Manitoba Hansard — 28 November 2024 (Sitting 8, 43rd Legislature, 2nd Session)

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Manitoba — Debates (Hansard)

Second Session – Forty-Third Legislature of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba DEBATES and PROCEEDINGS Official Report (Hansard) Published under the authority of The Honourable Tom Lindsey Speaker Vol. LXXIX No. 8 - 1:30 p.m., Thursday, November 28, 2024 ISSN 0542-5492

MANITOBA LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY Forty-Third Legislature Member Constituency Political Affiliation ALTOMARE, Nello, Hon. Transcona NDP ASAGWARA, Uzoma, Hon. Union Station NDP BALCAEN, Wayne Brandon West PC BEREZA, Jeff Portage la Prairie PC BLASHKO, Tyler Lagimodière NDP BRAR, Diljeet Burrows NDP BUSHIE, Ian, Hon. Keewatinook NDP BYRAM, Jodie Agassiz PC CABLE, Renée, Hon. Southdale NDP CHEN, Jennifer Fort Richmond NDP COMPTON, Carla Tuxedo NDP COOK, Kathleen Roblin PC CROSS, Billie Seine River NDP DELA CRUZ, Jelynn Radisson NDP DEVGAN, JD McPhillips NDP EWASKO, Wayne Lac du Bonnet PC FONTAINE, Nahanni, Hon. St.

Johns NDP GOERTZEN, Kelvin Steinbach PC GUENTER, Josh Borderland PC HIEBERT, Carrie Morden-Winkler PC JACKSON, Grant Spruce Woods PC JOHNSON, Derek Interlake-Gimli PC KENNEDY, Nellie, Hon. Assiniboia NDP KHAN, Obby Fort Whyte PC KINEW, Wab, Hon. Fort Rouge NDP KING, Trevor Lakeside PC KOSTYSHYN, Ron, Hon. Dauphin NDP LAGASSÉ, Bob Dawson Trail PC LAMOUREUX, Cindy Tyndall Park Lib. LATHLIN, Amanda The Pas-Kameesak NDP LINDSEY, Tom, Hon. Flin Flon NDP LOISELLE, Robert St. Boniface NDP MALOWAY, Jim Elmwood NDP MARCELINO, Malaya, Hon. Notre Dame NDP MOROZ, Mike, Hon. River Heights NDP MOSES, Jamie, Hon. St.

Vital NDP MOYES, Mike Riel NDP NARTH, Konrad La Vérendrye PC NAYLOR, Lisa, Hon. Wolseley NDP NESBITT, Greg Riding Mountain PC OXENHAM, Logan Kirkfield Park NDP PANKRATZ, David Waverley NDP PERCHOTTE, Richard Selkirk PC PIWNIUK, Doyle Turtle Mountain PC REDHEAD, Eric Thompson NDP SALA, Adrien, Hon. St. James NDP SANDHU, Mintu, Hon. The Maples NDP SCHMIDT, Tracy, Hon. Rossmere NDP SCHOTT, Rachelle Kildonan-River East NDP SCHULER, Ron Springfield-Ritchot PC SIMARD, Glen, Hon. Brandon East NDP SMITH, Bernadette, Hon. Point Douglas NDP STONE, Lauren Midland PC WASYLIW, Mark Fort Garry Ind.

WHARTON, Jeff Red River North PC WIEBE, Matt, Hon. Concordia NDP WOWCHUK, Rick Swan River PC

225 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA Thursday, November 28, 2024 The House met at 1:30 p.m. The Speaker: O Eternal and Almighty God, from Whom all power and wisdom come, we are assembled here before Thee to frame such laws as may tend to the welfare and prosperity of our province. Grant, O merciful God, we pray Thee, that we may desire only that which is in accordance with Thy will, that we may seek it with wisdom and know it with certainty and accomplish it perfectly for the glory and honour of Thy name and for the welfare of all our people. Amen. We acknowledge we are gathered on Treaty 1 territory.

That Manitoba is located on the treaty territories and ancestral lands of the Anishinaabeg, Anishininewuk, Dakota Oyate, Denesuline and Nehethowuk nations. We acknowledge Manitoba is located on the Homeland of the Red River Métis. We acknowledge northern Manitoba includes lands that were and are the ancestral lands of the Inuit. We respect the spirit and intent of treaties and treaty making and remain committed to working in partnership with First Nations, Inuit and Métis people in the spirit of truth, reconciliation and collaboration. Please be seated.

ROUTINE PROCEEDINGS INTRODUCTION OF BILLS Bill 3–The City of Winnipeg Charter Amendment and Planning Amendment Act Hon. Glen Simard (Minister of Municipal and Northern Relations): Honourable Speaker, I would like to introduce Bill 3, moved by myself and seconded by the minister–I move, seconded by the Minister of Innovation and New Technology (MLA Moroz), that Bill 3, The City of Winnipeg Charter Amendment and Planning Amendment Act; Loi modifiant la Charte de la ville de Winnipeg et la

Loi sur l' aménagement du territoire, be now read a first time. Motion presented. Mr. Simard: Honourable Speaker, I am pleased to introduce Bill 3, The City of Winnipeg Charter Amendment and Planning Amendment Act, to reduce the frequency of delays to local zoning amendments by establishing a higher and more reasonable thresh- old for items being referred to the municipal board. This bill represents our government's commitment to speeding up planning approval timelines while making sure that local voices are respected.

Amendments proposed in the bill will balance local decision -making autonomy with the value of public participation in the land use planning process. I am pleased to present this bill to the House for consideration. The Speaker: Further introduction of bills? The honourable–oh. Is it the pleasure of the House to adopt the motion? [Agreed] Bill 4–The Planning Amendment Act Hon. Glen Simard (Minister of Municipal and Northern Relations): I'll do this right the second time. I move, seconded by the Minister of Innovation and New Technology (MLA Moroz), that Bill 4, The Planning Amendment Act; Loi modifiant la

Loi sur l'aménagement du territoire, be now read a first time. Motion presented. Mr. Simard: Honourable Speaker, I am 'ploosed' to– pleased to introduce Bill 4, The Planning Amendment Act, to reaffirm our govern ment's commitment to listen to local leadership and respect the autonomy of local governments. This bill gives municipalities of the Capital Region the choice of whether to participate and recognizes the importance of local voices, those of 'electum'–elected municipal officials, to chart the path and planning for the Capital Region. The Speaker: Is it the will of the House to adopt the motion? [Agreed] Committee reports? Tabling of reports? Ministerial statements?

226 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA November 28, 2024 Introduction of Guests The Speaker: And just before we get on to members' statements, I have some guests in the gallery. First, if I could draw members ' attention to the public gallery where we have 55 grade 9 students from sir Morse–St. Maurice School, which is in the con- stituency of the honour able member for Fort Garry (Mr. Wasyliw).

They are under the supervision of Principal Carrie Shillingford, Andrew Gamby, Maryam Okafor [phonetic] and Rebecca Stajkowski, the latter of whom members might recognize as the wife of someone else that needs lots of supervision, our Deputy Clerk Tim Abbott. However, Tim might–Tim will soon have to start pulling his own weight as they are expecting the arrival of their first bundle of fun in February. Although, if the new arrival is anything like the clerks, it's probably going to be late. On behalf of all honourable members, we wel - come you here today.

I would also like to draw attention of all honour - able members to the public gallery where we have with us today Let's Talk Science outreach co-ordinators Gabrielle David, M J Kang, Chelza Santos, Rubee Gosal [phonetic], as well as Let's Talk Science board member Pauline Clarke and stakeholder relations specialist Nathan Kostikiuk [phonetic]. And they are guests of the honour able member for Southdale (MLA Cable). And we welcome you all here today. MEMBERS' STATEMENTS New Grocery Shuttle for Seniors Mrs.

Rachelle Schott (Kildonan-River East): On October 30, 2024, our Kildonan- River East team helped launch a grocery shuttle for seniors through community collaboration with Transportation Options Network for Seniors, TONS, River East Seniors Resource Finder, Good Neighbours Active Living Centre, Edison Properties and Winnipeg Transit. This collaboration resulted in a new Winnipeg Transit bus being chartered to pick up seniors at the Edison apartment blocks along Henderson Highway, right here in KRE, taking them to McIvor Mall. Just yesterday, on November 27, we had our second grocery shuttle.

CTV News even came to cover this exciting initiative. We had even more volunteers and neighbours helping neighbours. There was a shuttle bus a few years ago, but unfortunately, it stopped running due to the pandemic. While the shuttle service ceased, the public interest and dedication of our KRE community never wavered. For some seniors, this pilot project is the first time they have been able to shop by themselves since before the pandemic.

Seniors deserve to travel independently, and the grocery shuttle has helped to support seniors' socialization and independence. * (13:40) The grocery shuttle also prioritizes accessibility, dropping seniors off right at the storefront 's doors. Without transportation, many seniors would not have access to food. A grocery shuttle is a step forward to increasing food security and ensuring a healthy community.

This project has been so well received, and it would not have been possible without the tireless efforts of Serena Bittner, the executive director at TONS, and the community collaboration over the past years which has made this pilot project possible to support seniors in KRE. Please join me in thanking Serena and the count- less other amazing com munity members and stak e- holders, whose names I would like to have entered into Hansard. Thank you. Serena Bittner, Pat Clarke, Edie Collinson, Lexi Golembioski, Vic Janzen, Julia Lim, Susan Sader, Megan Wallace . Peyton Vergie Mr.

Jeff Wharton (Red River North): I rise in the House today to honour Peyton Vergie, a 23- year-old resident of East St. Paul for her outstanding accom - plishments participating as a member of the Canadian women's national para hockey team. Peyton had been a competitive athlete for most of her life. However, in 2015 she had to put every- thing on hold due to a medical condition. However, seven years later, in October of 2022, she resumed competing. Peyton's athleticism and talent did not go unnoticed.

In March 2023 she was scouted by the coaches of the women's national team while playing in a tourna- ment in Calgary, Alberta. Peyton then joined the high

November 28, 2024 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA 227 performance team in May of 2023, and attended her first camp in Oshawa, Ontario. In the same month, Peyton competed at the Nationals with Manitoba provincial team in Montreal Quebec. In July of 2023, Peyton underwent below the knee amputation of her right leg, once again impacting her ability to compete. Following this procedure, it wasn' t long before she returned to sport, but this time as a para hockey player. In January of 2024 Peyton was invited to try out for the Canadian women' s national para hockey and was successful in making the team.

In her first game against Team USA, she was selected player of the game. She was selected as one of the 16 athletes to rep- resent Canada at the World Para Ice Hockey Women's World Challenge in Norway in October –pardon me– through October 25 to the 28, where they were silver medallists. Peyton says the para hockey played a crucial role in helping her realize that her disability does not limit her. She said that she was honoured to have the oppor- tunity to compete at the international level and fulfil her dreams of representing Canada on the global stage.

Honourable Speaker, I ask my colleagues to recognize Peyton Vergie, who is joined by her mom Cindy, for her perseverance, dedication and accom - plishments as an athlete in the sport of para hockey and applaud her for representing Canada on the world stage. Thank you, Honourable Speaker. Let's Talk Science Hon. Renée Cable (Minister of Advanced Education and Training): Honourable Speaker, today we cele - brate 25 years of Let's Talk Science making a profound impact in Manitoba, inspiring curiosity, innovation and a lifelong love of learning in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

Let's Talk Science delivers engaging hands -on activities, outreach programs and mentorship oppor - tunities throughout the province. Many of the students who participate in Let's Talk Science during their K -to-12 years give back by becoming volunteers. In the gallery today, we are joined by post - secondary students from the Universities of Manitoba and Winnipeg who deliver and co-ordinate workshops and serve as role models for the next generation. Let's Talk Science is committed to ensuring equitable access to STEM, bringing its programs to underserved communities.

The University of Winnipeg site specifically does outreach in Indigenous, remote and northern com - munities, while the University of Manitoba collaborates with the Let's Talk Science Black Volunteer Collective to host TriSTEM, an event that engages Black youth who are interested in careers in health care. Brandon University serves the Westman region, working closely with 4- H clubs and preparing youth for the Western Manitoba Science Fair. Overall, Let 's Talk Science' s French -English bilingual, no-cost programs reach 30 per cent of schools in our province.

By breaking down barriers to access and provid- ing transformative learning experiences, Let 's Talk Science opens a world of possibilities for Manitoba students–students who will be critical in technology advancements, agriculture, health innovation, climate change solutions and so much more. Congratulations to Let 's Talk Science on this remarkable milestone. Your work has brought STEM to life for countless young Manitobans, inspiring them to think boldly and dream big. Thank you for everything you do to cultivate a passion for STEM in our province 's youth, preparing them for the future.

We look ahead with excitement to the next 25 years and beyond. Thank you. Need for New School in Neepawa Ms. Jodie Byram (Agassiz): Honourable Speaker, I rise today to call on this government to share the plan for the construction of a new school in Neepawa, a vibrant, growing community the heart of Agassiz. The Beautiful Plains School Division has experi- enced remarkable growth over the past decade, driven largely by the expansion of HyLife pork processing plant and the subsequent secondary growth in the commercial, residential and industrial sectors.

Like many schools across our province, Neepawa schools have struggled to keep up with this rapid growth, leading to the continued used–of portable classrooms and the overloading common areas and ancillary spaces. Washrooms, gymnasiums, libraries and specialized labs are simply not equipped to handle the demands of the growing student population.

228 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA November 28, 2024 The need for a new regional high school in Neepawa is undeniable. The facility would serve as a hub for academic, vocational, arts and other program- ming, catering to the diverse needs of the community and the surrounding region. By offering a robust array of course options, including advanced placement, credit recovery and land-based programming, ensures that students have access to the resources and oppor - tunities that they deserve.

The strategic location of this school, adjacent to the upcoming regional hospital, would foster valuable partnerships and allow for innovative student place - ments and workforce development initiatives. This synergy would not only benefit our students but also contribute to the overall growth and prosperity of Neepawa and the surrounding area and economy. With the continued growth and development of Neepawa, the need for a new regional high school has never been more pressing.

And I urge this government to recognize the profound impact that long- term capital projects in education can have on com munities, and especially those in rural areas, by laying the foundation for a brighter future for our youth and our economy. Build the school. Thank you. Chaeban Ice Cream Mr. Tyler Blashko (Lagimodière): Honourable Speaker, I rise today to recognize Joseph Chaeban and Zainab Ali, wonderful constituents of Lagimodière and the owners of Chaeban Ice Cream.

Back in 2016, Joseph wanted to thank the com - munity that helped sponsor his wife 's family through the refugee process and also contribute to employment opportunities in the area. Joseph connected with his business partner Darryl Stewart, and Chaeban Ice Cream was born. Joseph and Zainab bring together decades of experience in the dairy industry with flavours and ingredients from their homelands of Syria and Lebanon. They opened their ice cream shop on the first day of winter in 2017, and I think that truly speaks to the quality of what they're bringing to the table.

Their business has five core values: be environ- mentally friendly, give back whenever possible, make everything from scratch, support local producers and care for all people always. They regularly feature a local champion on a particular monthly flavour, donating proceeds to an organization of that local champion's choice. Joseph Chaeban is a second- generation dairy scientist and brings a wealth of knowledge in the dairy industry into everything he produces. From ice cream to cheeses, Chaeban creates award -winning products rooted in tradition.

In 2022, at the royal agricultural fair in Toronto, Chaeban's Salty Carl won grand champion in ice cream and Rocky Ricardo got top prize for chocolate ice cream. Their Soft Creamy Feta was a top 10 selec- tion in Montreal at SIAL Innovation in 2024. SIAL Innovation is a global showcase of trends and innov- ation in the food and beverage industry. Joining us in the gallery are Joseph Chaeban, Zainab Ali, their boisterous son Moses Chaeban and Joseph's father Daham Chaeban. They and their team are weeks away from celebrating seven successful years of Chaeban Ice Cream.

We wish them all the success as they continue to contribute to the social and economic fabric of Manitoba. Alf malyūn mabruk. [Congratulations.] * (13:50) ORAL QUESTIONS Violent Crime, Addictions and Mental Health Request to Address Public Safety Mrs. Kathleen Cook (Roblin): On Tuesday, two Manitobans went into Polo Park to run some errands and left with knife wounds. While simply sitting on a bench in the mall, they were stabbed in a random, unprovoked attack. The attacker, who had already breached release conditions, was immediately released back into the community.

Violent crime, addictions and mental health issues are spiralling out of control in Winnipeg, and yet this Premier broke his election promise to reform bail laws, abandoned both the homelessness and mental health strategies and has yet to open a single new addictions treatment bed in Winnipeg. How many more innocent Manitobans will be attacked before this Premier acts? Hon. Wab Kinew (Premier): You know, we have the holidays quickly approaching, and at this time of year, so many Manitobans are going to the malls, they're going to shopping areas.

We're getting together for festive occasions, and everyone in Manitoba deserves

November 28, 2024 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA 229 to be safe while you're out and about this holiday season. So I want to take this opportunity to thank law en- forcement, who have been quick to respond to terrible tragedies unfolding in the city of Winnipeg and across Manitoba recently. They have a difficult job to do at the best of times, and we are asking them to do so much more as their jobs become even more difficult.

So, thank you to everyone who works in the policing sector of our province and thank you to those officers who responded both to this incident and another tragic event recently in the city. We are tough on crime. We are tough on the causes of crime. Where the PCs refused to take action, we have reformed bail in Manitoba and invested in law enforcement after years of funding freezes– The Speaker: Member's time is expired. The honourable member for Roblin, on a supple- mentary question. Mrs. Cook: Just hours after the Polo Park stabbings, a 19 -year-old was stabbed waiting for the bus just across the street.

Earlier this week, a police officer was stabbed in the neck at Unicity. And last week, River Heights residents were terrorized by a single suspect com - mitting five armed robberies in just one hour. Winnipeggers aren't safe under this NDP govern- ment. The Premier has no plan to tackle the rampant increase to violent crime that is happening under his watch. He has no idea how to handle the addictions crisis in Manitoba, and he's made it clear that he won't help suburban Winnipeg. Why is this Premier allowing violent criminals to terrorize the people of west Winnipeg? Mr.

Kinew: We are investing in law en forcement. For years under the PCs, funding was frozen. We lost 50 police officers in the city of Winnipeg during the member opposite's time in office. So when the member stands up, perhaps she would like to begin her question by apologizing to the people of Winnipeg for cutting more than 50 police officer positions during the failed era of Heather Stefanson. We, on the other hand, are turning to a new approach. There are more police officers working in Winnipeg today, led by the initiatives spearheaded by the Minister of Justice (Mr. Wiebe). I was out to thank law enforcement.

Our govern- ment is out to work with you in the community. The only people who are not working together to make our communities safer are the members opposite. In last year's election campaign, they attacked the vic- tims of a serial killer. Where is the apology for that? Stand in your place now and address that terrible– The Speaker: Member's time is expired. The honourable member for Roblin, on a final supplementary question. [interjection] Order, please. Mrs. Cook: Businesses want to open their doors with- out the threat of violence–[interjection] The Speaker: Order, please.

We're not going to accomplish anything yelling back and forth across, so please don't. Mrs. Cook: Businesses want to open their doors with- out the threat of violence looming over them, their staff and their customers. Winnipeggers want to feel proud of the city we call home. They need a gov- ernment that's willing to do the hard work to tackle the challenges we face, from violent crime to the addic- tions crisis. I want to speak directly to the people in Winnipeg who are watching what's happening in our neighbour- hoods with increasing fear, despair and anger.

It is crystal clear that the NDP has no plan to protect you. All this Premier does is talk. He sits on his hands. He points fingers. He blames everyone else. He has talked about this for over a year. The more he talks, the worse things get. When is he actually going to do something about it? Mr. Kinew: Let's talk solutions. I would speak to you, no matter where you live in this province: the city of Winnipeg, the suburbs–rural Manitoba for a change, I'll talk to, unlike the members opposite. What are the solutions to crime? I'm sure every - one agrees that it's more law enforcement. Well, guess what?

We are investing a huge increase to law en - forcement after their funding was frozen and their jobs cut by the PCs. What else have you got to do? Well, you've got to tackle the addictions crisis. What are we doing? We're both bringing the hammer down on drug traffickers,

230 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA November 28, 2024 and we're offering a path to recovery for those who need it. And of course, you need pre vention. And that's why we have a school food program in every single school in Manitoba so that young people can stay on a positive path for the next generation. We're responding immediately to crimes to hold people accountable. We've reformed bail, and we're preventing the next generation from going on a negative path. Who's the one making noise and offering no solutions? It's the PCs, who continue to try and antagonize– The Speaker: Member's time has expired.

Hanover School Division Education Assistant Layoffs Mr. Grant Jackson (Spruce Woods): Well, I'm glad to hear the Premier mention schools. It's some thing that very rarely crosses his lips, and it builds on the topic we're going to bring up next. Yesterday, we learned that the Hanover School Division was being forced to cut 93 educational assist- ant positions due to a cut from Justin Trudeau. The question we have for the Premier is: How long has he known that this was coming, and what action has he taken to address it? Hon.

Wab Kinew (Premier): Well, you know that schools were underfunded for years under the PCs, so the action that we've taken was to provide more funding to schools. That money goes to school divi - sions and it makes its way to the classroom that you and your child are concerned with. When you look at the impact of the invest ments that we're making in schools this year, it is real. There are more than 630 additional educators working in classes today. However, here's the thing: the people in Hanover have an MLA who is the former minister of Educa- tion.

If they have a quarrel with the quality of educa - tion in their district, they should take it up with their local MLA and remember that the people that they sent to the Legislature can make a difference. However, he chose to cut, and he chose to close im - portant initiatives. We're taking a different approach: investing in schools, investing in the next generation and ensuring that every child gets the one-on-one attention that they need to succeed. The Speaker: The honour able member for Spruce Woods, on a supplementary question. Mr.

Jackson: Here's what the Hanover School Division can take away from the Premier's response: go talk to your local MLA, because we've got nothing for you to solve this problem of 93 less educational assistants working in the system today. So the layoff notices have gone out. That's 93 less educational assistants in classrooms under this Premier and his acting Education Minister's response and their responsibility. Will he take some action today and step in to make sure that these staff are still in the classroom tomorrow? Mr. Kinew: No, actually–not at all.

There are more than 630 more educators working in classrooms in Manitoba today. And here's the thing: for years under the PCs, there were cherry -picked investments in their own backyard, but with us–we're a government for everyone in Manitoba. And so we're putting educational assistants and teachers and school leaders into every corner of the province. The point about the member for Steinbach (Mr. Goertzen), however, was this: for young people watching today, compounding effects over time aggravate an existing situation.

When you have a gov- ernment under the PCs that refuses to invest and makes cuts year after year, those impacts continue to have a ramification –continue to have an impact for years after the initial cut was made. That happened under the member opposite, who was Edu cation minister at the time. We are– The Speaker: Member's time has expired. The honourable member for Spruce Woods, on a final supplementary question. * (14:00) Mr. Jackson: What the Premier has just made clear is that his government is all about the rear-view mirror and not taking accountability for things that are happening today.

This Premier needs to step in and provide addi - tional funding for Hanover School Division to keep these 93 educational assistants in the classroom.

November 28, 2024 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA 231 Will his acting Education Minister step up where he's failed, put the funding in place and keep these folks in the classroom today? Mr. Kinew: There are more educators working in classrooms today than ever before: 630 more teachers and educational assistants working in the classroom today. The members opposite, for year after year after year, saw educators leaving the profession. It's because they underfunded education. It's because they had an antagonistic relationship towards the teaching pro - fession.

We see the continued attack of their cuts in classrooms today. But here's the thing. When we talk about the future, here's the future under our govern ment: more educators in the classroom, a uni versal school food program so that every young person can stay on a pathway to post -secondary instead of a pipeline to prison and, of course, the invest ments necessary to stand up new schools in every corner of Manitoba. The future is bright, and it's being led by the stu- dents in the classroom. The Speaker: The honour able member for Spruce Woods, on a new question. Mr.

Jackson: Well, it's quite clear, Honourable Speaker, that the Premier was badly briefed and had no idea that this issue was actually happening. It's shameful that this Premier and his Education Minister have let this situation get this far that notices have been delivered to these educational assistants, some of whom are serving some of the most vul ner- able students within Hanover School Division. So the question is: With this Premier's failure to show leadership today, where is the Minister of Education on this issue, and why isn't she taking any– [interjection] The Speaker: Order. Mr. Jackson: –action? Mr.

Kinew: The members opposite were completely silent when their government cut a disability support program that helped children in Manitoba learn how to swallow. We're talking about young Manitobans who needed assistance trying to learn how to swallow. Your government cut that. What else did your government cut? You cut educa- tion funding, I say to you through the Chair, Mr. Honourable Speaker. They cut edu cation year after year. Schools were not built. An antagonistic relationship through bill 64 was the order of the day. We've reset the relationship.

We're investing in every school division across the province, including Hanover. The member for Steinbach (Mr. Goertzen) needs to address his own constituents and explain to them as he takes responsibility of how his cuts are impacting their kids' education, because the reality is, today in Manitoba, you have a gov ernment that's investing your–in your kids, both in Steinbach– The Speaker: Member's time has expired. I just remind all members to make sure they're addressing their comments through the Chair, and I would ask everybody to just calm down a little. Mr. Jackson: You know, the member for St.

Johns (MLA Fontaine) put the word hypocrisy on the record yesterday, and do you know what's hypocritical today from this Premier? He talks about an antagonistic relationship with a school division. This is a school division that he's appointed an administrator to oversee because he doesn't trust the demo cratically elected school trustees–[interjection] The Speaker: Order, please. The honourable member for St. Johns will come to order. Mr. Jackson: Because he doesn't trust the school division trustees to do their jobs.

So I've never seen anything more hypocritical from this Premier, and that's a long list, by the way, Honourable Speaker. So, again, the Education Minister is asleep at the switch. Once again, teachers and students are paying the price for this Premier. Will he step up with funding to keep these educa- tional assistants in the classroom today? Mr. Kinew: You want more money for schools? Done. There is more money for schools today than at any period in Manitoba history. Again, there is more school funding going to school divisions than ever before in the history of Manitoba.

That's more money for educational assist- ants, more money for teachers, more money to deliver those programs that help young people learn. Here's the thing, however: the impact of the cuts that the PCs brought into place continues to have a lasting impact. It is going to take years to fix the dam- age that they caused. But we're doing it.

232 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA November 28, 2024 We're investing in a uni versal school food pro- gram across the province. We've added 630 more educators to the classroom this year; that means more one-on-one time with your child– The Speaker: The member's time has expired. Mr.

Jackson: Well, Honourable Speaker, what you can take from that is that there's no solutions from this Premier today for the good people of Hanover School Division and the vul nerable students who will now have 93 less edu cational assistants supporting them due to a cut from Justin Trudeau and this Premier's absolute inaction on this issue. And mark my words, Hon ourable Speaker, this will result in deteriorating conditions in the classroom starting effective immediately.

So will the acting Education Minister or whosever acting for Education in this government today step up to the plate and –around this Premier's inaction and waffling and provide some funding to keep these edu- cational assistants in the classroom? The Speaker: The honourable First Minister. [interjection] Order. Mr. Kinew: I will caution the member opposite about invoking the people working on education on this side of the aisle. And I'll say it to the young people in the gallery here today– An Honourable Member: Is that a threat? Mr. Kinew: It's a caution.

And I'll say it to the member, as well as to all the young people in the House today, when you try to make a personal attack like that, it's a sign that you're losing the argument. Because here's the fact: we are providing more resources than ever to school div- isions in the classroom. However, when we have years of PC cuts, we know that school divisions have been put into a very difficult position. But the impact of the investments we're making are very clear. There is a uni versal school nutrition program in every corner of the province.

At the same time, there are 630 additional educators working in Manitoba classrooms today. That's more educational assistants, more school leaders and more teachers providing more one-on-one– The Speaker: Member's time has expired. Green Valley School Cancellation of Expansion Project Mr. Konrad Narth (La Vérendrye): Since finding out about the devastating cut to a des perately needed school expansion in Grunthal, I have been asking the minister to tour the school to see the impact that this decision is having on education delivery to the students.

I have asked the minister in this House, along with a formal request to join me and the Hanover school board in a tour. This week I found out that the minister has recently made the trip to Green Valley School, but the issue is she purposely excluded the school board representation in that meeting. Why is it that the minister is ignoring community representation and refusing to include the school board in her decisions? Hon. Wab Kinew (Premier): When it comes to edu- cation, our team's commitment is clear. We want your child to have more one -on-one instructional time in the classroom.

This is how we're going to see stronger outcomes in math and literacy. This is how we're going to see that social cohesion and those sociability skills begin to improve after years of cuts under the PC government. We saw a string of Edu cation ministers on the PC side during their time in office. The one thing that they all had in common: cut, cut, cut. Except for Heather Stefanson, who brought in bill 64, which is a complete abomination. We on the other hand, we're investing in schools. We're investing in independent schools. We're invest- ing in public schools.

We're investing in schools in the Hanover division in southeastern Manitoba, right across the North. We're also ensuring that every young person has a chance to learn after eating a nutritious meal because of our investment in a universal school 'fode' program. After years of cuts, the education system is on the road to repair– The Speaker: Member's time has expired. The honourable member for La Vérendrye , on a supplementary question. Mr. Narth: It's funny that the Premier wants more one-on-one help for students, but yet has allowed 93 assistants to be fired from the system. * (14:10)

November 28, 2024 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA 233 The residents of La Vérendrye are having a real hard time trusting this government. They have shown complete disregard for who they are and what they represent. First the school board sees the NDP appoint a watchdog to their board, disregarding all trust in the ability to represent the people who have elected them, and now the trustees are completely ignored in the future planning of the Green Valley School. Why is it that this NDP government has complete disregard for democracy when it isn't convenient for them? Mr.

Kinew: Nobody stands more for democracy than our team. On that side of the House, they want to tell women when to have a family. We believe in your freedom to decide for yourself. On that side of the House, they want to tell young people across the province how you should identify, how you should carry yourself in public. On this side of the House, no; we think that you should have that freedom. On that side of the House–[interjection] The Speaker: Order, please. Order. I need to be able to hear what people are saying, and all I've heard in the last couple of minutes is people heckling. So you will come to order.

Mr. Kinew: On that side of the House, they want the government to decide how much money you can make. We want you to have the freedom. We're putting the tools in your hand to negotiate a good wage and a brighter future for tomorrow. So if you want a party that stands for democracy, if you want a party that stands for freedom, we're standing with you on the New Democratic side of the aisle. To the people in Hanover, to the people– The Speaker: The member's time has expired. The honourable member for La Vérendrye, on a final supplementary question. Mr.

Narth: You know what they say: When you're explaining, you're losing. And I think it's clear to see who's losing. With cold weather and icy streets, we're seeing the full effects of the NDP's decision to cut the planned expansion. Students are not only crammed into every corner of the building, but they are also forced to walk down slippery streets to access classroom space in the town's elementary school.

Now that this minister has had the opportunity to tour the school and see the effects of overcrowding that it's having on not only the students but also those teachers, will the minister commit today to reinstating the planned expansion and build the m uch-needed space for the growing town of Grunthal, their teachers and the community? Mr. Kinew: We're building schools. We're investing in educators. And you know what, our minister visited the school in question. It sounds like the only complaint the member opposite has is: T hose great things your govern ment is doing, why can't you do more of it, more quickly?

Okay, we're on the double, at your service, serving you, the people of Manitoba. But if you want to talk about explanations, per - haps the member opposite would like to stand and explain to young people across the province why it is that the PC caucus broke itself in half for the first time ever, could not vote as one united caucus. And what was the issue that day? I believe it was human rights. So when you come here and you want to talk about democracy, you better be prepared to explain why it is that your team will not stand united for the human rights of all Manitobans. Some Honourable Members: Oh, oh.

The Speaker: Order, please. Order, please. Order, please. Order. The government bench, when the Speaker is stand- ing, stop clapping, stop talking, sit down. Give the Speaker the respect that the position deserves. Phoenix School Renovations Government Intention for Project Mrs. Kathleen Cook (Roblin): Grunthal isn't the only community suffering because of this NDP govern - ment's education policies or lack thereof. Phoenix School in Headingley is bursting at the seams. They had a capital expansion and renovation project under way.

It was at 99 per cent design project stage when this NDP govern ment came in and cancelled it. Will the Premier (Mr. Kinew) explain today to the people of Headingley what's going to happen to

234 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA November 28, 2024 students at Phoenix School, in a school that is outdated and overcrowded? Hon. Bernadette Smith (Acting Minister of Education and Early Childhood Learning): Well, unlike mem- bers opposite, we are investing in schools. We are investing in children. On this side of the House, we have many educators. We understand that children need to be fed at school. As an educator myself, I remember a time when members on the 'opposide' voted against that.

We had parents asking us to support nutrition in schools. [interjection] And I know the members opposite want to heckle because they don't like feeding kids in school, but we know that it's important because kids need to focus on learning. And we've listened, on this side of the bench, to parents. We've listened, on this side of the bench, to educators. We've listened, on this side of the bench, to Manitobans, and that's exactly what we're doing. We're feeding kids in schools so that they c an focus on learning and get a good education. The Speaker: The honourable member for Roblin, on a supplementary question.

Mrs. Cook: In another show of disrespect for school divisions in this province, the Phoenix School expan- sion and renovation project has been the No. 1 capital priority of the St. James -Assiniboia School Division for many years. In fact, the school division recently invited mem- bers of the NDP caucus to meet at Phoenix School so they could see first -hand the need for this project. Members of the NDP caucus met at Phoenix School, two of whom are now Cabinet ministers. Will they stand up at the Cabinet table? Will they stand up to this Premier (Mr.

Kinew) and demand that the Phoenix School expansion and renovation project proceed as planned? Ms. Smith: What I want to say to all those educators out there is that we thank you for your work, all of the work that you've been doing, and we apologize for the last seven and a half years that you had to, you know, work under the former government who disrespected you, day after day, that didn't listen to you, that, you know, ballooned your class sizes. You now have a government that's listening to you. You have 630 new educators in the system. You have lower class sizes.

Parents, you know, you've told us that you want more supports for your kids at–in the schools. We've listened to that. We've added 630 new educators into the system. Unlike members opposite, we listen. We take action– The Speaker: Member's time has expired. The honourable member for Roblin, on a final supplementary question. Mrs. Cook: To recap the NDP's record on education thus far: cancelled 90 new schools; cancelled countless renovation and expansion projects in communities all across the province; and, as of today, 93 fewer EAs are on the job, thanks to this NDP government's inaction.

Child care is one of the other issues that's impacted by this project cancellation. Phoenix School stood to get space for 74 new child-care spaces. There are over 500 children on a wait -list for child care in Headingley and the daycare operator has been told that they will not have space next year. Will this NDP gov ernment correct their mistake and allow this expansion and renovation project to proceed as planned, yes or no? Ms. Smith: Well, this gives me an op portunity to shout-out all our child-care providers in the province and thank them again for the work that they're doing.

And again, our government has listened to them. They will get true $10 -a-day child care in this prov- ince. As a grandmother, I know how valuable that is. During the summer, during in- service days, you know, parents struggle to pay for that extra, you know, support–it was up to $18. They're going to have true $10 a day. Again, we are listening and working for Manitobans, unlike members opposite who are div- isive, that want to fight. And we will continue to work for you, Manitobans, and listen to you, unlike mem - bers opposite– The Speaker: Member's time has expired.

Immigration All-Profile Draws Selection Criteria Transparency Ms. Jodie Byram (Agassiz): Yesterday, concerned workers rallied in front of this building, calling on the Minister of Labour and Immigration to come to the table and talk. The minister couldn't even be bothered to respond to media on the matter and let staff handle it for her.

November 28, 2024 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA 235 And I'll table that article. I fear she maybe hasn't seen it either. Why did this minister refuse to meet with these concerned workers? * (14:20) Hon. Malaya Marcelino (Minister of Labour and Immigration): I thank the member for her question finally, after several weeks of no questions on immigration or workers.

You know, this government is very serious about seeing economic growth, and we're very committed to all the workers across our province and making sure that we can do our best to find a path to permanent residency and to Canadian citizenship for all workers across this province. And I'm fighting really hard and especially trying to work with the federal government to make sure that we can make that happen. Thank you, Honourable Speaker. The Speaker: The honourable member for Agassiz, on a supplementary question. Ms.

Byram: One of those at the rally expressed con- cerns at the rate in which this govern ment is pro - cessing draws and specifically, all-profile draws. Her pro-democracy views made her realize Canada pro - vides opportunities China never will. The minister has already specified in her selection criteria, and this is in her own words: the right kind of immigrant. So I ask: Why is she slowing down the whole pro- cess hand–and hand-picking winners and losers?

MLA Marcelino: Our Immigration De partment is working very hard to make sure that we process all 9,500 of the federal allotment that we get this year, unlike members opposite who left 2,100 spots for families on the table because of lack of funding for our department. We regularly draw every two weeks.

These are transparent draws, and our government's priority as it relates to this is making sure that businesses have the workers that they need, that rural and northern com - munities have the workers that they need, and to just also make sure that inter national students who are here with–educated at post-secondary institutions that are also finding work here can stay in the province to continue working towards permanent residency. So this is the –these are the priorities of this government– The Speaker: Member's time is expired. The honourable member for Agassiz, on a final supplementary question. Ms.

Byram: Immigration lawyer Ken Zaifman put it clearly: The Province's priorities have changed. And those that rallied yesterday estimate this 'mester's'–this minister has cut those all-profile draws significantly. If the minister isn't prioritizing high -scoring applicants who are already here working, who is she prioritizing, and why won't she commit to transparency? MLA Marcelino: At this time, we are definitely focused on rural and northern com munities because that's where the labour shortages are the most dire, as the member opposite would know that because she comes from that type of community herself.

So, over the past year, our department has worked really hard to make sure that rural and northern com- munities have their–the tools that they have to shape their own destiny. In January, the Parkland region were able to start their own immigration initiative, where they get to choose the families themselves and the number for their community. Last week, we got Brandon to do the same thing, and also west central region of the prov- ince, where it was spearheaded by the Russell region. So these are communities that are taking destiny in their own hands– The Speaker: Member's time has expired.

Committee on Local Journalism Government Announcement MLA Robert Loiselle (St. Boniface): L'Honorable Président, lorsque les Conservateurs étaient au pouvoir, ils ont tenté de nuire au journalisme local en adoptant la

loi sur la modernisation des avis gouvernementaux, qui aurait privé les journaux locaux de revenus publicitaires essentiels. Leur projet de loi était tellement impopulaire que même des Conservateurs comme Ken Waddell et Steven Fletcher se sont opposés au projet. Mais, les membres opposés ont insisté pour nuire aux journaux du Manitoba, et ont tout de même voté pour adopter le projet de loi, y compris le député de Lac du Bonnet (M. Ewasko) et Heather Stefanson. Mais c'est un jour nouveau au Manitoba, l'Honorable Président, et notre gouvernement adopte une nouvelle approche.

236 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA November 28, 2024 La ministre peut -elle expliquer ce que fait ce gouvernement pour protéger le journalisme local et communautaire? Translation Honourable Speaker, when the Conservatives were in power, they worked to undermine local journalism by pushing through the government notices modern- ization act, which would have deprived local news - papers of vital advertising revenue. Their bill was so unpopular that even Conservatives like Ken Waddell and Steven Fletcher opposed it.

But members opposite insisted on hurting Manitoba newspapers, and voted to pass the bill anyway, includ- ing the member for Lac du Bonnet (Mr. Ewasko) and Heather Stefanson. But it is a new day in Manitoba, Honourable Speaker, and our government is taking a new approach. Can the minister explain what this government is doing to protect local and community journalism? Hon. Nahanni Fontaine (Minister of Families): Merci pour la question. [Thank you for the question.] Local newspapers have always been there for us, and now it's our turn to be there for them.

The mem - bers opposite tried to hurt local news by passing bad legislation when they were in their failed government. But now it's time for us to come together and work towards solutions supporting local newspapers, to tell the story of Manitoba for generations to come. That's why we introduced a Special Committee on Local Journalism. And because it's a non- partisan issue, the committee will be made up of both govern- ment and opposition member MLAs. This isn't a left or right motion, it's a pro-democracy and pro-commu- nity motion.

And we look forward to the support from all members– The Speaker: Member's time has expired. North End Water Treatment Plant Project Funding Commitment Request Mr. Trevor King (Lakeside): Honourable Speaker, the NDP government is falling short again. Total fund- ing deficit of the North End water treatment plant project is projected to be $483 million for phase 2. If this government were to be a true partner with municipalities as they claim, their fair share would be $127 million, not $30 million. Today, the Premier (Mr. Kinew) fell 75 per cent short of that number.

Will the minister commit to funding the Province's fair share of this project? Hon. Mintu Sandhu (Minister of Public Service Delivery): Our govern ment is making progress on the things that matter to Manitobans. Today, we announced additional $30 million for the NEWPCC program. Honourable Speaker, we are fixing health care, we are making more affordable–and we are making communities safer. We are also actively working to move the NEWPCC project forward. And I look for - ward to sharing more information. Thank you, Honourable Speaker. The Speaker: The honourable member for Lakeside, on a supplementary question.

Mr. King: Honourable Speaker, asking municipal - ities to shoulder the burden of this govern ment's imprudent spending is unfair and unconscionable. They fritter away money daily, but when it really matters, they consistently come up short; in this case, $97 million short. Will the minister admit their game of shuffling funds while boosting NDP ego is harming com mu- nities? MLA Sandhu: I think the members opposite only care about themselves. They care about their own priorities, but we care about Manitoba's priorities. Manitobans' priorities are our priorities. Our team is at the table with the City of Winnipeg.

We are actively advocating for the federal gov ernment. And we will get this project done so that we can grow the economy and build more housing and protect Lake Winnipeg for future generations. Thank you, Honourable Speaker. The Speaker: The honourable member for Lakeside, on a final supplementary question. Mr. King: Honourable Speaker, you want to talk about caring about communities; I come from three genera- tions that cared about our communities. This government consistently repeats its past mis- takes.

First it was cutting Building Sus tainable Com- munities and Green Team to pay for the one Manitoba shell game. Then PR 227 was cut, its money going to where? Only time will tell. It's certainly not going to municipalities.

November 28, 2024 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA 237 Minister, can you please disclose which project was pilfered to free up the relative pittance given back to the City of Winnipeg today? The Speaker: Order, please. I just remind the member that questions and answers need to be directed through the Chair, not directly at a member opposite. Hon. Glen Simard (Minister of Municipal and Northern Relations): Well, I think it's really time to talk about the–about what the–means to have a great relationship. Well, listen, yesterday you talk about Animal Farm, today I'm going to talk about another story.

There were three Manitobans who wanted to build a province. Eight and a half years ago, they went on a journey. The first one built their house out of straw. Nothing. Tools were bill 64; flew down. The next one, out of sticks. Sticks. Couldn't–[interjection] The Speaker: Order. Mr. Simard: We build with bricks. We have a foun- dation: human rights, women succeeding, dollars for municipalities. The rest– The Speaker: Member's time has expired. New High School for Ste. Anne Construction Inquiry MLA Bob Lagassé (Dawson Trail): This question has been asked before, and it clearly needs to be asked again. Ste.

Anne was one of the communities that had a new school that had been planned and budgeted by our PC government. This school was cut without notice by this government. * (14:30) Students and families are dramatically impacted by this cut. The Minister of Public Service Delivery (MLA Sandhu) is now responsi ble for constructing new schools, so when can the residents of Ste. Anne expect this unneeded pause to be lifted and work started in their new high school? Hon.

Bernadette Smith (Acting Minister of Education and Early Childhood Learning): Again, I just want to let folks know about the great news: 630 new educators in our system; a school nutrition program that's going to make sure that every student across the province is fed and could focus on education. And now we have a new financial literacy pro- gram that the former gov ernment couldn't get on the ground. We've got it on the ground and educators are so happy about this and so are grade 9 students. And they now have a government who actually cares about education and are listening to educators across the province.

The Speaker: The time for oral questions has expired. [interjection] Order, please. Introduction of Guests The Speaker: There are some guests in the gallery. I have guests: Adrien Grenier and Gilbert, his brother-in-law, who are here handing out Christmas reception invitations for Moonshadow Holsteins, one of the largest dairy farms in Manitoba, and they are guests of the honour able member for La Vérendrye (Mr. Narth). Further, we have seated in the public gallery, from Winnipeg Adult Education Centre, 30 grade 12 stu- dents under the direction of Phil Cook.

This group is located in the constituency of the honourable member for Union Station (MLA Asagwara). And we welcome you all here again today. PETITIONS Breast Screening Mr. Wayne Balcaen (Brandon West): I would wish to present the following petition to the Legis lative Assembly of Manitoba. The background to this petition is as follows:

(1) Due to evolving scientific evidence, the Canadian Cancer Society is now urging all provinces and territories to lower the starting age for breast cancer screening to 40.

(2) Based off 2023 treatment standards, it is esti- mated that screening women annually for breast cancer starting at age 40 will save the Canadian health-care system $460 million annually.

(3) After non -melanoma skin cancers, breast cancer is the most common form of cancer among Canadian women. One in eight Canadian women will be diagnosed with breast cancer during their lifetime, and one in 36 will die from it. This is

238 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA November 28, 2024 30,500 diagnoses and 5,500 deaths every year, and 84 diagnoses and 15 deaths every day. Early detection of breast cancer will lead to better outcomes in patients, with better odds of survival and less severe cases. Women in their 40s who have access to mammograms have a 44 per cent lower mortality rate from breast cancer than those who don't receive screening.

(5) Every other province and territory in Canada has already lowered the breast cancer screening age, or announced their intention to do so. Other provinces in Canada have already commenced the work of expanding screening programs and hiring additional technologists into their public health-care system.

(6) Manitoba is currently behind the rest of the country and has no formal plan to increase its screen- ing capacity or lower the breast cancer screening age.

(7) Lowering the breast cancer screening age to 40 in Manitoba will reduce long- term costs to the health-care system because cancers that are caught early are typically less complicated to treat. We petition the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba as follows: To urge the provincial gov ernment to imme - diately put forward a plan to increase breast cancer screening capacity and lower the breast cancer screen- ing age to 40. This petition has been signed by Rob Lavin, Terri Miller, John Fraser and many, many other fine Manitobans.

MRI Machine for Portage Regional Health Facility MLA Jeff Bereza (Portage la Prairie): I wish to present the following petition to the Legislative Assembly. To the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba, the background to this petition is as follows:

(1) Thanks to the investment made under the previous PC provincial government as part of the clinical and preventative services plan, construction for the new Portage regional health facility is well under way. The facility and surrounding community would greatly benefit from the added diagnostic machinery and equipment, but specifically the addition of an MRI machine.

(2) An MRI machine is a non -invasive medical imaging technique that uses a magnetic field and a computer-generated radio waves to create detailed images of organs and tissues in the human body. It is used for disease detection, diagnosis and treatment monitoring.

(3) Portage la Prairie is centrally located in Manitoba and is on the No. 1 Highway in the Southern Health/Santé Sud Health Authority. Currently there is only one MRI machine in the RHA.

(4) An MRI machine located in the Portage regional health facility will reduce costs for patients as well as reduce the burden on stretcher service and ambulance use. It will bring care closer to home and reduce wait times for MRIs across the province.

(5) Located around Portage la Prairie are the Dakota Tipi, Dakota Plains, Sandy Bay and Long Plain First Nations. Indigenous peoples in Canada 'disportionately'–disproportionately face burdens–barriers in access to service and medical care. * (14:40) An MRI machine located in the Portage regional health facility will bring care closer to their home communities and provide greater access to diagnostic testing.

(6) Located in the close proximity to the new Portage regional health facility is the Southport air - port. The aerodrome has a runway length that is more than adequate to support medical air ambulance services. This will provide the opportunity to transport patients by air from more remote communities to access MRI imaging services.

(7) The average wait time for Manitobans to receive an MRI scan is currently six to eight months. Having an MRI machine in the Portage regional health facility will help reduce these wait times for patients and provide better care sooner. We petition the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba as follows: To urge the provincial government to support the investment and placement of an MRI machine in the Portage regional health facility in Portage la Prairie, Manitoba. This is signed by Lucy van Dongen, John Fehr, Glenn Milne and many, many more Manitobans. Thank you so much. Medical Assistance in Dying Mr.

Obby Khan (Fort Whyte): I wish to present the following petition to the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba.

November 28, 2024 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA 239 These are the reasons for this petition: Mr. Tyler Blashko, Deputy Speaker, in the Chair

(1) Persons struggling with mental health as their sole condition may access medical assistance in dying unless Parliament intervenes. (2) 'Suicidity' is often a symptom of mental illness, and suicide is the second leading cause of death for Canadians between the age of 10 and 19.

(3) There have been reports of the unsolicited introduction of medical assistance in dying to non-seeking persons, including Canadian veterans, as a solution for their medical and mental health issues.

(4) Legal and medical experts are deeply con - cerned that permitting Canadians suffering from depression and other mental illnesses to access euthanasia would undermine suicide prevention efforts and risk normalizing suicide as a solution for those suffering from mental illness.

(5) The federal gov ernment is bound by the Charter of Rights and Freedom to advance and protect the life, liberty and security of its citizens.

(6) Manitobans consider it a priority to ensure that adequate supports are in place for the mental health of all Canadians.

(7) Vulnerable Manitobans must be given suicide prevention counselling instead of suicide assistance.

(8) The federal gov ernment should focus on increasing mental health supports to provinces and improve access to these supports, instead of offering medical assistance in dying for those with mental illnesses. We petition the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba [inaudible]:

(1) To urge the provincial gov ernment to lobby the federal gov ernment to stop the expansion of medical assistance in dying to [inaudible] is the sole condition; and

(2) To urge the provincial government [inaudible] lobby [inaudible] federal gov ernment to protect Canadians struggling with mental illness by facilitating treatment, recovery and medical assistance in living, not death. Honourable Speaker, this petition has been signed by many, many Manitobans. Provincial Trunk Highway 34 Ms. Jodie Byram (Agassiz): I wish to present the following petition to the Legislative Assembly. To the Legis lative Assembly of Manitoba, the background to this petition is as follows:

(1) Prov incial Trunk Highway 34, PTH 34, is a two-lane provincial primary highway that runs from the US border where it meets with ND 20 to PTH 16 at the town of Gladstone.

(2) PTH 34 runs north-south in the south- central region of the province. It is the main highway for the towns of Crystal City, Pilot Mound and Holland, serving as a main corridor for semi -trailers, farm equipment, daily drivers and local school bus routes.

(3) A new bridge is currently being constructed over the Assiniboine River at PTH 34, north of Holland, in the RM of Victoria. The bridge serves as an impor tant north -south link over the Assiniboine River between the Trans-Canada Highway and PTH 2.

(4) The deterioration of PTH 34 has raised major concerns due to its narrow shoulders and numer ous deep potholes that pose serious safety risks consid - ering farmers often need to use the highway to transport heavy equipment.

(5) Construction of a new bridge in accordance – current design codes and the RTAC standard, located on PTH 34 crossing the Assiniboine River, will sup- port trade and commerce and improve public safety in the area and also accommodate flood events in the Assiniboine River. We petition the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba as follows: To urge the provincial government to address the conditions of Provincial Trunk Highway 34, making the necessary upgrades to RTAC and to resurface the road once the new bridge has been completed.

This petition has been signed by Kelly Watson, Laura Manastyr and Trish Gros and many, many, many more Manitobans. Removal of Federal Carbon Tax Mr. Josh Guenter (Borderland): Honourable Speaker, I wish to present the following petition to the Legis - lative Assembly. To the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba, the back- ground to this petition is as follows:

240 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA November 28, 2024

(1) The federal gov ernment has mandated a consumption-based carbon tax, with the stated goal of financially pressuring Canadians to make decisions to reduce their carbon emissions. * (14:50)

(2) Manitoba Hydro estimates that, even with a high-efficiency furnace, the carbon tax is costing the average family over $200 annually, even more for those with older furnaces.

(3) Home heating in Manitoba is not a choice or a decision for Manitobans to make; it is a necessity of life, with an average of almost 200 days below 0°C annually.

(4) The federal government has selectively removed the carbon tax off of home heating oil in the Atlantic provinces of Canada, but has indicated they have no intention to provide the same relief to Manitobans heating their homes.

(5) Manitoba Hydro indicates that natural gas heating is one of the most affordable options available to Manitobans, and it can be cost prohibitive for households to replace their heating source.

(6) Premiers across Canada, including in the Atlantic provinces that benefit from this decision, have collectively sent a letter to the federal gov ern- ment, calling on it to extend the carbon tax exemption to all forms of home heating, with the exception of Manitoba.

(7) Manitoba is one of the only provincial juris - dictions to have not agreed with the stance that all Canadians' home heating bills should be exempt from the carbon tax.

(8) Prov incial leadership in other juris dictions have already committed to removing the federal carbon tax from home heating bills. We petition the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba as follows: To urge the provincial government to remove the federal carbon tax on home heating bills for all Manitobans to provide them much-needed relief. This petition has been signed by Val Bush, Marlene and Ingrid Erickson, along with many, many Manitobans. The Deputy Speaker: Are there– The honourable member for Morden-Winkler. Breast Screening Mrs.

Carrie Hiebert (Morden-Winkler): Got excited about the clapping; forgot to stand up. I wish to present the following petition to the Legislative Assembly. To the Legis lative Assembly of Manitoba, the background to this petition is as follows:

(1) Due to evolving scientific evidence, the Canadian Cancer Society is now urging all provinces and territories to lower the starting age of breast screening at age 40.

(2) Based off of 2023 treatment standards, it is estimated that screening women annually for breast cancer starting at age 40 will save the Canadian health-care system $460 million annually.

(3) After non -melanoma skin cancers, breast cancer is the most common form of cancer among Canadian women. One in eight Canadian women will be diagnosed with breast cancer during their lifetime, and one in 36 will die from it. This is 30,500 diagnosises and 5,500 deaths every year, and 84 diagnoses and 15 deaths every day. Early detection of breast cancer will lead to better outcomes in patients, with better odds of survival and– in less severe cases. Women in their 40s who have accessed to mammograms have a 44 per cent lower mortality rate from breast cancer than those who don't receive the screening. Even–sorry.

(5) Every other province and territory in Canada has already lowered the breast screening age, or announced their intentions to do so. Other provinces in Canada have already commenced the work of expanding screening programs and hiring additional technologists to their public health-care system.

(6) Manitoba is currently behind the rest of the country and has no formal plan to increase its screen- ing capacity or lowering the breast cancer screening age.

(7) Lowering the breast cancer screening age to 40 in Manitoba will reduce long- term costs to the health-care system because cancers that are caught early–or caught earlier–are typically less complicated to treat. We petition the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba as follows: To urge the provincial government to immediately put forward a plan to increase breast screening cancer–

November 28, 2024 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA 241 sorry–to increase breast cancer screening capacity and lower the breast cancer screening age to 40. This petition has been signed by Brody MacDonald, Clayton Taylorson and Jeff Tait and many, many other Manitobans. Thank you. The Deputy Speaker: The honourable member for Dawson Trail. We need you to unmute yourself, Dawson Trail. MLA Bob Lagassé (Dawson Trail): Oh, apologies. I thought I had hit the button there. I wish to present the following petition. To the Legis lative Assembly of Manitoba, the background of–to this petition is as follows:

(1) Due to evolving scientific evidence, the Canadian Cancer Society, CCS, is now urging all provinces and territories to lower the starting age for breast screening to 40.

(2) Based off 2023 treatment standards, it is esti- mated that screening women annually for breast cancer starting at age 40 will save the Canadian health -care system $460 million annually.

(3) After non -melanoma skin cancers, breast cancer is the most common form of cancer among Canadian women. One in eight Canadian women will be diagnosed with breast cancer during their lifetime, and one in 36 will die from it. This is 30,500 diagnoses and 5,500 deaths every year, and 84 diagnoses and 15 deaths every day.

(4) Early detection of breast cancer will lead to better outcomes in patients, with better odds of sur - vival and less severe cases. Women in their 40s who have access to mammograms have a 44 per cent lower mortality rate from breast cancer than those who don't receive screening. * (15:00)

(5) Every other province and territory in Canada has already lowered the breast cancer screening age, or announced their intention to do so. Other provinces in Canada have already commenced the work of expanding screening programs and hiring additional technologists into their public health-care system.

(6) Manitoba is currently behind the rest of the country and has no formal plan to increase its screening capacity or to lower the breast cancer screening age.

(7) Lowering the breast cancer screening age to 40 in Manitoba will reduce long- term costs to the health-care system because cancers that are caught early–earlier are typically less complicated to treat. We petition the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba as follows: To urge the provincial gov ernment to imme - diately put forward a plan to increase breast cancer screening capacity and lower the breast cancer screen- ing age to 40. This petition has been signed by many Manitobans. Provincial Road 210 Mr.

Konrad Narth (La Vérendrye): Honourable Speaker, I wish to present the following petition to the Legislative Assembly. To the Legis lative Assembly of Manitoba, the background to this petition is as follows:

(1) Prov incial Road 210, PR 210, is a 117.3-kilometre, 72.8-mile highway in the Eastman region of Manitoba that connects the towns and com- munities of Woodridge, Marchand, La Broquerie, Ste. Anne, Landmark, Linden, Île des Chênes and St. Adolphe.

(2) A sig nificant portion of PR 210 also runs through the constituency of La Vérendrye.

(3) PR 210 is a sig nificant commuting route for Eastman families and is also notably used by those in the agri culture, tourism, trade and commerce industries.

(4) The condition of PR 210 from Woodridge to Highway 12 is in an unacceptable state of disrepair.

(5) The planned pavement upgrade was promised more than 20 years ago when it was constructed with a flat surface suitable for pavement but has yet to be completed.

(6) The condition of PR 210 from Woodridge to Highway 12 is in such bad shape that fire fighters, police and paramedic services are severely delayed when responding to emergencies.

(7) The Minister of Trans portation and Infra - structure as well as the Premier have a duty to respond to infrastructure needs identified by rural communities. We petition the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba as follows:

242 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA November 28, 2024

(1) To urge the Minister of Trans portation and Infrastructure to prioritize the reconstruction of Prov- incial Road 210; and

(2) To urge the provincial government to include the stretch of Provincial Road 210 from Woodridge to Highway 12 and its reconstruction plans. This petition has been signed by Glenn Bergen, Brian Burden [phonetic], Carol Hora and many, many other Manitobans. * (15:10) Breast Screening Mr. Doyle Piwniuk (Turtle Mountain): Honourable Deputy Speaker, I wish to present the following petition to the legis lation–Legislative Assembly of Manitoba. To the Legis lative Assembly of Manitoba, the background to this petition is as follows:

(1) Due to the evolving scientific evidence, the Canadian Cancer Society, CCS, is now urging all provinces and territories to lower the starting age for breast screening to age 40.

(2) Based off the 2023 treatment standards, it is estimated that screening women annually for breast cancer starting at the age of 40 will save Canadian health-care system over $460 million annually.

(3) After non-melanoma skin cancers, breast can- cer is the most common form of cancer among Canadian women. One in eight Canadian women will be diagnosed with breast cancer during their lifetime, and one in 36 will die from it. This is 30,500 diagnoses and 5,500 deaths every year, and 84 diagnoses and 15 deaths every day.

(4) Early detection of breast cancer will lead to better outcomes in patients, with better odds of survival and less severe cases. Women in their 40s who have access to mammograms have a 44 per cent lower mortality rate from breast cancer than those who do not receive screen.

(5) Every other province and territory in Canada has already lowered the breast cancer screening age, or announced their inten tions to do so. Other pro- vinces in Canada have already commenced the work with expanding screening programs and hiring additional technologists into their health-care system.

(6) Manitoba is currently behind the rest of the country and has no formal plan to increase its screen- ing capacity or lower the breast cancer screening age.

(7) Lowering the breast cancer screening to age 40 in Manitoba will reduce long- term costs to the health-care system because cancers that are caught earlier are typically less complicated to treat. We petition the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba as follows: To urge the provincial gov ernment to imme - diately put forward a plan to increase breast cancer screening capacity and lower the breast cancer screening to age 40. This has been signed by Niels Olson, Robin Young and Amy Chappecapellaz [phonetic] and many fine Manitobans. Provincial Road 275 Mr. Rick Wowchuk (Swan River): Just put my glasses on here.

I wish to present the following petition to the Legislative Assembly. To the Legis lative Assembly of Manitoba, the background to this petition is as follows:

(1) Provincial Road 275, PR 275, known as Ditch Road, intersects with PR 588, serving rural areas west of the town of Swan River, and is a heavily used travel corridor linking Saskatchewan and Manitoba. The highway curves on entry into the town of Swan River and terminates at PTH 10A, the town's north bypass.

(2) The Swan River Valley is a highly productive agricultural area, and PR 275 is used by farmers to move heavy machinery and equipment as well as transport seed, grain and fertilizer to many farmers located within reach of the highway.

(3) It is also frequented by families, people shopping at busi nesses along the route and school buses to transport rural students into the town of Swan River for school.

(4) Due to only having patchwork and minor repairs, the highway has 'deteriated' and is covered with large potholes, posing a signi ficant threat to vehicles and passengers.

(5) The roadway and shoulders on PR 275 are extremely narrow, leaving large ditches that have not been properly cared for, which has created poor drainage. The town of Swan River and the munici - pality of Swan Valley West have enquired with MTI for a drainage solution over the past several years. The ditch–this ditch is not graded properly and is full of bulrush, willows and cattails.

November 28, 2024 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA 243

(6) The solution brought forward is to decrease maximum speed limits on the road and to undertake a full rehabilitation of the highway and to re -route the stream through what is now existing farmland, under CN rail lines and the PTH 10A bypass, as well a s through several hundred metres of an existing slough into the Swan River.

(7) Numerous meetings held with Swan Valley West and the town of Swan River with the provincial government have not moved forward. It was agreed in 2022 that MTI was to complete a hydraulic in vesti- gation of the capacity of PR 275/2nd Avenue ditch. The municipalities have not seen the results of this in- vestigation. We petition the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba as follows: * (15:20)

(1) To urge the provincial government to address the much-needed rehabilitation of Provincial Road 275 to ensure public safety.

(2) To urge the provincial government to provide the results of the MTI in vestigation to the town and municipality and provide imme diate funding for the repairs of PR 275; and

(3) To urge the provincial government to address drainage issues on PR 275 and create permanent solutions so that flooding can be avoided. This petition has been signed by Terry James Schullman, Joey Maga, Matt Kosolowsky and many, many other Manitobans. Thank you. Teaching Certification Mr. Wayne Ewasko (Leader of the Official Opposition): Deputy Speaker, I wish to present the following petition to the Legislative Assembly. The background to this petition is as follows:

(1) Ensuring that teachers have a robust back- ground in the subjects they teach is essential for maintaining high -quality education and fostering well-rounded learning experiences for all Manitoba students.

(2) The recent amend ments by the Province of Manitoba to the Teaching Certificates and Quali fica- tions Regulation under The Education Administration Act have significantly lowered the standards for subject-area expertise required for teacher certification.

(3) These amendments eliminated all subject-area requirements for teacher certification, including major and minor teachable subjects and subject -specific requirements for early/middle years streams.

(4) Specifically, the amendments removed: senior years credit require ments in an approved teachable major and minor; early/middle years credit require - ments in an approved teachable major and minor; and early/middle years credit requirements for specific subjects, including: math; physical or biological science; English or French; and history and/or geography.

(5) Key stakeholders, such as parents, post-secondary educators outside the faculties of education and business partners were not consulted about the changes.

(6) The removal of subject-specific requirements undermines the edu cational quality in Manitoba schools by permitting teachers to enter the classroom without sufficient training in core academic areas, thereby compromising the education that Manitoba students receive. We petition the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba as follows:

(1) To urge the Minister of Edu cation and Early Childhood Learning to reverse recent amendments to the Teaching Certificates and Quali fications Regula- tion that weaken subject-area requirements for teacher certification and to reinstate teachable majors and minors and early years –early/middle years require- ments which are essential for ensuring teachers have strong knowledge in subject–in core subject areas.

(2) To urge the provincial government to address teacher shortages through alter native measures that uphold rigorous subject -area standards, which are critical for providing quality education to all Manitoba students. Deputy Speaker, this petition is signed by Quinn Thorn, Julia Tischenko and Aleena Lugman and many more fine Manitobans, Deputy Speaker. Thank you. Mr. Derek Johnson (Interlake-Gimli): Honourable Deputy Speaker, I wish to present the following petition to the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba. To the Legis lative Assembly of Manitoba, the background to this petition is as follows:

(1) Ensuring that teachers have a robust back- ground in the subjects they teach is essential for maintaining high -quality education and fostering

244 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA November 28, 2024 well-rounded learning experiences for all Manitoba students.

(2) The recent amend ments by the Province of Manitoba to the Teaching Certificates and Quali fica- tions Regulation under The Education Administration Act have significantly lowered the standards for subject-area expertise required for teaching certification.

(3) These amendments eliminated all subject-area requirements for teacher certification, including major and minor teachable subjects and subject -specific requirements for early/middle years streams.

(4) Specifically, the amendments removed: senior years credit require ments in an approved teachable major and minor; early/middle years credit require - ments in an approved teachable major and minor; and early/middle years credit requirements for specific subjects, including: math; physical or biological science; English or French; and history and/or geography.

(5) Key stake holders, such as parents, post - secondary educators outside the faculties of education and business partners were not consulted about the changes.

(6) The removal of subject-specific requirements undermines the educational quality in Manitoba schools by permitting teachers to enter the classroom without specific training in core academic areas, thereby compromising the education that Manitoba students receive. We petition the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba as follows: * (15:30)

(1) To urge the Minister of Edu cation and Early Childhood Learning to reverse recent amendments to the Teaching Certificates and Quali fications Regulation that weaken subject-area requirements for teacher certification and to reinstate teachable majors and minors and early/middle years require ments which are essential for ensuring teachers have strong knowledge in core subject areas.

(2) To urge the provincial government to address teacher shortages through alter native measures that uphold rigorous subject -area standards, which are critical for providing quality education to all Manitoba students. This petition is signed by Ivan Liban, Mara Yu and many, many other fine Manitobans. Mr. Greg Nesbitt (Riding Mountain): I wish to present the following petition to the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba. The background to this petition is as follows:

(1) Ensuring that teachers have a robust back- ground in the subjects they teach is essential for maintaining high -quality education and fostering well-rounded learning experiences for all Manitoba students.

(2) The recent amend ments by the Province of Manitoba to the Teaching Certificates and Quali fica- tions Regulation under The Education Administration Act have significantly lowered the standards for subject- area expertise required for teacher certification. The Speaker in the Chair

(3) These amendments eliminated all subject-area requirements for teacher certification, including major and minor teachable subjects and subject -specific requirements for early-to-middle years streams.

(4) Specifically, the amendments removed: senior years credit require ments in an improved teachable major and minor; early-to-middle years credit require- ments in an approved teachable major and minor; and early-to-middle years credit requirements for specific subjects, including: math; physical or biological science; English or French; and history and/or geography.

(5) Key stakeholders, such as parents, post-secondary educators outside the faculties of education and business partners were not consulted about the changes.

(6) The removal of subject-specific requirements undermines the educational quality in Manitoba schools by permitting teachers to enter the classroom without sufficient training in core academic areas, thereby compromising the education that Manitoba students receive. An Honourable Member: It's impor tant to stay hydrated. Mr. Nesbitt: Yes. We petition the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba as follows:

(1) To urge the Minister of Edu cation and Early Childhood Learning to reverse recent amendments to the Teaching Certificates and Quali fications Regula- tion that weaken subject-area requirements for teacher certification and to reinstate teachable majors and minors and early-to-middle years requirements, which are essential for ensuring teachers have strong know- ledge in core subject areas.

(2) To urge the provincial government to address teacher shortages through alter native measures that uphold rigorous subject -area standards, which are

November 28, 2024 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA 245 critical for providing quality education to all Manitoba speakers–students. Honourable Speaker, this petition has been signed by Diane Prioto [phonetic], Brooke Thomson, Jack Kray and many, many, many other fine Manitobans. Thank you, Honourable Speaker. Mr. Richard Perchotte (Selkirk): I wish to present the following petition to the Legislative Assembly. To the Legis lative Assembly of Manitoba, the background to this petition is as follows:

(1) Ensuring that teachers have a robust back- ground in the subjects they teach is essential for maintaining high -quality education and fostering well-rounded learning experiences for all Manitoba students.

(2) The recent amend ments by the Province of Manitoba to the Teaching Certificates and Quali fica- tions Regulation under The Education Administration Act have significantly lowered the standards for subject-area expertise required for teacher certification.

(3) These amendments eliminated all subject-area requirements for teacher certification, including major and minor teachable subjects and subject -specific requirements for early/middle years streams.

(4) Specifically, the amendments removed: senior years credit require ments in a approved teachable major and minor; early/middle years credit require - ments in an approved teachable major and minor; and early/middle years credit requirements for specif ic subjects, including: math; physical or biological science; English or French; and history and/or geography.

(5) Stakeholders, such as parents, post-secondary educators outside the faculties of education and busi- ness partners were not consulted about the changes.

(6) The removal of subject-specific requirements undermines the edu cational quality in Manitoba schools by permitting teachers to enter the classroom without sufficient training in core academic areas, thereby compromising the education that Manitoba students receive. We petition the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba as follows: * (15:40)

(1) To urge the Minister of Edu cation and Early Childhood Learning to reverse recent amend - ments to the Teaching Certificates and Qualifications Regulation that weaken subject-area requirements for teacher certification and to reinstate teachable majors and minors and early/middle years require ments which are essential for ensuring teachers have strong knowledge in core subject areas.

(2) To urge the provincial government to address teacher shortages through alter native measures that uphold rigorous subject -area standards, which are critical for providing quality education to all Manitoba students. This petition has been signed by Michelle Makota, Kyekye Yankey, Caroline Hunter and many other Manitobans. Medical Assistance in Dying Mr. Ron Schuler (Springfield-Ritchot): I wish to present the following petition to the Legis lative Assembly of Manitoba. These are the reasons for this petition:

(1) Beginning March 17, 2024, persons struggling with mental health as their sole condition may access medical assistance in dying unless Parliament inter - venes.

(2) Suicidality is often a symptom of mental illness, and suicide is the second leading cause of death for Canadians between the age of 10 and 19.

(3) There have been reports of the unsolicited introduction of medical assistance in dying to non-seeking persons, including Canadian veterans, as a solution for their medical and mental health issues.

(4) Legal and medical experts are deeply con - cerned that permitting Canadians suffering from depression and other mental illnesses to access euthanasia would undermine suicide prevention efforts and risk normalizing suicide as a solution for those suffering from mental illness.

(5) The federal gov ernment is bound by the Charter of Rights and Freedoms to advance and protect the life, liberty and security of its citizens.

(6) Manitobans consider it a priority to ensure that adequate supports are in place for the mental health of all Canadians.

(7) Vulnerable Manitobans must be given suicide prevention counselling instead of suicide assistance.

(8) The federal gov ernment should focus on increasing mental health supports to provinces and improve access to these supports, instead of offering

246 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA November 28, 2024 medical assistance in dying for those with mental illness. We petition the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba as follows:

(1) To urge the provincial gov ernment to lobby the federal gov ernment to stop the expansion of medical assistance in dying to those for whom mental illness is the sole condition.

(2) To urge the provincial gov ernment to lobby the federal government to protect Canadians struggling with mental illness by facilitating treatment, recovery and medical assistance in living, not death. This is signed by Jeannine Dubé, Simone Neveux, Simone Labossière and many, many other Manitobans. Removal of Federal Carbon Tax Mrs. Lauren Stone (Midland): Honourable Speaker, I wish to present the following petition to the Legislative Assembly. The background to this petition is as follows:

(1) The federal government has mandated a con- sumption-based carbon tax, with the stated goal of financially pressuring Canadians to make decisions to reduce their carbon emissions.

(2) Manitoba Hydro estimates that, even with a high-efficiency furnace, the carbon tax is costing the average family over $200 annually, even more for those with older furnaces.

(3) Home heating in Manitoba is not a choice or a decision for Manitobans to make; it is a necessity of life, with an average of almost 200 days below 0°C annually.

(4) The federal govern ment has selectively removed the carbon tax off of home heating oil in the Atlantic provinces of Canada, but has indicated they have no inten tion to provide the same relief to Manitobans heating their homes.

(5) Manitoba Hydro indicates that natural gas heating is one of the most affordable options available to Manitobans, and it can be cost prohibitive for households to replace their heating source.

(6) Premiers across Canada, including in the Atlantic provinces that benefit from this decision, have collectively sent a letter to the federal gov ern- ment, calling on it to extend the carbon tax exemption to all forms of home heating, with the exception of Manitoba.

(7) Manitoba is one of the only provincial juris - dictions to have not agreed with the stance that all Canadians' home heating bills should be exempt from the carbon tax.

(8) Provincial leadership in other juris dictions have already committed to removing the federal carbon tax from home heating bills. We petition the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba as follows: To urge the provincial government to remove the federal carbon tax on home heating bills for all Manitobans to provide them much-needed relief. This is signed by Jessica Hazkharst, Dylan Terry, H. Pearlson and many, many more Manitobans. The Speaker: Are there no more petitions? Then we will go to orders of the day, government business.

ORDERS OF THE DAY GOVERNMENT BUSINESS THRONE SPEECH (Sixth Day of Debate) * (15:50) The Speaker: And now, we will resume debate on the motion moved by the honourable member for Tuxedo (MLA Compton) for an address and a reply to the Speech from the Throne and the amend ment thereto, standing in the name of Dawson Trail, who has 17 minutes remaining–19 minutes remaining. MLA Bob Lagassé (Dawson Trail): I would like to say that it gives me great pleasure to speak on the Throne Speech today, but it really doesn't. There's not a lot in this Throne Speech that actually helps the residents of Dawson Trail.

What really would have happened –what really would have helped would have been if they had actually looked into, you know, meeting the needs of this community and meeting the needs of the people in Dawson Trail, and not just reannouncing projects that our government had already promised funding to. I can think spe cifically of the Taché com munity complex and how our govern ment had invested that money, and there was just a meagre top-up to it.

And I'm thankful that they carried on with it and they didn't just pause or cancel it, like many of the other projects that they have throughout the province of Manitoba, including the school here in Ste. Anne.

November 28, 2024 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA 247 I remember in 2016 when I was first elected, I was quite shocked, actually, at the way the Ste. Anne school were set up and the way that you walk into the main school to–or, the elementary school, and there's like four different entrances, and you walk in and you're trying to figure out exactly where you should be, because you're walking into an elementary portion, but yet there's high school students smoking in front of those doors.

So when I saw this, I remember asking the school administration exactly, you know, what was going on there, and they just had no space. And I imme diately started pushing back in 2016 to have this addressed, and right before, you know, the NDP paused and cancelled this project, we had announced that we were going to do that. We were going to address it. And not only would this have helped, you know, the school, the elementary schools, but it also would have helped the high school. And it also would have included a daycare that was much-needed for the com- munity over here.

And the Throne Speech was just lacking in details as to exactly what they were going to do to address this particular concern. I find a lot of times the NDP are just echoing pre- vious Throne Speech commit ments and previous things that our government had already committed to do. Throne speeches are really meant to instill hope for a future, and this Throne Speech, in my opinion, just doesn't really do that. It's supposed to, you know, address and fix core issues and heal what needs to be healed in this beautiful province, and again, I just didn't see any of that in this particular Throne Speech.

I think about the other needs in Dawson Trail and some of the projects that already were on the way, and they just seem to have stopped under this government. It's almost like if you didn't vote for them, your pro- jects were no longer important or worth mentioning in the Throne Speech. I think of the problematic intersection at the 210 and 12 when how many accidents are still happening there and how it just seems like that seems to have stalled since the NDP took office.

Since being in govern ment for a year, there should have been some lessons learned, I guess, but I may be hoping too much that, you know, you can always look backwards. And yes, we always should look backwards and learn from different errors and mistakes and so on and so forth, but we should also offer a vision with some actual action for the future, and I find day after day in the Chamber they're constantly just looking at the past with no real vision for the future. So, you know, a lot of the needs are just not being met.

But it appears that the NDP government instead of listening to what hasn't worked in this past year that they've been in govern ment or listening to the needs of our province or our busi nesses or the people and families in Manitoba, they're just echoing, once again, what I said earlier, from an earlier Throne Speech. You know, you would think after being in office for a year, there's–there'd be some sort of new vision being offered to Manitobans.

You know, cost of livings are still–cost of living is still increasing; health care is still climbing, with wait times constantly increasing; our classrooms are overwhelmed. It's now appeared that it's just going to be a –you know, hallway education. Our streets are not safe, and violent crime is running rampant in our city and our towns. I remember during the election campaign when the NDP were campaigning and door -knocking door to door, they were talking about fixing all these issues in 100 days. Well, those 100 days have long passed; it's been well over a year.

And this Throne Speech, again, just left us all wanting. Manitobans need to know exactly what's going to be done to help improve our province in the areas that I mentioned earlier, but also improve our province as a whole. As I mentioned earlier, in Dawson Trail, there are needs that need to be met. These are needs to issues that have been ongoing for years and years, as I stated earlier. And you know, we all know that importance of a good educa tion.

The NDP get up and ta lk about it, day after day after day, and claim they're doing everything right, but I don't think the firing of all those EAs in Hanover School Division is actually helping our education system in any particular way. The Throne Speech lacked a lot of vision, and I'd even argue problem-solving skills for the future. Under our previous PC gov ernment, there were plans–there were actual solid plans in place to have the hallway teaching issue rectified in the commu - nities that truly needed it. There was funding ready to go towards building those nine schools.

No matte r what the NDP say, there was funding available, and it was going to the communities that needed it most. When the current gov ernment sat in their seats and looked at their portfolios, they somehow didn't see

248 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA November 28, 2024 these needs again. And once again, they were just cut. Our communities want to know why, and they deserve to know why, and they also want to know when these schools are actually going to be built. In the Throne Speech, it was said, and I quote: "We're building schools owned by the people on your street not Bay Street. And we're keeping schools and community centres open in the evenings and week- ends to give kids more opportunities to play." When I stated that there was no substance to this Throne Speech, this is why.

Instead of giving hope, providing details of what and where, they are making the digs; they are criticizing a plan that worked and made sense, that would have had these schools already under construction. They are playing politics. They are trying to shame instead of doing what they should be doing and focus on actually getting stuff done. Instead of allowing these schools to be built, they gut them.

In 2023–in the 2023 Throne Speech, it said: "Our government will work with educators to lower class sizes for the youngest learners so they get more one-on-one time with their teachers and Ed ucational Assistants." Well, we already know how they feel about edu - cational assistants with the firing of all these ones. And then, not only that, they did cut those schools. So I'd like someone on that side to enlighten me: You know, did they actually talk to the educators over here or just to the ones in their caucus with the same ideology?

To the school divisions –did they actually talk to these school divisions–the school boards? Are they really serious about lowering class sizes? Because if they were, they'd be building these schools. Now, in the 2024 Throne Speech, it says that there were 630 educators that we hired in–this year and are helping kids learn with more attention from their teachers and smaller class sizes. I can now argue that those teachers may have a harder time paying attention to the kids now that there's no educational assistants available to help them in Hanover.

So, again, this is just an echo, offering no real course of action to address any overcrowding issues and the crisis that is occurring. While hiring more teachers is absolutely needed, I struggle to understand how adding more teachers with no new infrastructure or schools is reducing class sizes and reducing hallway education. * (16:00) As I mentioned before, the community of Ste. Anne has–had needed a new school for years and they were about to get it. They were excited; they were optimistic. And now that optimism is gone because this NDP government cut the school.

I've sent letters to the minister, to the Premier (Mr. Kinew), and based on the response I received, I'm really not surprised by the lack of help they have given in this Throne Speech when it comes to the new Ste. Anne school and the others that were desperately waiting. The response letters –the responses in the letter did not give any hope for me to share with the constit- uents of Ste. Anne. It was a blanket response that did not speak to their unique situation, to the dire need for a school in this wonderful community. And since the community of Ste.

Anne is not getting a school and has stopped them from also getting the additional child-care centre, let's take a moment to talk about that quickly. Lack of child -care spaces is not unique to Ste. Anne, nor is it just unique to Dawson Trail; it's a province that is–it is a problem that is province-wide. Our children, our families deserve reliable, affordable daycare. The previous gov ernment, our PC govern - ment, imple mented a $10- a-day child care, which families deserved. This govern ment campaigned on expanding this program, that the $10-a-day child-care program would be expanded to cover more families.

This was a promise made by this gov ernment. That was over a year ago and still crickets; nothing. In the Throne Speech, they speak about this, which is just another echo. It is a recycled announce- ment, like almost every an nouncement, and this was something that was already promised. Parents who are struggling to make ends meet are still waiting on this government to actually deliver. I believe it was a $10 -million promise that was just made to put towards this program, and let's just remember, in their budget they only provide $2.5 million.

So even when they do decide to follow through on their promises, families are worried that with such a little amount of funding not all of them will be able to have the benefit from it, kind of like a different program that I remember that just watches criminals commit crimes. They're also waiting for this govern ment to do something about the 3,500 new child- care spaces they have been promised. I will also note that these 3,500 new child- care spaces was a commit ment that

November 28, 2024 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA 249 was announced by our PC team in 2023 along with the federal government. Well, with those few words and the clear distaste for this Throne Speech, I will wrap this up and concede the floor to another member. Thank you, Honourable Speaker. The Speaker: So it seems that there's two members standing at the same time. My understanding, and the clerks and I have had a great debate about it, is that the independent member does get an op portunity to speak and because he didn't speak earlier in the rotation, that this opportunity goes to the independent member.

I would hope that the inde pendent member will be reasonable in his speaking time to allow someone else, but that's up to the inde pendent member, unfor- tunately. Mr. Mark Wasyliw (Fort Garry): In listening to the Throne Speech, it appears that our Premier (Mr. Kinew) is aspiring for mediocrity. After a year in office, we haven't seen anything from this Premier. In fact, it appears he's out of ideas. It's very much a government that's adrift, that there doesn't seem to be any leader - ship.

There is a spectacle of sort of knee-jerk decision making, attempts at image manage ment and no serious plan to support Manitobans in what's causing issues in our province. In fact, we're in extraordinary cost-of-living crisis, and two of the biggest drivers of that crisis are the cost of groceries and cost of housing. Nothing in this Throne Speech seriously provides relief to Manitobans. Fact, according to Stats Canada, inflation is back on the rise and grocery store inflation rose faster this October than it did last year. It's outpacing inflation.

We now learn that Manitoba is, once again, the dubious distinction of being the child poverty capital of Canada. And shocking as that is, there was no mention in the Throne Speech and no plan. So let – think that –you know, settle that, and we have a Premier that is governing a province with the highest rate of child poverty and it is not one of his priorities for his government. So we know Manitobans' finances are a mess after 10 years of austerity, combination of cuts to services and programs and tax cuts going mostly to the rich.

It's weakened our province to the point where we can't offer basic services to Manitobans. Our infrastructure is crumbling. We have a massive infrastructure deficit. And it's not only just provincial, it's municipal infrastructure deficit, it's school boards, it's regional health authorities–basically, our post-secondary insti- tutions. Since 2016, there are now 2,500 fewer civil servants working for Manitoba. Our popula tion in that same period of time has gone up 200,000 people. We now have the largest non- COVID deficit in Manitoba.

We are paying $2 billion in interest to basically out-of-province bond holders. You know, that's doubled in the last couple of years. And that's money that isn't going to schools, it isn't going to hospitals and it's certainly not going to infrastructure. And we also see that this deficit matches dollar to dollar the amount of tax cuts for the rich that occurred in the previous government, $1.6 billion. The Premier was critical of the previous govern ment, but we now see that he hasn't rolled back any of those rich people tax cuts and basically has adopted them as his own.

So I don't think he can essentially criticize the previous government anymore, because he's adopted all of their cuts. In fact, he's added to them. He's borrowed $340 million for a gas tax holiday with 60 per cent of that money, $190 million, going to cor- porations and businesses and very little trickling down to Manitobans. At the same time, this Premier tells Manitobans that, despite billions being given away to the very wealthy, they have to settle for austerity. So over 10 years of austerity, the Premier has signalled that he now believes in that policy too. So what does that mean?

Well, it means that tran- sit has gone up. The govern ment hasn't restored the 50-50 funding to Transit. One-way or a round trip city bus is about $6.50. That's a lot of money for people to get around the city. And of course, the Province isn't there to help them. Cost of groceries –this Premier promised that he was going to take on the big grocery stores and lower your grocery bill. Not only did he not do that, grocery prices under his watch have gone up 5.7 per cent. Cost of housing has skyrocketed. It's about 9 per cent increase year over year.

He promised to bring that down by bringing in above -guideline rent increase loophole closure–that never happened. And, of course, he capped Rent Assist, so even if you qualified for it, there isn't enough spots. You're basically out of luck, even if you're facing homelessness. So the small amount of govern ment money that actually goes to expanding Rent Assist, this Premier won't commit to it.

250 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA November 28, 2024 So poverty is very much a political choice. And having homeless citizens is very much a political choice. And this Premier has signalled to the world that he's okay with that and it's not a priority. He signalled that he won't add extra spots to the Rent Assist program, even though it has devastating conse- quences to Manitobans. He's also signalled that he doesn't have any concern about child poverty. He has no urgency and no action that he's prepared to take. He's okay with tens of thousands of Manitoban children living in poverty.

What it–also he hasn't done in the cost -of-living crisis is what other provinces have done. Other pro- vinces have a low -income PST rebate; we do not. Other provinces index EIA; our Province does not. So despite inflation spiking, those vulnerable citizens living on EIA are basically seeing their salaries cut. And where is this Premier (Mr. Kinew)? He's missing in action. We are seeing tuition climb. That is a tax on stu - dents that makes their lives less affordable.

It makes accessing education–post-secondary education–harder to do. * (16:10) We also know that child care is critical to many families and it's in accessible. There's not enough spots. There's huge waiting lists. And the Province has done little to sup plement federal funding to expand child care. It's clear that with the change of federal gov ern- ment coming, that child care is not going to be a federal priority. That money will run out and it's going to run out soon, and I suspect this Premier's commit - ment to child care will also run out with it. So, who has the Premier been helping?

Well, he's not helping average Manitobans but he has been helping the very wealthy. In fact, we can consider this a Premier for the rich. He has refused to build new schools. In fact, children are going to school in hallways. At the same time, he borrowed his money – $190 million–to give corporations and businesses the gas tax holiday. They didn't ask for it; nobody was calling for it. The Premier just did it on his own. We also see privatization of the health-care system. We look no further than the True North development corporation, which owns the Jets and have bought Portage Place mall.

One of the owners is David Thomson. He's the richest person in Canada and the 22nd richest person in the world. He is estimated to be worth $60 billion, yet our Premier thinks he isn't rich enough. He believes that we need to send Manitobans' hard-working dollars to an out-of-province billionaire. In fact, he signed a 35- year lease for a medical building to be built at Portage Place.

This Premier has refused to tell Manitobans how much they're on the hook for it, and the reason is simple: This is a sweet - heart deal that is going to enrich this billionaire and this company, and the Premier is embarrassed, is absolutely embarrassed at the dollar figure that he saddled Manitoba taxpayers about it. But think about this: It will take nine governments before that deal expires and many of us will –I would suggest, almost all of us won't be here in 35 years, except maybe the member from Elmwood. So, right.

But we do know this, that the Province is going to spend $106 million a year on this building, over 35 years without taking into account inflation, and I'm sure there's escalator clauses. That's $3.7 billion of tax - payer money, and we know that the lease on this building is in the tens of millions of dollars. But for that kind of money, the Premier could have bought the mall. Not only could he have bought the mall, he could have built his own building or bought a building to house this clinic in. It certainly would have been cheaper for Manitoba, and the savings could have gone back into health care.

But instead of the savings going back to health care, they are now going to the pockets of a billionaire in Toronto. So, this is what privatized health care looks like: taxpayer dollars going to help, you know, profitable corporations as opposed to Manitobans. So, you know, but there's more. The Premier is also privatizing affordable housing, and of course, we're in the middle of an affordable housing crisis. In the '80s, Canada was building about 20,000 social housing units a year. That stopped, and in fact, the private market took over and it's been a disaster for Manitoba.

In fact, the financialization of our housing market has meant that we have now an affordable housing crisis in our province. So what does this Premier do? He gives $10 million in taxpayer dollars over to a for -profit real estate investment trust. It's a small group of private investors who intend to make money off of the Premier's $10 million on affordable housing, profits that could have gone to build more housing. Again, that is public

November 28, 2024 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA 251 money being used to supple ment private busi ness profits. Manitoba will not see any of that $10 million. Now interestingly enough, everybody knows how–you know, how socialist the PC Party is. They pledged to build 300 units at $13 million. So for three more million dollars, this gov ernment could build 300 units. So there's something to be said, when the PCs are out-socializing the NDP. So–and what is this government doing?

It's handing $10 million to the private sector and there is no guarantee that any of the units will be built, let alone the 300 that the previous govern ment was going to build. Now, keep in mind the Right to Housing Coalition in Manitoba says we need a thousand units a year for the next 10 years to keep up. There is absolutely no plan. But there's more. The Premier (Mr. Kinew) also has started handing out money to lobby groups. He handed over $2 million to the Manitoba Mineral Dev- elopment Fund.

This is administered by the Chamber of Commerce, which is–no expertise in mining industry, has no public oversight, and it's basically privatized our civil service, which is devastated by cuts and there's nobody there to administer public program - ming. It creates a conflict of interest there, it weakens public oversight and it certainly hurts s trategic planning in the province; and it reduces the expertise of our civil service in how to build our economy. Lobbyists shouldn't be administering government programs.

They have an agenda; they don't represent the public interest; there is no, you know, reason for them to do so. It is a deep perversion of our democracy. Yet, there's more. So experts on our child- care centre basically explained why this province has not basically seen any sort of huge rollout of a uni versal child-care system. The way the current structure is established, there is 95 per cent of our cen tres are private, non-profit and it's sort of a hybridized priva - tization model. Parents have to raise 40 per cent of the cost to build new centres and build new spaces.

Problem with that is, many young parents have too much on their plate already, and this is kind of an overwhelming thing to put on them. But not only that, what's the motivation? If they are involved with a child-care centre, they already have a spot, an d they don't need to be looking to build new ones. So the experts say that we have to go to a fully funded government-run universal system where this 95 per cent of the centres have to become gov ernment-run. And because we're not doing that, we're not building spaces.

So at the current rate of expansion, it will take 39 years to meet the govern ment's stated target of 23,000 spaces. That will even outlast the Portage Place development lease. Only one in five children in Manitoba has a space, and it is obviously a huge expense for families. And getting spots would make life absolutely more afford- able, and many parents can't work because they don't have space. It's actually a drag on our economy, it pays for itself. Parents can't earn if–and they can't pay taxes if they can't work. So this government isn't committed to a universal public child-care system.

They haven't put much money of their own behind it, and they're just relying on federal funding, which, again, is going to disappear. So that turns to housing. We have a lack of afford- able housing, and it's one of the main cost -of-living drivers in Manitoba. Our–between that and groceries, that's about 46 per cent of people's household expenses that are going up. Honourable Speaker, 40 per cent of Manitobans rent, and they're getting 9 per cent increases year-over-year on average. That's some of the fastest growing rents in the country. It used to be one of our advantages.

We used to have some of the cheapest rents, especially for a large centre like Winnipeg. But now we're seeing rents equal to or cheaper in places like Edmonton, Regina and Saskatoon. What's different about those juris dic- tions, though, they actually have higher weekly average earnings, so people in those cities make more money on average than Manitobans do, yet their rent is as cheap or cheaper. We also know that fewer young people own a home nowadays. That's dropped significantly in the last few years, and about 29 per cent of young people 18 to 34 are living with their parents. That's also up, as well.

So the dream of home ownership is disappearing for a whole genera tion of Manitobans, and it's concerning. We know despite being a rent control province that above -guideline rent increase loophole has allowed large landlords to get around the rental cap and see these massive increases year over year. In op- position, this Premier vowed to tighten up that loop- hole and make rent more affordable. And after a year in office, he has broke that promise. He introduced legislation which never even got to second reading and died on the Order Paper, and we certainly haven't seen that legis lation brought back.

252 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA November 28, 2024 It certainly shows a lack of urgency and commitment, and that meant for the average Manitoba, at least 40 per cent of our popula tion, they will see another 9 per cent increase in their rent, above the 9 per cent they saw last year. * (16:20) In relation to gas–so, people forget the Premier's (Mr. Kinew) promise on gas. Yes, he said he was going to bring a gas tax holiday, but he also said some- thing different. He also pledged that he was going to regulate gas in Manitoba.

In fact, he was going to get rid of the price surges that happened before long weekends and in the summer in order to even out the prices for Manitoba. But of –again, we are now over a year in his mandate–14 months, two throne speeches later –and there is no legislation–no regulations that have come in to regulate the gas industry. This is another broken promise by this Premier, and it certainly has been a boon for the large gas companies. Premier also promised to force the big grocery store chains to lower their prices. Well, that hasn't happened. In fact, they've gone up almost 6 per cent.

Food bank visits in Manitoba are an all-time high from people who are working. We know that parents are not eating in order that they can provide food for their kids, and they're buying less food and using their food money to pay other bills. And the Premier's solution to all this, after he's been criticized, is to ban restricted covenants. Well, CBC interviewed a food economist and a leading independent retailer and said, yes, that's not the problem. That won't work. And, in fact, when it's

Document details

Collection	Manitoba — Debates (Hansard)
Citation	43-2-8
Type	hansard
Volume / chapter	43rd 2nd hansardpdf 8.pdf
Language	en
Format	pdf
Source	PROVINCIAL
Identifier	21218d494c521d3cc523d1f475aef17698c26a55

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