LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF
Monday, May 16, 1994
The House met at 1:30 p.m.
PRAYERS
ROUTINE PROCEEDINGS
Introduction of Guests
Mr. Speaker: Prior to Oral Questions, may I direct the
attention of honourable members to the Speaker's Gallery where we have with us
today Dr. Garcia Reyes, Head, Generality of Cataluna, President's Department,
External Affairs, Relations with the
On
behalf of all honourable members, I would like to welcome you here today, sir.
Also with us today, we have 10 senior provincial 4H public
speaking competitors, and they are under the direction of Mr. David Hay.
On
behalf of all honourable members, I would like to welcome you here today.
ORAL QUESTION PERIOD
Immigrant Investor
Program
Federal Government
Policy
Mr. Gary Doer (Leader of the Opposition): Mr. Speaker, my question is to the First Minister
(Mr. Filmon).
On Friday, we learned that the federal government allegedly
is going to override the provincial decision on freezing Immigrant Investor
Funds in the
Mr. Speaker, we were very concerned when we heard about
this decision. We wonder, can the First
Minister indicate whether that is indeed the decision of the federal government
to override the provincial government in terms of the Immigrant Investor Funds
in
Hon. James Downey
(Minister of Industry, Trade and Tourism):
Mr. Speaker, first of all, I want to reiterate the fact that this
Immigrant Investor Program is a federal government program, not a provincial
program.
It was this government that initiated a review, an
investigation into the activities of the Immigrant Investor Fund, and the
conditions have not been met that we have put forward. In fact, we had asked that an independent
representation for the investor be put in place, the court‑directed
solution be carried out, and that full disclosure to the investors be made
available. Those are the three
conditions which this government put forward, Mr. Speaker, and they still have
not been met.
Immigrant Investor
Program
Federal Government Policy
Mr. Gary Doer (Leader of
the Opposition): Mr. Speaker, we will recall that the Crewson
report dated May 19, 1993, indicated on dealing with the proposals in question
that in a report there is a cash deficiency in the escrow accounts to complete
the project, based on either the projected budget or the revised budget.
Mr. Speaker, there is indeed a cash shortage in some of the
projects that are now apparently getting federal government approval, according
to the accountant hired by the provincial government to provide an analysis of
these funds.
These projects represent investments by immigrants in our
province, and it represents an issue of credibility for credible investments in
the
I would ask, again, the Premier: How can the federal government override the
freeze that the provincial government has put in place, when one of the funds
has been documented not to have enough money in the fund to complete the
projects? It seems to me to be very
unfair to investors and very, very unfair to our reputation.
* (1335)
Hon. Gary Filmon
(Premier): Mr. Speaker, as the Minister of Industry,
Trade and Tourism (Mr. Downey) said, that is precisely why we have
concerns. We have told the federal
government very directly that we do not support the removal of the freeze
because much of what was produced by the auditor who investigated on behalf of
the provincial government‑‑and I emphasize that the audit was
caused by this government, that the federal government of the day, the previous
federal government, did not agree with it and would not pay for the work that
Mr. Crewson did in identifying the concerns with it.
Yet all of that has been overridden by the federal
government today, and the only way in which I can respond to the Leader of the
Opposition is to tell him that this is totally within federal jurisdiction,
that this Immigrant Investor Program is totally a federal program and within
their jurisdiction to remove the freeze.
We
disagree with it, but they have proceeded on that basis.
Mr. Doer: I am sure we will have all‑party
agreement on this matter. I remember the
former Finance critic of the Liberal Party, who is now a member of Parliament,
indicating in 1993 that they were opposed to visas being sold for purposes of immigration,
Mr. Speaker.
It quite concerns us because with the new government in
late 1993, the new minister, Mr. Marchi, indicated that they would be reviewing
and curtailing the Conservative Immigrant Investor Fund as part of their new
federal program. So we were quite
surprised to hear about the approval of these investments.
I would ask the provincial government, given that the
original decision required a recommendation of the Province of Manitoba prior
to the federal government getting an approval, and given the fact that we have
frozen our decisions and frozen these funds given the fact that some of these
funds do not even contain the original amount of money that was indicated, will
the provincial government, on top of the freeze, be required to rescind the
decisions, to recommend to the federal government that these funds be approved?
Mr. Filmon: Well, Mr. Speaker, I just want to ensure that
the Leader of the Opposition knows that we were not in a position, we did not
have the authority to freeze those funds, but as a result of the findings of
the investigation of Mr. Crewson, the auditor whom we hired to do that review,
clearly there were major concerns that were identified and conditions that he
was recommending that needed to be fulfilled, so the government of the day,
which was the former government in Ottawa, did cause the freeze on all those
funds. The new federal government,
against our wishes and recommendations but totally within their jurisdiction,
have now removed that freeze.
Crown Corporations
Layoff Statistics
Mr. Steve Ashton
(Thompson): Mr. Speaker, there is continuing evidence of
the impact of the government's economic policies, which resulted in high unemployment,
a combination of public sector layoffs, the continuing concerns expressed about
Bill 22, continuing minimum wages.
I would like to ask the acting Minister of Labour if the
government can indicate the total number of public sector jobs that will be
lost in terms of Manitoba Hydro following the announcement of layoffs last year
and the announcement of layoffs in the Manitoba Telephone System only a few
weeks ago.
* (1340)
Hon. Donald Orchard
(Minister charged with the administration of The Manitoba Hydro Act): Mr. Speaker, if my honourable friend is
referring to the recent news coverage on Friday last, that is the final working
through of the corporation of some downsizing of 500 that was commenced
approximately one year ago.
Mr. Ashton: I would like to ask as a follow‑up
question, Mr. Speaker, how the government can justify having brought in Bill
22, supposedly to preserve jobs in the public sector, having had that
communicated to Manitoba Hydro workers, and now we are seeing today that upwards
of 500 jobs have been cut from Manitoba Hydro following the announcement last
year, and there are continuing layoffs in such areas as Manitoba Telephone
System, when some of those Crown corporations are making a considerable profit?
Mr. Orchard: First of all, Mr. Speaker, my honourable
friend should get his facts straight before he makes such statements to the
House. There are not 500 layoffs at
Manitoba Hydro as my honourable friend alleges.
There was a downsizing of some 500 positions commenced a year ago.
We expect by the time the most recent layoffs, which are
approximately 100, filter through, with every effort being made at
redeployment, there will be a significantly lesser figure of actual people who
will be laid off after redeployment has taken effect.
So I do not want my honourable friend to indirectly provide
incorrect information to the people, but, Mr. Speaker, maybe my honourable
friend would support the president of the MGEA who preferred 500 people to be
laid off, rather than the 10 days off.
Maybe that is the position of my honourable friend the New
Democrat: more layoffs, not less.
Mr. Ashton: Mr. Speaker, we would like to see jobs
maintained in the Manitoba economy. That
is what we would like to see.
Reduced Workweek
Impact on Service
Mr. Steve Ashton
(Thompson): My final question is to the Premier, once
again in regard to the implications of Bill 22.
There is an
indication today, Mr. Speaker, that the chamber of commerce is concerned that
service has been affected, particularly in rural and northern communities,
because of the impact of Filmon Fridays.
As we enter the latest round of Filmon Fridays, will the
Premier respond to the concerns that have been expressed, not only by civil servants
and by members of public but now by the chamber of commerce, and recognize that
there has been reduction in services and review what is happening in terms of
services because of Filmon Fridays?
Hon. Gary Filmon
(Premier): Mr. Speaker, I compliment the Manitoba
chambers of commerce who are taking a far more sensible, common‑sense
approach to this, rather than the dogmatic, ideological, narrow approach of the
New Democrats who would rather see 500 people laid off. We will not accept that solution.
We believe that the public does want their taxes kept
down. We believe that the public does
want us to continue to look for ways to make government more efficient. We are going to heed some of the advice that
many people throughout the province have given us that coincides with that of
the Manitoba chambers of commerce and look for ways of ensuring that it is
applied in a common‑sense fashion with flexibility. That flexibility will allow us to continue to
maintain services while at the same time to reduce our payroll by $20 million
and maintain 500 more jobs in the public service.
Regional Economic Co‑operation
International Trade
Mr. Paul Edwards (Leader of the Second
Opposition): Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Premier.
The Premier, later this week, will be meeting with other
western Premiers in Gimli at the Western Premiers' Conference. In view of that, I want to speak briefly
about international trade. He has put
that in the press releases as a key area of concern.
Just some time ago, we closed down our Hong Kong office, as
the Premier well knows, and Mr. Walker, who had been heading up that office,
was put on a contract.
My question for the Premier is, perhaps he can enlighten
us, after that 19‑day trip that he took last fall to the Orient, on what
basis that decision was made and whether or not he is going to be proposing to
the other Premiers that perhaps this is an area that the western provinces
could co‑operate in.
Is there some way that we should be co‑operating as a
region to have a more substantial presence in the Far East?
Hon. Gary Filmon
(Premier): Mr. Speaker, that proposal was made two years
ago at a Western Premiers' Conference.
It was repeated again last year.
It was, in fact, discussed on December 21 in Ottawa with all of the
First Ministers of Canada. We will
continue to pursue the opportunity to have joint missions as opposed to
individual missions, because the member may know that during the course of the
month and a half or so prior to Christmas, there were five different Premiers
from Canada who were over in the Asia‑Pacific region. So it makes ultimate good sense.
The move with respect to the representation in Hong Kong
was one strictly of ensuring that we could operate more efficiently by hiring
the same individual on a contract basis, rather than undergoing the immense
cost of space that I think exceeds $100 a square foot to maintain premises in
Hong Kong, whereas the individual who is the key to the operation can be hired
on a contract for less and not have to have the expenses, yet can get the same
effect for our services and for assurances that we can keep in touch with and
promote our business interests in that Asia‑Pacific region.
Mr. Walker will very happily be part of our continued effort
to expand business, trade and opportunities in the Asia‑Pacific region.
Regional Economic Co‑operation
Walker Contract
Mr. Paul Edwards (Leader
of the Second Opposition): Mr. Speaker, again
for the Premier (Mr. Filmon), Mr. Walker, I understand, is currently in the
process of negotiating a contract with the province for the new
arrangement. I note that he has been the
employee, the head of that mission in Hong Kong.
Now that he is moving to a contract basis, will there be a
commission aspect of that contract? Will
Mr. Walker be paid a straight salary, as he has been, or a straight amount of
money, or will there, in fact, be some relationship to what is actually secured
in terms of investment in Manitoba as a part of his pay package?
* (1345)
Hon. James Downey
(Minister of Industry, Trade and Tourism):
Mr. Speaker, the detail of the contract I am prepared to get for the
member. I do not believe that there is a
commission part to the contract.
There is a quantity that he will be paid, but there will be
an ability for him to, as well, contract his services to other individuals who
may need those services when he is not, in fact, working on behalf of the
government of Manitoba's interests, which we believe will broaden the interests
on behalf of the people of Manitoba and enhance the opportunities to encourage
business to come to this province from the Asia‑Pacific area.
Mr. Edwards: Mr. Speaker, no doubt. However, I do ask the minister to consider
tying some remuneration to actual productivity and actually securing investment
in this province from that region now that they are going to a contract as
opposed to an employee basis.
Regional Economic Co‑operation
Procurement Policy
Mr. Paul Edwards (Leader
of the Second Opposition): Mr. Speaker, my
final question for the First Minister:
The procurement agreement which is currently in place between the
western provinces does not include the largest departments this government
operates, that of Health and Education, and currently does not include the
contracts under the Crown corporations.
Is that going to be a key priority for this Premier in the
upcoming session? Clearly, the biggest
expenditure departments and the Crown corporations are essential to making this
overall western co‑operative effort work, in particular in terms of
procurement, seeing as we already have an agreement in place. It just excludes the major departments.
Hon. Gary Filmon
(Premier): Clearly, Mr. Speaker, what we will be
attempting to do from a Manitoba perspective is broaden the agreement so that
it does include as much as possible the procurement initiatives of the
governments of the western provinces.
We are very much aware that although we have an agreement
that was, I might say, the first in Canada‑‑the western provinces
signed it in 1990; it was the first in Canada among provinces‑‑it
does not go far enough and it does not include, for instance, destructive
competition for investment.
So we will be looking at broadening it and extending it to
include as many areas as we possibly can for co‑operation and access to
each other's procurement markets.
Health Care System
TQM Training Program
Mr. Dave Chomiak
(Kildonan): Mr. Speaker, I have in front of me a manual
produced in the United States which deals with total quality management and is
used together with a video about how to make juice and is utilized at several
Winnipeg hospitals to train staff. Just
quoting from it, it says one of the reasons that third‑ring organizations
can charge more is their customers feel they get their money's worth. They return for more and more and tell others
about the quality.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask the minister: Is it government policy that this program,
which is being used at these hospitals, is approved by the government to teach
and train staff at Winnipeg hospitals?
* (1350)
Hon. James McCrae
(Minister of Health): Mr. Speaker, I do not know what it is that
the honourable member has against the Seven Oaks Hospital. Repeatedly he batters the administration and
the staff and employees at Seven Oaks Hospital for trying to improve patient
care and service for all people who have dealings with the Seven Oaks Hospital.
First of all, he is against improving discharge service for
people so that they can receive appropriate home care, and now he is against a
total quality approach to better service for the patient. I just do not understand where the honourable
member is coming from.
Mr. Chomiak: Mr. Speaker, my supplementary to the
minister: Since it is the government's
plan that has called for TQM to be introduced at all the hospitals, as related
in their own reform document and their own throne speech in '91‑‑if
the minister looked to read it‑‑since it is government policy, I am
wondering is it not possible for the government at least to have a plan that is
made‑in‑Manitoba and deals with health care sector, rather than
used cars and juice‑making?
Mr. McCrae: I repeat, Mr. Speaker, I do not know what the
honourable member has against Seven Oaks Hospital or against trying to do a
better job for the patients.
Mr. Chomiak: Mr. Speaker, the government could do well by
improving the CAT scanning facilities at Seven Oaks Hospital.
Mr. Speaker, in light of the Connie Curran fiasco, will the
government not introduce, because they said they would in their own health care
plan, a program that is made‑in‑Manitoba and deals with health care
and its approach to people, not this custom, assembly‑line, U.S.‑based
kind of industrial program that is not applicable?
Mr. McCrae: Mr. Speaker, our health care system is a made‑in‑Canada
health care system. It is governed by a
national Health Act which is a statute of the Parliament of Canada.
The honourable member is afraid of anything that will
improve service for patients because his union boss friends will get angry.
Railway Industry
Hopper Car Shortage
Ms. Rosann Wowchuk (Swan
River): Mr. Speaker, the federal Minister of
Agriculture is in Winnipeg today meeting with representatives from the grain
industry to talk about the serious problem there is in the industry with the
shortage of hopper cars. They are
meeting with representatives of the industry.
Unfortunately, farm groups will not be there to raise their concerns.
I want to ask the Minister of Agriculture what message he
will be taking to the meeting or whether he will be meeting with the Minister
of Agriculture to ensure that the issue of shortage of hopper cars is
addressed. Will he be asking for
additional cars to be built? Will he be
suggesting that grain be shipped through the Port of‑‑
Mr. Speaker: Order, please. The honourable member has put her question.
Hon. Harry Enns
(Minister of Agriculture): Mr. Speaker, I am
delighted to respond to the member for Swan River. The meeting that is occurring while we speak
has more to do with what can we as Canadians do to better utilize the cars that
we have in the system. My understanding
is that the questions range from looking at some of our own legislation. When I say "our own," I am speaking
primarily of federal legislation.
There is considerable concern that the bureaucracy that
runs the Western Grain Transportation program needs to be revised, looked at,
indeed fundamentally altered. It is not
so much a question of not having enough rolling stock in the system, it is
having them here and where we need them at the appropriate time. That is what is going on at that meeting this
afternoon, Sir.
Ms. Wowchuk: Mr. Speaker, since it is the industry that is
responsible for getting the hopper cars, as the minister says, will the
minister raise with the Minister of Agriculture the possibility of the railway
companies paying the demurrage at the port, instead of all that cost being
picked up by farmers?
It is not the farmers' fault that the cars are not
there. Why will he not speak up for the
farmers and have the railway companies pick up the demurrage costs?
Mr. Enns: Mr. Speaker, I will make a deal with the
honourable member for Swan River. I will
certainly suggest to the railway companies that they have a responsibility with
respect to any unnecessary demurrage charges that are accrued to the farmers if
she will take that same position when organized labour walks out on strike, as
they did in Vancouver, and leaves the farmers with millions of dollars in
demurrage charges. These are the kinds
of issues that I understand are being discussed.
As to whether or not we have to fundamentally overhaul our
grain handling system, it is just not fair to the farmers of Canada that our customers
should be left waiting. It is
jeopardizing our position in the international trade markets.
Mr.
Speaker, these are legitimate points that will be raised, I am sure, at this
meeting.
Ms. Wowchuk: Mr. Speaker, the minister should remember
that that was a lockout and we would‑‑
Mr. Speaker: Order, please. This is not a time for debate. The honourable member for Swan River, with
your question.
* (1355)
Grain Transportation
Proposal
Government Position
Ms. Roseann Wowchuk
(Swan River): Mr. Speaker, I want to ask the minister if he
will also be raising the issue of the Crow benefit. Since the Crow benefit was changed under the
previous Conservative government and is now carried out by the Liberal government,
reducing the benefit by 15 percent, farmers' freight bills will be rising an
average of 54 cents per tonne at a time when the NTA says the transportation
costs for shipping grain is reducing.
Will he stand up with farmers on that, and will he support
final offer selection next time there is a labour dispute?
Hon. Harry Enns
(Minister of Agriculture): Mr. Speaker, it is
always a privilege to stand up for the farmers of Manitoba and of Canada, and I
do that whenever I can.
The question that she specifically raises, however, is far too
complicated to answer in the short period allotted to me here in Question
Period. I invite her to pose these
questions to our officials when we deal with the departmental Estimates which
will be coming up shortly. I will have
the necessary staff available to provide all those answers.
This is not the meeting that has to do with internal
broader agricultural policies like the Crow benefit, although they play a role
in it. I also suggest that all of us in
this Chamber ought to be thinking about when those transportation subsidies
come off our feed grains, what are we going to do with the feed grains?
One of the answers is, we can raise hogs. We can raise more livestock. We can raise more chickens. I want some support for that from honourable members
opposite, Mr. Speaker.
Minimum Wage
Review
Ms. Jean Friesen
(Wolseley): In December 1990, the Minister of Labour
announced that the minimum wage would be increased. At the same time he claimed that he
recognized the importance of reviewing the minimum wage on a regular basis.
The Minimum Wage Board has not met since 1990, and there
has been no annual review of minimum wages in Manitoba which have now fallen
considerably below the national average.
Will the Premier today tell the House why his government
has not met its commitment to Manitobans who are earning the minimum wage? Will he explain why it has been four years
since his government looked at that minimum wage?
Hon. Gary Filmon
(Premier): First and foremost, we have been working to ensure
that those on minimum wage are in a much more favourable position vis‑à‑vis
the taxes that they no longer pay as a result of the efforts of this
government.
In addition to that, I would have thought that the member
for Wolseley would have been complimenting the Minister of Labour (Mr. Praznik)
for striking the minimum wage review board now so that this matter can be
looked at and we can review just exactly how the changes that have taken place
since 1990 have affected those on minimum wage, and we can take a good position
together on adjustments to the minimum wage.
Ms. Friesen: It is difficult to compliment a minister who
promises one thing and does nothing.
Will the Premier give us a clear commitment today on behalf
of his government of his opposition to a two‑tiered minimum wage rate in
Manitoba to give some assurance to the increasing number of students who as a
result of this government's policy must combine work and study?
Mr. Filmon: Mr. Speaker, this government will continue to
listen to all of the people of Manitoba and do what is best for them in the
circumstances.
Ms. Friesen: Will the Premier then confirm that his
government's labour strategy, whether it has been in the ending of FOS, in the
18‑month delays on the construction wages act, in the absence of any
discussion of the minimum wage act, that his policy, clear and simple, has been
to create in Manitoba a low‑wage, low‑skilled province?
Mr. Filmon: Absolutely not. I think that the member opposite is an intelligent
person who has certain knowledge of many things, but on this issue she is out
to lunch. I just invite her to read
things that are being said about Manitoba in the new areas of the new economy. This from the Telesolutions magazine that
says, Manitoba offering a philosophy of economic development. The province of Manitoba has become a player
in the call centre community the old‑fashioned way‑‑they have
earned it.
It goes on to tell all about the things that Manitoba is
doing to attract high‑tech jobs in telecommunications, in computers, in
aerospace, in all of those things, Mr. Speaker.
I reject totally the absolutely foolish statement that she just made.
* (1400)
Boot Camps
Programming Regulations
Mr. Gary Kowalski (The Maples): Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister
of Justice.
I would like to congratulate the minister for adopting
Manitoba's recommendation for a more humane approach to camps for young
offenders and her rejection of the military‑style boot camps announced in
her nine‑point plan of February 17.
I also want to thank the minister for sharing with me the
document entitled, Guidelines For Proposal To Operate A Youth Camp, produced by
her department.
I ask the minister:
Given that, according to the guideline, programming for camps may
consist of activities, including school, substance abuse treatment, aboriginal
culture awareness, what regulations will be put in place to ensure that
privately run camps include these important elements in their programming?
Hon. Rosemary Vodrey
(Minister of Justice and Attorney General):
Mr. Speaker, the member has obviously misread the original announcement.
[interjection] Yes, it says boot camp.
However, I will make it very clear that I have always been clear that
this will be a made‑in‑Manitoba solution, that it will be developed
in Manitoba, and I have been clear from the very beginning about the principles
that boot camps will operate within.
I have made it clear it will be made‑in‑Manitoba,
highly structured, well‑known rules, consequences that are well known, an
austere environment and a high level of activity or work. In that, there has always been an assumption
that this will be humane treatment. The
member has not found anything new.
Mr. Kowalski: I have the news release here that talks about
boot camps, military boot camps, and if she would like to read it, I could
share‑‑
Mr. Speaker: Order.
Question.
Mr. Kowalski: Mr. Speaker, my question: If these camps are privately run, how can the
people of Manitoba be sure that public safety and the rehabilitation of young
offenders will not be compromised for the sake of profit?
Mrs. Vodrey: Mr. Speaker, there has been absolutely no
decision on privatization, so I think the member had better back up there. I would like to tell him, from the day of the
announcement Manitobans strongly supported more rigorous confinement in our
institutions, and that is exactly the way we are moving.
Manitobans also believe that they have opinions and they
have information to offer. So,
unsolicited‑‑and let me make that clear‑‑we received
proposals and information from Manitobans.
In an effort to standardize what they sent to us, we put together the
letter which said, if you have information to offer, here are the issues that
we are looking at so that you can cover all of the areas of importance to us.
Mr. Kowalski: My final supplementary: Will the minister ensure that adequate
staffing resources are in place to monitor and enforce these regulations if
these are privately run facilities?
Mrs. Vodrey: The member, of course, is dealing with a
hypothetical, the if, if. However, I
would be happy to say that anything we put in place in Manitoba will certainly
ensure that the treatment follows exactly what we have said.
Let me make it clear again.
We are looking at, obviously, humane conditions, but we are not looking
at summer camp.
Provincial Sales Tax
Arrears
Mr. Jim Maloway (Elmwood): Mr. Speaker, my question is to the Minister
of Finance.
Almost a month ago I asked the minister to table the
outstanding arrears in sales tax collection.
At that time he said that he had recently received such a report.
This morning at the Public Accounts committee the minister
said he had still not obtained such a list.
Now, I would like to know, which is it?
Does he have it, or does he not have it?
When is he going to release it?
I would like to know when he is going to be able to tell
the House how long ago his department was aware that‑‑
Mr. Speaker: Order, please. You have put your question already, sir.
Hon. Eric Stefanson
(Minister of Finance): Mr. Speaker, I do
not know if there is a shortage of questions today from the opposition party
because the honourable member did raise this issue with me this morning in
Public Accounts. I did indicate to him
that I would obtain the information. I
have asked my deputy minister to look into it.
There are certain aspects of confidentiality whenever you
are dealing with an individual taxpayer here in Manitoba, which I think we can
all appreciate in this House, or at least I hope we can. But I have undertaken to provide him with
answers to his questions and will do so very shortly.
Manitoba Securities
Commission
Clancy's Ventures Group
Mr. Jim Maloway (Elmwood): It is clear that we are not going to get any
answers from this Minister of Finance.
My supplementary is to the Minister of Consumer and
Corporate Affairs, the minister responsible for the Securities Commission. Maybe we can get some answers from him.
Can the minister explain why a letter from an investor to
the commission questioning 13 concerns over the way Clancy's was operated,
dated last June, was not responded to by either the minister or the commission?
Hon. Jim Ernst (Minister
of Consumer and Corporate Affairs): I can
advise the House that the commission is just that, an independent
commission. It is not controlled by the
minister, but if the member wishes information I will inquire.
Mr. Maloway: My final supplementary to the same minister
is this: Will the minister also check
whether the second letter from a group of investors to the commission dated
this May 3 is going to be investigated?
Will
he also investigate what role the Securities Commission is playing in this
business collapse?
Mr. Ernst: Mr. Speaker, I will take that question as
notice.
VIA Rail
Layoffs
Mr. Daryl Reid
(Transcona): My question is to the Acting Minister of
Highways and Transportation. Before September
of this year, CN Rail will, after 75 years, move from the VIA Union Station
location. There are currently some 360
employees working for CN at the Union Station.
My question is for the acting minister: Has the minister met with CN to discuss the
implications of this move? Will any CN
or VIA employees be losing their jobs as a result of CN's move from this
location?
Hon. Albert Driedger
(Acting Minister of Highways and Transportation): Mr. Speaker, I will take the specifics of the
question as notice for the Minister of Highways and Transportation (Mr.
Findlay), but I want to give an indication to the member and to the House that
the minister has been meeting with CN and VIA people on an ongoing basis to try
and raise the concerns that Manitobans have about what is happening.
Mr. Reid: Can the acting minister tell the House, Mr.
Speaker, what the impact of CN's move will be on VIA's operation and viability
in the province of Manitoba?
Mr. Driedger: I will take that question as notice, as well,
on behalf of the Minister of Highways and Transportation.
Mr. Reid: Will the Acting Minister of Highways and
Transportation tell the House or confirm to the House, Mr. Speaker, that there
will indeed be job losses for the custodial and maintenance staff of the CN
workforce in Manitoba?
Mr. Driedger: Mr. Speaker, no, I will not confirm that.
Personal Care Homes