Manitoba Hansard — 2 December 2025 (Sitting 10B, 43rd Legislature, 3rd Session)

43-3-10b

Manitoba — Debates (Hansard)

Third Session – Forty-Third Legislature of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba DEBATES and PROCEEDINGS Official Report (Hansard) Published under the authority of The Honourable Tom Lindsey Speaker Vol. LXXX No. 10B - 1:30 p.m., Tuesday, December 2, 2025 ISSN 0542-5492

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

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

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

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

307 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA Tuesday, December 2, 2025 The House met at 1:30 p.m. The Speaker: Good afternoon, everyone. Please be seated. Speaker's Statement The Speaker: Just prior to routine proceedings, I just have a very short statement. Generally, when introducing a bill for first read - ing, the accepted practice is for the introducer to speak for approximately 30 seconds. Of late, they' ve been going a minute or more in some cases. Certainly, if someone would like to propose some kind of leave request to change the practice to a minute, I would certainly not be opposed to that.

But failing that, let's try and keep them to about 30 seconds. ROUTINE PROCEEDINGS INTRODUCTION OF BILLS Bill 220–The School Bus Seat Belt Safety Act Mr. Wayne Ewasko (Lac du Bonnet): Thank you for that advice on bill introductions. I move, seconded by the MLA for Roblin, that Bill 220, The School Bus Seat Belt Safety Act;

Loi sur les ceintures de sécurité dans les autobus scolaires, now be read for the first time. Motion presented. Mr. Ewasko: I rise today to intro duce Bill 220, The School Bus Seat Belt Safety Act. Bill 220 will require seat belts on all new school buses. This is some thing that has been happening in many juris dictions, and manufacturers have moved towards making seat belts available.

The bill outlines that buses manufactured and pur- chased after 2025 by school divisions will have to have three- point passenger seat belts that meet the requirements set out in the Motor Vehicle Safety Regulations and the Motor Vehicle Safety Act. The bill further authorizes the Lieutenant Governor-in-Council to make regula tions related to exemptions for certain buses, prescribing standards for seat belts and establish

definitions and regulations in respect of any matter necessary to carry out t he purpose of the act. I know, Honourable Speaker, that this bill– The Speaker: Order, please. I've just asked the members to try and keep their comments to 30 seconds. The member's now gone for a minute. Does the honourable member have leave? Some Honourable Members: Leave. Some Honourable Members: No. The Speaker: Leave has been denied. Is it the pleasure of the House to adopt the motion? [Agreed] The motion is accordingly carried. Bill 221–The Highway Traffic Amendment Act (Increased Penalties for Passing School Buses) Mr.

Wayne Ewasko (Lac du Bonnet): That was a little disappointing, but let's try another bill. I move, seconded by the MLA for– An Honourable Member: Point of order. Point of Order The Speaker: The hon ourable First Minister, on a point of order. Hon. Wab Kinew (Premier): Yes, no, the member just reflected on you, the Chair. As we all know, it 's an important rule in this House to respect the supremacy of the Chair in these proceedings. The Speaker: The honourable Leader of the Official Opposition (Mr. Khan), on the same point of order. The honourable Opposition House Leader, sorry. Mr.

Derek Johnson (Official Opposition House Leader): Yes, the member was not reflecting any - thing. He was just disappointed that he couldn't get his fulsome explanation of the bill out. He was not reflecting at all upon the Speaker. [interjection] The Speaker: Order. Order. It was reflecting on the Chair, because I just admonished members to try and keep their comments to 30 seconds. So I would appre ciate if members followed the direction from the Chair in the future. He does have a point of order. * * *

308 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA December 2, 2025 Mr. Ewasko: Oh, well. Okay. Thank you, Honourable Speaker. I move, seconded by the MLA for Lakeside, that Bill 221, The Highway Traffic Amendment Act (Increased Penalties for Passing School Buses); Loi modifiant le Code de la route (peines accrues en cas de dépassement d 'autobus scolaire), be now read a first time. Motion presented. Mr.

Ewasko: I rise today to intro duce Bill 221, The Highway Traffic Amend ment Act (Increased Penal - ties for Passing School Buses), which will create higher fines when a person is convicted multiple times of passing a school bus that is stopped so that students can enter or exit a bus. This will allow officers to levy higher fines for each successive offence. This bill will raise the fine to $2,500 for a first offence, $5,000 for a second offence and $7,500 for a third offence. I look forward to unanimous support of this bill after second reading, going to com mittee and then passing and receiving royal assent.

Thank you, Honourable Speaker. The Speaker: Is it the pleasure of the House to adopt the motion? [Agreed] The motion is accordingly passed. Bill 227–The Highway Traffic Amendment Act (Impaired Driving Measures) Mr. Wayne Balcaen (Brandon West): I move, seconded by the honour able member for Portage la Prairie (MLA Bereza), that Bill 227, The Highway Traffic Amendment Act (Impaired Driving Measures), be now read a first time. Motion presented. Mr. Balcaen: I rise today to speak to Bill 227.

Those– these amendments bring forward strong legis lation that will detour and denounce the tragedies that impaired driving causes in our communities. These amendments are not a partisan issue; they came directly from individuals who have had the unfor tunate experience of losing family members to this atrocious crime. With impaired driving–both by alcohol and drugs– on the rise, I encourage all-party support of this bill to help protect Manitoba citizens. Thank you, Honourable Speaker. The Speaker: Is it the pleasure of the House to adopt the motion? [Agreed] The motion is accordingly carried. Committee reports?

TABLING OF REPORTS Hon. Adrien Sala (Minister of Finance): I'm pleased to table The Public Service Group Insurance Fund: benefits

summary and audited financial statements for the year ended April 30, 2025. MINISTERIAL STATEMENTS Diabetes Awareness Month Hon. Uzoma Asagwara (Minister of Health, Seniors and Long -Term Care): November was Diabetes Awareness Month, meaning it's a reminder to all of us to think about the impact of diabetes, the impact on families across Manitoba and our friends and to reflect on what we can do to improve prevention and treat - ment across Manitoba.

Over the past two years, our govern ment has worked very hard with our partners to enhance diabetic care, and we took an important step with the federal government to include diabetes medications in our Manitoba Enhanced Pharmacare Program. We've worked hard with experts in this province like Dr. Roussin, who is –folks know –is the Chief Provincial Public Health Officer, to take meaningful steps to strengthen diabetes care in this province. And we continue to meet with experts, including public health nurses, to make advancements in diabetes care across our province together.

We've also taken the step of establishing a half-a- million-dollar fund. This fund supports our Diabetes Action Plan. Now, this plan, a move that Diabetes Canada called, and I quote, a positive step forwards in improving diabetes care and prevention in Manitoba, end quote, is something that we're already seeing have big positive impacts in communities across our province.

When we talk about diabetes, it 's important to acknowledge the realities that many families face and to know the importance of ensuring that children living with diabetes in Manitoba 's K-to-12 schools receive the care and support they need to thrive academically and socially. Today the Minister of Education, the MLAs for Seine River, Radisson and myself were pleased to sit down with Christy, Ashley, Stephanie, Trina and Micaela. And we'd like to take a moment –I'd like to take a moment–to welcome them all here today. I believe they're in the gallery. * (13:40)

December 2, 2025 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA 309 Honourable Speaker, it is so important that we sit down with families and with you who are living with the realities of diabetes and do what we can to hear their voices and to reflect what they need to see in our health-care system, in our schools and in our commu- nities. These parents and youth were very generous with us today. They shared their experiences, their concerns and their ideas as parents of school -age children living with diabetes.

Every parent wants to see their child thrive in school: having fun with friends and learning every- thing from algebra to phys. ed, social studies, zoology– you name it, Honour able Speaker. We don 't want a chronic condition like diabetes to hold any child back. Diabetes Canada's overall guidelines were com - pleted earlier this year, and school-specific guidelines were released just this past October. I'm happy to share that our government has already begun exploring options with these organiza- tions and with our partners right here in the province. We shared that with these parents this morning.

We're going to keep sharing this infor mation with our part- ners across edu cation and make sure that they know that the work is happening. Moving forward, these guidelines will be brought together to find the best approach to supporting kids living with diabetes as they go to school. We're going to continue to work closely with the experts, health professionals, parents, educators and school divisions to strengthen supports, expand train- ing and ensure that Manitoba remains a leader in inclusive education and health care.

Together, we are building one Manitoba where children living with diabetes can succeed, supported by a government and society that understands their needs and values their contributions. Honourable Speaker, I 'd ask that we all take a moment to acknowledge our guests in the gallery and to thank them for their advocacy. We look forward to continuing to work with you. Thank you. Mrs.

Kathleen Cook (Roblin): Today I rise to recognize November, which was last month, as Diabetes Aware- ness Month, a month dedicated to shining a light on one of the most significant public health challenges facing Manitobans, Canadians and millions of people around the world. Diabetes is a complex and lifelong condition. It is the leading cause of kidney failure and dialysis in Canada, and its impacts reach far beyond physical health, touching mental well- being, work place and school participation and quality of life.

Here in Manitoba, the numbers remind us of the urgency: 30 per cent of Manitobans live with diabetes or pre -diabetes; 11 per cent live with undiagnosed diabetes, a figure that rises to 15 per cent when undiagnosed type 2 is included; and each year, 65 to 75 children are newly diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. These statistics are not just numbers; they represent lives, families and communities navigating the daily reality of diabetes management. For too many, that reality also includes stigma, discrimination and misunderstanding.

Here in Manitoba, the reality also includes parents who need more support to manage their children' s diabetes in school. Right now, if a child is too young to adjust their insulin pump at lunchtime, school staff cannot assist, forcing parents to leave work to do it. Children whose parents can't do this may be restricted to older insulin injection regimes and miss out on using an insulin pump with all of its benefits entirely. But this isn 't the case everywhere in Canada. Provinces such as British Columbia and Nova Scotia require school staff to be trained to support insulin administration.

These trained staff are typically not teachers; they are EAs or support staff that are trained by a nurse. They work with parents to help young children who can't adjust insulin pumps on their own. Parents provide the relevant infor mation, such as the carbohydrate count in their child' s lunch, and staff person makes the adjustment to the pump. It's as easy as touching a button.

The reason this is so im portant is because many families are not in a position to take time off work every single day to give their kids insulin at school, and this has unfor tunately forced some families to choose between their job, their livelihood and their child's health. So despite what the minister is saying today, I would make the argument that there 's no need to explore anything. The solutions are clear. They' re being implemented in other provinces. The minister need only listen to the parents who have joined us in the gallery today. They know what the solutions are. The time to implement them is now.

Thank you.

310 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA December 2, 2025 MEMBERS' STATEMENTS Musica Singers of Manitoba Mr. Diljeet Brar (Burrows): Mabuhay. [Live.] Today I am proud to recognize Musica Singers of Manitoba, a vibrant, community-based vocal ensemble that has quickly become a cornerstone of cultural celebration in our province. community. Their Established in July 2023, this non-profit is com- posed of dedicated Filipino-Canadian volunteers who share a passion for music and community.

Their mission is clear: to deliver outstanding performances that showcase the richness of Philippine arts and culture , while inspiring audiences across Manitoba and beyond. Through collaboration with talented artists and a commitment to excellence, Musica Singers has created a musical journey that brings people together and strengthens cultural pride.

In just two years, they have completed two suc - cessful seasons and are now preparing for their third– Tatsulok 1: Hope, Peace, Joy–an evening of reflection and celebration, featuring inspirational songs and festive melodies under the direction of conductors Oscar Pantaleon Jr. and Lorenz Edward Sarrondo. I encourage all to experience this special season on December 6 at St. Andrew 's River Heights United Church. Musica Singers is a proud member of Folklorama, the Manitoba Choral Association and Choral Canada.

Their work enriches lives, promotes multicultural integration and preserves the vibrant tapestry of Philippine heritage through the power of song. I offer my special thanks to the Musica Singers team for performing in the Rotunda earlier today. Maraming salamat sa lahat ng ginagawa ninyo. [Thank you very much for everything you do.] I invite my colleagues to join me in welcoming Musica Singers present in the gallery today. Salamat po. [Thank you.] Turtle Mountain Constituency Mr.

Doyle Piwniuk (Turtle Mountain): Honourable Speaker, I'm deeply honoured to stand in this Chamber today, having had a privilege of representing the constituency of Turtle Mountain for the past six years, and before that, for five and a half years, for the former constituency of Arthur-Virden. The 2018 boundary commission brought together parts of Arthur- Virden, Spruce Woods and Midland along the US-Canada border to form Turtle Mountain. From Pierson to Darlingford and Notre Dame to Tilston, the constituency spans more than 300 kilometres across the Westman and south central regions.

The Turtle Mountain is one of the most scenic constituencies in Manitoba, with rolling Turtle Mountains, Cypress Hills and the Notre Dame escarp- ment. Agriculture, energy, manufacturing, food pro- cessing, wind power and tourism are key players in roles of our economy. At this heart lies the hidden jewels of the International Peace Garden, welcoming tens of thousands of visitors each year, along with many lakes that offer recreation enjoyment by Manitobans from near and far. The greatest part of Turtle Mountains and for the former Arthur -Virden was always the people.

Over 12 years representing this region, I have been grateful to meet so many genuine, hard- working and wel - coming individuals who are what makes this place so special. The people of Turtle Mountain and Arthur-Virden, thank you. Thank you for the trust, your support, your kindness over the past 12 years. It 's truly an honour. I felt that it was time to pass on the baton to someone who will bring the same excitement and energy that I carried with me when I first became MLA 12 years ago. We must always remember why we' re here: It 's our constituents sent us to this Chamber to represent them.

What I miss most is the visiting with many communities that make up Turtle Mountain and taking

part in the events that bring us together. What I 'm not going to miss is the moments in this Chamber when debate becomes less constructive, risks over - shadowing the importance of work we do–all do here for our constituents. I remain hopeful that this Chamber will continue striving towards a respectful and collaborative spirit our constituents deserve. Thank you, Honourable Speaker. * (13:50) Remembrance Day at Eastview Community Church Mrs. Rachelle Schott (Kildonan-River East): Hon- ourable Speaker, I rise today to recognize the col - laboration between Eastview Community Church and Royal Canadian Legion Branch 215.

December 2, 2025 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA 311 Over a decade ago, when the Legion' s building could no longer host the growing crowds for their Remembrance Day service, Eastview Community Church stepped up to open its sanctuary and gym to ensure that all could gather. The Northwinds band, a community ensemble and local choir, provide the accompaniment for congrega- tional hymns, and cadets read scripture and poetry. Recently, Global News even recognized the robust community that's been created at the nearly 100-year- old Legion Branch 215, with it now being home to approximately 530 members.

Their first collaborative service, as mentioned, over a decade ago, welcomed more than 700 people, and since then, it's only grown bigger each year. This Remembrance Day, myself and the Minister of Education and Early Child hood Learning (MLA Schmidt) again attended this year 's service at the Eastview and Branch 215 service, showing up, paying respect and honouring those who have served to protect the democracy we now enjoy today. Veterans and most neighbourhood leaders lay wreaths at the front of the sanctuary.

This brings more of our community together to honour all those who have served with the Canadian Armed Forces. But, Honourable Speaker, one person was missing: the member for Red River North (Mr. Wharton). The MLA for the area where this amazing community collaboration occurs was not present. Honourable Speaker, the member for Red River North had someone attend on his behalf for the past two years. And don' t take my word for it. In his representative's remarks, he noted: I 've attended the past two years on behalf of the member for Red River North.

I'm not your MLA, Red River North, but I 'm the MLA for Kildonan- River East right next door, and showing up for veterans and respecting our demo- cracy is a top priority to me and our entire NDP government. Foundation for Prader-Willi Research Mrs. Kathleen Cook (Roblin): Honourable Speaker, I rise today to bring much- needed awareness to Prader-Willi syndrome and to recognize the important work of the Foundation for Prader -Willi Research Canada, a parent-led organization dedicated to advancing research, improving supports and giving families hope.

I am honoured to welcome to the gallery the president and chair of the foundation, Mark Joseph, his wife Jennifer and their daughter Darwin, who lives with Prader-Willi syndrome. I recently had the pleasure of meeting with Mark and Jennifer in my constituency office, and we had a wide ranging and really meaningful conversation about PWS but also about what truly inclusive education should look like, and I want to thank them again for their candour and their advocacy.

PWS presents lifelong challenges: low muscle tone; complex behavioural and developmental needs; and a chronic difficulty with appetite regulation that requires constant, vigilant support. These families do extra - ordinary work every day. The foundation exists because parents refused to accept that rare must mean invisible. And today, thanks to their leadership, promising clinical research, improved care strategies and better public under - standing are finally becoming possible. I am also pleased to recognize Destiny and Marcello Munoz and their daughter Ava, who are with us today.

Destiny and Ava recently partnered with the Manitoba Child Care Association on a public aware - ness piece highlighting the importance of inclusive early learning environments. Awareness leads to action. And action, in the form of research investment, inclusive programming and co-ordinated supports, is exactly what families affected by Prader-Willi syndrome need. I ask all my colleagues to join me in recognizing and thanking the Joseph and Munoz families for their courage, their advocacy and their unwavering com - mitment to the Prader-Willi syndrome community. Thank you, Honourable Speaker.

Health, Business and Education Update MLA David Pankratz (Waverley): Honourable Speaker, our NDP government measures progress the way a lot of Manitoba families do, in steady steps that add up to make a real difference. And over the last two years, those steps have really begun to form a story that you can see and feel here in everyday life. It starts in ordinary places like coffee shops, school drop- offs, late -night shifts; the places where policy either meets people or it doesn't.

312 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA December 2, 2025 And at Victoria Hospital, construction on a brand new ER begins in January. People across Waverley, even new friends in Whyte Ridge or Linden Woods or St. Adolphe and La Salle, have all been telling me the same thing: it feels great to see an ER coming back to south Winnipeg. Extended-hours primary care means parents don't miss out on work to see a doctor. And replacing the old paper health cards–the ones that crumbled if you blinked too hard–give Manitobans something made for the world we actually live in.

And the story grows with front -line experts like Drs. Ansari, Qamar, Bashir and Dubey: people in the community who told us what needed to change. Honourable Speaker: 3,500 net -new health -care staff hired; minor injury and illness clinics opened; online appointment booking; free birth control; build- ing a new mature women's clinic; support for the Anne Oake centre; and stable funding for police, firefighters and paramedics. You can see progress in our small businesses too: cutting the gas tax, a broad middle -class tax cut and lowering the payroll tax so neighbourhood businesses can grow and hire new folks.

And you see it in the places built for kids: the South Winnipeg rec complex is coming with child care built right in; we 're building hundreds of new child-care spaces across Waverley along with two new schools; and there are over 800 new educators across the province that have been hired; and a universal nutrition program to help kids thrive and learn. The progress in Waverley is steady. It 's real. It's things getting fixed. We 've accomplished a ton together. There's still so much to do. And every step forward has come from listening to the people who live here. Manitoba's moving forward.

Families are feeling real change. And our team will keep doing this work every single day for everyone who calls this place home. House Business Mr. Derek Johnson (Official Opposition House Leader): On House business. The Speaker: The hon ourable Op position House Leader, on House business. Mr.

Johnson: Honourable Speaker, could you please canvass the House for leave to allow an ASL inter - preter to be on the floor of the Chamber or at the com- mittee table beside any member who wishes to speak during all stages of the following bills, with a second interpreter available when the second reading motion is first moved, including question and answer period.

These bills are Bill 5, The Accessibility for Manitobans Amendment Act and The Com memora- tion of Days, Weeks and Months Amendment Act (Access Awareness Week); Bill 6, The Sign Languages Recognition Act; and Bill 225, The Deaf Awareness Week and Day of Sign Languages Act, and that 's Commemoration of Days, Weeks and Months Act Amended.

The Speaker: Is there leave to allow an ASL inter - preter to be on the floor of the Chamber or at the com- mittee table beside any member who wishes to speak during all stages of the following bills, with a second interpreter available when the second reading motion is first moved to include the question a nd answer period, and that's for Bill 5, Bill 6 and Bill 225? Is there leave? Some Honourable Members: Agreed. Some Honourable Members: No. The Speaker: Leave has been denied. Introduction of Guests The Speaker: Just prior to oral questions, there 's some guests in the gallery I'd like to introduce.

I'd draw the attention of all honour able members to the public gallery–[interjection] Order, please. Where we have with us today guests from Musica Singers: Jesse Alcasabas, Sofia Alcasabas, Lance Cabance, Hieu Phan, Oscar Pantaleon, Ariel Fernando, Zabeth De Leon, Jun De Leon, Lorenzo [phonetic] Sarrondo, Jacqui Unlayao, Glen Unlayao, Kate Tomo, Dante Aviso. Other guests: Navnoor Kang, Manjot Kang and Kiratbir Kaur Sandhu, who are guests of the honourable member for Burrows (Mr. Brar). And on behalf of all honour able members, we welcome you here today. * (14:00)

December 2, 2025 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA 313 Further, I 'd like to draw the attention of all honourable members to the public gallery where we have with us today Jodi Ruta, who is the guest of the honourable member for Lac du Bonnet (Mr. Ewasko). And we welcome you here today. ORAL QUESTIONS Release of Violent Repeat Offenders Request for Government to Address Mr.

Obby Khan (Leader of the Official Opposition): Every time there is a problem in this province, the NDP want to do another study–a study to find out why grocery prices are higher, a study to find out why people are dying in the ER under this failed Health Minister and a study now to find out why kids are unsafe under this failing NDP government. After a repeat violent sex offender entered an elementary school, attempted to grab a child, this NDP's answer is to commit $650 per school to do a study. I have an idea for the Premier and that is lock up repeat violent offenders and don't let them out on bail.

Honourable Speaker, $650 won't buy you a com- mercial camera or a door lock for a school. When will the Premier take this matter seriously, and when will he lock up repeat violent offenders? Hon. Wab Kinew (Premier): Nothing else matters unless our kids are safe. That's why our Education Minister and I and every- one on our team was out there yesterday with a message of reassurance and encouragement for kids in the community, who went through a very, very dif - ficult experience last week. Of course, we also thanked that young child at the heart of this issue for showing remarkable courage and leadership.

We're stepping up with imme diate action to ensure that every single school in Manitoba, that their emergency response plan is going to be fixed, and not by the end of the school year–by Christmas. We need to be able to respond, working together with educators, school leaders, law enforcement–everybody. The way that we make com munities safer, the way that we make our schools safer, is by working together. When it comes to the person responsible, well, there's something seriously wrong with them. Think everybody in the province knows how I feel about that.

When I expressed myself on that, the only thing that the member opposite could do was criticize. He's soft on crime; we're working together to make communities safer. The Speaker: The honourable Leader of the Official Opposition, on a supplementary question. Darwin School Incident Perpetrator Not on Sex Offender Registry Mr. Obby Khan (Leader of the Official Opposition): The question was simple. I asked the Premier, when will he commit to locking up repeat violent offenders, and he won't answer it. Scott George is the name of the repeat violent offender and sex offender.

He was convicted in 2023 for a crime against a six-year-old. In February, he was caught lurking in a bathroom. In March, he was caught at Dakota Collegiate. And now, he entered Darw in elementary school and grabbed a child. All of these incidences, Scott George is still not listed on the sex offender registry under this NDP gov- ernment, despite his convictions. I'm going to table that for their Justice Minister to see today. Why is Scott George not listed on this registry for sex offenders in the province of Manitoba, or is the Minister of Justice (Mr. Wiebe) just that terrible at his job? Hon.

Wab Kinew (Premier): Nothing else matters in our society unless we can keep our children safe. And that's why we've been working really, really hard to ensure that the school system has the necessary resources. That's why I've also personally gone out there and said that school resource officers have an important role to play in our province. Now, when we're talking about the person who's alleged to have committed these crimes, this person has something seriously, seriously wrong with them.

I have serious concerns about somebody who refuses offers for help, offers for treatment, and we're going to leave them with the justice system, where the justice system is going to take care of them. Of course, when it comes to this issue, people in Manitoba know how I feel: People who target children– under the prison. I made these comments very clearly. Everybody knows how I feel. There's no room for misinterpretation. I'll just point out that the member opposite–when I made these comments, he criticized me. That's because he's soft on crime.

Maybe that's why he's attacking our excellent Justice Minister instead of taking it up–

314 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA December 2, 2025 The Speaker: Member's time has expired. The honourable Leader of the Official Opposition, on a final supplementary question. Release of Violent Repeat Offenders Request for Government to Address Mr. Obby Khan (Leader of the Official Opposition): We all agree nothing else matters than keeping our children safe. So why won't the Premier lock up repeat violent offenders? Why won't he put this repeat sex offender on the sex offender registry list? Both things he can do to keep our children safe and he's not doing it.

Negligence and incompetence is the title of this NDP failing government and this Premier. Families are worried about the safety of their chil- dren in school, and the Premier won't do anything but launch a study: $650 per school to try to keep your kids safe. The answer is simple. Will the Premier commit today to committing to locking up repeat violent offenders and firing his failed Justice Minister today? Hon. Wab Kinew (Premier): You know, the person who's alleged to have done this terrible thing at Darwin School is somebody who has some thing severely, severely wrong with them.

And when it comes to bringing the hammer down on people who target children, of course, we will do everything that is required to keep kids in our communities safe. The first thing, when we're talking about ensuring that kids who are going back to class at Darwin, that are going back to class at the Louis Riel School Division this week, is to ensure that every single school there is going to be enhancing their emergency plans. They have existing plans, but it's clear that more resources, more support, more col laboration is there.

The Education Minister has seen fit to bring a retired police officer in to help these divisions and schools with that expertise. I welcome that news. And, of course, every single person in Manitoba knows how I feel when it comes to people who target children. This is an issue where we have absolute moral clarity as a government and we will continue to doing everything it takes to keep kids safe, bec ause that's the most important job in our society. The Speaker: The honourable Leader of the Official Opposition, on a new question. Downtown Winnipeg Businesses Safety and Security Concerns Mr.

Obby Khan (Leader of the Official Opposition): It's ironic that the Premier talks about school resource officers and yet his own colleague, the MLA for Fort Richmond, led the charge as a school trustee to defund the police and cut $500,000 from school resource officers. Now, in Winnipeg, retailers and now a federal member of the Premier's own NDP party are saying it's not safe downtown. And I quote: I live downtown. Things are getting worse. End quote. Michael Paille told media, quote: We should feel like we're protected and we should feel safe but businesses don't feel safe anymore. End quote.

Does the Premier agree with this federal NDP MP that things have gotten worse downtown under this NDP Premier? Hon. Wab Kinew (Premier): Things got a lot worse under the PCs. Part of it is because they defunded the police. How many police officers did we lose under their watch? Was it 55 in the city of Winnipeg alone? They cut RCMP so, again, you want to talk about defunding the police, that was page 1 through 100 of the PC Party platform during their seven and a half years in office.

When it comes to public safety, we're taking a different approach: 36 new police officers in the city alone since we came to office. We've also built a new safe sobering centre because we all know meth is having a terrible impact in our com munities. We're working with schools to ensure that they're safer, and when it comes to searching the landfill, yesterday we began the search at Brady Road because we know that everyone in our society, Indigenous women included, deserve to feel safe. The Speaker: The honourable Leader of the Official Opposition, on a supplementary question. Mr.

Khan: The Premier's response to his federal NDP MP when she says things are getting worse down- town–she lives downtown–is to say, we're going to open a drug consump tion site downtown and that's going to make everything better, according to this NDP Premier. The Premier is so out of touch with reality. His rebate program barely covers the cost of one commercial camera. How about a retailer that has 60 cameras in their store?

December 2, 2025 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA 315 The Premier and the failing Justice Minister are– no idea what these small businesses are going through. They say that the criminals don't actually care about getting caught on camera because they know this soft- on-crime NDP Premier and Minister of Justic e (Mr. Wiebe)–they'll be back out within 24 hours. So, when is the Premier going to get serious about the increasing crime levels in Manitoba and do some- thing to support small busi nesses and keep repeat violent offenders in jail? Mr. Kinew: You can always tell he's faking it, can't you?

I'm going to read a couple quotes here: recog- nizing the meth crisis does not mean reducing people's rights. It means admitting that our current system has gaps in caring for those who are temporarily incapa - citated by severe stimulant intoxication. * (14:10) Manitoba's facing a meth crisis that has changed how hospitals and emergency workers care for people in crisis. Unlike alcohol, meth intoxication lasts longer, is less predictable and leaves people unable to keep them selves safe.

The new prov incial sobe ring centre will include dedicated spaces for meth intoxication as well as alcohol-related care, with addi- tional capacity being built to expand services. I'll table the letter to the editor from the Free Press, written by the top physicians in addictions medicine in our province. When it comes to keeping people safe, we're working with educators, we're working with doctors, we're working with law enforcement. The only people we won't work to– work with are PC politicians who talk down to you, the average Manitoban. The Speaker: The honourable Leader of the Official Opposition. Mr.

Khan: Honourable Speaker, the only person I'll talk down to is the criminal across the way, the one who has a DUI, the one who has two assault charges and the one who fails to attend court. The Premier has created an environment for crime to flourish under his NDP soft -on-crime policies. On top of all that, the Premier wants to open a drug con- sumption site downtown that will only make matters worse. Just ask business owners downtown.

Sal Infantanio [phonetic] says, and I quote: I'm allowed to open up my VLTs at 9 in the morning, and I don't because they just rush the place, and they're just all over, and they're dropping bags everywhere. It's just like chaos. End quote. On top of all that, Sal is trying to secure security for his business. And I quote from him: It's expensive. Who the hell can throw 50 grand there? End quote. So when will the Premier wake up and listen to small businesses in the downtown core and make– The Speaker: Member's time has expired. Mr.

Kinew: Well, when it comes to small businesses downtown, in the suburbs, in rural Manitoba, we're working hard for you each and every day. That's why we cut the provincial gas tax. That's why we brought in a security rebate program. That's why we cut and expanded the payroll tax exemption for small busi - nesses. And the list goes on and on and on. And while the members opposite are sitting around cashing a six -figure cheque, reading the newspaper, we're out on the streets, bringing the hammer down on drug traffickers.

We're in the com munity, working with educators to be able to ensure that your kids are safe when they go to school. And, importantly, we are there responding to the needs that the health- care experts are telling us are required to get people who've gone down a negative path back on a positive one. All that they can do is misrepresent things and try to fake their positions because, in fact, at the end of the day, they're soft on crime. On this side of the House, we keep it real. You know where we stand. Let's keep working together. The Speaker: Order, please.

I would just remind all members that when we're referring to other members in here, we either use their constituency name or their minis terial portfolio, no other names. Assault of Brandon Student Student Safety Review Mr. Wayne Balcaen (Brandon West): In June, a racially motivated attempt murder with a weapon left a Brandon student battling for his life. We all echo the words of police chief Tyler Bates: This is disturbing, and no one should ever fear for their safety because of the colour of their skin, and no child should be made to feel unsafe in a place of learning. End quote.

What is equally disturbing is that this was not a wake-up call for this government.

316 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA December 2, 2025 How had this minister not seriously reviewed student safety after such a serious breakdown of the system since June? Hon. Tracy Schmidt (Minister of Education and Early Childhood Learning): I think it's important to speak to Manitobans and remind students and remind their families and remind educators that schools are safe places. Schools are safe in Brandon; schools are safe in Winnipeg; and schools are safe right across our province. It was a pleasure to recently be at école Neelin secondary high school with some of my colleagues, including the Premier (Mr.

Kinew), the member for Brandon East (Mr. Simard), the member for Lagimodière (Mr. Blashko). We stood with those students and with that school community, and the amazing resilience that we saw that day still sticks with me today and inspires me to do the great work that we are doing, including the announcement that we made yesterday, standing beside the Manitoba School Boards Association– The Speaker: Member's time has expired. The honourable member for Brandon West, on a supplementary question. School Resource Officers Funding for Program Mr.

Wayne Balcaen (Brandon West): I think what the minister meant to say is schools are safer with SROs, or school resource officers embedded in them. While the member for Fort Richmond (MLA Chen) and the NDP base continue to be anti -police and especially anti-police in schools, I've worked directly with SROs and had seen the amazing impact that they have. It was the relationship formed by Brandon Police Service constable Moshe Linov that made the students feel safe and gave the officers notice that they needed to act quickly in that June assault.

Instead of supporting these officers that made a difference, the minister refuses to take a stance and alienate her anti-police supporters. Why does this gov ernment refuse to fund SROs province-wide and actively support defunding SROs? Hon. Tracy Schmidt (Minister of Education and Early Childhood Learning): Honourable Speaker, the truth of the matter is, on this side of the House, we value and we thank school resource officers, and in fact, our Premier, alongside our Minister of Justice (Mr.

Wiebe), was so honoured to be able to present the school resource officer in Brandon that dealt with this awful situation with the Order of the Buffalo Hunt. The Premier–both the Premier and myself stood in front of the media yesterday and explained openly that school resource officers have a role. Unfor - tunately, the truth of the matter is under the watch of the previous government, the community of Brandon had not only fewer police officers, but fewer school resource officers.

Thank goodness at Neelin High School they were able to retain this amazing SRO that was able to save the day– The Speaker: Member's time has expired. The honourable member for Brandon West, on a final supplementary question. Mr. Balcaen: Actually, Honourable Speaker, the school resource officer program grew from one to two school resource officers during the time of the Brandon Police Service. That's the performance of this NDP government at play when there's high profile incidents and they want to pretend like they care and support the front lines.

Yet, when they have a chance to do some thing meaningful, something positive, they cut funding to cancel programs that are proven to work. They do everything in their power to undermine officers in the performance of their duties, and this anti-police minister refuses to fund SROs. Why is the minister more interested in performance than safety?

MLA Schmidt: We stand with students, we stand with families and we stand with our education partners, like the Manitoba School Boards Association who stood right beside myself and the Premier and the member for Riel (MLA Moyes) and the member for Seine River (MLA Cross) yesterday when we made this exciting announcement. And what did they say, Honourable Speaker? They said: we appreciate the opportunity to partner with the Manitoba govern ment on com prehensive en hance- ments to school safety.

The matter of the fact is the member opposite needs to get on board, but we know why he is not on board, because the truth of the matter is, in 2019, it is his government that cut Safe Schools Manitoba that was doing this very work. Thank goodness for the NDP. We will not only revive this important program but we're going to enhance it to make sure that every school in Manitoba– The Speaker: Member's time has expired.

December 2, 2025 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA 317 Children with Type 1 Diabetes Insulin Support in Schools and Daycares Mrs. Kathleen Cook (Roblin): We are joined in the gallery today by several children who live with type 1 diabetes, and their parents. These parents are passion- ate advocates for their children and for families of kids with diabetes right across our province.

Too many parents of type 1 diabetic children are having to choose between their jobs and their chil - dren's health because schools and daycares in Manitoba do not provide support for insulin administration at school, meaning parents have to leave work in the middle of the day to give their kids insulin, even when that just means pushing a couple of buttons. Will the Minister of Health and the Minister of Education commit today to providing insulin support in schools and daycares for children with type 1 diabetes? Hon.

Uzoma Asagwara (Minister of Health, Seniors and Long-Term Care): And I welcome the question from the member opposite on a really, really impor - tant subject. And , again, I want to thank the parents and the kids who joined us for a meeting earlier today to share their personal experiences with managing their diabetes or type 1 diabetes, what their journey has been like and what they would like to see in schools.

You know, as I stated earlier in my min isterial statement, there have been some recent recom men- dations and guide lines that have come out from Diabetes Canada, one specific to clinical guidelines and the other specific to schools, that came out in October. * (14:20) We've been working with our partners to make sure that we understand these guide lines and what needs to happen so that we have a Manitoba-specific plan. And, of course, we're going to work with the Department of Education to continue to advance that really, really important work.

The Speaker: The honourable member for Roblin, on a supplementary question. Mrs. Cook: Right now in Manitoba, if a child with type 1 diabetes is too young to adjust their own insulin pump at lunchtime, school staff cannot assist, forcing parents to leave work to do it. This isn't the case everywhere in Canada. Provinces such as British Columbia and Nova Scotia require school staff to be trained to support insulin administration. These trained staff work with the parents to help young children who can't adjust their pumps on their own.

There's no need to reinvent the wheel; this is already happening in other provinces. When can Manitoba type 1 families except–expect the same support here in Manitoba? MLA Asagwara: Honourable Speaker, this is a really important issue and we recog nize that Manitoba families have been waiting for steps to be taken in this area of education and health care. And it's really important to note that for seven and a half years under the previous govern ment, they could have been doing this work. They could have looked at BC. They could have looked to Nova Scotia.

And they could have learned from their best practices to see what can happen in Manitoba. But instead of doing any of that work, what they were actually doing–if you can believe it, Honourable Speaker–was cutting diabetes care in this province, which is really shameful. So we've been doing the work of restoring those services for diabetes care. We're doing the work of learning from the best practices of other juris dictions and we're working with Diabetes Canada to make sure we're actually advancing what needs to happen for families and their kids in schools.

The Speaker: The honourable member for Roblin, on a final supplementary question. Mrs. Cook: The minister is wrong and they know it. In 2021, the previous PC govern ment invested $6 million to pay for advanced glucose monitors and insulin pumps for individuals aged 25 and younger. In 2023, they expanded that, extending coverage to all eligible adults. In 2023, the previous PC govern ment launched a five -year provincial diabetes action plan that was lauded by Diabetes Canada–an action plan that the minister tried to take credit for in their minis- terial statement just a few minutes ago.

Honourable Speaker, there are parents in the gallery. When can they–[interjection] The Speaker: Order. Mrs. Cook: –expect real action and more than just empty promises from this minister? MLA Asagwara: Honourable Speaker, the reason why the member for Roblin is getting upset is because

318 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA December 2, 2025 she knows that it was, in fact, the previous PC govern- ment who cut diabetes care. In fact, in February of 2018, Diabetes Canada was critical of the Manitoba PCs for canceling special drug plan coverage–[interjection] The Speaker: Order. MLA Asagwara: –that exempted people from paying the deductible under the provincial drug care program. That's shameful, Honour able Speaker. They also cut diabetes supplies that Manitoban families counted on. Their record on health care is clear. They cut; over here, we build capacity to health care.

The honourable–the member opposite doesn't under- stand what it takes to build capacity in health care because all she did when she was advising Heather Stefanson was cut it. The Speaker: Order, please. If I could get the clock stopped for a minute. Introduction of Guests The Speaker: We have some guests in the gallery that I'm not sure how much longer they'll be with us, so I want to make sure I get a chance to introduce them. We have seated in the public gallery, from École secondaire Neelin High school, 60 grade 9 students under the direction of Kerri Malazdrewicz.

And this group is located in the constituency –the honourable member for Brandon East (Mr. Simard). We welcome you here today. Timber Dues for Logging Industry Loss of Business to Ontario Mr. Konrad Narth (La Vérendrye): We're seeing businesses leaving this province in every sector of the economy because of the inaction of this govern ment and its ministers. I've pointed out agri culture busi nesses leaving, and today, we're looking at natural resources. Timber dues are significantly higher in Manitoba than they are in Ontario, and that's because Ontario understand it and they've slashed their dues.

I warned the minister months ago that without competitive timber pricing–[interjection] The Speaker: Order. Mr. Narth: –we could see operators in eastern Manitoba collapse. Why did the minister ignore warning signs that pricing could destroy eastern logging industry and cost Manitobans millions of dollars? Hon. Ian Bushie (Minister of Natural Resources and Indigenous Futures): Honourable Speaker, the members are so far out of their depth when it comes to the forestry sector. They did nothing but devastate it. The only thing that chased the forestry sector from the edge of extinction is members opposite.

Day in, day out, they did nothing but fight, fight, fight with lumber companies, with people on the front lines out in the bush, with resource management. They did nothing; absolutely zero when it comes to them. Here he is talking about Ontario, talking about Saskatchewan, talking about other juris dictions, but they do nothing for the people of Manitoba. They did nothing for loggers here in Manitoba, they did nothing with the forestry sector. We are committing to that. We are working with all sectors, creating partnerships across all 'axpests' of forestry here in Manitoba.

The Speaker: The honourable member for La Vérendrye, on a supplementary question. Mr. Narth: Honourable Speaker, unfortunately, that's wrong. Ontario understands it, to clarify the ministers on the other side of the House. Six months ago, I warned this minister that if he didn't come to the table with Ontario and get com - petitive, businesses would be leaving. Now Deadwood logging in eastern Manitoba has been forced to lay off all of their employees in Manitoba–every single one–pack up, move to Ontario where they're thriving. That's Deadwood logging, if the minister wants to look it up.

They're thriving in Ontario, investing millions of dollars and giving Ontario residents jobs. Why is this minister ignoring the concerned busi- ness people across our province? Mr. Bushie: Honourable Speaker, if we do the word count, he mentioned another province time and time and time again. He never mentions Manitoba. He never mentions the support for Manitoba. He never mentions the logging industry here in Manitoba because, we know. He knows as well, too. When he goes and he looks around his caucus and he looks at all the feet–the seat fillers–[interjection] The Speaker: Order.

December 2, 2025 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA 319 Mr. Bushie: –that are there who are shuffling musical chairs, trying to make it look like they're all here – [interjection] The Speaker: Order. I don't need everybody going shush. If somebody needs to call order, that is the Speaker's job, not everybody else. Mr. Bushie: So, Honourable Speaker, all they do is they thank people like Donald Trump. They thank Donald Trump, who are decimating the forestry sector here in Canada, here in Manitoba, and they do nothing but thank him for all the great work that he supposedly does for them and their friends.

For us, we'll stand up to forestry sector, we'll stand up to loggers, we'll stand up for the people that are on the bush, in the–out there making good jobs for the people of Manitoba. An Honourable Member: Faster. Mr. Bushie: Yes, we'll go faster– The Speaker: Member's time has expired. The honourable member for La Vérendrye, on a final supplementary question. Mr. Narth: Oh, Honourable Speaker, I would say it's time for a Cabinet shuffle, but with a deck full of jokers, I don't know what this Premier has to choose from. Honourable Speaker, Ontario answered–[interjection] The Speaker: Order. Mr.

Narth: –the concerns of tariff threats by slashing their Crown timber dues. I don't know what the minister doesn't understand. So now with all of the mills in Ontario for eastern Manitoba, what we have is our logging industry being forced to be competitive with Ontario, in Ontario. So that means like Deadwood logging, who the minister I encourage to contact, is moving from Manitoba, millions of dollars of investment and investing it into Ontario. So I ask the minister responsible for business: What is he doing to correct this failed Minister of Natural Resources? The Speaker: Member's time has expired. Hon.

Wab Kinew (Premier): Honourable Speaker, we take a very different approach from the members opposite. The first thing that you need to know about our team is that people on this side of the House have actually used a chainsaw before in–[interjection] The Speaker: Order. Mr. Kinew: –their lives. On that side of the House, their gloves are clean and brand new. They've never seen a drop of chain oil in their lives. They've never seen the filings from a sharpening.

We know that the members opposite put on their–don't even know what to do with a pair of lumberjack chaps, were the situa- tion to ever present themselves. So now, when we talk about Louisiana -Pacific– [interjection] The Speaker: Order. Mr. Kinew: –we're talking about hundreds of jobs in the Swan Valley region that were protected by this government. This is some thing that the members opposite were never able to do during two terms in government. So you look at that as an early success, protecting the lumber industry.

We expect to be able to do many more deals to create jobs in the east, west, south and north of Manitoba. And you know what, members opposite? That ain't no joke. * (14:30) The Speaker: The honourable member for–[interjection] Order, please. Order. Everybody needs to calm down. We were doing pretty good for a while. Let's get back on track. Night Hunting Permits Issued Mr. Wayne Ewasko (Lac du Bonnet): This is rich, Honourable Speaker, coming from a Premier who was born with a silver spoon out his mouth, including sideways, actually. And he stands up to defend his failed minister.

The constituents of the Lac du Bonnet and Keewatinook–[interjection] The Speaker: Order. Mr. Ewasko: –constituencies have been contacting me about the issues of night hunting. We all know night hunting without a permit is illegal in southern Manitoba. I'd like to ask this minister, the MLA for Keewatinook: How many permits has the minister granted?

320 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA December 2, 2025 Hon. Ian Bushie (Minister of Natural Resources and Indigenous Futures): As much as the members opposite are doing their critic shuffle auditions or whatever they're trying to do over there, the fact of the matter is, time and time again, they tried to create hunting as a divisive aspect here in Manitoba. We are in all this together. All Manitobans from all aspects, from all constituencies, are part of the con- versation, part of the conver sation on responsi ble hunting, night hunting, day hunting, across all aspects of Manitoba.

And we'll have those conver sations, something members opposite never did in all their failed years. The Speaker: The honourable member for Lac du Bonnet, on a supplementary question. Conservation Officers Enforcement of Wildlife Laws Mr. Wayne Ewasko (Lac du Bonnet): Matter of fact, I'm not auditioning for anything, Honour able Speaker. I'm simply asking questions–[interjection] The Speaker: Order. Mr. Ewasko: –on behalf of my constituents and his constituents, Honour able Speaker, because he's not answering any emails.

Honourable Speaker, night hunting is happening regularly in our constituencies and across the province, and it's unacceptable. I'd like to ask the Minister of Natural Resources and Indigenous Futures, the MLA for Keewatinook: When did he send the directive to conservation officers to not enforce the law? Hon. Ian Bushie (Minister of Natural Resources and Indigenous Futures): Honourable Speaker, that member's not auditioning for anything, because he quit months ago. He quit advocating for the people of Manitoba. He quit advocating for the people in Lac du Bonnet.

So as we go forward on the night–on the topic of night hunting, we want to be able to do that in a sus - tainable way, with resources at the table. So here we are, we're having the conversation–[interjection] The Speaker: Order. Mr. Bushie: –there's night hunting enforce ment– [interjection] The Speaker: Order. Mr. Bushie: –and the members opposite don't want to hear the answer because they didn't ask the question whatsoever. So here we are doing this in a responsible way, and the member opposite stands up and tries to criticize the great work of our con servation officers day in and day out.

They are the front lines of our natural resources that we're proud to have them and proud to stand with them. The Speaker: The honourable member for Lac du Bonnet, on a final supplementary question. Mr. Ewasko: So, Honourable Speaker, it's obvious that this minister once again is totally off base and doesn't know what he's talking about. I'm not criticizing conservation officers at all; I'm criticizing him. He should be looking in the mirror for what he's delivering to conservation officers as far as directives. So the minister, as well, Honourable Speaker, is a hunter himself.

He knows about safe hunting and gun safety. So why–and I'll ask him again–when did he make that directive to con servation officers to not enforce the law, or did his boss tell him to do it to send it on to conservation officers, the Premier of Manitoba? Hon. Wab Kinew (Premier): Honourable Speaker, night hunting is wrong, and we all need to teach our kids how to hunt safely. Now, there has never been any sort of–[interjection] The Speaker: Order. Mr. Kinew: –record of what the member is asserting.

I want to deny that without reservation and just assert that on the other side of the House, we just want to celebrate the six monthiversary of the member for Lac du Bonnet dropping these pearls of wisdom on us, and I quote: The Manitoba NDP have got some strong, mean people, and they're very good at that, being mean, but boy, do they attack you like you're fresh hamburger meat and they're dogs. They just go for the jugular, end quote. And I just want to give it up to our Natural Resources Minister, our Education Minister, our Health Minister, who are all the strongest, meanest ministers in all the land.

And yes, if you're wondering, they got that dog in them. I'll table this motivational poster for the PCs to look at. [interjection] The Speaker: Order. Order.

December 2, 2025 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA 321 Paramedics and Paramedic Students Request for Retention Initiatives MLA Cindy Lamoureux (Tyndall Park): Honour- able Speaker, the gov ernment recently announced a $5,000 bursary for paramedic students who complete the training if they commit to stay in our province for, at minimum, one year. However, it has been brought to my attention by front-line emergency workers that retention is the issue.

Paramedics have been leaving the province or the field entirely for several reasons, in part because their contract has been neglected and because they feel very undervalued. Does the govern ment intend to intro duce better supports for paramedics currently on the job and those who will be graduating from the new program? Hon. Uzoma Asagwara (Minister of Health, Seniors and Long-Term Care): Welcome that question from the member for Tyndall Park. I think it's a really, really important one. Recently, the Premier (Mr.

Kinew), myself, the Minister of Advanced Education and Training (MLA Cable) all had the op portunity to be at Red River College to celebrate with a full class, the first full class of paramedic students in many, many years, that this is a milestone achieved by listening to paramedics.

And what I heard loud and clear from those para- medics is that they want to us to continue doing the work of making sure that there are jobs readily avail- able for them across this province, that they get those letters of offer for em ployment from the Premier, myself, the Minister of Advanced Education and Training, and that we make sure that there's oppor - tunities for them to get their skills in advance. So we're doing that work with regional health authorities and with Shared Health to make sure all of those– The Speaker: Member's time has expired.

The honourable member for Tyndall Park, on a supplementary question. Paramedic Vacancy Rate Training and Retention MLA Cindy Lamoureux (Tyndall Park): Honour- able Speaker, this gov ernment promised Manitobans 200 new paramedics, but halfway through their man- date they've only delivered 18. MAHCP's response to the Throne Speech indicates that there is no plan to retain, recruit or train any more paramedics. The impacts are harming hospitals and Manitobans with an average of 28 per cent vacancy rate.

And rural com munities are feeling it the worst with response times increasing alongside call volume and vacancies. Too often, exper ienced EMTs are leaving. Meanwhile, empty ambulances remain parked while Manitobans remain on hold with 911. Can the Minister of Health explain what efforts are being made to retain existing paramedics? Hon. Uzoma Asagwara (Minister of Health, Seniors and Long -Term Care): Honourable Speaker, the previous government froze the wages of paramedics for almost six years.

And while they were freezing their wages, including during a global pandemic, they were also denying them the opportunity to work jobs across rural Mani toba. In fact, they wouldn't even allow folks to be trained as advanced-care paramedics in this province to serve rural communities. There are very real con sequences as a result of those bad actions by the PCs, including a net loss of almost 100 paramedics across rural communities. So the hole that was dug by the PCs–the members on that side of the House –is very, very deep.

And we're working very, very hard to climb out of it by listening to paramedics and working with their leaders– The Speaker: Member's time has expired. The honourable member for Tyndall Park, on a final supplementary question. Paramedic Burnout and Time-Off Rates Request to Address in Contract Negotiations MLA Cindy Lamoureux (Tyndall Park): Honour- able Speaker, 93 per cent of EMTs ex perience violence on the job; 78 per cent feel burned out; and 63 per cent feel little to no support.

In 2024, over 100,000 hours of overtime were filed by the Winnipeg fire paramedics, costing Manitobans more than $7 million in overtime. I table this informa- tion for the House. Paramedics are taking time off for psychological injuries at rates 10 times higher than their firefighter partners. Will this minister commit to the paramedics watch- ing today that their concerns are being listened to and will be considered during contract discussions in a timely fashion before more paramedics leave our province?

322 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA December 2, 2025 Hon. Uzoma Asagwara (Minister of Health, Seniors and Long-Term Care): Honourable Speaker, we have been listening to paramedics from day one and we're going to continue to listen to them and work with them every single day. I had a really good conversation with Jason from the Manitoba Association of Health Care Professionals about paramedics just about a week or so ago. We continue to work with the Paramedics Association lead Rebecca Clifton, who stood with us at our press conference to talk about the work that we're doing in partnership.

And we're going to make sure that we do what is necessary to retain the paramedics that we have on the front lines, and that means hiring net-new paramedics, which we're doing. And that means training record numbers of paramedicine learners, which we're doing. And that means keeping those lines of communication open, some thing that didn't happen for seven and a half years under the previous government. * (14:40) All they did was mistreat and abuse them and treat them like they didn't matter. We're taking– The Speaker: Time has expired.

Ashlee Shingoose Search for Remains MLA Billie Cross (Seine River): Honourable Speaker, when somebody goes missing, we go looking. We are one Manitoba. Our govern ment has begun the next critical step in the search for the remains of Ashlee Shingoose. Right now, teams are on-site at the Brady Landfill. Can the Premier please tell the House more about this next step in the work to bring Ashlee Shingoose home? Hon. Wab Kinew (Premier): Honourable Speaker, I thank my esteemed colleague from Seine River for this really impor tant question.

It was at the Brady Road Landfill, which is probably in her constituency, actually, that we were gathered yesterday morning. It was a beautiful, cold morning when we gathered with Albert and Theresa of St. Theresa Point First Nation, the mother and father of Ashlee. Albert, as the search began around 8:45 a.m. shared about the relief that he felt. Theresa, she dabbed tears from her eyes and simply spoke of how difficult it has been for the family. To all Manitobans out there who have followed the ups and downs of this landfill saga, I will say: I hope you understand that this is who we are as Manitobans.

When somebody goes missing, yes, we go looking. But also that you would understand we would do this for anyone's daughter, regardless of which community they comes from, regardless of where you come home, regardless of how you identify. We are here for every- one in this province in the name of safety, in the name of dignity and in the name of one shared destiny. The Speaker: The time for oral questions has expired. PETITIONS Opposition to Releasing Repeat Offenders Mr. Obby Khan (Leader of the Official Opposition): I wish to present the following petition.

To the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba, the background to this petition is as follows:

(1) Kellie Verwey, a beloved young woman from Portage la Prairie, Manitoba, was tragically killed in a car crash caused by a repeat violent offender with a long criminal history.

(2) Despite repeated violations of his bail conditions, the offender was free to roam the streets and to ultimately claim Kellie's life. This tragedy was entirely preventable.

(3) While the Criminal Code falls under federal jurisdiction, provinces have been given the respon- sibility for the administration of justice, allowing for meaningful provincial action on bail reform to ensure public safety. Number three–or,

(4) Other provinces have taken proactive steps to strengthen bail enforcement, but Manitoba has not used all the available tools to address this issue effectively.

(5) The province has the ability–sorry –

(5) The province–the provincial gov ernment has the ability and the responsibility to advocate for and implement measures that protect its citizens by ensuring that repeat violent offenders are not released into our communities without proper safeguards.

(6) Immediate action is required to close gaps in the justice system that allows dangerous criminals to remain free, which puts innocent Manitobans at risk. Mr. Tyler Blashko, Deputy Speaker, in the Chair We petition the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba as follows:

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(1) To urge the provincial government to take immediate and decisive action on bail reform to address serious deficits in enforcement by utilizing all avail- able provincial mechanisms to strengthen warrant enforcement, increasing bail supervision and opposing release of offenders, thus ensuring that repeat violent offenders are held accountable and that public safety is prioritized over leniency; and

(2) To urge the provincial government to lobby the federal government to immediately repeal provisions of the Criminal Code that allows for continued victimization of law-abiding Manitobans while granting repeat offenders additional rights. Honourable Speaker, this petition was signed by many Manitobans, some of them include Robin Bailey, Cassidy Killam, Brett Forzley and many, many other Manitobans. MRI Machine for Portage Regional Health Facility Mr. Ron Schuler (Springfield-Ritchot): I wish to present the following petition to the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba. The background to this petition is as follows:

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

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

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

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

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

(6) Located in close proximity to the new Portage regional health facility is the Southport airport. This aerodrome has a runway length that is more than adequate to support medical air ambulance services. This would provide the opportunity to transport patients by air from more remote communities to access MRI imaging services. * (14:50)

(7) The average wait time for Manitobans to receive an MRI scan is currently six to eight months. Having an MRI machine in the Portage regional health facility will help reduce these wait times for patients and provide better care sooner. We petition the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba as follows: To urge the provincial government to support the investment and placement of an MRI machine in the Portage regional health facility in Portage la Prairie, Manitoba. This is signed by Deanna Talbot, Alyssa [phonetic] Gates, Dean Rennie and many, many other Manitobans. Mr.

Josh Guenter (Borderland): Honourable Speaker, I wish to present the following petition to the Legislative Assembly. To the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba, the background to this petition is as follows:

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

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

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

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

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

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

(7) The average wait times for Manitobans to receive an MRI scan is currently six to eight months. Having an MRI machine in the Portage regional health facility will help reduce these wait times for patients and provide better care sooner. We petition the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba as follows: To urge the provincial government to support the investment and placement of an MRI machine in the Portage regional health facility in Portage la Prairie, Manitoba. This petition has been signed by Ron Weir, Krista Austin, Arial Komarniski and many, many Manitobans. Teaching Certification Mr.

Doyle Piwniuk (Turtle Mountain): Honourable Deputy Speaker, I wish to present the following petition to the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba. The background of this petition is as follows:

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

(2) The recent amend ments by the Province of Manitoba to the teacher certificates and qualifications regulations under The Educa tion Administration Act have significantly lowered the standards for subject - area expertise required for teacher certification.

(3) The amendments eliminated all subject areas required for teacher certification, including major and minor teachable subjects and subject-specific require- ments for early/middle years streams.

(4) Specifically, the amend ments removed: first point, senior years credit require ments in approved teachable major and minor; (2) the early/middle years credit requirements in approved teachable major and minors; and early/middle years credit requir ements for specific subjects, including: math; physical or, no– physical or biological science; English or French; and history or geography.

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

(6) Removal of subject-specific requirements under- mines the educational quality in Manitoba schools by permitting teachers to enter the classroom without sig- nificant training in core academic areas, thereby compromising the education that Manitoba students receive. We petition the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba as follows:

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

(2) To urge the provincial government to address teacher shortages through alter native measures that uphold rigorous subject -area standards, which are critical for providing quality education to all Manitoba students. This has been signed by Craig McRae, Kelvin Au and Charles Lee and many, many Manitobans. Provincial Road 210 Mr. Konrad Narth (La Vérendrye): I wish to present the following petition to the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba. The background to this petition is as follows:

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

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

(3) PR 210 is a significant commuting route for Eastman families and is also notably used by those in the agriculture, tourism, trade and commerce industries. * (15:00)

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

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

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

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

(1) To urge the Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure to prioritize the reconstruction of Provincial Road 210; and

(2) To urge the provincial government to include the stretch of Provincial Road 210 from Woodridge to Highway 12 in its reconstruction plans. This petition has been signed by Ellen Fraser, Kathy Heinrichs, Claire Grenier and many, many other Manitobans. Rural Community Policing Services Ms. Jodie Byram (Agassiz): I wish to prevent–present– let's try that again –I wish to present the following petition to the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba. The background to this petition is as follows:

(1) All Manitobans deserve to feel safe in their homes and communities.

(2) Throughout Manitoba, rural communities are seeing dramatic increases in criminal activities targeting individuals and property, which has eroded their sense of safety.

(3) Though com munities pay taxes for RCMP coverage, many have lost local policing as RCMP detachments consolidate. This situation is unaccept - able to communities who expect a level of service and police protection.

(4) The lack of com munity policing has led to many Manitobans losing faith in the rule of law and the availability of emergency services when they are needed.

(5) The provincial gov ernment has a responsi - bility to act and ensure that com munities receive adequate service and coverage from police resources. We petition the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba as follows: To urge the provincial gov ernment to imme - diately work with the RCMP to restore rural commu- nity policing and provide adequate resources to pro- tect Manitoba communities. This petition has been signed by Fran Porosky, Darrin Bulas and Allen Kirkland. Thank you, honourable Deputy Speaker. Child-Welfare System–Call for Inquiry Mr.

Trevor King (Lakeside): I wish to present the following petition to the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba. The background to this petition is as follows:

(1) On Sunday, February 11, 2024, Manitobans witnessed an unimaginable tragedy when five individuals were murdered.

(2) The victims ranged in ages from two months to 30 years.

(3) Manitoba has the second highest rate of intimate partner violence among Canadian provinces, at a rate of 633 per 100,000 people, according to police-reported data from Statistics Canada.

(4) Public reporting indicates that on December 9, 2023, Myah-Lee left a voicemail for her Child and Family Services worker in which she pleaded to be moved out of her home in Carman.

(5) Manitoba's Advocate for Children and Youth noted, quote: This case highlights the failures of the government to respond to our recommendations, unquote.

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(6) On March 6, 2024, the Minister of Families, the MLA for St. Johns, indicated on the public record that she was too busy to discuss issues surrounding children in care, including calling a public inquiry into this unprecedented tragedy.

(7) The last inquiry held in Manitoba was for the death of five-year-old Phoenix Sinclair in 2008. We petition the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba as follows:

(1) To urge the Minister of Families to develop better policies to protect youth in care from potential physical or psychological abuse.

(2) To urge the provincial government to imme - diately establish a public inquiry to identify the failing of a child-welfare system and ensure that no call from a child ever goes unanswered or ignored again. This petition has been signed by Trevor Barnes, Rhonda Cameron, Garry Eyford and many, many other Manitobans. Thank you, honourable Deputy Speaker. MRI Machine for Portage Regional Health Facility MLA Jeff Bereza (Portage la Prairie): I wish to present the following petition. The background to this petition is as follows:

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

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

(3) Portage la Prairie is centrally located in the–in Manitoba and is on No. 1 Highway in the Southern Health/Santé Sud Health Authority. Currently there is only one MRI in the RHA. * (15:10)

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

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

(6) Located in the close proximity to the new Portage regional health facility is the Southport airport. This aerodrome has a runway length that is more than adequate to support medical air ambulance services. This would provide the opportunity to transport patients by air from more remote communities to access MRI imaging services. The average wait times for Manitobans to receive an MRI scan is currently six to eight months. Having an MRI machine in the Portage regional health facility will help reduce wait times for patients and provide better care sooner.

We petition the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba as follows: To urge the provincial government to support the investment and placement of an MRI machine in the Portage regional health facility in Portage la Prairie, Manitoba. This is signed by Joan McCallister, Terry [phonetic] Collera and Guy Gauthier, plus many, many more Manitobans. Thank you, honourable Deputy Speaker. Location of Safe Injection Sites Mrs. Carrie Hiebert (Morden-Winkler): I wish to present the following petition.

To the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba, back- ground to this petition is as follows: The Province of Manitoba has filed paperwork with the federal government proposing the esta blish- ment of a drug injection site for illegal drugs at 200 Disraeli Fwy. without sufficient public consultation.

(2) The decision to locate the facility at 200 Disraeli was made despite that this location is in the immediate vicinity of a daycare centre, a high school, multiple community gathering sites, including churches and cultural institutions.

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(3) Residents, business owners and community organizations have raised concerns that the location is incompatible with nearly –with nearby institutions serving thousands of youth and families, and believe it will erode public safety and confidence in the area.

(4) Existing community consultations specifically ignored concerns about public safety and were criticized by community members for being artificial and scripted.

(5) The provincial government has failed to introduce legislation and regulations to control where drug injection sites can be located.

(6) Other provinces are closing drug injection sites and adopting a recovery model, following the expertise of groups such as the Canadian Centre of Recovery Excellence.

(7) This decision to ignore the experts will leave people suspended in addiction and will not give Manitobans their lives or their loved ones back.

(8) The provincial government has failed to fund and operate any treatment or additional Rapid Access to Addictions Medicine clinics to break this cycle. We petition the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba as follows:

(1) To urge the provincial government to cancel all drug injection sites in Point Douglas community, including the proposed location at 200 Disraeli Fwy.

(2) To urge the provincial government to legislate that no further sites will be proposed without community consultation. This petition was signed by Antonio Lucanio [phonetic] Mota and Gorguiez Aloquis [phonetic] and Jorgina [phonetic] Rodrigues and many, many other Manitobans. Thank you. Funding Crime Cost Mitigation for Small Business Mr. Derek Johnson (Interlake-Gimli): I wish to present the following petition. To the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba, the background to this petition is as follows:

(1) Small businesses are vital in supporting their local economy and the provincial government has a responsibility to act and support them.

(2) The recent increase in vigilantism shows that Manitobans do not trust this provincial government to fulfill its responsibility.

(3) More than half–54 per cent–of small businesses in Manitoba are impacted by crime. Property damage, theft, littering and public intoxication are some of the crimes that affect most businesses, according to the Canadian Federation of Independent Business. There has been a 44 per cent increase in shoplifting incidents over the last year.

(4) In order to combat this rise of crime, small businesses try, unaided, to implement various out-of- pocket security measures and safety training for their staff and they face increasing costs when they incur property damage or theft.

(5) Vandalism, break-ins and other senseless acts cannot be accepted as cost of doing business for busi- nesses throughout Manitoba, and the provincial government must do more to ease the burdens small businesses are carrying with its catch -and-release justice system.

(6) Failing to support small businesses is failing the Manitoba economy, failing Manitoba families and failing Manitobans' dreams.

(7) The security rate program in place for homeowners and small businesses does not cover the real costs impacting businesses, such as vandalism, property damage and repairs. We urge the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba as follows: To urge the provincial government to support Manitoba small businesses through specific funding to reimburse the expenses and insurance deductibles that they incur as a result of crime. This petition has been signed by Gerald Swartsky [phonetic], Rick Rivers, Luke Lovenjak and many, many other fine Manitobans. Provincial Road 247–Request for Pave Upgrade Mrs.

Lauren Stone (Midland): To the Legis lative Assembly of Manitoba, the background to this petition is as follows: * (15:20)

(1) La Salle is the largest urban centre in the RM of Macdonald. With a popu lation of over 2,600, the community members are active in establishing facilities and infrastructure that will meet the needs of a rapidly growing urban centre.

(2) La Salle is one of Manitoba's fastest growing communities, having grown over 60 per cent since 2016,

328 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA December 2, 2025 and is an attractive place for commuters who work within the Winnipeg city limits.

(3) Provincial Road 247 is frequently used by buses, parents and new drivers, at –as it is the fastest and most direct route for Sanford Collegiate students from La Salle to get to and from school.

(4) La Salle and PR 247 can be dangerous to travel, as it is located in a well-developed agricultural area, leading semi -trucks, large farm equipment and machinery to use the narrow roadway.

(5) Most recently, in 2020, 17- year-old Chloe Boyle lost her life travelling down the road to school, tragically losing control on the loose gravel. Previously, there were several collisions that occurred on PR 247, causing damages and non-fatal injuries.

(6) Due to the active nature of this roadway, it is needing more maintenance to deal with loose gravel and large potholes caused by the daily wear and tear by drivers and equipment, leading to dangerous driving conditions, especially in wintertime.

(7) There are local online groups with over 2,000 members dedicated to inquiring about the road- way con ditions of PR 247 and 330, posting con- sistently and asking for updates or sharing issues that are happening that may affect families and their young drivers. We petition the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba as follows:

(1) To urge the provincial government to assist in paving Provincial Road 247 to La Salle from Manitoba Highway 3;

(2) To urge the provincial gov ernment to ensure the safety of local residents and young drivers who use Provincial Road 247 from La Salle so that they have a safe way to access education year-round. This is signed by Tim Muys, Rejeanne Caron, Rick Ficker and many, many more Manitobans. Phoenix School Mrs. Kathleen Cook (Roblin): I wish to present the following petition. The background to this petition is as follows:

(1) Phoenix School, a kindergarten to grade 5 school located in Headingley, has experienced consistent enrolment growth over the last several years. Enrolment is expected to reach 275 students in the next two years.

(2) Because the school is now over capacity, the school division has had to install portable classrooms on site as of fall 2024.

(3) For several consecutive years, the top capital priority of the St. James -Assiniboia School Division has been the renovation and expansion of Phoenix School.

(4) In 2022, the Phoenix School expansion and renovation project was approved to proceed to the design phase. The project included, among other amenities, a new gymnasium, two new classrooms, a multi-purpose room and room for 74 child-care spaces.

(5) In June 2024, the school division received notice from the provincial government that the project has been deferred. There is no guarantee if, or when, the project will move forward. There are currently hundreds of children on a wait-list for child care in Headingley. The daycare operator in Phoenix School has been told that they will continue to have space within the school for the 2024-2025 school year only, that further expansion of child-care space within the school is not possible and that space may be reduced moving forward due to the shortage of classrooms. If new space is not con- structed as planned, many families may be left without child care.

(7) It is critical that the expansion and renovation of Phoenix School proceed as planned in order to support the needs of students, teachers and families in the growing community of Headingley. We petition the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba as follows: To urge the provincial government to proceed with the planned renovation and expansion of Phoenix School without further delay. And this petition is signed by Tim Durnin-Richards, Debora Durnin- Richards, David Benson and many, many other Manitobans. Provincial Trunk Highway 45 Mr.

Rick Wowchuk (Swan River): I wish to present the following–sorry about that –following petition to the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba. These are the reasons for this petition:

(1) Upgrading Provincial Trunk Highway 45 will accelerate economic development as it will enhance connectivity, facilitate efficient transportation and promote economic growth in the region.

December 2, 2025 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA 329

(2) Economic development will be further enhanced as improved road infrastructure attracts businesses, encourages investment and creates job opportunities.

(3) Roads meeting the Roads and Transportation Association of Canada, RTAC, standards improve both safety and efficiency, as they can handle heavier loads, reducing the number of trips required for goods transportation. The Speaker in the Chair

(4) Safer roads further benefit both commuters and commercial vehicles, minimizing accidents and damage.

(5) Upgrading to RTAC standards ensures resilience to challenges caused by climate change, such as thawing and flooding, which negatively impact road conditions.

(6) Efficient transportation networks contribute to Manitoba's economic competitiveness, as upgraded roads support interprovincial and international goods movement, benefiting both trade and commerce. We petition the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba as follows: To urge the Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure to take the necessary steps to upgrade Provincial Trunk Highway 45 from Russell to Provincial Trunk Highway 10 to meet RTAC standards. This petition has been signed by Dylan Snitynsky, Shane Johnston, Scott Johnston and many, many other Manitobans.

MRI Machine for Portage Regional Health Facility Mr. Jeff Wharton (Red River North): I wish to present the following petition to the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba. * (15:30) The background to this petition is as follows:

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

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

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

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

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

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

(7) The average wait times for Manitobans to receive an MRI scan is currently six to eight months. Having an MRI machine in the Portage regional health facility will help reduce these wait times for patients and provide better care sooner. We petition the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba as follows: To urge the provincial government to support the investment and placement of an MRI machine in the Portage regional health facility in Portage la Prairie, Manitoba. This petition is signed by Ardythe McMaster, Betty Johnson, Clark Guinn and many, many more Manitobans. Thank you. Mr.

Greg Nesbitt (Riding Mountain): Honourable Speaker, I wish to present the following petition to the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba. The background to this petition is as follows:

330 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA December 2, 2025

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

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

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

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

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

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

(7) The average wait times for Manitobans to receive an MRI scan is currently six to eight months. Having an MRI machine in the Portage regional health facility will help reduce these wait times for patients and provide better care sooner. We petition the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba as follows: To urge the provincial government to support the investment and placement of an MRI machine in the Portage regional health facility in Portage la Prairie, Manitoba. Honourable Speaker, this petition has been signed by Landeyn Ayorout, Debbie Cebry, Danika Overton- McCutcheon and many, many fine Manitobans.

Provincial Trunk Highway 34 Mrs. Colleen Robbins (Spruce Woods): Honourable Speaker, I wish to present the following petition to the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba. The background to this petition is as follows:

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

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

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

(4) The 'deteriation' of PTH 34 has raised major concerns due to its narrow shoulders and numerous deep potholes that pose serious safety risks con- sidering farmers often need to use the highway to transport heavy equipment.

(5) Construction of a new bridge in accordance with–in accordance current design codes and the RTAC standard, located on PTH 34 crossing the Assiniboine River, will support trade and commerce and improve public safety in the area, and also accommodate flood events on the Assiniboine River. We petition the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba as follows: To urge the provincial government to address the conditions of Provincial Trunk Highway 34, making the necessary upgrades to RTAC standard and to resurface the road once the new bridge has been completed. * (15:40) This petition has been signed by John Neumann, Travis Saban and Kendall Maxwell, and many, many more great Manitobans.

December 2, 2025 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA 331 Removal of Federal Carbon Tax Mr. Wayne Ewasko (Lac du Bonnet): Speaker, I wish to present the following petition to the Legislative Assembly, and the background to this petition is as follows:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

(8) Provincial leadership in other jurisdictions have already committed to removing the federal carbon tax from home heating bills. We petition the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba as follows: To urge the provincial government to remove the federal carbon tax on home heating bills for all Manitobans to provide them much-needed relief. This petition is signed by Regan Ingeberg, Paige Stelmack, John Smith and many, many more fine Manitobans. Opposition to Releasing Repeat Offenders Mr. Wayne Balcaen (Brandon West): I wish to present the following petition to the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba.

The background to this petition is as follows: Kellie Verwey, a beloved young woman from Portage la Prairie, Manitoba, was tragically killed in a car crash caused by a repeat violent offender with a long criminal history.

(2) Despite repeated violations of his bail conditions, the offender was free to roam the streets and to ultimately claim Kellie's life. This tragedy was entirely preventable.

(3) While the Criminal Code falls under federal jurisdiction, provinces have been given the respon- sibility for the administration of justice, allowing for meaningful provincial action on bail reform to ensure public safety.

(4) Other provinces have taken proactive steps to strengthen bail enforcement, but Manitoba has not used all of the available tools to address this issue effectively.

(5) The provincial government has the ability and the responsibility to advocate for and implement measures that protect its citizens by ensuring that repeat violent offenders are not released into our communities without proper safeguards.

(6) Immediate action is required to close gaps in the justice system that allow dangerous criminals to remain free, which puts innocent Manitobans at risk. We petition the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba as follows:

(1) To urge the provincial government to take immediate and decisive action on bail reform to address serious deficits in enforcement by utilizing all available provincial mechanisms to strengthen warrant enforcement, increasing bail supervision and opposing release of offenders, thus ensuring that repeat violent offenders are held accountable and that public safety is prioritized over leniency; and

(2) To urge the provincial government to lobby the federal government to immediately repeal provisions of the Criminal Code that allow for the continued victimization of law -abiding Manitobans while granting repeat offenders additional rights. And Honourable Speaker, this petition was signed by many, many fine Manitobans.

332 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA December 2, 2025 The Speaker: Further petitions? Seeing none, the honourable member for Brandon West. Mr. Balcaen: On a matter of urgent importance. MATTER OF URGENT PUBLIC IMPORTANCE The Speaker: The honourable member for Brandon West, on a matter of urgent public importance. Mr.

Wayne Balcaen (Brandon West): I m ove, seconded by the honour able member for Portage la Prairie (MLA Bereza), that in accordance with subrule 39(1), the regular business of the House be set aside to discuss a matter of urgent public importance, specifically the dramatic increase in crime and violence in the province of Manitoba. Motion presented.

The Speaker: Now, before recog nizing the hon our- able member for Brandon West, I should remind all members that under rule 39(2), the mover of a motion on a matter of urgent public importance and one member from the other recognized parties in the House are allowed no more than 10 minutes to explain the urgency of debating the matter immediately. As stated in Beauchesne's citation 390, urgency in this context means the urgency of imme diate debate, not the subject matter of the motion.

In the remarks, members should focus exclusively on whether or not there is urgency of debate, whether or not ordinary opportunities for debate will enable the House to consider the matter early enough to ensure that the public interest will not suffer. Mr. Balcaen: I rise today to address an issue that weighs heavily on the minds of families, seniors, parents, business owners, law en forcement officers and com - munity leaders across Manitoba. I rise because the people of this province deserve safety. They deserve protection.

They deserve leadership and they deserve a government that prioritizes their well-being ahead of political posturing, ideological experiments or excuses. Unfortunately, Honourable Speaker, that is not what Manitobans are receiving from this NDP government. * (15:50) Today I intend to speak clearly and directly about the findings of the govern ment when it comes to crime, violence and public safety, and these failings are not abstract. They are not theoretical. They are real. They are measurable and they have been felt in the lives of numerous Manitobans every single day.

We are witnessing rising violence, emboldened offenders, families afraid to walk in their own neighbourhoods, victims who feel abandoned and communities left without the tools, the support or the leadership they need to stay safe. And at the centre of this crisis is a gov ernment that has consistently refused to acknowledge the depth of the problem, let alone take meaningful steps to fix it. Manitobans deserve better. Honourable Speaker, on this side of the House we have asked hundreds of questions on the importance of crime and this government refuses to answer.

Laws proposed by our side of this House and amend ments to their laws have been voted down. Requests from the public at com mittee have been ignored and com mu- nity members are just placated to. I've stood on grievances and there is no other option than a matter of urgent public importance left for us to bring forward the rising crime and the con- cerns that Manitobans have within this province. The first failing of this NDP government is simple: they refuse to acknowledge the scale of Manitoba's crime and violence crisis.

Com munities across the province are witnessing unprecedented levels of property crimes, break-ins, assaults, gang activity, addiction- driven offences, violent attacks on transit and brazen acts of aggression in broad daylight. These are not isolated incidents. These are not the usual fluxations that govern ment members like to pretend they are. These are patterns–deep and serious patterns that demand action.

Honourable Speaker, I'd like to table a number of incidents from the last month , and I'll just run down the list: window smashed, money stolen from West End church; woman threatened with shotgun in south Winnipeg apartment complex; McPhillips Street hotel clerk threatened and robbed at gunpoint; woman attacked, robbed in McGillivray Boulevard store parking lot; woman arrested in retail robberies; man nabbed with drugs and guns, Winnipeg police report; man accused of nurse sex assault released from jail d ays earlier; man stabbed after selling phone; man charged in arson spree worked at two of the busi nesses targeted; man charged in Tyndall Park chaos; home invader stabbed himself, police; seven youths arrested in Garden City area robbery spree.

December 2, 2025 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA 333 Honourable Speaker, those are just from the last five weeks here in Manitoba –here in Winnipeg, in fact. This govern ment is failing to understand that acknowledging a problem is the first step to solving it. Instead, they are more concerned with managi ng public perception than confronting public danger. Honourable Speaker, another central failing of this government is their treatment of law enforcement. Police officers across Manitoba work extra ordinarily hard to keep com munities safe.

They face dangerous situations, unpredictable environments and increasingly violent offenders. They deserve consistent support, modern tools and a govern ment that stands behind them. But what have they received instead? They've received a government that devalues their work, a gov- ernment that thinks flashy announcements can replace real structural investment in public safety. The NDP has con sistently failed to deliver stable policing support. They have missed oppor tunities to partner with–in good faith with municipal forces.

They have delayed or scaled back major initiatives that would have strengthened en forcement capacity. They have allowed ideological views to overshadow practical solutions. The message this sends to criminals, Honourable Speaker, is unmistakable. The conse quences will be serious and the system will not be strong enough to respond effectively. The message it sends to officers is equally troubling: you are on your own; we do not have your back. Manitobans do not want a government that under- mines those who protect them.

They want a govern - ment that supports police, share of services, corrections officers and all front -line responders, not through slogans, not through flashy announce ments but through genuine commitment. Honourable Speaker, one of the most pressing failures of this gov ernment is the crisis of repeat offenders, and we've spoken to that at length in this House. The people of Manitoba are tired of reading stories about individuals with dozens of convicti ons who continue to cycle through the system unchecked. They are tired of seeing violent offenders released with little supervision.

They are tired of preventable 'tradegy'–tragedies caused by predictable patterns of behaviour. Yet this government has shown no urgency in addressing this problem, and that's why we bring this matter of urgent public importance forward today. The Province has failed to work proactively with federal counterparts on bail reform, and they have not put forward a clear plan to break the cycle. This results in the community–the results is that communities are suffering. Law enforcement is stretched thin. Victims are being revictimized. The Speaker: Order, please.

I'd just remind the member to make sure that he's addressing his comments to the imme diacy of the need to debate, not to the actual issue itself. So if the member could get his comments kind of to talk about why we need to debate it right now. Mr. Balcaen: A government that takes public safety seriously would treat this as an emergency. This NDP government has not. I'll remind the Attorney General (Mr. Wiebe) that justice delayed is justice denied. And I do see that he's taking notes, so I'm hoping that this sparks his interest in justice issues within this province.

Honourable Speaker, Manitobans deserve to feel safe on their streets, in their parks, on the buses, in their downtown and in every corner of this province. But today, too many do not. Transit systems across Manitoba, especially in Winnipeg, have become sites of frequent violence. Riders have been stabbed, assaulted and threatened. Drivers have faced aggression from passengers and even been shot. Buses have become places where too many people fear instead of feeling safe. The same is true regarding public spaces through out our commu- nities.

We have seen an increase in random attacks, people assaulted while wearing –while walking their dog, seniors threatened while getting groceries and youth targeted for simply living their lives. A safe Manitoba requires a real plan for policing and en forcement and a real plan to confront addic - tions, a real plan to reduce repeat offences, a real plan to respond to gang activity, a real plan to support victims, a real plan to restore trust in the justice system and a real plan to ensure rural and urban communities alike receive safety they deserve.

Honourable Speaker, Manitobans are looking for a government that hears them, a government that takes their fears seriously, a government that chooses action over ideology, reality over rhetoric and safety over political convenience. The NDP have failed to provide that leadership. They have failed to understand the urgency of Manitobans' crime crisis, and they've failed to support law enforcement. Thank you.

334 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA December 2, 2025 The Speaker: Prior to recognizing any other speaker on this, I just want to remind speakers to keep their comments relevant to the immediacy, not necessarily all encompassing of the issue itself. I've given some latitude, and I'm prepared to do that, but please try and keep your comments to the immediacy. Hon.

Matt Wiebe (Minister of Justice and Attorney General): You know, it's really unfor tunate that the member opposite comes here, presents himself in a completely unserious way every single day, discredits himself, discredits his party, discredits his previous occupation, acts like a buffoon, I'd suggest, Hon our- able Speaker, and expects to have the support of the House to talk about these important issues. * (16:00) You know, we talk about these im portant issues every single day when it comes to public safety, when it comes to crime, when it comes to protecting our kids, when it comes to protecting our parents, when it comes to protecting communities.

From Winnipeg, to Brandon, to Selkirk, to Steinbach, to Thompson, to Flin Flon, to The Pas, to Swan River, to every single community across this province, that's what we do, Honour able Speaker. That is the No. 1 priority of this government. That's what we are fight- ing for every single day. But again–but again, the member opposite doesn't come to this conversation in a serious way. He comes to it in a completely ridiculous fashion, because he starts off by misrepresenting the facts on the stats. The statistics that he cites are completely wrong and completely out of date.

Now, you know, he may not like this fact, he may not want to go out and talk to the previous–the mem- bers of the previous govern ment who still sit in his caucus who are responsible for this, but the reality is that crime skyrocketed under the previous gov ern- ment and they were silent, quiet, not a word, didn't say anything, didn't act. In fact, helped to further break the system. But you now what's even more curious, Honour - able Speaker, is that the member opposite–well, what was his previous occupation? He was a police officer. He was the chief of police.

What happened in the place where he was the chief of police? Over his time as police chief, there was an 80 per cent increase in weapons crimes. There was a 29 per cent increase in violent crime. Under his watch, provincial funding was flat, was cut. They cut programs and he was silent–not a voice. He didn't have a voice then; he ce

Document details

Collection	Manitoba — Debates (Hansard)
Citation	43-3-10b
Type	hansard
Volume / chapter	43rd 3rd hansardpdf 10b.pdf
Language	en
Format	pdf
Source	PROVINCIAL
Identifier	8f78f1c84b4011b9887d1ce09267319966b0e735

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