Manitoba Hansard — 6 August 1970 (Sitting 164, 29th Legislature, 2nd Session)

29-2-164

Manitoba — Debates (Hansard)

Legislative Assembly of Manitoba DEBATES and PROCEEDINGS Speaker The Honourable Ben Hanuschak Vol. XVII No. 164 9:30a.m., Thursday, August 6th, 1970. Second Session, 29th Legislature. Printed by R. S. Evans - Queen's Printer for Province of Manitoba

ELECTORAL DIVISION ARTHUR ASSINIBOIA BIRTLE-RUSSELL BRANDON EAST BRANDON WEST BURROWS CHARLESWOOD CHURCHILL CRESCENTWOOD DAUPHIN ELMWOOD EMERSON FUN FLON FORT GARRY FORT ROUGE GIMLI GLADSTONE INKSTER KILDONAN LAC DU BONNET LAKESIDE LA VERENDRYE LOGAN MINNEDOSA MORRIS OSBORNE PEMBINA POINT DOUGLAS PORTAGE LA PRAIRIE RADISSON RHINELAND RIEL RIVER HEIGHTS ROBLIN ROCK LAKE ROSSMERE RUPERTSLAND ST. BONIFACE ST. GEORGE ST. JAMES ST. JOHNS ST.MATIHEWS ST. VITAL STE. ROSE SELKIRK SEVEN OAKS SOURIS-KILLARNEY SPRINGFIELD STURGEON CREEK SWAN RIVER THE PAS THOMPSON TRANSCONA VIRDEN WELLINGTON WINNIPEG CENTRE WOLSELEY NAME J.

Douglas Watt Steve Patrick Harry E. Graham Hon. Leonard S. Evans Edward McGill Hon. Ben Hanuschak Arthur Moug Gordon Wilbert Beard Cy Gonick Hon. Peter Burtniak Russell J. Doern Gabriel Girard Thomas Barrow L R. (Bud) Sherman Mrs. Inez Trueman John C. Gottfried James Robert Ferguson Hon. Sidney Green, O.C. Peter Fox Hon. Sam Uskiw Harry J. Enns Leonard A. Barkman William Jenkin$ Walter Weir Warner H. Jorgenson lan Turnbull George Henderson Donald Malinowski Gordon E. Johnston Harry Shafransky Jacob M. Froese Donald W. Craik Sidney Spivak, Q.C. J. Wally McKenzie Henry J. Einarson Hon. Ed.

Schreyer Jean Allard Laurent L. Desjardins William Uruski Hon. A. H. Mackling, Q.C. Hon. Saul Cherniack, Q.C. Wally Johannson J. A. Hardy Gildas Molgat Hon. Howard Pawley Hon. Saul A. Miller Earl McKellar Hon. Rene E. Toupin Frank Johnston James H. Bilton Ron McBryde Hon. Joseph P. Borowski Hon. Russell Paulley Morris McGregor Hon. Philip Petursson J. R. (Bud) Boyce Leonard H.

Claydon ADDRESS Reston, Manitoba 10 Red Robin Place, Winnipeg 12 Binscarth, Manitoba Legislative Bldg., Winnipeg 1 2228 Princess Ave., Brandon, Man. 11 Aster Ave., Winnipeg 17 29 Willow Ridge Rd., Winnipeg 20 148 Riverside Drive, Thompson, Man. 115 Kingsway, Winnipeg 9 Legislative Bldg., Winnipeg 1 705 - 33 Kennedy St., Winnipeg 1 25 Lomond Blvd., St. Boniface 6 Cranberry Portage, Manitoba 86 Niagara St., Winnipeg 9 179 Oxford St., Winnipeg 9 44- 3rd Ave., Gimli, Man.

Gladstone, Manitoba Legislative Bldg., Winnipeg 1 627 Prince Rupert Ave., Winnipeg 15 Legislative Bldg., Winnipeg 1 Woodlands, Manitoba Box 130, Steinbach, Man. 1287 Alexander Ave., Winnipeg 3 Room 250, Legislative Bldg., Winnipeg 1 Box 185, Morris, Man. 284 Wildwood Park, Winnipeg 19 Manitou, Manitoba 361 Burrows Ave., Winnipeg 4 Room 248, Legislative Bldg., Winnipeg 1 4 Maplehurst Rd., St. Boniface 6 Box 40, Winkler, Manitoba 2 River Lane, Winnipeg 8 1516 Mathers Bay, West, Winnipeg 9 Inglis, Manitoba Glenboro, Manitoba Legislative Bldg., Winnipeg 1 602 - 245 Provencher Ave., St.

Boniface 6 357 Des Meurons St., St. Boniface 6 Box 629, Arborg, Manitoba Legislative Bldg., Winnipeg 1 Legislative Bldg., Winnipeg 1 15 · 500 Burnell St., Winnipeg 10 11 Glenlawn Ave., Winnipeg 8 463 Kingston Crescent, Winnipeg 8 Legislative Bldg., Winnipeg 1 Legislative Bldg., Winnipeg 1 Nesbitt, Manitoba Legislative Bldg., Winnipeg 1 310 Overdale St., Winnipeg 12 Swan River, Manitoba 531 Greenacres Blvd., Winnipeg 12 Legislative Bldg., Winnipeg 1 Legislative Bldg., Winnipeg 1 Kenton, Manitoba Legislative Bldg., Winnipeg 1 777 Winnipeg Ave., Winnipeg 3 116¥.. Sherbrook St., Winnipeg 1

THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA 9:30 o'clock, Thursday, August 6, 1970 Opening Prayer by Mr. ~eaker. 4241' MR. SPEAKER: Presenting Petitions; Reading and Receiving Petitions; Presenting Reports by Standing and Special Committees. REPORTS BY STANDING COMMITTEES MR . .SPEAKER: Adjourned debate on the proposed motion of the Honourable Member for St. Boniface, and the proposed motion of the Honourable Leader of the Official Opposition in amendment thereto. The Honourable House Leader of the Liberal Party. MR. GORDON E. JOHNSTON {Portage la Prairie):. Mr.

Speaker, I will not tr.espass on the time of the House to take too many minutes to makP my remarks, but I feel that there .sho:uld be some restating of a position that has been taken by our party.

I might say before Lbegfn, though, that I still feel that the manner and method in which Bill 56 has been treated, we are now entering the sixth week of the speedup motion when members are working all.Qay and a good part of the evening and late into the night, that I can hardly blame members from time to, time when they .do become emotional or they do become irritated with one another, ·and I· think in the context that we have been trying to work on Bill 56, there have been errors, shall I say, made by members almost on all sides of the House. I can understand the pressure that the Member for St.

Boniface was under when he decided to make known-his views and it is to be hoped that we will be able to reach some sort of a compromise on Bill 56. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to take

part in this very important debate on Bill 56 in response to the address delivered yesterday by the First Minister. In so doing, I would like also to associate myself with the implied suggestion by the First Minister that the time has com_e to at least try and put emotionalism aside and to deal with the bill on the basis of logical argun)ent.

I take that to be a commitment by the First Minister, that the government is prepared to con-. tinue the debate on this basis, and when I say ''continue" I don't mean that we should sit here week after week and fight over it, but have a reasonable debate over some of the new proposals. We, Mr. Speaker, accept this suggestion and we hope that we will all be able to work in this context, and if we do proceed on this basis I am optimistic that Bill 56 can emerge fro~this House as a law which will be acceptable to the vast majority - not a small majority but the vast majority of the people of Manitoba.

And if we do not proceed on this basis it's apparent that the writing is on the wall. Without a greater degree of harmony than has existed to date, it will be impossible for this Legislature to effectively continue its work and the result will have to be an election. In weighing these options, Mr. Speaker, our criteria must be the good of our pJ"OVince and the people we represent, and this should be our guiding principle for the remainder of the discussion on Bill 56, not partisanship or brinksmanship or threats of an election.

Eventhe_ most rabid election mongers amongst the members of the House cannot deny that we do have this duty to the people. But there will be no way we will ever reach a consensus . • • HON. RUSSELL PAULLEY (Minister of Labour)(Transcona): I don't want to interrupt my honourable friend but I just didn't catch what his last sentence was. MR. G.

JOHNSTON: I said that even the most rabid election mongers amongst us must recognize that we have a duty to the people first; and there's no way that there'll ever be any consensus if we both remain inflexible and stubbornly refuse to assess the other's case on the basis of logical and factual argument. Despite the questions which divide us on this bill, I am confident that we all have one thing in common and that is the desire to provide all Manitoba motorists with the best coverage at the lowest rates.

At the outset of this debate, the Liberal caucus had set forth its position quite simply and quite clearly, and I would like to reiterate that position. 1. We endorse the principle of com- pulsory insurance for all motorists. 2. We endorse an increase in minimum liability coverage. 3. We endorse the concept of no-fault coverage in all policies. 4. We recommend that the establishment of our Rate Review Board be set up by government. 5.

We suggested that all these improvements could be accomplished by regulatory legislation but added that we had no objection to the government" itself entering the. auto insurance business provided this was done in competition with existing companies. It is interesting to note that there is no difference of opinion between our position and that of the government 6n the first four points. Where we remain at loggerheads is on the last I i -.-1 'i

4242 August 6, 1970 (MR. G. JOHNSTON cont'd) .•.. point- freedom of choice. Before proceeding further, it should be noted that the First Minister in his address yesterday annotmced several important amendments which would allow existing insurance agents to sell government insurance as well as licence plates. At the same time, improved compen sation has been proposed for those agents whose earnings from auto insurance are a minor part of their business and who would have been wiped out or suffered severely with the start up of a state-operated monopoly plan.

The First Minister suggested that the amendments would provide Manitobans continued freedom of choice with respect to the agent they feel will give them the best service. There can be no denying that this is an improvement over the govern ment's original proposal but it is not real freedom of choice because it would only apply to the agent and not the insurance itself. The important distinction is that freedom of choice in terms of ~surance means competition for the insurance dollar, and competition is the best way tmder the Canadian system to ensure the lowest price. It is interesting to note1Mr.

Speaker, that the First Minister again has repeated the claim of the government that a state-operated monopoly plan would be substantially cheaper than coverage available tmder the competitive system. Once again the government has failed to back up its claim with adequate facts and figures. I say adequate facts and figures -I think members of the Public Utilities Committee have been subjected to facts and figures from which ever point of view that person holds. Instead, once again we are being told by the government to trust- trust the government. Well, Mr.

Speaker, on an important issue like this, as much as we have a certain amotmt of honour and trust among one another, I think we have to go beyond that. We have to be conclusive. We can't leave to the judgment of others who will be appointed by the government to rtm their plan. We have to have more than the unsupported word. If the First Minister is really serious about asking the House to deal with Bill 56 on the basis of logical and factual arguments, then this remains the great unanswered question of the whole debate: bow much can the over-all plan really cost?

And, more importantly, how much will it cost the average motorist in dollars and cents? I suggest, Mr. Speaker, that this is one of the most important questions that the people who are taking an interest in this debate would like answered. I know when I return to my constituency or I speak to people around the city, those who do not have a hard fixed line for or against the idea, the majority in between want this answer. They want this answer. So I suggest, Mr. Speaker, that this is the most important question. The bill itself of course is totally silent on this matter.

The government has from time to time tossed out percentage figures which don't mean a great deal; they don't tell us anything. It will be hard to take the government seriously if it is not prepared at this stage to cooperate in the preparation of the cold facts on this important point. At one point it was suggested that it is impossible at this stage in 1970 to prepare facts and figures on the premiums which would be charged under a plan which would become operational in mid-1971. Now, Mr. Speaker, that may or may not be.

The Premier yesterday has indicated a greater amount of lead time than has been indicated before. But one thing that is possible is to make these calculations based on the 1970 figures which can be compared with existing rates in the province. While we're speaking about rates, Mr. Speaker, during the course of the debate I com pared a car that I own, with the insurance that is available in Manitoba with the insurance that is available in Saskatchewan. I called the Estevan S.G.I.O. Office and described the car and asked for the government plan price.

And a 1965 Plymouth with a driver of 25 years of age or over and three years accident-free, the minimum Saskatchewan Plan was $63.00. The same plan with the Portage Mutual, outside of Greater Winnipeg in Portage la Prairie, was $53.00. The same coverage in the City of Winnipeg was $66.00. So, rightly or wrongly, mem bers on this side have been making comparisons with the Saskatchewan Plan that may not have been fair, I don't know, but we have not had the privilege of examining the government commit - tee on their findings although we have their report. The Member for St.

Boniface, who has acted as the Chairman of the Public Utilities Committee in the public hearings, clearly e>tated to the House the other day that his overriding concern was the pros and cons of Bill 56, that they had not been studied properly and that there has not been a proper dialogue between the government and the industry on this legislation. The honourable member went on to state that it would be wise to establish a joint committee of government, industry, agents and the public to come up with good recommendations. And I endorse that suggestion, Mr. Speaker, but I would go further.

I make the suggestion that a

August 6, 197(} ·~-c (MR. G. JOHNSTON cont'd.) ..... committee, whether it's the Public Utilities Commit-' tee enlarged or another one, should not only be established to review the bill in. the form: in which it has been now presented to us -because there have been some major changes -but that the committee would also be specifically instructed to make an in depth and factual study of the actual costs which would be involved in such a plan and the premiums which Manitoba · motorists would be expected to bear. Now, Mr.

Speaker, when the Premier yesterday made his speech on this matter, he ranged far and wide and made some comparisons. Some of the comparisons he made I don't buy them because they don't apply to the situation that we face in Manitoba in 1970 •. He's com-· pared Saskatchewan, the Saskatchewan plan versus what we .have here. He spoke of the Puerto Rican plan, the plan in New South Wales. Mr. Speaker, I know somewhat about the Saskatchewan plan and it certainly has its good points. It has its weaknesses also. I know nothing about the New South Wales plan and all I know about the Puerto Rican plan i& a small

article in the newspaper about two months ago, and when the Premier made that comparison I didn't think it was a very fair one. The situation that existed in Puerto Rico was similar to the situation that existed in Saskatchewan in 1946, if this

article was accurate. And I CNote in part: "The director Frank P • . . said that only 25 perce11t of the Island drivers previously were covered by private insurance and only 15 percent of all traffic victims received compen.. sation for their injuries." Well, if there is comparison there it's very far apart with the situation that we face in Manitoba today. We are probably unique in all of Canada in that we have three Manitoba-based firms, Canadian firms, operating across the nation and we .have nearly 97 percent of the drivers of Manitoba insured.

So what I'm trying to say is that before the vote is called on Bill 56 in its present form, we should seriously examine ways to keep an industry that ls in· this province. I don't accept the fact or the words that have been uttered in this House and outside, calling people who have been associated with this industry some pretty terrible names. The automobile has only been with us for 50 or 60 years and it's for sure that a hodgepodge situation has grown up in the insurance industry relating to automobiles, .and it's a known tact that there have to be changes made.

I'm not given to handing out any more compliments, I suppose, politically than I have to; but I think the fo.rmer government was right when they said, "Let us wait for the Wootton Insurance Report and then let us formulate some action." The intervening events stopped that and we don't know what the former government would have pro, posed, but I'm suggesting to the First Minister that while he's come quite a distance on being reasonable and fair with relation to Bill 56 from the former position which was hard fixed and inflexible, I'm suggesting to him that perhaps this can be resolved and we can stUl keep the industry - the honourable part of the industry I'm talking about; I'm not standing here defending certain companies of which I have a very poor opinion, who have no regard for people, only for the balance sheet - but there are companies in this province who have been founded by people and who are working for the people, and I don't like to see this part of the industry destroyed.

So, Mr. Speaker, while I support the Leader of the Opposition's amendment where he asks for the bill to go back to the Public Utilities Committee so we can examine the members of the Pawley Commission and the Superintendent of Insurance - as a matter of fact 1 moved that motion myself in the latter stages of the committee and for my pains I was informed by the Minister of Mines and Resources that I was resorting to obstructing and delaying tactics, but · I sincerely believe it should be done. So, Mr.

Speaker, I would like to move the following sub amendment: That the proposed motion be amended by deleting all of the words after the word "instructed" in line 3 thereof and that the following be substituted: To thoroughly study and report back to the House on the proposed government automobile insurance plan, including the amendments proposed by the First Minister on August 5, 1970, and to make an analysis of the premiums which Manitoba motorists would have to pay for coverage. MR. SPEAKER presented the motion. (Seconded by the Honourable Member for Ste. Rose.) MR. SPEAKER: Are you ready for the question?

The Honourable Member for River Heights. MR. SIDNEY SPIVAK, Q.C. (River Heights): Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the Honourable Member for Lakeside, that the debate be adjourned. MR. SPEAKER presented the motion. HON. SIDNEY GREEN, Q. C. (Minister of Mines and Natural Resources)(Inkster): Mr. Speaker, I just want to indicate to the honourable member that the government may, at the

4244 Autrost 6, .1,70 ()IR. G~EEN cont'd) .•••.• next sitting, which is this afternoon, desire that he proceed. I make that just so that you're prepared. MR. SPEAKER put tbe question and after a voice vote declared the motion carried. MR. SPEAKER: Notices of Motion; Introduction of Bills. The Honourable Leader of the Official Opposition. INTRODUCTION OF BILLS MR. WALTER WEIR (Leader of the Opposition)(Minnedosa) introduced Bill No. 151,

An Act to amend The Highway Traffic Act and The Insurance Act. MR. SPEAKER: Orders of the Day. MR. GREEN: Mr. Speaker, I believe the First Minister-- (Interjection)-- I'm sorry, Mr • Speaker. I thought that there was nothing important coming and that you had called on me . I'll sit down if that's not the case. MR. SPEAKER: Orders oft~ Day. The Honourable Leader of the Official Opposition. MATTER OF GRIEVANCE MR. WEIR: Well Mr.

Speaker, before the Orders of the Day, I had really waited, Sir, because I bad contemplated action by you, Sir, as a result of what I consider to be a breach of the rules of this House and the privilege of the members, the privilege of the members of the House, and I just want to reiterate - and I'm not going to go into a lengthy ordeal - had I not believed that it was likely that the Chair would raise the point I would have given notice to the Member for Thompson of what it had been my intention to do, but I had suspected that the breach was so severe that the matter would have been brought for the House to decide without my initiative • That not being the case, Sir, I take the initiative, because yesterday, after an event that none of us enjoyed, following statements by the First Minister of what the members of this House could expect from all members of his. government in terms of statements that they would make and I took it to be either in this Chamber or outside the Chamber, notwithstanding the fact that ..• MR.

GREEN: Mr. Speaker, on a point of order. I hesitate to interrupt the honourable member but I would like to know whether we are dealing with a matter which bas already been dealt with? MR. WEIR: No, Mr. Speaker, we are not. MR. GREEN: Well, I just want to have that understood. MR. WEIR: Well, Mr. Speaker, we are not; we're dealing with a matter that happened following ·the matter that was dealt with by the House yesterday, which, in my opinion, Mr.

Speaker, makes it even a more serious contempt than the matter that we dealt with yesterday because it was following the ruling of this House, the unanimous ruling that was made by this House in terms of what could have been expected for that member, and that he proceeded to go into the hall and to make statements, public statements relating to members of the House, but more important, Sir, more important, about the House itself.

I have indicated this morning that I don't intend to mention the fact that there were words said again about myself and my colleague, the Member for Lakeside, because in my view there was a more serious contempt of this Legislature than that, and I refer to the fact - and Mr.

Speaker, unless I'm asked to I don't propose to use the adjective: ''I believe a (and the descriptive word) horse thief is a horse thief whether it's inside the House or outside the House; I have a right to say it, and if the House forbids me to tell the truth, then I don't want to sit in the (descriptive adjective) House." It is a direct reference, Mr. Speaker, to the fact that it is not possible to tell the truth within this House. That, Mr.

Speaker, .is a reflection on every member of this House, on what the House stands for, and the whcile manner of the operation of the legislative process in the Province of Manitoba. It is something, Mr. Speaker, that in my view is a great deal more serious than the demonstration that we had in the Legislative Assem bly yesterday. It is a statement that in my view this House must let the people of Manitoba know will not be tolerated, that this Chamber is a Chamber in which the truth is told, and if it isn't, it is the responsibility of each and every one of us to challenge that fact. Mr.

Speaker, I don't want to go on any longer. It's more difficult to do this than any thing I've had to do in this House so far, but what the Member for Thompson bas done outside the House, despite the admonitions of the House, and despite the assurances of the Premier

AugUst 6,1970 · 4246' (MR. WEIR cont'd) •.••. that his conduct in the House was not acceptable to him, thaftt has been an affront to and a contempt of all of the members of the House and the Legislature, Therefore, Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the Member for Riel, that the Honourable Mem ber from Thompson be suspended from the service of this Hotise for the balance of the current session. MR. GREEN: Mr. Speaker, before the motion is accepted I would ask the Speaker whether he would consider the propriety of the motion.

My understanding is that when a ques tion of privilege is raised regarding a member's statement, a member is then entitled to retract the statements, withdraw them or otherwise deal with then, that if this is not then satisfactory then a motion can be made, which was done yesterday; the exact same procedure was followed yesterday and I believe that our rules are even more specific, and I was in the invidious position of being required, as the House Leader, to make the motion.

Now the Leader of the Opposition is making a motion on a question which I submit is a question that first has to be dealt with by the honourable member himself, if it is a question of privilege, so the House can then decide whether they will accept the honourable member's conduct, accept his withdrawal or otherwise, and I would refer Your Honour to citation Beauchesne 134(1) which is not directly in point but which is analogous and which indicates that where there is a breach of parliamentary privilege that there is, and always has been, an opportunity for the member to deal with it, so that then the members of the House deal not only with the question of privilege, but deal with the manner in which the member has reacted, and Mr.

Speaker, the whole of Beauchesne. following those sections, 134, 135, 136 and 137 all indicate that the House will not, or should not, on a remark that may be made without explanation and without an oppor tunity for a member to reconsider his position, be subjected to this type of motion.

I further refer to our own rules, which of course supersede Beauchesne in terms of the proceedings of. this House, and I would strongly urge Your Honour to not accept the motion but to consider its advisability and even consider giving honourable members a further opportunity to make repT~~ sentations to you as to the acceptability of the motion. Mr.

Speaker, I know that generally precedents tend to conform with common sense, and common sense has always dictated that where things are done there is a way of providilig a remedy before a remedy is forced, ·and the honourable member has precluded a remedy 'by making a motion, which I submit is not in accordance with the procedures and practices of the· House, and I would ask Your Honour to consider that. MR. WEIR: Mr. Speaker, may I say that I was taken somewhat by surprise and I hadn't intended to do so, Sir, but because of the matter -- you know, Mr.

Speaker; that! talked to you in your Chambers, advised you of my concern, and was advised by you, Sir, that the matter would be brought up as a breach of privilege of the House to which I would have the opportunity to expand on, arid I had my motion ready only if the House Leader failed to take · action as a result of a breach of privilege that was going to be presented by the Speaker, and the Speaker, without advising me, Sir, without advising me, having told me as late as a quarter to six last night that it would be his intention to do so before the Orders of the Day today, I was forced because if I let the opportunity go by before the Orders of the Day today,. if I let it go by before the Orders of the Day today then I would have lost the opportunity because this is the first opportunity I have had to put it before the House.

Now, Sir, if I haven't searched it out properly - and the rules that we used yesterday don't apply today because the rules we used yesterday are those that apply when it's a matter within the House. Now if there's a better way of dealing with it, Mr. Speaker, I have no objec tion.

I've brought it up and I think I've made the point in terms of having it considered by the House, which is all I ask, and I think it's so serious that the House should deal with it; I would be prepared to withdraw the motion because I agree that what would have happened had it been brought about in the other fashion which I had contemplated, would have been for the person that the Speaker has claimed the breach of the House on, would have been allowed to make his statement, would withdraw from the House. the discussion would take place in his absence and a decision would be made.

I did go that far but I must say, ·Mr. Speaker, that I prepared myself in the light of the matter being presented by somebody else, and the tools that I had at my disposal were related to that and it was the only way that I felt that I could get the matter before the House . Now if there's some disposition that the matter is now before the House, I have no hesi tation at withdrawing the motion on the basis that, following consideration, I, or pre-ferably -

L 4246. August 6,. 1976 (MR. WEIR cont'd.) . because I was hoping I wouldn't have to make the motion- I was hoping if the Speaker had considered it a breach that. the House Leader, notwithstanding the fact that he's not forced to by Rule 14(1) because it took place outside the House, I was hoping that he would take the initiative rather than me, but I do feel so strongly about it that I feel that it's a matter that the House must deal with. So if that's acceptable, Mr.

Speaker, I would ask leave to withdraw the motion on the basis that I've already ecplained the matter of privilege that I have before the House and let the matter take its course in your hands from there, Sir. MR. GREEN: Mr . Speaker, I take it that the Honourable Leader of the Opposition is withdrawing the motion with an understanding that he thought that you, Sir, would be dealing with this question. The question is now before the House, and that being the case, I wonder whether the Honourable Minister could deal with the question himself. HON. JOSEPH P. BOROWSKI (Minister of Transportation)(Thompson): Mr.

Speaker, I think that I should . . . • HON. ED. SCHREYER (Premier)(Rossmere): I believe there is a technical requirement here. The withdrawal of the motion requires agreement; I take it it will be forthcoming but it.hasn't been requested. MR. WEm: Mr. Speaker, I asked it be .•• leave. MR. SPEAKER: Leave granted. MR. GREEN: Mr.

Speaker, there is one point of deference that I must make to yourself because the Leader of the Opposition has raised it, and the Leader of the Opposition has indicated that he dealt with this matter with yourself yesterday and that you have not dealt with it, and there may be some misunderstanding as to why you yourself had not dealt with it. I have to advise the Leader of the Opposition that the Speaker did speak to me about this this morning and he indicated that the matter would have to be dealt with. I assumed that he would also, in his Chair, ask that it be dealt with but that assumption was wrong.

I think that he was expecting me to deal with it, so therefore I wish to absolve --the Speaker, of course, doesn't need my absolution but to explain that his not dealing with it, his not dealing with it was no doubt based on his understanding that I was going to. My not dealing with it was based on the understanding that the matter was going to arise in the normal course. Therefore, I wish it made quite clear that the Speaker was not avoiding any responsibility or avoiding any commit ment to the Leader of the Opposition by not taking the question up.

He did speak to me about it and I rather see that he now assumed that I would deal with it. MR. WEm: Mr. Speaker, I accept, on the point of order, I accept the Minister's state ment and I hope I can be forgiven because I didn't know anything about the communication that went on between the two honourable gentlemen. I found myself with the opportunity disappear ing before it being looked after at all and I figured it is so serious it has to be dealt with. MR. GREEN: Mr.

Speaker, I wonder whether it wouldn't be better if the Honourable the Minister of Transportation was now given an opportunity to deal with this matter and there fore have it behind us. MR. SPEAKER: The Honourable Minister of Transportation. MR. BOROWSKI: Mr. Speaker, may I say a few words before I come to the point that's raised by the Leader of the Opposition. He claims that this is a serious matter and I have to agree with him that it certainly is a serious matter when charges are made, and I recollect, Mr.

Speaker, when I entered this House a little over a year ago I was given a set of rules to follow in this House, andat that time I said I didn't know that I had to go to a finishing school to come into this House to speak. I've learned a little since that time but apparently I still haven't learned all the rules, but one of the things, one of the rules we live by and one that I find difficult to accept is that you cannot tell the truth in this House. The fact of the matter is, Mr.

Speaker, that we have been told you can't use words such as "phony" and "fraud" and I could catch any member of the Opposition stealing candy in a store, I can't say it in this House. Those are the rules, and I don't see why --The Leader of the Opposition says that this House prohibits the telling the truth because the rules are -and I think everybody will agree -the rules are that you cannot call somebody a liar even though you can prove it in a court of law. We all know that -- (Interjection) -- MR. SPIVAK: Prove it in a court of law. MR. WEm: On a point of order, I must interject. A point of privilege rather.

It is possible to tell the truth, and if the Minister, if he has any desire to take any action against a member of this House, it can be done by way of substantive motion. It is the same way, Sir,

August 6, 1970 42~~ .. (MR. WEIR cont'd) ••.•• that we have of criticizing your conduct. There is: only one way in which it can be done. There is a set of rules. It is possible to tell the truth in the terms;· that there are, but one has to take the trouble to read the rule book if he wants to make state~ ments about other members in the House. MR. SPIVAK: He also has to be able to support it. MR. SCHREYER: If it's a point of order that tbe Honourable Leader of the Opposition has risen on, then_ I would like to make some further comment on that same point.of order.

I believe that what is causing the difficulty both for the Minister of Transportation and, I might add, for the Honourable th~ Leader of the Opposition, is that there_ is a circumstance in which it is not possible for a member to get up to express what he believes to be the truth, and that is when a matter becomes a matter under the administration of justice before the courts, or sub judice. The Honourable Leader of the Opposition I am sure will agree that in such a circumstance it is improper under the rules to make any comment ·here, including an expression of opinion which one believes to be true.

Even if one believed that to be-. true, he is precluded from saying so simply because it is a matter that is sub judice, and I believe this is the point that is causing difficulty for both honourable gentlemen. MR. WEffi: Mr. Speaker, on the point of order, it may be the problem for my honourable friend the Minister of Transportation but it's not my problem,. because in terms of that·rule, that isn't the rule that just applies to this Legislature, it applies to the news media and others in terms of public statements.

It's not a law strictly related to this Legislature; it's a general law within the Province of Manitoba, and it's related to the administration of justice and-it's to be in a position to assure fairness, because that's what our law is based on, that we're inno~ cent until we're proven guilty, but I didn't expect to get into that debate and I was carefully leaving that matter out because I felt that we dealt with it yesterday.

I was attempting to avoid that matter and to bring in the only part of the charge which I believe was more serious~ which was related to the statement that was made that left a very, very bad impression, I'm satisfied, in the minds of the people of Manitoba. MR. BOROWSKI: Mr. Speaker, I'm prepared to listen to the verdict of the people_ of Manitoba rather than to the Leader of the Opposition. I'm sure they will make that decision in due course and I will accept it, as. he will, as he did last June 25th. I've breached~~ I am told, Mr. Speaker, that I have no right to reflect on a House.

I said that if I can't tell the truth ~ I believe the statement he's concerned with ~ "if I can't tell the truth in this House I won't sit in the next House," and this apparently is unparliamentary, regardless ofw.hat my feelings are and regardless of whether what I said was true or not, and if this is a breach of the rules to refer to this House in a certain manner, certainly, Mr. Speaker, I'm prepared to withdraw that statement. MR. HARRY ENNS (Lakeside): Mr. Speaker, before you accept that withdrawal . . . MR.

WEffi: On the point of order, I think the situation now would be to follow the course that was set by the House Leader, would be, having made his statement, the Minister of Trans portation would withdraw for the balance of the debate on the question of privilege. Is that not •.. ? MR. GREEN: Mr. Speaker, my under standing is that if a statement, having been made, is accepted - and this has happened before - then we proceed. If it is not accepted, the Speaker must then name the member. I don't think that the Speaker has done that and there fore I have na course of action to take. MR. ENNS: Mr.

Speaker, on a point of order or point of privilege, I don't know which, but the retraction that we've just heard wrung out of the HOJ\Ourable the Minister of Transpor tation hardly suffices, to say the least, because unless that retraction goes far beyond this Chamber, which I doubt very much whether it will, and retracts to the newspapers and the media and the headlines of yesterday, --(Interjection) - No, it will not, because in the very manner and way in which it was wrung out this morning: if he is being forced by somebody - by who? .his-front bench?- not to tell the truth in this Chamber, he'll play the rules.

Well now, Mr. Speaker, I don't want to belabour this point; in fact I want to forget about the Minis ter of Transportation for a minute because it is the front bench that I'm talking to, and it. is the First Minister that I'm talking to, and I want to make this very clear: we're starting a cam paign here, it's going to be a dirty campaign, but, let's get this ... and see what's going on. MR. SPEAKER: Order. Order please. l believe that the honourable member is well aware that he is going far beyond whatever opportunity there may be for comment !lt this time.

4248 MR. ENNS: Mr. Speaker, I'm sure that I'll come right on course because I want to ask the Attorney--General what am I being charged with, when am I being brought into court, and what are the specific charges. And if the Attorney--General can tell me today, or at least within six hours, what I and the Leader of the Opposition are being charged with • . . MR. SPEAKER: Order. I believe the House just heard the honourable minister indicate a moment ago that he has retracted the statement that he had made. MR. ENNS: No, Mr. Speaker, he has not to my satisfaction retracted his statement that he has made.

He has not retracted the statement that we will be guilty until a court proves us innocent. Now if ever there has been a turnabout about an understanding of the judiciary system and our parliamentary system in our country and in our province, and it was amply reported by all, that the Leader of the Opposition will be innocent, he will apologize to the Leader of the Opposition when a court finds him innocent. Then I think the least we can expect is to know what we are being charged with, and Mr.

Speaker, I'm not very happy about the level of the debate that this has come down to, but let me understand, they know precisely what they are doing. This has not been just a simple matter for the Minister of Transportation to dream up in his • • . The First Minister and the Cabinet made this decision. MR. SCHREYER: Mr. Speaker, on a point of privilege. MR. ENNS: That they understand what's going on here. MR. SPEAKER: The First Minister. MR. SCHREYER: I'm shocked, Mr. Speaker-- (Interjections)-- Yes, I am. (Interjections) -- MR. SPEAKER: Order. Silence in the gallery would be appreciated. MR. SCHREYER: Mr.

Speaker, if! understood the Member for Lakeside correctly, and he was suggesting that the statement made yesterday morning by the Minister of Transportation was something that was made known to me prior to his making it here, then I really am shocked because that is certainly not the case. It came completely unbeknownst to me and it came about as a result of an answer to the Member for Portage la Prairie. It derived from that and was completely unbeknownst to me, and therefore it is most unfair of the Honourable Member for Lakeside to suggest that I somehow had some previous knowledge of it. MR. ENNS: Mr.

Speaker, I'm not going to argue with the First Minister. I'm just going to indicate to the First Minister a few facts that are well beknownst to all of us, that that specific report - whatever it is and contains, and I don't know - was and is and has been sitting in front of the Minister of Transportation for the last four or five months. MR. BOROWSKI: That's a lie. MR. ENNS: The Member for Portage la Prairie has asked since Day One of this long session, once every three or four weeks, will there be . • . HON. AL MACKLING, Q.C. (Attorney--General)(St. James): Mr. Speaker, on a point of privilege.

I'm responsible for the assembling of information in respect to alleged violations and I can assure the House that there have been questions put in the House in connection with this matter and I an8wered questions as recently as about ten days ago as to why this report was not available, and I answered in detail the fact that there was a large number of cases •• HON. SAUL CHERNIACK, Q.C. (Minister of Finance)(St. John's): May I interrupt on a point of order? Are you not now permitting a debate to go on, on a matter which was dealt with and disposed of yesterday morning by very serious action of this House?

Now the Honour able Member for Lakeside is bringing up a matter that was dealt with and disposed of yesterday, and on a pOint of order I suggest that he has no right to continue to speak along this vein. I do suggest that we have now had a statement from the Minister of Transportation indicating that he is not in agreement with certain of the rules but withdrawing all he said that was not in accordance • Now, Mr.

Speaker, there are certain rules that all of us have referred to as being rules that we would like to review, reassess and change or we don't particularly like, but the fact is that the Minister of Transportation said that in spite of the fact that there are some rules that he doesn't care for or agree with, he withdrew his statement in accordance with the rules, and I suggest that this matter is now disposed of. MR. WEm: Mr.

Speaker, on the same point of order, may I say that while I chose not to use it as a matter of privilege, may I say that the matter that was disposed of yesterday was re-opened again by the Minister in the hall in the same manner as the point of privilege that I raised, and it constitutes equally as great a point of privilege -as a matter of fact, greater-

August 6, 19'10 4249c• (MR. WEm cont'd.) • greater than it was yesterday because he went out and repeated the things· in the hall for public consumption, and I have a copy of the record. So, Mr. Speaker, may I say that the assumption that was made by the Minister of Finance is not acceptable to me because it was indicated that it was a rule of this House that stopped him from telling the trUth' and it's not a rule of this House; it's common law; it's common law; and it's not a rule of the House and I won't leave the impression that it's a rule of the House, a special rule of the House.

It's common law, and until there is an unequivocal withdrawal of that statement by the Minister of Transportation, I won't be satisfied. MR. MAC KUNG: Mr. Speaker, I would like to complete . . . MR. SPEAKER: I believe that I did hear a withdrawal by the Honourable Minister of Transportation and surely honourable members will accept the Honourable Minister's retraction of the statement and let us proceed with the business of the House. MR. WEm: Mr. Speaker, I do not accept the retraction unless and until it is-made without condition. MR. CHERNIACK: There was no condition. MR. GREEN: Mr.

Speaker, first of all, may I say that the Honourable the Attorney General was speaking to a point of order, a point of privilege, which I believe that he should have the right to complete. MR. MACKUNG: Mr. Speaker, I rose on a point of privilege because there was an accusation by the Honourable Member for Lakeside that apparently a report that had been questioned in this House by honourable members had been in the possession of the Attorney-.

General's Department or the Minister of Transportation for some months, and I had answere~ in this House questions as to why there was a delay in the compilation of this report, ail.d it's a matter of record that it's an embarrassing matter for me, as Attorney-Gener.al, that this investigation was not completed earlier.

It commenced in the fall of 1969 and it's been long. delayed, and it's been a matter of embarrassment 1.10t only to the Attorney-General but to~ Minister of Transportation because employees of his department were suspect, and it's·been a matter that he's had to live with and I apologize --1 indicated to the House that;th1;l Investi gation Branch that was looking after this matter had far too much work and too few mel) to look after it, and it's a matter of record, and that report was received by me, if I'm correct, at the beginning of this week.

The Crown Attorney has laid charges, as I understand it, in respect to some persons who were named in that report. Further aspects of the investigation are continuing. The Minister of Transportation has been the subject of questioning in this House; I've been the subject of questioning; there is considerable interest in it. The Minister of Transportation does not appreciate and understand -he's not a lawyer - the niceties of J)Ot talking about certain details of the case, and when he talks about not being able to tell certain things in this House, I feel that that's part of his difficulty. But Mr.

Speaker, let me assure, let me assure the honourable member that there has been no suppression of any report - (Interjection) -- Pardon me? The Minister of Transportation received the report, I think, two days ago- last Thursday. -- (Interjection) -- All right. Last Thursday night. I left it with the Crown Attorney to give the Minister a copy of the report as soon as it was available. I haven't checked the exact date. MR. SPIVAK: Mr. Speaker, onaquestionofprivilege, onapointofprivilege, Mr. Speaker. MR. SPEAKER: The Honourable Member for River Heights. MR. SPIVAK: Mr.

Speaker, the Attorney-General appeared on television with the Minister of Transportation on Friday of last week and this case was discussed, and Mr. Speaker, if it's necessary for the House to view that television tape and to have an indication that the Minister of Transportation in the presence of the Attorney-General made the same statements that were made in the House yesterday and were made outside of the House -- so any suggestion, any suggestion here, Mr. Speaker, that this is something that jUst developed, you know, this week, I say is incorrect and I suggest • • . MR. SPEAKER: Order. Order please.

I believe the honourable member is raising another issue foreign to the matter being discussed now. The Honourable House Leader. MR. SPIVAK: No, that's the whole point. Mr. Speaker, let me continue on this question of privilege. MR. SPEAKER: The Honourable House Leader. MR. GREEN: Mr. Speaker, you ruled quite correct that the-- you ruled that it's raising a new matter and I don't think there's argument about that ruling. I want to go back to the

4250. August 6, 197(} (MR. GREEN cont'd) ·. Leader of the Opposition, his point, and the manner in which the House says that it's dealt with. The point has been raised; an explanation has been given. My understanding is that if the explanation is not accepted it has to be the Speaker who names the member. If the Speaker names the member, then it has to be dealt with in the way it was dealt with yesterday. But the fact that my honourable friend doesn't accept the explanation or the retraction is not a point at issue. That is for the Speaker, to decide and Mr.

Speaker has decided that the retraction is acceptable unless --and I would suggest, Mr. Speaker, that we now move ••• MR. ENNS: Mr. Speaker on a point of order, my original point of order with the First Minister is being lost here. MR. SPEAKER: Order. The Honourable House Leader. MR. GREEN: Mr. Speaker, I think that you have indicated that you want the explanation accepted, which is an indication to me that you are not going to name the honourable member. That being the case, I submit that the matter is closed and we should proceed to the next order of business. MR. WEIR: Mr.

Speaker, on the point of order that was raised by the House Leader. MR. SPEAKER: The Honourable Member for St. Boniface. MR. WEIR: Mr. Speaker, on the point of order raised by the House Leader. He raised the point of order; you accepted it before the House, Mr. Speaker. MR. SPEAKER: The Honourable Leader of the Official Opposition. MR. WEIR: On the point of order, the condition that he's talking about relates, Mr. Speaker, to when it is a breach of privilege within the House and under Rule 14 - and under Rule 14.

My reading of the rules, and it would take me some time to find it, would be that a breach of privilege of the House would have to be satisfactory to the House and the House can establish its own remedy, and the substantive motion without notice would be in order by any member of this Legislature whether it's myself or any other member of the House. MR. PAULLEY: I suggest my honourable friend look at Beauchesne. MR. SPEAKER: The Honourable Member for St. Boniface. MR. LAURENT L. DESJARDINS (St. Boniface): Mr. Speaker, I'd like to speak on a point of personal privilege as a member of this House . . • MR. ENNS: Mr.

Speaker, before that's allowed . • . MR. DESJARDINS: I allowed the First Minister to interrupt my personal point of privilege or grievance, whatever it was. MR. ENNS: That's correct. That's correct. Now my --I'm quite prepared to have the Member for St. Boniface speak on whatever he wishes to speak and it's up to you, Sir, to let him speak, but I just must point out that the First Minister • . • MR. SPEAKER: The Member for Lakeside has the floor. MR. ENNS: Thank you.

I think it has to be indicated on the record that it was the First Minister who interrupted me with what he thought was reasonable grounds that I had just finished suggesting to the front bench that the front bench were well aware of what the Minister of Transportation was about, that there was -- (Interjection) -- MR. SCHREYER: Mr. Speaker, .•• MR. ENNS: Well we'll go through the exercise again but I insist on having my right to get up and speak again. MR. SCHREYER: Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of privilege.

The Member for Lake side may call it an interruption but I am putting it, Sir, as a point of privilege on my part, because the Member for Lakeside is again intimating that the Minister of Transportation's statement yesterday came as something that was known to me in advance, and he should really know that that wasn't the case.

In fact it came, the statement came in response to a question that was asked that same morning, yesterday morning, by the Honourable the Member for Portage la Prairie, and it was the answer given by the Minister of Transportation from which derived the question of privilege of the House, and it came unbeknownst· to me. The honourable member, I'm sure, will want to accept my word for it. MR. ENNS: Well Mr.

Speaker, when the First Minister makes a direct appeal to me it's always --it isn't difficult for me to accept it, so I'll modify to say that "some" of the members, because very obviously --(Interjections) --and there's the Attorney-General getting up and standing beside him. MR. GREEN: On a point of privilege ...

August 6, 1970 4261. MR. ENNS: He's not eh? --(Interjections).-- He didn't; he didn't knowanything.bou~ . ? MR. SPEAKER: The Honourable House Leader. MR. GREEN: Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of privilege and I say, Mr. Speaker, that what we have jUst witnessed undoes or makes small by comparison anything that has happened not only in the last day or the last week, but in all of the four years that I have sat in this Legislature.

So let not -- you know, I indicated to the Meiilber for River Heights, and I indicated in what I thought was a very solemn way even though it apparently comes.from a frantic fanatic, but what I said was that the expressions that were being used and the method of dealing with what the government proposals were, the use of the word "theft",. the attack that was made on the Attorney-General, that it was bound to explode and that people of le.sser temperament were going to start inflating the debate to a degree that members on. the opposite side would regret. Now Mr.

Speaker, that has been climaxed by the statement that has just been made by the Member for Lakeside, and Mr.

Speaker, on a point of personal privilege, I can tell you that what I had to do yesterday was the most difficult thing that I've had to do ~ince I've sat in this Legislature, that I certainly could never have made the remarks that were,. made by the Minister of Transportation, nor could I have been collusive with anybody making such remarks because they go against everything that I believe, and I told.the Minister this, whether the Member for Lakeside will accept it or not, and the Minister is a very good friend of mine, . and I told him that saying what he said, to me was to cut the ground from out of everythmg that I believe.

And for the Member to now say that I colluded- and that's what he said- that I colluded in the making of those remarks, is -and I repeat -it supersedes and makes.small by comparison anything that has been said by any member of this House • MR. ENNS: Mr. Speaker, the righteousness does come to the surface on the IllOSt unique occasions. -- (Interjection) -- Let me retract, let me retract •.. MR. GREEN: Mr. Speaker, on a point of privilege, I would want the honourable member to retract those remarks. MR. ENNS: Yes,Mr. Speaker, I'll retract those remarks.

I'll retract all of those remarks, and simply indicate to you that since last Fall it's been common knowledge, since last Fall it's been common knowledge . . • MR. CHERNIACK: Mr. Speaker, on a point of privilege, I would like clarification from the honourable member as to whether he's retracting the remarks insofar as the Premier and the House Leader or insofar as he took some or more of the members of the front bench. MR. ENNS: Well, Mr. Speaker, it's on the waiting list somewhere along the line.· There was a time, of course, Mr.

Speaker, that when you talked about the government and referred to any member of the Treasury Bench, you were in fact talking about the government. That has gone, of course, and I recognize that this is a new order. So I'll withdraw the· remark. I find it difficult to withdraw the remark with respect to the Attorney-General who, after all, was beside the Minister of Transportation publicly on the C.B.C. TV program when the Minister of Transportation . . . MR. MACKLING: What did I say? MR. ENNS: The fact that you were not aware MR. MACKLING: .•. speak the truth. MR. ENNS: Well listen- you haven't been listening.

MR. MACKLING: • . . no innuendo . • . MR. ENNS: You haven't been listening to what has been said. I have indicated to you that the subject matter not necessarily and I take this - certainly this is part of the retrac tion - not necessarily the roughness of the speech, the uncouthness of the speech, the slander ousness of the speech, but certainly the subject matter, the subject matter was known to the members of the government. MR. SCHREYER: Mr. Speaker, ... MR. ENNS: And now I'm speaking about the subject matter that • MR.

SCHREYER: That is precisely that point that I rise on a --precisely that point, that last statement by the Member for Lakeside that I believe constitutes a point of privilege again, because the Member for Lakeside is suggesting that the subject matter of the investiga tion was known to certain members of the Treasury Bench and the House. That certainly may well be, but the point is that he suggested earlier this morning that the report had been in the possession, the actual report of investigation had been~ the hands of members of the Crown for considerable time, and on that there can be no mistake, Mr. Speaker.

The report was not

4252 August ey 19'10 (MR. SCHREYER cont'd.) ••.•• received, according to the advice that I've been given, was not received until late last week, either Thursday or Friday, one of those two days, and the Member for Lakeside should accept that to be the fact. MR. ENNS: Mr. Speaker, I have no difficulty, no difficulty in accepting that as being the fact and withdrawing those remarks and that area that proved to be offensive to the mem bers of the government. I believe, and I really can't understand, Mr.

Speaker, why there's been such a deliberate effort on the part of the government, particularly the front raw, why this great show of sensitivity with what I believe has been describing a situation that. has been COlDlllon knowledge to all of us in this House since last Fall. Simply, not dealing with the reports, not dealing with anything else, if I made statements specific to the reports, time of their entry, I withdraw, I retract. But Mr. Speaker, • • • MR. GREEN: The Honourable Member misunderstands. MR. ENNS: Please. MR. GREEN: Well on a point of privilege, Mr.

Speaker, he suggested that the First Minister -that was his first suggestion, which was outrageous -and then he suggested that if it's not the First Minister, other members of the Cabinet colluded with the Minister of Trans portation in the statements that he was making yesterday. MR. ENNS: Mr. Speaker, there's something drastically getting out of • • . I can be accused of being guilty until a court finds me innocent, and today all really what I'm trying to do is make no charges -make no charges, but describe circumstances as I see them, and I'll do them within parliamentary language. Mr.

Speaker, you really have to go back a little bit in this little particular bit of viciousness that we've seen yesterday morning, and we have to remember, we have to remember that the First Minister referred to in the previous adminis tration was that Minister that had to evict the Honourable Minister of Transportation. MR. SPEAKER: Order. Order. Order, please.

I'm sure that the honourable member would agree that anything which has transpired in the early portion of yesterday morning's sitting-- because it has already been dealt with by the House, and I would.appreciate if the honourable member would not make any reference to anything which may have transpired during that time. MR. ENNS: Well Mr. Speaker, that seems to be our recurring difficulty. I accept your ruling and I'm not dealing with anything that occurred within the House.

I'm dealing with the subject matter that occurred right after your ruling, right after the admonition by the First Minister, and which received and is receiving this .morning, to which I'm getting • . . MR. GREEN: Mr .. Speaker, on a point of order. On what motion, on what question, on what proceeding, is the honourable member naw rising? What is . • • ? MR. ENNS: On a point of personal privilege. MR. GREEN: Well Mr. Speaker, there is no point of personal privilege. That was dealt with yesterday. A member of the House, a Minister of the Crown was suspended, which is the utmost punishment tl).at • . . MR.

ENNS: And I was asked to resign too. MR. GREEN: Mr. Speaker, but these things have happened. Now the House is supposed to have a form of proceeding, and I submit that the member is not proceeding within any of the avenues of which he is permitted to proceed in this House, and that matter should therefore be closed. MR. WEm: Mr. Speaker, to bring the matter to a head, which I think would be de sir able at this point, I would like to move, feeling a clear-cut retraction, unconditional retraction by the Minister --I'm prepared to sit down and see if there's an unconditional one coming. Mr.

Speaker, in my view there wasn't one.-- (Interjections)-- Well, Mr. Speaker, I'm going to bring it to a head and I'm not going to argue with the Minister of Finance. I'm going to sit down momentarily to see if the Member for Thompson wants to clear my mind; following that I propose to take action which the Speaker can rule in order or rule out of order as he sees fit, and he can take it under advisement if he sees fit. I think that this is maybe the best procedure to stop a battle at this stage of the game. MR. P A TILLEY: Mr. Spet!:r, I wonder if I may speak on a point of privilege. MR.

SPEAKER: . . . the Honourable Minister has a point of privilege, I believe that the Honourable Member for St. Boniface has been desperately attempting to rise on a point of privilege for the last half hour. MR. DESJARDINS: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.· I'd like to say that I'm also

Augilst 6, 1970 4253 (MR. ·DESJARDINS cont 'd) . rising on a question of privilege - privilege of a 'lm!Dibe'r J of this House, because I think that today that our very legislative system and democracy is in · ' 1 danger. I do not agree at all with the words, the accusation made by the Member for Lakeside, but I'm very glad he made them becauSe I was trying to find a way myself to impress on all the members of this House how easy it is to start something. I could stand up here today and say, all right, there's an election; I've got something on a member of the Cabinet and one of these days I'll tell you.

And what would happen? Never mind the point of privilege; I waited long enough. I hope I'll have a chance to talk. This is a privilege -my privilege. And I say that this is-- it's obvious the way it was done by the Member for Lakeside.

Like l say, I tha!lk him for doing so because l hope it will impress on us, and especially on the Minister of Transporta- tion, how difficult, how impossible it would be to have any kind of order at all if we didn't have some rules, and I'm one that finds it very hard to obey the rules and I remember that 1 was nearly named not too long ago for saying that somebody lied and I understand what. the Minister said. I understand that it's difficult when you're trying to say this Minister is not saying the truth. I understand that.

But today I say that our system is in danger because while some of us are trying to cooperate to prevent an election, it is obvious that others are trying to precipitate an election, and if we go to the people in this kind of atmosphere, if we go to the people right now - Mr. Speaker, I'm not convinced that these people are innocent. There was an accusation made· and it stays on a human being; it stays with me.

I always respected these people and right now I'm not too sure, and I don't think that's right and I think that the big responsibility here, I hope that we will maybe back up a bit and not -- if we let this thing to, if we go to the people and this is what everybody is playing now, getting set for the election. And if we go to the people in this kind of spirit we're going to destroy our very parliamentary system.

And I think the responsibility is on the First Minister and I don't believe that he knew anything about that, ·and I think that the First Minister for the good of the parliamentary system, for the good of democracy and for the privilege of all the members of this House and all Manitobans, has to very clearly indicate to the people of Manitoba that they will not, come what may, there won't be an election until this thing is settled. It's too late to just apologize noW. It's too late. It's too late. There's something-- listen to some of the radio stations and so on.

There's some thing in the heart and there's hate in the people of Manitoba now. They are choosing --' they are trying to look to see if there's something wrong. I'm not defending anybody but I will not · defend also the action of somebody that says repeatedly, well I'm ignorant, I only have grade '2 or grade 5. You have to have a little common sense, a little love of your neighbour. You don't make accusations like that. You don't make accusations like that; you do just the respectable way. This is what I think is coming up today, this is what we have to deal on.

I hope that we could quit and I hope that the First Minister will in no uncertain terms show the people of Manitoba that if he wants an election he's going to call an election. He's not going to be forced into an election and it's going to be an election that's not going to try to smear people of Manitoba, people who have worked for 11 or 10 years. If they are guilty the court will find them guilty, and we as lawmakers ofthis country, of this province, should at least obey these laws. If they are no good, well dammit throw them out, but let's not say we can't tell the truth.

Let's not play to the gallery and let's not just say all we need here is that I'll apologize when the damage is done . If I could translate what Voltaire said in French, mentez, mentez ••• quelque chose, in other words, lie, lie, there's always be something missing. I'm ashamed of being a member of this House. I'm aShamed of being a member of this House and I hope like hell that we are not going to go to the public in this phoney, trumped-up thing of somebody running on an accusation for them. Sure, let's get everybody against the establishment, it's popular. But what establishment?

The establishment is not always wrong. If the establishment is wrong, why does the First Minister stand up and say the words that he said to the Queen when she came in. We are fighting for these rights. I hope like heck we don't go in· an election on this issue, because then it's a sad day indeed for Manitoba. MR. SPEAKER: The Honourable Minister of Labour. MR. PAULLEY: It is very difficult for me, who has had the privilege so long, to find that after all of these years we find a situation like this in this Legislature.

I can understand people of presumably goodwill getting upset over statements made in this House and outside of

4254 (MR. PAULLEY cont'd) ••••. it. When I was first elected in 1953 I accepted an obligation to my province. When the electorate decided last June 25th to elect the lady and the members of this Assembly, they placed their confidence in the respective constitqencies in their judg ment, and in the hope that the business of Manitoba would be forwarded in the judgment of members of this Assembly. It is historic that in the British parliamentary system that there are rules of the conduct of this House and the privileges of this House. I have sat through many vigorous debates.

I have seen, during my 17-odd years, accusation after accusation levied against members of this House, but throughout it all I think, Mr. Speaker, I have seen, in general, a respect for the presiding officer of this Assembly, the Speaker which we are not observing today. I don't give a continental whether we go into an election today or tomorrow, but I do care, as a member of this House, that the House has privileges, it has responsibilities and obligations, and that is to respect the presiding officer of this House and this is my privilege.

Beauchesne and various Speakers in Canada, and in the Old Land as well, has laid down rules of conduct for parliamentary assemblies. Throughout the debate we had yesterday -and I know that itts improper really to reflect on the debate and I hope that I may be given that opportunity -throughout the debate yesterday and the debate today we have seen emotionalism rise upon good judgment on all sides of the House. We are not on this side of the House any better than those on the· other side of the House, because on a matter of parliamentary procedure, Mr. Speaker; there are no sides of the House.

Our privileges are equal insofar as the conduct of members and the rules of the House. It is true that as we listen to the by-lines and the B-lines on the radios today, we hear person after person referring to the debacle that is happening in this House at the present time. I suggest that it is a debacle, Mr. Speaker, and I want to appeal to all of the members of the House to allow their good judgment to prevail now over their emotions and let's get on with the business of Manitoba. We have been in this Assembly, Sir, since early spring.

We have created a record in Manitoba, as far as I am aware, the longest session we have ever had. And what we conceived a few weeks ago, the possibility of the ending of the session, and indeed, Sir, the possibility of going into an election on certain issues, but surely, Mr. Speaker, this is no way for men and women of presumably goodwill to end a session. I recall the fight that we had when we had investigations into Grand Rapids when there were charges levied about political patronage in the building of some of the roads here in Manitoba, and I sat and listened.

I well recall the debates that we had in this House on the question of members' pensions and pensions for cabinet ministers when at times there were heated debates. But they were resolved. I recall well the debates that we had in this House dealing with the purchase of property for the Centennial complex which resulted in one of the honourable ministers of the Crown withdrawing and leaving, but we overcame. I want to appeal, as one who has attempted to serve - and in my serving I know, Mr.

Speaker, that there have been times when I too have violated the rules and orders of this House - I appeal to my honourable rriends to stop this type of action in this House now. Nothing will be gained.

It may be that the explanation or the apology or whatever you want to call it, the statement of one of the honourable members is not acceptable to another, but I do appeal -I do appeal - let's end this absolute nonsense, the violation of the principles of democracy that we have held so true for so long and let's get on with the business of trying to be parliamentarians and legislators in the interest of the province as a whole. What more can I say? This may be my last -who knows? I would accept it if it is to be, but what a heck of a way, if that is the case, to end a period of service. So, Mr.

Speaker, may I finally say to all members of this House, cool down, no one is going to be satisfied I am sure. But I also want to appeal, Mr. Speaker, to all members of this House to respect you -not Mr. Benjamin Hanuschak, the Member for Burrows, but to respect you as the authority of this House, to respect you as the gentleman that we elected as the Speaker of this House. Let's end this waste of valuable time of all of us that will achieve nothing. MR. SPEAKER: The Honourable Leader of the Official Opposition. MR. WEIR: Mr.

Speaker, on the point of order that was raised by the Minister of Labour, and I think it was a point of order, I am interested to note his first admonition was on members really on this side to stop the nonsense. I would just like to recall that it wasn't

AuiDJ,st 6, 1970 4255 (MR. WEm cont'd) .•••• us that started it. The other thing that bothered me, Mr.- Speaker, is that I appeared to get the impression that he believes that 1 was challenging some position of the Speaker. If that's the. case, l would like to straighten it out because what happened ••• MR. P A ULLEY: May I clarify for my honourable friend that I meant no reflection on any individual in the House but the House itself. MR. WEffi: I attempted earlier to bring the matter to a head and I would do so now, Sir, with your permission. There is a feeling by some that a motion isn't in order.

There is a feeling by myself, based on pages 107 and 117 of May, that a motion would be in order, and I would be prepared to move the motion, after having given the Minister of Transportation another opportunity, on the understanding that the Speaker would not rule on it now, that he could have a look at May and Beauchesne and what have you and come back in and maybe we '11 have a precedent that wUl be of some value to us in the future in dealing .with matters. of this kind.

I think that what I tried to do some time ago was to stop the debate, give the Speaker an opportunity to look at his various rulings and to sort things out in that respect. So I don't want to move the motion if the Minister of Transportation is prepared to have the unconditional retraction that he made, not related to the rules of the House and so on, then I'm prepared to accept it and not move the motion.

If that's not the case, I'm prepared to live by my rights under the rules, move the motion, have the Speaker consider it and either agree that it's in order the next time we meet or disagree that it's in order the next time we. meet. So if I have permission now, I would see if the Minister of Transportation wants to enter the debate again. MR. SPEAKER: The Honourable Minister of Transportation. MR. BOROWSKI: Mr. Speaker, I have already made the retraction that was asked for by the Leader of the Opposition and I'm not going to make public deals in this gallery with him or anybody else on that side. MR. WEm: Mr.

Speaker, I move, seconded by the Member for Riel, that the Honourable Member from Thompson be suspended from the service of the House for the balance of the current session. MR. GREEN: Mr. Speaker, I take it that you are going to do as the Leader of the Opposition suggested, that you are going to consider the advisability of the motion. I want to indicate to the Leader of the Opposition that it. may be that the members on O\!r side would want to make representations to the Speaker. If we do so, we will forward copies of any representations in writing to the members of the opposition. MR.

WEIR: We 11 that would be satisfactory to me. I think, Mr. Speaker ,that in present,_ ing the motion I tried to be fair, I tried to indicate the pages of May that I thought would be of consideration to the Speaker, and if there is any-- I'm not really trying to be difficult, I'm trying to have the matter dealt with. MR. SPEAKER: The Honourable First Minister. MR. SCHREYER: One point that would be helpful would be to get some further clarifica tion from the Honourable the Leader of the Opposition as to what he regards to be the conditions.

The Honourable Leader of the Opposition seems to think that there were certain conditions attached to the Minister's retraction, and frankly, Sir, I think that this might be the crux of the point that is under contention~ If the honourable leader could indicate what he regards as the conditions that were attached, because I, like I believe you, Sir, regard the Minister's statement as being a retraction, a retraction without condition as to the retraction.

Whatever other words were uttered by the Minister of Transportation is simply an indication of his attitude, but not to be taken as a condition attached to the retraction. I can well- and I believe, Sir, I could be of some guidance to you with respect to the motion before us if you wish some further debate or discussion on this before coming to a ruling on it - I can recall on a number of occasions when an honourable member after having been asked to withdraw by the Chair, did withdraw.

One in particular, the late Member for Morris, who on at least one occasion, and I believe two in the course of several years, made a statement which later he was required to retract by the Chair and he did so, saying however that while he might under the rules be prevented from saying something, therefore he retracted it, but he couldn't be prevented from thinking it. And those were his words. Nevertheless, it was taken as a retraction without condition. I can also recall former circumstances, for example when Donald Fleming who was later

4256 August 6, 1970 (MR. SCHREYER cont'd) • appointed Minister of Finance, was requested by the Chair to make a retraction. He made a retraction which was not acceptable to the Chair, and he refused to alter that so he was named and suspended from the House for the balance of that sitting. That having been done, he was re-admitted and the requirement of the rules were met. I take it from the Honourable the Leader of the Opposition that at least one thing is clear, that it is not the statement that was made yesterday morning that is under contention because that was dealt with under the rules of this House.

The Leader of the Opposition properly is dealing with something that was said after that, and I concur with the Honourable the Leader of the Opposition, unlike the Member for Lakeside he is not confusing the two points of privilege, so we are dealing with what was said after the first incident, what was said out side this House. It has come before you, Sir, in a way that will enable you to rule. The Min ister has been asked for a retraction; he has made a retraction.

The Leader of the Opposition regards the retraction however to have some kind of condition attached to it and that seems to be in the end the point to which we come: is there some kind of a condition that is unacceptable under the rules. Frankly, Sir, my understanding of the retraction is that there was no condi tion attached, merely an expression of attitude or view but that's all. MR. WEIR: Mr.

Speaker, again we have a differem:e of opinion, the First Minister and I - just a slight one - but may I say that in reference to the point of privilege, the point of privilege I used, and I said I referred only to the part that I considered to be a privilege and a breach of the House itself. The matter that was raised by the Member for Lakeside was said after the debate in the House, so he has a personal point of privilege on that as well.

I have excluded myself from taking up the point of privilege that I feel I rightfully have, because my concern is the one related to the House, and it's a matter of whether or not the truth can be told in the House under our rules. The Minister of Transportation said he would withdraw, he would withdraw but only because the rules said he couldn't tell the truth, which is the same statement that he made outside the House. He made the same statement in his withdrawal that he made outside the House, so that in fact I don't really have a retraction at all in terms of the House.

Now what I would like is a retraction that it is possible to tell the truth in the House - you know, a complete reversal of that position because I think this is what the system is based on, is telling the truth in the Legislature. I think that an apology to the House would be quite in order, but I'll forego the apology as long as I have an unconditional statement by the Minis ter of Transportation that it is possible to tell the truth in the House the same as it would be on the radio station or anything else.

The only law that we've got is a common law that is bother ing him making the statement he wants in this instance. MR. SCHREYER: Mr. Speaker, I think that perhaps we are coming towards resolution of the problem that seems to be taking up so much time in dealing with. I think that everyone could accept the statement that there are certain fundamental rules and procedures under common law and of this House which make it improper for anyone to comment thereon. Whether it's true or not, it's just improper to comment thereon and there should be an apology that there was comment made on it.

There was a retraction, an apology in effect in that respect, so we are not disagreeing in substance. MR. WEIR: . . . disagreeing in substance that it should happen, but the fact is, Mr. Speaker, I must say that the manner in which it was given, that in rrcaking it he attached the same condition, the statement he made outside the House. It wasn't limited in any way, shape or form, it was the general statement -- (Interjection) -- I have asked him to take it under advisement. Mr. Speaker, you know the First Minister brought it up, and if he wants to continue in debate with me I'm prepared to.

I tried to cut it off. MR. SPEAKER: Orders of the Day. MR. SPEAKER: The Honourable Minister of Finance. MR. CHERNIACK: Mr. Speaker, I wish to lay on the table the report of the Manitoba Telephone System issued by Touche Ross & Company for the year ending March 31, 1970. As soon as I am supplied with the printed report, I will see to it that all members will receive copies. MR. SPEAKER: The Honourable House Leader of the Liberal Party. MR. G. JOHNSTON: Mr.

Speaker, when I spoke earlier on the amendment to Bill 56, in reading the amendment, in the typing there were three words left out and I would like to make the correction. Have I permission to make the correction? (Agreed) That the proposed

August 6, 1970 4257 (MR. G. JOHNSTON cont'd.) • • • • • motion be amended be deleting all the word& .after the· word "instructed" in line three thereof and that the following be substituted: · "to thoroughly. study and report back to the Hous~ on the"- and these are the words that are left out- ."cost · of the proposed government automobile insurance plan including the amendments proposed by the First Minister on August 5, 1970, and to make an analysis of the premiums which Manitoba motorists would have to pay for coverage. " ORAL QUESTION PERIOD MR. SPEAKER: The Honourable Member for Lakeside. MR.

ENNS: I direct a question, Mr. Speaker, to the Honourable the Attorney-General. Can the Attorney-General inform me as to whether or not his department is preparing charges against me at this time? MR. MACKLING: The answer is a categoric no. MR. SPEAKER: The Honourable Minister of Municipal Affairs. HON. HOWARD R. PAWLEY (Minister of Municipal Affairs) (Selkirk): Mr. Speaker, . last week the Honourable Member for Ste.

Rose, further to an answer I had given to him in re spect to assessments at Steep Rock, ManitOba, wanted to know if those in Steep Rock that were dissatisfied with their reassessment could appeal to the Local Government District Administra tor. I am pleased to advise that the information has now been forwarded to the Administrator so that those dissatisfied may do so. MR. GILDAS MOLGAT (Ste. Rose): I want to thank the Minister for his reply. MR. SPEAKER: The Honourable Member for Lakeside. MR. ENNS: Mr. Speaker, I direct a further question to the Honourable the Attorney General.

Is his department preparing charges against the former Minister, Mr. Stewart McLean, and the Honourable the Leader of the Opposition? MR. MACKLING: Mr. Speaker, I don't think the question is one that should be put or that I should answer, but I'm very happy to tell the honourable member .that I am not aware of any charges under any consideration against any members of the House. MR. CHERNIACK: Mr. Speaker, on a point of order, I think it's improper to ask the kind of questions that are being asked.

I understand the desire for it, but if it doesn't go on record that it is improper, then it seems to me that any member can get up and ask are you con sidering laying charges against John Smith or John Doe. The Attorney-General did answer and I don't fault him for answering it because of the uncertainty that seemed to exist, but for the record I would think that you should not permit such questions in the future. MR. SPEAKER: This point is well taken. MR. ENNS: On the same point of order .•• MR. SPEAKER: Order please. The Chair has ruled on the matter. The Honourable Member for River Heights. MR. SPIVAK: Mr.

Speaker, I have a question for the Attorney-General. I wonder if he would inform the Minister of Transportation of the three answers he has just given. MR. SPEAKER: 1'he Honourable Member for Morris. MR. WARNER H. JORGENSON (Morris): I would like to direct my question to the Minister of Agriculture and ask him when farmers who have submitted claims for crop insurance last fall will be paid by the government agency, the Manitoba Crop Insurance Corporation? HON. SAMUEL USKIW (MinlsterofAgriculture) (Lac du Bonnet): Mr. Speaker, I have no knowledge of any such situation.

If the honourable member would be prepared to supply me with details I would be prepared to look into the matter. ORDERS OF THE DAY - MOTIONS FOR PAPERS MR. SPEAKER: Order for Return. The Honourable House Leader of the Liberal Party. MR. G. JOHNSTON: Mr. Speaker, I beg to move, seconded by the Member for Asslni boia, that an Order of the House do issue for a Return showing the following information with regard to the Grey Cup Game played in Montreal in November of 1969 and expenditures by the Manitoba Government relative to it.

(1) The names and occupations of any persons who attended as representatives of the Manitoba Government.

(2) The total amount of expenses paid by the Manitoba Government for or on behalf of any person who attended (whether as an official representative or not) and the breakdown of each such person's expenses.

4258 August 6, 1970 (MR. G. JOHNSTON cont 1d.)

(3) The cost of construction of the float entered in the parade and any other costs associ- ated with the float and the parade and to whom such costs were paid.

(4) Any other costs giving the amount, the purpose and to whom they were paid.

(5) The total cost of Manitoba's involvement. MR. SPEAKER presented the motion. MR. SPEAKER: The Honourable First Minister. MR. SCHREYER: Yes, I just want to indicate that we don't anticipate any problem in ob taining this information. MR. CHERNIAOK: Mr. Speaker, if I may, the only problem I see is that question 5 is a very broad one and I should think -- I mean by that, Mr.

Speaker, that my impression is that this was part of general preparation for the Manitoba Centennial, and I'm assuming that the mover intends to limit question 5 to the total cost of Manitoba's involvement in regard to the Grey Cup game and Manitoba's participation therein from the Treasury Branch. I think that we would like that kind of clarification, and if the Honourable Leader of the Liberal Party could • MR. G. JOHNSTON: That is correct. MR. SPEAKER put the question and after a voice vote declared the motion carried. MR. SPEAKER: The Honourable House Leader. MR. SCHREYER: Mr.

Speaker, I move, seconded by the Honourable the Minister of Finance, that Mr. Speaker do now leave the Chair and the House resolve itself Into a Commit tee of the Whole to consider the following bill: No. 134,

an Act to amend The Election Act (2). MR. SPEAKER presented the motion and after a voice vote declared the motion carried and the House resolved itself into a Committee of the Whole with the Honourable Member for Elmwood in the Chair. COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE HOUSE MR. CHAIRMAN: Blll 134,

an Act to amend The Election Act. We are dealing with the proposed amendment of the Honourable Member for Ste. Rose that the bill be reported to the House with the recommendation that the subject matter be referred to the Special Committee of the House on the Rules and Standing Orders of this Assembly for further study between sessions of the Legislature. Are you ready for the question? The Honourable Member for Ste. Rose. MR. MOLGAT: I don't intend to extend the debate which was started yesterday on this matter.

Frankly, I had thought that when I had spoken on two occasions previously, on one of them at least I indicated that this would be a good move and I thought that the government was in agreement with it. Yesterday, it was clear that the government is not in agreement with referring the blll itself. The view is that the bill should be passed- and I don't hold that strong opinions on the subject provided that there is in fact going to be a continuing study of the Act, because I am not satisfied that the blll goes as far as it should.

There are many other things in the Act that should be changed and I think that the guiding principle that we should observe in the Election Act is to make it easy for people to vote, to remove all the ridiculous rules that we have at times and the encumbrances that deter people from voting. The objective should be the involvement of as many people as we can in the whole process, and have the whole structure so that we encourage voting rather than discourage it. I think there are many other areas here where we could improve the Act itself.

I don't mean to say to make it so that there can be fraudulent elections or improper elections at all, but that we should constantly work to improve the bill. Our methods of communication have changed so much that I think there are some new things that we could do to simplify it. So I'm not going to insist on having the bill itself referred. If the general view is that the bill should be passed now, I am prepared to accept that but only on the condition that there is a continuing review of the total of the Act. MR. SCHREYER: Mr.

Chairman, I spoke yesterday morning with respect to Blll134 and the proposed amendment moved by the Honourable Member for Ste. Rose. I really wouldn't like to repeat what I said yesterday, but with respect to the specific statement made today by the Member for Ste.

Rose, recommending as he did that the subject matter of the Election Act, including the subject matter of this bill which when passed becomes part of the Election Act, be referred to a standing committee for further study and .that the committee could probe into dif ferent ways and means of improving the Election Act even more, I am in complete agreement with the Honourable Member for Ste. Rose and can assure him without any equivocation

August 6, 197~ 42~ (MR. spHREYER con t'd.) • • • • • whatsoever that the appropriate standing. commi~e ca~ be convened, will be convened in order to go further into possible ways and means qf bnprov- . ing the election law of Manitoba. This is what the honourable member recommends; it is a recommendation that receives complete and unconditional support. MR. CHAIRMAN put the question and after a voice vote declared the motion carried. MR. JACOB M. FROESE (Rhineland): Was there not a motion made by the Member for Ste. Rose before the House? Are we voting on that particular motion? MR. SCHREYER: Mr.

Chairman, the motion as you put it verbally was not that motion. Now there is a technical difficulty here •. The Member for Ste. Rose indicated he would be pre pared not to proceed with his amendment but it was not formally withdrawn. In any case you did not state it, so I think at this point the proper procedure to follow is either to ask the Member for Ste. Rose if he wishes leave to withdraw the amendment, or falling that, to put the question on his amendment. MR.

CHAIRMAN: Well I read the motion originally and I assumed the members knew what we were dealing with, but if necessary I will re-read the motion, asking bonoul'llble members to pay attention and call the vote again. MR. SCHREYER: • • • consulting, may I take the opportunity to ask the Member for Ste. Rose if it was his intention to withdraw the amendment: I understood him to mean that, although I confess that I understand he didn't actually formally withdraw it. MR. CHAIRMAN: The Honourable Member for Ste. Rose. MR. MOLGAT: Mr. Chairman, I have no objection to withdrawing the motion.

I have to do it by leave in that case at this point, so by leave I withdraw my motion • MR. CHAIRMAN: Does the member have leave? (Agreed) MR. CHAIRMAN: Bill 134 be reported -- passed. MR. GREEN: I move the committee rise. MR. CHAIRMAN: Committee rise. Call in the Speaker. Mr. Speaker, your committee has considered Bill No. 134 with amendments and begs leave to sit again. IN SESSION MR. RUSSELL OOERN (Elmwood): Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the Honourable Member for Crescentwood, that the report of the committee be received. MR. SPEAKER presented the motion and after a voice vote declared the motion carried..

MR. GREEN: Mr. Speaker, those items of business are the only government business that are on the Order Paper. It is not our desire that we proceed into Private Members' Reso lutions or orders until we deal with the other matters. There being no other matters, the thlrd reading we'll deal with this afternoon - apparently there's some amendments that have to be dealt with mechanically, and on that basis, Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the Minister- the Member for Ste. Rose has risen ••• MR. MOLGAT: Mr.

Chairman, before the Minister makes his motion, in view of the fact that we will obviously have some time on our hands, would it not be proper to proceed with the private members' matters that stand? It has been the practice of the House in the past to always dispose of Private Members' Resolutions here and this House has never done otherwise, and would it not be sensible to make use of our time and deal with them? MR. GREEN: Well, Mr. Speaker, I'm just a little worried about the government busi ness and its being proceeded with.

There are new bills coming in and the government did per mit an adjournment of its own business, but we don't wish to give precedence to the Private Members' Resolutions. The honourable member is correct in referring to the precedent; I'm· not talking about the precedent, I'm talking about the manner in which the government wishes to proceed at this time with regard to the matters on the Order Paper. I recognize the honourable member's suggestion that the time could be used; I also recognize some difficulties from our point of view and that's the basis on which I'm adjourning the House. MR. DONALD w.

CRAIK (Riel): Before the Honourable House Leader places the motion, Mr. Speaker- I gather he was about to move the adjournment of the House.- but in considera tion of the fact that we have been many weeks having foregone the Private Members' Resolu tions, I think that consideration should be given at this time to move into the Private Members' Resolutions so we can complete the rest of the morning and have at least another hour and this does not then lay it all over until the final few hours of the session when they all come under the guillotine.

There are a number of resolutions, particularly Blll No. 114 which should be

4260 August 6, 1970 (MR. CRAIK cont'd.) ••• ~ ·• discussed at this time, a Public Bfil that should be considered, and I suggest we carry on with that. MR. SCHREYER: Mr. Speaker, if I may speak to the motion before us and for further clarification, and in particular with reference to what was said by the Member for Ste. Rose and the Member for Riel, it was our thought that perhaps the Opposition would in any case want time with respect to Bill 56 and what has been said by myself i.n the course of debate yesterday. I got the impression that the Opposition might want more time.

However, if they feel they don't need more time, which they could take now after adjournment this morning and so on to give thought to BID 56, if they don~t wish that time then we could proceed this morning with the Private Members' Public Bill No. 114. In a sense the choice is theirs; if they wish to proceed rather than take the time to con sider certain aspects of Bfil 56, then we would be prepared to carry on for the balance of this morning's sitting and deal with Bill 114. MR. MOLGAT: Well, Mr. Chairman, I appreciate -- I was not aware of what the government's intention were.

I thought we were not going to deal with Private Members at any time. Now certainly we do want more time on Bill 56. The problem that we have at the moment is that we do not have a text of the comments of the First Minister yesterday nor do we have any specific amendments that he has proposed. If we had those - we have certain notes that we made during the debate, of course, but we don't have the specific text or the amendments. Now it would be very helpful to us if we could have those submitted and then we would consider them. MR. SCHREYER: Well, Mr.

Speaker, I can attempt to have that in the hands of honour able gentlemen very quickly I hope, but in any case may I remind my honourable friends that my remarks yesterday consisted of four basic points or elements. I'm just assuming that they well recall what those four essential elements were, which is what have to be dealt with rather than much of the detail that was contained therein. However, if honourable members do not wish to take any of the time this morning to discuss Bill 56 amongst themselves, then we could proceed alternatively. MR. MOLGAT: Mr.

Speaker, as far as I am concerned I would be prepared this morn ing to have the adjournment now. This afternoon though, if we were to run out of Bill 56 for example- I don't know if the government intends to accept adjournments or not- but if we were, I would hope that we would not simply be adjourning at 3:30 or 4:00 o'clock and could not then proceed with Private Members. If there could be notice given to the members of the House that when we do run out of government business we will proceed with Private Members, then they would probably be ready to speak at that time. MR. PAULLEY: Mr.

Speaker, if I may, my honourable friend made reference to the text of the statement made by the Honourable First Minister yesterday. It might be, Mr. Speaker, that he would be able to supply copies to the caucus. If my honourable friend the Member for Ste.

Rose was wondering about the productionofHansard, I think as the Minister responsible for the Queen's Printer that I must say to the House that I doubt very much whether Hansard would be available in a short period of time because I was requested by the House, or the House requested that the transcripts of the hearings on the Committee of Public Utilities on Bill 56 be made available as quickly as possible, and in the light of that request within the House I directed, or asked the Queen's Printer that, if it was necessary, to defer production of Hansard in favour of the productionofthe representations in the Committee of Public Util ities.

So I want my honourable friend, if he was referring to its production in Hansard, I doubt whether that would be r!lPid, although I understand from my leader that it may be possible to obtain copies of the remarks that he made yesterday for the caucuses as quickly as possible for their consideration. I say this so that my honourable friend the Member for Ste. Rose knows the predicament that I'm in as the Minister of Government Services to whom the Queen's Printer is responsible. MR. MOLGAT: Mr. Speaker, no, I was not expecting Hansard at this time; I recognize the problem there.

I'd like to have it if we could, but I thought maybe we might be able to get a copy, for example, for our group, and probably one copy would be sufficient. I know c:>pies were produced, or I believe copies were produced for the press, and if one could be obtained for our group. What I'm concerned about is some of the specific proposals of compensation.

August 6, 1970 4261 (MR. MOLGAT cont'd.) • • • • • We can discuss the general terms but we can't discuss the specific proposals until we know e..uctly what they are in writing. If the amendments are reacly, and we could have them beforehand, we could then deal In caucus with the amendments. MR. PAULLEY: I understand, Mr. Speaker, from my Leader that he will have his staff make every effort to accede to the request of my honourable friend the Member for Ste. Rose between now -- well, as quickly as possible. MR. GREEN: Mr.

Speaker, I just want to indicate to my honourable friend - he was ask ing for assurances - I don't wish to be misleading; certainly what he said will be taken Into consideration, but as to how the House will conduct its business this afternoon, everything that he s~id will be taken In to consideration but we can't give assurances at this time as to what the government will want or what any member will want to vote for. I move, Mr. Speaker, seconded by the Honourable Minister for Cultural Affairs, that the House do now adjourn. MR.

SPEAKER presented the motion and after a voice vote declared the motion carried and the House adjourned until 2:30. Thursday afternoon.

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Collection	Manitoba — Debates (Hansard)
Citation	29-2-164
Type	hansard
Volume / chapter	29th 2nd hansardpdf 164.pdf
Language	en
Format	pdf
Source	PROVINCIAL
Identifier	a0b9919f6aa5fa82722177fae56d855c256f7033

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