MEMBERS' STATEMENTS

Seniors Month

Activities--Gimli Constituency

Mr. Edward Helwer (Gimli): Madam Speaker, it is a pleasure to rise this day and gives thanks to the many seniors groups from the Gimli constituency who have included me in their activities as they celebrate Seniors Month. It has been a heartwarming experience to be part of Seniors Day '96, hosted by the RCMP in Gimli and an event last evening hosted by the Petersfield Community Club, and next week I will attend the Gimli New Horizons club seniors day. These events have included information booths on seniors issues such as health and security, as well as recreation and entertainment.

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As we are all aware, June has been proclaimed Seniors Month and such a declaration allows Manitobans to honour our senior population for their contributions and accomplishments throughout the entire month, though I do sincerely hope this recognition does not end on June 30 but continues during the entire year just as seniors continue providing important services to their communities during the entire year. Our government realizes that seniors have made and continue to make consistent and valuable contributions to their province and to their country. Seniors can be proud of having helped in no small way to measure, to create and to maintain a culture and society, the ideals which are the envy of many other nations.

I would like to take this opportunity to pay tribute to the benefits so many communities receive due to the tireless efforts of our senior population. The commitment and dedication of this vital sector of the population never ceases to amaze me. I am well aware of the time and energy involved in ensuring the many projects begun are seen to an end and many of these projects have no end. They are long-term, ongoing events that continually provide benefits to so many residents. For the most part, seniors do not receive the kind of recognition that they properly deserve for their work. However, volunteerism has its own rewards. It allows us to lend a hand and to make a difference. It gives a sense of pride in knowing that we have contributed to the success of a project or a program, and it provides an opportunity to work with others and enjoy what we do. Seniors have contributed a great deal to this province's history, leaving an impressive legacy of growth and development. Seniors provide an endless supply of knowledge--

Madam Speaker: Order, please. The honourable member's time has expired.

An Honourable Member: Leave.

Madam Speaker: Is the honourable member asking for leave? Is there leave for the honourable member to complete his statement?

Some Honourable Members: No.

Madam Speaker: No. Leave has been denied.

Highway Maintenance

PTH 75

Ms. Rosann Wowchuk (Swan River): Madam Speaker, I rise today to raise an important issue on behalf of my constituents, that being the state of the roads. Of course, there are many roads that need to be repaired in the constituency--

Some Honourable Members: Oh, oh.

Madam Speaker: Order, please. With the greatest respect to all the meetings taking place in all corners and all sides of the House, I cannot hear the honourable member for Swan River. I would ask that those members holding private meetings, please do so outside the Chamber.

Ms. Wowchuk: Thank you, Madam Speaker. There are many roads within the constituency that have long been neglected and need upgrading. The Minister of Highways and Transportation (Mr. Findlay) has received many letters about these, but I want to raise an issue about one particular road, and that is PTH 75, that the people in the area of Swan River are very concerned about. It has been scheduled for upgrading for many years, but there has been a disagreement between the people of the area, between the town and the municipality about how this should be done.

Recently, the government announced their intention to reroute PTH 275 from the present location without consultation of the people. People of the area support maintenance of the existing road which can be done at a much lesser cost than moving to the proposed location.

It is my understanding that the Department of Highways has told the R.M. that they have to accept the new proposal or they will be getting nothing. I have a petition here that is signed by over a hundred people from the area who feel that this is the wrong decision, and I would like to present this petition to the Minister of Highways on behalf of these people and ask that he take seriously their consideration and arrange a meeting, a public meeting between the people of the area and his staff to have full consultation on this road before changes are made.

Madam Speaker, these poor people have put forward a positive suggestion. They feel that their suggestion will be less expensive, that there will be risks, people will be put at risk. It is not the best solution and I urge the Minister of Highways to take this petition seriously and arrange a meeting so that people can put their suggestions forward.

The Maples Youth Services Canada Project

Mr. Gary Kowalski (The Maples): I rise to give mention to a very positive group in my constituency, the Maples Youth Service Canada Project. This is the second year in a row that we have had a Maples Youth Service Canada Project operating, and if last year is any indication, I look forward to the very positive work this group of young people will be doing in our community.

These are young adults. The co-ordinator this year is Heather Carter. Her assistant co-ordinator is Karen Cove. Both of them were participants in the Youth Service Canada Project last year. The participants this year are Rodney Ali, Nancy Chan, Mabelle De Tagle, Andre Edmonds, Kimberly Greet, Ryan Huggan, Julie Penhall, Angela Richard, Derek Routledge, Elana Sokolov. They receive advice and guidance from the board of directors, Gene Kaban, Doug Simpson, Veronica Dick, Colleen Dell and myself.

I look forward very much to working with this group. They have already started some of their projects. They were active in the unity march at the Legislature that we had here the other day. They had a paint-over-graffiti project this past weekend where they had 40 young people from the junior high school working with them painting over graffiti throughout the north end. They are active in the drop-in centre, working with the adolescents of our community, and they have had a basketball tournament. The most important contribution they make is positive role models for the young people of our community, that young adults can make a difference and can do positive change to our community. Thank you.

Winnipeg International Children's Festival

Mr. Mike Radcliffe (River Heights): Madam Speaker, I wanted to take this opportunity today to make this House aware of the annual Winnipeg International Children's Festival which is underway again this year at The Forks, running Thursday through Sunday. I had the pleasure last evening to attend the opening ceremonies very briefly at the Norwood Hotel to bring greetings on behalf of the Minister of Culture, Heritage and Citizenship.

For the 14th straight year, the Children's Festival will bring to Winnipeg and Manitoba a taste of the most exciting family entertainment in the world today. The Children's Festival will feature the best in local children's entertainment, as well as entertainers from around the world. From modest beginnings 13 years ago, the Winnipeg International Children's Festival has grown to become one of the greatest children's festivals in North America.

The festival is known as an internationally acclaimed forum for children's entertainers and provides for our children to see the best the world has to offer. I commend this event to the attention of all honourable members. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Crime Rate

Reduction Strategy

Mr. Conrad Santos (Broadway): Madam Speaker, like a member's statement on crime, the prophet Ezekiel lamented, and I quote: Violence has risen into a rod of wickedness and the land is filled with crimes of blood and the city is full of violence.

Despite rising violent crimes, when the judges called for electronic monitoring as an alternative to jail, this Tory government said, we think that people who are going to jail should be in jail. Tough talk, very little action.

In a town hall meeting on violent crimes held in Central Park, many Broadway constituents stated publicly: Put down crime; stop putting up with it.

Perhaps the frequent tough sentences criminals are getting in this province are longer suspended sentences and more and easily obtained day passes for inmates. Rising crime rates would be slowed down if we put police persons in the streets than in the courtrooms to wait to testify or to have them wait with accident victims in emergency rooms of hospitals.

Violent crimes soar in Manitoba, yet the number of violent criminals going to jail stays the same. This Tory government therefore failed to protect Manitobans from crime because their tough talk translates into a weak and ineffectively enforced justice and correctional system. Statistics Canada showed that in 1991, out of every 10,000 charged, 1,100 went to jail, but by 1995, 1,100 dropped to 950--a more than 10 percent decline.

In the last provincial election in '95, this Tory government talked tough as the Premier (Mr. Filmon) filmed himself shutting the cell door, but there is no enforcement and this Tory government failed on crime prevention. Thank you.