Manitoba Hansard — 7 June 1971 (Sitting 65, 29th Legislature, 3rd Session)

29-3-65

Manitoba — Debates (Hansard)

Legislative Assembly of Manitoba DEBATES and PROCEEDINGS Speaker The Honourable Peter Fox Vol. XVI 11 No. 65 2:30 p.m., Monday, June 7th, 1971. Third Session, 29th Legislature. Printed by R. S. Evans - Queen's Printer for Province of Manitoba

ELECTORAL DIVISION ARTHUR ASSINIBOIA BI RTLE-RUSSELL BRANDON EAST BRANDON WEST BURROWS CHAR LESWOOD CHURCHILL CRESCENTWOOD DAUPHIN ELMWOOD EMERSON FLIN 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. MATTHEWS ST. VITAL STE.

ROSE SELKIRK SEVEN OAKS SOURIS-KILLARNEY SPR INGF I E LO 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 Hon. Russell J. Doern Gabriel Girard Thomas Barrow L. R. (Bud) Sherman Mrs. Inez Trueman John C. Gottfried James Robert Ferguson Hon. Sidney Green, Q.C. Hon. Peter Fox Hon. Sam Uskiw Harry J. Enns Leonard A. Barkman William Jenkins Walter Weir Warner H.

Jorgenson Ian 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 D. J. Walding A. R. (Pete) Adam 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 Philip M. Petursson J. R. (Bud) i:.loyce Leonard H.

Claydon ADDRESS Reston, Manitoba 10 Red Robin Place, Winnipeg 12 Binscarth, Manitoba Legislative Bldg., Winnipeg 1 2228 Princess Ave., Brandon, Man. Legislative Building, Winnipeg 1 29 Willow Ridge Rd., Winnipeg 20 148 Riverside Drive, Thompson, Man. 115 Kingsway, Winnipeg 9 Legislative Bldg., Winnipeg 1 Legislative Building, 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 MP.urons St., St. Boniface 6 Box 5BO, Arborg, Manitoba Legislative Bldg., Winnipeg 1 Legislative Bldg., Winnipeg 1 23 - 500 Burnell St., Winnipeg 10 31 Lochinvar Ave., Winnipeg 6 Ste. Rose du Lac, Manitoba Legislative Bldg., Winnipeg 1 Legislative Bldg., Winnipeg 1 Nesbitt, Manitoba Legislative Bldg., Winnipeg 1 310 Overdale St., Winnipeg 12 Swan River, Manitoba Box 1295, The Pas, Manitoba Legislative Bldg., Winnipeg 1 Legislative Bldg., Winnipeg 1 Kenton, Manitoba 681 Banning St., Winnipeg 10 777 Winnipeg Ave., Winnipeg 3 116'/, Sherbrook St., Winnipeg 1

THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA 2:30 o'clock, Monday, June 7, 1971 Opening Prayer by Mr. Speaker� 1561 MR. SPEAKER: Presenting Petitions; Reading and Receiving Petitions; Presenting Reports by Standing and Special Committees; Notices of Motion. INTRO DUCTI ON OF GUESTS MR. SPEAKER: Before we proceed, I should like to direct honourable members tothe gallery where we have 115 students of Grade 11 standing of the. Portage Collegiate. These students are under the direction of Mr. Mills, Mr. Payne and Mr. Froese. This school is located in the Constituency of the Honourable Member for Portage la Prairie.

We also have 51 students of Grade 5 and 6 standing of the Inkster and Sandy Lake Schools. These students are under the direction of Mr. Harrison and Mr. Swidinsky. These schools are located in the constituencies of the Honourable Members for Inkster and for Minneddsa. On behalf of all the Honourable Members of the Legislative Assembly I welcome you here today. INTRODUCTION OF BILLS HON. SAUL CHERNIACK, Q.c·. (Minister of Finance) (St. Johns) in the absence of the Attorney-General introduced Bill No. 67,

an Act to amend The Crown Attorneys_ Act. HON. A. H. MAC KLING, Q. C. (Attorney-General) (St. James) introduced Bill No. 59,

an Act to amend The Corrections Act. MR. THOMAS BARROW (Flin Flon) introduced Bill No. 41,

an Act to amend The Flin Flon Charter; and Bill No. 70 ,

an Act to permit The-City of Flin Flon to make a Grant to the Flin Flon Elderly and Infirm Housing , Inc. ORAL QUEST ION PERIOD MR. SPEAKER: The Honourable Leader of the Opposition. MR. SIDNEY SPIVAK, Q.C. (Leader of the Opposition) (River Heights): Mr. Speaker, before the Orders of the Day, my question is for the Minister of Finance. I wonder whether he can indicate whether proposed salary increases to be completed with the Manitoba Employees Association is included in the estimates of expenditures for this year ? MR. CHERNIACK: Mr. Speaker , I've already answered that question in this House recently.

The answer is "not specifically". MR. SPIVAK: I wonder if the Minister of Finance would indicate the approximate amount in dollars that the increase will mean towards the estimates. MR. CHERNIACK: Mr. Speaker, I don't believe an agreement has been signed yet. MR. SPIVAK: Well, I wonder if he can confirm the suggested figure of $7 1/2 million - if in fact a 15 percent increase over two years is approved. MR. CHERNIACK: Mr. Speaker, I'm not in a position to confirm a figure; the figure of 7 1/2 million is on� I'm not familiar with so I really can't deal with that figure at all. MR.

SPEAKER: The Honourable Member for Riel. MR. DONALD W. CRAIK (Riel): Mr. Speaker, before the Orders of the Day, I have a question for the Fitst Minister . In view of the extraordinary proceedings at Public Utilities Committee, will he undertake to meet with the entire Hydro Board and Mr. Kristjanson regarding the position which he has iterated this morning? MR. SPEAKER: The Honourable First Minister. HON. EDWARD SCHREYER (Premier) (Rossmere): Mr. Speaker , if there was anything extraordinary about the proceedings it's as a result of the attempts of my honourable friends opposite. MR.

SPEAKER: The Honourable Leader of the Opposition. MR. SPIVAK: A supplementary question. Does the First Minister think that it 's not extraordinary to have the Assistant Manager disagree . . . MR. SPEAKER: Order, please. 'I shall not entertain questions pertaining to what went on in that committee until we have a report of that committee. Orders of the Day . The Honourable Member for Fort Garry. MR. L. R. (BUD) SHERMAN (Fort Garry): Mr.

Speaker, I'd like to direct a question to the Minister of Industry and Commerce but in his absence I'll direct it to the First Mini�ter, and ask him when the Air Policy is going to Ottawa to meet with officials of the Federal Government?

1562 June 7, 1971 MR . SCHREYER: Well , Mr. Speaker, I can advise the Honourable Member for Fort Garry that the Minister of Industry and Commerce and his staff have been attempting for the past several days to get a firm date at which time they could meet, the delegation could meet with Federal Ministers of Defence, Transportation and Supplies and Service. I understand that our Minister of Industry and Commerce has been advised that the Federal Minister of Trans portation is not available this week, being out of the country, I think, and therefore we are looking for the earliest alternative date next week. MR.

SHERMAN: A supplementary, Mr. Speaker. Can the First Minister advise on the status of layoffs at the base. Have there been any recent layoffs that he can report on to the House and how many layoffs are anticipated this week, at the base? MR. SCHREYER: Mr. Speaker, it may be that the Minister of Industry and Commerce would have that information. The latest information I have is , as it was last week, I believe that that information was given to the House by the Minister at the time. MR. SHERMAN: A further supplementary, Mr. Speaker.

Notwithstanding the unavail ability of certain Federal Ministers, such as the Minister of Transp ortation, I think, who was referred to by the First Minister in his first answer , is it the intention of the government to see to it that the Air Policy Committee goes east to meet with officials anyway, whether that particular Minister is available or not ? MR. SCHREYER: Mr.

Speaker, last week a meeting was convened at the Fort Garry Hotel at which time there was quite a large number of persons present representative of CAE, the unions involved, former members of the Air Policy Committee, and it was the consensus of opinion arrived that evening that it would be desirable to convene a meeting in Ottawa with the appropriate Federal Ministers and representatives of Air Canada.

If, however, it proves to be impossible to have those Federal Ministers present that the meeting thought would be necessary to have present , then it really brings into question the advisability of proceeding with that delegation to Ottawa this. week. There has to be further consultation with the members of the Air Policy Committee , unions, and the company to see whether it would not be better to wait a few more days in order to have the fullest possible representation of the Federal Gov ernment at that meeting. MR. SPEAKER: The Honourable Leader of the Opposition. MR. SPIVAK: Mr.

Speaker, my question is to the First Minister. Is it his intention to arrange a meeting with the Prime Minister for the Air Policy Committee ? MR. SCHREYER: Mr. Speaker, this was the intention and accordingly a request was made to the Prime Minister's office to have him present to receive the delegation. A counter proposal was made to the effect that if the delegation did proceed to Ottawa, that an attempt would be made to make it possible for me to meet with the Prime Minister, but then the fact emerged that the Federal Minister of Transport was not going to be available this week.

As a result the whole matter is still under arrangement and there has been no finalization of the arrangement just yet. MR. SPEAKER: The Honourable Leader of the Opposition. MR. SPIVAK: A supplementary question. Will the government press for a meeting with the Prime Minister of the Air Policy Committee? MR. SCHREYER : Mr. Speaker, of course the government has been requesting such a meeting and the counter proposal was to have me meet with the Prime Minister concurrently since it was related to us that the express wish of the Prime Minister was not to attend the meeting. MR .

SPEAKER: The Honourable Member for Fort Rouge. MRS. INEZ TRUEMAN (Fort Rouge): Mr. Speaker, I have a question for the Honourable Minister of Labour. Since all members of the House have received a letter from the Winnipeg General Hospital Registered Nurses' Association expressing their concern regarding not being given any reasons for dismissal of their application for certification and the denial of a re hearing .. . MR. SPEAKER: Order, please. Would the honourable member place her question? MRS. TRUEMAN: Would the Minister please clarify for us, could he tell us why this certification application was dismissed?

MR. SPEAKER: The Honourable Minister of Labour. HON. RUSSELL PAULLEY (Minister of Labour) (Transcona): May I first of all suggest to my honourable friend that MARN did make an appeal in respect of an original decision of the Board, the Board heard the appeal, and reaffirmed its original position. So I would

June 7, 1971 1563 (MR. PAULLEY cont'd.) .. ... suggest they have not been denied the rights of appeal but the rules of the Manitoba Labour Board have been adhered to, and further to that I would sug gest that I received the same form letter received by all members of this Assembly and no direct representations have been made to me in my capacity as Minister of Labour. I believe, Mr. Speaker, that the decisions of the Board are the decisions of the Board; they do not have to report to the Minister of Labour as to the reasons why they dismissed an application. MR. SPEAKER: The Honourable Member for Fort Rouge.

MRS. TRUEMAN: Mr. Speaker, a supplementary question. Could the Minister undertake to find out for us what those reasons were and to report back? . MR. PAULLEY: No, I will not undertake the. same on behalf of the Members ofthe Assembly, but if the parties concerned desire to make representations to me, then I would be pleased to hear those representations. · MR. SPEAKER: The Honourable Member for Arthur. MR. J. DOUGLAS WATT (Arthur): Mr. Speaker; :Iid like to direct a question tb the Minister of Agriculture.

I wonder if the Minister could tell us - in his proposal for a guaran teed income for farmers at the Conference in Ottawa, is this guaranteed income onana �reage basis, and if so, is it cultivated acreage necessarily, or just farm acreage ?I wonder if the Minister could . MR. SPEAKER: The Honourable Minister of Agriculture. HON.

SAMUEL USKIW (Minister of Agriculture) (Lac du Bonnet): If you read the sub mission thoroughly, and if not, I think you have had one presented to you some time last winter, giving the specific details about the proposal and the formula that was contained in our original submission to Ottawa and Members of the Agricultural Committee of the Legislature were given copies of it. I would suggest that you would peruse it thoroughly to find the answer to your question. However, I might say that it does include production and summerfallow acreage up to 500 acres. MR.

WATT: I'd like to direct a question to the Minister of Labour, Mr. Speaker. Can the Minister of Labour tell us if the Minimum Wage Act applies to farm labour? MR. SPEAKER: The Honourable Minister of Labour. MR. PAULLEY: No, Mr. Speaker. MR. SPEAKER: The Honourable Member for Birtle-Russell. MR. HARRY E. GRAHAM (Birtle-Russell): A further supplementary to the question asked by the Member for Fort Rouge, Mr. Speaker, to the Minister of Labour. Is it the accepted practice of the Minister of Labour to act only after direct representation has been ��? . MR. PAULLEY: Mr.

Speaker, the Minister of Labour is responsible to the Assembly for answering for the Labour Board; the Labour Board does not have to precisely give to the Minister of Labour reasons for any of its decisions. MR. SPEAKER: The Honourable Member for Sturgeon Creek. MR. FRANK JOHNSTON (Sturgeon Creek): Mr. Speaker, my question is to the Minister of Labour. Has the Minister received a letter dated April 22nd, 1971, from the International Association of Mechanics asking to set up categories for aerospace workers so they'can become licensed in their trade? MR. PAULLEY: Not that I can recall, Mr. Speaker.

I'm sure you are aware that the Minister of Labour, as other ministers as well, receive many letters and I can't recall this one specifically. I'm prepared to look it up as requested by my honourable friend. - MR. SPEAKER: The Honourable Member for Lakeside. MR. HARRY J. ENNS (Lakeside): Mr. Speaker, I direct a question to the Honourable Mimster of Mines and Natural Resources. Can he indicate to the House now whether or not a decision has been made as to dates for public hearings with respect to Lake Winnipeg Control and Regulation? MR. SPEAKER: The Honourable Minister of Mines and Natural Resources. HON.

SIDNEY GREEN, Q. C. (Minister of Mines, Resources and Environmental Manage ment) (Inkster): Mr. Speaker, I think that it should be clearly understood that the meetings contemplated with ·regard to Lake Winnipeg regulation would deal with effect of regulation, the pattern of regulation, not whether or not regulation will take place. The dates for the meetings have not yet been set. MR. SPEAKER: The Honourable Member for Emerson.

1564 June 7, 1971 MR. GABRIEL GIRARD (Emerson): I'd like to direct a question to the Honourable Min ister of Labour. I wonder if he could advise the House of any developments that might have occurred recently in the negotiations on the Flin Flon issue. I think this is a very crucial matter and especially .crucial this week. MR. SPEAKER: The Honourable Minister of Labour. MR. PAULLEY: I agree with my honourable friend the situation is very crucial and I'm glad to know that he is interested now in the dispute. The precise answer to his question, I am not aware of any new developments. MR.

SPEAKER: The Honourable Leader of the Opposition. MR. SPIVAK: Mr. Speaker, my question is for the First Minister. I note that the First Minister has made reference to the Japanese delegation of a uranium enrichment plant, and I wonder whether he could indicate to the House the exact increased capacity, the number of megawatts that would be required for such a project. MR. SPEAKER: The Honourable the First Minister. MR. SCHREYER: Well, Mr.

Speaker, I think that those who have had any interest in the possibility of a uranium enrichment plant will recall that the estimates are of an energy requirement of something in the order of a million kilowatts, or a thousand megawatts. MR. SPEAKER: The Honourable Member for Swan River. MR. JAMES H. BILTON (Swan River): Mr. Speaker, I'd like to direct my question to the Minister of Labour. I wonder if the Minister would inform the House as to the present standing of the strike situation at CF1 in The Pas. MR. PAULLEY: As far as I am aware, there is no strike at CF1.

I understand that there has been some walkout; I've only received the information through the press media; MR. BILTON: I take it the Minister has no knowledge of the outcome of the meeting at 11 o'clock this morning? MR. PA ULLEY: The Minister was not present at any meeting this morning. MR. SPEAKER: The Honourable Member for Rhineland. MR. JACOB M. FROESE (Rhineland): Mr. Speaker, I'd like to address a question to the Minister of Agriculture. Due to the recent wheat sales made by the Federal Government, can he indicate just what this will represent in the way of quota to Manitoba farmers? MR.

USKIW: Well, I would think, Mr. Speaker, that that question would be properly put before the policymakers at Ottawa in that it's my understanding that policy has been and continues to be one of reducing stocks at terminal and elevator points, and whether this additional sale is going to reflect in additional deliveries from the farm to the elevator still remains to be seen. MR. SPEAKER: The Honourable House Leader. GOVERNMENT BILLS MR. GREEN: Would you call Bill No. 36, please. MR. SPEAKER: On the proposed motion of the Honourable Minil:iter of Finance. The Honourable Member for Assiniboia. MR.

STEVE PATRICK (Assiniboia): Mr. Speaker, before proceeding with the discussion of Bill 36 and the legislation for reorganization of municipal government in Greater Winnipeg, I, perhaps, would like to reiterate the stand of the Provincial Liberal Party on a regional gover:iiment; but before I do that I would also like to read into the record a statement of the First Minister a couple of days before the last general election in the Province of Manitoba, and a statement in headlines that "Schreyer Proposes New Regional Urban Council".

The statement reads as follows and I'm quoting: "Moving towards a regional government is the logical step to take at this time. Total amalgamation is the kind of drastic change which can not be done well," he said; ''If this regional type of government proves to be efficient in all its major responsibilities then we would leave it alone, but if we find it not to be efficient enough in providing us with maximum values for our dollars then we would take the further steps necessary. But if total amalgamation is to come it would be better off in the transition stage of regional government.

The statement represented a major change in NDP policy which prior to Mr. Schreyer taking over the leadership favoured moving directly forward to a single unit of municipal government for Metro. Mr. Schreyer said Tuesday the statement has been drawn up since the leadership convention and had received the stamp of approval from the majority of party urban candidates. I realize this represents a change in policy for us;

June 7, 1971 1565 (MR. PATRICK cont'd.) .. .. . this is my urban position." That was the statement, Mr. Speaker, of the Premier prior to the election. Now I don't know what has changed his position at the time, but it appears to me that probably the other members, particularly the Minister of Mines and Natural Resources and the Minister for Urban Affairs had put enough pressure on the First Minister to not proceed with a regional type of government but . . . MR. SPEAKER: Order, please. The Honourable First Minister. MR. SCHREYER: Mr.

Speaker, the Honourable Member for Assiniboia, if I heard him correctly, was asking me a question. If he likes, I'll answer it now. MR. PATRICK: Mr . . Speaker, I was not asking a question; I was quoting what the First Minister had to say, and I quoted him verbatim, If he has a question, then I'll submit to a question, sure. MR. SCHREYER: No, I don't have a question, Mr. Speaker, I'm really trying to clarify whether the Honourable Member for Assiniboia just said about a minute ago "what has happened to change the First Minister's mind" -I interpret that as a question. MR. PATRICK: Okay. MR.

SCHREYER: If he likes, I'll answer it now. MR. PATRICK: Fine. MR. SCHREYER: May I? MR. PATRICK: Sure. ·. ;]':.:'-! MR, SCHREYER: My answer is that if he reads that statement carefully, he will-see that the concept I outlined on the 24th of June - I believe it's the 24th of June - he will see that it is remarkably close to the gist of the legislation that is before us, substituting only the_ term 11comm1,mity committee" for the term "burrough" and the rest is remarkably similar. MR. PATRICK: Mr. Speaker, I don't feel that's a sufficient answer, because in fact the First Minister says himself in a press

article "that is a total change, a drastic change from the previous stand of the NDP government," and to me I can't see any change because what the bill really suggests at the present time is a total amalgmation.

Sure you're putting "com munity committee." -- (Interjection) -- Well, the community committees - I'll get further in my remarks and I'll tell you because it is a known fact, it is a known fact that the Minister of Urban Affairs himself and his department, people within his department are saying that it's window dressing as far as the community committees are concerned; he finds that this will be a strong urban government and that's what he's basing his legislation on.

But I'm told, and surely this information isn't just hearsay, it must have some substance to it, that the com munity committees were developed strictly to appease the Minister of Education and the Attorney-General. -- (Interjection) -- be that as it may, but this is the information that's coming out of the Minister's office of Urban Affairs. Well it may not be -c the Minister says it's not true. Mr.

Speaker, I did not have the benefit of having a chance to read the Minister of Urban Affairs statement when he introduced the bill at second reading because we didn't have Hansard until today and I did not have sufficient time to look at it today. I don't know if I understand; somebody mentioned to me that he did say the Liberal position changed on total amalgamation, I don't know if he did or not; if he did I've heard it said many times in this House, it':;; only fools that don't change their minds.

What's so wrong to change one's mind or opinion because when we were talking about total amalgamation, of one government, that's when everybody was saying how much we'll reduce the cost of administration in the Greater Winnipeg area; but after the Boundaries Commission came out with their study this is completely changed, and everybody's now saying, and there's enough evidence and studies, that the larger the unit the higher per capita cost the administration's going to be, and it's as simple as that.

So it's a completely different story today than what it was years ago, or five years or three years ago when at that time everybody was saying we should have one administration, one government, because this will reduce the cost. Mr. Speaker, first of all, I mentioned that I would like to put at least the Liberal position what it was. I wish not to go into detail; I can because the Liberal Party did present a policy, what we feel that regional responsibility should be, what the local responsibilities should be as well.

It was a policy that was developed not overnight; there was many people involved in working on it; at least local people, not somebody from Montreal or Toronto or somewhere because these people they're probably not acquainted with the local situation. So

1566 June 7, 1971 (MR. PATRICK cont'd.) .. ... I don't know if there is any need to put this on record; if I'm prompted to maybe I will somewhere in my remarks. First of all -- (Interjection) -- Say that again. -- (Interjection) -- Well, that may be. The other point, Mr. Speaker, my remarks will be my own. I know that my Leader is cert ainly getting a lot of attention in this House from the first bench.and even the backbenchers; every time they get to speak on a resolution or anything, they look up in the gallery and they say, well, is Mr. Asper there ?

Well, I would think it would be· an injustice because what I have to say is my own. The Leader of the Liberal Party will be appearing before Law Amend ments Committee so he'll have probably something different to say than what I'm saying here, but I think it would be injustice to him if one of the Ministers would get up and say well this is a speech that was prepared for you by your Leader. It's not so, because, Mr.

Speaker, there's enough reams of material, there's enough material that's been collected in the last couple of years on total amalgamation, on regional government that we could be here for months just reviewing it, reading it, putting it on the record, because the files get pretty large and full pretty quick, so there's enough that's been written by almost all municipalities and different groups . First of all, Mr. Speaker, we recognize the necessity Greater Winnipeg has for some form of regional government.

Metro has served us reasonably well for the past ten years - I'm saying "reasonably" - but there are obvious flaws and I feel there's much room for a great deal of improvement. Second, and in order to achieve a form of regional government, we believe that there should be a gradual redistribution of power between the levels of government within existing structures. This redistribution should be carried out in well planned and controlled stages among the provincial, regional and local governments.

In other words, we advocate an evolutionary change in the form of government, rather than a radical change which means a revolutionary process. Thirdly, we feel that no plan should be retroactive. Metro cities and municipalities should not be robbed of what they have built up and acquired through the years. One should remember that the amenities they now enjoy are the fruit of additional taxes they were willing to pay, or of wise decisions at the polls that have enlightened leadership of their elected representatives. Why take it away from them now.

Total amalgamation to one city would be the loss of assets and cash reserves of the individual cities in sound financial positions; and of course, Mr. Speaker, these would be used up in reducing liabilities of other cities. Fourthly and finally, we submit that the final plan for the reorganization of Winnipeg should not be imposed upon area municipalities from above, but should be negotiated between the parties involved. This is a brief position of the Liberal Party, and the reason I say this, Mr.

Speaker, it is a well-known fact that in many municipalities there's perhaps a higher percentage than 50 percent of the population against total amalgamation. Now in St. James-Assiniboia this percentage would probably be 85 percent and the first thing that comes to my mind, and I'm inclined to believe it does not lead to good legislation, it creates friction between the people, if you do not have concurrence of at least 50 percent of the people that this legislation will affect. If you don't have concurrence or agreement, why force it, I'm sure there 's a better way of doing this.

These are only the highlights of our position on uni-city. However, to arrive at these as well as other principles contained in our proposal for a regional government we constantly kept in mind that Winnipeg embraces within its boundaries a happy diversity of local commun ities and cultures. This diversity should not be destroyed for it is part of the strength and character of our city. The Boundaries Commission and other studies indicate that costs increase greatly as the size of the urban unit increases.

Any amalgamation will result in increased costs for the upgrading of services and wages to a common level, probably that of the largest economic unit. Furthermore, services are not increased proportionately to these increased costs. Mr. Speaker, perhaps you know what I mean, and I mean that naturally the services or the wages will have to be increased to the level of the largest unit in the smaller communities and smaller municipalities such as St. James or West Kildonan or Transcona; the wage

schedule for your civil servants will have to be the same as probably in the City of Winnipeg. One city would also create a power structure, giving the city government a con trolling force in the destiny of all Manitoba. A regional government would not create this

June 7, 1971 1567 (MR. PATRICK cont'd.) ·-inequity, as the smaller urban units would have something in common with the smaller rural centres. This bil.l for centralization would make the city government less sensitive to public opinion by creating a powerful bureaucracy, by removing control of all public affairs to officials less responsive and accessible to the people. In my opinion, the proposed community commit tees will be powerless to deal with problems and still be effective. Many studies indicate that the larger the unit the more inefficient it becomes in cost and quality of service.

The only basis for unifying services is to provide as good a service at lower cost. Until facts are presented to support this, there's no justification for Bill 36 in its present form. The 50-member council will be cumbersome and not effective.

Let's assume if Winnipeg should reach.a population figure of 750, OOO people by 1990, this would result in a council of 75 members and would continue to increase, and if the predictions become a reality which were quGted the other day by the Minister as he introduced the bill on second reading, that 85 percent of the Manitoba population will reside ill Winnipeg, this is a sound indication that yoµr council will continue to grow.

However, I don't agree with that statement; I think that if the government is giving effective government, surely that there's no need for Winnipeg to grow to-85 percent of the Manitoba population. If their policies are sound, they believe in regional development, in growth centres in the other parts of the province, I'm sure that this would not be the case; but this is already an indication by the Minister himself that at the present time they have not got the proper policies for this not to take place.

It is a fact that communications between - citizens and local councils is good at the present time in smaller cities, and I'm sure that, :for instance, in a place like the City of St. James-Assiniboia, and I'm sure the Attorney-General would agree that if somebody's got a problem with the streets or water or many times that he's received many many calls from local citizens, about water in their back lane, snow -removal. and so on, which doesn't happen in a larger centre. For instance, Metropolitan Corporation was an example where citizens had a .difficult time getting used to it.

When builders had problems with zoning or getting a permit, it was quite easy to communicate with the local council; when this became the responsibility of Metro - and I don't disagree, it had to be a responsibility of Metro because they were given the responsibility for zoning - then it wasn't as simple to get a building permit, to get a variation because there was much bureaucracy, much time consuming, and in fact I'm familiar myself where developments have been delayed for months because of delays in procedure and so on in variations of zoning matters. Mr.

Speaker, I would like to point out that the Liberal Party is traditionally opposed to all powerful government which we equate to restraint upon individual initiative and the individual himself. I believe this is abundantly clear, abundantly clear in our stand. We also realize that we cannot alter the course of events of this government. The Honourable Minister for Urban Affairs is determined to put this Act through during this sitting of the Legislature at all costs. Therefore, perhaps maybe I should spend my time on the revelations of the gnomes of planning and priorities. Mr.

Speaker, the Greater Winnipeg Act cannot be considered by itself without first viewing it in the light of the White Paper on amalgamation. The criticisms of .this paper were many and a very serious and fundamental nature. I do not think I should bore the honourable members of this Assembly with some of the criticisms because I'm sure everyone has heard all of these criticisms except probably the Minister himself, because he, I don't believe, has changed his mind tq a great extent from the time that the White-Paper came out.

Nevertheless, I would like to draw your attention to a few facts which are obvious even to the most casual reader of the White Paper. One cannot escape the impression that whoever wrote that White Paper was quoting.from sources probably somewhere.in the eastern United States which special reference to problems of New York, Chicago or Detroit. This is apparent not in the ideas set forth in this paper or by implying all sorts of imaginery ills that do not really exist in Winnipeg, but even in the choice of words used, and perhaps I can demonstrate to you, Mr. Speaker.

A commonly recurring theme in this report is "frustration." It seems that Winnipeg is populated with a tremendous amount of frustrated people. Even if it were so, may I point out that frustration is usually generated by the tension or attitudes of the administration rather than the form of government. One cannot legislate attitudes. On the other hand, of course, the creation of a large bureau cratic system would most certainly provide a favourable climate in which frustrating attitudes develop. I pointed out a minute ago that people had a difficult time adjusting to the Metropolitan

1568 June 7, 1971 (MR. PATRICK cont'd.) . Corporation when it first became a reality some ten years ago where they used to be able to go to their local council close to home changed, and I agreed with the change but there were difficulties, misunderstanding and there was frustrations developed then, not by the small governments, by the large. Judging by the White Paper all frustrations will be relieved by having a bigger and better government helped somewhere along the line by community committees, whatever they may be.

This bill or City of Greater Winnipeg Act, we think this is a very naive and hastily put together document and legislation, Mr. Speaker. I shall confine my remarks about some salient points of this Act. Among its more strik ing features are the schizoid tendencies which it displays. The provision of this Act are often blurred, ambiguous and subject to a multitude of possible

interpretations. I would like to quote a few examples: In one section,

Section 5 of subsection 5 it says: "Each ward shall as nearly as it is reasonably practicable contain a similar number of electors�' and then it states that, in subsection 6, ''In determining the areas to be included in, and in fixing the boundaries of any ward or diversity of interest of the population and the physical features thereof. 11 In combina tion, these two clauses open a door to a multitude of

interpretations, justifications, and gerry mandering. Because how can you have both. Mr. Speaker, let us now look at communities. Their ... distribution seems to indicate that the only significant change is amalgamation of the Kildonans and elimination of Tuxedo off the map of Greater Winnipeg; then north, central and south communities could band together and form a joint Winnipeg community. But what is in fact happening, Mr. Speaker, the whole structure is being rebuilt upon existing lines, except of course the disappearance of Tuxedo whose eradication seems to be a compulsion of this government.

I don't know for what purpose but they seem to be bent on doing this. Further evidence is also apparent in the ambiguous function assigned to the community committee. On one hand they seem to have responsibility and on the other hand they don't seem to have any power to discharge these responsibilities. Anyone who has had dealings with municipal administration knows full well that the efficient operation of a municipal department depends on a very well-defined chain of command. Each community seems to be empowered to supervise the deliveries of services but is not the hiring and firing authority.

Let us take a hypothetical case of a garbage truck driver. What authority does the com munity councillor, or whatever his title may be, have over this man? The councillor could probably give him orders but this man would be more likely to take orders from his foreman. Of course the councillor could sit on top of a garbage truck and give his directions but I don't think that would be very becoming of a member of a community committee. -- (Interjection) - Did you? Tell us about it. MR. SPEAKER: Order, please. MR. PATRICK: And certainly, Mr. Speaker, this wouldn't do much for his author ity.

But of course the most likely course of events is that the garbage truck driver will tell the community councillor to go jump in the lake. And what will the councillor do? He will probably try and complain to the City Hall; from there it will go through the 50-member Council and down again to the Commissioner; from the Commissioner to the head of the department and by the time it will reach the head of the department, nobody will know what happened and who did what.

This perhaps is a facetious example but similar occurrences will happen and just a few of them are needed to destroy either the authority of the community committees or all the incentive it may have had to be charged with ambiguous functions. Mr. Speaker, further ambiguities at the higher level are evident in the distribution of powers among committees of council. Functions performed by one department apparently fall under the jurisdiction of two committees.

For example, transportation planning is the responsibility of a committee on environment, where as streets and transit are that of the committee on works and operations. Yet discharge of both these functions will most likely be trusted to one department. Now which committee or commissioner will be the boss? Another cross jurisdictional situation is that of the administration of pollution regulation and control on one hand and waste collection and disposal on the other. Each is under a differ ent committee of council but obviously administered by the same department.

These are but a few examples of the obvious and flagrant attitudes and ambiguities in this Act which demon strates a total ignorance of the most elementary principles of management administration. Mr. Speaker, permit me now to dwell upon some deeper and more fundamental aspects

June 7, 1971 1569 (MR. PATRICK cont'd. ) ... .. of this Act, that of the power base of the various tiers of proposed municipal structure. Let us start with the community committees. A question arises how are these committees to be elected. In view of the multitude of minute details in other areas of this Act, this lack of guidance in such a fundamental area as democratic· suffrage is rather strangely conspicuous. True enough there is a provision for commtinity councillors.

Does this mean that ten to twelve thousand people, or say a community oI 5, OOO in Transcona . will meet and elect their committees by shouting, or is there to be an organized election other than or concurrent with that of the Greater Winnipeg Council? And I would like to know how will it work. MR. SPEAKER: Order, please. The Honourable Minister of Finance. MR. CHERNIACK: . • . at this stage of his speech:? Has the honourable member read the bill in relation to how one is elected to a ward? MR. SPEAKER: The Honourable Member for Assinbe>ia. MR. PATRICK: Yes I have and I'm quite familiar with that, Mr.

Speaker, but the Bill is very ambiguous in respect to community committees. Will there be any people from the public sitting on any of these communtiy committees? If there is, how will they be elected, how will they be chosen; will they be appointed? There certainly isn't any information in that respect. Will all, for instance, St. James-Assiniboia - will all the whole council sit on every co=ittee for that area? MR. SPEAKER: Order, please. I'm afraid that this procedure is going to· get us into a problem and I don't think I should allow it. The Honourable Member for Assiniboia. MR. PATRICK: Mr.

Speaker, I'll be very happy to have the Minister answer the question when I'm finished. I think it's very important because not only - I've gone through the bill more than once, and surely when you have 499 pages in this legislation or in the report, it's not a very simple piece of legislation, but I've discussed it with other people who have spent considerable amount of time on this legislation and people who are involved in this type of legislation in city government and it's just as vague to these people as it is to me. Mr. Speaker, another very disturbing part of this Act is

Section 22 (b) - I know I should be speaking on the principle but you can't help to refer to some sections of this bill because of its ambiguities. And I shall quote: "A council may at the time assume exclusive respons ibility for supervising the delivery of one or more of the services referred to in this section, · or any part of one or more of the services and at any time may vary or terminate any one or more of the functions of any one of the committees assigned under subsection 5." This means, Mr.

Speaker, that the community committees however an ineffectual link with the people can be terminated - or should I say defrocked and debarred, at the whim of the faction which is in control of the city government. This in turn opens to question the whole concept of partisan politics in city government. The way I understand it, at a 90 days notice, any community com mittee can be scrapped under this legislation. Mr. Speaker, the. other point that's quite distrubing to me is the role of the commis sioners.

Although their duties are outlined however vaguely and their position in the municipal hierarchy is defined, the limit to their powers is at the discretion of the council. The council may also permit a commissioner to grant zoning variations,

Section 622, which is also one of the few ambiguously spelled out duties of the co=unity committee. Now I know in;Metro you have the Board of Adjustments but I would like to ask who supersedes who. Does the Council supersede · the commissioners or the commissioners supersede the council. Who has the last say in this matter? These are but a few representative examples either of fuzzy thinking or of deliberate attempts to establish a city government which is democratic by name only. Of course I shall not belabour the point of how ineffectual and unwieldy a government composed of 50 councillors may be.

Obviously all the real power will rest with executive policy commit tees, our own version of the Politbureau. Mr. Speaker, a little while ago I have mentioned that. one of the few ambiguous spelled out functions of the community committees is their right to grant variations. In fact the com munity committees will have the right and the duty to hear petitions and· to receive delegations on all matters pertaining to planning. This gives them powers very similar, if not identical, to advisary planning commissions as spelled out in the Planning Act . .

However, all the com munity committees can do is hear the cases and pass it on to the council. Nothing more. It seems rather an exercise in futility to make representations to a powerless group of individuals. Furthermore, it means introducing an additional knot into the existing red tape of bureaucracy.

1570 June 7, 1971 (MR. PATRICK cont'd. ) . . . . . Under the present system , a delegation can confront a Metro council directly although it is only one-quarter of what the proposed - be it whatever the government wants to call it, an amalgamated government or regional government will be - but you will all recall the recent situation which had to do with the communes in a single family area. A group of young people petitioned directly to council and obtained satisfaction directly from the people who had the power to act.

If you were to compare this case with the proposed procedure here , please tell me which .of the two systems is most likely to generate frustration. If on the other hand, the council were to revoke the powers of the community councils , what mechanism is then provided to hear the planning cases ? Mr. Speaker, a goodly portion of the draft legislation consists of platitudes not unlike those of any other municipal act or charter, but there is no innovative spirit in areas that really matteT. For instance, there is no sign of imagination in the search for new forms of taxation.

The whole assessment and taxing structure presupposes the same taxation methods as the ones we now use - the so-called single-tax system. The land will be assessed full value , the buildings at 66 percent of the value. The word value is used in an unqualified and indiscriminate fashion so one doesn't know which value is being used as a base for taxation; be it market value or fair value or what is it because value has certainly different meanings. No mention is made about the school boards, which is another parallel taxing authority, yet it avails itself to the taxing powers of the city.

Of course , one has to give the credit for ingenuity, the new city will have the power to tax on light and gas bills. Also some innovations are evident in new ways and means of infringing upon individual rights, such as extreme licencing powers, an open door to search without warrant, means of by-passing courts in some instances and many more. You will forgive me for not quoting them but after all the proposal, the draft Act has 500 or almost 500 pages. This points out to only one thing, Mr. Speaker; a Manitoba Bill of Rights may soon become more than idle talk.

It will become a most urgent necessity to protect the people of this province against legislation such as outlined in this Act. There is , however, a very interesting clause which deserves attention, and this is

Section 517. Subject, and I'll quote: "Subject as hereinafter in the subsection provided no . temporary or experimental regulation made under clause (b) .•. " MR. SPEAKER: Order, please. The Honourable Minister of Mines. MR. GREEN : I believe that the rule is that on second reading one has to try to deal with the general principle of the Act and is almost prohibited from referring to a specific section. My honourable friend has not only referred to one but he is reading it verbatim and I believe that that is contrary to the rules of the House. MR. SPEAKER: The point is well taken.

The Honourable Member for Assiniboia has five minutes. MR. PATRICK: Mr. Speaker, I agree, and I thank the House Leader, but I would have hoped that I would have some latitude in this because when the Minister of Urban Affairs introduced legislation he went through the whole process of all the committees he held on this bill which was also strange to a certain extent and I would have hoped that I would have have that ... MR. SPEAKER: The honourable member has five minutes. MR. PATRICK: Mr.

Speaker, one of the principles involved which is the 90-day period for certain legislation - for instance it may be legislation for turning on red lights and this would be put on a sort of experimental basis for a 90-day period and I think the government should take this clause and make it applicable to the whole Act.

The points I have mentioned in this address are but a few attitudes of inconsistent and even dangerous aspects of this Act; however , I believe , that I was able to illustrate , perhaps not adequately enough to change the Honourable Minister's mind, but I have pointed out some of the ambiguities contained in this Act which could be deliberate but are most likely the result of fuzzy thinking. I tried to show that the very power base of the various tiers and levels of proposed city government is ill-defined and could lead to the most undemocratic use of this power.

I've drawn your attention to the difficulties the community committees may have in acting as an effective link between the grass roots and the senior echelons of the city govern ment. And finally, I endeavour to stress that in many ways this Act is not innovative espe cially in those areas as say taxation which are the most likely to solve our urban problems, but also presents serious threats to the individual rights. We should give the government some credit for their attempt, even though it is theoretical, to provide for some link between people

June 7, 1971 1571 (MR. PATRICK cont' d.) ... .. and government; this is more than offset by the creation of a powerful bureaucracy which would increase our frustration rather than alleviate it. We should not lose our perspective and remember that this city is Winnipeg and not Chicago, Detroit or New York . It doesn't have five million inhabitants; we're only 500, OOO.

The Honourable Minister for Urban Affairs so proudly states that we are planning for the urban revolution; he should remember that Manitoba is not moving very fast_ and most optimistic projections do not forecast more than 50 percent increase of our population by the year 2, OOO, which is a far cry from the enormous city this Act is designed to administer. No matter which way one looks at this Act, its approach makes one wonder . Powerful city governments have. solved the urban problems of the 21st century and grass. roots .participation. It is somewhat incon_sistent.

We all know by experience that people are basically complacent. You will reca,11 the recent case of the Clifton Community Club which because of lack of interest couldn' t even elect a committee, thus forcing the resignation of the executive who did not all wo:rk. Yet all of these people derive direct benefits from the activities of the community centre . . The gnomes of Planning and Priorities want us to believe that community interest will develop with the implementation of this Act . Mr.

Speaker, I have heard suggestions and as I mentioned before,. that the Minister him self, the Honourable Minister candidly admits that this legislation is designed to create a very strong and not too democratic central regional government that can do the job of .administering a large modern metropolis. Having read this Act, it doesn't seem too far-fetched that the form of government created by this Act will be . strong enough to compete with the P ro:vincial Govern ment and to call the shots in Manitoba. The tail will wag the dog, Mr. Speaker.

If anything, the small rivalry that now exists between rural. and urban Manitoba will become abysmal. Rural members in this Legislature must take n_otice. In conclusion, let me say this: we are in Winnipeg; not in New York or in Detro.it. We do not need to solve New York 's problems in Winnipeg; we have our own problems. Those measures which are adequate to solve the problems of large American cities are of no use here. Winnipeg, with its ethnic mosaic, has something very valuable which very few other cities have.

We are on the verge of destroying it, the three sections on official languages included in this Act notwithstanding . Let us use these assets constructively. Please let the gnomes of Planning and Priorities return to their eastern .towns and let us create our own plan for Manitobans, by Manitobans who know their own problems and can find their own solutions . Mr. Speaker, l cannot support this bill. MR .. SPEAKER: The Honourabl_e Member for Sturgeon Creek. _MR. F. JOHNSTON: Mr. Speaker, I would like to move, seconded by the Honourable Member from Swan River, .that debate be adjourned. MR.

SPEAKER presented the motion and after a voice vote declared, the motion carried. MR. SPEAKER: The Honourable the House Leader. MR. GREEN: Bill No. 33, Mr. Speaker. . MR. SPEAKER: The-proposed motion of the Honourable Minister of Consumer and Corporate Affairs . Th_e Honourable Member for Brandon West . MR. EDWARD McGILL (Brandon West): Mr.

Speaker, in respect to Bill 33_, The Mort gage Brokers and Mortgage Dealers Act, I have. read the bill, I have listened to the explanations of the Minister and I have some reservations both as to principle involved in the bill and _as to language of the bill itself . · The Minister began by suggesting that the reason for the legislation was essentially a specific instance of the collapse of a certain company and their failure to protect the deposits and the moneys of plants which had been given to them in trust.

I would s_uggest that legislation of this type is not likely to eliminate this kind of problem and that it•s more likely a case of . individual wrongdoing than it is of any failure on the part of mortgage companies themselves .

I.think it's an instance, Mr , Speaker, of a tendency in government to, when there is an enforce ment problem which becomes apparent as a result of losses sustained by people who in their good judgment have given their funds in trust to an agent, that rather than deal with specific . instances, there's a tendency to create a large net into which all transactions and all companies involved in a specific kind of business are to be encased; and that while this kind of legislation is likely to produce some protections, there is likely to be some restrictions involved in the general transactions of mortgage business that may not be entirely in the tavour of the people who are looking for money on mortgages.

1572 June 7, 1971 (MR. McGILL cont'd.) We will have more to say, Mr. Speaker, on the question of the principle of the bill but in reviewing the general language one can hardly go by the definition of fraud, for instance , in which it would be considered to be a fraudulent act under the bill to make any false statement. Mr. Sp.eaker, this seems to be rather severe.

It might well have been written that it should have been a "deliberately" false statement because there might be many instances where a mortgage dealer might make statements which he believed to be true and which subsequently would be determined to be false , so I would think this is a restrictive and difficult definition of fraud under the terms of the Act. Another part of the bill would suggest that an applicant could be registered by the Regis trar or his licence renewed if, in the opinion of the Registrar, the applicant was suitable . Mr.

Speaker, it seems to me there should be some more specific terms of reference than merely the opinion of the Registrar. This leaves it pretty generally to the kind of intelligence which the Registrar would bring to the administration of the Act and I think it is in the interests of those who would apply for a licence as mortgage dealers to have a more specific definition of the qualifications that would be required.

In another part· of the Act we note that the Registrar if he considers that a director of a corporation which is registered under the Act is not acceptable as a Director and the Board after a hearing can determine whether or not this director should be removed. Mr.

Speaker, here again, it would appear that it would be a more reasonable clause in the Act to ensure that this hearing , if it is to be held and it has been determined by the Board that such a hearing will be held, that it be held in camera and that the Director under scrutiny should be permitted to attend and to speak on his own behalf if he feels that he should and to hear the reasons under which he is being objected to by the Board.

I think that it should not be possible in legislation of this type for a hearing to be held without the knowledge of a certain person and for him to fil)d out after the fact that he has been judged guilty and has been fined or asked to resign. "Suspensions and cancellations under the Act may be applied for cause." Again I think we need an explanation of "cause" here. This is a vague and general term in which judgment of individuals might be applied and might be unduly restrictive or on the other hand, unduly permissive. I note , too, a clause which would deal with conditional registration.

"The Registrar may, and when so directed by the Board, shall include as part of any Certificate of Registration under this Act such reasonable terms , conditions or restrictions as may be deemed necessary." The phrase, "deemed necessary" - should be some further explanation attached. Who specif ically is going to "deem it necessary" in this instance. This might be reasonably asked. And is this not perhaps a phrase which is really administrative convenience and perhaps would act at the expense of the rights of the parties involved in any action ?

My attention also is taken by part of the bill which would indicate that the failure without reasonable excuse of any person to furnish information and that it shall be prima facie evidence upon which the Board or its authorized representative may make an affirmative finding concern ing a fraudulent act. Surely the Minister isn't suggesting that refusal to give information con stitutes a fraud under the Act. It may well be an offence under the Act but I think, Mr. Speaker, that it is rather excessive treatment to consider that the withholding of information constitutes a fraud. Mr.

Speaker, these are just a few of the instances in the Act which take our attention as being perhaps in language that could be certainly amended or improved and we will anticipate dealing in greater detail with these at the time in the debate when it will be proper to deal with the Act clause by clause. But it is the kind of legislation, I would suggest, that would lend itself to a situation where unwise administration could severely limit the money available for mortgagors at a time when it is very urgently required in this field.

We would hope that the legislation in its final form would not be such that there would be any real restriction or limi tation on the ability of people who are seeking money for the purpose of owning or building homes. I'm sure this was not in any way the intention of the Minister in submitting this legislation. Mr. Speaker, these are just a few of our comments and we will deal in greater detail at a subsequent time. MR. SPEAKER: Are you ready for the question ? The Honourable Member for Assiniboia .

June 7, 19,71 1573 MR. PATRICK: Mr. Speaker, I beg to move, seconded by the Honourable Member for La Verendrye that debate be adjourned , MR. SPEAKER presented the motion and after a voice vote declared the motion carried. MR. PAULLEY: Mr. Speaker, I understand His Honour is awaiting permission to come into the House . ROYAL ASSENT MR. SPEAKER: We, Her Majesty's dutiful and faithful subjects of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba in Session assembled, _approach Your Honour with sentiments of unfeigned devotion and loyalty to Her Majesty's person and government and beg from your Honour the acceptance of this bill (No. 23),

an Act for the granting to Her Majesty certain further sums of money for the public ' service of the pr ovince for the fiscal year ending the 3l st day of March, 19 72 . MR. CLERK: His Honour the Lieutenant-Gove� or doth thank Her Majesty's chltiful and loyal subjects, accepts their benevolence and assents to this Bill in Her Majesty's name. GOVERNMENT BILLS - (Cont'd.) MR. SPEAKER: The Honourable Minister of Labour. MR. PAULLEY: Call Bill 38 please, Mr. Speaker. MR. SPEAKER: On the proposed motion of the Honourable the Attorney-General. The Honourable Member for Fort Rouge. MRS. TRUEMAN: Mr.

Speaker, I can only say that I fully concur with the idea behind this Act. I think we have to protect women from rascally men wherever we see the opportunity. Thank you. MR. SPEAKER: Are you ready for the question? The Honourable the Attorney-General. MR. MACKLING: Well, Mr. Speaker, I will be closing the debate. I' m of course happy that the only female member of the House, the Honourable Member from Fort Rouge, recog nizes the advance that is contained in this legislation. I would just like to point out, Mr.

Speaker, that in the newspaper reporting of this item I noted some misunderstanding as to how the legislation would work and I wanted to clarify once again in case any other honourable member might be troubled by what appears to be the report of my remarks.

That what is involved here is, as a result of an order of the court obtained upon an application generally of a wife, there is an order, for example, of maintenance on her behalf, and in the event that the female spouse decides to attempt again to reconcile her differences with her husband; she places in jeopardy her Order for Maintenance if she reconciles herself and resumes cohabitation with her spouse.

What this bill does is make it possible for the female spouse to endeavour to reconcile her differences for a period up to 90 days without in any way vitiating her right to continue to maintain the order and it's just a matter of proving her intent, that the intent was to endeavour to reconcile, so that a mere act or several acts of cohabitation or resumption of cohabitation will not erode the right that sh� has obtained in court for maintenace. I want to make it clear that that is the way the system would operate. MR. SPEAKER put the question and after a voice vote declared the motion carried. MR.

SPEAKER: The Honourable Minister of Labour. MR. PAULLEY: Would you call Bill 37 please, Mr. Speaker? MR. SPEAKER: On the proposed motion of the Honourable Minister of Municipal Affairs. The Honourable Member for Sturgeon Creek. MR. F. JOHNSTON: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Bill 37 is, I would say, 90 percent housekeeping to the Municipal Act, Sir, but there is one

section in this bill which obviously is another case of the government trying to pass their responsibilities over to someb ody else rather than do it themselves , It is the responsibility of keeping law and c:irder and keeping order or keeping organization when things are held, or gatherings are held, but rather than have to pass this responsibilities or carry them out themselves, they've decided to pass the responsibilities over to the local governments to make the rules and regulations for them which is another direct inroad on the process of peoples ' rights.

Really to put legislation such as this force where it says that you can't hold a gathering and anything without permits, with out having all of these regulations laid down in

Section 707 is directly saying that you don't want to go out and say anything to anybody, you'd rather have somebody do it for you. They also are saying that people -- certainly, Mr. Speaker, I can almost anticipate it . . .

1574 June 7, 1971 MR. SPEAKER: The Honourable Attorney-General. MR . MACKLING: Is the honourable member suggesting that the anticipated delegation of responsibility from the Provincial Government to the Local Government is an invasion of rights of the citizens ? MR. F. JOHNSTON: Mr. Speaker, he is again taking the attitude of the Minister of Mines and Natural Resources and trying to twist, by saying that I am against turning over authority to local government in more demand, and that's not what I am saying.

You're right, I am saying that this is an interference under the law as far as I am concerned, and the people's rights, if you own a farm, if you want to have a party, if you want to have a picnic, if you want to have anything, in a provincial park even, if you want to go anywhere, go around s-omebody's farm or wherever you rent, you've gotta go to that local municipality and get permission. Now it's really not right that this has to be done . I know the reasons, Mr.

Speaker, they're saying that there are gatherings and we see gatherings in Woodstock and all this sort of thing - sure there are - but these are people gatherings and if they gather and if they do not break the law they have no reason to be covered by this type of a bill. -- (Interjec tion) -- If you would like - Mr. Speaker, would the Minister like to talk about Bruce Park, because I'll tell you about it. -- (Interjection) -- Certainly. MR. SPEAKER: The Honourable Attorney-General. MR . MACKLING: Mr.

Speaker, I ask the honourable member whether or not he feels that this Assembly or the government the Provincial Government should set the regulations in respect to assemblies in public areas as well such as, let's say, Bruce Park, or should the authority and responsibility for licensing be left with the local government? MR. F. JOHNSTON: Mr .

Speaker, I say that the authority for a man to rent his property, to have anything on it, is his business providing they stay within the present laws; and really there probably have been some complaints along the lines about gatherings and this is what has brought this legislation on and the government is saying, we don't want to do anythii:J.g about U, we '11 let the local authorities, they've got to make up their minds, they've got to set the legislation, and they also set a number on it. Mr. Speaker,

Section 707 is not democratic; it really takes inroads into people 's privacy, people's freedom, and it's something that should not be in this bill. Regarding the dogs or the gatherings in Bruce Park, I can remember when the Attorney-General was involved in that area; the discussion came up about dogs and he wasn't really opposed to it, as long as the things were handled right, which it is. So, Mr. Speaker, again, this is the responsibility of the Provincial Government to see that the laws are well kept without adding this kind of a

section to the Municipal Act. MR. SPEAKER: The Honourable Member for Charleswood. MR. ARTHUR MOUG (Charleswood): Mr. Speaker, I just wanted to make one short co=ent on part of the bill. It says that if a sitting councillor becomes a welfare recipient, he doesn't have to resign his seat. I know we discussed this at Municipal Affairs when it was clarified that a welfare recipient could run for office. I think there's quite a bit of difference there.

If a man is known to be a welfare recipient at the time he runs for office, that's one thing, but if he becomes a welfare recipient during his term of office, I think it's altogether different and should be looked at before the bill is passed. MR. SPEAKER: The Minister of Mines and Natural Resources. MR. GREEN: Would the honourable member permit a question?

Let us assume that the man was elected mayor of a municipality and then through unfortunate circumstances he was blinded, he lost the sight of his eyes, and therefore because there was no other way he was entitled to the Blind Persons' Assistance from the Provincial Government, do you think he should resign his seat as mayor? MR. MOUG: By that, do you mean that all mayors are blind? MR. SPEAKER: Order, please. MR� MOUG: I say by that do you mean that all mayors are blind? -- (Interjection) - Yes, yes . I agree with that, you know that. MR.

SPEAKER: I shall not tolerate exchanges of that nature when members are not being serious. The Honourable Member for La Ve rend rye. MR. LEONARD A. BAR KMAN (La Verendrye): I beg to move, seconded by the Honour able Member for Rhineland, that debate be adjourned. MR. SPEAKER presented the motion and after a voice vote declared the motion carried.

June 7, 1971 MR, SPEAKER: The Honourable Minister of Labour. MR. PAULLEY: Call Bill 27, Mr . Speaker. 1575 MR. SPEAKER: On the proposed motion of the Honourable Member for ... -- (Inter jection) - (Agreed) The proposed motion of the.Honourable Minister of Consumer and Corporate Affairs. The Honourable Member for Brandon West, MR . McGIL L:. Mr. Speaker, may! have this matter stand? (Agreed) MR. PAULLEY presented Bill No . 42,

an Act to amend The Election Act, for second reading. MR . SPEAKER presented the motion. MR. PAULLEY: This is a very simple bill, Mr. Speaker. Ac tually all that it does - if honourable members recall certain changes were made in the Election Act at the last session.

However at that particular time no provision was made for changing of the forms pertaining to elections dealing with such matters as requirements of deposits, the names of the political parties under whose auspices a candidate was running and the likes of that; the requirements for the number of names required for support of a candidate and the likes. The purpose of this billis simply to establish those forms within the Election Act itself. MR. SPEAKE.R put the question and after a voice vote declared the motion carried. MR. SPEAKER: The Honourable Minister. MR. PAULLEY: I wonder now, Mr.

Speaker, whether we couldn't deal with the proposed resolution standing in my name dealing with the rules of the Ho use. MR. SPEAKER: The Honourable.Minister of Labour . MR . PAUL LEY : Mr. Speaker, I beg to move, seconded by the Honourable Minister of Mines and Natural Resources , that the report of the Special Committee on the Rules, Orders and Forms of Pr oceedings of the Legi slative Assembly of Manitoba received by the House on May 27th be concurred in. MR. SPEAKER presented the motion. MR. PAULLEY: Mr .

Speaker, the Clerk of the Assembly has copies of the suggested changes of the rules as adopted by the Co=ittee of the Whole the other day for distribution. Now, members will recall, Mr. Speaker, that as the sponsor of the report of the special co=ittee on Rules, Orders and Forms of Proceeding, that I had indicated the desire of co=encement of the new rules by the first of June.

However, we were not able to deal with that or proceed due to the fact that the Legislative Counsel and the Clerk of the Assembly desired to bring into proper form suggested changes, and also that there were certain amend ments proposed and adopted in the Co=ittee of the Wh ole House when we met. The purport of this motion, of course, Mr.

Speaker, is to ask for the adoption of the report in order that we may proceed with the changes in the rules of the House as quickly as possible, and I suggest that if there is concurrence today that we should start tomorrow in proceeding the order of business in the House as suggested, first of all by the Special Co=it tee on the �les, and secondly, by the Committee of the Whole House . There is one particular point, Mr. Speaker, that (would like to draw to the attention of members of the Assembly dealing with this report, deals with suggested changes to our present Rule 21.

Our present Rule.21 deals with the matter of proceeding with certain businesses of the House and the matter of resolutions standing over, etc . Mr .

Speaker, I'm sure members of the House are aware that there is a recommendation that the rules of the House insofar as order of proceedings is concerned would be changed, whereby Private Members' Resolutions, instead of being dealt with on only two days, or two portions of days as they are under our present rules, would be changed so that there would be an hour devoted each sitting day to Private Members' Resolutions and that that hour would be, if I recall correctly, between the hours of 4:30 and 5:3 0 in the afternoon.

The Committee of the Whole House agreed to a change in the procedure dealing with Private Members' Resolutions in that no request should be made or should be permitted by a member to allow the resolution to stand, in other words, not to be proceeded with; and since that time, in consultation with honourable members opposite, the proposition has arisen that in addition to the forbidding of a matter to stand that we should adopt the Ottawa system, as I understand it, that no adjournment would also be permitted, Mr. Speaker, on a Private Member •s Resolution.

The objective behind this would be that once a Private Membe1 's Resolution was entered into for debate, that the debate should proceed until the debate is

157 6 June 7, 1971 (MR. PAULLEY cont'd.) .co ncluded on that particular Private Member's Resolution, unless the debate is not concluded at the end of the hour devoted to Private Members ' Resolu tions, at which time the resolution would go to the bottom of the Order Paper to work its way up for consideration. It is felt, Mr. Speaker, that if agreement could be reached on this motion of concurrence this procedure could be adopted; and the objective is of course, Mr. Speaker, that propositions through Private Members' Resolutions would be dealt with to a final conclusion as quickly as possible .

And when I say as quickly as possible, Mr. Speaker, I want to make it clear and understandable to all, there's no desire to curtail any debate but rather that the debate once entered into a conclusion should be arrived at . In this way, may I suggest, in all due respect to the members, it would offset what has happened in the past, particularly toward the latter part of the session where we have before us a dozen and one and sometimes a lot more resolu tions that haven't been dealt with or concluded and we 're generally anxious then just to end the business of the House. So I would suggest, Mr.

Speaker, that we agree that with the concurrence resolution that I have had the privilege of introducing, that Rule 21 (4) would read as follows: During Private Members' Hour, no request shall be made by a member to allow a matter to stand with respect to Private Members' Resolutions . This has been agreed to, but in addition to that, Mr. Speaker, in the same Rule 20 (4), that there be- or it could be all-inclusive - "and no motion will be entertained to adjourn a debate with respect to Private Members' Resolutions ." It is my understanding from consultation, Mr. Speaker, that this meets with general approval.

I realize that in accordance with rules of the House that this might not be able to be proceeded with unless we have concurrence of all members of the House. The alternative would be that the matter be referred back to the Committee of the Whole House, which would be technically a formality because I am sure that the resolution would receive the vast majority of the support of all members of the House - and I say that, Mr .

Speaker, after due consulta tion with the honourable expert of the rules from the Conservative Party, the Member for Morris, and I have discussed the mat ter with the Honourable the Member for Port age la Prairie and the Member for Rhineland. So with those few remarks, Mr. Chairman, I recommend support for the motion of concurrence; and also, I recommend that the new rules - and I understand that mimeographed copies have been forwarded to all members of the House - should commence with tomorrow's sitting. MR. SPEAKER: Are you ready for the question ? The Honourable Member for Morris. MR . WARNER H.

JORGENSON (Morris) : Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Labour undertook to consult with members on this side of the House on this particular amendment that he is now proposing prior to the time that they started to consider the adoption of this, or concurrence of this report, and I am happy to see that he has made the position clear, because unless we adopt this course of action of permitting debate to continue on a Private Member's Resolution, it'll defeat the whole purpose of changing the whole order of Private Members' business .

You 're still going to be in the position where you '11 never know from day to day what resolution you're going to be dealing with, and the main purpose in changing the order of Private Members' business to one hour a day rather than two days a week was to bring some order into the method in which we would be dealing with Private Members' Resolutions . If adjournment of debates are permitted on those resolutions, as has been the case in the past, then you 're back to square 1 and you're going to be just as bad off, I would venture to suggest, if not worse off than you were in the past.

The whole purpose of Private Members' Resolutions is to enable members not only on this side but on the government side who very rarely have an opportunity to participate in de bates.

This will give them full opportunity to be heard on matters that are brought before the House onP rivate Members' Resolutions and will - if! may use the suggestior. - it will probably even compel some of them to get up and speak, which is not a bad idea from time to time because I know from experience that when you're on the government side of the House there are limited opportunities to participate in debates except to a large extent on the set piece debates such as the Speech from the Throne and the Budget debate .

So I for one welcome the suggestion made by the Minister because I think it's absolutely necessary if we 're to have the kind of order that we'd like to have in dealing with Private Members' Resolutions . However, in looking over the list that the Minister has just distributed to members in

June 7, 1971 1577 (MR. JORGENSON, cont'd.) ..... the House, I note that the order for business on Wednes days - which he has on the sheet that he has just distributed to members of the House - there is a change from that which was proposed in paragraph No. 6 on Page 4 of the Committee's report as listed in No. 4 of the Votes and Proceedings, in which it was suggested at that time that on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays th� first order of business would be Private Mem bers' Resolutions followed by Private Bills and Public Bills by private members, and on .

Tuesdays and ThU:rsd!lys between 4:30 and 5:30 the. agenda would include Private Bills, Public Bills for private members, followed by :private Members 1 Resolutions . I see the order on Wednesday has as the first order of business the Orders for Return that may be referred, to Private Members' hour during that particular hour, and that to me represents somewhat of a change to what was contained in the suggestion of the committee's report .

Now I might say that I d�n't think f have any particular objection to that because Orders for Return, if they're to be debatable, must have some place on the.O rder Paper where atten..: tion can be given to debating Orders for RetUrn, and unless at least O!le period during the week . is set aside for that purpose there is a good possibility that the goverriment could easily - and I' m not suggesting that they would Clo that - could easily manoeuvre the debate in such a way that we would never reach contentious Orders for Return.

So I don't disagree with the sugges tion, I think perhaps the government, maybe even unwittingly, gave up an opportunity fo make sure that contentious Orders for RetUrn will have. first opportunity for debate at least one day a week. -- (Interjection) -- Well then, I must credit the staff with the de.gree of.foresight that they displayed in redrafting this in such a way that I think perhaps is better than the origin al suggestion. MR . SPEAKER: Are you ready for the question? The Honourable Member for Rhineland. MR. FRO ESE: Mr .

Speaker, without exhausting my right �o speak, I would like to ask the Minister whether we could not hold this for one· day so that we could study the contents be cause there -- (Interjection) -- Fine. I'll move then that debate be adjourned, seconded by the Honourable Member for Po rtage la Prairie. MR. SPEAKER presented the motion and after a voice vote declared the motion carried. MR . SPEAKER: The Honourable Minister of Labour. MR. PA ULLEY: If I may, Mr. Speaker, of course this means that these rules will not start tomorrow . MR. GREEN: Has the question been put on the adjournment? MR.

SPEAKER: It 's been put. The Honourable Minister of Labour. . . . . Continued on next page

1578 June 7, 1971 MR. PAULLEY: Mr. Speaker, I beg to move, seconded by the Honourable the Minister of Mines and Natural Resources, that Mr. Speaker do now leave the Chair and the House resolve itself into Committee to consider of the Supply to be granted to Her Majesty. MR. SPEAKER presented the motion. MR. SPEAKER: The Honourable Member for Fort Rouge. MRS. TRUEMAN: Mr.

Speaker, I rise on a grievance to protest against the extent to which this government in its hiring practices has abandoned the merit principles, failed to give Manitobans equal access to senior positions in the Civil Service, and pays its political appointees inflated salaries. Over the centuries the Civil Service has evolved as a non-political permanent core of officials which is the heart of any public administration. It has been built upon what is known as the merit principle.

To quote the United Nations Handbook of Public Administration, "the principle that initial entry into the service, appointment and promotion to a higher grade, are open only to people who have proved their merit and fitness by objective and impartial test. " I continue to quote: "If merit, fitness and the public interests are to be the sole criteria for entry and promotion in the career service, it follows that political or private influence should play no part at all. " It goes on to say that "s eeking preferment by influence should result in disqualification.

" And I continue quoting: "It is true that examples can occasionally be found of able men appointed to office under the patronage system but this is the exception rather than the rule, and the general effect of patronage appointments is to demoralize a career service." Although we all recognize that a Minister should have some discretion in appointing people he can work with, I think we must deplore the extent to which the Civil Service principles have been abandoned by the present government.

Civil servants have accepted a sort of politi cal sterilization and have given up some of their political rights in return for security and generous fringe benefits. Overt political partisanship among government employees would serve to undermine public confidence in the impartial conduct of the province's affairs. Also, public service must be protected against financial exploitation or coersion by a superior with party affiliations who can affect a subordinate•s prospects for promotions.

The United Nations Handbook on Public Administration, which represents the accumu lated wisdom of all the countries who belong to the United Nations, states that "political neu tral ity is an essential complement to the merit system for a guarantee that the career officials who have competed for their posts and advanced by merit to the highest rank would give the govern ment, whatever its political makeup, absolutely impartial advice, criticisms and assistance in any matter which concerns it.

Further, it assures the Ministers that whether they accept the advice of the career officials or not, their ultimate decisions will be loyally accepted and faithfully carried out. " Although it may have suffered somewhat in practice, the merit system has been a stable part of our public effort. The administrative method by which it has been implemented has been to advertise competitive examinations for filling positions, and Manitoba had a proud record in this respect. However, Mr. Speaker, there are a number of other ways by which civil servants can be hired in addition to the merit system.

There is provision in the Civil Service Act for the Lieute nant-Governor-in-Council to hire other technical officers and also the Minister of a department can simply, under his signature, hire on a term basis. That could be for a period of a month, a year, several years - it's quite an indefinite period. We have watched this gov ernment fill unadvertised positions with one official after another who have no commitment to this community, and knowing themselves to be political appointees, they've all run like rabbits looking for jobs elsewhere rather than take their chances with a new administration.

I wish to quote another statement from an outstanding authority in the United Nations . "In the course of getting technical assistance in public administration, the United Nations experts have experienced and have had to combat the demoralizing effect of such influence. This extract from a country report summarizes those consequences . Such a system denies the right of every citizen, provided he has the necessary qualitifications, to compete on equal terms for employment in government service.

It usually results in depriving the government of the services of the most able men, for their places are taken by those who possess only the necessary political or private influence. " I continue to quote: "Existing civil servants are discouraged from putting their hearts into their work for they feel their advancement depends not on their ability and zeal but on the chances of p:>litical and private favoritism. Moreover, " they go on to say, " under such a system the Civil Service is �nable to provide that continuity of administrative experience for

June 7, 1971 1579 (MRS, TRUEMAN cont'd) . the benefit of such as governments which it .should be able to provide because so many. of the senior posts change hands when the government changes. The importance of continuity in the permanent Civil Service administration cannot be over-emphasiz ed, particularly in a co untry where changes of government are frequent, mr must it be for gotten that such a system also leads to the number of civil servants being unnecessarily .enlarg"" ed in order to provide posts for the proteges of ministers and others.

Clearly, the cost of allowing influence to affect the career service is high. For a country which has to cope with. ' the complexities of administration that go with economic and social development, it can be , crippling. It is therefore essential that a career personnel. system should ensure the elimina tion of personal favoritism and partisan political pressures and should strive towa:rds the m.�rit principle. " Mr. Speaker, anyone who is spea king on the bureaucracy finds it. pretty difficult not to quote C. Northcote Parkinson and his book, "Parkinson.•s Law.

" The increase in Manitoba Civil .Service last year by 800 employees brings to Jnind Parkinson•s statement that - and I quote - "that the Civil Service will inevitably grow by 5. 17 to 6. 56 percent per year even if · there is no new work to do. This is predetermined regardless of the amount of work to be done and the output may actually decrease. " Well, Mr. Speaker, Manitoba experienced a growth of nine percent and that does not include those who are hired on a term. basis or casual skilled or unskilled labour and trades.

Parkinson further states that "politicians and taxpayers have assumed, -with occasional phases of doubt, that.our rising total in the number of civil servants must reflect a growing volume of work to be done. My professor of public administration has said that if you have a thousand people and start one piece of paper circuiating am:mg them, you will generate enough activity to cause perpetual motion.

" But to return to Parkinson, he refers to motive forces in the growth of bureaucracy and two almost axiomatic statements: (1 ) an official wants to multiply subordinates not rivals; and (2) officials make work for each other. My grievance, Mr. Speaker, was crystallized by an Order-in-Council dated May 19, 1971 which appointed Dr. Tulchinsky as a special adviser in Public Health to the Minister of Health and Social Development with a salary of $29, 724 a year, plus $2, 400 in recognition of an advanced degree in Public Health.

In addition, he will likely receive the us e of a car and expenses plus the fringe benefits that go with a Civil Service position, such as vacations with pay, pension plan, group insurance and so forth, of a recognized value of further 23 percent of salary .. In this case that would be worth another $6, 826 and this adds up to $38, 958 per year. -- (Interjection) -- $38, 950, Now, I have two quarrels with this.

One, that the $2400 in recognition of an advanced degree sets a dangerous precedent which has never been done before, and also that now this appointee appears to be earning a greater income than the Deputy Minister to whom he is an associate, or even to the Chairman of the Manitoba Health Services Insurance Commission. -- (Interjection) -- When I finish. There are many more examples which I can relate to you of people from outside the province who have been hired, some at quite inflated salary levels .

No. 1 - Gordon Anderson, second Assist ant Deputy Minister in Agriculture. -- (Interjection) -- Prince Edward Island. He received $21, 648 plus· fringe benefi'ts of about 4, 900, making a total salary of ovei: $26, OOO. No. 2 - Dr. P. C. Briant, the new Chairman of the Manitoba Development Corporation. His salary will be $30, OOO plus a value of $6900 in fringe benefits for a total of $36,900. Dr. Briant comes from Montreal. No. 3 - Avrum Regenstrief , Senior Officer I in Planning and Priorities. They go up to Senior Officer Classification VI.

He will receive $18, 696 plus 5300 in fringe benefits for a total of 23, 996, He comes from Toronto. No. 4 - Dr. J. C. Weldon, consultant under contract. He will receive $27, 363 plus about 6, 352 in additional value through fringe benefits for a total of 33, 992 ; plus statutory holidays - he will receive vacation with pay and expenses but he apparently is not going to be in the pension or insurance group. Dr. Weldon comes from Montreal. No. 5 � Andre Ouellette, Senior Officer IV, Deputy Minister of Health and Social Development. Including his fringe benefits, his income will come to $30, 818.

He comes from Ottawa, Mr. Speaker. No. 6 - David Cass-Beggs, Chairman of Manitoba Hydro Electric Board, at a salary of $35, OOO. He has been re-appointed; his new contract runs to July, 1972. He secures this

1580 June 7, 1971 (MRS. TRUEMAN cont'd) . . . . . income even if his employment is terminated sooner; either that sum or six months ' salary, whichever amount is less, plus car expenses, travel expenses, four weeks vacation with pay, $1500 for moving his furniture from Ottawa and a pension of $56 a year times 12 months times the number of years employed. If he works for one year he'll get $56 a month from Manitoba; if he works 10 years he'd receive $560 a month in pension. Now, his fringe benefits come to something like $7, 050 for a total of $42, 050, plus the 1, 500 for moving him into Manitoba and so on.

Now he has come from Saskatchewan, I believe by way of Ottawa. No. 7 - Dr. Tulchinsky I have mentioned. He arrives from Ottawa by way of Sas- katchewan and St. Catherines . No. 8 - Ronald Blackburn, the General Manager of the Manitoba Public Insurance Corporation. He came in as a Technical Officer. He's from Saskatchewan. His income plus fringe benefits would equal about $25, OOO a year. No. 9 - P. C. Petrich - I thought he1d left because he couldn't get the salary he want ed but apparently he has just retu rned and is now hired at $19, 632. He comes from Washington, D. C. No. 10 - Mr. Elieson.

He's a Senior Officer ill, Assistance Deputy Minister, ap pointed by the Lieutenant-Governor-in-Council - $18 , 696 plus about 2, 300 fringe benefits for a total of $22, 996, Mr. Elieson comes from Ottawa. No. 11 - Dr. Sheps has been flying in as a cons ultant from Maryland. No. 12 - Mr. M. Kalmakoff was in Mines and Natural Resourc es. He's a Senior Officer Il at a salary of $20, 616 plus about 4, 740 in fr inge benefits for a total of 25, 356. Kalmakoff comes from Saskatchewan. No. 13 - Then there's Mr. Randall, in Autopac from British Columbia. No. 14 - Mr.

Berry, Human Rights Commission from Toronto, plus assorted tree pruners from Saskatchewan and so on, Mr. Speaker, I note that there are no women's names on this list but that should be the subject of another grievance, This list doesn't pretend to be complete in the short period of time that I've put into putting it together, but reading it helps me to understand how the Irish feel about regaining home rule. One cannot but feel that this influx of technocrats and advisors, that with these the needs of backward Manitoba are at long last being met.

In this respect we also realize that this province is in the position of those emerging countries to whom the established nations have sent their experts. Manitoba now takes its place with the Central Republic of Africa, Sudan, Nigeria, the Ivory Coast, Uganda, Timbuktu, Tierra del Fuego, you name it. But it might be even more accurate to call these men carpetbaggers. This, as you all likely know, is a rather scornful app3llation for northerners who went south after the Civil War in the States seeking private gains for political advancement.

I understand also that there are 53 people scattered throughout the department who report to Mr. Weldon who has a Deputy Minister's status in Planning and Priorities. Well, this is a rather new concept and one which I think could, in its implementation, have rather demoralizing effects on the staff of the department. Well, Mr. Speaker, wha t's wrong with hiring Manitobans; at least giving them a chance to compete for senior positions. We keep urging our young people to stay in Manitoba and we try to reverse the brain drain.

Where are their opportunities if we condone this practice of giving the senior positions to people from outside the province who are hired because they think right, which is thinking left. Mr. Speaker, the universal Declaration of Human Rights states in

Article 21: "Everyone has the right of equal access to public service in his country. " Now we must conclude that this government's talk of being a protector of people's rights is merely a pious platitude, something to be adhered to when it suits their purpose. One of the important advantages of the Civil Service is that it provides continuity in administration between governments, but I predict that that continuity will be lost in the near future when there' s a change of government here. -- (Interj ection) -- We don't have to.

The effect of bringing in strangers who start at the top and have no commitment to this community, has been most evident in the Department of Health and Social Development. Spec ifically, I refer to the preoccupation this past year with the internal operations o.( the depart ment and the power struggle that appears to have been going on at the Deputy Minister's level. There has been a complete disregard of the opinions of the respected members of this commun ity, The newcomers who were employed are not aware of the historical contribution of the

i _ _ June 7, 197 1 1581 (MRS, TRUEMAN cont'd) • many non- government'agencies and appear to have no interest in the voic e of the community that they represent, There's a downgrading of the agencies in favour of more government control, In fact, the agencies are being ignored, It is because of this that we read in the papers that the President of the Manitoba Hosp ital Association, .wanting to discuss that association's ideas concerning the report of the Feder al Task Force on the cost of Health Services, a legitimate aspiratiOn because they are the experts, he reports to the Press, and I quote the press report: 11He•• - that is the Minister - "hasn't answered any of our specific requests for a meeting.

I think we have written two or three times. " Well, the CRYPT members responded pretty fast to an arbitrary decision to take over their work by marching on the Legislature and they at least seem to have achieved · a situation of mutual cooperation. The Crisis Centre Board didn't do as we ll. They, representing 27 community agen cies, have worked for three years to establish a Crisis Centre operating on a 24-hour, s'even day basis. They have been getting the big stall. On May 18, a 50-man delegation resorted to· confrontation tactics to get attention and a reply from the Minister.

The Director of Agency Relations had been left to deal with them in the meeting which they'd asked for. As they waited, the group is reported to have discussed possible action evoking tactics to which they might resort, such as occupying the Legislative Building cafeteria at lunchtime; holding a mass funeral for the people who could have used the Crisis Service; a permanent lobby in the Agency Relations Dirrotor•s o.ffice; going to other political parties; writing letters ; occupying all the washrooms in the Legislative Building - now that might have caused a real crisis.

The del egation was told that existing crisis services were adequate, yet one of them had phoned the so-cal led adequate service at 1:35 a;m. and the phone rang 25 times without an answer. Then they apparently, according to press reports, dragged the Minister out of a caucus me eting and demanded an answer from him. His reaction was rather clinical. He is quoted as saying: "I must get the pulse of their feelings" - that is the Deputy's - "so I can make up my own mind. " Mr.

Speaker, it's a disgrace that well-m eaning, intelligent people, who know this community and who have served it well and invested their lives and worked in it, should re ceive so little consideration of their ideas by those presently in power. Now, there is a pro liferation of crisis services by agencies and even by amateurs who set themselves up in business with no training or qualifications but giving advice freely to anyone in trouble. Another example of their damaging effect of bringing in strangers occurred in Feb ruary, 1971. A freeze was put on the plans to develop a Manitoba Health Centre.

In a press interview the Deputy Minister is reported to have said that a critical re-ev aluation of priorit ies for health care was the reason for postponing it and that the government " wishes to be prepared to reallocate _money until now committed to the l&tl.th Sciences Complex. " The plans brought forward by the Health Sciences Co- ordinating Council to up-grade and fully develop teaching and research were to provide this community with the best quality of care. Through research1 dramatic improvements in health and life expectancy have been brought about.

Research in the causes of heart disease, cancer, mental illness and mal nutrition is vital if we are to ensure freedom from crippling disease. The plans were on the right track. There was good coordination of planning between the hospitals, university and government, then a person who was strange to the community causes a delay in order to re view the plans. Then the government in its conceit that it knows what's best and its determina tion to centralize control, brings forward other proposals for a community health clinic. Mr.

Speaker, this is a downgrading of research in favour of more government power and control through the delivery of service. I stated earlier that I felt the Department of Health and Social Development had been overly preoccupied by internal operations. In the Annual Report there is reference to a num ber of management studies recently carried out, the departmental reorganization proposal, seven more studies in research and planning, over 100 studies in the Special Studies group, and a reference to Operation Overvi ew, an efficiency study in all regional offices.

How this all relates to increases in staff. of 356 people, I don't know, but it does not take a lot more people to deliver a great deal more social assistance. The rising numbers on welfare are not an excuse. The emphasis has been with delivery of service but not with the quality of that service. Mr. Speaker, I'm genuinely concerned that this government ls cr eating a political

1582 June 7, 1971 (MRS, TRUEMAN cont'd) . . . . . bureaucracy and that they're depriving Manitobans of their right to compete for senior positions in government. Although I cannot pretend to be a spokesman for the Civil Service, yet I am certain that there is a demoralizing effect, that many civil servants fear opportunities for advancement lost. They will feel frustrated bec ause their latent ability is only partially utilized. I call on the government, Mr.

Speaker, to return to the merit system of advertising positions , to competitive examinations and appointing the person who is bes t qualified, the system that protects the people from the damaging consequen c_es of political patronage. MR. SPEAKER: Are you ready for the question? The Honourable Minister of Mines and Natural Resources. -- (Interjec tion) -- MR, GREEN: You didn't hear it because I haven't asked it yet. If you will permit it, I will ask it.

The honourable member indicated that several doctors were earning more than their Deputy Minister and more than the -- (Interjection) -- a doctor she referred to, which is Dr. Tulchinsky, was earning more than the Deputy Minister and the Chairman of the Hospital Commission. Is she aware that Dr. Kovacs, hired by the previous administration; Dr. Tanner, the late Dr. Tanner, hired by the previous administration; Dr. Tavener, hired by the previous administration; Dr.

Peter Warner, hired by the previous administration; and other doctors, all earned more than their Deputy Minister and the Chairman of the Hospital Commission. MRS. TRUEMAN: Mr. Speaker, the doctors who you listed all happen to the Manitob ans, they did not receive the extra $2, 400 for special ... MR. GRE EN: A subsequent question. Is she aware that they all earned more than both the Deputy Minister to whom they are responsible or the Chairman of the Hospital Com mission, to whom they are responsible? MRS, TRUEMAN: Mr. Chairman, in the time that I had available I did look into the present occupants.

I realize that the Provincial Psychiatrist earns not quite that much I don't think, and that the Chairman of the He alth Services Insurance Commission who happens to be a doctor, he doesn't have to be, those are the only two salaries I checked into. MR, SPEAKER put the question and after a voice vote declared the motion carried, and the House resolved itself into Committee of Supply with the Honourable Member for Winni peg Centre in the Chair. COMMITTEE OF SUPPLY MR. CHAIRMAN: (Resolution 71 -

Section 4 (

a) was read and passed. ) (b)(l) -- The Member for Rhineland. MR. FROESE : What resolution are we on - 72 ? MR. CHAIRMAN : 71. MR. FROESE : Oh, I thought we . . . MR. CHAIRMAN: Mines and Natural Resources, Resolution No. 71 (b) . MR, FROESE : .. one last time. MR. CHAIRMAN: No, I'm sorry I have no indication of this. I didn't initial it and I initial it when we pass it. (T he remainder of Resolution 71 and

Section 5 (

a) of Resolution 72 were rea d and passed. ) (b)(l) -- The Member for Brandon West. MR, McGILL: Mr. Chairman, I just have a few comments and questions to the Minister with respect to the operations of the Government Air Services .

The Minister in his presentation mentioned the fact that travel requirements now with respect to government in Manitoba would be booked through the Air Services and that while not all of the travel would be done in government aircraft, that probably as a result of this change of policy more of this would be done through the Air Services 1 facilities, and that the utilization of the air craft which they now own - I believe there are ten aircraft operated by the department - would, while it is presently low, would increase as a result of this policy being effective.

I was noting in the report of the department that under "Flight Operations" it's indicat ed that requests for the use of the Manitoba Government Air Services - this would be for the year ending March 31s t, '7 0, I believe that's the last report we have - continues to increase, and many of these requests in future will only be met by the use of twin-engine aircraft capable of flying above the weather and utilizing the various airstrips and airports located throughout the provioce.

June 7, 1971 1583 (MR. McGILL cont'd) . Now this is an interesting comment, Mr. Chairman, because on the one hand the Minister has indicated that the utilization is rather low and the report of operations would indicate that the utilization is increasing and that it may require additional aircraft to be ac quired by the department.

The use of multi- engine aircraft in the department would not be complet ely new inasmuch as I understand at the moment there are at least aircraft operating in Manitoba in the service of the Fire Protection Branch, but I'm wondering if the Minister might in his comments indicate what specifically the Manitoba Government Air Service has in mind with respect to aircraft capable of flying above the weather.

This .would suggest.to me that probably they're thinking of a je t-type aircraft, perhaps an executive type of jet that has this capability, and would be a ldnd of aircraft considerably more expensive than any other kind that they have at the moment. But I certainly would be interested in hearing the Mimst-er•s explanations of this. ' ·· There is a second suggestion here in respect to the use of the multi-engine 8.ircaft in ' the Fire Services.

I gather that this has been quite successful and that they have haq two air..: craft in the past under contract or lease, I'm not sure which, whether Ws .a lease Of the pilot and the aircraft or whether the - - l':in sorry, a contract in which the contractor supplies pilot and aircraft or is it simply an aircraft which is on a dry lease on an hourly basis perhaps or a monthly basis, and that the intention of the department is to expand this service.

This is interesting because it suggests that perhaps we're going full circle on fire protection, that in the early days after World War I it seems .to me they relied pretty exclus ively on aircraft to spot fires and that the use of manned towers wasn't as common as it is riow.

But I'm wondering if in the northern regions it is now the intention to phase out the manned tower operation and to rely pretty well completely, as this phasing-out would carry on, on the aerial observations, and probably this is a realistic direction in which to be going because of the greater efficiency in range in the aircraft that are now available to the department. I'm a little interested in the way in which thes e aircrafts· are leas ed or contracted for. Is this by public tender ?

Are these published so that any aviation concerned which might have aircraft for lease or hire would be able to tender on these requirements ? This is one area in which I've seen tenders for various ldnds of flying for the department but never for the use in this specific instance. The Minister also suggested that he was going to expand the use of departmental air craft in the public service in the north and that this would be particularly by government employees. Now the word "particularlY'' interests me.

Is it that there will be some general public service provided by Government Air Services, that the strips that they have now es tablished throughout the north and that are now being used by Manitoba Government Air Service planes will be available to the public or would this be only on an emergency basis as it is I understand at the moment.

If the department is considering going into the public transportation field in the north, I think this should be explained because it would probably be of great inter est to the present operators who are providing charter services and non-s cheduled services in that area and even to the SKED operators as well. Mr. Chairman, these are a few of the things that occurred to me in reading the accounts that relate to the use of aircraft by the department and I would be particularly inter ested in the Minister's explanations with respect to the possible public us e of Government Air Services for public transportation.

MR. CHAIRMAN: The Member for Rhineland. MR. FROESE: Mr. Chairman, my remarks will be very brief as well. I'm interest ed in the airstrips that are being built by the government. I know the Minister in his opening remarks, or in his remarks later on mentioned a number of landing strips that have been constructed. How many more are being constructed this year, and what about other areas, let's say in southern Manitoba ?

Has the government any requests for assistance here, because I know of other municipal or private landing strips that have been constructed and where a . request was made on previous occasions for assistance. Has the government any program in this connection of assistance for landing strips of this type ? MR. CHAIRMAN: The Minister of Mines and Natural Resources. MR. GREEN : Mr. Speaker, I'll just start from the last question that was asked first.

The airstrip program that is referred to under this appropriation is designed primarily and almost exclusively for isolated communities, communities that do not have access by way

1584 June 7, 1971 (MR. GREEN cont'd) . • • • . of road!, rail or other scheduled service. Therefore, it would not apply to co=unities in southern Manitoba, all of which have access by one or other form of transportation. It is essentially a service to remove the isolation of people who are in those areas and it has been conducted for, oh some period of years under the direction previously of the Deputy Commissioner of Northern Affairs, Mr.

Mc Donald, who was the man mainly responsible for the way in which this program has proceeded, to the extent where I think there are now - oh, certainly over 20 airstrips in northern Manitoba. As to the number that would be started this year or how many would be built this year, it's not an easy question to answer becaus e I never know when these airstrips are started and when they are completed. They start with clearing and at a certain stage they can be landed upon, but Mr. Mc Donald at any rate would not call them an airstrip because they're not in the condition that he would like to see them in.

Eventually they become improved more and more, at the same times as others are being commenced, so that you have airstrips in various stages of construction and I know that there are appropriations this year for airstrip program ming, both in the Capital appropriation and in the appropriation (5)(b)( 2). The number that we would be starting I can't give you at this moment, but I expect that I should be rec eiving that information in a few moments and will be able to give it to the honourable member.

In regard to the questions that were asked by the Honourable Member for Brandon, I don't believe that I used the term 11low11, that the utilization of the service was low when I discussed the estimates. If I did, then I can only say that that would not be a proper name. What we felt is that they could be used more efficiently; in other words, that the use could be expanded,-and by expanding us e I merely indicate to my honourable friend that the more we use our own service the better efficiency we get.

The ideal would be that if you had service which would keep nine planes busy all the time, then you would have ten planes and you would have the tenth plane using just the overage of what nine were being used 100 percent. If you had ten planes being used all the time you'd have eleven planes, with one that uses the difference between ten or eleven, where you'd hire the eleventh plane, but every time you had enough service for a different plane, we find that it is cheaper to operate it ours elves than to rent it out; So when we discussed -- if the term "low" was used then I would regret that I would have us ed it.

We are trying to make sure that we use our service with fullest capacity and that's why we are insisting that all bookings take place through the department. That doesn' t mean that everybody would go on a Government Air Service plane, but it would mean that if there was a Government Air Service plane available that that plane would be used and we would only go to a rental where that plane was not available. With regard to the use of twin-engine aircraft, there is no suggestion that this would be the je t executive-type aircraft.

There is a suggestion that it be the type of aircraft that we find that we are having to rent. Once you find that you are using a certain number of rental hours on aircraft and you can translate those rental hours into a capital purchase, then that's the time that you decide on proceeding with a new aircraft. The same is true of helicopters, if you find that you are using helicopters to the extent that the amount of rentals would pay for the ownership acquisition and maintenance of that aircraft, then you go into rental of the heli copter.

So those are the only considerations that we are dealing with when we are talking about new twin aircrafts. MR. CHAIRMAN: The Member for Brandon West. MR. McGILL: if the Minister would accept a question? MR. GREEN: Yes. MR. McGILL: The report of the department indicates that they're talking about twin-engine aircraft capable of flying above the weather. Is the Minister suggesting that the Beach Travelairs that they're renting or leasing at the moment are capable of doing that ? MR.

GREEN: Well, I can•t refer to the phrase that was us ed in the report because unfortunately I'm not entirely familiar with it, but I can tell you that the type of aircraft that we're talking about is Aztec, Beach Baron, Cessna 402, these types. If those types are not capable of travelling above the weather, then we are not yet prepared to do the type of thing that my honourable friend has referred to in the report, but those are the types of aircraft that we are referring to. As to contract services, I understand that two out of our six fire protection aircraft are leased and flown by our pilots.

This is being done on an experimental basis for five

June 7, 1971 1585 (MR, GREEN cont'd) . months, and then I say that the type of comparison that the department would be making to see whether the lease basis or the ownership of the aircraft basis is more economical would be gone into. We did call for tenders for twin-engine aircraft but these were not accepted as they were higher than our own costs and therefore the tenders were not accepted, but I know that we do call for tenders for aircraft, for helicopter service when we require extra work.

I can't say that tenders are called in every case, but I would think that if we are knowledgeable enough in advance of what we are going to need then our practice would probably be to call for tenders. MR. CHAIRMAN: The Member for Brandon West. MR. McGILL: Mr. Chairman, I wanted to ask the Mini ster - I didn' t quite under stand - you said that the tenders were higher than your own cost. You don't own these air craft; you get them in some way, either by tender or contract or leas e. How is this done? MR. CHAmMAN: Mr. Min ister. MR. GREEN: Mr.

Speaker, the fact is that tenders were called for twin-engine aircraft for certain jobs that were to be done this year. These were not accepted as they were higher than our cost. I have the figure $12. 00 higher than our own cost. Now our own cost would be either to use our own aircraft or to -- well, Mr. Chairman, I'm sorry I can't give a full explanation of that at this moment but I'm sure I'll have one in a minute. I am only ·indi cating that the tenders that were called w·ere considered to be higher than our own cost, .that•s true.

I:Iow we would replace the aircraft which we had originally called for tenders with, I'll have to get that information for my honourable friend - and I hope I'll have it in a moment. With regard to tower operations, I'm unable to confirm that we are taking the proce dure that my honourable friend has referred to in eliminating tower operations. If indeed it would have the result that my honourable friend is referring to, then that would be something that we would look into, but I cannot say at this point that the use of aircraft is being used to phase out and eliminate tower operations.

As I understand it at the moment, we are proceed ing with the same form of fire prevention programs that have been proceeded with in the past. With regard to the number of airstrips , apparently there are 32 airstrips in all, I said something over 20. There are two upon which grading will.commence in 1971, Waasagomach and South Indian Lake. They will be doing grading to get a length of a half mile or over in the communities of Bloodvein, Red Sucker Lake, Garden Hill and God•s Narrows.

Now I believe that there is one question which the Honourable Member for Brandon raises which I haven't given a satisf actory answer at this point and I hope that I'll have one for him in a few moments. MR. CHAIRMAN: The Honourable Member for Brandon West. MR. McGILL: Just one further question to the Ministe r, Mr. Chairman. Can the Mini ster say whether or not the Manitoba Government Air Services was involved in any way in the crash of a twin-engine aircraft that occurred about two weeks ago north of International air field ? MR. CHAffiMAN: The Minister. MR. GREEN: Mr.

Chairman,· there was indeed a crash of a twin-engine aircraft that was leased to the Government Air Services. I think it's a little more than two weeks ago, it was approximately April 26th of 1971. Is that the one that you're re ferring to - north of Balmoral, Manitoba? Yes, that was an aircraft that was being leased by the Government Air Services. A twin-engine Beachcraft Travelair 95 was leased for a five-month period to be used for passenger carrying and forest fire protection.

This aircraft was .checked out for air-worthiness by three Manitoba Governmmt Air Division engineers under the supervision of the Chief Engineer of Perimeter Aviation Company. There were two pilots ori. it and the cause of the crash has not yet been ascertained although it's being investigated. That was a Government Air Services that was being rented. Now -- yes, I think that.my previous answer is correct that the tender that we got was $40. 00 per hour, no tax on fuel, no profit, l<>w tenders of $52. 00. The established cost to do it by tender during the 1971 season would have been $40, OOO. 00.

Our own operation could do the work for $30, OOO with a savings of $11, OOO. All the flights that we were involv ed in would be under 10, OOO feet, on instruments when possible, and that if clouds are above 10, OOO feet then Travelairs are not used. Now, Mr. Chairman, again I'm taking a note from the administration which

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Collection	Manitoba — Debates (Hansard)
Citation	29-3-65
Type	hansard
Volume / chapter	29th 3rd hansardpdf 65.pdf
Language	en
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