Manitoba Hansard — Sitting 2 (35th Legislature, 6th Session)

35-6-2

Manitoba — Debates (Hansard)

Sixth Session· Thirty-Fifth Legislature of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba DEBATES and PROCEEDINGS (Hansard) Published under the authority of The Honourable Denis C. Rocan Speaker Vol. XLIV No.2· 10 a.m., Friday, December 2, 1994 ISSN 0542-5492

MANITOBA LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY Thirty-Fifth Legislature Members. Constituencies and Political Aff iliation .rum ASHTON, Steve BARRBTI', Becky CERR.U. Marianne CHOMIAK, Dave CUMMINGS, Glen, Hon. DACQUAY, Louise DERKACH, Leonard, Hon. DEWAR. Gregory DOER, Gary DOWNEY, James, Hon. DRIFDGBR, Albert, Hon. DUCHARME, Gc:rald, Hon. EDWARDS, Paul ENNS, Harry, Hon. ERNST, Jim, Hon. EVANS, Clif BV ANS, Leonard S. Fn.MON, Gary, Hon. FINDLAY, Glen, Hon. FRIESEN, Jean GAUDRY, Neil GR.. LESHAMMER, Harold, Hon. GRAY, Avis HFL WER, Edward InCKBS, George KOWALSKI.

Gary LAMOUREUX, Kevin LATHLIN, Oscar LAURENDEAU, Man:el MACKINTOSH, Gord MALOWAY,Jim MANNESS, Clayton, Hon. MARTINDALE, Doug McALPINE, Gerry McCORMICK, Norma McCRAE, James, Hon. MciNTOSH, Linda, Hon. MITCHELSON, Bonnie, Hon. ORCHARD, Donald, Hon. PALLISTER, Brian PENNER, Jack PLOHMAN,John PRAZNIK, Darren, Hon. REID, Daryl REIMER, Jack RENDER, Shirley ROBINSON, Eric ROCAN, Denis, Hon. ROSE, Bob SANTOS, Comad SCHELLENBERG, Harry STEFANSON, Eric, Hon. SVEINSON, Ben VODREY, Rosemary, Hon. WOWCHUK, Rosann Vacant Vacant Constituency Thompson Wellington Radisson Kildonan Ste.

Rose Seine River Roblin-Russell Selkirk Concordia Arthur- Virden Steinbach Riel St. James Lakeside Charleswood Interlake Brandon East Tuxedo Springfield Wolseley St. Boniface Minnedosa Crescentwood Gimli Point Douglas The Maples Inkster The Pas St. Norbert St. Johns Elmwood Morris Burrows Sturgeon Creek Osborne Brandon West Assiniboia River East Pembina Portage Ia Prairie Emerson Dauphin Lac du Bonnet ' Transcona Niakwa St. Vital Rupertsland Gladstone Thrtle Mountain Broadway Rossmere Kirkfield Park La V erendrye Fort Garry Swan River River Heights Flin Flon &l1I NDP NDP NDP NDP P.C. P.C. P.C. NDP NDP P.C. P.C.

P.C. Ub. P.C. P.C. NDP NDP P.C. P.C. NDP Ub. P.C. Ub. P.C. NDP Ub. Ub. NDP P.C. NDP NDP P.C. NDP P.C. Ub. P.C. P.C. P.C. P.C. P.C. P.C. NDP P.C. NDP P.C. P.C. NDP P.C. P.C. NDP NDP P.C. P.C. P.C. NDP

- 13 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA Friday, December 2,1994 The House met at 10 a.m. PRAYERS Speaker's Statement Mr. Speaker: I have a statement for the House. I nmst inform the House that Jeny Storie, the honourable member for Flin Flon, and Sharon Cars tairs, the honourable member for River Heigh ts, have resigned their seats in the House effective July 20, 1994, and September 15, 1994, respectively. I am tbelefore tabling their resignations and my letters to the Lieutenant -Govemor-in-Council ad vising of the vacancies thus created in the membership of the House.

ROUTINE PROCEEDINGS PRESENTING PETITIONS Physical Education in Schools Mr. Kevin Lamoureux (Inkster): Mr. Speaker, I beg to present the petition of Lawrence Danylchuk, Lana Woods, Brian Hnmniski and oth ers, mging the Minister responsible for Education (Mr. Manne ss) to consider reinstating physical education as a compulsory core subject area. TABLING OF REPORTS Hoo. Eric Stefanson (Minister of Finance): Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to table the Public Accounts for 1993-94, Volumes 1, 2 and 3. Introduction of Guests Mr.

Speaker: Prior to Oral Questions, may I direct the attention of honourable members to the gallery, where we have with us this morning , from the St onewall Cent ennial School, fifty-six Grade 5 students under the direction of Mrs. Oleryl Lekopoy and Mrs. Karl Kinley. This school is located in the constituency of the honourable member for Oim1i (Mr. Helwer) . Also, from the Concord School, we have five Grades 9 and 10 students under the direction of Mrs. Joan Taylor. This school is also located in the constitue ncy of the honourable member for Gimli (Mr. Helwer) .

On behalf of all honourable members, I would like to welcome you here this morning . • (100 5) ORAL QUESTION PERIOD Air Command-Winnipeg Government Strategy Mr. Gary Doer (Leader of the Opposition): Mr. Speaker, first of all, we would like to pass on our condolences to the Downey family on the passing of the minister's fa ther. I have a question to the First Minister.

We were expecting on December 12 word about the military pro posals dealing with the Air Command in Winn ipeg, pursuant to the joint Senate and House of Commons comm ittee rec ()ll1Jl'!el1<ting the closure of the Air Command and the merger of those commands in the Ottawa Hull area and out of the commm ity of Winn ipeg. This fol lows other decisions, Mr. Speaker, dealing with private contracts for aerospace jobs here in Manitoba, reductions in jobs here in the province of Manitoba, and we are very concerned about the Air Command here in Manitoba.

It has close to a million dollars in payroll per month in the military, direct military in Manitoba, and a number of other civilian jobs here in the province of Manitoba. I would like to ask the Premier: What is the strategy of the provincial government dealing with keeping the Air Command positions here in Manitoba and dealing with the propo sals now from both the Defence minister and the joint

14 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA December 2, 1994 Senate and the House of Commons committee ? Bon. Gary Filmon (Premier): Mr. Speaker, I thank the member opposite both for his words of cmdol� for the Deputy Pmnie r-and I will pass those . along, of course-and, secondly, for his question about a very troublesome issue.

The� �fthe Oppositim and I spent a great deal of time m Ottawa and travelling back and forth to Portage Ia Prairie in years gone by as we dealt with the closure of the base the�e and its rene �al in the form of a private training centre. �e did, �f �· at that time have the support of Liberals m this House. We did, of course at that time have the support of Liberals in Otta�a. It is very disconcerting to see the actions being taken today to add to those actions that have ��hundreds of jobs, high-tech jobs m the pnvate sector in the aerospace industry with the cancell atim of the EH-101 helicopter contract.

Now we have trmrndous potenti al job losses both at Bristol Aerospace in the CF-5 overhaul losses that aiC being alluded to and now the potential for reorganization and loss of Air C(.llllmand We have been talking , I have been talking with various senior-officer-level people at Air COIDD8M Of course, there is no certainty in any of the proposals at the moment.

Our positim will be to do everything possible to convince the federal gove rnment in Ottawa that they ought to ens ure that the�e is a balance and a fairness to Canada in the distribution of its military personnel, in the distribution of its military employment We believe that there continues to be very, very strong evidence that this is the best place for Air Command, that in all of the changes, certainly centraliza tion to Ottawa ought not to be an option and that Air Command ought to ICmain here. We will do eve rything within our power to convince Ottawa. We, obviously, have not seen any final plans.

It is in the nunour stage, but we will be doing everything we can to head it off at the pass, so to speak, Mr. Speaker. Aerospace Industry Defence Conversion Program Mr. Gary Doer (Leader of the Opposition): Mr. Speaker, I am sure all membe rs of the House join you m the Air Conmand issue and the payroll he�e in Manitoba. Mr . . Speaker, we have lost a number of jobs in the pnvate sector aerospace industry. We have cited Boeing in the past. Bristol is being challenged, the cancellation of the helicopter, but all those programs WCIC supposed to be replaced by a defence conversim program.

I think it is important that the gove rnment not mly raise the cmcems and opposition to the federal government moving away from these jobs in Manitoba, but also have an alternative program for the aerospace industry here in Manitoba. Does the provinc ial govemment have a conversion strategy with the federal government ?

Can the Premier table that in this House today so that we all can join together with positive suggestions to implement the promise to move from a military industry , a defence conversion program which was promised, to help industries in transition from high military production to high tech civilian production in Manitoba? Hon. Gary Filmon (Premier): Mr. Speaker, we have hem very IDJCb involved in the creation of an Aerospace Industries Association here , which I think is a very positive contribution on the part of the industry itself.

Fomm y, industry sectors that were in like aiCas of manufacturin g used to look upon themselves as �ors. As a result of some leadership that I think IS very forward looking, our industry here has created a co-operative situation in which they work together. We as a government have been very supportive of it and working very strongly with them so that any of these kinds of opportunities for conversion are ones that we will not mly be a part of but supportive of and very much involved with the Aerospace Industries Association on. - -

December 2, 1994 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA 15 The diffi culty, of course, is that a major, major ecmomic ca:nn 'butor, a financial contributor to the aerospace industry was the military purc hases. Major decisions have been made by the federal Liberal government to cut down their intended pwdlases, particularly the EH-101. We are told now that operating costs and maintenance costs on the old heli copters that many view as vezy dangerous are JDJch higher than expected and the net savings that were proje cted are IWch less, if any, Mr. Speaker.

All of those decisions, of course, continue to impact the industry. The difficul ty is that they are facing the same pR:ssures on the private side, on the private coun:ercial airaaft pmchase side. In fact, Boeing has indicated very grave concerns at the fact that very few of their new aircraft are being pmchased by Canadian-based airlines and have indicated their conce rns. I have been in touch with the CEO of Boeing in Seattle to let him know that we believe it is vezy important that they maintain their commitments here, their pR:sence here , their employment here .

Given that this is one of their lower -cost production centres throughout North America, we believe that there is strong reason why they ought to continue to support the Winnipeg operation, but that too has impacts based on decisions that are made outside of our level of government. • (10 10) Mr. Doer: Mr.

Speaker, in the Spee ch from the Throne and in documents we have had from the goveii1Ildlt, we have not seen a proposal from the provinc ial government, a strategy from the provincial govemnrnt, to deal with the changes in both the private and the public sector of the fe deral government I know that the federal government is involved in these decisions, but, Mr. Speaker, we want to go beyood the concerns raised with the federal govemnrnt to have a strategy that we put in place, a posit ive strategy that we put in place , not just a retroactive criticism of the federal government.

There were another 30 layoffs last week, Mr. Speaker, in the aerospace industry. Week after week, workers are very fearful of their jobs here in Manitoba, and I would ask the provinc ial government and the Premier to table forth a positive proposal for the aerospace industry in Manitoba, a proposal that we can all work together on so that we can keep people working in these industries here in Manitoba. Mr. Filmon: We ll, of course, Mr. Speaker, the member opposite spends all of his time being critical and negative. He does not propose anything positive either.

I can tell the member opposite that in working with an org anization, for instance, like Standard Aero engine, they have expanded dramatically the areas of the world in which they are now working. 1'hey are getting work out of many other sectors as a result of combined eff orts and support from our govemn r.nt, mmy more sectors than they have had ever before . When it comes to areas such as Bristol Aerospace, we have met with them, with potmtial c1ic:nts from many countries of the world, including Korea. We have met with them here in Winnipe g; we have gone with them to Asia to lobby.

I made a personal approach to the Prime Minister while we were away to ensure that be raised at a mee ting in APBC with the head of government of Malaysia a potential contract for Bristol Aerospace . Mr. Speaker, we have been proactive in going after new opportunities, new markets, and new thrusts for those companies so that they can, in fa ct, add to their workload and keep their workforce here , if not enhance it. Video Lottery Terminals Social Costs Mr. Gary Doer (Leader of the Opposition): Mr. Speaker, I hope the Premier is successful in getting a positive program on this unfortunately shrinkin g ind ustry .

Speaking of industries, there is a very, very rapidly expanding industry in this province, that is,

16 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA December 2, 1994 the lottecy industry. It has expanded, doubled, quadrupled under the Fdmon govemmmt. It is now rather ironic that a publicly owned corpora tion, the publicly owned monopoly, the Lott eries corporation, is now well ahead of any other COJIPlllY in the top 100 on the Manitoba business guide. The profits of the corporation ex ceed Great-W est Life and In vestors Syndicate coni>incd, maybe evm IIJ�:£ COJ::q>anies in terms of the Lott eries revenues . Bvecy day-in fa ct, the Minister of Fmance (Mr.

Stefanson) put out a stateme nt saying it would be $18 0 mill ion on a Tuesday; on a Thursday we had it grow to $210 million in potential mveoue. Who knows where the Cmservative lottery policy will end in terms of the �eve nues? Mr. Speaker, the government indicated in its Speech from the Throne that early nurturing c:4 vulnerable childim is one of the best investments in the future that can be made . Does the government in any one of its hundred health care committee s, and I ask the Pmnier this question, bave any IeView of the iiq>act of VLTs on children in our province? Hon. Gary Filmon (Premier): Mr.

Speake r, I find it really interesting, the hypocrisy of the member opposite when it comes to talking about Lotte ries, because evecybody in Manitoba �emembers full well that the first lotteries in Manitoba we�e brought in, in 1970, for the Manitoba Cente nnial under a New Democratic government. Everybody knows that the first casino was opened under New Democrats in this province. Bvecybody knows that New Democrats took over and established the first two bingo palac es in the province .

Bvecybody knows that it was the New Democrats who set up the Manitoba Lotteries coqxntioo, so that they could expend all of the revenues of gaming in this province and all of the avenues and opportunities fo r gaming in this province. I find it absolutely incredible that I could hear this kind of hypocrisy from the Leader of the New Democratic Party (Mr. Doer) in this Legislature, Mr. Speaker. I will take the rest of that que stion as notice and make SUie that the minister �espons ible comes back with the answer. • (10 15) Mr. Doer: Well, he did not answer any of the question, Mr.

Speaker, because the question we dealt with was VL Ts, and this is the king of the VL Ts in Canada Nobody else has created them and nobody else has expanded them but the Premier himself, the member for Tuxedo (Mr. Fdmon). I asked a vecy specific question dealing with the status of children and the hundred comm ittees this govcmmmt has running around the province, bumping into each other, studying various forms c:4 health. 'lbey have about eight committee s, as we uodc:rstand it, disaJSsiog or �eviewing the issue of children's health. We bave been given material, Mr.

Speaker, that deals with the �eview of video lottecy terminals and children. and I quote: We have visited several �egioos of the province in determining the needs of Manitoba childlen. In all rural regions vis ited, concem was expieSsed �eguding the impact on children of video lottecy terminals in rural &Ieas. The concerns included VL Ts consuming income ne cessacy for nurturing of childlen and the potential lack of supervision through VLT use and abuse. I would ask the Premier: Has he received this information from his Minister of Health (Mr.

McCrae )7 Is he acting on the recommenda tions dealing with childlen or aie the words in the Spcedl from the Throne dealing with nurturing of childlen, just like many of the other words of this Premier, ho llow? Hon. James McCra e (Minister of Health): Mr. Speaker, I would like to congratulate the Leader of the Oppositioo, because just a week or two ago he put forward an action plan, a so-ca lled NDP action plan that says that they aie putting childlen first . I thought at the time that what the Leader of the -

December 2, 1994 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA 17 Opposition was doing was turning a corner in the approach of his party in addres sing health issues in Manitoba. It was significant that it was the Leader of the Opposition that made this ann OI.Ulcement and not his aitic because the approach being taken previously by the honourable member for Kildonan (Mr. Olomiak) has always been unhelpful and just critical aud heie we have a positive approach which I have said aud say again today : I appreciate tha t approach because we are all Manitobans, Mr.

Speaker, aud we should all be working together to try to improve our health system The honourable m:amas ought to be aware that we are involved in numerous ways in improving health services aud health care services for young people in Manitoba, including initiatives in the area of fetal alcohol syndrome, teen pregnancy, physical educatic:m, school-based health programs, speech aud language therapy, aboriginal youth health care strategy, rural and northem services child strategy, an action plan for interdepartmental co-otdina tion of services for children, child safety programs, aud on aud on aud on, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Doer: Mr. Speaker, I asked the Premier whether he has implemented the recomme ndation dealing with the mnturing of children and the impact of VLTs that is coming from one of his 101 committees that he has in health care. This is a very serious recomme ndation, Mr.

Speaker, coming to his govemmen t, and I would ask the Premier: Is he implementing the recommendation made on nurturing of children that has been made by one of his 101 committees that says specifically that, of lott ery funds defined for treatnrnt prograrm, specific research should be undertakm on the impact on children in rural areas and appropriate remediation directed at the results of such research dealing with VLTs in rural Manitoba? Mr. Filmon: Mr.

Speaker, we do have, of course, an Add ictions Foun dation of Manitoba that is givm significant funding to deal with counselling and all sorts of areas of concem that may be raised with respect to addictions of any type, whether that is alcohol, whether that is gaming, whether that is drugs or anything else, aud additional resources were put to the AFM so that specifically counselling and other resources would be made avail able should any needs arise or should any needs be identified. I am inform:d, Mr. Speaker, that those resources are considered to be adequate for the needs that are there. •

(1020) Balanced Budget Legislation Introduction Mr. Paul Edwards (Leader of the Second Opposition): Mr. Speaker , on behalf of our caucus, we join with you and the Leader of the Opposition and all members of this House in also extending our sympathies to the Downey family at this time of tragedy. Leaving aside for a moment the issue of the hypocrisy of this govemment bringing forward balanced budget legisla tion six aud a half years after straight deficits and $4 billion in new debt, so filr the Premier has discussed this, urused about this in generalities aud has been long on rhetoric and short on specifics.

My questioo for the Premier: Will he be placing this legislati on before this House before his next budget? Is he prepared to have us discuss and debate and vote on this legisla tion before his next budget, which will be another, we predict, in a long string of deficit budgets in this province? Will he put it befure us so we can debate it and we can stop this outrageous string of deficit budgets. Is he prepared to do that? Hon. Gary Filmon (Premier): Mr.

Speaker, when we speak of hypocrisy, of course, it does bring to mind the Leader of the Liberal Party, because he is the mly person I know who can be oo every side of every issue all at the same time and give everybody the impression that he is their friend and be absolutely co mmitted to do all the wrong things when he is agreeing with them

18 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA December 2, 1994 Mr. Speaker, the Leader of the Liberal Party makes an interesting number of points. Firstly, he suggests that somehow he is in favour of balanced budgets . At the same tim:, he has voted against budgets because they have not spent enough time after time after time. The greatest hypocrisy is the news release that he put out just before the throne speech in which he said that he wanted to do things to address child poverty. When he had a chance to vote for the highest tax �ts for families with childrm in this country in the budget of 1989, he voted against it.

It put hundieds d. dollars into the pockets of all families with children in Manitoba, and he voted against it. That is the greatest hypocrisy that he perpetrated. Secondly, Mr. Speaker, he uses again a fal se number , a &lse number of course that he inherited from the

article in today's newspaper by one Frances Russell, and that is that this govemmcnt has SOIII:how added $4 billion to the province's debt. What he does not say is that $1.7 billion of that $4 billion was simply transfcired onto the books because Lime stone came on stream during that period of time, an investment that was made prior to this govemment.

What he does not say is that another over $400 millim of that debt was part of the debt that came on from other Crown corporatim spending, that this govemment has increased the debt of this province at a rate of 1.3 percent of GDP per year, which is the lowest increase, the lowest deficit of any province in Canada as a percentage of GDP throughout seven budgets in govemment. What he does not say is that every time we have had a budget in this province, he has advocated more spending and a higher deficit, Mr. Speaker. That is the kind of hypocrisy that we deal with.

He also refers to the s<H:alled balanced budget legislatim in New Brunswick and he does not say that it leaves out ca pital debt entirely. On that basis, this province had a balanced budget this year , a balanced budget on an operating basis this year . So we will talk about deficits . We will talk about balanced bud gets, and we will see where that member in his hypocriti cal stance really does stand. Mr. Edwards: That was a very entertaining diatribe from the Pmnier, Mr. Speaker. He cannot have it both ways. He says, the $4 billion includes capital, and then he says he does not want to include capital.

Bither it does or it does not; $2.3 billim operating, $4 billion including capital. My question to the Premier, Mr. Speaker: He has had seven budgets in a row with deficits , seven in a row, and now in the dying days of his second tennhe says, we want balanced budget legislation. Will that legislation � a govemment to balance the budget more than mce in evety seven years ? Would he be in breach of his own proposed legislation? Where is it, Mr. Speaker? Why will he not comm it to putting it before this House before the election, proving that this is more than an electim gimm ick? •

(1025) Mr. Filmon: Mr. Speaker, the member does not even understand that there is a diffe rence between capital debt that is in the hands of a Crown corporati m and capital debt that is supported only by the tax dollars of the people of Manitoba. He does not understand that, but he will eventually if the public allows hitn to stay as Leader of the third party long enough. Maybe then he will have a sense of all of the things that have to be dealt with in govemment and he will be able to understand his questi ons a little better. Mr.

Speaker, the fact of the matter is that this govemmcnt has worked ve ty, very hard with no support from the opposition parties to get our deficit down to the point that we are now within hailing distance of a balanced budget We want the public to know that we are absolutely comnitted to kee ping a balan ced budget in future. Mr. Speaker, the fiscal plan says that this govemment will balance the provincial budget by 1996-97, and we are also going to table legislation to ensure that it carries on from there. -

December 2, 1994 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA 19 Because I heard the member for Conconlia (Mr. Doer) make some reference to a surplus in 1988, I would like to table the pages from the budget that was introduced by the Pawley government in 1988, the budget that one may remember Mr. Walding voted against. It talks about a $334 millioo deficit. That was what was left for the people of Manitoba. I would like to table that so members opposite will understand exactly what happened, because they have sele ctive recall. Mr. Edwards: Mr.

Speaker, the essential message from this Premier and this government is: Do as I talk, not as I walk. This Piemier is saying: After seven deficits, we are cooverted; we want to balance the budget with regularity. There have been seven budgets in a row that have run deficits. My question for the Piemier: We have January and February, we have the rest of this month before the Onistmas break, Mr. Speaker. Will he comm it to putting this legislation bef ore us?

We will con:mit to staying in January and February to debate it, to talk about it, to vote on it and to put some meat on the bones of the Ihetoric that he is engaged in. Is he prepared to have this debate and have this vote before his next deficit budget? Mr. Filmon: Mr. Speaker, actions speak louder than word s. This is the government that against all of the opposition from the members opposite, including the member forS t James (Mr.

Edwards), who day after day in this Legislature has stood up and told this gove••" !IC'!Jt to spaxl more, spend more, spend noe--a gainst all of that ad vice, we have continued without any increase in taxes. I recall him and his Leader who was before him saying that they would raise taxes and they would spend more and they would increase our deficit Now he is tiying to be a born-again deficit fighter, Mr. Speaker? Give me a break. •

(1030) Prostate Clinic Report Tabling Request Mr. Dave Chomiak (Kildonan): A prostate centre is a good idea, Mr. Speaker, but so was breast screening and we have not seen it. So was ronxnurity-based care and we have not seen it. So was nurse-managed care and we have not seen that. Will the minister today table the study and report rec omme nding the prostate centte and outlining the plans for it, or will he keep it secret like all of the other over 100 government commi ttee reports? Hon. James McCrae (Minister of Health): The differe nce, Mr.

Speaker, in the approach we have adopted over the last several years to the renewal of our health system and the one seemingly advocated by the hooourable member is that we are indeed very open and consultative in our approach, so we ann ounce our intention in the throne speech. As the days and months ahead unfold, details of all of these measures that we have ann ounced will come forw anl.

The honourable member I hope will remain supportive along with his Leader, who has takm a slightly diffetaJt approach to the whole matter than the honourable member has, which leads to a little confusion about where the NDP really does stand, but it is nice to know that we have their support for these efforts. As details are available, we will be making them known. Correspondence Tabling Request Mr. Dave Chomiak (Kildonan): Mr.

Speaker, will the minister today table the correspondence and C()JD1TIImication that the province has had between the province, the Department of Health and the urologists in the province and the patients and the support groups dealing with prostate cancer? Will he table that corres pondence and that inf ormation so we can have a look at an understanding of what is happe ning?

20 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA December 2, 1994 Hoo. James McCrae (Minister or Health): Mr. Spea ker, as I have indicated and as the throne speech indic ates, our appro ach has involved consultati ons amongst over 15, 000 Manit obans. That includes all kinds of professionals-medical professionals, nursing prof essi onals and all the others-as well as consumers of health care services in Manitoba. There is nothing vety secret as far as I can tell, because IDJSt reports that we are involved in have the input of do2als of people.

We have released a 11UI1D::r of reports , and we will continue to release reports as we are ab le to do so. Mr. Chomiak: Mr. Speaker, I take that answer as, no, he will not release the com:spondence between the provincial urologist in the province and others. Funding Mr. Dave Chomiak (Kll donan): My final supplmmtary, Mr. Speaker, is: Will the minister advise this House whether funding for this project will come out of the more than $20 million additional to be art out of the hospitals budget this year and what that funding will be for the centre? Hoo. James McCrae (Minister or Health): Mr.

Speaker, I think, in an unprecedented way, the Minister of Finance (Mr. Stef anson) has met with hospital administrat ors frc:m all across Manitoba to lay out for them, in a general way, the direction the government is going in a budgetary sense in this coming fiscal year, giving them the kind d. lead time that they have always wished they had for their pl anning. The minister also made it clear, as the throne speech has done, that the next budget will see redirected funds frc:m acute centres to various areas of community health services. Mr.

Speaker, as I have said to the honourable member, with respect to urology, the funding and its source and its location and all of those issues will unfold in due course. RCMP Policing Services Mr. Gord Mackintosh (St. Johns): Mr. Speaker, my question is to the Minister of Justice. A few weeks ago the RCMP had to take the unp recedented move of ann ouncing that this g OYCIDIDCil t has made absolutely-and this is their word, "absolut el y"-no eff ort to maintain a reasonable standard of policing in this province and noted many Manitoba communi ties which are dangerously underpoliced.

In response, the Mioistc'z of Justice has reported on November 5 as saying that she had not been officially advised by the RCMP of these grave concems. The RCMP reports that on August 12 their commarvting officer wrote a seven-page letter to the minister about their concems, and the minister confiDned receipt of that letter on September 20. We bear one thing always frc:m this minister and another thing always frc:m people in the justice system , Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, Manitobans deserve to know the truth. Is the JDinisttt saying that the RCMP of this province are lying? Hon.

Rosemary Vodrey (Minister of Justice and Attorney General): Mr. Speaker, let me start frc:m the beg inning of what the member is attempting to put forward. First of all , the comments that were made, not directly to me but through a supposedly, according to the press, leaked document to the press, at that time did not represent the RCMP's position. In negotiating these government deals with the senior officers of the RCMP, the CQD11D8nding officer of the RCMP in Manitoba has made that clear and has confiDned that .

The comme nts which were made 'Wei'C made by a divisional representative , by a person working within the system who reports simply to who reports to officers within the system He does not officially negotiate with this govemment, and let me make it clear, and the RCMP will clarify this also, be does not speak for theR CMP. -

December 2, 1994 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA 21 Mr. Mackintosh: The minister has missed the most significant issue regarding the administration of justice, I think. in many , many years. The minister says, n=portedly in the paper, that she was not advised by the RCMP officially of their conce ms.

Given that the RCMP say that their co 111Dllltlding officer personally met with this minister, the commanding officer met with this minister on August 8 of this year and the minister coofinned the outcome of this meeting by letter on August 11, who are Manitobans to believe, the chief law enforcement officer of this province or the Royal Canadian Moooted Police, Mr. Speaker? Mrs. Vodrey: Mr. Speaker, let me say again that this govermnent has and continues to have negotiatioos with officials of the RCMP.

Yes, the member is quite right, I do meet directly with the cormmvJing officer of the RCMP in the province of Manitoba. That is exactly how our negotiations continue. They do not continue through the newspaper, through the media and through documents that are put out by divisional representatives ; instead they proceed in a formal manner . Let me reassure Manitobans again that this g ovemment has a very strong commitment to public safety. Mr. Speaker, this govermnent has increased the budget of the RCMP from $23 million to over $46 million.

We maintain a strong commitment and strong pl anning with the RCMP to make sure that services are available to Manito bans. Mr. Mackintosh: Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Justice has now contradicted the reported COIIIIIrLlts she made in the media. She admits now that she has had ongoing mee tings with the RCMP, was officially apprised of their concems. Will the minister now step down so Manitobans can have confidence in a Justice minister in this province and so that she can be replaced by somxne who will work with people in the justice system? Mrs. Vodrey: In the news paper

article which the member refers to, he will note that I was also quoted in that

article as saying that I have ongoing mee tings with offi cials of the RCMP, with the CQ!lDliUlding officer of the RCMP and that I in fact do negotiate and that in fact there had been in the past and continue to be meetings which deal with the nee ds and the concems of RCMP officers. Mr. Speaker, the depth of this member's research has been through a newspa per article. Had he mad the whole

article he would have found those COIDlDCD. ts also included in the article. • (104 0) Video Lottery Terminals Social Costs Ms. Rosann Wowchuk (Swan River): 'lbroughout my constituency and throughout rural Manitoba, in C()DUD!mities such as Mafeking, Camperville, Swan River and many other comnmnities, community leaders· are concemed with the impact of video lottery terminals. Store owners are expressing concern that there is not as much mmey being spent on groceries. Teachers are concerned about the health of the children in the schools and their ability to leam, many of them because of lack of food.

Why is this govermnent not moving on the reo"'"nw1arions made by its own comm ittee that mooey should be put into research on the impacts of video lottery terminals on children in rural Manitoba? Some Honourable Members: Oh, oh. Mr. Speaker: Order, ple ase. Ms. Wowchuk: That is the same thing we are all getting in rural Manitoba, no answers from this govermnent. The question is: Why is this govermnent not moving on rec omme ndations to do research into the impacts of the video lotte ry terminals? When and how nuch money are they prepared to put in? Now I will ask the Premier: Are you not

22 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA December 2, 1994 concemed about the children of rural Manitoba and the impacts of video lottery terminals? Hon. Gary F1lmon (Premier): Mr. Speaker, I know it must be embarras sing to members opposite to have the member for Swan River, who has been here for four years, not know that she is supposed to place the question to a member of the government. That is why they have moved her into the front row so that she can get some instruction from some of the veterans. Point of Order Mr. Steve Ashton (Opposition House Leader): Mr.

Speaker, our rules indicate that we place questions to the government. It is up to the govemment to detennine who answers 1hose questions. If they do not want to answer, that is fine. We do not need that kind of lecture. Mr. Speaker: 1he honourable member is corre ct in his point of order. The question is put to the government. The honourable First Minister is answering 1he question. ••• Mr. Fllmon: Mr.

Speaker, as I said earlier in response to the Sll1re question from her Leader, the fact is that we have placed resources with various areas of government to ensure that if there are difficulties, if there are needs within the co mmmity for counselling, support services and others, 1hose are available widl 1he resources, 1he additional resources that we have placed in the various programs. Ms. Wowchuk: Mr. Speaker, this government talks about hypocrisy in this morning's Question Period, but they are the hypocrit es. How can they accuse ot hers of being hypocrites when they are not answering the questions?

Why will they not accept the recommenda tion that is made by their own committee? If they will not accept that recommenda tion, can they tell us how much money is being drained out of rural Manitoba and how IDlch mooey they are prepa red to put back into resources to support children who are affected by the gambling with video lottery terminals? I ask the Minister responsible for Lott eries (Mr. Emst). Mr. F1lmon: Mr. Speaker, as has been reported in this House before, $2.5 million has been allocated to the Addicti ons Foundat ion of Manitoba. Ms.

Wowchuk: Of that, I would ask the govemment if they will designate specific money to deal wi1h cbildren. There are children who will not be counsell ed by the Alcoholism Foundation. We have to have money designated and supports put in place for children in rural Manitoba. Will the minister make that commi tment? Mr. F1lmon: 1he Addictions Foundation serves the needs of the fami lies of Manitoba; familie s obviously include children. NONPO�CAL STATEMENTS Hanukkah Celebration Mr. Speaker: Does the Honourable First Minis ter have leave to make a nonpolitical statement? [a greed] Hon. Gary F1lmon (Premier): Mr.

Speaker, as Manitobans begin preparations to celebrate the approaching holiday season accOiding to the traditiaos of their heritage, we are reminded of this province's great cultural diversity. This week our Jewish community is joining their brethren the world over in observing Hanukkah. This eight day 001111 c:� noratic:n recalls the rededication of the Tc:I11Jle of Jerusalem after Antiochus of Syria was driven from its sacred ground.

Tbe symbolic lighting of the Menorah each evening re-enacts the miracle of the small amount of holy oil which burned for eight days until the new oil could be prepared It is a vivid reminder of the triumph of good over evil-a theme shared and celebrated by many other cul tures. For more than 2000 years and across many lands, the Children of Israel have celebrated this victory of fa ith. -

December 2, 1994 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA 23 Manitobans of Jewis h descent have proudly cootributed this and other aspects of their heritage to the great multicultural mosaic in our province and country. Manitobans recognize that each and evrzy celebration or observance represents a significant contribution to our community and the quality of lif e within it.

In the spirit of this holiday season, and in recognition of and respect for the Jewish COJlllllDity of Manitoba for their achieveme nts and contributions to our province, I ask the members of this House to join with me in extending our sincerest best wishes during HamJkkah Members oppo site probably have observed that we do have a Menorah out front in the Legislature-! believe for the first time-and the lights are being lit in the evening during the period of the eight days in which the celebration occurs. It will be � privilege tomorrow evening to light the seventh light, Mr. Speaker. Mr.

Speaker: Does the honourable member for Kildonan have leave to make a nonpo litical statement? [a greed] Mr. Dave Chomiak (Kll donan): Mr.

Speaker, I join together wit h the Premier, and I am sure all members of the Legislature, to also wish best wishes to all Manitobans of Jewish descent and background conceming the celebration of Hamddcab I think it is a testimony to not only the nmlticultural nature of this province, but of the ability of this province to recognize all fa iths when in fact there is a Menorah out front of the Legislature that stands as a symbol not ooly to a religious faith, but to the make-up of this province.

I also think it is a testimony to the nature and the make-up of this province when grade school children in our public school system can come to the Legislature and in fact recognize that that is a Menorah and recognize what it symbolizes even if they are not of Jewish faith. I join with all members of this House to honour all Manitobans and wish them all a happy Hanukkah. Mr. Speaker: Does the honourable Leader of the second opposition party have leave to make a nonpolitical statement? [a gree d] Mr. Paul Edwards (Leader of the Second Opposition): Mr.

Speaker, I wish to join oo. behalf of our cauaJS members with the members in the other parties in recognizing the celebration and the festival and the religious ceremonies which will form part of the Hamlkkah celebration around the world and, of course, in particular in this province. We extend our best wishes to the Jewish community . Mr. Speaker, it is, I think, symbolic and very important and a very welcome addition to our Legislature that we have a Menorah outside the front. I think that is a very positive thing. I did notice it, and it is very beautiful as one sees it lit up each night.

I want to congratulate the Premier and the government for taking that step and taking that initiative . We join with all members of this House in celebrating the rich heritage and past and cootributioo. of the Jewish commmity, really to the world COJlllllDity, but obviously in this context to our own province and our own CQ1111Dlmities in Manitoba. We wish them a very happy, happy Hanukkah, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker: Does the honourable member for Wellingtoo. have leave to make a nonpol itical statement? [a greed] World AIDS Day Ms. Becky Barrett (Wellington): Mr.

Speaker, �etday many MLAs in this Chamber wore a red ribbon in recognition of international AIDS day. This year the World AIDS Day theme was AIDS in the family, Families take care, which combined the values of the International Year of the Family and also addressed the devastating impact mv AIDS is having oo. an increasing number of families around the world On World AIDS Day and throughout the year , community groups and individuals are

24 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA December 2, 1994 endeavouring to increase aw areness that this pandemic is shaking the foundation of all famil ies. Whether we define a family as two parents and childien, a single parent with childien and extc:Dded group of relatives, a core of close friends or a team of co-workers, familie s are affected by HIV AIDS. Fam ily, friends and vol untee rs are caring for more people with HIV AIDS across our province . Health and Welfare Canada estimates that by the year 2000, one in four people living in the North will be HIV positive.

We nwst all continue to work together with people living with AIDS , health care prof essionals, comonmity groups and individuals to ensure that a comprdlensive strategy is in place in Manitoba to deal with this devastating disease. • (10 50) Mr. Speaker: Does the honourable member for Crescentwood have leave to make a nonpol itical statement? [a greed] Ms. A vis Gray (Crescent wood): Mr. Speaker, we join with the official opposition party to say a few wolds in regard to World AIDS Day, whim was yesterday, December 1.

Again, I was pleased that most of the members of this Legislature chose to wear red ribbons as a symbol of World AIDS Day. Certainly, in this Year of the Family, I think it is important to recognize that there are many diffe rent kinds of fa milies. There are a lot of fami lies right here in Manitoba who are, in fa ct, facing the diffi culty of HIV and the effects of the HIV virus.

Certainly, in the last munber of months, we have seen the communi ty rally together in support of programs such as hospice organizations, looking at AIDS shelters and actually getting the commmity together to really deal with the issue of HIV virus. We certainly would like to put our comme nts on the record and say that we recognized yesterday as World AIDS Day.

Hope full y, as we move into 1995, all of us will be more aware of this terrible disease, of the effect on all fami lies in Manitoba and that we can all do our part to ensure that we can do as IIIJch as poss ible to assist the familie s through their suffe ring and, if possible, eliminate the disease. Mr. Speaker: Does the honourable Minister of Health have leave to make a nonpol itical statement? [a greed] Hoo. James McCrae (Minister or Health): Mr. Speaker, I thank honourable members and join with all of my colleagues in this House in making a conunent in reference to World AIDS Day, which indeed was yesterday.

Those of us who know, as I do, families who have been touched by this disease know of the incredible hurt, the incredible lo neliness that accompanies this disease. I think a world wide awareness of that and an aw areness of the things that we should do to prevmt the spread of AIDS is an extremely worthwhile endeavour. I join with my colle agues in obs erving inte mational AIDS day. ORDERS OF THE DAY THRONE SPEECH DEBATE (First Day or Debate) Mr. Speaker: Cmsidcration. of the speech of His Honour the Lieutenant-Governor. Mr. Jack Penner (Emerson): Mr.

Speaker, it gives me great pleasure to move, seconded by the honourable member for St. Vital (Mrs. Render), that an humble addiess be presented to His Honour the Lieutenant-Governor as fol lows : We, Her Majesty's dutiful and loyal sub jects, the Leg is lative Assembly of Manitoba, in session ass embled, humbly thank Your Honour for the gracious speech whim Your Honour has been pleased to addre ss us at the opening of the present session. Motion presented.

December 2, 1994 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA 25 Mr. Penner: Mr. Speaker, before I address the Assembly, let both Dora and myself pass on our condolences to the Downey family at the passing of one of their family members. It is certainly indeed a sad occas ion for the family, and we remember them today. Mr. Speaker, it is my honour and pleasure to move the acceptance of the throne speech, which was so eloquently presented by the Honourable Yvon Dumont, the Ueutenant -Gove mor of this province.

I would like to thank the Premier, Gary Filmon, for bestowing this dist inguished duty upon me and for the c.onfidence he and � coll eagues and His Honour have placed in me. I would like to take this opportunity to welcome back all members of this House on this momentous occas ion of the history of this province, the sitting of the Sixth Session of the Thirty-fifth Legislatme. I would also like to welcome our new Pag es. This will afford them an excellent opportunity to be an integral

part in this page of our histOIY books. Whlle leaming about the process of government would they experience first hand the shaping of our province today, the positive eff ects which will be rippled through the years for generations to come. I look forw ard to making their acquaintances. I also welcome you, Mr. Speaker. May your wisdom guide us as we cmtezq>late and debate the agenda for the govemme nt of our term of this sessi on.

I appreciate, Sir, and I am sure all honourable m:mbers of this House will agree , your dedica tion to your duties, the sincerity of your service and the commitment to the people of Manitoba and this government. You are a friend to me and truly to all Manitob ans. I also would like to welcome back as Deputy Speaker the member for Seine River, Louise Dacquay. You have always demonstrated your ability to keep us foc used in our privileged respons ibilities, and we look forward to your assistance and guidance during the critical debates to fol low .

I wish to express my sincere ap preciation also to my constituents once again for bestowing on me the honour of representing them in this Chamber. I cmrim1ally look forward to their guidance as we deliberate the futme of our province. I have valued the advice and opinions they have given me in the past, and I look forw ard to the continued counsel from them in the futme . I congratulate the Premier (Mr.

Filmon) of our great province for the diligence that he has demonstrated for championing the interests of all the people of Manitoba and look forw ard to his cmrimlf'1i leadership in guiding this great province into the most significant period of our histOty. The people of Manitoba have, time and again, supported the course he and his government is charting for the continued prosperity of Manitoba. This government made a commitment to Manitobans four }a1"S ago to consult, to listen and to act on their behalf and in their best intere sts.

Our records attest that we have been , as we shall continue to be, a reflection of the voice of our constituents. We cmsulted the people of Manitoba on issues that cmccm Manitobans. The people spoke. The government listened. We listened to the demand of the people for their selected govemme nt to lay the groundwork for prosperity today and for the future of Manitobans to come.

The people wanted this government to steer this province on a true and noble course in fomwlating respons ible budgets and sound fiscal planning in the prudent readjustments of our health care system, in bolstering support for our fiunilies, in looking after the needs of our seniors, in stabilizing and developing a healthy economy , and in vitalizing our education system to best reflect the needs of our children and educators today and for the futme. In these and many other issues which are near and dear to the hearts of Manitobans, this government has listened.

The ha11mark of this administra tion is not only in its attentivene ss to the voice of this province.

26 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA December 2, 1994 We have heaid the voice of the people, Mr. Speaker, but, more importantl y, we have acted on what they have said. We have acted responsibly through our commitment to jobs and economic development. We have acted prudently in the administra tion and legislation of government aff airs, and we have acted with heart, sensitive to the fabric of Manitoba and its people. Our throne speech is an illustra tion of our direction for Manitoba and is a clear reflection of the ditection offered by our people in this province. Mr.

Speaker, six years ago, the people of Manitoba said that they were tired of the huge tax bwden they were being saddled with by the previous socialist government and their borr ow more and spend-more attitude of fiscal irre sponsib ility. This action and that government were flatly rejected. The people spoke, and this govern"e•l listeoed. 'Ibeywem tired ofhigh taxes and a huge burden of accunmlated debt that this excessive bonowiog and spending had rendered to our province.

The people of Manitoba wanted responsible government that could fiscally manage and at the S��Im tiJre retain and enhance the services that they required. The people of Manitoba wanted real jobs for today and tomorrow, not the short-term, band-aid solutions of makc-worlt pro jects of the previous government. In short, the people of Manitoba wanted. needed and demanded a change for the better. • (1 100) What the people of Manitoba demanded, the people of Manitoba got That is our democracy. That is our gove�m • rnt in action. The task for this government was not simply to do better than the previous government.

That was too easy. The cballcnge for this goveJIIIIDit, Mr. Speaker, was to be the best government that this province has had for the people of Manitoba. With Premier Fllmon at the head of the good ship Manitoba and a spirited crew with a vision for the future, this province has been steering a comse to a bright, bright future. For example, we have put into place programs that allow co mmm ities to invest in themselv es. The Grow Bmds program is one such initiative .

The key to the celebrated success of this program is that it will encourage individuals and comnnmities to join forces to develop industries and to develop and cobance business and therefore provide jobs to the young people of those communitie s, with such entrepreneurial efforts bringing the welcome consequences of providing JWCh needed employm:nt to the C()DUD!m ities and, as I said before, the young people. We can cite many success stories from Morden to the Interlake and from all across Manitoba.

The Grow Boods and other programs add value to our ecmomy in real dollars and cents and create jobs to strengthen our labour force. Mr. Speaker, the Leader of the Liberal Party of Manitoba called the Grow Bon ds program "small potat oes." To Manitobans, Mr. Speaker, who have invested their bald -earned dollars, made sacrifices and taken risks on their commmity, this is clearly an insult.

To those Manitobans who put in the bald work and lmg hours to make tbe dream a reality and this province a better place to live, this is again an insult They are insulting not only the people and the C()DUD!mities who have a vision for their sustained prosperity but all the men and women and the children today and throughout our colourful and illustrious history who have carved a lif e out of this land. Mr. Edwards has slapped the very face of Manitoba by belittling that statement. Mr.

Edwards owes a clear apology and a sincere apology to the people of Manitoba living today, for all those who have gone before us and who have built this great province from these "small potatoes ." -

December 2, 1994 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA 27 The young people worldng in those conmmni ties call those "smill potatoes" real jobs, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, with your permission I would ask ooe of your Pages to come fo rward and assist me. I would like to present Mr. Edwards, the Leader of the Liberal Party, with a small potato. I would like you to give that to the Leader of the Liberal Party, Mr. Edwards. Some Honourable Members: Oh, oh. Mr. Speaker: Order , pl ease.

I hesitate to interrupt the hmourable member for Emerson, but, on two count s, sir, first of all, we refer to the honourable member for St James as the bmourable Leader of the second opposition party or the bmourable IIICIOOer for SL James. Also, sir, I would like to direct you to a particular rule in BeaudJcsDc 's which clearly indicates that there are no exh ibits allowed in the Chamber. Point of Order Mr. Kevin Lamoureux (Second Opposition House Leader): Mr.

Speaker, I am sure that the Leader of the Liberal Party would in fact want to offer a large potato for the large amount of money VLTs are taking out of- Mr. Speaker: Order, please. What is the point of order? 1he honourable member does not have a point of order. Mr. Steve Ashton (Opposition House Leader): Mr. Speaker, I was woodering if pemaps since you made it very clear that our exh ibits are not allowed in the House if someone is going to remove the potato and pemaps retum it to the member.

I think that apart from the one time when we did have a dead pigeon tabled in the House, we have fo llowed the rules in terms of exh ibits. Mr. Speaker: I thank the honourable member fo r that clarification. Mr. Penn er: I consider this, Mr. Speaker, not an exhibit. I coosider this a truly worthy precedent to the honourable Leader of the Liberal Party, and it is cettainly symbolic of what rural Manitoba fe els about the comme nt that was made in regard to the programs that they used to build. Mr. Speaker: Order, please.

I have already indicated that it is an exhibit 1be Page is just returning it to the honourable member for Emerson. 1be honourable member for Emerson does not have a point of order . ••• Mr. Penner: Mr. Speaker, the potato that was given, as I said before, is a symbol of how rural Manitobans feel about comments such as debilitating the programs that they have used very successfully to build industries, to build businesses and to develop rural Manitoba.

It is my belief that the small business developed by the Grow Bonds program are also some of the best quality businesses in the world and like agricultural prosperity in this province will continue to grow. Our smill potatoes, Mr.

Speaker, are en joyed by people in the Un ited States and in Japan and in mmy other countries around the world. 1be huge mountains of potato chips that are derived from this small potato are of course enj oyed by many, mmy people, not mly in Canada but outside of this country . 1be industry that has been built around this is invaluable in contributi ng to rural Manitoba and the divers ity of the agricultural commmity in this province.

We should not underestimate the impact of the kind of programs that we have developed over the past number of years to encourage exactly that kind of development I invite the honourable Leader of the Liberal Party to try tasting some of those small potatoe s. Given the choice bet ween our home -grown potatoes and his wOlds, you will no doubt find the potatoes easier to swallow. As long as there are people on earth, food will be ooe of the commodities that will never go out of filsbioo or demand This fact and the purple plains of Manitoba have made agriculture the bread and

28 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA December 2, 1994 butter of our provioce . 'Ih:re is no doubt that food production has assmed the very existence of our people throughout the decades. With the enhancement, advancement of people and the growth of agricultural demands, so too the transportation netwmks of rail and road began crisscros sing the COUDby to transport this raw reso urce to the population base to the east. 1he St. Lawrence Seaway fmther ensmed the ecm.omical transportation of our resources and product east and armmd the world.

Trading with the world in a comm odity that the world will always need has assmed the agricultural viability of western Canada in the global market. But the farm commmity, especially the grains sector, Mr. Speaker, has been devastated by the trade relation measures in both the European co mnnmity and the United States over the past while. Export enhancement programs and other measures of foreign countries have substituted historical competitivene ss in the world market with negotiated agree ments under the CUSTA agree ment, the NAFTA agreements.

Canada had a fairly level playing field. • (1 1 10) The GATT was negotiated, however, and some fa rmers in the United States ob jected to wheat exports to the U.S., and consequently all the agreem:ms that had been negotiated over the years were recently set aside. The Liberal government in Ottawa sold out the western dmum and lwd wheat growers by limiting exports in contravention of the previous agreeme nts. Most recently the federal Liberal goven:mrn.t has sold out Manitoba farme rs and caused irreparable damage, Mr.

Speaker, to our provincial ecm.omy in one stroke of a pen, not realizing what the impact of that action would be. We have constantly told our farmers to be innovative, to search out new markets. We ll, a couple of years ago, when we had a disastrous effect in the Red River Valley and our quality of wheat was low yet very high in protein, those farmers did exactly that . They searched out new markets under the implementation and under the agmements of the NAFTA and the CUSTA And yet our federal government chose to go to the United State s and cut those exports of our Canadian wheat in half.

The economic impact of that, Mr. Speaker, can seldom or will probably never be truly evaluated. What took Canadian farmers of high protein wheat years to develop markets in the U.S., the federal Liberals, as I have said before, in one slash of the pen, negated. The federal Liberals have a long history of not supporting farmers and the economy of Manitoba. The Westem Grain Transportation agree ment is being devastated by the federal Lt"berals . The fi:deral Liberal Transport minister has made it clear that he would not support agriculture transportatioo and clearly that in itself, Mr.

Speaker, is going to have a $726 million impact to westem Canadian farmers and spe cifically to Manitoba grain growers and grain producers. The AgriaJltme minister in Otta wa has said very clearly that his budget is not imm1ne to reductions. So wbcie will the support for transporta tion, Mr. Speaker, come from? If the Minister of Tmosport is saying that he is not going to maintain the Crow benefit, wbcie is Agriculture-in saying that they are going to have their budget reduced-g oing to take the mm.ey from to help farmers in that effort? It smacks of the Trudeau years of telling farmers to sell their own wheat.

The farmers would sell their own wheat if they could, but the Cllre tien Liberals in Ottawa have clearly closed off all other avenue s. All effort s have been stopped by farmers themselves exporting wheat, and now farmers in Manitoba are left with the option of looking inwards only to their own markets. Om govemment will stand by its farmers today and in the future and in times of need. as it has in the past. This g()VeiDDX'.Dt recognizes that farming has been and will be the backbone of our economy for many years to come.

GRIP and NISA were two examples of sorre of the abundant support this government has given to our farmers in times of need. -

- December 2, 1994 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA 29 Sugar is another div ersified crop that warrants the altC'Dtion of government in its achievements to expand the industry. I am given to understand, Mr. Speaker, that the Libe rals in Ottawa have signed an agreemmt with the Un ited States recently severely restricting sugar sales from Canada to the United States.

Our sugar industry is C!OllO\)Ctitive without subsidy, yet the Liber als have seen fit to sell out the industry to the Americans without knowledge of either the Canadian industry or the Canadian growers, namely, severe restrictioo. of Canadian sugar products entering the U.S. Does this remind you of time past when Ottawa totally ignored the needs of western Canada? Echoes of "sell your own whea t," right? Liberals do not care about agriculture. They have clearly demonstra ted that. Liberals do not care about small busines s.

Libera ls call it "small potat oes." We will remember, and so will rural Manitoba remember. 1be Filmon team has acted and protected agriculture over the last number of years as long, as we have been in gov emmerJt. Mr. Speaker, "small pota toes," wheat and sugar are not the mly things growing in Manitoba, but eveeywhere pockets of innovation and development are sprouting. Job creation in Manitoba continues to grow, and as of August we showed an increase of 11 ,000 jobs over May of 1993. That will have a very definite impact m. this economy .

You want to call that "small pota toes." This is due in part to many of the programs that this province has initiated over the last number of years, including the Grow Bonds program and the REDI program. Through the Grow Bond and REDI programs, we have created over 1,200 full time jobs and over 2,100 jobs for our youth. I will give you some examples of the work that this government has not mly initiated but been involved in, and that is, of course, the development of a new pasta processi ng plant in southern Manitoba.

In light of the fact that the federal Liberals restricted movement of wheat into the United States and other countries, and in light of the filet that durum wheat is the best quality wheat that we grow, it is important that we support the initiatives of a group of young farmers and aggressive young businessmen in building and enhancing the production, the secondary product ion, of food products such as pasta in this country. There are many other small and large industries that are flourishing in our CC)tll1D!mities and specifically in my constituen cy.

We have a fe llow in South JWlctioo, for instance, who builds wood stoves-Portage and Main, the wood-fire system-in South Junction, employs eight people, not me diJoe of federal support, not one dime of provincial support. We have Dave Desjardins who set up a sawmill and cuts dimensional lumber to build crates for snowmobiles and exports this crating lumber all over the United States, not one dime of fe deral or provincial mcney in building this industry.

We have Elmer's Wddiog at Altona building row crop equipment, the mly row crop manufacturer in all of western Canada; he exports 90 percent of his productim. to the Un ited State s, no federal provincial money involved. Loe wen Manufacturing is employing large numbers of people building replacement parts; Leisure Travel Vans at Gretna is converting vans to travel vans . 'lbese are the kinds of initiatives and the kinds of industries, including D. W. Friesen, who is me of the largest printers in westem Canada operating out of our constituen cy.

Then, of course, we have Golden West Broadcasting out of Altona, which has been a growth industry and emp loys people in the media area, which needs to be congratulated. 'These are the kinds of programs and initiatives that have been started. Woodstone Foods of Portage Ia Prairie employing 35 Manitobans with its Grow Bond expansim. expects to add another 20 people in the near future . That is "small pota toes," Mr. Spea ker. The tire recycling plant at Winkler recently hired 25 new employee s. That is "s mall pota toes." Portage Crocus Foods will create 11 4 jobs in the blos soming area of economic development.

Do you call that "small potatoes"? Monsanto recently

30 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA December 2, 1994 chose Molden over 50 other world locations to locate a plant to produce chemic als in southem Manitoba, a $5-million plant expansion. The Institute for Biodiagnostics moved from Ottawa to Winnipeg creating 70 new jobs. Winn ipeg Vita He alth added 95 jobs in its st aff, and Baxter Corporation created 30 jobs. Mr. Speaker, do you call that "small pota toes"? Rural Manitoba and the city of Winnipeg certainly do not. In total, our strategy bas created important new invcstD:mt. In 1993, 6, 000 jobs were delivered in the private sector.

It is basically those kinds of small entrepreneurs who have had the vision, had the initiative and had the audacity to move at all odds during a time period of recessionary impacts to move in those areas and expand our employment base in this province. • (1 120) Our programs are having an impact 'Ihrough Grow Bonds, over $6 million bas been invested which bas leveraged almost $20 million in total investment. As an example, Sterling Press of Selkirk is a printing company, which is owned by Debbie and Jim Hickson.

Debbie and Jim identified and developed a niche market in cardboard box manufactwing and commcrcial printing, and in November of 1993 local people, little people, invested $170, 000 through the Grow Bonds issue. They expected to create 15 jobs, and, in fac t, they have created over 20. That is good news, Mr. Speaker; that is not "small potatoe s" to Selkirk. 'Ihe really good news is that Debbie and Jim and the fine people at Sterling Press are growing above expectation, that they cannot print stuff fast enough, so to speak. It is growing so fa st, they are looking to do another expansion.

Success stories such as these increase revenues to the province through increased provincial and foreign curre ncy earnings which, in tum, allow us to fund essential programs such as health care, education and family service s. I note with interest the NDP's alternative to the tbrooe speedl. I do not know whether this is their way of implementing legislative reform because they presented their throne speech to the general public four days before we had the throne speech. Of course, that is maybe their way of initiating new ways of doing legislation.

They want to involve every Manitoban in rebuilding the health care again in Manitoba, and remove, they say, the sluoud of secrecy. Then, if I understand corre ctly by their own document, they want to give the responsibility of health care and the whole system to the Ombuds man. Now I call that being inn ovative. I call that being truly inno vative. In the next paragraph, they talk about how this govemmcnt bas introduced cutback after cutback in health care, and then they go on to say that we must be fiscally responsible. 1bese are the same people that want to govem Manitoba. If they had listened. Mr.

Speaker, if they had watched, they would have noted that this government did not cut back but increased spending in health care by $600 million over the last six years . A 600- million increase in health care spending, is that a cutback? I ask them: Is that a cutback? Pemaps I can put it in simpler terms that maybe for the benefits of our members oppo site, they can understand. If you put one loonie into health care and you do that 600 million times over six years, you have an increase of $600 millio n. Imagine the stack of loonies that it would take .

That , of course, comes out the pockets of every taxpa}U in this province, or you are going to have to go out and borrow that money and pay interest on it. The NDP have only one thing to fear, and that, of course, is themselves . They talk about the secrecy of our government and in the same paragraph condeDD the hundred committ ees that are reviewing health care. Yet they are saying, nothing is being done; the public should be cmsulted. They know not where they come from, Mr. Speaker. However, had they wanted to participate in those discussions, they were welcome to do so; yet they chose not to. -

December 2, 1994 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA 31 This government bas been told by our coostitueDts and by the test of the province that we had to change the way health cate was being delivered or we would lose it. Everybody in Manitoba knew that. It was becoming too costly. Cutbacks, no, Mr. Speaker, change, yes-with a lot of help and input from Manitoban s. The NDP, I believe, could leam something today besides the diff etence between ineteased cutbacks. They could also leam from this govemnrnt �les of how to listen and consult with people which they reptesent.

Evidently they did not cate, and they had no ears to hear. A connmm.ity -based health cate system is what Manitobans have asked for . Directing funding to whete it is most needed will serve the people of Manitoba in the way that health cate should be delivered. We have listened and we have acted. Another issue of vital importance to this province's future, which endorses the governmen t's commitment to the province, is of course the atea of education. Mr.

Speaker, this government recognizes that in order to sustain and develop the pride and ecoo.omy of our province for the future we nwst act responsibly today for the citizens of our future and our childten. Our youth ate the building blocks of toroonow, and the foundation is in the family of today. Education is simply not school buildings and passing grades. Educatioo. is vital to the very prosperity of our province and the quality of lif e for our childten today and for all tomorro ws to come. Mothers and fathers throughout this province cate dee ply about their childten and the legacy which they leave behind.

We asked Manitobans to help us ptepare a blueprint for future education. Mr. Speaker, together we established a criteria for the basics and essentials of learning such as reading, writing, mathema tics, comnnmi cation, problem solving, human relations and technol ogy. In order to achieve this, we were advised that we nwst set educational standards and evaluation. We nwst also take steps to ensure schoo ls' effectivene ss, involve comnnmities and paten ts, use tedmology for distance education and develop sound training for teachers. Our Minister of Education (Mr.

Manne ss) deserves a lot of credit for having taken action. In 50 or a hundred years from now some archivists are going to dust off pte-2 1st Century history books and make a cursory mental note of this one actioo. by this gov emment. In 50 or a hundred years from now, Mr. Speaker, who is going to remember-maybe a few, pedlaps no one . The prosperity and the quality of life for our childten and our childten' s future may be in the not-so small apart due to this governme nt's consultation, listening and action today. Again the opposition bas been critical of this process.

At the same time they state in their own document that change is essential. I invite the opposition · to have the courage to support our efforts in order to ensure our childte n's education and future. The oppos itioo. bas frequently used the wOld "cutback" in tefemnce to the government's administration in some very , vety key areas. Spending for Education bas increased to $990 mill ioo. amwall y. This is an inctease of 25 percent from the 1987 level, the last year the NDP formed the government, and I am sure Manitobans will remember that during the next election.

Albeit it is not how nwch we spend on education that is important, it is the quality of education that our childten receive which is �Mr . Speaker. The quality of education suff ers when the environment in which it is delivered is not conducive to learning . That is why we ate also committ ed to supporting teachers in maintaining discipline in the classrooms . I want to commend our teachers and the high standards that our teachers have set. We have many, many teachers in this province that truly have education of the childten at heart.

We nwst create an atmosphere together with patents to msure that disci pline occurs in the class room and that an educational environment is in fact encouraged in the class room.

32 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA December 2, 1994 All of you have heard and seen the COIDIIIICrcials run by the Manitoba Tea chers' Union. If thete is me thing these ads point out, it is when unions attack they damage the very heart of the system. The children and the system need and depend m co-operation and caring, not disruption and distrust. By working together with parents and teachers, by setting standards and by having the courage to n:asure tbe IeSUlts, tbe entile Manitoba commmity and all of its facets will be better served, Mr. Speaker, and we will deliver. Mr.

Speaker, I take special pride in our acc omplishments in the atea of pers onn el and COlDDI.IDity security. We have taken a tough stand m youth crime and violence by introducing boot camps for serious repeat offenders . We have removed the pool tables and the television sets. What they ate in today is no longer a Holiday Inn. We have cmtimml ly asked the federal government to strmgthen the Young Offenders Act so tbat young people know tbat when they break the law thete will be a serious, seriou s consequence.

As part of the same effort we ate working towanl to make patents more responsible for the actions of their children, Mr. Speaker, and I think that is me of tbe ImSt ilqJortant aspects and needs to be addres sed by this government and future governments. This government has had the distinction d introducing the toughest drinking and driving laws in Can ada, and we have come down hard m spousal abuse. We have also introduced amendments to strengthen the anti-stalking laws. Mr. Speaker, this government delivers. • (1 130) We have just come through one of the worst IeceSsions our province has experienced.

We have all had to tighten our belts and most Manitobans have done so admirably. In spite of the fact that the opposition have continually encouraged us to throw money at problems, other Manitobans have said, you ate doing the right thing, your fiscal management policies ate in fact e�eating the kind of economy that will lead us out of this recession. Instead of doing what the opposition has asked us to do, we have introduced sound fiscal management plans to Manitoba, applying sound economic strategies through responsible taxation and spmding, aeating economic growth and jobs. Nobody can argue that.

We have leamed from the f� NDP government tbat heavy borr owing and spending does not lead to e�eating sustainable jobs and lasting economic growth. The 1980s was an era of high tevenue growth, higher spending growth, high deficits, high inflation and high wage ineteases. Since 1988, spending and tevenues have grown on average about 3 percent annu ally. The 1990s ate a time of low tevenue growth, low spcnctiog, declining deficits and low inflation, which will lead us towards a balanced budget. Throughout the 1980s, provincial deficits ranged around the $500-million-a-year mark.

Since 1988, tbe Fi1m:n governme nt's deficits have stabilized to about 1.3 percent of the gross <loaatic product. This is the best performance in Canada In the six years ptevious to the Filmon administration, our provincial debt tripled-tripled in just six years . Those years gone by, d irresponsible fiscal management, is choking the funding of programs needed today. Interest costs at $500 million ann ually represents about $500 for each man, woman and child; $2, 000 for a family of four . Translated for our opposition members, if they ate listening, inte test costs one loonie 500 million times.

We WCie the second -highest-taxed province in all of Canada in 1987. Today , because d sound fiscal management, we ate the third lowest. I say to you, Mr. Speaker, tbat is quite an accomplishment. -

December 2, 1994 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA 33 But that is not good enough for us. We nmst bring our debt down and eliminate our deficit We have made the promise and we will deliver. We cann ot stop there. We nmst ensure that future governments do not enter into this ludicrous cycle of spending and taxing more . Therefore, as stated in the throne speech, we will introduce balanced budget legislation. This will c:osure that Manitobans will be on the leading edge of economic development and maintain its aggress ive competitiven ess.

As �y. the action will help us maintain our programs such as health care, education, family services and many others. Today I call on all my colleagues in this Legislature to support the adoption of the throne speech, and I ask all of you to work together to balance the need for stinmlating more jobs and economic growth, reducing our deficit and to maintain our social programs. By living within our naos, we can maintain our essential services and preserve our quality of life today and for all of us and our ftuni1ies in the � and for tomorrow. Thank you vei}r nmch, Mr. Speaker. Mrs. Shirley Render (St. Vital): Mr.

Speaker, it is my privilege to second the Speech from the Throne for the Sixth Sessi on of the Thirty-fifth Legislature of the Province of Manitoba. I just want to begin by comme nding the mover of the throne speech for his very apt comments.

I think his gift of a small potato a little earlier on in his speech probably said more than any number of letters or press releases on, I guess, the apparent ignorance of some of the people on the opposite side, in the secmd opposition, the ignorance, their lack of understanding of the importance of "small potatoes" to food production or really just generally the importance of the rural economy. I think be expanded on this very well when be talked about the hundreds and hundreds of jobs that were created through Grow Bonds and RED I.

So again I say that I think his gift of a sm all potato spoke volumes about the ignorance of some people here in this Chamber about the importance of the rural economy to the ovemll well -being of this province . Mr. Speaker, I would like to begin really by welcoming :you back in the Chair . The fll'S t time I said that some four years ago I had gone back to some of the old Hansards to find out what a member said the first time they stood up to speak on the throne speech, and all the member's speeches all started off with welcoming the Speaker back, so that is what I did An Honourable Member: It was a tradition.

Mrs. Render: It was a tradition, and I followed that tradition. Now I speak with four years of experience . I have seen you sit in the Chair there, I have seen :you in the comnittee rooms, and I have to say that this Chamber is very fortunate to have you in the Speaker's OJair . You are one of those very unique people who know when to hold tight with tradition and when not to, when to have a little bit of blurry vision and when to have your eyes wide open to c:osure that strict Older is kept. You know when to be stem and when to give a lecture .

You know when to relax the rules because someone has inadvertently brola::n it. So welcome, Mr. Speaker, and I hope you are in the Chair for many more sessions. I would also like to welcome back the Deputy Speaker (Mrs. Dacquay) because she like you has proven that she knows how to run a Chamber here . I would like to take this opportunity to welcome our new Pag es. Unf ortunately, not all of them are here this IJDTting , but I would like to welcome you into this Chamber. I know that this will be an eye opener for you, what you bear in the Ownber, what you bear in the committee rooms.

It will show you bow democracy is practised in the 1990s. I wish you all the best for your stay here and, of course, in your future stud ies. Of course, this is traditio nally the time to welcome back all members into the Chamber.

34 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA December 2, 1994 It is also traditional to say thank you to the cmst:ituc2lts who have put the member here in this Olamber, and I do want to thank my constituents for their ongoing support. When I meet them at the door , when I meet them in town balls that I hold, when I meet them just in small commmity mee ting s, it is their COI1lllCDls, their suggestions, their recQillii'ICI'Kia tions, that I bring back to our caucus, and so mmy of their comments and sugges tions have been reflected in past throne speeches and are reflected again in this throne speech. Mr. Speaker.

That is how democracy works in this province. That is how we on this side of the House practise. We listen to the people in our riding, and we bring back those commen ts and insert them Mr. Speaker, this undoubtedly will be the last throne spee ch before a provincial election is called. When that happens, governments tend to pack a throne speech full of promises of masses of legislation to come . This is not the case here. Why'l Well, because we have already put in place mmy of the medvmisms that are needed.

Yes, the throne speech does introduce new ideas, but it also CJqJhasizes the continuance of the themes that we have been talking about and acting upon since we came to govcvnmot In 1988, when this govemment was first elected, we bad a vision. We worked out the first steps of a plan to ensure that visioo happened. Each throne speech. each budget has expanded that plan and made that vision concrete reality, not just pie-in the-sky talk. We have been consistent with our ob jectives. • (1 140) (Mrs. Louise Dacquay, Deputy Speaker, in the Clair) This throne speech again emphasizes what Manitobans want to bear.

For instance , we are continuing the theme of good fiscal management, of making sure that this province has a good competitive business environment, because that brings in new busin ess, new industry, new manufacturing. That means more jobs. That means dollars in our pocket. Speaking of doll ars, another one of our objectives is to balaoce the budget Now earlier this mmrlog, the Leader of the second opposition said, gee, this is a fa st conversion. That is not so, Madam Deputy Speaker. We have been working towards a balanced budget.

This throne speech, we are sta ting that we are introducing balanced budget le gislatioo. We will be putting some teeth into that legislation. We are going to make sure that there are penalties attached for not adhering to it. As you will remember , Madam Deputy Speaker, we were ooe of the first, if not the first provin ce, to really come to grips with the out-of-control spending that govemmeots right across this oouotry seem to be on. We recognized that had to stop and that we could not continue to be overspending.

We ended the irre spons ible spending that the previous administra tion had so unconcemedly embarked upon. We delivered oo our promise to stop increasing taxes. Budget after budget, we kept our promise, and now we can say with pride that we are the ooly jurisdiction io North America that has not raised maj or taxes in seven consecuti ve budget s. Now that did not happen because we just did things on an ad-hoc basis. We had a vision. We bad a plan, and we worked logically and carefully to make those things happen. Consequently, we have a stable environment in Manitoba for busi ness and, indeed, for all of us.

Thus, we do not need to come out with a lot of hype about a lot of legislation. We have been putting it in place, and now is the time to monitor, to fine-tune it . That stable environment, that good business climate, that now describes Manitoba. Of course, what has happened is that new businesses and new industry have come into Manitoba. 'Ihe mover of this throne speech m::otiooed SOJIJe of them Rather than repeat what he mentioned, I will maybe just add a few more examples. I think all of us have heard that Monsanto chose Morden over 50 other world locations for a $5-mill ion plant. The Institute for -

December 2, 1994 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA 35 Biodiagnostics moved from Ottawa to Winnipeg. That created 70 new jobs. Vita Health added 95 jobs . Bax ter Corporation created 30 new jobs. These last examples that I have given are all in the health care industry. Under this government, inv�nt in the health care industry bas increased by approximately 300 percent. That industry alone bas gone from just a handful of jobs, a handful of companies to over 1, 000 jobs. In another area, we have been also very successful. That is in making Manitoba the call centre capital of Canada.

We wni continue our efforts to attract information and tel ecomnnmi cation activities and to secme new investments and new jobs in what is undoubtedly North American' s fastest growing sector. In other words, Madam Deputy Speaker, our strategy bas created important new investment . As the form:r speaker said, in 1993, 6, 000 jobs were delivered in the private sector. As he also I think pointed out, small business accounts for about 80 percent of new jobs. Because we recognize that, in each of our budgets we have been introducing initiatives for small business.

This throne speech again introduces some of the things that we are going to be doing for small business. One of these initiatives is a new poo led investment fund. We have a proven track record, Madam Deputy Speaker, already in this area. The previous speaker bas already mentioned REDI, Grow Bonds, Crocus Fund, Business Start and Vision Capital Fund. These have all been things that have helped Manitoba busin esses create jobs. We wiD be using these successful programs to build upoo and add new ones. As the saying goes: Why invent the wheel, we have already done it.

We will just simply expand on these successful programs. Now networking, I think all of us know how important that is. The trick, of course, is to create the situation which puts the proper people together. We will be holding a major forum to put together entrepreneurs and small-bu siness owners with potential in vestors. H a match can be made, if a business can be borne and a business can thrive, that wiD benefit not just those business people, not just that company, it wni benefit all Manitob ans. Health is something that concems all of us.

From the moment we are born until we die s� along the way most of us are probably in at the doctor' s office at least once . So it is something that all of us have to be concerned abou t. Our approach of spending smarter, of maldng the tax dollars go farther has been appl ied throughout government incl uding health care. In July 1994, this government made health care history by becoming the first province to have a fully integrated drug information network.

That new Pbarma card, I have been told by constituents who have already used it, has been wonderful, particularly for the seniors who are on a low incolne , because it means for them instant rebates. Of course from the other side of the fence it wni help stop some of the abuse that has been going on. We also made history in Manitoba, Madam Deputy Speaker, with our comm itment to establish OOiliJIJDity wrse msource centres. This happened because ourMinisterof Health (Mr.

McCrae), this govemmesd , readJcd out to the nurses and said, let us work together, and it was the nurses themselves who said they wanted to have a greater say in the delivery of health care . We ll, we are giving them that opportuni ty. Again this is a continuation of our move to make those health care dollars go farther. It is a continuation of our move to keep people in the OOIIIJIJDity, rather than thinking that the only place that health care can be delivered is in the hospit als. So I 1q)Cat again, this is a throne spee ch that is not full of a lot of hype.

This is a throne speech that is showing the continuation of the vision and of the plans that we have been moving towards. 1hese comnmity nurse resource centres wni be esta blished throughout the province, and these centres wni fa cilitate comnnmity action and development in mee ting the needs of that

36 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA December 2, 1994 particular communi ty. Whether it is health needs or education and health needs or outreach, including home services to seniors or new moms, or providing clinical primary health care, these are some of the services that this new initiative will deliver. Now along these lines of keeping people in the oonmnnity, we put an add itional $2.6 million into the 1994 budget for home care. So when some of you on the other side of the House say that we have rut mooey to home care, as the Premier (Mr. Filmon) said earlier, give me a break.

Since we have come into government, home care assistance has grown from $35 million to over $65 million in 1994-95. That is well over a 90-percent incre ase. Our conmitmeut to home care is there. h is there in the bottom-line doll ars. In fa ct, once again in this throne speech, it states that we will be strengthening the Home Care program. We will be doing that to better meet the needs of the sen iors, to better meet the needs of the disabled and those pat:imts who are just recently discharged from hospital.

Now I know that many of the members opposite like to say that our health care refoun has been disastrous, that we are destroying the health care system, so I was really very interested to note just a couple of days ago in the newspaper, each of the newspapers here in this city-front page4et me just read into the record the headlines. The Winn ipeg Sun, on November 30, here is the headline: ''HEAL1H CARE IS A-OK. DESPITE SPENDING CUTS, SERVICE HIGH.

" Here is the lead sentence in the paragraph: ''Despite the loss oflnmdreds of beds in Winnipeg hospitals the quality ofhealth care in the province remains high, II Here is the second headline: "'Never had it so good.' Hospital s' quality high despite cuts." The lead sentence in that paragraph: "The provin ce's health has never been better. " Here is a quote from one of the authors of the study. The key thing that came out in the study was that hospitals are doing damn well, Shapiro said "The public doesn't need to wo rry." That is just one newspaper, Madam . Deputy Speaker.

The second newspaper, the Winn ipeg Free Press, here is the headline that day : "Hospitals still health y." The next headline: "Downsizing analysis fails to find health-care decline." Here is a quote from one of the authors of the study: "To date, we have no evidence that bed closures or fiscal restraints have negatively influenced the quality of care delivered " Madam Deputy Speaker, I think it is very interesting that this was an independent study. You would almost think that we wrote the headlines ourselv es.

I understand that one of the authors of this study was an official in the former government, so I think this is independent. Once again, I say this govermnent took a clear look when we came in at what was happening to our health care system, and we realized that we could not continue to function in the same way because we silq)ly did not have the ability to keep pouring ODre dollars into it.

We had the courage, Madam Deputy Speaker, to deal with that problem We bad the courage to work with health care officials to make the changes, and we had the comage to keep on going even when the opposition was out there fearmongering. I said earlier, in speaking about economic initiati ves, that we were expanding or contin uing on successful initiative s.

Well, we are doing that also in the health care field We are building m the success of the Drug Program Information Network, and we are developing a new system, a new system that is called the Provincial Health Information System That will link all the health care stakeholders on a computer network. Needless to say, this will contribute by improving health care by helping to provide better information to consumers and to the health care profe ssionals. Of course, it will also help because it will reduce overlap and duplication and abuse of services. This govermnent is preserving health care . -

December 2, 1994 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA 37 • (1 150) I will just finish this small

section by just referring to what we have done on the capital end of things. The Health-Capital Program, since 1988 completed capital proje cts have amounted to over $361 millim. Another $183.2 million worth of pro jects was approved for construction just a short time ago. Since 1988 more than 525 personal care home beds have been added to the system, and another 500 beds have been approved or are already in construction in the '94-95 health capital plan. Just last week. the Minister of Finance (Mr.

Stefanson) announced that we will be providing $1. 2 billion from a health care budget of $1 .8 billion for the operation of hospit als, personal care homes, community health centres and the �thy co mmmity programs that we have also been working towanJ s, because, as we all know, catching it up front, prevention is far better than treating it after the fact. These are just a few, md I say just a fe w, of the good things that have been happening in health. This government is committed to providing good health care services .

That commitment is reflected in the fact that we spend a greater percentage of our budget on health care than my other province in this country. Since we took office in 1988, we have put over $500 million or 38 percent more into the health care budget That says commitment, Madam Deputy Speaker. Education, I have made it a point to be involved with the schools and the parent associations in my riding. I have seen first-hmd the enthusiasm and the dedication and the excellence of teaching of so many of the teachers .

Having taught Grades 11 and 12 French md history many, many years ago, I am pleased that this government has put educa tion in the top three of its prioritie s. After health, education is the second biggest spender. Since we have come into office, spending has increased from 17.2 percent of the budget to 18.2 percent Just recently, the Minister of Education tabled a document known as Renewing Education, New Directions. This blueprint outlines the kindergarten to Grade 12 education ref orm.

That document was based on consultations that the ministers did with the educational stakeholders, the professionals in the area md with paren ts. The goals of that document , the bottom line of that document, Madam Deputy Speaker, is to ensure that our students em read and write and think and compute at a high level, because we have to be sure that our students are going to be able to cope in a global economy.

This throne speech states that we will be continuing to implement the blueprint for the renewal of our education system One of the things that we are going to be doing very shortly is developing measures to assess student perfotmances with test developments . We will be beg inning with Grade 3 math. We will also be establishing a western institute of reading recovery in Winn ipeg to support the development of literacy skills.

I think of int erest to some of the young women and pemaps some of the Pages heie in the Chamber is the aeation of a new Training for To morrow scholarship awanl program to enable women to attend nontraditional programs at our co mmmity coll eges. Speaking of commmity colleges, we are going to be asking the conmnmity colleges and the univ ersities to start working together so that aedits from the community college will be recognized at the university level . Last year , the Minister of Education held a very successful parents forum. We want to do that again, because we need the input from the parents.

Throughout the short time that I have been here as the trember for St. Vit al, I have had many parents come and speak to me about some of their concems on education. Those parents were at the forum They appre ciated the fact that the Minister of Education took the time to hold a special meeting that was for paren ts. The role of teachers needs to be strengthened That is something else that teachers have spoken to me about in private . We recognize that the

38 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA December 2, 1994 teacher's role has to be strengthened, and we will be inviting them to participate in a special f orum designed to get feedback directly from them We will also be iottoducing legislation to give teachers more power to preserve order in the clas sroom I think there are probably very few of us heJe in the Clamber today who have not heud a teacher talk about the violence in the clas sroom or the lack of authority some of them feel that they have. They feel that they cannot handle the class room in the way that they should So we will be working with the teachers .

It is a matter of c<H>peration. Justice-! think all of us have a concem with public safety. In fact, when I came into the building this morning I literally bumped into one of the members opposite and he laughingly asked what happened to my truck. I said, well, did you not know it had been stolen last year. One of the other members came up and said, well, did yw know that another member's vehicle had been stolen, and be m::otiooed another one that had been stolen.

Well, I think all of us and many of our constituents in the past year have been very frustrated with the fact that they read about vehicles being stolen, they read about the vandalism Yet, when these young people are apprehended, they seem to get mly a slap on the wrist. They feel that consequences have to be toughened. Personal and conmunity security are high priorities of this governmen t, and in this throne speech, we outlined a series of initiatives and programs to better protect Manitobans. Again I say, this is a cmrim Jance, an expansion of what we have already started.

I will remind the members opposite that it was this gove rnmen t, it was our Justice minister, who took the toughest stand with the federal government on the Young Offenders Act because we believe, and our constituents beli eve, that young people who commit crimes, particularly crimes of mmder, nwst have consequences that reflect the seriou sness of their actions. Now our hands , Madam Deputy Speaker, were tied on doing anything more than asking the federal government to make changes to the Young Offenders Act, but where we did have the authority, we did move . We also brought in preventive me asures .

We brought in the youth gang and violence line. We brought in an amendment Here is me of the measure s that my constituents were extremely ple ased about was the amendment which will provide for an automatic one-year suspension of a driver's licence for people convicted of car theft or vandalism H that person is convicted again, that would lead to a five-year suspension, and suspensions for ccnvicted young ofti:nders become effective on that offender's 16th birthday. So we feel that there is now some bite in the legislation.

We are trying to mwe in the direction of making young people accountable for their actions, but we need to do more in the sense that we have to work with the federal governme nt and try to get them to uodc:rstand that this is something that they have to deal with. The thrme speech also highlights some of the new initiatives that the minister will be bringing in, such as the introduction of night courts for young people who are charged with criminal offences . (Mr.

Speaker in the Clair) Now these evening sessions will enable the parents to go with their child without having to take time off from work and, of course, it will enable that child, if they are in school, to also go to court. Again we feel it is very, very important that the parents take responsibility for the actions of their child Too often parents have been abdicating that respcnsibility. We want to bring parents back into the system Now all of you are very aware of our made-in Manitoba boot and wilderness camps, and we will -

December 2. 1994 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA 39 be expanding this principle of rigorous youth confinement initiative into the adult correction system I found it very interesting a number of months ago when I read a newspaper

article which stated that a young person who had been confined in a youth dc:tmtic:n setting wanted to be transferred to an adult detention setting because it was easier there. We ll, no longer will it be easier, Mr. Speaker. We will be toughening that up because this is not supposed to be a holiday place. To improve conmmnity -based justice servi ces, the community magistrate training programs will be expanded, and an additimal 20 magistrates will be appointed.

One of the things that my constituents were very upset about last year was, when a dangerous sexual ofblder bad been released, the public could not be notified. This , Mr. Speaker, will be changed. The public will be notified. We will also be investigating mechanisms for placing the name s of convicted pedophiles on the Child Abuse Registry. Another change will be notificatic:n of the victims of stalkers when the person is at large. All of these measure s will provide better security for the public and for each of us as individu als. •

(1200) Mr. Speaker, I will just finish by saying that jobs, economic development are top priorities of our governme nt P.cc:nomic development is not an end in itself, but is essential to creating jobs. Those jobs, the dollars that are coming in from that, we need those to sustain our health care, to sustain education, to sustain social services and, indeed, the high quality of our life here in Manitoba.

The throne speech of the Sixth Sessi on of the Thirty-fifth Legislature of the Province of Manitoba shows this governmen t's commitment to helping to � that Manitobans have a prosperous ecc:n omy and a prosperous lif e in this province. Thank you. Mr. Steve Ashton (Thompson): I move, seconded by the member for Broadway (Mr. Santos), that debate be adjourned Motion agreed to. Mr. Speaker: Is it the will of the House to call it 12:30? [agree d] The hour being 12:30, this House now adjourns and stands adjomned until 1:30 p. m Monday.

LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA Friday , December 2, 1994 CONTENTS Speaker's Statement Prostate Clinic Resigna tions: Chomiak; McCrae 19 Mrs . Carstairs; Mr.

Storie 13 RCMP Mackintosh; Vodrey 20 RO�E PROCEEDINGS Video Lottery Terminals Wowchuk; Fllmon 21 Presenting Petitions Physical Education in Schools NonpoUtical Statements I..amoureux 13 Hanukkah Celebration "" TabUng of Reports Fllmon 22 Chomniak 23 Public Accounts 1993-94 Edwards 23 Stefanson 13 World Aids Day Oral Questions Barre tt 23 Air Command-Winnipeg Gray 24 Doer; Filmon 14 McCrae 24 Aerospace Industry ORDERS OF THE DAY Doer; Filmon 14 Video Lottery Terminals Throne Speech Debate Doer; McCrae 15 (First Day of Debate) Balanced Budget Legislation Penner 24 Edwards; Ftlmon 17 Render 33 ,

Document details

Collection	Manitoba — Debates (Hansard)
Citation	35-6-2
Type	hansard
Volume / chapter	35th 6th hansardpdf 2.pdf
Language	en
Format	pdf
Source	PROVINCIAL
Identifier	5d4e4e8da33346d2a64f1e46b1e248c34004be4a

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