Manitoba Hansard — 4 of 1976 (Sitting 2, 30th Legislature, 4th Session)

30-4-2

Manitoba — Debates (Hansard)

TIME: 10:00 a.m. THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY of MANITOBA Friday, February 18th, 1977 MR. SPEAKER, Honourable Peter Fox (Kildonan): 0 Eternal and Almighty God from Whom all power and wisdom come; we are assembled here before Thee to frame such laws as may tend to the welfare and prosperity of our Province; grant 0 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.

Presenting Petitions; Reading and Receiving Petitions; Presenting Reports by Standing and Special Committees. MINISTERIAL STATEMENTS AND TABLING OF REPORTS MR. SPEAKER: The Honourable Minister of Mines. HONOURABLE SIDNEY GREEN, Q.C., Minister of Mines, Resources and Environmental Management (lnkster): Mr. Speaker, for the Attorney-General I wish to table copies of all regulations made since the last report made to the Legislature, and being regulations 20 to 304 of 1976 inclusive and 1 to 28 of 1977. MR. SPEAKER: Thank you. Any other Ministerial Statements or Tabling of Reports?

Notices of Motion; Introduction of Bills; Questions. BUSINESS OF THE HOUSE MR. SPEAKER: The Honourable Member for Riel, the Honourable Leader of the Opposition. DONALD W. CRAIK (Riel): Mr. Speaker, I believe we have a procedure here to follow at this point in time in the presentation of a new Member of the House. Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present to you Mr. Sterling Lyon, Esquire, PC Member of the Electoral Division of Souris-Killarney, who has taken the Oath and signed the Roll and now claims the right to take his Seat. MR. SPEAKER: I welcome the Honourable Member for the Seat of Souris-Killarney.

ORAL QUESTIONS MR. SPEAKER: The Honourable Leader of the Opposition. MR. STERLING LYON (Souris-Killarney): Mr. Speaker, I have a question for the First Minister. In view of the failure if the government to include any statement in the Throne Speech on the present status of constitutional and other discussions bearing on national unity, would the First Minister advise when the House will receive a full report from him or his Ministers on these negotiations and on the position that Manitoba will be taking with respect to attitudes of this government toward the present constitutional situation in Canada? MR.

SPEAKER: The Honourable First Minister. HONOURABLE EDWARD SCHREYER (Rossmere): Mr. Speaker, it is difficult to give any definite reply to that question for the reason that there has been some change of thinking on the part of the Government of Canada insofar as constitutional patriation is concerned and the timing thereof. That being case, it is not possible for any provincial government to be in a position to give definitive indication in their respective assemblies. I suspect however, Sir, that within the course of the next month perhaps, that it may be possible to reply to that question. MR.

SPEAKER: The Honourable Leader of the Opposition. MR. LYON: Mr. Speaker, I see the Minister of Finance is now in the House, if I can catch his ear; if not I will direct the question to the First Minister. Could the First Minister confirm that the reports of the Public Accounts which detail the spending of the government from April 1, 1975 to March 31, 1976 are printed and are ready for distribution but are being withheld from the House until the 23rd of February? MR. SPEAKER: The Honourable Minister of Finance. HONOURABLE SAUL A. MILLER, (Seven Oaks): Mr.

Speaker, they'll be tabled as they usually are after the House is opened. Today being the first day they may be here today, if not they'll be here Monday. MR. LYON: A supplementary. Is it not the case that The Public Accounts as in the past should be distributed as soon as they're available from the printer? MR. MILLER: Mr. Speaker, as in the past, they are distributed after the House is in session. MR. LYON: Cou Id the Minister confirm that The Public Accounts are ready for distribution as we sit here today? MR. MILLER: Mr. Speaker, they're not in my office, but I gather they are ready.

I've indicated to staff that they should have them available and they'll probably be distributed Monday after we sit at 2:30. MR. SPEAKER: The Honourable Member for Portage la Prairie. MR. GORDON E. JOHNSTON: Mr. Speaker, I direct my question to the Honourable the Minister of Agriculture. In view of the statements in the Throne Speech with respect to possible cooperation with the federal authorities on beef marketing, is it the intention of the Minister to still proceed with a vote on this matter? MR. SPEAKER: The Honourable Minister of Agriculture. HONOURABLE SAMUEL USKIW, (Lac du Bonnet): Mr.

Speaker, the Honourable Member perhaps is confusing the two programs. The Stabilization Program has nothing at all to do with the referendum being carried out at the present time. What we are voting on is a provincial marketing agency, and what he is referring to, that is with respect to federal involvement, is the subsidy program, The Beef Income Insurance Program. MR. G. JOHNSTON: With respect to the proposed vote, Mr. Speaker, is it the Minister's intention to proceed with a straight yes-no vote or will there be a third option? MR. USKIW: Mr.

Speaker, that has been announced and I'm sure the honourable member has seen the announcement. it's a straight yes or no on a given proposal. MR. SPEAKER: The Honourable Member for Virden. MR. MORRIS McGREGOR: Mr. Speaker, I'd like to direct this question to the Minister of Labour. What responsibility has his department for the investigation into the tragic Town and Country Lodge Apartment fire? Page 6

Friday, February 18th, 1977 And a supplementary, what steps are to be taken regarding the safety regulations for the future: (

I) short term; (2) long range. MR. SPEAKER: The Honourable Minister of Labour. HONOURABLE RUSSELL PAULLEY, (Transcona): Mr. Speaker, I want to first of all express my appreciation to the Honourable Member for Virden, because he is a courteous gentleman and unlike some of the questioners he did give me prior notice of the questions that were going to be asked. I'm sure that applies to a former member who is now a member of the House. In direct reply to my honourable friend, the responsibility of the Fire Department or the fire

section of the Government of Manitoba is to investigate fires where there could be the possibility of arson, and members of the Fire Commissioner's Department of the Department of Labour were on the scene during the fire and were actively engaged during the course of the fire itself trying to ascertain as to whether or not there may be possibility of arson.

As far as the future is con concerned we have had a continuing investigation into the whole area of fire prevention, we have had seminars all over Manitoba, I don't know if we got to the great Town of Virden or not, but it is I'm glad to say in one of our mutual fire aid areas that has been set up because of the concern of this government of the incidence of fire. As far as a program for provision of fire exits and fire alarms, had the citizens of Manitoba received the cooperation of the Conservative Party when they were in power, many people's lives may have been saved. MR. SPEAKER: Thank you.

Before we proceed, I would like to direct the attention of the honourable members to the loge on my right where we have as a guest a former MP and now the Chairman of the AIB in the presence of Mr. Jean Luc Pepin. Welcome. The Honourable Member for River Heights. MR. SIDNEY SPIVAK, Q.C. (River Heights): Mr. Speaker, my question will be either to the First Minister or the Minister of Mines and Natural Resources answering for the Manitoba Development Corporation.

Referring to the Speech from the Throne reference was made to the fact that a number of Crown corporations will examine the feasibility of placing employees on the Board of Directors. I wonder if he can indicate if it is the government's intention to have one of the employees of Flyer Industries placed on the Board of Directors of Flyer Industries? MR. SPEAKER: The Honourable Minister of Mines. MR. GREEN: Mr. Speaker, the statement in the Speech from the Throne speaks for itself and is all-inclusive. MR.

SPIVAK: Yes, I wonder then whether the Minister can indicate when a member, an employee of Flyer Industries--5-2 will be placed on the Board of Directors? MR. GREEN: Mr. Speaker, the statement in the Speech from the Throne speaks for itself. MR. SPIVAK: Mr. Speaker, another question to the Minister. I wonder if he can indicate whether it is the government's intention to close out or phase out Flyer Industries. MR. SPEAKER: Order please. That is a policy question. MR. GREEN: Mr. Speaker, I have no difficulty in dealing with the question at all.

The present status of Flyer Industries is that it is actively in the bus building business and will continue to be actively involved in the bus building business for an indefinite period of time just as General Motors is. MR. SPIVAK: Mr. Speaker, I wonder if the Minister can confirm that the government is negotiating with the Swedish firm of Volvo for either a joint venture or takeover of Flyer Industries. MR. GREEN: Mr.

Speaker, I know that the honourable member is interested in going over ancient history but the fact is that it was announced to all of the public and I assume everybody is aware of it except the Honourable Member for River Heights that we have been having discussions with Volvo as well as with other people with respect to our involvement 0005 03 with Flyer Industries. MR. SPEAKER: The Honourable Member for Fort Rouge. MR. LLOYD AXWORTHY (Fort Rouge): Mr. Speaker, I have a question for the First Minister.

In view of the statements in the Throne Speech that the government intends to move towards an end of the control in its involvement in federal wage and price controls, could the Minister confirm a previous statement he made that he also intends to end the bring in any alternative program of restraining rents in the Province of Manitoba? MR. SCHREYER: I think, Mr. Speaker, that that question would be taken as notice without in any way accepting the premise of the question that it is somehow rational to retain control in rents and not, however, on other major components and influences in the economy. MR.

AXWORTHY: A supplementary, Mr. Speaker. Could the First Minister indicate whether there is any intention by the government to initiate amendments in this Session to provide for certain pass-through costs in the present rent control program? MR. SCHREYER: Mr. Speaker, that should be better directed to the Minister responsible for the administration of the rent control legislation. I would be surprised if there weren't need for some amendments to that legislation but I would refer the question in its essence to the Minister responsible. MR. SPEAKER: The Honourable Minister.

HONOURABLE RENE TOUPIN, Minister of Consumer and Corporate Affairs (Springfield): Mr. Speaker, I only wish that the honourable member could be patient like everyone else. This is our second day and legislation will be tabled in this House in due course. There has been a policy indication in the last few weeks indicating that we would deal with some aspects of rent control either directly through legislation or regulation and that will be the policy of this government. MR. SPEAKER: The Honourable Member for Riel. MR. CRAIK: Mr.

Speaker, I direct a question to the First Minister on the same topic of the Anti-Inflation Board involvement in Manitoba's economy and ask him if the proposed increase by Manitoba Hydro, some 20 percent increase in hydro rates, will be referred to the Anti-Inflation Board for review before they are imposed on Man itobans. MR. SCHREYER: Mr. Speaker, I would just make two observations. The one is that it was indicated at the outset of the anti-inflation program that matters pertaining to farm commodity prices at farm gate, and matters Page 7

Friday, February 18th, 1977 MR. SPEAKER: I appreciate the Honourable Minister of Agriculture's comment but as a matter of procedure, unless I have a motion, suggestions will have to be taken up by the press. Any other questions? The Honourable Member for Rock Lake. MR. EINARSON: Yes, Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask a question of the First Minister and it relates back to the question of the metric system that my colleague from Arthur brought up.

I would like to ask the First Minister if he agrees with the method used by the Federal Government whereby- and I speak on behalf of the farmers of this province- whereby the bureaucrats have initiated the method and the system of our metric system ... MR. SPEAKER: Order please. I am sure the Honourable Member for Rock Lake is well aware that the question period is not a speech-making time. Order! Let us get together on the first day and realize if we are going to operate by procedure, it has to be through the Chair.

If you have a speech to make to each other or comments taken them outside the Chamber so we can proceed orderly. The Honourable Member for Rock Lake. MR. EINARSON: Mr. Speaker, I accept your comments, and ask the First Minister if he and his government agree with the procedures carried out by the Federal Government insofar as our metric system is concerned and I am concerned about the Province of Manitoba- whereby the bureaucrats have introduced our metric system followed by legislation expected to be passed by the Federal House. I wonder if the First Minister approves of this method. MR.

SPEAKER: The Honourable First Minister. MR. SCHREYER: Well, Mr. Speaker, to begin with I suggest to the Honourable Member for Rock Lake, to my friend and he is my friend, Sir, that while he may speak for some farmers, the family of farmers I come from he certainly doesn't speak for them and many others like them.

The second point is that with respect to metrification, . while it is, no doubt, somewhat of an onus on farmers as indeed with the construction industry and other components in our economy, nevertheless I am completely optimistic that farmers since they are capable of operating these days with the most sophisticated of calculation requirements in the use of fertilizers in the use of potent chemicals, that metrification or metric conversion will pose no great difficulty. MR. EINARSON: Then, Mr. Speaker, I ask a further question from the First Minister.

Do I understand him to say that this has . not been any financial burden on the people or farmers and other segments of our society across this land? Am I given to understand that there is no fantastic cost and in time of inflation, I am wondering if the Minister could elaborate on that point? MR. SCHREYER: Mr. Speaker, my understanding is that the government and Parliament of Canada are proceeding towards metrification in a way that is supposed to minimize the actual cost to all of those affected by conversion.

Now obviously, Sir, like with just about anything else, if decisions are taken to keep deferring and postponing then it is merely postponing or deferring on to some subsequent year or generation that cost unless it is suggested that metric conversion be terminated as an objective in which case I would suggest my honourable friend had better write to some of the Conservative members of parliament to ascertain where they stand on that. MR. SPEAKER: The Honourable Member for Arthur. MR. WATT: Mr. Speaker, I had a further question to the Minister of Agriculture regarding the metric system.

I wonder if in view of the statement the First Minister just made that we have had two or three years to consider this metric system, I wonder if he could indicate to the House if all farmers are going to need computers to arrive at the price of flax, for instance, as quoted in the Winnipeg Free Press, as he does. After three years of study, he can't give you this ... Is it going to be necessary to have computers and will the government supply these computers to farmers to find out the price of their product? MR. SPEAKER: The Honourable First Minister. MR. SCHREYER: Mr.

Speaker, I think perhaps the most relevant answer to my honourable friend is to say to him that regardless whether the price of flax is expressed in metric system or in the old system, it is too low in any event. MR. WATT: ... to the First Minister. I wonder if he could indicate to the House if there is a possibility that the metric system may be converted, in view of the fact that we have the honourable gentleman from Ottawa here, may be converted into French in the near future. MR. SCHREYER: Mr.

Speaker, I don't know, I have to assume it is genuine concern about the pace of metric conversion, but I just want to assure my honourable friends opposite who have posed this question that I cannot conceive of any circumstance in which metric conversion in Manitoba is put out of phase with the pace of metric conversion in Ontario, Saskatchewan, Alberta, British Columbia, Quebec, Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, etc. MR. SPEAKER: Orders of the Day. The Honourable Member for Logan. SPEECH FROM THE THRONE MR. WILLIAM JENKINS: Thank you, Mr.

Speaker. it is a great privilege to have been selected to move the acceptance of the Throne Speech and I wish to thank the Honourable the First Minister for the honour of allowing me to move this motion. it is a pleasant duty and an honour, not only for myself, Sir, but to the constituency and the constituents of Logan whom I have the honour and privilege to represent in this Legislative Assembly. 1 might just say a few things about my constituency at this time, I think that is traditional in this House. (lnterjection) - I just heard from the Honourable Minister of Labour that this is where he was born and I can assure him that as a former resident of the Weston area of Winnipeg, we still look upon him as one of our native sons.

The constituency, Mr. Speaker, is located in the heart of Winnipeg North Centre and Winnipeg North Centre, you know, was represented from the year 1921 until his death in 1942 by the Honourable James Woodsworth, a fine gentleman and whom we have one of our provincial buildings named after. it was also represented and it still is by the present member, Mr. Stanley Knowles and I don't think I have to extol I his virtues in this House either. The area of Weston, Brook lands and the central core area of Winnipeg make up the constituency of Logan, it Page 10

Friday, February 18th, 1977 elects a member of parliament, it elects numerous other members- I mean this is talking about North Centre of which Logan is part- numerous MLAs in this Chamber, it elects also city councillors and school board members, and all, I might say, Sir, are New Democrats. lt is my great privilege to represent that constituency and in my estimation - I'm not being derogatory to any other constituency in this province - but to me it is the best constituency in the Province of Manitoba and I'm very proud to represent it.

I wish also at this time, Sir, to say how glad I am to see you back in the Chair and especially in view of yesterday I had some grave doubts that maybe I might be delivering my Throne Speech reply from up there. But I'm glad to see, Sir, that you are hale and hearty and back in the Chair. I understand that you wore your safety belt and I'm going to make sure that I keep mine on too.

But I'm glad to see that you're back in the Chair, Sir, to carry out your duties in the fine and capable manner that you have in the past and I see that you've already started this morning to keep us in line and I'm sure that you'll do the same throughout the Session. I would also at this time like to welcome into the Chamber the new member, the Honourable Member for Souris-Killarney. I offer him my congratulations.

I'm sure that he will carry on the fine tradition that has been established in this House by the former member, the late Earl McKellar, who represented the Constituency of Souris-Killarney in a fine and capable manner. Now, Mr. Speaker, to get down -(I nterjection)- I seem to get more heckling from my side than I do from the other side, Sir. Mr.

Speaker, over the past eight years in our preoccupation as a government with delivering programs and services to the people of Manitoba it is easy to forget not only many of the positive programs that we have instituted but sometimes the intervention that we as a New Democratic Party Government have made possible for the continuation of a human condition within this province. I speak for the residents of my own constituency who can readily appreciate the implications of such events because one would have affected them.

You know, Sir, back in the 1960's when Winnipeggers were still living in the AI ice in Wonderland world of two levels of municipal government, tax bases which were ad og's breakfast, planning and transportation jurisdictions which were like a split personality, the Metropolitan Government of the City of Winnipeg adopted an urban transportation plan following an eight-year transportation study and recommended it to the Government of Manitoba for acceptance for provincial cost sharing. One of the major proposals of this transportation study was a network of roads recommended in the WATS study.

One was called a super highway, it was called the Western Freeway and while this was supposed to be free, it certainly was not. But aside from the fact that it wasn't free, it was proposed to slice through the heartland of my constituency, especially in the Weston area of Winnipeg.

And slice, Sir, really would be an understatement steamroller perhaps would be a better term. lt would have bulldozed vast areas of my constituency; the proposal would have been to construct at least 60 lane miles of limited access freeway in the short space of a few linear miles with the required spaghetti interchanges which would have resulted in the destruction of block after block of good residential homes in attractive neighbourhoods. lt has been conservatively estimated that in 1977 dollars this one piece of super highway alone would have cost approximately $100 million as termed in dollars of today. lt would have required the relocation of hundreds of Weston families and caused the dislocation of many small businesses in the area.

Fortunately for the taxpayers of Manitoba and the City of Winnipeg and also fortunately, I would say, for the residents of my constituency, the New Democratic Party Government came to power and none too soon. After careful review, Sir, of the City of Winnipeg political and administrative structure and the unfair and unjust municipal tax bases in the different municipalities of the region and the inequitable and inadequate levels of service which were being provided, the City of Winnipeg was reorganized into a single municipality with a single tax base.

At last the necessity of many of the old Metro plans and policies began to be properly questioned. (Interjection) - Well maybe in. the far far distant future when the Progressive Conservative Party, maybe around the year 2001, become the Government of the Province of Manitoba they will perhaps reinstitute that program, I don't know. I am not privy to their caucus decisions or secrets. So, Sir, after careful review of the Metropolitan Corporation plans of that transportation study, proposals including an independent provincial task force were established by the province for this purpose.

The province made clear that it was prepared to look at and assist in modest and reasonable road improvements, reducing public transport deficits in the city, keeping transit fares low. When you look at the transit fares in the City of Winnipeg compared to other major cities in Canada I think they are fairly low. Improving innovative transit improvements such as the Dash program which we have here in the downtown area, Express bus services as well as many other steps aimed at achieving a more humane urban community.

Spaghetti interchanges and other costly destructive land-consuming urban forces such as expressways, freeways and freeway bridges become and still are inacceptable for provincial cost sharing by a New Democratic Party Government in Manitoba. Instead of prolific spending on inappropriate and energy wasteful transport priorities Manitoba's New Democratic Party Government has strongly and consistently supported prudent and socially responsive programs and innovations in services.

These have included modest, sensible, practical improvements in existing roads; new and rehabilitated housing; the Inner City Recreation Programs; improved health care delivery mechanisms and a variety of new employment opportunities.

In fact, indeed, it is ironical that under other circumstances and another government that this very land that is now being used for socially useful community purposes and on which socially useful community facilities have been built, sites such as the Midland Centennial Recreation Centre, the Environmental Lab, Provincial Garage and a great deal of in fill housing would have been otherwise occupied by the WATS east-west freeway.

Instead these lands now are being rehabilitated and redeveloped with activities which support and strengthen existing neighbourhoods and the capital which would have been expended on expressways, Sir, has been used for such sensible programs as senior citizens' housing- and I might just say a few- Elgin and lsabel is one, Bluebird Lodges One and Two which are right up in the Weston area, Arlington and Not re Dame and St. Andrews Place; also in fill housing that we have built in the Midland corridor and NIP area and also some of that money was Page 11

Friday, February 18th, 1977 expended on critical home repair and pensioners' home repair grants. These have been programs, Sir, that have been designed to keep people living in the neighbourhood, making the improvements to their homes and it's been a very popular program. Moneys have also gone out to help finance NIP programs in conjunction with the Federal Government and services and community buildings have been rehabilitated such as the old freight house of the old Midland Railway.

A variety of Public Works programs under another government , probably would have been located elsewhere outside of my constituency, leaving that centre core area to continue to deteriorate. We now are going to have a new Environmental laboratory and a Provincial Garage being built on industrially zoned land, planned and designated by the City of Winnipeg. In this way, the residential area south of Logan is being buffered from the noise and disturbance of the Arlington yards and related traffic.

This redevelopment has also removed one of the most dilapidated housing areas of the inner city and while the rate of new residential replacement is not yet as rapid as we would like to see it - I see that the Minister here in charge of the provincial housing program is not here but I am going to make it my business to talk to him about it- but the moves that we are taking, Sir, are moves that are in the right direction. What has been the effect of this urban development and redevelopment on the activity on the inner city?

First, it has provided more housing - true, not as much as I would like to see. it has provided recreational facilities; it is providing meaningful jobs in areas where these are worst needed. Second, it has provided useful jobs rather than welfare for people who are able to work and want to work. The figures for the past four or five years clearly indicate that jobs rather than welfare is a policy that is really working. From 1972 to 1976, for example, the number of unemployed employables in urban Manitoba has reduced substantially.

Third, the Manitoba Government constructive development programs have significantly improved the tax base for the City of Winnipeg by putting under-utilized vacant land to more socially productive use, enabling the City of Winnipeg and the urban communities to better afford their financial responsibilities for municipal services. lt is quite interesting to note, Mr. Speaker, that the City of Winnipeg now has the lowest debt per capita than any other community over 100,000 population in Canada. Mr. Speaker, you know, capital spending on buildings alone cannot suffice.

This government has in the past, and will continue into the future to support the kind of social programs and services that will enable local people to take the maximum advantage of available and newly created jobs. For example, the Provincial Garage has been located where it is and it is in the form that it will help to extend the life expectancy of the provincial fleet by ensuring proper repair facilities in which to prolong vehicle life.

Furthermore, through the provision of a work activity program setting, it will become possible for some of the inner-city residents to be involved in this important transport maintenance facility. The PEP programs as well have been designed to emphasize inner-city employment and to get atsome of the worst pockets of unemployment and under-unemployment in the urban area.

Day Care programs have begun in many of the inner-city locations, at the Freight House, the Health Sciences Centre; some operate in the Weston area and these have been started with Federal and Provincial assistance and are also helping many working mothers to hold down jobs and improve their household income. That's just, Mr. Speaker, one of the things this government has been doing in this past eight years.

Now speaking to you, Sir, and members of this Assembly, it is with great pride I point to some of the achievements that we have made in the field of labour relations and labour-related legislation. it is interesting to note, Mr. Speaker, that since we have become the government here in 1969, the minimum wage was $1.25 an hour, it has been raised nine times by this government; it now stands at $2.95 an hour. I might also say that while that's a fantastic increase, it's not as much as I would like to see again, but it certainly is a move in the right direction. I could spend my 40 minutes, Mr.

Speaker, just extolling the virtues, the things that we have done in the Department of Labour but then somebody would say that I am trying to butter-up the Minister of Labour and I can assure you that I'm not. But, you know, the changes that we have made - and I know one that the Minister of Labour is going to have to deal with, the one perhaps dealing with employment standards. And we saw yesterday, people picketing outside the building here.

This is a very vexatious problem that has developed, the one dealing with compulsory overtime and it's not one that I envy the Honourable Minister of Labour the job of trying to sort out or even bring in legislation. Perhaps we better look in The Employment Standards Act to make penalty pay for overtime maybe a little more realistic. You know when we are looking at time and a half or even double time in today's world, it is much cheaper sometimes to employ people in overtime than hire new people and pay the fringe benefits.

So perhaps if the penalty pay for overtime is maybe triple time, people will look twice before they want people to work overtime. I understand 60 hours per week -I thought we had got down- 60 hours, I believe that is what has been advocated by the employer that's involved in this dispute at Griffin Steel industries, 14 Saturdays (Interjection)- I'm not arguing, Sir, that overtime is not a necessary thing but I think it is something that should be developed between management and labour.

I think the exigencies of the service are what make it necessary for overtime to have to be worked; but when somebody wants to come out and negotiate those kind of hours of work from the side of management, then I say to them that perhaps they should be hiring more people. We have also, in our eight years of office, made changes to The Vacations With Pay Act, The Payment of Wages Act and The Labour Relations Act. I can remember, Mr.

Speaker, when we introduced the first time, the first major changes we made in The Labour Relations Act, dire predictions by Members of the Opposition, we were going to be involved in strikes, the policemen were going to go on strike, the firemen were going to go on strike. And you know, Mr. Speaker, lo and behold, the legislation that we passed, we find here in Manitoba that we have less strikes than we had.

I think we have given to management and labour, to the unions in this province, the chance to grow up, the chance to negotiate and settle their differences without government coming along and sticking their nose in trying to play Solomon all the time. Page 12

Friday, February 18th, 1977 and I congratulate both people in the field of industrial relations because I think they have done a better job here than they have done perhaps in other parts of the country. Instead of the dire predictions of the Opposition we found that people react to responsibility in a responsible manner and both management and labour in this province, I think, have done so. That's not to say, Mr. Speaker, that we are not going to have strikes because these things do happen.

We have people withholding their services, we have people who will lock-out, but I think that the management and labour climate here in Manitoba has been a good one and the best in Canada. We heard this morning -I think during the Question Period one of the members asked either the First Minister or the Minister of Labour whether he was going to make changes to The Workmen's Compensation Act.

Well, we have made quite a number of changes to The Workmen's Compensation Act We heard this morning, I think it was during the Question Period, one of the members asked either the First Minister or the Minister of Labour whether he was going to make changes to the Workmen's Compensation Act.

We've made quite a number of changes to the Workmen's Compensation Act, I'm quite proud of the changes that we've made, I think we should make more, but, I think, that when you look at some of the things that we've done you would realize, Sir, that in 1969 when we took over as Government in this province, that the survivor or the widow of a victim of a fatal accident received $100 a month, I believe that is right, $100 a month in 1969.

The figure today is $310.00 for those who were survivors of people who were killed before January 1, 1974, $310, that is over a 300 percent increase to try and see that these people can live with dignity in Manitoba. Now, for those after -(I nterjection)- Yes, my honourable friend says, "Not an awful lot of dignity if you can live on (31 0 a month. " But I can tell you that if they had been the Government they would probably have been still getting $100 a month. Or was that $110? Or perhaps as my honourable friend from Churchill says, "They'd have increased it to $110.

" For those who are survivors after 1974 they now will receive what the man or woman would have received had they been totally, permanently disabled, and in no case, even if it was less than $31 Oto what it worked out to, they would at least receive $310.00. You know another thing that has increased quite a bit since this Government came in, in the field of Workmen's Compensation, now the Honourable Minister of Labour can correct me if I am wrong, but I think in 1969 that total or permanent disability payments were based on 75 percent of $6,600 in 1969.

Today it is 75 percent of $16,000, the highest I believe in Canada, and that is something that we don't have to take a back seat to anybody on. And, you know, Mr. Speaker, we heard all kinds of dire things when we were making these changes. We would drive industry out of Manitoba ... A MEMBER: So far it is still going. MR. JENKINS: .. . and, you know, we had the ... A MEMBER: The Royal Bank would leave. MR. JENKINS: The Royal Bank would leave, they are not leaving here, they are coming west, maybe they are going to move even a little bit further, maybe to Winnipeg, who knows.

But, we have done tremendously in the field of Workmen's Compensation, I know that we have much more to do. Every year when we are here we speak about Workmen's Compensation, I always make a pitch to the media so I'll do it again, and especially to the two television channels in the City of Winnipeg, and that also would apply to other television channels in Manitoba, they sometimes have left over time after programs.

I would suggest to them, and I would ask them again, and they have never seemed to have taken it up, but that three or four minutes, could they use it for public service, especially in the field of Workmen's Compensation, to show people how you go about making claims, what happens if you have to make an appeal, things like that. I want to commend the Minister, a few years back we were doing little blurbs on TV but they seem to have stopped, but I think it is a public service to the people of Manitoba.

I would suggest to the two major channels, or the three major channels now, 'i1 pardon me, we have three major channels here in Winnipeg, that they should use that bit of spare time to - (Interjection)- Well it can go on Channel13 my friend from Winnipeg Centre says, but that would be something entirely up to the TV channels. I hope that they will do something on that line, I am not too hopeful, but I just keep plugging away at it. Now to get down, Mr.

Speaker, to the Throne Speech itself, and I am not going to deal too much with what Throne Speech except to pick out two or three items that are of interest to me, and one, I guess, that is of interest to a lot of Manitobans is we note with great pleasure that the engineering facilities are in place and operational on the Churchill River Diversion and the Lake Winnipeg Regulation.

You know this in itself, Sir, is a marvelous engineering feat, but it is also a marvelous feat that it was ever done at all, and the benefits that will accrue to the people of Manitoba are due to the policies of the New Democratic Party Government. -(I nterjection)- Oh, my friends opposite laugh, my friends opposite laugh, Sir. They had a plan to develop hydro power in Northern Manitoba, but they didn't have the guts to carry it out. They wanted to come into this House and ask the Members of the Opposition at that time to help them do it, what they weren't going to flood they were going to give away. MR.

SPEAKER: Order, please. MR. JENKINS: I say to you, Sir, that it is a marvelous feat that it was ever done at all, and it was done due to the efforts of this Government. With opposition from those people over there and their friends we now have in place the facility on the Churchill River Diversion and Lake Winnipeg, and I want to say at this time that I want to offer my sincerest congratulations to the Chairman, to the Board of Directors and to all of the personnel of Manitoba Hydro for a job well done under severe criticism. And I know, Mr.

Speaker, that the Leader of the Opposition is going to make this his theme, that the cost of this utility is going to be his election plank. But what he seems to forget, Sir, that inflation is not only here in Manitoba, in the Dominion of Canada, it is Worldwide, and if he thinks, and if the members of the Opposition think that we could build a facility here, insulate it from the cost of inflation elsewhere, that would have been a great thing. I wish I could have seen that accomplished. And, you know, Mr.

Speaker, that not only was this facility put into place in an a era of high construction costs, it was put in place in an era when we were in competition for a highly skilled transient construction work force, we were in competition with the Page 13

Friday, February 18th, 1977 Montreal Olympics where money seemed to be no object, we were also in competition with the James Bay Power Project where again money seemed to be no object, we were also in competition with Syncrude wheriJ again money didn't seem to be any object, and to have put the facilities in place, Sir -(I nterjection) - My honourable friend says we were in competition with CFI also. I'm not going to get involved in that part of the debate. You know, Mr.

Speaker, if we had listened to the Opposition criticism we would have built thermal plants, yes, and monorails up to Southern Indian Lake, this is what we would have built. And everybody knows what has happened to the cost of fossil fuel, be it coal, be it gas, be it oil. I understand that the cost of coal alone, pricewise and delivered to the Selkirk plant, has increased by 300 percent in the last 10 years, so that the cost of providing electrical energy by thermal means is not cheap.

And I say to you, Sir, that future generations of Manitobans will bless the decisions that have been made to develop a utility, this utility, wisely and prudently, to meet the needs of Manitobans. So I say to the Leader of the Opposition, and to the Members of the Opposition, that if you want this to be your election plank, fine and dandy, we are prepared to meet you on the hustings on this issue, and facts and truths are on our side. A MEMBER: Your platform is called a snow fence. MR. JENKINS: Now, Mr. Speaker, I know that my time is rapidly running out, I would like to just deal with one or two more items.

I note that within the Throne Speech there is proposed Legislation dealing with Limitations on Ownership of Agricultural Land by non-resident, non-agricultural corporations designed to meet the needs and the decisions of Manitobans who wish to use land for agricultural purposes. lt is something that we need and it is something that disturbs me, that we here in Canada, at the present time, are net exporters of food, but when you look across this country and see the amount of arable land that we have -=CF I'm not a farmer, don't get me wrong but if we were to stretch from coast to coast all the arable land, I would say that if we had a belt 60 miles wide from coast to coast that would be all that we have.

And when we are seeing the disappearance of land under concrete and asphalt, becoming non-productive as far as agricultural use is concerned, and if we go down and just take a look in the Golden Horseshoe of Ontario, where it is stated -(Interjection)- My friend says that's a bad example. it is not a bad example, that is some of the most prime farmland in Ontario and that is disappearing at the rate of 20 acres per minute, now that is pretty fantastic and it can happen here too.

You know' the day may not be too far in the future, Sir, when we will be-not net exporters of food, but net importers of food, and I think that it is something that not only this Government but the Federal Government and all Governments in this country should be looking at is the rapid gobbling up of our arable lands asphalt, and to put it under concrete and I am sure that I speak also for the Members of the Opposition on that point. A MEMBER: Oh, don't be sure about that. MR.

JENKINS: There is also one other piece of Legislation that will be introduced during this Session and that is one dealing with Family Law Reform, and I am not going to tell you what this Committee is going to recommend to this House, mainly, Sir, because we have not come to a final conclusion. But I do want to take the opportunity, Sir, at this time, to commend all members of that Committee for the non-partisan way that they have tried to deal with a very vexatious problem that has been facing us for many many years.

The Committee will shortly, I imagine, Sir, be reporting an interim report to this House, and hopefully, in not too long we will be able to give you a final report. And just before I close, Mr. Speaker, I would like to place on the record of this House a statement on the Manitoba economy and it is as follows: "Manitoba's economic performance outpaced Canada as a whole.

Capital spending increased by 10 percent to 2.1 billion in the year 1976, five percent unemployment rate was lower than the national average, and the number of man-days lost due to strikes- again there's our wonderful Legislation that I was telling you about- has decreased over 1975, average weekly wages in Manitoba have risen from $189 to more than $220, and retail spending has increased by 11.3 percent during the first eight months of the year 1976. -(I nterjection)- Exactly, the honourable member has just come right into the trap, he said that the Honourable Minister of Finance was the one who made this statement.

Mr. Speaker, the gentleman who made this statement, this appeared in the Winnipeg Tribune of Saturday, February 12th, and it was attributed to a Mr. James Robb, President of The Canadian Real Estate Association. Mr. Robb, is a hard-headed businessman of Manitoba, and he seems to think that the economic outlook of Manitoba, past and present, is not too bad here in Manitoba, then I think this is a fairly unbiased report and it augurs well for the future of Manitoba under a continuing New Democratic Government . Therefore, Mr.

Speaker, I move, seconded by the Honourable Member for Emerson, that an humble address be presented to His Honour the Lieutenant-Governor as follows: We, Her Majesty's dutiful and loyal subjects, the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba in Session assembled, humbly thank Your Honour for the gracious speech which His :-lonour has been pleased to address us at the opening of the present Session. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. MOTION presented. MR. SPEAKER: Are you ready for the question? The Honourable Member for Emerson. MR. STEVE DEREWIANCHUK: Mr.

Speaker, I rise at this time to second the Honourable Member from Logan's Motion of Acceptance of the Speech from the Throne. I wish to express my gratitude at being granted the opportunity to fulfil I this particular function here today, and to be able to express my thoughts on the direction in which the Government of our province will be going in the days ahead, and the great strides we have taken in the past few years under the present administration. Before I begin, however, I would like to take this opportunity to welcome the recently elected member from Souris-Killarney.

But I must admit it carne as a shock to me to discover that he had been a Souris-Killarney native son travelling about in the disguise of a Ctly slicker all these years. I would like to begin my remarks today with a proud look at what has been happening in southeastern Manitoba, particularly in the Emerson riding itself, thanks to the principles and programs of the stay option policy of the New Democratic Party Government of Manitoba. The stay option is the foundation of agricultural and rural development in Manitoba, particularly in the southeastern portion of the province. The main objectives otthe stay Page 14

Friday, February 18th, 1977 option were to provide rural residents with the economic opportunities necessary to equate the standard of living of rural residents with that of urban dwellers and at the same time-to stimulate activity so as to maintain or slow down the number of farmers leaving the rural areas. lt is with pride that I am able to stand here today and report that in my own community we have not only succeeded in maintaining the farming population but have increased it by an impressive percentage. lt has been my happy duty as a Manitoba Hydro employee to have assisted in connecting and building in excess of 100 new farm services over the past few years.

Further evidence of our growth is seen in the fact that approximately eight years ago a study was done to predict the development and population growth of the area. The general conclusion of that study was that the population would steadily decline and the present primary school would close and all students from kindergarten to twelve would be more adequately accommodated in the newer four to twelve complex. Well, gentlemen, this has not happened. Both schools are in full operation and the population of the townsite itself has recovered and begun to increase at a satisfactory rate.

This, honourable colleagues, is just one example of what the stay option has meant to the survival and growth of one community left by former governments to a slow and dismal death. One of the largest and most ambitious programs to create a stable income for rural Manitoba is the Manitoba Beef Producers Income Insurance Plan. lt provides a five year price guarantee for calf-cow producers who have suffered heavy losses due to past and present low market prices. Based on 1976 costs, this worked out to 59CI: per pound for calves and 51 Cl: per pound for beef, compared to a market price of 30 and 42CI: respectively.

The fact that 65 percent of Manitoba's beef producers are presently participating in the program should be ample proof that the program is indeed a sound one. Recently there has been considerable discussion about the establishment of a beef marketing board or agency. Because of repeated complaints and delegations requesting government intervention to rescue the beef producing industry, a Beef Inquiry Commission was set up to investigate the problems. Among the Commission's recommendations was the establishment of a beef marketing agency.

As a result of this, the Minister set up a committee of twelve farmers who eventually recommended the immediate establishment of a central beef marketing agency without a vote. This report was signed by eight of the committee members, one of whom was Mr. Charles Mayer of Carberry, the President of the Manitoba Beef Growers Association. lt is to the credit of the Honourable Minister of Agriculture that he deemed it fair and advisable to hold a referendum before establishing a board elected by and responsible to the livestock producers themselves. As you know, Mr.

Speaker, the Department of Agriculture is remaining neutral on this question, there is no active support or intervention of any sort. The Minister has said, however, that he is willing to attend any meeting if requested to answer any question by way of information which the farmers may desire. Surely, honourable colleagues, this is what democracy is all about. Recently I received an amusing, and I might add, amazing piece of propaganda being presently distributed by the ever-hopeful and obviously despairing Opposition.

I say "despairing" honourable colleagues, because it is evident that some sort of political depression has moved them to even greater distortions, half truths and outright misinformation. Mr. Speaker, I wish to draw your attention to some of the amusing statements made in this particular piece of material. I quote a Mr. Stewart somebody-or-other who says that his position on government agricultural marketing boards is that they represent unacceptable interference in the basic right of every farmer to control his own destiny and must be fought against.

I ask you, honourable members of the Opposition, where were you in 1965 when the previous administration established their Hog Marketing Commission without a vote, and appointed the members of the Commission rather than having them elected by the farmers themselves, and made this Board totally and directly responsible to the government and not the hog producers? Where were your cries of unacceptable government interference then?

The same poor misguided gentleman also has the recklessness and audacity to state that the Schreyer government has not dealt with the problems that are relevant to the residents of southeastern Manitoba. Does the progress I have just described due to the Stay Option Program not totally and undeniably repudiate this nonsense? Of course it does but, honourable colleagues, this gentleman is persistent. He goes on to further folly in stating that one problem of main concern to him in the Emerson riding is the lack of emphasis on health services. Mr.

Speaker, allow me to describe for you the following developments in the riding under the present government. Prior to the advent of the present government there was not one single personal care home facility in the entire Emerson constituency with the exception of two small and extremely inadequate private nursing homes. Presently completed or under construction, are a 30-bed personal care home in the Town of V ita, a 20-bed personal care home in the Village of St. Pierre, and a 16-bed personal care home in the Town of Emerson.

At the same time, there has been extensive renovation and expansion of services at the hospitals in V ita and St. Pierre. There is also completed or under construction, elderly person housing at Emerson, Grunthal, St. Pierre, St. Malo and Vita. Along the same vein, there are senior citizen units under construction at Sprague and Piney. Also, there is now under construction family housing for low rental families at Wood ridge, Vassar, South Junction, Sprague, Piney and Millbrook.

Elderly citizens who desire to remain in their home despite the fact that they find it difficult to completely cope with all the necessary tasks of remaining self-sufficient, are able to remain at home and independently through the government's Home Care Program. Another new facility in many communities in my constituency has been the establishing of public health nurses who perform so many essential services to citizens of all ages and needs, and who act as liaison between the various health services in the community. I ask you, honourable colleagues, if this description creates a picture of neglect?

Of course it does not, but rather a picture of concern and rapid increase in all aspects of community health services. Page 15

Friday, February 18th, 1977 Gentlemen, the story of the development of Emerson constituency under the present administration goes on and on. Under former administrations we, in southeastern Manitoba, were left to our own m eager resources when it came to recreation. lt seems that previous administrations did not deem it necessary for the people of the southeast to have access to swimming pools, parks, arenas, curling rinks or public buildings with indoor plumbing. Mr.

Speaker, I will not impose upon this House the lengthy list of recreation services which have sprung up in the Emerson constituency under the present government as it would takefarfar too long. But I would like to give you an example of what has been done in some areas. Two major recreation facilities have been built at Emerson and St. Malo, namely a skating and curling complex, and a skating arena, respectively. A pool has been built at Vassar and a large park and natural pool at Gardenton.

Expensive improvements have been made to other facilities and grants too numerous to mention have been given to all communities in the constituency to enlarge their halls, install indoor plumbing and kitchen facilities and improve heating and ventilation systems. I would not hesitate to invite each and every one of my honourable colleagues to visit my constituency and avail themselves of the many and varied facilities now at our disposal. One final area of development in southeast Manitoba under the New Democratic Government has been transportation. Mr.

Speaker, I have made reference to this particular topic before but I feel it cannot be stressed enough that the people of southeastern Manitoba were only able under the present administration to fully enter into the age of the automobile and leave the horse and buggy days behind. lt is no secret that the roads in southeastern Manitoba were unfit for travel under all but the most ideal conditions and even then the situation was debatable. I have a deep sense of gratitude to my fellow caucus members and take great personal satisfaction in the progress achieved in this particular field.

I am most happy to state that Highway 201 has, after all these years, been completely hard-surfaced throughout my constituency. All provincial roads in the constituency have been upgraded to the present day standards and Highway 208 is in the government's program for future development. This does not mean, of course, that we do not still have problems to solve or areas to develop, or further improvements to be made, but I have every confidence that the people of my constituency will be given every possible consideration in these areas.

In closing then, I should just like to mention a few areas that I would like to be taken into consideration in the days ahead. I would ask my colleagues in caucus to consider the present need for a built-in arena in the V ita area itself; the need for improvement in Provincial Highways 200, 210, 23 and 209; continued development of the Gardenton Park and St. Malo Park; improvements to the recreation areas in and around Moose Lake; extended sewer and water services to Vita and Emerson; and continued expansion of our health services.

I look forward to the days ahead in the Fourth Session of the Thirtieth Legislature and I see nothing but progress and good things for the people of Manitoba. Having heard my comments here today, honourable colleagues, I am sure you can understand my deep appreciation for the present government and my sense of pride in being associated with such a government, a government that has shown itself time and time again to have the ability to recognize the needs of the people of this province and the vision to plan and carry out sound programs to build a better future for each and every one of us. Thank you. MR.

SPEAKER: Is it the pleasure of the House to adopt the Motion? The Honourable Leader of the Opposition. MR. LYON: Mr. Speaker, I beg to move, seconded by the Honourable the Member for Morris, that debate be adjourned. MOTION presented and carried. MR. SPEAKER: The Honourable House Leader. MR. GREEN: Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the Honourable the Minister of Health and Social Development, that the House do now adjourn. MOTION presented and carried and the House adjourned until 2:30 Monday next. Page 16

Document details

Collection	Manitoba — Debates (Hansard)
Citation	30-4-2
Type	hansard
Volume / chapter	30th 4th hansardpdf 2.pdf
Language	en
Format	pdf
Source	PROVINCIAL
Identifier	9a46f835abba268660d6b32da40b410ca23d7af6

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