Winnipeg Jets
Operating Losses
Mr. Gary Doer (Leader of the Opposition): My question is to the acting Premier.
Madam Speaker, of course we have received information from the City of Winnipeg, not from this Legislature, that deals with, again, some scenarios dealing with the Winnipeg Jets.
Now, of course, there are two scenarios, both negotiated by the Premier (Mr. Filmon). The one scenario is the operating loss agreement negotiated by the Premier and Mayor Norrie, the former mayor of the City of Winnipeg, and the other deal is the proposal now being forged between Mr. Filmon and Mr. Asper for the so-called Spirit of Manitoba.
Madam Speaker, under the memo yesterday, Mr. Frost presents two scenarios in terms of the operating losses of the Winnipeg Jets team. A, quote, normal range of losses would be $17 million, and a lame-duck scenario would be losses up to $25 million.
I have asked this question to the Premier before. Will he confirm the numbers of Commissioner Frost as the possible loss range in terms of the operating loss agreement that he signed in 1991?
Hon. Eric Stefanson (Minister of Finance): The information that has been consistently utilized over the last few months by governments, by the Manitoba Entertainment Complex, more recently by the Spirit of Manitoba, has been that the losses over the next two years are projected at between $28 million to $30 million.
Mr. Frost, I understand, was asked to prepare a memo on behalf of the mayor and City Council under so-called worst-case scenarios, and at this particular point in time, those are purely speculative. As the Leader of the Opposition knows--we had a discussion in Estimates on Friday--there are some very significant contracts coming up in the next handful of days for the Winnipeg Jets. Those are going to be integral to what the future operating losses might well be.
The fiscal year-end for the Jets is June 30. We will be receiving the audited financial statements, Madam Speaker, but, as it is everybody's objective to find a Manitoba solution here to keep the team in Manitoba, if that occurs by August 15 of this year, losses will become the responsibility of the Spirit of Manitoba, of the private sector.
Winnipeg Jets/Arena
Provincial Funding
Mr. Gary Doer (Leader of the Opposition): The second deal and scenario forged in the words of Commissioner Frost, forged between Mr. Filmon and Mr. Asper, indicate that we are still short the $17 million for the $111-million arena.
Of course, the $111-million arena comes on the promise of the Premier (Mr. Filmon) in the election that he would limit his contribution from the provincial government to $10 million, and he would not cover operating losses of the team past May 1, 1995, words that ring rather hollow now when we look at the two scenarios and the two doors we may go through based on the two deals the Premier has negotiated with this hockey team.
I would like to ask the Premier today to table the business plan dealing fully with the shortfall of the $17 million and dealing with the other scenario that we may have to look at as taxpayers in terms of the facility, the $111 million which is going to be supported by the taxpayers of Manitoba.
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Hon. Eric Stefanson (Minister of Finance): Madam Speaker, the Leader of the Opposition has asked a similar question many times. We have discussed this same issue in Estimates, and he fails to understand the difference between the Spirit of Manitoba taking over the operations of the hockey club and the three levels of government building a facility here in Manitoba.
We have acknowledged that there still is $17 million to be put in place, and we have outlined a series of options to come up with that $17 million, Madam Speaker.
One of them is pursuing that with the federal government in terms of pointing out to them the significant economic benefits that they will derive from the building of a facility. They will derive some $20 million in direct taxes if a facility is built. They will also take in approximately $12 million annually in taxation revenue. There are very significant economic arguments as to why the federal government should make a more significant contribution.
We also have indicated to him that for the building of the facility, the rights to the naming and the rights to the clock, those revenue sources will also be a part of building the facility and will ultimately take up a significant part of that $17 million.
So there are a series of options that will be pursued to come up with the additional $17 million that is required, Madam Speaker.
Standing Committee
Spirit of Manitoba
Mr. Gary Doer (Leader of the Opposition): Madam Speaker, the government has been giving us a series of options, a series of scenarios, a series of possibilities for the last five and a half weeks in this House. They have not given us yet a business plan to deal with the $111 million. They have not dealt at all specifically with these concerns.
I would like to ask the Premier (Mr. Filmon), in light of the fact that the government itself was briefed last night in a closed-door meeting here at the Legislative Building, would the Premier of this province have the so-called Spirit of Manitoba come before a legislative committee so that all members of this Legislature who are all responsible to the taxpayers of this province can all be briefed and ask questions on this proposal, not a select group of people that the Premier chooses, Madam Speaker?
Hon. Eric Stefanson (Minister of Finance): Madam Speaker, again, we have indicated on many occasions to the Leader of the Opposition that as this issue moves forward, if deals are concluded, if contracts, if arrangements are ultimately entered into between levels of government with the Spirit of Manitoba or with any other entities, it is certainly our undertaking to make as much as we possibly can available, not only to the members of this Legislature but to all Manitobans because I think that will be a healthy part of the ultimate decisions around this entire issue, to share as much information as we possibly can.
But if we all had the attitude similar to the Leader of the Opposition, today in Manitoba we would have no Concert Hall, we would have no Convention Centre, we would have no Art Gallery, we would have no aqueduct, we would have no North Portage, we would have no Forks.
We would probably have a province with no people living in it, Madam Speaker, if we had that kind of leadership from the Leader of the Opposition in this province.
Winnipeg Arena
Design
Mr. Tim Sale (Crescentwood): Madam Speaker, I want to table a letter.
Mr. Jerry Shore, who is the second-largest tenant of the current arena, and Mr. Frost, who is the city commissioner, and Mayor Thompson have all confirmed over the last few days that the new building for the Winnipeg Jets is just that. It is a stripped-down, bare-bones hockey rink.
Mr. Frost's rather delicate wording on this is that much private-sector work has gone into the costing of the building, but it is quite evident that this proposed building is at the low end in comparison with other new facilities, a rather delicate phrase.
Will the Premier now confirm that this deal with Mr. Asper is based on a bargain-basement rink and is not in any sense a multipurpose entertainment complex?
Hon. Gary Filmon (Premier): Absolutely not, Madam Speaker, and the members of the design team of Manitoba Entertainment Complex totally and categorically reject that assertion.
Private-Sector Funding
Mr. Tim Sale (Crescentwood): Madam Speaker, will the Premier finally require the private sector to put some money on the table here and to advance the design funds that are now required to forward the project from the club and luxury-seat and box deposits, which are due on July 1, instead of putting further public-sector funds on the table, where no private-sector funds are at risk?
Hon. Gary Filmon (Premier): Madam Speaker, as has been stated many times, the arrangement is that the public sector will create the facility that will be there for the long-term enjoyment and benefit of generations of Manitobans to come, and the private sector will buy, own and operate and be responsible for all costs and losses of the operations of the team in the future.
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Cost Overruns
Mr. Tim Sale (Crescentwood): Will the Premier confirm that last night at the briefing, Spirit of Manitoba showed that, in fact, design costs were to go to Spirit in the third section of the documents which they tabled, and will the Premier, finally then, require that Spirit put forward some of these funds and that it will require personal covenants from Spirit's directors, so that the cost overruns which are almost certain will not fall on the public sector but will fall on the private sector, as promised?
Hon. Gary Filmon (Premier): Madam Speaker, as a member of Thin Ice and as a member of Choices and as a member of all of these loony, left-wing organizations that have been--
Point of Order
Mr. Steve Ashton (Opposition House Leader): On a point of order, Madam Speaker, Beauchesne's is very clear that all members are honourable members and not only that, are referred to as representing their constituencies.
Perhaps the minister should wake up to the fact that the member is the member for Crescentwood and should be referred to as that in debate.
Madam Speaker: Order, please. I did not specifically hear the Premier refer to the member for Crescentwood as those adjectives he used which regrettably are really not very parliamentary, but, indeed, I will peruse Hansard and, if necessary, I will report back to the House.
I will remind the honourable First Minister that indeed all members are referred to as honourable members.
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Mr. Filmon: Madam Speaker, I categorically did not refer to the member himself in the term that I chose.
I will say this, though, that he has been the guiding genius behind the development of such organizations as Thin Ice and Choices and the Manitoba Medicare Alert Coalition and all of those organizations that offer no vision, no hope and no opportunity for the future of Manitoba, Madam Speaker. He merely mouths the words of all of those who operate out of ignorance and who operate with such a sense of negativity towards this province and this city's future.
Having said that, the answer to his question is that the designers, the architects, the engineers and those in charge of the construction of this facility did confirm last evening that they are confident in the price, they are confident in the quality of the construction of the facility, and they are confident that it will meet all of the needs and all of the tests and all of the future opportunities that will be created as a result of the development of the Manitoba entertainment complex, Madam Speaker.
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Immigration Agreement
Application Fee
Mr. Conrad Santos (Broadway): Madam Speaker, this Tory government has been self-righteously critical of what has been generally described as racist policies of the federal Liberal government in imposing a head tax and bond requirements which the honourable minister of immigration, heritage and culture himself had called exorbitant.
The Canadian Embassy in the Philippines has been using, in addition, a high exchange rate in calculating the number of Philippine pesos needed to cover the new fees of nearly $1,500 Canadian dollar fare for adult immigrant applicants.
My question is to the honourable minister himself.
Will the honourable minister today table in this Assembly any correspondence he has had with his fellow counterparts expressing his concern and calling for the reversal of federal government racist immigration policies?
Hon. Harold Gilleshammer (Minister of Culture, Heritage and Citizenship): Madam Speaker, we covered this topic in some detail in the Estimates process just last week, and I regret the honourable member was not able to attend that.
We have taken a very strong stand with the federal minister and the federal government opposing the bond system that he is putting into place, the head tax that he is putting into place. All of these things are going to be detrimental to Canada and Manitoba receiving more immigrants.
I have written to the federal minister opposing those, and I have requested a meeting with him so that we could sit down on a face-to-face basis to discuss these issues.
Negotiations
Mr. Conrad Santos (Broadway): What is the status of the negotiations started since May between the federal government and the provincial government on the desired objectives of reaching a bilateral agreement on immigration policies in this province?
Hon. Harold Gilleshammer (Minister of Culture, Heritage and Citizenship): Madam Speaker, again, we covered this in some detail in the Estimates process, and that is available in Hansard.
We have been very disappointed in the federal government's lack of response to our attempts to get an immigration agreement. It seems that, while we do get agreement at the local level with staff from the Immigration department, as it works its way up the federal bureaucracy we are not getting the type of co-operation we need to achieve an agreement, and, as a result, I have written to the federal minister indicating a desire to meet with him at his earliest opportunity.
Family Reunification
Mr. Conrad Santos (Broadway): Will the honourable minister commit himself today to make it clear to the federal Liberal government that he disagrees with the racist immigration policy put in place by that federal Liberal government and that he will call for family reunification as a top priority objective in the recruitment and selection of immigrants to Manitoba?
Hon. Harold Gilleshammer (Minister of Culture, Heritage and Citizenship): Madam Speaker, I have already done that, and we have communicated that to the federal minister.
Again, we covered this in the Estimates process. I note that one Liberal member of Parliament from north Winnipeg Dr. Pagtakhan has been very much onside on this, and we hope that perhaps other members of that Liberal caucus will see the errors of their ways and talk to Minister Marchi to make the adjustments that we think are desirable.
Forest Fires
Leaf Rapids Evacuees
Mr. Gerard Jennissen (Flin Flon): Madam Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Natural Resources.
Without question, the citizens of Leaf Rapids have endured a difficult couple of weeks. On the first evacuation, we heard reports of a convoy caught with fires on both sides of the road en route from Leaf Rapids to Thompson. Citizens returned to Leaf Rapids on Friday only to be re-evacuated on Sunday.
Today, a convoy of 50 vehicles will leave Lynn Lake and will be escorted through Leaf Rapids to Lake Suwannee, where they will be left on their own to travel south to Thompson, a total distance of approximately 180 kilometres.
Can the minister tell the House what measures will be taken to ensure the safety of these travellers, given that they have only just been evacuated out of this area and given that the last update from Leaf Rapids stated that wind conditions will be unpredictable.
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Hon. Albert Driedger (Minister of Natural Resources): Well, Madam Speaker, predictions are no perfect science by any means. I have mentioned this before, that we have a committee that meets at ten o'clock every morning, does an assessment in terms of what the conditions are, what the conditions of the fires are, what the wind conditions are, and then they make predictions in terms of whether we should be on an evacuation watch or not.
Many people play a role in this, and certainly when the decisions get made to make any move, whatever it is, it is then always done in conjunction with the RCMP. So if there is any evacuation or movement that takes place of the people from Lynn Lake, or anywhere really where evacuation takes place, it is always done in conjunction with many of our civil servants and the RCMP.
So without really going into the details of it, great concern is always taken in terms of trying to make sure that safety is the No. 1 concern.
In spite of that, what happened last time when the fire broke and raced across, people have to understand--many of us probably have never been exposed to a forest fire and have never seen what happens when the wind is 50, 60 kilometres an hour, and the fire jumps literally two, three miles at a crack and tops through the top of the trees.
It is very hard to always project when we have circumstances up north that are very volatile, as they are now. Hopefully, the people who are out there are making the right judgment.
Leaf Rapids--Disaster Assistance
Mr. Gerard Jennissen (Flin Flon): Madam Speaker, my supplementary question is to the Minister of Government Services.
Can the Minister of Government Services tell us when evacuees in Lynn Lake will begin receiving their daily allowances for expenses other than gas and food? It has been a week now.
Hon. Brian Pallister (Minister of Government Services): I thank the member for the question.
The daily allowance the member refers to is an amount of funds that is made available on a short-term basis, on a bridge basis, to those who have been evacuated who do not have access to any alternate source of funds. That is to say, it is not an entitlement, but it is an amount of funds that would provide for those who have needs such as laundry expense or to procure toiletries, these types of items.
There may be a basic misunderstanding on the part of the member as to the intention of these funds. It is not an allowance per se that is paid to every evacuee regardless of situation; rather, individual circumstances are taken into account in the payment of these funds.
Host Community Assistance
Mr. Gerard Jennissen (Flin Flon): Madam Speaker, my final supplementary to the same minister: What additional assistance will be provided to the small community of Lynn Lake to cope with the larger-than-expected stay of hundreds and hundreds of evacuees from Leaf Rapids?
Hon. Brian Pallister (Minister of Government Services): In terms of the host communities, whether it be Lynn Lake in this case or Portage la Prairie in the past week, other communities are on standby, based on the emergency preparedness plans that have been developed by northern communities which have fortunately anticipated the possibility of this type of action.
All host communities are supported certainly by my department and other government departments in their efforts.
We feel that perhaps the greatest degree of support that they can have is the ongoing support and co-operation of all government departments which will work together with community representatives.
The fact of the matter is we have heard from numerous communities and through various comments we have received that the plans that have been put into place are working more effectively.
We have learned from previous experiences, such as in 1989, and I believe that these people are working together very effectively as a team to do the best possible job they can under difficult circumstances to host these folks and to make sure that they are accommodated as best as is possible.
St. Boniface Courthouse
Relocation of Bail Hearings
Mr. Neil Gaudry (St. Boniface): My question is for the Minister of Justice.
Madam Speaker, residents of the community of St. Boniface have repeatedly expressed concerns relating to the use of the St. Boniface courthouse as a location for bail hearings. The government has promised to move the process to 408 York. However, we have learned again yesterday that hearing officers have been replaced by magistrates, and they remain at the St. Boniface location.
Madam Speaker, when can we expect the bail hearings process to move from St. Boniface to 408 York?
Hon. Rosemary Vodrey (Minister of Justice and Attorney General): I did inform the member it was the intention to move from the St. Boniface courthouse to 408 York.
Madam Speaker, I will look into any issues of delay. To my knowledge, that is progressing, and the full intention is to have that move made as quickly as possible. To my knowledge, it was certainly by the end of June.
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Mr. Gaudry: Can the minister tell us if the move to 408 York is dependent on the completion of a video system linking the Public Safety Building and 408 York, and, if so, how long will it take to implement the system?
Mrs. Vodrey: We are looking at a video link from 408 York with the Public Safety Building. That is important in terms of looking at reducing the amount of time that police officers are required to travel from one building to the next.
However, to my knowledge, it was not contingent on the completion of that video link, but as I said to the member, I will certainly look into any delay. It is not our intention to delay that move.
Mr. Gaudry: Is the move dependent on renovations to be completed at 408 York?
Mrs. Vodrey: As I said to the member, I will certainly look into the reasons for any delay. As I had told him earlier, it was our intention to have that move accomplished by the end of June. If there has been any holdup, I will make sure that this is looked into.
Forest Fires
Damage/Compensation Assessment
Mr. Stan Struthers (Dauphin): My question is for the Minister of Government Services.
At some point, the fires throughout northern Manitoba will be out, and at some point, officials of this government will be assessing the damage done.
Can the minister explain to the House the procedure that will be utilized to assess the amount of damage and the compensation necessary?
Hon. Brian Pallister (Minister of Government Services): Basically, Madam Speaker, we could have covered that, I guess, in Estimates yesterday in a little bit more detail for the member, but suffice to say that a process is in place which involves the various municipalities, whereby claims that the member is referring to, Disaster Assistance, and I believe he is, where claims are filed through the municipal levels of government and are forwarded to the Disaster Assistance folks.
They will evaluate those and have been progressing nicely in doing that. In fact, the vast majority of municipal claims that have been filed have been assessed, and, now, it is individual claims that we are progressing on. Some of those, of course, remain to be evaluated and others are forthcoming.
In the case of flood as well as fire, certainly it takes a certain amount of time for us to make sure, for the safety of assessors, that the conditions are such that they can fully evaluate the damage that has been done and do a fair appraisal and determine the compensation that would be paid, if any.
Mr. Struthers: Will the minister guarantee to the House that the aboriginal community will be represented on any committee struck to assess the damages of the fires of 1995?
Mr. Pallister: The Disaster Assistance process is one where the board evaluates and assesses claims as they are received from whichever jurisdiction sends those claims in, so, certainly, government officials and people working with the Disaster Assistance agency will be involved in assessing claims as they are forwarded.
As far as the assessment of those claims, the process is one that is the same, whether for aboriginal areas or for nonaboriginal areas. It is one that calls for the forms to be brought forward, for claims to be filed and for them to be assessed, similar to any insurance claim that any member of this House might file.
The other issue of ultimate payment or compensation is another issue. That would depend on the jurisdictional obligations that are involved in the specific area that files the claim.
Mr. Struthers: Can the minister verify whether or not there is a person serving today as an aboriginal co-ordinator, as there was during the time of the 1989 fires?
Mr. Pallister: I cannot give clarification to the member on that specifically. I will take that as advisement, that question. Already at this stage I have been in contact with local officials in various regions, some of whom are aboriginal, some of whom are not.
I think, frankly, that the overriding concern we all share in this House is that the people who file claims are treated fairly, that they are compensated fairly, and that should be the overriding issue, not the racial origin of the assessment people or of any official in the given area.
I will continue to work with all the people involved in Disaster Assistance to be sure that people who file claims are treated fairly and to make sure that our department does its very best to be fully compensating those people who have suffered damage as a result of fire or flood or other natural disaster.
Yellowquill College
Funding
Mr. Eric Robinson (Rupertsland): This issue was raised at the recent Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs.
The Community Health and Human Services Workers diploma program delivered by Yellowquill College in Portage la Prairie and aimed at providing accredited training to both CHRs and NADAP workers and First Nations communities will no longer receive funding for tuition and book expenses for the '95-96 school year, and there is no guarantee of further funding for this program, as well.
Now, we have 30 CHRs and NADAP workers currently enrolled, and they face the risk of having to withdraw from this program.
My question is for the Acting Minister of Education.
I would like to ask the acting minister if the Minister of Education (Mrs. McIntosh) has written in support of this program and whether or not she can table a response from the federal minister.
Hon. Rosemary Vodrey (Acting Minister of Education and Training): Madam Speaker, I will take that question as notice for the Minister of Education.
Mr. Robinson: I would like to also ask the minister whether or not she believes that ending support for programs like this and Access are steps backward which will result in fewer graduates in northern communities.
Mrs. Vodrey: Madam Speaker, I will certainly take that question as notice for the Minister of Education, but I would think it was very important to note to the member our continued commitment to Access programming.
Community Colleges
Aboriginal Support Services
Mr. Eric Robinson (Rupertsland): Madam Speaker, my final question is this.
What strategy does the minister and the department have to increase the number of aboriginal students in community colleges when courses, funding and staff are being cut?
Hon. Rosemary Vodrey (Acting Minister of Education and Training): Madam Speaker, I know that the Minister of Education (Mrs. McIntosh) has discussed certain initiatives which are present in each of the community colleges to look at encouraging participation of aboriginal students and also aboriginal staff.
I will take the specifics of that question as notice for the Minister of Education.
Home Care Program
Restructuring
Mr. Dave Chomiak (Kildonan): Madam Speaker, we understand the government is already planning to make some major changes to home care, and the last time the government made major changes to home care, it resulted in massive cuts and a great deal of diminution of service to many Manitobans, and I hope the government consults widely before making any changes.
My question to the minister is, we have already heard that the minister is going to privatize some aspects of home care, and I would like the minister to provide to this House and the people of Manitoba an outlined statement today that will confirm to this House that the government is not planning to change the one-entry system, the consistent, comprehensive nature of our home care system that we enjoy in Manitoba and that we are not going back to a fragmented private system as we had before.
Hon. James McCrae (Minister of Health): Madam Speaker, with all due respect, the honourable member should not try to have it both ways. Either the Home Care program works perfectly and does not need any change, or it does not work perfectly and does need change.
Madam Speaker, the honourable member has done nothing but raise issues and examples. He has written me, to his credit, many times to set out problems in the home care system. I recognize that there is room for change. I recognize that the clients of the home care system could get a better deal. I hope the honourable member will be supportive when we try to improve services for the clients of home care in Manitoba.
Mr. Chomiak: Madam Speaker, will the minister, prior to making changes that will see many services in home care privatized, table in this Chamber and for the people of Manitoba those studies, cost benefits and analyses that justify providing services through private companies that make profit versus the nonprofit, government-run home care that presently offers those services?
Mr. McCrae: Madam Speaker, I believe with regard to the Home Care program, my vision is clear, and it is directed at the client.
The needs of the client will come before the needs of union bosses who happen to be friends of the honourable Leader of the New Democratic Party and the Health critic of the New Democratic Party.
Madam Speaker, the clients are the people who need to see the improvements, and through whatever mechanisms we use, we will never lose sight of the objective.
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Mr. Chomiak: Madam Speaker, my final supplementary: Will the minister, since he has made that statement, assure this House that they will not make massive changes to home care prior to consulting with the public of Manitoba and, in particular, those people getting home care services, so that they do not fall into the trap of making the cuts and changes they made two years ago that severely hurt the home care system?
Mr. McCrae: Madam Speaker, unlike the honourable member, I have no intention of defending a situation where people go without service because home care providers happen to be on holidays. I do not think that is defensible. If the honourable member wants to defend that, let him go ahead. I do not see that as appropriate.
I do not see it appropriate that our hospital beds are blocked with people who should be at home receiving I.V. therapy at home. I do not see why we should have our hospital beds blocked by people who should be at home and who are only in hospitals because the system has not been able to see them discharged in an expedient time period, Madam Speaker.
People heal better at home and we can do a better job. If the honourable member wants to stand in the way of improvements, it will be at his peril, Madam Speaker, because there are Manitobans who deserve better.
Health of Manitoba Children Report
Compulsory Health Education
Ms. Marianne Cerilli (Radisson): Madam Speaker, yesterday it was confirmed that the Youth Secretariat would be responsible for overseeing the implementation of the many excellent recommendations in this report, the report on the Health of Manitoba's Children.
At least six sections of this report, the section on injury, adolescent pregnancy, sexually transmitted diseases, nutrition, smoking, alcohol and drugs, all recommend compulsory health education in Manitoba schools for all children.
I want to ask the minister responsible if the intention of this government is to comply with that recommendation and ensure all Manitoba's school children will have compulsory health education.
Hon. James McCrae (Minister of Health): Madam Speaker, the Health of Manitoba's Children report the honourable member refers to is something we in Manitoba should be proud of.
It is the first report of its kind in the country. Dr. Postl and his committee have done excellent work, and the report does indeed form the framework of much of the efforts of the new child and adolescent secretariat.
For the first time, we have departments working in a much more co-ordinated way, not that we have not always been co-ordinated, Madam Speaker, but here again I think that we have operated to some extent in a system of silos in our delivery system as a government, as a health system, as a family services system, and it is time we began working more closely together, and with the Minister of Family Services (Mrs. Mitchelson), the Minister of Justice (Mrs. Vodrey) and others, including myself and our departments, there is a much better working relationship at work today than previous to that report.
As far as education issues, the Education department is also part of that group, and that recommendation will be the subject of discussion amongst the ministers involved.
Ms. Cerilli: Madam Speaker, is the government going to comply with the recommendation in this excellent report to ensure that all school children in Manitoba will have compulsory health education? Are you going to give us an answer, Mr. Minister?
Mr. McCrae: Madam Speaker, I just did. In addition, I think the report makes it clear also that Manitoba's aboriginal population could very well benefit from some of the recommendations in that report, and we intend to work very closely in those areas and to work indeed with aboriginal communities.
The honourable member asked for an answer. I gave her one a minute ago. I said that that recommendation and others will be the subject of further review, discussion and refinement.
There is no question about how important health promotion, health education is. I mean, there are a lot of people in this province who simply need to understand a little bit about the nutrition rules that could make a very, very big difference in the whole life of a youngster starting out today. So I think the honourable member's question is an important one and will be addressed in due course.
Ms. Cerilli: Madam Speaker, I want to ask the minister responsible for the secretariat, also the Minister of Family Services, given that she said yesterday this secretariat was considering the recommendations in this report, can she tell the House if that recommendation on compulsory health education has been reviewed and analyzed by the staff in the secretariat?
Hon. Bonnie Mitchelson (Minister of Family Services): Madam Speaker, I thank my honourable friend for that question.
We did have, I think, a really good dialogue around the Children and Youth Secretariat in the time we had allocated last evening in the Estimates process, and I indicated quite clearly at that time that I appreciate some of the issues that were raised by my honourable friend and some of the ideas for constructive and positive solutions to some of the issues that we face in co-ordination of services and in ensuring that children get off to a healthy start and have a healthy quality lifestyle. That is something that we desire as a government for all Manitobans and all Manitoba children.
We will be working co-operatively among departments to ensure that we deal with and address all of the issues and the recommendations that were brought forward to us through the Postl report.
Winnipeg Development Agreement
Winnipeg Adult Education Centre
Ms. Becky Barrett (Wellington): Madam Speaker, Isbister School, home of the Winnipeg Adult Education Centre since 1966, is both a provincially and municipally designated heritage building. The International Downtown Association has cited education facilities as one of the best engines of downtown revitalization. One of the objectives of the Winnipeg Development Agreement is to assist projects designed to create long-term employment through helping citizens prepare for employment opportunities.
I would like to ask the Minister of Urban Affairs if he can tell the House the status of the February 1995 request of the Winnipeg School Division No. 1 for WDA funding for a much-needed addition to and refurbishment of the Winnipeg Adult Education Centre.
Hon. Jack Reimer (Minister of Urban Affairs): Madam Speaker, the member for Wellington is right in her assessment of the opportunities that avail themselves to the WDA, the Winnipeg Development Agreement, in the enhancement of local areas and the fact that the component she is referring to regarding the educational facilities is part of that.
The individual aspect of that particular school and the application within WDA parameters, I will have to take as notice and get back to her on the exact status of that application.
Ms. Barrett: Will the Minister of Urban Affairs commit today that he, as well as the Minister of Education and Training (Mrs. McIntosh), will take a leadership role with the other Winnipeg Development Agreement partners to ensure that this project, which meets at least three of the major programming criteria of the WDA, receives the highest possible priority for funding?
Mr. Reimer: Madam Speaker, I can assure the member that any type of request that comes forth which requires consultation and input between the various departments will take precedent in trying to come to some sort of understanding and an agreement and a direction that would come forth, but as to the specifics regarding that particular project, I will have to take as notice and try to get better information back to the member.
Madam Speaker: Time for Oral Questions has expired.
Committee Changes
Mr. Edward Helwer (Gimli): Madam Speaker, do I have leave to make committee changes?
Madam Speaker: Does the honourable member for Gimli have leave to make committee changes? [agreed]
Mr. Helwer: Madam Speaker, I move, seconded by the member for Sturgeon Creek (Mr. McAlpine), that the composition of the Standing Committee on Law Amendments be amended as follows: the member for Kirkfield Park (Mr. Stefanson) for the member for Fort Garry (Mrs. Vodrey); the member for Pembina (Mr. Dyck) for the member for Niakwa (Mr. Reimer); the member for Turtle Mountain (Mr. Tweed) for the member for St. Vital (Mrs. Render); the member for Emerson (Mr. Penner) for the member for Rossmere (Mr. Toews); the member for Morris (Mr. Pitura) for the member for Riel (Mr. Newman).
Mr. George Hickes (Point Douglas): Madam Speaker, I move, seconded by the member for Broadway (Mr. Santos), that the composition of the Standing Committee on Law Amendments be amended as follows: Brandon East (Mr. Leonard Evans) for Wellington (Ms. Barrett); Crescentwood (Mr. Sale) for Osborne (Ms. McGifford) for Tuesday, June 27, at 7 p.m.
Motions agreed to.
* (1420)
TABLING OF REPORTS
Hon. Darren Praznik (Minister of Energy and Mines): Madam Speaker, before I call government business, I would just briefly like leave to revert to Tabling of Reports.
Madam Speaker: Does the honourable Minister of Energy and Mines have leave to revert to Routine Proceedings to table reports? [agreed]
Mr. Praznik: Madam Speaker, I would like to table the 1994-95 Annual Report of the Department of Manitoba Energy and Mines.