Manitoba Hansard — 9 May 2017 (Sitting 48B, 41st Legislature, 2nd Session)

41-2-48b

Manitoba — Debates (Hansard)

Second Session – Forty-First Legislature of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba DEBATES and PROCEEDINGS Official Report (Hansard) Published under the authority of The Honourable Myrna Driedger Speaker Vol. LXX No. 48B - 1:30 p.m., Tuesday, May 9, 2017 ISSN 0542-5492

MANITOBA LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY Forty-First Legislature Member Constituency Political Affiliation ALLUM, James Fort Garry-Riverview NDP ALTEMEYER, Rob Wolseley NDP BINDLE, Kelly Thompson PC CLARKE, Eileen, Hon. Agassiz PC COX, Cathy, Hon. River East PC CULLEN, Cliff, Hon. Spruce Woods PC CURRY, Nic Kildonan PC DRIEDGER, Myrna, Hon. Charleswood PC EICHLER, Ralph, Hon. Lakeside PC EWASKO, Wayne Lac du Bonnet PC FIELDING, Scott, Hon. Kirkfield Park PC FLETCHER, Steven, Hon. Assiniboia PC FONTAINE, Nahanni St. Johns NDP FRIESEN, Cameron, Hon. Morden-Winkler PC GERRARD, Jon, Hon. River Heights Lib.

GOERTZEN, Kelvin, Hon. Steinbach PC GRAYDON, Clifford Emerson PC GUILLEMARD, Sarah Fort Richmond PC HELWER, Reg Brandon West PC ISLEIFSON, Len Brandon East PC JOHNSON, Derek Interlake PC JOHNSTON, Scott St. James PC KINEW, Wab Fort Rouge NDP KLASSEN, Judy Kewatinook Lib. LAGASSÉ, Bob Dawson Trail PC LAGIMODIERE, Alan Selkirk PC LAMOUREUX, Cindy Burrows Lib. LATHLIN, Amanda The Pas NDP LINDSEY, Tom Flin Flon NDP MALOWAY, Jim Elmwood NDP MARCELINO, Flor Logan NDP MARCELINO, Ted Tyndall Park NDP MARTIN, Shannon Morris PC MAYER, Colleen St. Vital PC MICHALESKI, Brad Dauphin PC MICKLEFIELD, Andrew, Hon.

Rossmere PC MORLEY-LECOMTE, Janice Seine River PC NESBITT, Greg Riding Mountain PC PALLISTER, Brian, Hon. Fort Whyte PC PEDERSEN, Blaine, Hon. Midland PC PIWNIUK, Doyle Arthur-Virden PC REYES, Jon St. Norbert PC SARAN, Mohinder The Maples Ind. SCHULER, Ron, Hon. St. Paul PC SELINGER, Greg St. Boniface NDP SMITH, Andrew Southdale PC SMOOK, Dennis La Verendrye PC SQUIRES, Rochelle, Hon. Riel PC STEFANSON, Heather, Hon. Tuxedo PC SWAN, Andrew Minto NDP TEITSMA, James Radisson PC WHARTON, Jeff Gimli PC WIEBE, Matt Concordia NDP WISHART, Ian, Hon.

Portage la Prairie PC WOWCHUK, Rick Swan River PC YAKIMOSKI, Blair Transcona PC Vacant Point Douglas

1833 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA Tuesday, May 9, 2017 The House met at 1:30 p.m. Madam Speaker: Please be seated. ROUTINE PROCEEDINGS INTRODUCTION OF BILLS Bill 221–The Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls Awareness Day Act Ms. Nahanni Fontaine (St. Johns ): I move, seconded by the member for Minto (Mr. Swan), that Bill 221, The Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls Awareness Day Act, be now read a first time. Motion presented. Ms.

Fontaine: I'm pleased to rise in the House today to introduce for the first reading Bill 221, The Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls Awareness Day Act. Bill 221 builds on the courageous work of Manitoba's MMIWG families over the last 20 years alongside community, officially recognizing October 4th as a day to honour and recognize Manitoba's over 200 missing and murdered indigenous women and girls.

This bill also intrinsically recognizes all of Canada's missing and murde red indigenous women and girls, while continuing the long-standing work of public education on the epidemic levels of violence against indigenous women and girls here in Manitoba, as well as Canada. I am pleased to present this bill to the House for its consideration. Miigwech. Madam Speaker: Is it the pleasure of the House to adopt the motion? [Agreed] COMMITTEE REPORTS Standing Committee on Legislative Affairs Fifth Report Mrs.

Sarah Guillemard (Chairperson): Madam Speaker, I wish to present the Fifth Report of the Standing Committee on Legislative Affairs. Clerk (Ms. Patricia Chaychuk): Your Standing Committee on Legislative Affairs presents the– Some Honourable Members: Dispense. Madam Speaker: Dispense. Your Standing Committee on LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS presents the following as its Fifth Report. Meetings Your Committee met on May 8, 2017 at 6:00 p.m. in Room 254 of the Legislative Building.

Matters under Consideration • Bill (No. 29) – The Health Sector Bargaini ng Unit Review Act/Loi sur la restructuration des unités de négociation dans le secteur de la santé Committee Membership • Mr. B INDLE • Hon. Mr. GOERTZEN • Hon. Mr. GERRARD • Mrs. GUILLEMARD (Chairperson) • Mr. LAGIMODIERE • Mr. MICHALESKI • Ms. MARCELINO (Logan) • Mr. MARCELINO (Tyndall Park) • Hon. Mr. SCHULER • Hon. Ms. SQUIRES • Mr. WIEBE Your Committee elected Mr. BINDLE as the Vice Chairperson.

Public Presentations Your Committee heard the following 28 presentations on Bill (No. 29) – The Health Sector Bargaining Unit Re view Act/Loi sur la restructuration des unités de négociation dans le secteur de la santé: Sandi Mowat, Manitoba Nurses Union Kevin Rebeck, Manitoba Federation of Labour Beatrice Bruske, United Food and Commercial Workers, Local 832 Michelle Gawronsky , Manitoba Government and General Employees Union Lee McLeod, CUPE Manitoba Phil Kraychuk, Private Citizen Paul Moist, Private Citizen Marianne Hladun, Public Service Alliance of Canada

1834 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA May 9, 2017 Michelle McHale, Private Citizen Sonia Taylor, Private Citizen Loreto Gutierrez, Private Citizen Bob Moroz, Manitoba Association of Health Care Professionals Bill Sumerlus, Operating Engineers Local 987 Frederick Jackson, Private Citizen Trevor Yuriy, Private Citizen Ross Owens, Private Citizen Michael Alberg, Private Citizen Sharon Grehan, Private Citizen Nellie Minville , Private Citizen Paul Carr, Private Citizen Mike Kerr, Private Citizen Sudhir Sandhu, Manitoba Building Trades and Allied Hydro Council Jim Want, Private Citizen Carmela Abraham, Private Citizen Geoff Bergen, Private Citizen Brian Hodgert, Health Care Equipment and Facilities Technologists of Manitoba Rock Spencer, Private Citizen Bruce Ulrich, Private Citizen Written Submissions Your Committee received the following five written submissions on Bill (N o. 29) – The Health Sector Bargaining Unit Review Act/Loi sur la restructuration des unités de négociation dans le secteur de la santé: Paul McKie, UNIFOR Curtis Huzarewich, Private Citizen Carlos Wiebe, Private Citizen George Heinrichs, Private Citizen Cory Martens, Private Citizen Bills Considered and Reported • Bill (No. 29) – The Health Sector Bargaining Unit Review Act/Loi sur la restructuration des unités de négociation dans le secteur de la santé Your Committee agreed to report this Bill without amendment.

Mrs. Guillemard: Madam Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable member for Kildonan (Mr. Curry), that the report of the committee be received. Motion agreed to. Standing Committee on Social and Economic Development Fifth Report Mr. Dennis Smook (Chairperson): I wish to present the Fifth Report of the Standing Committee on Social and Economic Development. Clerk: Your Standing Committee on Social– Some Honourable Members: Dispense. Madam Speaker: Dispense. Your Standing Committee on SO CIAL AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT presents the following as its Fifth Report.

Meetings Your Committee met on May 8, 2017 at 6:00 p.m. in Room 255 of the Legislative Building. Matters under Consideration • Bill (No. 28) – The Public Services Sustainability Act/Loi sur la viabilité des services publics Committee Membership • Mr. A LLUM • Hon. Ms. CLARKE • Hon. Mrs. COX • Mr. EWASKO • Hon. Mr. FRIESEN • Hon. Mr. GERRARD • Mr. LINDSEY • Mr. NESBITT • Mr. SMOOK (Chairperson) • Mr. SWAN • Mr. WOWCHUK Your Committee elected Mr. NESBITT as the Vice Chairperson.

Public Presentations Your Committee heard the following twenty -five presentations on Bill (No. 28) – The Public Services Sustainability Act/Loi sur la viabilité des services publics: Dr. Aaron Chiu, Doctors Manitoba Ashley Morello, Private Citizen Alex Forcier, Private Citizen Kaitlyn Braun, Private Citizen Wendy Lundy, Private Citizen Kevin Rebeck, Manitoba Federation of Labour

May 9, 2017 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA 1835 Michelle Gawronsky, MGEU - Manitoba Government and General Employees Union Claudia Colocho, Private Citizen Sandi Mowat, Manitoba Nurses Union Jonathan Alward, Canadian Federation of Independent Business Beatrice Bruske, United Food and Commercial Workers, Local 832 Norm Gould, Manitoba Teachers' Society Paul Moist, Private Citizen Michelle McHale, Private Citizen Martin Trudel, Private Citizen Kim Ferris, Private Citizen Curtis Martel, Private Citizen Janet Morrill, Private Citizen Robert Chernomas, Manitoba Organization of Faculty Associations John Arthur, The Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada Ken Woodley, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 2034 Bob Moroz, Manitoba Association of Health Care Professionals Lee McLeod, CUPE Regional Operations Marianne Hladun, Public Service Alliance of Canada Patrick McDonnell, Private Citizen Written Submissions Your Committee received the following three written submissions on Bill (No. 28) – The Public Services Sustainability Act/Loi sur la viabilité des services publics: Mark Hudson, University of Manitoba Faculty Associations Blake Crothers, Private Citizen Paul McKie , UNIFOR Bills Considered and Reported • Bill (No. 28) – The Public Services Sustainability Act/Loi sur la viabilité des services publics Your Committee agreed to report this Bill, without amendment, on a counted vote of 6 Yeas, 4 Nays.

Mr. Smook: Madam Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable member for Riding Mountain (Mr. Nesbitt), that the report of the committee be received. Motion agreed to. Standing Committee on Public Accounts Third Report Mr. Matt Wiebe (Chairperson): I wish to present the Third Report of the Standing Committee on Public Accounts. Clerk: Your Standing Committee on Public Accounts– Some Honourable Members: Dispense. Madam Speaker: Dispense. Your Standing Committee on Public Accounts presents the following as its Third Report.

Meetings Your Committee met on May 8, 2017 at 10:00 a.m. in Room 255 of the Legislative Building. Matters under Consideration • Auditor General's Report – WRHA's Management of Risks Associated with End- user Devices – dated July 2015 • Auditor General's Report – Follow-Up of Previously Issued Recommendations – dated May 2015 o

Section 2 – Economic Development: Loans and Investments under The Development Corporation Act o

Section 5 – Animikii Ozoson Child and Family Services Agency o

Section 11 – Report on the Rural Municipality of St. Clements o

Section 12 – Citizen Concerns – North Portage Development Corporation o

Section 16 – Office of the Fire Commissioner • Auditor General's Report – Follow-up of Recommendations – dated May 2016 o Animikii Ozoson Child and Family Services Agency o Northern Airports and Marine Operations o Report on the Rural Municipality of St. Clements o Citizen Concerns – North Portage Development Corporation o Office of the Fire Commissioner o Citizen Concerns – Town of Lac du Bonnet – Bulk Water Sales

1836 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA May 9, 2017 o Rural Municipality of Lac du Bonnet o Lake Manitoba Financial Assistance Program: Parts C & D • Auditor General's Report – Follow-up of Recommendations – dated March 2017 o Citizen Concerns – North Portage Development Corporation o Rural Municipality of Lac du Bonnet o Provincial Nominee Program for Business o WRHA's Management of Risks Associated with End-user Devices Committee Membership • Mr. BINDLE • Mr. HELWER (Vice-Chairperson) • Mr. JOHNSTON • Ms. KLASSEN • Mr. LINDSEY • Mr. MALOWAY • Mrs. MAYER • Mr. MICHALESKI • Ms. MORLEY-LECOMTE • Mr.

WIEBE (Chairperson) • Mr. YAKIMOSKI Substitutions received prior to committee proceedings on May 8, 2017: • Mr. LINDSEY for Mr. MARCELINO Officials Speaking on Record Officials speaking on record at t he May 8, 2017 meeting: • Norm Ricard, Auditor General of Manitoba • Hon. Mr.

GOERTZEN, Minister of Health, Seniors and Healthy Living • Karen Herd, Deputy Minister of Health, Seniors and Healthy Living • Perry Poulsen, Chief Information Officer, Manitoba E-Health Agreements: Your Committee agreed to conclude consideration of the following sections of the Auditor General's Report – Follow-Up of Previously Issued Recommendations – dated May 2015: •

Section 2 – Economic Development: Loans and Investments under The Development Corporation Act •

Section 5 – Animikii Ozoson Child and Family Services Agency •

Section 11 – Report on the Rural Municipality of St. Clements •

Section 12 – Citizen Concerns – North Portage Development Corporation •

Section 16 – Office of the Fire Commissioner Your Committee agreed to conclude consideration of the following sections of the Auditor General's Report – Follow-up of Recommendations – dated May 2016: • Animikii Ozoson Child and Family Services Agency • Northern Airports and Marine Operations • Report on the Rural Municipality of St.

Clements • Citizen Concerns – North Portage Development Corporation • Office of the Fire Commissioner • Citizen Concerns – Town of Lac du Bonnet – Bulk Water Sales • Rural Municipality of Lac du Bonnet • Lake Manitoba Financial Assistance Program: Parts C & D Your Committee agreed to conclude consideration of the following sections of the Auditor General's Report – Follow-up of Recommendations – dated March 2017: • Citizen Concerns – North Portage Development Corporation • Rural Municipality of Lac du Bonnet • Provincial Nominee Program for Business • WRHA's Management of Risks Associated with End-user Devices Report Considered and Adopted: Your Committee has considered the following report and has adopted the same as presented: • Auditor General's Report – WRHA's Management of Risks Associated with End- user Devices – dated July 2015

May 9, 2017 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA 1837 Reports Considered but not Passed: Your Committee has considered the following reports but did not pass them: • Auditor General's Report – Follow-Up of Previously Issued Recommendations – dated May 2015 (Section 2 – Economic Development: Loans and Investments under The Development Corporation Act,

Section 5 – Animikii Ozoson Child and Family Services Agency,

Section 11 – Report on the Rural Municipality of St. Clements,

Section 12 – Citizen Concerns – North Portage Development Corporation,

Section 16 – Office of the Fire Commissioner – concluded consideration of) • Auditor General's Report – Follow-Up o f Recommendations – dated May 2016 (Animikii Ozoson Child and Family Services Agency, Northern Airports and Marine Operations, Report on the Rural Municipality of St.

Clements, Citizen Concerns – North Portage Development Corporation, Office of the Fire Commissioner, Citizen Concerns – Town of Lac du Bonnet – Bulk Water Sales, Rural Municipality of Lac du Bonnet, Lake Manitoba Financial Assistance Program: Parts C & D – concluded consideration of) • Auditor General's Report – Follow-up of Recommendations – dated March 2017 (Citizen Concerns – North Portage Development Corporation, Rural Municipality of Lac du Bonnet, Provincial Nominee Program for Business, WRHA's Management of Risks Associated with End- user Devices – concluded consideration of) Mr.

Wiebe: I move, seconded by the honourable member for Brandon West (Mr. Helwer), that the report of the committee be received. Motion agreed to. TABLING OF REPORTS Hon. Cathy Cox (Minister of Sustainable Development): Madam Speaker, I am pleased to table the Manitoba Sustainable Development, Supplementary Information for Legislative Review, 2017-2018 Departmental Expenditure Estimates.

MINISTERIAL STATEMENTS Multiple Sclerosis Awareness Month Madam Speaker: The honoura ble Minister of Health, and I would indicate that the required 90 minutes' notice prior to routine proceedings was provided, in accordance with rule 26(2). Would the honourable minister please proceed with his statement. Hon. Kelvin Goertzen (Minister o f Health , Seniors and Active Living ): Good afternoon, Madam Speaker, it is with pleasure that I rise to recognize May as Multiple Sclerosis, or MS, Awareness Month in Manitoba, and also congratulate the work of the Manitoba Division of the MS Society of Canada.

The MS Society of Canada provides support and services to people who are affected by MS or an allied MS disease. The MS Society provides services to patients, families, friends, caregivers, health professionals, employers, institutions and students. It is particularly important that we mark MS Awareness Month given that Canada has the highest rate of MS in the world. Thirty -five hundred Manitobans and 100,000 Canadians are estimated to be affected by this disease. There have been significant improvements in treatment and medical supports for MS patients over the past decade.

This is in no small part because of the advocacy, support and fundraising efforts of the MS Society. I would like to take a few moments to recognize a few of the representat ives from the Manitoba Division of the MS Society who have joined us here today: Joe Healey, Llona Niemzyck, Ellen Karr, Barb Van -Wallenghem, Darell Hominuk, Ada Jane Okonkwo and Lizelle Mendoza. As the Minister of Health, Seniors and Active Living, I w ant to take this opportunity to thank you sincerely for the work you do as allies, advocates and champions for Manitobans with MS.

And to those Manitobans who are living with MS, I applaud your courage, your determination and your vigour in dealing with y our illness. I know that with a committed partner and an advocate like the MS Society of Canada you are in good hands. Thank you very much, Madam Speaker.

1838 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA May 9, 2017 Mr. Matt Wiebe (Concordia): Madam Speaker, May is Multiple Sclerosis Awareness Month, a month for recognizing the effects of this debilitating disease and for supporting individuals and families who battle it every day. Today, as we all wear our red carnations, we proudly show our support for those living with the disease. They also bring to mind the efforts of the MS Society. Not only does the society work to improve the lives of those affected by MS, but they educate the public, involving all Manitobans in the journey to find a cure.

For that, we can't thank them enough. Canadians have one of the highest rates of MS in the world and Manitoba has some of the highest rates in Canada. Over 3,000 families in Manitoba struggle with the unique plight of MS every day. We still don't know the cause of MS, but we know the consequences all too well. This hor rendous disease can affect vision, hearing, memory, balance and mobility. There are many ways for us–those of us in the Chamber today to take action against MS: we can donate to the MS Society; take

part in fundraising activities, like the Manitoba MS Wa lk which took place last weekend. The money raised goes directly to funding research, new treatments and better detection methods. Thank you to all those who are involved in the fight to end MS. A special thanks goes out to the MS Society's Manitoba division, for their unending efforts to spread awareness in Manitoba and improve the lives of Manitobans living with MS. On behalf of t he society, let's take some time today to reflect on how we can improve the lives of those affected by this disease. Thank you, Madam Speaker. Hon.

Jon Gerrard (River Heights): Madam Speaker, I ask leave to speak to the minister's statement. * (13:40) Madam Speaker: Does the member have leave to speak to the minister's statement? [Agreed] Mr. Gerrard: Madam Speaker, May is Multiple Sclerosis Awareness Month in Canada. MS is currently believed to an –to be an autoimmune disease which typically has an onset between the ages of 20 and 40 years, affecting the most productive years of a person's life.

With Canada having the highest prevalence rate of multiple sclerosis in the world and Manitoba one of the highest rates of any province in Canada, it is a disease which we should be focusing on here, finding better treatment and improved prevention. We have a chance to make a difference for people and families living with multiple sclerosis. Research should be this top priority for Manitoba.

There are alread y indicators that good nutrition, including getting sufficient vitamin D, getting exercise and reducing stress can help, but there's also some fascinating new findings, including by the Nobel Laureate Harald van Hausen [phonetic] which may lead to new preventive opportunities. I ask the government to reverse the cuts it's made to research funding in Manitoba and to be an even better partner with the Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada in funding new research and new preventive efforts here in our province.

I thank the Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada for all that they do and the tremendous work that is done here in Manitoba and across Canada. Thank you, merci, miigwech. MEMBERS' STATEMENTS National Nursing Week Mr. Jon Reyes (St. Norbert ): I ris e today to take this opportunity to proudly acknowledge this week, May 8th to the 14th, 2017, as national nurses week. On a personal note, this recognition is very close to home for me, as my wife, my mother -in-law, my aunt and many other friends and family are proud members of the nursing profession.

This week has been set aside as an opportunity to celebrate and learn about the largest group of health-care providers in the country. Nurses dedicate their compassion and expertise towards improving the health and well-being of the citizens of Manitoba and work collaboratively with all health disciplines to improve the health status of Manitobans. Our Province is committed to strengthen Manitoba's health-care system and its investment in health human resources, including nurses.

We celebrate all those in the nursing profession who provide safe, high quality and timely care in facilities, homes and communities across our great province, not only in urban settings but also in rural, remote and indigenous communities.

May 9, 2017 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA 1839 This year's theme for national nurses w eek is: #YESThisIsNursing. Inspiration for this year’s theme underlines that roles of nurses is evolving as an exponential rate, particularly with the influence of technology and the expansion of digital technologies. This theme speak s to the expanding traditional and non-traditional roles, settings and sectors that nurses work in, as well as the unique opportunities for their profession presented by social media and emerging tech trends.

I encourage all Manitobans to take time this week to thank a nurse that may be caring for you or a loved one and let them know that you appreciate their dedication to their work and level of professionalism. I personally wish to acknowledge my mother - in-law, Lydia Baqui ran, a retired nurse of 39 years, my auntie, Lena Davy, who is still nursing after 51 years, and their friend Thelma Meaney, a retired nurse of 45 years. Thank you, mom, auntie and all the nurses that continue to serve. Thank you to you as well, Madam Speaker, for your past service in the nursing profession. Happy National Nursing Week.

Remembering the Westray Mine Disaster Mr. Tom Lindsey (Flin Flon): Madam Speaker, today marks the 25th annive rsary of the Westray disaster, a tragic mining explosion in Nova Scotia that killed 26 miners, the youngest being just 25 years old. In the months that followed it was revealed that this tragic and preventable accident was caused by a series of reckless oversights on the part of government, management and the company that owned the mine.

Workers didn't have proper safety training, there was inadequate ventilation to keep methane levels at safe levels , unauthorized layout, which forced workers to work in risky tunnels. In the end, the Westray mining disaster and the death of these 26 men taught us important lessons about workplace health and safety regulation. Unions fought hard to have the Criminal Code changed, to hold management, corporations and government liable if they failed to protect the safety of their employees. In 2016, I had the opportunity to visit the Westray memorial honouring those dead workers.

It was with a heavy heart that I stood above the spot where 11 of those workers' bodies remain entombed forever. Their bodies were never recovered. Coming from a mining town, the legacy of the Westray disaster is always at the front of our minds. Today, the steelworkers are at the monument to remember those who died and to recommit to the fight to enforce the law. As this government moves towards– moves ahead with their workplace safety review, I urge them to remember the lessons of Westray. Blindly cutting workplace regulation under the guise of red tape reduction will not help keep Manitoba workers safe.

As legislators, we have an important job of making sure Manitoba workers are protected. We must honour the miners who died at Westray and all workers killed or injured on the job. The best way to honour them is to constantly remember that worker safety is– Madam Speaker: The member's time has expired. Promoting Aboriginal Student Success Mr. Alan Lagimodiere (Selkirk): First Nations, Metis and Inuit youth are one of Manitoba's largest growing demographic.

They represent a valuable population sector with the potential to enhance our communities at the professional, academic, cultural, business and, as evidenced in this C hamber, political level. Unfortunately, Aboriginal youth find it difficult to stay in school, graduate or pursue careers. Seventeen years ago, a program was established in Selkirk to acknowledge and promote the importance of Aboriginal education. Promoti ng Aboriginal Student Success, or PASS, celebrates and recognizes Aboriginal students for their achieve - ments while attending secondary or post -secondary school.

PASS acknowledges and promotes the importance of Aboriginal education. The cultural uniqueness of all three indigenous peoples, First Nations, Metis and Inuit, are reinforced by PASS. Former PASS students are honoured for their success through a local awards night. Gold Medallion awards are given to former PASS graduates for outstanding educational and community accomplishments. Some past recipients have been: Dr. Niigaanwewidam Sinclair, a professor in the department of native studies at the University of Manitoba; Jillian Taylor, a CBC Manitoba news correspondent; Joshua Whitehead, currently pursuing

1840 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA May 9, 2017 his doctorate degree in English at the University of Calgary. Involvement in PASS has encouraged many students to become proud of who they are and become advocates for indigenous peoples. This year, PASS graduation is taking place in Selkirk on May 24th, and at this time it is my pleasure to introduce some individuals who have made PASS the outstanding initiative it is: Steve Richard, Jacqueline Bercier, Taylor Stewart, Kate McDonald, Marlena Muir and Heaven Geller. Madam Speaker: The honourable member for Selkirk. Mr.

Lagimodiere: Madam Speaker, I ask for leave to have the names of other individuals instrumental to the promotion of PASS entered into the record. Madam Speaker: Does the member have leave to include other names in the record? [Agreed] PASS Participants: Taylor Burka-Kent, former PASS valedictorian and PASS Youth Council member, member of Brokenhead Ojibway Nation and Red River College student; Mr.

John Sobkovich, former PASS Gold Medallion recipient, current student at University of Winnipeg pursuing his bachelor of education and recent board member of PASS; Taylor Stewart, current PASS Student Committee member at Lord Selkirk Regional Comprehensive Secondary School; Heaven Geller, current PASS Student Committee member at Lord Selk irk Regional Comprehensive Secondary School; Jakob McDonald, former PASS Bursary award winner and valedictorian, as well as former PASS Youth Council member, current student at University of Manitoba.

PASS Community Board Members: Jacqueline Bercier, chairperson; Melissa Muir, first vice-chairperson; Curtis Cawson, second vice-chairperson; Ashley Monkman, secretary; Cindy Taylor, treasurer; Beth Burrows, board member and teacher facilitator at Lord Selkirk Regional Comprehensive Secondary School; Keiri n Curle, board member; Taylor Galvin, Brokenhead Ojibway Nation student/community liaison; Leslie Loutit, board member; Kate McDonald, board member; Marlena Muir, board member; Kim Pastetnik, board member; Steve Richard, board member; Ranee Sinclair, board member and teacher facilitator at Lord Selkirk Regional Comprehensive Secondary School; John Sobkovich, board member; Melody Tully, board member.

Traditional Graduation Powwow Ms. Judy Klassen (Kewatinook): Grad season is upon us. It is a time to celebr ate the hard work, dedication and achievements of Manitoba students. I would like to take the time to highlight a very special graduation ceremony that took place this past weekend. The University of Manitoba hosted the 28th Annual Traditional Graduation Powwow. The powwow was held to celebrate and honour 430 indigenous graduates. That is the highest number of indigenous graduates ever.

The Aboriginal Business Education Partners, ABEP grads, and the Engineering Access Program, ENGAP grads, will always hold a special place in my heart. Kewatinook is proud of Alex Simard of Hollow Water-Manigotagan, another new proud engineer.

Madam Speaker, that number continues to grow each year as more and more indigenous students are chasing their dreams and graduating from post-secondary institutions. * (13:50) I would like to share with the House the vision statement of Migizii Agamik, the Indigenous Student Centre there: Empowering the next generation of proud indigenous world leaders who are balanced in their traditional, cultural and intellectual knowledge. It is a vision statement that I strongly believe in and support. It is a vision statement that this government should also support by investing in education right across our province.

If given a chance, if given the opportunity, if given the proper educational resources and guidance, we could see that number of indigenous graduates continually surpass that number. Every child in Manitoba should not feel unjustly limited in choosing their future. They should be able to answer and be excited to respond to the question, what do you want to be when you grow up? An aerospace engineer, a business owner, a politician are all attainable dreams. Thank you, Madam Speaker. Lac du Bonnet 100th Anniversary Mr.

Wayne Ewasko (Lac du Bonnet): Madam Speaker, 2017 marks a momentous occasion for a community in my constituency.

May 9, 2017 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA 1841 Lac du Bonnet, Manitoba, was incorporated as a rural municipality in 1917. That's why this year marks the 100th anniversary of the RM of Lac du Bonnet. The fur trade was the area's earliest economic activity and formative to Lac du Bonnet's develop- ment. At the turn of the century, a railway line was constructed to the Lac du Bonnet post, which is now the Town of Lac du Bonnet. Later, the area was developed with hydroelectric power plants, sawmills and a brick plant, as well.

Shortly after, Lac du Bonnet diversified into successful forestry, hydroelectric, agricultural and mining industries. In 1927, Lac du Bonnet was the location of the first airmail flight in Manitoba, an important milestone in Canadian aviation history. Presently, the municipality is a favourite for Manitobans during summer and winter months for cabins, resorts and outdoor recreational activities. But it is not the activities that make Lac du Bonnet special, it's the residents, Madam Speaker. Lac du Bonnet is home to some of the kindest and most genuine people in Manitoba.

I invite all Manitobans to visit Lac du Bonnet this year as we celebrate our 100th -year anniversary. Join us at our Canada Day weekend celebration, one of the largest fireworks displays in Manitoba, on July 1st, and then the parade and midway July 2nd. And don't forget to come to the relaxing waterways and cottage living that we are also very wel l known for. I am proud to be the MLA of such a historically diverse and important constituency in Manitoba.

I ask all honourable members join me in congratulating the RM of Lac du Bonnet and their centennial anniversary as we celebrate their past and anxiously anticipate a positive future, Madam Speaker. Thank you. Madam Speaker: The honourable member for Lac du Bonnet. Mr. Ewasko: I ask for leave for the 2017 reeve, council and administration team members' names of the RM of Lac du Bonnet to be included into Hansard.

Madam Speaker: Does the member have leave to include those names in Hansard? [Agreed] RM of Lac du Bonnet Municipal Council: Reeve Loren Schinkel; Councillor/Deputy Reeve Doug Marks; Councillor Frank Terra; Councillor Cindy Kellendonk; Councillor Rob McLachlan. Administration Team: Tannis Lodge, chief administrative officer; Sandra Broek, assistant administrator/finance officer; Brenda Cade, accounts payable clerk; Elana Sytnick, accounts receivable clerk/website administrator; Michelle Chapman, payroll and benefits administrator; Lana Dykstra, office support clerk.

Introduction of Guests Madam Speaker: Prior to oral questions, there are some guests in the gallery that I would like to introduce to you. We have seated in the public gallery from Morning Glory School 54 grade 7- to-12 students under the direction of Robert Wall, and this group is located in the constituen cy of the honourable Minister of Health, Seniors and Active Living (Mr. Goertzen). On behalf of all members here, we welcome you to the Manitoba Legislature. ORAL QUESTIONS Health and Education Government Record Ms.

Flor Marcelino (Leader of the Offici al Opposition): It's increasingly difficult to keep up with the contradictions the Premier puts forward. He says he will respect front -line services, then he closes three emergency rooms and an urgent -care centre. He says he will stick up for workers, the n he imposes wage freezes and interferes in contract negotiations. He says he will lead by example, then he takes a 20 per cent salary raise. How can workers believe the Premier, what he says? Hon. Brian Pallister (Premier): I thank the member for the question.

Integrity matters, Madam Speaker, and it is best to find us doing what you say you'll do. We asked Manitobans–[interjection] Madam Speaker: Order.

1842 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA May 9, 2017 Mr. Pallister: We asked Manitobans for permission to fix the finance s after a decade of debt, Madam Speaker, and we are prepared to do that. We know that it will not be easy. We know that the undertaking is one that is long overdue, however, and we know that it will be in the best interests of our province to, with diligence and with grace and respect, approach the challenge with a will, and so we will. Madam Speaker: The honourable interim Leader of the Official Opposition, on a supplementary question. Ms.

Marcelino: The Premier says he will release value-for-money reviews of government, then he hides his plans for cuts and privatization. He says he supports democracy, then he makes it harder for people to vote during elections and rewards his friends at the top. He sa ys he supports students, then he jacks up their tuition. How can Manitobans trust a thing the Premier says? Mr. Pallister: Well, again, Madam Speaker, integrity being doing what you say you'll do, we're doing what we said we would do in fixing the finances of the Province of Manitoba. [interjection] Madam Speaker: Order. Mr.

Pallister: We are also reducing barriers to post-secondary education by quintupling the amount of money available for scholarships and bursaries for post-secondary educational pur suits for our young people, and we're setting a proper tone at the top by reducing the size of government in our own offices. I have the updated numbers now from the last year of the previous NDP government, and they actually had payroll of over $8 million, in that year, for political staff, Madam Speaker. Our payroll for the first year of government was $4.3 million. That's a reduction of 84 per cent.

Setting the proper tone at the top, Madam Speaker, demonstrates to everyone else in the organization you're serious about doing things right for their best interests and for the best interests of their children and grandchildren. Madam Speaker: The honourable interim Leader of the Official Opposition, on a final supplementary. Ms. Marcelino: We checked som e of those figures the Premier provided, and they're not really exactly the same figures. Anyway, Madam Speaker– Some Honourable Members: Oh, oh. Ms. Marcelino: Madam Speaker, the– Madam Speaker: Order. Ms.

Marcelino: Madam Speaker, the Premier says he's at a family wedding during a flood; turns out he was in Costa Rica. He says he was only going away for five weeks; turns out he went for many more. He says he communicates while away; then he has no records and won't reveal how he keeps in touch. How can this House believe what the Premier says? Mr. Pallister: Madam Speaker, I don't mind the attacks, even the personal ones, because they show a sense of desperation on the part of the NDP and repeat, in fact, the same technique they used against their own leader, the member for St. Boniface (Mr. Selinger).

So, Madam Speaker, this is what people do when they are frustrated, and they are frustrated, but their frustration concerns me far less than the frustration of the p eople of Manitoba who saw the previous government go to their door, knock, promise them, look them in the eye, promised them they wouldn't raise their taxes and then impose on them the largest tax hikes in Manitoba history.

Madam Speaker, if the member w ants to take exception to the numbers, understand this: these are numbers provided to us by hard- working, non- partisan civil servants in the government of Manitoba, and her desperation should know some bounds. She should not be attacking civil servants in our province. Public Service Bills Request to Withdraw Mr. Tom Lindsey (Flin Flon): Representatives of working people filled two committee rooms last night in this building to voice their concerns about Bill 28 and Bill 29. We heard them say Bill 29 will take away their right to join unions of their choice.

We heard that Bill 28 will take away their right to bargain their wages, a right guaranteed by the Constitution. The one thing we didn't hear was a commitment from the government to actually conside r seriously what people were telling them.

May 9, 2017 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA 1843 Madam Speaker, will the Premier listen to the concerns of workers and commit to withdrawing these unfair and disrespectful pieces of legislation? * (14:00) Hon. Brian Pallister (Premier): What is disrespectful, Madam Speaker, to the people of Manitoba, including hard-working union members in the public service, is to continue with an old system that costs them excessive amounts of money, creates incredible frustration for them within their own organizations and unnecessary extra costs for all of us–all of us.

And so, when you realize that the total number of bargaining units in Saskatchewan, Alberta and British Columbia is a tiny fraction of the total number here in Winnipeg alone at the WRHA level, you realize that it's long overdue that we clean up the system. Now, members of the working groups of our province, whether unionized or not, whether public sector or private, understand that every dollar saved within their organization can go to lower taxes. Why are the members opposite continuing to advocate for an old system and higher taxes for people across the province?

Madam Speaker: The honourable member for Flin Flon, on a supplementary question. Mr. Lindsey: Madam Speaker, at last night's public hearing, the government was told, in no uncertain terms, that B ill 28 is an illegal piece of legislation and a betrayal of the Premier's promise to protect front-line workers and services. Madam Speaker, the Premier has the opportunity today to prove that Bill 28 is more than

an act of revenge on workers, as one per son put it; he can admit that it and Bill 29 are deeply flawed, heavy-handed, an attack on workers. Madam Speaker, I ask the Premier whether he's seen the light yet and will withdraw Bill 28 and Bill 29 for the good of this province. Mr. Pallister: For the good of this province, Madam Speaker, we're going to change things so that everyone in the province has their best interests dealt with, not just some special interests. Madam Speaker: The honourable member for Flin Flon, on a final supplementary. Mr. Lindsey: It's clear the Premier doesn't like to play by the rules.

That's unfortunate from someone who claims to have been such a gifted athlete in his earlier years. He should know the rules are there to protect everyone in the game. But now this Pr emier is trying to change the rules to suit his own purposes. He doesn't care that his actions will hurt thousands of Manitoba workers– Some Honourable Members: Oh, oh. Madam Speaker: Order. Order. Mr. Lindsey: –those workers that supply all the services our families rely on.

Madam Speaker, will the Premier please stop trying to impose potentially illegal, heavy -handed legislation and create turmoil for hard -working people and families and withdraw both of these bills today? Mr. Pallister: It was Bill Clinton, Madam Speaker, who said that the price of doing the same old thing is far higher than the price of change. I know that it's difficult for the members to accept, but things have changed in this province.

I know that they have been used to having a very close, and continue to have a very close, personal relationship with certain of the union bosses in the public sector in our province. I understand that the chair of their leadership committee is, in fact, the head of Manitoba Federation of Labour. And all of that is fine, because in the interests of transparency, we understand that the goals of certain public sector unions are exactly the same, inseparably linked with the goals of the NDP. But that does not mean that the whole province should be governed according to those rules.

Now, the member says changing rules. It was the previous government, Madam Speaker, that introduced a hike to the PST and went to court to make sure that they could change their promise, break their rule– Some Honourable Members: Oh, oh. Madam Speaker: Order. Mr. Pallister: –and impose– Madam Speaker: Order. Mr. Pallister: –taxes that they'd promised, Madam Speaker, they would never impose. So, when the member speaks about respect, he should remember that that respect must include all working Manitobans, all Manitoba seniors, all

1844 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA May 9, 2017 Manitoba families, not just the special friends of the members opposite. MMIWG Legislation Government Position Ms. Nahanni Fontaine (St. Johns ): I'm proud to introduce Bill 221, The Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls Awareness Day Act, setting aside a day to honour and lift up indigenous women and girls who are victims of violence, as well as their families. We fundamentally recognize and practise reconciliation in this province.

The bill also raises awareness on the epidemic levels of abuse and violence indigenous women and girls experience, and invites Manitobans to stand with us in the fight to eradicate said violence. The Pallister 'governent' has said they support the national inquiry, so will they do their part and vote for this bill? Hon. Eileen Clarke (Minister of Indigenous and Municipal Relations): I thank the member opposite in regards to the bill she's presenting.

As a government, we will continue to support murdered and missing indigenous women and girls and–as well as the families, and we underst and the strife that they put up with for many, many years, and we will continue working on their behalf with the inquiry. The Minister of Justice (Mrs. Stefanson) and myself have been in constant contact with the inquiry and are constantly awaiting for f urther information coming from them, and it is very high priority within our departments. Madam Speaker: The honourable member for St. Johns, on a supplementary question. Ms.

Fontaine: This Pallister government repeatedly says one thing but actually does the antithesis. They say they support front -line workers; they say they support post -secondary students; they say they support seniors; they say they want to do their part and end the ongoing national 'tradegy'–[interjection] Madam Speaker: Order. Ms. Fontaine: –that leaves indigenous families and communities devastated, but when presented with the opportunity to take a positive step towards reconciliation, they ignore it. It's time that this government lives up to its word. Will the Premier (Mr.

Pallister) direct his caucus to vote in favour of this bill? Ms. Clarke: Very pleased within my department to work on the path of reconciliation as well as the duty to consult the families that are affected by murdered and missing family members, as well as other issues throughout our indigenous populations. We have been meeting with the chiefs and councils as well as families, and in this particular government we have different 'partments' working together. We are united as a govern ment working on behalf of all 'digenous' families and all issues that they are facing. Madam Speaker: The honourable member for St.

Johns, on a final supplementary. Ms. Fontaine: I'm disappointed to see that the issue of missing and murdered indigenous w omen and girls does not receive the support of this House. I'm disappointed to see that the Premier would choose to pick political–[interjection] Madam Speaker: Order. Ms. Fontaine: –fights over a community -led effort to end violence against indigenous w omen and girls while raising up indigenous families that have worked for years for awareness.

The Premier has repeatedly said that he is an ally of indigenous women and girls, so I'm giving the Premier an opportunity to stand up in this House and prove himself and dedicate to voting for–in favour of this bill. Miigwech. Ms. Clarke: Very disappointed that the member opposite would politicize such a sensitive issue that our families are facing and continue to face. We have to work on prevention, we're v ery well aware of that, and ensure that this stops, and, again, I will emphasize the support that we offer to families.

The groups and organizations within Winnipeg alone, as well as beyond the perimeters of Winnipeg, are numerous, and they work willingly. There are many volunteers and our government is working with them as well as the justice system to ensure that this ends, and it ends –this government will support that.

May 9, 2017 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA 1845 P3 Schools Report Request to Release Mr. Wab Kinew (Fort Rouge): I would like to acknowledge MS Awareness Month and also the anniversary of the Westray disaster. This government is moving ahead with P3 school construction without telling Manitobans what the true costs will be –same government that said they'd release 97 per cent of the K PMG report and then backtracked now says trust us when it comes to P3s. Manitobans deserve to see the numbers on these deals. Will the Premier commit to releasing the P3 schools report to Manitobans? * (14:10) Hon.

Cameron Friesen (Minister of Finance ): Well, I thank the member for the question. In 2016, the Toronto Star published an

article that talked about P3s being the best model for major projects because it imposes discipline on all players and failures in overruns affect everyone; goes on to say that there's a lack of accountability in conventional approaches and that P3 approaches can add value because they enforce deadlines and they enforce penalties. Now, who said that in that article? I notice that

article was written by Robin Sears, an NDP strategist for 20 years. Madam Speaker: The honourable member for Fort Rouge, on a supplementary question. Mr. Kinew: If the Minister of Finance and the Premier are so confident about the value of the P3 deals, then they should commit to releasing the report. It's about accountability. The biggest question mark when it comes to these deals is whether or not the government is being accountable.

Instead of having the independent Auditor General be the one who will evaluate the P3 deals, they're changing the laws so that a hand -picked political appointee, made by the Premier, will decide if these deals make sense. That makes it even more important that we see the report. Can we trust the Premier to release the P3 schools report? Mr. Friesen: So the P3 approach was good enough for an NDP strategist. It's good enough for provincial governments that are even NDP. But when did that previous government become opposed to the P3 approach?

Only when CUPE published in their newsletter a report that said that the y wanted to take action against P3 projects and they hoped to curtail the future use of P3s in Manitoba. Only when their union buddies stood up and said, no more P3s, did that group get on side with the anti-P3 movement. Why is P3 good enough for everyone else but not good enough for that previous government? [interjection] Madam Speaker: Order. The honourable member for Fort Rouge, on a final supplementary. Mr. Kinew: The question is about accountability: Will the Minister of Finance release the repo rt?

Will the Minister of Finance release the P3 schools report? The main argument put forward by the big banks is that the money will be saved when risk is transferred to the private sector. The trouble is that the big banks and governments like this one never give the figures to actually back up those claims. All we're asking for here today is the proof: Can we trust the Premier to release the P3 schools report? [interjection] Madam Speaker: Order. Hon. Brian Pallister (Premier): Well, the previous government's record on nondisclosure was well known, Madam Speaker.

The former Auditor General, Carol Bellringer , issued a report in which she said that untendered and nondisclosed contracts were an epidemic in our province. What we jus t learned now, Madam Speaker, is that although the previous premier was happy to do a photo op at the opening of the Disraeli bridge, which was a 3P project, happy to cut the ribbon on that one, now the new position of the new NDP is against studying 3Ps.

It's saying –it's advocating that every other province, where over a hundred 3P projects have been undertaken, is wrong and the member from Fort Rouge is taking the position that the old way is best. Madam Speaker, we don't think so. We think we should study and look at different innovative options to see if we can find ways to address our infrastructure deficit effectively for today and tomorrow for a stronger Manitoba.

1846 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA May 9, 2017 City of Winnipeg Crime Statistics Mr. Andrew Swan (Minto): Madam Speaker, last Friday the City of Winnipeg chief of police addressed the Winnipeg Police Board. He spoke about the substantial increase in violent crime in Winnipeg after crime had fallen, in his words, for the better part of five years before last year. Indeed, the latest crime statistics provided by the police show that crime across 10 reported categories is up 16 per cent so far this year over just the same time last year.

Does the Minister of Justice believe the chief of police when he tells us that crime in the cit y is way up? Hon. Heather Stefanson (Minister of Justice and Attorney General): I want to thank the member for the question. And, certainly, last Friday I had the opportunity of being with the chief of police, as well as many other police officers, as we recognized all of the incredible work that they do to make our communities safe in Winnipeg and, certainly, we respect the work that they do.

We know that many of the families were there, that they –we know that the families–the sacrifices that those fam ilies make in order to have their loved ones out protecting us in our streets. So we recognize the challenges that are faced by the Winnipeg Police Service; this is nothing new. And the members opposite, certainly the member for Minto, should be fully aw are, because certainly under his watch, we had some of the highest crime rates in Canada. Madam Speaker: The honourable member for Minto, on a supplementary question. Mr.

Swan: Well, Madam Speaker, the minister should look at the City of Winnipeg's CrimeS tat website, because it confirms the chief's report to the police board. It shows that most categories of reported crimes are way up this year over last: shootings, up 81 per cent; commercial robberies, up 55 per cent; non- commercial robberies, up 27 per cent; commercial break and enters, up 54 per cent; and car theft, up 20 per cent. Could the Minister of Justice tell this House why there is nothing–nothing–in this spring's budget to make our neighbourhoods safer? Mrs.

Stefanson: The member opposite should know full well, having been the minister of Justice himself and asked similar questions, that certainly, you know, it's easy to pick out certain statistics. And, as a matter of fact, the statistics that he is referring to have a disclaimer at the botto m that reads: This information does not represent official statistics. The user of the following pages should not rely on the data provided herein for comparison purposes over time, or for any reason. So that's the disclaimer on that website itself, but, Madam Speaker– Some Honourable Members: Oh, oh. Madam Speaker: Order.

Order. Mrs. Stefanson: –we recognize the hard work that our police officers do, day in and day out, to ensure the safety of Manitobans, and we will stand by them to ensure the safety of Manitobans, not just in the city of Winnipeg, but all across this great province of ours. Madam Speaker: The honourable member for Minto, on a final supplementary. Mr. Swan: The chief of police tells us that car thefts and vehicle pursuits are up; he tells us that cars are now being stolen to assist with break -ins and robberies.

The police, MPI, corrections and the community had worked so hard to get this problem under control, and now, under this Minister of Justice, all that work has been erased. The Minister of Justice has done nothing to get ahead of the return of this problem. Why is the M inister of Justice more concerned with protecting big donations from her donors than protecting our neighbourhoods from crime? Mrs.

Stefanson: As I have mentioned before and I will continue to mention to this member, that our government is very concerned about the safety and health of all Manitobans and we will continue to work on a daily basis towards those goals. But I will remind the mender–member for Minto that while he was the minister of Justice, Manitoba had more homicides per capital than any other province. Manitoba's violent crime rate was second worst among provinces and–[interjection] Madam Speaker: Order. Order. Mrs. Stefanson : –Manitoba's incarceration rate increased by more than any other province.

I will take no lessons from members opposite when those were the kinds of 'strats' that were under

May 9, 2017 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA 1847 his watch, and what did he do? Instead of sticking around and ensuring that he protected the safety of Manitobans, he quit. Some Honourable Members: Oh, oh. Madam Speaker: Order. Northern Manitoba Communities Impact of Increased Hydro Rates Ms. Judy Klassen (Kewatinook): Manitoba Hydro is seeking a 7.9 per cent increase in its rates every year for the next five years. In this next year, this hike will force people in northern Manitoba to pay an extra $330. Madam Speaker, our northern residents already pay four times what a home in the south would pay.

They will now have to pay $3,330 for the privilege of hydro. Can the Premier (Mr. Pallister) tell the House how his government plans to help northern residents now pay for hydro? Hon. Ron Schuler (Minister of Crown Servi ces): I'd like to thank the member for that question. In fact, I think all Manitobans are concerned about the NDP bipole -Keeyask levy that's going to take place. * (14:20) In fact, Madam Speaker, if the House would allow me, I'd like to go back and look a little bit at behaviour of the past. In 1974, on April the 1st, hydro waits –rates went up by 20.6 per cent. Who was the government back then?

It was the NDP. We are going to fix the finances of this province, Madam Speaker, and that's exactly what we were elected to do. Some Honourable Members: Oh, oh. Madam Speaker: Order. The honourable member for Kewatinook, on a supplementary question. Subsidy for Health-Care Escorts Ms. Klassen: The government's words do not match its actions. They say they support the North, yet this government removed the subsidy for patient escorts. There are many elders in the North who cannot effectively advocate for themselves, nor can they fully understand doctors.

Our experiences in hospitals are quite different fro m what members opposite receive. We can all recall Brian Sinclair. Many of our elders only speak their language. Oji-Cree spoken. Translation unavailable. Our valuable escorts help with the translations. Why is this Premier taking away what little help our northern residents receive? Hon. Kelvin Goertzen (Minister of Health , Seniors and Active Living): Well, Madam Speaker, as we indicated yesterday to the House, the Northern Patient Transfer Program remains. It remains for those who are referred by a doctor to medically need to be transported by air.

It also remains for their escorts who have to go with. We were disappointed to hear the member from Flin Flon and other New Democratic members say on the weekend that the program was cancelled when it had n't been cancelled. And I would certainly encourage this member to join with us to get the right information out and also to lobby the federal government, who still owes us $30 million for transporting patients, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker: The honourabl e member for Kewatinook, on a final supplementary. Look North Consultations Ms.

Klassen: The total lack of respect or concern from this government for our northern Manitobans is blatantly obvious. There has been no meaningful consultations with our First Nation leaders for Look North. We're still waiting for the round- table pictures to appear on the site as they did for the non-indigenous forums. The Premier says he is fighting for improved indigenous health, yet they cut services to those same vulnerable people.

Will this Premier rise and tell us why the government refuses to respond or consult with almost 17 per cent of Manitoban's population and still blindly goes about creating policies that harm First Nations people? Mr. Goertzen : Well, Madam Speak er, I'm disappointed in the question from the member. We certainly know that those in northern Manitoba, along with all parts of Manitoba, deserve to have quality health care. When we were going to Ottawa and asking for real support from the federal gover nment, we didn't

1848 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA May 9, 2017 hear from the Liberal caucus; they didn't stand up and support with us at that time. But I would say, Madam Speaker, and let me say clearly for this House, that because of the stand that our Premier (Mr. Pallister) took in ensuring that our voices were heard in Manitoba and Ottawa, we did see–we did see–some support in the federal budget for indigenous health care that wouldn't have been there had not been for the Premier, who stood up for those issues. Some Honourable Members: Oh, oh. Madam Speaker: Order. Housing Solutions Trilateral Partnerships Mr.

Reg Helwer (Brandon West): Madam Speaker, access to safe and affordable housing is in more demand as our population ages. In Brandon West, I'm pleased to say that construction is under way on a 63-unit seniors' residence. This will go a long way to meet long -term housing needs for Brandon and Westman. Can the minister of 'housey' –sorry–Minister of Families please explain how this important trilateral partnership is creating more housing options for seniors who wish to live independently in their community? Hon.

Scott Fielding (Minister of Families): It was an absolute delight to be with the members from Brandon West and East apart with the federal government, as well as the city government, in terms of making housing a true priority here in the province of Manitoba. Our governme nt has signed a $90- million agreement with the federal government to create housing solutions.

We've created thousands of different spots for low -income families through the Rent Assist program, and, yes, in Brandon, we've created over $3.1-million new housing for seniors as a part of it, a three-level agreement of all three levels and, more importantly, the community. It's something that was embraced, and I want to thank everyone, including the members from Brandon East and West for being a part of the process. Thank you. Emergency Rooms Reason for Closures Mr.

Mohinder Saran (The Maples): Madam Speaker, it is claimed over and over again that the Seven Oaks ER closure will bring efficiency to the health system and thus help the service seekers. Will the honourable minister explain what type of inefficiency forces him to close the entire ER and how closing it helps people? Hon.

Kelvin Goertzen (Minister of Health , Seniors and Active Living): Well, Madam Speaker, the member will know from the time that he spent in the NDP caucus before he moved on to become an independent member that it was the Peachey report which was commissioned by the former NDP government, by his former leader, the hand- picked consultant who designed the report, who said that, in Winnipeg, we would be better off having three emergency rooms that were working in a way that could move people more quickly.

He would remember from his time in the NDP caucus that people were waiting far too long in emergency rooms, and that had to change . That's why we're changing it. That's why it will improve. Madam Speaker: The honourable member for The Maples, on a supplementary question. Mr. Saran: Will the honourable minister let us know the indicator of efficiency that made him take ER closure decisions, and what is his present indicator to assess and evaluate the efficiency at the three remaining ERs?

Will the minister's indicator sum up zero w ait times to three closed ERs with 18 to 20 or more hours of wait time to existing ERs to show an average fall of wait times to prove this so -called efficiency is achieved? Mr. Goertzen : I had forgotten that the member opposite, of course, was a member of the former Cabinet of the NDP, a just reward for helping the premier survive the internal revolt that happened with the NDP.

But when he was in that Cabinet, Madam Speaker, he may have learned about the Peachey report, which was commissioned by the NDP government, the hand-picked consultant of the NDP, to redesign the health- care system in Winnipeg. He might remember from his time in Cabinet that it was the NDP who came up with that individual to come up with a solution in terms of reducing wait times. He might remember that the previous government had tried many times to reduce wait times. It didn't work. We're going to get right what they had wrong for so many years.

May 9, 2017 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA 1849 Madam Speaker: The honourable member for The Maples, on a final supplementary. Mr. Saran: Won't the minister agree that his decision of ER closure is made without presenting the public with clear and concrete

definitions of what is emergency versus urgent or less emergent, and non-emergency patient care? Will the minister let us know wh ich services are considered emergency services in his recent efficiency report, and are they different from previous services? Mr. Goertzen : Madam Speaker, that is actually a good question. Those

definitions and information related to emergent care or ur gent care exists on the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority website for him and for all the public to see, but there will continue to be information as facilities are repurposed. There'll be information that is sent to the specific community so residents –so they will know where urgent and emergent care should be used.

But that is a good point that there needs to be more education in terms of ensuring that individuals, they're accessing the right care at the right place at the right time, and that is what th e plan is about. [interjection] Madam Speaker: Order. Sale of MTS to Bell Workforce Reduction Mr. Jim Maloway (Elmwood): My question is to the Premier (Mr. Pallister). The Premier endorsed the Bell MTS deal without knowing all the facts.

He promised economic development and jobs for Manitobans, but it turns out that Bell's investments will be no higher than MTS, as we pointed out before, and now 85 good-paying jobs will be lost. I'd like to know: Why did the Premier not put Manitobans and Manitoba jobs first? Hon. Cameron Friesen (Minister of Finance ): Well, Madam Speaker, that member should understand that job numbers in the province of Manitoba are actually up 3,000 year ove r year. We have increasing population here.

Immigration numbers are very good, and this province is expected to lead the nation when it comes to year -over-year GDP growth; that's 2.0 and equal to the federal number, so there's a lot of reasons to be optimistic. * (14:30) Obviously, we're concerned whenever there are job losses in the province, but overall it looks like things are improving. We know we're on the road to recovery. Madam Speaker: The honourable member for Elmwood, on a supplementary question. Mr. Maloway: The Premier certainly didn't answer the question.

Without a fourth competitor, Manitobans will certainly see rising rates, and now 85 good- paying jobs will be lost in Manitoba. What guarantees did this Premier receive from Bell before he sold Manitobans out, or did he even bother to ask? Mr. Friesen: Madam Speaker, MTS Bell is going to represent good value for Manitobans.

We know from our discussions with the company that the investment that they're planning to make in this 'provint' is significant, also that we understand that they'll be able to make it in a more timely manner–an investment that would have been done over 10 years now collapsed and done within the space of th ree years. This is going to mean increased service for Manitoba communities. It's going to mean increased opportunities for business and entrepreneurs. All in all, this is a very excellent investment, an opportunity for Manitobans. Manitobans are onside; why doesn't that member get onside as well?

Madam Speaker: The honourable member for Elmwood, on a final supplementary. Mr. Maloway: The final supplementary to the Premier is that this Premier actually undermined competitiveness by endorsing the sale of M TS. Manitobans are looking at rising costs for everything, including their cellphones, and this Premier is not sticking up for Manitobans. Now, with these 85 jobs–and this is just the first, probably, group that will be lost –good-paying jobs are going to be lost in this province. Is the Premier working for Bay Street or is he working for Manitobans? [interjection] Madam Speaker: Order. Mr.

Friesen: I'm pleased to hear from that member a concern for rising costs. I'm a bit perplexed though. Where was that concern for rising costs in 2012 when his party widened the RST to include

1850 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA May 9, 2017 everything from haircuts to insurance policies? They raised $184 million in one shot, but it wasn't good enough for them. They went back at rising costs when they raised the PST and took in another $288 million dollars a year, and in that context they still went in the wrong direction in terms of deficit reduction. Where was th at member's concern for rising costs all those many years of overspending and underperforming? Some Honourable Members: Oh, oh. Madam Speaker: Order. Post-Secondary Education Sexual Violence Prevention Mr.

Wayne Ewasko (Lac du Bonnet): Madam Speaker, students should be–should feel safe on their respective post-secondary institutions. Unfortunately, it is estimated that between 15 and 20 per cent of female post -secondary students experience sexual assault or attempted sexual assault during their educat ion, and victims know their attacker 90 per cent of the time. That is why protecting victims from these unwanted sexual attacks has been a priority for our government.

Can the Minister responsible for the Status of Women please inform the House about how our government has taken steps towards combatting sexual harassment and violence on our campuses? Hon. Rochelle Squires (Minister responsible for the Status of Women): I thank my colleague for this important question on the steps that our government has taken to protect students who are pursuing post-secondary education in the province of Manitoba. The Sexual Violence Awareness and Prevention Act took effect last week.

This important legislation works to improve education about sexual violence and manda tes that all institutions have appropriate policies and procedures in place to respond when a student reports an incident of sexual violence. This legislation also ensures that schools will consider how to deal with social media as a platform of sexual harassment and violence. We are taking important steps to protect our students on campuses and are sending a message to all survivors that we believe them and that we stand by them. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Madam Speaker: The time for oral questions has expired, and there is a point of order being requested by the member for Assiniboia. Point of Order Hon. Steven Fletcher (Assiniboia): Madam Speaker, the purpose of question period is to discuss issues that fall within the realm of provincial power and influence. The member from Elmwood asked questions dealing with private corporations that have nothing to do with the provincial government and fall within the federal mandate of tele - communications.

So, unless the member's arguing to nationalize telecommunications or provincialize them, I would think that that question may be out of order. Mr. Jim Maloway (Official Opposition House Leader): On this supposed point of order made by the member, I would have to say that this is nothing more than a dispute over the facts. There's no point of order here whatsoever. Madam Speaker: I would indicate that this is not a breach of the rules or practices of the House, so there is no point of order. PETITIONS Taxi Industry Regulation Mr.

Ted Marcelino (Tyndall Park): I wish to present the following petition to the Legislative Assembly. And the background to this petition is as follows: The taxi industry in Winnipeg provides an important service to all Manitobans.

(2) The taxi industry is regulated to ensure there are both the provision of taxi service and a fair and affordable fare increase–I mean structure.

(3) Regulations have been put in place that has made Winnipeg a leader in protecting the safety of taxi drivers through the installation of shields and cameras.

(4) The regulated taxi system also has significant measures in place to protect passengers, including a stringent complaint system.

(5) The provincial government has moved to bring in legislation through Bill 30 that will transfer jurisdiction to the City of Winnipeg in order to bring in so-called ride-sharing services like Uber.

May 9, 2017 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA 1851

(6) There were no consultations with the taxi industry prior to the introduction of this bill.

(7) The introduction of this bill jeopardizes safety, taxi service, and also puts consumers at risk, as well as the livelihood of hundreds of Manitobans, many of whom have invested their life savings into the industry.

(8) The proposed legislation also puts the regulated framework at risk and could lead to issues such as what has been seen in other jurisdictions, including differential pricing, not providing service to some areas of the city, and significant risks in terms of taxi driver and passenger safety. We petition the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba as follows: To urge the provincial government to withdraw its plans to deregulate the taxi industry, including withdrawing Bill 30. Thank you, and this has been signed by many Manitobans.

Madam S peaker: In accordance with our rule 133(6), when petitions are read they are deemed to be received by the House. Mr. Jim Maloway (Elmwood): I wish to present the following petition to the Legislative Assembly. The background of this petition is as follows:

(1) The taxi industry in Winnipeg provides an important service to all Manitobans.

(2) The taxi industry is regulated to ensure that there are both the provision of taxi service and a fair and affordable fare structure.

(3) Regulations have be en put in place that has – have made Winnipeg a leader in protecting the safety of taxi drivers through the installation of shields and cameras. * (14:40)

(4) The regulated taxi system also has significant measures in place to protect passengers, including a stringent complaint system.

(5) The provincial government has moved to bring in legislation through Bill 30 that would transfer jurisdiction to the City of Winnipeg in order to bring in so-called ride-sharing services like Uber.

(6) There were no c onsultations with the taxi industry prior to the introduction of this bill.

(7) The introduction of this bill jeopardizes safety, taxi service and also puts consumers at risk, as well as the livelihoods of hundreds of Manitobans, many of whom have invest ed their life savings into the industry.

(8) The proposed legislation also puts the regulated framework at risk and could lead to issues such as what has been seen in other jurisdictions, including differential pricing, not providing ser vice to some areas of the city and significant risks in terms of taxi driver and passenger safety.

We petition the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba as follows: To urge the provincial government to withdraw its plans to deregulate the taxi industry and–taxi industry and passenger safety –we petition the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba as follows: To urge the provincial government to withdraw its plans to deregulate the taxi industry, including the withdrawal of Bill 30. And this petition is signed by many Manitobans. Mr. Greg Selinger (St. Boniface): I wish to present the following petition to the Legislature.

The background to this petition is as follows: The taxi industry in Winnipeg provides an important service to all Manitobans. The taxi industry is regulated to ensure there are both the provision of taxi service and a fair and affordable fare structure. Regulations have been put in place that will–that has made Winnipeg a leader in protecting the safety of taxi drivers through the installation of shields and cameras. The reg istered taxi system also has significant measures in place to protect passengers, including a stringent complaint system.

The provincial government has moved to bring in legislation through Bill 30 that w ill transfer jurisdiction to the City of Winnipeg in order to bring in so-called ride-sharing services like Uber. There were no consultations with the taxi industry prior to the introduction of this bill. The introduction of this bill jeopardizes safet y, taxi service and also puts consumers at risk, as well as the livelihood of hundreds of Manitobans, many

1852 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA May 9, 2017 of whom have invested their life savings into the industry. The proposed legislation also puts the regulated framework at risk and could lead to such issues as has been seen in other jurisdictions, including differential pricing, not providing to–service to some areas of the city and significant risks in terms of taxi driver and passenger safety. We petition the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba as follows: To urge the provincial government to withdraw its plans to deregulate the taxi industry, including withdrawing Bill 30. Thank you.

Concordia Hospital Emergency Room Mr. Matt Wiebe (Concordia): I wish to present the following petition to the Legislative Assembly, and the background to this petition is as follows:

(1) The provincial government has announced the closures of three emergency rooms and an urgent-care centre in the city of Winnipeg, including closing down three emergency –sorry–including closing down the emergency room at Concordia Hospital.

(2) The closure comes on the heels of the closing of a nearby QuickCare clinic, as well as cancelled plans for ACCESS centres and personal -care homes, such as Park Man or, that would' ve provided important services for families and seniors in the area.

(3) The closures have left families and seniors in northeast Winnipeg without any point of contact with the front-line health -care services and will result in them having to travel 20 minutes or more to St. Boniface Hospital's emergency room for emergency care.

(4) These cuts will place a heavy burden on the many seniors who live in northeast Winnipeg and visit the emergency room frequently, especially for those who are unable to drive or are low income.

(5) The provincial government failed to consult with families and seniors in northeast Winnipeg regarding the closing of their emergency room or to consult with health officials and health -care workers at Concordia to discuss how this closure would impact patient care in advance of the announcement. We petition the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba as follows: To urge the provincial government to reverse the decision to close Concordia Hospital's emergency room so that families and seniors in northeast Winnipeg and the surrounding areas have timely access to quality care.

And this petition is signed by many Manitobans. Taxi Industry Regulation Mr. Tom Lindsey (Flin Flon): I wish to present the following petition to the Legislative Assembly. Background to this petition is as follows:

(1) The taxi indust ry in Winnipeg provides an important service to all Manitobans.

(2) The taxi industry is regulated to ensure there are both the provision of taxi service and a fair and affordable fare structure.

(3) Regulations have been put in place that has made Winnipeg a leader in protecting the safety of taxi drivers through the installation of shields and cameras.

(4) The regulated taxi system also has significant measures in place to protect passengers, including a stringent complaint system.

(5) The provinc ial government has moved to bring in legislation through Bill 30 that will transfer jurisdiction to the City of Winnipeg in order to bring in so-called ride-sharing services like Uber.

(6) There were no consultations with the taxi industry prior to the introduction of this bill.

(7) The introduction of this bill jeopardizes safety, taxi service, and also puts consumers at risk, as well as the livelihood of hundreds of Manitobans, many of whom have invested their life savings in the industry.

(8) The–excuse me–the proposed legislation also puts the regulated framework at risk and could lead to issues such as have been seen in other jurisdictions, including differential pricing, not providing service to some areas of the city, and significant risks in terms of taxi driver and passenger safety. We petition the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba as follows:

May 9, 2017 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA 1853 To urge the provincial government to withdraw its plans to deregulate the taxi industry, including withdrawing Bill 30. And this petition has been signed by so many Manitobans. Minimum Wage–Annual Increase Mr. Rob Altemeyer (Wolseley): I wish to present the following petition. The background to this petition is as follows:

(1) Thousands of Manitobans are reliant on minimum wage jobs.

(2) Raising the minimum wage is one of the most effective means of raising employed Manitobans above the poverty line.

(3) Increasing the minimum wage on a consistent, incremental basis puts more money in the pockets of hard-working Manitobans.

(4) Mandating the increase in regular intervals allows business and families to plan and budget accordingly. We petition the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba as follows: To urge the provincial government to commit to raising the minimum wage o n a consistent , annual basis so that all hard -working Manitobans can provide for their families. This was signed by Elizabeth Mason, Chris Dyw and Christy Szuk and many other Manitobans. Taxi Industry Regulation Ms. Flor Marcelino (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) The taxi industry in Winnipeg provides an important service to all Manitobans.

(2) The taxi industry is regulated to ensure there are both the provision of taxi service and a fair and affordable fare structure.

(3) Regulations have been put in place that has made Winnipeg a leader in protecting the safety of taxi drivers through the installation of shields and cameras.

(4) The regulated taxi system also has significant measures in place to protect passengers, including a stringent complaint system.

(5) The provincial government has moved to bring in legislation through Bill 30 that will transfer jurisdiction to the City of Winnipeg in order to bring in so-called ride-sharing services like Uber.

(6) There were no consultations through the taxi industry prior to the introduction of this bill.

(7) The introduction of this bill j eopardizes safety, taxi service, and also puts consumers at risk, as well as the livelihood of hundreds of Manitobans, many of whom have invested their life savings into the industry.

(8) The proposed legislation also puts the regulated framework at risk and could lead to issues such as what has been seen in other jurisdictions, including differential pricing, not providing service to some areas of the city, and significant risks in terms of taxi driver and passenger safety. We petition the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba as follows: To urge the provincial government to withdraw its plans to deregulate the taxi industry, including withdrawing Bill 30. * (14:50) Signed by many, many Manitobans. Thank you. Madam Speaker: Grievances?

ORDERS OF THE DAY (Continued) GOVERNMENT BUSINESS House Business Hon. Andrew Micklefield (Government House Leader): Pursuant to rule 33(7), I am announcing that the private member's resolution to be considered on the next Tuesday of private members' business will be one put forward by the honourable member for Fort Richmond (Mrs. Guillemard). The title of the resolution is Child Advocacy Organizations.

Madam Speaker: It has been announced by the honourable Government House Leader that the private member's resolution to be considered on the next Tuesday of private members' business will be one put forward by the honourable member for

1854 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA May 9, 2017 Fort Richmond. The title of the res olution is Child Advocacy Organizations. Mr. Micklefield : Madam Speaker, on House business, I would like to announce that the Standing Committee on Legislative Affairs will meet tonight, Tuesday, May 9th, 2017, at 6 p.m. to consider the following: Bill 4, The Provincial Court Amendment Act; Bill 5, The City of Winnipeg Charter Amendment, Planning Amendment and Real Property Amendment Act (Conforming to Construction Standards Through Agreements); and Bill 32, The Statutes Correction and Minor Amendments Act, 2017.

Madam Speaker: It has been announced by the honourable Government House Leader that the Standing Committee on Legislative Affairs will meet tonight, Tuesday, May 9th, 2017, at 6 p.m. to consider the following: Bill 4, The Provincial Court Amendment Act; Bill 5, The City of Winnipeg Charter Amendment, Planning Amendment and Real Property Amendment Act (Conforming to Construction Standards Through Agreements); and Bill 32, The Statutes Correction and Minor Amendments Act, 2017. Mr.

Micklefield : Madam Speaker, on House business, I would like to announce that the Standing Committee on Legislative Affairs will meet on Thursday, May 11th, 2017, at 6 p.m. to consider the following: Bill 19, The Efficiency Manitoba Act; and Bill 20, The Crown Corporations G overnance and Accountability Act. Madam Speaker: It has been announced by the honourable Government House Leader (Mr.

Micklefield) that the Standing Committee on Legislative Affairs will meet on Thursday, May 11th, 2017, at 6 p.m. to consider the following: Bill 19, The Efficiency Manitoba Act; Bill 20, The Crown Corporations Governance and Accountability Act. Mr.

Micklefield : Madam Speaker, on House business, I would like to announce that the Standing Committee on Social and Economic Development will meet on Thursday, May 11th, 2017, at 6 p.m. to consider the following: Bill 21, The Fiscal Responsibility and Taxpayer Protection Act ; and Bill 22, The Regulatory Accountability Act and Amendments to The Statutes and Regulations Act.

Madam Speaker: It has been announced by the honourable Government House Leader that the Standing Committee on Social and Economic Development will meet on Thursday, May 11th, 2017, at 6 p.m. to consider the following: Bill 21, The Fiscal Responsibility and Taxpayer Protection Act; and Bill 22, The Regulatory Accountability Act and Amendments to The Statut es and Regulations Act. * * * Mr.

Micklefield: Madam Speaker, this afternoon I would like to call for concurrence and third reading of the following bills: Bill 6, The Manitoba East Side Road Authority Repeal Act; Bill 10, The Manitoba Institute of Trades and Technology Amendment Act; and Bill 12, The Teachers' Pensions Amendment Act. Madam Speaker: It has been announced that the House will consider, this afternoon, concurrence and third reading of bills 6, 10 and 12. CONCURRENCE AND THIRD READINGS Bill 6–The Manitoba East Side Road Authority Repeal Act Madam Speaker: So, we'll call Bill 6, The Manitoba East Side Road Authority Repeal Act. Hon.

Blaine Pedersen (Minister of Infrastructure): I move, seconded by the Minister of Indigenous and Municipal Relations (Ms. Clarke), that Bill 6, The Manitoba East Side Road Authority Repeal Act, reported from the Standing Committee on Social and Economic Development, be concurred in and be now read for a third time and passed. Motion presented. Mr. Pedersen: It certainly gives me great pleasure to speak to third reading and see the passage of Bill 6, which will repeal The Manitoba East Side Road Authority Act and effectively eliminate the East Side Road Authority, otherwise known as ESRA.

Eliminating ESRA will restore Manitoba Infrastructure as the single source for delivery of highway infrastructure in Manitoba. A single source of delivery of highway infrastructure will do many things: amongst them, eliminate administrative duplication; it will maximize efficiencies in staffing and operating costs; and it will ensure centralized co- ordination of all provincial infrastructure projects. Madam Speaker, eliminating ESRA has been long sought by the communities on the east side of Manitoba.

In fact, yesterday, just yesterday afternoon, I met with one of the band councils –chief and band councils –and when the word ESRA was mentioned, there was great relief from the band and

May 9, 2017 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA 1855 council that they no longer had to deal with ESRA as they had been, as many had. And the minister of Municipal and Indigenous Relations and myself, Minister of Growth, Enterprise and Trade (Mr. Cullen) met with the communities shortly after we announced that we were going to get rid of ESRA. They came–the communities came in the – community councils came in and met with us and told us some rather disturbing stories of how they'd been bullied and disrespected in all ways from the former government through ESRA, through the Ea st Side Road Authority.

And so it was a great relief to them to see and now see the East Side Road Authority finally being done away with once and for all. And the record–the sorry record of ESRA is one of spending some $500 million and only getting 50 miles of road built. And I saw actual instances of this when I was on the winter roads this –back in February of this year. We came across –it's called an Acrow bridge, and it's a bridge that's built across rivers.

And it's –if you can sort of relate back to the Meccano toys of our youth, they put the bridge together and they keep sliding it over the river until they've got a bridge there. They work very effectively, can take heavy loads. But the Acrow bridge that we were on was built by Manitoba Infrastructure prior to the East Side Road Authority, and we were told by our staff that East Side Road Authority had built a similar bridge, the similar size, and it cost twice as much as what Manitoba Infrastructure cost was on this particular bridge. And that's just one example.

I can give you a few more examples of the–just the sheer ineptness, I think, is the best way to describe the East Side Road Authority. The Shoal Lake road, which we are going to get built after 100-and-some years of not happening, it is going to happen. When we came into government and we took over the East Side Road Authority, the price tag on that road at that time was $55 million. When we turned it back to Manitoba Infrastructure and our engineering crew and within Manitoba Infrastructure took a look at the design of the road and the –where the road was going to be placed.

In fact, I was told first-hand from one of our staff that he flew over the proposed site, and it's something like 19 kilometres from the Trans- Canada Highway to the edge of Shoal Lake 40's reserve. Where the East Side Road Authority was planning on building this road was through a marsh, a slough that would cost a great deal of money to build it through that. And instead, MI moved the road around this marsh, and it's just one example of how they've manage to save money. * (15:00) They've gone from $55 million down to a cost of $40 million for this road, and that is taxpayers' money.

That's not only saving the provincial government money, that's also saving the federal government money, it's saving the City of Winnipeg money on that. And on top of that, Manitoba Infrastructure will make sure this road gets built, which is something that the previous government long talked about but had no intention or no ability to ever do. Madam Speaker, right now the Manitoba Infrastructure is working very closely with the communities on the east side, and we're developing a five-year plan for road construction on the east side.

And we hope to have this plan–to be able to present it to the communities within the next few months here. And it will be a long -term plan so that all the communities on the east side know exactly where – what to expect, how to work with us, how to work– we will be working with the federal government. Right now there i s two of the communities where there's a road being proposed, built. Again, this is another example of ESRA's total inability to plan. The proposed road between these two communities was going to cost in the neighbourhood of $40 million.

After MI department staff sat down with the two communities, they've come up with a more direct route, and it kind of reminds me a bit of Bipole III, you know. And, instead of going the direct route, they –ESRA, I think they must have taken their plans from the NDP and Bipol e III because they wanted to build this road in a circular fashion around the cost of $40 million. It looks like we can build this road directly between the two communities for something like $20 million. And this is money that can be –now be spent elsewh ere instead of on one road that was going to cost twice as much as it should have.

So as we develop those plans, I'll certainly be more than willing to share those examples once we have everything in place. But that's what's coming together there. The dep artment–Infrastructure Department – continues to try to unravel and unwind the finances and the equipment that was in–controlled under ESRA. You know, and I know the

1856 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA May 9, 2017 member for Kewatinook (Ms. Klassen), I remember her saying in committee yesterday with her accounting skills –and I'm sure she's seen many people come with their taxes in a shoebox, and if ESRA had at least used a shoebox, maybe we would be able to unravel the finances. But they're spread all over the place in their offices. There is no coher ence to the records at all. We're trying to nail down where exactly the money was spent, but it is a huge task and it's a draining task on–within our department.

And you know, I realize the NDP –and budgeting, and finances, and record-keeping aren't really one of their better skills. And that's being kind to them, too–but, you know, it just –it's just a real signal of how the NDP ran things. ESRA is really the poster child of how the NDP could run anything into the ground. And it's unfortunate because it cam e at a cost. It came at a financial cost to Manitoba. It came at a human cost to the –to all taxpayers in Manitoba, but particularly to the residents of the east side who had to endure those dark days of ESRA and the NDP, and the bullying, and the disrespect.

And again, I go back to the meeting we had yesterday, after meeting with this group–this community previously –and now when they came into my office–yesterday, they actually look forward to the meeting because they knew that they would be treated with respect, unlike how they had been treated before. And we built up those –we built those relationships, but we have to keep continuing to build relationships. It doesn't happen once. You have to continue to work on it.

And I realize that that's something that the NDP would never be capable of doing, but it's something that this government and this team will work on each and every day to build relationships with all Manitobans, no matter where they live in Manitoba. Mr. Doyle Piwniuk, Deputy Speaker, in the Chair So, Madam –or Mr. Deputy Speaker, we certainly look forward to finally putting ESRA away once and for all. I know that there's an Auditor General's report that still –I believe there's two Auditor General's reports that still have to come before the Public Accounts Committee.

We look forward to dealing with those two reports. The staff within my department continues to, as I said, continues to try to unravel the tangled mess that ESRA has left. We've got some very good people that have come back into our department from East Side Road Authority and they're just–it–to them it's like a breath of fresh air again to be back working under MI and within MI, and with a team that works within MI, because we know that no one person can do this job alone. It ta kes the concentrated efforts of everyone.

And we know that that's something that the NDP, again, would never understand, that they have to work with other people and it's not every different direction. And so that's what the department continues to do. Again, Mr. Deputy Speaker, there's– this is a sorry tale in Manitoba's history that this East Side Road Authority was set up. I continue to meet with communities as we look toward to building our channels out of Lake Manitoba into Lake St. Martin and out of Lake St. Martin into Lake Winnipeg. We are working very closely with those communities.

They realize that they don't want anything like ESRA, and we've assured them there will be no East Side Road Authority down on top of them on this project as we continue to work with those communities and community benefit agreements. I've said it before, and I need to remind the NDP again about this community benefit agreements. There was no sense of community. There was no benefits to community, and there certainly was no agreement, because it was all imposed upon those communities. And so, when we look towards building capacity for building our outlet channels, there we've had some really great conversations.

And, again, I want to thank my colleague, the Minister of Indigenous and Municipal Relations (Ms. Clarke) because her department has really worked very hard to actually – on the project that's called Operation Return Home, we will actually have people back in their com - munities shortly. This is something that the NDP had no intention of ever doing, were not capable of doing and this team will make it happen in co -operation with the local communities. And so we look forward to building these relationships.

As I said, it's not something that happens overnight, and it's not something that you can only do once and walk away from. It's something you have to continually work on, and this government will continue to do that. And so, Mr. Deputy Speaker, I just –it's a great day for Manitoba today to finally put the last nail in the coffin of the Manitoba East Side Road Authority. So we lo ok forward to the passage of this bill, and look forward to perhaps even the NDP would

May 9, 2017 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA 1857 support getting rid of this bad legacy of their past government. So, with that, Mr. Deputy Speaker, I thank you, and I encourage everyone to get this bill passed. Mr. Jim Maloway (Elmwood): I guess I'm disappointed in the minister because I was looking forward to his use of his unlimited time here. Unfortunately, he did not take unlimited time he was–he restricted himself to 15 minutes. But, do you know what, Mr. De puty Speaker, what he forgot to address was the history or where the–what the situation is as regards to Freedom Road at the moment.

Notice he never really talked about Freedom Road at all other than to say that they were going to do it. But the question i s going to do it when? You know, what century is that going to happen? He'll be long, long back over on this side of the House I would think before this road gets built. Now, Mr. Deputy Speaker, the east -side road project was about creating good jobs acr oss the province, investing in our core infrastructure and growing our northern and rural economy.

It created thousands of jobs and trained more than 350 people, many of them from isolated First Nations and built– more importantly built capacity within thos e communities. ESRA's mandate was to involve indigenous communities directly and to make substantial investments. * (15:10) We are concerned about this new government's lack of commitment to investing in the North.

I know the minister did reference his f ive-year plan for road construction and went on at some length to talk about how he felt his new plan here was going to somehow complete projects on time and quicker than the ones that we were involved in, but time will tell as to whether he is able to c ome good on any of those promises, because he seems to, I think, misunderstand that building roads in the North is a little different than building them right here in the city of Winnipeg or in the south.

There's a lot more obstacles and obstructions to completing the plan up there and just the terrain is very difficult to work with. And so we'll see –we'll see. I mean, he's talking about this project that he's saying that ESRA would spend $40 million and Manitoba Infrastructure could do it for half the cost at $20 million. I'd like to see the results of that first before we make any judgments about how brilliant he was in his new approach. The communities have committed millions of dollars towards the massive project, which was well under way, about 10 per cent complete.

So that'll be another judge, another method that we can decide how much progress this government makes, because we now know that we have 10 per cent. We'll see in three years –if he's still around in three years–we'll see how much more of the project that he gets done. We'll be able to compare at that point how much he gets done, whether he gets it up to 20 or 30 per cent and whether he gets it into the budget parameters that he seems to think he might be able to do.

And, you know something, it might be interesting that over time we may see this commitment wane and projects not get done, but let's say that –give him the benefit of the doubt, that he actually does fulfill the projects. I would suggest that he's not going to see that much of a reduction in costs compared to the way it was being done under ESRA. Mr.

Deputy Speaker, Manitoba's remote communities deserve reliable all -year access to the rest of Manitoba, and by building them a year -round economic corridor we're helping them add to t he Manitoba labour force and the economy, creating new jobs and opportunities in Manitoba's North. This particular bill is going to leave hundreds of employees wondering where they will find work. Now that the government is forcing public sector wage freeze, working families will find it even harder to make ends meet.

We share the concern of First Nations and northern Manitobans that climate change is shortening the driving season on our winter roads and making them more dangerous. We also need to take advantage of our location at the heart of the continent. Our province has an opportunity to become a trade and transportation hub, and so far, we have the Pallister –the, pardon me, the Conservative government is more interested in halting growth in this province and failing to come clean with where its cuts to infrastructure were going to be.

And, you know, the longer we watch this government in action or lack thereof in this government, it looks more and more and more like the Sterling Lyon government, whe re the government of that day mothballed all the projects– An Honourable Member: Acute, protracted restraint. Mr. Maloway: Yes, acute, protracted restraint, the member for Minto (Mr. Swan) points out, and I remember it well, and that's what they did and t hat's the same pattern here: shut everything down, shut

1858 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA May 9, 2017 down the existing projects. You've got buildings with a hole built for a basement and they just stopped the construction, mothball the projects, and then after four years–and after four years, when th ey find out that they're dropping like a stone in the polls, they come up with–and I don't know whether anyone that was around here in those days could remember this, but it's one –it's got to be one of the classic advertising campaigns of all time. You kn ow, in the middle of the campaign, when they found out that the–[interjection] Mr. Deputy Speaker: Order. Order.

Mr. Maloway: Thank you, Mr. Deputy Chair. And so, in the middle of the campaign, when they found that the bottom had fallen out of their campaign, they came up with these adverts which the message was, Don't Stop Us Now. And it was –got to be a pretty misplaced campaign promise, and people to this day shake their heads when they watch those Don't Stop Us Now campaigns. And, of course, the campaign ended in disaster for them, and Howard Pawley was elected as the premier of Manitoba after that campaign and they seem to have– you know, we say history repeats itself–[interjection] Mr. Deputy Speaker: Order. Order.

Mr. Maloway: –be the same kind of pattern here. You know, closing the ERs, you know, that was some–I don't know what genius over there figured out that –that you could close all the ERs and somehow it wouldn't be a hit to your credibility and your popularity. You know, I just don't know. They– I won't go there, Mr. Deputy Speaker. Obviously, there's some excited folks across the way here and my time is running out on me. Mr. Deputy Speaker, we had announced the next phase of our $3- billion, 1,000- kilometre road.

We had already moved 600 kilometres of road from on top of lakes and rivers to land in order to increase safety and save lives while allowing more trucks to travel over a longer period of time. We signed community benefit agreements. This is a very important point due to the fact that these community benefit agreements allowed for capacity building in these communities with all the local First Nations to ensure they're able to take advantage of the good construction jobs that come from the project–not just have people, you know, s how up from outside from away, do the job and then disappear.

We wanted people to have, you know, infrastructure, and not only infrastructure in these places but actually capacity in terms of construction– ongoing construction jobs. We installed a bridge over Red Sucker River and we had begun installing bridges over Mainland River and Stevenson River. These bridges would keep the winter road system open longer and fed into the all-weather road when it's ready. The east -side First Nations were seeing resul ts. In fact, Chief Roland Hamilton–and I believe I mentioned this before–of Bloodvein First Nation had a good experience with ESRA.

The community won a tendered contract to do work on their own land. Over 60 people were employed in –from this com- munity; 18 were trained as heavy construct –heavy equipment operators; one was trained as an environmental safety officer. Many participated in introduction to construction classes and received CPR and first -aid training. The community gained equipment and knowledge. That is what we were trying to do. That was not probably in the –in what the Conservatives will be seeing as a beneficial effect of this program. First Nations communities were seeing benefits of ESRA.

In fact, Pauingassi First Nation saw 19 local residen ts getting trained, including 11 graduates from introduction to heavy construction, 8 graduates from heavy construction– heavy-equipment operator training. Nineteen residents–12 local residents, 63 per cent, have been provided employment opportunities on the all-season roads.

In terms of –Berens River First Nation saw 72 local residents receive training, including 15 graduates from the introduction to heavy construction, 5 graduates from skilled labour training, 12 graduates from introduction to construction, 21 graduates from first aid, chainsaw safety training, 19 from heavy equipment training. And of these 72 residents, 31 local residents have been provided employment opportunities on the all-season project road. The–in terms of our record when we w ere in government, we weathered two major floods and a global recession.

Our $10- billion infrastructure plan included extending CentrePort Canada Way to increase trade with Saskatchewan and grow our transportation industry. And, you know, the current gov ernment's going to benefit by that. I mean, you're going to see the gradual change here. Another year, this

May 9, 2017 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA 1859 government's going to be running around claiming credit for the whole project, right? Protecting Highway 75 from Winnipeg to the United States bord er to interstate flood -protection standards; rebuilding the intersection of Lagimodiere and Perimeter Highway into a modern interchange with no traffic lights; and building an active transportation corridor so that cyclists can travel to Birds Hill Park without crossing the Perimeter Highway.

I mean, certainly, the intersection at Lagimodiere and Perimeter Highway–that was announced several times, but it was the previous government that actually started moving the earth there and got it done because had we not started doing it at that time, what would be the status of that project right now? It would have been a –just a forgotten project; it would not be done. * (15:20) We are also rebuilding the Trans -Canada Highway from Ontario to Saskatchewan to highe r standards, upgrading the Westman major US trade PTH 10 to help increase trade and tourism to Brandon.

Certainly, Brandon is an area that this government has just totally ignored; you'd hardly think they had any voter support there whatsoever. They're not responding to anything in Brandon. Reconstructing the south Perimeter Highway, including new diamond interchanges to replace traffic lights. Well, that's all been put on hold. That's all been –that'll never be done as long as any Conservatives are over on that side. Upgrading PTH 9 from Winnipeg to Winnipeg Beach; rebuilding Highway 6, Winnipeg's connection to the North; continuing our work on the east -side road network to connect remote communities.

Our infrastructure plan would have created 58,000– [interjection] Well, members wants to talk about the election. I'll tell you, if you were to redo it, if the member would like to have a redo on that election, I think we'd be ready. I would invite– Some Honourable Members: Oh, oh. Mr. Deputy Speaker: Order. Order. Order. Just want to make sure everybody's respectful and when the person is talking–the member's talking. Mr. Maloway: Well, I find them all respectful and I'm really feeling good about this. I really encourage them to get in your car –get in your car, and come on down to Henderson Highway.

Feel free to knock on some doors and see what people want–you know, have to say to you, all right? And don't identify you as –yourselves as one of my friends or a member of the NDP. Make sure you tell them you're Conservative MLAs, and then come back and report back what they have to say to you. So, Mr. Deputy Speaker, our infrastructure plan would have created 58,900 jobs. It boosted the economy by $6.3 billion, a plan the Conservatives don't support and certainly won't implement. Investing in core infrastructure creates good jobs and grows the economy.

The infrastructure mess left by the Filmon government has taken a long time to fix and, you know, I'm going back to Sterling Lyon, right? And Filmon government –but the fact of the matter is these projects just keep putting off, being put off. The–we created the First Peoples Economic Growth Fund to support Manitoba First Nation business proposals that are economically viable. This provides opportunities for new entrepreneurs to create good jobs across Manitoba.

We started a Winnipeg regeneration society –strategy, sorry –to help key indigenous organizations in Winnipeg focus on indigenous capacity building; it helps train the next generation of workers for the good j obs of tomorrow. That's a very key component of our approach, which is not part of theirs. Downtown renewal and inner city resiliency, it ensures downtown Winnipeg grows with economic opportunities for everyone.

And student mentorship and indigenous role model tutorship which uses the Winnipeg Aboriginal Sport Achievement Centre to help keep our young people focused on teams and sports, out of gangs, getting them ready for good jobs in our growing economy. Mr. Deputy Speaker, the 200 megawatt Wuskwatim ge nerating station was the first generating station to be built in Manitoba in nearly two decades.

If you quaff the hydro projects –you know, just except the ones in the Pointe du Bois area–but all modern ones with the exception of the project by the Duff Roblin government, every single project was done by the NDP, you know? And, as soon as there's a break in the government, we go back to the Conservatives, all of a sudden: mothballed, you know?

1860 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA May 9, 2017 And they, you know –they used to talk about the spot market. When we were in government, they were in opposition, and they would be complaining about spot market prices. I don't even think they understand–understood what the spot market was all about. But the fact of the matter is that these –if you were building condomi niums or any kind of –yes, condominium is a good example. Before you can get the financing for the project, you have to presell.

You have to presell units, enough units to make the operation vi able, and still, after doing all of that, your project can still run into trouble. Well, what Manitoba does is actually presells the power before we build these generating stations. And so we have–we are–have Hydro on a firm footing. The spot market is just basically the extra power that would be–when the water's go ing over the dam, it's just going to be wasted. We take that power and we sell it into a spot market.

And better to have 3 cents or 5 cents per kilowatt hour of power and the spot market than to get nothing, because that's what you would have if you simply let the water go over the dam without selling it. That's apples and oranges. They're two different issues. But, in opposition, these guys thought they were very clever in trying to promote the idea that somehow we were building dams based on spot-market returns, right, which, you know, I mean, I don't know why they would get away with that, but for some reason, they managed to for some time. Sometimes you just can't explain why these things happen.

Now, it's the first generating station to be built in North America in partnership with First Nations people, making Hydro a world leader in sus - tainability community economic development. We ensured, Mr. Deputy Speaker, that indigenous communities and people benefit from our Hydro projects. Hydro has increased their Aboriginal employment rates to 18 per cent –18 per cent in the – corporate-wide, and 46 per cent in the North.

And I don't know what those figures would be like back in the Schreyer days or before Schreyer, but I'm making assumptions that it was way, w ay lower than that, you know, and so we are certainly headed in the right direction. The job losses that this bill leads to will be a huge blow to families in the North and rural Manitoba. They will add to northern and rural families' mounting concerns t hat the 'pallis' –the government, pardon me–is cutting off their access to quality health care, clear that they're doing that; freezing their wages; ignoring their economy; and making education less affordable.

The government has made primary health care less accessible. It's cancelled plans for a primary-care clinic in The Pas and a Northern Consultation Clinic in Thompson. It's clawed back a program that incentivized doctors to practise in rural communities. And, you know, and now we're talking about imposed millions of dollars in cuts to the northern regional health authority, and the issue, you know, today and yesterday, the other day, was that the argument about whether the government is clawing back the travel subsidy for family and friends of patients who have to fly to the North to Winnipeg for treatment.

And that seems to be a little bit up in the air, but it's very clear that something's actually happening here, that they are –there are some cutbacks and the funding is not going to be provided in th e way that it was before. And perhaps they're going to change the procedure. So, in the past, you– now it'll be, like, just total life and death before you can qualify as a–get a travel subsidy for a family member to attend with the injured person. Instead of investing in innovative community health-care solutions that increase access to primary care, the Premier's (Mr.

Pallister) ordered deep cuts to services that families and seniors depend on. This government has made education less affordable. They'r e hiking up post -secondary institution rates up 7 per cent. They're clawing back tuition education credits that help students pay off student loan debt, buy a house, pay for training or start a family. I mean, they've only been here a year and already all this stuff is happening.

And those members, like, they saw some good days, you know, in the aftermath of the election they were all excited, they were really excited about being new MLAs, you know, go to Folklorama and have a drink, and wow, this job's really good, right. Now they're starting to see the other side. They're seeing all the pain and suffering they inflicted on us over the last few years. An Honourable Member: No, you did that to yourselves. Mr. Maloway: We did it to ourselves, yes. Well, the member for St. James (Mr. Johnston) said. Yes, we did inflict a lot of the pain and suffering on ourselves over the last few years.

But the fact of the matter is, you have to admit, to the member for St. James, that

May 9, 2017 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA 1861 that's all self -inflicted right now, what you're seeing here, the cuts to the ERs and stuff like that. There's nothing that we have done here. All that pain and suffering is being inflicted by one person over there, and they know who that is. * (15:30) Mr. Deputy Speaker: Order. I just want to remind the member for Elmwood (Mr. Maloway) just to make sure that he directs the conversation to the Chair. Mr. Maloway: Well, thank you, Mr. Deputy Speaker. And I know that rule, and I do follow it a lot, but I do hear –I do hear –so much comments, right?

And it's just natural to want to, you know–like, you know, when you take your dog out for a walk, somebody calls the dog; the dog stops and looks in the direction where the comments are coming from, right? So–but let me get back, Mr. Deputy Speaker, to my question at hand here. And they jeopardized Manitoba's affordability advantage, and we see that right now with hydro rates going up. University tuition must be affordable and accessible to all students and famili es in Manitoba so that we can grow our economy with a skilled workforce of the future. The Premier's (Mr.

Pallister) wage freeze, coupled with 7 per cent hike in tuition, will have a devastating effect on parents and students who are currently paying tuition fees or saving up. It'll be a – it'll hit low-income students and families the hardest. The Premier's wage freeze will discourage university graduates from joining the public sector and could force them to leave the province to find work. This government has launched an attack on workers. They certainly brought in public sector wage freeze, refused to consult with workers and families.

They've imposed bargaining unit reorganization legislation without any consultation from labour. It's like they're delib erately creating chaos, you know, just deliberate. They just throwing stuff altogether in a –but there's a plan. There's a plan, for sure. Even though they might not know what the plan is, somebody over there knows there is a plan and knows what it is. They broke their promise to protect and invest in front-line workers and ignored their responsibility to respect Manitoba workers' rights to negotiate in good faith.

Our NDP team has a vision for the North, smart, strategic investments in infrastructure, h ealth care and education to create good jobs and make the North an even better place to live and raise a family. In fact, it's been pointed out that the members opposite pretty much barely know where the North is. Certainly don't know where it starts anyway. They think, you know, Portage and Main is probably the demarcation line; anything north–[interjection] An Honourable Member: Manitoba Club. Mr. Maloway: Yes, anything north of Portage would be considered the North. We made steady progress growing tourism.

Mineral exploration, hydro development and a thriving industry are contributing to good jobs that Manitobans can say work and raise families in the North. And, you know, that's –the testament to that, Mr. Deputy Speaker, is very clear: the fact that the NDP won election after election. People could see that they were getting good results from the govern - ment. And I don't think people are comfortable with governments that hop all over the place and give out sorts of–lots of conflicting messages, and that's what this government's certainly doing.

We want northern Manitobans to have access to training to get the skills they need to take advantage of those opportunities. And, Mr. Deputy Speaker, investments in roads and bridges and building the economy with good jobs, that's how we're going to make a life better for northern Manitobans. We support keeping the Port of Churchill open. You hear nothing from the Conservatives about the Port of Churchill in terms o

Document details

Collection	Manitoba — Debates (Hansard)
Citation	41-2-48b
Type	hansard
Volume / chapter	41st 2nd hansardpdf 48b.pdf
Language	en
Format	pdf
Source	PROVINCIAL
Identifier	9b0848e16c16b43fa8e5114fb7fb610140dbb034

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