LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF
Wednesday, March 25, 1992
The House met at 1:30
p.m.
PRAYERS
ROUTINE PROCEEDINGS
PRESENTING PETITIONS
Mr. George Hickes (Point
Douglas): Mr. Speaker, I beg to
present the petition of Craig Gill, Vern Ducharme, Ramona Bias and others
requesting the government show its strong commitment to dealing with child
abuse by considering restoring the Fight Back Against Child Abuse campaign.
Mr. Daryl Reid
(Transcona): Mr. Speaker, I beg to present the petition of
Cindy Rebillard, Judy Trout, Candace Saunders and others requesting the
Minister of Justice (Mr. McCrae) call upon the Parliament of Canada to amend
the Criminal Code to prevent the release of individuals where there is
substantial likelihood of further family violence.
Mr. Jerry Storie (Flin
Flon): Mr. Speaker, I beg to present the petition of
Judith Clayden, Margaret Church, Sandra Skeoch and others requesting the
government show its strong commitment to dealing with child abuse by
considering restoring the Fight Back Against Child Abuse campaign.
Mr. Gregory Dewar
(Selkirk): Mr. Speaker, I beg to present the petition of
Karen Green, John Rempel, Herman Holschen and others requesting the government
to show its strong commitment to dealing with child abuse by considering
restoring the Fight Back Against Child Abuse campaign.
Mr. Speaker: I have reviewed the petition of the
honourable member. It complies with the
privileges and practices of the House and complies with the rules (by
leave). Is it the will of the House to
have the petition read?
The petition of the undersigned citizens
of the
THAT the bail review provisions in the
Criminal Code of
The problem of conjugal and family
violence is a matter of grave concern for all Canadians and requires a
multifaceted approach to ensure that those at risk, particularly women and
children, be protected from further harm.
WHEREFORE your petitioners humbly pray
that the Legislature of the
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I have reviewed the petition of the
honourable member, and it complies with the privileges and practices of the
House and complies with the rules (by leave).
Is it the will of the House to have the petition read?
The petition of the undersigned citizens
of the
THAT child abuse is a crime abhorred by
all good citizens of our society, but nonetheless it exists in today's world;
and
It is the responsibility of the government
to recognize and deal with this most vicious of crimes; and
Programs like the Fight Back Against Child
Abuse campaign raise public awareness and necessary funds to deal with crime;
and
The decision to terminate the Fight Back
Against Child Abuse campaign will hamper the efforts of all good citizens to
help abused children.
WHEREFORE your petitioners humbly pray
that the Legislature of the
* (1335)
I have reviewed the petition of the
honourable member, and it complies with the privileges and practices of the
House and complies with the rules. Is it
the will of the House to have the petition read?
The petition of the undersigned citizens
of the
THAT child abuse is a crime abhorred by
all good citizens of our society, but nonetheless it exists in today's world;
and
It is the responsibility of the government
to recognize and deal with this most vicious of crimes; and
Programs like the Fight Back Against Child
Abuse campaign raise public awareness and necessary funds to deal with crime;
and
The decision to terminate the Fight Back
Against Child Abuse campaign will hamper the efforts of all good citizens to
help abused children.
WHEREFORE your petitioners humbly pray
that the Legislature of the
I have reviewed the petition of the
honourable member, and it complies with the privileges and practices of the
House and complies with the rules. Is it
the will of the House to have the petition read?
The petition of the undersigned citizens
of the
THAT child abuse is a crime abhorred by
all good citizens of our society, but nonetheless it exists in today's world;
and
It is the responsibility of the government
to recognize and deal with this most vicious of crimes; and
Programs like the Fight Back Against Child
Abuse campaign raise public awareness and necessary funds to deal with crime;
and
The decision to terminate the Fight Back
Against Child Abuse campaign will hamper the efforts of all good citizens to
help abused children.
WHEREFORE your petitioners humbly pray
that the Legislature of the
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I have reviewed the petition of the
honourable member, and it complies with the privileges and practices of the
House and complies with the rules. Is it
the will of the House to have the petition read?
The petition of the undersigned citizens
of the
THAT locally controlled public housing
with elected and appointed board members encourages democratic and accountable
decision making; and
Many housing authority boards included
tenants on the board of directors; and
Volunteers serving on boards made
worthwhile contributions to local housing authorities by serving their tenants,
their community and in saving taxpayers' money; and
With no consultation, the provincial
government fired 600 volunteer board members, abolished 98 local housing
authorities, laid off staff and centralized purchasing and administration;
WHEREFORE your petitioners humbly pray
that the Legislature of the
PRESENTING REPORTS BY STANDING AND SPECIAL COMMITTEES
Mrs. Louise Dacquay
(Chairperson of Committees): Mr.
Speaker, I beg to present the Second Report of the Standing Committee on
Municipal Affairs.
Mr. Clerk (William
Remnant): Your Standing Committee
on Municipal Affairs presents the following as its Second Report.
Your committee met on Tuesday, March 24,
1992, at 10 a.m. in Room 255 of the
Dr. Arnold Naimark, Chairperson of the
Board, and Mr. Kent Smith, General Manager, provided such information as was
requested by members of the committee with respect to the annual report and
business of the North Portage Development Corporation.
Your committee reports that it has
considered the March 31, 1991, Annual Report of and matters pertaining to the
North Portage Development Corporation.
All of which is respectfully submitted.
Mrs. Dacquay: I move, seconded by the honourable member for
Sturgeon Creek (Mr. McAlpine), that the report of the committee be received.
Motion agreed to.
TABLING OF REPORTS
Hon. James McCrae
(Minister of Justice and Attorney General): Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Subsection 43(1)
of The Fatality Inquiries Act, I am tabling the Fatality Inquiries report for
the year 1991.
* (1340)
INTRODUCTION OF BILLS
Bill 70‑The Social Allowances Amendment
and Consequential Amendments Act
Hon. Harold Gilleshammer
(Minister of Family Services): Mr. Speaker, I move,
seconded by the Minister of Rural Development (Mr. Derkach), that Bill 70, The
Social Allowances Amendment and Consequential Amendments Act (Loi modifiant la
Loi sur l'aide sociale et apportant des modifications correlatives a d'autres
lois), be introduced and that the same be now received and read a first time.
His Honour the Lieutenant‑Governor,
having been advised of the contents of this bill, recommends it to the
House. I would like to table the
message.
Motion agreed to.
Bill 68‑The Public Trustee Amendment, Trustee
Amendment
and Child and Family Services Amendment Act
Hon. James McCrae
(Minister of Justice and Attorney General): Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the
honourable Minister of Family Services (Mr. Gilleshammer), that Bill 68, The
Public Trustee Amendment, Trustee Amendment and Child and Family Services
Amendment Act (Loi modifiant la Loi sur le curateur public, la Loi sur les
fiduciaires et la Loi sur les services a l'enfant a la famille), be introduced
and that the same be now received and read a first time.
Motion agreed to.
Bill 71‑The Retirement Plan Beneficiaries Act
Hon. James McCrae
(Minister of Justice and Attorney General): Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the
honourable Minister of Labour (Mr. Praznik), that Bill 71, The Retirement Plan
Beneficiaries Act (Loi sur les beneficiaires des regimes de retraite), be
introduced and that the same be now received and read a first time.
Motion agreed to.
ORAL QUESTION PERIOD
Department of Government Services
RCMP Investigation‑Leasing Branch
Mr. Gary Doer (Leader of
the Opposition): Mr. Speaker, we have been raising questions
about the leasing arrangements with 280 Broadway for a number of months
now. Today we have the information provided
in the warrant made public by the RCMP.
The information confirms that it is indeed the director of leasing
contract and expenditure control of the Manitoba Department of Government
Services who is involved in the investigation by the RCMP. We are very concerned about answers we
received in this House from the Minister of Government Services (Mr. Ducharme)
last week wherein the Minister of Government Services stated that the
department had no relationship in terms of this investigation, no relation to
the landlord.
Mr. Speaker, information filed with the
RCMP indicates that a million dollars was provided to the company 72398 of two
partners, Mr. Shenkarow and Mr. Kozminski.
That money in turn was paid to Bachman and Associates, which in fact is
a company that is owned partially by Mr. Bachman and also by Mr.
Shenkarow. So clearly there is a
contradiction in the information that was provided by the government.
Would the Deputy Premier now confirm that
in fact the landlord was involved in receipt of money, was involved in the
receipt of the contract and did in turn flow money that eventually is in
investigation with the RCMP warrant that was tabled in the information today?
Hon. Jim Ernst (Acting
Minister of Government Services): Mr. Speaker,
I would take that question as notice on behalf of the Minister of Government
Services (Mr. Ducharme) to ensure that a full and complete answer is provided
to the member for the question asked.
Internal Audit‑Leasing Branch
Mr. Gary Doer (Leader of
the Opposition): Mr. Speaker, we are also very concerned on
information contained within the audit that the date of cancellation of the
original tender, according to the Premier (Mr. Filmon), was January 21, 1991. The Premier stated in this House in April of
1991 that Treasury Board had nothing to do with the cancellation of the
tendering. It was the Department of
Government Services that had cancelled the open‑tendering process and
went ahead with the closed‑tendering process.
The RCMP in their affidavit and
information in the warrant today state that the dates under investigation for
the director of leasing of Government Services include dates of January 1,
1991, to December 11, 1991.
Given that the date of January 21 was the
date on which the Premier alleges Government Services cancelled the open‑tendering
process, can the government advise us of what steps they have taken in terms of
the investigation of the leasing arrangement with the director and the two
parties who received the lease from the government?
Hon. Jim Ernst (Acting
Minister of Government Services): Mr.
Speaker, again I will take the question as notice on behalf of the minister to
provide the appropriate information.
* (1345)
Mr. Doer: Mr. Speaker, again the government stated, in
questions we had last week in the Legislature, that the irregularities, the so‑called
irregularities which we had to raise in this House based on the RCMP raid two
weeks ago, were not communicated publicly by the government. The so‑called irregularities, the
information they are looking at includes tendering documents and other
documents pertaining to the original lease agreement.
Could the government advise us how they
could possibly say that that had nothing to do with the original landlords and
the original decision on 280 Broadway?
Mr. Ernst: Again, Mr. Speaker, I will take the question
as notice.
North American Free Trade Agreement
Government Action
Mr. Jerry Storie (Flin
Flon): Mr. Speaker, members of
this Chamber and perhaps Manitobans were surprised to learn in 1988, when we
were discussing the Free Trade Agreement with the
Yesterday we found out that the Deputy
Premier (Mr. Downey) has not read any of the documents relating to the North
American free trade agreement. In
addition, yesterday, the First Minister (Mr. Filmon) added another condition to
the list of six conditions he now has tabled publicly under which he would
support a North American free trade agreement.
My question to the Deputy Premier is: If the government proceeds, as it is apparent
it is intending to do, to sign this agreement before an election some time late
in 1993, how is the opposition that this government says it will proclaim, if
these conditions are met, to manifest itself?
What is the government going to do if the federal government continues
to ignore the warnings of the Premier and members on this side?
Hon. James Downey
(Deputy Premier): Mr. Speaker, as the member has made reference
to me not having read the free trade agreement, it would be very difficult to
read it when I in fact have not had a copy of it, which I indicated as well.
The additional comments and questions that
the member has raised deal with the further involvement in any free trade
agreement. We have clearly put our
position forward as to the conditions that have to be met before there is any
consideration of support by this government.
Mr. Storie: Well, Mr. Speaker, mindlessly opposing
something without laying out a concrete plan of action so the people of
Mr. Speaker: Question, please.
Provincial Jurisdiction
Mr. Jerry Storie (Flin
Flon): Mr. Speaker, my question is again to the
Deputy Premier.
Can the minister explain why he has not
taken time to read the documents that the Minister of Industry, Trade and
Tourism (Mr. Stefanson) says are available to him, which explain the apparent
giving away of provincial jurisdiction over trucking, energy policy, industrial
development policy and health care? Can he explain why he has not read the
document when those provincial jurisdictions are at risk under this agreement?
Hon. James Downey
(Deputy Premier): Mr. Speaker, the member well knows that there
are different ministerial responsibilities within government. What I indicated to him is that I have not
read the trade agreement that is being proposed because I have not seen a copy
of it. He makes reference to the fact
that the Minister of Industry, Trade and Tourism (Mr. Stefanson) has it. I am
not debating that. What I am telling him
is that I have not read it because I have not seen it.
Election Call
Mr. Jerry Storie (Flin
Flon): Mr. Speaker, one final question to the Deputy
Premier.
Will the Deputy Premier undertake today
for the people of
Hon. James Downey
(Deputy Premier): Mr. Speaker, it is the intention of this
government to act responsibly as it relates to trade within
* (1350)
Judicial System
Court Transcription Service
Mr. Paul Edwards (St.
James): Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister
of Justice. On January 4, 1991, 14
months ago, a memo from the minister's department said with respect to the new
court reporter machines being brought in, and I quote: "Every new system requires a start‑up
period.
"We should have a smoother, more
efficient system in place shortly. It is
clear that a new system could be developed that would lower overall costs while
retaining the benefits of such advanced systems. We will be striving to achieve this goal over
the next year."
I want to table a copy of that memo, Mr.
Speaker. It has now been more than a
year since that memo and since the minister made that commitment. Thanks to the minister's actions, it now
takes weeks instead of days in northern
My question, Mr. Speaker, is: Will the minister today table evidence, if he
has it, to substantiate his claim that court reporter machines instead of
people in northern
Hon. James McCrae
(Minister of Justice and Attorney General): I
will bring the specifics of the matter raised by the honourable member today to
the attention of officials in my department and ascertain if there is any truth
to the preamble of the honourable member's question, and if there is, deal with
the matter, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Edwards: Mr. Speaker, again for the Minister of Justice.
Can the minister explain why on March 19,
last Thursday, in Thompson, Judge Howell, when he asked to see a transcript of
a preliminary hearing in a sexual assault case, had to be told that the machine
had not been working in
Mr. McCrae: I remind the honourable member that there were
tape recordings of court trials in
Mr. Edwards: The fact is that northerners are receiving, at
the hands of this minister, second‑class justice.
Mr. Speaker, can the minister further tell
members why Judge Gregoire had to send a plane back to Thompson from Oxford
House to get a new machine because the one they brought broke, and why two
weeks ago at a trial on a charge of drunken driving, a matter dear to this
minister's heart, not one but two monitors broke, meaning that one trial
started at 4:30 p.m. and the other at 8:30 p.m., resulting in all staff getting
overtime pay after sitting for a day while waiting for the third machine to
arrive?
Where was the smoother more efficient system,
Mr. Speaker, and why is this minister unaware of the regular‑‑
Mr. Speaker: Order, please. The question has been put.
Mr. McCrae: I appreciate the honourable member is
attempting to be helpful, Mr. Speaker, and help us to ensure that whatever
wrinkles there are in the system are ironed out. I am sure that the honourable member will
also want to be helpful in asking his colleagues in the bar to co‑operate
and not carry forward on threats to slow down the justice system.
Home Care Program
Privatization
Ms. Rosann Wowchuk (
Each day we hear this government saying
they are increasing spending in home care.
I find this statement very questionable in light of a letter that has
been sent to a family of a client receiving home care, a letter which I would
like to table.
The letter states that household
maintenance will be cut, and I quote:
"Would you then be able to help your mother find someone to hire
privately to assist?"
In light of this letter, Mr. Speaker, I
want to ask the minister: Is he
privatizing the home care service, thus those who have money will be able to
have service and the poor will continue to suffer or end up in hospitals?
* (1355)
Hon. Donald Orchard
(Minister of Health): Unequivocally, no, Mr. Speaker.
Service Reduction
Ms. Rosann Wowchuk (
I want to ask the minister: Does he feel that cleanliness is not part of
staying healthy? How can he allow his
staff to take away services, such vital services, from our seniors,
particularly people‑‑
Mr. Speaker: Order, please. The question has been put. There is a question.
Hon. Donald Orchard
(Minister of Health): Mr. Speaker, as I have indicated to my
honourable friend when she raised this issue some month ago, and last week and
probably next week and probably the week after, there is a process of
reassessment in the Continuing Care Program.
That process of reassessment has been part of the program since 1974
through successive governments that have administered the program. That reassessment is undertaken by
professionals. They make the judgment as
to whether services are appropriate, need to be increased or can be decreased.
Based on that professional assessment,
services are either maintained, increased or decreased. In the areas where they are decreased, my
honourable friends receive letters. In
the areas where they are increased or maintained, my honourable friend does not
receive any letters.
Mr. Speaker, the application of
reassessment of the principles and policies of the program have remained
consistent through four successive governments since 1974.
Ms. Wowchuk: Mr. Speaker, the letter says‑‑
Mr. Speaker: Order, please. The honourable member has tabled the
letter. The honourable member, kindly
put your question, please.
Ms. Wowchuk: To the same minister: Has he changed the mandate for delivery of
home care services? Has housekeeping
service, which was an essential part of the health care environment up until
now, been removed, and has the mandate of his department been changed for the
delivery of home care service?
Mr. Orchard: Again, Mr. Speaker, no. That is what I told my honourable friend in
conversation last week. That is
identically the policy that my honourable friend had since 1974. Let me even further explain for my honourable
friend because my honourable friend fails to understand the policies put in
place in 1974. I do not need to remind
you who was government in 1974.
Furthermore, Mr. Speaker, in 1985 the
government in power, and I need not remind you who that was, established a
program called Support Services to Seniors which funded in the communities the
salaried cost of a volunteer co‑ordinator. That volunteer co‑ordinator was to work
with community organizations, groups and volunteers to establish housecleaning
services, home maintenance services, laundry services that the individuals in
the community could access rather than have those services always provided by
the taxpayers, a policy of the NDP that we happen to agree with.
Endangered Spaces
Tall Grass Prairie Program
Ms. Marianne Cerilli
(Radisson): Mr. Speaker, the Premier (Mr. Filmon) made a
promise in the last election to spend some $250,000 to protect
My question is for the Minister of Natural
Resources. Is the 20‑hectare site
near Regent and
Hon. Harry Enns
(Minister of Natural Resources): Mr.
Speaker, I am aware of the site that the honourable member refers to. It is being actively considered as part of
the overall acquisition of tall grass prairie sites in our Endangered Spaces
Program, and hopefully, something can be arranged. I understand that there are still some
negotiations that have to take place with the city administration with respect
to proceeding with that at this time.
Ms. Cerilli: I thank the minister for that answer.
Considering this program to purchase 640
acres when there is only a month left, can the minister inform the House how
much of this area has been set aside to be purchased?
Mr. Enns: I am assuming that she is now talking about
the overall commitment of 640 acres.
Mr. Speaker, I think the honourable
members would appreciate that it is difficult to be precise. We are working with organizations such as the
Manitoba Naturalists Society. We were
able to acquire some substantial acreage in the southeast portion of the
province, in that of my honourable friend from Emerson.
It is my hope and certainly my commitment
and that of this government that we live up to the commitments made. Whether we will be able to do that
categorically on calendar dates is not entirely in my hands. It also calls upon the co‑operation of
nongovernmental agencies, landowners and/or other jurisdictions, as is the
specific site that she mentioned in the Transcona region.
* (1400)
Endangered Spaces
Tall Grass Prairie Program
Ms. Marianne Cerilli
(Radisson): My final supplementary on the same issue is
for the Minister of Environment.
Will the Minister of Environment make a
commitment to have the Clean Environment Commission, not another body, conduct
a full environment assessment on any construction by the city to put a
thoroughfare through the Regent and
Hon. Glen Cummings
(Minister of Environment): Mr. Speaker, I am
aware of that site and aware of the issue that surrounds the protection of that
historic prairie grass, but I do not believe that at this juncture I am
convinced that bringing the Clean Environment Commission in would be beneficial
to the process. I am not eliminating any
possibilities, but at this point, that is not my intent.
Rent Regulations
Enforcement
Mr. Gulzar Cheema (The
Maples): Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister
of Consumer and Corporate Affairs.
A few weeks ago we raised the issue of
tenants paying higher rent than normally allowed by the law. The minister said that she could do nothing
because the illegal increase was implemented under the former landlord. There are two parties who have been
victimized, the new tenants and the new landlord. Can the minister tell this House why she
sides with the previous landlord, why she is abandoning the tenants and also
the new landlord, and why is she not upholding her own law?
Hon. Linda McIntosh
(Minister of Consumer and Corporate Affairs): Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for The Maples
for the question. As the member knows,
and we have discussed this before, the problem with this particular situation
is the interpretation of a section of the act which indicates that for a two‑year
period prior to a change in ownership, the new owner can be held responsible
for actions taken, but prior to that period, he cannot.
Legal opinion that we have obtained on
this issue indicates that there is nothing further that can be done.
Legal Opinion Request
Mr. Gulzar Cheema (The
Maples): Mr. Speaker, can the minister table the legal
opinion in this House, please?
Hon. Linda McIntosh
(Minister of Consumer and Corporate Affairs): Mr. Speaker, I do not have that legal opinion
here with me, but I do believe that the individual who contacted my department
on this issue has been sent a copy of the legal opinion.
Mr. Cheema: Mr. Speaker, can the minister tell this House
why she would not table the legal opinion?
The minister has known the issue for four weeks. Why will we not have that report so that we
can make a judgment call also?
Mrs. McIntosh: I have not been asked until this point for
the actual legal opinion wording. I have
given the legal opinion; I have explained the legal opinion. I understand that the individual whom the
member is raising the issue for has a copy of the legal opinion and in fact is
a lawyer himself.
Home Care Program
Service Reduction
Ms. Judy Wasylycia-Leis
(
Clearly this letter marks a change in
policy, the end to universal access to quality home care services. Mr. Speaker, that is the beginning of the end
of universal medicare services, something that this minister says he supports,
and he is not supporting, a clear indication of this government's true feelings
about medicare.
Why, Mr. Speaker, has this government
suddenly denied people whose medical circumstances have not changed, who are
well on in their years, 80 and 90 years old, who were dependent upon homemaking
services, to stay in their homes and out of costly institutional care? Why has this government changed that policy,
taken away that vital service and told them to go‑‑
Mr. Speaker: Order, please.
Hon. Donald Orchard
(Minister of Health): Mr. Speaker, at the risk of my honourable
friend's‑‑what is the phraseology?‑‑shouting and
yelling about an issue, my honourable friend might want to revisit (a) the
policy which founded and underpinned the Continuing Care Program in 1974. My honourable friend will find out, should
she choose to read that policy, two things:
that it has not changed since 1974; and secondly, that the policies
around the application of the home care rules, procedures, have not changed
since 1974 through four successive governments.
Secondly, my honourable friend might want
to research the cabinet papers that were passed, establishing the program
called Support Services to Seniors, while my honourable friend, I believe, was
in the Howard Pawley cabinet making those kinds of decisions. My honourable friend will find that the
Support Services to Seniors program was established through, as I explained in
an earlier answer, funding for the retention of a volunteer co‑ordinator
so that services such as homemaking and other nonmedical services could be
provided through not‑for‑profit service delivery in the community
to help as an additional instrument of independent living for seniors,
established under good policy by my NDP friend, consistently applied today.
-s. Wasylycia-Leis: I would simply like this Minister of Health to
account for this dramatic shift in health care policy where they have now ended
a universally accessible program and expect senior citizens who need this
service to turn to private entrepreneurs to purchase those necessary health
care services.
* (1410)
Mr. Orchard: Mr. Speaker, at the risk of raising my voice and
delivering an inappropriate and alarmist‑motivated answer, I will be calm
as my honourable friend shrilly denounces and announces the end of universal
medicare‑‑such silliness, such abject silliness.
Mr. Speaker, the medical services that my
honourable friend refers to are house cleaning, the very services that in 1984,
1985, when she sat in government, supported a program called Support Services
to Seniors to undertake at not‑for‑profit in the communities. Charging the people who used the program in
1985, when she was in government, for house cleaning has been maintained. We believe that policy initiative of the NDP
in 1984‑85 was a good one, and in fact, we are building on it again this
year.
Ms. Wasylycia-Leis: Mr. Speaker, there is nothing in this letter to
say‑‑
Mr. Speaker: Order, please. The honourable member for
Ms. Wasylycia-Leis: Is the minister now saying that homemaking
services, once considered an essential part of our home care program,
universally accessible to all regardless of income, or geography, or status in
life, is he now saying that this is the end of that important part of home care
and our health care system and that in fact seniors must turn to private
entrepreneurs and, if they cannot afford it, either will do without, or end up
in expensive, costly institutional care?
Mr. Orchard: Mr. Speaker, one of the strangest phenomenons
that I have witnessed in the four years I have been Minister of Health is the
convoluted twisting‑and‑turning‑around policy initiatives
that the NDP, when in government, brought in, introduced an alternate mechanism
for home cleaning services, so that the program as supplied by the taxpayers
would not be called on to provide house cleaning services‑‑a
perfectly common‑sense approach to policy development by Howard Pawley,
the NDP and assisted by this member.
Now when the wisdom of their action in
government is being questioned by the critic in opposition, where is the NDP
coming from? I mean, that program of
Support Services to Seniors that is introduced after being researched and
recommended by very, very competent individuals in the ministry of Health, who
are still there‑‑and that policy is one of the best ones in
Now my honourable friends want to turn
their back on good public policy that even they had the common sense to bring
in. I find that shameful.
North American Free Trade Agreement
Impact Agricultural Industry
Mr. John Plohman
(Dauphin): Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Agriculture (Mr.
Findlay) for
At the same time the federal government is
mouthing lukewarm support, their actions shine through insofar as the North
American free trade agreement when they use the tariffication proposal, which
would be so harmful to Canadian farmers, as the basis for their position on
agriculture. They say tariff
equivalents, and I quote: resulting from
the conversion of nontariff barriers into customs tariff rates shall be reduced
in accordance with the schedules relating to each party, incorporated into the
general agreement on tariffs and trade
That is the position they put forward in
that agreement. That means the end of orderly marketing.
I ask this Deputy Premier what
representation he has made or he intends to make to stop this damaging position
by
Hon. James Downey
(Deputy Premier): Mr. Speaker, I am confident that the
provincial Minister of Agriculture (Mr. Findlay) and this government have
represented the farm community responsibly as it relates to the issue which the
member raises and will continue to do so.
I can tell you there is constant contact
and consultation with the agricultural community, with the farm community,
which I believe is truly reflecting the interests of
Mr. Plohman: He puts his confidence in Mulroney, Mr.
Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, in view of the fact that
Mr. Downey: Mr. Speaker, again let me reiterate for the
members opposite. This government is
continuing to carry out policies and put forward our position in the interests
of the farmers of
Mr. Plohman: Mr. Speaker, since the Deputy Premier does not
understand this agreement‑‑he has not read it, by his own admission‑‑will
he just use good common sense and call upon the federal government to end this
damaging process which will do irreparable harm to
Mr. Downey: Mr. Speaker, I can assure you that the best
interests of Manitobans will continue to be put forward, unlike the track
record of him and his government when he was in office that devastated this
province, that devastated the agricultural community and devastated the ability
for this province to compete in the international marketplace.
Education System
Transportation Report
Mr. Dave Chomiak
(Kildonan): Mr. Speaker, my question
is directed to the Minister of Education.
Can the minister advise whether or not the bus transportation privatization study, undertaken by the former minister at a cost of half a million dollars, has been submitted to her? It was scheduled to be submitted by