Manitoba Hansard — 18 April 2011 (Sitting 31, 39th Legislature, 5th Session)

39-5-31

Manitoba — Debates (Hansard)

Fifth Session - Thirty-Ninth Legislature of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba DEBATES and PROCEEDINGS Official Report (Hansard) Published under the authority of The Honourable George Hickes Speaker Vol. LXIII No. 31 – 1:30 p.m., Monday, April 18, 2011 ISSN 0542-5492

MANITOBA LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY Thirty-Ninth Legislature Member Constituency Political Affiliation ALLAN, Nancy, Hon. St. Vital N.D.P. ALTEMEYER, Rob Wolseley N.D.P. ASHTON, Steve, Hon. Thompson N.D.P. BJORNSON, Peter, Hon. Gimli N.D.P. BLADY, Sharon Kirkfield Park N.D.P. BLAIKIE, Bill, Hon. Elmwood N.D.P. BOROTSIK, Rick Brandon West P.C. BRAUN, Erna Rossmere N.D.P. BRICK, Marilyn St. Norbert N.D.P. BRIESE, Stuart Ste. Rose P.C. CALDWELL, Drew Brandon East N.D.P. CHOMIAK, Dave, Hon. Kildonan N.D.P. CULLEN, Cliff Turtle Mountain P.C. DERKACH, Leonard Russell P.C. DEWAR, Gregory Selkirk N.D.P.

DRIEDGER, Myrna Charleswood P.C. DYCK, Peter Pembina P.C. EICHLER, Ralph Lakeside P.C. FAURSCHOU, David Portage la Prairie P.C. GERRARD, Jon, Hon. River Heights Lib. GOERTZEN, Kelvin Steinbach P.C. GRAYDON, Cliff Emerson P.C. HICKES, George, Hon. Point Douglas N.D.P. HOWARD, Jennifer, Hon. Fort Rouge N.D.P. IRVIN-ROSS, Kerri, Hon. Fort Garry N.D.P. JENNISSEN, Gerard Flin Flon N.D.P. JHA, Bidhu Radisson N.D.P. KORZENIOWSKI, Bonnie St. James N.D.P. LEMIEUX, Ron, Hon. La Verendrye N.D.P. MACKINTOSH, Gord, Hon. St. Johns N.D.P. MAGUIRE, Larry Arthur-Virden P.C. MARCELINO, Flor, Hon. Wellington N.D.P.

MARTINDALE, Doug Burrows N.D.P. McFADYEN, Hugh Fort Whyte P.C. McGIFFORD, Diane Lord Roberts N.D.P. MELNICK, Christine, Hon. Riel N.D.P. MITCHELSON, Bonnie River East P.C. NEVAKSHONOFF, Tom Interlake N.D.P. OSWALD, Theresa, Hon. Seine River N.D.P. PEDERSEN, Blaine Carman P.C. REID, Daryl Transcona N.D.P. ROBINSON, Eric, Hon. Rupertsland N.D.P. RONDEAU, Jim, Hon. Assiniboia N.D.P. ROWAT, Leanne Minnedosa P.C. SARAN, Mohinder The Maples N.D.P. SCHULER, Ron Springfield P.C. SELBY, Erin, Hon. Southdale N.D.P. SELINGER, Greg, Hon. St. Boniface N.D.P. STEFANSON, Heather Tuxedo P.C. STRUTHERS, Stan, Hon.

Dauphin-Roblin N.D.P. SWAN, Andrew, Hon. Minto N.D.P. TAILLIEU, Mavis Morris P.C. WHITEHEAD, Frank The Pas N.D.P. WIEBE, Matt Concordia N.D.P. WOWCHUK, Rosann, Hon. Swan River N.D.P. Vacant Inkster Vacant Lac du Bonnet

799 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA Monday, April 18, 2011 The House met at 1:30 p.m. Mr. Speaker: O Eternal and Almighty God, from Whom all power and wisdom come, we are assembled here before Thee t o f r a m e s u c h l a w s a s may tend to the welfare and prosperity of our province. Grant, O merciful God, we pray Thee, that we may desire only that which is in accordance with Thy will, that we may seek it with wisdom and know it with certainty and accomplish it perfectly for the glory and honour of Thy name and for the welfare of all our people. Amen.

ROUTINE PROCEEDINGS INTRODUCTION OF BILLS Bill 19–The Provincial Court Amendment Act (Senior Judges) Hon. Andrew Swan (Min ister of Justice and Attorney General): I move, seconded by the Minister of Entrepreneurship, Training and Trade (Mr. Bjornson), that Bill 19, The Provincial Court Amendment Act (Senior Judges); Loi modifiant la

Loi sur la Cour provinciale (juges aînés), be now read a first time. Motion presented. Mr. Swan: This bill amends The Provincial Court Act by creating a senior judge program, which would allow the court to draw upon retired judges to provide additional judicial resources. Retired judges could be called upon to address a variety of circumstances, including when a sitting judge is on an extended leave such as maternity or sick leave, when judges are hearing inquests or when further judicial resources are ne eded in a community or region.

The provincial court could also use these resources to support the addition of weekend bail sittings with judges. Mr. Speaker: Is it the pleasure of the House to adopt the motion? [Agreed] PETITIONS Auto Theft–Court Order Breaches Mr. Kelvin Goertzen (Steinbach): Good afternoon, Mr. Speaker. I wish to present the following petition to the Legislative Assembly. The background to this petition is as follows: On December 11th of 2009, in Winnipeg, Zdzislaw Andrzejczak was killed when the car he was driving collided with a stolen vehicle. The death of Mr.

Andrzejczak, a husband and a father, along with too many other deaths and injuries involving stolen vehicles, was a preventable tragedy. Many of those accused in fatalities involving stolen vehicles were previously known to police and identified as chronic and high-risk car thieves who had court orders against them. Chronic car thieves pose a risk to the safety of all Manitobans. We petition the Legislative Assembly as follows: To request the Minister of Justice to consider ensuring that all court orders for car thieves are vigorously monitored and enforced.

And to request the Minister of Justice to consider ensuring that all breaches of court orders on car thieves are reported to police and vigorously prosecuted. And, Mr. Speaker, this petition is signed by E. Pasemko, A. Sposob, T. Sposob and many, many other Manitobans. Thank you. Mr. Speaker: In accordance with our rule 132(6), when petitions are read they are deemed to be received by the House. Convicted Auto Thieves–Denial of MPI Benefits Mr. Blaine Pedersen (Carman): Mr. Speaker, I wish to present the following petition to the Legislative Assembly.

The background to this petition is as follows: In Manitoba, a car thief convicted of stealing a vehicle involved in a car accident is eligible to receive compensation and assistance for personal injury from Manitoba Public Insurance. Too many Manitoba families have had their lives tragically altered by motor vehicle accidents involving car thieves and stolen vehicles.

800 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA April 18, 2011 It is an injustice to victims, their families and law-abiding Manitobans that MPI premiums are used to benefit car thieves involved in those accidents. We petition the Legislative Assembly as follows: To request that the Minister of Justice deny all MPI benefits to a person fo r injuries received in an accident if he or she is co nvicted of stealing a motor vehicle involved in the accident. And this petition is signed by M. G. Harrison, G.I. Harrison, M.R. Rinn and many, many more fine Manitobans. Bipole III–Cost to Manitoba Families Mr.

Cliff Cullen (Turtle Mountain): Mr. Speaker, I wish to present the following petition to the Legislative Assembly. The background to this petition is as follows: Manitoba Hydro has directed by the provincial government to construct its next high voltage direct transmission line, Bipole III, down the west side of Manitoba. This will cost each family of four in Manitoba $11,748 more than an east-side route, which is also shorter and more reliable.

We petition the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba as follows: To urge the provincial government to build the Bipole III transmission line on the shorter and more reliable east side of Lake Winnipeg in order to save each Manitoba family of four $11,748. This petition is signed by R. Saul, M. Gillespie, C. Michon and many other fine Manitobans. MINISTERIAL STATEMENTS Flooding and Ice Jams Update Hon. Steve Ashton (Minister responsible for Emergency Measures): Mr.

Speaker, flood-fighting officials were busy over the weekend dealing with flooding affecting an unprecedented area of the province from the Saskatchewan border to eastern Manitoba and from The Pas south to the US border. There are currently almost 700 people evacuated from their homes, around 500 municipal roads are closed and 29 states of local emergency are in effect. Provincial crews have been following multiple ice jams on the Assiniboine River between Poplar Point and Baie St. Paul Bridge.

The rapidly rising waters in this area have been largely contained by the Assiniboine River dikes which were raised by the Province last month. Crews and equipment remain on-site today to reinforce the dike and put up secondary protection where it is needed. Two homes in the area have been evac uated as a precaution, and the RMs of Cartier, St. François Xavier, Headingley have all declared states of local emergency. * (13:40) I would like to take this opportunity to commend staff who have been working on these dikes 24 hours a day, even sleeping in their trucks when necessary.

Due to their work over the weekend, homes and farmland were safe from flooding from the ice jam. In addition, the foresight in raising the 70 kilometres of dikes along the Assiniboine has prevented significant flooding damage in the area. I will also note that th e forecasted peak of the Assiniboine River at St. Lazare has increased due to higher flows in the Qu'Appelle River and precipitation in the area. Provincial crews are raising a one-kilometre

section of the community dike at St. Lazare as a precautionary measure. Finally, I'd like to advise the House that Highway 75 will close at 2 o'clock this afternoon as a result of the rising flood waters. Notifications have gone out and proper signage is being put in place. Mr. Stuart Briese (Ste. Rose): Mr. Speaker, I'd like to thank the minister for his latest flood update. As he outlined, there have been quite a number of developments since the Legislature sat last Friday. As he said, approximately 700 people have been evacuated and many of them are from First Nations communities.

There was a lot of weekend activity related to ice jams moving down the Assiniboine River, particularly east of Poplar Point. Crews went into action to reinforce the exis ting dike and a secondary dike was built to help contain water that had overtopped the main dike. There's still a lot of snow to melt in the west, both in Manitoba and Saskatchewan, especially in the northern part of the west side of this province. Much of that snowmelt will end up in the rivers, in the Assiniboine, once again impacting levels. I drove over the Portage Diversion this morning and noticed that it was running bank full.

It's a clear indication of just how much water is starting to come in from the west.

April 18, 2011 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA 801 Loss of road access is proving very challenging in many regions. More than 700 municipal roads are closed and there are at least 70 full or partial closures on provincial roads. Recovery will take many weeks. Many individuals and communities in the Red River Valley continue to be affected by this spring's flood and the closure, I understand, later today, of Highway 75, will have a major impact on commercial vehicle traffic. I, too, would like to acknowledge and thank staff and volunteers for their efforts during these difficult times. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Hon. Jon Gerrard (River Heights): Mr. Speaker, I ask leave to speak to the minister's statement. Mr. Speaker: Does the honourable member have leave? [Agreed] Mr. Gerrard: Mr. Speaker, I, too, would like to thank those who've made a tremendous effort over the last few days to deal with a flood situation which is changing quite rapidly, for instance along the Assiniboine River where there're problems with ice dams and very rapid rises in the water levels and the concerns about such dams having an impact other places, like in the city of Brandon.

And, hopefully, the situation will be contained but, certainly, a big thank you to all those who have put in an effort, sometimes around the clock, to help out in the difficult situation. I note, as previous, that we have a large number of people evacuated, primarily in First Nations communities, and it certainly points to the long-run need to have permanent solutions in these communities, and, hopefully, the minister will be able to report on what those permanent solutions will be in the not-too-distant future.

But as we continue to fight the flood and to hope that the damage can be limited, it's certainly extensive and worrying in many municipalities, and it points to the fact that we need to address, in a major way, improved water management in this province as we move forward. Thank you. Introduction of Guests Mr. Speaker: Prior to oral questions, I'd like to draw the attention of honourable members to the public gallery where we have with us today, we have the participants of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba's Fourth Annual Teachers' Institute on Parliamentary Democracy.

And also in the public gallery we have with us Linda, John and Heather McLean who are the guests of the honourable member for Kirkfield Park (Ms. Blady). And also in the public gallery we have from River West Park School, we have 19 grade 9 students under the direction of Mr. Todd Johnson. This school is located in the constituency of the honourable member for Charleswood (Mrs. Driedger). On behalf of all honourable members, I welcome you all here today. ORAL QUESTIONS Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reduction Target Timeline Mr. Hugh McFadyen (Leader of the Official Opposition): Mr.

Speaker, I want to thank the members for their comments on the flood situation as it stands today. Mr. Speaker, exactly three years ago, in April of 2008, this government promised to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to 17.5 megatonnes by December the 31st of 2012. With that target now–that date approaching–it's 20 months from now–I want to ask the Premier whether he is committed to that promise of meeting the seven point–17.5-megatonnes emission level within the next 20 months. It's a target that they were so confident in meeting that the premier at the time, Mr.

Doer, said, and I quote: "If we don't achieve it, I suggest the ultimate penalty in 2011 will be defeating the government." That was what the premier of the day said. I want to ask this Premier: Does he remain committed to achieving the target that was set out three years ago? Hon. Greg Selinger (Premier): Mr. Speaker, we do remain committed to the legislation brought forward in the Legislature, and there will be a progress report put in front of the public this spring, and it will show substantial progress that has been made in Manitoba in reducing greenhouse gases.

We believe we're on track at this stage of the game. Clearly, there is an enor mous challenge to meet the greenhouse gas targets, but we have several innovations that we've brought forward that will continue to move us along that path. As you know,

802 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA April 18, 2011 Manitoba is the North American leader in geothermal installations. We have 40 per cent of the Canadian installations when we have 4 per cent of the population. The member opposite will recall that we just opened the 137-megawatt St. Joseph's wind farm in southern Manitoba, and if the members don't get in the way, we'd be happy to build more hydroelectricity to reduce greenhouse gases in the United States. Mr. McFadyen: Mr. Speaker, four months ago when the Premier reiterated the promise that was made by Mr.

Doer–it was following the Auditor General's report–it was reported that the government, as of four months ago, was on track to miss their target by more than three megatonnes. They are on track to emit more than 21 megatonnes by the end of 2012. Does the Premier expect people to take him seriously when by his own policies he's adding 500 kilometres to the next major power line, which is the equivalent, Mr. Speaker, of roughly 20,000 vehicles in emissions.

How can anybody take him seriously when four months ago he was three megatonnes off the target and why his–by his own policies he's going to waste more than 40 megawatts of clean power. Why is he moving in the opposite direction, Mr. Speaker, when his own predecessor, who was elected, said that the ultimate penalty will be defeating the government in 2011? Mr. Selinger: Mr.

Speaker, it's very clear that hydroelectricity supplied to our customers is an enormous displacer of other forms of noxious greenhouse gases, and the reality is that if the member had his way–a way that's not possible, given the potential litigation and holdups that will occur–and built it down the east side, he would be destroying one of the largest carbon sinks in North America on the east-side boreal forest. So the result of his policy would be the destruction of peatlands, the destruction of boreal forests, the destruction of an opportunity to have a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

We will build hydro in such a way that we protect our carbon sinks, our natural carbon sinks, and provide clean power to our customers, which will reduce their reliance on more noxious forms of energy. Mr. McFadyen: Mr. Speaker, the Premier expects to be taken seriously when only four months ago the report that came out said they were moving in the wrong direction on greenhouse gas emissions. He now argues, Mr. Speaker, that by adding 500 kilometres of steel and cable to a power line that somehow this is good for the environment.

Adding 500 kilometres of steel and line costs up to 100 megawatts of clean ener gy, the ability to close down coal-fired plants south of the border, the ability to burn less coal in other parts of the world. Mr. Speaker, his policies add 500 kilometres to the power line–they burn more coal–at the same time as he's building a highway through the boreal forest.

How can he be taken seriously when he's building a highway through the forest; he's adding 500 kilometres to the power line; he's wasting upwards of 100 megawatts of clean energy; the greenhouse gas emissions are going up and his own predecessor says they should be defeated in 2011? How can anybody take he and his five-year plans with any degree of seriousness when all of the numbers are moving in the wrong direction? * (13:50) Mr. Selinger: Mr. Speaker, our hydro exports in '09 resulted in emission reductions in the markets of our exporters that were twice the Kyoto targets we're trying to achieve in Manitoba.

The member opposite wants to destroy the reputation of Manitoba Hydro by ramming it down the east side. He wants to destroy the boreal forest. He wants to destroy the peat moss that we're protecting over there, and he thinks he's going to call himself a green member of this Legislature by doing all of that. It's very clear, Mr. Speaker, that protecting the boreal forest is one of the primary policy objectives of climate change advocates throughout the world. They look at it as the Amazon of the North.

They also see hydr oelectricity, properly developed, as an alternative to dirtier energy sources in North America. We have always used Manitoba Hydro as a resource for the benefit of North America. We don't flood anymore in the north like the members opposite did. We do not have 14 per cent more emissions like they did when they were in the '90s. Our emissions have been relatively flat, and if we build Manitoba Hydro, which the members

April 18, 2011 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA 803 opposite would clearly cancel, we will be able to provide more– Mr. Speaker: Order. Lake Winnipeg East-Side All-Weather Road Mr. Speaker: The honourable Leader of the Official Opposition, on a new question. Mr. Hugh McFadyen (Leader of the Official Opposition): Thank you, Mr. Speaker, on a new question. I wonder if the Premier can provide the House with an update on the status of his east-side highway. Hon. Greg Selinger (Premier): Mr.

Speaker, the East Side Road Authority has been working with local communities on benefit agreements to start scoping out how the road will be developed with the primary objective of using the existing footprint of the winter roads to advance a permanent all-weather road on the east side, at a time when climate change has made it difficult for winter roads to serve those communities.

So the objective here is to provide an alternative to those communities, which will allow them to have essential goods and services like all other Manitobans and, at the same time, to allow them to participate in the benefits of developing that road, which is something that is widely supported by the people on the east side, unlike the bipole. Mr. McFadyen: I wonder if the Premier can confirm that the road that he was just speaking of in his response to that question goes through the very same boreal forest he was referri ng to in his response to the first question. Mr. Selinger: Mr.

Speaker, if the member would have taken a second to listen to what I said, the road is intended to follow the existing pathway of the existing winter roads. Some Honourable Members: Oh, oh. Mr. Speaker: Order. The honourable–order. The honourable First Minister has the floor. We need to be able to hear the questions and the answers. I'm asking the co-operation of all honourable members here. Order. I'm asking the co-operation of all honourable members. Mr. Selinger: Yes, Mr.

Speaker, as I said earlier, the first leg of the road, which will move from the north and south legs, will follow the existing routes of the winter roads. The road in the north from the Island Lake area, they're looking at the idea of connecting it up to its historic trading partner, Norway House. They're doing this in such a way that it minimizes negative impacts. They're providing themselves with essential goods and services. Winter roads have been there for many years, Mr. Speaker.

It's only reason able that they get access to the goods and services that other Manitobans have, and those folks also support protecting the boreal forest and having a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The member opposite, he wants to put a major industrial hydro corridor through the east side. He doesn't care where it goes. He doesn't care what the impact is on the boreal forest. He doesn't care what the impact is on the reputation of Hydro. And he doesn't care what the impact is on the reputation of Manitoba. Shame on him, Mr. Speaker. Mr. McFadyen: Mr.

Speaker, the highway that he now speaks of goes through the very same boreal forest that he was calling the Amazon of the North in response to his first question.

I want to ask the Premier: Since the reason he has given to Manitobans for building the power line 500 kilometres longer than it has to be, at a cost of thousands of dollars to every family, at a cost of up to a hundred megawatts of clean energy, if the reason that he has provided to Manitobans, which is that there will be litigation if you do anything through the east-side boreal forest, if he can just indicate again today that not a single lawsuit has been filed to stop his east-side highway through the very boreal forest that he claims, Mr.

Speaker, is the reason for his decision to spend an added $11,000 per family on the west-side power line. The answer last week was zero lawsuits. Is that answer again today zero lawsuits filed in response to his east-side highway through the boreal forest? Mr. Selinger: Mr. Speaker, 90 per cent of the east-side roads that are being constructed follow existing winter roadways, and that's why people on the east side have accepted it. Mr. Speaker, the reason there's no lawsuits yet is because they know that this government is committed to putting the bipole not through the boreal forest.

They know that this government is committed to a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

804 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA April 18, 2011 If the government changed and members opposite were so fortunate as to be able to put the bipole down the east side, the lawsuits would fly. Hydro would never get developed. It's very clear that what their objective is is to cancel future hydro development in Manitoba. The numbers they use suggest there would be no converter stations built; there would be no bipole built; there would be no hydro built; there would be no economic development in Manitoba, and rates would go up for all Manitobans. That's the future if the members opposite were elected.

Under us, there'll be no lawsuits; there'll be a UNESCO World Heritage Site; there will be abundant exports developed for markets to the south and to the west of us, and Manitobans will prosper. Provincial Debt Servicing Costs Mrs. Heather Stefanson (Tuxedo): Mr. Speaker, given the credit-rating downgrades by Standard and Poor's in the US this morning, citing rising debt and the cost of servicing that debt as the primary reason, I believe we in Manitoba have reason to be concerned. Mr.

Speaker, in the budget tabled by the Minister of Finance last week, the debt-servicing costs to Manitobans is at $807 million, up 5 per cent over last year. The NDP debt-servicing department is the equivalent of what would be the fourth largest government department in Manitoba, right behind Health, Education and Family Services. There are a lot of front-line services that could be paid for with this amount of money. Why is the Minister of Finance not made it a priority of her government to address the rising cost of servicing the debt in our province, Mr. Speaker? Hon. Rosann Wowchuk (Minister of Finance): Mr.

Speaker, I can assure th e member that looking at how we do finances in this province is a priority, but it's also a priority for us to make sure that services that Manitobans want are a priority as well. We want to ensure that the infrastructure that Manitobans want, Mr. Speaker, and the federal government is supporting, and the members opposite always ask for one in their constituency. They ask for the money and then they criticize for it. I can assure the member that our debt-to-GDP ratio is better than it was under the Conservatives, Mr.

Speaker, and we continue to spend less than half of what the Conservatives did on interest. Mrs. Stefanson: Well, Mr. Speaker, $807 million would go a long way towards improving front-line services in this province. What this Minister of Finance doesn't seem to understand is that if you pay down the debt, Mr. Speaker, you reduce the cost to service that debt and there's more money for front-line services for Manitobans who need it. It's as simple as that.

I'd like to ask the Minister of Finance: Why does she refuse to acknowledge this, and why is there no plan in place to reduce the debt, to reduce the cost to service that debt and put more money towards front-line services in Manitoba? Ms. Wowchuk: Well, Mr. Speaker, the member opposite is wrong again. There is a plan. We laid out a plan in our five-year plan about–that members opposite voted against, the five-year plan that the members opposite wanted to take $500 million out of. If they would have taken that money out, we would have had a reduction in the services that the member opposite is referring to. Mr.

Speaker, we have a plan. We're making payments on the deficit. We're paying down pensions plans. We're making all–we're following the plan. We're doing exactly what we said we would do at the same time that we are protecting front-line services, and we are investing in infrastructure and stimulus as other provinces are doing as well. * (14:00) Mrs. Stefanson: Mr.

Speaker, the fact of the matter is had the NDP government decided during the good times in this province to pay down that debt, then the costs to service the debt would not be as high as they are right now, and thus there would have been more money there for front-line se rvices. It's very simple. The problem is this Minister of Finance doesn't get it. Mr.

Speaker, $807 million, the debt-servicing department of this province is the fourth largest government–province in Manitoba, ahead of Justice, Local Gove rnment, Infrastructure and Transportation, ahead of Healthy Living, Agriculture, Advanced Education, Aboriginal and Northern Affairs, Ci vil Service Commission, Conservation, Water Stewardship, more than

April 18, 2011 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA 805 Culture, ET and T, Housing, Innovation, Energy and Mines, Labour and Immigration, Sport, ahead of all of those government departments. Given that the cost to service the debt is larger than all of these government departments, why is it not a priority for this government to put a plan in place to reduce the debt of our province? Ms. Wowchuk: Well, Mr. Speaker, I will remind the member again that we do have a plan. We have a five-year plan. The member s opposite talked about paying down and whether we should have saved in good times.

Well, we did pay down the debt. We started to pay for the pension plans that the members opposite always ignored. We put more money away into the Stabilization Fund, and we didn't have to tell–sell a Crown corporation to do it. The members opposite sold our telephone system and that's how they balanced their books. I would never do that, Mr. Speaker. We will continue to invest in hospitals, in schools, in roads, in our health care.

The services that are important to people are the services we will invest in, and we will continue to maintain our debt at less than half of what the Conservatives had when they were in power in the '90s. Child and Family Services Agencies Family Reunification Policies Mrs. Bonnie Mitche lson (River East): Mr. Speaker, on February the 17th I wrote to the Minister of Family Services and asked him to address a very serious issue, a Child and Family Services case where children were taken for a four-day visit from a foster home and never returned.

His department met with the foster family for two days and they have all of the details, and yet still today the foster family doesn't have any answers. I'd like to ask this minister why. Hon. Gord Mackintosh (Minister of Family Services and Consumer Affairs): Mr. Speaker, we know that there may be some 4,000 foster parents in Manitoba that are heroes for our children, but even so much as one case where there are concerns about whether procedures were followed is of utmost concern to our department and to myself and my office.

That is why there is a very careful examination taking place of this case, an d, as the member knows, there's more to this case than what she just put on the record. The matter is also, I understand, before the courts. But whenever there is a concern like that, our job is to make sure that the proper processes were followed, and that is what we are attempting to do in that particular case. Mrs. Mitchelson: But the very day after the children went for their four-day vis it, the very day after that, Mr.

Speaker, the agency wr ote a letter which the foster family received four days later, after the children should have been returned, and said that the children weren't coming back. And they also indicated to the foster family that they would be able to appeal that decision. The act, Mr. Speaker, states clearly that while an appeal process is going on–which it is right now–the children are to remain with the foster family. Why weren't those children put back with the foster family? It's his [inaudible] Mr. Mackintosh: T h e m e m b e r i s g o i n g t o s o m e conclusions, Mr.

Speaker, that are under careful consideration in terms of what the facts were, what the criteria that was in place was to be, and the member–I know that the member gets up in this House and says that children should never be allowed to return home anymore; they should be frozen in their foster placements. That's code word for scoop. That's not the view of child welfare nor members on this side, Mr. Speaker. Where a child can safely go home, return to their siblings, that should be supported so long as the proper criteria is being followed.

My understanding is the child in this case returned to the child's siblings and parents, and the processes are being looked at to ensure that all of the proper notifications took pl ace, Mr. Speaker. It's a serious question that is being addressed thoroughly. Mrs. Mitchelson: But on March the 10th in Winnipeg at a conference about exploitation of children, the minister met the foster mom. The minister went over and gave her a big hug and he said to her: I'm so sorry, this never should have happened and I want to make sure that it never happens again. Mr.

Speaker, the foster mom is in the gallery today and I want to ask the minister why he would've admitted to her that day that something went so terribly wrong and he has taken no action and–or

806 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA April 18, 2011 taken any responsibility under legislation that he should be enforcing. Why would he not ensure that those children were managed in a way that would not harm or endanger them? Mr. Mackintosh: Mr. Speaker, I know the member, she's been advertising in local papers for foster parents to come and bring complaints forward, and that's fine. That's very good.

Sometimes it's very useful when the officials can drill down and discover what the actual facts are, particularly a matter–[interjection] Well, the member doesn't have any use for courts, doesn't have any use for due process. Mr. Speaker, that's why we're getting to the bottom of what happened. If the proper procedures w e r e n o t f o l l o w e d , w e w a n t t o e n s u r e t h a t t h e y a r e followed. I also–as I reminded the foster mother, it is heartbreaking to say goodbye to a child. It's heartbreaking to have to say goodbye to a child that you have nurtured, but, Mr.

Speaker, fostering is to be a temporary solution for a child so the child can eventually return home. The question is here: Were all the procedures followed? That is the question that is being pursued, and the courts are involved, Mr. Speaker. Echocardiogram Tests Wait Times Mrs. Myrna Driedger (Charleswood): Mr. Speaker, the more money the NDP spends in health care, the worse things seem to get. In 2005, about 2,000 people were on a waiting list for an echocardiogram to see how bad their heart problem is. According to the latest freedom of information, over 5,000 people are on that waiting list.

I'd ask–like to ask the Minister of Health to explain today: Why is that waiting list so long? Why has it more than doubled under her watch after she said she was going to fix it? Hon. Theresa Oswald (Minister of Health): Indeed, we have more than doubled the number of cardiac surgeons in the pr ovince of Manitoba, from four to 11. We have more than doubled the number of cardiologists in Manitoba, from 12 to 31. The variety of diagnostics and tests that our health experts are ordering, as a result, logically increases. We recognize that there has been an increase on the wait-list.

What we paid most close attention to, Mr. Speaker, is wait time, and we're working with the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority and the cardiac program to drive those times down. We've added additional resources recently to help drive those times down, and there are more resources flowing as we speak. Mrs. Driedger: Mr. Speaker, those 5,000 people are now being forced to wait half a year to find out if they need heart surgery. That's worse–those numbers are worse than they were a year ago.

A patient can't get on a long wait-list for heart surgery until they can get off this long wait to find out what their heart problem is. So I'd like to ask this Minister of Health: Why are those waits so dangerously long? Ms. Oswald: Well, again, Mr. Speaker, I would say to the member opposite that we are investing across the spectrum in cardiac care. We know that the independent Canadian Institute for Health Inform ation assesses Manitoba's wait time for cardiac surgery to be 99 per cent of getting the surgery within the medically recommended benchmarks. These are not arbitrary benchmarks, Mr.

Speaker, as has been suggested; these are benchmarks that have been created by medical professionals. They're national standards. And the assessments that need to precede individuals going on a list for whether or not they need surgery, these assessments are done by medical professionals. Those that are emergency situations, of course, are done right away. Mr. Speaker, those never go onto a wait-list. * (14:10) Mrs. Driedger: Mr. Speaker, this Minister of Health doesn't seem to understand this issue. They're putting more money into it, but the wait-lists are getting worse.

The long wait-lists mean that by the time the patient even gets to surgery, they end up from going–from being a selective case to being an emergency case. She doesn't seem to realize that all of these waits contribute to the patient getting sicker so that by the time they have surgery they are sicker, their care takes longer, and this minister doesn't seem to understand that. Instead, she's always got an excuse and, again, today, Mr. Speaker, we see more excuses.

April 18, 2011 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA 807 Why is she always full of excuses, Mr. Speaker, and no progress towards fixing this cardiac surgery program in Manitoba that is failing again? Ms. Oswald: Well, again I would reiterate that what we pay very close attention to, as has been recommended by medical professionals, is the wait time. And, again, by independent evaluators, the Canadian Institute for Health Information, Manitoba meets the medically recommended benchmark 99 per cent of the time, and oftentimes it's 100.

When patients do not meet the medically recommended benchmark for cardiac surgery, they are offered an opportunity to go out of the province, Mr. Speaker, and, indeed, that's the case with the people on the list right now. This, Mr. Speaker, stands in stark contrast to the members opposite who refused to send cancer patients out of the province when cancer radiation therapy was six weeks dangerously long, and their excuse for that was that it was not pragmatic. I say to the member opposite, she has no credibility on dealing with wait times. Crane River Water Treatment Plant Upgrade Mr. Stuart Briese (Ste.

Rose): Mr. Speaker, the community of Crane River requires an upgrade to their water treatment plant. The upgrade was approved by Aboriginal and Northern Affairs several years ago. Mr. Speaker, will the minister explain why no work has been done on the Crane River water treatment plant? Hon. Steve Ashton (Acting Minister of Water Stewardship): We've been working throughout the province, particularly in Aboriginal and Northern Affairs communities. I know there've been a number of challenges with existing facilities, including Pikwitonei where water was installed a number of years ago, a number of capital upgrades.

But we have also been accessing federal funding. I point out in terms of the Northern Affairs community, the community of Nelson House has been recently brought in to full water and sewer thanks again to infrastructure funding between the Province and the federal government, and we continue to work with all of the Aboriginal and Northern Affairs communities both on the design side in co-operation with the Water Services Board and on the capital side, and we're proceeding to significantly expand sewer and water across the province. Mr. Briese: Mr.

Speaker, the Crane River Community Council has asked repeatedly about the status of the water treatment plant upgrade and why this important work continues to be delayed. In October 2010, the letter–a letter the minister said the regional office will continue to work with engineering firms to make sure the design is completed as quickly as possible. Mr. Speaker, I ask the minister again: What is the delay in getting this project off the ground? Mr. Ashton: Well, Mr. Speaker, I think the member opposite should be aware th at there is–significant work has to go into the design phase of any project.

In fact, you go through significant issues in terms of identifying the water source, the particular type of treatment that's in place. So I would say to the member opposite and certainly to the community of Crane River that I–we recognize certainly the work has been ongoing. I do want to point out, though, we've had historic investment in sewer and water in this province over the last number of years.

And one thing that we have done, by the way, when it comes to infrastructure funding, unlike when members opposite were in government where they did not add any additional funding to Northern Affairs communities, we made significant progress. And I want to say to the member opposite, he should look at the list of communities where we brought in full sewer and water over the last number of years, the Northern Affairs, directly under our jurisdiction, and we're continuing to make significant progress on that, and I know that there's a lot of work that's been going on in terms of– Mr. Speaker: Order. Mr. Briese: Mr.

Speaker, I'd remind the minister that there're almost 60 boil-water orders in the province right now. They've had historic levels of putting in water systems; they're sure failing on it. Mr. Speaker, the Crane River community is very–has experienced many boil-water advisories. They have been told that the engineering work would be completed by the end of February, then the end of March, and now here we are at the end of April and there's still no answers.

808 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA April 18, 2011 Mr. Speaker, will the minister commit today to ensuring the project proceeds in the 2011 construction season, or is this community going to have to wait another year? Mr. Ashton: Mr. Speaker, I'm advised by the Minister of Water Stewardship (Ms. Melnick) that since 2000, 177 water advisories have been rescinded. We made significant progress across the province, and, indeed, if one looks at the current budget–and I know members opposite don't want to be debating this–the budget; they certainly have very few questions on it–there's significant resources in place.

So, Mr. Speaker, I know I'm not allowed to ask questions, but in a rhetorical sense I wonder if the member opposite is going to vote for the kind of resources that would ensure that communities can expand sewer and water. Will he join us and support this project? Protection of Persons in Care Ombudsman's Report Hon. Jon Gerrard (River Heights): Mr. Speaker, last fall I raised important questions about serious allegations of abuse in personal care homes. The Minister of Health, in her typical pattern of spin and unaccountability with respect to seniors, said all allegations of abuse were being investigated.

We felt at the time that this was not true, and, as we learned in a report last month of the Ombudsman, the Ombudsman agrees with us. The Ombudsman's Report on the Protection for Persons in Care Office, the PPCO, says the threshold for the abuse under the minister has been too high with the result that many seniors have been–become vulnerable to abuse under this minister's authority. Mr. Speaker, now that we know that her office knew that this was an issue, when will the minister admit that she has wilfully neglected seniors in personal care homes? Hon.

Theresa Oswald (Minister of Health): Yes, we do know that we received a report that did ask for a review of how the word "abuse" was defined. It also made suggestions to us about when investigations are triggered. We accept those recommendations and we're going to react to them. We also know, Mr. Speaker, that as I said last spring or fall–I can't remember what he said–that we investigate all allegations of abuse. This is 100 per cent true. We're going to continue to do that. On the contrary, Mr. Speaker, it was our government that brought in the Protection for Persons in Care Office.

It was our government that increased the levels of staffing in personal care homes. It's our government that's invested in protections for seniors, and we're going to continue to invest. Mr. Gerrard: But, Mr. Speaker, as has become clear now, all too many accusations of abuse–allegations of abuse–were not being investigated because this minister set the threshold too high. Indeed, as the Ombudsman's report says, and I quote: Applying the current working definition of "abuse", it is possible to have abusive actions, even criminal conduct, that will not be considered abuse by the PCCO.

That was the situation under this minister. Last fall, the minister blamed the problem on complex numbers. The report makes it very clear that the minister's office was running this deliberately to make it more difficult for seniors to complain and bring forward abuse. Why is the minister minimizing the problem? Ms. Oswald: Well, Mr. Speaker, I can say to the member opposite once again that we received a report and some recommendations from the Ombudsman concerning definition. We accept that recommendation and are moving forward to change that.

I can also say to the member that, once again, allegations of abuse are investigated by the PPCO, and what the Ombudsman found was that too much of the investigation phase was informed–was performed in the inquiry phase and not recognized in the report as part of the investigation. It was not that the investigation was not occurring, but the recommendation was that it was to be recorded at a different stage of the investigation. We accept that recommendation. We agree with that recommendation and we're going to follow through with it. * (14:20) Mr. Gerrard: Mr.

Speaker, as the report makes very clear, too many allegations of abuse were not being considered seriously because the minister set the threshold of abuse too high. The fact is it's a sad day in the Manitoba Legislature today when the NDP

April 18, 2011 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA 809 don't care about the suffering, under their watch, of senior citizens. The minister still continues to blame the PPCO instead of admitting that there was a major problem under her watch, as outlined by the Ombudsman. How long did the minister know that this was going on? When is the minister going to accept responsibility and why it is that for so long the NDP government didn't care about the suffering of seniors? Ms. Oswald: Well, Mr. Speaker, we brought the protection of persons in care office into being.

We have changed the staffing levels in personal care homes. We're going to continue to invest in care for seniors. On the subject, Mr. Speaker, of not caring, I might offer the member opposite an opportunity that he's not yet availed himself of, and that is in a recent very serious case, when an individual was in hospital clinging to his life, the Liberal Party held a press conference, and the family said, my dad was clinging to life and we see the Liberal Party doing press conferences. It's hard to take. Mr. Alexander was appalled. He still awaits an apology from the member opposite.

Maybe he'd like to stand up today and give that apology now. Post-Secondary Education Government Initiatives Mr. Rob Altemeyer (Wolseley): Mr. Speaker, I see the honourable member for River Heights (Mr. Gerrard) is going to decline on that opportunity to apologize, so I am obliged to ask a very important question on a topic our counterparts across the way continually ignore: Advanced Education and Literacy. If I'm a university or college student, I'm supporting this budget. I'm going to vote for this. When I was a university student, tuition on campuses doubled, Mr.

Speaker, enrolment dropped and facilities were left in a dire state of disrepair. Our government came in and decided, oh, it's time to change. We are continuing to change things and I'm wondering if our brand-new minister for Advanced Education and Literacy, who has yet to have a question from the members opposite, I will point out, if she might have any news for the Chamber on the next set of changes we're bringing for students and families in this province. Hon. Erin Selby (Minister of Advanced Education and Literacy): Mr.

Speaker, I thank the member for the question, and I know he will be very happy to hear that the Premier (Mr. Selinger) and I were in my constituency, at J. H. Bruns, announcing nearly $450 million in provincial support to Manitoba universities. [interjection] I guess they're not so interested in hearing what we're doing for universities. They also announced that tuition will be frozen to the rate of inflation, which provides some predictability for students and their parents.

Universities will also receive a 5 per cent increase over the next three years, of course, allowing them to continue building on their excellence. We're also making sure that there aren't barriers to preventing accessibility for students, which means we're investing $3 million in new funding to assist those students in reaching their goals of a higher education at university, and for those who want to continue their studies and graduate studies we are investing an additional $250,000 in new funding to help them. High School Facilities Need in South Winnipeg Mr.

Hugh McFadyen (Leader of the Official Opposition): Mr. Speaker, for years this government has been saying that it's not a matter of if but when when it comes to building a new high school in southwest Winnipeg. Today, Mr. Speaker, we have students who are in portable classrooms. We have students who are being bused throughout the southern part of Winnipeg because this government has refused to make the investment in schools. Mr. Speaker, we see in this budget over $4 billion for an extra 500 kilometres of steel and wire for the west-side power line.

We see money for a vote tax but no money for schools for southwest Winnipeg. Why are they putting the needs of students in southwest Winnipeg behind the desire to fund their political party vote tax? Hon. Greg Selinger (Premier): Mr. Speaker, they obviously missed the announcement that the Minister of Education (Ms. Allan) and myself made on high school and school capital broadly. We are going to, for the first time ever, scope out sites for schools in southwest Winnipeg, as well

810 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA April 18, 2011 as in southeast Winnipeg. We are, for the first time ever, putting money into expanding gyms in schools. We are, for the first time ever, requiring all new schools to have daycare centres within it. We have the highest amount of investment in school facilities in the history of the province. The only question, Mr. Speaker, is: Will the members opposite support the budget or will they vote against it when they know this budget is moving Manitoba forward on education? Mr. Speaker: Time for oral questions has expired. MEMBERS' STATEMENTS Heather McLean Ms.

Sharon Blady (Kirkfield Park): Mr. Speaker– Some Honourable Members: Oh, oh. Mr. Speaker: Order. We're on the members' statements. We need to be able to hear them, please. The honourable member for Kirkfield Park, would you start over. Ms. Blady: Thank you, Mr. Speaker, it was hard to hear myself think. Mr. Speaker, Kirkfield Park's own Heather McLean blew away the competition this February to claim the gold medal in the women's 100-metre speed skating at the Canada Winter Games. Congratulations to Heather, her teammates and to all of our Manitoba athletes who relentlessly test the limits of their endurance.

Heather McLean, or Iggy, as her teammates call her, skated a time of 11.33 seconds beating Izzy Dilger and Kate Hanly, both from Alberta. As most athletes can attest, keeping calm on the day of a competition is just as important as the months of training beforehand, and Heather demonstrated that maturity at the games. Heather, who trained extensively at the St. James Skating Club, kept in mind an appreciation of how lucky she was to participate, to handle her nerves and to fight for the gold medal win.

Before the competition, although she had high hopes for the 100-metr e and 500-metre races, Heather didn't want to put pressure on herself to win a medal. Last year, Heather competed in both the 2010 Canadian Nationals and the Canada Cup, but this is her first time placing in such a high profile competition. Not only is this a testament to the hard work Heather put in to improve, but placing in the Winter Games means that she qualifies for the junior world championships.

Heather has been skating for over 14 years, but I hope that with a gold medal win under her belt, she can now prepare for another important milestone this summer–graduating from high school. Good luck, Heather, as you are entering your new phase of your life. Our Manitoba athletes live and breathe their sport to get the chance to represent all of us. A well deserved congratulations to Heather McLean, her teammates and their coaches at the St. James Skating Club. Thank you for your perseverance and good faith, and we look forwar d to seeing where your futures will take you.

I would also like to ask all members of this House to join me in rising to congratulate Heather on her gold medal win. Kelly Robertson Mr. Stuart Briese (Ste. Rose): Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to congratulate Neepawa's Kelly Robertson on winning several major curling titles. Mr. Robertson and his curling team have been on a winning streak, finding victory at the local, provincial and national levels. The team consists of Mr. Robertson as skip; third, Doug Armour; second, Peter Prokopowich; and lead, Bob Scales. The team has impressive curling experience. Mr.

Armour has seven provincial championships under his belt. Meanwhile, Mr. Prokopowich qualified for the Canadian Legion Championships this year. Mr. Robertson first found victory at the Strathcona Senior Men's Curling Championship on February 28th. Although he has competed for a provincial title nearly 40 times, this was his first provincial title. With this win came another first for Mr. Robertson, his first chance to represent Manitoba at a national level. Mr. Robertson and his teammates moved on as Team Manitoba to the World Financial Group Canadian Senior Men's Championship.

The tournament was held in Digby, Nova Scotia, from March 19th to 26th. The team was faced with stiff competition. Nevertheless, the team came out strong and advanced to the finals. Alberta's Brad Hannah proved to be an especially worthy rival, and the only game

April 18, 2011 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA 811 Mr. Robertson lost during the tournament was to that team. * (14:30) However, Team Manitoba had the chance to prove themselves as they faced Alberta again in the final. Here Mr. Robertson's team showed their skill, shooting 87 per cent and defeating Team Alberta 7-5 to take the top prize. Two members of the team were given much deserved recognition at the tournament's victory banquet. Mr. Robertson and Mr. Armour were named all-star skip and third for the tournament.

Kelly Robertson's team will now face some of the best curlers in the world, as he will compete for Canada at the World Senior Men's Championship in November 2012. Though it may be hard to believe, these victories almost never happened. Mr. Robertson was considering retiring from curling earlier this year due to arthritis of his throwing hand. At times the pain of this condition made it nearly impossible for him to make his shots. Luckily, medication has improved the situation and made his exciting successes this year possible.

Congratulations to Kelly Robertson and his team, and the best of luck as they represent Manitoba and Canada at the world championships next year. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Vaisakhi Festival Mr. Mohinder Saran (The Maples): Mr. Speaker, last week the Sikh community was commemorating the birth of Khalsa. This festival, called Vaisakhi, is a time when Sikhs across the world celebrate the birth of a new order of Sikhs based on purity and equality. This year marks the 312th anniversary of the creation of Khalsa, which is the community of men and women who have been initiated into the faith–into Sikh faith.

In 1699, the 10th guru, Guru Gobind Singh Ji, baptized five Sikh men from different caste backgrounds to become the leaders of a new faith based on social equality. Within Sikhism, people would no longer be judged first by their caste, which was a powerful message of compassion. In the present day, Sikhs remember this new beginning in several ways. Sikh youth often choose to get baptized during Vaisakhi. It was also at the birth of Khalsa that the guru named the five Sikh symbols representing holiness, defence, strength, cleanliness and self-control, which Sikhs still wear to this day.

Many people in The Maples celebrated the birth of Khalsa this weekend at several of our gurdwaras, our Sikh houses of worship, with great happiness. On Thursday, April 14th, our Premier (Mr. Selinger) and I attended an evening service at the Sikh Society Gurdwara. On Sunday, another celebration was for those who could not come during the week. I attended services at the Sikh Society of Manitoba and at the Kalg idhar Darbar Gurdwara, where people came out for three days to sing religious hymns and share traditional food together. Mr.

Speaker, Sikhism is founded on values we can all learn from, including the principles of equality, generosity and compassion. Celebrating the birth of Khalsa is an op portunity for people from different backgrounds to connect over values we all share. Thank you. Heaman Family Farm Mr. Larry Maguire (Arthur-Virden): Mr. Speaker, I'm proud to rise today to pay tribute to Betty, Walter and all of the Heaman family who farm northwest of Virden. They were recipients of the Heritage Farms designation from the Province of Manitoba in November 2010. The Heaman farm was established in 1882 and is still producing today.

A hundred and twenty-nine years of continuous production is a remarkable feat considering how much the farming industry has changed since the late 19th century. Many Manitoba farmers will find similarities between their own family's experience and the history of the Heaman farm. Betty Heaman's great-grandparents homesteaded their original quarter

section of land in 1882. During her father's management, another quarter

section was added. Since Betty's marriage to Walter, the farm has grown to 6,500 acres. As is the case with many farms in Manitoba, as the Heaman farm grew, it also diversified. The Heamans grow wheat, oats, barley, canola, flax and peas. As well, they have a few feeder yearlings and operate a pedigreed seed-cleaning business. A family farm in every sense of the term, the Heaman family has grown to include three sons, Doug, Bob and Ken, their wives and six grandchildren, who all contribute to the success of

812 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA April 18, 2011 Clearview Acres Limited. The Heamans, like countless other farmers in Manitoba, understand the significance of tradition and passing on an appreciation of farming and community to the next generation. As I congratulate the Heamans for their Heritage Farm designation, I want to recognize the contribution to the settlement and development of Manitoba of all of the approximately 500 families eligible for the Heritage Farm designation. Life was not easy for the early homesteaders who suffered through isolation, endless work and poverty.

It was their sweat and toil that laid the foundation for much of Manitoba's growth and development. The contribution of farming families remains an immeasurable significance to southwestern Manitoba. Family farms like the Heamans' remain the lifeblood of our agricultural regions. It is the intergenerational nature of these farms that contribute to the economic growth and community health of rural Manitoba. Mr. Speaker, it is examples such as the Heamans that leave me very optimistic about the future of farming and rural communities in Manitoba. Thank you. Excellence in Teaching Award Recipients Ms.

Erna Braun (Rossmere): Mr. Speaker, late last week, eight outstandin g educators received Excellence in Teaching Awards from Minister Allan. These annual awards are in recognition of Manitoba educators– Mr. Speaker: Order. I've reminded members, I don't know how many times, but when mentioning other members in the House, it's ministers by their portfolios and members by their constituencies. So I ask the honourable member to, if she's going to use that in the future, to not to, but to address the ministers by the portfolios they hold and members by the constituencies that they 're in.

Okay, so that's a reminder also for all members of the House. Ms. Braun: They are also an acknowledgement of the vital role all educators have in teaching, leading and guiding students of all ages throughout the province. I would like to pay particular tribute to Jerry Sodomlak. He is the principal of Donwood Elementary School in the River East Transcona School Division and he received the prestigious Outstanding School Leader award. Mr.

Sodomlak is described by parents and colleagues as a person of wisdom whose strength is to work in his own quiet way, embracing patience, grace and fairness with students, staff and community stakeholders alike. Tamara Roehr, the parent who nominated him, described Principal Sodomlak as an exemplary leader who possesses the rare combination of superb administrative skills, commitment to the community, innovative educational leadership and a true love of children.

His many successful initiatives in the K-to-6, dual-track, English-immersion school include promoting respect and positive student behaviour, spearheading school improvement projects and strengthening connections with parents in the community. Mr. Sodomlak recognizes that in today's world the walls of a school reach far into the community and that a student's success needs the support of their family. I had the opportunity to hear about the Community Connector program that he has initiated and the work of Geni Lehmann in providing that school link to parents and community.

Jerry Sodomlak is, in deed, a very worthy recipient of the Excellenc e in Teaching Award. The atmosphere in Donwood school speaks to his caring leadership and commitment to children. All of the award recipients are inspiring examples of the quality educators we are blessed to have working in our schools and communities throughout Manitoba. Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask my fellow members to join me in congratulating Jerry Sodomlak and all recipients of this year's Excellence in Teaching Awards. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. ORDERS OF THE DAY GOVERNMENT BUSINESS BUDGET DEBATE (Fifth Day of Debate) Mr.

Speaker: Resume adjourned debate on the proposed motion of the honourable Minister of Finance (Ms. Wowchuk) that this House approves in general the budgetary policy of the government, and the proposed motion of the honourable Leader of the Official Opposition (Mr. McFadyen) in amendment thereto, and it's standing in the name of the honourable member for Wolseley, who has 14 minutes remaining. Mr. Rob Altemeyer (Wolseley): Mr. Speaker, when we last left our hero, I was bravely explaining all of

April 18, 2011 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA 813 the fantastic features in today's budget and–that we are trying to debate, despite the opposition's concerted efforts to not ask questions about the budget and to not engage with us on this very important political document in the history of Manitoba. They seem to be preoccupied with other things. It's quite remarkable what you can learn during question period. I learned last week that apparently no cars were stolen in all of Manitoba for, you know, the entire time that the Conservatives were in office, that long decade of the 1990s.

I don't know, maybe it was only bicycles that were stolen, or horse carts or something, but there were no automobiles stolen while the Conservatives were in office. And, you know, Mr. Speaker, you hear something like that and it's like, well, we're all honourable members. We're obliged to bring what we think is factual information forward to this Chamber, and yet you take the member at their word, on face value. But that one just didn't quite make sense to me, and I went and asked a few questions of some people that I think would know and, in fact, you know what? There were cars stolen during the 1990s.

In fact, there were 80 per cent more cars stolen in the 1990s than right now. And I–it got me to thinking, how many other situations could there be where our budget is actually improving things for Manitoba, and the honourable members across the way just don't know that because they seem to be under some influence of delusion, which suggests otherwise. * (14:40) So, you know, I'm just picking a few. You know, I don't have a whole lot of time left. I'm just picking a few, but the general frame–the general theory I'm working with is that there's something in this budget for everybody.

Quite often there's several somethings in this budget for everyone. Let's start with child care. My goodness, I'm the proud father of a couple of young kids. If I'm a young parent in this province, or if I'm a parent who expects to have young kids, or if I'm a grandparent who's watching their children try and raise their kids, I'm going to want to see some pretty healthy investments in child care. Well, what does the budget say? Mr. Speaker, 2,100 more child-care spaces–2,100 on top of, what is it, over 8,000 that we've already provided since we came to office.

That's going to be 10,000 more child-care spaces that didn't exist when the Conservatives were finally removed from office. I think that's a pretty important fact to put on the record. If I'm a senior, at the other end of the age spectrum, is there anything in this budget for me? Well, lo and behold, it looks like seniors are going to have their maximum education property tax credit increased in each of the next three years. That's pretty good to know. I'm also thinking if I'm a senior I might not be, by any means, the only one using the Pharmacare system.

But for those seniors who do rely on our nationally best leading Pharmacare program in the entire country, I'm going to be kind of pleased to find out that the most that Pharmacare deductibles are going to in crease is at the rate of inflation. And, meanwhile, we will continue to bring on new drugs which will be available to people in more medical situations than has been the case under the Conservatives. And, speaking of health care, wouldn't you know it, the Conservatives often will stand up and say, where's my hospital, where's my clinic, my road is not yet paved in gold.

And then the next Conservative will stand up and say, you know, government spending is bad, you guys really need to change what you're doing. This black and white, back and forth, completely oxymoronic mentality over there is just going to get worse for them, because on top of the 100 health facilities we've already improved, look at this, Winnipeg, Selkirk, Ste. Anne, Flin Flon, Pine Falls, Oakbank, Springfield, Lac du Bonnet, Stonewall and Vita. What do they all have in common? They're getting improved health-care facilities under this budget. Mr.

Mohinder Saran, Acting Speaker, in the Chair And, if I'm not mistaken, Mr. Acting Speaker, quite a few of those are not in NDP government ridings. Looks like we actually govern for everyone's health care in this province, not just the few people who might be able to pay cash, which is the, of course, Conservative mentality. Maybe I'm a family or an individual who likes the idea of having access to a doctor. Most Manitobans have access to a doctor. More Manitobans have that now than they did when the Conservatives were in office, reducing the number of doctors that we train each year. Really smart move. Thank you.

It takes 10 years to grow a doctor. Well,

814 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA April 18, 2011 look at this, in our budget it looks like we will be able to provide access to a family doctor for every single Manitoban by the year 2015 thanks to the responsible and dedicated budget outlined here today, which the Conservatives don't want to debate. Well, let's think about those doctors heading into school. Let's think about all of the university and college students wanting to get a post-secondary education.

If I'm a high school student now, looking at graduating, if I'm a family with students in it, if I'm anyone who wants to go back to school and upgrade my skills and my training, I might want to know what we're going to do as a government for universities and for colleges. Wouldn't you know it, tuition rates are going to be frozen at the rate of inflation. Contrast that with when I was going to school in this fair province, granted, under the Conservative government of the time, when tuition doubled. It more than doubled, and enrolment declined, and bursaries were cancelled.

Education became an elitist institution that was only available to those who could pay for it, rather than for anyone who had the guts and determination and brains to make a better case in their life. A fundamental turn of events there. And maybe–maybe–I also want to know what we're doing for universities and colleges themself. Looks like 5 per cent funding increase. Not a bad start, three years in a row. I think that's also important to note and maybe the education system from K to 12.

That might just, you know, it might have an impact on a few people, like every single child and every single family with a child, and every single person who cares about the kids, who are going to be going to work and paying their pension when they retire. Just about every Manitoban will be concerned about what we're doing for education. Oh, my goodness, an additional $94.2-million investment just in school facilities, Mr. Acting Speaker. That means more renovations, more expansions, building more schools and school facilities, on top of our unprecedented investments made already.

Now, let's pretend that I am a business person. Let's pretend I'm an entrepreneur. Let's pretend that I am here to build the new economy here in Manitoba. Well, I look at this budget, and wouldn't you know it? Me and my family, working in the private sector, we're going to have access to a new five-year, $30-million program to help Manitoba businesses grow and find new markets. Maybe I'm someone who cares about the planet and actually sees a way for the planet and the economy and society to work together. Well, wouldn't you know it?

If I'm interested in a geothermal heat pump–which I happen to know that I am, installed one in my former residence. By my count, no less than five current Cabinet ministers in our fair government have the same marvellous technology in their own personal homes–well, it looks like the tax credit I can get is going up from 10 per cent to 15 per cent when I install that technology in my home. And let's pretend, Mr.

Acting Speaker, just for a moment, that I have a few connections with non-profit groups, those fantastic volunteers, the community organizations moving social agendas forward in multiple, wonderful, fantastic ways. Well, I had the privilege of attending an announcement by the honourable Minister for Housing and Community Development (Ms. Irvin-Ross), and hosted by our Premier (Mr.

Selinger), where he announced brand-new initiatives to provide more long-term, stable funding for more organizations and a new approach to reducing red tape for those same organizations so they can actually spend more time working on the causes that they and their volunteers and their boards of directors care so passionately about and less time on the government forms and the fundraising applications that everyone has to grapple with. And last but certainly not least, let's just throw a little bit of a contrast–just a little bit of a contrast, Mr. Acting Speaker–on the flood.

I seem to recall that our former premier u nder the Conservatives said that his answer to the flood was people should not live on flood plains. That was the Conservative response to people facing massive flood waters after getting approval from that same government to build there in the first place, no warning, no planning of what might happen. We are making and have made and will continue to make enormous investments, all of which the members opposite have voted against. And speaking of municipalities, let's pretend I live in a city.

Let's pretend I live in a town, and let's say, just for the sake of argument, I'm interested in knowing what the provincial government is going to do for multi-year funding on a go-forward basis for municipalities. Well, Mr. Acting Speaker, according to the budget, and in stark contrast to what Conservatives did in office, we are now providing the equivalent of one percentage point of the existing

April 18, 2011 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA 815 provincial sales tax is dedicated to municipalities for infrastructure funding. Mr. Acting Speaker, I'm going to close with a rumour. I'm going to close with a rumour that I heard. I heard that this budget is so good, it does so many good things for Manitoba and it's so difficult to argue against it, that that's actually why our Conservative counterpar ts aren't asking any questions about it.

And I even heard–I thought this was pretty funny the first time I heard it–but I even heard they might be considering voting for this budget, making it unanimous across Manitoba. Well, I got news for y ou, Mr. Acting Speaker. Manitobans aren't going to fall for that one. Manitobans will not fall for that. If you want to date a New Democrat, you got to put your principles forward a lot sooner than that.

And let's not forget, we will be here to remind every single Manitoban it was a mere few months ago that these same Conservative members said they would whack the budget by half a billion dollars, cutting all of the initiatives that I've just described and more. We will hold them to account. We will hold them to what they stand for, and we, Mr. Acting Speaker, are going to move Manitoba forward. Thank you. Hon.

Jon Gerrard (River Heights): I begin with a few comments to thank those who work every day in our Legislative Assembly to make this a good place to work, for us to engage in the democratic process, which, of course, is the foundation of so much of the good things that we cherish in our province and in our country.

I want to thank the Clerk and the Clerk's office, those in the Hansard's office, those who oversee the spending and budgeting within the Legislature and those who help with human resource matters and, indeed, all the others who help in one way or another. * (14:50) I want also to extend a personal thank you to my own staff members who contribute so much to what I'm able to do here. I want to say a thank you to those who live in River Heights for their support.

Each day that I'm here I do my best to help those in need in River Heights and to work for improved provincial governments, so that the lives of those in River Heights and those in constituencies around the province can be enhanced and improved. And I want to thank those in the civil service who contribute their efforts and their time to improving our province. This year, with the flooding around the province, we all owe a great debt of gratitude to the many, many people who work for our province or for our municipalities to address the many issues which have arisen because of the high water and the flooding.

Thank you to all those who are helping as volunteers, as well, to keep our province in good shape. And now let me talk about the recent budget. I can assure the member for Wolseley (Mr. Altemeyer) that there will not be unanimous support for this budget. There will be at least one strong opposition vote against this budget. Since the Premier (Mr. Selinger) came to office in October 2009, Manitoba's provincial budgeting has deteriorated drastically. In 19– [interjection]– since the Premier started in 2009, a year and a half ago. In 2009, the reve nues were more than expenditures.

There was a small surplus in core government operations and the provincial net debt was at 11.5 billion. In just a year and a half, under the current Premier, the situation has deteriorated very rapidly. By March 2010, the Premier's government had burst all expenditure projections and was reporting a deficit in core government operations of more than $500 million. This year, the government's projecting a second major deficit in core operations for the fiscal year just ended of some 490 million and a rise in the debt to $13.2 billion.

In the coming year, the projections are a third major deficit in core operations of 510 million and a rise in the debt to 14.8 billion. In just a year and a half the Premier–that the Premier has been in his job, the government has moved to have three huge deficits and a whopping $3.3-billion increase in the net debt of our province. The problem is that this NDP government and this Premier, and the Finan ce Minister in particular, are very poor at managing money. Every year that the NDP government has been in power, they have overspent their estimated budgetary expenditures for the year.

Last year, for ex ample, they overspent by more than $200 million. In the latest third quarter financial report, this was estimated at $242 million over budget. The problem may be in the initial budgeting or in the process for spending, but either way the results

816 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA April 18, 2011 tell a sorry tale of a government which can't manage budgeting and expenditures well. I will be voting against this budget for this reason. When it comes to education, the facts are clear. The longer this government has been in power, the worse Manitoba students have performed. The Program for International Student Assessment or PISA has shown it clearly. The PISA scores for students in Manitoba who are 15 years of age have deteriorated steadily sin ce the NDP came to power. This has been true in reading, in mathematics and in science.

Manitoba has performed less well that other provinces and other countries. While Ontario students' results have continued at high levels, Manitoba students' performance has dropped. Mr. Acting Speaker, under this government Manitoba is doing worse, not better, when it comes to education. This is very sad. And it's not just the PISA results which are concerning. In the last two years, I've heard increasingly from business people and others concerns about the quality of our high school graduates.

Too often, business people are finding that there're high school graduates in Manitoba who are having trouble with basic reading, writing and math skills needed to hold down a job. While we certainly have many high school graduates who are doing very well, these concerns about underperformance of some graduates are real and they are not being addressed by this government, and decisions being made under the leadership of this government often don't make sense. There are some students who don't do well in a traditional classroom and need an alternative learning program.

One such very successful alternative learning program was being taught in Treherne by Donna Cuddy. It was highly successful and was enabling students who were not doing well in a traditional classroom to succeed. But what did this government do? It cancelled the program. It's very hard to understand why this was done but it adds to the mismanagement happening under the watch of this government. The budget is clearly deficient and it doesn't recognize and address the fact that our students are falling behind.

We need to get rid of this government so we can get back on track to succeed and have students improving instead of getting worse, and that's another reason I will be voting against this budget. When it comes to crime in Manitoba, in 12 years under the NDP we've seen a very disturbing trend. The longer this government has been in power, the more violent crime we have in Manitoba. Indeed, the latest figures for the violent crime severity index in Canadian provinces show that Manitoba stands out as the worst performing of all provinces.

Indeed, our rankings are twice as bad as five other provinces', three times as bad as two other provinces', and more than four times as bad as one other province. In contrast to British Columbia, for example, where the amount of violent crime has gone down, here in Manitoba, under the NDP, violent crime continues to rise. Day after day, Mr. Acting Speaker, we hear NDP members rise in their seat in this Chamber to talk about how much they're spending and what they're doing to reduce crime, but the fact is that the violent crime continues to rise.

This NDP government will likely go down as one of the most ineffective governments in this respect in the history of Canada when it comes to reducing violent crime, and as the NDP rhetoric goes up, so does violent crime. It's very sad. And sadly there is not in this budget a plan to reduce crime which is effective. An effective plan is badly needed because the track record of the NDP in worsening violent crime in Winnipeg is likely continue–likely to continue. It is another reason I will be voting against this budget. When it comes to the environment, Mr.

Acting Speaker, the situation on Lake Winnipeg continues to deteriorate. The phosphorus continues to accumulate in Lake Winnipeg and the algal blooms continue to worsen. Those who witnessed the green scourge at Victoria Beach last summer know serious problems of algal blooms, know how serious these problems are on Lake Winnipeg. The algal blooms are preventing people from using the wonderful beaches we have. The algal blooms are a threat to people's health because the algae produce micro-toxins and the algae are an increasing danger.

Liberals want to keep people healthy and our Lake Winnipeg healthy, and we know that under the NDP the situation continues to worsen. Last fall at a–two major conferen ces happened, the Lake Winnipeg Basin Summit organized by Hank Venema and others at the Water Innovation Centre at our International Institute for Sustainable Development and the Red Zone II Conference, held by the Lake Winnipeg Foundation, which featured videos of Lake Winnipeg's situation and a panel discussion on the lake.

April 18, 2011 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA 817 I was particularly struck by the comments of Bob Sandford of–the EPCOR chair of the UN Water for Life Decade program and director of the Western Watersheds Climate Research Collaborative from Canmore, Alberta. Bob Sandford [interjection]–we found the money for the Namao. Bob Sandford had a broad perspective on water quality issues.

He did not waste any time in calling Lake Winnipeg an international catastrophe and in saying that it's getting worse. * (15:00) Those of us who live in Manitoba and know of the algal blooms in the north basin of Lake Winnipeg already recognize the severity of the problem on Lake Winnipeg. The north basin algal blooms may be up to 160 kilometres long. The sheer size and scale of this environmen tal catastrophe on Lake Winnipeg, at 23,750 square kilometres, the 10th largest lake in the world, makes it one of the largest environmental disasters on the planet.

It is sad that our lake, Lake Winnipeg, is now becoming a symbol of a large-scale ecological catastrophe. It's sad that it will occur when a government, in this case, the NDP provincial government, abrogates its responsibility and mismanages the environment in our province. As Bob Sandford indicated, Lake Winnipeg's becoming known as a global symbol of a very badly managed lake, and it's disturbing to me as a Manitoban to hear this, and I'm sure it's upsetting to many other Manitobans.

The fact is, that under the poor management of the current NDP government, action has been too little and too slow, and the result has been worsening algal blooms and algal toxins in Lake Winnipeg. Indeed, so far there's no evidence at all that the situation in Lake Winnipeg is improving at all. Last fall, I asked the Premier (Mr. Selinger): When is he going to set targets for reduction of phosphorus and reduction of algal blooms?

The interim target of a 10 per cent reduction in phosphorus has not been met, and it was known as early as 2007 that this ta rget was indeed hopelessly and irresponsibly inadequate to achieve the reduction in algal blooms needed. I raised this in the fall of 2007, and it took three years for the NDP to acknow ledge the inadequacy of their initial target. But we need a real target, and we need it soon so that we can all pull together in an effective plan to reduce the phosphorus in Lake Winnipeg and to reduce the algal blooms in our wonderful lake and to return Lake Winnipeg to health.

We were promised such a target in the Throne Speech, but we still haven't had it. Indeed, when it comes to the largest point source of phosphorus going into Lake Winnipeg, sewage released by the City of Winnipeg, we continue to have a problem as the Province continues to argue with the City about whether removal of nitrogen is needed, and this results in continuing delays in actually getting things going in reducing the phosphorus in Winnipeg sewage, as we need to do. So the poor management of the environment and Lake Winnipeg by the NDP is another reason why I will be voting against this budget. Mr.

Acting Speaker, when the NDP came to power, there were a little more than 5,000 children in care in Manitoba. Today, when last measured, we find the number of children in care has risen to more than 9,000, almost double what the situation was when the NDP came to power. The number of children in care is an important measure because it is an assessment of how well the government is doing in supporting families and children so that children do not need to go into care.

The NDP have been a disaster here, as they've done so poorly in supporting families that larger and larger numbers of children are being taken into care. Let me give you a recent example: When compiled, the many who have come to us with concerns about the way this NDP government works but, of course, I won't be mentioning names or give identifying details. But I'll give you an example of what's happening in NDP Manitoba. I'll tell you the story of a wonderful, hard-working family of six–a mother, a father and four children–who have been doing everything they can to make sure their children are well cared for.

Yes, the family is struggling. No surprise here; this is NDP Manitoba. Yes, this family is not perfect in the face of obstacles that one would hope would not be there. One of the children is in primary school. He has trouble learning to read and probably has dyslexia. The parents do their best for this child and do their best to talk to the teacher in the school. But, sadly, the teacher has not been listening. They are an Aboriginal family, and what they say, sadly, doesn't seem to count with the teacher. Instead of help, the teacher blames the parents and won't help.

The teacher implies they're bad parents, but they're doing

818 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA April 18, 2011 everything they can to raise their children well, and they're asking for help. Not their fault that the child is dyslexic. Their child needs help, but none comes. It's not easy being a family with challenges in NDP Manitoba. One of the children is a teenager with a diagnosed behavioural problem, possibly a psychiatric disorder.

She would be a difficult child to manage in any family, but this family do their very best, even when this teenager, in an attempt to get her own way, threatens to lie to Child and Family Services and to say that her parents are beating her. They continue to do their best with this child, even though it's increasingly apparent that it's a challenge. And when they ask for help from Child and Family Services, from Child and Fam ily Services there is no help. But very quickly, when they ask for help, the police arrive at their doorstep and threaten to lay charges or to have the child ren taken into care.

They are an Aboriginal family and, sadly and wrongly, all too often Aboriginal families are judged without the care being taken to establish the facts of the circumstances. And then one day, because there was no help, the teenager makes a call and makes false allegations. She wants attention; she gets the attention. But Child and Family Services spent no time in trying to establish the facts of the circumstances. Child and Family Services spent no time in trying to support the family under difficult circumstances. The four children are swooped up. No, they are not put in a residential school, thank goodness.

No, they are not scooped up and sent out of province to be adopted, as happened in the 1960s. None of these happened, but now the four children are put in a hotel. They are not able to go to school. They are not able to be in a safe, close relative's home while the situation is sorted out. They are promptly put in a hotel. The family is broken apart. The parents and grandparents are heartbroken. They have done their best to raise their children, and all they have is a family torn and broken apart. Every day similar stories happen in our Manitoba. This is NDP Manitoba, and this is the way things work.

Family after family is broken apart and broken up. A city of almost 10,000 children is in care, and largely because there's not been the support and consideration for families that there should have been. It will only change when we get rid of the NDP and their way. We need a new way, a way in which families are supported in staying together, instead of being pulled and pushed and twisted apart, and that is another reason I will be voting against this budget. We all know the problems with long waiting times which continue in health care.

Hip replacement surgery waits were, on average, 12 weeks when this government came to power, and they are now an average 16 weeks. Knee replacement surgery waits were 16 weeks 12 years ago; they are now 20 weeks. In 2007, magnetic resonance imaging wait times were five weeks; they are now 18 weeks. In all three areas, wait times have gone up, not down. Varied problems in health care continue. As the government well knows, they've done so poorly in the NOR-MAN Regional Health Authority that there's a full review going on.

I can hardly go anywhere in Manitoba without somebody coming to me with a major health-care problem under this government. And, of course, one of the really bad areas at the moment are the problems in personal care homes under this NDP government. I have raised, over the last many months, issues related to poor quality of care in personal care homes.

I should say that there are excellent personal car e homes in Manitoba, but there are also personal care homes where there's a need for major improvement and for a government with a real plan to ensure that the seniors in our rapidly aging population are looked after with dignity and with respect.

And this budget did not provide any such plan for making the changes needed, and that is another reason why I will be voting against this budget. * (15:10) And on early childhood education and child care in this province, based on NDP long waiting lists, we have waiting lists of 500 people for a single child-care facility. We have waiting lists that will go not just for days or weeks but for months and for years, and that's another reason why I'll be voting against this NDP budget. For many years, we in the Liberal Party have been calling for a rapid tr ansit system for all of Winnipeg.

The provincial budget contains no commitment for this beyond the 3.7 kilometres of rapid transit already being built, and that's another reason I will be voting against this budget. And while this budget does provide some more dollars for drainage, dams and control structures, we still don't have an adequate water management strategy for the province. And our farmers continue

April 18, 2011 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA 819 to lose millions of dollars, perhaps tens or hundreds of millions of dollars each year because it has not been done, and that is another reason I will be voting against this budget. And while there has been progress in permanently protecting people in the Red and the Assiniboine river valleys from floods, there are too many communities without such permanent protection, and too many of such communities without permanent plans and protection are First Nations communities.

When I saw the statistics last week, more than 90 per cent of people who've had to be evacuated have been from First Nations communities. While the primary responsibility here may lie with the federal government, whether people live in First Nations communities or in other communities, we are all Manitobans, and this government has not been nearly active enough in working with and pressing the federal government to put in place the permanent protection and the permanent solutions that are needed, and that is another reason why I will be voting against this budget. [interjection] It's all true. Mr.

Acting Speaker, our Liberal position is clear. We have a very different vision of the needs of Manitoba than the present NDP government. We believe in managing spending so that we meet our expenditure targets instead of overspending every year. We believe Manitoba should have an education system where we improve the results for our children instead of the NDP system where we're falling behind. We believe Manitoba should have supports for families so that fewer children need to go into care and the number of children in care decreases rather than increases.

We believe in a Manitoba where we see a reduction in violent crime instead of an increase in violent crime. We believe in a province where Manitobans can get access to high-quality health care when they need it instead of the NDP system where they have to wait weeks or months or sometimes years for care.

We believe in a system which puts a priority on health, on care, on dignity and on respect instead of the NDP system which has put a priority on chemical and physical restraints for our parents and grandparents in personal care homes and which has been putting people with Alzheimer's disease in jail rather than in a care home. We believe in a well-designed water management system for rural Manitoba which protects farms from flooding instead of one which leads to large extra losses for farmers when their fields flood. And we believe in a rapid transit system for all Winnipeg. Thank you, Mr. Acting Speaker. Merci.

Miigwech. Hon. Erin Selby (Minister of Advanced Education and Literacy): Let me first start with thanking the people of Southdale for allowing me to do this job and to represent them in the House. I think that all of us in this Chamber know that it is a rare privilege to do what we do, and beyond that I am grateful for how this job has made me feel closer to my community. I love that wherever I go in Southdale, be it the local Safeway or the community centre or the local schools that I go to, I always meet friends that I have made since I have been doing this job.

And sometimes our paths have crossed through casework and other times it's just because, after four years of attending various community events, people start to become familiar. It's been an unexpected blessing that comes with the role of MLA, and one certainly feels deeper roots in the community than perhaps would be otherwise. I would also like to take a moment to thank the Premier (Mr. Selinger) fo r appointing me the Minister of Advanced Education and Literacy.

It has been a whirlwind of meetings, briefings and studying up on my new department, and at times I feel a lot like a university student cramming for finals. It's been more than 20 years since I hit the books, but I think it's a good way to feel like I'm relating to students. I would also like to take a moment to thank my predecessor, the member for Lord Roberts (Ms. McGifford), who held this post for a number of years. She has kindly offered her advice and help, and I truly appreciate being able to learn from her experience. Mr.

Acting Speaker, it will come to no surprise to you that I am speaking in support of our budget as presented by the Minister of Finance (Ms. Wowchuk), a budget so good that even the opposition can't think of anything negative to say, a far cry from just a few short months ago, when every

820 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA April 18, 2011 member on that side of the House voted to cut $500 million from the budget. Now they're saying they support things such as our three-year funding plan for universities and projects such as the daycare and school for Sage Creek. But, of course, we know that if you cut $500 million from the budget, none of those things could happen. Then again, we're the ones who balanced the budget for 10 years in a row, so perhaps it's our numbers you should trust. Mr. Acting Speaker, this budget reflects the priorities of Manitobans and Manitoba families.

It's a budget that protects health care, infrastructure, education, water quality and public safety. We hear a lot nowadays about an aging population, but that isn't actually the trend in Manitoba. And that's why we have such a focus and commitment on education in our budget. Our high school graduation rate has climbed 14 per cent since 2001. That's a graduation rate of 82.7 per cent. But, of course, we know we can do better and to do that we must support our teachers.

And that's why we're guaranteeing an increase of 2.2 per cent for all school divisions, including support services for special needs students, reading supports for middle and senior year students, expansion of the Inner-City Science Centre program, a new stay-in-school initiative and expansions to SAFE Workers of Tomorrow for more schools. We also need to support growing communities because we know people are moving to Manitoba and making Manitoba their home in record numbers. And that's why we'll see $94.2 million in school capital projects including planning for a new school in Sage Creek in my community.

This budget also sees the Education Property Tax Credit increased to $7 00; under the Tories, it was $250. Mr. Acting Speaker, I'm looking forward to touring all our universities and colleges over the next few months, and at every campus one can see construction.

The Richardson College for the Environment and Science Complex at the University of Winnipeg, the Buhler building science lab renovations at the University of Manitoba, a new Health Sciences pavilion at the Collège universitaire de Saint-Boniface, a new Cu linary Arts building at the Red River College and a new Swan River site for UCN, a new mining academy in Flin Flon and the campus expansion of Assiniboine Community College in Dauphin. None of those projects would be moving forward if the opposition were to get their way and cut $500 million from the budget. Do you know what else didn't happen under the Tories?

They didn't increase post-secondary funding by more than 80 per cent; that was us. No, under the Tory government, funding to universities was either cut or frozen. Mr. Acting Speaker, I went to university in the mid-'90s. Back then, students couldn't count on a bursary. In the '90s, under the Conservative government, students racked up debt. And in the 11 years since we've been in office, this NDP government has tripled the amount of scholarships and bursaries available to Manitoba students.

We're also making sure that universities and colleges have the funds they need to continue improving the quality of education they offer. That's why this year universities will see an increase of 5 per cent in the operating grant and can count on that grant for the next three years.

And, although, I shouldn't say that very lightly: we're committed to funding the universities the 5 per cent increase in operating grant for the next three years, but since the Conservatives are planning to cut $500 million from the budget, I don't think they have the same long-term commitment to funding post-secondary education in this province. And history, of course, being our strongest indicator, we know how they funded post-secondary education–on the backs of students–those who could afford to go to university or college. The Conservative student plan worked for those at the top.

Our plan is one that everyone should have the opportunity to go to school and that students should be judged on their passion to learn and not their ability to pay. Mr. Acting Speaker, when the Conservatives were in government, they raised tuition by 132 per cent. Now, you can imagine the barrier that was for many students considering whether they should pursue a post-secondary education or not. Mr. Acting Speaker, I will say a couple of good things that came from those dark Tory days.

Because of those outrageous tuition hikes, it meant many students became activists and found their voice and spoke out against the injustice. And a couple of those folks found they had a passion for speaking out and standing up for average Manitobans. And a couple of those students who were motivated to speak against the Tories are here in the Chamber with us today,

April 18, 2011 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA 821 and I'm so grateful to call them my colleagues and to know that the member for Kirkfield Park (Ms. Blady) and the member for Wolseley (Mr. Altemeyer) continue to be strong voices for their community. * (15:20) Well, Mr. Acting Speaker, when we came into office, we did something different. We cut tuition by 10 per cent and froze it for 10 years and, at the same time, we increased our support for universities. This year we're making it easier for students to plan their education, by freezing tuition at the rate of inflation: 1 per cent this year.

Manitoba has some of the lowest tuition fees in the country, and our 60 per cent tuition rebate has put $7.8 million back into the pockets of more than 8,000 graduates. We know that there are more students going to post-secondary school than under the Conservatives. Enrolment is up one-third since 1999, and we know that some students choose college or apprenticeships over university, which is why we're adding an additional 4,000 new apprenticeship seats and well on our way to meeting that goal Mr.

Acting Speaker, we all know people in high school who knew exactly what they wanted to do with their life by the time they were in grade 10. There were some of those people who could see the path in front of them, get on that track, and stay focused on one goal until they completed their post-secondary education and began the career that they had planned back in high school. I knew people like that in high school; I wasn't one of them. For most people, going to college or university is a time of growing, of learning about yourself, of trying new things.

For some people, that might mean switching new programs or maybe even going from college to university or the other way around. We know from some students coming out of high school, university can seem a bit daunting, can be a little bit intimidating, so some decide to start at college and when they get a grasp of that, they think maybe they're ready to try university. This, Mr. Acting Speaker–we want to make it easier for people to do just that.

Our colleges and universities are already working together on about 30 programs that transfer between the institutions, and we know that our institutions do try to recognize credits, and some even have a system to do that. But, by working with post-secondary institutions, we want to expand that. We want students to be given the credit for the work that they have done and we believe that that would help them get through school in a more timely manner, and encourage even more students to graduate. Mr.

Acting Speaker, I've been talking a lot about post-secondary education but we know that some people, often by no fault of their own, don't complete high school, and this government wants to make sure that everyone has the same opportunity to finish high school if they choose to. We live in a knowledge-based society, and having a high school diploma is more important now than ever. I said earlier that I'm looking forward to touring our many campuses around the project, and Mr. Acting Speaker, I was able to tour one of our adult learning centres–adult lear ning and literacy centres, the McLeod centre, recently.

The people there ranged in age, that I met, from 19 to 50. They spent a lot of time speaking about their stories, and as I spoke with students, I was left with a great deal of respect for their courage. There were many stories behind their reasons for not finishing high school. Two young men I had met had only studied until grade 6, when civil war broke out in their home country. They fled to relative safety in a nearby refugee camp but school was not an option. Now, here in Canada, they are back learning, both with lofty ambitions, one to be a social worker, the other an engineer.

And can you imagine the wealth of knowledge that these men will bring to their chosen careers? They have a long road ahead of them. They're currently just getting ready to begin studying for a high school diploma, and they know that they have post-secondary education to look at after that. But they have already travelled a much more rocky road than most of us here can even imagine, and so I think the road ahead is going to look a lot smoother for them, and I wish them all the luck in it. I met another man while I was at the McLeod centre who is the same age as me.

He was at the learning centre to get a high school diploma. He'd done really well in life, maybe not what you had imagined of somebody who didn't have their high school diploma. But he owned his own auto body repair shop for the last 15 years, had made good money at it and was raising his family. But he told me that he's finding it gets harder and harder each year to bend down and work under the car. He told me that he's looking to upgrade his skills so that he

822 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA April 18, 2011 can find a job using his mind instead of his hands because he doesn't think his knees are going to last much longer. And, again, he wasn't sure of the path that he was on, but he knew that high school diploma was the start and from there perhaps a post-secondary education. He had another long road in front of him but was confident that he could make it. He also shared another story about one of his personal reasons for wanting to go back to school: his nine-year-old son.

He's helping him with his homework and is finding that more and more in math, he's having a hard time helping his son to understand some of the things that he's learning about in school, and he felt that, at the very least, he had to stay ahead of his son's learning so that he could be an example, a role model and a help to him as well. These are just a couple of the stories I heard that day. I heard many stories from women who had chosen to work on raising their family and contributing to their household in many different ways.

But, at some point, as their families got older, thought it was about time for themselves; time to take a moment to do something for themselves, and that included getting their high school education and perhaps going on to further studies after that. These are just a couple of the stories that I heard that day. I did hear one thing again and again, and that was how scared people were to come back to school. Each of them spoke about how long it took them to finally stand up and sign up for a course.

They talked about how nervous they were that first day to walk into class, and every single one of them told me that they were put completely at ease by the incredible caring teachers, and that by the end of the day they felt at home. And they felt respected, which was another thing they weren't sure they were going to get when they walked in that door. I can only imagine how nerve-racking it must've been for people that first day of class and how scary it must have been to walk into a classroom after 10, 20 or 30 years.

For many of these people, high school the first time around wasn't really a good memory for them and they were scared they were going to be repeating the same thing. As they spoke I felt proud of this government for supporting adult learning centres, supporting 40 adult learning centres around the province. Well, of course, you cut $500 million from the budget you aren't likely to support any adult learning centres. But, then again, we know that that's exactly where the Conservatives were cut–would cut, because under–in the '90s under the Tories they didn't fund adult learning centres.

If you wanted to go back to high school you had to figure out a classroom the same as your kids, and you can imagine how difficult that would've been. But we know who the Conservatives worry about. It's not the average family trying to get ahead, trying to do better and trying to be role models for the next generation. They worry about their friends at the top, their friends that can afford 132 per cent increase in tuition. There was a time when people thought of daycare as a social support. Mr. Acting Speaker, daycare is an essential to ol in our economy.

Without available daycare, people can't get into the workforce or train for a new career, and I saw, when I visited the McLeod centre, how daycare and training and school all go together. There was a daycare at one end of the centre so that parents could know that their children were in a sa fe place while they were learning–everybody working together and everybody learning and moving forward. Mr. Acting Speaker, without high-quality daycare people can't focus on what they're doing at work, and our licensed daycares provide a stimulating and safe environment for children.

And I can tell you, as a working mom, when you know that your children are in good hands, it makes you able to concentrate on your job. I can't tell you how many times I've also relied on the educated opinion of child-care workers to advise me on how to deal with those issues that come along while raising a family. Our educated child-care workers are experts on early childhood development, and when your child attends one of our licensed daycares, those people become experts in your child.

Not only can they tell you a little bit about how their day went and what things they may have faced during the day, and simple things like what sort of nutrition they've had as well, and we know they're having nutritious meals in our licensed daycares. But they can also give you some advice on how to deal with things, like, sibling rivalry or tantrums or other issues that come up as a parent, because, of course, these folks who work in our licensed daycares are experts in childhood development. Budget 2011 will fund an additional 2,100 child-care spaces, including in Sage Creek.

The daycare in Sage Creek will be built on a future

April 18, 2011 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA 823 school site, part of this government's initiative to build daycares in or near schools, which makes a lot of sense. Children and schools and families and daycare all go hand in hand. I spent a lot of time in Sage Creek this past summer. I noticed that every door I knocked on had a new baby. In fact, most of the time when I knocked on the door someone came to the door opened it quietly, whispered I'll come out on the porch and speak with you because the baby's sleeping. Incredible how many doors I heard that on.

It is a fast-growi ng community and this government is planning for it. Mr. Acting Speaker, we know that people want to feel proud of their communities and they deserve to feel safe in them, and that's why this budget will increase the municipal infrastructure and transit grants to the equivalent of 1 per cent to the point of the existing sales tax. We're also hiring 66 more police officers and 10 prosecutors to protect communities. We've added many officers in our time here, but, of course, the opposition has voted against each and every one of them. * (15:30) Mr.

Acting Speaker, the opposition may have frozen or cut grants to un iversities, something that we don't believe in doing, but this is the 12th straight year in which major business and personal taxes have been cut or frozen, and our debt-servicing ratio is half of what it was in 1999. Mr. Acting Speaker, that is smart fiscal management, making cuts that help the economy and ensuring front-line services, something you couldn't do if the Tories were in power and cut $500 million from this budget. We believe it's about choices. Mr.

Acting Speaker, I do want to spend a moment talking about health care, something we know is a priority for Manitoba families. The Canadian Institute for Heal th Information says that Manitoba has the third most cost-efficient in-patient care and the third lowest administration costs in the country. Corporate spending at the WHRA is below 3 per cent of the total budget, and that means more money goes towards front-line workers: more money to doctors, 400 more since we've been in office, and more money for nurses, 2,500 more nurses than when the Tories were in office.

And we are well on our way of having a family doctor for everyone in Manitoba who wants one. Mr. Acting Speaker, I am proud of our province, and while the opposition may complain about Manitoba, that's not the Manitoba that I know. The place I call home is full of warm, optimistic, friendly people, and we may be too modest to call ourselves the best at anything–although Saskatchewan calls us the most affordable province; we'll settle for being in the top three of affordability. This is the little province that can, and we have everything we need, and the people on this side of the House believe in it. Thank you.

Mr. Ralph Eichler (Lakeside): Mr. Acting Speaker–[interjection] Good advice, good advice. I do want to put a few things on the record in regards to the motion that was brought forward by the Leader of the Opposition (Mr. McFadyen), and we're pleased to see a number of those initiatives, Mr. Acting Speaker, that we've been calling for the past number of years. It's unfortunate that the government decided to bring the initiative forward on an election year, and we know that those promises that have been brought forward will definitely make a significant impact on all Manitobans as a result of some of those changes.

In regards to the justice issue, I know that the government set on some $14 million of federal transfer payments that they set in place just in the budget the other day in regards to extra policing for this province of Manitoba. It's unfortunate that they decided to wait, again, until the eve of an election before they made this become a reality. I, along with my colleagues, will save Manitoba Hydro. We're not in the position to sell it. What we need from this government is leadership and vision, somebody that's going to move Manitoba forward, and we're going to do this with an east-side line.

And I know that the government has made it very clear they're prepared to build a road down the east side, but they're not prepared to put a Bipole III line down the same side, in affording those residents in that area the opportunity to have the same staples and services that we take for granted here in southern Manitoba. Also, I know that the cost of going down the west side is going to cost every family in Manitoba some $11,748, which, again, is a wasteful detour.

It's going right through a huge amount of area that–it's going to be through the flooded area as well, and it would be much cheaper and more reliable if we put it down the east side. And I also know that, in talking to a number of those residents on that side and also those on the southern part–they talk about lawsuits going down the east side as opposed to the west side. A number

824 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA April 18, 2011 of those RMs who we've been in contact with have made it very clear they're not going to allow the government to go through their RM. They're going to have to be expropriated. And they're making some backroom deals: well, if you sign on we'll give you a community centre, we'll do this or we'll do that, and other backroom deals that are not going to be sustainable for this government or any others, for that matter.

I know that, you know, the government has done–not done their homework in this particular–this issue as well, because of the tornado corridor, the flood corridor. And I have Bipole I and Bipole II running through my area, and I can tell you it's a significant issue. In fact, I brought it up in the House a number of times. The government can't be trusted, because what they did in my area, they decided all of a sudden to start taxing the farmers for looking after the land underneath the tower. Mr. Acting Speaker, what had happened in result of that, we did contact Manitoba Hydro.

They have since backed off, which we thank them for that. But if–this is just a prime example of what the government's prepared to do, is just come and attack whoever is there–is in their way in this particular initiative, to make sure that they get what they want. And I can tell you the producers in our area are making their voices loud and clear for those that are going to be impacted if it does come down through the west side, and it will have a significant impact in regards to their livelihood as a result of that line coming through.

Now, I think every Manitobans wants to make sure that Manitoba does move forward. With our leadership and moving the line down the east side, that will happen. Also, I know that the budget contained a large additional support for drainage, and I think that's ultimately imperative as well when we talk about what actually needs to happen in the future. And the conservation districts, I know that they have worked extremely hard, but they haven't had the money to move forward on a number of those projects.

Again, it's another way the government can off-load some of that responsibility to the municipalities, but not give them the funding to do it. And in my particular area, I know March the 25th of this year, after we asked questions in the House last fall and, of course, since 2000 we've been bringing this to the attention of the government, and that's the Shoal Lakes area. It's very similar to that of the Devils Lake. There's no outlet for it. The government has said they're looking at it along with the RMs.

And I know, talking to a number of producers, and one in particular, John Dyck, and several others that are in the area have–Walter Dziedzic [phonetic], Dennis Morin [phonetic], Larry Torske–all those farmers that live in that particular area have been trying to get the government to pay attention. And the Minister of Water Stewardship (Ms. Melnick) and her staff has said that, time and time again, they're prepared to look at it. The municipalities are on side. We need to make sure that those in fact do move forward. It's called a drain, the Wagon Creek Drain, that would go into the Lake Manitoba.

Unfortunate we haven't seen any action on that particular file. But I can assure the government, unless something happens very, very soon, that water will come through Argyle, Stonewall and then actually into the city of Winnipeg. It will have a devastating impact on economies through that area. And I know that we need to pay attention to it and we have to move in a very timely manner. And with the detour that would come through on the Wagon Creek Drain, the water would then go straight into Lake Manitoba, result in an impact that would be beneficial for all those people.

In regards to the buyout as well, they really don't want a buyout. There's very few that want a buyout. Most of them are saying, give us the opportunity to make a livelihood on that land, and that's what we want to do, and that's what most of them did as a result when they moved out into that particular area. I know that the issue in regards to the education side of things–in regards to schools was another issue that we wanted to talk about.

In fact, it was a school that was announced last year in Woodlands along with some other schools, and I know that we recently went through a lead billing program with Stonewall, Balmoral and St. Laurent. They didn't get

Document details

Collection	Manitoba — Debates (Hansard)
Citation	39-5-31
Type	hansard
Volume / chapter	39th 5th hansardpdf 31.pdf
Language	en
Format	pdf
Source	PROVINCIAL
Identifier	643875153cd8db098fb2356f8456def7a8bbf364

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