LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF
Monday, November 22, 2004
The House met at 1:30 p.m.
At 1:30 p.m., the
Sergeant-at-Arms, carrying the mace shoulder high, followed by the Speaker, the
Clerk, the Deputy Clerk and the Clerk Assistants, entered the Chamber.
The Sergeant-at-Arms
returned to the north doors and met His Honour the Lieutenant-Governor with the
mace.
Deputy Sergeant-at-Arms (Mr. Blake Dunn): His Honour the Lieutenant-Governor.
His Honour the
Lieutenant-Governor, preceded by the mace and accompanied by the Premier,
military and civil aides and officer escort, entered the Chamber and took his
seat on the throne.
The Sergeant-at-Arms made
obeisance with the mace and retired with it immediately to the left of the
Speaker.
Hon. John Harvard
(Lieutenant-Governor of the
Bienvenue à la troisième session
de la trente-huitième Législature de la Province du Manitoba.
Translation
Welcome to the Third
Session of the Thirty-Eighth Legislative Assembly of the
English
I am pleased to report that our
province has enjoyed a strong rebound in 2004. Based on the performance of the
past 12 months,
Notwithstanding the national
slowdown in 2003, the growth trend has been sustained over the past five years,
creating new opportunities and a new sense of confidence. The number of jobs
created in
Supporting this trend is the seven-point
economic plan recommended to government by the Premier’s Economic Advisory
Council, representing a provincewide partnership of business, labour, education
and community leaders. The plan was presented to this Chamber two years ago. Its
cornerstone principle, Education First, has been the focus of a drive to
increase youth opportunities and expand the skills base of our economy.
* (13:35)
Since 1999, enrolment in
Confidence in our future is
assuming a very visible form in new building projects underway across
In
With new opportunities come new
challenges. My ministers are committed to providing new housing options to meet
rising demand across
A growing economy also presents
new opportunities for inclusion. We recognize that not all of our citizens are
sharing fully in the benefits of growth.
A special commitment has been made
in this Legislature to increase the economic participation of Aboriginal
citizens of
Rural
My ministers have worked closely
with cattle producers, providing loans and bridging supports and helping the
industry move towards greater flexibility in marketing and processing.
The challenge of managing growth
into the future includes the agility to meet the needs of each community and
each sector of our economy. More broadly, it means a commitment to those
strategies that have helped citizens to seize and make the most of their
opportunities.
Manitoba’s Economic
Growth Plan
Education First
The 2002 Throne Speech stated, "A
growth strategy for today’s economy requires a flexible education strategy and
a commitment to lifelong learning." Our economic plan sets out the
following goals: increased post-secondary enrolment; targeted increases in the
education of health professionals and Aboriginal professionals in all fields; an
increase in apprenticeship training to meet the demand for skilled
tradespeople; specialized training to support the growth of key knowledge-based
sectors, such as aerospace and biotechnology; and predictable funding for
public schools, to support the expansion of options for students and strengthen
links to the workforce.
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Since 1999, there are 13 000
more students enrolled in
Affordability and improved access
are at the root of this expansion. Tuition was reduced 10 percent in 1999 and
has been maintained ever since. In five years, provincial funding for
scholarships and bursaries increased 170 percent and over $100 million was
committed to upgrade and expand
Capital projects are now underway
or completed at the
Improved access has also meant
providing advanced education and training options closer to home. The Campus
Manitoba program, directed out of
A generational transfer is
underway in the skilled trades, creating new challenges for employers but also
new opportunities for young people. Our government is working in partnership
with industry to provide the largest expansion of skills training in our
history.
In 1999, Industry Training
Partnerships were providing certified courses to 7300 participants. Today the
number of participants has increased by one third. Together with apprenticeship
programs, the partnership initiative is targeting increases in the construction
trades, film crew technicians, health managers, advanced welders, pipe fitters,
carpenters and biotech workers.
We know that students begin to
form an idea of their chosen occupation in the middle years of schooling. My
government has recently committed $4.5 million over three years to modernize
vocational education programs in our high schools. To support the initiative we
will assist
Research and
Innovation
The second part of our economic
plan is research and education strategies targeted for the key knowledge-based
sectors of the
Continued growth will be supported
by the new Biotech Training Program at
* (13:45)
Manufacturing exports as a whole
grew slightly last year, with larger increases projected for 2004. The industry
continues to deal with the challenge of a rising Canadian dollar. My government
has worked in partnership with manufacturers and educators to design a new Advanced
Manufacturing Initiative. It will assist companies and train Manitoba workers
to implement lean manufacturing principles.
Through our commitment to
innovation,
A new addition is the Richardson
Centre for Functional Foods and Nutraceuticals, currently under construction at
the
Mon
gouvernement reconnaît que la culture est un secteur distinct de l’économie du
Manitoba; un secteur digne d’une stratégie qui lui est propre en ce qui
concerne l’éducation et les investissements. Notre province occupe la deuxième
place au pays pour ce qui est du financement de la culture et des arts par
habitant. C’est que nous sommes déterminés à retenir et à rehausser la culture
au Manitoba, pour des raisons économiques mais aussi parce que la culture
ajoute à notre qualité de vie.
Translation
My government
recognizes culture as a distinct sector of the
English
The people of
Aboriginal culture has emerged in
recent years as a distinctive, home-grown
Among the cultural highlights of
the past year was the selection of the communities of
Raising and
Retaining Investment
The third part of our economic
plan is increased investment in our economy.
A Third Party Funds venture
capital program has been established, on the advice of the Premier’s Economic
Advisory Council, to raise private equity capital for
* (13:50)
The Province is working with
private-sector partners to develop a new fund that will invest in 10 to 15
promising early stage companies over the next three years.
Affordable
Government
Maintaining
Weekly earnings have grown at more
than twice the national rate this year, providing an average pay increase to
working Manitobans of $1,560. In addition, our citizens continue to enjoy the
lowest electricity costs in North America and the lowest car insurance premiums
in
Fair and affordable taxes are an
important part of the equation. In keeping with the commitment made to
Manitobans back in 1999, our government has met the requirements of balanced
budget legislation, balancing the provincial budget for five consecutive years.
Tax reductions over the mandate
have exceeded government’s commitments. Using 1999 as a base, individual income
tax cuts for Manitobans are worth a total of $220 million a year. Provincial
property tax credits and reductions total $92 million, and business taxes are
down $74 million.
When our government came into
office in 1999, the small-business tax rate was 8 percent and set to a
threshold of $200,000. The general corporate tax rate was 17 percent. The small-business
tax rate has now been reduced to 5 percent, and on January 1 of the coming year
the threshold will increase to $400,000. The general corporate tax rate will be
reduced to 15 percent.
As well, in the coming days,
legislation will be introduced, enabling the City of
During the decade of the 1990s,
education property taxes across
At the same time, my government is
committed to work with local governments, community housing groups and our
federal partners to meet the growing demand for housing. New strategies will be
introduced to address the needs for low-income and assisted housing and to
ensure a supply of building lots that will accommodate new construction.
Growth in Population
The fifth part of our economic
plan is a strategy to grow
Since 1999, your government has
worked to increase international immigration to
The results are a credit to all
who have participated. This year, 7500 immigrants will be welcomed to
A noticeable benefit of our
strategy has been the introduction of new families and new investment into
rural
* (13:55)
Difficulties in having foreign
degrees or credentials recognized is a barrier that prevents many newcomers
from making their full contributions to
Building our Energy
Advantage
The sixth part of our economic
plan is strategic development of our energy sector.
All regions of
Nationwide, the greatest
opportunity for reducing greenhouse gas emissions is to displace coal-fired
electricity plants with hydro and other clean energy sources.
The Clean Energy Transfer provides
the case for proceeding with the 1250 megawatt, run-of-the-river Conawapa Dam,
a project that will generate over 40 000 person years of employment and
yield a major revenue stream for northern First Nations. The transfer would
also provide a case for adding up to 1000 megawatts from wind farms built in
rural
In the short term,
Wind and water go together. Part
of
In addition to providing energy
security, the grid would serve as
Quality of Life
The goal of economic growth is to
improve the quality of life for all Manitobans. It is essential, therefore,
that growth be managed in a way that preserves our environment, promotes the
health and well being of citizens and enhances our unique
Stewardship of our spectacular
natural environment, our wilderness areas, our clean water and fresh air has
become an increasingly important value for Manitobans.
* (14:00)
Our province has led the way in
Since 1999, over one million hectares
of
The site that is being nominated
is 43 000 square kilometres in total, roughly the size of Nova Scotia, and
would join the Atikaki Wilderness Park with Ontario’s Woodland Caribou Park and
adjacent First Nation lands. The UNESCO designation is a recommendation of the
East Side Planning Initiative, which is enabling communities on the east side
of
Les
Manitobaines et Manitobains savent que nous disposons d’une ressource très
précieuse – notre abondance d’eau propre – que nous avons laissée se détériorer
au cours des dernières décennies. Les solutions à cette menace sont également à
long terme et entraîneront des changements qui toucheront chacun d’entre nous.
Translation
Manitobans know we
have a precious resource, our abundance of clean water, that has been allowed
to deteriorate over the past number of decades. The solutions to this challenge
are also long-term and will involve changes affecting every one of us.
English
Since 1999, my government has
invested $79 million to upgrade water and sewer services in 92 communities
across the province. The sale of bulk water from
Recognizing that all citizens
share responsibility for protecting water quality, my government has worked
with communities and industries to elevate water stewardship practices in every
region of the province.
Standards have been raised for
sewage treatment in
Water management zones are now
being mapped, incorporating information on ground and surface water
sensitivity. These green zone maps will be combined with long-term development
plans formulated at the community level through a public process. Together they
will form the basis for a new approach to land use decisions, one that enhances
the role of scientific information and local decision making.
This year a stewardship board will
be formed for
As well, a new incentive will be
introduced this year to promote water protection practices. It builds on the
Riparian Tax Credit, which was extended this spring to cover lakeshore as well
as riverbank buffer zones. It will support the lead role that conservation
districts are now taking in the identification and remediation of environmental
hazards.
The ratification of the Kyoto
Protocol by
Already
Much of the impetus for
Health Innovation
Five years ago, a plan to restore
public health care in
In each area, significant progress
has been made. The number of nurses being educated throughout the province has
doubled. There are now more doctors practising in
This year a new program will be
introduced to educate Aboriginal midwives and nurses for practice in northern
communities. The program, which is jointly funded by the Province and the
federal government, will be delivered through the new
Much of the $800 million invested
in new health capital since 1999 has gone to upgrade rural and northern health
facilities and, for the first time, to purchase and operate major diagnostic
equipment outside of our cities. These investments have improved access. The
use of rural operating theatres has helped shorten wait lists by taking the
pressure off facilities in
This month, a new dialysis treatment
unit was opened in the
Efforts to reduce wait lists have
focussed on life-saving treatment. Over the past five years, waits for cardiac
care have been reduced by two thirds. Waits for radiation therapy for those
diagnosed with cancer have gone from an average of over six weeks to just one
week.
Over the past five years,
The recent First Ministers' Accord
on Health Care will increase the funding for
* (14:10)
The accord includes a set of
nationally agreed principles that
With reductions in wait lists for
cardiac and cancer care,
The health accord also renews our
commitment to health prevention and healthy living strategies. The three
leading causes of cancer are smoking, diet and fitness.
The best health prevention,
healthy living, is a set of habits that is largely acquired in childhood and
adolescence. An all-party task force called Healthy Kids, Healthy Futures was
created this fall to recommend practical measures for improving fitness and
healthy eating among youth. The task force will solicit a broad range of views,
paying special attention to what young people themselves have to say. It will
report to the Legislature next spring with initiatives that can be put into
practice across
In the coming year the province
will focus on chronic diseases caused by lifestyle patterns and poor nutrition.
The most significant of these is diabetes, a debilitating disease which has
grown to epidemic proportions in northern communities. This year my government
will launch a diabetes prevention strategy whose goal is to establish
prevention programs in First Nation communities and the regional health authorities.
Ultimately, the health care system
depends on hardworking, compassionate professionals to deliver the highest
quality of service to Manitobans. They deserve safe and healthy workplaces. My
government will introduce new legislation making
Expanding
A rising economic tide creates the
conditions for pursuing greater equity. Growth in
Reductions in social assistance
rolls over the past five years are a direct result of new investments in
training and child support. Regular increases in the minimum wage have ensured
a fair return for working families. Programs like Neighbourhoods Alive! and
Lighthouses have brought new recreation facilities, new housing and new hope to
Early childhood development has
been a focus of this government from the time it was first elected. Through the
Healthy Child initiative launched in 1999,
Since 1999,
There is more to do. With new
support committed by the federal government,
Of course, the primary care
providers, parents, must have the tools they need to ensure their children are
ready for school. Another element of the Healthy Child initiative is providing
parents with support on nutrition, literacy and parenting to support early
learning. This support is available through 26 community-based parent child centres.
In addition, almost every school division in the province is now using an early
childhood assessment instrument to measure children’s readiness for school.
As a further step, my government
will provide new funding for co-ordinators to develop community schools in
neighbourhoods throughout
Aboriginal
Participation
One of the great challenges for
Over the past five years, my ministers
have worked hard to restore the capacity of Aboriginal organizations, to forge
new partnerships in resource management and to open up targeted training
opportunities connected to Hydro projects and the Nursing Expansion initiative.
Education is the key element in
our inclusion strategy. The Aboriginal Education Action Plan, introduced a year
ago, includes targeted early childhood programs, school retention initiatives
and links to the workplace.
Thirty-eight programs are
currently being funded under the Building Student Success program to increase Aboriginal
parent and community involvement in education. A council of Aboriginal educators
was established this past spring to act as a link between schools and Aboriginal
communities.
Starting this year, six
Complementary initiatives have
been undertaken by
The
Seniors and Elders
Since 1999, our government has
focussed on maintaining affordability for older Manitobans, ensuring security
and improving access to health care.
* (14:20)
Restoration of the Seniors
Property Tax Credit has provided a benefit of up to $800 to homeowners and
renters. Expansion of home care service and the construction of new personal
care homes has increased residential options for those in need of care. New
laws have been passed to prevent fraud and elder abuse, and supports for home
security have been delivered directly through the Safety Aid program.
An overhaul of The Pension
Benefits Act will be introduced in the coming days, providing more options for
citizens to manage their retirement as well as guarantees of spousal consent
for pension withdrawals and protection for workers' entitlements. Legislative
changes will also be introduced to improve consumer protection for life lease
and condominium owners.
The former Seniors Directorate has
been restructured this year and is expanding its services to reflect the
changing needs of older citizens. Community resource councils are being formed
to co-ordinate assisted living services in rural
Building Communities
Our economic plan includes a
seventh part, which is a set of regional strategies for growth and development.
Since coming into office in 1999, our government has worked to modernize
community services across the province. A single-tier social assistance system
was implemented in
To support local services and
infrastructure, the
Our aim has been to work with
communities to produce tangible results. Since 1999, provincial investment in
water management projects, including rural drainage works and the floodway, has
totalled $169 million. The five-year highways program calls for $600 million in
funding, with a $10-million increase in this year’s budget and a further $10
million next year.
Across
The
My government will use a moderate
growth in own-source revenues in the current year to provide immediate
assistance with priorities that would normally be dealt with in the next
budget.
Given the severe weather
conditions and trade challenges facing rural
As an additional measure,
education taxes on farmland will be reduced by 33 percent for the current year,
with a further reduction to 50 percent in 2005. This reduction builds on the
progress we have made on education tax cuts over the past four years. To date,
our government has increased property tax credits $56 million and reduced the
second education tax on property by $40 million. Further details on the
implementation of election commitments will be outlined in the 2005 budget.
Direct support for policing will
be increased this year and the next, providing new and ongoing funding for 40
additional police officers to serve Winnipeg, Brandon, rural Manitoba and the
North. Up to 20 City of
The additional funding for police
exceeds our government’s election commitment. It will support enforcement
efforts targeting organized crime activities across
In addition, new investments will
be made to support nutrition and health prevention measures for northern
communities. My government will work with the federal government to establish
new Telehealth sites in Manitoba First Nations and will add a nutrition benefit
to the existing remoteness allowance. The benefit will assist northern families
with the high cost of healthy foods.
The Diabetes Prevention Strategy
launched this year is a provincewide initiative that will enlist the
partnership of First Nations and local health authorities.
Members of the Legislature and
invited guests, I would like to close by saying that it has been my honour to
address this Assembly for the first time.
Au moment
où vous vous apprêtez à assumer les responsabilités que la population du
Manitoba vous a confiées, j’ai bon espoir que la divine Providence guidera vos
délibérations pour le plus grand bien de tous les Manitobains et Manitobaines.
Merci.
Translation
As you proceed to carry out the
responsibilities the people of
Thank you.
The Sergeant-at-Arms made
obeisance with the mace and preceded the Lieutenant-Governor, accompanied by
the Premier, the officer escort and the aides, to the north doors of the
Chamber.
* (14:30)
God Save the Queen and O
The Speaker proceeded to
the chair and the Premier returned to his seat.
The Sergeant-at-Arms made
obeisance with the mace before the Speaker's chair and returned to the table.
Mr. Speaker: O Eternal and Almighty God from Whom all power and wisdom come, we are assembled here before Thee to frame such laws as may tend to the welfare and prosperity of our province. Grant, O Merciful God, we pray Thee, that we may desire only that which is in accordance with Thy will, that we may seek it with wisdom, know it with certainty and accomplish it perfectly for the glory and honour of Thy name and for the welfare of all our people. Amen.
Please be seated.
Hon. Jon Gerrard (
Mr. Speaker: The honourable Member for
Mr. Gerrard: Mr. Speaker, as is the tradition of this House, a matter of privilege has to be raised at the first possible moment, and I am doing so. I continue a tradition or a precedent that was set back on April 6, 1999, where an urgent matter very similar to this was brought forward immediately after the Throne Speech.
Mr. Speaker, on July 31, 2002, the then-Minister of Family Services and Housing told this House, in reference to Hydra House, "We are satisfied that the quality of service from Hydra House, the financial accountability that we receive is adequate." He went on to state, "We have made all of the normal and some quite extraordinary checks into this issue. We are satisfied that is what we are seeing as quality service, adequate accountability and a dispute between a former employer and his boss."
Mr. Speaker, since this House last sat, with the report of the Auditor General and the subsequent Public Accounts Committee meetings, it has become very clear that the then-Minister of Family Services and Housing clearly misled this House with his statements, and in appreciation of the tradition, as I said, of what happened when a minister, in that case the Premier, had recognized that he had misled this House, he stood up immediately after the Throne Speech and offered an apology.
So I believe that it is appropriate now that the current Minister of Health (Mr. Sale), and I would ask that this House finds the statement made by the current Minister of Health in the Legislative Chamber on July 31, 2002, provided misleading information and therefore direct the Minister of Health to apologize to the House, to all Manitobans for his statements.
Mr. Speaker: Before recognizing any other members to speak, I would remind the House that contributions at this time of honourable members are to be limited to strictly relevant comments as to whether the alleged matter of privilege has been raised at the earliest opportunity and whether a prima facie case has been established.
Hon. Gord Mackintosh (Government House Leader): Mr. Speaker, of course the conditions as to whether there is a case of parliamentary privilege as set out in Beauchesne, the first condition is that the matter be raised at the earliest opportunity. We do not have an issue with that. The second test is whether there is a prima facie case of privilege, and that means is there something of concern that goes to the very heart, the very essence of the ability of members of this House to perform their duties on behalf of the public of this province.
Mr. Speaker, what we have today, most unfortunately, I think, is an allegation that has been raised that certainly does not in any way comprise a matter of privilege. What has been alleged is that some statement was made that the member says was misleading. The member knows full well, because there have been points of privilege raised in this House over many years, that such an allegation at no time has ever been recognized as a matter of privilege in Manitoba's Legislature.
Mr. Speaker, it is not a matter of privilege to allege that someone has misled the House. The member knows that full well. It is a well-established principle of this Legislature.
Mr. Leonard Derkach (Official Opposition House Leader): Mr. Speaker, I would only add these words to what has been raised today, that on the occasion of the Throne Speech in this House, although this may be the first occasion that the member has raised the issue, it has been customary and a tradition that we respect some decorum in this House when we have visitors in the gallery and in the Chamber itself.
Mr. Speaker, I would strongly, as the House Leader for the opposition party, recommend that this matter be taken up again tomorrow when we resume regular business in due respect to the guests who are gathered here this afternoon, that we proceed with the proceedings that are generally accepted when a Throne Speech is delivered in this House. Thank you.
Mr. Speaker: A matter of privilege is a serious concern. I am going to take this matter under advisement to consult the authorities, and I will return to the House with a ruling.
* (14:40)
Bill 1–An Act Respecting
the Administration of Oaths of Office
Hon. Gary Doer (Premier): I move, seconded by the Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Initiatives (Ms. Wowchuk), that Bill 1, An Act Respecting the Administration of Oaths of Office; Loi sur la prestation des serments d'entrée en function, be now read a first time.
Motion agreed to.
* * *
Mr. Speaker: I am pleased to introduce to the House the eight students who have been selected to serve as pages at this session.
They are, beginning at my extreme right, Mr. Joel Voth, Kristy Rydz, Jennifer Bernardo, Stephen Leavitt, and, on my left, Amos Wiebe, Andrea Berger, Julene Buys and Heather Morgan.
* * *
Mr. Doer: I move, seconded by the Minister of Aboriginal and Northern Affairs
(Mr. Lathlin), that the speech of His Honour the Lieutenant-Governor be taken into consideration tomorrow.
Motion agreed to.
Mr. Doer: I move, seconded by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General (Mr. Mackintosh), that this House do now adjourn.
Mr. Speaker: Order.
Before putting the question to the House, may I inform all present that a receiving line composed of His Honour the Lieutenant-Governor and Ms. Berscheid, the Premier and Ms. Devine, and the Speaker and Ms. Dupont will form shortly in Room 200 at the north end of the building and that refreshments will be served in Room 254 at the south end of the building in five minutes time.
Motion agreed to, and the House adjourned and stands adjourned until 1:30 p.m. tomorrow
(Tuesday).