Government Fiscal Policy
Mr. Gerry McAlpine (Sturgeon Creek): Madam Speaker, it is a great pleasure for me to rise in the House today and it is a pleasure because I would like to take a few moments to share with my fellow members the compilation of the favourable reviews of our province's fiscal performance by some prominent financial organizations.
This is what the CIBC had to say about this government's fiscal performance, and I quote: In general, Manitoba has been one of the most fiscally responsible provinces since the early 1990s and now has the strongest balanced budget legislation in the country.
The Investment Dealers Association of Canada has said that this province was one of the first to rein in spending, focusing on controlling public wage costs, streamlining government operations and increasing efficiencies in the delivery of public services. Also, that this province's nine-year freeze on major tax increases is the longest running in any Canadian province.
Moody's Investors Service in New York City has said that this government's sustained efforts to control spending has led to significant improvements in this province's financial position. Moody's has stated that several factors provide comfort that the province can maintain positive financial performance, strict balanced budget legislation, provisions for continued accumulation of contingency reserves and the use of prudent economic assumptions. Manitoba's debt burden is moderate by provincial standards and should gradually improve with enhanced budgetary performance and planned debt retirement.
Further, Madam Speaker, Moody's has said that Manitoba's diverse economic base continues to expand, supported by strong business investment, particularly in the manufacturing sector. I am proud to be a part of a government that has put this province on the right path to fiscal responsibility. Manitoba is a great place to live, to work and to raise a family. Thank you.
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OCN Blizzard Hockey Team
Mr. Oscar Lathlin (The Pas): Madam Speaker, I am pleased to rise today to relate to you and others in this Chamber a success story which I am very proud of because it is happening right in my home territory, the Opaskwayak Cree Nation in The Pas. The success story is about the Opaskwayak Cree Nation Blizzard, a Junior A hockey team owned and operated by OCN, which joined the Manitoba Junior Hockey League this year.
The OCN Blizzard has really fired up the whole community in The Pas. The whole community is involved with the hockey team. I was there for their home opener last weekend, and judging from all the enthusiasm and dedication, I just know that the Blizzard will be a success. They won their first two games.
An Honourable Member: Against who?
Mr. Lathlin: Well, I was not going to say which team they beat, because I did not want to offend anybody who might be from Dauphin.
In closing, I would like to offer my congratulations to the chief and council, the administration and all the members of OCN for their dedication and determination in developing our members and territory. This is another one of many successes that OCN has achieved over the past several years. Thank you.
Canadian Wheat Board
Mr. Jack Penner (Emerson): Madam Speaker, members opposite have repeatedly found occasions and attempted to portray myself and indeed this government as the enemy of the Canadian Wheat Board as advocates of its demise and destruction. This is without doubt one of the most ridiculous notions to come from the members opposite. I support debate and discussion, a concept they seem to find foreign. Change is a fact of life, and we can either do as members opposite suggest and dig in our heels and fight every step of the way, or we can meet it head-on and change things to meet the needs of farmers today.
I have always been a strong, strong supporter of the board and I want to make that very clear. I think and in fact I know they have done a tremendous job for farmers since its inception. However, despite the role the Wheat Board has played in the past, times have changed. There is no doubt about that. The marketplace of today is vastly different than the marketplace was in 1935 or 1942 when they in fact gained their single-desk selling authority. I say leave the Wheat Board, but we must bend to the wishes of farmers and make changes to the board. We must give them the same freedom that is afforded to all Canadians. The Wheat Board has a role to play, a very aggressive and significant role, but we must put in place now new rules.
The blue ribbon panel established by the federal Minister of Agriculture has made recommendations that are mostly acceptable and should be implemented, with the exception of the unlicensed variety provision. I would like to point out to members opposite an article in today's Free Press that states an Agriculture Canada poll of prairie farmers show 92 percent support changes to the way the Canadian Wheat Board operates--92 percent. Are members opposite going to ignore their demands? Are they going to shackle our families' ability to provide for their families and their ability to distribute high-quality foods that we depend on in Canada and the world today? The debate and the discussion of the role of the Wheat Board will ensure that it continues to play a vital role. I have stood in this House before, and my remarks are on record that it is time that we as farmers and legislators in this building had better start addressing the real issue.[interjection] I am sorry, but I would like to finish this, Madam Speaker, if they would allow.
Madam Speaker: Order, please. Does the honourable member have leave to quickly complete his remarks?
Some Honourable Members: Leave.
Madam Speaker: Leave has been granted.
Mr. Penner: Thank you.
I have stood in this House before, and my remarks are on record that it is time that we as farmers and legislators in this building had better start addressing the real issue that will face us and, in a realistic manner, start negotiations and discussions on how best we serve farmers and set aside institutions that we have had and draft new agreements for new institutions that will serve the farmers today and under new changes and new rules and new criteria that we are faced to deal with in establishing a framework for development of value-added industry in Manitoba based on the utilization of renewable resources. Madam Speaker, it is time the members opposite looked forward and stopped living in the past. We need to look to the future instead. Thank you.
Ukrainian Cultural and Educational Centre
Mr. Neil Gaudry (St. Boniface): Madam Speaker, it gives me great pleasure to rise this afternoon to congratulate the--
An Honourable Member: The government.
Mr. Gaudry: No, not the government; heaven forbid.
--Ukrainian Cultural and Educational Centre's fundraising dinner last night. There were several members from the Legislature, from the government side and from the official opposition, and, again, you could see the volunteers that have been involved to do such things and many local artists had given paintings for an auction to be done last night and--
An Honourable Member: Did you buy one?
Mr. Gaudry: Yes, I did buy the last one. I would have liked to have bought a few more, but my wife was sitting beside me and she said, don't you dare.
I think I would like to congratulate and commend the work that was done on behalf of the fundraising for the Ukrainian Cultural and Educational Centre and for the people that attended last night. I think it shows what we can do in a community where there are different ethnic groups and cultural--
An Honourable Member: Even Frenchmen to Ukrainian--
Mr. Gaudry: Yes, even French people attend Ukrainian fundraising like my colleague says here. Thank you very much, Madam Speaker.
Rail Line Abandonment
Mr. Gerard Jennissen (Flin Flon): Madam Speaker, on July 2 of this year, CN used the Canada Transportation Act created by the federal Liberal government over a year ago to abandon a number of key rail lines in Manitoba.
Since July 2, CN announced that the Flin Flon line is also up for sale. The bayline is in jeopardy. All of this despite studies and reports by Liberal M.P.s which stress the importance of VIA Rail to northern Manitoba and despite Mr. Axworthy's assurance of support for the bayline and the Port of Churchill.
The abandonment of just one line, the Sheridan line would have serious consequences. It would cripple the lives of workers and their families and devastate the economy of northwest Manitoba. Leaf Rapids would lose 530 jobs because the Ruttan mine is only viable if concentrate can be shipped by rail to the smelter in Flin Flon.
The Flin Flon smelter needs the Ruttan ore to operate at capacity. Lynn Lake would be negatively affected as well as the outlying northern communities. Pukatawagan's 2,000 people would be landlocked without the railroad. Food prices would double. The 10,000 passengers that use the line annually would have to find other modes of transportation. Repap's timber expansion needs the Sheridan line. Tourism and mineral exploration need the Sheridan line. The provincial and federal treasuries need the line to the tune of $64 million annually.
Northern Manitoba with decent transportation links is capable of explosive economic growth in hydro, in mining, in forestry and tourism. For all of these reasons New Democrats urge our provincial Minister of Transportation (Mr. Findlay) to tell his federal counterpart at the next meeting two weeks from now that the future of northern Manitoba is at stake. Both ministers should listen seriously to the Back On Track Coalition.
I exhort our minister to ask his cabinet colleagues and the Premier to put pressure on the 12 Manitoba Liberal M.P.s who are silent on this issue. It is time to awaken the dozing dozen. There is still time.
An Honourable Member: Dozy dozen.
Mr. Jennissen: I said dozing, not dozy, although a case could be made either way. There is still time to prevent a potential catastrophe to the people and the economy of northern Manitoba.
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Committee Changes
Madam Speaker: The honourable member for Gimli with committee changes?
Mr. Edward Helwer (Gimli): Yes, Madam Speaker.
I move, seconded by the member for La Verendrye (Mr. Sveinson) that the Standing Committee on Economic Development be amended as follows: the member for St. Vital (Mrs. Render) for the member for Minnedosa (Mr. Gilleshammer); the member for Sturgeon Creek (Mr. McAlpine) for the member for Kirkfield Park (Mr. Stefanson); and the member for Turtle Mountain (Mr. Tweed) for the member for Gladstone (Mr. Rocan).
Motion agreed to.