The following petitions were presented:

Mr. Schuler – Legislative Assembly of Manitoba request the Minister of Education to reverse the decision to split the Transcona-Springfield School Division and allow it to remain as a whole or to consider immediately convening the Board of Reference to decide the matter (B Simcoe, K. Farmer, G. James and others)

Mrs. Smith (Fort Garry) – Government of Manitoba consider ensuring that local property and education taxes do not rise as a result of the offloading of provincial responsibilities onto the City of Winnipeg, the City of Brandon, the Fort Garry, Assiniboine South, Winnipeg No. 1, St. Boniface and St. Vital school divisions. (J. Stoyka, R. Kitchen, T. Wrigley and others)

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The following petitions were read and received:

Mr. Schuler – Legislative Assembly of Manitoba request the Minister of Education to reverse the decision to split the Transcona-Springfield School Division and allow it to remain as a whole or to consider immediately convening the Board of Reference to decide the matter. (D. Mercier, L. Campbell, D. Panchyshyn and others)

Mrs. Smith (Fort Garry) – Government of Manitoba consider ensuring that local property and education taxes do not rise as a result of the offloading of provincial responsibilities onto the City of Winnipeg, the City of Brandon, the Fort Garry, Assiniboine South, Winnipeg No. 1, St. Boniface and St. Vital school divisions. (B. Juskow, J. Pennington, J. Pennington and others)

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Hon. Mr. Ashton, the Minister responsible for Emergency Measures made a statement regarding an update on flooding in southeastern Manitoba,

Mr. Penner (Emerson) commented on the statement.

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Hon. Mr. Caldwell presented:

Annual Report of the Teachers' Retirement Allowances Fund for the year ending December 31, 2001.

(Sessional Paper No. 164)

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By leave, Hon. Mr. Chomiak introduced Bill (No. 37) – The Non-Smokers Health Protection Amendment Act/Loi modifiant la Loi sur la protection de la santé des non-fumeurs, and outlined the purposes thereof, it was read a First Time.

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Pursuant to Rule 23(1), Mr. Enns, Ms. Asper, Mr. Faurschou, Ms. Allan and Hon. Mr. Gerrard made Members' Statements.

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The House resumed the Interrupted Debate on the Proposed Motion of Hon. Mr. Caldwell:

THAT Bill (No. 14) – The Public Schools Modernization Act (Public Schools Act Amended)/Loi sur la modernisation des écoles publiques (modification de la Loi sur les écoles publiques), be now read a Second Time and be referred to a Committee of this House.

And on the Proposed Amendment of Mr. Hawranik,

THAT all the words after the word "THAT" be deleted and the following substituted therefore:

this House declines to give Second Reading to Bill (No. 14) – The Public Schools Modernization Act (Public Schools Act Amended)/Loi sur la modernisation des écoles publiques (modification de la Loi sur les écoles publiques), until such time as the Minister of Education, Training and Youth undertakes meaningful consultations with all effected stakeholders within Manitoba's education system.

And the debate continuing on the amendment,

And Messrs. Penner (Emerson) and Gilleshammer having spoken,

And the Question being put on the amendment. It was negatived, on the following division:

YEA

 

Cummings Dacquay Derkach Driedger Enns Faurschou Gerrard Gilleshammer Helwer Laurendeau

Loewen Mitchelson Murray Penner (Emerson) Pitura Reimer Schuler Smith (Fort Garry) Stefanson Tweed 20

NAY

 

Aglugub Allan Ashton Asper Barrett Caldwell Cerilli Chomiak Dewar Doer Jennissen Korzeniowski Lathlin Lemieux Mackintosh

Maloway Martindale McGifford Mihychuk Nevakshonoff Reid Robinson Rondeau Sale Santos Schellenberg Selinger Smith (Brandon West) Struthers Wowchuk 30

And the debate continuing on the main motion,

And Mrs. Mitchelson speaking at 5:00 p.m. The debate was allowed to remain in her name.

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Mr. Loewen moved:

Resolution No. 18: User Fees and Tax Relief

WHEREAS the Provincial Government has instigated only token tax relief, reducing Personal Income Tax rates in the middle bracket from 16.2% in 2001 to 14.9% in 2003; and

WHEREAS middle income taxpayers in Manitoba are the highest taxed in Canada west of Quebec; and

WHEREAS according to the Department of Finance, in the 1999-2000 fiscal year total revenue was $6.3321 billion, an increase of $434.6 million (or 7.4%) from the budget estimate, while in the 2000-2001 fiscal year total revenue was $6.7548 billion, an increase of $340.5 million (or 5.3%) from the budget estimate; and

WHEREAS the Provincial Government has increased user fees on a number of services – to file a petition for divorce by 13%; for driver’s license fees by 15%; to register cars, trucks and motorcycles by 20%; for private vehicle inspections by 67%; and for a dealer permit by 167%; and

WHEREAS the Minister for Transportation and Government Services has attempted to justify these increases by arguing that the Government of Manitoba is only trying to be competitive with fee increases in other provinces; and

WHEREAS the Provincial Government has ensured that Manitoba is competitive in terms of fee increases, but not in tax reduction; and

WHEREAS the budget surplus indicates that the Provincial Government has the financial resources to live within its means, yet continues to raise user fees and provide negligible tax relief.

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba urge the Provincial Government to consider living within its budgetary means, rather than increasing user fees and avoiding meaningful tax reduction.

And a debate arising,

And Mr. Loewen, Hon. Mr. Selinger, Mr. Faurschou and Hon. Ms. Mihychuk having spoken,

And Mr. Santos speaking at 6:00 p.m. The debate was allowed to remain in his name.

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The House then adjourned at 6:00 p.m. until 10:00 a.m. Thursday, June 20, 2002.

Hon. George Hickes,

Speaker.