Manitoba Hansard — 7 April 1971 (Sitting 1, 29th Legislature, 3rd Session)

29-3-1

Manitoba — Debates (Hansard)

} ,,- . t.."" ">·,t -:_ ·� . '. Legislative Assembly of Manitoba DEBATES and PROCEEDINGS Speaker The Honourable Peter Fox .. . ,-, . .::� .... , Vol. XVlll No. 1 2:30 p.m., Wednesday, April 7th, 1971. Third Session, 29th Legislature. Printed by R. S. Evans - Queen's Printer for Province of Manitoba . ..

THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA 2:30 o'clock, Wednesday, April 7, 1971 1 The Sergeant-at-Arms, carrying the Mace, and followed by the Clerk of the Legislative Assembly, Mr. Charland Prud'homme, Q. C,, entered the House. DEPUTY SERGEANT-AT-ARMS: His Honour the Lieutenant-Governor. HON, A. H.

MACKLING (Attorney-General) (St, James): I am commanded by His Honour the Lieutenant-Governor to state that he does not see fit to declare the cause of the summoning of the present Legislature of this Province until a Speaker of this House shall have been chosen according to law, His Honour the Lieutenant-Governor then retired. HON. ED SCHREYER (Pre mier) (Rossmere): Mr.

Clerk, the members of the House will know that our former Speaker, the Honourable Ben Hanuschak, resigned that high office several months ago on being sworn a member of the Executive Council and to become Minister of Consumer, Corporate and Internal Services. We are therefore required by the Crown at this time to choose one of our members to occupy the Speaker's Chair before we can proceed with the business of the Province, It is a great honour for me to put before the House the name of our colleague, Peter Fox, Member for Kildonan, to be Speaker of the House, Mr.

Fox, as honourable members will know, has been a member here for five sessions since first being elected in the general election of 1966, Mr. Fox, I believe, has impressed us all by his devotion to his duties as a member, by his amiable personality which has made him well liked by his colleagues on both sides of this Chamber, and also by his conciseness in his contributions to debate. These are the kinds of qualities which members hopefully expect of their Speaker, and I know that in Mr. Fox we shall not be disappointed in seeking impartiality, firmness and a full measure of good humour. (Mr.

Schreyer spoke briefly in French), Therefore, Mr. Clerk, I move, seconded by the Honourable Leader of the Opposition, that Mr. Fox, M. L. A., be the Speakar of this Legislative Assembly. MR . CLERK presented the motion. HON, SIDNEY SPIVAK (Leader of the Opposition) (River Heights): Mr. Clerk, I take pleasure in seconding the motion of the Honourable First Minister that the Honourable Member for Kildonan take the Chair of this House. The Honourable Member of Kildonan's contribution to debate in this Chamber since his election in 1966 has been marked by reason and by moder ation.

These are of course two of the most important characteristics that Mr. Speaker must have. The purpose of this Legislature is to enact laws for the good of the people of Manitoba, and beyond that, to assure that the people of this Province, through their elected representa tives, have the right and the ability to consider, to discuss and, from time to time, criticize and question the legislation and the spending proposed by the government, I second this motion, Mr.

Clerk, confident that the honourable member will strive for the quality of impartiality, which in the Speaker is essential for the proper functioning of this Legislature, For myself and my party, we offer our every co-operation to our new Speaker in the fulfilment of his duties and responsibilities. We wish him every success in meeting the obligations of his office. MR . LEONARD BARKMAN (La Verendrye): Mr. Clerk, we would like to join in endors ing this resolution. We've had the honour of sitting with Mr.

Fox for quite a while and I'm sure that he will be the type of Speaker that we are looking forward to in this House. I'm very happy to say that we shall completely hope that he will be the kind of Speaker that we think he will be, MR . JACOB M. FROESE (Rhineland): Mr. Clerk, I too wish to congratulate the govern ment on putting forward the name of Peter Fox. We as members have known Mr. Fox for quite some time and we have every confidence that he will do a good job for us as Speaker of this House, MR . CLERK put the question and after a voice vote declared the motion carried. MR.

SPEAKER: Honourable members of the 29th Legislature, I am not unmindful of the honour conferred on me today in electing me to the highest office within the gift cf the Assembly, that of your Speaker and your servant. It will be my aim and duty to uphold the principles and traditions of the House and

2 April 7, 1971 (Mr. Speaker cont'd) .•. secure for each member the right to express his or her opinion within the limits necessary to preserve decorum, to recognize the rights and privileges of the honourable members, the political groups and the House itself, to facilitate the trans actions of the public business in an orderly manner, and above all, to seek to be fair and impartial in the decisions you entrust to me, If these are your objectives, and I believe they are, I ask your patience and co-operation in approaching them, I deeply appreciate your action in elevating me to the Speaker's Chair.

With your assistance, I hope to fulfil this commitment with dignity and honour. May it please Your Honour: The Legislative Assembly have elected me as their Speaker though I am but little able to fulfil the important duties assigned to me.

If in the performance of these duties I should at any time fall into error, I pray that the fault may be imputed to me and not to the Assembly, whose servant I am, and who through me, the better to enable them to discharge their duties to their Queen and Country, hereby humbly claim all their undoubted rights and.privileges, especially that they may have freedom of speech in their debates, access to Your Honour's person at all reasonable times, and that their proceedings may receive from Your Honour the most favourable consideration, MR . MACKLING: Mr.

Speaker, I am commanded by His Honour the Lieutenant Governor to declare to you that he freely confides in the duty and attachment of the Assembly to Her Majesty's person and Government, and not doubting that their proceedings will be conducted with wisdom, temper and prudence, he grants, and upon all occasions will recog nize and allow their constitutional rights.

I am commanded also to assure you that the Assembly shall have ready access to His Honour upon all reasonable occasions, and that their proceedings, as well as your words and actions, will constantly receive from him the most favourable consideration. His Honour William John McKeag, Lieutenant-Governor, entered the Chamber and seated himself on the Throne, •••..•• continued on next page

April 7, 1971 HONOURABLE WILLIAM JOHN McKEAG (Lieutenant-Governor of the Province of Manitoba): Mr. Speaker and members of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba: I welcome you to the Third Session of the Twenty-ninth Legislature of the Province of Manitoba. 3 May I first of all, on behalf of all the people of Manitoba, as well as on my own behalf, express to my predecessor in office, The Honourable Richard s. Bowles, our warm appreci ation of the distinguished and devoted service he has given our province. May I as well convey to him and to Mrs. Bowles an expression of our continuing good wishes.

We may all take a good deal of pleasure and satisfaction from the successful com memoration of Manitoba's Centennial Year. The visit to our province by Her Majesty the Queen and other members of the royal family proved to be a memorable event, while the numerous other special ceremonies and events of the year 1970 enabled a great number of our citizens to take

part in the commemorative festivities in a way that will be long remem bered. The happiness which Manitobans derived from their Centennial Year was sharply dis turbed when they learned of the sudden death of Mr. Maitland B. Steinkopf, Q. C., Chairman of the Manitoba Centennial Corporation. There will be another opportunity for the House to pay tribute to Mr. Steinkopf but it is well for us to acknowledge as we meet for this session how much our province owes to the devoted service and the imagination which he brought to the work of our historic Centennial.

La Journee du 15 mars dernier a marque le centieme anniversaire commemorant la reunion initiale de la premiere assemblee legislative du Manitoba. Les deputes de l 'assemb lee ont devant eux !'occasion d'achever de facon speciale leur participation a l'annee du Centenaire en evoquant les cent ans de service aupres de la population de ia province qui ont ete assures par la truchement des debats et des decisions de l 'assemblee legislative. (Translation: March 15th marked the One Hundred Anniversary of the first meeting of the first Legislative Assembly of Manitoba.

Members of the House have an opportunity to complete their own participation in the Centennial Year by taking note of one hundred years of service to the people of the province provided through the debates and decisions of the Legislative Assembly.) In the same historic vein Manitobans will want to be aware of 1971 as being the Centennial Year of the signing of Indian Treaties Nos. 1 and 2 at Lower Fort Garry.

Appro priate commemorative events are being organized by the Indian Councils and the Manitoba Indian Brotherhood. -My Ministers inform me that implementation of most of the 190 legislative measures passed between August, 1969, and August, 1970, is proceeding well and without serious pro blems. Major reforms that were passed respecting human rights, the lowering of the voting age and ages of majority appear to have been well and maturely received. We meet at a time when citizens from all walks of life are questioning the traditions and practices that have been with us for so marry ye�s.

We see these questions most in the young people in our society, but a basic re-examination is now in process among all our citizens. What is at stake today is the faith of our citizens in the ability of our traditional institu tions to rise to the oecasion and solve the problems of tomorrow, Through our deliberations here we have the opportunity to demonstrate to our citizens that government can and must be responsive, and open, and humane.

We meet at a time when policies of the federal government of Canada have caused the citizens of all provinces to live with an economy in recession and, for many, serious economic re-adjustments. My Ministers inform me that in the last few months programs have been undertaken on a broad basis to stimulate the provincial economy and reduce unemployment. My Ministers inform me that these special projects are now bearing fruit and that the provincial economy is showing signs of healthy recovery from the national situation.

As a consequence the rated performance of Manftoba's economy is exceeding that of the national average in many important respects. In the field of economic development my Ministers tell me that they have set the reduction of regional economic disparities and a rise in the standard of living of the people of Manitoba among their foremost objectives. Programs for economic and industrial

4 April 7, 1971 (Mr. McKeag cont'd) •• development will be focused primarily on activities which will not only increase average per capita income, but will also improve the distribution of that income among the population. The government intends that these programs should respect the need to reduce pollution and other unfavourable aspects of some industrial development and that they should foster the control of economic resources by Manitobans and for Manitc$ilfns.

You will be asked to consider amendments to The Development Corporation Act, further clarifying the functions of the Manit oba Development Corporation and the requirements for reporting on its activities. My Ministers inform me also that plans have been made to pro vide for more effective recognition of the potential of small business through a small business loans operation as an integral part of the Manitoba Developm€nt 'Corporation.

Further to that an Economic Development Fund will be established with specific relevance to disadvantaged communities aff ording, at the same time, an opportunity to its residents to be involved by being represented on the board of directors. You will be asked to approve of expenditures for the purpose of the creation of a mineral exploration company which will be able to embark on programs to discover viable Manitoba resources either on its own initiative, or in partnership with other exploration companies.

You will also be asked to approve other resource development projects designed to provide persons living in the proximity of our natural resources with greater opportunities of realiz ing some of the benefits thereof. It has become increasingly apparent that planning for economic and social development is being hampered by a lack of meaningful data at the provincial and regional levels. My government intends to introduce legislation to be known as The Statistics Act.

This ac t will enable the government to complement existing information sources such as the Dominion Bureau of Statistics, and to provide more adequately for provincial and regional information requirements. A healthy and aesthetic environment is of critical concern to my government. Last year anti-pollution standards were raised. In Manitoba, a new and substantial environmental agency, separate and distinct from other governm€11it departments and agencies, will be created. llil addition there will also be established an Environmental Council comprised of citizen members to advise the responsible Minister.

It is the intention of my government to continue with strong .auppjttt and new programs for the farm economy, some of which were initiated during the past year. I am told that response to the new farm credit program has been favourable. The government will be mak ing suff icient capital available to continue it at a high level. Efforts to assist farmers in developl!Jlg and seeking new markets for their agricultural products will be pursued actively and strengthened.

I am further informed that municipalities are responding favourably to the establishment of regional veterinary clinics and this program will be stepped up in the coming year in order to encourage and strengthen developments of the livestock industry in Manitoba. Under the new ARDA program whereby the province will soon be entering into agreement with the federal government, it is our intention to introduce running water and sewage systems to homes in rural Manitoba in order to raise the comfort and standard of living of rural residents.

A new Agricultural Services Complex is under construction on the campus of The University of Manitoba and will provide, through the Department of Agriculture, such ser vices as a diagnostic veterinary laboratory, a feed testing laboratory and allied services needed by farmers throughout the province. My government will continue to make vigorous representation to the Government of Canada in an attempt to influence federal agriculture policy in a manner that will deal more effectively with the problems of Manitoba farmers.

In this session you will be asked to deal with the proposal to inject directly approximately $4 million into Manito ba's farm economy. We shall immediately be entering into negotiations with the Government of Canada respecting a new policy aimed at improving the position of industrial milk producers in Manitoba. I am informed that it is necessary and desirable to introduce new legislation relating to conditions and sale of farm machinery in order that farmers and farm machinery dealers may have adequate protection in the purchase and sale of this equipment so necessary to the industry.

April 7, 1971 5 (Mr. McKeag cont'

d) My government is pleased to announce that it is establishing a Department of Co operative Development as one means of strengthening support for the development and use of the co-operative movement as a means of helping people to improve their social and economic position, Associated with that development will be increased financial support for develop ment of co-operatives in northern Manitoba communities for economic resource development and allied purposes, Recognizing that there is a problem everywhere in this country regarding social welfare programs; my government proposes that existing piecemeal social welfare programs should be transformed into an integrated income security system.

At the provincial level this will involve special co-ordination arra ngements to ensure liaison between the new income security system and other health and social services., thereby making both systems more respons:i.;.re to the needs of citizens. This new orientation to health and social services will require a vigorous renegotiation of federal-provincial arrangements including cost-sharing formulae. The introduction of new approaches for the rehabilitation of public offenders which were initiated during the past year will be expanded and accelerated.

Proposed developments will be outlined in a forthcoming Government White Paper on Corrections. In the meantime con struction will begin soon on a new Manitoba Youth Centre to provide improved care and treatment. During the coming year increased emphasis will be given to employment opportunities for Manit obans of native origin and to the further development of New Careers opportunities for Manitobans. My Ministers inform me of the increasing demands for day care services.

During the past year groundwork has been laid for the development of day care services and significant initiation of these is planned for the coming year. My government has taken major steps to increase in a dramatic way the amount of personal care or nursing home accommodations for the elderly and infirm and at the present time a substantial number of new facilities is under construction or soon will be. Further development of facilities for elderly and infirm citizens continues to be a pressing need and increased attention will be given to their development.

A new psycho-geriatric centre will be established in the Winnipeg area to provide more appropriate in-patient care for elderly persons. Improvements in the quality of family life will be sought through the expansion of a variety of family oriented services. • • , • • continued on next page

6 April 7, 1971 (Mr. McKeag cont'd) .•. You will be asked to consider amendments to The Health Services Insurance Ac t chang ing the membership of the Manitoba Health Services Co mmission from the present seven mem bers to nine members, clarifying certain provisions pertaining to third party liability actions, and making changes arising from The Age of Majority Act passed during the last session of the legislature.

Reports will be made to the House concerning capital plans for expansion and replace ment of hospitals and other health facilities with special reference to relationships of these facilities to a community health centre base. Mon gouvernement a cree un Co mite consultatif sur l 'Achat et le Distribution des Drogues qui se preoccupera parallelement dans cette question des aspects economiques et hygieniques. Sur accusation des recommendations de ce comite, vous serez appeles ii etudier des mesures legislative visant a reduire pour les citoyens du Manitoba le cont des drogues obtenue s par ordonnance s .

Translation: My Government has established an Advisory Committee on the Central Purchasing and Distribution of Drugs, concerned with both the economic and health aspects of this matter. Following receipt of the recommendations of the Committee, you will be asked to consider legislation designed to reduce the cost of prescription drugs for the citizens of Manitoba. The portion of education costs borne by property continues to be a considerable burden to the farm and residential property own ers of Manitoba.

My government will seek provision during the session for additional provincial input into financing of education. Th e rmjor por tion of this money is intended to shift some of the costs of education off property tax to the more equitable provincial tax base. As a result of this shift in taxation, there wi ll be a drop of 11/2 mills in the foundation levy imposed on farm and residential property. Th e distribu tion of costs for the foundation program will be cha nged from the present 70/30 formula to 75% provincial support and 25% municipal support of the foundation program.

Legislation will also be introduced to make possible a system of tax credits on residen tial units and to equalize some of the costs of education beyond the foundation program over Metropolitan Winnipeg. Through this combination of means my government not only expects to fulfill its pledge to the citizens of Manitoba to relieve some of the tax burden on residential and farm property, but as well these changes will be yet another step in the movement towards a more equitable taxation system in the province. There is increased public concern over the escalating costs of education in Manitoba.

At the same time powerful sentiment is focused on the development of an educational system to provide an instrument through which each individual has an equal opportunity to realize self respect, self-fulfillment and his relevance in a dynamic society which is moving steadily now to more equality in the human condition. It is planned to expand in a major way the research and planning capabilities of the Department of Youth and Education. That branch will undertake studies into the cost-effective ness and cost-benefit of the education program in Manitoba.

Major emphasis will be placed on innovation in the schools and on education planning. Schools in the province will be en couraged to develop new and experimental programs. In keeping with its policy of equality of educational opportunity for all and with its policy of respect and encouragement for the rich cultural heritage of Manitoba 's peop les, the govern ment will seek funding for new and expanded programs at all levels for Manitobans of native ancestry.

Steps are being taken to establish an elected Advisory Council for the Frontier School Division and to expand the Council's responsibilities for the school division. These changes will allow parents in the far-flung division to participate more directly in the deter minatiOn of school policy. . A la derniere session de l 'assemblee iegislative le bill 113 a ete accepte et a permis un elargissement dans les cadres de !'instruction publique de l'usage dufrancais dans les ecoles du Manitoba. Une

section administrative, chargee du d0veloppement et des plans d'etude, a ete cree dans la

section du curriculum au Ministere de la Jeunesse et de I 'Education, et nous escomptons qu'au debut de septembre il y aura un accroissement majeur dans l'enseignement · de la langue francaise et dans I 'usage de la langue francaise comme langue d 'enseignement.

April 7, 1971 7 (Mr. McKeag cont'd) ... (At the last Session of the Legislature, Bill 113 was passed to provide for an extension of instruction in French in Manitoba schools.

An administrative and curriculum development unit has been established in the Curriculum Branch of the Department of Youth and Education and it is anticipated that this coming September there will be major extensions in the teaching of the French language, as well as extensions in teaching in the French language) Greater education opportunities will become more widely available in Manitoba when four of the five regional composite high schools now under construction open in September.

Legis lation will be introduced to enable any pupil to attend school in another division if the program of studies required by the pupil is not available in his home division. Any residual cost accru ing to the division receiving a pupil will be paid by the student's home division. Post-secondary enrolments have continued to increase although less than expected in the Universities. At the Community Colleges enrolments were much larger than expected.

This expansion seems to indicate a growing realization of the importance and the potential of the post-secondary opportunities available within the Manitoba Community College system. In their efforts to be responsive to the needs of the community, the colleges will continue to ex pand the scope of their educational perspectives and introduce special out-reach programs into communities in Manitoba.

You will be asked to consider legislation permitting the creation of a new body to be known as the Manitoba Lotteries Commission, with the object of conducting lottery schemes similar in nature to the series of sweepstake lotteries held during our Centennial Year. The 1970 lotteries proved to be successful in every respect. The proceeds from the future lottery schemes will be used for cultural and recreational purposes for the benefit of the people of the province . A new act will be presented to be known as The Public Trustee Act to establish the office of Public Trustee.

Under the terms of the new act, the Public Trustee will exercise the jurisdiction now held by the Administrator of the Estates of Mentally Disordered Persons, official administrat ors and official guardians. The government intends to introduce legislation respecting security interests in personal property which will, among other matters, provide for the central registration of such security interests. It will also provide a codification of much of the law relating to personal property transactions, with some variations from existing law. This legislation will be known as The Personal Property Securities Act.

A bill will be presented to amend The Provincial Police Act which will, among other matters, provide for the establishment of a Provincial Police Commission empowered to hear appeals from rulings made by local Police Commissions, and to act in an advisory role in such matters as police training, police education and police relations with the community. Legislation will be introduced to provide a more expeditious and less costly procedure for the settlement and recovery of small claims.

My government intends to make arrangements for the provision of more legal assistance to those unable to obtain legal services on their own. My Ministers have expressed to me their continuing concern over the problems that afflict the urban centre of Greater Winnipeg in which live somewhat over half of the people of the province. They have given long and intensive study to these problems and have reviewed all available data and reports on the subject, including the report of the Manitoba Local Govern ment Boundaries Commission, and the views expressed at a lengthy series of public meet ings.

My government is deeply concerned over the disparities in services, inequitable uses of the available tax base and fragmented jurisdictions, all of which now inhibit proper planning and development in the area and have led to a regrettable loss of citizen involvement in the pro cesses of local government.

Since a vigorously healthy urban centre is vital to the well-being of all the people in the province, my Ministers will be placing before you certain measures designed to improve the economic climate of Greater Winnipeg and to make the area's pro cesses of local government more democratic and more meaningful to its citizens, that is to say, in every respect. My Ministers remind me that, in recogr,ition of the continent-wide tr end toward rapid and ever-increasing urbanization, it has designated a Minister responsible for urban affairs.

It is the specific task of that ministry to co-ordinate, and to seek to improve , the pe rformance of the government of the province in its relationship with the Greater Winnipeg region. It is

8 April 7, 1971 (Mr. McKeag cont'd) .•.. also its assigned task to co-ordinate and integrate all provincial urban administrative links with a view to strengthening the competence and autonomy of local government in the urban area. Manitoba continues to have an excellent industrial relations climate. Collective bar gaining has increased and, by achieving one of the be.st records of dispute settlement in the country, the parties have shown how effective this process can be as a means for working out necessary arrangements between labour and management.

At the present time, for example, only on(:! bargaining unit in Manitoba is involved in an industrial dispute coming under the pro- vincial Labour Department's jurisdiction. · · My Ministers believe in the principle and value of collective bargaining and have intro duced many legislative changes intended to promote its_ growth and development. Management and labour are being encouraged to establish management-labour committees at plant level so that continuous consultation between parties on matters, apart from collective agreements, may take place to the mutual advantage of both.

Progress is being made in producing a labour code for Manitoba. It is hoped the pro posed code will be ready for consideration of the Assembly at this session. You will be asked to consider certain changes in legislation dealing with workmen's compeIE ation, labour re lations and employment standards. My Ministers wish to acknowledge the efforts of Manitoba's public servants in the carry ing out of their duties. In concrete recognition of the need to update the law respecting the public service amendments will be proposed to The Civil Service Act.

The question of minimum wages has been under consideration by the Minimum Wage Board and the government. You will be informed at an early date of possible changes in this field. My government will re-introduce in revised form The Personal Investigations Act which will control personal investigating and reporting procedures, inform an individual he is being investigated, allow him to obtain a copy of the report and compel the correction of any wrong information.

Amendments to The Consumer Protection Act to control multi-level and referral selling no-down-payment advertising and the circulation and use of credit cards will be placed before you. My Ministers inform me that a new Mortgage Brokers and Mortgage Dealers Act will be presented to replace the existing act. It will provide for better regulation of persons accept ing investment money through mortgages and will improve the system of registrations of mortgage brokers. The number of non-resident visitors to the province inc reased substantially in 1970.

Manitoba led all Canadian provinces in the rate of growth for visitors from the United States. One of the benefits of the Centennial Year to the tourist industry was that many more Manitobans spent their vacations.within the province than in any previous year. Attendance at provincial parks and recreation areas reached a new high of 2. 6 million in 1970. It is estimated that between 80 % and 85 % of all park visits are made by Manitobans.

My Ministers inform me that development of facilities in the provincial parks and re creation areas was speeded up late in 1970 as part of the government's plan to ease unem ployment. The projects started under this program will continue in 1971. Developments under the ARDA and FRED agreements at Hecla Island, Spruce Woods and Asessippi Pro vincial Parks will continue. My Ministers inform me that the Manitoba Advisory Council on Fitness and Amateur Sport has been reconstituted and has started to work.

As part of building up a data basis for assessing recreation, an inventory of recreation facilities, programs and leadership will be undertaken this year. The possibility of holding annual or biennial provincial games as part of the building-up and selecting process leading to participation in the Canada Win ter and Summer Games will also be given careful study by the Council.

My Ministers.inf orm me that the Standing Committee on Municipal Affairs has com pleted its study of The Municipal Assessment Act and The Municipal Tax Deferral Act, and that legislation will be introduced to help relieve the assessment burden in certain cases. You will be asked to consider measures relating to the national building code . . My Ministers inform me that the government has undertaken a greatly expanded pro gram of construction of residential housing for those on moderate and low incomes.and for

April 7, 1971 9 (Mr. McKeag cont'd) ..•• Manitoba 's senior citizens. This program, which will apply to both rural and urban Manitoba, wil l involve the expenditure in the coming year of some $35 mil li on with costs being shared by the federal government. Our two publ icl y owned util ity corporations, Manitoba Hydro and the Manitoba Tel ephone System, continue to expand in their scal e of operations providing service at costs that are among the lo west in North America.

My Ministers inform me that pursuant to The Automobil e Insurance Act, passed at the la st session of this Legisl ature, rates and regul ations will soon be tabl ed rel ating to a system of publ icl y operated automobil e insurance. My Ministers inform me that plans have been made for the buil ding and reconditioning of several provincial l y-owned publ ic buil dings incl uding the lo ng awaited facilities for Brandon and Dauphin. The 1971-72 program of construction and reconstruction of Manitoba's highways wil l be used as a tool for economic devel opment of Manitoba.

The safety of the travel li ng publ ic wil l again receive top priority. My government intends to make representations to the Government of Canada for the re establishment of some form of a cost-shared transportation access program, possibl y in the field of development roads and landing strips in potential ly rich resource areas. Every effort wil l be made to give a maximum of employment to the lo cal residents and to have as much work done during the winter months as possible. My government intends to continue the new winter tendering program which has resulted in a substantial saving to the Manitoba taxpayer.

My Ministers will be studying the federal income tax changes to be presented to the federal parliament in the near future. These proposal s will be examined carefully to deter mine their impact on the taxpayers of Manitoba, on the devel opment of the province, and on their achievement of objectives which wil l best serve the needs of the peopl e of Manitoba and the Canadian nation for a tax system based on the principles of fairness and abil ity to pay.

My government is deepl y concerned le st the new federal income tax system to be in troduced this spring wil l not remove the regressive features of the existing ta x system or wil l not give sufficient emphasis to equity and fairness based on abil ity to pay. My Ministers reject the false trade-off in choices between economic growth and equity. Equity and economic growth, and how these relate to the tax system, are total ly independent choices. There is no conflict between fairness in the tax system and the promotion of economic growth to serve the people of this country.

My government wil l do everything within its powers to ensure that the promised reform of the income tax system to be introduced in the Parl iament of Canada wil l not be based on false choices which deny equity and fairness to Manitoba taxpayers. It is to be hoped that the tax reforms tal ked about in the past two years will not be abandoned. The income tax fields are at present shared between the federal government and the provincial governments on the basis of arrangements made in 1966 . These sharing arrange ments wil l now have to be renegotiated on the reformed federal tax system.

My government intends to ensure that the peopl e of Manitoba receive a fair share of the income tax revenues for their provincial government for the financing of better provincial public services. My Ministers propose to all eviate some relativel y minor problems in existing provincial taxes by recommending for approval some modifications in The Revenue Tax Act and The Gasoline and Motive Fuel Tax Acts.

My Ministers inform me that estimates for the requirements of the wel fare and pros perity of the province for the next fiscal year and the accounts for the la st fiscal year will be submitted for your consideration • In le aving you I pray that Divine Providence and right reason may guide you in your deliberations. (His Honour the Lieutenant-Governor then retired from the Chamber )

io April 7, 1971 MR . SPEAKER: Oh Eternal and A.lmighty God, from whom all power and wisdom come, by whom Kings rule and make equitable laws, we are assembled here before Thee to frame such laws as may tend to the welfare and prosperity of our province. Grant, Oh 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, know it wit� certainty, and accomplish it perfectly for the Glory and Honour of Thy Name and for the welfare of all our people. Amen. MR . SCHREYER: Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the Honourable Minister of Finance, that leave be given to introduce a Bill (No. 1),

An Act respecting the Administration of Oaths of Office, and that the same be now received and read a first time. MR . SPEAKER presented the motion and after a voice vote declared the motion carried. MR . SPEAKER: In order to prevent mistakes, I obtained a copy o·f the Address of His Honour which was read. I also wish to inform the House that John Waite has been appointed Sergeant-at-Arms for the Third Session of the Twenty-Ninth Legislature. MR . SCHREYER: Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the Honourable Minister of Labour, that the Votes and Proceedings of the House be printed, having first been perused by Mr.

Speaker, and that he do appoint the printing thereof, and that no person but such as he shall appoitJ.t do presume to print the same. MR . SPEAKER presented the motion and after a voice vote declared the motion carried. MR . SCHREYER: Mr.

Speaker, I move, seconded by the Honourable Attorney-General, that the Standing Committees of this House for the present session be appointed for the following purposes: Privileges and Elections; Public Accounts; Public Utilities and Natural Resources; Agriculture; Municipal Affairs; Law Amendments; Private Bills ; Standing Orders, Printing and Library; Industrial Relations; Statutory Regulations and Orders; Economic Development; which several committees shall be empowered to examine and enquire into all ' such matters and things as may be referred to them by this House and to report from time to time their observations and opinions thereon with power to send for persons, papers and documents and examine witnesses under oath.

MR . SPEAKER presented the motion and after a voice vote declared the motion carried. MR . SCHREYER: Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the Minister of Mines, Resources and Environmental Management, that during the present session of the Legislature, J.R.(Bud) Boyce, Esquire, Member for the Electoral Division of Winnipeg Centre, be Deputy Speaker and Chairman of the Committees of the House. MR . SPEAKER presented the motion and after a voice vote declared the motion carried. MR , SCHREYER: Mr.

Speaker, I move, seconded by the Honourable Minister of Agriculture, that a committee of seven persons be appointed to prepare and report with all convenient speed, a list of members to compose the Standing Committees ordered by this House, and that such a committee shall be composed as follows: Hon. Messrs. Mackling, Paulley, Schreyer, Messrs. Jenkins, Johnston (Portage), Jorgenson and Sherman. MR . SPEAKER presented the motion. MR . SPEAKER: Are you ready for the question? The Honourable Member for Rhineland� MR . FROESE: Mr.

Speaker, I move, seconded by the Honourable Member for Souris Killarney, that debate be adjourned. MR . SPEAKER presented the motion and after a voice vote declared the motion carried. MR . SCHREYER: Monsieur le president, je propose, appuye par le ministre de Health and Social Services, que l'on considere demain le discours de l 'honorable lieutenant-gouverneur. MR . SPEAKER: Moved by the First Minister, seconded by the Honourable Minister of Health and Social Services, that the Speech of His Honour the Lieutenant-Governor be taken into consideration tomorrow. MR .

SPEAKER put the question and after a voice vote declared the motion carried. MR . SCHREYER: Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the Minister of Youth and Education, that the House do now adjourn. MR . SPEAKER presented the motion and after a voice vote declared the motion carried and the House adjourned until 2:30 Thursday afternoon.

Document details

Collection	Manitoba — Debates (Hansard)
Citation	29-3-1
Type	hansard
Volume / chapter	29th 3rd hansardpdf 1.pdf
Language	en
Format	pdf
Source	PROVINCIAL
Identifier	87e6f19dfdfc145e4b6f97868a6e5dbe1c61bcdb

Source file is stored in the law ingest library (pdf).