Manitoba Hansard — 14 August 1969 (Sitting 1, 29th Legislature, 1st Session)

29-1-1

Manitoba — Debates (Hansard)

Legislative Assembly of Manitoba DEBATES and PROCEEDINGS Speaker The Honourable Ben Hanuschak Vol. XVI No. 1 2:30p.m., Thursday, August 14th, 1969. First Session, 29th Legislature. Printed by R. S. Evans - Queen's Printer for Province of Manitoba

THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA 2:30 o'clock, Thursday, August 14, 1969 The Sergeant-at-Arms, carrying a Mace, and followed by the Clerk of the Legislative Assembly, Mr. Charland Prud'horilme, Q.C., entered the House. His Honour Richard S. Bowles, Q. C., Lieutenant-Governor, entered the Chamber and seated himself on the Throne. HON.

RENE TOUPIN (Minister of Consumer and Corporate Affairs)(Springfield): I am commanded by His Honour the Lieutenant-Governor to state that he does not see fit to declare the cause of the summoning of the present Legislature of this Province until a Speaker of this House shall have been chosen according to law. His Honour the Lieutenant-Governor retired. MR. PETER FOX (Kildonan): I beg to move, seconded by the Honourable Member for Elmwood, that Ben Hanuschak, Esquire, Member for the Electoral Division of Burrows, do take the Chair of this House as Speaker. MR. CLERK presented the motion. MR.

CLERK: Are you ready for the question? MR. FOX: On this auspicious occasion it is my privilege and pleasure to speak to this august House in nominating Ben Hanuschak, who has been my seatmate for a number of years now, and from that vantage point I've had the opportunity to watch him in action and I deem it a pleasure to nominate him as Speaker. I shall keep my itinerary of him very brief but I can say this, that he was educated in Manitoba; he graduated from the University of Manitoba with the Degree of Education -B achelor of Education, and a Bachelor of Law.

He chose education as his field and in that profession he went on to lecture in various of the studies in our curri culum, and he also became a Guidance Counsellor. In other areas of endeavor he has excelled himself and always done his best, and diligently with devotion, usually attained the 'top. He is a past president of his association in the teaching profession, the Winnipeg Teachers Association. He is on the Board of Directors of the Red River Co-operative Consumers Association, and he is a past president of that.

The members of this House' who have watched him in action have always, I'm certain - and I state this with the certainty of having watched him a little closer than others because I was his deskmate - seen that he applied himself diligently, hard, and with devotion and also very fairly. He keeps his cool, as is said in the vernacular, and this is important for the nomination that I have placed his name in. It is my pleasure and privilege again to nominate Ben Hanuschak. Thank you. MR. CLERK put the question and after a voice vote declared the motion carried. MR.

SPEAKER: Honourable members of the 29th Legislature, I am not unmindful of the honour conferred on me today in electing me to the highest office within the gift of the Assembly, that of your Speaker and your servant. · It will be my aim and duty to uphold the principles and traditions of the House and secure fqr each member the right to express his or her opinion within the limits necessary to preserve decorum, to recognize the rights and privileges of the honourable members, the political groups and the House itself, to facilitate the transactions of the public busmess in an orderly manner, and above all, to seek to be fair and impartial in the decisions you entrust to ine.

If these are your objectives, and I believe they are, I ask your patience and co-operation in approaching them. I deeply appreciate your action in elevating me to the Speaker's Chair. With your assistance, I hope to fulfil this commitment with dignity and honour. His Honour the Lieutenant-Governor re-entered the House. MR. SPEAKER: May it please your Honour: The Legislative Assembly have elected me as their Speaker though I am but little able to fulfil the important duties assigned to me.

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

Speaker, I am commanded by His Honour the Lieutenant-Governor to declare to you that he freely confides in the duty and attachment of the Assembly to Her Majesty's person and Government, and not doubting that their proceedings will be conducted

2 August 14, 1969 MR. TOUPIN (cont'd) ..... with wisdom, temper and prudence, he grants, and upon all occasions will recognize and allow their constitutional rights. I am commanded also to assure you that the Assembly shall have ready access to His Honour upon all reasonable occasions, and that their proceedings, as well as your words and actions, will constantly receive from h.imthe most favourable consideration. HONOURABLE RICHARD S. BOWLES, Q. C. (Lieutenant- Governor of the Province of Manitoba): Mr.

Speaker and members of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba: In welcoming you to the First Session of the Twenty-ninth Legislature I ask all our people to consider the historical perspective of the development of our province. We are now concluding our first century of existence and will soon be embarking on the second century of our growth.

For 100 years the people of Manitoba have applied themselves to pushing back unexplored frontiers, to developing trade, to playing a major role in supplying food to a sometimes hungry world, to building our great cities and to gaining access into a northland rich in minerals and other natural resources. These economic advances were achieved concurrently with the development of institu tions designed to provide for human betterment -o ur schools, universities and many cultural organizations.

Manitoba's first 100 years have been characterized by the development of a highly com plex society capable of producing great industrial wealth and of making available to all our great natural resources. My Ministers believe that the challenge ofthe next century of Confederation will be to ensure that our great capacity is used to achieve the goal which alone can give society any positive meaning- the protection and enhancement of the freedom and dignity of each individual citizen.

My Ministers inform me that they consider it their responsibility to discharge their duties in such a way that each citizen will possess the means of achieving the realization of his or her natural talents and qualities. In this way each individual will best be able to serve himself and the world community of which he is a member. My Ministers ask that the measure of their success or failure be judged by this standard of according his fullest development to each citizen, and they report that they enthusiastically face the challenge this places before them.

I am informed by my Ministers that only a modest portion of their legislative program will be introduced at this first session of the Legislature. They consider the session neces sary in order to deal with emergency matters left uncompleted by the abrupt termination of the previous session. In particular my Government is required to obtain legislative approval for the estimates of revenue and expenditure which were laid before the House at the preceding session and which were not approved before the dissolution of that Assembly.

My Ministers inform me that arrangements for marking the Centennial of our province in the Canadian Confederation are going forward in a manner that will dignify this important event. Her Majesty the Queen and His Royal Highness the Duke of Edinborough have been in vited to visit our province in 1970. It is also hoped that the Government of Canada will in some formal way join in helping us to observe particularly the celebration of Canada's national day next year. Other distinguished visitors are also being invited to join us in marking our Centennial year.

My Government expects that all Manitobans will be involved in planning celebrations at the local levels which will culminate in a number of ceremonies in our pro vincial capital during the summer months of 1970. My Ministers report that since taking office they have found that an extensive reorgani zation of departments of government was begun last year, but that the legislative changes required to complete the revised structure of the administrative organization had not been approved when the last House was dissolved.

My Ministers consider it necessary to review the reports on which the proposed admini strative changes were based in order to assess their value and feasibility. Concurrently they inform me <if their opinion that because problems of urban growth in Manitoba have achieved particular and complex significance they will be proposing a revised approach for the future in terms of strengtheniriggovernment administrative machinery to enable it to deal more effectively with that area.

August 14, 1969 3 My Ministers consider this reassessment of government structure an essential prelude to the plans they have for re-evaluating all programs of government in order to place greater emphasis on the responsibility that they feel government has to all the people of Manitoba. For this reason my Ministers believe it is important to take care of those matters which are of high priority and which must be dealt with as quickly as possible in order to carry on their plans for the long range developments of Manitoba.

It is my Government's intention to seek your approval to certain amendments to The Natural Products Marketing Act designed to ensure that producers will be able to work and plan for the orderly marketing of their products. You will be informed of other plans which my Government has to increase and improve facilities to serve the Manitoba agricultural industry. In particular the overall program will ensure the proper relationship between re search and applied projects which will result in the most effective services being available to the farmers of the province .

It is desirable to increase further our efforts to stimulate the economic development of our province and to reduce regional economic disparities. This task requires greater involve ment of the Members of the Legislature in the appraisal of Manitoba's economic potential. It also requires more information and review of economic development transactions past and present. Accordingly my Ministers will submit for your approval certain changes affecting the operation of the programs of economic development and of the Manitoba Development Fund in particular.

My Ministers are now reviewing the taxation of transactions under The Revenue Tax Act, examining those elements of tax coverage which might best be altered to reduce anomalies and to clarify as far as possible any existing provisions of the Act whose applicability may have given rise to certain doubts or uncertainties.

You will be asked to consider amendments to The Public Schools Act which will enable people of Indian ancestry to vote for and to be elected to the board of trustees of school dis tricts and school divisions, where on request from the Council of an Indian band an Indian reservation is included in a school division. My Ministers inform me that you will be asked to approve funds to adjust the profes sional training fees for teacher trainees who are completing the second half of the one year elementary teachers' course, as well as those who are completing the second year of the two year course.

My Government informs me that it intends to take measures to reduce substantially the medical care portion of the combined health care premium. My Ministers e�ct that in order to provide funds from consolidated revenue for this purpose there will have to be in creases in revenue estimates at the present session or for the next fiscal year. Legislation will also be placed before you designed to amend The Health Services Insurance Act in order to shorten the waiting period required for a doctor electing to practise under the Medical Plan.

You will be asked to appoint a committee of the House to consider the interim report and recommendations of the former committee on denturists submitted in 1965 and to present a full report for the next legislative session. You will be asked to agree to an amendment to The Metropolitan Act to empower the Metropolitan Council te offer reduced transit fares to senior citizens.

Legislation will also be introduced to amend The Municipal Act in order to streamline municipal audit procedures and to extend the authority of municipalities to expend money and create debt for the financing of projects they have chosen to commemorate the province's Centennial year. In addition' consideration of the proposed revision of The Municipal Act will continue in the expectation that it will be introduced at the next session. My Ministers inform me that legislation will be submitted for your approval to authorize an increase in subsidies payable to urban transit systems.

They will also explain the pro gram of the Department of Transportation for construction and maintenance of the provincial trunk highway and provincial road systems throughout Manitoba, placing greater emphasis on northern roads needed to accelerate resource development. In addition the report of the Commission on Northern TransportatioiLwill be tabled at the present session. My Ministers propose to establish a consultative body to make early recommendations for legislation to provide the people of Manitoba with an automobile insurance program based upon maximum service at minimum cost to the motorist.

4 August 14, 1969 MR. BOWLES (cont'd) .... Legislation will be placed before you to enable and to expedite provincial participation with the Government of Canada in the operation of the Freshwater Fish Marketing Corporation. You will be asked to approve the provision of funds to continue the operation of a residential school for training fishermen at Hnausa, and to establish the Wilderness Corps in which 17-year old youths may be taught resource conservation skills.

Changes in The· Workmen's Compensation Act will be placed before you for approval with the object of increasing benefits for injured workmen and their dependents and of improving the administration of workmen's compensation in the province. My Ministers inform me that the Minimum Wage Board has been reconstituted and requested by them to consider forthwith the matter of'minimum wages in Manitoba with a report and recommendations on the subject to be submitted not later than the end of 1969 and an interim report to be made available so that an increase may be authorized before the end of the present session.

Consideration is being given to amendments to The Labour Relations Act. It is int.ended to place before you at the present session a Consumers' Protection Act to consolidate the provisions of The Time Sales Agreement Act and The Consumers' Credit Act, as well as to regulate disclosure in borrowing costs, pre-payment privileges, forfeitures, assignments of credit sale contracts, door-to-door sales and related matters of direct concern to the consumer ..

The proposed legislation will provide for the establishment of a consumer bureau as an agency of the Department of Consumer and Corporate Affairs which will be charged with investigation of complaints of breach of consumer legislation and with the fur nishing of information and related educational assistance and services to consumers. You will be asked to refer The Landlord and Tenant Act to a Committee of the House for a detailed study, review and recommendations designed to secure its increased effectiveness.

You will also be asked to approve legislation designed to establish the office of the Ombudsman in Manitoba. I am informed that work has been commenced on legislation to provide compensation for victims of crime and for the provision of a Human Rights Commission. You will be asked to approve legislation designed to make the voting age consistent with the age of legal responsibility in other aspects of life.

My Government is of the opinion that the operation of the Legislature has not realized its full potential in the past, that in particular the committee system has been less useful than it should have been and that the elected Member can serve an expanded role in fact finding and report evaluation.

My Government proposes, therefore, to establish an all-party committee on parliamentary reform, the purpose of which would be to propose measures to improve the efficiency of government, to strengthen the role of the Legislature in regard to the executive arm of government; and to increase public involvement in the affairs of government. As part of this process, and because of the expected increase in activity relating to Dominion-Pro vincial relations, constitutional revision and economic development, it is proposed to appoint two Members of the Legislative Assembly to assist my Ministers in their duties.

It is my Ministers' advice that there should be established a secretariat on Dominion-Provincial re lations for better co-ordination of Manitoba's policy making in this re gard. You will be asked to establish a Special Committee of the House to proceed with the study of the status of professional associations in Manitoba. In proposing these and other measures for your approval my Ministers design to make Manitoba an attractive home for our people.

They believe it essential that the social and natural reso)lrces of the province be geared in a co-ordinated manner to produce that standard of life and that quality of life which we desire for ourselves and which by natural extension we wish for all mankind. It is therefore my Government's objective to workuntiringly towards a greater equality of the human condition. My Ministers assure me that their principal motivation is to strengthen the concept and the practice of civil liberty in our province.

It is my Ministers' views that by working toward more equitable distribution of those things necessary for economic well-being, it will become possible for :iricreasing numbers of our people to exercise their civil rights and their freedom of choice in a more meaningful way. ConSequently, my Ministers are formulating policy on a wide range of social and economic problems that will be submitted for your consideration at future sessions of this Legislative Assembly In leaving you I pray that Divine Providence may attend your deliberations and decisions.

August 14, 1969 5 MR. SPEAKER: Oh Eternal and Almighty God, from whom all power and'wisdom come, by whom Kings rule and make equitable laws, we are assembled here before Thee to frame such laws as may tend to the welfare and prosperity of our province. Grant, Oh Merciful God, we pray Thee, that we may desire only that which is in accordance with Thy Will, that we may seek it with wisdom, know it with certainty, and accomplish it perfectly for the Glory and Honour of Thy Name and for the welfare of all our people. Amen.

I wish to inform the House that in order to prevent mistakes I have obtained a copy of the Speech of His Honour the Lieutenant-Governor which was read, and I also wish to inform the House. that Frank E. Skinner has been appointed Sergeant-at-Arms for the First Session of the Twenty-Ninth Legislature. HON. ED SCHREYER (Premier) (Rossmere)": Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the Honourable the Minister of Finance, that leave be giv en to introduce a Bill, No. 1,

An Act respecting the Administration of Oaths of Office, and that the same be now received and read a first time. MR. SPEAKER presented the motion and after a voice vote declared the motion carried. MR . SCHREYER: Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the Honourable the Minister of Labour, that the Votes and Proceedings of the House be printed, having first been perused by Mr. Speaker, and that he do appoint the printing thereof, and that no person but such as he shall appoint do presume to print the same. MR . SPEAKER presented the motioa and after a voice vote declared the motion carried. MR. SCHREYER: Mr.

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

MR . SPEAKER presented the motion and after a voice vote declared the motion carried. MR . SCHREYER: Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the Honourable the Minister of Health and Social Services, that during the present session of the Legislature, Russell Doern, Esquire, Member for the Electoral Division of Elmwood, be Deputy Speaker and Chairman of the Committees of the House. MR. SPEAKER presented the motion and after a voice vote declared the motion carried. MR .

SCHREYER: I move, seconded by the Minister of Agriculture, that a committee of seven persons be appointed to prepare and report will all convenient speed, a list of mem bers to compose the Standing Committees ordered by this House, and that such Committees shall be composed as follows: the Honourable Messrs. Mackling, Paulley, Schreyer, and Messrs. Fox, Johnston, Sherman and Weir. MR. SPEAKER presented the motion and after a voice vote declared the motion carried. MR . SCHREYER (in French) moved that the Speech of His Honour the Lieutenant Governor be taken into consideration tomorrow. MR.

SPEAKER presented the motion and after a voice vote declared the motion carried. MR . SCHREYER: Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the Minister of Cultural Affairs, that the House do now adjourn. MR. SPEAKER presented the motion and after a voice vote declared the motion carried and the House adjourned until10:00 Friday morning.

Document details

Collection	Manitoba — Debates (Hansard)
Citation	29-1-1
Type	hansard
Volume / chapter	29th 1st hansardpdf 1.pdf
Language	en
Format	pdf
Source	PROVINCIAL
Identifier	96ca04ceca78123a09ab4b315194ec570ce18716

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