The following petition was read and received:

Mr. Martindale – Legislative Assembly of Manitoba pass an act to incorporate the Former Manitoba MLA's Association.

______________________________

During Oral Questions, Hon. Mr. Chomiak rose on a point of order regarding the word "schizophrenic" spoken by the Honourable Member for River Heights.

Hon. Mr. Gerrard voluntarily withdrew his remarks.

______________________________

Subsequently, during Oral Questions, Mr. Laurendeau rose on a point of order regarding the word "liar" allegedly spoken by the Honourable Minister of Agriculture and Food.

WHEREUPON Mr. Speaker informed the House he would take the matter under advisement.

______________________________

Pursuant to Rule 23(1), Ms. Korzeniowski, Messrs. Hawranik, Rondeau and Maguire and Ms. Asper made Members' Statements.

______________________________

By leave, it was agreed that the House would adjourn at 5:00 p.m. on Monday, December 2, 2002.

______________________________

By leave, it was agreed that there will be one Private Member's Business period for the December session, to be held on Thursday, December 12, 2002 from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

______________________________

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

THAT the following address be presented to His Honour the Lieutenant Governor:

We, the Members of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba thank your Honour for the gracious speech addressed to us at this Fourth Session of the Thirty-Seventh Legislature of Manitoba.

And the proposed amendment moved by Mr. Murray as follows:

But this House regrets

 

(a) the government's inability to fulfill the promises outlined in its Throne Speech of November 13, 2001, including the following failures: not ending hallway medicine; not addressing the province-wide shortage of health care professionals; not reducing waiting lists for health care services; and

 

(b) the government's failure to address Manitoba's growing court backlogs through such measures as contracting with private law firms; and

 

(c) the government's failure to make a commitment for further provincial income tax reductions; and

 

(d) the government's failure to institute mandatory standards testing in grades 6 and Senior 1 despite the fact that our students score lower on national testing than the Canadian average; and

 

(e) the government's failure to make a firm commitment to relocating Assiniboine Community College to the former Brandon Mental Health Centre site; and

 

(f) the government's failure to ensure a viable future for the family farm in Manitoba through measures such as providing the provincial government's share of the transition funding set out in the Agricultural Policy Framework, thereby not addressing the pressing challenges facing Manitoba producers and treating them as 40 per cent less valuable than their counterparts in Alberta and Ontario; and

 

(g) the government's failure to adequately promote rural economic diversification; and

 

(h) the government's failure to prevent Manitoba parks from being carved up and protected for future generations, in spite of the fact that the Member for Concordia told a Winnipeg radio station that "the designation (of a provincial park) means the public owns the park and it can't be sold or bartered away…"; and

 

(i) the government's failure to set out a meaningful plan to protect the province's fish stocks from illegal fishing; and

 

 

(j) the government's failure to set out a plan to prevent future spills of sewage into the Red River; and

 

(k) the government's failure to provide a cost-benefit analysis of the impact of ratifying the Kyoto Protocol on Manitoba's economy; and

 

(l) the government's failure to stem the outflow of Manitobans to other provinces; and

 

(m) the government's failure to recognize the important role private sector involvement has in growing Manitoba's economy.

 

AND has thereby lost the trust and confidence of the people of Manitoba and this House.

And the debate continuing on the amendment,

And Messrs. Penner (Emerson), Martindale, Cummings and Santos having spoken,

And Mr. Hawranik speaking at 5:00 p.m. The debate was allowed to remain in his name.

______________________________

The House then adjourned at 5:00 p.m. until 1:30 p.m. Tuesday, December 3, 2002.

Hon. George Hickes,

Speaker.