LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF
Tuesday,
March 7, 2006
The House met at 1:30 p.m.
PRAYER
ROUTINE PROCEEDINGS
Mr. Kevin Lamoureux (
The background to this petition is as follows:
The
As a direct result of the government not acting on what it knew, over 33,000 Crocus investors have lost tens of millions of dollars.
The relationship between some union leaders, the Premier (Mr. Doer) and the NDP seems to be the primary reason as for why the government ignored the red flags.
We petition the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba as follows:
To request the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba to consider the need to seek clarification on why the government did not act on fixing the Crocus Fund back in 2001.
To urge the Premier and his government to co-operate in making public what really did happen.
Signed by Atish Maniar, Patricia Meyler, Veerbala Maniar and many, many others.
Mr. Speaker: In accordance with Rule 132(6), when petitions are read they are deemed to be received by the House.
These are the reasons for this petition:
A number of head-on collisions, as well as fatal accidents, have occurred on Highway 10.
Manitobans have expressed increasing concern about the safety of Highway 10, particularly near the two schools in Forrest where there are no road crossing safety devices to ensure student safety.
Manitobans have indicated that the deplorable road condition and road width is a factor in driver and vehicle safety.
It is anticipated that there will be an increased flow of traffic on this highway in the near future.
We petition the Manitoba Legislative Assembly as follows:
To request the Minister of Transportation and Government Services (Mr. Lemieux) to consider providing sufficient resources to enhance driver and vehicle safety on Highway 10.
To request the Minister of Transportation and Government Services to consider upgrading Highway 10.
This petition is signed by Susan Peters, Linda Young, Craig MacDonald and many, many others.
Fiscal Record
Mr. Stuart Murray (Leader of the Official Opposition): Mr. Speaker, it is obvious
from yesterday's NDP budget that complacency reigns in
Hon. Gary Doer (Premier): I believe the Fraser
Institute, that outstanding NDP organization, just rated
Some Honourable Members: Oh, oh.
Mr. Speaker: Order.
Mr. Doer: Fourth in investment climate, and third in government efficiency, which means we have more work to do, obviously, but we are on the correct track.
I would point out that the budget yesterday might be unusual for members opposite because it does something that they never did in the past. It actually keeps promises. I know members–
Some Honourable Members: Oh, oh.
Mr. Speaker: Order. I need to be able to hear the questions and the answers.
* (13:35)
Mr. Doer: Yes, thank you, Mr. Speaker. I know members opposite, when the tired group was in government, had a situation where they promised to eliminate the payroll tax in four years and they promised to fund education at 80 percent. Well, what a surprise. They did not tell us which four years, 2020, 2021. They broke that promise, and rather than increasing funding to 80 percent to education, they actually increased taxes by 80 percent for education.
Mr. Speaker, the promises we made in May of '03 on tax reductions, every one of them has either been met or exceeded in the budget that was produced yesterday. We have lowered middle income tax rates with this budget to 13 percent from 16.6 percent when we came into office. That was a promise made and a promise kept.
When we came into office, the small business tax was 8 percent with a threshold of $200,000. It is now targeted and going down to 3 percent with a threshold of $400,000, not only meeting our promise but exceeding it. We promised in the 2002 budget and again in the 2004 election to reduce the ESL and eliminate the ESL on residential properties by the year 2007. We are doing it in the year 2006, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Murray: Mr. Speaker, despite the business communities of Manitoba who understand why we have to be competitive in this province, they understand it because they live it everyday, unlike this Premier who turns a blind ear, we saw once again in this budget yesterday that there was no long-term economic strategy for the province of Manitoba.
Mr. Speaker, we continually are a have-not
province under the leadership of this NDP Premier. It is interesting and I know
that members opposite are not interested in this, but Manitobans understand
that in times of unprecedented revenues in the
In times of unprecedented revenues, Mr. Speaker, this NDP Premier has raided the rainy day fund not just once, but twice in the last two weeks to the tune of $171 million. This Premier is not accountable for where the money is going and where he is spending it.
I would ask this Premier: When will he stop settling for last place? Manitobans deserve better. When will this Premier deliver?
Mr. Doer: Mr. Speaker, there was a report out yesterday that clearly
indicates Manitoba's continued progress. When we came into office the corporate
tax rate in
It is now going to 14 percent, January 1, 2007. It is targeted to go to 13 percent in 2008. I would point out, Mr. Speaker, that on Friday before this outstanding budget, the Bank of Nova Scotia said on some of our newscasts the fact that if you compare Manitoba to Ontario, Manitoba has its fiscal house in order. It has energy sources which are important as opposed to other provinces who are wrestling with deficits and energies. We are going by provinces budget by budget.
* (13:40)
Mr. Murray: Since 1999, this Premier has refused to be accountable for his overspending and his mismanagement of his government. You know, under this Premier, Manitoba has gone from spend more, get less to spend more, get last. The last, Mr. Speaker, have-not province in western Canada. Last place in taxation, last place with respect to our health care in Canada.
Mr. Speaker, Manitobans are demanding better. They deserve it. When will this Premier deliver?
Mr. Doer: Even prior to those tax reductions that we made yesterday, the
Fraser Institute evaluated
Since we have been in office we have more nurses in this province. We have more doctors in this province. We have more police officers in this province. We have more prosecutors in this province. We have more primary health care units in this province. We have more Telehealth in this province. We have more investment in highways. We have more MRIs. We have more CAT scans and we have less taxes.
Some Honourable Members: Oh, oh.
Mr. Speaker: Order. I am going to once again remind members that I cannot even hear the questions and the answers. I need to be able to hear them in case there is a breach of the rule. I am going to once more ask for co-operation.
Has the honourable First Minister concluded your comments?
Overspending
Mr. Gerald Hawranik (Lac
du Bonnet): Mr. Speaker, the Premier forgot to mention
that we also have more debt in Manitoba. It is the responsibility of government
to live within its means. Clearly the NDP government cannot do this. In spite
of $478 million of new revenue, the second-highest increase in
I ask the Minister of Finance: Why can he not find a way to limit his spending within the second-highest increase in revenues in history? How much revenue is enough?
Hon. Greg Selinger (Minister of Finance): The member opposite, first of all, should get his facts right. The absolute debt in Manitoba over the last three years has gone down $327 million. The member seems to be concerned about expenditure in the province. If he would draw his attention to page B34 in the budget papers, which actually deals in fact as opposed to rhetoric and propaganda from the member opposite, he will see that expenditure as a percentage of the GDP has actually declined this year over last year and is steady over the last several years. The member is just wrong in the facts as he always is.
Mr. Hawranik: Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Finance is wrong in his facts and I point to B32 of his own budget papers. Our debt has increased by $618 million from last year. Take a look.
Just two weeks ago, the Finance Minister withdrew $86 million from the rainy day fund. In order to balance the budget, this Finance Minister again had to dip into the rainy day fund, this time to the tune of $85 million, a total of $171 million in just two weeks.
I ask the Minister of Finance: Why does he have to dip into the savings of this province when we have the second-highest increase in revenue in history?
* (13:45)
Mr. Selinger: Mr. Speaker, perhaps they could cast their minds back to their last three budgets. Their draws from the Fiscal Stabilization Fund were $185 million, $186 million and $100 million and their draws were far higher in absolute terms. Their draws were far higher as a proportion of the budget, and as the member knows, we had a prepayment on our health money a couple of years ago from the federal government. We have a planned drawdown to reduce wait list times. Members opposite have said they wanted more spending to reduce wait list times. We are putting the money where they have asked us to put it.
Mr. Hawranik: Mr. Speaker, not only
did the Finance Minister dip into the Province's savings, but in this year's
budget he increased the total debt of the Province of Manitoba by $618 million.
The NDP government is increasing the total debt of
I ask the Minister of Finance: Why does he refuse to get his financial house in order?
Mr. Selinger: The financial house of Manitoba is in better order than it has ever been which is why we have had two credit rating upgrades. The member opposite persists in putting this information on the record even when the Auditor General himself has corrected him.
The average debt in
Slaughter Capacity
Mr. Ralph Eichler (Lakeside): Mr. Speaker, this budget is
nothing short of absolute failure for our
When will the Minister of Agriculture make a meaningful commitment to slaughter capacity, a commitment that was sorely lacking in the budget, and not just another re-announcement?
Hon. Rosann Wowchuk (Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Initiatives): First of all, Mr. Speaker, our government has been committed to and is committed to working with producers and the industry to increase slaughter capacity in this province.
Our money has been on the table and will continue to be on the table. What I find passing strange, Mr. Speaker, is the critic for Finance just said that we are spending too much money and the critic for Agriculture is saying spend more money. Which way do they want it?
* (13:50)
Agriculture Programs
Mr. Ralph Eichler (
Members on this side of
the House were not fooled in an attempt by this NDP government to hide behind
old commitments to agriculture in their budget. Neither were
Mr. Speaker, will the
Minister of Agriculture commit to a sustainable program to help
Hon. Rosann Wowchuk (Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Initiatives): Mr. Speaker, I can tell this House and people in this House that this government is committed to farmers. We have reduced their taxes, education farm taxes, which they asked for. They asked for improvement to drainage and we have increased the budget to drainage.
Yes, we announced ahead of time some of the programs that we were putting in place such as crop insurance and CAIS so that farmers would have some signals. Do you know what the members opposite did for farmers? They sold Manitoba Telephone System, so all rural farm bills go up. That is the support that members opposite give to rural Manitobans.
Mr. Eichler: Mr. Speaker, that is exactly what the farmers are talking about, re-announcements and re-issues and do not stick to the topic about farm families. They have faced increased hardship due to circumstances out of their control such as BSE, flooding, low commodity prices. Despite this, the NDP government has not offered any concrete solutions in their budget to these problems and farmers are struggling to survive.
Mr. Speaker, rural communities were
listening to the budget and their concerns were not addressed. Will the
Minister of Agriculture now offer any concrete workable solutions to ensure
viability of
Ms. Wowchuk: Mr. Speaker, we have offered solutions to the issues that producers have raised to us. Producers have raised the issue of drainage and they have asked for improved drainage. We have doubled that budget.
Producers have asked for changes to crop insurance so that they could have better protection, Mr. Speaker. We have put in place–
Some Honourable Members: Oh, oh.
Mr. Speaker: Order. The
honourable Member for
Ms. Wowchuk: We have listened on drainage. We have listened on crop insurance. Mr. Speaker, we are looking at opportunities for value added and the incentive that we put out on biodiesel will certainly help in that.
Health Care Spending
Mrs. Heather Stefanson (Tuxedo): Mr. Speaker, the Premier of the Province (Mr. Doer) likes to talk about promises. Well, let me remind him of a promise that he made some seven years ago to Manitobans to end hallway medicine in six months with $15 million. Promises made, promises broken on that side.
This Minister of Health should be ashamed
that, in times of unprecedented revenues,
When will this Minister of Health accept responsibility for his failure to provide Manitobans with the health care they deserve?
Hon. Tim Sale (Minister of Health): Mr. Speaker, some things do
not change. One of the things that has not changed in this province is the
attitude of members opposite. When they were in office they drove nurses out of
Some Honourable Members: Oh, oh.
Mr. Speaker: Order.
Mr. Sale: –from the
Conference Board of Canada itself that our system ranks third in performance in
Mrs. Stefanson: Mr. Speaker, this Minister of Health likes to insult Manitobans. The
Conference Board of Canada ranked
A 2005 national survey of health care
providers, managers and the public revealed that 50 percent of Canadians have
falling confidence in the health care system. The percentage of those surveyed
who expressed falling confidence in the health care system was highest in
Mr. Sale: Mr. Speaker, just
today the Canadian Institute for Health Information noted that
Dr. Menkis, the head of
our cardiac care program, noted last week that we met all of the benchmarks and
exceeded the benchmarks for cardiac care. If the member opposite would like to
read the wait list data on our Web site, which members opposite never put out,
no wait list data from that side of the House, she would know that the waits
for diagnostic care in
* (13:55)
Mrs. Stefanson: Mr. Speaker, hopefully we can get to a point where they do not have
to put it on a Web site, because there will be no wait lists in
Accountability and sustainability are absolute foreign concepts when it comes to this Minister of Health. Throwing more money at a system with no accountability or transparency will not reduce wait lists and is not in the best interests of Manitobans, Mr. Speaker.
When will this Minister of Health wake up and realize that his spend more, get last mismanagement of our health care system is forcing Manitobans to continue waiting in pain?
Mr. Sale: We have exceeded the target for increased hip and knee surgery. We have exceeded the targets that we set. We exceeded the targets for dental surgery to the point where the wait list is under three months. We have cut the wait list for diagnostic tests from an average time of 12 or 14 weeks to a maximum time of 12 or 14 weeks. In other words, about half of what it was a couple of years back.
We exceed the benchmarks for radiation
therapy access, Mr. Speaker, we are better than the national benchmarks, best
in
Auditor General's Report
Mr. Cliff Cullen (
Why does this Doer government insist on using guidelines to make decisions? Where has the common sense gone?
Hon. Nancy Allan (Minister of Labour and Immigration): Mr. Speaker, the Auditor General in his report has made a recommendation that we should put guidelines in place and we have–
Some Honourable Members: Oh, oh.
Mr. Speaker: Order.
Ms. Allan: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Auditor General said in his report, it is on page 5 of the report, the relationship between the government and the arm's-length agency, the WCB that has a tripartite board of directors, is complex. When the former Minister of Labour received the letter in regard to the personnel issues, she acted reasonably and she acted within the law. He has recommended guidelines and we will accept that recommendation.
Mr. Cullen: Mr. Speaker, Manitobans are looking for a government that will be accountable to all Manitobans. Anyone who has read the eight pages of allegations brought forward by Ms. Jacobsen would realize the issues were not a personnel matter. The inactions of this government clearly smack of a cover-up.
Why does this Doer government require guidelines when it is dealing with moral and ethical issues?
Ms. Allan: Mr. Speaker, I have had the opportunity to read the eight-page letter that was written by Pat Jacobsen. I am sure the members opposite have had that opportunity as well, and many, many times they have tried to link that letter to Crocus. I think if they read that letter they will determine that absolutely nowhere in that eight-page letter, not once is Crocus mentioned, or is the word "Crocus" in that letter.
* (14:00)
Mr. Cullen: Mr. Speaker, I ask the minister to stay tuned. In that letter there is a reference to investments and we will get to the details of that.
Mr. Speaker, this government has clearly shown a lack of responsibility to public employees and a lack of accountability to Manitobans. This Doer government is so arrogant that they even disagree with the Auditor General.
The first step to recovery is to admit you have a problem. Will this minister now admit the Doer government handled this file inappropriately when these allegations were brought forward?
Ms. Allan: Mr. Speaker, I am so
pleased that the member opposite talked about the WCB's investment performance.
Let us talk about that investment performance. In 2004, the WCB had the
second-best investment performance of any jurisdiction in
MGEU Telephone Survey
Mr. Kelvin Goertzen (Steinbach): Mr. Speaker, my question is
for the Minister responsible for the Civil Service. Can the minister confirm
that a home telephone survey of
Hon. Greg Selinger (Minister responsible for the Civil Service): Mr. Speaker, I have to just say right off the hop, whatever the MGEU does I am not responsible for. They have to answer their own questions on their own surveys.
Mr. Goertzen: Mr. Speaker, this is also the minister who is intending to bring forward whistle-blower legislation, I understand. So a further question to that minister, and I would ask that he would endeavour to find the answer. Can the minister indicate, will he find out for us who the polling company was that asked Manitoba government employees who they intended to vote for in the next provincial election?
Mr. Selinger: If the member wants to know something about an activity of a body like the Manitoba Government Employees Union he should check himself. We do not have anything to do with their activities and we do not answer questions on their behalf. They can answer their own questions about what they are doing.
Overspending
Hon. Jon Gerrard (
I ask the Minister of Finance: Will he tell us now how much over budget he expects to be this year and how much more than $69 million he plans to raid from the rainy day fund this year?
Hon. Greg Selinger (Minister of Finance): Mr. Speaker, the member knows that we have a plan to retire the general purpose debt in this province where we contribute $110 million a year, up from the $75 million when the members opposite were in government. They also know that we have the first plan in 40 years to retire the pension liability, a liability that had grown from $1.9 billion to over $3 billion. We have a plan to retire that over 35 years down to zero instead of letting it swell up to $8.8 billion.
The member knows that our spending, as a portion of the GDP, has remained constant and is actually slightly down this year over last year. The member knows that this government has balanced the books every year under the so-called balanced budget legislation. The member also knows that under the full summary budget we predict a surplus of $148 million.
Revenues
Hon. Jon Gerrard (River Heights): My question is about the minister's so-called budget. There is good reason to be very sceptical of NDP budgeting. The record shows that in the last four years the NDP has not had a budget target that it did not miss.
Despite NDP meddling, Manitoba Hydro this year is predicting a record profit of $375 million. Now, since this government came to power, there have been a number of NDP raids on Manitoba Hydro, with the result that Manitoba Hydro's debt has risen from $5.7 billion to $6.7 billion. With Manitoba Hydro planning to build new dams it will need reserve funds to start construction. It does not need more debt.
Will the Premier guarantee this Legislature that he will not raid Manitoba Hydro profits anymore? Yes or no?
Hon. Gary Doer (Premier): I am pleased, Mr. Speaker, to show that in the budget there is some close to $800 million in revenue generated from export sales in the third quarter report of Manitoba Hydro.
I would point out for the record that it was the Liberal Party of Manitoba that called this project lemonstone. It was the Tory Party of Manitoba that mothballed the development of Limestone. We are doing better than any other jurisdiction in the world because we are builders. They are drifters.
Public Inquiry
Mr. Kevin Lamoureux (Inkster): Mr. Speaker, yesterday I requested that the Premier acknowledge the need for a public inquiry regarding the Crocus Fund. We have Manitoba Securities, we have the provincial auditor, we have the RCMP and we have our courts. They are all looking into the Crocus Fund. Over 33,000 Manitobans have lost in excess of $60 million. I think Manitobans deserve an answer from the Premier.
Mr. Speaker, I am going to appeal to the Premier to answer the question and not have one of his government lackeys answer. I want to hear from the Premier himself, if the Premier is prepared to tell us, why is this Premier not prepared to call for a public inquiry? Will the Premier have the courage to tell Manitobans why he will not allow for a public inquiry?
Hon. Jim Rondeau (Minister of Industry, Economic Development and Mines): Mr. Speaker, I trust that the member opposite, after he listed all the different recourses that we have done, we have taken all legal matters and we have taken it to the RCMP. All the cases with the Manitoba Securities Commission have continued to–
Mr. Speaker: Order.
Point of Order
Mr. Speaker: The honourable member for Inkster, on a point of order?
Mr. Lamoureux: Just on a point of order, Mr. Speaker. The government has done nothing. These are all things that have been done outside–
Some Honourable Members: Oh, oh.
Mr. Speaker: Order. Points of orders are to be used to point out to the Speaker a breach of a rule or a departure of Manitoba practices and not to be used for debate. The honourable member does not have a point of order.
Point of Order
Mr. Speaker: Order. The honourable member for Inkster, on a new point of order?
Mr. Lamoureux: Mr. Speaker, I would challenge your ruling.
Mr. Speaker: Does the member have support? All those who support, please stand. Okay, the member has support. You may be seated.
Voice Vote
Mr. Speaker: All those in favour of sustaining the ruling of the Chair, say yea.
Some Honourable Members: Yea.
Mr. Speaker: All those opposed to sustaining the ruling of the Chair, say nay.
Some Honourable Members: Nay.
Mr. Speaker: In my opinion, the Yeas have it.
Formal Vote
Mr. Leonard Derkach (Official Opposition House Leader): Mr. Speaker, as a result of the Premier (Mr. Doer) not wanting to call an inquiry, I think we have the yeas and nays.
Mr. Speaker: Order. A recorded vote having been requested, call in the members.
The question before the House is shall the ruling of the Chair be sustained.
Division
A RECORDED VOTE was taken, the result being as follows:
Yeas
Aglugub, Allan, Altemeyer, Ashton, Bjornson, Brick, Chomiak, Dewar, Doer, Irvin-Ross, Jennissen, Jha, Korzeniowski, Lathlin, Mackintosh, Maloway, Martindale, McGifford, Melnick, Nevakshonoff, Oswald, Reid, Robinson, Rondeau, Sale, Santos, Schellenberg, Struthers, Swan, Wowchuk.
Nays
Cullen, Cummings, Derkach, Driedger, Dyck, Eichler,
Faurschou, Gerrard, Goertzen, Hawranik, Lamoureux, Maguire, McFadyen, Mitchelson,
Murray, Reimer, Rowat, Schuler, Stefanson, Taillieu.
Madam Clerk (Patricia Chaychuk): Yeas 30, Nays 20.
Mr. Speaker: The ruling of the Chair has been sustained.
* * *
* (15:10)
Mr. Speaker: We will now revert to Question Period.
The honourable Minister of Industry, Economic Development and Mines has the floor. You have 33 seconds remaining.
Mr. Rondeau: Mr. Speaker, I find it sad that the member opposite continues to show disrespect, inappropriate in the House. I have referred this matter as I explained. All the legal matters were referred to the appropriate authority as soon as we received the Auditor General's report.
The Securities Commission is reviewing past filings and making sure that there are no irregularities or inappropriate behaviour as far as past filings or misbehaviour. As far as the implementation team, the implementation team has taken the actions and suggested legislation and changes that will refer to all the Auditor General's issues, and the tax issues have been referred to the Canada tax agency.
Government Initiatives
Mr. Andrew Swan (Minto): Mr. Speaker, together with
many of my colleagues, as well as some colleagues on the other side of the
House, I was able to participate in the annual Heart and Stroke Foundation
hockey game. Once again, of course, we did vanquish the media. Now February was
Heart Month in
I wonder if the Minister of Health could inform the House in regard to some of the recent progress in cardiac care in the province of Manitoba.
Hon. Tim Sale (Minister of Health): First, Mr. Speaker, I certainly hope that my honourable colleague's comments to the media do not detract from the covering of this very important story.
I was delighted today to
join with Dr. Alan Menkis, the head of our cardiac care program, Dr. Tam, the
head of cardiology, Michel Tétreault the head of St. Boniface Hospital and Dr.
Brian Postl, the head of WRHA, to announce a $30-million completion of our
cardiac care program, the final piece of the puzzle that Dr. Arvind Koshal from
Mr. Speaker: Order.
Public Inquiry
Mr. Glen Cummings (Ste. Rose): Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Premier. We have continually seen calls from a wide range of public in this province for inquiries into the Crocus Fund. We have seen the moving of funds from the Workers Compensation Board, from the Teachers' Retirement Allowance into Crocus-supported investments through what we consider a conflicted, overlapping, investment committee. It has also come to light that we have seen two senior managers who saw fit to be worried about this and bring the concerns to the public summarily being fired by the hands of this government.
Shareholders in Crocus Fund have been looking for answers. They have lost over $60 million. They have been demanding answers. Taxpayers will end up being on the hook for costs. If this Premier has nothing to hide, call an inquiry.
Hon. Gary Doer (Premier): It is interesting to note, Mr. Speaker, that the Gomery inquiry findings dealing with boards of directors and CEOs of corporations very clearly recommend, and I do not know whether it has been accepted by the new Prime Minister, that governments' politicians should not interfere with the board of directors in the hiring and firing–
Some Honourable Members: Oh, oh.
Mr. Speaker: Order.
Mr. Doer: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Very important in terms of the hiring and firing of CEOs. It is consistent with the law of the Workers Compensation Board, which makes it very clear that the quote: "Hiring and firing of a CEO is the responsibility of the board of directors." That is a law that was in place before we were elected. It was a law that I assume was in place during the hiring of former CEOs, and it was the law clearly that was in place, appropriately so.
Mr. Cummings: Mr. Speaker, on my second question, I believe that this Premier knew that there was information available that he could have avoided the conflicted, overlapping investment committees. He also knew that when they made those decisions they were going into co-investments with Crocus that were already in trouble. The Crocus shareholders are so incensed that they have no way of being able to find out who caused these losses. People lost their retirement funds. They need to know why this Premier stood by and let it happen. If he has nothing to hide and he says there is nothing wrong then let us have an inquiry.
Mr. Doer: Mr. Speaker, it is well documented that the investments made that the member opposite raises with Crocus and Workers Compensation were made in 1996 and 1998. The members opposite–
Some Honourable Members: Oh, oh.
Mr. Speaker: Order.
Mr. Doer: The members opposite might know that–
Mr. Speaker: Order. Time for Oral Questions has expired.
Point of Order
Mr. Speaker: The honourable Member for Ste. Rose, on a point of order.
Mr. Cummings: Mr. Speaker, on a point of order, it is more in embarrassment than anger that I raise this point of order. I am embarrassed that we have a government that will not answer to the shareholders who lost their money, retirement funds, who are going to have their retirement put at risk, that the return that they will receive will not be appropriate. I am embarrassed that this government would turn a blind eye to the ratepayers at Workers Compensation Board who cannot expect that they will get the best benefit from the money that they are investing.
Mr. Speaker, we are embarrassed that this government would not want to get to the bottom of this web of deceit and potentially fraud that is being foisted on the people of this province.
The Premier (Mr. Doer) will not get up and answer the question, Mr. Speaker. That is a point of order that I think the people of this province need to know, that the lead minister, the leader of this government will not be accountable for the type of misappropriation of funds that has gone on under his direction.
Mr. Speaker: The honourable Government House Leader, on the same point of order.
Hon. Gord Mackintosh (Government House Leader): Clearly, Mr. Speaker, there is no point of order. It is just an abuse of the rules of the House and not a good use of the time of the House.
I would suggest, Mr. Speaker, that perhaps the Leader of the Opposition (Mr. Murray) might by his current colleagues at least allow him to get up and respond to the budget so we can have some debate on the budget in this House which is of critical importance to Manitobans.
Mr. Speaker, if the member has comments, as he has made, that he wants to pursue, surely he can look at grievances if he has one left.
Mr. Speaker: On the point of order raised by the honourable Member for Ste. Rose, he does not have a point of order. It is a dispute over the facts.
* * *
Mr. Leonard Derkach (Official Opposition House Leader): Mr. Speaker, with the greatest of respect, I challenge your ruling.
Mr. Speaker: The ruling of the Chair has been challenged.
Voice Vote
Mr. Speaker: All those in favour of sustaining the ruling of the Chair, say yea.
Some Honourable Members: Yea.
Mr. Speaker: All those opposed to sustaining the ruling of the Chair, say nay.
Some Honourable Members: Nay.
Mr. Speaker: In my opinion, the Yeas have it.
Formal Vote
Mr. Derkach: Yeas and Nays, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker: A recorded vote having been requested, call in the members.
* (16:10)
Mr. Speaker: Order. The question before the House is shall the ruling of the Chair be sustained.
Division
A RECORDED VOTE was taken, the result being as follows:
Yeas
Aglugub, Allan, Altemeyer, Ashton, Bjornson, Brick, Chomiak, Dewar, Doer, Irvin-Ross, Jennissen, Jha, Korzeniowski, Lathlin, Mackintosh, Maloway, Martindale, McGifford, Melnick, Nevakshonoff, Oswald, Reid, Robinson, Rondeau, Sale, Santos, Schellenberg, Struthers, Swan, Wowchuk.
Nays
Cullen, Cummings, Derkach, Driedger, Dyck, Eichler,
Faurschou, Gerrard, Goertzen, Hawranik, Lamoureux, Maguire, McFadyen, Mitchelson,
Murray, Reimer, Rocan, Rowat, Schuler, Stefanson, Taillieu.
Madam Clerk (Patricia Chaychuk): Yeas 30, Nays 21.
Mr. Speaker: The ruling of the Chair has been sustained.
2006 Manitoba Winter Games
Mr. Gerald Hawranik (Lac du Bonnet): I am pleased to draw
attention to the 2006 Power Smart Manitoba Winter Games,
The Beausejour,
Brokenhead, Tyndall and Garson areas are no stranger to successfully hosting
large events. Just this past weekend, the Beausejour area hosted another
successful Canadian Power Toboggan Championship race, the largest and
longest-running snowmobile race in
The secret to our success
is our volunteers. We have some of the best volunteers in
To the athletes and coaches, I wish you the very best. To the fans, enjoy the Games and the hospitality of our communities. Personally, Mr. Speaker, I will be at the Games and I hope to see you there. Thank you.
Black History Month
Mr. Doug Martindale (Burrows): Mr. Speaker, this past
February marked the 25th anniversary of the Black History Month celebration
committee and Black History Month activities in
At the ceremony I was privileged to present to Dr. June James, patron of Black History Month, a plaque from the Minister responsible for Multiculturalism (Ms. Allan) honouring the committee's 25th anniversary.
Every February, Canadians
have an opportunity to pause and reflect on past historical injustices as well
as a chance to ensure that the achievements of black Canadians are properly
recognized. Originally created as Negro History Week by an African-American
scholar named Carter G. Woodson in the 1920s in response to ignorance and misrepresentation
of the history of people of colour, the celebration has since grown by leaps
and bounds. In the 1970s, the commemoration was extended to an entire month to
attest to the continuing need to educate the public about black history in
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In
Mr. Speaker, I call on all members of this Assembly to join me in recognizing this important milestone. For 25 years now, Manitobans have worked towards mutual understanding by recognizing the achievements of all its citizens. I also call upon all members to join me in congratulating and thanking the many volunteers and activists who have helped make Black History Month a reality. In particular, I would like to recognize the efforts of Wade Kojo Williams Sr., who for 25 years has been on the Black History Month Celebration Committee and has worked tirelessly to promote their many successful events.
Safeway Select Curling Championship
Mr. Kelvin Goertzen (Steinbach): Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to a very successful event that was held in the Steinbach community just this past month. The 2006 Safeway Select was held, and it was a tremendous success for the fans, for the sponsors and all the volunteers that were involved. Never before have I seen a community come together to rally behind athletes from across the province to ensure that they felt at home in that community and the host community, that they truly felt that, in fact, it was their community. I heard from all the curlers who were involved and all the volunteers that it was one of the best curling events, one of the best Safeway Selects because of the hospitality that was put forward.
I want to pay special
tribute to Doug Lintott and Wayne Pauls,
who served as the co-chairs of the event and really saw the vision and had the
foresight sometime ago to work to bring this event to the Steinbach community
for the benefit of all the residents of the region. Volunteers from across
southeastern
I want to wish Jeff Stoughton well as he goes forward and represents Manitoba in the Canadian national Brier in the week ahead, and thank all of the people of Steinbach for the great work they did in putting on the 2006 Safeway Select.
I Love to Read Month
Ms. Kerri Irvin-Ross (
I was privileged to be
invited to participate in a number of I Love to Read Month activities in my
constituency of
This passionate commitment is heartening, Mr. Speaker, and I would like to thank each and every volunteer, parent, teacher, and administrator who helped make I Love to Read Month the same success it has always been. From the promotion of literacy and the early encouragement of interest in reading to the simple enjoyment of a good book, the benefits of the activities put on during the month are lasting and significant.
Through the continued support of public libraries and programs in schools across the province, this government hopes to encourage the important work that is being done in conjunction with I Love to Read Month. Through these and other celebrations, the lifelong excitement and discovery that is reading can be ignited. It is up to all of us, Mr. Speaker, to continue to stoke that fire. Thank you.
Auditor General–Departmental
Budget
Mr. Kevin Lamoureux (
I want to cite the example of the Crocus Fund. The provincial auditor is one of several independent groups that are out there that have found so many faults with this government in the way in which they have dealt with the Crocus Fund and the management of it. Mr. Speaker, we have seen now a Premier who has stepped aside and has chosen to say nothing because he is fearful that he will get personally tarnished because of the mismanagement of that whole Crocus fiasco.
What Manitobans want to see is an independent public inquiry, even former Premier Ed Schreyer, both opposition parties, shareholders, taxpayers, independent media outlets, the list goes on. The only one in this province who does not want to see it is, in fact, this Premier (Mr. Doer). I understand why he does not want to see it. For the first time in many years you have the opposition working together to get the Premier to do what is right and call for that public inquiry. We challenge the Premier to do what is right here. Do not be forced into a situation. Life might not be as easy as one would think unless you are prepared to go ahead–
Mr. Speaker: Order. The honourable member's time has expired.
Point of Order
Mr. Leonard Derkach (Official Opposition House Leader): On a point of order.
Mr. Speaker: On a point of order.
Mr. Derkach: Mr. Speaker, in Question Period today we witnessed something that I felt was extremely disgusting: an abuse of the rules of this House in terms of asking questions. Questions are supposed to, by nature, be those that seek information from government. It is the opposition who seeks answers from the government. Although we have been trying to seek answers from the Premier with regard to the Crocus Fund, the Workers Compensation Board, he has cleverly deflected all of these to his so-called ministers who have abrogated their responsibility and have not come clean with Manitobans. Neither has the Premier come clean with Manitobans with regard to what went on in Crocus.
Now, the Premier has not come clean because he knows his lieutenant, Mr. Kostyra, was directly implicated and directly involved by visiting the offices of Workers Compensation Board, the Crocus Fund. On many occasions, Mr. Speaker, people witnessed his presence there in light of the fiasco that then followed with regard to Crocus.
Mr. Speaker, there are some legal issues here when we have members of the opposition denied the opportunity to continue with Question Period because a backbencher decides to stand up and ask the Minister of Health (Mr. Sale) to outline activities. Now, he meets with his caucus every day. If that question had been legitimate, and if that question had sought information that was legitimate, I would not be rising on this point of order. But it is for that reason that I rise on this matter, because it is an abuse of the workings of this Chamber.
Mr. Speaker: The honourable Government House Leader, on the same point of order.
Hon. Gord Mackintosh (Government House Leader): Mr. Speaker, I did not hear of a single rule that was allegedly breached. I did not hear a point of order from the member opposite.
Mr. Speaker: On the point of order raised by the honourable Official Opposition House Leader, it has been the practice of all Houses to allow government backbenchers to ask questions. When we negotiated the rotation of questions, question No. 8 was agreed to for a government backbencher to ask questions. I am not going to start to judge if the question is a proper question or not because members have a right to ask a question, and it is up to the government to answer the question, or they could refuse to answer the question. That was negotiated. So under our House rules, the first six questions are the official opposition's. Number seven is for the independent members and number eight is for the government backbenchers and presuming there is more time, the rest of the Question Period goes to the official opposition. That was negotiated.
So the honourable member does not have a point of order. That will have to be my ruling.
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Mr. Derkach: Mr. Speaker, with the greatest of respect and in light of the fact that this government continues to stall on the issue of the inquiry, I challenge your ruling.
Mr. Speaker: Okay, the ruling of the Chair–
Some Honourable Members: Oh, oh.
Mr. Speaker: Order. The ruling of the Chair has been challenged.
Voice Vote
Mr. Speaker: All those in agreement to sustain the ruling of the Chair, say yea.
Some Honourable Members: Yea.
Mr. Speaker: All those opposed to sustaining the ruling of the Chair, say nay.
Some Honourable Members: Nay.
Mr. Speaker: In my opinion, the Yeas have it.
Formal Vote
Mr. Derkach: Recorded vote, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker: A recorded vote having been requested, call in the members.
Order. The question before the House is shall the ruling of the Chair be sustained.
Division
A RECORDED VOTE was taken, the result being as follows:
Yeas
Aglugub, Allan, Altemeyer, Ashton, Bjornson, Brick, Chomiak, Dewar, Doer, Irvin-Ross, Jennissen, Jha, Korzeniowski, Lathlin, Mackintosh, Maloway, Martindale, McGifford, Melnick, Nevakshonoff, Oswald, Reid, Rondeau, Sale, Santos, Schellenberg, Struthers, Swan, Wowchuk.
Nays
Cullen, Cummings, Derkach,
Driedger, Dyck, Eichler, Faurschou, Gerrard, Goertzen, Lamoureux, Maguire, McFadyen,
Mitchelson, Murray, Reimer, Rowat, Schuler, Stefanson, Taillieu.
Madam Clerk (Patricia Chaychuk): Yeas 29, Nays 19.
Mr. Speaker: The ruling of the Chair has been sustained, and the time being past 5 p.m., this House is now adjourned and stands adjourned until 1:30 p.m. tomorrow (Wednesday).