LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF
Tuesday,
December 5,
2006
The House met at 10 a.m.
PRAYER
PRIVATE MEMBERS' BUSINESS
House Business
Hon. Dave Chomiak (Government House Leader): Mr. Speaker, with great thanks to the House, I wonder if there might be leave to introduce Bill 214, The Good Samaritan Protection Act.
Mr. Speaker: Is there leave to introduce Bill 214, The Good Samaritan Protection
Act? There is agreement? [Agreed]
Bill 214–The Good Samaritan Protection Act
Ms. Bonnie Korzeniowski (St. James): I move, seconded by the Member for River Heights (Mr. Gerrard), that Bill 214, The Good Samaritan Protection Act, be now read a first time.
Motion presented.
Ms. Korzeniowski: This bill is meant to protect Good Samaritans from lawsuits or litigation resulting from their intervention except in cases of gross negligence and to ensure that the threat of legal action does not act as a deterrent for Good Samaritans.
Mr. Speaker: Is it the pleasure of the House to adopt the motion? [Agreed]
House Business
Hon. Dave Chomiak (Government House Leader): Mr. Speaker, I wonder if there might be leave of the House to move to second reading of Bill 214.
Mr. Speaker: Is there leave to deal with second reading of Bill 214? There is agreement? Okay. [Agreed]
The bill is just being printed up. As soon as it's available, it will be distributed to members, and then we'll deal with second reading of Bill 214.
Bill 214–The Good Samaritan Protection Act
Mr. Speaker: Order. Second reading, Bill 214, The Good Samaritan Protection Act.
Ms. Bonnie Korzeniowski (St. James): I'm tremendously pleased to be here–
Mr. Speaker: Order. We must move the bill first before we can proceed.
Ms. Korzeniowski: I move,
seconded by the Member for
Motion presented.
* (10:10)
Ms. Korzeniowski: I'm really tremendously pleased and honoured to be introducing this bill today, and I would like to thank the members of the Assembly for their co-operation in allowing this to happen. It's always heartwarming to see partisan lines move to ensure that the best interests of all Manitobans are met.
I would particularly like to thank the
Member for
This is such a wonderful
bill to introduce.
But first I would like to talk about the spawning of the bill. A friend from a major industry here in St. James and Assiniboia, Boeing, related an incident at his workplace where a co-worker in his 40s collapsed at work from a major heart attack in 2004. All stood around helpless to do anything other than make him comfortable. He died there while they looked on. Who knows if any first aid would have changed the outcome, but they never wanted to feel helpless or frustrated again while another co-worker, family member, friend, neighbour or stranger on the street could have benefited from their help.
Now, I don't know if anyone had the skill or knowledge to help but was deterred by doubts of legal implications. I believe most people will jump in and act without thought to liability, but it would be nice to remove this thought as a deterrent.
Forty-two of his peers took CPR and first-aid training to ensure they are ready for the next time. The company paid for the training and time away. They then went a step further and acquired an automatic external defibrillator and again trained staff. I thought what a wonderful thing to do. This improves and enhances workplace health and safety policies already in place in terms of the operation of machinery and the environment. It also sends a clear message to the employees of their value to the company, and, as well, it protects any clients or visitors at the site at the time. Bravo Boeing. They may well serve as role models for other companies to follow suit both large and small.
My friend did comment, however, that the
defibrillator was perceived as intimidating and asked why
With changes to CPR techniques and the call for defibrillators in public places making news in the last year, this bill couldn't be more timely. Apparently there have been several businesses that have decided to put defibrillators in their offices, a dozen since March and seven just since October and November. The Heart and Stroke Foundation has been training CPR people, providing training for businesses that install these AEDs, that many churches and now the Deloitte firm have also installed. The spokesman for the Lifesaving Society-Manitoba Branch agrees with this call and encourages anything that can save a life.
I'm happy to say that our Government Services has been working on bringing a defibrillator into the Legislative Building and training staff. I do know that schools, the Winnipeg Airport and Polo Park shopping mall have AEDs, but they are still perceived as intimidating to the average person. Unfortunately, some businesses are reluctant to install these devices for fear of being sued if someone untrained uses them in an emergency.
This bill will go a long way in reassuring
those businesses. The manager of
It is also my understanding that defibrillators are very user friendly now, or, as Mr. Tordiffe said in the Free Press article, they are fairly idiot-proof to use now. It is my hope that this bill will minimize the fear factor and provide that comfort level so that more lives may be saved. This, and improved CPR techniques, should be encouraged as part of our government commitment to healthy living. This bill will assist in that encouragement.
It's interesting to note that the U.S. goes furthest in imposing the obligation to help others, Canadians, not as litigious, no need, perhaps even insulting, also interesting to discover that our volunteer firefighters are already covered under The Municipal Act.
In addition to all the existing acts, I have found two significant ways which we believe cover any possible situation, thus strengthening it. The first addition to this act is covering anyone providing advice in their efforts to help in an emergency, illness, or accident. There were two good examples in an article on people proclaimed as heroes in the press. One where someone ran along a river bank shouting directions to a man who had jumped into the river, and another where a three year old instructed her brother who fell into a watershed well to keep digging and don't stop. People unable to reach a victim can provide advice to a third party, not unlike what 911 operators coaching lifesaving efforts to someone over the phone until help arrives. Say you are witness to an accident, can't reach the victim, but someone else can, you can offer your knowledge or first aid or just common sense.
The second addition to this act clarifies coverage in the case of a member of a volunteer organization that provides first aid: ski patrol, Neighbourhood Watch or patrol or other similar services who receive a payment or other benefit in recognition of his or her services, be it a box of doughnuts or a monetary reward, so long as it is not the result of an employer-employee relationship. A recent case in point was when an off-duty, intensive care nurse and trained paramedic came upon a car that had spun out of control and landed upside down. He and his wife and other Good Samaritans at the scene pulled the driver to safety.
A seasonal device that comes to mind as well is Operation Red Nose, where volunteers drive people who have been celebrating safely home. I would hope this bill passes quickly as the season has begun.
These people are engaged in helping other people, basically, out of the goodness of their hearts. To leave them uncovered is to go against all sense of decency. This bill is about letting people do what is good and right and not have to give a second thought to reprisal when that second could cost a life instead of saving one. It may also encourage participation in these other citizen-led groups. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Hon. Jon Gerrard (
Good Samaritan doctrine is a legal principle that prevents a rescuer whose voluntary help to a victim in distress from being successfully sued for wrongdoing, except if the rescuer acted with gross negligence. Under common law, individuals who provide assistance in emergencies can be held liable if their attempt to provide relief exacerbates existing injuries or inflicts new injuries. The Good Samaritian bill provides partial immunity from liability by providing that rescuers will be held accountable for injuries or fatalities that they've caused, only if there is gross negligence.
* (10:20)
The purpose of the Good Samaritan law is clear, to encourage more people, especially those with medical training, to provide assistance to individuals rendered ill, injured or unconscious by an accident or an emergency. Good Samaritan legislation reduces the standard of care, and by removing some of the risk or liability, Good Samaritan legislation encourages rescuers to assist victims.
The intention is to keep people from being so reluctant to help a stranger in need of fear of legal repercussions if they make some mistake in the rescue attempt or in the treatment. The idea is that, by providing some coverage with liability, we will encourage people to come forward and help others.
The first Good Samaritan legislation in
North America was introduced in 1959 in California. Within five years, the
majority of the American states had enacted similar laws and, today, there are
over 110 statutes providing immunity to rescuers in all 50 states, as well as
in the
The first Good Samaritan
legislation in
Thus, Good Samaritan legislation now
exists in seven provinces and two territories in
Mr. Speaker, I first introduced a bill to provide protection for Good Samaritans in the fall of 2005. The bill introduced by myself and the Member for Inkster (Mr. Lamoureux) was followed shortly afterwards by the introduction of a bill by the Member for St. James (Ms. Korzeniowski). In the last session, there was an impasse in terms of passing this legislation, in terms of the priority of the bills and the lack of all-party will and support to get this through.
This fall, Kevin Lamoureux and I again
introduced Good Samaritan legislation in–[interjection]
Sorry, the MLA for
Let me just say a couple of more words here. Like I said, the purpose of Good Samaritan laws is to immunize a volunteer who is gratuitously acting out of kindness and moral responsibility to help a person in need of emergency assistance from lawsuits by the person receiving aid. The underlying goal, as I said, is to provide an incentive or, at least, to remove a disincentive to providing aid.
In legal theory, somebody who is standing by when there is an accident is safe from liability as long as he or she does absolutely nothing. But, as soon as steps are taken to help a victim, the rescuer can open the door to liability. If the person who is standing by and watching decides to act as a Good Samaritan and chooses to intervene, he or she can then be liable to the victim if the rescue actions are unreasonable or aggravate the plight of the victim.
Good Samaritan legislation is warranted where potential rescuers are dissuaded from providing emergency relief by the fear that intervention will result in being sued or at least open the door to potential liability.
A number of studies have examined the
extent to which the fear of liability inhibits the provision of emergency
assistance by physicians. Indeed, in the
We have at least one report of a clear
incident in
There have been many groups that have come forward to support the enactment of Good Samaritan laws, and in Manitoba one of the groups that's been at the forefront is the Manitoba Heart and Stroke association, but groups like the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Saskatchewan, the Registered Nurses Association of British Columbia and many others have supported this type of legislation.
The Good Samaritan bill
goes hand in hand with
Good Samaritan legislation encourages the
open-handed benevolence and selfless compassion of rescuers who come to the
assistance of victims in need. To turn down this Good Samaritan bill would not
only make
At last word I would like to acknowledge the work of Leah Ross who was in my office last year and who played a role in helping to draft the original Good Samaritan bill which we put forward in 2005 and again this year. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Kelvin Goertzen (Steinbach): Mr. Speaker, it's a pleasure to see the House come together this morning to support this particular piece of legislation.
I know that its path through the
legislative process has been a bit of a challenging one with some obstacles as
there were disputes about two competing but similar bills regarding Good
Samaritan protection. I commend the Member for
We all would hope that when we are in an hour of need there would be Good Samaritans amongst us who would come to our aid. This certainly ensures that if any of us as individuals are ever in peril or certainly any Manitobans across the province, it gives the added assurance to those who might want to come to assistance, that they won't be victimized themselves, in a sense, because they've gone forward and rendered aid.
I would say, Mr. Speaker, that there are a couple of natural extensions to this legislation which the government should look at and all of us as opposition parties should look at. I listened to the Member for St. James (Ms. Korzeniowski), who relayed a story about–I believe it was a friend of hers or if she heard the story from a friend of hers–somebody who had a heart attack in a workplace and it was difficult to perhaps get assistance. There was a wonderment about whether or not there would have been more assistance with this legislation or at least provided that added protection.
* (10:30)
I do know that in other jurisdictions like
I had some questions about this myself. I probably had a misconception, like other members of the Legislature might have, about what a defibrillator actually is. We've all seen on the TV and the movies where they take these two paddles, put them on somebody and it executes a shock. It seemed to me to be sort of an unsafe–not all of us need shocks here in the Legislature to get going. But, certainly, Mr. Speaker, it seemed to me to be almost a danger.
A paramedic friend of mine, who lives in
Steinbach, who works for the
He indicated to me the Good Samaritan legislation was needed before we could have more public access to defibrillators just to ensure that people had that extra protection. So I hope that the next step for this government or the next government to come would be to ensure that there would be more access to defibrillators because I think we could save lives by having that.
I would also ask the government, and recommend to them, that they now more seriously consider Bill 209, the private member's bill that I introduced and that's already in place in Saskatchewan, in Alberta, in New Brunswick and in Ontario which allows for the testing of blood that Good Samaritans, for example, might come into contact with when they're helping somebody on the roadside or otherwise. One can imagine the situation, now that we have this legislation in place, where somebody may render assistance to an accident victim on the side of the road. They might get blood upon them, and they would like to test that blood to ensure that it's not HIV positive so that they don't become infected. It seems to me to be a natural extension to, while we're protecting Good Samaritans from legal liability, that we also protect their health, Mr. Speaker.
So, I would certainly recommend to this House that these two bills, in many ways, might be complementary to each other. One protects an individual from a legal ramification, from a legal problem through Good Samaritan legislation. The other bill, 209, protects their health when they're acting in the aid as a Good Samaritan.
So, with those comments, I look forward to any other comments that might be coming forward from members of this House, and we look forward, as well, to passage of this legislation. We do certainly hope and we know, in fact, that in the future it will save lives of those who are in peril. Thank you very much.
Mr. Ron Schuler (
He felt very strongly about this because
there are instances where individuals have stopped, whether it's at a car
accident or some kind of a situation where immediate action was necessary, but
felt inhibited by the fact that there were liability issues. In fact, in the
There are instances where, if a vehicle is burning and an individual's arm is stuck under the car, you have a decision to make, probably a decision that I couldn't make. I tend to be perhaps a little bit more squeamish than the next person. But somebody has to make a decision. If you're going to save the person, you've got to move them quickly. Those kinds of decisions have to be protected. They're on-the-spot decision making. They probably shouldn't be left up to second-guessing afterwards when you can say: Well, why didn't you? Why didn't this take place? Then liability issues come into question.
I would like to congratulate the members of the Liberal caucus who had initially brought a piece of legislation forward dealing with this. I understand we are in the British parliamentary system where the majority party, by and large, does move legislation and takes credit for it, and, in this case, so be it. I think it's great that they've had the Member for River Heights (Mr. Gerrard) second this bill. It does show bipartisanship.
All of us travel the highways and byways
of this nation and of this province. A lot of us travel around the city. We
hope that, if we are unconscious and there is need for immediate action, it is
our hope, I know each and every one of us, that a Good Samaritan would come by,
would stop and would help us in that moment of need and not worry about
liability issues because, in a lot of these instances, it is on the spot, a
very on-the-moment kind of decision that has to be made. So, certainly, I know
my constituents of Springfield, East St. Paul, the two R.M.s I represent, East
St. Paul has the Perimeter, Highway 59, Henderson Highway, which is travelled
extensively by people from the city moving to and from cottages. We've got
Highway 15 and Garven Road. We've got a lot of different highways that go
through
We know that, on occasion, there are incredibly severe accidents. We believe that this bill does cover a lot of those concerns of individuals who travel to and fro from home and work and the like. So we would like to see this bill proceed, and we'd like to see it done on a bipartisan basis. Thank you.
Mr. Kevin Lamoureux (
It's interesting, over the weekend I was at a Tim Hortons with a lady in which I have an immense amount of respect for, Marilyn Wedlake. We got into this discussion about accidents, and she brought up the issue of liability in Good Samaritan. I told her, you know, it's kind of funny you would bring that up because we have this legislation. Then, I kind of felt a little bit guilty because here she's talking about why it is that we should have this in the province of Manitoba, and it was completely unsolicited. I kind of sat back figuring well, you know what? We could've had it. We could've had it back in June had I been more prepared to compromise and say, okay, we'll let the NDP assume the credit for it publicly and know in the back of my mind that the Leader of the Liberal Party is the one who first brought it to the attention of the Manitoba Legislative Chamber.
So, in responding to her, I kind of felt a little bit of guilt, and I thought, you know what? I'll raise the issue with my leader, but my leader beat me to it, Mr. Speaker, by suggesting that we work with the Member for St. James (Ms. Korzeniowski) to try to get her bill passed. We would use the Member for River Heights as the seconder. So, even though I do believe that need to encourage private members of this Legislature to come forward with good ideas, and that no one should stake ownership per se to a good idea to the extent that if it's not me, it's not going to pass, I think that we need to put down where we can and concede if need be in order to do the right thing.
* (10:40)
I have seen government now act on several issues, whether it's the Good Samaritan legislation. Earlier we talked about the grandparents' ideas bill that was introduced. There was the poppies on the licence plate. These are ideas that came from opposition members in the form of private members' bills. Once someone from the government benches takes or brings forward their thoughts, possibly in the form of legislation, we seem, then, to see a government that is prepared to pass the legislation.
Mr. Speaker, in keeping with that, I would really like to see other bills. You know, the Member for Steinbach (Mr. Goertzen) made reference to his bill, and I believe it was Bill 209, that he would like to see pass. I haven't read the bill, but just based on what it is the Member for Steinbach is talking about, I would like to put a challenge to the government.
There are other private members' bills that are worthy of this Legislature passing. Whether it is Bill 209, and the one that I would like to personally highlight is Bill 203, which is The Liquor Control Amendment Act. It deals with the fetal alcohol syndrome disorder, and I believe would make a difference in the province of Manitoba. I feel quite passionate about that particular piece of legislation.
Mr. Speaker, if I was a government member, I get the feeling that it wouldn't be a problem, that the legislation would pass because it is a good piece of legislation. I don't see any opposition to it. No one, to the best of my knowledge, has ever said anything in opposition to this Bill 203. I introduced it in the last session, also, and I have continued to bring it forward.
The challenge that I give the government this morning is to read the private members' bills that are on the Order Paper. For those private members' bills that they believe have the merit to pass, to do the right thing, to do what the Member for River Heights (Mr. Gerrard) is doing in regard to his bill, and he's prepared to give it up for the public good because of the need for Good Samaritan legislation. Will not the government also do the right thing and allow for good pieces of legislation to pass this Legislature? You don't have to be in government, Mr. Speaker, in order to pass legislation.
Mr. Speaker, I believe Manitobans, as a whole, will recognize it. I believe that at the end of the day, for example, that the Member for River Heights, and members that have seen the strength and validity of good legislation, and have ultimately compromised in order to allow the government to take credit, like the grandparents bill, that at the end of the day, Manitobans will benefit by us acknowledging and trying to do it in an apolitical fashion. But I would really encourage the government to recognize the fact that there is nothing wrong with giving credit to where credit is due.
The Member for Minnedosa (Mrs. Rowat) had a private member's bill, and these are the people that I can think of right offhand. The Member for Lakeside (Mr. Eichler) had a private member's bill and, of course, the Member for River Heights had a private member's bill. All of which, Mr. Speaker, will, in fact, have been adopted by a government member, brought in through private members' legislation and then, ultimately, accepted. The opposition, because it is more important to see the legislation pass, is prepared to co-operate and facilitate its passage as we saw today, where we saw first reading given, second reading and we see it, ultimately, I believe, going into committee where it will pass and, ultimately, be given Royal Assent because we believe it's in the public good. That is the reason that we do it.
Having said that, there is other legislation, Mr. Speaker, that is on the Order Paper, the one that I want because I could've talked about Bill 205, my milk prices, and I can appreciate that that's somewhat controversial, but I can tell you that Bill 203, The Liquor Control Amendment Act, which deals with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder prevention, is not a controversial bill. There's absolutely nothing wrong, and if the government were to allow for this particular bill to pass, Manitobans would benefit by it. I know the Conservatives have spoken in favour of this bill in fact. The Member for Riel (Ms. Melnick), I believe, introduced a resolution that dealt with fetal alcohol syndrome which dealt in essence with the legislation that we were proposing in Bill 203.
So the only party that we're missing is the New Democrats, and if it means having the Member for Selkirk (Mr. Dewar) sponsor the legislation, I'm more than happy to allow that to happen on Bill 203. Let's do what we can in accepting the legislation for what it's worth, and if it's good and valid and Manitobans will benefit from it, let's pass it. Let's be more progressive in our thinking and a little bit more charitable in terms of our behaviour in passing legislation inside this Chamber for all members.
Mr. Jack Reimer
(Southdale): I will be very brief. I just want to
put some words on the record in regard and support of Bill 214, The Good
Samaritan Protection Act, brought in by the Member for St. James (Ms.
Korzeniowski). I believe what it is, Mr. Speaker, is a bill that is necessary
because of the fact that
When I first saw The Good Samaritan Protection Act it brought back to memory a TV program, Mr. Speaker, that I remember watching, Seinfeld, and in fact if some of us remember Seinfeld, the very last wind-up episode of the series was because of the fact that they broke the Good Samaritan act in this city that they had landed in and the fact that they had neglected to help someone in trouble. So the local townspeople threw them in jail, tried the whole cast of Seinfeld, they were all sent to jail, and the series ended like that. Now, look at what would've happened if the series continued? Mr. Mike Richards, Kramer, he got into that terrible situation down in the comedy club there the other week. If Seinfeld was still running he may not be in that predicament, and that's only because they broke the Good Samaritan rule. So I would hope that this act that the Member for St. James brought in does not in any way go down that road where people will be persecuted and thrown in jail and lose their livelihood because of that. But I digress.
In all sincerity, Mr. Speaker, we do support this bill, and we look forward to its passage.
Mr. Speaker: Is the House ready for the question?
Some Honourable Members: Question.
Mr. Speaker: The question before the House is second reading, by leave, of Bill 214, The Good Samaritan Protection Act.
Is it the pleasure of the House to adopt the motion? [Agreed]
Bill 201–The Good
Samaritan Act
Hon. Jon Gerrard (
Mr. Speaker: Is there leave to withdraw Bill 201, The Good Samaritan Act? Is there agreement? [Agreed]
There is agreement, so that bill will be withdrawn.
* (10:50)
Bill 202–The Health Services Amendment and Health Services Insurance Amendment Act
Mr. Speaker: We will move on to Bill 202, The Health Services Amendment and Health Services Insurance Amendment Act.
Hon. Jon Gerrard (
Motion presented.
Mr. Gerrard: Mr. Speaker,
this legislation provides for including the principle of accountability in the
delivery of health care services in
When I speak of
accountability, I speak both in terms of the system that we have and the
accountability for quality care. There needs to be an intention to ensuring
that we have the highest possible quality of care, and that, all the way
through the system, we have approaches, system incentives and other attributes
of the delivery of health care which work to reinforce accountability in
ensuring the highest possible quality in the delivery of health care services
in
I also believe that accountability is necessary in terms of economics, in terms of the management of the cost of the services we deliver. That, all the way through the system, we need to be taking account of the quality and the cost and making sure that we are delivering the highest-quality services at a reasonable and responsible cost, that we are not duplicating services, that we are not having a system which works in ways that it encourages individuals within the system, if they want to deliver high-quality services, to have to spend unnecessary dollars because of the way that the system is organized.
Individuals who work within the health care system are, by and large, a group of extraordinarily committed individuals who are there because they want to help others, who are there in our health care system because, fundamentally, they want to make sure that other people are cared for well, have the best possible outcomes. Certainly, what we want is a system which provides, at every step of the way, the accountability that is needed to provide the highest quality at a reasonable cost.
Certainly, we have seen, in some of the issues that have come forward recently, how the government is producing a system which often encourages individuals to do things in a way that has duplication and extra costs when, with proper accountability in the system, we could have the high quality that we need without the extra cost.
I'll give you one example that I raised recently. Family physicians, who should be with their patients at the very centre of the system, are often left out in the loop or put in circumstances where, in their efforts to try and do the very best they can for their patients, they have to order duplicate tests because the system doesn't have the accountability that it has now.
Sometimes what happens is that tests are done in hospitals but the records don't get to the family physician, so the family physician, unable to penetrate the impenetrable morass that is the recordkeeping on occasion in the hospitals, has no choice if he's going to serve the patient and put the patient first as a family practitioner must. Then the family practitioner is put in a position where the family practitioner has to order duplicate tests because the system is not properly accountable.
There is a good example, another example of this same problem that the family practitioner is not considered first but is considered at the end. In this case, we have seen recently the problems with the long waiting times. A waiting time, on average, for a CT scan of 11 weeks and an MRI scan of 8 weeks, but there are no standards for ordering an MRI and so a family practitioner is not allowed to order an MRI directly or has no standards that the family practitioner can meet. The net result is that the family practitioner, under the present circumstance, must therefore have a specialist consultation. The specialist then must order the MRI. Because there is often a three-month wait to see a specialist, you add the three months to the eight weeks for the so-called wait time for the MRI and you actually have a five-month wait time, very often for an MRI.
So a family practitioner who sees an instance where a patient needs an MRI says, well, it takes me five months to get an MRI; it takes me 11 weeks to get a CT scan. Maybe, just maybe, even though a CT scan is second best, I can learn what I need on a CT scan; therefore I'll order a CT scan. We'll get that in 11 weeks and then we're on the list to get a specialist consultation and an MRI and we'll get that in five months.
Well, instead of one MRI, which would be appropriate and if it were available timely with the proper standards, so that a family physician could order it, we'd end up with a system which is not accountable and which has got an MRI, a CT scan and a specialist consultation, three billable procedures costing the system instead of one procedure to get the job done. We need an accountable health care system instead of the type of health care system that the NDP are running and that, the bottom line, is why we need this bill.
We need this bill so that all the way up and down the line, everybody understands that we need to have accountability in the system and we need to change the system so it is accountable.
Mr. Gregory Dewar
(Selkirk): Mr. Speaker, it's a pleasure to speak to
this bill. I just want to remind the House, of course, it was the Leader of the
Liberal Party here in
We know when they had a chance to act at
the federal level, Mr. Speaker, they did not. They, in fact, cut it back. You
know, you listen to the Liberal Leader, you listen to the members of the
Conservative opposition and you'd think we're in
This is not from the Selkirk paper or
Thompson or Flin Flon. This is from the Winkler
Times: Province has a bright future, which is in sharp contrast to what we
hear from the members of the opposition when they're going on and on about the
situation here in
Mr. Speaker, according to the
Mr. Speaker: Order. When this matter is again before the House, the honourable Member for Selkirk (Mr. Dewar) will have eight minutes remaining.
* (11:00)
Res. 2–Cross
Mr. Speaker: We will now move on to Resolutions.
Mr. Gerard Jennissen (Flin Flon): Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the Member for Selkirk (Mr. Dewar),
WHEREAS Cadets is a program for young Canadians who are interested in participating in a variety of challenging and rewarding activities and learning more about the Canadian Forces; and
WHEREAS Cadets encourages youth to become active, responsible members of their communities; and
WHEREAS Cadets learn valuable life and work skills like teamwork, leadership, citizenship as well as reap the personal benefits of increased self-confidence and physical fitness, learning how to take initiative, and how to make decisions; and
WHEREAS Cadets make valuable contributions to Canadian society on a daily basis in terms of environmental, citizenship and community activities; and
WHEREAS the first
Cadet program in
WHEREAS the Cross Lake Cadet program is the first Cadet program in Manitoba located on a reserve, bringing this opportunity to youth on reserves for the first time; and
WHEREAS the Cadet
program provides the only organized activity for youth in
WHEREAS children who participate in organized activities outside of school tend to have higher self-esteem, interact better with friends and perform better in school; and
WHEREAS teachers and schools report a positive impact in many youth involved in the program; and
WHEREAS the local
RCMP detachment in
WHEREAS the program has instilled pride in the cadets and the whole community and is ensuring that youth feel they are also important in society; and
WHEREAS it is through the hard work and effort of volunteers such as Bob Smith, founder of the Cross Lake Cadet program, that Cadet programs are established and benefit communities.
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba congratulate Bob Smith and the other volunteers who worked so long to get the first remote Cadet program in Manitoba; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba urge the provincial government to consider supporting efforts to establish other Cadet program in northern and remote communities.
Mr. Speaker: It has been moved by the honourable Member for Flin Flon, seconded by the honourable Member for Selkirk,
WHEREAS–
An Honourable Member: Dispense.
Mr. Speaker: Dispense.
Mr.
Jennissen: Mr. Speaker, I'm going to be talking
about the Cadet program in
But, briefly, before I even do that, Mr.
Speaker, I want to mention one other program, very briefly. That is the Ranger
patrol program which is very successful in many
Mr. Conrad Santos, Deputy Speaker, in the Chair
But there are
only two Cadet programs, two Cadet units, operating on reserves in
But, like every
other successful program with young people, there have to be key organizers
involved, Mr. Deputy Speaker, a spark plug, a key person, a person that can
inspire young people. We were lucky to find that person in
At any rate, Bob
Smith started the Cadet program in
The program is, as I said before, very active. They meet every Tuesday evening. There are four levels in the program: the green level, the red level, the silver level, and the gold level.
Before I talk about the program in detail, Mr. Deputy Speaker, I would just like to quote or semi-quote, paraphrase is a better word, some of the words of Bob Smith, who I happened to phone last night. He was a very interesting gentleman, obviously, very motivated, driven gentleman, who does some wonderful things for the community.
Here are some of his observations, and I'll paraphrase them rather loosely. He said the program is rooted in the community and it is supported by the community. He is very impressed with the way the program broadens the horizons of the young people in the program. He was surprised to learn, for example, when he took his group to Winnipeg that three of his young people had never flown in a plane, and some of them had never been to Winnipeg. He says the Cadet program builds confidence and self-esteem. Many young people have turned their life around. Their grades have improved. They seem happier. They learn life skills. They learn survival skills. They learn leadership skills. In fact, some of their leaders were trained in Vernon, B.C., and Whitehorse, Yukon. Some of those young people came back to Cross Lake and they trained others. So it is a self-sustaining kind of a program.
As I said before, there is tremendous community support because, among other reasons, there are very few things to do for young people in some of the remote communities. The only other organized activity is hockey in the winter.
Mr. Smith made the observation that, perhaps, some of us are a little hasty with our young people. We should respect them first of all. Respect is a key word, particularly in northern Aboriginal traditions, and I think it is a good thing for us to rediscover that. Respect our young people, be a little less critical of our young people, be willing to work with them, give them a break, cut them a little bit of slack, and, instead of complaining about what they do wrong, maybe organize them, get them into some positive activities, either through the Cadet program or in the Lighthouses projects, but get young people doing positive things. That was his idea and he is very right on that, Mr. Deputy Speaker.
I should also point out that another observation he made that sometimes we solve problems too late with young people, and, if we could put a few supports in earlier, we would get a bigger bang for the buck. Sometimes we throw millions of dollars at problems that we allow to fester for a long time when we are trying to solve something that we should have solved to work with a generation ago, or years ago. So we should be proactive and work with young people early and put money in supports into place early because that way we get a much bigger bang for the buck.
I would like to talk about some specifics of the program, Mr. Deputy Speaker. In the general sense, Cadets Canada is a federally-sponsored initiative for youth, aged 12 to 18, that offers a variety of activities aimed at promoting citizenship, leadership and physical fitness. The program is tailored to those wanting to learn more about the land, sea and air activities of the Canadian Forces.
Mr. Speaker in the Chair
Cadets Canada is banded by the Canadian Forces in partnership with the Navy League of Canada, the Army Cadet League of Canada and the Air Cadet League of Canada. There are no registration fees, dues or costs incurred by youth, and all expenses are covered for youth instructor attendance at the summer training camps. But, of course, Bob Smith urges support, as much as possible, from the community, but it's very limited, but also from other sources.
The first Cadet program in
The Cross Lake Cadet program is the first
Cadet program in
There are obvious community benefits to
such a program. Let me mention some of them, and the benefits have been
far-reaching. The Cadet program has encouraged youth to become active,
responsible members of the
These cadets have new opportunities to make valuable contributions to Canadian society on a daily basis, in terms of environmental, citizenship and community activities. Positive feedback has been received from the local teachers. Grades have improved, and the RCMP, especially, with respect to some problem youth who have been reported making remarkable turnarounds. These children have become actively engaged with higher self-esteem and are interacting better socially. As Mr. Bob Smith said, these seem to be happier children, happier youth.
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The program has instilled pride in the cadets and the whole community. This is establishing in these youths feelings of contribution and importance in their society. They have something valuable to give to their community. Their energies are channelled into a positive direction.
There are also external community benefits
and opportunities, Mr. Speaker. The positive impact in the many youth involved
in the program have not just rewarded the
This past summer, 10 cadets had the
opportunity to travel to various Canadian communities for summer training.
Three of these cadets travelled to
Cross
An Honourable Member: You can't say that.
Mr. Jennissen: Sorry, Mr. Speaker. The unit just completed its first annual ceremonial review with the members for The Pas, Rupertsland and Thompson in attendance.
On October 4, 2006, representatives of
Aboriginal and Northern Affairs were invited to a gathering of the
Another specialty event
occurred this past October when a group of 42 cadets, four officers and three
civilian volunteers came to
While in
Mr. Speaker: Order. I have to remind all honourable members, when making reference to other members in the House, that it's ministers by their portfolios and other members by their constituencies and not by name.
Mr. Jennissen: While in
Mr. Kelvin Goertzen (Steinbach): It is a pleasure to speak to the resolution brought forward by the Member for Flin Flon (Mr. Jennissen) this morning. He mentioned in his speech that there is, in fact, an Air Cadets program in Steinbach, a new Air Cadets program that's been operating now over the last few months.
I first became aware of the Cadets program
more generally in relation to my community where we have a good business. The
name is Harv's Air, in Steinbach, which trains cadets, and they have 40 to 50
young people who come from across
That successful initiative in Steinbach spawned our own squadron of Air Cadets in the community, and we're proud to see them in our region and our area. There has, at times, been some misunderstanding, I think, regarding what cadets are, what the program is, that it's not an offshoot of the military. Sometimes we hear the word "cadets" and confuse, perhaps, what the purpose is. But I think the Member for Flin Flon, in his resolution, laid it out well in terms of what the program does in terms of giving and allowing responsibility to be instilled in young people, a number of different activities throughout the community.
In the Air Cadets program itself, I'd be interested to see statistics. I would guess that the vast majority of air cadets don't go on to military service but probably go on into other sort of programs in terms of commercial air and different sorts of programs. We know, in fact, that the program does a lot more than simply focus on, sort of, military activities. It does, in fact, instil a lot of responsibility in youth.
Sometimes, we, as
legislators focus on the negative aspects of what happens with young people. We
see it in the media sometimes, and we're concerned about certain young people
within our community who continue to do things that none of us as responsible
Manitobans approve of. But we need to not lose focus of the fact that the vast majority
of young people in
I also want to note that there are many
people who volunteer with the Air Cadet program throughout
I do, in concluding my comments, Mr. Speaker, have a friendly amendment that I would like to propose to the resolution. If I need to seek leave to move that amendment, then I so seek that leave from members of this Legislature.
Mr. Speaker: I think it would be only fair if the members hear the proposed amendment first, and I hope the honourable member has spoken to the person who's responsible for bringing forward this resolution to get some form of agreement, but I think it would be only fair for the members to hear it first.
Mr. Goertzen: Yes, Mr. Speaker, and that certainly is fair, and I've had conversations with my honourable friend from Flin Flon regarding this amendment, and the amendment would read that I move, seconded by the Member for Tuxedo (Mrs. Stefanson),
THAT the
resolution be amended by deleting the words "in northern and remote
communities” and substituting with "throughout
Motion presented.
Mr. Speaker: Does the House accept this as a friendly amendment? [Agreed]
So it's the pleasure of the House to adopt the amendment? [Agreed]
So the last line,
BE IT
FURTHER RESOLVED that the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba urge the provincial
government to consider supporting efforts to establish other Cadet programs
throughout
That's how it will now read. Okay? [Agreed]
So the honourable Member for Steinbach, you've concluded your comments? Any other speakers?
Mr. Andrew Swan (Minto): It's a pleasure to speak briefly to this resolution. Congratulations to the Member for Flin Flon (Mr. Jennissen) for bringing this forward and, indeed, congratulations to the Member for Steinbach (Mr. Goertzen) for proposing a reasonable amendment that will, I think, reflect the value of cadets throughout the province of Manitoba, most of all, though, of course, congratulations to the Cadet program in Cross Lake which is providing a wonderful opportunity for young people in that area.
Now, Cadets Canada has a long history in
Manitoba. I understand that the first Cadet group in
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Now, of course, the constituency that I'm very pleased to represent in the Legislature is named for Minto Armouries, located at the corner of Minto and St. Matthews. Throughout the year, it's a beehive of activity. There are various reserve units that operate out of there. As well, there are many Cadet groups that operate out of Minto Armouries. It's quite an amazing place. There are always young people coming and going, and, certainly, they are receiving some real benefits from being involved in the Cadet program.
Now, in the city and in many communities,
becoming involved in Cadets, I think it's fair to say, is not the first thing
that comes to mind for young people. There is a lot of competition for young
people's hearts and minds and time, certainly, in the city, but we know that a
lot of the opportunities don't exist in the same degree in northern communities
and remote communities, in rural communities. So, certainly, as a city member,
I've had some opportunities to learn more about what Cadets are doing outside
of the city of
I was very pleased, Mr. Speaker, to be a member of the Healthy Kids, Healthy Futures task force, which toured the province up north to southeast to west, and we learned about different opportunities available for recreation for young people. Indeed, it was in the wonderful town of Arborg where we were hosted by the excellent Member for Interlake (Mr. Nevakshonoff), that we, indeed, had a presentation and a performance, I guess we could call it, of the Cadet program. From the individuals involved with that Cadet program, we heard about the benefits provided to young people in the Interlake. We learned about the discipline the young people receive from this program; we learned about the teamwork that young people receive. We also learned about the valuable skills, some life skills, some outdoor skills, various fun, but also educational opportunities that these young people in the Interlake receive.
Certainly, there are
other opportunities available to youth. Some children become involved in sports,
some become involved in dance or other performing arts, but, certainly, Cadet
corps or other opportunities for young people to find a positive thing to do.
Cadets have certainly done a great job in the city of
Certainly, I am delighted to hear about
the positive things happening in
So those are all my comments, Mr. Speaker. Again, congratulations to the Member for Flin Flon (Mr. Jennissen) for bringing forward a very good, a very positive resolution. Thank you.
Mrs. Leanne Rowat (Minnedosa): I would like to speak to the Member for Flin Flon's resolution on
the Cross Lake Cadet program and the Cadet program, as a whole, within the
The Cadet program of today originated from the Cadet program that began during the First World War and flourished during the Second World War. As the history of military conflict has evolved, so have the purposes of the Cadet program evolved. Despite the initial emphasis on the military aspect of the Cadet program, these programs were also recognized for their ability to encourage and instil qualities that are typically associated with good citizenship: development of leadership, promotion of physical activity, loyalty, the expression of dedication, professionalism, the accomplishments of task with pride or with pride and diligence, mutual respect, the treatment of others with dignity and equality, integrity, the courage and commitment to exemplify trust, sincerity and honesty.
Over the course of the years, Mr. Speaker,
the Cadet program grew to emphasize the merits that are attained from such
programming. Today, the Cadet program in
I also noticed, when I attended several memorial services in my riding, that the Cadets play a very important role in the memorial services, Mr. Speaker. I think that it is a testament to the young people who have obviously taken a very strong interest in leadership and sincerity to the roles they have taken and an understanding of the importance of their mandate in the program.
Mr. Speaker, there are approximately 5,500 youths that are currently involved and 1,140 Cadet corps and squadrons so this is a very healthy and growing program. Approximately 35 percent of these youth are female and 65 percent are male so obviously there's a strong representation from both genders.
There are 200-plus cadets who receive the opportunity to travel internationally which allows youth to become ambassadors of our province and our country at an early age. We're seeing these young people have an opportunity to learn from other countries and from other nations.
The motion being considered, by the Member
for Flin Flon, deals specifically with the first remote Cadet program in
This is an opportunity to truly consider the strengths that the Cadet program has offered and continues to offer for our youth. This is an opportunity to see where the skills and strength that are developed by the Cadet programming would be of most benefit. The benefits and rewards are numerous and significant, Mr. Speaker. It provides a sense of accomplishment. It provides the opportunity for recognition from peers and mentors as I've seen within my constituency with Shilo.
It provides once-in-a-lifetime opportunities and experiences and creates lifelong friendships. It provides a chance to showcase talents and maturity. It creates and fosters self-confidence, self-discipline, self-esteem and increases self-awareness not only of oneself but of the community they live in or represent. So it definitely provides supports and leadership in providing community involvement.
On a sidebar, Mr.
Speaker, I had the opportunity this summer to visit the Indian and Métis
Friendship Centre in
The Indian and Métis Friendship Centre of Winnipeg Aboriginal Girl Guide program was started in the summer of 2002 in partnership with the Friendship Centre and the Manitoba Council of Girl Guides. It has created a partnership with some great program delivery and the philosophy of the Girl Guides of Canada is incorporated in the program as well as an inclusion of an Aboriginal component.
The philosophy of Girl Guides promotes the personal development of girls and women and empowers them to be responsible citizens through the development of personal values and well-being. As in the cadets, it provides opportunities to grow and develop self-respect and respect of others. The promotion of fun, friendship and adventure provides a celebration of pride and accomplishments in the development of leadership and decision-making.
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The Aboriginal Girl Guides program was developed for Aboriginal girls between the ages of 5 and 17. The program is delivered in a holistic and culturally-appropriate manner in neighbourhoods with large Aboriginal populations. The program teaches skills to assist young Aboriginal girls in making positive life changes and to become successful, strong and independent adults. As in the Cadet program, Mr. Speaker, we're looking at ways to promote opportunities to create self-worth and to promote leadership and strong and independent thinkers.
So in a community that faces many
hardships and struggles to attain the necessities of life and the skills to be
successful, programming that promotes self-esteem, a sense of place, purpose
and connection to others is essential. That speaks to all communities within
Manitoba as well as the remote in the north. We know, in some communities in
northern
So we know that the essential development of a sense of self-worth that can directly lead to increased participation in post-secondary or even completing secondary education is critical in ensuring that we have individuals who can further their expertise in the workforce. We know that programming that is offered through Cadets or through Girl Guides has many years of success behind them, but we know that by taking steps to promote the importance of programs like this to remote northern and rural communities will only strengthen organizations such as this. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Tom Nevakshonoff (Interlake): Mr. Speaker, it's my pleasure to rise to speak in support of this resolution, and I thank the Member for Flin Flon (Mr. Jennissen), for bringing it forward. I have had some personal experience with the Cadets in the past and therefore speak from some experience in acknowledging the good works that they do.
My step-daughter, Caitlin Davis was a member of the Fisher Air Cadets for a couple of years and I, myself, had the opportunity to go out on a couple of occasions with the Cadets and experience first-hand some of the training and the experiences that they go through. The Fisher Air Cadets have a fine facility up in the Lake St. George area, and it was under the leadership of Captain Len Huff and his wife, Lynn [phonetic], that I had the opportunity to travel up there.
I just want to acknowledge the good efforts of Captain Huff. He has just stepped down from the position. Recently, he was diagnosed with cancer and is now in a very serious struggle himself, but the discipline and the strength that he learned in leading the Cadet program I am sure will help him in the days to come. The commander for the Fisher Air Cadets is now Jocelyn Dunitz, and her husband, Mike, is also a volunteer. I was speaking with Jocelyn no less than a couple of days ago, as a matter of fact. She dropped over to visit my wife and me. Hopefully, at the next event that the Cadets hold, I once again will go out there.
Some of the events that they do undertake
are very good learning experiences for them, Mr. Speaker. I partook of the
winter survival training program. I think, in
I also learned about orienteering with them, and not just how to use a compass but how to orienteer even at nighttime so that if they ever find themselves in a situation like that, they know how to survive, how not to get lost, how to do it safely.
One of the skills that I was especially happy to see that they were learning was how to perform search and rescue techniques. Quite often people get lost in the bush, whether it's hunters or campers. While we do have the police and, in extreme circumstances, the military, to help in finding and rescuing these people, if local citizens also have these skills, and these are skills that the cadets are being taught, then obviously that is a benefit to society as a whole.
I would also like to recognize volunteers. The Member for Flin Flon (Mr. Jennissen) referenced Bob Smith. One volunteer that sticks, particularly, in my mind is a man named Anthony Imlah who was out there with the Fisher Air Cadets with us. His skills and involvement were a prime example of citizen participation in this program.
As other members have said, the skills they learn are so valuable. Whether it is participating in their community, whether it is discipline or leadership skills, respect for elders, living a healthy lifestyle, all of these things are critical in the development of our youth. The Cadets are broken up into three different types of programs, as I understand it. Of course, the Fisher group is involved with the Air Force, but there are also marine cadets and army cadets, as well.
Different aspects of the military are covered off. Yes, many opportunities for travel are made available to these children. Many of them are from disadvantaged homes, so that this is a unique opportunity for them to get involved and see the world and experience personal growth as a result of it.
I conclude my remarks by recognizing the
Member for Flin Flon for bringing this forth, and I want to recognize all the
Cadet groups in
Mr. Peter Dyck (Pembina): I, too, want to just put a few comments on record regarding the
resolution brought forward by the Member for Flin Flon. I want to thank the
Assembly for also accepting the amendment because that also draws in the area
that I represent. I have Cadet programs in the town of
I want to thank people like Paul Fox, who is involved, and Maurice Butler. These gentlemen have certainly helped the programs expand within these communities that I am talking about today.
I know that the first time that it was brought to my attention the fact that the programs were so successful; of course, it was when we had the Remembrance Day ceremonies on the 11th of November. That is years ago when I was introduced to these groups and the work, of course, that they are doing. But ongoing throughout the years, they have been involved in parades as well and, of course, this is much more visible.
But what I want to also indicate is the fact that the learning process that they need to go through where they can through these programs develop their own leadership skills. They promote physical fitness, loyalty, the expression of dedication, professionalism, the accomplishment of tasks with pride and diligence, mutual respect, the treatment of others with dignity and equality and, of course, integrity, the courage and the commitment to exemplify trust, sincerity and honesty. Over the course of the years, the Cadet program grew to emphasize the merits that are attained from such programming.
So, Mr. Speaker, I just wanted to draw this to the attention of the Assembly but also to publicly thank those people who have been involved in the Cadet program and the Member for Flin Flon for bringing this resolution forward. Certainly, I think it is something that we should all be applauding, and we should go back to our own communities and to thank them for the work that they are doing. Thank you very much.
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Mr. Tim Sale (
I simply want to say that I had the opportunity to be an air cadet for a couple of years. I learned the theory of flight, basic meteorology, small motor maintenance and skills. Every time my lawnmower quits I give thanks to the Air Cadets because I actually know how they work. Learning the theory of flight led me to seek a pilot's licence, and I actually had my solo permit when I was 15. It was kind of amusing to everybody that I was able to move in three dimensions before I was legal to drive in two, which struck everybody as a little weird, but nevertheless was the case.
For a small town where I grew up, with
quite a lot of poor families, Air Cadets was an equal opportunity kind of
experience because uniforms were supplied, equipment was supplied. Basically,
it cost us nothing or almost nothing to be a member of Air Cadets and provided
us with a sense of discipline and purpose, friends and role models that, I
think, served a lot of us very well in a small town like that. To be able to
afford to go anywhere in 1954, '55, '56 and '57 was quite a chore, and kids in
the Cadet corps went to
I am very proud of the Sea Cadet corps that is in my riding at the Chippewa. Every time there is a service or memorial of any kind at Chippewa the Sea Cadets are very much in evidence. They're led, of course, largely by volunteers, and they all deserve our thanks.
So, in support of this resolution, I would note that it's a particularly effective form of opportunity for young people because the costs of belonging and attending and learning are very low. So it's very appropriate for many kids who could not afford some of the activities that we often think are the normal youth activities of sports, for example, where a single season in hockey can cost anywhere from $500 to $1,500 or more dollars just to take part, whereas belonging to a Cadet corps and having enormous numbers of learning opportunities, as well as social opportunities, can be almost a no-cost item. So I want to thank the Member for Flin Flon and thank all members of the House for supporting this resolution.
Hon. Jon Gerrard (
Certainly, it is very
positive having the Cadet program operating in
I would just add that, when I have been in Cross Lake, one of the significant areas of concern that I have met with members of the community on numerous occasions is in relationship to health care. Certainly, having the Cadet program, I believe, there's a contribution to improving the health of young people, and in that way will benefit health care, but clearly there are issues around health care, the need for a proper hospital in Cross Lake, a future-thinking hospital which are vital, I would say. I would urge the provincial government to do much better than it has in the past.
I note a recent letter from Grand Chief Ron Evans, which he brought to my attention in the last few days. This is a letter from Grand Chief Ron Evans to the Premier (Mr. Doer), and he says: I'm writing to express my extreme disappointment in the lack of substantial Manitoba First Nation participation in the national summit on Aboriginal health held on November–
Mr. Speaker: Order. We're
debating the resolution on
Mr. Gerrard: Mr. Speaker, I'm in the process of tying these together. My point
here is that it is good to see co-operation, involvement and support for the
Cadet program, and that it's very important that we have much better
co-operation in the provincial government with people in
Hon. Eric Robinson (Minister of Culture, Heritage and
Tourism): Mr. Speaker, allow me a few moments to
speak to the resolution. Let me thank my colleague the Member for Flin Flon
(Mr. Jennissen) for raising it. I believe it's a great tribute to an individual
who has been dedicating a good portion of his life to ensuring that the youth
of
So, while I'm speaking, I don't know if I'm speaking what would be termed as a conflict of interest because most of the people I'm talking about in Cross Lake would be my relatives, Mr. Speaker. So I am, nevertheless, going to say that the Minister of Aboriginal and Northern Affairs (Mr. Lathlin) and the Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs (Mr. Ashton) and myself were given the honour of inspecting the Cadet corps back in June when that occurred.
Let
me tell you a bit about the Cadet corps, Mr. Speaker. They're made up of two
platoons which have taken the name of two of our esteemed veterans from the
community, the late Reuben McKay and the late Sandy Beardy, and together, they
have formed the Ernest McLeod memorial cadet corps in the community of Cross
Lake. It's both from the Northern Affairs community of
We believe that the success of the Cross Lake Cadet Program has led to other northern communities to ask us, our government, about setting up their own Cadet programs. We're only too happy to help in whatever fashion we can.
Initially, when the
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In addition, I believe that they're engaged in more positive activities. I know that my colleague, the Member for the Interlake (Mr. Nevakshonoff) was talking about winter survival courses. Indeed, that is part of what the programming is for the Ernest McLeod Cadet Corps.
Also, suicide prevention, a huge issue in
many of our northern communities, has again been addressed with the Cadet
corps. I remember one of the leaders of the cadet corps telling me that, as a
result of the introduction of the Cadet corps in
So it's not only in Cross Lake, indeed, but I would say that in other northern Canadian communities Cadet corps are proving to be successful and, yet, Cadet corps have been widely known, particularly in southern Canada, for many, many years. If I could talk briefly about an area that I'm familiar with as well, Rankin Inlet in Nunavut, which you're familiar with, Mr. Speaker. In fact, the Cadet corps there is led by your sister, Dorothy, and also the training that she has taken, Dorothy Tootoo. We're very proud of the linkages that we've been able to make with the Rankin Inlet Cadet Corps and, also, with the initiatives that are occurring here in the province of Manitoba. But, as we look throughout northern Canada, particularly in the remote areas of this country, we find that there are these positive activities occurring.
So I want to wholeheartedly endorse, as a member of this Assembly that has represented northern Manitoba communities for a while now in this Assembly, I want to give my wholehearted endorsement to this resolution and thank my colleague, the Member for Flin Flon, for raising it in the House today. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker: Is the House ready for the question?
An Honourable Member: Question.
Mr. Speaker: The question before the House is the resolution brought forward by the honourable Member for Flin Flon (Mr. Jennissen), the Cross Lake Cadet Program, as amended.
Is it the pleasure of the House to adopt the resolution?
Resolution agreed to.
Mr. Kelvin Goertzen (Official Opposition House Leader): 12 o'clock, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker: Is it the will of the House to call it 12 o'clock? [Agreed]
The hour being 12 noon, this House is recessed and we will reconvene at 1:30 p.m.