAYER, Colleen St. Vital PC MICHALESKI, Brad Dauphin PC MICKLEFIELD, Andrew, Hon.

Rossmere PC MORLEY-LECOMTE, Janice Seine River PC NESBITT, Greg Riding Mountain PC PALLISTER, Brian, Hon. Fort Whyte PC PEDERSEN, Blaine, Hon. Midland PC PIWNIUK, Doyle Arthur-Virden PC REYES, Jon St. Norbert PC SARAN, Mohinder The Maples Ind. SCHULER, Ron, Hon. St. Paul PC SELINGER, Greg St. Boniface NDP SMITH, Andrew Southdale PC SMOOK, Dennis La Verendrye PC SQUIRES, Rochelle, Hon. Riel PC STEFANSON, Heather, Hon. Tuxedo PC SWAN, Andrew Minto NDP TEITSMA, James Radisson PC WHARTON, Jeff Gimli PC WIEBE, Matt Concordia NDP WISHART, Ian, Hon.

Portage la Prairie PC WOWCHUK, Rick Swan River PC YAKIMOSKI, Blair Transcona PC Vacant Point Douglas

41 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA THE STANDING COMMITTEE ON LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS Monday, April 3, 2017 TIME – 10 a.m. LOCATION – Winnipeg, Manitoba CHAIRPERSON – Mrs. Sarah Guillemard (Fort Richmond) VICE-CHAIRPERSON – Mr. Bob Lagassé (Dawson Trail) ATTENDANCE – 11 QUORUM – 6 Members of the Committee present: Hon. Mr. Fielding Ms. Fontaine, Mrs. Guillemard, Ms. Klassen, Messrs. Lagassé, Martin, Ms . Morley -Lecomte, Messrs. Smith, Swan, Wiebe, Yakimoski MATTERS UNDER CONSIDERATION: Recommendation for the appointment of the Children’s Advocate * * * Madam Chairperson: Good morning.

Will the Standing Committee on Legislative Affairs please come to order. This meeting has been called to co nsider the subcommittee's report and recommendation for the appointment of the Children's Advocate. A copy of the applicable legislation for this position has been provided to you for your information. How long does the committee wish to sit this morning? Mr. Shannon Martin (Morris): To the point where committee is done, Madam Chair. Madam Chairperson: It has been suggested we sit until the work of the committee is done.

Is that agreed? [Agreed] As we are dealing with the hiring process of an independent officer, in following past practice, this committee should continue this meeting in camera. Once we have concluded that discussion, we can resume our proceedings on the record. Before dealing with the motion to meet in camera, I would like to remind members that only MLAs who are members of this committee and the committee clerk may attend.

Therefore, does the committee grant permission for the Legislative Assembly human resources office staff, Deanna Wilson, to attend the in camera proceedings and to respond to any personnel questions if needed? [Agreed] Madam Chairperson: Mr. Lagassé? Oh, sorry. Mr. Martin. Mr. Martin: I move that the Standing Committee on Legislative Affairs now meet in camera. Motion presented. Madam Chairperson: This motion is in order. The floor is open for questions. The committee went in camera at 10:08 a.m. ____________ The committee resumed at 11:20 a.m.

Madam Chairperson: Due to the nature of the items under discussion at today's meeting, I would like to put on the record that appointments or re-appointments like this would not be made public until an offer is accepted and all MLAs are advised by the committee –oh–by way of the committee report. I would like to th ank the committee and subcommittee for your work on the hiring process of the Children's Advocate. Now this concludes the business before us. An Honourable Member: Point of order. Point of Order Mr.

Andrew Swan (Minto): Before we conclude, I just want to put on the record my concerns about the way the Progress Conservative majority has dealt with this situation, in breach of what I think has

42 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA April 3, 2017 been a tradition in this Legislature going back decades, where there's truly been a consensus and the agreement of the government of the day to listen to what opposition members have to say. It's unfortunate this morning that that tradition appears to be broken. As matters go forward, we will wish all the best to the person ultim ately hired into the position of Children's Advocate, a very important position, we can all agree, for Manitoba's children.

I believe it's unfortunate that the Progressive Conservative majority was not prepared to use what I think would have been common sense in considering all potential viable candidates for the position, but we will certainly be prepared to work with the person who is ultimately appointed into this position. Again, I just say it's unfortunate that today we have the Progressive Conserva tive Party using its majority to defeat what I think is –was a very reasonable suggestion, a very reasonable idea based on the particular facts, but we will accept the decision of the committee going forward. Ms.

Judy Klassen (Kewatinook): I would also lik e to put on the record that I want to thank everybody in the subcommittee for the real group effort that we made. There was–in no way did I ever feel that the – there was a majority. It was completely non-partisan. Amanda did a fantastic job. There was sev eral times where– Madam Chairperson: Sorry. We're going to be careful not to name members. An Honourable Member: Oh, sorry. The member for The Pas (Ms. Lathlin) was– Madam Chairperson: Ms. Klassen. Ms. Klassen: Thank you, so, I apologize. The member for The Pas was very great to work with. She did take an active

part in every decision, every score that we did for all these candidates. She was the one who put the recommendation forward and we abided –you know, we wanted to work together alongside one another and we went with what she said. Thank you. Madam Chairperson: Thank you, Ms. Klassen. Mr. Martin: Well, just, I mean, in the issue of the record, I mean, it's unfortunate, Madam Chair, that the NDP are using this opportunity to grandstand at the eleventh hour on an important position like this. As my colleague for K ewatinook did note, this was an all-party decision that was reached through a consensus.

There were disagreements along the way on a number of issues, but those disagreements through discussion were dealt with and, ultimately, the candidate was a consensus candidate and the NDP maybe tried to put a revisionist twist on that, but those facts remain. Thank you. Madam Chairperson: Thank you, Mr. Martin. And I do want to address, Mr. Swan, this is technically not a point of order, but I do appreciate the comments that are shared. * * * Madam Chairperson: The hour being 11:24 a.m., what is the will of the committee? Mr. Martin: Committee rise?

Madam Chairperson: Is that agreed? [Agreed] Okay, committee rise. COMMITTEE ROSE AT: 11:24 a.m. CORRIGENDUM On January 23, 2017, page 39, second column, last paragraph, should have read: COMMITTEE ROSE AT: 11:29 a.m.

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Document details

Collection	Manitoba — Debates (Hansard)
Citation	41-2-la3
Type	hansard
Volume / chapter	41st 2nd hansardpdf la3.pdf
Language	en
Format	pdf
Source	PROVINCIAL
Identifier	1548de548b00a477e924571a01383d660c510cb1

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