Manitoba Hansard — 7 November 1988 (Sitting 73B, 34th Legislature, 1st Session)

34-1-73b

Manitoba — Debates (Hansard)

MG-8048 First Session - Thirty-Fourth Legislature of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba DEBATES and PROCEEDINGS (HANSARD) 37 Elizabeth 11 Published under the authority of The Honourable Denis C. Rocan Speaker VOL. XXXVII No. 738 - 8 p.m., MONDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 1988. ISSN 0542-5492 Printed by the Office of the Queens Printer. Province of Manitoba

NAME ALCOCK, Reg ANGUS, John ASHTON, Steve BURFiELL, Parker CARR, James CARSTAIRS, Sharon CHARLES, Gwen CHEEMA, Gulzar CHORNOPYSKI, William CONNERY, Edward Hon. COWAN, Jay CUMMINGS, Glen, Hon. DERKACH, Leonard, Hon. DOER, Gary DOWNEY, James Hon. DRIEDGER, Albert, Hon. DRIEDGER, Herold, L. DUCHARME, Gerald, Hon. EDWARDS, Paul ENNS, Harry ERNST, Jim, Hon. EVANS, Laurie EVANS, Leonard FILMON, Gary, Hon. FINDLAY, Glen Hon. GAUDRY, Neil GILLESHAMMER, Harold GRAY, Avis HAMMOND, Gerrie HARAPIAK, Harry HARPER, Elijah HELWER, Edward R. HEMPHILL, Maureen KOZAK, Richard, J. LAMOUREUX, Kevin, M.

MALOWAY, Jim MANDRAKE, Ed MANNESS, Clayton, Hon. McCRAE, James Hon. MINENKO, Mark MANITOBA LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY Thirty-Fourth Legislature Members, Constituencies and Political Affiliation CONST ITUE NCY Osborne St. Norbert Thompson Swan River Fort Rouge River Heights Selkirk Kildonan Burrows Portage la Prairie Churchill Ste. Rose du Lac Roblin-Russell Concordia Arthur Emerson Niakwa Aiel St. James Lakeside Char leswood Fort Garry Brandon East Tuxedo Virden St.

Boniface Minnedosa Ellice Kirkfield Park The Pas Rupertsland Gimli Logan Transcona lnkster Elmwood Assiniboia Morris Brandon West Seven Oaks MITCHELSON, Bonnie, Hon. River East NEUFELD, Harold, Hon. Rossmere OLESON, Charlotte Hon. Gladstone ORCHARD, Donald Hon. Pembina PANKRATZ, Helmut La Verendrye PATTERSON, Allan Radisson PENNER, Jack, Hon. Rhineland PLOHMAN, John Dauphin PRAZNIK, Darren Lac du Bonnet ROCAN, Denis, Hon. Turtle Mountain ROCH, Gilles Springfield ROSE, Bob St. Vital STORIE, Jerry Flin Flan TAYLOR, Harold Wolseley URUSKI, Bill lnterlake WASYLYC IA-LEIS, Judy St.

Johns YE O, lva Sturgeon Creek PARTY LIBERAL LIBERAL NDP PC LIBE RAL LIBE RAL LIBE RAL LIBE RAL LIBE RAL PC NDP PC PC NDP PC PC LIBERAL PC LIBERAL PC PC LIBE RAL NDP PC PC LIBERAL PC LIBERAL PC NDP NDP PC NDP LIBE RAL LIBE RAL NDP LIBERAL PC PC LIBERAL PC PC PC PC PC LIBERAL PC NDP PC PC LIBE RAL LIBERAL NDP LIBERAL NDP NDP LIBE RAL

LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA Monday, November 7, 1988. The House met at 8 p.m. CONCURRENT COMMITTEES OF SUPPLY SUPPLY-EDUCATION Mr. Chairman, Harold Gilleshamme r: I would like to call this meeting to order to consider the Estimates of the Education Department. We are on 4. Program Development Support Services (

d) Mani toba School for the Deaf:

(2) Other Expenditures $5 12 ,900-the Member for Sturgeon Creek. Mrs. lva Yeo (Sturgeon Creek): I just have one question that I forgot to ask the last time. You said that transportation came under social assistance. You said, and I am not going to quote you, but it was somet hing to the effect of along with some other things, and I am wondering what other things come under social assistance. Hon. Leonard Derkach (Minister of Education): One of the other things that comes into that is interdivisional agreement for residual costs. Mrs. Yeo: When you use these big words, I have to be sure that I know what you mean.

If a student comes from Flin Flon, let us say, the cost from division to division would come under social assistance? Mr. Derkach: That is correct. Mr. Chairman: Item (d)(2)-pass; (d)

(3) Less: Recoverable from Other Appropriations $284,300- pass. 4.(

e) Child Care and Development:

(1) Salaries $4,294,400-the Member for Sturgeon Creek. Mrs. Yeo: Does the Child Care and Development Department of the Department of Ed operate on a regional basis? Mr. Derkach: Yes, Mr. Chairman, all the clinician services are operated on a regional basis. Mrs. Yeo: Do you deploy personnel based on demand and availability of other specialists within the school divisions? Mr. Derkach: Divisions had a choice of going one or two ways, either hiring their own clinicians or going with the department services of the Child Care and Development Branch.

So there are actually two types of services being provided in the province. In terms of how personnel are deployed from the Regional Services, each of the areas has a particular number of school divisions that they would service. *

(2005) Mrs. Yeo: Can you tell me how much has been allocated for staff turno ver? Is there a portion made for staff tu rnover? Mr. Derkach: Yes, the less allowance for staff tur nover, which is shown in brackets of $14 8,300.00. Mrs. Yeo: Oh, right. Why such a large amount? Why is that figure such a high figure? Mr. Derkach: 1t is a fairly large staff component here and therefore when you have a large staff component, you will definitely be spending more money or saving more mon ey, depending which, on staff tur nover. Mrs.

Yeo: Speech and language pathologists must receive a certain number of hours of training each year to keep up their accreditation and they must be accredited to work. Are you giving them professional leave in order that they can maintain their accred itation? Mr. Derkach: The short answer to that is yes, we do give them time to upgrade or to take courses that would bring them up to speed. Mrs. Yeo: Would that be paid leave? Mr. Derkach: Yes, it is paid leave in all cases. Mrs. Yeo: Full salary paid leave? Mr. Derkach: Yes, Mr. Chairman. Mrs.

Yeo: Are you providing some sort of professional development and ongoing liaison with the curriculum department, Cur ric ulum Development and Implementation Department, so that these professionals may keep up with the new discoveries and new more effective methodologies, perhaps, for special needs children? Mr. Derkach: In most cases, the answer would be no, because the clinicians are a specialist type of group and therefore their professional development would be somewhat different and would be confined to the clinicians.

However, there is interaction between some of the staff and the Curriculum Branch and also the people in Child Care and Development. Mrs. Yeo: I attended the two-day conference this weekend for the Learning Disabilities of Manitoba that they had and there was a great deal of discussion at that conference with the great need for liaison with the psychologists in the department and the special needs teachers, or the resource teachers. The reason I asked the question is that there was a lot of applause from the teachers who were there and from some of the psychologists when one of the so-called experts from 2870

Monday, November 7, 1988 Montr eal made the statement that this was something that was lacking in a lot of the departments, a lot of provinces, that it is almost a "we-they" type of thing where the psychologists do their little piece of work and the teachers do theirs and perhaps not enough interaction and sharing of information between the two. I realize it is also very time consuming but I think it is important. I am wondering what kind of personnel services you feel have to be purchased that cannot be provided. Is there a type of service that just cannot be provided from the department that has to be purch ased from without? *

(2010) Mr. Derkach: Maybe I could answer the first part of the question and ask for clarification on the last part. With mainstreaming, there is a lot more interaction between the psych ologists and clinicians and the regular classroom teacher and the teaching staff than there has been in the past. Therefore, that kind of interaction is certainly changing and we are going to see a lot more of it as time goes on with the move toward more mainstream ing.

Certain ly, I can see the need and the fact that there has to be some cooperation and with cooperation, we are going to get better programming for those students who have the special needs. I have to apologize to the Member for Sturgeon Creek (Mrs. Yeo). I did not understand her last part of the question. Mrs. Yeo : I will try and change the way I asked it.

If you have a service that is needed by an individual or group of individuals in a school division that cannot be provided by the department, and an example I guess I could think of would be physiotherapists or whatever, do you have all different kinds of a variety of support services available to offer school divisions? Mr. Derkach: There are two other areas that we would get services from, one being the Department of Health, and when you are talking about physiotherapists, the Community Services Department would be another one that we would get services from for those special circumstances. Mrs.

Yeo : Is there a close working relationship with the Department of Health and the Department of Community Services? Mr. Derkach: Yes, there is a good working relationship between those departments. Mrs. Yeo : I know that this may sound like a trivial question but I am wondering if you are gr ossly understaffed. Do you feel you are, and if so, in what areas? Mr.

Derkach: I think the area where we are understaffed, where there are pressures, are the speech and hearing clinicians where we do not have enough numbers in terms of professio nal staff to go around. 2871 Certain ly, we could always use more staff in every area but there are financial considerations to be taken into accou nt. The area where we wish we could hire more is in the area of speech and hearing clinicians. Mrs.

Yeo: I cannot find the handouts that you gave us or the responses to questions, but I believe in one dealing with the speech and hearing people, there was a comment that very limited, minimal assistance is given to the preschool child. If there was a child in a school based day care centre who needed some speech and hearing therap y, where would you refer them? Mr. Derkach: Those areas have to be dealt with by Commu nity Services or Health and certa inly fall outside of the mandate of the school or the department. Mrs.

Yeo : I can recall meeting with some of the people from the Manitoba Association for Speech and Hearing, whatever it is called. They said there were almost no therapeutic possibilities for the preschool child, and yet we also know that if this child comes to school with a non-treated speech or language commun ication disorder-! think is the latest term-it may take a great deal more time to try and correct that fundamental speech disorder. I do not know whether it would come under the scope of the Department of Education. I gather what you are saying is no, it does not.

I think it must also hinder your ability to care for these children because by the time they reach school age, they may have developed some difficulties that are far harder to correct than if they had been corrected, say, two or three years before. Mr. Derkach: Mr. Chairman, we un derstand the problem and certain ly, if we did not have waiting lists in the school system , then possibly consideration could be given to share with the Department of Health if the need were there.

There are situations in the rural area where that does happen; where our people will, or a school division or a family may make a request to have a child seen where our staff would do that. Because of the fact that we do not have enough people employed, and we do have waiting lists, it is very difficult for our staff to be going down into the preschool areas to look after situations there. *

(2015) Mrs. Yeo: What about in the rural area? Do you have people who actually live in the rural area who belong to the Manitoba Speech and Hearing Association or who are with the department that can assist the students out there, or would the student have to come in to the urban setting? Mr. Derkach: No, we do have people who live in the rural areas throughout Manitoba, rural and northern areas, who have responsibility for regions. Mrs. Yeo: With the thrust towards mainstrea ming, is this department willing to provide more services to those teachers who may have children with fairly major difficulties in their classrooms?

Monday, November 7, 1988 Mr. Derkach: One of the duties of our staff is to in fact spend time with those students and with those teachers so that there is an appropriate program developed, so that the instructor, the teacher has a good understanding of the disabilities of that particular child and to ensure that the support services are there for that child in a regular classroom. Mrs. Yeo: When the Minister says that one of the responsibilities of this department is to spend time, in some cases I think a great deal of time is necessa ry.

I wonder whether in fact the people in this department actually have the time to spend what is needed to deal with some of the special needs that may be found in the classrooms. lt is of great concern to a lot of parents out there, parents of children who have special needs as well as parents of the so-called normal child who is finding the special needs child more and more within the midst of the so-called norm. Is there any current thrust on the department to encourage the Faculty of Education to perhaps do more in the preparation of their education students with regard to special needs? Mr. Derkach: Mr.

Chairman, I guess maybe I should explain a little bit about the way that the staff works. They work on a consu ltative basis whereby they work with the instructors, teachers and staff who work with the child and plan programs and develop programs for that particular child. Then that staff person does the major part of the work with that student. Yes, we could always be using more staff. I guess everywhere you turn around you could always be injecting more staff. However, because of budget constraints, there are only limited numbers of people that you can employ.

We try to balance that off with the number of students who have to be serv ed. With regard to programs, that is an area which is really left up to the universities. They are autonomous bodies and hopefully they develop programs according to needs and according to the market, and according to the demands that there are for those programs. *

(2020) Mrs. Yeo: Yes, they are autonomous bodies but they also receive a significant amount of funding from the province. The Minister is saying that the responsibility of this Child Care and Development Branch is that they will examine the needs of the particular child, will work out a program and will present that program or work with the teacher to develop that program. Is the teacher then pulled out of the classroom to go to the department for a number of days to learn how to deal with the particular student, or how does that work? Mr.

Derkach: There is a considerable amount of professi onal development that goes on and training, but it is the consultant or the clinician who goes to the school and to the teacher, rather than the teacher being brought into a centre. Certainly, that is a whole area that we are looking at right now. I think we have talked about this before and some of the problems that we see that parents are having.

I might indicate we want to be moving toward including parents more so when it comes to talking about the kinds of programs that are being developed for their children so that in fact there is a working relationship between the department person, the instruc tor , the teacher in the school and, very importantl y, the parent. Mrs. Yeo: If I may sort of set up a hypothetical case, because I really still am not clear as to how a teacher would be educated to assist a particular child.

If you had, let us say, because we have talked about the deaf child, a deaf child who was in Grade 3 and they were going to try that child in a normal classroom of, say, 21 children, and the teacher had not worked with a deaf child before, can the Minister describe the process that would be used to assist that teacher in coping with handling the deaf child? Mr. Derkach: Mr. Chairman, I guess the deaf child would be an exception because that would be very difficult to work into a mainstream or regular situation.

However, if it were a child with a learning disability that could be dealt with in a mainstream situation then what happens is, besides the clinician, the psychologist, the speech therapist, we have other supports in the school, a resource teacher, also the special needs coordinator who all would be involved in the development of a program for a child.

Now, if there are special techniques required to deal with that particular child, that kind of training would certainly be provided for that teacher so that, in fact, that teacher understands how to deal with this child and how to best deliver the educational program for that child. But it is kind of an ongoing sys tem, it is not one where you take the teacher out of the classroom and put him into an in-servicing mode for two weeks and then take the teacher back to the classroom. That is really not the way this is done at the present time. Mrs.

Yeo: Can the Minister tell me what the philosophy of the department is, or does the department -! guess is a better way of wording it-have a philosophy on allowing a child with, let us say, a learning disability, extra time to write a test, dictated exams, that sort of thing? Mr. Derkach: Yes, all programming for every child is set up by a team, and that team may consist of the teacher , the special ed coordina tor , the resource teacher , the consultant, the psychologist and so forth.

In addition to all of these supports, we have for many of these students what we call a teacher aide-that is the person who assists the regular classroom teacher in delivering the program to that student. Now if extra time is required to write a specific test or if you have to give an oral test or any one of those techniques have to be used, certainly that is what the teacher aide is there for, to be able to spend time with that individual child to be able to in fact carry out the program so that child has every opportunity to an educational program. *

(2025) Mrs. Yeo: I am pleased to hear that because I think that kids do benefit from being in normal classes when 2872

Monday, November 7, 1988 they have the possibility of achieving success in the normal classes. I do not think they benefit when they are placed in a normal class and they are likely to experience a tremendous amount of frustration. I think a little bit of frustrat ion, as we certainly know around this table, is not too bad a thing, but a great deal can be difficult.

The next couple of questions I have, and I have been given a lot of latitude so I will-the psychologists in Manitoba, in order to practise within the school system must have a Master's degree, I understand, and most of them are members of the Manitoba Association of School Psychologists. If there was a complaint made about one of the school psychologists, to whom would that complaint go? Mr.

Derkach: The same rules would apply for those individuals as apply for teachers in that if there was a complaint that needed to be made or if the complaint were made, it would be made to the Teache rs' Certification Board because all of these psychologists have to be certified by the Teachers' Certification Board. So, ultimately, if the complaint were of a serious enough nature, it would certainly come through the department and to the Minister. Mrs.

Yeo: If the psychologists then belong to Manitoba Teachers' Society and there was a legal action against one of them, would MTS assist with the funding of the action? Mr. Derkach: That is a very difficult question for me to answer as Minister because I think that kind of question would have to be posed to the Teachers' Society, and if they felt that they should be respo nsible for taking up the cause, then I guess it is up to them really. Mrs. Veo: Is there some provision that when an employee is in the wrong, that he should be reported to a regula tory body within the Department of Education? Mr.

Derkach: I am not quite sure what the Member for Sturgeon Creek (Mrs. Yeo) is referring to, but if it is a matter that should go the Certification Branch, then it will go to the Certification Branch and be dealt with in that manner , or the Certification Review Commit tee, I should say. Mrs. Yeo: Is there a code of ethics with the Manitoba Association of School Psychologists or would it be the code of ethics of MTS that they would come under? *

(2030) Mr. Derkach: That is really a question I cannot answer. lt would really apply to either their association or I guess the Manitoba Teachers' Society could answer that kind of a question with regard to whether they follow their code of ethics. Mrs. Veo: I am not sure whether the Manitoba Association of School Psychologists has a code of ethics. Mr. Derkach: I am sorry, I cannot answer that question either. Mrs. Veo: I think when you look at the MASP, I think of the Psych Association of Manitoba as being somewhat akin to, in the nursing field, the Manitoba Association of Regis tered Nur ses where it is the registering body;

whereas the Manitoba Association of School Psychologists is like the Manitoba Organization of Nur ses' Association which is the lobbying, the negotiating body. I can certainly see where there might be a place for both of them. Mr. Chairman: Item 4.(e)(1)-pass. Item 4.(e)

(2) Other Expenditures $1 ,300,800-the Member for Stur geon Creek. Mrs. Veo: Why the decrease in both Other Operating and under Transporta tion? Mr. Derkach: First of all, with Transporta tion, there has been a greater tightening up, I guess, of the transportation budget to ensure that we can save some money. In the other area of Other Opera ting, that has to do with supplies, pub lications and that sort of thing, and over time inventories have been built up and there has been an ability to reduce that somewhat. Mrs. Veo: Under Supplies and Services, there is an increase of some 26.1 percent.

What accounts for that increase? Mr. Derkach: There has been some special equipment purcha sed for the disabled and multi-handicapped students. Repairs to special equipment is offset by a decr ease in expend itur es for out-of-town acco mmodation, meals and the pur chase of publ ications. Of course, that sort of ties everything together, but in terms of the specific line, it really has to do with the purchasing of specialized equipment for the multi-handicapped student. Mrs. Veo: What was purchased under Capital for 19 87- 88, and what is intended to be purchased for 1989? Mr.

Derkach: The bulk of the Capital is for computer purcha ses. Then there is other office type of equipment as well that is included in there. The computer was just about $30,000.00. Mrs. Veo: What about social assistance? lt is the same amount each time, and I am wondering what sorts of things might come under that aspect . Mr. Derkach: There are three chi ldren who are atten ding the deaf and blind school in Brantford, Ontario. We pay for a lot of their costs over there. We pay all of the care, transportation, etc. That is what the bulk of this money is spent for.

That is why it does not change because there are still just three students. Mrs. Veo: Are they from different parts of the province? Are they from the same family? Mr. Derkach: One of the students is from Portage and the other two are from Winnipeg. 2873

Monday, November 7, 19 88 Mrs. Yeo: In the response to questions raised during the debate, one of the comments was that hearing and vision screening are universal in the public school system except for one school division that has indicated its unwillingness to participate. I am wondering what school division that is. Mr. Derkach: The Assiniboine South School Division has opted out. Mr. Chairman: Shall the item pass? Mr.

Jerry Storie (Fiin Flon): One question: has any consideration been given to including the seven, I believe, rural divisions who currently contract for their own clinicians, school psychologists and so forth, has any though t been given to changing th ose circums tances? I know that some divisions have been asking to be included in the services that are provided by Child Care and Development. Mr. Derkach: There have been some discussions about that.

Certain ly, we have been lobbied by school divisions to show us the kind of problems that they are having in terms of re cruiting, in terms of the way that grants have not kept pace with salary increases over the years. This is an area that those seven school divisions that are not included in the Child Care and Development that run their own programs have certainly been neglected in terms of the kinds of funds that they have been receiving to support their clinicians and their specialists. Now they are coming to us and asking either to get back into the program or have something done about it.

So when the Member for Flin Flon (Mr . Storie) asks whether we have given it some consideration, we have discussed it. Certain ly, there have been no definitive plans made at this time to either incorpor ate all of them under CCDB or to provide extra funds, or whatever. lt goes beyond funding. There are concerns about in services, about hiring and many other concerns as well. No specific decision has been made in that regard yet. *

(2040) Mr. Chairman: 4.(e)(2)-pass. 4.(

f) Instructional Resources,

(1) Salaries, $919,900- the Member for Sturgeon Creek. Mrs. Yeo: I am not sure whether it is under Salaries or later on. I am wondering how much is allocated for the purchase of things like books, films, videos, kits for teacher resource. Mr. Derkach: Mr. Chairman, that comes under Other Operating line, $236,600.00. Mrs. Yeo: The staff years were not increased for Administrative Support but there is a tremendous increase in salary, 20 percent plus. How can you account for that? Mr. Derkach: Mr. Chairman, that is largely due to pay equity. Mr. Chairman: Shall the item pass? The Member for Flin Flon. Mr.

Storie: I am wondering if the Minis ter, Mr . Chairperson, has had expressions of concern over the fact that the department of media resources, or the Audio Visual Department is requiring rural divisions to pay the return postage. Has the Minister received any feedback on that of late? Mr. Derkach: I certainly have. Any time I go to a rural division, that is probably one of the things that they mention is the fact that there is an intention to charge them for the cost of sending or mailing out films and that sort of thing. Mr.

Storie: The Minister has not answered the obvious question of whether he has any intention of changing that policy. Mr. Derkach: Mr. Chairman, I guess- Mr. Storie: Come on, be a good guy. Mr. Derkach: I will. I will be a good guy, Mr. Chairman, because you see it was the Member for Flin Flon (Mr. Storie) when he was Minister who initiated this thrust. I can say in all honesty that this policy has never been implemented and the department is still picking up the charges for mailing the films and the books.

Certain ly, this Minister has no intention of discriminating against rural areas who have no choice but to pay those mailing fees. At this present time we have no intention of moving with that intended policy. Mr. Chairman: Item 4.(f)(1)- pass. Mr. Storie: What a good guy. I can hardly believe it. Mr. Derkach: You see I was honest as could be, was I not? Mr. Chairman: (f)

(2) Other Expenditu res, $485,600- the Member for Stur geon Creek. Mrs. Yeo: The two items that have dropped in amounts fairly sign ificantly come under Communications and Other Operat ing. I wonder if you could account for those -Supplies and Services as well-three areas. Mr. Derkach: In the area of Communic ations, there is a decrease because as a result of computerization and new compu ters being in st alled. There are some telephone lines that were not requir ed which will result in some savings. The next one is- Mrs. Yeo: Supplies and Services. Mr. Derkach: A couple of major things there, Mr. Chairman.

First of all, there is reduced cost on new equipment because there has been new equipment installed and, secondly, computer time in Halifax has been eliminated as a result of the installation of the new equipment. 2874

Monday, November 7, 1988 Mrs. Yao: That is for Other Operating as well? Mr. Derkach: Yes, the reduction in costs would also relate to that area as well . Mrs. Yao: So we are not short-changing our teachers with their supplies in any way? Mr. Derkach: No, we are not. Mrs. Yao: What percentage of expenditure is allocated for the Multicultural Educational Resource Centre, approximately? Mr. Derkach: About 15 percent is allocated . Mrs. Yao: Of the total accumulated costs there, it would be about 15 percent? Mr. Derkach: That is correct . Mr. Chairman: Item 4.(f)(2)-pass . Item 4.(

g) Distance Education and Technology :

(1) Salaries $1,483 ,800-the Member for Sturgeon Creek . Mrs. Yao: Under Results : " Provision of video dubbing services to approximately 500 schoois ." -if I am not mistaken, video dubbing was listed under Instructional Resources. I am wondering if we are duplicating services or is that a totally different ball game? Mr. Derkach: No, there is no duplication because many of the requests come through METV, they are processed and then referred back to Instructional Resources. So there is not really a duplication. It is just that they show up under both areas. Mrs.

Yao: Because there is establishment and increases in Distance Education , will there be larger decreases in Regional Services? Mr. Derkach: Mr. Chairman, the Distance Education Program is different than the Regional Services Program, so they provide different needs and different things to school divisions . The Distance Education Program is the video and teleconferencing programs that are offered by the department ,

whereas Regional Services provide the types of advice or compensatory assistance to school divisions . They deal with the secondments and so forth . Mrs. Yao: Can you tell me why we provide so much GED testing when neither the community colleges nor the universities recognize it? Mr. Derkach: First of all, the University of Winnipeg recognizes it through their mature student program and the community colleges also recognize the program as well, so there is a significance there . I am also advised that Brandon University also recognizes the GED test credentials . Mra. Yao: Can you tell us who designs the GED test?

Mr. Derkach: It is designed in Washington by GED, of course, and it is part of the Education Council program. I could add that it is Canadianized for math, science and social stud ies and normed on our students as well . Mrs. Yeo: I missed the last phrase. Mr. Derkach: And normed for our students. Mrs. Yeo: By the Minister saying that it is recognized by U of W, and I think he said some of the community colleges and the University of Brandon, does that mean that the mature student clause is no longer in effect in accepting students into U of W, Brandon, etc .? Mr.

Derkach: Yes, the mature student status is still recognized , but the University of Winnipg uses the GED as part of their evaluation or their diagnostic program. *

(2050) Mrs. Yeo: I am a little bit surprised, being that I have been a post-secondary educator for some period of time . We found almost to the letter that students who were accepted into the nursing programs at St . Boniface , who were accepted on the basis of GED, proved to be less satisfactory, far less satisfactory. As a matter of fact, very, very few of them were successful in the programs , either the LPN, which as you know is a lesser level program than is an R.N., or the R.N. program .

I used to counsel any candidates who came across my desk-or sat by my desk-to consider upgrading their high school by going back to school if they could afford the time and do so rather than utilizing the GED. Mr. Derkach: Perhaps for information , I could say that if you compare the results to other adult education programs throughout Manitoba or Canada, the GED compares fairly well. However, it is true that it is less satisfactory, if you wish, or the results are less satisfactory than those of students going through regular programs . Mr. Chairman: Shall the item pass? Mrs.

Yeo: No, I have a couple of questions . J Do you work very closely with the computer consultants in the Curriculum Developmen t and Implementation Department? Mr. Derkach: I guess the short answer is yes, they are integrated and work cooperatively together . Mrs. Yao: Pass. Mr. Chairman: Item 4.(g)(1)-pass . (g)

(2) Other Expenditures $3,443 ,800-the Member for Sturgeon Creek . Mrs. Yeo: I cannot let an item pass when the capital in '87-88 was $34,200 and for '89 it is $194,800, without asking why? Mr. Derkach: This is the automation of the Correspondence Branch, the proposed installation for 2875

Monday, November 7, 1988 computers to bring the Correspondence Branch into the 1980s, so to speak, or 1990s, and to make it much more efficient than it presently is. Mrs. Yeo: So as a fairly significant increase in capital, I think it is some thing like 470 percent -in Communi cations, Supplies and Services and Other Opera ting, it is also up-is that due to the automation as well? Mr. Derkach: If you would look at many of these areas, you will find there are significant increases.

Of course, that is the result of the development of programs for this particular area for Distance Education; also the delivery sys tem, the teleconfer encing of the programs that are handled thro ugh Distance Education. So certain ly, because this is a new field and an area where there has been a considerable amount of activity and an innovative area, we will find that costs do increase substantial ly, and especially in these two areas, I guess we could point to the charges for the delivery through teleconfer encing and so forth. Mr. Chairman: Item 4.(g)

(2) Other Expen ditur es $3,443,800-pass; (

h) Regional Services:

(1) Salaries $499, 100- pass. (h)

(2) Other Expenditures $335,400-the Member for Sturgeon Creek. Mrs. Yeo: Have you expanded this department beyond-th ere were Small Schools In-services, I think, that used to be held at the end of January. Are these still being held and are there other services provided beyond that? Mr. Derkach: Yes, the in-services are still provided. In addition to that, the com pensatory programs are provided here. The secondment and the liaison is provided through this particular branch. Mrs. Yeo: Can you tell me what pilot projects have been author ized to receive assistance in '88-89? Mr. Derkach: Mr.

Chairman, there are a series of projects that have been initiated: St.

James Assiniboia School Division No. 2- the TMH Work Experience Communi ty Living Project; Norwood School Division -C omputer Network ing Project; Agassiz-French Immersion Cultur e Enrichment Project; Hanover School Divisio n- Extracurricular Science Project; Beautiful Plains-Small Schools Pilot Project follow-up; Turtle River School Divisi on -Juni or High Astronomy Project; Dauphin-Ochre School Divis ion- Ukr ainian Immersion Culture Enrichment Project; Pelly Tr ails School Division -Junio r High Industrial Arts Project; Birdtail River School Division- Teacher Aide Training Project; Rolling River School Division- School!

Community College Credit Project, Desk Top Publishing Project Souris Valley School Division-we have the Teacher Aide Tra ini ng Project, Computer Graphics Project, K to 8 Keyboarding Curriculum Project and Distance Education Project Frontier School Divisi on, northern teacher practicum and Urban Placement Support Project; Faculty of Education, Brandon University, we have a rural teacher pract icum. Mr. Chairman, if the Member for Sturgeon Creek (Mrs. Yeo) would wish, we could certainly table this list so that then you could study it and have a better idea of even how much money is being expended in each area.

Mrs. Yeo: Mr. Chairperson, I would like that. I would like to ask one question on the northern teacher practicum with Frontier School Division. Is that for a student from the Faculty of Education to spend some time in Frontier School Division? Mr. Derkach: That is for several students to spend time in the northern rural divisions for their teacher training experience. Mrs.

Yeo: When the 40 school divisions, as listed under the Expected Results area in districts, receive classroom curriculum consulta tive assistance, do they receive it from the seven listed under the Professional /Technical area here, or do they receive it from the Curriculum Development and Implementation Depart ment? Mr. Derkach: lt is done by both, Regional Services and the Curriculum Development and Implementation staff. So it is a joint project. * (210 0) Mr. Chairman: Shall the item pass? The Member for Flin Flon. Mr. Storie: Just a couple of short questions.

At one point the department had provided a grant to the Manitoba Comput er-Assisted Learning Consor tium. I am wondering what result we have had from that gr ant. Is there any consideration of a continuing grant or what projects are they working on to develop a courseware for either the high school program or any of the post secondary adult basic ed programs? Mr. Derkach: Would the Member for Flin Flon (Mr . Storie) like me to table the list of projects that have been undertaken and are ongoing? Mr. Storie: That would be fine. Mr. Derkach: I could do that, but I could not do it tonight.

I will have to do it tomo rrow. Mr. Storie: That is fine. The follow-up question was there had been a number of companies, including Control Data and Apple Canada, inte rested in 2876

Monday, November 7, 1988 developing, in the case of Control Data particularly , Adult Basic Education satellite stations in northern rural Manitoba, utilizing computer stations and computer assisted learning modules . Has there been any discussion with Control Data in terms of those developments? The second one was Apple. They have a foundation which provides grants and I am aware of a grant that was provided I think to Souris Valley. I am wondering whether there have been any other grants provided from Apple Canada. Mr.

Derkach: The other project program where there have been some funds or support through Apple is to River East School Division. With regard to the status of MCALC, certainly the work is ongoing, but we have not embarked on any new funding if that is the question or new approach at this current time . Mr. Storie: No, the question was specifically with respect to Control Data . Control Data has the Manitoba Technical Training Centre and they also are involved with the Kirkness Learning Centre, which is basically a computerized version of an adult basic education, adult upgrading program.

It has been very successful, particularly with Inner City residents, Native people, in terms of bringing their skills along . I think if the Minister took some time to visit the centre and talk to its director , if he gets an opportunity, I am sure that he will be told that the computer-assisted nature of the programming has been effective because computers are very non judgmental and adult learners, in particular, respond very well to the program .

Control Data had approached the province at one time with a proposal whereby they would provide gratis, some of the programming and availability for some of the soft courseware if the province would contribute something. They had a very extensive, regressive program which would have reached into some seven communities, I believe, and I wondered whether that has been followed up to any extent. Mr. Derkach: MTTC, Manitoba Technical Training Centre, is still ongoing and alive and well, and is delivering its programming at the same level that it was last year or in the past. When the Member for Flin Flon (Mr.

Storie) says computers are very non judgmental, I might add that I just attended a breakfast meeting and presentation on artificial intelligence. I am not so sure that he can make that statement that quickly anymore. Mr. Chairman: Shall the item pass? Mr. Storie: The question has not been answered . Has the Minister met with, talked with anyone from Control Data about this program? Mr. Derkach: Mr. Chairman, there has been some correspondence back and forth , but in terms of sitting down and talking with the people from Control Data , at this point in time, we have not done that. Mr.

Storie: Could I just then implore the Minister to do that and perhaps not develop a program necessarily with Control Data, but look at some way of expanding the programming that the Kirkness Learning Centre is offering, because I think it has been very effective? Certainly , one of the overriding concerns of this Minister has been the whole question of literacy, the development of literacy and numeracy in the population. This is.one way of doing it, I think, quite effectively and perhaps inexpensively as well.

They have a good deal of expertise and courseware that probably could be adapted by the province quite quickly . So I would ask the Minister to consider taking some money from the Literacy Task Force if it ends up that some of that may still be available and applying it in that way, because it would be a very useful, very appropriate way to spend that money, because it would have some impact. Mr. Derkach: I can assure the Member that the Literacy Task Force and the money that we are spending on the Literacy Task Force will definitely have a positive impact on our illiteracy rate in this province .

But with regard to the projects here , I might say that the cost of this, through control data, has also got to be considered and, when the Member says it is not expensive, he is not quite, or absolutely, accurate on that. But we will be looking at other ways of possibly delivering such programs through the Dist ance Education Branch at perhaps a more efficient cost, if we can do that. We are not closing our eyes to it. Certainly we intend to proceed with that kind of delivery or something of that nature . Mr. Chairman: Shall the item pass? Item 4.(h)

(3) Grants , $57,400-pass. Item (

j) Inner City Education Initiative :

(1) Salaries , $264,500-the Member for Sturgeon Creek . Mrs. Yeo: Does this section, if that is what it is called , this department, liaise with Winnipeg No. 1's assistant superintendent of Inner City Education? Mr. Derkach: Yes, there is a very close working relationship in that the manager sits on two panels with •. the Winnipeg School Division . Mrs. Yeo: Somewhere I saw where there was going to be a review and I am wondering when the review is going to be completed-here it is. The total review and analysis of programs funded is under way and I am wondering when we can look forward to seeing that. Mr.

Derkach: The review has been completed and has been shared with the two panels and it is being used for program development and recommendation to the Minister and in time it will be coming as well to the Minister . Mrs. Yeo: May I ask the approximate date of "in time" ? Mr. Derkach: Mr. Chairman, the review is complete and will be coming to me very shortly. Mrs. Yeo: Pending translation or- 2an

Monday, November 7, 1988 Mr. Derkach: No, we will not wait for translation. Mrs. Yeo: Oh, good. I would hate to have it translated. lt is sort of a sad commentary as I read through this whole text here, that this was the only sect ion where one could see an active attempt made to involve parents/families with the education of their children. Is there any effort on the part of the Minister to, under objectives and other areas, include the families and the parents? *

(2110) Mr. Derkach: Absolu tely, Mr. Chairman, this is certa inly a goal of this Minister, to get more input from parents with regard to program ming, especially in the area of Special Needs and we have seen a cry by parents to involve them in the placement and in the program development and especially I think in information and communic ation, because up until this point, parents for one reason or another have felt that they have not had the kind of information from the schools that they should have with regard to their children.

We will be moving forward in ensuring that parents do have access to information, that they are involved, especially th ose parents who have special needs childr en, in the placement and the program development for their children. Mrs. Yeo: The Professional /Technical incr ease is around 14 percent. I wonder if the Minister could explain why the fairly significant incr ease in that area with still the same number of staff involved. Mr. Derkach: There are three reasons really, salary increases, incr ements and seco ndments. Mrs.

Yeo: Can I just ask a question, what sort of res ponsibilities, what did the staffpeople do who were involved with Inner City education Init iative? Do they go around from school to school? Do they basically provide in-services? There is not a whole lot there said except coordinates. Mr. Derkach: The staff do a variety of things. Some of the more specific and sign ificant things that staff do are develop programs for Inner City students. They provide consultative services to the schools. Certain ly, they provide visitations and contact with the Inner City schools.

In addition, I guess you could say they act as curriculum consultants for the Inner City area. Mrs. Yeo: Are they strictly involved then with Winnipeg No. 1 School Division and no other school division? Mr. Derkach: No, Mr. Chairman. As a matter of fact they are involved with all the metro school divisions. Mrs. Yeo: But am I wrong in assuming that the majority of the time of the people who are involved in this department, the six people, would be spent with problems in the Winnipeg No. 1 area? Mr. Derkach: About 75 percent of their time is spent in Winnipeg School Division No. 1.

The remaining 25 percent is spent through the rest of the metro divisions. Mr. Chairman: Shall the item pass? Mr. Storie: Do many of the staff here involve themselves in programming, planning that goes on under the Core Area Initiative? Mr. Derkach: This is the implementation branch of the core area program. These people are very actively involved with the Core Area Initiative as well. Mr. Storie: If memory serves me correctly, some $12 million was set aside under the Core Area Init iative? Mr. Derkach: Pardon me? Mr. Storie: Some $12 million under the education and training program for the Core Area Initiative.

I am wondering whether there is an intention to spend that money in roughly equal proportions over the five years of the agreement. Are we looking at spending roughly $2.5 million per year? What is the commitment level for this current year? What is the estimated level for the next fiscal year? Mr. Derkach: The bulk of the money will be spent in year three of the five year agreement, so that there is a smaller amount of money spent in the beginning and a smaller amount spent towards the end, where the bulk of the money is spent in, I guess, the latter part of the seco nd and third years. Mr.

Storie: Is there any current effort to downsize, scale down the exercise, the spending of money through the Core Area Agreement on behalf of the city, the province or the federal Government? Mr. Derkach: In terms of the Education Support Services Program, there has not been any significant decrease in the amount of money or the budget that has been allocated. There could be in terms of the cash flow, but in the overall sense it is not going to affect the amount of money or the programming that is being delivered in t.he core area. Mr. Storie: lt raises questions because the amount of money for salaries under (

j) obviously reflects the staff, four or five or whatever it is, in the Inner City Education Initiative. If you turn the page to the next issue, we are talking about the Core Area Agreement and the amount of grants is $366,000.00 I recognize that there are some development costs that will come on stre!lm in a year or two years from now, but $366,000 seems like a rather insubstantial amount, given the amount of money that is in the program. Mr. Derkach: The area where you would find the training and the SYs and the dollars would be in (XVI) 5.(k), so perhaps we could deal with that in that

section under PAC E. Do you see it there? Mr. Storie: (XVI) 5.(k)? Mr. Derkach: 5.(k). Mr. Storie: Oh, 5.(k). Okay. 2878

Monday, November 7, 1988 Mr. Derkach: In this area we are talking about, $2 million over a period of five years, what is there that the Member for Flin Flon (Mr . Storie) pointed to was the first year of that five year agreement, okay? Mr. Chairman: Item (j)(1 )-pass. (j)

(2) Other Expenditures, $74,600-the Member for Sturgeon Creek. Mrs. Yeo: The 76 percent incr ease in transportation to the Inner City Init iative thing, I am wondering why the double almost. Mr. Derkach: The staff are spending much more time in the schools in the program development and program implementation and therefore that does incr ease the transportation that is required to get from one school to the other, so it is just a matter of the staff being in the field a lot more. • (212 0) Mr. Chairman: Shall the item pass? The Member for Flin Flon. Mr. Storie: Just one more question, Mr. Chairperson.

One of the objectives of the department is to increase the involvement of parents. I am wondering whether the Minister has had any repr esentation from any group about the esta blishment of school committees in the Inner City area, in Winnipeg No. 1, whether anyone has proposed that there be an authority structure similar to Frontier in Winnipeg No. 1 where school committees be given more direction, and that is because of the distinct character of some regions within the Winnipeg School Division. Mr. Derkach: Mr.

Chairman, that kind of request would probably not come to myself as Minister. lt has not come to me to this point in time, but I would think that kind of a request would probably go to the Winnipeg No. 1 School Division rather than to the Minis ter. Mr. Storie: The Minis ter is correct. lt normally would go to Winnipeg No. 1. I know that it has been there and has not received any kind of reception. I just wondered whether anybody had proposed that kind of a structure to the Minis ter. Mr. Derkach: Mr .

Chairman, I guess the only involvement that the department has had is that it has funded some parent-child centres in the three or four schools. Other than that, there has not been any involvement. I have not had any representation made to me by any of the groups in Winnipeg No. 1 School Division or in the inner core. Mr. Chairman: Item 4.(j)(2)-pass; item 4.(j)

(3) Grants, $40,000-pass. Item 4.(

k) Canada-Manitoba Winnipeg Core Area Agreement and Renewed Agreement -Education Development:

(1) Grants, $366,400-the Member for Sturgeon Creek. Mrs. Yeo: What is the difference, and pardon my ignorance, but I do not understand what the difference is between 4.(

j) and 4.(k). There seems to be a lot of overlap there and a lot of similar ity. Mr. Derkach: Mr. Chairman, these are projects that are short-term pi lot projects or shor t-term �emonstration projects and therefore they do not go rnto the long term or the ongoing kind of accounting. They are pilot programs and therefore they are set up in this manner . Mrs. Yeo: Are they all sort of refundable from the federal Government? Mr. Derkach: This is a program that is a tri partite program set up over a period of five years so the funds are recovera ble from the tripartite agreement, so to speak.

This is kind of the first year of the five year program, or one year of the five year program . Mrs. Yeo: Were there grants awarded though in 19 87- 88? Mr. Derkach: Yes, Mr. Chairman, there were; $256,000 in total. Mrs. Yeo: I must have mistaken the Minister when he said this was the first year then. This is the first year of the next shot? Mr. Derkach: Yes, Mr. Chairman, we are beginning the second year of the program. Mrs. Yeo: Have these grants or the projects that were done in 19 87-88 been evaluated? Mr. Derkach: Mr.

Chairman, depending on the dollars that go into each program, there is continuous monitoring or evaluations that go on, depending on the type of program. Some programs will receive a greater amount of monitoring than other programs will. lt is a variation, but certainly in a general sense there is continuous monitoring or evaluation of programs. Mrs. Yeo: You have a list of 10 program areas that will be considered for funding. Are these all the requests for grants that have been received for • 88-89? Mr.

Derkach: Within these areas there were some projects that were approved; some projects were not approved because they did not meet the criteria. Some are being considered now. In the Curriculum Adaptation and Development Branch some $77,699 of grant monies have been approved, and in the Parent Involvement Activities some $45,634 have now been approved. Mrs. Yeo: What criteria has been established for granting the funding? What kinds of things are you looking for or at? Mr.

Derkach: Under the Winnipeg Core Area Initiative there are funding guidelines which have to be followed for program 6-4, and 6-4 is Education Support Services. I can read these out. There are about 10 of those funding 2879

Monday, November 7, 1988 guidelines or I could have them tabled, whichever the Member would wish. Mrs. Yeo: Well, I would like to be able to look at them. Mr. Derkach: Yes. Let me read them, first of all. I will read them slowly and perhaps the Member may have questions as I read them and then I can table them tomo rrow. First of all, these are funding guidelines:

(1) Projects that cannot be adequately funded through existing Government programs would fall into that category .

(2) Projects that can demonstrate a capacity to work effectively.

(3) Projects that are time limited in their scope of activities.

(4) Projects th at are ongoing must be committed to se eking ongoing fundin g during their demonstration phase.

(5) Project-specific activities and funds will not be directed to the existing operational cost of organizations.

(6) Projects that are sponsored by core area schools, non-profit, incorporated, commun ity-based groups in the core area that have demonstr ated adminis trative capacities and operate at arm's length to Government agencies.

(7) Projects that provide for new or expanded educational programs or services to residents of the core area.

(8) Projects th at demons trate core area community support or involvement.

(9) Projects that demons trate that there will be no direct competition with activities being conducted by similar private or public operations. (1 0) Projects which can be accomplished within the geographic confines of the core area. Mrs. Yeo: I think that sounds like a fairly specific group of criteria. The only one that I heard that sounded a little ambiguous, if you will, that certainly sounded su bjective was No. 2, where there was some statement about demonstrates a capacity to do work effectively.

I think that one could argue if one were trying to get support for a particular project and you were committed to it that you could argue that it would work effectively. lt seems to be a rather subjective criteria. Mr. Derkach: I think there is some truth in that, but certainly these projects that are in this category would be based on research literature. I guess you would have to know the core area type of student in order to be able to accommodate those programs for those specific types of situations so there is some subjectivity to this, I think, and that is recognized.

Certainly some of the programs that have been developed lend themselves specifically to those kinds of situations. * (213 0) Mrs. Yeo: If you were to evaluate those 10 criteria, to priorize th em, have there been any priorit ies established? Mr. Derkach: In addition to the funding guidelines, there are eight funding priorities. I will just run through them quickly for the Member's information. Submissions and projects will be priorized based on the following characteristics:

(1) Optimum resources will be dir ected to those central core area schools that reflect the greatest level of need.

(2) Activities that are preventative in nature and/ or provide early intervention will be given greater consideration.

(3) Activities that encourage childr en to stay at school and realize greater success.

(4) Activities that address the issues of truanc y, early drop-out and age-grade retardation.

(5) Activities that link the world of school and the world of work.

(6) Activities that will involve parents, both in the education of their childr en and also in their own development.

(7) Activities that focus on the educational needs of high-needs populations; in particul ar, aboriginal people, visible minorities, socially and/or economically disa dvantaged residents.

(8) Activities for employment opportunities are created will provide employment for core area residents. These priorities were established by the Community Council. Members of this council were appointed by each level of Government. Mr. Chairman: Shall the item pass? The Member for Flin Flon. Mr. Storie: A small question. The Member for Sturgeon Creek (Mrs. Yeo) commented on the criteria. Is there still a committee in place that is much broader than jus t the thr ee levels of Government? There used to be a committee of six, eight, ten people that adjudicated on the proposals following the criteria.

Is there still that committee in place? Are they still making the final decisions on funding approval? Mr. Derkach: There is the Community Advisory Council that is in place and still meets on their own

schedule on a regular basis. Mr. Chairman: Item (k) (1) -pass; (k)

(2) Less: Recoverable from Urban Affairs, $366,400-pass. Resolved that there be granted to Her Majesty a sum not exceeding $20,500, 10 0 for Education, Program Development Support Services tor the fiscal year ending the 31s t day of March, 1989-p ass. No. 5. Post-Secondary, Adult and Continuing Education: Consis ts of activities aimed at providing educational and community service opportunities in Manitoba tor individuals to develop competencies and skills for self-development and satisfying and reward ing careers. The Student Aid Branch administers provincial participation in the Canada Student Loans Plan and Provincial Bursa ry Funds, to assist students to 2880

Monday, November 7, 1988 overcome financial barriers to their educational goals. The Post-Secondary Career Development Branch and the Adult and Continuing Education Branch develop and admin ister inno vative programs designed to broaden educational opportunities to respond to comm uni ty needs and to incr ease equali ty of educational opportunity at the post-secondary level. Provides administration of Inter-Provincial Training Agreements and The Private Vocational Schools Act. (

a) Executive Suppor t Br anch:

(1) Salaries $372,500-shall the item pass? Mr. Derkach: Mr. Chairman, before the question is asked, perhaps I could make a correction. There was a typo error in the title 5.(a). lt says Financial and Administrative Services in the Members' books, I think, and it should be Executive Support -(Interject ion)-I know you did and you were going to bring it to my atte ntion. Mrs. Yeo: Is there a duplication from-does this involve the University of Manitoba, the University of Winnipeg, Red River, all Continuing Ed areas? What is involved with this particular area? Mr.

Derkach: This area involves the community colleges and the adult education area, not the universities. Mrs. Yeo: So the individual listed there, where the title there is "Managerial" would be then the president of Red River Communi ty College? Mr. Derkach: No, the managerial individual there is the Assistant Deputy Minis ter responsible for Post Secondary and Adult Continuing Education, who is Miss Nancy Sullivan. Mrs. Yeo: And this individual is resp onsible for the PAC E, the Post-Secondary and Adul t Continuing Education development in these th ree areas? Mr. Derkach: Yes, that is correct. Mr.

Chairman: Shall the item pass? The Member for Sturgeon Creek (Mrs. Yeo). Mrs. Yeo: Again, the incr ease in the Profes sional/ Technical area is fairly sign ificant. I assume it is due to the same rationale as when I have asked the question before. Mr. Derkach: That increase basically is due to the general salary incr eases and merit incr eases, as well. Mr. Chairman: Shall the item pass? The Member for Flin Flon (Mr . Storie). Mr. Storie: I have a question on the Executive Support.

Does that include people that are developing proposals, for example, on the Northern Universi ty, what positions are included in those five staff years. I presume a number of dir ectors. Mr. Derkach: These five positions where there are two vacancies at the present time include a communications officer, a planning consultant and a planning analyst. 2881 Mr. Chairman: Shall the item pass? The Member for Sturgeon Creek. Mrs. Yeo: Would this department be responsible for the Continuing Education aspect in the school divisions? Mr.

Derkach: The only way that this department, or this branch, is involved is in that they provide the grants to the school divisions for the Adul t Continuing Education portion. Mrs. Yeo: Do they provide the New Initiative Grants to the school divisions? Mr. Derkach: Yes, they do. Mrs. Yeo: I have a little difficulty with the title, "New Initiative Grants," in that I under stand some of the school divisions have had these grants renewed like th ree times. I am wondering how new is the New initiative. How new does it have to be to be new? * (2 14 0) Mr.

Derkach: I will answer this question but 1 think that if we want to get into that area, we could probably get into it under 5.(m). There are some programs that are being offered right now and have been offered on more than one occas ion because they have been seen to be success ful and have been received in a positive sense. So in those instances where there has been a demand because of the popularity of the program and because the program has been working well, there has been a will and a desire to continue that kind of funding for those programs. Mrs.

Yeo: Have all school divisions who applied to have their NIP grants renewed received these grants? Mr. Derkach: I could probably provide that information in more detail if we could just deal with it under 5.(

m) which is the Adult and Continuing Education Program. At that time, I will have the appropriate staff here for that area. Mrs. Yeo: That was the reason why I asked under here if this dealt with the school divisions because I had a few questions. Mr. Derkach: No, Mr. Chairman, it is more appropriate, I think, to deal with it under the Adult and Continuing Education Branch, which is 5.(m). Mr. Chairman: Shall the item pass? The Member for Flin Flon. Mr. Storie: Two questions.

No. 1, the list of professional and technical people or positions that were identified, are any of those new to the Executive Support Branch; and in particul ar, the communications position, is that a new position and how does that relate to th13 Commun ications Branch that we passed in 1. (f)? Mr. Derkach: The communic ations officer is not a new position. lt has been there for a number of years as

Monday, November 7, 1988 I understand it. The Individual is Mr. Kent Morgan in that position . The Communications Department in 1.(

f) is separate from this particular communications officer in terms that he is not included as part of that complement, but certainly there is a relationship between the two in that information is passed back and forth. If I, as Minister, require something from PACE, for example, he would provide it for me as well. Mr. Chairman: Item 5.(a)(1)-pass; 5.(a)

(2) Other Expenditures, $100,500-pass . (

b) Financial and Administrative Services Branch:

(1) Salaries, $634,000-the Member for Sturgeon Creek. Mrs. Yeo: Under lnterprovincial Training Agreements for veterinary, optometry, etc., are there any figures as to the numbers of students that we have from our province who utilize these programs? Mr. Derkach: There are 60 students from Manitoba in other jurisdictions taking programs . Mra. Yeo: Oh, I see. Sorry. Mr. Derkach: That is fine. Mr. Yeo: I missed that. Okay, the next area where it talks about private vocational schools, would a school such as the Herzing Institute come under this? Mr.

Derkach: Yes, that is one of the private vocational institutions . Mrs. Yeo: Is there any criteria set by this particular department in establishing tuition fees for these private vocational schools? Mr. Derkach: That matter is left to those individual schools to deal with . Mrs. Yeo: Under the Administrative Support increase there is an increase of some $30,000 and the same number of staff . I am wondering what accounts for that increase. Mr.

Derkach: I guess the largest portion in that area would be pay equity again, but certainly general salary increases and merit increases and that sort of thing fall into that category as well. Mr. Chairman: 5.(b)

(1) Salaries-pass; 5.(b)

(2) Other Expenditures, $238, 100-pass . 5.(

c) Red River Community College :

(1) Salaries, $27,597,000-shall the item pass? An Honourable Member: No. Mr. Yeo: If the Minister of Native and Northern Affairs (Mr. Downey) would go back to his Native and Northern Affairs, we would be better off in here. An Honourable Member: Okay, that does it. Mr. Yeo: Can you tell me why there was a decrease in the managerial staff? In the numbers it has gone from seven to six. Mr. Derkach: There has been a reduction of one administrative staff in that area and certainly that was designed to try and get some efficiency in the system . It is a senior officer staffperson or staff position, Mr.

Chairman, that was reduced in this area. Mr. Yeo: It is my understanding that the former president of Red River Community College has now left and has gone to Ontario and that his position has been posted, bulletined, advertised in Toronto Globe and Mail and several other papers, etc. It is also my impression from a note that we received last week that there has been an interim appointment made. Can the Minister tell me what is happening with the hiring of a new president for Red River Community College currently? Mr. Derkach: Quite some time ago, we did post the position for president for Red River College.

It was regrettable that Mr. Polonsky did choose to find employment in Ontario and did leave us. Certainly he did some very credible work for the institution and has left a vacancy there for sure. We have not hired anyone as of this moment. However, interviews are being conducted and hopefully in the next few weeks we will be in a position to announce who the new president will be. In the interim however we have an acting president of Red River College, Mr. Ray Newman, and he has been acting president since the beginning of the school term. Mr. Yeo: Mr.

Chairperson, can the Minister tell us what process will be used in screening the candidates for the position of president of Red River Community College? Mr. Derkach: Mr. Chairman, that process is already in place. There is a committee that has been struck to deal with the matter and interviews will be scheduled over the next couple of weeks, and then the selection of the president will take place. Mr. Yeo: Can you tell me who is on the screening committee? Mr.

Derkach: The committee Is made up of staff, student representatives , people from the department as well as the Civil Service Commission and also lay people as well. *

(2150) Mrs. Yeo: It sounds a bit like an elephant. Can you tell me how many people are on the committee? Mr. Derkach: Well, I could tell the Member that there are nine people on the committee. Mr. Yeo: It is an elephant. Mr. Derkach: No, no, it is not an elephant at all. might add with regard to the-it may seem like a large number, Mr. Chairman, but we wanted to ensure that each of the areas would be represented on the selection committee. I think we have a fairly effective committee 2882

Monday, November 7, 1988 in that we have repres entation from the Civil Service Commission, from the department. We have representa tion from the Chamber of Commerce, the community. We have instructors on the selection committee. We have support staff who are non-teaching staff and we have a representative from the students. In order to be able to accommodate all those different groups, it meant that we would have probably a larger group than normal.

This is a fairly important position, and we want to ensure that there is input from these various areas so that in fact that individual, whoever is chosen, is going to have the support of these various bodies because certainly that individual will be working not only with the staff there, but will be working with the community, with the busine ss community and also with the students as well. Mrs. l&o: The reason I asked about the method of selection was that I was somewhat involved, not immediately involved, but was certainly well aware of the selection of the past president, Mr.

Polonsky , and there were some concerns with the type of interviewing, with the wine and cheese reception-type of scre ening thing that was done. I am wondering if there will be a multi -battery of methods used, if you will, in the selection? Mr. Derkach: Mr. Chairman, we have to blame that dir ectly on the Member for Flin Flon (Mr . Storie), but I have to tell you that we are not going to wine and dine the applicants. Certainly it is going to be a businesslike atmosphere and the inter views are going to be conducted by the comm ittee. We are not going to be putting on social functions for them.

This is a very businesslike approach. In terms of the committee-and the Member said that this committee was somewhat of an elephant-it is a much smaller elephant than the former one that selected the former president was because it is only about half the size that the former commit tee was. Mrs. l&o: Does the Minister know whether there will be a mass interview, and by that I mean will all short listed candidates or certainly when they narrow it down to, say, three, will these people all be involved at the same time as they were when Mr. Polonsky was hired? Mr.

Derkach: What will happen is, there will be a short list composed of five or six individual candidates and those candidates will all be interviewed in one single day, but they will be individual interviews, not mass interviews. Mrs. l&o: Will there be consideration given to Manitoba candidates as well as out-of-Manitoba candidates? Mr. Derkach: Yes, the comp etition was open to Manitoba and outside of Manitoba candidates and certainly consideration will be given to Manitoba candidates as well as candidates from outside of the province. Mr. Chairman: Shall the item pass? The Member for Flin Flon. Mr. Storie: Mr.

Chairperson, could the Minister indicate which courses have been cut this year as part of the Estimates process, which courses, which sect ions of courses, how many in total? I notice that we have five fewer staff or five fewer profes sional staff this year. I am wondering which courses were affected. Mr. Derkach: Yes, first of all, there have been several sections or courses that have been eliminated for a variety of reasons and one of those reasons being that the Canadian Job Strategy Program being in place now has resulted in some program alterations.

The first year of the Nuclear Medicine Program was discontinued this year, and a

section of the Business Program, the Electronics Program and the Radio Operator Program was also discontinued. I might add, Mr. Chairman, that to assist the members of the comm ittee, I would be prepared to table a list of those programs that have changed, or sect ions of programs which have been eliminated in the course of the year. Mr.

Storie: The Minister referenced in his opening remarks a long time ago now that the changes brought about because of the Canadian Job Strategy and the uni lateral decision on the part of the Federal Government not to purchase dir ectly as many spaces as they had previously, and we saw a 40 percent reduction. This had its impact in the last thr ee years, and I think what you have seen over the last th ree years certainly is in a reduction in what is available for students. I recog nize there are some ongoing changes but certainly the last few years there have been significant reductions.

I am wondering what the waiting lists are like for some of the more popular courses. Could we have a list at some point of the numbers of students that are on waiting lists at each of the community colleges? How difficult is it to get into child care? How difficult is it to get into the Diploma Nursing Program? Some of the diploma courses, in particul ar, are two-year courses. I think it would be instructive to know what kind of a waiting list students are facing. Mr. Derkach: Yes, we can provide that information.

There are some programs I might say that we do have substantial waiting lists for and I think in the House I did indicate the numbers of students that we had on the waiting list for the Child Care Training Program. There are substantial waiting lists in some of the programs and cert ainly tomorrow we will be more than happy to table the number of students that are on waiting lists in the various programs. Mr.

Storie: I would appreciate that, and perhaps the other information the Minister could acquire over the evening and before our Session tomorrow is the number of courses that are being offered on the extension, in the satellite facilities in Selkirk and Winkler and Portage la Prairie, and whether there are any -(lnterjection) well, just in those three areas. But I do not know whether there are any other satellite operations of Red River Community College being contemplated or in the works, 2883

Monday, November 7, 1988 but if there are, I would like to know about th ose as well. Mr. Derkach: Yes, we will be happy to do that, and I guess I could say that some of these programs have been working out fairly satisfac torily and it certainly is a way of taking the pressure off the college itself and I would be happy to table the number of programs and vocat ions of them with respect to those that are offered by Red River Community College. *

(2200) Mr. Chairman: Shall the item pass? The hour being ten o'clock, what is the will of the committee? Com mittee rise. *

(2000) INTRODUCTION OF GUESTS The Acting Chairman (Mr. Edwards): Before proceed ing to this evening's procee dings, seated in the public gallery, I draw all Honourable Members' att ention to a Boy Scout Troop from Carman, Manitoba, who are under the dir ection of Mr. Edwin Pritchard. This troop is located in the constituency of the Minister of Health (Mr . Orchard). On behalf of all Honourable Members, I would like to welcome the scouts and their leader to the House this evening. SUPPLY-HEALTH The Acting Chairman (Mr. Edwards): We have been considering the Estima tes of the Department of Health. Item 1. (

g) Hu man Resource Mana gement:

(1) Salaries-the Member for Ellice. Ms. Avis Gray (EIIice): Thank you, Mr. Chairperson. Could the Minister tell us, with the work force analysis that was conduc ted within the department, what were the major issues that were identified from that work force analysis? Hon. Donald Orchard (Minister of Health): What is it that my honourable friend wishes to get out of the question? I have to apologize. I was walking over to get out my earphone. Ms. Gray: The Minis ter had indicated there was a work force analysis that was conducted.

I am wondering if he could indicate for us this evening-what were the major issues that were identified from that work force analysis? Mr. Orchard: Basically, within the Department of Health, it indicated how we were making out in terms of long term target. Hmmm, according to this, we are going to have to reduce a bunch of female positions because we started out in 1985 at 72 percent with a target group as 50 percent and now we are up to 76 percent where the target group is 50 percentf I do not know what kind of a quandary that puts the department in. I am sure my honourable friend knows that I am jesting.

In terms of Native hiring, 1985, 1.2 percent was the percentage in the work force, and that has risen. In April of 1988, it was 2.2 percent and now it is 2.4 percent. Disabled was 1.3 percent in 1985 and there has been no change. April '88 to September '88 it remains at 1. 4 percent although there is an increase from 32 to 33 from April '88 to September '88. In terms of visible minorities, it was at .8 percent in July 1985 and by April of 1988 had doubled to 1. 6 percent, and since April '88 to September '88 has increased another .2 percent to 1.8 percent.

As I indicated to my honourable friend earlier, that given 8 or 12 years in Government, I am sure we can demonstrate those kinds of trend lines because the April to September results indicate positive dir ection in the Affirmative Action Program. Ms.

Gray: Does the Minister have information, when one looks at the various targeted groups within the department, i.e., individuals who are already working for the department, is there information with respect to specifically the physically disabled and the visible minor ities as to if we are moving along and doing a good job in regard to promoting individuals internally within the Department of Health? I am asking that question in the context of, is there information available in regard to the various branches?

When I think of the Department of Health and I think of the institutions in Ma nitoba Health Services Commission and regional operations oftentimes you will find, I would think, variations and differences in terms of the numbers of targeted groups that may have received promotions and I am wonde ring- Manitoba Health Services Commission comes to mind-as I remember as a civil servant, being in meetings of the whole department, including MHSC and the room was filled with men.

I am wondering if the Minister has information in regard to the Manitoba Health Services Commission specifically as to, are we meeting targets within that area in regard to the internal promotion of visible minor ities and women. Mr. Orchard: Not that I want to put my honourable friend off but that would be very appropria tely dealt with when we get to the administration line of the Manitoba Health Services Commission. Ms.

Gray: In regard to regional operations, I am wondering if the Minister could indicate to us, and I am not including directorates or the institutions in this case, how we are meeting targets in regard to internal promotional opportunities and not for women, because I imagine we would do fairly well, but with regard to the visible minorities and the physically disabled. Mr. Orchard: There are two things-th ere is one thing I want to ind icate to my honourable friend. In order to 2884

Monday, November 7, 1988 become a statistic, If you will , one has to be declared as such. In other words, with your compliance you have to be noted as an affirmative action target client. Specifically to questions of promotions , the May to September statistics on promotions indicate that there has been a-something does not add up here. I will admit the total because it appears as if our maths was In error. This is only the Department of Health, not the Department of Education , though . We had 30 female promotions within the department and one visible minority promotion within the department from May till September of this year. •

(2010) Ma. Gray: Could the Minister tell us what the status is in regard to meeting and ensuring targets for the physically disabled within the department? Mr. Orchard: As I indicated before, there has been some increase although I have to say that from July 1985 until April 1988, there was-okay , let me give you the July'85 number rather than the percent. There were 29 disabled on the work force in July of 1985, and in April of 1988, almost three years later, there were 32. Now, since April '88 until September 8 there are 33.

The percentage has not been growing as rapidly in the disabled category as in the other categories of affirmative action target groups. Ma. Gray: Could the Minister tell us, is there any financial assistance that is provided to various branches of the department If there is a need identified that a physically disabled person is certainly the candidate they want to hire but there are requirements for modifications In buildings and/or equipment? Is there any type of assistance that Is available? Mr. Orchard: The Government would pay for it. That Is the kind of assistance that is available .

You and I would pay for It as taxpayers . Ila. Gray: Is the Minister then indicating that if an Individual who happened to be in a wheelchair was a successful candidate and was to work in an office in which there was not wheelchair accessibility that, in fact, those modifications would be made? Mr. Orchard: First of all, most-well, most Ma. Gray: Do not say most . Mr. Orchard: I suppose that is a relevant term. A lot of our office space Is wheelchair accessible and not an impediment to hiring of say a Manitoban in a wheelchair.

However, there are offices in which there is very restricted or no access to Manitobans in a wheelchair and that presents a severe problem if we were to have an application from a disabled Manitoban and they happened to be the successful candidate in that building . Now to date, I have not been informed of any area where that has been a problem . Ma. Gray: I think the Minister may find that very few of our offices are wheelchair accessible, though some may have ramps or elevators that once you get Inside the building , washroom facilities are not there at all.

So even with some of our newer buildings that we have renovated, there were not provisions made to have those buildings wheelchair accessible. I am wondering , the Minister has said that if an individual with a disability was deemed to be the successful candidate, that we, Government , wouid pay for any modifications, what would be the process if an individual was felt to be a successful candidate but there needed to be some assessment done as to whether in fact that individual could do a particular job in regards to, let us say, their dexterity?

Let us say an individual was disabled in a few ways but there was a sincere desire on the part of the manager to hire that individual but there needed to be some initial assessment done to actually determine whether there were certain modifications that could be made to the work environment to determine if that person could do the job? Would there be any special measures put in place?

The dilemma I see that supervisors may become involved in is that they may have a sincere desire tc hire individuals with handicaps but at the same time that individual may have to go through an assessment process to determine if in fact they can do a particular job because of some of their handicaps . Sometimes supervisors are reluctant to do that because the workload pressures are very great and what they find themselves, the supervisors, in a situation where they are losing productivity and time, although they certainly want to accomodate and work within the Affirmative Action Program .

Have there been any initiatives to actually look at if an individual is hired on a probationary period or an interim basis that there can be other staff members as well or extra resources brought in so that supervisors do not feel that they are losing productivity so that we have more of a willingness, shall I say, on the part of supervisors and managers to want to hire individuals where modifications may be necessary and in fact the length of time that person would take to get into the Job and to do the job 100 percent may be longer than some individuals who may not have particular handicaps? Mr.

Orchard: There is no fixed policy regarding that. Where managers are intent that a given individual is the candidate they wish to hire, Human Resources and Government Services begin discussions to see how that individual can be accommodated in the workplace . Those discussions are undertaken on a case-by-case basis. There is no formal policy because I think It is fair to say the incidence of this particular problem is not large. Where it does come up, it is dealt with on an individual basis. Ma.

Gray: Although the Minister may be correct in that the incidence of these situations may not be large, in some ways you may see it as systemic barriers for those individuals applying because in fact I would assume that negotiation ·s with Government Services , etc ., etc ., that supervisors then would find themselves involved in long negotiations and a lot of time may be lost before that person can actually be hired . So there 2885

Monday, November 7, 1988 we have a deterrent within the system where supervisors are saying I do not want to hire that person because I need someone to start next week, not In three months. I am wondering if that has been addressed within the Department of Health and is there any move to try to expedite those types of situations so that there is more of a willingness on supervisory and management staff to look at acc ommodating these people, because Government Services and the senior bureaucracy will move faster and work more efficiently to accommodate that person. Mr. Orchard: Mr.

Chairman, my honourable friend is making a case which is legitimate. As I indicated to her earlier on-and let me help her by indicating that from May to September there was a total number of applications received from disabled Manitobans of four , and one of those appl icants was success ful. My honour able friend might want to say that there are sys temic barriers, but basically I want to take my honourable friend back to Point No. 3-and I have lost it in my whole raft of materi al-but people have to be of equ ivalent qual ifications to meet the job.

Qualifications being equal, a disability, a wheel chair is not a sys temic barrier to hiring in the Department of Health. For instance, let me give you a couple of examples. At 18 9 Evanson, there was a difficulty with the height of a door bell because of one disabled individual. Government Services, which handles those sorts of physical modifications, had the door bell lowered within 24 hours. That was hardly a difficulty in terms of recruitment. lt was reacted to very expeditiously.

When I was at 14 00 Henderson Highway, I was absolut ely fascinated to watch one of the case coordinators at 1400 Henderson Highway who was blind and taking case data down on the telephone. I do not kn ow the

part icular machine that was used , but incredibly efficient in terms of her ability to take down the information, and it was thereafter transcribed. I would suggest that individual with her handicap of being blind was certainly a very valuable and prod uctive employee at 14 00 Henderson. That employment was very adequately and very productively employed, handicap withst anding. Accommodations to assist that indi vidua l were cert ainly part of the offices, as anti quated as 1400 Henderson Highway is. *

(2020) Ms. Gray: Mr. Chai rperson, I am familiar with that individual and in fact she was considered to be one of the best child welfare workers that the department had, and is now an in-take worker in that office. The point in my questions was that although there may be smaller numbers of individuals with disabilities applying or wanting to change job s or receive promotions, in fact oftentimes for people with multiple disabilities it can be very frustrating for those potential employees and supervisors to actually work through the bureaucracy in order to modify work environments.

My reason for bringing up this line of questioning was to increase the awareness. Although the numbers may 2886 be small, I certai nly think it is important that wherever possi ble we try to facilita te and expedite the mod ifications of work environments for these individuals. On a related matter in Human Resources, I am wondering if the Minister could tell us, within the past fiscal year, have there been any point ratings or audits done on position classifications. Mr. Orchard: 1 have to apologize to my honourable friend. I was just going through-w e were arguing about numbers here, and I missed her question.

I am sorry. Ms. Gray: My question was, could the Minister tell us if within the last fiscal year, have there been any positions which have been audited or where point ratings have occurred or are there any that are in process? Mr. Orchard: Yes. Ms. Gray: Thank you. That answer was worth waiting for. Could the Minister tell us what particular positions, or are there a long list of them that are being audited within his department? Mr. Orchard: Mr. Chairman, I said yes, because that is an ongoing process of the department. Ms.

Gray: Could the Minister provide us with updated information in regard to positions within Winnipeg region w here there was a joint committee between the Department of Health and Community Services in regard to looking at point rating and auditing of HS5/ HS6 positions as a result of the reorganization of Winnipeg region? Mr. Orchard: I am informed that is still unr esolved at this moment. Ms. Gray: Could the Minister indicate -1 understand there was a joint committee and that within some of the positions within the Department of Communi ty Services that a decision was made as to the position classifica tions.

Those particular individuals have in fact long since received appropriate back pay and rec lassification and that in fact there are a few members within the Department of Health, as the Minister has ind icated, where that issue is unr esolved. I am w ondering if the Minister could indicate for us why similar positions within the two departments, where it was a joint committee, why there has not been a resolution of that to date. Mr. Orchard: I am led to believe that is under review by the Civil Service Commission. Ms.

Gray: Could the Minister indicate to us, has the Civil Service Commission indicated that in fact these similar positions in the Department of Health should not-look, what is the problem? Why is the Civil Service Commission reviewing this and why were some individuals within regional services, why did they receive indication of what their positions would be and in some

Monday, November 7, 1988 cases received back pay and others, mostly women within the Department of Health, did not receive this and are still waiting? Mr. Orchard: I am told th at the Civil Service Comm ission is reviewing the issue to assure that appropriate decisions are made. They have not put their, if you will, final stamp of approval on it yet. Ms. Gray: Could the Minis ter indicate why they, I would assume, stamped, gave their stamp of approval for the similar positions within the Department of Commun ity Services and not in Health? Mr.

Orchard: Again I am inf ormed that Community Services went ahead, even though it was under review by the Civil Service Commission. We did not, and all those positions I am led to believe are under review by the Civil Service Commission. Ms. Gray: The Minister then, to clarif y, is indicating that the Hu man Resources Department in the Department of Community Services went ahead, in contradiction to the Civil Service Commission, and decided to reclassify these individuals,

whereas the Department of Health is still waiting for a decision from the Civil Service. Mr. Orchard: No, I did not say that, Mr. Chairman. Ms. Gray: Could the Minister tell us, does he feel that it is an appropriate situation where we have individuals within two departments, granted, within the Department of Health and Community Services, who work in similar jobs in the same regions, and we have a situation where some staff are being discrimi nated against because they happen to be employees of the Department of Health;

whereas other staff, the audits have been completed and their positions have been either confirmed at a particular level or their positions have been reclass ified, they are operating in those new classifications and have been for over one year,

whereas their colleagues right next door who are doing similar jobs in the same region are discrimina ted against because they happen to be unfortunate individuals who happen to have their SYs within the Department of Health? Mr. Orchard: I am not saying that is ideal and, of course, that is why the Civil Service Commission is undertaking the review. Ms. Gray: Would the Minister indicate to us, would he be prepared to discuss with the Civil Service Commission or through his senior staff to move for an expedient resolution from the Civil Service Commission in regard to this matter? Mr.

Orchard: Absol utely , because, as my honourable friend is aware, that ongoing difficulty that we are experiencing between the two departments is a result of I think a rather-how would I put this in genteel terms?- precipitous amalgamation of function. I have that wrong, have I not? A rather precipitous spreading out of function from one region to th ree regions. My honourable friend might rec all some lengthy debate in this Chamber with my role somewhat reversed .

I was questioning the then Minister as to what was envisioned, why this was happening, and I have to say that in retrospect I think the then Minister was somewhat surprised to learn in Estimates that there was going to be three Winnipeg regions and not one. As a result, we still are having visited upon us some of the resulting decisions in that breakup of Winnipeg region into three. Certainly it is inequitable for those individuals in one of two ways, either that they are being denied classification and enhanced remuneration, or indeed the converse.

Let us say that the Civil Service Commission says that some of the reclassificat ions were inappr opriate, and I do not know what the process is there to take back, if that were the decision by the Civil Service Commission. Either way it is not conducive to a high degree of morale and we are hopeful that it would be resolved as soon as possible. Unfortunately it is not resolv ed; it is still before the Civil Service Commission. *

(2030) Ms. Gray: Could the Minister indicate when these positions were audited? Because it was a join t commit tee between Health and Community Services, was there not an agreement of that committee that those positions in Community Services were deemed HS5s or HS6s, as the case may be? Was there not some agreement or did Health from the very beginning refuse to agree and Community Services unilaterally made the decision? Mr. Orchard: Mr. Chairman, I am told it was not a joint committee of both departments that made those decisions originall y. lt was made in each department individually. Ms. Gray: Mr .

Chairp erson , to clarif y, did not a representative from Human Resources sit in those point rating sessions from Health and Community Services so it was a joint decision by the committee at least as to what the results of the point rating were? Mr. Orchard: Mr. Chairman, what has been visited on this new minis try is possibly a difficult-to-resolve situation and that is why it has taken this much time. In the process, as I say, the Civil Service Commission has no doubt spent some considerable time attempting to resolve this, to date, without positive results.

Now, all I can indicate to my honourable friend is that I can, and the staff can hear her concerns loud and clear, and we certainly would not want to prolong the pain, if you will, of having this indecision facing those employees. Ms. Gray: Mr. Chairperson, certainly a year and a half of indecision, we certainly do not want to prolong that. As the Minister indicated, if in fact the Civil Service Comm ission decides that in fact the origi nal rec lassifications were inappropriate, and those positions then may be deemed at an HS5 level, can the Minister indicate, is there any recourse for the staff in the 2887

Monday, November 7, 1988 Department of Health who were not in the fortunate position, in a way shall we say, of having that inappropriate determination made and given an HS6, and yet were given the same respons ibilities of colleagues who are at an HS6 level? If it is determined those positions are inappropriately point rated and the Civil Service wants to move or change their posit ion, is there any recourse or compensation for those individuals who again are discrimina ted against because they happen to be within the Department of Health? Mr. Orchard: Well, Mr.

Chairman, I think that the whole issue of whether there is recourse compensa tion, etc., etc., would be one that no doubt the Civil Service Commission would want to recommend on because, just as an exam ple, it would be difficult for the Department of Health, on its own, to move to resolve any apparent inequities that only really the Civil Service Commission in such unique circu mstances ought to provide us with the guidance and the advice as to how to handle this kind of a situation so that we do not set a precedent in any potential future thing, should the NDP get back in Government and screw things up again.

Ms. Gray: Mr. Chairperson, the Human Resources staff within this Branch would be due point ratings and certainly would have an opinion based on their expertise as to whether in fact these positions I am referring to, which are currently an HS5 level, in fact should be reclassified. What is the position of the Hu man Resources Department in regard to the classification of these positions still in question? Mr. Orchard: Mr. Chairman, this issue, as I have indi cated earlier on, is before the Civil Service Commission.

The department is involved with those discussing, giving the appropriate responses to the Civil Service Commission. You know, in reality, we are going to have to rely on the inherent wisdom and fairness and equity of the Civil Service Commission to make the appropriate decision, and to indicate to my honourable friend, prior to that decision by the Civil Service Commission, as to what advice the Human Resources Department is providing to them would be most inappropriate at this time. Ms. Gray: I did not really expect an answer to that question.

Could the Minister tell us, with the Civil Service Commission reviewing the situation, are the Civil Service Commission taking the position that in fact they should hold off a decision because of some of the reorganizations which the Minis ter has alluded to in the mental health area and perhaps in other areas within regional operations? Mr. Orchard: That may well be one of their considerations, but it is not our direc tion. Ms. Gray: The Minister has indicated it is not our direction.

Could he then tell us, will he move to indicate to the Civil Service Commission that there should be a speedy resolution of this issue? In fact, I still fail to see why there has not been a res olution of this issue. 2888 How difficult can it be for the Civil Service Commission to make a decision one way or the other? Mr. Orchard: I apologize to my honourable friend. am going to have to have her repeat the question because we were in sort of a little discussion here. Ms. Gray: What my question is, could the Minister indicate to us why has there not been a speedy resolution and when can we expect one?

I fail to see why this issue has been ongoing for so many, many months, why the Civil Service Commission cannot make a decision? What exactly is the stumbling block? Mr. Orchard: Mr. Chairman, when I indicated to my honourable friend, it was not at our suggestion they withhold the decision. We have indicated to the Civil Service Commi ssion that there may well be reorganizational options that are in the planning mill, and that may have been cause for the decision to come out slower than what one would ideally hope for.

As I indicated to my honourable friend earlier on, it would be our hope that we could have this resolved as expeditiously as possible. (Mr . Chairman, Mark Minenko, in the Chair.) Ms. Gray: Could the Minister indicate to us, will he, as Minister of Health, have his senior staff or himself talk with the Civil Service Commission and move to have a speedy resolution within the next two weeks of this situation, one way or the other, so that in fact the staff are not left in limbo, which they have been for over a year and a half and that in fact there is a decision that is made?

Would the Minister be prepared to do that? *

(2040) Mr. Orchard: No, I could not do that, not that I would not want to. I would love to have it resolved yesterd ay, not two weeks from now, as my honourable friend suggests. We are simply going to have to ask of those individuals affected their continuing patience for another short period of time. I know that is not satisfactory to them but basically this is, as my honourable friend has indicated, an issue that is a year and a half old. They have been living with this on a regular basis for the past year and a half.

I believe that there can be an equitable and fair solution offered to it, but I cannot indicate to my honourable friend that would happen within two weeks as she would desire. I would desire that too, but I simply cannot make that commitment it can be achieved in two weeks time. Ms. Gray: Would the Minister at least be prepared to indicate that he would have his senior staff write or talk to the Civil Service Commission and ask them if they can, if possible, come to a speedy resol ution? Is he at least prepared to support that? Mr. Orchard: Yes, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman: Is it the will of the

section to pass this item? (Agreed)

Monday, November 7, 1988 Item 1. (g)

(1) Hu man Resource Ma nagement: Salaries- pass; item 1. (g)(2)-pass. 1. (h)

(1) Internal Audit: Salaries-the Member for Kildonan. Mr. Gulzar Cheema (Kildonan): Mr. Chairperson, could the Minister indicate why he has chosen these five topics for the Internal Audit and what is the methodology he is going to use for each and every audit please? Mr. Orchard: Well, as long as I have been critic of the Department of Health, it has been known as Internal Audit and that is a designation that has been arrived at in consultation and advice from the Fin ance Department. Mr. Cheema: Mr.

Chairperson, my question is why these five topics have been chosen, just for financial purposes or for the program implementation? Mr. Orchard: If my honourable friend reads on page 35, "The Department of Health has identified the following areas for review in the next fiscal year in keeping with its goal of review in all major areas of the department every five years." lt so happens that these items have come up on that cycle. Mr. Cheema: Could the Minis ter tell us what stages are these audits at now and, for each of the audits, what are the methods being used?

What is the cost of each audit, if there is any possibility of duplication of these services because these audits could be considered under different headings, to be more specific under Mental Health Services or under the Manitoba Health Services Commission, or under the Lifesaving Drug Program under Health Promotion? Mr. Orchard: I think, if I under stand my honourable friend's question, why are they here instead of within each of the appropriation? That is because, for instance, in Continuing Care, there is no independent ability to audit internal ly.

That is why we have the Internal Audit with their three SYs available to provide that independent review from administration of finance regardless of what area of the department they are asked to do an internal audit. lt would be highly questioned if, for instance, in Continuing Care, they set up their own Internal Audit group and did their own internal audit of their own internal workings. The department has Internal Audit to be a semi-independent. You cannot be comple tely independent unless you are the Provincial Auditor.

This is our in-between step between the Provincial Auditor and the line delivery in the department to give us an independent analysis of how various programs within the Department of Health are being operated. Mr. Cheema: Could the Minister indicate to us, last year, what major areas were audited and can be table the findings from that audit? Mr. Orchard: Mr. Chairman, there are actually nine different projects that were comple ted last year by Internal Audit. Only one is in process and that is the Mental Health Staff Patient Ratios.

The other seven out of nine studies have been completed, some with reports and some without reports issued. One internal audit on the residential per diem at the two mental health centres has been completed and the report is only in draft stage. Mr. Cheema: Mr. Chairperson, could the Minister indicate to us, out of the seven, can he just give us the names of the various programs? To be more specific, out of these seven that have been completed, what are the areas please? Mr. Orchard: Mr. Chairman, on the Home Orderly Services, that internal audit is planned for Aprii-May of 1989.

The Lifesaving Drug Program is planned for December 19 88-January 19 89; the Mental Health Centre's selected review or plan for December 1988- January 1989, as well; the Regional Operations, that one is completed; and the Medical Supplies and Home Equipment is done as well. Mr. Cheema: I think the Minister did not catch my question. I was asking what was the program last year ? He said there were nine programs evaluated last year, out of them seven are completed. Could he tell us each and every category and could we have the finding from each and every audit please? Mr.

Orchard: There were four reports issued and thr ee studies there was no report-actually four, one is not completed. Those internal audits have not been part of information that has been tabled in the past. I would carry on with that tradition. Mr. Cheema: With all due respect to the Minister, why are we conducting the audits when you cannot even table those findings in the House and have some input from other Members. Could you please tell us at least the name of those four programs? Mr.

Orchard: The Brandon Mental Health Centre, the Financial System Audit was one of them; the Biologies Audit was another one and the Manitoba Health Services Commission Amalgamation Review, known as the McCaffrey Report, is another one of them. There was an audit last year of Home Orderly Services as well. Mr. Cheema: Just for my information or the information of other Members of the House, can the Minister give us at least some idea what were the findings of each and every program, and how he has planne d to implement those findings for this year and for the next year? *

(2050) Mr. Orchard: Mr. Chairman, the purpose of Internal Audit, of course, is to try to determine whether there are any inefficient uses of staff time or any ineffeciencies in the acc ounting process, or the way in which the various branches of Government organize their affairs. Where Internal Audit uncovers or discovers or finds weaknesses in the management program, those 2889

Monday, November 7, 1988 weaknesses are brought to the program management along with suggested change on how to improve the weakne sses, if you will, of the program and managers are expected to implement changes recommended as soon as possible. The only thin g that prevents immediate or almost immediate implementation is if there is a significant financial implication which would need either Treasury Board clearance or budgetary appr oval in the next fiscal year, say. Mr. Cheema: Could the Minister indicate to us at least immediate areas of weakness identified in those audits, please? Mr.

Orchard: I am not sure I can do that because I do not know whether there were some weaknesses, but I will tell you what I will do for my honourable friend. If he wishes, I will try to give him some of the home orderly audit weaknesses as we approach the Continuing Care line because I know there were some difficulties identified there and there have been some ongoing changes to the system. Mr. Cheema: Mr.

Chairman, I will repeat my question again because to learn from these audits, at least the areas of major weaknesses should be tabled in the House so that the other Members could learn and also could have maybe some input into the quality of the care. My next question is, under the present audit for the lifesaving drugs, the Minister has indicated that this audit will go in December '88. Can he identify, under this Lifesaving Drug Program , what drugs he is considering and what is that control group, and what is going to be the time frame of this audit? Mr.

Orchard: lt is antici pated that the two-month review- December this year and January '89-will be sufficient and what one is hoping and I will read to you the goals of the audit. First of all, it starts out describing the purpose of the Lifesaving Drugs Audit: "The purpose of the program is to provide life-sustaining medication to those who cannot afford to purch ase the drugs, despite assistance from Pharma care ." In other words, Manitobans who simply cannot even afford the basic deduction and the 20 percent eo-payment.

"Part of the objective is to review the efficiency and effectiveness of the procedures used to, first of all, assess client financial and medical eligibility for the program," because you have to meet both criteria to qualify for this program. Secondly, "Acquire and distribute the ability of the program and the effectiveness of the procedures to secondly acquire and distribute medication to the client group. The audit will be cond ucted using traditional audit techniques or review analysis and documentation of the systems currently in place," just to make sure the program is working efficiently. Mr.

Cheema: This audit seems to be the new one. What kind of a control group are we going to have to have an exact evaluation of this Lifesaving Drug Program? Mr. Orchard: There is no control group when you are doing an internal audit. What we are trying to find out is whether the criterion by which Manitobans can access the program are being appropriately followed and whether there is an efficient and effective distribution of medication under the program. There is no control group; the control group, if you will, will be those who are on the program. Mr.

Cheema: Could the Minister indicate the-could he please name the drugs covered under this program ? Mr. Orchard: No, I cannot give you the list off this one. The lifesaving drugs are all lumped into one. We might be able to help you. The Lifesaving Drug Program is all lumped with biologies and other vaccines, flu vaccines, etc., etc. However, if it were important to my honourable friend, we can get him a list of the drugs and provided it to him tomo rrow. Here are some general categories of patients who qualify under the Lifesaving Drug Program.

They are diabetics, insulin being one, insulin and the hypodermic equipment; those Manitobans suffering from cystic fibr osis and the medications req uir ed to assist them with that disease; and then Manitobans requiring growth hormones. Mr. Cheema: Mr. Chairperson, will the drugs such as- 1 cannot give the name right now, but the drugs which are at the experimental stage for the AIDS patient, will they be part of this study? Mr. Orchard: Mr. Chairman, if my honourable friend is referring to AZT, no, it is not. That is part of the hospital budget. Mr. Cheema: Mr.

Chairperson, what is the projected cost for all these programs? Mr. Orchard: I cannot give that to you until we hit the appropriation under which the program comes in. Then we can provide that when we get there. Ms. Gray: Mr.

Chairperson, before I ask a few questions in the area of Internal Audit, I would like to comment, and I should have done it when we were on the last sect ion, in that my experiences with the Human Resources Branch and with Internal Audit have, by and large as a Civil Servant, been very, very positive and I think that it should be noted on the record that the staff in Human Resources have always provided a very excellent service-what I would consider an excellent service -to the Regional Operations and have been very, very helpful and really are a very dedicated, conscientious staff.

I can certainly say that, as well, with the staff in Internal Audit, that they do a very good job. So the Minister of Health is fortunate to have such dedicated staff in his department. In regard to the lifesaving drugs and rheumatic fever program review, could the Mini ster tell us what prompted that review to occur? Was there a problem or issues that were identified that prompted the review? Mr. Orchard: No particular problem was identified. lt simply became up on the rota tion, if you will. 2890

Monday, November 7, 1988 Ms. Gray: Mr. Chairperson, the Minister is ind icating that there have never been problems identified with the Lifesaving Drug Program? In fact, it has just come up on the cycle? Mr. Orchard: That as well, Mr . Chairman, and it was requested by the director. Ms. Gray: The director of who or what? Mr. Orchard: The program, the Commun icable Disease Control. Ms. Gray: Mr.

Chairperson, when the Minister indicated earlier that the purpose of this audit was to determine how efficient the program is, I can assure the Minister that in fact it is very inefficient and I certainly look forward to the results of this review. I think that what will be found is that there is a lot of difficulty in actually identifying and clarifying what exactly is the criteria, other than saying individuals are required to have a financial asses sment and also must meet requirements medical ly, and I will be quite interested to see what the results of the review are.

Could the Minister indicate to us, will part of this review be a review of clients who have been on the program for a number of years, in a review to determine whether they are still eligible and also whether the actual Lifesaving Drug Program even has a system in place whereby those clients can be reviewed on a regular basis? *

(2100) Mr. Orchard : My ho nour able friend has better Information than I have because that is exact ly what the program is going to do and now that she has cautioned me, I am going to look forward to the report as well. Ms. Gray: Again a further question on this program and I am assuming that probably this would be part of the review, but there has always been some question or concern about who the staffpeople are who should be conducting the financial asses sments, and over the years those individuals have been public health nurses in some cases or home economists in other cases.

Will part of the review also be looking at which staff should be conducting the financial assessments? And also relating the Lifesaving Drug Program to how that works for clients or individuals living in the Inner City whereby there is some jurisdiction with the City of Winnipeg Public Health Department? Mr. Orchard: I am told that is part of the comple te review of the sys tem, including the assess ment and the individuals doing the asses sment. Ms. Gray: The Minister had indicated that there was a review of Regional Operations and that review was completed. Could he explain the nature of the review? Mr.

Orchard: Not by Internal Audit, Mr. Chairman, but there was a review of the three regions in Winnipeg. 2891 Ms. Gray: Again to clarif y, I thought I had heard the Minis ter say that there was a review of Regional Operations and that was completed. If that is not the th ree region review, could he tell us what review that was? Mr. Orchard: I stand correct ed, it was done by Internal Audit. As well, there has been a second look at the three regions in Winnipeg as well, outside of the financial aspect. Mr. Chairman: Order, please. Ms.

Gray: Could the Minister tell us, this Regional Operations Review that is being completed, is the Minis ter prepared to indicate the results of that review or any preliminary results of that review? Mr. Orchard: No, I am unable to share any results at this stage of the game. I guess to put it fairly and as succinctly as possible, there is more discussions that need to take place around the review to sort of flush out a course of action that might be appropriate. Those discussions and further information have not been completed at this date. Ms.

Gray: Could the Minister indicate, with the Regional Operations Review, was there any indication or has there been any indication from the review that the initial move of moving Regional Operations, Health and Communi ty Services from one region into three was perhaps ill-conceived and very hastily done? Mr. Orchard: Of course that is one of the appropriate questions that we need to answer.

As my honourable friend, having been part of that devolution into thr ee, knows full-well, it was not neces sarily the smoothest accomplished reorganization within the department and is still subject to some substantial discussion as to its overall effectiveness. I could not at this stage of the game, I would not at this stage of the game, let me put it that way, share with you thoughts because it would be premature at this stage of the game. Ms. Gray: The Minister had said that there was a review completed of MHSC and some amalgamation. Would he tell us the results of that review? Mr.

Orchard: As my honourable friend knows, there has been for some time discussions ongoing as to whether the-how would I put it in language which would describe the rela tionship between the commission and the department -a quasi-independent relationship of the commission. As a resu lt, and simply because of the sheer size of both operations, there is some thought that an amalgamation might be an appropriate dir ection to take. That was investigated to some degree by Mr.

McC affrey as a retired civil ser vant, although he was not retired when did that, was he? lt was just prior to his retirement that he undertook the review. I think it is fair to say tha t he identified areas in which there wou ld be strengths in terms of amalgamation, but he also identified some strengths of having the commission operate as an autonomous group and continue to operate in the way that it has been.

Monday, November 7, 1988 One of those strengths was for a line department in Government, and let us just use the example of Brandon Mental Health Centre. If Brandon Mental Health Centre needs a $1 ,500 piece of equipment to be purchased and added to the Brandon Mental Health Centre, they have to go through complete Treasury Board approval which is fairly time consuming, and I think it is fair to say rather frustrating of the administrators of Brand on Mental Health Centre to go through the hoops and hurdles of that approval.

The commission has the strength that when a hospital that is funded by the commission has a similar request for a $1 ,500 piece of equipment, they may run into the same kind of complaints about taking too long to make that decision. But they can make those decisions internally based on their analysis, as long as they satisfy themselves that the item to be purcha sed is appropriate and is needed and they have achie ved an effective purcha se arrangement, and they can give approval without going to Treasury Board.

I guess one has to see some strength in that because I think the incidental Capital budget over at MHSC is $50 million or thereabouts. No, it is a little less than that. But we are talking probably $35 million to $40 million of incidental Capital expenditures that we give lump-sum approval to and the se

Document details

Collection	Manitoba — Debates (Hansard)
Citation	34-1-73b
Type	hansard
Volume / chapter	34th 1st hansardpdf 73b.pdf
Language	en
Format	pdf
Source	PROVINCIAL
Identifier	36be81774188e395a374f9b6704b111d29dc04d0

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