Monday, November 4, 1996
The House met at 1:30 p.m.
Mr. Doug Martindale (Burrows): Madam Speaker, I beg to present the petition of Irene Wysmulek, Wayne Martel, Mercedes Martel and others requesting that the Legislative Assembly urge the Minister of Family Services (Mrs. Mitchelson) to consider withdrawing Bill 36 and replacing it with improved legislation which provides for a guaranteed annual income that allows people to have adequate food, clothing, housing, child care and health care, that this annual income increases as prices increase and that this new legislation also provides for the creation of real jobs with the goal of creating full employment so that individuals on social assistance can find safe, meaningful work of their own choosing that allows them to meet their needs and the needs of their families.
Ms. MaryAnn Mihychuk (St. James): I beg to present the petition of Ken Emberley, Patricia Kovnats, Roger Geeves and others requesting that the Premier (Mr. Filmon) withdraw Bill 67 and not sell the Manitoba Telephone System to private interests.
Madam Speaker: I have reviewed the petition of the honourable member for Burrows (Mr.
Martindale). It complies with the rules and practices of the House. Is it the will of the House to have the petition read?
An Honourable Member: Dispense.
Madam Speaker: Dispense.
THAT in 1976 Canada signed the United Nations Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights which recognized the right of everyone to make a living by work which is freely chosen, recognized the right of everyone to an adequate standard of living, including adequate food, clothing and housing, recognized the right of everyone to enjoy a high standard of physical and mental health, and provided for the widest possible protection and assistance to the family; and
THAT poor children and adults in Canada continue to die at a higher rate and earlier age than people with adequate incomes; and
THAT Bill 36, The Social Allowances Amendment Act, will create even greater poverty among the poor in Manitoba by eliminating government responsibility to ensure that everyone who lacks adequate food, clothing, housing and health care has these needs met; and
THAT the bill proposes to punish people by cutting them off from social assistance or reducing their benefits if they fail to meet employment expectations; and
WHEREFORE YOUR PETITIONERS HUMBLY PRAY that the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba urge the Minister of Family Services to consider withdrawing Bill 36 and replacing it with improved legislation which provides for a guaranteed annual income that allows people to have adequate food, clothing, housing, child care and health care and that this annual income increases as prices increase and that this new legislation also provides for the creation of real jobs with the goal of creating full employment so that individuals on social assistance can find safe, meaningful work of their own choosing that allows them to meet their needs and the needs of their families.
Madam Speaker: I have reviewed the petition of the honourable member for St. James (Ms. Mihychuk). It complies with the rules and practices of the House. Is it the will of the House to have the petition read?
An Honourable Member: Yes.
Madam Speaker: Yes. The Clerk will read.
Mr. Clerk (William Remnant): The petition of the undersigned citizens of the province of Manitoba humbly sheweth:
THAT the Manitoba Telephone System has served this province well for over 80 years providing province-wide service, some of the lowest local rates in North America and thousands of jobs and keeping profits in Manitoba; and
THAT MTS contributes $450 million annually to the Manitoba economy and is a major sponsor of community events throughout the province; and
THAT MTS, with nearly 4,000 employees including more than 1,000 in rural and northern Manitoba, is one of Manitoba's largest firms, headquartered in Manitoba and is committed to Manitoba; and
THAT the provincial government has no mandate to sell MTS and said before and during the 1995 election that MTS was not for sale.
WHEREFORE your petitioners humbly pray that the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba request that the Premier (Mr. Filmon) withdraw Bill 67 and not sell the Manitoba Telephone System to private interests.
Standing Committee on Law Amendments
Eighth Report
Madam Speaker: Does the honourable member for Riel have leave to present the report of the Standing Committee on Law Amendments? [agreed]
Mr. Newman: Madam Speaker, I beg to present the Seventh Report of the Committee on Law Amendments.
An Honourable Member: Dispense.
Madam Speaker: Dispense.
Your Standing Committee on Law Amendments presents the following as its Eighth Report.
Your committee met on Monday, October 28, 1996, at 6 p.m., Wednesday, October 30, 1996, at 6:30 p.m., Thursday, October 31, 1996, at 6:30 p.m. and Friday, November 1, 1996, at 9 a.m. in Room 255 of the Legislative Building to consider bills referred.
At the meeting of October 28, 1996, your committee elected Mr. Dyck as Vice-Chairperson of the committee.
At the meeting of October 28, 1996, your committee agreed, on division, to a time limit of 10 minutes for each presentation and five minutes for questions and answers.
Your committee heard representation on bills as follows:
Bill 48--The University of Manitoba Amendment Act; Loi modifiant la Loi sur l'Université du Manitoba
Edward Lipsett - Private Citizen
Earle Ferguson and Sylvia Jansen - University of Manitoba Faculty Association
Dr. E.J.E. Szathmáry - University of Manitoba
Alden Turner - University of Winnipeg Faculty Association
Neil Tudiver - Private Citizen
Trevor Lines - University of Manitoba Students' Association
Bill 72--The Public Schools Amendment Act (2); Loi no 2 modifiant la Loi sur les écoles publiques
Betty Green, Betty Ann Watts and Carolyn Duhamel - Manitoba Association of School Trustees
Howard Friesen - Garden Valley School Division No. 26
Cordell Barker - Pine Creek Teachers' Association
Lisa Martin and Val Thomson - Private Citizens
Carolyn Evans - Souris Valley Teachers' Association
Loretta Basiuk and Linda Dyrkacz - Agassiz Teachers' Association
Greg Fritske - Brandon Teachers' Association
Paul LaRiviére - L'Association des Educateurs/Educatrices Francophones du Manitoba
Aurèle Boisvert - Division Scolaire Franco-Manitobaine no 49
Erica Stecheson - Private Citizen
Dean Jonasson - Private Citizen
Nancy Trush - Private Citizen
Gail Eliasson - Evergreen Teachers' Association
Ernie Schiman - Intermountain Teachers' Association
Geoff Robson - Morris-Macdonald Teachers' Association
Harry McKnight - Private Citizen
Steve Lawrie - Private Citizen
Adam Grabowski - Private Citizen
Fred Veldink - Private Citizen
Lawrie Kyle - Private Citizen
Rob Hilliard - Manitoba Federation of Labour
Henry Wedel - Transcona Teachers' Association
Donald Teel - Winnipeg Teachers' Association
Ron Munro - River East Teachers' Association
Murray Grafton - St. Boniface Teachers' Association
Jean Beaumont - Manitoba Association of School Superintendents
Jake Peters and Val Goodridge - Assiniboine South Teachers' Association
Phyllis Moore - The Retired Teachers of Manitoba
Patricia Gendreau - Private Citizen
David Harkness - Private Citizen
Karen Minish - Private Citizen
Garth Minish - Private Citizen
Gail Cherpako - Private Citizen
Theresa Ducharme - People in Equal Participation, Inc.
Jim Robertson - St. James-Assiniboia Teachers' Association
Ben Zaidman and John Weins - Seven Oaks School Division
Maureen Gelinas - St. Vital Teachers' Association
Ken Pearce - Manitoba Teachers' Society
Heather Hinchcliffe - Private Citizen
Michael Thompson - Private Citizen
Bob Minaker - Private Citizen
Albert Cerilli - Manitoba Federation of Union Retirees
Phil MacLellan - Seven Oaks Teachers Association
Pat Isaak and Nancy Patterson - Private Citizens
Emanuel Tavaris and Jennifer Waroway - University of Winnipeg Education Students Association
Fred Pauls - Private Citizen
Alan Wiebe - Fort Garry Teachers' Association
Ruth Smith - Private Citizen
Harriet Zaidman - Belmont School Parents Association
Wendy Land - Private Citizen
Rick Wilcosh - Private Citizen
Neil MacNeil - Private Citizen
Bob Dixon - Private Citizen
Ross Rowntree - Private Citizen
Siobhan Faulkner - Private Citizen
Written Submission
Tina Gordon - Western Teachers' Association
Your committee has considered:
Bill 48--The University of Manitoba Amendment Act; Loi modifiant la Loi sur l'Université du Manitoba
and has agreed, on division, to report the same without amendment.
Your committee has also considered:
Bill 72--The Public Schools Amendment Act (2); Loi no 2 modifiant la Loi sur les écoles publiques
and has agreed to report the same with the following amendments:
MOTION:
THAT proposed subsections 129(3) and (4), as set out in section 18 of the Bill, be struck and the following substituted:
Other factors
129(3) The arbitrator shall, in respect of matters that might reasonably be expected to have a financial effect on the school division or school district, consider the following factors:
(a) the school division's or school district's ability to pay, as determined by its current revenues, including the funding received from the government and the Government of Canada, and its taxation revenue;
(b) the nature and type of services that the school division or school district may have to reduce in light of the decision or award, if the current revenues of the school division or school district are not increased;
(c) the current economic situation in Manitoba and in the school division or school district;
(d) a comparison between the terms and conditions of employment of the teachers in the school division or school district and those of comparable employees in the public and private sectors, with primary consideration given to comparable employees in the school division or school district or in the region of the province in which the school division or school district is located;
(e) the need of the school division or school district to recruit and retain qualified teachers
MOTION:
THAT section 4 of the Bill be amended by adding the following after the proposed subsection 110(1):
Collective bargaining by mutual agreement
110(1.1) Nothing in subsection (1) prevents the parties of a collective agreement, by mutual agreement, from beginning collective bargaining before April in the year the collective agreement expires, in which case a notice to begin collective bargaining is conclusively deemed, for all purposes of this Part, to have been given under this section on April 1 in that year.
MOTION:
THAT section 32 of the Bill be amended
(a) in subsection (1), by striking out "section 4" and substituting "sections 4 and 22"; and
(b) in subsection (2), by striking out "Section 4 comes" and substituting "Sections 4 and 22 come".
MOTION:
THAT Legislative Counsel be authorized to change all section numbers and internal references necessary to carry out the amendments adopted by this committee.
Mr. Newman: Madam Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable member for Pembina (Mr. Dyck), that the report of the committee be received.
Motion agreed to.
* (1335)
Madam Speaker: Prior to Oral Questions, I would like to draw the attention of all honourable members to the public gallery, where we have this afternoon twenty-two Grade 5 students from Royal School under the direction of Mr. Greg Carpenter and Mrs. Regula Crammer. This school is located in the constituency of the honourable First Minister (Mr. Filmon).
We also have forty-five Grade 9 students from the Calvin Christian School under the direction of Mr. John Buikema. This school is located in the constituency of the honourable Minister of Family Services (Mrs. Mitchelson).
On behalf of all honourable members, I welcome you this afternoon.