LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF
Tuesday, December 15,
1992
The House met at 1:30 p.m.
PRAYERS
ROUTINE PROCEEDINGS
PRESENTING PETITIONS
Mr. Steve Ashton (Thompson): Mr. Speaker, I beg to present the petition of Robert
Desjarlais, Nelson Pruder, Sue Stirling and others, requesting the Minister
responsible for MPIC to consider implementing no‑fault auto insurance and
bringing in other recommendations of the Kopstein report that the government
has delayed acting on.
Mr. Gulzar Cheema (The Maples): Mr. Speaker, I beg to present the petition of
W. Goodier, J. McKinley, R. Nemy and others, requesting the government of
Mr. Kevin Lamoureux (
Mr. Speaker: I
have reviewed the petition of the honourable member for The Maples (Mr.
Cheema). It complies with the privileges
and the practices of the House and complies with the rules. Is it the will of the House to have the
petition read?
To the Legislative Assembly of the
The petition of the undersigned
residents of the
WHEREAS The principles of health
care, namely the universality and comprehensiveness, should apply to the
Pharmacare program; and
WHEREAS the Pharmacare program's
effectiveness is being eroded; and
WHEREAS in the most recent round of
delisting of pharmaceuticals, approximately 200 have been delisted by the
government of
WHEREAS the strict submission
deadline for Pharmacare receipts does not take into consideration extenuating
circumstances which may have affected some people; and
WHEREAS pharmaceutical refunds often
take six weeks to reach people; and
WHEREAS a health "smart
card" would provide information to reduce the risk of ordering drugs which
interact or are ineffective, could eliminate "double prescribing,"
and could also be used to purchase pharmaceuticals on the Pharmacare program‑‑thereby
easing the cash burden on purchasers.
WHEREFORE your petitioners humbly
pray that the Legislative Assembly urge the government of
TABLING OF REPORTS
Hon. Bonnie Mitchelson (Minister of Culture, Heritage
and Citizenship): Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to table the
Annual Report for 1991‑92 for the Department of Culture, Heritage and
Citizenship for the Manitoba Centennial Centre Corporation, the Office of the
Queen's Printer and the
Hon. Donald Orchard (Minister of Health): Mr. Speaker, in the tradition of open
government, I would like to table the report of the
Hon. James McCrae (Minister of Justice and
Attorney General): Mr.
Speaker, I am tabling, today, Annual Reports for the Criminal Injuries
Compensation Board, the
Hon. Clayton Manness (Minister of Finance): Mr. Speaker, I would like to table Volume 1
and Volume 2 of the Public Accounts for 1991‑92. I would also like to table the Quarterly
Financial Report fourth quarter for the Manitoba Public Insurance Corporation;
also the six month report for the Manitoba Liquor Control Commission; and under
the Legislative Assembly Act, I would like to table, as required, a report of
amounts paid to members of the Assembly.
* (1335)
INTRODUCTION OF BILLS
Bill 211‑The
Municipal Assessment Amendment Act
Ms. Rosann Wowchuk (
Motion presented.
Ms. Wowchuk:
Mr. Speaker, the people from the
The Neepawa airport enjoys the
privileges of having their airport exempt from school and municipal tax, and
the
Motion agreed to.
ORAL QUESTION PERIOD
Immigrant Investor Fund
Project List
Tabling Request
Mr. Gary Doer (Leader of the Opposition): Mr. Speaker, my question is to the Premier
(Mr. Filmon). We had written the Premier
in 1991 dealing with the Immigrant Investor fund, raising a number of concerns
to the Premier of the province.
We have seen a number of
controversies arise in the
I have asked the government before
for information on the Immigrant Investor fund's specific proposals. I would like to ask the Premier today to
table all the projects that his government has approved as part of the
Immigrant Investor fund in
Hon. Eric Stefanson (Minister of Industry, Trade
and Tourism): Mr.
Speaker, as the honourable Leader of the Opposition (Mr. Doer), I am sure is
well aware, the Immigrant Investor Program is a federal program, a program
started back in 1986, when he was part of the government of the day.
Our responsibility, as a provincial
government we brought in regulations back in 1990 at the time in terms of
strengthening the program in terms of the economic impact on
The information that the honourable
member is requesting, certainly information that is readily available, will
gladly be made available. There is
certain confidential information that is provided to the two levels of
government, obviously, that we cannot release, but any information that we can
release without jeopardizing that confidentiality will in fact be made
available.
* (1340)
Review Tabling Request
Mr. Gary Doer (Leader of the Opposition): This charade that is going on between federal
and provincial Conservatives on this project is becoming very questionable to
us, Mr. Speaker. We have correspondence
signed by the acting deputy minister accepting or rejecting projects, acting
deputy minister being one Mike Bessey, who of course is well known to members opposite
in terms of his authority and his connections with the provincial government.
So let the government not deny that
they are not involved in accepting or rejecting various proposals. In March of 1991, when we asked the Premier
to review this material and review these projects, the minister said he will be
conducting a full review of these projects.
In the fall of 1992, when again some controversy came to light, he said
he will have a full investigation of these materials.
I would ask the minister to table
the two investigations that he conducted on behalf of Manitobans. Mr. Speaker, this is a federal‑provincial
program. The federal government has
tabled their federal report. Why will
this government and why will this Premier (Mr. Filmon) not table the material
and the principles involved in their Immigrant Investor fund approval?
Hon. Eric Stefanson (Minister of Industry, Trade
and Tourism): Going
back to 1991, when some concerns were expressed and certainly myself being
newly appointed to this portfolio, I had some concerns about certain aspects of
the fund as it relates to the role that the federal government was playing,
recognizing, as I have already outlined for this House, the rules and the
regulations that do exist. I, at that
time, wrote the federal minister responsible in terms of expressing what I saw
as our role and how I saw the federal government role and requesting them to
clarify that that did in fact concur with what they should be doing.
At the same time, we did an internal
review of the Immigrant Investor Program, an analysis of all funds done at that
particular point in time, but in light of the lack of action that I saw coming
from the federal government, this year we instituted a private consulting group
to come in and do an audit and a thorough review of the Immigrant Investor
Program. That audit is ongoing right
now. In fact, the House is fully aware
of that. It has been carried through the media and so on. The recommendations from that particular
audit have not been tabled with me yet.
I am told‑‑I have had
conversations with the consultants that I can expect them very shortly. As soon as I receive those recommendations, I
will gladly table them, make them public, and we will deal with them, Mr.
Speaker. It is because of the concerns
that we have had in terms of the role that the federal government is playing in
terms of compliance on this program that we have taken the initiative to retain
the professional assistance necessary to deal with that very important issue.
Application Approval
Process
Mr. Gary Doer (Leader of the Opposition): Well, Mr. Speaker, you will excuse us if we
are a little concerned about the third review that this minister has promised
us.
I would like to ask the minister a
very straight question. This is a federal‑provincial program. He keeps throwing the hot potato to the
federal government. The federal Tories
keep throwing it back to this government.
Does the province approve or not approve various projects that go ahead
in
Hon. Eric Stefanson (Minister of Industry, Trade
and Tourism): I have already outlined the procedure to the
honourable Leader of the Opposition. I
will do so one more time.
We make a recommendation on
applications to the federal government after reviewing the economic benefits,
as I have already outlined, the impact to
I should again remind the Leader of
the Opposition, who was a part of this program back in 1986 and I believe at
that time did not even bring in any rules, regulations and guidelines, we in
May of 1990 tabled Immigrant Investor Program
Mr. Doer: Mr. Speaker, I have a new question to the
Premier (Mr. Filmon).
Mr. Speaker, the province must
approve it before it can go ahead, and the federal government must approve
it. I wish the government would be
straightforward with the people of
Mr. Speaker, I have a new question
to the Premier. The government of
I would like to ask the Premier, how
can the government be approving one fund for the same developer where there are
all these potential lawsuits and risks with the same developer in other
projects in
* (1345)
Mr. Stefanson:
Mr. Speaker, again, I have to remind the honourable member‑‑and
I would like to think that he would understand the rules and regulations‑‑of
the fact that this was a program that he was a part of a government at the time
when it was introduced. The fact that
when he refers to us approving or rejecting, we make that as a recommendation
to the federal government. They make the
final decision whether or not to approve any Immigrant Investor Program, Mr.
Speaker.
In terms of the company that the
honourable Leader is referring to, they are a part of this audit that is
ongoing. I have already indicated I will
table the recommendations, and we will deal with the recommendations when that
is available, Mr. Speaker.
In terms of the larger concern that
arose on Friday with the situation with the Sheraton, we have contacted the
federal government. This week, officials
will be sent in from both the federal government and the provincial government
to deal with that very company and the programs that are currently in place
under the Immigrant Investor Program.
Mr. Doer: Mr.
Speaker, the minister has not answered any one of the four questions we have
asked. He has not made public the
information of the project proposals. He
has not made public the principles of the project. He has not told us who approves it. He has
tried to throw the hot potato. The hot
potato is going from the Premier to the minister to the federal government‑‑instead
of accepting any responsibility at all.
Mr. Speaker, my further question to
the Premier is: The fund has approved
the project at
Mr. Stefanson:
Mr. Speaker, the original Bison Fund, which is a syndicated fund under
the Immigrant Investor Program‑‑and I am sure the honourable Leader
of the Opposition is aware there are two types of funds. There is Project Pacific, and there is a
syndicated fund.
The Bison Fund would have gone
through the process that I have already outlined once or twice‑‑I
will not repeat it‑‑where it comes through our government in terms
of my department in terms of the economic benefits to
In terms of individual projects
within a syndicated fund, they come into my department in terms of an analysis
once again of economic impact, job retention, job maintenance, whether there
are any capital dollars being expended, what the dollars are in fact being
utilized for, Mr. Speaker. That analysis
was done on that particular investment, and at that time it met the guideline.
I should point out to the Leader of
the Opposition, with any syndicated fund the ultimate responsibility lies with
the fund managers. In this case, the
Bison Fund would have an investment in the Sheraton. They will have a series of other investments.
Those decisions are made by a fund manager in terms of which investments they
feel will get the greatest return for that particular fund. We do an analysis on each individual
application in terms of economic impact in
Review Tabling Request
Mr. Gary Doer (Leader of the Opposition): I have a final question, Mr. Speaker.
We have the whole issue of the
Kozminski projects and the Maple Leaf Fund, with directors of one fund being
involved in decisions that are in their own companies. We have allegations in the public arena
dealing with Michael Gobuty. We have all
kinds of issues dealing with one proposal going forward in the Immigrant
Investor fund at the
Will this government now table all
the information? He has conducted two
reviews allegedly; will he table those reviews with the public, Mr. Speaker,
with this Chamber? Can we refer that
information to one of our committees of the Legislature, the Economic Committee
of the Legislature, so all members of this Legislature can ensure that the good
name of
Hon. Eric Stefanson (Minister of Industry, Trade
and Tourism): Mr.
Speaker, I wish just once that the Leader of the Opposition would listen to an
answer in terms of how this program functions, that it is a federal program
that applies not only to
I have also indicated to the Leader
of the Opposition that we had concerns that the federal government is not
performing their function. For those
very reasons we called in professional consultants to do a review of the
program, to make recommendations to us that we can forward to the federal
government to get some action in terms of dealing with the whole issue of
compliance. That process is ongoing
right now. As soon as I receive the
recommendations I will make them public and we will deal with them.
* (1350)
Social Assistance
Food Allowance
Mrs. Sharon Carstairs (Leader of the Second
Opposition): Mr. Speaker, my question is to the Minister
of Health. Yesterday I raised questions about
a recent report called An Action Plan for Food Security for Manitobans. The report very clearly indicated that the
portion of social assistance received by social assistance recipients with
infants was woefully inadequate. It
stated that the rate of $84 per month to feed an infant is significantly below
what is required, which is $134 per month.
Mr. Speaker, the minister's health
care reform plan states, and I quote:
Many of the millions of dollars that Manitobans invest each year
treating illness could be used more effectively and tremendous amounts of human
suffering averted by more effective management of the key determinants of
health.
Can the minister tell the House in
light of this stated belief with respect to illness prevention whether or not
he has contacted the Minister of Family Services (Mr. Gilleshammer) to push for
an increase in food allowances for infants?
Hon. Donald Orchard (Minister of Health): Mr. Speaker, I appreciate my honourable
friend's question, because within the ministry of Health part of the
educational program that we provide to Manitobans and in this case to mothers
expecting to bring into the world their families, during their term of
pregnancy, we provide the kind of information that we think is very necessary to
avoid certain hazards such as smoking, such as drinking, to maintain their
nutrition, and then after those mothers commence care in the home for their
child, we attempt to provide probably some of the best nutritional guidance
that is available in
Mr. Speaker, the area that we are
attempting to put increased emphasis on in terms of education is the group of
young women that my honourable friend refers to, that being young single mothers
and often on social assistance. The
initiative and the effort is to provide guidance on how they can make
significantly enhanced choices around the nutrition of themselves and their
child, and I see that as a significant effort which can achieve the results
within the current budget, Sir.
Mrs. Carstairs: Mr. Speaker, but you can give them all the
nutritional guidance in the world. You
can teach them, you can instruct them, you can aid and abet their learning, but
if you do not give them enough money for food, they cannot feed their children.
Can the Minister of Health tell this
House why it is acceptable to this government that infants get inadequate
amounts of money to be fed in this province?
Mr. Orchard:
Mr. Speaker, I cannot answer that question because I reject the premise
on which it is founded.
Mrs. Carstairs: Mr. Speaker, since the study very clearly
showed that it requires $134 a month to feed an infant, and the budget of this
government for social assistance for a mother who has an infant child is $84 a
month, how does the minister suggest she should in fact give a nutritionally
sound diet to that child?
Mr. Orchard: Through exactly the process of education,
working with nutritionists, through the process that we have in place that we
are enhancing and reinforcing.
Now I realize that education is a
laughable matter to the member from Radisson (Ms. Cerilli), but it is not in
this government, and we intend to help wherever possible in providing
information, counselling, guidance to individuals who need the kind of skills
that allow them to within their budgets make proper and appropriate nutritional
choices. That may be a laughing matter
to members of the opposition, but it is not a laughing matter to this
government or the citizens of
Freedom Of Information
Interference
Mr. Dave Chomiak (Kildonan): Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Premier.
We have been advised that the
Premier's staff routinely censors and controls information requests under The
Freedom of Information Act from the media and others. Can the Premier indicate to this House why,
contrary to the spirit and letter of the law, his political staff interfere in
the freedom of information process?
Hon. Gary Filmon (Premier): I reject categorically the allegation that
was made by the member for Kildonan. We
have in place a Freedom of Information Act which this government proclaimed
when it was left dormant for almost three years by the New Democrats. We have obeyed and abided by that legislation
to the letter of the law and I challenge him to prove otherwise.
Mr. Chomiak:
Mr. Speaker, why would a designated information officer be writing to
the Premier's press secretary, Barb Biggar, asking for her advice as to the
information that was released? I will
table a letter to Barb Biggar from that information official indicating that.
Mr. Filmon: A
person can consult anyone a person chooses for advice on a matter. The reality is that this government is
abiding by the letter of the legislation absolutely and whoever asks whom about
what matters are able to be released publicly, it is challengeable to the
Ombudsman. If you think something has
been done wrong, challenge it to the Ombudsman.
Mr. Chomiak:
Mr. Speaker, my final supplementary to the Premier is: Will the Premier now admit that this happens
on a routine basis, and where does his press secretary derive the authority to
be an intermediary under The Freedom of Information Act and to give advice as
to information that is being released?
* (1355)
Mr. Filmon:
The only thing that is relevant is whether or not the letter of the law
is being maintained, and if anybody‑‑
Mr. Speaker:
Order, please.
Mr. Filmon: The spirit of the letter‑‑if you
do not believe that it is being abided by, you have methods of redress. You simply take it to the Ombudsman and the
Ombudsman will arbitrate. Dozens of cases have been taken there. Unlike New Democrats, we abide by the law.
Child Tax Benefit
CRISP Program Recipients
Ms. Becky Barrett (
My question to the Minister of
Family Services is: Will he confirm that
by an Order‑in‑Council dated December 9, the definition of income
now includes the child tax benefit from the federal initiatives Brighter
Futures?
Hon. Harold Gilleshammer (Minister of Family
Services): Mr. Speaker, the CRISP program was put in
place to give additional funds to what is termed the working poor. The CRISP program takes into consideration
the income that working families have through their employment and through
other forms of income that are made available to them.
Ms. Barrett:
Will
the minister confirm that due to the change in this regulation, the definition
of income will mean that upwards of half of the children of the working poor in
Mr. Gilleshammer: Mr. Speaker, the regulations take into
consideration the income through all sources that individuals who are accessing
that program have. If there is
additional income that comes to that family either through employment or other
sources, that is taken into consideration in determining the level of benefit
that they will receive.
Ms. Barrett:
Yes, I thank the minister for confirming my second question.
Will the minister now, in light of
that confirmation that there is upwards of a 50 percent cutback in potential
benefits, which are small enough as is, rescind the move made by himself and
his government? Will he guarantee that
this is just not the first step in clawing back resources from the poorest
Mr. Speaker:
Order, please. The honourable
member has put her question.
Mr. Gilleshammer: Mr. Speaker, the member is clearly mixing her
issues here. The CRISP benefits are for
people who are employed and whose income we consider in awarding those
benefits. The question that her
colleague raised yesterday in regard to the child tax benefit is an issue that
is before the government. I have
indicated very clearly in the House this week that we are analyzing the
information coming from the federal government and will be making that decision
in due course.
Health Care System
Surgery Waiting Lists
Mr. Gulzar Cheema (The Maples): Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister
of Health. Yesterday we received the
report from the Centre for Health Policy and Evaluation. The report pointed out that some hospitals
are more efficient than others with respect to length of stay. From the study, the minister could draw the
conclusion that more efficiency can allow more bed closures. For some procedures the waiting period is
currently too long and access is not good enough.
The question is an important policy
decision for this government. Will this
government use this policy of greater efficiency to justify more bed closures,
or will they convert the greater efficiency to decrease the waiting period for
many surgical procedures in this province?
* (1400)
Hon. Donald Orchard (Minister of Health): Mr. Speaker, I appreciate my honourable
friend's question because that report‑‑and I only want to correct
my honourable friend modestly on one point.
It was not my recommendation that 150‑200 beds could be closed or
retired from service. That was the
advice of the scientists who analyzed the data for the eight
Mr. Speaker, what I suggest to my
honourable friend is, that report offers us to do both that which my honourable
friend talks about, because clearly in any system, and health care is no
exception, if there is an ineffective use of resources within that health care
system then it only follows as day follows night that those resources are not
being used to provide resolution to the kind of problems my honourable friend
addresses.
That is why the progress and the
process of reform and change in the health care system in
So I suggest to my honourable friend
that both initiatives can flow from implementation of the findings of this
scientific study.
Mr. Cheema:
Mr. Speaker, can the Minister of Health tell us, in the Health Action
Reform Plan on page 32 there was a promise that on the waiting list management
in orthopedic surgery, cardiovascular surgery and angioplasty, oncology and
cataract surgery, we would have a report by the end of this month. Can the minister tell us when we will have
that report?
Mr. Orchard:
Mr. Speaker, I cannot provide my honourable friend with that advice this
afternoon, but I will endeavour to provide that advice to him possibly in tomorrow's
Question Period, because that issue has been under review and study for the
better part of seven or eight months now by the professional group that is
hoping to give us advice on how we can proceed in resolution of some of those
issues.
Mr. Cheema: Mr. Speaker, can the minister now combine the
inference from both studies, if he is going to table it tomorrow, and come up
with the answer to decrease the waiting period for many surgical procedures
that will enhance their policy of efficiency to cut the delay in surgical
procedures?
Mr. Orchard: Mr. Speaker, that may well be the initiative
that we are able to undertake when we combine both studies and a number of
others, but I cannot preclude the kind of advice that we may get from Dr.
Naylor and the study group that is looking at the waiting list and the
procedures that are mentioned by my honourable friend.
I simply give my honourable friend
this kind of an assurance, that when we have received sound advice from the
professionals we have tended to try, to the degree possible, implementation of
that advice into the way that we deliver health care, with the end goal being
something I think all of us share, the preservation and protection of our
health care system.
Fishing Industry
Ms. Rosann Wowchuk (
The minister said on December 4 that
he would meet with these people. I want
to ask him if the date of that meeting is set and when he plans to be with
fishermen on
Hon. Harry Enns (Minister of Natural Resources): Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to advise the
honourable member for
Ms. Wowchuk: Mr. Speaker, I hope that all fishermen are
notified about that meeting and that they can all have input.
The minister also said that he
cannot put fish back into
Mr. Enns: Mr.
Speaker, I am delighted to take that question as notice and, certainly, in
meeting with the fishermen on
Ms. Wowchuk: Mr. Speaker, I am appalled that the minister
would not know that there was no stock put into
When is the minister going to take
seriously the problem on
Mr. Enns: Mr.
Speaker, it is that time of the year where we are all called upon to exhibit
good will towards all persons, and I do not take any credit, but my department
had a restocking program in place for
Nutrition Counselling
Services
Government Commitment
Ms. Avis Gray (Crescentwood): Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Health stands in
this House every day and attempts to lead the people of
Can the minister explain to the
House today, how does he explain to mothers and children, how are they going to
get this best nutritional guidance‑‑and I quote him from today‑‑if
in fact he does not have the resources to carry out that important job?
Hon. Donald Orchard (Minister of Health): Well, Mr. Speaker, I do realize that the
ability to deliver that program was diminished as of the by‑election this
fall.
Mr. Speaker, through
reprioritization of the services we provide to meet the most urgent needs, I
think it is fair to say that in today's environments, the demands exceed the
ability of any government anywhere in
I submit, Sir, that in this province
we are legions ahead of others in terms of meeting targeted needs for various
groups in society that need a better degree of educational support, of
counselling and other initiatives which can contribute to their wellness and
avoid and delay and permanently prevent their necessity to access our health
care system, as fine as it is, Sir.
* (1410)
Ms. Gray:
Mr.
Speaker, can the Minister of Health (Mr. Orchard) tell us why he insists that
this province is legions ahead, when in fact that very food security report of which
people who are part of that report are actually‑‑people in his
department have suggested that
Mr. Orchard:
Mr. Speaker, I guess that in some areas of investigation maybe that
conclusion might be reached, but I would simply like to share with my
honourable friend, because I know my honourable friend wants information, that
here is a December 14, 1992, Canadian Press wire service out of
The topic is a Judith Korbin, who
has been retained by the government of
That is a different piece of
information than the one my honourable friend has given today.
Ms. Gray: Mr. Speaker, with a supplementary to the
Minister of Health (Mr. Orchard): Can
the Minister of Health tell us when he will actually put into place some
prevention services, including nutritional guidance, for these mothers as part
of his health reform plan? Because in
the initial documents and committees that were established, it was an
afterthought, and it took people such as‑‑
Mr. Speaker: Order, please.
The honourable member has put her question.
Mr. Orchard: I
hear ringing through my mind certain melodies. How does that go? I forget the words, Sir.
Mr. Speaker, I want to tell my
honourable friend that I very much valued her sincere and dedicated
contribution to the ministry of Health, but, Sir, to say that she was the only
one that ever made a positive suggestion is absolutely wrong. I have thousands of caring professionals in
my department who work diligently every day to provide guidance to this
ministry, to provide progressive policies for the reform and change in the
health care system, and, Sir, for her to take credit for it solely and singly
is not accurate.
Hospital Boards Staff
Nurse Representation
Ms. Judy Wasylycia‑Leis (
In fact, in one case, in
I hope the government members are
laughing at the ridiculousness of that statement, and not because they support
the attitude.
I want to ask the Minister of Health
if he will indicate to this particular board that he does not condone such a
position, and that in fact he clearly supports the representation of nurse
staff on hospital boards.
Hon. Donald Orchard (Minister of Health): Mr. Speaker, I am troubled by those kinds of
statements being made by my honourable friend which allege certain accusations
by anonymous and unsigned letters. I
really do not think that I can react to an anonymous statement by some unsigned
individual because one certainly does not know (a) the source of such comments,
et cetera.
Let me deal directly with the issue
that my honourable friend raised, as I have dealt directly with those members of
the Manitoba Nurses'
Ms. Wasylycia-Leis: Mr. Speaker, the minister should try
imagining the hurt of nurses in
I want to ask the Minister of Health
(Mr. Orchard) a very straightforward question.
Will he clearly send out a directive to all hospital boards indicating
that it is a policy of this government to have staff nurse representation on
all such boards? Would he put a
timetable to it and make sure that that action is followed up?
Mr. Orchard: Mr. Speaker, I guess my honourable friend, in
the comfort of opposition, is now creating health policy for the NDP, I might
say, health policy that when my honourable friend sat in cabinet and had the
ability to send that directive to the boards, did not. The question is: Why not, when she had the chance?
Ms. Wasylycia-Leis: Mr. Speaker, my question to this Minister of
Health is why this minister can make rhetorical statements on one occasion and
refuse to back it up with policies and directions or regulations. I will ask if he can do at least as much as
the provincial government of
Mr. Orchard:
Mr. Speaker, I intend to remain consistent with the policy that was in
place when I walked into this office in May 1988.
Canadian Wheat Board
Barley Marketing
Mr. John Plohman (Dauphin): Mr. Speaker, I have a question for the
Minister of Agriculture (Mr. Findlay). The
Conservative government continues to implement deregulation philosophies and
policies even while the world is falling down around them. The latest casualty, it seems, would be
Agriculture
One of the specific recommendations
that is being made by the federal minister in a report that was released
recently was that the Wheat Board would employ a dual marketing system for
barley. Barley would no longer be under the exclusive jurisdiction of the
Canadian Wheat Board, and that is of deep concern to us.
Mr. Speaker, I want to ask the
Minister of Agriculture if he shares that concern with the proposals regarding
the marketing of barley under the Wheat Board and what direct action he is
taking to ensure that that concern is communicated and in fact that that will
not be implemented by the federal government.
Hon. Glen Findlay (Minister of Agriculture): Mr. Speaker, we are talking about selling
agricultural products out of western
Mr. Speaker‑‑[interjection]
You have something against exports?
We have built processing plants
across western
The member talks particularly about
barley, and we have increased sales of barley to the
Mr. Speaker: Time for Oral Questions has expired.
* (1420)
ORDERS OF THE DAY
Hon. Clayton Manness (Government House Leader): Mr. Speaker, would you call Bill 4, please.
DEBATE ON SECOND
Bill 4‑The Retail
Businesses Sunday Shopping (Temporary Amendments) Act
Mr. Speaker: On
the proposed motion of the honourable Minister of Industry, Trade and Tourism
(Mr. Stefanson), Bill 4, The Retail Businesses Sunday Shopping (Temporary
Amendments) Act; Loi sur l'ouverture des commerces de detail les jours feries‑‑modifications
temporaires, standing in the name of the honourable member for Flin Flon.
Mr. Jerry Storie (Flin Flon): Mr. Speaker, this issue has, I guess, so many
different aspects that have to be dealt with in the course of debate that I am
afraid that I am going to take‑‑[interjection] As I was saying,
this debate is such a controversial issue that I think it is going to require a
very lengthy review of all of the issues that need to be discussed prior to
implementing such a radical change for most Manitobans.
I want to begin by saying that although the government has announced this as a trial period, and perhaps the minister responsible or some other