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.
Sergeant-at-Arms (Mr. Garry Clark): 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.
Speech from the Throne
Hon. John Harvard (Lieutenant-Governor of the Province of Manitoba): Please
be seated.
Bienvenue.
Welcome to the Fourth Session of the Thirty-Eighth
Legislative Assembly of the Province of Manitoba.
Our province's strong growth continues,
keeping Manitoba one of the best places to live, work, raise a family and start
a business.
Our increase in housing values for 2005 is
projected to be the highest in Canada.
Immigration to our province is at record levels. Manitoba's growth in manufacturing and
exports is outpacing the national average. Since 1999, we have recorded
Canada's largest increase in university enrolment.
Our current prosperity owes much to
hardworking and creative Manitobans, and to forward-looking investments in
education, infrastructure and economic opportunity. In the past year we have
also been reminded of the value of foresight in planning for, and responding
to, unexpected events.
Members of this Legislature wish to thank the community leaders, volunteers and
emergency workers who helped protect Manitoba
communities from flooding this summer. Members also wish to acknowledge the
generous response from thousands of our citizens to natural disasters that took
place in southeast Asia, in the southern United
States and Pakistan.
In a changing world, Manitobans must adapt to
meet new challenges and innovate to seize emerging opportunities. Measures will
be introduced this year to strengthen emergency planning in Manitoba, building our capacity to manage
risk and deal with potential disasters.
At the same time, measures will be introduced
to strengthen the foundation for future growth. These measures build on the key
elements of Manitoba's seven-point
growth strategy. They include over $3 billion in clean
energy development over the next 10 years, one million square feet of new
building space in downtown Winnipeg, and
significant investments in advanced education for northern and rural Manitoba.
* (13:35)
Preparing for Emergencies – La préparation aux situations d'urgence
Recurrent flooding in Manitoba has made emergency planning a
necessity. As early as last January our government was preparing for high
summer water levels on Lake Winnipeg. Manitoba
Hydro opened all of its control channels at the north end of the lake,
maintaining water levels below what they would be naturally. But Mother Nature
was difficult to contain. By early fall
there was still a significant threat of flooding and shore erosion in the event of a wind storm.
With the assistance of volunteers, a network of dikes was built around the
south basin. This measure protected shoreline communities from the storm which
struck on October 5.
Similar flood
threats were experienced in all
parts of Manitoba
this year, due to unusually heavy mid-summer rains. Dikes were built at Ralls Island outside The Pas, along the banks of the Red
River in Winnipeg, and around several communities
in southwest Manitoba.
Again, local volunteers played a key role, working alongside government and
Emergency Measures staff.
This summer shovels were in the ground to start construction of the Red River
Floodway Expansion Project. Supported by a funding partnership with the federal
government and an extensive design and environmental review, the new floodway
project will create 1000 new jobs over five years and provide protection
against a 1-in-700-year flood event. It builds on former Premier Duff Roblin's
valuable legacy to Winnipeg and our province.
Prior to beginning the floodway
expansion, the federal and provincial
governments invested $130 million in flood protection for homes and
communities south of Winnipeg.
Investments in drainage works, which provide the most important defence against
flooding in many parts of Manitoba,
have increased 44 percent since 1999.
Manitoba's recent experiences, in combination with disasters we have
witnessed outside our borders, have raised public awareness of the value of emergency planning. It is important
that we continue to build our capacity to respond to public emergencies, which
could include natural disasters, a viral pandemic or a major disruption to our
province's energy supply or communications infrastructure.
Legislation passed
in 2002 strengthened emergency protocols in Manitoba, granting new powers to our Chief Medical Officer
to deal with public health threats and requiring every community to put in
place an approved local emergency program. Work has been ongoing to improve
emergency preparedness, focussing on mitigation efforts, preparation exercises
and the development of business continuity plans for critical services and
infrastructure. New legislation will be introduced this session to enhance our
capacity to deal with emergencies.
Planning for a
pandemic has received the
highest priority. Our Chief Medical Officer has worked with Health Canada over the past 18 months to establish a
comprehensive plan for dealing with a pandemic here in Manitoba. In the past three years, regional health
authorities have developed formal agreements with every municipality in Manitoba, spelling out
how resources will be deployed in the event of an emergency. At the request of
Manitoba Health those agreements are now being reviewed by RHAs and municipal
officials.
Building on Manitoba's
Clean
Energy Advantage
Manitobans enjoy the lowest cost of electricity in the world,
thanks to the development of our province's hydro-electric capacity. Our
citizens remain vulnerable, however, to the rising costs of imported fuels.
Natural gas is the heating fuel used in most Manitoba homes, and with the 45 percent
spike in gas prices this summer, winter heating costs have become a major
concern.
A Manitoba
Home Heating Strategy will be introduced to protect consumers
from rate shock on their winter gas bills. The current projection is for a rate
increase up to 10 percent on November 1 followed by another increase of up to
20 percent on February 1. Our goal is to ensure there is only one rate increase
for households in the winter of 2005-06, and that rate increases over the next
two winters are manageable.
The strategy reflects new guidelines
issued by the Public Utilities Board, and builds on the sound hedging practices
Manitoba Hydro has developed to mitigate the impact of price increases. The
board has signalled it will revise its previous order and allow Manitoba Hydro
the ability to defer gas price increases. Legislation will be introduced to
support this change.
* (13:40)
The Manitoba Strategy
includes an expanded initiative to reduce home heating bills by
saving energy, including home energy audits and energy reduction plans provided
through the new Green Manitoba Eco Solutions office; new incentives to support
insulation and weatherization upgrades for older homes; purchases of
high-efficiency furnaces and installation of heat pumps and targeted
initiatives to promote energy-saving upgrades by low income households.
The Manitoba Home Heating Strategy extends
to households some of the benefits that Manitoba will realize from our
province's position as a leader in clean energy generation and technology.
Manitoba has been
in negotiations with potential customers to the east, the south and the west to sell more than half a billion
dollars in clean energy exports over
the next six years. During this session our government will report to the Legislature on the outcome of these
negotiations and their implications for the construction of new generation
facilities in Manitoba.
The construction of the
Limestone Dam, once the subject of contentious debate in this Chamber, is the
reason Manitoba
is a major exporter of electricity. Manitoba
households have also played a role. Energy conservation measures undertaken
through Hydro's PowerSmart program save over 250 megawatts of power annually,
power which is made available for export sales.
Moving into a new century, Manitoba's clean energy advantage has been advanced
by our province's early
commitment to address climate change and our determination to seize the
opportunities of the emerging green economy.
The coming year will see the completion of Manitoba's first wind farm at
St. Leon, a project that adds almost 100 megawatts of emission-free electricity
to Manitoba's supply base, invests $210 million in new capital and generates a
total of $9 million in landholder payments.
The province and Manitoba Hydro will take the next major step in
our wind development strategy this fall by requesting proposals for new
projects that will total up to 1000 megawatts of wind generation over the next
decade. The estimated capital investment for these projects is over $2 billion.
Manitoba's Clean Energy Strategy also includes initiatives to expand the
production of biofuels. This week construction is beginning on Husky Oil's new
ethanol production plant in Minnedosa. Husky is investing $145 million in the
plant, which will increase ethanol production in Manitoba from 10 million to 130 million
litres a year. The project was made
possible by a federal support program
and the introduction of Manitoba's
ethanol mandate in
2003. Achieving the mandate for 10 percent blends of gasoline in Manitoba will cut
vehicle emissions by 135 000 tonnes, the equivalent of taking 10 000
cars off the road.
Another biofuel initiative is a strategy to ramp up biodiesel
production in Manitoba
with a development program designed to support the construction of several
community-based production facilities.
Taken together, the hydro, wind and biofuel developments
announced today are worth over $3 billion to the Manitoba economy. They bring significant new
opportunities for rural and northern communities, First Nations and the youth
of our province.
Delivering Better Care,
Sooner –
De meilleurs soins, plus
rapidement
Health care reform has been ongoing in Manitoba since 1999, focussed on expanding
the training and recruitment of nurses and doctors, investing in innovation,
capital and equipment, and adding new prevention programs.
A fourth focus of changes in our public health care system is to
provide Manitobans with better
care, sooner. Starting in 2000, Manitoba launched an aggressive plan to
reduce wait times for life and death treatments, such as cardiac surgery and
radiation treatment for cancer.
For cardiac surgery the wait list was cut in half and the
average wait time reduced to two weeks. For cancer treatment the average wait
time was reduced from seven weeks to just one week.
Our commitment is to apply the same
strategies to reduce wait times for medical procedures affecting citizens'
quality of life and to significantly increase diagnostic procedures such as
MRIs and CT scans.
* (13:45)
Last year provinces forged an agreement with the federal government that led to a
partial restoration of federal funding for health care. The priorities identified in the First Ministers' Accord were
cancer treatment, cardiac treatment, joint replacement, sight restoration and
diagnostic imaging.
Manitoba's
Wait Times Reduction
Strategy goes beyond the national agreement with four new wait time priorities: children's dental
services, mental health programs, pain management and treatment for sleep
disorders. The strategy
is designed to increase the volume of services in each of these
key areas by adding staff resources and capital, improving primary care and
introducing new management practices.
The new strategy builds
on health reform efforts begun six years ago. Our government has increased the
number of doctors licensed to practice in Manitoba
by introducing special programs for foreign-trained doctors, increasing
medical college spaces, and providing special loan incentives for Manitoba graduates to
set up practice. Since 1999, the province has provided funding to add 23 spaces
to the University of Manitoba's medical school.
It takes up to seven years to educate a doctor, and we are just
now beginning to see the results of
expanded medical education and improved retention of our graduates. There are
235 more doctors registered in Manitoba
today than there were in 1999,
following this year's record of 96 new doctors. In the coming year, a
co-ordinated recruitment office and Web page will be created to support RHAs
and communities in their recruitment efforts.
In 1999 there were two MRIs in this province dedicated to
patient care. Since that time, four MRI machines have been installed at Health
Sciences Centre, St Boniface Hospital, Brandon Hospital
and, most recently, the Pan Am Clinic. These investments allow four times as
many procedures to be performed. In the same period, 16 new CT units have been
added, doubling the number of scans, and more than 20 new ultrasounds have been
replaced or installed, again, doubling the
tests performed. As more machines are added, the demand for diagnostic services grows.
Part of our Wait
Times Strategy is a plan to increase procedures by
utilizing equipment in extended hours.
Closer
to home treatment is a goal that complements the push for
shorter wait times and is of equal importance to many citizens of Manitoba. Our government
has opened new CT units in the communities of The Pas, Thompson, Selkirk, Portage la Prairie,
Steinbach and Winkler. The MRI installed at Brandon
hospital is the first outside the city of Winnipeg.
New or expanded dialysis services have been added for the communities of Flin
Flon, Garden Hill, Portage
la Prairie and Norway House. Community cancer treatment programs are being
established in Neepawa, Deloraine and Pinawa.
Much work has been done to
build new, expanded or
renovated hospitals in Swan River, Brandon, Ste.
Anne, Portage
la Prairie, Beausejour, Gimli and Steinbach. Additionally, our government has
opened new primary health centres in Camperville, Waterhen, Flin Flon,
Riverton, Niverville, Sprague and the R.M. of Montcalm. More surgical work has
been directed to hospitals outside of Winnipeg,
allowing for an increase in high-demand procedures such as hip and knee
surgeries.
Preventive health is one of the rapidly growing areas of health
service. We have introduced laws to help reduce smoking and protect people from
second-hand smoke. Following on the recommendations of the all-party Healthy Kids, Healthy
Futures Task Force, the province will work with schools and parents to implement
effective nutrition and exercise programs for youth of all ages.
By the end of next year, Manitoba
will have replaced all 160 vehicles in the province's ambulance fleet, a
significant first step to address emergency medical service issues in rural and
northern Manitoba.
These new ambulances provide a higher and safer level of care. The entire fleet
is outfitted with radios that link all ambulances with all hospitals in the
province. Other steps have included the establishment this year of a
province-wide EMS Command and Control Centre in Brandon
and measures to address training and wage issues for EMS
workers. There is more to do. The responsibility for ambulance costs and fees
was devolved to regional health authorities in 1995, resulting in different
practices throughout Manitoba.
Our government will act to address issues of fairness and equity.
* (13:50)
Combatting Crime–La lutte
contre le crime
Manitoba has seen
positive improvements in community safety,
including a significant drop in arson, improvements to the domestic violence
process in the courts and a two-year decrease
in violent crime rates. Yet there are still too many tragedies. Like all
Canadians, we face serious challenges to reduce violent crime and its horrendous
impact on victims.
Where Manitobans have succeeded in addressing the problems of
crime, it has been the result of police, community members and all levels of
government working together. Examples are Manitoba's innovative Safer Communities and
Neighbourhoods Act and The Fortified Buildings Act, which
have shut down over 120 fortified buildings, drug dens and prostitution and
sniff houses. The approach will be expanded this year to target the closure of
more gang houses.
Manitoba
is seen as a national leader in providing services and responses to domestic
violence. Last year Manitoba established A Woman's Place, a
one-stop clinic that makes lawyers, social workers and other support services
available to victims of domestic violence. A new law will come into force in
the coming year to protect a
wider range of victims of violence, including persons in dating relationships.
Greater assistance will be provided for those who seek protection orders. Courts will be
given the power to order abusers to receive counselling and therapy, and a new
law will be proposed, the first of its kind in Canada, to enforce protection
orders granted by courts in other provinces.
A Manitoba
initiative to expedite domestic violence court cases was recently awarded a
medal by the Institute of Public Administration of Canada. In 2003, the
Provincial Court Chief Judge led the creation of a project that significantly
reduced the backlog of domestic violence cases. Over the next year, Manitoba
Justice will work with the provincial court to expand this project to deal with
all cases where offenders are awaiting trial in custody. The Front End Project will
ensure that court cases are concluded faster.
We recognize we must do more to counter gangs and prosecute organized
crime. Our government has increased Prosecutions funding by 73 percent since
1999. As a result, 18 new prosecutors have been hired, seven of whom are
dedicated to the Gang Prosecutions Unit. The specialized Gangs Prosecutions
Unit has achieved 237 convictions or guilty pleas involving gang members since
it was put in place in November of 2003.
Much more will be done. The Gangs Prosecution Unit will be
expanded by adding more prosecutors and support staff. The added resources will
improve the ability of the unit to target the crimes of gang members.
Our 2005 budget provided the
largest-ever funding increase for policing in Manitoba, adding 54 new officers over the
next two years. Since 1999, the province has provided funding for an additional
95 police. In addition, in 2006, the City of Winnipeg will receive an estimated $2 million
in unallocated funding to direct towards priorities.
A special counsel on
organized crime was recently appointed to recommend new legislative and
policing measures. We will seek the co-operation of the federal government to
strengthen illegal firearm offences, prohibit the availability of conditional
sentences for serious violent crime and strengthen the Youth Criminal Justice
Act.
Other jurisdictions in North America
have witnessed the sale and use of the street drug crystal meth grow to crisis
proportions. Manitoba
has proposed a national strategy to deal with meth. A first step in our
proposed strategy was to have the federal government amend the law to treat
trafficking in meth in a similar fashion to cocaine and heroin. We are pleased
that the federal government has done this.
Manitoba
will implement our own meth
strategy, including measures to restrict the supply and production of
the drug, promote collaboration between policing and other agencies, develop
public awareness of the dangers of meth, and deal with the consequences of meth
use with additional resources for the treatment of meth and other addictions.
* (13:55)
We will continue to address the root
causes of crime. In 2003, a commitment was made to establish 40 after-school
programs in friendship centres, community centres and schools. By working
together, Manitobans have made this initiative a success. Our commitment to
establish 40 Lighthouses will be
exceeded. Our government will ensure that these beacons of hope for Manitoba youth are
expanded across the province.
Manitoba's commitment to
Aboriginal justice in the coming year will include an expansion of Aboriginal
policing, added circuit courts in Aboriginal communities, continued devolution
of probation services and better access by Aboriginal people to complaint
procedures dealing with police conduct.
In response to an intolerably high rate of auto theft, Manitoba has introduced
tougher penalties for car thieves and for drivers fleeing police. This year, Manitoba adopted an
aggressive strategy to engage
citizens in auto theft prevention by installing approved immobilizers in their
vehicles. Thousands of Manitobans have signed up for these immobilizers. No car with an approved
immobilizer has been stolen.
Preparing Children and Youth
for the Future
More than ever before, giving children the best start possible
is essential for our province.
Our government has worked hard to improve the quality and
availability of child care. Since taking office, our investment in child care
has increased by 64 percent, creating 3500 newly funded spaces. Manitoba has introduced
new training supports for early childhood educators and committed funding to
improve wages in the child care field.
In the coming year, my ministers will announce further steps to
improve early years' care, including additional funded spaces, capital
investments and new governance models.
While the earliest years are important to ensure that our
children are prepared to enter formal schooling, it is in the school system
itself that our students develop the skills that will prepare them for
successful lives and careers.
Our government has worked respectfully with parents, teachers
and students to improve the quality of elementary and secondary education.
This year school began after Labour Day allowing families more
time together in the last days of summer. Students returned to a system that
has been funded at the rate of economic growth since our government was first
elected. Funding per student is up 18 percent since 1999. Many students
returned to new or upgraded schools, reflecting the $333 million invested in
the school capital program over six years, more than double the amount invested
over the previous six years. Most important, our children returned to schools
that have benefited from an investment in the quality of learning, including
updated curriculum for the sciences, social studies, arts and health education.
Since 1999 there has been a 30 percent increase in the funding
provided for special needs instruction
in our schools. This week The Appropriate
Educational Programming Act will
be proclaimed, following a period of intensive consultations and with
resources in place. This act,
and the regulations developed around it, will help schools and parents work
together to provide an appropriate education for all children.
Our government recognizes the
need to ensure our children have the best possible opportunities to follow
their educational and career interests. In the coming year, my ministers will
work to provide more experiential learning opportunities for middle year's
students to increase their engagement with school and their sense of its
connection to their future. This year will see the introduction of a
classroom-based, teacher-led assessment program in language arts and numeracy
in Grades 7 and 8. The Technical Vocational Initiative, which introduces
students to technical training and career paths, will be expanded. Targeted
initiatives will be undertaken through the Aboriginal Education Action Plan to
raise school completion rates in northern and inner city schools.
A new Manitoba Career Guide will be
distributed to children and parents, to provide an accessible information
source on training and education options. And a new Minister's Award for
teaching excellence will recognize and promote the efforts of our most effective
teachers and mentors.
* (14:00)
Modernizing Post-Secondary
Education and Training
Manitoba's success in the world economy depends on the
development of our most important resource, the skills of our people.
Since the launch of the College Expansion Initiative back in
1999, enrolment in Manitoba colleges and
universities has increased by over one third, the largest increase in Canada. Manitoba campuses have
benefited from a new infusion of capital investment sparked by the province's
$100‑million commitment announced in 2000. The building program is well
underway. This fall the new downtown
campus of Red River College became fully operational; the University of Manitoba opened its new Engineering and
Computer Science Centre; and the Winnipeg Education Centre opened its new
campus on Selkirk Avenue.
These are milestone events for our province, signalling to the
youth of Manitoba
that effort will be rewarded with
opportunity. Our ongoing expansion of education options also signals to Manitoba families,
investors and employers that our province is committed to maintaining a competitive
edge in knowledge and skills.
That commitment extends to all parts of Manitoba. Our government has established
a plan for programming and capital to
support the expansion of the new University
College of the North. Access to education and
training is the key to economic
opportunities for Aboriginal Manitobans. Our government is also committed to a capital renewal project for Assiniboine Community College, securing its central
role in Westman's economic future.
Private sector pledges to support university capital have added
to the province's increased investment in advanced education. Our government
will seek a similar pledge from the federal government, as part of a national
strategy to boost productivity and promote economic inclusion. A new partnership will allow us to
commit to additional multi-year
funding for Manitoba
colleges and universities, incorporating the principles of education excellence,
affordability and
access.
We believe that the recent Health Accord is a good model for a
national skills partnership.
Growing Rural Manitoba – La
croissance des régions rurales du Manitoba
In rural Manitoba,
overland flooding of farmland and the lingering effects of the border closure
combined to give agricultural producers another challenging year. To help deal
with the crises of today, and seize the opportunities of tomorrow, our
government has worked with rural Manitobans in five areas.
First, we are helping producers bridge income- and
weather-related challenges. Instead of ad hoc programs,
our government is committed to maintaining a responsive safety net for Manitoba producers. Our
government introduced insurance coverage for excessive moisture. Last year the
program paid out $25 million to producers, part of a record $198 million in
crop insurance payouts.
This year excess moisture insurance payments will be $58
million. The total crop insurance payout is projected to be close to $300
million. An additional $15 million for CAIS will be drawn from the Fiscal
Stabilization Fund to support farm families.
To deal with income crises in 2004 and 2005, our government
introduced a 50 percent reduction on farmland education taxes. A further 10
percent will be added for the 2006 school year, bringing the total tax
reduction to 60 percent.
The second part of our rural plan is to work with producers to
address the challenges brought about by trade-related issues. Our
government has stepped up efforts to
address trade disputes, working with other governments in Canada, the United
States and Mexico to advocate for a
non-partisan dispute-resolution mechanism that would resolve trade disputes in
a swift and equitable manner. Manitoba
is also working with local producers and businesses to expand trade in both
existing and new export markets.
Despite the challenges faced by producers, the underlying
strength of the rural economy was borne out by the record $3.4 billion in
agri-food exports shipped in 2004, and the growing list of new, value-added facilities in Manitoba. This
represents the third part of our rural plan.
"Farm
it in Manitoba; finish it in Manitoba" is the
slogan for a trend that is seeing farmers and rural communities gain increased
control over food production. We are working to expand hog and beef processing
in the province, complementing the Simplot potato plant. Manitoba's new Growing
Opportunities initiative is assisting producers and rural communities to
capture greater value from agricultural commodities. An economic development
officer is now in place in each of the province's 10 GO teams. This year our
government will consult with rural Manitobans about the use of these new
resources to further economic development and the next steps to achieve
value-added opportunities.
The fourth part of our plan
is innovations that create economic development. The future of food production
in Manitoba is also supported by a research
and product development strategy that includes the Functional Foods and
Nutraceuticals Centre at the University
of Manitoba and the
newly-expanded Food Development Centre. A Farm to Fork food safety program is
being introduced this year, under the supervision of the Office of the Chief
Veterinarian. It will provide an added
level of assurance to support the made-in-Manitoba brand. This year our
government will also develop initiatives designed to expand organic farming in
our province.
Finally, our government has developed a
framework to ensure that rural Manitoba
shares in the benefits of the green economy and that rural growth is
environmentally sustainable. In the coming year, our government will become the
first province in Canada
to develop a project to support farms in carrying out a range of environmentally
friendly farming practices and alternative land uses. This project will support
the agricultural community in its commitment to protect water quality, healthy
soils and wildlife habitats.
* (14:10)
Consultations with producer groups and municipalities are
underway to implement a new approach
to land use, linking water quality protection principles to local planning
decisions. To support these initiatives, your government will establish new
soil survey teams to work on established work plans and conduct ad hoc surveys
for site-specific proposals. At the same time, enhanced water quality standards
are being introduced for septic fields and municipal sewer treatment, and Manitoba is supporting a multipronged research and
protection strategy for the Lake Winnipeg
watershed.
Manitoba's Agri-Energy Office is working with rural communities
and investors to develop new opportunities for wind generation, ethanol and
biodiesel generation. A promising new development is the discovery of
additional oil reserves in
southwestern Manitoba,
which will lead to a $200‑million investment in new pipeline and
separation facilities. Manitoba
is working with the industry to ensure
a level playing field for exploration and development in our province.
Another promising development is a five-year permit for potash
exploration in the St. Lazare area issued to the Agrium corporation. Under the
terms of the permit, Agrium will invest at least $200,000 annually in
exploration work.
To further promote innovation in rural Manitoba,
two new scholarships will be established this year: a Centennial Scholarship to the University of Manitoba's
Faculty of Agriculture and Food Sciences, and a Rural Economic Development Scholarship at
Brandon University.
Building
Northern Manitoba –
Bâtir
le nord du Manitoba
Since 1999, our government has insured that the North receives a
fair share of provincial funding for highways and transportation infrastructure.
New partnerships have been forged with Manitoba First Nations to pursue
opportunities in energy development and natural resources, and significant
investments have been made to ensure that both medical services and education
opportunities are available closer
to home for northern residents.
In 2004 the University
College of the North was created, establishing a
degree-granting post-secondary institution designed to serve the educational needs of northern
communities. Currently, there are 2250 students registered in over 40 programs
offered in locations throughout northern Manitoba.
The programs include a Bachelor of Nursing degree, which currently has over 180
students registered. This fall a Bachelor of Arts programs was started, and in
2007 a Bachelor of Education program will be launched. Future years will see
the introduction of degree programs in science and Aboriginal midwifery.
This fall Manitoba
will propose a partnership with the federal government designed to make an
immediate and significant impact on Aboriginal health outcomes. The elements of
this strategy include chronic disease educators to address factors leading to
diabetes, staff dedicated to
pre-natal and post-natal care and education in every reserve community,
Telehealth links on all reserves with training for staff to provide faster
diagnosis and reduce the need for medivacs, retinal scanning for all
northerners at risk of macular degeneration, and aggressive screening for and
treatment of tuberculosis.
Manitoba
will propose similar partnerships to
boost school completion rates on reserve and
begin addressing the critical shortage of adequate housing in northern
and First Nation communities. Our government is committed to involving First Nations directly in this partnership
and to a holistic approach that
recognizes the root factors of cultural identity and language.
Our government has gathered input from First Nations communities
on the east side of Lake Winnipeg on their
priorities for transportation, land use planning, economic development and a
sustainable future for their children. Here, too, we are seeking a partnership
that involves all levels of government. The goals of the partnership include
upgrades to the Wasagamack
Airport, community
programs for energy efficiency and home retrofit and training for locally-based
resource management and tourism.
To address the impact of
rising energy costs on northern residents, an Energy Cost Benefit will be
added to the existing remoteness allowance.
Revitalizing Cities
Our government has worked with communities and the private
sector to revitalize our large urban centres. Investments in Winnipeg
and Brandon
have included major health and
education capital, downtown revitalization, recreation facilities and
transportation and clean water infrastructure.
While there were divisions
within the community, and indeed within this Chamber, the MTS Centre in
downtown Winnipeg
has proved to be a great success. By the end of this month, it is estimated that the first one million
people will have attended an event
at the arena since it opened in November of 2004. In
terms of concert sales, the MTS Centre is fourth in Canada and
twentieth in the world. With new projects such as the Manitoba Hydro building,
the Credit Union Central Building, the Millennium Library and the Asper
building, over a million square feet will be developed in downtown Winnipeg over the next
three years.
To help further the
sustainable growth of Winnipeg, our government
will continue to work with the City
of Winnipeg and
the private sector towards opening up new housing lots. This session, your government will
introduce legislation to dedicate our profits from Waverley West and other
suburban developments to inner city
housing. These dedicated funds will add
to the impact of our investments in housing and programs like Neighbourhoods
Alive! and Building Communities.
Brandon
has recently benefited from the expansion of the Keystone Centre and the Brandon Hospital redevelopment. This year the
province will be moving ahead with the substantial or full relocation of the Assiniboine Community College to the former Brandon
Mental Health Centre site. Our government continues to work with city
officials, ACC officials, the private sector and the community as a whole to
ensure that the move is cost-effective in meeting the needs of future students.
Our government will expand
and improve the 18th Street
Bridge in Brandon.
We will work with the federal government to see that the work proceeds as
quickly as possible.
Cities across Manitoba have seen
the benefits of new investment from
highway projects for Selkirk to a new personal care home in Thompson, to
wastewater treatment facilities in
Dauphin, Gimli and Winkler. In Portage
la Prairie there will be an expansion of the Food Development Centre, a sewage
pumping station and landfill and sewer upgrades.
Municipal transit grants increased by 15 percent this year for
the first time in a decade. Earlier in the year the Building Manitoba Fund was
announced providing a significant increase in funding for municipalities. In the next
few months, municipalities will be reporting back to the province on how this
funding was spent. The Building Manitoba Fund is unique to Canada as it includes growth revenues in its
formula. According to the most recent Statistics Canada report, the Province of Manitoba is the second most generous
supporter of municipalities per capita.
Empowering Citizens –
L'affirmation des Manitobains et des Manitobaines
Nothing is more important for a child's well-being than a sense
of security. Our government will expand efforts to combat bullying in schools over the coming months, enacting
programs recommended by educators and parents. Our government will also act to
promote lifelong healthy eating habits among children.
Over the past six years our government has worked to address
issues of personal and financial security for seniors. In the coming year, new
or expanded initiatives will assist seniors' efforts to maintain their health
and independence; Aging
in Place, Healthy
Aging and a Falls
Prevention program.
Security in the workplace remains a priority. Improvements to
workplace safety over the past four years have resulted in a 21 percent decline
in time lost due to injuries. We are on track to meet our target of a 25
percent reduction by next year. In the coming days, new regulations will come
into force to improve coverage for firefighters under The Workers Compensation Act.
Proposals will also be introduced this session to modernize Manitoba's Employment Standards Code,
the first such effort in over 30 years. The changes are designed to reflect
trends in the modern workforce, such as introduction of new technologies and
the demands placed on today's families.
Our government has acted to reduce poverty and improve
opportunities for low-income Manitobans. Since 1999, the hourly minimum wage
has increased to $7.25, a 21 percent increase, restoring the purchasing power
that was lost back in the 1990s. As well, due to our tax credit programs, more
than 27 000 low-income Manitobans have come off provincial income tax
rolls.
Since 1999, our government has also restored the National Child
Benefit to income assistance recipients, established Healthy Child Manitoba, created a new
pre-natal benefit, increased income assistance rates and created 26
Parent-Child Centres. We will continue to act to provide safety and opportunity for Manitoba families. This
session new legislation will be introduced to regulate payday loan companies.
Empowering citizens also
means improving access to the democratic process and improving the transparency
of government. This session our government will be proceeding with changes to modernize Manitoba's elections acts. The changes are
designed to increase voter participation by reducing the barriers some face in
casting a ballot. Our government will also examine ways to increase democratic
participation among Aboriginal citizens and youth.
Since 1999, our government has met its
commitments under Manitoba's
balanced budget law, which requires that each year tax-supported programs be
balanced with tax revenues. In 2001, for the first time ever, we published a
summary budget for Manitoba,
including Crowns and other public agencies in the provincial budget presentation.
Working with the Auditor General,
our government will act to make the summary budget the principal report
on provincial finances by 2007, fully incorporating Generally Accepted
Accounting Principles into our annual budgets.
* (14:20)
Since 1999, Manitoba has acted to fulfil our province's obligations under Treaty
Land Entitlement and transfer land back to First Nations. Addressing TLE
transfers is a priority of our government and is directly related to First Nations
economic development. We are working with other levels of government to reduce
delays in the TLE process.
Growing Manitoba's Economy –
La croissance de notre économie
Affordability for families and businesses remains one of the key
elements of the Manitoba
advantage. Manitobans currently enjoy the lowest electricity costs and among
the lowest auto insurance premiums in North America.
Income taxes have been steadily reduced since 1999. We will implement a further
rate cut on January 1, 2006, achieving a total reduction for middle income taxes
of 19 percent over five years.
Affordability has also improved for Manitoba businesses. Corporate tax rates
were 17 percent when our government took office in 1999. They have been reduced
to 15 percent this year and will fall to 14.5 percent on January 1 of next year
and then to 14 percent in the year 2007. Small business taxes have fallen from
8 percent to 5 percent and will be reduced to 4.5 percent in 2006 and 4 percent
in 2007.
A recent court ruling in Manitoba
has raised the issue of the division of roles between architects and engineers
and threatened to slow the pace of construction in our province. Our government
has worked to establish a new co-operative agreement between the two
professions. Failing that, we will introduce legislation to ensure that
building projects are not impeded.
Our government continues to work within the framework of the
seven-point
growth strategy which was developed in partnership with
the Premier's Economic Advisory Council and leaders from every sector of the Manitoba economy.
Alongside our skills strategy, one of the cornerstones of the growth strategy is
an initiative to increase immigration to Manitoba.
Our target is 10 000 immigrants per year to Manitoba. Last year's total of 7427, an
increase of 14 percent over the previous year, is a result of the successful
redesign of our Provincial Nominee Program and the community co-ordination work
led by the new Manitoba Immigration Council.
Manitoba
will increase support for community-based settlement services this year and
seek a level of federal support for immigration services similar to that
provided in Québec and Ontario.
Qualifications recognition will remain a priority task with a focus on
engineering, nursing, occupational therapy and the trades.
Another element of the growth strategy is partnerships to develop the lead
sectors of our economy. Our
government is working with Manitoba
manufacturers to build upon and expand our Advanced Manufacturing Initiative.
We are working with the investment community to refocus our capital markets and
expand financing for early stage ventures.
A leadership council is being formed this fall to launch BioMed City,
a community-led initiative to establish our province as the Canadian
centre for public health research and
innovation. The development of a new health industry cluster comes at an
opportune time as many of Manitoba's
investments in research, infrastructure and
human capital are coming to fruition. Winnipeg
is now home to over 120 public
health innovation firms, and to a core group of internationally-renowned
researchers in infectious and chronic diseases. The development of our
biomedical sector complements the strong growth of Manitoba's biopharmaceutical industry.
With the challenge of our rising dollar, and growing competition
for markets, our government has paid special attention to Manitoba's export
industries. Manitoba has teamed up with neighbouring
U.S.
states to propose alternatives to a passport requirement for border crossings.
Our government has also committed to change our Daylight Savings Act, to keep
in sync with our major markets and tourism partners.
Trade routes themselves are another key factor. As the northern
link in the International Mid-Continent Trade and Transportation Corridor, Manitoba is positioned
to be an important partner in a three-country trade relationship worth
$723 billion annually. A focus of our province's international strategy is
the development of a recognized trade corridor stretching from the Port of Churchill
down to Mexico.
The year 2005 has been
declared the Year
of the Veteran. In closing, I want to pay special tribute
to those citizens of Manitoba and Canada who
fought to preserve our freedoms and lay the groundwork for the vast
opportunities we, as Manitobans, enjoy.
As you proceed to carry out
the responsibilities the people of Manitoba
have entrusted to you, I trust that Divine Providence will guide your
deliberations in the best interests of all our citizens.
Merci.
Thank you very much.
* (14:30)
The Sergeant-at-Arms made
obeisance with the mace and preceded the Lieutenant-Governor, accompanied by
the Premier, the officer escort and the aides and the provincial court judges,
to the north doors of the Chamber.
God Save the Queen and O Canada! were
sung.
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.
Introduction of Bills
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 would like to take this opportunity 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. Daniel Winstanley,
Mr. Nicholas Dupuis, Ms. Gillian Thornton, Ms. Alannah Hallas, Ms. Hemali
Vyas, Mr. Chad
Jacobson, Mr. Ryan Foyle, Ms. Monica De Castro.
* * *
Mr.
Doer: I
move, seconded by the Minister of Energy, Science and Technology (Mr. Chomiak),
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 Finance (Mr. Selinger), that this House do
now adjourn.
Mr. Speaker: Before putting the question to the House, may I inform all present
that a receiving line composed of Their Honours 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 10 a.m. tomorrow
(Friday).