LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA
Monday, September 28, 2009
Mr. Speaker: O Eternal and Almighty God, from Whom all power and wisdom come, we are assembled here before Thee to frame such laws as may tend to the welfare and prosperity of our province. Grant, O merciful God, we pray Thee, that we may desire only that which is in accordance with Thy will, that we may seek it with wisdom, know it with certainty and accomplish it perfectly for the glory and honour of Thy name and for the welfare of all our people. Amen.
ROUTINE PROCEEDINGS
Long-Term Care Facilities–Morden and Winkler
Mr. Peter Dyck (Pembina): I wish to present the following petition to the Legislative Assembly.
These are the reasons for this petition.
Many seniors from the Morden and Winkler area are currently patients in Boundary Trails Health Centre while they wait for placement in local personal care homes.
There are presently no beds available for these patients in Salem Home and Tabor Home. To make more beds in the hospital available, the regional health authority is planning to move these patients to personal care homes in outlying regions.
These patients have lived, worked and raised their families in this area for most of their lives. They receive care and support from their family and friends who live in the community, and they will lose this support if they are forced to move to distant communities.
These seniors and their families should not have to bear the consequences of the provincial government's failure to ensure there are adequate personal care home beds in the region.
We petition the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba as follows:
To urge the Minister of Health (Ms. Oswald) to ensure that patients who are awaiting placement in a personal care home are not moved to distant communities.
To urge the Minister of Health to consider working with the RHA and the community to speed construction and expansion of long-term care facilities in the region.
This is signed by Mae Doerksen, Liz Unrau, Helena Schellenberg and many, many others.
Mr. Speaker: In accordance with our rule 132(6), when petitions are read they are deemed to be received by the House.
Crocus Investment Fund–Public Inquiry
Mr. Kevin Lamoureux (Inkster): I wish to present the following petition to the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba.
The background to the petition is as follows:
The 2007 provincial election did not clear the NDP of any negligence with regards to the Crocus Fund fiasco.
The government needs to uncover the whole truth as to what ultimately led to over 33,000 Crocus shareholders to lose tens of millions of dollars.
The provincial auditor's report, the Manitoba Securities Commission's investigation, the RCMP investigation and the involvement of revenue Canada and our courts, collectively, will not answer the questions that must be answered in regards to the Crocus Fund fiasco.
We petition the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba as follows:
To urge the Premier (Mr. Doer) and his NDP government to co-operate in uncovering the truth in why the government did not act on what it knew and to consider calling a public inquiry on the Crocus Fund fiasco.
Mr. Speaker, this is signed by J. Ominski, B. Ominski, L. Horton and many, many other fine Manitobans. Thank you.
Parkland Regional Health Authority–Ambulance Station
Mr. Stuart Briese (Ste. Rose): Mr. Speaker, I wish to present the following petition to the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba.
These are the reasons for this petition:
The communities of Eddystone, Bacon Ridge and Ebb and Flow First Nation rely on emergency medical services personnel based in Ste. Rose, which is about 45 minutes away.
These communities represent about 2,500 people. Other communities of similar size within the region are equipped with at least one ambulance, but this area is not. As a result, residents must be transported in private vehicles to the nearest hospital if they cannot wait for emergency personnel to arrive.
There are qualified first responders living in these communities who want to serve the region but need an ambulance to do so.
A centrally located ambulance and ambulance station in this area would be able to provide better and more responsive emergency services to these communities.
We petition the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba as follows:
To urge the Minister of Health (Ms. Oswald) to consider working with the Parkland Regional Health Authority to provide a centrally located ambulance and station in the area of Eddystone, Bacon Ridge and the Ebb and Flow First Nation.
This petition is signed by Donna Mancheese, Leo Baptiste, Marlena Racette, and many, many other fine Manitobans.
Hon. Rosann Wowchuk (Minister of Finance): Mr. Speaker, I'd like to table the Annual Reports, Public Accounts, Volumes 1, 2 and 3 for 2008-09, and the Report on Outcomes for 2008-09, Financial Management Strategy.
Hon. Theresa Oswald (Minister of Health): Mr. Speaker, I'm pleased to table the 2008-2009 Annual Report for Manitoba Health and Healthy Living, which includes the Annual Report of the Manitoba Health Services Insurance Plan. The French version of the report is being translated and will be available tout de suite [immediately].
Hon. Dave Chomiak (Minister of Justice and Attorney General): Mr. Speaker, I have the honour of tabling the Response to Request for Clarification of the Report and Recommendations of the Judicial Compensation Committee and a Report and Recommendations of the Judicial Compensation Committee.
Reduction
Mr. Hugh McFadyen (Leader of the Official Opposition): Mr. Speaker, we have, for a considerable number of years, been raising concerns in this House and elsewhere about the level of debt and dependency on the federal government that has built up under the watch of the member for St. Boniface (Mr. Selinger), the former Finance Minister.
Mr. Speaker, we're told that Manitoba could be facing a significant reduction in the coming year with respect to equalization payments. I wonder if the Premier can confirm that that is the case, indicate what the anticipated reduction is and what plans his government has to deal with this major reduction that may be coming to Manitoba's revenue.
Hon. Gary Doer (Premier): Mr. Speaker, I thought the member opposite was virtually campaigning on having no equalization payments to Manitoba.
I would point out–
Some Honourable Members: Oh, oh.
Mr. Doer: –and maybe he will–and maybe he will spell out the impact of that on health care and education in Manitoba to follow.
I would point out–
Some Honourable Members: Oh, oh.
Mr. Speaker: Order. Order. Order. The honourable First Minister has the floor.
Mr. Doer: Yes, the equalization payments will go down for Manitoba because our economy has gone up. This is very–[interjection] Mr. Speaker, they would–I would point out the latest projections from two of the banks project that Manitoba will perhaps be the only one in Canada to have positive economic growth in 2009.
* (13:40)
I am happy that the member actually asked questions about a financial situation. It’s unusual and it's important. The Dominion Bond Rating agency came out on September 25th and said the province of Manitoba is weathering the recession better than most of its peers–better than most of its peers. Manitoba continued spending discipline, and its resilient economy has helped to limit fiscal erosion and debt growth, leaving the province well positioned to further improve its already sound credit profile when the economy recovers and gains momentum.
That's from an independent body, Mr. Speaker. It's not the partisan voices that we hear from opposite. It's the steady-as-she-goes position of the provincial government.
Mr. McFadyen: Mr. Speaker, I think that the 12,000 Manitobans in the manufacturing sector who've lost their jobs over the last 18 months may have a different perspective on the current economic situation. We know that livestock producers and others in various sectors in the province are facing challenges. We also acknowledge that we went into this recession in seventh place in Canada in terms of GDP, and certainly, even with a–with a–with a stagnant economy, other provinces are seeing a decline. That is to be acknowledged.
Mr. Speaker, though, what it has created is a significant challenge going forward and that we have become so dependent on equalization payments from Ottawa that we now put ourselves in a difficult position if those equalization payments go down without any plan for the future and how they are gonna be managed.
I wonder if the Premier can indicate: What is the reduction that's anticipated, and what is the plan to ensure that Manitoba's finances remain stable into the future and that jobs are protected for Manitoba families?
Mr. Doer: Well, Mr. Speaker, the members opposite think the more they say something, if they say it often enough, people will believe them. The percentage of the budget–
Some Honourable Members: Oh, oh.
Mr. Speaker: Order. Order.
Mr. Doer: The percentage of the budget from equalization in '99 was 19.6 percent. It's in and around the same amount right now and actually, because of economic growth, will go down relative to other revenue items in the budget. So let's put that in complete perspective.
Secondly, Mr. Speaker, I would point out that we've quadrupled the amount of money in the rainy day fund. [interjection]
You know, the member opposite says not prepared. We put more money in the rainy day fund in the '08-09 budget. Now, when is the member going to apologize for the fact that he stood in this House three years ago–three years ago he stood in this House and saying the NDP would drain the rainy day fund in the next two years? He was wrong then, he's wrong now, and he'll be wrong tomorrow, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. McFadyen: Well, Mr. Speaker, what the–what the NDP did was go out and borrow money to, in effect, take the financial problems of today and transfer them to our children and grandchildren, the generation that are gonna have to pay for the debt that has now gone to $21 billion and climbing, a record level of debt, and I underestimated their willingness to go out and borrow against the next generation when I made my comments about the Fiscal Stabilization Fund. It's borrowed money that they're using to cover up for their mismanagement today.
Why doesn't the Premier just indicate what is the amount of the reduction we're looking at in equalization, which is the question that's being asked, and what is the plan to deal with it rather than engaging this meaningless rhetoric.
Mr. Doer: Well, Mr. Speaker, we expect they will go down, the degree to which will be finally–will be calculated over a period of time, taking into consideration other provinces, their growth in relative terms to Manitoba. We expect it will go down, and we're planning accordingly in our budget. We also know that the Fiscal Stabilization Fund–[interjection]
The Fiscal Stabilization Fund has quadrupled, and I would also point out that the inflation rate in Manitoba at zero or below zero in terms of the cost of living–so there are issues of expenditures that will be consistent with the fact that the cost of living, whether it's fuel, heating fuel, natural gas in particular is gone down in the last 12 months; there's other commodities that have gone down. So, yeah, there's always–every year's got a budget challenge, but we've come in with 10 balanced budgets in the last 10 years, and we will continue to be on target and steady as she goes, Mr. Speaker.
Economy
Government Update
Mr. Rick Borotsik (Brandon West): Mr. Speaker, we in Manitoba recognize that the new Finance Minister is terribly inexperienced in her new portfolio. We know she is attempting to do her best, but all Manitobans would feel a lot better if she would possibly address the serious deterioration of our financial position.
Today, the Prime Minister of Canada delivered an economic update for the country. Will the new Finance Minister promise the same before we leave this Legislature this session?
Hon. Rosann Wowchuk (Minister of Finance): Well, Mr. Speaker, I can tell you that I won't take the word of the member opposite who just raised the question. I will take the word of the Dominion Bond Rating agency and the Dominion Bond Rating agency has said, and I quote: The province is weathering the recession better than most of its peers. Manitoba's continued spending discipline and its resilient economy has helped to limit fiscal erosion and debt growth, leaving the Province well positioned to further improve its already sound credit profile with the economic recovery gains momentum.
Mr. Speaker, the member opposite wants to paint doom and gloom. I would ask him to read the report and the rating from the Dominion Bond Rating agency.
Mr. Borotsik: Well, you know, Mr. Speaker, I didn't see any doom and gloom in the question I asked. It was simply, will the new Finance Minister simply give us an economic update as to what's happening in our fiscal position.
Now, Mr. Speaker, this is economics 101. Revenue is down and expenses are up. The first quarter financials, not estimates, but the financials show a $318-million loss in revenue and a $77‑million increase in expenses.
Mr. Speaker, is anything happening to address this serious problem or is everyone in government, including the new Finance Minister, just sitting on the sidelines waiting for the NDP leadership race to play itself out?
Ms. Wowchuk: Mr. Speaker, the member opposite would like to say–he says there's no doom and gloom, but he will also have to admit that, although we have brought forward 10 balanced budgets, he has voted against every one of those balanced budgets during his time in this House.
Mr. Speaker, I would encourage the member opposite to listen to what the bond agencies are saying. This first quarter report is no different, or is very similar, to the first quarter report that we had last year. There is some increased spending. We have faced some challenges, but this government is prepared to invest in the economy and keep people working and keep our unemployment rate down, and I'm proud of what we're doing for this province.
Mr. Borotsik: Well, Mr. Speaker, I have to say that I'm not terribly proud of this government and what they're doing to the financials of this province at the present time.
Mr. Speaker, again, the simple question is: We recognize that in this budget year, 2009-2010, there are some serious, serious changes to the budget that was put forward by this government. We know that revenues are down. Manitoba Lotteries is losing money. Manitoba Hydro is losing money. We've got $318 million less revenue right now in the first quarter than we had last year in the first quarter, and the Finance Minister simply says: Well, the bond rating agency says things are going just fine.
Will the minister stand up in this House and please tell us how she's going to cover the shortfall of at least $600 million that we can see in the first quarter? How is she going to cover that shortfall if it's not simply by borrowing money?
Ms. Wowchuk: I’ll correct the member. He said that Lotteries is losing money, Mr. Speaker; their revenues are down. Lotteries is not losing money.
Mr. Speaker, the member opposite would like to paint doom and gloom, the sky is falling, everything's going the wrong way, but let the member look at year over year from last year. Year over year from last year, we are in a very similar position.
Year over–the members opposite also said we would not be able to put money in the rainy day fund. I will say to him, this government is working and will work to continue to ensure that there's economic activity in this province, that people are working, and they only have to look at our record and the fact that we were able to put money into the Fiscal Stabilization Fund, and nobody else has been able to do that.
Gang
Violence
Government Strategy
Mr. Kelvin Goertzen (Steinbach): Mr. Speaker, last week, we gave the Minister of Justice a choice, either bring forward a gang strategy or resign. After reviewing the seventh gang strategy in 10 years, it appears that he picked the wrong choice. He should have resigned.
Mr. Speaker, the government has decided to monitor, without any additional police officers, 1 percent of all the known gang members. That must make the other 99 percent of gang members feel pretty good in the province of Manitoba.
* (13:50)
Mr. Speaker, will this Minister of Justice acknowledge that instead of sending a signal to gang members that tougher times were coming, that the minister instead waved the white flag and has completely surrendered to the gang in Manitoba?
Hon. Dave Chomiak (Minister of Justice and Attorney General): Mr. Speaker, I think the member has just demonstrated very candidly why that people who have a mature and comprehensive approach to justice, like the police, should make these decisions.
In fact, Chief McCaskill indicated that this strategy, which was put in place–[interjection] what was put in place this summer because of very serious problems will continue and required analytical and behind the–behind-the-scenes support, and the member should–I know they have trouble with numbers, clearly, from the first question–but the 50 is a revolving 50. It's not just 50; it's more. It will go on and on and on, and it'll expand.
So, you know, I don't involve myself in day-to-day operations as does the member from Steinbach who drives in to read the paper, Mr. Speaker. I'll take the advice of Chief McCaskill way over the member from Steinbach 10 times out of 10.
Mr. Speaker: Order.
Gang
Members
Data Base Statistics
Mr. Kelvin Goertzen (Steinbach): Under this NDP government the gang data base, which tracked a total number of gang members and which was created in the 1990s, was unplugged by the NDP.
Mr. Speaker, no doubt, the NDP government realized long ago that their soft-on-crime approach was resulting in an increase, a number of gang members, and to deflect–to deflect criticism they unplugged the gang data base.
In 1999, the gang data base indicated that there are 1,500 confirmed or suspected gang members in Manitoba. A few years later, under the NDP, there were 3,000 gang members. So what is it today? Are there 5,000? Are there 6,000, Mr. Minister? Do you have any idea how many gang members there are in Manitoba today?
Hon. Dave Chomiak (Minister of Justice and Attorney General): First off, I find it very interesting that the members opposite, for almost a decade in this House, have said there were no gangs in the 1990s. Not only did they build a jail for gangs, but the member just said there was 1,500 gang members when they were in office. That's extraordinary.
I don't know how many times in this House the member stood up and said, there were no gangs when we were in office. There were no–you know what? There were no gangs. There were no programs. There was no recognition, Mr. Speaker. Now he says, oh, there were 1,500. Thank you, thank you. We finally got that, and we get regular updates with respect to gangs and gang members in terms of the intelligence reports on a regular basis.
Mr. Goertzen: In 1999, in response to the now‑Premier (Mr. Doer), the minister, Vic Toews, stood in this House and said there were 1,500 gang members on the data base. The Premier thundered at that time. He was outraged that there were 1,500 gang members on the data base. He bellowed. He bellowed at the top of his lungs that that number had to be reduced.
A few years later it'd gone from 1,500, as acknowledged by Minister Toews, to 3,000 under the NDP government, and in response–in response the government unplugged the data base. The Premier didn't whisper a word when the data base was unplugged.
I want to ask the Premier: Was he full of hot air in 1999? Was he concerned at all that the data base was unplugged under his government, Mr. Speaker?
Hon. Gary Doer (Premier): Mr. Speaker, if the member recalls correctly that there was a report about the Crown attorney's office conducted in the late '90s, and it was identified that there wasn't even a data base, and there was a strong recommendation the Crown prosecutors would actually go–
Some Honourable Members: Oh, oh.
Mr. Speaker: Order.
Mr. Doer: –and get computerized equipment.
Some Honourable Members: Oh, oh.
Mr. Speaker: Order.
Mr. Doer: We not only–we not only increased the Crown attorney's office by some 70 percent, but we brought in a computer base and information technology in the Crown attorney's office so we could actually start tracking the kind of numbers. You didn't even have it then. You didn't even have a computer. You didn't even have a data base. And that's why–one of the many reasons–why we thundered at the kind of inconsistency of members opposite.
Manitoba Hydro
Effects of Potential Strike
Mr. Cliff Cullen (Turtle Mountain): Mr. Speaker, there's a very real possibility that thousands of Manitoba Hydro employees could be out on strike in the very near future. Obviously, that raises concerns with Manitoba Hydro customers.
Mr. Speaker, what steps has the minister taken to ensure the reliable transmission of electricity to many thousands of Manitoba Hydro customers?
Hon. Rosann Wowchuk (Minister charged with the administration of The Manitoba Hydro Act): Mr. Speaker, the member opposite raises an important issue, and I can say to the member opposite that Manitoba Hydro will negotiate with their employees in a–in a–the way they should be negotiation, and they're in the best interests of the corporation. They have people at the table, and we hope those negotiations go well and we can continue to have the service that's very important to Manitobans.
Mr. Cullen: Obviously, the threat of a strike at Manitoba Hydro poses a great deal of uncertainty and risk for the corporation. The Public Utilities Board has raised concerns over the long-term risk facing the corporation. The Auditor General is now weighing in on the management of risk at Manitoba Hydro given this government's intervention in the past.
Mr. Speaker, what is the Minister responsible for Hydro doing to mitigate the short-term risk associated with a strike?
Ms. Wowchuk: Well, Mr. Speaker, I want to assure the member opposite that we will not, and I say we will not be privatizing the corporation like the members opposite did with the telephone system.
Mr. Speaker, the member opposite raises the issues of the Public Utilities Board and the Auditor General, and I can tell the members opposite that that's the corporation's responsibility, and the corporation is dealing with the issues raised by the PUB and raised by the–by the Auditor General.
With regard–with the regard to the services, I want to assure the member that my understanding, negotiations are going on, and I know that Manitoba Hydro will deal fairly with their employees, and they'll do everything they can to ensure that we have a safe electricity supply in Manitoba.
Mr. Cullen: Well, Mr. Speaker, it's quite clear that Manitoba Hydro employees are preparing for a strike. And it's also reported that ballots on the strike vote will be counted this Wednesday. Thousands of Hydro employees could be on strike any day following that vote. Now, it's clear this government is preoccupied with another vote and may be not keeping its eye on the ball in the management of the province here.
Mr. Speaker, Manitoba Hydro employees are ready for a strike. Is this government and Manitoba Hydro ready for a strike?
Ms. Wowchuk: Mr. Speaker, in listening to that member speak, I'm almost–I think he's trying to provoke a strike. I should tell the members opposite that there is negotiations. You know, the member may not realize this: We have had strike votes in this province before without a strike. The people have the right to have a vote, and I can assure the member that Manitoba Hydro will deal fairly with the employees, and it's my hope that they can negotiate so they won't have a strike.
But workers have the right to have a vote, and we won't interfere with that; that's part of democracy. Maybe members opposite would interfere in that kind of a vote. This government won't. We will let the workers exercise their right, and we'll let them work it out with Manitoba Hydro.
Influenza
A (H1N1)
Vaccination Reports
Mrs. Leanne Rowat (Minnedosa): Last week, previously unpublished medical research about H1N1 was made public. The research suggested that people who get a flu–seasonal flu shot may be twice as likely to contract H1N1 influenza as people who do not get this seasonal flu shot. This news has caused a lot of confusion and concern among Canadians.
Can the Minister of Health update Manitobans about how this new research will impact seasonal flu vaccinations in Manitoba?
Hon. Theresa Oswald (Minister of Health): Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for the question. It is an important one. We know that our Chief Provincial Public Health Officer Dr. Kettner, in addition to a group of medical experts, have been working since the B.C. study emerged on this particular issue. The vaccine working group is meeting today to finalize their discussions to review its implications in a Manitoba context, and they assure us that they're going to make an announcement about information for the public concerning how the seasonal flu will be administered, when it will be administered, to whom, and in what relationship that will happen to the H1N1 vaccine, which I'm informed by the federal Health Minister, could be available as early November the 1st.
Mrs. Rowat: And I think Manitobans wanna know when this minister is going to make that announcement.
Last week the Minister of Health told media that it's too early to say if the seasonal flu shot campaign should be altered in light of this new research. However, Ontario and New Brunswick have already been clear with the public about their plans. On Thursday, the minister said, and I quote, ". . . we will keep the public informed and safe."
* (14:00)
Mr. Speaker, a lot of people are asking about this and they need answers. Seniors are concerned. Families are concerned. Will she keep the promise that she made and tell Manitobans what the plan is for the seasonal flu shot?
Ms. Oswald: I say to the member, yes, I will.
I know there's no member of this House that would wish for a politician to rush a decision that had not yet been made by medical advisers in Manitoba. There are many things to consider that our doctors are considering in concert with their national colleagues, things like projected deaths in Canada from seasonal flu versus not administering a flu shot; projected deaths that could happen as a result of H1N1 versus not administering to some people.
There's no question this is a complex communications issue, but it absolutely, Mr. Speaker, must be driven by the medical advice of our experts in Manitoba in concert with the Public Health Agency of Canada and other jurisdictions. They have committed that they will bring a decision forward for tomorrow and I think that's the best decision.
Mrs. Rowat: The WRHA has planned its seasonal flu shot campaign to begin in just over two weeks. Time is running out for the minister to make a decision and communicate it effectively to all Manitobans. Mr. Speaker, planning prevents panic, and what is the time line, is what Manitobans are wanting to know.
If the minister can't tell Manitobans what the plan is today, can she at least tell us when she expects to have a plan?
Ms. Oswald: Let me just be explicitly clear in contrast to the nature of the question from the opposite.
As minister, I am not making a medical decision about the appropriate administration of vaccine to people in Manitoba. The Medical Officer of Health, the Chief Provincial Public Health Officer, in consultation with vaccine experts, will be making that decision. They have been working around the clock since the B.C. data emerged. They are having a final meeting today to come up with the best policy going forward as recommended by doctors.
I'm fairly certain that there's no member on that side of the House that wants to rush an important medical decision in the name of politics. I, for one, am going to wait for the doctor to give the advice.
18th Street Bridge (Brandon)
Project Costs
Mr. Rick Borotsik (Brandon West): My question is to the Minister of Infrastructure and Transportation.
The 18th Street Bridge still has a sign indicating that the capital cost is $17 million. Now everyone in Westman knows that the bridge is two times over budget and 18 months late in delivery.
The eastern access project most recently had a sign posted with a capital cost of $25 million. Now, Mr. Speaker, that sign has recently been covered. Does that mean it, too, is going to be two times over budget and years behind schedule?
Hon. Ron Lemieux (Minister of Infrastructure and Transportation): We're the ones that are building the 18th Street Bridge and the member from Brandon–you know, Mr. Speaker, every time we bring a budget forward to put more monies into infrastructure, this year $1.6 billion we wanted to put towards infrastructure, whether that's in health care, education, infrastructure and transportation, the member from Brandon West votes against it. One day he's talking about cutting, cutting, cutting programs. The next day it's about spending, spending, spending. Which one is it?
Mr. Borotsik: Well, I don't think I got my answer, Mr. Speaker. Obviously, they're spending money, but they're not spending it very wisely because they're two times, two times over budget and don't you forget it's our money, not your money. It's taxpayers' money.
Some Honourable Members: Oh, oh.
Mr. Speaker: Order. Order. Order.
Mr. Borotsik: Why doesn't the Minister of Infrastructure and Transportation just get into his Ford F150, paid for by the taxpayers of Manitoba, and drive to the job site. He will find, Mr. Speaker, some water issues and governmental department interfering. I am told rather than directing water to a drainage ditch, the contractor has been told that he has to haul the water by tanker off of site. What a waste of money.
Is that why the signs have been covered? Is that why this cost have skyrocketed?
Mr. Lemieux: We put millions and millions of dollars into the southwest of Manitoba and it's a great investment for the people there, Mr. Speaker. There are many, many different projects, but I'm shocked, shocked that the member from Brandon West would say that's a waste of money–
Some Honourable Members: Oh, oh.
Mr. Speaker: Order.
Mr. Lemieux: –by putting money into Brandon. I cannot believe the member from Brandon West would actually stand up at his place in this Legislature and say that that kind of money is wasted. Mr. Speaker, we're very proud of the money we've put in Highway No. 10, the money we've invested in twinning Highway No. 1 to Saskatchewan from Virden. And there's many, many other projects that are going to be forthcoming, as well, and the member from Brandon West will stand up again and discredit all those projects for western Manitoba.
Mr. Borotsik: Mr. Speaker, the waste of money is mismanagement in that minister's department. That's the waste of money. You don't spend $4 billion in infrastructure and only get $2 billion worth of product. That's a waste of money. The whole department is totally inefficient, and it lies at the feet of that minister.
Why–why does infrastructure projects that are very important to my community and other communities cost twice as much as what's budgeted? It's because they don't know how to budget. It's because they don't know how to manage, Mr. Speaker. Why is it that these costs are double what they should have been? Is it because the minister has no control of his department?
Mr. Lemieux: Mr. Speaker, the ranting and raving that's coming from the MLA from Brandon West, I cannot believe it, slamming the hardworking civil service, the men and women of the Department of Infrastructure and Transportation. Almost $61 million to Highway No. 1, almost $60 million to Highway No. 10–money that's been spent, spent and wisely invested by the men and women that work hard every day on behalf of the taxpayers of Manitoba. And the member from Brandon West stands up. Not only does he vote against those budgets and increases, but actually slams the civil servants that are–that are–that are spending that money wisely.
Midwifery
Program (Norway House)
Student Practical Experience
Hon. Jon Gerrard (River Heights): In 2006, the NDP, specifically the Minister of Advanced Education announced $1.6 million to start a midwifery program in Norway House. Good people like Darlene Birch were recruited as teachers, but because the NDP Minister of Advanced Education failed to ensure that there would be actually babies delivered in Norway House, only three of the original nine students are left and these three are struggling to gain delivery experience. Hopefully, the minister will at least ensure that they have a good final year.
But I ask the Minister of Advanced Education to tell the House why she established the midwifery program without ensuring that there would be babies delivered at Norway House so that the future midwives could have the practical experience in delivering babies that's so necessary to a career in midwifery.
Hon. Diane McGifford (Minister of Advanced Education and Literacy): Well, Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for the question because, of course, we in government are extremely proud of the midwifery program delivered through the University College of the North. I know members opposite voted against the University College of the North. I know the member from River Heights has different opinions depending on which room he's in.
But we're extremely proud of the midwifery program in the north. We made a conscious decision to introduce midwifery in the north, Mr. Speaker, where it was more difficult to provide these kinds of services, and I don't know how the member thinks I could–I don't know whether he wants me to go up to Norway House and personally deliver babies. It's–very odd question.
Mr. Gerrard: Six, three, four and three. That's how many babies were delivered in Norway House in the last four years. I table the document.
Mr. Speaker, this information is readily available. Perhaps the minister had some commitments from the Minister of Health (Ms. Oswald), and the Minister of Health failed to deliver. I don't know. Perhaps it was the old adage coming home to roost, as they say; you know, the road to hell is paved with good intentions. But without ensuring that there was an obstetric service–
Mr. Speaker: Order. Order. Order. Order. Order. Order. Order. Order. I think we need to watch our language a little bit in this Chamber. This is a very–[interjection] Order. Order. Order.
This is a very distinguished Chamber, and we need to have a little more respect for this great institution we're very fortunate to be–that our constituents send us to. I ask the member to use another wording than what he just used.
* (14:10)
Mr. Gerrard: Mr. Speaker, I will be more careful with words. Basically, I ask the Minister of Health, you know, without ensuring there was an obstetrics service in Norway House, the minister basically doomed the midwifery program.
So I wonder if the minister of an advanced education will, perhaps, next be offering a bowling class in a parking lot?
Ms. McGifford: You know, Mr. Speaker, I think the member should be careful with words, and I think he should be even more careful with ideas.
Perhaps one of the things he doesn't know as of yet is that the program in midwifery–the program–midwifery program at UCN has not yet completed one cohort. There haven't been any graduations, so I don't know–and not because of anything other than the program isn't completed–so I don't know why he would think that midwives trained at UCN would be in Norway House delivering babies anyway. They're not finished.
Criminal
Offenders
Electronic Monitoring
Mr. Kevin Lamoureux (Inkster): Yes, Mr. Speaker, as all Manitobans are very much aware of the serious nature in terms of the gang problem is, in particular in the city of Winnipeg, and they look to the government to demonstrate some leadership.
We need to acknowledge that the Winnipeg police department does just a phenomenal effort in terms of combatting and trying to deal with this issue, but it's gonna take more resources, Mr. Speaker, and utilizing modern technology, I believe, can make–play a critical role in this. Using the idea of having home-based radio transmitters is one of the ways in which we can ensure that individuals are respecting curfews.
We know that there are hundreds of individuals, in particular youth, that should be in their homes under curfew. The police department does not have the resources in order to monitor the hundreds that should be in their homes. Radio transmitters is a viable option that could be incorporated that would protect Manitobans.
Will the Minister of Justice agree to at least investigate that as an option?
Hon. Dave Chomiak (Minister of Justice and Attorney General): As I said to the Member for Steinbach (Mr. Goertzen), I want to be very careful about taking the sometimes not-totally-thought-out recommendations of the member for Inkster, who has said in this Legislature that we don't need any more police officers, who, in this Legislature, Mr. Speaker, has not acknowledged the fact that auto theft can be actually dropped by 60 percent without having to use bait cars even though access is to bait cars, and who ought to know that we brought in an electronic monitoring program, but who also ought to know that the successful monitoring of curfews and the successful ability to breach someone can be done only by a police officer, or a probation officer, or other kind of official, and the monitoring device doesn't go to a court and breach. And there is a factor, the human factor, that we have to–
Mr. Speaker: Order.
Waste-Water
Treatment Facility (Brandon)
Funding
Mr. Drew Caldwell (Brandon East): Mr. Speaker, the development of policy initiatives and capital initiatives designed to protect and enhance our water quality in the province of Manitoba, as well as to enhance water protection in Manitoba, has been one of the benchmarks of this government over the last number of years.
Mr. Speaker, we've entered into partnerships with municipal levels of government, with the federal government and with various other partners throughout the province since 1999 to enhance this very important aspect of the provincial economy and the quality of life for all Manitobans.
I'd like to ask the Minister of Infrastructure and Transportation if he can inform the House of recent policy initiatives in western Manitoba that will help further protect water quality for Manitobans.
Hon. Ron Lemieux (Minister of Infrastructure and Transportation): We know one MLA in Brandon is very pleased with the investments in Brandon.
Mr. Speaker, Brandon will be the first municipality in Manitoba to be fully compliant with the Clean Environment Commission's recommended standards for nutrition removal. We're very pleased with that, and the Province, represented by the Premier (Mr. Doer), and the Member of Parliament Merv Tweed, were in Brandon to announce a $33‑million investment, and it's a huge investment for protecting our waterways for future generations and also while promoting economic development and jobs in Brandon.
We're very pleased, as a government, to be part and parcel of the federal government's announcement. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Influenza
Vaccination Locations
Impact on Seniors
Mrs. Bonnie Mitchelson (River East): Many residents along Henderson Highway, specifically those that live in the seniors blocks on Henderson Highway, have some significant concerns about the location chosen to administer the flu shot in northeast Winnipeg.
Mr. Speaker, there are thousands of senior citizens that live along Henderson Highway that are going to have to change buses in order to get their flu shots.
I guess the question would be: Why was that location chosen by this government to administer flu shots for the many, many seniors in our community that will be very much inconvenienced by the decision?
Hon. Theresa Oswald (Minister of Health): Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for the question. Certainly, in consultation with our regions and, specifically, in this case, the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority, their process was amended this year to do–prior to the B.C. report, by the way–a mass vaccination project to test in preparation for the H1N1 vaccine.
So the protocol did indeed change; that's correct, but as we go forward in looking at how the seasonal flu vaccine will be administered with this emerging research, we'll certainly be speaking with the region to make the best accommodation, in particular for seniors, to get the seasonal flu vaccine.
So I thank the member for the question, and we will look into it.
Mrs. Mitchelson: Mr. Speaker, there will only be 12 locations where the flu shot will be administered throughout the city of Winnipeg.
Mr. Speaker, I'd like to ask the minister whether she anticipates as many people will be able to get out to get the flu vaccine as a result of the significant reduction in the number of locations.
Ms. Oswald: Again, the material that the member opposite is raising is in relation to the WRHA's plans to conduct a different program this year, a mass vaccination program over a shorter period of time to test pilot mass vaccination for H1N1 vaccine.
Now, in light of the emerging research out of B.C., indeed the seasonal flu campaign may very well change. That has been the case for other provinces. It is anticipated that that may be the case where our focus may very well be on 65 and over, which, indeed, would very likely call for an amendment to that plan. Those decisions are still being made.
If the target group indeed does centre on seniors and seniors alone, it is very likely that that plan will change, and we want to ensure that we work with all members and their constituents so that vaccines are administered to the right people in the best places at the right time.
Philippines Flooding
Government Response
Mr. Hugh McFadyen (Leader of the Official Opposition): Mr. Speaker, we've read with great concern about the circumstances in the Philippines with the major storm and flooding over the past number of days. A hundred and fifty people have passed away as a result of the tragedy as of this morning. Many thousands more are relocated.
I'd like to ask the Premier whether the government of Manitoba will be playing any role in terms of assistance in connection with this terrible disaster that is impacting many family members of Manitobans who have come here from the Philippines.
Hon. Gary Doer (Premier): Yes, Mr. Speaker, we've been in contact with both the Philippine community in Manitoba but also the international co‑operation group that we have working for the province to make sure that any money that comes from the public would be utilized in a way that it makes a difference for the people, and we are reviewing that material and will make a decision or announcement shortly.
But, in the past, we–we, all of us, have been with the victims of the mudslides in the Philippines. We've been with other people that have been subject to very tragic situations around the world, and we intend on being with the Philippine people again in this–in this very important time of need.
Mr. Speaker: Time for oral questions has expired.
Mr. Mohinder Saran (The Maples): Mr. Speaker, I rise today to draw members' attention to an impressive feat accomplished by a group of remarkable young Canadians. On August 8th I was honoured to greet an extraordinary group of kids involved with the Children's Run Across Canada.
The Children's Run Across Canada is an initiative of the Guru Gobind Singh Children's Foundation. Beginning in St. John's, Newfoundland, in early July, a team of young runners made their way to central Ontario, where a second team relieved them and continued onwards to the prairies. The third team began in Brandon and ended up on the West Coast, eventually dipping their feet in the Pacific Ocean. Inspired by their foundation's motto of "Children Helping Children," the run aimed to raise funds for hospitals across Canada, including our own Children's Hospital of Manitoba.
I was thrilled to greet the runners as they passed through Winnipeg. We met on the steps of the Legislature where our community leaders thanked the children and their volunteer support staff. We encouraged them to continue their noble trek. The kids continued on from Winnipeg, running along the Trans-Canada Highway towards Brandon. I joined the runners for a leg of their journey and kept up with the young athletes.
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The Children's Run Across Canada succeeded in raising more than $110,000 for children's hospitals across the country. This feat is only one of the many worthy initiatives undertaken by minority communities across Canada, and it reminds us of the need for media coverage of these positive stories.
The volunteers who handled the logistics–logistical challenges of the run, including keeping the kids safe along our country's busy summer highways, are to be thanked and commended. The children, for their part, are symbols of all that is right with today's youth. Their grit and stamina should encourage us all to make a difference in our own communities. Thank you Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Daryl Reid, Acting Speaker, in the Chair
Mr. Hugh McFadyen (Leader of the Official Opposition): Tropical storm Ketsana struck the Philippines on Saturday, September the 26th, causing severe flooding in that country's northern region. Some of the hardest hit areas include the capital city of Manila and the nearby Rizal province. These are areas of the Philippines I had the privilege of visiting just over a year ago, Mr. Speaker, and I know that these are areas of the country that were already facing some significant economic challenges and, on top of that, now are facing this terrible natural disaster.
Mr. Speaker, here in Winnipeg, leaders in the Filipino community including Rod Cantiveros and others, in co-operation with the Red Cross, are collecting donations for the PhilCan Disaster Relief Fund from now through 'til Saturday, and there's a prayer vigil for flood victims being held at the Philippine Canadian Centre of Manitoba this Wednesday night.
Mr. Speaker, the Philippine government issued a state of calamity for metropolitan Manila and the 25 provinces hit by the storm. Government officials in that country are focussing efforts on providing food, medicine and other necessities to those in emergency shelters.
As of this morning, Mr. Speaker, the death toll had reached approximately 150, tens of thousands of others displaced from their homes and the possibility that a second storm could strike the region this week. Officials say the death toll could rise as rescuers continue to make their way through villages blocked by floating cars and other debris.
Mr. Speaker, the Philippine government has appealed for international help this morning as the extent of the devastation becomes evident, including mud-covered communities and large numbers of residents without power, food or drinking water. Officials have said that nearly 115,000 people have been relocated to roughly 200 churches, schools and other emergency shelters.
Mr. Speaker, Filipino people have played a critical role in the development of Manitoba, particularly over the last four decades. Immigrants from the Philippines started arriving here in the late 1950s, and since that time the community has grown to over 40,000, and we benefit greatly from the–from the contributions of those citizens.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to express today, on behalf of the Progressive Conservative caucus, our good wishes and support for our Filipino community and our call for all Manitobans to do what they can to assist in this very challenging time.
Ms. Jennifer Howard (Fort Rouge): It's my honour today to pay tribute to a remarkable group of volunteers who took the vision of a green and growing urban neighbourhood and made it a reality. On Sunday, September 13th, I attended the first harvest celebration for the Osborne Village community garden located at Confusion Corner at the River Osborne Community Centre.
Community gardeners, volunteers and local citizens enjoyed hotdogs and various dishes made from the fruits of their labour. We were delightfully entertained by singer, songwriter, Katie Murphy.
Last winter I was approached by the Osborne Village Resource Centre to discuss what community development means in the Osborne Village neighbourhood. Talks soon turned to gardens in hopes for the coming spring. Shauna Carmichael, the garden co-ordinator, had the energy and commitment to recruit gardeners and see the project to fruition.
People of all ages and walks of life participated in the community garden, some with years of gardening experience and some beginners. Raised beds were built to enable seniors from the area to tend their plots more easily. Although this summer did not provide the best conditions, vegetables such as eggplant, tomatoes and copious amounts of zucchini flourished. Community spirit was also a bountiful harvest.
Mr. Speaker, I'd like to thank the River Osborne Community Centre and staff from the City of Winnipeg for providing the land and expertise, all the community gardeners and the queen of the garden, Shauna Carmichael. What began as a dream on a snowy day is now a living embodiment of a healthy community. I hope that the Osborne Village community garden will keep growing for many years to come. Thank you.
Mrs. Leanne Rowat (Minnedosa): As the critic for seniors it gives me great pleasure to rise in the House today in recognition of Active Aging Week.
Physical activity is one of the most important things we can do to maintain your physical and mental health and quality of life as we age. According to the Public Health Agency of Canada, over 60 percent of older adults are considered inactive. Becoming and staying active benefits more than just our physical health. It enables us to stay engaged, improves our mood, mental health and cognitive–cognition, sorry, and enables us to meet new people.
Active Aging Week will be held from October 5th to 11th and organized in Manitoba by the Active Living Coalition of Older Adults. Their overriding goal is simple but extremely valuable, to reach out and introduce older Manitobans and their families to the concept of active living–or active aging.
The Active Living Coalition of Older Manitobans is a partnership of over 50 organizations and 13 supporting partners that are committed to encouraging and promoting active aging throughout the province of Manitoba.
This week, partner organizations throughout the province will play host to a variety of activities, from educational seminars and health fairs to a community walks and restoration chair yoga classes.
I wish to congratulate the Active Living Coalition of Older Manitobans for organizing such an event and encourage them to continue promoting physical activity and a healthy lifestyle among seniors, and, to all Manitoba seniors, happy and healthy aging.
Mr. Gregory Dewar (Selkirk): Well, thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'm pleased to inform the House that earlier on this year the provincial government joined forces with the federal government and the City of Selkirk to contribute $9.7 million towards a major upgrade to Selkirk's waste-water treatment.
This will raise Selkirk's overall water quality, allow more families access to high-quality drinking water and improve the level of services in the plant's water treatment and distribution facilities. This targeted funding will also help Selkirk increase its overall water treatment capacity in the hopes of one day supplying other communities in the region with clean potable water.
Mr. Speaker, I want to thank our government, Selkirk's municipal government and the federal government for this important investment in our community. Thank you.
House Business
Hon. Dave Chomiak (Government House Leader): Mr. Speaker, the House will be resolving itself to deal with–into condolences motions today. Today the condolences motion are going to be–for the information of members of the House–condolence motions are going to be for the late Pete Adam, Reginald Allan Patterson and Warren Steen, and we anticipate that tomorrow condolence motion will be dealing with the late Oscar Lathlin. And, having said that, I am just awaiting the return of the both First Minister and the Leader of the Opposition, and I wonder if there's any other House business that needs to be clarified or announced for today–
An Honourable Member: Recess.
Mr. Chomiak: –or the member who's suggesting unanimous consent to perhaps recess the House for five minutes, Mr. Speaker. Is it unanimous?
An Honourable Member: Until the call of the Speaker.
Mr. Chomiak: Until the call of the Chair.
Mr. Speaker: Is it the will of the House to recess the House and return at the call of the Speaker? Is there willingness? [Agreed]
The House recessed at 2:29 p.m.
____________
The House resumed at 2:33 p.m.
Mr. Speaker: As previously agreed, we will now move on to motion of condolences.
Hon. Gary Doer (Premier): I move, seconded by the member from Dauphin,
THAT this House convey to the family of the late Aimé R. (Pete) Adam, who served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba, its sincere sympathy in their bereavement and its appreciation of his devotion to duty in a useful life of active and community public service, and that Mr. Speaker be requested to forward a copy of this resolution to his family.
Motion presented.
Mr. Doer: Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of a devoted husband, father and grandfather, great-grandfather, a brother, friend and public servant to the Province of Manitoba and to the people of this province.
Pete Adam, as we all knew him, passed away just this January at the age of 95. He leaves his loving family to cherish his memory; his devoted and beloved wife Mary, sisters Lucille, daughters Doreen, Lorraine, Marie, Karen and their families, including seven grandchildren and seven great‑grandchildren.
Also left to mourn is a close family friend, Wesley Saari. Certainly, for all of us that have had the privilege of knowing Mr. Adam and his work, he was a man who was extremely wise. I would describe him as gentle with good advice all the time. Certainly, this was grounded, I believe, in his family and his history in terms of their being involved in his family business which revolved around commercial fishing, fur trading, a general store, a post office, tourist operations, all of which I think contributed to this wisdom and contributed to the great deal of credibility he had with people that he served and people that he represented.
He also worked with First Nations people, including the Ojibway First Nation in Crane River, and developed a lot of friendships and acquaintances in that part of the Aboriginal and Métis communities. Certainly, Mr. Adam was very active in the Ste. Rose du Lac community. He became a member of the Lions Club, the International Harvesters group. He was an early support of the co-operatives and the National Farm Union and he was president of his local of the National Farmers Union, Local 509. He also enjoyed hunting, fishing, and he was an avid sports person in the province of Manitoba.
In terms of Pete's political life, he was elected in the by-election in 1971 when Ed Schreyer was elected premier in 1969. He was re-elected to this Assembly in Ste. Rose in 1973, 1977, 1981, serving under and with Ed Schreyer and Howard Pawley. I know that he had a great deal of credibility because in some of those election campaigns, the wave, or the tide, was moving in an opposite direction, particularly in 1977, and you would expect that Ste. Rose would be a competitive seat, and Mr. Adam survived those elections and was successful because of his own personal integrity and his own personal credibility.
He was appointed to the Ministry of Co‑operative Development and Municipal Affairs, and later, in 1983, the Minister of Government Services under Howard Pawley, and he developed–in the recession of the '80s, he worked on a program called the Main Street Manitoba Program while he was Minister of Municipal Affairs, and this was a program that benefited a lot of rural Manitoba and it named him the appropriate nickname of Main Street Pete, and I think that conversations I had with Pete Adam, this was a term of endearment from a lot of people from all across all different political parties, and I recall going into Shoal Lake and I recall going into Ste. Rose and I remember going into other communities, and there would be a kind of beautiful sidewalk and some of the features of the street were really, really improved–planters and other areas of beautification for those communities–and it was really quite impressive, and everybody would say, yeah, that was Main Street Pete that brought that in; darn good idea, too. And it was, because, you know, the economy across North America was in challenging times, and this was an infrastructure proposal that actually made sense at the grass-roots level.
There's lots of fancy infrastructure programs–all of which are very positive in the province of Manitoba, I might add–but there's a lot of programs that sometime miss the mark right in terms of where people live, where they work, where they raise their families, and this was one that was relatively inexpensive as infrastructure programs go and relatively–well, very positive. It made a lot of difference. You can still see the next chapter of these Main Street projects with different communities investing in a similar way of kind of trying to improve their communities.
I certainly had the privilege of–any time I went to any meeting in the Parklands region, in opposition, then as Premier, Pete Adam was at the meeting. He was always at the meetings with always good advice: you should do this; you should do that; you should think about that; this is what you're doing right; this is what you might want to change, or might want to think about–and you could tell again, he knew what was going on, what the people were thinking, what they wanted, how they wanted to proceed. And it is extremely important to remember him as a person not only of strong social justice and equity principles but one that understood how it applied in everyday life to the people of his constituency and to the people of this province.
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Pete and Mary sold their family farm after he retired in politics in 1986 and they moved to Dauphin, Manitoba. And, again, he was often at the meetings with the present minister of Dauphin-Roblin, giving him advice, very good advice, I might add, and maintaining his humour and his wit and his storytelling skills in terms of the people of Manitoba and the people of Canada. He stayed very current with the international developments. He stayed very current with the national politics and the provincial politics. There were not very many issues internationally, nationally or locally that Pete did not have a strong opinion on and did not have good advice for all of us.
Mr. Speaker, we all miss Pete Adam with his loss, with his passing in January. I want to personally express my condolences to Pete Adam–Pete Adam's family and friends. He was a good man, a strong family man, a good individual that contributed greatly to the social fabric of Manitoba, and he is a person that certainly appreciated the democratic process in this Legislature, certainly appreciated the fact that his constituents had sent him here to do a job and he was able to make a lot of difference to a lot of people in his time in this Legislature, and for that we thank him for those contributions.
Hon. Jon Gerrard (River Heights): Mr. Speaker, I rise to join colleagues in the Legislature in extending condolences to the family and friends of Pete Adam on his passing.
Certainly, Pete, when he was elected, he was elected in a by-election originally in the seat that had been held for quite a number of years, probably almost 20 years, by Gil Molgat. And, of course, that was at the time that Gil Molgat was appointed to the Senate and there had to be a by-election.
Certainly, I've talked with Gil Molgat on quite a number of occasions, and he certainly regretted the fact that this seat had changed parties, but he certainly, at the same time, admired, you know, Pete Adam for what he did for the constituency and for people. And I know that the late Senator Molgat stayed in close touch with people in Ste. Rose and Laurier in particular, so he was well aware of what was happening.
So Pete Adam was here for–in the Legislature for some 15 years, and certainly he achieved a significant amount of recognition for the work that he did and work that he did on behalf of the people in Ste. Rose constituency.
So I just, basically, want to say this is an occasion to salute, to pay a tribute to Pete Adam and certainly join other members in doing so.
Mr. Kelvin Goertzen (Steinbach): I want to add, on behalf of the PC Party of Manitoba and the official opposition our words of condolence that have been offered already by the Premier (Mr. Doer) and the member for River Heights (Mr. Gerrard).
It's notable, not only the 15 years of distinction that Mr. Adam served here in the Legislature but also the strong family ties that he maintained. His wife of 71 years, Mary, and also his four daughters, Doreen, Lorraine, Marie and Karen deserve, no doubt, a great deal of the accolades for the success, the parliamentary success but also the business success that Mr. Adam had. Tremendous, we all know as elected officials, sacrifice that is made by families when an individual enters the public life, and it very much becomes an effort not just of the individual whose name is on the ballot but also all of the family members who are there to support someone as they go through what is, I think, a very rewarding, but also can be a very challenging occupation. And in reading some of the accomplishments of Mr. Adam, he seemed to be able to reach that balance, which is sometimes difficult for individuals in public life to reach. I'm sure he did it with the support of his family.
Mr. Adam–when you look at his life it reflects so many of the aspects of our province from farming to business to the political realm. He really touched it all in his time in–on this earth and in Manitoba. He was able to reach into so many of the critical areas of our province–our democratic values, our business values and our farming values–and be a success in each one of those areas in serving for Premier Schreyer and Premier Pawley. It's already been mentioned that he did so with distinction and obtained the nickname Mainstreet Pete for a program that he brought forward when he was the Minister responsible for Municipal Affairs.
I think all of us, as elected officials, sometimes struggle with a way to stay connected with individual Manitobans, and this job can sometimes, if it's not done correctly, can separate you from those who we are here elected to serve. And it's clear from obtaining a nickname like Main Street Pete that Mr. Adam never had that difficulty and that he had that common touch with individuals and no doubt that was a great part of his success.
So we also want to extend, on behalf of the official opposition, our condolences to the family, and our thanks for sharing both their father and their husband with us in the Legislature and for the betterment of Manitoba.
Hon. Stan Struthers (Minister of Conservation): Mr. Speaker, I want to begin by welcoming members of Pete Adam's family here to the Legislature today.
I want to note that Mary could not make the trip today. She wasn't feeling well enough to do the travel, and I think that's significant because one of the things you learn when you are in a conversation with Pete Adam was that Mary and him were so close and worked so much together throughout, whether it was Pete's career as an elected official or whether it was all the work that he had done predating 1971, and all the activities that he'd been involved with. Him and Mary were quite the team.
So I want to start by issuing my condolences to Mary and the family on their loss. The loss–the loss extends to a lot of people in our area of the Parkland and certainly throughout Manitoba. Pete Adam was an MLA of the people and I think that comes, as you've heard a little bit here, about the background that he had before he was actually elected in the by‑election in 1971.
Pete Adam was a commercial fisher. He was an implement dealer. They had the general store. He had a lot of connections to people in Crane River and Rorketon and Cayer and Eddystone and Ste. Rose and Winnipegosis, Wheadon, all those areas, little communities who you'd–you'd try to find on a map today and you might have a difficult time doing that, but people in the area, they knew Pete Adam, and I was always amazed at how well Pete Adam knew those folks.
They–he was always interested in what so and so's son or daughter was doing, what they were taking in school, where they were farming, how many kids in the family. I remember so many of those kinds of conversations. I think it's very, I think it's very important to note that Pete Adam was a farmer and that he told me a story one time about actually being out on the land when somebody officially came to get him to be the candidate, to be the–to seek the nomination for the NDP in the early '70s which prompted him to put his name forward as a candidate.
He also was a leader within the National Farm Union, I think an area in which he really did develop some real skills. He was naturally a people person but I think he developed his skills in terms of what he was able to accomplish here in this Legislature because of his background and because of the work he had done through the NFU along with so many of these other businesses and undertakings that he had been involved with before he was elected.
I think Pete was really very proud of his relationship with the First Nations people in our area and with the Métis communities in our area. I know that Pete valued that and worked hard to give voice to those people in our area, and I think he was always very proud of what he was able to accomplish with and on behalf of First Nations and Métis people in Manitoba.
* (14:50)
We know that Main Street Pete was a nickname that Pete had earned. I think it was partially because of the program, which is an excellent program, as our Premier has pointed out, but I think Pete was well on his way to getting that nickname anyway, because he spent so much time on main streets in our part of the province, talking to people, shaking hands, finding out what the issues are that he could bring forward here in this Chamber. So I think that from both angles that nickname very much suited Pete Adam.
The other thing I was always impressed with, with Pete, was the humility and kind of combined with a sense of humour. In the last provincial election I asked him to come and help me introduce our candidate in the Ste. Rose constituency, and I said a few nice things about Pete as we did this to people that were assembled, and after we introduced our candidate Pete came up to me and he said, well, you know why I was successful in our constituency, he said, Mary and I are related to just about everybody in the northern part of the riding and that's why I was successful. You know, he was related to a lot of people, Mr. Speaker, but that was only a small part of his success. Pete was a very good local politician.
I want to say, too, that I'll miss the advice that I received from Pete over the years well into his 90s. Not too far ahead of his death, Pete would pick up the phone and Pete would phone me, usually with the assistance of Mary, but Pete would phone and he'd be up to date, in many cases more up to date than I was on an issue, and he would tell about the issue and he would tell me what he thought we should be doing and saying about this issue of the day and that issue of the day, and he always tied it into his historical knowledge of governing, his historical knowledge of our area, and relate it back to that of the everyday ordinary Manitoban who lives in our beautiful part of the province. So I will miss that advice that Pete would impart to me.
And I just want to wrap up by expressing, on behalf of my family and this caucus, our condolences to Mary and all the family and thank them for supporting Pete and making it possible for Pete to support his constituents so well for all those years in this Chamber. So thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker: Is it the pleasure of the House to adopt this motion? [Agreed]
Would honourable members please rise and remain standing to indicate their support for the motion.
A moment of silence was observed.
Reginald Allan Patterson
Hon. Gary Doer (Premier): Yes, I move, seconded by the member for River Heights (Mr. Gerrard),
THAT this House convey to the family of the late Reginald Allan Patterson, who served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba, its sincere sympathy in their bereavement and its appreciation of his devotion to duty in a useful life of active community and public service, and that Mr. Speaker be requested to forward a copy of this resolution to the family.
Motion presented.
Mr. Doer: I rise to recognize the passing of a loving husband, brother and uncle, a dynamic teacher and a former member of this House, known to all as Al, and certainly that's how I knew Mr. Patterson. He was born in Ottawa in 1919 and predeceased by his wife of 41 years, Edith Charlotte. Al will be deeply missed by his nephews and his nieces.
Al's career began in Ontario where he attended Barrie Collegiate Institute. He pursued a post‑secondary education, eventually graduating from the University of Toronto in 1943 with a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture. He was hired by the Dominion Rubber company. He worked in Kitchener before moving to Ottawa with that company.
Fifteen years later, Al left Eaton's where he was working to return to university. Taking what he had learned first-hand through his business experience with the business world, he enrolled in the University of Western Ontario School of Business Administration where he graduated with an M.B.A., and he joined the faculty there, where he taught for two years before moving to Minneapolis to pursue his doctorate. There Al studied industrial relations, earning his Ph.D. from the University of Minnesota in 1975, and he returned to Winnipeg to enjoy–join the University of Manitoba Faculty of Administrative Studies. He taught at the Asper School of Business.
It was a chance to make a direct impact in the community that drew Al away from academia, that drew him into running in 1988. And he was elected in May 25, 1988, as the Liberal member for the Radisson constituency. Certainly I know that Al was very involved in his own party. He was an active member of the Liberal Party. He broadened the scope of his involvement later on becoming a member of the Kiwanis and later at the Wildewood Club. He was very involved in our public libraries. He served on boards with both the Winnipeg Public Library and the Public Library Foundation of Winnipeg, and he was also involved in the former members association of Manitoba.
He certainly was pleased to receive the medal under the Queen's Golden Jubilee in 2002, and he certainly had a love of learning. Mr. Speaker, I want to say that I had the opportunity to sit with Mr. Patterson in this Chamber. He, I think, would defy the definition of a partisan politician in this Chamber. I think the former leader of the Liberal Party was curious, I guess is the best way to put it, about Al's ability to be broad in his scope, look at issues in a broad base, on a broad basis, not very many partisan considerations in his questions or his statements or in his speeches, and when he was looking at issues of industrial relations, he was applauding one party or the other on the basis of good, sound policy, and I don't think he was very critical. That wasn't his nature. He would be constructive in his advice but not critical in his suggestions, and I always enjoyed his speeches because they were quite knowledgeable. They were quite well thought out and there was always two or three bits of research that weren't in the speeches I was giving.
You always learned from Al Patterson about–especially on industrial relations–about something that happened before and how instructive it was and how instructive it could be on going forward. So he was a very valuable contributor to debate in this Chamber. He brought his public service values to his job as a lecturer, I know, at the University of Manitoba and he brought his great deal of knowledge gained both directly in business and at the universities that he attended, very prestigious universities, to this Legislature. So he was extremely valuable at a–in a minority parliament, in a minority Legislature. He was extremely valuable in some of the discussions on–and interesting on issues such as firefighters compensation coverage, labour law changes that weren't brought in but at discussions about other things that were very interesting at the time, and he had a lot of knowledge that was very, very valuable for the people of Manitoba.
For that, I thank him for his contributions to the people of this province and I echo the condolence motion that we are debating today. He certainly was a man of dignity, integrity and great knowledge.
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Hon. Jon Gerrard (River Heights): Mr. Speaker, I rise to second this condolence motion in extending condolences to family and friends of Dr. Al Patterson, and to certainly recognize those who have come in today from Al's friends and family.
Al was a, I think, one of these people who believed in lifelong learning, without a doubt. You know, he was born, of course, in Ottawa. They moved to Capreol where he did his elementary education, then, in Barrie, he obtained his secondary education in Barrie Collegiate, then went on to the Ontario Agricultural College–now part of the University of Guelph–and received his Bachelor of Science and Agriculture and then went on to the University of Toronto.
He was employed by the Dominion Rubber Company, Tire Division, in Kitchener, and then in Winnipeg. And then, for a number of years with the T. Eaton Company in Winnipeg.
When he left Eaton's in 1965, you know, he was–at that point in his career and his age, most people would not be thinking about going back to university, but he did. He went, first of all, to the University of Western Ontario, the School of Business Administration, received his M.B.A. degree from Weston in '67, and then went to graduate school to get a Ph.D. from the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis, a Ph.D., of course, degree in industrial relations in 1975.
Now, he had joined the faculty at the University of Manitoba, the Faculty of Administrative Studies, and was teaching there, had many friends at the university and in the faculty and, certainly, quite a number of happy years there.
He was–ran, first, as a Liberal in 1986 in Radisson constituency. He was not successful but, in 1988, he was successful in getting elected and served with Sharon Carstairs as part of the official opposition.
I talked to Al many occasions and he always told me that the two years that he served in the Manitoba Legislature were the best years of his life. He had a great time here. He really enjoyed the people and, certainly, his Liberal colleagues, but also enjoyed the opportunity to contribute in a broader, wider sense in enhancing the well-being of Manitoba.
Al, you know, was a gentleman. He was honest. He was elegant in the way he dressed. He was refined in his taste. He was erudite in his speech. He spoke well and he always had a useful and positive contribution to bring when he spoke.
In the Liberal Party, Al is honoured and revered. Last year, in June, we held an event to honour Dr. Al Patterson. At that point, Al was considering leaving, going to Toronto. Now, it's sad that that, in fact, did not happen and he didn't have the chance to live and be with family in Toronto. But, at that event, there were many wonderful stories–really a great fondness in people in the Liberal Party for Al and his contributions.
In spite of the fact that he had all this education and made all these contributions, he was always one to come forward and help in the Liberal Party offices, at events, coming out to annual general meetings. He was extremely reliable, and he participated actively in the Former MLAs Association.
So it is with great pleasure that I have the opportunity today to pay this tribute to Al Patterson to recognize his extraordinary achievements over many years, his dedication to continued education, his unwillingness to accept that there wasn't something that could be done better, and his grace and his ability to relate to people and to make a contribution wherever he was.
So I certainly second this motion, and we miss Al Patterson. We certainly miss somebody who's made a major contribution to our province.
Mr. Daryl Reid (Transcona): I'm honoured to rise to add a few comments on this condolence motion for Reginald Allan Patterson.
Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize the passing of this loving husband, brother, uncle, a dynamic teacher and to pay tribute to a former member of this Legislative Assembly.
As many individuals here will no doubt know of Allan and his contribution to this House, and, as some of the comments that have been made indicated, Allan was born in Ottawa in July of 1919, but was unfortunately predeceased by his wife of 41 years, Edith Charlotte, and Al will be dearly missed by his many nephews and nieces.
Now, as members of this House have indicated to this point, Mr. Speaker, the Premier (Mr. Doer) and others, with respect to Al's life and his education, Al's lifelong learning began in Capreol, Ontario, a community that's not unknown to members of my community. And Al, of course, started his elementary education in Capreol, Ontario, where, after that point, he moved to Barrie with his family, where he attended Barrie Collegiate Institute and then pursued a post-secondary education, eventually graduating from the University of Toronto in 1943 with a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture.
He was then hired by the Dominion Rubber Company, and he first worked in Kitchener and then was moved with the company to Winnipeg, and, of course, settled into his new prairie home. But, like many folks of that time, Mr. Speaker, when the T. Eaton Company was a presence in the province of Manitoba in the city of Winnipeg, many folks, not unlike folks of my own community, myself included, tried to become employed with the T. Eaton Company, and Al found a new job with the T. Eaton Company here in Winnipeg.
Fifteen years later, Al, of course, wishing to, no doubt, pursue his passion for learning, he returned to university where he learned, first-hand, through his experience with the business world, and he enrolled later at the University of Western Ontario, the School of Business Administration, from which he graduated with an M.B.A in 1965. And Allan then stayed at Western and joined the Business School Faculty, where he taught for two years, before moving to Minneapolis to pursue his doctorate. There Al studied in industrial relations, as members of this House have commented, and Al earned his Ph.D. from the University of Minnesota in 1975. And, after that point, Allan returned to Winnipeg and joined the University of Manitoba's Faculty of Administrative Studies. He taught as an associate professor for more than a decade and became a central figure in that faculty that would later become the Asper School of Business, as most members will know.
It was a chance to make a direct impact on his own community that drew Al away from academia into the realm of politics and, as most members here will know, that, as the member for River Heights has indicated, Al first tried his hand at politics in 1986, something that I did not know. But I do know and remember when Al was first elected to this Legislature in 1988, and he had run for the Liberal Party of Manitoba and, of course, he won his Radisson constituency, which is the west part of Transcona, and I was familiar with Al being the MLA for Radisson at that time.
Of course, Al's political career was impressively broad in its vision. He took an interest in legislation on a variety of topics, from the health of non‑smokers, Mr. Speaker, which is obviously important, considering that this House has given consideration to non-smokers, and, also, Al was interested in the rights of small-business owners, as those members who were serving this House in this time will, no doubt, remember.
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Of course, once free from the demands of academic and political life, Al was–he maintained his impressive level of community activity and his interest, obviously, in the Liberal Party, as the member for River Heights (Mr. Gerrard) has expressed. But he also broadened his scope of involvement becoming a member of the Kiwanis Club of Fort Garry and I understand he also joined the Wildewood Club where he could often be found throwing the curling rocks which, in the warmer months, where he also spent time golfing with his friends' different golf clubs.
Al's love of learning naturally led him to become involved with public libraries which seems like a natural fit for Al and he served on the boards of both the Winnipeg Public Library and Winnipeg Library Foundation. And he also maintained an active interest in the Association of Former Manitoba Members of the Legislative Assembly and members of this House will, from time to time, receive newsletters, and I remember reading Al's comments in there and seeing his name on the lists of former members of this House.
For his multifaceted community service, Al was awarded the Queen's Jubilee Medal in 2002. And, of course, Al's life was defined by an engagement with each of the communities in which he lived, whether academic, neighbourhood or in political life. And his love of learning was matched only by his willingness to use his knowledge and skills for the service of others.
I, from my little bit of knowledge of Al as the MLA for Radisson, of course, he was the MLA for the community in which I live, I always understood Al to be a fairly quiet individual and a true gentleman. And I know that the community appreciated his service.
And, on behalf of my colleague, the honourable member for Radisson (Mr. Jha), his wife, Raj, the people of the Radisson constituency, my family and myself, I wish to thank members of Al Patterson's family for sharing Al's time, his life and his work with so many others that he served and worked with through his years as a part of the Manitoba communities, and also, for his life in this Legislative Assembly. And I express my condolences to Al's family.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker, for the time to share my thoughts with the members of this House.
Mr. Leonard Derkach (Russell): Mr. Speaker, I would like to add some comments to those that have already been made with regard to Mr. Al Patterson, MLA for Radisson, a gentleman who I had the pleasure to sit with and certainly someone who I respected because this was a gentleman who was indeed refined. He respected everyone in this House, and I think he gained the respect of all members in the House.
It was a time when we were in government, Mr. Speaker and, many times in the House, Al would ask questions. But they weren't the types of questions that we often hear in the House, ones that were attacking government for lack of action or its inappropriate action in his view. Rather, he came at things from a different point of view and would ask the questions for clarification, perhaps for an explanation on policy and then would even offer a suggestion as to how perhaps we should look at the world just a little differently. Al was respected because of his knowledge. He was respected because of the fact that he brought to this Legislature, I think, a dignified approach in how to deal with matters.
And sometimes, in sitting in the loge, Al and I would have an opportunity to talk about the business world which he had a lot to offer, as a professor, but also as someone who understood the business world. When you talked about labour relations, you could talk to Al about, you know, how we could, as a province, improve the labour climate in our province for the betterment of the people who live in it.
One of the things that always struck me about Mr. Patterson was his dress. He was always dressed to a T. But one of the characteristics of seeing Al in the House was the bowtie that he always used to wear. And I think there were two gentlemen in the House who, from time to time, would wear a bowtie, but Allan would always wear one. It was always good to see Al, dressed to the T, ready for work, but a true professional in every sense of the word.
It was two short years that we sat with Al in this House, a time when the Liberals did enjoy being the official opposition. And Al contributed to that quality that we all think is important in this House, in terms of being not only critical in a positive way but offering alternatives to government as a member of the official opposition.
To the members of Al's family, I would have to say that they should be proud of the contribution that he made not only to this House but to his community and to the province. If we all ascribe to living life in the way that Mr. Patterson did in contributing to the quality of life of our communities and our province, our province would certainly become a much better place to live in. And that's what we all do as politicians is try to leave Manitoba and our province in a better place than we found it in and, indeed, Mr. Patterson did that and we are thankful for his service to our province and to his family and to every community that he lived in.
To his family, I say, our condolences are offered but, indeed, they should be proud of the individual who served this province and their family very proudly. Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Kevin Lamoureux (Inkster): I welcome the opportunity to be able to offer condolences to friends and family members of Al Patterson. I have had the distinct privilege to have participated in many different types of activities with Al over the years.
And a number of the speakers that spoke before me talked about this gentleman, and the member from Russell makes reference to the bow tie. Indeed, Al Patterson, for all intents and purposes, was the elite of gentlemen. He was a first-class individual and one of the things that I think really highlighted that in terms of even Al's priorities was his wife was actually quite sick, Edith. And it was because of Alzheimer's, and it was a difficult time and Al took his responsibilities very seriously, And he was there, virtually at her bedside throughout this difficult process, while at the same time he was able to have such a huge impact inside this Legislature and, in particular, inside the Liberal Party and the Liberal caucus.
I had the opportunity to attend the funeral. And I think that we could all be inspired by Al Patterson. I've actually had the opportunity to talk to many others about Al Patterson because–one of the reasons is because of his age. Al was actually elected to this Legislature at age 70. And, you know, at the funeral there was, I suspect, somewhere in the neighbourhood of a couple of hundred people that came there. You're talking with different people and, quite frankly, you know, they're talking about the last 20 years since Al was elected as an MLA. And it got me to think in terms of how much of an inspiration that really is. You know, life does not have to end when you pass that 65. Al clearly demonstrated a new life began at age 70, and it was a life that excelled the number of people that he was able to touch since being elected to the Manitoba Legislature is truly amazing and the impact that he was able to have in many different ways, again, was simply amazing.
I know, within the Liberal Party, life is–Al has been a recipient of the life membership of the party. You know, I would have to go way back, ever since I've been going to annual general meetings, I don't think Al's ever missed an annual general meeting of the party. And there was such a wonderful, good group of people that included individuals like Tim Ryan, which I know, the late Tim Ryan, which I know was a personal, very good friend of Al Patterson, and there was that core group of people that, in essence, assisted in keeping the party alive in that area of the city.
And, in fact, like Al, I ran first in 1986, and individuals like myself and Al ran because of Sharon Carstairs and the sense of trying to assist the Liberal Party. And Al did a wonderful job. You know, whether it was the signs, the brochures, taking that generic package, making sure that the people had an alternative going into that '86 election. Then, in 1988, both of us had agreed again to run. And I really didn't know Al that much between that '86 and '88, but once that '88 election came by, I think there was a few people that were surprised.
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But one of the things that we quickly learned after the '88 election is that Al Patterson was so well rooted in terms of understanding a wide variety of issues, and he had such a wonderful group of individuals that he brought to the table with him. And the individuals that I would look at would, in essence, be a lot of them from that St. Boniface, the Senator Molgats, and the amount of respect that he had from a number of, what I would classify as senior Liberals, that had so much to be able to contribute to our party, to the Liberal Party.
Al was not only able to appeal to that particular group, but people will be amazed in terms of to what degree he appealed to the young Liberals of our province and, you know, I don't want to step out too far outside the box, but suffice to say that Al could hold his ground with the young Liberals when it came to the night activities. Al contributed immensely to the well-being of the party.
I can tell you, when I was the party manager, back in 2002, Al Patterson was there, working on the computers and answering the telephones, continuing to contribute because he had a love and a passion for the, for the Liberal Party and, by doing that, he was able to share his experiences which, I think, you know, uplifted a good number of people within our political party.
But, for me, personally, Al had a calming effect, one could say. At times I've been known to get a little excited inside the Chamber. Al played a very important role in terms of each individual MLA. I see Ed Mandrake is up in the gallery, and Ed would know full well in terms of some of the things that, that Al would do and, whether it was sitting down talking about the complexities of a particular policy–final offer selection, the Meech Lake Accord–Al was a fountain of knowledge and someone that was quite easy to talk to. We know that quite often in the wind-up of a session, there might be a little room that's designated to alleviate some of the concerns over the last number of days, and Al would be a part of that. So he was able to bridge the different factions from within a caucus and pull people together.
Al had a love for this Chamber, and I would really want to emphasize some of the sentiments that Al–or the one that comes to my mind, and it's already been made reference to, is just how fortunate and blessed that he genuinely felt of being inside this Legislature. I don't believe there was ever a day where he wasn't grateful and felt privileged to be here. I can recall him once telling me that this was the highlight of his career, Mr. Speaker–an individual that was truly dedicated to making this Legislature work, even in a minority situation. As other speakers have talked, Al could, in essence, be a minister's potential worst nightmare, because Al is someone that wanted just to, to have good, positive dialogue. He wasn’t there just to criticize. He was more interested in having that positive dialogue that's going to actually try to implement a change, and he was very effective in doing that.
People talked about, you know, the love of learning that Al had and, I know personally, and others from within the caucus, I think, benefited immensely by Al sharing his knowledge around the caucus table and, in fact, around the Legislature and having the sit-down conversations because, quite often, we would look, and Al would be over on the government benches, talking to ministers or backbenchers or in the loges, because he, he genuinely had taken his responsibility very seriously, to the extent of–it wasn't just standing up, asking questions during question period; he wanted to follow things through.
I know that he was–had a very special relationship with Sharon Carstairs. That's one of the reasons why he ran in '86, and he ran again in '88. There was a very special relationship, and the individuals that were around Sharon were very much aware of Al Patterson. And I say that because, quite often, you would get someone like Al Munroe, who was a very good friend of Al Patterson, would be going around the province getting a sense in terms of what's happening, and Al would often be in discussions with Al Munroe.
So, you know, I think that the–suffice to say, that Al did contribute immensely to the lives of many people in this province and that's in good part, we're talking the last 20 years of his life, and as I have commented to some, you know, the first 70 years people would, I'm sure, be truly impressed, but I've only really known Al since he was 70, maybe a couple of years prior to that, and I've seen the impact he's had in those years, and I suspect that the impact in the first 70 years would have been quite impressive also. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker: Is it the pleasure of the House to adopt the motion. [Agreed]
Would honourable members please rise and remain standing to indicate their support for the motion.
A moment of silence was observed.
Warren Steen
Hon. Gary Doer (Premier): Yes, I move, seconded by the member from Russell,
THAT this House convey to the family of the late Warren Steen, who served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba, its sincere sympathy in their bereavement and its appreciation of his devotion to duty and a useful life of active community and public service, and that Mr. Speaker be requested to forward a copy of this resolution to the family.
Motion presented.
Mr. Doer: Yes, Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay respect to the late Warren Steen, who passed away on August 19th, 2009, at the age of 69 years of age. He leaves many members to cherish his memory; his daughter, Laura, children, Brooklyne, Edison; cousins, Bruce, Pat, Ken, Sonja, and their daughters Selena and Dawna. He was predeceased by his parents, Manley and Harriette, and brothers Robert Steen and Daryl Steen.
Mr. Speaker, I think it's well acknowledged in this Chamber that Warren Steen came from a very powerful political family in this community of Winnipeg. His brother, Robert, of course, was the mayor of the City of Winnipeg, and Warren, after graduating from the University of Winnipeg and working as executive assistant for the Minister of Agriculture George Hutton from '62 to '63, served in City Council between the years 1970 to 1971. He was elected councillor in Queenston after the city amalgamated in Unicity in '71, and he remained at that post until 1975, where Mr. Steen ran in a by‑election to the Manitoba Legislature in the constituency of Crescentwood, and he was elected in that by-election. Mr. Steen won again in 1977, and he won again in 1981, in the election of that year, and, in fact, in the '81 election the party lost government but Mr. Steen increased his majority during that election campaign.
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In terms of this Chamber, he was instrumental in a private member's resolution that saw the creation of the Curling Hall of Fame and Museum of Manitoba, and he passed a resolution to end the subsidies to the Canadian Pacific Railway, which is an interesting piece of Canadian history. After his time in office in '86, he spent his–the rest of his career in the insurance industry and was well known in that business.
Mr. Steen was an avid sports fan. During the 1970s he not only served as vice-president of the Winnipeg Enterprises Corporation that ran the arena and stadium, but he was also appointed as chair of the finance committee of that group. He was also on the steering committee appointed to pursue the possibility of providing Winnipeg with land to construct a baseball stadium, which ultimately took place, and he worked as a loyal member of Works and Operations Committee and chairman of the Parks and Rec Committee and the Assiniboine Park community committee. And I think we've all seen Mr. Steen jogging at Assiniboine Park and it was a place that I understand he enjoyed using as a jogger.
He enjoyed golfing with his friends and he was involved in community organizations. He was always a very hardworking, honest individual that was well respected, I know, in the River Heights community. I'm not sure, but I believe he also was involved in the River Heights community club. I seem to recall him there when I went there as a member of the Sir John Franklin hockey team. I think we lost there, so I remember–I think I do remember Warren Steen in that context. I may be wrong.
Certainly, I know that he, as I say, is part of a family that has contributed a great deal to our community, has contributed a lot to our civics and civic politics and he died at a young age.
I'm sure he is missed by his family and by his friends and loved ones, and, on behalf of the people of Manitoba, I want to thank Warren Steen for his contributions to this Legislature and his contributions to his community, Winnipeg. Thank you on behalf of the people of Manitoba.
Mr. Leonard Derkach (Russell): Mr. Speaker, I'm pleased to second the motion with regard to Mr. Steen, someone who I knew when I entered politics in this Legislature in 1986. Mr. Steen was one of those individuals that was well known throughout the community at large, if you like, in Winnipeg and even beyond, and when I was introduced to the political arena, even before then, my predecessor, Mr. McKenzie, had introduced me to Warren. And he was somebody who was not only a pleasure to speak with and to consult on issues of politics because he understood not only the politics within the City Council, but understood the provincial scene as well.
Mr. Steen was somebody who, when I knew him, had a very youthful outlook on life and someone who enjoyed life to the fullest. He enjoyed his colleagues in the Legislature. He enjoyed his acquaintances at the City and he enjoyed his community and contributed very generously to all of those facets in his life.
Now I don't need to repeat what the Premier has already said in terms of his contributions and his background, Mr. Speaker, but I do want to say that, having known Mr. Steen as somebody in the same political party, I can tell you that he offered a lot of advice, good advice, to a new politician when they came into the Legislature, not only on the scene of politics, but also administratively and where, if you like, the hot issues were within this province, and how it was that the City Council and the Province of Manitoba needed to have a close working relationship if, indeed, this province was going to progress.
He offered some sage advice to us who came into the political world in 1986, and for that I am–I am grateful that Mr. Steen was generously willing to share his knowledge and his expertise in terms of the relationships between the Province and other forms of government and why it was important to maintain the lines of communication always.
As a member of a community, no one would deny that his contributions were generous to the community. He was an avid sportsman. He enjoyed the outdoors. He enjoyed many areas of the sporting world, and participated in them, as well. When the Premier (Mr. Doer) talks about the walking trails, the hiking trails, the activities that we have in our city, he was a part of that, Mr. Speaker, and made sure that those kinds of amenities were there for the enjoyment of his community and the broader community of Winnipeg.
He served under Premier Sterling Lyon, and in those years I know that he garnered the friendship of people that sat in the Legislature at that time. And I had the pleasure of not sitting with Mr. Steen but, indeed, sitting with some of his friends, who were J. Frank Johnston, the late Dave Blake, and so forth, who would often invite Warren back to the Legislature, and sitting around and talking about the politics of the day. I sat quietly and was able to absorb some of the wisdom of not only Warren but, indeed, of that group of people who used to–who took politics very seriously. And I look at the Premier across the way and I know that he understood how seriously people like Warren Steen and the late Dave Blake used to take their politics, and it would bring the issues into the House in a very animated way.
And those were sort of different times in politics. They were times when politicians really, really took their work very seriously, and were also very adamant about the party that they belong to and the principles of that party. And when you talk about Mr. Steen, he was a very principled man in that regard and stood for what he believed in very seriously and very passionately, and some of the debates in the House in those days–if you were to read some of the debates and the contributions made by Mr. Steen, you would know that this was a very principled individual, one who believed in what he said and one who practised what he believed in.
And so, for that, we are again thankful to have had an individual like Mr. Warren Steen serve his community and serve our province. And Manitoba, again, is a better place because of the contributions that were made to political life and to community life by an individual like Mr. Warren Steen.
And to his family and to his friends, we offer our condolences, indeed, and we thank his family for sharing Mr. Steen with the community, the city of Winnipeg and, indeed, the province of Manitoba.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Hon. Jon Gerrard (River Heights): Mr. Speaker, I rise to extend condolences to the family and friends of Warren Steen, to pay a tribute to Warren Steen, who served City Council and then in the Manitoba Legislature.
Certainly, the elections that he fought in '75, in particular, had quite an impact on the Liberal Party with him defeating Charles Huband by 169 votes and, of course, in '86, the tables were turned, with Sharon Carstairs coming back and defeating Warren Steen.
I didn't know Mr. Warren Steen, but I certainly heard lots about him from Sharon Carstairs and Charles Huband and others and, you know, just want to recognize the time that he served here, the efforts that he made on behalf of Manitobans, his contributions to the Legislature and, indeed, to the city of Winnipeg.
Thank you.
Hon. Diane McGifford (Minister of Advanced Education and Literacy): Mr. Speaker, I, along with the Premier, the member from Russell, and the member for River Heights, wish to pay respect to the memory of Warren Steen, who passed away in August of this year at the age of 69 years old, I understand.
And the Premier (Mr. Doer) has already noted that he was survived by many family members and by many very close friends. He was predeceased by his parents, Manley and Harriette, and by his brothers, who the Premier has already made note of.
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Mr. Steen was born on July 22nd, 1940, in Winnipeg, educated at the University of Winnipeg and subsequently served as executive assistant to the then Minister of Agriculture, George Hutton. The period was from 1962 to 1963. Following that, Mr. Steen served as a alderman in the old City of Winnipeg from '72 to '71, and he was re-elected as a councillor in the Queenston ward after the City amalgamated into Unicity in 1971, and he remained in that post until 1975.
He was first elected to the Manitoba Legislature in a 1975 by-election in the central Winnipeg constituency of Crescentwood. As members know, the boundaries changed in 1998, so there is no longer a Crescentwood; indeed, Crescentwood was divided into two constituencies, Lord Roberts and Fort Rouge, so I am joined today in sentiment by the member for Fort Rouge (Ms. Howard).
Yes. So he was elected, as I was saying, in 1997–in 1975 in a by-election, and in 1977, he retained his seat when a second election was held. Although his party lost the election in 1981, Mr. Steen was re-elected with an increased majority. I'm sure this is a testament to his fine work. He retained the seat until 1986.
During his time as an elected official, Mr. Steen was instrumental in several important private members' resolutions. I think the Premier has already named two important ones: the Curling Hall of Fame and Museum of Canada and also his role in ending subsidies to the Canadian Pacific Railway.
Following his time in office, Mr. Steen spent the rest of his career working in the insurance business. He was an ardent sports fan as the member from Russell has told us. During the '70s, he not only served as vice-chair to the Winnipeg Enterprises Corporation that ran the arena and stadium, but he was also appointed chairman of the finance committee. In addition to that, he was on a steering committee appointed to pursue the possibility of providing Winnipeg with land to construct a baseball diamond. I think the Premier's already mentioned that.
He was a loyal member of Works and Operations Committee, a chairman of Parks and Recreation Committee and the Assiniboine Park community committee. When he wasn't working or contributing his time to civic and community organizations, Mr. Steen enjoyed sports, as again we've heard, golfing with many friends. He was, as we've heard, an avid jogger and loved to jog in the Assiniboine Park.
Mr. Steen will be remembered as a dedicated and committed elected representative and an honest, hard-working individual. We, in the Legislature, I know, are grateful for Mr. Steen's contribution to the province and we will always honour his life work and the contribution he made as a member of the Legislative Assembly. Condolences to the family, Mr. Speaker.
Mrs. Bonnie Mitchelson (River East): I, too, want to add a few words on the condolence motion that is before us, recognizing and honouring Warren Steen as a respected member of this Legislature.
But not only of this Legislature, Mr. Speaker, but he had a long and very positive career as an elected official at different levels, and I know that others have talked in great detail about his commitments, his contributions to the city of Winnipeg. He was first elected in–under the old City of Winnipeg in 1969 and saw the significant transition in the city as we moved to Unicity and was re-elected as a councillor at that time in the amalgamated new City of Winnipeg.
So he saw significant change and was able to show leadership through that change and transition at City Hall, and decided in 1975 that he would hop into the political arena at the provincial level and–in a by-election and was elected at that time and spent a distinguished career for 11 years in provincial politics, both serving in opposition and in government, and so he understood what the roles and responsibilities of the job was on both sides of the–both sides of the Legislature.
And I did have the opportunity to meet and get to know Warren Steen after I became an elected member in 1986, and although he didn't serve with me, Mr. Speaker, there were many occasions where he had the opportunity to come and join with some of his former colleagues in the Legislature in those first couple of years when we sat in the opposition benches and subsequently when we were elected to government in 1988, and he was able to share with pride the contributions that he had made and he was fiercely partisan, I think, as many who might have known and worked with Warren Steen would know.
He was principled. He believed in the Conservative philosophy and he ensured that all of us understood what his position was on issues, and he gave us wise words of wisdom from time to time on many, many issues. And, you know, he never stopped thinking about politics and talking about politics or being involved in politics when his time ended in the Legislature.
Just very recently, in the last few years, I had opportunities to meet with him at political gatherings and luncheons, and he continued to take me aside and share the issue of the day with me and give me some wise words of wisdom on how we should be dealing with certain issues.
So he continued with pride to represent his views and his beliefs to this–to the end of his days, Mr. Speaker, and we all recognize and realize that many of us in this House, regardless of our political beliefs, very often feel very strongly about what we believe in, and he was able to articulate those thoughts in a very succinct way and never forgot what he came to know as a Conservative philosophy and ensured that all of us knew, as we spoke to him, where he was coming from and what his opinion was.
Mr. Speaker, we want to thank his family for letting him be a part of the political process, and we do know that it sometimes takes it toll on families, but we do know that his commitment was second to none, and he came from a family that had political roots, and we want to thank him for his contribution to the political process in the province of Manitoba.
I don't want to repeat a lot of things that others have said about his background and the things that he was involved in, be it community life or sporting activities. Mr. Speaker, we do know that he was a well-rounded individual that certainly made a significant contribution to the province of Manitoba and we–I just wanted to put a few words on the record and share in the condolences–condolence motion that's before us today. Thank you.
Mrs. Heather Stefanson (Tuxedo): Mr. Speaker, I, too, would like to say a few words on the record and pay respects to the late Warren Steen.
I think many other members have mentioned some of the attributes and the various things that Mr. Steen contributed to the community, both as an elected official and as a volunteer in our community, and I won't go over all of the accomplishments he made in a very distinguished career in politics at both the city level and with the provincial government.
But I will say that I did know Warren Steen personally, and I can recall when my father first ran politically for the Progressive Conservative Party in 1977 in a Fort Rouge area, and it was called Fort Rouge at the time, and I can recall Mr. Steen coming out and helping on my father's campaign. He always had very sound advice for my father at the time when he ran, both in 1977 and '79, and was a tremendous volunteer on that campaign, as well, and was a great sounding board, I think, for my father and our family in politics.
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I also had the opportunity–Mr. Steen also came out and helped out in my campaign, when I first ran in a–in a by-election in 2000 for the seat in Tuxedo, and Mr. Steen did come out and helped out on my campaign. And I can recall coming home after canvassing one night, and he was signing some letters on my behalf, and he had some great and very sound advice, as he always has, being a very political person, the political person that he was in our community, and I will always remember that and thank him very, very much for all of the sound advice he gave me over the years in my career here.
So I just, again, want to extend and add to what others have said in the House today and extend my deepest condolences to his family and friends, and thank you very much for having this opportunity to put a few words on the record today, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker: Is it the pleasure of the House to adopt the motion? [Agreed]
Would the honourable members please rise and remain standing to indicate their support for the motion.
A moment of silence was observed.
House Business
Mr. Kelvin Goertzen (Deputy Official Opposition House Leader): On House business, Mr. Speaker. I wonder if you could canvass the House to see if there is leave–I know that there was a number of family members in the Legislature today, and there may be members who would like to connect up with family members on the condolence motion.
So if you could ask if there is leave of the House to call it 5 o'clock?
Mr. Speaker: Is it the will of the House to call it 5 o'clock? [Agreed]
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Mr. Speaker: Okay. The hour now being 5 p.m., this House is adjourned and stands adjourned until 10 a.m. tomorrow.