Concordia Hospital
Emergency Cardiac Care
Mr. Gary Doer (Leader of the Opposition): Madam Speaker, due to concern of the public about the closure of emergency wards in our community hospitals, we are attempting to have public meetings over the next few days to listen to the people and the public that are quite concerned about this.
Tonight, we are dealing in the northeast section of the city with the Concordia Hospital closure of the emergency wards. There is a report, produced by Dr. Seiford in 1992, sent to the provincial government, which indicates the Concordia Hospital has the largest number of cardiac arrest cases taken to, or transported to, their emergency ward by the Winnipeg ambulance service of any other community hospital.
I would like to ask the minister, does Concordia still have a high volume of cardiac cases dealt with at the emergency ward which we know, of course, take place a lot in the evening after the closure of the emergency wards? What can we advise the public about the cardiac arrests and their concerns about it?
Hon. James McCrae (Minister of Health): Madam Speaker, I for a long time have maintained that it is never too late to do the right thing, and if the honourable Leader of the Opposition is now, in 1995, late in the year, beginning to listen to the public on issues related to health care in this province, I congratulate him. I only say, what took you so long? We have been doing it since 1988 when we took office as government of Manitoba and will continue to do so.
I will pass on the point the honourable member made to the committee that is looking at the issues related to emergency services in the city of Winnipeg, but again, I say to the honourable member, welcome to the club that begins now, in 1995, actually to consult the people.
Mr. Doer: Madam Speaker, the minister may dig back through his files and find community meetings in 1989, 1991, 1993, 1995, but I know the minister does not read his briefing book because he does not answer one question in this House about the actual impact on patients and that is what we were asking about, the impact on cardiac patients.
The report goes on--and I do not know whether the minister has read it or not; it has been in his department for three years--to say, Madam Speaker, that due to the high number of elderly people in the northeast quadrant of the city, that is one of the reasons why there are more cardiac arrests, more cardiac arrests that take place in the evening, and more cardiac arrests that must be dealt with at the emergency ward of the Concordia Hospital.
Did the minister consider that and the public opinion of what that means for their families when he callously closed the emergency wards in our community hospitals, Madam Speaker?
Mr. McCrae: Unlike the honourable Leader of the Opposition who chooses today to look at one particular quadrant of the city of Winnipeg, Manitoba Health and all of the parties around the table at the emergency services task force are looking at emergency services for all Winnipeggers and, indeed, all Manitobans, Madam Speaker.
Indeed, the northeastern quadrant of this city is extremely important. We have people living there, and we have people living in all of the quadrants of this city and in all parts of this province who need quality and efficiently operated emergency services.
Madam Speaker, the report the honourable member refers to and others that he has raised that exist are all part of the deliberations of the emergency services task force, and I am certain that task force is looking at this and all other relevant material.
To make sure of that, Madam Speaker, the membership on this emergency services task force is made up of people from all the quadrants of the city. It is made up of doctors and nurses from all the quadrants of the city and all of the hospitals, and consumer organizations and professional organizations, as well.
Those are the appropriate people. The honourable member may wish to substitute his judgment for that of all these professionals, but I do not think that would be a very wise thing to do.
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Health Care System
Emergency Services--Consultations
Mr. Gary Doer (Leader of the Opposition): The government has already expressed their judgment. They have already closed the emergency wards of our community hospitals, Madam Speaker, without any study, without any work and without any consultation with the public.
I would like to invite the minister to the meeting tonight to listen to the public, because his committee does not have any public hearings. If the minister will not call public hearings in all the city to listen to the people across the city, Madam Speaker, especially after the fact that before the election he promised he would not close them and now after the election he is closing them, if the minister would listen to the public, will he attend our meetings or call some of his own so the public can speak out about their health care in their community dealing with their community hospitals?
Hon. James McCrae (Minister of Health): Madam Speaker, with all due respect to the honourable Leader of the Opposition, the public is really quite tired of the approach taken by him and his colleagues when it comes to health care. They have no interest whatever in any evidence on which decisions ought to be made in health care. All they do is listen to whomever speaks the loudest, and that is the direction that they go in.
Madam Speaker, that is not the way to run a health system. That might be the way they did it when they were in government, and it is probably why we are spending $650 million this year on interest charges on debt raised by the honourable Leader of the Opposition and his cronies in the New Democratic Party. I wish I had those $650 million to spend on health or on some other thing. That would be a more appropriate way to spend money, but this was the foresight shown to us by the New Democratic government in this province when they had a chance.
The Pas Health Complex
Staffing Reduction
Mr. Oscar Lathlin (The Pas): My questions are also directed to the Minister of Health.
Madam Speaker, over the past few weeks, the postelection cuts in health services by this government have caused a great deal of concern for people who live in the North. The minister must understand that, unlike people in southern Manitoba, we do not have the luxury of driving to the next town to receive medical service if there is none available in our community.
I would like to ask the minister whether the 13.5 EFT positions that are being lost in The Pas Health Complex, which translates into 25 nursing positions, whether those reductions were actually based on a well-thought-out plan or whether those cuts were made simply to reduce costs.
Hon. James McCrae (Minister of Health): Madam Speaker, that is an excellent question, and the reason I say that is I believe if the honourable member would confer with his colleagues in the city of Winnipeg who clamour each and every day for services that northern Manitobans could only dream about, frankly, I think it would be good for the honourable member to take part in caucus discussions on his side of the House on health care issues.
In short, Madam Speaker, the answer to his question, though, about the reduction in EFTs at The Pas Health Complex, the answer is, yes, those decisions were made based on good health planning and not based on a need to meet some bottom line.
Emergency Services
Mr. Oscar Lathlin (The Pas): My next question, Madam Speaker, is again to the Minister of Health.
I would like to ask the minister whether he is convinced that leaving one registered nurse at the emergency unit in The Pas is safe. Is that the right thing to do, is that the proper thing to do in view of where The Pas hospital is located, by that I mean next to Moose Lake, OCN, Easterville, and Grand Rapids?
It is a large catchment area, and I am just wondering if the minister had taken that into consideration when he decided to reduce down to one nurse in the emergency unit.
Hon. James McCrae (Minister of Health): Madam Speaker, if indeed that is the situation, it is not a decision I made. The honourable member, I suggest, should contact the administration of The Pas Health Complex, and if he is concerned about the decisions they made in this regard, to raise those concerns--[interjection]
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Madam Speaker: Order, please. The honourable Minister of Health, to complete his response.
Mr. McCrae: The appropriate place for the honourable member to raise that concern would be with the people who operate the Health Complex at The Pas.
Madam Speaker, I have explained to the honourable member in the past that the staffing guidelines in all of the hospitals in Manitoba were set after a year-and-a-half-long deliberation by health care professionals, a very large number of whom were from northern Manitoba facilities. I would invite the honourable member to raise that question again with the administration at the hospital because that administration was very much involved with the development of the staffing guidelines.
Mr. Lathlin: Again, Madam Speaker, I would like to ask the minister a question.
These reductions that were made at the hospital in The Pas, are they part of the integrated emergency services plan that the minister always likes to talk about, or are they, again, simply to reduce costs?
I have met with the administrator of the hospital. He advises me that they are running into all sorts of problems. I believe he has written letters to the government, to the Department of Health, so he has very serious concerns, and I agree with him.
Mr. McCrae: When, over a long period of time, one facility operates with a staffing mix that is somewhat enriched from the staffing mix experienced in other parts of the province and when taking into account the configuration of the building in which they are working and when taking into account the level of acuity of patients who come to the facility and a decision is made by a committee composed of people who have far more capabilities than I or the honourable member in matters relating to health, decisions get arrived at.
The honourable member somehow wants to leave the impression that no other hospital in the province of Manitoba had to deal with the same problem that The Pas Health Complex had. It just happened that the northern ones, as the honourable member for Thompson (Mr. Ashton) points out, in The Pas, Flin Flon and some other locations as well, were operating with a much higher staffing level than comparable facilities elsewhere in the province.
Somehow it seems unfair to me that such a situation should be allowed to continue, Madam Speaker, and that is why the staffing guidelines were developed so carefully.
Health Care System
Emergency Services
Mr. Kevin Lamoureux (Inkster): Madam Speaker, my question is for either the Premier (Mr. Filmon) or the Minister of Health.
J.D. McDowell is the clinical director over at the intensive care unit at the Grace General Hospital. Dr. Louis Ludwig is the head of emergency at the Health Sciences Centre. These two individuals are professional health care deliverers. Both of these individuals have said that what the government has done, in essence, is wrong by shutting down the emergency health care clinics.
My question to either the Premier or the Minister of Health is, who are the professionals that have advised this government that what they are doing to community-based health care emergency services is the right thing to do?
Hon. James McCrae (Minister of Health): Madam Speaker, I remind the honourable member that 42 emergency physicians felt that it was appropriate to leave their posts without any essential services arrangement in place, and 14 pathologists, as well, for 34 days, leaving facilities and the government in a position where they had to develop a contingency plan which would ensure the safety of the people of this province.
I respect the professionals to whom the honourable member refers. I also respect the two professionals I met with yesterday and the two professionals I met with a couple of days previous to that who deal in emergency medicine, both from a nursing standpoint and from a medical standpoint, Madam Speaker.
We are listening very carefully to the input of all participants in the system, and we are certainly doing so through the emergency services task force, which is just loaded with emergency professionals and people who really know what we need to have in the city of Winnipeg.
We will continue to listen to them, and should any adjustments be indicated by evidence and by need, those will be addressed, as they have been already, Madam Speaker.
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Mr. Lamoureux: Madam Speaker, again, very specifically, what health care workers are telling this government that they have made a good decision, given that Dr. Louis Ludwig actually serves on that committee which the minister has appointed?
Mr. McCrae: Madam Speaker, I do not know that these sorts of things can be categorized in the way that the honourable member is attempting to do. These things are not very simple matters of it is either one way or the other way.
There was a recognition by virtually everyone, except maybe the member for Kildonan (Mr. Chomiak), that we have an oversupply of emergency capacity in our city related to the need that exists. That is virtually unanimous except for maybe the member for Kildonan who has a different view from the rest of the world. That being the case, there is a willingness on the part of all of the players to work together to create an integrated quality emergency health services system here in the city of Winnipeg.
So it would not surprise me at all, Madam Speaker, if in arriving at consensus, there is an opposing view along the way. That is not the way the world works. Unanimity in many things, in most things, is virtually impossible.
Mr. Lamoureux: Madam Speaker, my question is to the Premier.
Will the Premier listen to what the public is asking of this government? Will he listen to what the experts in the health care field are telling this government and do the honourable thing, not wait for a provincial election, and reopen our emergency services seven days a week, 24 hours a day in our community health care clinics?
Hon. Gary Filmon (Premier): Madam Speaker, I will certainly listen to all of those people. That is why the process of consultation is ongoing.
Health Care System
Sexual Assault Treatment Protocols
Ms. Diane McGifford (Osborne): Madam Speaker, my questions are for the Minister of Health.
The closing of community emergency rooms has meant that women who have been sexually assaulted--and most sexual assaults do take place between 10 p.m. and 8 a.m.--are sent to the Health Sciences Centre where they must sit in a public waiting room for four to six hours before receiving treatment, or, alternately, if women choose to have forensic examinations, they receive treatment sooner, but forensic exams are only done if a woman chooses to report to police, and we, of course, believe in choice.
Again I ask the minister to table the emergency rooms' standard protocols for dealing with victims of assault and abuse which he was committed to developing and also to tell us what his comprehensive integrated plan for sexual assault victims is.
Hon. James McCrae (Minister of Health): Madam Speaker, we have a sexual assault team. That team is centred at the Health Sciences Centre, and that is a city-wide nurse response team. There are 10 registered nurses involved at HSC, and they are certified for forensic evidence collection.
If a victim presents at a community hospital--and we recognize that most victims, I think it is safe to say most victims of these sorts of assaults, do not arrive at a hospital by ambulance, and there has to be some recognition of that. If someone should present at a community hospital, those community hospitals are part of the city-wide sexual assault operation.
But, Madam Speaker, in forensic terms, the Health Sciences Centre is the appropriate place.
Ms. McGifford: Given that the team deals only with forensic examination, will the minister act quickly and decisively to ensure that other victims of assault are not retraumatized by a six-hour wait in a waiting room?
Mr. McCrae: Madam Speaker, no one is interested in seeing victims of these sorts of things retraumatized.
Ms. McGifford: Will the minister act to ensure that expeditious treatment is not tied to forensic examinations which leaves a woman in a position where selecting immediate treatment means losing the choice to report or not to report the assault?
Mr. McCrae: Madam Speaker, I have no indications but that emergency staff in all Winnipeg hospitals, indeed province-wide emergency room staff, are sensitive to issues related to these types of assaults, and in assessing patients upon arrival, those kinds of judgments are made and that is done as sensitively as possible.
Should there be any indication otherwise, I would be very quick to want to act on it.
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Access Programs
Nonrepayable Bursaries
Ms. Jean Friesen (Wolseley): My questions are for the Minister of Education.
In the House on October 10, 1995, the minister stated that, quote, many Access students receive $25,000 to $27,000 of nonrepayable bursary. This puzzled me, Madam Speaker, because it did not fit with what I knew from the students.
I would like to table today information from the Winnipeg Education Centre social work program, Winnipeg Education Centre education program, the University of Manitoba premedical program and the University of Manitoba general access programs, which shows that not one of their students receives $25,000 bursaries, and that the average nonrepayable bursary is between $4,000 and $6,000 for students with families to support.
Would the minister reconsider her statement?
Hon. Linda McIntosh (Minister of Education and Training): Madam Speaker, I will obtain for the member the information provided to me by my staff which is that students who are receiving the Access capabilities, if they require funding over and above their student loans, can receive monies up to an unlimited amount and indeed have shown me figures indicating students receiving $25,000 to $27,000 of money over and above the loan in a nonrepayable provincial loan, because their needs were determined to require that much.
I will obtain those figures and those items for the member and present them to her, Madam Speaker.
Federal Funding
Ms. Jean Friesen (Wolseley): Will the minister correct a further comment she made on October 10, where she stated that the federal contribution to Access is 60 percent of the total funding, a number contradicted by the minister's own briefing note of April 28, 1993, which shows that the federal contribution historically varied between 13 percent and 30 percent? This was also corrected in the court case in the statement of agreed facts. I will table that briefing note as well.
I would like the minister to confirm to the House that this is indeed the case.
Hon. Linda McIntosh (Minister of Education and Training): Madam Speaker, the member in her preamble indicated that her first statement had been accepted by me as correct. It was not. So I just want to make that clear. I will not allow that to stand as correct. The information--[interjection]
Madam Speaker: Order, please. The honourable Minister of Education, to complete her response.
Mrs. McIntosh: The member in her preamble indicated that my confirmation of the fact that my staff has given me information showing case studies where people have received a $25,000 to $27,000 nonrepayable loan on top of their student loan--she indicated that I had not confirmed that. I am confirming that and I will provide her with the information.
I will, as well, Madam Speaker, check into the statements that she has alleged just now and bring back to her information that I have received which may serve to contradict that which she has just stated.
Provincial Funding
Ms. Jean Friesen (Wolseley): Madam Speaker, would the minister confirm that far from being the saviours of Access, the new pose of this government, that her own briefing note, her annual reports and Estimates show that this government has reduced its contributions to Access by more than 40 percent since 1988?
Hon. Linda McIntosh (Minister of Education and Training): Madam Speaker, our government's work on this issue has enabled the Access program to continue. The member knows--and she is not acknowledging she knows--that when the federal government withdrew completely from that program, the province stepped in and attempted to backfill, and by going to a loan/bursary, we were able then to make that program available for the widest number of students and target those in need, as opposed to those who did not need. By going to a loan/bursary, those students who had very high incomes were weeded out, and those students who had need were able to be serviced.
If the member would have preferred to see us just allow the program to lapse because of federal lack of commitment, then that is implicit in her statement. We enabled that program to continue, so that we have a maximum number of students accessing it. I do not have the figures in front of me, but I believe around 700 students this year are accessing that, students who need it, Madam Speaker, and for those who are able to take out a loan for the first part, we ask them to repay, as do any other students in Manitoba.
We wanted the program to survive. We have enabled it to survive. For that they should be grateful.
Point of Order
Mr. Steve Ashton (Opposition House Leader): On a point of order, Madam Speaker, Beauchesne indicates that we cannot insist that ministers give answers, but if the minister is not going to answer the question, I would ask that you would call her to order, and we could continue with other questions, because she has gone on rather extensively on this question that we placed, a very serious matter, and not even managed to get even close to providing an answer.
Madam Speaker: Order, please. On the point of order, I would remind all honourable members, both posing the questions and responding to the questions, that their questions should be as brief as possible, as should the responses to the questions.
Louisiana-Pacific
Treaty Land Entitlements
Ms. Rosann Wowchuk (Swan River): Madam Speaker, at the time when the Louisiana-Pacific deal was signed, aboriginal leaders such as Chief Hubert Kematch and Chief Charlie Audy from my constituency expressed concern with the impact of this development on traditional hunting areas. They also continue to express their concern that the provincial government will not carry out their obligations on settling treaty land entitlements.
I want to ask the Minister responsible for Native Affairs why his government is refusing to deal with outstanding issues and when are they going to meet with these people to deal with treaty land entitlements.
Hon. Darren Praznik (Minister responsible for Native Affairs): Madam Speaker, the member's preamble could not be further from the truth. This government takes very seriously our obligations as a province under treaty land entitlement, but she should be aware what those are. Those obligations are to provide such unoccupied Crown land as the federal government requires to settle their obligation. So the initial obligation on treaty land shortfall is between the federal Crown and those communities. Our obligation is to the federal Crown, and that is why in fact we have a double bilateral process in place.
Ms. Wowchuk: Can the minister tell us then whether they have carried out that obligation and they have provided the Crown land in order for these proceedings to continue and treaty land entitlement can be settled?
Mr. Praznik: I can tell the member it is very obvious for 100-and-some years the federal Crown has not settled the proven claims that have existed in our double bilateral process now. By the way, we have settled a number of claims in the past few years: the four communities of Island Lake; Rosseau River has just been completed; Long Plain, et cetera. They have happened in the last few years.
But the federal government has not completed that process. We negotiate with the federal government on terms of quantum and specific land available, and we have offered to all of those communities who have proven claims that are yet outstanding to set aside interim protection zones on the basis of two for one acreage in which we would not encumber for a period of two years while this process comes to conclusion.
That offer has been made through the treaty land chiefs to all communities. It is up to them to avail themselves of that offer.
Ms. Wowchuk: Madam Speaker, since Louisiana-Pacific has filed their environmental impact assessment, we are going to be holding public hearings. Will the minister address the concern that is raised specifically by the bands in my area and deal with the issue, or will he agree to meet with them to address the concerns that they have as they relate to the Louisiana-Pacific deal?
Mr. Praznik: We have a process through the treaty land chiefs that has been established, that has been operating, that was done at their request as a group of chiefs. We have a process. In fact, meetings have gone on right up to yesterday with respect to general issues. We made the offer to the treaty land chiefs for interim protection zones, but I must underline this very important fact to the member, that the obligation of the province is to make available such unoccupied Crown land. There was never imposed on the Province of Manitoba under the Natural Resources treaty or Natural Resources Act of 1930 an obligation not to encumber land.
We have indicated very clearly that we will carry on, but we will set aside those lands for two years. They have to be identified by those communities. We set guidelines for it, and if those communities want that to happen, they can follow that process.
But if third-party interests have been created on existing Crown land, those third-party interests might mean that that land is occupied land. That has gone on for over a hundred years in this province, Madam Speaker, and has been the case.
We have offered interim protection zones, and the process is there.
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Wood Bison--Chitek Lake
Protection
Mr. Stan Struthers (Dauphin): Madam Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Natural Resources.
Repap's annual cut continues to increase despite the fact that it has yet to complete a 10-year forest management plan. This has resulted in a number of shortsighted decisions being made, including the construction of an all-weather road to Chitek Lake, directly through the Waterhen First Nations herd of wood bison.
Does this minister understand that this project endangers this herd, which is listed as a vulnerable species which should receive maximum protection?
Hon. Albert Driedger (Minister of Natural Resources): Madam Speaker, let me first of all say that I am very proud of the wood bison herd that we have at Chitek Lake. I had the privilege, together with the Premier (Mr. Filmon), to have a first-hand look at the herd a little while ago. I think the Waterhen Band and the arrangements we have with them have been a very positive thing.
Madam Speaker, having indicated my support for the wood bison herd at Chitek Lake, I want to tell the member that there is no road that has been built into Chitek Lake at this point in time, and that we will be working very closely with the environmental people, with my department in terms of any construction of road access to certain wood supplies that we are negotiating with Repap at this time.
Mr. Struthers: I am glad the minister and the Premier were there while the buffalo are still there.
Madam Speaker: Order, please. The honourable member has been recognized for a supplementary question.
Mr. Struthers: How can this minister assure the Waterhen First Nation that its herd of wood bison will be protected from the introduction of disease and from poachers once this road is built?
Mr. Driedger: Madam Speaker, first of all, I am looking forward to further discussions with the Waterhen Band who basically are operating a wood bison herd in captivity, an arrangement whereby they have to release a certain amount of animals each year into the wild. The animals that are basically functioning in the wild are doing very well.
I say I am very proud because when I went up there, I raised the question about the potential of poaching taking place or somebody illegally shooting these animals, and everybody in the general area is very conscientious about the herd that is out there, take great pride in it, and everybody acts as a watchdog to make sure that nobody takes and infects the herd out there.
Repap Manitoba Inc.
Forest Management Plan
Mr. Stan Struthers (Dauphin): Madam Speaker, will this minister take steps necessary to ensure the protection of this herd by insisting that Repap finally submit its 10-year plan, including measures to protect the interests of the Waterhen First Nations bison herd?
Hon. Albert Driedger (Minister of Natural Resources): Madam Speaker, the other day I assured the member that the 10-year agreement, we are in the process of signing it even as early as today or tomorrow possibly.
I want to just tell the member, as well, that in terms of protecting the wood bison herd at Chitek Lake, I will make very sure that all precautions are taken, that the necessary steps are taken to make sure that herd is not going to be affected.
Brandon General Hospital
Hemodialysis Unit Expansion
Mr. Leonard Evans (Brandon East): Madam Speaker, I have a question for the Minister of Health.
The volume of need for hemodialysis treatment at the Brandon General Hospital has well exceeded the capacity of the hemodialysis program for patients with kidney disease in the area. As a result, unfortunately, some people are being forced to go to Winnipeg for treatment.
I understand that a year ago the Brandon General Hospital had prepared a plan for necessary expansion of the program since it anticipated the growing need in this area, but as of today the Brandon General Hospital has still not received formal written approval from the government.
Can the minister tell us when will a formal written authorization be sent to the Brandon General Hospital so that it can proceed immediately on this badly needed project?
Hon. James McCrae (Minister of Health): Madam Speaker, there is no question but that dialysis services have been under pressure for many years as the requirement for dialysis continues to grow in the province each and every year. The honourable member will, I think, agree that perhaps even under the previous government, year over year, the budgets reflected a recognition of a need to respond to that requirement. This government has certainly done that too, and it always seems to be a question of keeping up with the demand.
We are working with Brandon General Hospital in that regard and I hope soon to be able to see to it that the requirements are met.
Mr. Leonard Evans: I thank the minister for that answer, but is it correct that the technical people have approved the project but that the approval for funding is still being held up at the cabinet level?
Mr. McCrae: Madam Speaker, it may well be that the technical work has been completed and that now it is at the point where it is then reviewed by Manitoba Health and approval or otherwise would be forthcoming within a reasonable period of time.
Modernization Project
Mr. Leonard Evans (Brandon East): On another question about BGH, Madam Speaker, everyone is wondering when will construction begin at the Brandon General Hospital to implement the modernization program which has been planned and researched for many years and indeed was announced by the minister before the last election. Specifically, is it going to be proceeding soon or is this whole project being put on hold by the government?
Hon. James McCrae (Minister of Health): Madam Speaker, as the honourable member would know from experience, the capital program of the government is something that is constantly under review because proposals come in and are reviewed on a regular basis. They are being reviewed this year, as they are every year, as we move through the budgetary process. The federal government, as the honourable member knows, is going to be taking as much as $220 million in funding from the Province of Manitoba, and we are also moving towards balanced budget legislation. We have to continue that process of looking very carefully at all dollars being spent in every area of government.
I would ask members of the community working on their capital projects with us to continue to bear with us as they always have done as we continue with our assessment and our review, and we will communicate the results of these reviews as soon as that process is complete.
Sport Manitoba
Staffing
Ms. Marianne Cerilli (Radisson): Madam Speaker, my questions are for the Minister for Sport with regard to the amalgamation of the Manitoba Sports Federation and the Sport Directorate.
There are a number of concerns in the sport community, and I want to ask the minister if he is trying to go back to the old days in sport in Manitoba where one administrator worked for five or more sport associations and if he will assure Manitoba that individual sport governing bodies will still continue to hire their own staff under the new Sport Manitoba regime.
Hon. Jim Ernst (Minister responsible for Sport): Madam Speaker, the purpose of Sport Manitoba is to try and focus the money that is spent on sport on the athlete, the coach and the official. Currently, 43 percent of the money that is provided to the Manitoba Sports Federation is spent on administrative costs. That is unconscionable.
Under Sport Manitoba in the future, Madam Speaker, the focus has changed and if individual sport governing bodies who are autonomous wish to hire staff to assist them in their operations, that will be their choice, but the intent is to focus the money on where it should be focused: the athlete, the coach and the official.
Ms. Cerilli: I would like the minister to ask the question if the intent of this is to force sports to work in hiring staff to administer and provide the support for all the athletes, the coaches and officials by grouping together and hiring one staff that will work for a number of sports. Is that the intent, or will that likely be the result of this policy and this amalgamation in the amateur sport world?
Mr. Ernst: Madam Speaker, those kinds of choices will be made by the Sport Manitoba board. The Sport Manitoba board will be composed of people appointed by the government and people from all of the partnerships in the sport community. They, ultimately, will decide what kind of programs they will have and what rules they will operate those programs under.
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Role
Ms. Marianne Cerilli (Radisson): My final supplementary for the minister: Will the minister describe for the House the relationship between the individual sport volunteer boards and the new Sport Manitoba board in terms of accountability and communication? How will this relationship work?
Hon. Jim Ernst (Minister responsible for Sport): To answer that question, it would be wise to consider the current relationship between individual sport-governing bodies and the current Manitoba Sports Federation.
Currently, they are members, a collective group of people, members of the Manitoba Sports Federation. That will no long occur under Sport Manitoba. The object of Sport Manitoba is to deliver the government of Manitoba's sport policy with its focus on athletes, coaches and officials.
Each of those groups is autonomous, but if they wish to apply for funding in order to complete or to carry out their operations, they will in fact apply to Sport Manitoba. They will, however, not be members of the collective as they currently are.
Internal Trade
Tendering Requirements
Mr. Tim Sale (Crescentwood): Madam Speaker, last July 1, the agreement on internal trade came into effect, and there has been considerable discussion about whether the municipal, academic, social service and health sector should be brought into the agreement.
Madam Speaker, a number of municipalities and others have raised very serious concerns about the exemption levels and the tendering requirements. Could the Minister of Industry, Trade and Tourism indicate what progress may have been made on amending the tendering levels, exemption levels in the treaty as now negotiated?
Hon. James Downey (Minister of Industry, Trade and Tourism): Madam Speaker, I can indicate that good progress is being made.
Madam Speaker: Time for Oral Questions has expired.
NONPOLITICAL STATEMENTS
Municipal and School Board Elections
Hon. Gary Filmon (Premier): I wonder if I might have leave for a nonpolitical statement?
Madam Speaker: Does the honourable First Minister have leave to make a nonpolitical statement? [agreed]
Mr. Filmon: Madam Speaker, I want to rise on behalf, I am sure, of all Manitobans and all members of this Legislature to extend congratulations to all of those who participated in the municipal elections and elections for school boards that were completed yesterday.
I want to, in particular, as one who has, along with many others in this Chamber, served at the municipal or school board level, recognize that they are embarked upon a commitment to a service that is very important to this province and to the communities in which they live, recognize that they will indeed be called upon to exercise their judgment and their leadership and to apply all of their skills and knowledge to a very, very important task of governing the municipal and school board jurisdictions of our province over the next three years.
Madam Speaker, I also want to recognize the tremendous commitment that was put forward by everyone who ran as a candidate, not just those who were successful, because it does involve a tremendous sacrifice of time and energy and money to put themselves forward on behalf of the ideals in which they believe, on behalf of the goals and desires they have for the achievement of their communities in future. I want to particularly recognize both the candidates and the volunteers who gave so generously of their time and their efforts to the municipal election campaign.
We all recognize that there will be a tremendous need for leadership and for commitment as we embark upon some difficult challenges, but I believe that there are also significant opportunities that await those who take on the challenge of leadership and the responsibility of ensuring that we preserve and enhance the democratic process in which we believe so strongly in this province and this country.
I want to just make one particular mention of an innovation which I found not only intriguing but also very impressive, the electronic voting equipment that was utilized by the City of Winnipeg yesterday in the election. It appeared to work extremely well, and as a participant, I commend them for their efforts.
In closing, Madam Speaker, to those who were successful and now have the challenge of public office as their primary responsibility, I want to wish them well in their endeavours on behalf of the public that they serve and extend to them not only congratulations but my own thoughts of looking forward to working with them in the next three years.
Mr. Gary Doer (Leader of the Opposition): I would like to have leave for a nonpolitical statement.
Madam Speaker: Does the honourable Leader of the official opposition have leave to make a nonpolitical statement? [agreed]
Mr. Doer: Madam Speaker, I would like to join with the Premier and all members of the Legislature in congratulating all candidates who ran for school board, all candidates who ran for municipal office. Whether the people were winners or losers, I think we had a tremendous quality of people running in all communities. I know, marking the ballot in my own area, there were all kinds of choices, all kinds of excellent people running. It shows again that democracy is alive and well in our communities, in our neighbourhoods and across this province.
Madam Speaker, we applaud the Premier's comments today about working in partnership with municipal and school board governments. The Premier mentioned today in his statement in the House, and we take his statement very seriously, that it is a responsibility of the government to work in partnership with those elected bodies and it is important for those elected bodies to carry out their responsibilities.
Madam Speaker, you cannot have responsibilities without authority, and because the authority that is vested in municipal governments and educational governments through school boards is provided constitutionally by the provincial government, it will be very important in the short term to remember that responsibility, authority and elected mandates go together. The government must respect that authority and respect that responsibility and we welcome his comment about the responsibility that--[interjection] I did not know he had anything else in mind. I remember.
We respect the results of this election and the responsibility and authority that goes with it and we will, in opposition, work with the government in partnership with those elected representatives across the province, the men and women that were elected.
Also, the Premier made a point of referencing the electronic voting machines in the city of Winnipeg, from his own personal observation. I think, obviously, any time new technology is in place, that is positive. I cannot make any other comments about the electronic situation.
I would also ask the government to look at another factor. It was my personal view that it was becoming almost dangerous, based on the court decisions, for signs that were on some boulevards in some communities. You could not turn a corner sometimes and see cars coming on an ongoing basis, so I would ask the government to review that court decision in a nonpolitical way--[interjection] It was on public property, Madam Speaker.
Again, congratulations to those people that ran and congratulations to everybody that voted, and as I celebrated the Cree victory yesterday, we look forward to the Inuit victory tomorrow and hopefully a victory on Monday for Canada as well. Thank you very much, Madam Speaker.
* (1430)
Mr. Kevin Lamoureux (Inkster): Madam Speaker, on behalf of my colleagues and the Leader of the Liberal Party, I, too, request leave.
Madam Speaker: Does the honourable member for Inkster have leave to make a nonpolitical statement? [agreed]
Mr. Lamoureux: Madam Speaker, on behalf of the Leader of the Liberal Party and my colleagues in the Legislature, I, too, would like to join with the Premier (Mr. Filmon) and the Leader of the Opposition (Mr. Doer) in applauding the efforts of those who have taken the time and the financial resources and commitment to run in the last civic election and also to applaud the efforts of the thousands of volunteers from one end of the province to the other who participated in making sure that the message that their candidate was talking about was in fact getting out so that the public would be better informed in terms of how they could vote.
I know from my own personal experience in the area in which I live, there were 16 school trustees, five mayoralty candidates, seven city councillor candidates, Madam Speaker. So there was a good selection from all the different ideologies from the far right to the far left. It was encouraging to see that so many people value the position of an elected office and want to be able to contribute to the development of Manitoba as a society.
Again, we applaud all of the efforts that everyone has put forward and, of course, those individuals who took the time to go out and vote, and echo the remarks from the Premier (Mr. Filmon) when he made reference to the electronic age. Maybe we, too, should be looking at that in the next provincial election. Thank you, Madam Speaker.
The Maples Garden Market IGA Opening
Mr. Gary Kowalski (The Maples): Do I have leave to make a nonpolitical statement?
Madam Speaker: Does the honourable member for The Maples have leave to make a nonpolitical statement? [agreed]
Mr. Kowalski: This morning, I had the honour and privilege of opening and doing the ribbon-cutting ceremony at The Maples Garden Market IGA. Renovation to this store, along with the accompanying shopping centre, was well over a million dollars. It has had a profound effect in our community that over a hundred jobs, full-time jobs, have been created in The Maples. That is tripling the number of jobs.
So, for a small community, this has had a great effect. This store has continually supported the community and I know the community will support this store. Thank you very much, Madam Speaker.
Manitoba League of Persons with Disabilities
Mr. Doug Martindale (Burrows): Do I have leave to make a nonpolitical statement?
Madam Speaker: Does the honourable member for Burrows have leave to make a nonpolitical statement? [agreed]
Mr. Martindale: Madam Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to the Manitoba League of Persons with Disabilities. The Manitoba League is an organization of people with disabilities. Its main objective is to create a community in which disabled Manitobans can be full and active members of society. The Manitoba League works to improve a wide variety of services for disabled people in such areas as housing, employment and transportation, to name a few. I would like to congratulate them on celebrating their 20th anniversary this year.
Also, on June 18, 1995, they changed their name to the Manitoba League of Persons with Disabilities. Also, this year, they have been carrying out a campaign called the Barrier Busters Campaign--I believe all of us were mailed forms to fill out--so that they could try to remove barriers to disabled people.
Also, on Sunday, November 5, the Eighth Annual Great Obstacle Race is taking place at Portage Place. This is an educational and fundraising event which a number of members in the Legislature are participating in, and I want to wish the participants and MLPD success in this event. Thank you.
Committee Change
Mr. George Hickes (Point Douglas): I move, seconded by the member for Broadway (Mr. Santos), that the composition of the Standing Committee on Agriculture be amended as follows: Burrows (Mr. Martindale) for Thompson (Mr. Ashton) for Thursday, October 26, 1995, for 8 p.m.
Motion agreed to.