Manitoba Committee Hansard — 12 May 1992 (Private Bills Committee, Sitting 1, 35th Legislature, 3rd Session)

35-3-pb1

Manitoba — Debates (Hansard)

Third Session - Thirty-Fifth Legislature of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba STANDING COMMITTEE on PRIVATE BILLS 39-40 Elizabeth II Chairperson Mr. Jack Reimer Constituency of Niakwa VOL. XLI No. 1 • 10 a.m., TUESDAY, MAY 12, 1992 Printed by the Office of the Q.,_,s Printer. Province of Manitoba ISSN 0713-9489

MANITOBA LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY Thlrty·Fifth Legislature Members, Constituencies and Political Affiliation NAME ALCOCK, Reg ASHTON, Steve BARRETT, Becky CARSTAIRS, Sharon CERILLI, Marianne CHEE MA, Guizar CHOMIAK, Dave CONNERY, Edward CUMMINGS, Glen, Hon. DACQUAY, louise DERKACH, leonard, Hon. DEWAR, Gregory DOER, Gary DOWNEY, James, Hon. DRIEDGER, Albert, Hon. DUCHARME, Gerry, Hon. EDWARDS, Paul ENNS, Harry, Hon. ERNST, Jim, Hon. EVANS,Ciif EVANS, Leonard S. FILMON, Gary, Hon. FINDLAY, Glen, Hon. FRIESEN, Jean GAUDRY,Neil GILL ESHAMMER, Harold, Hon. HARPER, Elijah HELWER, Edward R.

HICKES, George LAMOUREUX, Kevin LATHLIN, Oscar LAURENDEAU, Marcel MALOWAY, Jim MANNESS, Clayton, Hon. MARTINDALE, Doug McALPINE, Gerry McCRAE, James, Hon. MciNTOSH, linda, Hon. MITCHELSON, Bonnie, Hon. NEUFELD, Harold ORCHARD, Donald, Hon. PENNER, Jack PLOHMAN, John PRAZNIK, Darren, Hon. REID, Daryl REIMER, Jack RENDER, Shirley ROCAN, Denis, Hon. ROSE, Bob SANTOS, Conrad STEFANSON, Eric, Hon. STORIE, Jerry SVEINSON, Ben VODREY, Rosemary, Hon. WASYL YCIA-LEIS, Judy WOWCHUK, Rosann CONSTITUENCY Osbome Thompson Wellington River Heights Radisson The Maples Kildonan Portage Ia Prairie Ste.

Rose Seine River Roblin-Russell Selkirk Concordia Arthur-Virden Steinbach Riel St. James lakeside Charleswood Interlake Brandon East Tuxedo Springfield Wolseley St. Boniface Minnedosa Rupertsland Gimli Point Douglas Inkster The Pas St. Norbert Elmwood Morris Burrows Sturgeon Creek Brandon West Assiniboia River East Rossmere Pembina Emerson Dauphin Lac du Bonnet Transcona Niakwa St. Vital Gladstone Turtle Mountain Broadway Kirkfleld Park Ain Flon La Verendrye Fort Garry St.

Johns Swan River PARTY liberal NDP NDP liberal NDP Liberal NDP PC PC PC PC NDP NDP PC PC PC Liberal PC PC NDP NDP PC PC NDP liberal 0PC NDP PC NDP liberal NDP PC NDP PC NDP PC PC PC PC PC PC PC NDP PC NDP PC PC PC PC NDP PC NDP PC PC NDP NDP

1 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA THE STANDING COMMITTEE ON PRIVATE BILLS Tuesday, May 12, 1992 TIME- 10 a.m. LOCATION-Winnipeg, Manitoba CHAIRPERSON- Mr. Jack Reimer (Niakwa) ATTENDANCE -10- QUORUM-6 Members of the Committee present: Messrs. Ashton, Edwards, Laurendeau, McAlpine, Reimer, Mrs. Render, Messrs. Rose, Sveinson, Ms. Wasylycia-Leis, Ms. Wowchuk APPEARING: Kevin Lamoureux, MLA for Inkster Val Perry, Legislative Counsel MATTERS UNDER DISCUSSION: Bill 39- The Salvation Army Grace General Hospital Incorporation Amendment Act *** Mr. Chalr�erson: Will the committee please come to order.

This morning the committee will consider Bill 39, The Salvation Army Grace General Hospital Incorporation Amendment Act. For the committee's information, copies of the bill are available at the back table. No presenters have registered to speak on this bill. Accordingly, we will now proceed with the bill. Does the sponsor, Mr. McAlpine, have any opening remarks? Mr. Gerry McAlpine (Sturgeon Creek): Mr. Chairperson, I am pleased to be able to submit the amendment this morning on behalf of the Grace General Hospital Incorporation.

It is a bill that is to reflect the amalgamation of the Governing Council of the Salvation Army Canada East and the Governing Council of the Salvation Army Canada West in forming the Governing Council; and to further permit the Salvation Army Grace General Hospital to own and operate one or more elde rly and infirm persons' housing accommodations as referred to in The Elderly and Infirm Persons' Housing Act, including personal care home or homes, and to reflect the current organizational structure. •

(1005) I have with me, Mr. Chairperson, this morning the legal counsel for the Grace Hospital, Mr. Bill Burnett of Thompson Dorfman Sweatman, H there are any questions. I would offer the explanation that the bill is more of one that offers housekeeping for the Salvation Army Grace General Hospital. I would ask all members to approve the amendment. If there are any questions, as I say, Mr. Burnett would be here to answer any. Thank you. Ms.

Val Perry (Legislative Counsel): Yes, required by Rule 108 of the Rules of the House, I now report that I have examined Bill 39, The Salvation Army Grace Ge neral Hospital Incorporation Amendment Act, and have not noted any exceptional powers sought or any other provision of the bill requiring special consideration. Mr. Paul Edwards (St. James): Mr. Chairperson, I have some brief comments. I want to start by indicating our support for this legislation, which has been a matter of record for some time, both through the efforts of the former member for Sturgeon Creek, Ms. Yeo, as well as myself in the last session.

Mr. Chairperson, by way of brief history to this bill, it has been some time in the coming to this point where it is coming to fruition for the Salvation Army, and that is unfortunate. I think that shows a failure on all of our parts to deal with private members' bills in a nonpartisan way, which they are intended to be. In the session ended July of 1991, this bill was under my name in exactly the same form. I believe there was one word different and that was my name instead of Mr. Alpine's. In any event, at the time it came to committee, the Minister of Health (Mr.

Orchard) made it known that he was not going to allow it to go through because he did not have a legal opinion. The next day, Mr. Chairperson, I provided him that legal opinion in the House from the Crown counsel assigned to the Department of Health. I tabled it in the House because he refused to accept it from me. He refused to consider it, and indicated that it was his view that it should properly have been brought

2 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA May 12, 1992 forward by the current member for Sturgeon Creek, Mr. McAlpine. In response to that, I offered to have it seconded by Mr. McAlpine at that time. He refused that as well. It was that partisan approach on the part of the Minister of Health (Mr. Orchard), and I believe quite a petty approach, that led to this not coming to this stage for a further 10 months until now. That is regrettable. I think it is Important that this bill go through. It was always important that it go through.

The Salvation Army should not become the subject of the partisan disputes which go on in this House quite often. I hoped to avoid that. If there was some break in tradition, which the Minister of Health felt aggrieved by that it should have remained in the name of the member for Sturgeon Creek, I can assure, as I did at that time, him, that the member for Sturgeon Creek, prior to Mr. McAlpine, Ms. Yeo gave it to me because she knew me. She did not want it to be delayed any more than it had to be. I took it forward.

When the Minister of Health made it known that he wanted a legal opinion, I got a legal opinion-all within that 24-hour period. As I say, in July of 1991, it was my view that purely out of political pettiness the Minister of Health did not allow this to go forward. I think that Is regrettable. I feel badly that the Salvation Army got caught in that position. I do not believe it was anything that I had done that led to that. Mr. Chairperson, I want to note finally that It is 25 years the Salvation Army Grace Hospital has been in that location, and they are celebrating this month their anniversary in that location.

I think we all want to wish them well in future years. They have commenced major expansions. They are a very fine insti tuti on. They serve the St. James-Assiniboia area as well as the city at large. We want to recognize that, and also remember their long commitment to this city both in the current location as well as the former location in the Wolseley area. We wish them well in their nursing homes as well as the hospital facility they run, and thank the Salvation Army generally, as well as the staff at the Grace Hospital, for the fine commitment they have made to this community and this city. Mr.

Steve Ashton (Thompson): Mr. Chairperson, I find It Ironic that in the wee hours of the morning, myself and the member for St. Johns and our Chair of committees were sitting in this same room and very much- Ms. Judy Wasylycla-Lels (St. Johns): Just a few short hours ago. Mr. Ashton: That is right. We were discussing Health Estimates and the conduct of the Minister of Health (Mr. Orchard). *

(1010) I must say that I appreciate the comments of the member for St. James (Mr. Edwards). I remember what happened last year, and I think that what happened was driven very much by the Minister of Health. I do not think it was motivated in terms ef the best Interests of this particular bill or the hospital itself, and was a very partisan and personally oriented action.

We were in a difficult situation and I believe the member was four or five minutes late in arriving at the meeting at which the-and I am not trying to embarrass the member, It was a very short period of time at which the matter was dealt with essentially. I find it somewhat unfortunate that the matter did have to end up being dealt with in such a way. I have no difficulty with the current bill or the member who is currently bringing it in. I know that he has the best of Intentions. I think it is unfortunate if we get into some of these political games. I might remind the member for St.

James that later on today, we will be having a vote on the Minister of Health's salary, so he may have an opportunity to, I would not say have some revenge out of this, but at least correct what happened and register his concern. I find it unfortunate, as I said, we get into a lot of tactics in this House, Mr. Chairperson, and we get Into some very political maneuvering that goes on. I do not think any party Is immune from that. I think that is going to be part of the Legislature for many years to come.

I find it unfortunate that this element came up on a bill of this kind last year, and I wanted to put on the record that I think the member for St. James (Mr. Edwards) raised some very good points. I think the record should show that, certainly, we in the New Democratic Party, do have a concern about what happened last year. It was an unfortunate set of events.

May 12, 1992 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA 3 Perhaps we should have tried to keep the committee hearing going, and perhaps we share some blame in that, Mr. Chairperson, but we were not-[interjection] Well, the Chair of committees should remember what the Minister of Health (Mr. Orchard) said. I spoke directly to the Minister of Health, and I know that he did not want this bill to be passed through because of who was introducing it-let us put it that way. That is very, very clear. We, by the way, also were victims last year in terms of The Pas Health Complex Act. We attempted to get that passed through.

It was not passed through. We hope that will be dealt with. 1 think that the member for St. James, in retrospect, had some very signHicant points. I want to put that in all sincerity. I think we should avoid this kind of approach with future bills. I say we, collectively-all three parties. Mr. McAlpine: Mr. Chairperson, I think it is important to put this on the record -that the opposition members are talking about partisan politics here. I think that the partisan politics is coming from the other side. It has nothing to do with the Health minister.

I �as at the committee on the 22nd of July 1991 , and it was quite apparent that the member for St. James (Mr. Edwards) was not there, and the Health minister simply indicated that since the member was not present, the bill would be held over until the next session. I mean H there is any partisan politics that is being played here, I think it is on the other side. All we want to do is to pass the bill, and let us do it. Mr. K�vln Lamoureux (Inkster): Mr.

Chairperson, I find it absolutely amazing that the member for Sturgeon Creek would take that type of an attitude that the Salvation Army is not worth waiting two or three minutes. *

(1015) It has been a number of years where I have gone to a number of dHferent committee meetings in which we have waited five, 1 0 minutes in order to deal with bills. H this would have been a priority to this government, in particular to this member who represents the Salvation Army, or the actual location of it, that in fact, he would have had the interest in ensuring that the member for St. James, albeit had to wait two or three minutes. We are not talking an hour late or a haH hour. We are talking two or three · minutes. The member was, in fact, in the House. Mr.

Chairperson, I take exception to what the member for Sturgeon Creek is saying, that in fact, had he been sincere about it, he would have ensured that this particular bill passed last session and that the excuses that are being made from this member and the Minister of Health (Mr. Orchard) are completely unacceptable. Unfortunately, it had to take this course in order to pass the Salvation Army bill, which is something that should have been done in a very apolitical fashion. Mr. Chairperson: The bill will be considered clause by clause. During the consideration of the bill the title and the

preamble are postponed until all other clauses have been considered in the proper order. Clause 1 pass-pass; Clause 2-pass; Clause 3- pass ; Cla use 4-p ass; Clause 5- pass;

Preamble-pass; Title-pass. Bill be reported. This concludes the consideration of the bill. 1 would like to thank the committee and the staff from Legislative Counsel for their work this morning. COMMilTEE ROSE AT: 10:16 a.m.

Document details

Collection	Manitoba — Debates (Hansard)
Citation	35-3-pb1
Type	hansard
Volume / chapter	35th 3rd hansardpdf pb1.pdf
Language	en
Format	pdf
Source	PROVINCIAL
Identifier	e064e7ff4ace62624c3f4ef28ea4013dab968136

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