LEGISLATIVE
ASSEMBLY OF
Monday,
April 26, 1993
The House met at 1:30
p.m.
PRAYERS
ROUTINE
PROCEEDINGS
PRESENTING
PETITIONS
Mr. Gregory Dewar
(Selkirk): Mr. Speaker, I beg to present the petition of H.
Lindblom, Darwin Massey, Barry Flett and others requesting the Family Services
minister (Mr. Gilleshammer) consider restoring funding for friendship centres
in
* * *
Ms. Marianne Cerilli
(Radisson): Mr. Speaker, I beg to present the petition of
William Collins, Howard Almdal, Leanne Urbanski and others requesting the
Minister of Family Services (Mr. Gilleshammer) to consider restoring funding of
the student social allowance program.
* * *
Mr. Leonard Evans
(Brandon East): Mr. Speaker, I beg to present the petition of
Keith Sparvier, Lydia Sparvier, Trent Sparvier and others requesting the Family
Services minister (Mr. Gilleshammer) consider restoring funding for the
friendship centres in
Mr. Speaker: I have reviewed the petition of the honourable
member (Mr. Martindale). 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? [agreed]
Mr. Clerk (William Remnant): The petition of the undersigned citizens of the
WHEREAS
WHEREAS over 1,000 young adults are
currently attempting to get off welfare and upgrade their education through the
student social allowances program; and
WHEREAS
WHEREAS the provincial government has
already changed social assistance rules resulting in increased welfare costs
for the City of
WHEREAS the provincial government is now
proposing to eliminate the student social allowances program; and
WHEREAS eliminating the student social
allowances program will result in more than a thousand young people being
forced onto city welfare with no means of getting further full‑time
education, resulting in more long‑term costs for city taxpayers.
WHEREFORE your petitioners humbly pray
that the Legislative Assembly of
* * *
Mr. Speaker: I have reviewed the petition of the
honourable member (Mr. Dewar). 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? [agreed]
Mr. Clerk: The petition of the undersigned citizens of
the
WHEREAS the United Nations has declared
1993 the International Year of the World's Indigenous People with the theme,
"Indigenous People: a new
partnership"; and
WHEREAS the provincial government has
totally discontinued funding to all friendship centres; and
WHEREAS the provincial government has
stated that these cuts mirror the federal cuts; and
WHEREAS the elimination of all funding to
friendship centres will result in the loss of many jobs as well as the services
and programs provided, such as: assistance
to the elderly, the homeless, youth programming, the socially disadvantaged,
families in crisis, education, recreation and cultural programming, housing
relocation, fine options, counselling, court assistance, advocacy;
WHEREFORE your petitioners humbly pray
that the Legislative Assembly of
* * *
Mr. Speaker: I have reviewed the petition of the
honourable member (Ms. Cerilli). 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? [agreed]
Mr. Clerk: The petition of the undersigned citizens of
the
WHEREAS
WHEREAS over 1,000 young adults are
currently attempting to get off welfare and upgrade their education through the
student social allowances program; and
WHEREAS
WHEREAS the provincial government has
already changed social assistance rules resulting in increased welfare costs
for the City of
WHEREAS the provincial government is now
proposing to eliminate the student social allowances program; and
WHEREAS eliminating the student social
allowances program will result in more than a thousand young people being
forced onto city welfare with no means of getting further full‑time education,
resulting in more long‑term costs for city taxpayers.
WHEREFORE your petitioners humbly pray
that the Legislative Assembly of
Mr. Speaker: I have reviewed the petition of the
honourable member (Ms. Friesen). 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? [agreed]
Mr. Clerk: The petition of the undersigned citizens of
the
WHEREAS
WHEREAS over 1,000 young adults are
currently attempting to get off welfare and upgrade their education through the
student social allowances program; and
WHEREAS
WHEREAS the provincial government has
already changed social assistance rules resulting in increased welfare costs
for the City of
WHEREAS the provincial government is now
proposing to eliminate the student social allowances program; and
WHEREAS eliminating the student social
allowances program will result in more than a thousand young people being
forced onto city welfare with no means of getting further full‑time
education, resulting in more long‑term costs for city taxpayers.
WHEREFORE your petitioners humbly pray
that the Legislative Assembly of
TABLING OF
REPORTS
Hon. Darren Praznik
(Minister responsible for The Civil Service Act): Mr. Speaker, I would like to table today the
1991‑92 Annual Report of the Civil Service Commission of the
Hon. Harry Enns
(Minister of Natural Resources): Mr.
Speaker, I would like to table the Annual Report 1991‑92 of the
Department of Natural Resources, along with the Supplementary Information for
Legislative Review copy for the year '93‑94.
* (1335)
INTRODUCTION
OF BILLS
Bill 28‑The
Hon. Bonnie Mitchelson
(Minister responsible for Multiculturalism): Mr.
Speaker, I move, seconded by the Minister of Labour (Mr. Praznik), that Bill
28, The
His Honour the Lieutenant‑Governor,
having been advised of the contents of this bill, recommends it to the
House. I would like to table that
message also.
Motion agreed to.
Bill 27‑The
Environment Amendment Act (2)
Hon. Glen Cummings
(Minister of Environment): Mr. Speaker, I move,
seconded by the Minister of Northern Affairs (Mr. Downey), that Bill 27, The
Environment Amendment Act (2) (Loi no 2 modifiant la Loi sur l'environnement),
be introduced and that the same be now received and read a first time.
Motion agreed to.
Bill 212‑The
Dauphin Memorial Community Centre Board Repeal Act
Mr. John Plohman
(Dauphin): I move, seconded by the member for Flin Flon
(Mr. Storie), that Bill 212, The Dauphin Memorial Community Centre Board Repeal
Act (Loi abrogeant la Loi sur le Conseil du Centre commemoratif de Dauphin), be
introduced and that the same be now received and read a first time.
Motion agreed to.
Introduction
of Guests
Mr. Speaker: Prior to Oral Questions, may I direct the attention
of honourable members to the gallery, where we have with us this afternoon from
the Sargent Park School eighty‑six Grade 9 students under the direction
of Mr. Robert Forrester. This school is
located in the constituency of the honourable member for
On behalf of all honourable members, I
would like to welcome you here this afternoon.
ORAL
QUESTION PERIOD
Farmers
Alfalfa Products
Government
Assistance
Mr. Gary Doer (Leader of
the Opposition): Mr. Speaker, my question is to the First
Minister, chair of the Economic Development Board of Cabinet.
Mr. Speaker, in 1991, the Deputy Premier
(Mr. Downey) announced that video lottery terminal revenues would be used for
initiatives to complement rural economic development. Again, this last week, on April 22, 1993, the
Premier announced funds to be available from video lottery terminals, not all
the funds as was first announced in 1991, but funds would be announced for
rural economic development to provide for value‑added jobs and to allow
for business ventures to survive in rural communities.
Mr. Speaker, on the weekend I had the
honour of visiting the alfalfa plant in Dauphin. The people in that community, the people who
are working directly in the plant, the producers who produce the raw material
and the people in the coffee shops in the
I would like to ask the Premier: Of all the announcements they have made to
support rural economic development, is there not a way to help the alfalfa
plant in Dauphin and the producers of alfalfa in that community? It is one of the largest private employers in
that community. It produces economic
benefit of some $800,000 per year to that
* (1340)
Hon. Gary Filmon
(Premier): Mr. Speaker, without addressing, because it
would take too long to correct all the inaccuracies within the preamble of the
question that the Leader of the Opposition put forward, I will say to him that
even during the time of the government of which he was a part, they steadfastly
took the position that operating expenses on behalf of businesses that were
failing were not something any government could get into, that the operating
side of the expenses of a business was the responsibility of that business with
the commercial lenders‑‑the banks, the credit unions, the various
financial institutions. They were the
ones who had to take the responsibility for that.
We have statements on record by members of
the Pawley administration that there was not enough money in government to do
that, that there are businesses which get into difficulty day after day after
day, that if government was to guarantee their operating line of credit or get
into their operating expenditures, there just simply would not be enough money
to go around.
He is the first person, Mr. Speaker, to
get up and talk about us supporting business and giving support to
business. I can give him dozens and
dozens of examples that come through week after week of people who say, there has
been a change in my trucking business because of deregulation; I just need
government to guarantee my line of credit for the next six months or a year or
whatever.
Mr. Speaker, it is not possible. No government in this country has taken on
that kind of responsibility.
Mr. Doer: Mr. Speaker, I guess last Thursday, people in
the Parkland region and people across
That kind of nitpicking does not help the
people in Dauphin and
Is there not any way in this very
difficult time to find a way to keep this plant going so we can have these jobs
and these opportunities in
Mr. Filmon: Mr. Speaker, this is not nitpicking to say
that the government cannot take on the responsibility of the operating expenses
of companies that are in difficulty.
If the member opposite wants to have
examples of it, examples that demonstrated to his own government when they were
in office, he only needs to look at King Choy Foods, at the aircraft
manufacturers, Saunders Aircraft, at all of those enterprises that the Schreyer
government took on by virtue of, firstly, getting into loan guarantees just
simply to guarantee their operating lines of credit that ultimately resulted in
them taking on the ownership and millions and millions of dollars of losses for
the public of
It is one thing to put in investments from
video lottery terminals for start‑up costs; it is one thing for setting
in place kinds of guarantee programs for the initial expenditures or for
particular job‑creating activities in the beginning. It is another thing to take on the
responsibility for guaranteeing their operating line of credit when they are in
financial difficulty. There are
literally dozens, if not hundreds of firms in
* (1345)
Mr. Doer: Successive governments have attempted to try
to work with private companies, co‑operative companies, with producers to
diversify our crops in western
Now this, admittedly, by scale, is much
smaller. Mr. Speaker, I do understand
that 27 jobs that have been there for 20 years are in jeopardy right now for
want of a loan guarantee from the provincial government. I understand that 20 producers have signed
$5,000 loan guarantees themselves to try to make this company operate. Is there not any way that the Premier and his
government can find a way to bridge this difficult situation based on the last
year's very, very moist crop situation and poor grade of product, so that we
can see these vital jobs maintained in
They paid taxes for 20 years. We need these people and these jobs in this
province.
Mr. Filmon: Mr. Speaker, if this is indeed just a short‑term
problem, banks and financial institutions evaluate that. They do not want to go and lose their equity
in a company, their loans, their operating lines of credit. They do not want to lose that. If they saw an
opportunity for getting out of it, then they would be the first ones to say,
okay, your pro forma statement says that within six months or nine months or a
year, you will be out of this, and they exercise that kind of logical analysis.
They are not in the business of wanting to
lose whatever share of money they have in it.
The fact of the matter is‑‑I repeat for him‑‑that
this is the kind of thing that has been looked at by previous governments,
including New Democratic governments. If
you were to go and guarantee the operating line of credit for every business
that, because of some change in market or climate or anything else, got into
difficulty, you would have hundreds on your doorstep tomorrow.
You would have printing companies,
trucking companies, all sorts of companies that are in this time of difficulty,
Mr. Speaker, there saying it is the government's responsibility. I can guarantee him that I have had contacts
from many, many businesses in many different fields who ask for the same thing.
Personal
Care Homes
Rate
Structure
Ms. Judy Wasylycia-Leis
(St. Johns): I would like to ask the Minister responsible
for Seniors some questions about a growing concern being expressed by many
people in this province, particularly the senior citizens of
This concern has been exacerbated by the
lack of information from the government itself.
In fact, the government has made matters worse by repealing the
regulation covering payments under The Health Services Insurance Act.
I would like to ask the minister: When will this government be releasing the
regulations which outline the changes to the rate structure for personal care
homes in this province?
Hon. Gerald Ducharme
(Minister responsible for Seniors): Mr.
Speaker, how we have been handling the concerns that have come forward, we have
asked the people to bring their examples until those regulations come forward,
and the minister responsible in Health has expressed in questions in the House
that he will be getting to the regulations shortly.
Ms. Wasylycia-Leis: Mr. Speaker, to help the minister do his job in
terms of speaking up for seniors, I will table a letter that went to all
personal care home residents, dated April 6, from the Assistant Deputy Minister
of Health indicating rate increases for personal care homes as high as 74
percent.
I want to ask the Minister responsible for
Seniors if he can tell us today how many people will be affected by this
government's changes to the rate structure.
How many people will have to pay the maximum, and how many will see
their fees increase and by much?
Mr. Ducharme: I do not have to be lectured by that member
across the way on seniors issues.
Mr. Speaker, the people involved are based
on the ability to pay, and as expressed to the member just in my first
response, the minister responsible for Health will be getting those regulations
through, and those questions will be answered by that minister.
* (1350)
Ms. Wasylycia-Leis: Mr. Speaker, we are talking about senior
citizens who have worked all their lives‑‑
Mr. Speaker: Order, please. I remind the honourable member for
Ms. Wasylycia-Leis: I would like the minister to give some
information to us and to the seniors in this province. Specifically, what
definition of income will be used in determining the level at which personal
care home residents will be billed? Will
family income be taken into consideration?
How is the income level derived?
Mr. Ducharme: Mr. Speaker, as expressed in my two previous
responses, the Minister of Health (Mr. Orchard) will have those regulations
available to the public, and any inquiries that we are getting through our
Seniors secretariat, we are taking down examples that they have laid out to us,
and we carry them forward and get them back to those individual people.
So someone who has some questions in
regard to personal care and is at that standstill right now, we ask them to
phone our Seniors office, and we will get back to them on what the costs are on
May 1.
Endangered
Spaces
Mr. Paul Edwards (St.
James): Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister
of Natural Resources.
The minister was one of the first
signatories to the Endangered Spaces Campaign administered by the World Wildlife
Fund whereby 12 percent of the land from representative areas was to be set
aside and preserved in its natural state.
With much fanfare, this minister signed on in September of 1990 and very
quickly proved himself worthy of a D grade from the World Wildlife Fund with
the notation, unfulfilled expectations.
Mr. Speaker, Endangered Spaces has now
produced a map and sent it to the minister last week, which shows that he is in
line for another D or worse.
My question for the minister: Why has this minister, after two and a half
years of this program, of having signed on to it, only adequately protected 2
percent of
Hon. Harry Enns
(Minister of Natural Resources): Mr.
Speaker, the honourable member and I think all members ought to be aware that
the designation of land, particularly under this designation, to be set aside
for all time, is a very serious business.
We have in the course of these two years undertaken extensive public
hearings under the Natural Lands Strategy sponsored by the round table that
asked Manitobans throughout the province about their thoughts and views on this
and other subjects.
Mr. Speaker, I am also well aware that
when I signed that document committing this government to the principles of the
Endangered Spaces Program it was, in fact, a goal to be achieved by the year
2000.
I am satisfied that, very shortly, with
the introduction of new park lands legislation into this Legislature and other
initiatives, we will demonstrate to the satisfaction of certainly those who are
watching the province on this regard, that we are prepared to keep our
commitments.
Government
Initiatives
Mr. Paul Edwards (St.
James): Mr. Speaker, the minister says he needs more
time.
My question for the minister: Why, when he got his report card last year,
did he tie for second‑last place?
He tied with
My question for the minister, Mr. Speaker,
is: Between now and when the next report
card comes out in September, what is this minister going to do to warrant a
better mark than second‑last place in this country, a D?
Hon. Harry Enns
(Minister of Natural Resources): Mr.
Speaker, I am prepared to operate within the principles of the Endangered
Spaces Program and set aside and designate very substantial acres of land in
the
Provincial
Parks Protection
Mr. Paul Edwards (St.
James): Mr. Speaker, my final question for the
minister: Will the minister commit today
to giving his words in his press conferences some credibility, by putting some
protection into the meaning of a park or a wildlife management area, given that
currently of
Hon. Harry Enns
(Minister of Natural Resources): Mr.
Speaker, I would invite the honourable member to await the introduction of new
park lands legislation into this Legislature.
That would be the appropriate time to debate these issues.
Clean
Environment Commission Hearings
Ms. Marianne Cerilli
(Radisson): Mr. Speaker, the Clean Environment Commission
hearing dates have been set for June 14 to 30 on the
Can the Minister of Environment confirm
that these dates have been set and that there are no downstream sites for the
Assinboine Diversion project Clean Environment hearings?
Hon. Glen Cummings
(Minister of Environment): Mr. Speaker, in
setting the dates, the commission looked at the various areas where both
proponents and opponents would have an opportunity and a good logical setting
for them to appear and make their feelings known. While very often we have meetings in the city
of Winnipeg and expect rural Manitobans to drive in, this is one of those
situations where largely the interest that has been expressed up to this point,
both opposition and in favour of the project, is largely centred in the
* (1355)
Ms. Cerilli: Mr. Speaker, does the minister have any
environmental explanation or rationale for not having downstream communities
sited?
Mr. Cummings: Mr. Speaker, I answered this same question last
week from the member for Selkirk (Mr. Dewar) about asking for additional sites
for the hearings. I suggested to him, as
I would suggest to this member, that if there are significant interests that are
expressed and concerns that cannot be answered by the present format, then I
hope the public will let the commission know.
Frankly, Mr. Speaker, it seems to me that
the locations are all within a very short driving range of those who have
expressed interest and concern, and we have accepted the commission's
recommendation.
Addendum
Ms. Marianne Cerilli
(Radisson): Mr. Speaker, the City of
Mr. Speaker: Order, please. This is not a time for debate.
Ms. Cerilli: Does the minister have a legal opinion on the
addendum proposed for the Assiniboine Diversion so that we can be assured that
these hearings are not for a project that is illegal because it is changing the
project in the middle of the environmental assessment?
Hon. Glen Cummings
(Minister of Environment): Mr. Speaker, the
staff who are reviewing the proposals have been very conscious of the fact that
there was an addendum brought in in the middle of the setting of the
guidelines, and they have been very conscious about making sure that the public
was made aware of this and that they had an opportunity and will have
continuing opportunity to comment on it.
I am quite concerned that the member would
suggest that there has been, in any way, an attempt to cut off debate or a lack
of encouragement for people to attend at the hearings. I suggest if there are others out there who
concur with her, they should let the commission know.
Autopac
Auto
Repair Estimates
Mr. Leonard Evans
(Brandon East): I have a question for the Minister
responsible for the Manitoba Public Insurance Corporation.
Mr. Speaker, there is evidence that
runaway costs have led to exorbitant premium increases under this government,
and I now have evidence on Autopac repair assessments being substantially
higher than estimates of autobody shops.
A citizen came to me with five written
estimates on a 1989 Toyota Camry which received damage to front and rear doors
and the rear bumper. These estimates range
from‑‑the cheapest was $353 and up to $510.72; the next was
$605.34; $776.29, and the highest private autobody estimate was $1,105.44.
He then went to Autopac, and they gave him
an estimate of $1,449.16. That is over
$300 higher than the highest private estimate and four times higher than the
lowest‑‑
Mr. Speaker: Order, please. The honourable member for Brandon East, put
his question, please.
Mr. Leonard Evans: Mr. Speaker, members opposite may be impatient,
but we have to put the information on the record.
Mr. Speaker: You did.
Order, please. Put your question,
please.
Mr. Leonard Evans: This gentleman is very upset, and my question
to the minister is: Why is there such a
dramatic difference between the private estimates and the Autopac estimates?
Hon. Glen Cummings
(Minister charged with the administration of The Manitoba Public Insurance
Corporation Act): Mr. Speaker, first of all, I hope he intends
to table that information so it can be reviewed in detail. Secondly, I presume that the member is
unaware that in terms of the cost of repairing the autobody repair side as
compared to the cost of repairing the human bodies in damage that occurred, the
autobody repair side, the tin and the plastic, the cost of increases there in
the last three years have been and are running at or below the rate of
inflation.
I would presume that the member has
researched this and found out that
Mr. Leonard Evans: I have another question of the minister.
I would ask the minister if he would
undertake an investigation of the methods and procedures now being used by
Autopac with a view to stopping what appears to be an overly generous
estimating procedure by Autopac, because another citizen came with the same
story, $375 for the private and $524 for Autopac.
* (1400)
Mr. Cummings: Mr. Speaker, it is quite obvious that it has
been some time since the member has been reviewing some of the work that is
associated with autobody repair.
I will be glad to invest some considerable
amount of time in providing answers and the details he is asking for, but I
should remind you that it is very interesting that I get a lot of letters in my
office asking us why we are using recycled parts. People out there are of two
minds when they have their vehicles damaged, whether or not it should be
repaired to the absolute new condition or whether the cost‑saving
practice of using recycled parts is allowed.
I would be interested in that member's opinion.
Mr. Leonard Evans: Incidentally, this gentleman went to the
autobody shop that would do it for $600‑‑
Mr. Speaker: Order, please.
Mr. Leonard Evans: Will this minister acknowledge that there
appears to be a two‑price system that has developed, one through Autopac
estimation and one through private autobody shop estimates? Will he take action now to stop what appears
to be a rip‑off situation?
Mr. Cummings: Mr. Speaker, I asked the member to table that
information. I presume he will. That will be appropriately investigated and
answered. I would remind the member that
it was since this government came into office that we moved to eliminate the
rebating for replacement of windshields, which he thought was okay when he was
in office.
Stubble
Burning Enforcement
Mrs. Sharon Carstairs
(Leader of the Second Opposition): Mr.
Speaker, my question is to the Minister of Environment.
On April 15 the minister, along with the
Minister of Agriculture (Mr. Findlay), issued a statement and a policy with
regard to stubble burning. I asked the
question to the minister on Friday, because I had noticed some fires coming
back from Dauphin on the previous evening, and I got the following response
from the Minister of Environment. He
said: "If there were complaints
that were registered, we would respond to them." That sounded like a very positive statement
about what the Department of Environment was prepared to do. Several hours later, as I was driving in my
vehicle to the lake, I listened to an interview conducted by Jim Rae with Carl
Orcutt, the ADM of the Environmental Operations Division, who responded to a
question that there was no enforcement policy in the department with respect to
stubble burning.
Now, what are the citizens of this
province to believe‑‑the minister who says that they will respond
or the assistant deputy minister who says they do not have a policy?
Hon. Glen Cummings
(Minister of Environment): Mr. Speaker, I presume
that my comment will be the one that will be correct.
Mr. Speaker, the Leader of the Second
Opposition referenced the fact that she saw some fires that were burning two
hours after dark. I would ask, did she
turn in a report? She did not. Secondly, the only call that I have had in my
office was from a person who said they saw a fire, and they were given the
number to call. They said, well, it is
no problem, and they hung up. So, if there
are concerns out there, the response will be available from the department.
The time of year in which we are presently
living is when we are basically allowing daytime burning unrestricted. We have the power that if that burning is
being done in such a way that it is causing difficulties for an urban area or
fires are left uncontrolled after dark, we have the authority to deal with them
and we will.
I really am concerned why the member is
not supporting this policy. It would
seem to me that this is the kind of approach that goes beyond the approach that
the Liberal Party ever asked for.
24‑Hour
Response Line
Mrs. Sharon Carstairs
(Leader of the Second Opposition): Mr.
Speaker, I just want the policy enforced.
The minister says I did not report it.
Well, I thought I reported it to the highest authority, the minister
himself, at the earliest possible opportunity.
But, just to make sure that it was done properly, I looked up in my
directory. I could not find the 24‑hour
response line, so I phoned information, 2211, and I was referred to 5017. That,
I was told, was a wrong number, so then I was referred to 8132. I was then told that was not the right
number. Then I called Mr. Orcutt's
office, and I was told there would be no such number until September.
Can the minister tell the House today,
what is the 24‑hour response line that I am supposed to call to report?
Hon. Glen Cummings
(Minister of Environment): Mr. Speaker, I would
be interested to know the question that the member put to the people on the
other end of the line. If she asked if
this was an emergency line for stubble burning, the fact is, that line, the 1‑800
line is to be established in the fall.
If she has a complaint about a specific fire that is out of control,
then all she needs to do is say so when she is on that line.
Mrs. Carstairs: Mr. Speaker, I was just following the
minister's advice. On Friday the
minister said, we have a 24‑hour response line at the department. So we called all of these numbers to find out
just what was the 24‑hour response line.
That is what we wanted to know.
Can the minister stand in the House and
tell me, as well as all the other citizens of the
Mr. Cummings: Mr. Speaker, while this elicits some laughter on
our side, this is a serious situation, because she is misrepresenting the
information that I gave her. She also
misrepresented the information that she was receiving.
Mr. Speaker, the 1‑800 line for
responses to stubble burning complaints will be in position to deal with the
controlled period, which is starting the 1st of August this fall. If they have a problem with a fire that is
out of control today, call the 24‑hour line that is in existence, but do
not phone them and ask them if they are the stubble response line‑‑dumb.
Aboriginal
Farmers
Government
Assistance
Ms. Rosann Wowchuk (
The Minister of Agriculture on Friday
indicated that he did not have any interest or responsibility for the aboriginal
farmers who are not able to get operating loans this spring, through no fault
of their own. However, they are
Has the minister lobbied the federal
government, or has he made contact with the Department of Indian Affairs or the
Department of Industry, Science and Technology to assure that the necessary
loans are in place so that rice growers and the rice processors can operate
this year? They are a vital part to
Hon. Glen Findlay
(Minister of Agriculture): Mr. Speaker, I regret
the member says I have no interest. That
is absolutely wrong. It was never
said. I wish she would apologize for
that misrepresentation.
I told her the process that is in place is
federal money for funding aboriginal farmers.
Aboriginal farmers, in addition to that, have access to all the existing
plans and programs in the Department of Agriculture in the
Ms. Wowchuk: Mr. Speaker, I assume from that answer I
received, the minister is saying that aboriginal people can go to MACC for
loans.
Sugar Beet
Industry
Future
Status
Ms. Rosann Wowchuk (
Has he made any decision, or has he taken
any action on the sugar beet farmers who are waiting for his decision on an
agreement? Can he tell us whether the
workers at the sugar beet plant will be working this year, or is that something
else that he does not care about‑‑
Mr. Speaker: Order, please. The honourable member has put her question.
* (1410)
Hon. Glen Findlay
(Minister of Agriculture): That member knows so
little, she thinks she has all the answers.
I have had in the vicinity of a dozen
meetings on this issue with the company, with the
It is an increase in the expenditure in my
department for stabilization from $375,000 to $626,000 involving Agriculture
and Industry, Trade and Tourism. That
offer is on the table. The federal
government has made an offer in
Ms. Wowchuk: But, Mr. Speaker, the
Mr. Speaker: Order, please. I remind the honourable member for
Alfalfa
Industry
Ms. Rosann Wowchuk (
If there is no work‑‑
Mr. Speaker: Order, please. The honourable member has put her question.
Hon. Glen Findlay
(Minister of Agriculture): Mr. Speaker, the
alfalfa industry has been developing in
Mr. John Plohman
(Dauphin): It really helped.
Mr. Findlay: The member for Dauphin does not care that we
are trying to help the alfalfa producers in
Mr. Speaker, we sent the mission to Japan
involving two individuals from the Interlake who are investigating the
possibility of setting up dehyd plants.
I will tell the member there is a very good market in
There are many, many companies in the