LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA
Tuesday, May 7, 2013
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.
Good morning, everyone. Please be seated.
ORDERS OF THE DAY
PRIVATE MEMBERS' BUSINESS
Hon. Jennifer Howard (Government House Leader): Yes, Mr. Speaker, could we proceed with debate on Bill 204?
Mr. Speaker: We'll proceed with debate on Bill 204, the honourable member for Burrows's Bill 204, the Manitoba human trafficking awareness day.
Introduction of Guests
Mr. Speaker: And prior to recognizing the honourable member for Burrows, if she will indulge us for a moment, I think we have some guests in the gallery with us here today that I would like to draw to the attention of honourable members.
That–we have seated in the public gallery from St. John's-Ravenscourt School 30 grade 9 students under the direction of Matt Henderson. This group is located in the constituency of the honourable member for Fort Garry-Riverview (Mr. Allum).
And also seated in the public gallery where we have with us today members from–Scott Kolody, chief superintendent to the RCMP, and also Jane Runner, TERF program manager at New Directions for children, youth and adults and families, and Captain Tiffany Marshall, Salvation Army.
On behalf of all honourable members, we welcome you here today.
And I might add the last group is the guest of the honourable member for Burrows.
The honourable member for Burrows, on Bill 204.
Bill 204–The Manitoba Human Trafficking Awareness Day Act
Ms. Melanie Wight (Burrows): I move, seconded by the member from Kirkfield Park, that Bill 204, The Manitoba Human Trafficking Awareness Day Act; Loi sur la Journée manitobaine de sensibilisation à la traite de personnes, be now read a second time and be referred to a committee of this House.
Motion presented.
Ms. Wight: When I think of Manitoba, I think of things like quilted fields and prairie sunsets and sunflowers and canola, and beautiful beaches, waving fields of wheat, maybe some snow, sometimes a lot of snow, wide open spaces and a lot of hockey.
But I'm here today, Mr. Speaker, to talk about a different side of Manitoba and a different side of our country and the world, a darker side, a side we're not so proud of, and I think a side that many people are not even aware of: human trafficking.
Today, I speak to Bill 204. We are proposing, Mr. Speaker, that every Thursday of the second week of March be known throughout the province of Manitoba as Manitoba human trafficking awareness day. This changing date will coincide with Manitoba's annual Stop Child Sexual Exploitation Awareness Week that was created in 2009 to implement awareness initiatives across the province. This proclamation, which I believe to be a truly non-partisan issue, is part of phase 3 of Tracia's Trust, the Province's comprehensive strategy to end sexual exploitation.
I'm sure many here recall, for example, that in 2009, Manitoba made reporting of child pornography mandatory for all its citizens. In 2012, we passed The Child Sexual Exploitation and Human Trafficking Act which deals with the broader issues of human trafficking and exploitation. It included a number of Canadian firsts, such as more accountability for perpetrators by allowing victims of human trafficking and sexual exploitation to obtain protection orders against those who exploit them, specialized prosecution of human trafficking predators by designating two Crown attorneys to co‑ordinate and prosecute cases and criminal property forfeiture legislation to seize and forfeit places where exploitation occurs.
As Minister Swan said at the time, these crimes target the most vulnerable in our community–
Mr. Speaker: Order. I must remind the honourable member for Burrows that members are to be referred to by their constituency names and ministers by their portfolios. Please, I ask the honourable–co-operation of the honourable member for Burrows.
Ms. Wight: I apologize, Mr. Speaker–in our communities. This legislation helps create both necessary protections and an opportunity for victims to take back a piece of what has been taken from them.
In Budget 2013, we announced an increase in funding to support the implementation of Manitoba's sexual exploitation strategy. As a government, we need to do all that we can to fight this heartbreaking reality. The strategy encompasses the co-ordination of services for all ages, children, youth and adults, and considers all forms of sexual exploitation, including prostitution, pornography, sex trafficking, sex tourism and Internet luring. It involves prevention, intervention, legislation, co-ordination, research and evaluation. We are working with all our service providers and nonprofits to develop a more full continuum of services for victims and make offenders more accountable. And this is all good, Mr. Speaker.
To continue, however, to be a leader in North America in the fight against all forms of sexual exploitation, we need all Manitobans to stand up against human trafficking, which we know can completely devastate its victims. It is essential that people realize that human trafficking is about many things in addition to sexual exploitation. Human trafficking, Mr. Speaker, is a modern-day form of slavery. It is trading in human beings, often for the purpose of sexual slavery, servitude or forced labour.
Human trafficking, Mr. Speaker, affects every country around the world, regardless of socio-economic status, history or political structure. Human traffickers have created an international market for the trade in human beings based on high profits and demand for commercial sex and cheap labour. Trafficking affects 161 countries worldwide. An estimated 20.9 million men, women and children are trafficked for commercial sex or forced labour around the world today. Victims are trafficked both within and across international borders. Migrants, as well as internally displaced persons, are particularly vulnerable.
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After drug dealing, human trafficking is tied with the illegal arms trade as the second largest criminal industry in the world, and it is the fastest growing, Mr. Speaker. And why? Because it is at least a $9-billion business, and in many countries around the world, human traffickers of all kinds perceive little risks or deterrents that affects their criminal operation.
People are being transported by force or deception to become enslaved. This often means between countries, but it can also occur in our own country.
Traffickers approach potential victims in many ways. They might pretend to be a lonely youth, that they're potentially their boyfriend or girlfriend, someone, at last, in their life who cares about them, Mr. Speaker. They might post newspaper or Internet ads for jobs and opportunities, suggesting the possibility of stardom or fame. Promises may be made of money, education, financial aid for their family or simply a better life or a future for someone whom believe that they have none. They may simply threaten or kidnap them. Traffickers often use violence, intimidation and deception to make victims do as they say. Many trafficked women and children have a history of previous sexual abuse, poverty, addictions or all three.
In Canada, gangs and larger organized crime networks are significantly involved in the sale and distribution of humans for exploitation. It is organized, methodical and targeted. Traffickers may be male or female, family members or trusted associates and affluent and seemingly upstanding members of the community. Recruiters and traffickers are often women and sometimes relatives, often known and trusted by targeted victims. Traffickers use various methods, Mr. Speaker, to trap the victims and exploit vulnerable persons for profit or personal gain.
The ugliness of human trafficking, Mr. Speaker, includes that of illegal organ harvesting. In the world we live in today, innocent victims are murdered for their kidneys, heart, lungs, liver, bones, heart valves and skin. Others are tricked into believing that they will be paid. False documentation giving the impression that willing relatives have donated their organs without wanting or expecting monetary compensation is not uncommon.
As one writer said, Mr. Speaker, preying on the poor, sick and desperate has no boundaries. It is a growing international concern.
It should be no surprise, Mr. Speaker, that women are particularly vulnerable to trafficking, because in many societies the lives of women and girls continue, even in 2013, to be valued less than those of men and boys. Also at great risk are transgender individuals, migrants, internally displaced persons, refugees and ethnic minorities. A sad fact is that a disproportionate number of sexually exploited children are Aboriginal children, and Aboriginal women continue to be at a high risk for exploitation.
Many children and youth are victimized on the streets of Winnipeg, Mr. Speaker, and in private homes and drug houses located throughout the province. The reported number is about 400 children and youth, but truthfully we know that about 80 per cent of child sexual exploitation is not visible to public view. It's happening in gang houses or trick pads, so the actual number of victims is much higher. And those numbers don't speak to adults at all.
When it comes to the sex trade–and as I noted earlier, that is only one part of human trafficking–the adults involved report that their victimization began around 13 or 14 and as early as 9.
This travesty can only exist if individuals are willing to buy sex from exploited children and adults and consumers are willing to buy their products from industries that rely on forced labour to create a profit incentive for traffickers to maximize revenue with minimal production costs.
President Obama, in a speech to the American Bar Association, said: Today I want to discuss an issue that ought to concern every person, because it is a debasement of our common humanity. It ought to concern every community, because it tears at our social fabric. It ought to concern every business, because it distorts markets. It ought to concern every nation, because it endangers public health and fuels violence and organized crime. Talking about the injustice, the outrage of human trafficking, which must be called by its true name: modern slavery.
Today we can do our part by supporting Bill 204.
Mr. Reg Helwer (Brandon West): I am pleased today to rise to speak to Bill 204 and, you know, small steps are very good steps, Mr. Speaker, but it takes more than a small step to make a difference in this type of environment. We all know and, as we hear in the media, that this is something that happens every day all year, not just one day of the year and we–while we do need to be aware of that and raise the awareness it is something that must need to be dealt with.
And I am surprised that the member did not speak about the leader in North America in this regard, which is the federal Conservative government in Ottawa that is indeed a leader in the world and in North America. Mrs. Joy Smith the MP for Kildonan-St. Paul indeed introduced bills–Bill C-268 which created Canada's child trafficking offence with very stiff penalties for individuals trafficking in minor in Canada and followed that up again with Bill C-310, an act to amend the Criminal Code, specifically trafficking in persons dealing with people–Canadians and Canadian citizens that went abroad to deal in that particular offence. So I'm surprised that we did not have that addressed by the member because this–the federal government is indeed and Mrs. Smith is indeed a leader in this regard in the world, and we need to celebrate that, Mr. Speaker, these people that are doing things to protect the very, very vulnerable children throughout the world.
So, you know, those are the things that we need to have out there, and I understand, we read in the news even as recent as yesterday, of three young children possibly four that were detained for up to 10 years in the United States and those are the types of things that we need to deal with on a day-to-day basis.
Mr. Speaker, you know, there is media out there that does draw awareness to this. So you may be familiar with the novels of The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo and the two films that have been popularized talking about child trafficking, and throughout the world those types of things brought people's attention to that particular incident and those types of things that happen in the world. It is not something that many of us see and we hope never to see it in our own environment, but it is certainly something that is available. It is something that does occur in the world and by being aware of it is a start to help prevent it. And, indeed, having a day to bring attention to it, while it is a good thing, there are many, many more things that can be done and I am told that Mrs. Smith the MP is doing a great deal in this regard to move that along.
Now, Mr. Speaker, I know you know that I have two daughters, and they're, you know, very dear to me, and while they are still very much with us, unlike some of the other members that talked about their daughters no longer being with them, we're all shocked at that. But they have moved away and as parents we are concerned especially for our daughters and our sons when they move away from home because they can be drawn into environments that are less than reputable, particularly one daughter that was in Vancouver. And being an entry point to many people in North America and some of this type of trade we are always concerned about that and try to make our daughters and sons aware of particular environments that they may get drawn into that look very attractive, but nonetheless when you're not suspecting these types of things that's when they indeed might happen. So our daughters and our sons are very aware of the types of things that can happen. We hope those things don't happen, and it's a very disturbing conversation to have with your children because this is a very, very disturbing world that these people work in and it indeed is something that we are encouraged that the federal government is taking steps to deal with that type of environment. They are taking steps not only in Canada, but also throughout the world to deal with Canadians and Canadian citizens that might be dealing in human trafficking and those people need to be brought to pay for any crimes that they have made–may have committed and prevent it from doing it in the future.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Hon. Jennifer Howard (Minister of Family Services and Labour): I want to start off, of course, by thanking the member for Burrows (Ms. Wight) for bringing this bill forward. I have to say that was one of the finest speeches I've ever heard in this House.
And I do want to follow on what the member for Brandon West was saying. Of course, I think that Joy Smith is entitled to a lot of credit for bringing this issue into the light of day, for talking about an issue that, frankly, is difficult to talk about, that is unpopular to talk about and for a long time nobody believed was a real issue that was happening in Canada. And so she deserves full credit for bringing that issue into the light and for fighting to get recognition and to get action on that.
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But I also want to say, Mr. Speaker, that this bill and this issue that we're talking about today isn't about politicians taking credit for things that we all try to do. Today, really, this bill is about giving credit to the folks who are sitting in the gallery who are joining us today, who do this kind of work day in, day out, who've done it for a long time without a lot of recognition, who did it for a long time before, I think, governments at any level were seized of this issue. And we’ve been proud and happy to work with them on the issue of human trafficking and sexual exploitation of children.
And when I talk to the teams across the province now who are in place to work on this issue, one of the things that they talk about is, really, that their first step in getting action on human trafficking has been to raise awareness, has been to get communities to, first of all, accept and understand that this is an issue for their community and to call things for what they are.
Part of the campaign that I know many members will be aware of is the campaign about stopping sex with kids. And that campaign was powerful because instead of pretending that what was happening was some kind of victimless crime, it called it for what it is. The children who are being sexually exploited–and not only the people who profit from that exploitation but the people who use those children for their own sexual purposes– that is a crime, Mr. Speaker. And more than a crime, it is something that we should all, as a community, stand up and name and speak again.
And so I think that's one of the reasons why awareness is so critically important because it can fuel action. It can give victims who may believe that they are alone, that they're isolated, that nobody is concerned about their pain and their plight, that nobody notices them, it gives those victims an understanding that the community is speaking up for them and speaking up against the crimes that are perpetrated against them. And it fuels action, that kind of awareness.
I also do want to talk about some of the things that the community has been involved in, in the last several years, that they've been working through an initiative called Tracia's Trust. And I think it's important that we remember the young woman for whom Tracia's Trust was named: Tracia Owen, who was a 14-year-old victim of sexual exploitation who committed suicide herself. Tracia's Trust is a fund and initiative that came out of that tragedy to try to address the very real issue of child sexual exploitation. It has an annual budget of more than $10 million, and when we've heard from other people who work on this issue across Canada, people from British Columbia and Ontario, they tell us that that initiative is one of certainly the best funded and most comprehensive initiatives in the country.
And some of the things that the community has worked on with us are initiatives like the creation of a safe, rural healing lodge for children who have been sexually exploited, a place that they can go away from the exploitation and the situation that they're in to heal and to try to get their lives back together and on a good path.
We've also worked through our community partners with providers in many settings, such as child care centres to help educate people who work with children about the signs of exploitation, but also what to do when that exploitation is discovered and noticed and how we can help children that may be victims of that.
We've also seen very innovative programs offered in the community that help to provide mentorship and support to populations that we know are vulnerable to exploitation: youth that run away from home or foster care placements, Aboriginal youth coming to Winnipeg from northern areas, from remote areas, and young men who are being sexually exploited.
One of the great things that I get to do every year is go to the forum that is held with the people in the communities around Manitoba who are working on this issue, and there are both people there who work with individuals who have been victims of sexual exploitation, and there are people there who have experienced sexual exploitation in their own lives and now work to make a difference in other people's lives. And it is, Mr. Speaker, an inspiring day to hear those stories of survival, survival in situations that I think most of us cannot imagine. To see people who have come through that kind of abuse and violence and exploitation, have reclaimed their lives and now use their lives and their passion and their energy to help other people. It's one of the great, great things that I get to do every year is go and meet with those people and listen to them.
I think the Minister of Justice (Mr. Swan) will speak more about some of the laws that we've been working on as well and that we've passed through this House, and many of those laws also stand as models to other provinces and the rest of the country.
I listened as the member for Burrows (Ms. Wight) talked about what human trafficking is, and I think one of the things that her bringing this bill forward today, the work of Joy Smith has done, the work of the people in the gallery have done is to really name a crime that many of us would prefer not to acknowledge, that many of us maybe don't believe is a real issue or is a big issue, but as she said, this is a crime that has many faces.
In Manitoba we see it as exploitation, often of vulnerable children, mostly Aboriginal children, but we also know that it does happen when people are brought here from other countries, when people are brought here to work in situations where their rights aren't respected, and we have tried to address some of that with legislation such as The Worker Recruitment and Protection Act, which also is groundbreaking legislation in the country which made employers who wanted to bring in foreign workers register, tried to deal with some of the recruiters who were preying on vulnerable people to recruit them to work here.
Now, I will not say for a minute, Mr. Speaker, that we have stamped out the evil of human trafficking in Manitoba. That work continues and it's work that will continue not only with us here in this Legislature, members from all sides of House who I know are active on this issue, but also our partners in the community. And I do think it's worth noting for a minute the tremendous coalition that has evolved to tackle this issue. I know we're joined here today with people who work in community agencies, people from the Salvation Army and from the RCMP, and really, when you go and talk to the groups that are working on this issue, you see law enforcement sitting next to community organizations who work very directly with people who are still engaged in sexual exploitation, who are still victims of that exploitation.
You see directly them working with newcomer communities who are also reaching out to people who are new to Manitoba to make sure that their rights are protected and they know where to go. And that coming together of the community to bring a focused energy and commitment to this issue, I think, is one of the great stories of Manitoba. It's not surprising because I've found, working in this province, that when there is an issue that the community rallies around, that people do come together and they focus an agenda and they each bring what they can to that work, and they do that work even when they may have differences in opinion, differences in philosophy but they put the work of making the community better first.
And so I just want to take the opportunity as we debate this bill to not only thank the member for bringing it forward, not only thank all members on all sides of this House at all levels of government who have worked on this issue, but mostly to thank the people in the community agencies, in law enforcement, in faith groups and newcomer communities who have been, sometimes at great risk to their own personal safety, who have been working on this issue years and years and years before frankly, maybe, we recognize them and maybe we recognize the gravity of it. So thank you very much.
I hope that we can see this bill move through the House, and I hope eventually it has unanimous support. Thank you.
Mr. Ron Schuler (St. Paul): William Wilberforce, British parliamentarian and leader of the campaign to abolish the Atlantic slave trade in the late 18th century, said, and I quote, "you may choose to look the other way, but you can never again say that you did not know." And that comes from the Joy Smith Foundation, one of the individuals that has shown great courage, and I'll be referencing her a little later on.
And the bill that we have in front of us is another one of those steps in–or another one of those bricks, if you will–in building a wall against those who wish to prey on the trafficking of human beings, who treat human beings no different than animals and trade them, buy them, sell them, use them–as already has been mentioned. This isn't an industry of thousands or hundreds of thousands of dollars, but rather an industry of over $9 billion that we know about, that we know of.
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If I–if any one of us would have gotten up 15 years ago and said we have a problem in this country where human beings are trafficked as bad as it was 150 years, 200 years ago in North America, you would have been scoffed at and laughed at by the mainstream media, by politicians around North America, and yet it existed.
And it was actually one individual, a former member of this Legislature that I would like to reference who actually first raised this issue, and if you think that you as an individual cannot make your mark, that you can't make a difference, listen up. Joy Smith was introduced to the world of human trafficking by witnessing the dramatic physical and emotional toll it exacted on her son, a police officer who worked in the ICE Unit or Integrated Child Exploitation Unit. This is a specialized police force trained in rescuing children from online child predators. Her son's courage and compassion as he fought to rescue children from predators proved to Mrs. Smith that ordinary Canadians like herself can stand against human trafficking.
Mrs. Smith committed herself to the fight against human trafficking, working to raise awareness and rescue victims. She soon discovered a tragedy that parents of trafficking victims knew all too well: Canada was considered a haven for predators. Setting out to change this, she became an MLA from 1999 'til 2003 and a Member of Parliament in 2004. Since then she became the only Member of Parliament in Canadian history to have amended the Criminal Code twice as a private member, both times in order to better protect victims from human trafficking.
And I know first-hand from my good friend Joy Smith that she actually had a lot of obstacles to overcome, and it's not just men who scoffed at this; it was women, both in the House of Commons on various political sides of the debate and in the Senate. In fact, it was the Senate who stalled the first bill and she had to get involved. She had to get involved and shame a lot of men and women to accept the fact that we have a problem in this country, something that law enforcement, something that front-line workers have known for years, and nobody was listening.
In fact, there was a–the first ever dinner to raise money for human trafficking, and we don't want to make this political, but shame on the NDP. Not one NDP MLA was at the dinner, should have been there. It was a line in the sand; it was a benchmark dinner. The first time that we've had hundreds of people getting together raising money and the joy–it goes to the Joy Smith Foundation–and not one penny of it goes for wages for Joy Smith or any of her family or family members. It goes directly to front-line organizations that fund women and help young women and young men to get out of human trafficking.
And I'd like to hasten to add, are they always successful? No, but I give them unbelievable and full credit for trying because these individuals need advocates, something that wasn't there 15 years ago and, really, where were the politicians? Where was the politics? It's easy to jump on board now when it's vogue to be against this issue. It took a lot of courage. It took a lot of individuals who–
Mr. Speaker: I regret to interrupt the honourable member for St. Paul.
Point of Order
Mr. Jim Maloway (Elmwood): On a point of order, I'd like to point out to the member that Joe Comartin, NDP member from Windsor, actually helped Joy Smith on many, many occasions when her own party was not willing to help her.
Mr. Speaker: On the point of order raised by the honourable member for Elmwood, I don't believe it's a point of order. I'm sure the information that the member provided is something he's aware of, but I must rule that, respectfully, that there is no point of order on this matter.
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Mr. Schuler: Yes, and thank you, Mr. Speaker. And it's clear why the member for Elmwood is not in Ottawa after his short two-year stint; that kind of politics is unnecessary.
There are a lot of individuals who have–who stand in the crease, and if you've gone to the breakfasts, if you've gone to the dinners and listened to them–in fact, at the Joy Smith Foundation dinner, it was very, very interesting. There's something called the Honouring Heroes, and at that dinner, Gerry Kerr, inspector, RCMP division, who–very involved in teaching child-abuse investigators techniques since 1997; Gordon Perrier, inspector, criminal investigation, major crime division, Winnipeg Police Service; Shauna Neufeld, detective sergeant, criminal investigation, Winnipeg Police Service.
And there were also individuals there, Mr. Speaker, and if you go to the Joy Smith Foundation, there are actually individuals on the site who were trafficked. The stories are just unbelievable, and it has an incredibly harsh impact not just on those who are law-enforcement officers and front line, not just those who are being trafficked, but it has a terrible impact on the families and on those who search for and often find no answers.
We find out this morning there was a house somewhere in the United States that had four young women–
An Honourable Member: Cleveland.
Mr. Schuler: –in Cleveland, incarcerated for up to 10 years against their will, and I can't imagine the kind of horror we're going to hear from this. You know, I would say to this House that often I have to turn the page. As a father of young daughters, I cannot read this anymore. It just–it hurts my soul; it hurts my spirit. It is so sickening, and, yet, we have men and women in law enforcement, the front line, Salvation Army, amongst many, that are in the crease. And it's so important that this resolution, this bill, today be debated and that–yes, that it be moved forward and given royal assent–very important. Every step is important, because it gives recognition to those who are out there helping and it gives hope–it gives hope–to those who are being trafficked.
I want to give a very small story. There's a–I'll use first name only–young woman called Jillian here from Winnipeg, travelled with several groups of families. We travelled to India together. This is one the brightest, most dynamic, most incredible young women you can imagine. An absolutely gorgeous young woman, so bright she's now studying law in Geneva. And her and a friend of hers decided that they would take a cheap flight, $199, from Geneva to Cairo and sort of, you know, for the weekend, see the sites. So they were looking around, saw the sites a little bit and took a cab to go back to their hotel, and the cab driver, in very quick speed, drove them out into the desert. And I can only say thank God he didn't hurt them. He stole everything from them–stole their shoes, took anything of value–but he didn't traffic them. He could have sold these two beautiful women into slavery and didn't. Fortunate for them, they could still see the glow of Cairo and walked for four hours barefoot, got into the city, spoke to law enforcement there, which, I'm sorry, it's a joke there. They basically sloughed them off. Thank goodness they got back to their hotel, got a flight and came home safely. But these stories occur over and over and over again, and most of the young people, men–young kids, boys and girls aren't that lucky; they aren't that fortunate. This is real. This is so real, and if you talk to Joy Smith, if talk to law enforcement, it can be in our streets, it can be in our neighbourhood, and we don't even know it.
I would like to end off–there's a beautiful poem written by Zane Zalis, the music teacher from Miles Mac, and it's called Fallen Angel: I felt the breath of heartless / I've seen the face of godless / People, wretched people / Did things that I'm ashamed of / Don't know if I can feel love / Played me, betrayed me / Once I flew so high, heaven was my sky / Now I'm oh, oh, oh, I'm a fallen angel. I'm a fallen angel. / Trying to sing with broken wings / Life twists and turns. It tumbles. / I cry, I crawl, I crumble / Taken and forsaken / I thought that children should be held close and loved sincerely / Not me, they forgot me. / Why, people? Why this madness?/ Why, people? Why this madness? / Why, people? Why this madness?
Ladies and gentlemen, it's important–whether it's this piece of legislation, whether what Joy has been doing with her foundation, Joy Smith, no matter what it is, it's important that we give recognition to those who are on the front line and hope that are being–to those who are being trafficked.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Hon. Andrew Swan (Minister of Justice and Attorney General): It's an honour to have a chance to put a few words on the record about this bill today.
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I want to thank the member for Burrows (Ms. Wight) for bringing this bill forward. I'm proud to be part of a caucus with people who come from a wide range of backgrounds and a wide range of experiences. The member for Burrows, of course, was too modest to tell you about her work with youth at risk, which I really do believe provides her with much to add to our caucus and our discussion, so I thank the member for Burrows.
It is important that all Manitobans have the chance, from this point forward, to recognize human trafficking awareness day in the province of Manitoba. I'm very pleased that we're joined today by representatives from law enforcement and from some of the agencies that provide front-line services from–to some of the least empowered people in our entire province. And, of course, we talk about having a human trafficking awareness day–if you're an RCMP officer or a Winnipeg police officer, or if you work at New Directions in the TERF program, or you work with the Salvation Army running things like the Prostitution Diversion Program, or the program we commonly call john school, unfortunately, every day–every day–you're far too aware of the impacts of sexual exploitation and human trafficking.
And as the member for Burrows and the other speakers have pointed out today, we know that this is a worldwide problem. People are being taken across national boundaries against their will or with false promises and false hopes, for sexual exploitation, but also for cheap or for, effectively, slave labour, and in some horrible cases, organ harvesting. This is a worldwide system of slavery which is a major source of income for organized crime across the world. And we can talk about this in a world perspective; Mr. Speaker, neighbourhoods just like mine are affected.
Now, some of the solutions that we can find can be found in the laws and, indeed, the Criminal Code of Canada has been modified, and I think it is fair to pay tribute to MP Joy Smith–of course, Manitoba MP who has moved this issue forward, and I think it is important to recognize that.
It's also important to note, though, that there was a lot of work and a lot of education from MPs who became engaged in this issue, from MPs who often had to do work to convince others of the importance, and the member–I think the member for St. Paul (Mr. Schuler) not–may not be aware, there was actually a standing legislative committee on the status of women of which Joy Smith was a member. There were also members from all of the other parties in the–in Parliament, and that committee issued a lengthy report on steps that could be taken to take on human trafficking, to take on sexual exploitation.
And when you read the report, and I hope the member for St. Paul and the member for Brandon West (Mr. Helwer) will. I'll give them a copy if they would like. It contained a number of recommendations. And the first four or five recommendations all deal with reducing poverty and hopelessness in First Nations communities. Those communities are still waiting, Mr. Speaker.
An Honourable Member: Aren't you in government?
Mr. Swan: Now–well, I hear people saying, aren't you in government? I would like to point out to the members opposite that section 91 of the Constitution provides that First Nations people are actually a responsibility of the federal government.
So we'll keep working; we'll keep speaking on behalf of Manitobans. We'll do our work on behalf of all people who will be at risk at exploitation to work–and the members opposite know that ministers of Justice in our government since 1999 have worked co-operatively with the federal government, whichever party may be in power. We've been critics when we think they've gone the wrong way. We've also been supportive, and I believe that the efforts that Ms. Smith has made to change the Criminal Code have been positive, and we're prepared to continue working with her and any MP of any party in Ottawa who's going to help us to deal with this.
Now, of course, there are also laws within Manitoba's control.
Mr. Speaker: Order. I regret to interrupt the honourable minister.
The honourable member for Riding Mountain.
Point of Order
Mrs. Leanne Rowat (Riding Mountain): I think what we're trying to get at here is that everybody has a role and responsibility with regard to Manitoba's and Canada's most vulnerable. And I believe that when the Minister for Justice is saying it's, you know, families and–on reservations are living in poverty, and it's a federal responsibility, I think he might want to look at Jordan's Principle and this government's former comments, or past comments, on the importance of Jordan's Principle. And having a comment made like that by this minister when we're talking about working together to find solutions with regard to trafficking–human trafficking–I find that offensive.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker: The honourable Minister of Innovation, Energy and Mines, on the same point of order.
Hon. Dave Chomiak (Deputy Government House Leader): I think–I don't think that the member has a point of order, but I–to that point, I'd like to add that I think we have the opportunity to show that we can work together by voting on this bill before 11 o'clock, to show that we actually mean what we say and say what we mean.
Mr. Speaker: On the point of order raised by the honourable member for Riding Mountain, I must advise the House that, you know, while the debate is obviously very serious here, as most debate is, I would like to caution the honourable members of the House not to use points of order to interrupt the debate to dispute the facts that are being debated here this morning. So I'm encouraging members, please don't interrupt the debate that's ongoing using these points of orders for that part of the dispute.
They–every member will hopefully have their opportunity if they wish to speak to this bill, and that–I must rule that there is no point of order in this matter.
* * *
Mr. Speaker: The honourable Minister of Justice, to continue his remarks.
Mr. Swan: Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and I'll just make one other comment about the federal Criminal Code. I mean, we do have a federal Criminal Code that provides identical laws for those who are perpetrators, who use people for sex, and those who are victims. And I've raised this matter nationally before and I will continue to raise this matter on behalf of all Manitobans, and I'll be very, very grateful if all members of this House would support those efforts.
Within Manitoba, of course, we have passed laws within our own control to try to make things better for people who are victims of sexual exploitation and human trafficking. I was very proud that last year, with the support of all members of this House, we passed groundbreaking legislation to give more protection and more power to the victims in these cases. And that new law, first of its kind in Canada, allowed for protection orders to be granted in relation to child victims of sexual exploitation or adult or child victims of human trafficking.
In the case of children, protection orders can by requested by a child welfare agency, a parent or a child's legal guardian, and these orders will forbid people they're made against from having contact with a particular person, from following them or even coming near them. And these protection orders, of course, can be enforced by the police, and it's a way of giving people who are at risk breathing room to get away from people who've dragged them into a life that we can only imagine in its horror.
The new law also allows a victim of human trafficking to sue for compensation. Somebody who's been trafficked can ask the court to award damages and order the trafficker to account for any profits made by trafficking that person and pay that amount to the victim or issue an injunction requiring the trafficker to stop that activity.
When combined with the remedies in The Criminal Property Forfeiture Act, we are going to do what we can, and I know that law enforcement is with us every step of the way to take on those people who would traffic, who would exploit people in our communities.
And, of course, a big piece of it is providing more supports and ways out for individuals who are victims of sexual exploitation, who are victims of human trafficking. And, of course, a big piece of that–which is why this bill is so important and why, despite some of the debate we're having, I believe we're going to have unanimous support of this Legislature to move this ahead to committee–is to change Manitobans' attitudes.
Now, the challenges are great. Victims of trafficking are probably the least empowered people in our society. The likelihood of getting successful cases coming forward is not great, especially for those who've come from other countries or may be from a remote First Nations community. It is not easy to get the evidence, it's not easy to get convictions, but that doesn't stop police from moving ahead. We know that it's not easy to prosecute, but we know they're going to continue working. I certainly want to highlight the effort that law enforcement puts into this and, of course, all the work of our front-line agencies in helping victims.
As I've said, these victims are among the least empowered in our society. We have the chance today, as the most empowered, to stand together to support this bill and to move this ahead to committee.
I thank you, Mr. Speaker, for the chance to speak to this bill this morning.
Mr. Kelvin Goertzen (Steinbach): I thank the member for Burrows (Ms. Wight) for bringing forward this piece of legislation, and I want to commend the comments from all sides of this House that have been made in support of this legislation, as something that we can do in terms of sending a signal. There's been comments made about federal members of Parliament who have supported the bill, and I would offer our appreciation to all the members of Parliament regardless of the party that they represent, Mr. Speaker, for supporting efforts nationally and within the Criminal Code to ensure that we do all that we can to eradicate and eliminate human trafficking here in Canada and to have an impact around the world.
* (10:50)
Mr. Speaker, this is not a political issue; it's not a partisan issue. I think that all members of the I think that all members of the House and all members of different political parties would certainly like to see us do what we can to eliminate human trafficking.
I recognize that time is short this morning, only having an hour for debate, Mr. Speaker, and there are many members on both sides of the House, I know, who would like to put words on the record to support this particular bill and to see it moved to committee and see what comments members of the public will have as well.
I can commit to you, Mr. Speaker, as the House leader for our party, that I'll work with the Government House Leader (Ms. Howard) to ensure that this bill has an opportunity to move through the legislative process as we go through the next two or three months of sitting here in the Legislature. We have lots of time and that, in this particular situation, is good, because there's many members who will want to speak to this particular bill and to put words of support on the record. And I suspect that the negotiations between me and the Government House Leader–we'll be able to see that this bill can move through the legislative process in the months that we have ahead.
I want to relay to you that I had the opportunity a little over a year ago to spend a day or two with the ICE Unit–and the unit was referenced before, Mr. Speaker–and that unit, of course, deals more, in particular, with Internet exploitation of children, and it was an eye-opening to say the least. It was also a little bit depressing, and I have incredible admiration for those who work in those type of units, provincially, municipally and nationally through the RCMP, because it must be the most difficult kind of work. And I remember talking to one of the officers in the Winnipeg Police Service after the day saying, how is it that you do this? There must be incredible turnover. Seeing the images that you do, looking online and seeing the chat that is happening and knowing that there are far more–far more cases of exploitation that they have the resources or the time to act upon.
And the officer indicated that there actually wasn't much turnover within the unit–not as much as you would expect, Mr. Speaker–and that almost all of the officers in the unit had children–had young children, as I do. And that spoke something because they felt that they were doing something not only to protect their children but all the children within the community and within Canada.
And so that is heartbreaking work but important work, but it opened up my eyes to a lot of the things that happen in the world that we, in many ways, are privileged not to see–to not be confronted with. But the good men and women of our law enforcement are confronted with that and they see it almost every day. And I want to commend our municipal police forces and the RCMP for the great work that they are doing to try to get this problem eliminated or get it reduced here in Canada and around the world.
I know that the RCMP have established a Human Trafficking National Coordination Centre. I've had the opportunity to speak to my colleague Minister Vic Toews, the Minister of Public Safety, regarding some of the work that the RCMP are doing within the co-ordination centre and with human trafficking more generally, Mr. Speaker. And some of the partnerships that they are building within that centre to ensure that they're getting the information, that the investigations–the oversight of the investigations are doing well and that are fruitful and resulting in the kind of arrests and results that we'd want.
There was, I know, a threat assessment done by the RCMP on human trafficking, and they identified a number of, I think, very important issues that I want to highlight here this afternoon–or, sorry–this morning, Mr. Speaker, that other members may want to speak to in the days ahead when we talk about this bill.
One of them, Mr. Speaker, was that many of the victims are actually permanent residences or citizens of Canada–those who are trafficked for the purpose of sexual exploitation. I think that there's a misunderstanding often among Canadians that we feel that the issue of human trafficking is something that happens in a country far away overseas somewhere, or that it involves people who are not necessarily Canadians–that it's people who are trafficked into the country–and that is sometimes the case, but not always the case, and often not the case of the people who are being exploited for human trafficking, are very often Canadian citizens and permanent residences.
I know also, within the threat assessment, they talk a lot about the victims being exploited, not just for sexual purposes, but that there was a power imbalance between them and the individual who was the perpetrator, suggesting to the person who was the victim that they–that the person who was the perpetrator had the power to have them deported, to have them removed out of Canada, to have them lose their job, Mr. Speaker.
And this was one of the significant problems is that often when we're dealing with people who may be Canadians, or have permanent residencies but might be new to our country, or who might not be from our country, they don't understand who holds these powers. They don't understand our system of government. They may have come from a different system of government where they believe that certain individuals have the power to have them removed from the country, and their desire to stay in the country or to keep their jobs is so strong, Mr. Speaker, often to provide children, or provide others in their family a better way of life that they're willing to go through some horrendous situations because they believe that the person who is committing the crime against them, who's doing the human trafficking, has the power to have them removed.
And so this bill, I hope, will be part of that education to make it clear to individuals who might be victims that the person who is doing the victimizing doesn’t hold that sort of power, and that there are ways that they can be protected and that it doesn't put their place in Canada at stake, and it doesn't put their employment at stake.
Also in the threat assessment by the RCMP, they talked about the drug dependency and that there is a close connection between human trafficking and drug dependency. And here, again, often there are situations where you would have the person who was committing the crime against the victim providing drugs, so feeding the addiction of the individual who was the victim, and so, there again, was sort of this power imbalance and the individual was involved with the activities because they wanted to continue to get drugs.
And so, I know that there are a number of different things that we can do in terms of education. That's going to be a part of it, I think. The member for Burrows (Ms. Wight), her bill speaks to this portion of education and awareness. Because not every Manitoban would have the opportunity, like I did, to visit for a day the ICE unit and to understand that there are some awful things that happen in this world that we don't see, and that luckily, we don't have to see but we shouldn't ignore it. Because, just because it's not the world that we live in and that we're privileged not to live in and not to see face-to-face doesn't mean it doesn't happen. And that we have a responsibility to ensure that there's greater awareness and that there's greater understanding for those who are being victimized. That there are things that they can do.
I know that the federal government has looked at issues around visas and how people come into the country, those who might be doing the acts, in terms of victimizing others, how they access the country, Mr. Speaker. And so, there's a multitude of different things that are being done, both on the legislative side and on the awareness side and this is something, I think, that can add to it.
I know, Mr. Speaker, I only have a minute left in the debate today. There are other members who are going to want to speak, as well. I, again, want to commit to the member for Burrows (Ms. Wight) that I'll work together with the House leader for her party. I'll work together with the independent member of this House. We have lots of time left in this session over the next few months. This bill will come back to the Legislature. I believe we can work out an agreement to ensure that it moves through the legislative process and that ultimately it's passed, and perhaps, we can work together with the member for Burrows, maybe there are different things that can be added to make it even better. I always say that nobody has a monopoly on good ideas and that we serve our constituents and Manitobans well when we work together across the aisle and not always in a partisan fashion. There's a time for partisanship. I've been known to engage in it once and a while. I know that comes as a surprise. But there's also a time when we put down those partisan leanings and we work together and I think this is one bill that we can work together on.
Mr. Chomiak: I'll deem–put the floor over to the member for Minnedosa if she wishes to speak.
Mr. Speaker: Is the honourable minister allowing his–yes–the honourable member for Riding Mountain.
Mrs. Rowat: Yes, Mr. Speaker, I'd like to put some words on the record with regard to Bill 204, the human trafficking awareness day act.
The term human trafficking can often be mistaken as human smuggling, which is the illegal movement of people across international borders. However, we must be clear and concise about what human trafficking is during this debate, and I really do appreciate–
Mr. Speaker: Order, please. Order, please. When this matter is again before the House, the honourable member for Riding Mountain will have nine minutes remaining.
* (11:00)
The hour being 11 a.m., this–it's time for private member's resolution, and, as previously announced, the private member's resolution under consideration here this morning is the 100th Anniversary of the Provincial Exhibition of Manitoba's Dome Building, sponsored by the honourable member for Brandon East (Mr. Caldwell).
Res. 5–100th Anniversary of the Provincial Exhibition of Manitoba's "Dome Building"
Mr. Drew Caldwell (Brandon East): Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the member for Fort Garry-River East–Riverview–sorry, River East–perhaps, in the future, you know.
Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by my honourable colleague:
WHEREAS 2013 marks the 100th anniversary of the Dominion Exhibition Display Building No. 2, commonly known as the Dome Building, on the Keystone grounds; and
WHEREAS the Dominion Exhibition Display Building No. 2 is a designated provincial and federal heritage site and a symbol of Brandon's historic legacy as the Wheat City of Canada; and
WHEREAS the Dominion Exhibition Display Building No. 2 is currently being restored and renovated by the Provincial Exhibition of Manitoba and will be rededicated in June to mark the 100th anniversary of the building's formal opening; and
WHEREAS the newly renovated building will be a tourist destination and an important addition to the Keystone Centre, an economic engine for Brandon and–in the Westman region; and
WHEREAS the provincial government of Manitoba has provided significant founding to the renovations of Dominion Exhibition Display Building No. 2.
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba recognize the historical significance of the Dominion Exhibition Display Building No. 2; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba commend those involved in the campaign to restore this important part of Manitoba's heritage.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker: Is there leave of the House to consider the resolution as printed? [Agreed]
WHEREAS 2013 marks the 100th anniversary of the Dominion Exhibition Display Building No. II, commonly known as the "Dome building," on the Keystone Centre grounds; and
WHEREAS the Dominion Exhibition Display Building No. II is a designated Provincial and Federal Heritage Site and a symbol of Brandon's historic legacy as the Wheat City of Canada; and
WHEREAS the Dominion Exhibition Display Building No. II is currently being restored and renovated by the Provincial Exhibition of Manitoba and will be rededicated in June to mark the 100th anniversary of the building's formal opening; and
WHEREAS the newly renovated building will be a tourist destination and an important addition to the Keystone Centre, an economic engine for Brandon and the Westman region; and
WHEREAS the Provincial Government of Manitoba has provided significant funding to the renovations of the Dominion Exhibition Display Building No. II.
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba recognize the historical significance of the Dominion Exhibition Display Building No. II; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba commend those involved in the campaign to restore this important part of Manitoba's heritage.
Mr. Speaker: It's been moved by the honourable member for Brandon East, seconded by the honourable member for Fort Garry-Riverview, that:
WHEREAS 2013 marks–dispense?
Some Honourable Members: Dispense.
Mr. Speaker: Dispense.
Mr. Caldwell: I thank members of the House for giving me the privilege of speaking to this resolution.
Mr. Speaker, I want to begin my remarks by commenting and expressing my personal gratitude to the great many people, organizations and individuals who have through the last century built the Provincial Exhibition of Manitoba and built Brandon as a centre in Canada for agricultural excellence in regards to this particular project, the restoration of Dominion Exhibition Display Building No. 2. I'd like to note and commend and thank and commit myself to continue working with Gord and Diane Peters and their team of entrepreneurs, community-minded individuals, supporters of Brandon, supporters of agriculture in this province in their work to restore the Display Building No. 2 on the Keystone Centre grounds. I want to commend the Keystone Centre board of directors, Neil Thomson, general manager of the Keystone and his staff for the work that they've been undertaking at the Keystone Centre in building that economic engine together with this government over the last number of years.
The relationship and the work that this Province has undertaken with those individuals and those groups has been extraordinary. In my experience, Mr. Speaker, 20 years as an elected official in Brandon, I've never seen a time that I can recall that the Keystone Centre and the Provincial Exhibition of Manitoba and the community at large were working so well together in building Brandon, in building a future for agriculture and the industrial agricultural sector, the tourism agricultural sector–[interjection]–sorry?–the educational sector, the business sector. Mr. Speaker, it's very gratifying to be working with these folks and bringing this resolution forward to this House so that this House can enjoin with the folks who have been undertaking this initiative–[interjection] And somebody's heckling me on the other side, I'm not sure who it is.
But I'm commending, Mr. Speaker, the citizens of western Manitoba, the fundraising initiative undertaken by Gord and Diane Peters, recommitting to working with them. I'd invite the member to work with Mr. and Mrs. Peters in building agricultural excellence in this province. I'd encourage the member to build a future for heritage resources in this province and tourism. I would encourage the member to cease heckling and pay some respect to people who live and work in his communities in western Manitoba for the agricultural sector in building a future for the agricultural sector.
And I would also ask the member to vote in favour of this resolution because it supports–it shows us this Legislature also support Gord and Diane Peters in their work. It shows that this Legislature also supports the work of the Keystone Centre and the board of directors of the Keystone Centre and the businesses and communities that support the Keystone Centre in western Manitoba and this province. So I would encourage the members opposite to stop heckling, support this resolution and contribute to building the province, Mr. Speaker.
So, Mr. Speaker, Display Building No. 2, it's constructed in 1913 as part of the Dominion Exhibition of Canada, an exhibition that brought together, from coast to coast, agricultural industry, agricultural society, the business community, the broader ethnic and cultural community in various locations throughout this country. Brandon was privileged to pay host to the last Dominion Exhibition in Manitoba in Canada in 1913. During that time, a major reconstruction of the Provincial Exhibition grounds, as it was then known and is today as the Keystone Centre grounds. A major reconstruction of the Provincial Exhibition grounds was undertaken with several pavilions being constructed, some massive. Two of them exist today still at the Keystone Centre grounds: the Display Building No. 2 from 1913 and a later building, the Manitoba fair building–trade fair building.
In the 1913 construction period, as I said, there was–there–several buildings, several pavilions, some of them massive, the Display Building No. 2 is the sole remnant from that era. It was probably the greatest era of construction at the Provincial Exhibition grounds, at the Keystone Centre grounds, since the 1970s with the building of the Keystone Centre itself, Mr. Speaker, and then over the last decade with the expansion of the Keystone Centre with the Agricultural Centre of Excellence and amenities improved upon in the Keystone Arena for the Memorial Cup.
It was a dramatic period of growth and development for the Provincial Exhibition grounds for Brandon, for western Manitoba, and it was guided and directed by entrepreneurs and business people and community leaders from throughout that region, and that's what–who we're honouring here today, and that's who we are supporting in bringing this resolution forward as a government. And, again, I would encourage members opposite to actually support those folks in those communities in their good work.
Mr. Speaker, the 1913 Dominion Exhibition ended. It ended the Dominion Exhibitions of Canada. World War I intervened. The Dominion Exhibitions ceased to be held, and today in Brandon the Dominion Display Building–exhibition–Display Building No. 2 exhibition pavilion is the last structure of its kind in western Canada. It's one of two in Canada. It is a national and provincial historic site. It is a centrepiece of a major agricultural, entrepreneurial expansion–tourism destination expansion that is going to be taking place at the Keystone Centre in partnership with the Provincial Exhibition in the Keystone Centre.
Mr. Speaker, the Dome Building itself has had a tremendous–apart from the folks that are managing the project at the Provincial Exhibition board level and the campaign level, the Dominion Exhibition building No. II has had tremendous partnership with community groups: the Commonwealth Air Training Plan Museum, another historic–major historic destination location in Brandon at the Brandon Municipal Airport, much like the Display Building No. 2, generated by support from communities and businesses and organizations throughout the region, has been instrumental in working with the Display Building No. 2 restoration folks–two non-profit organizations together, Commonwealth Air Training Plan Museum and the Provincial Exhibition of Manitoba–to redo a hundred windows by lathe and carpentry. And that sort of technology, which doesn't really exist now–but which replicates the historic features down to the construction techniques of a 1913 building, is really–it's really a sight to behold, the skill set and the carpentry of yesterday and how it is transforming a building and recreating a building built in 1913, to the same quality of construction as existed when the building was built, with all of the added safety features–the sprinkler systems, interior design, electrical upgrades.
* (11:10)
It's really a marvellous project that's taking place in the Keystone Centre. It's one that's deserving of all our–of our support in this House. I'm thinking, perhaps, the member when he was heckling me wasn't aware of what I was talking about. He maybe wasn't listening to my words as much as he was listening to me–well, just getting up to speak on the issue, because it's not really something that should be heckled. It's this Legislature sowing–showing support for citizens of this province, leaders in this province–this Legislature showing support for their work to build communities in this province and to support communities in building an economic future.
And so, Mr. Speaker, I'm assuming that the member wasn't realizing that that's what this was about, but, indeed, and in fact, that is what this is about, and I would encourage members opposite to support the Keystone Centre, to support the Provincial Exhibition of Manitoba, to support Gord and Diane Peters and their leadership team. I particularly reference that to the member for Brandon West. I know he's friends with Gord and Diane, so I would encourage him to support Brandon, western Manitoba, economic development in western Manitoba, agriculture in western Manitoba, the Royal Manitoba Winter Fair, the Provincial Exhibition of Manitoba and all of the 50 board members that come through–from throughout our region that want this project and desire this project to succeed and want our support in making it so.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Reg Helwer (Brandon West): I'm pleased to rise to put a few words on the record for this resolution. And, indeed, Mr. Speaker, the member from Brandon East did ask me if I would support, and our family indeed has. Our family has made a significant contribution, financial, to this organization at the behest of Gord and Diane Peters. They are relentless, as if you met them, Mr. Speaker, I'm sure you would know. So, yes, we have made a substantial donation from our family, and I would wonder if any of the members opposite have done that, but that's their own prerogative. So they can speak to Gord and Diane Peters, and I'm sure that the opportunities abound for money that can come from individuals to support this because Gord and Diane Peters, indeed, do have a great fundraising campaign and a great group of people that are out there in support of this particular organization in support of the Dome Building.
And I know they are doing great things and they're being very successful in their campaign and I wish them all the best. It is not an easy one. That Dome Building has obviously stood there for a number of years; it has decayed for a number of years. There are many people in the community who saw it as an eyesore even though it was a reminder of our glory years gone past and some even said in the community it should be torn down. But, indeed, Gord and Diane Peters had a vision and they took that vision to the community, and they're being very successful with that vision and we see it now with the reconstruction that's gone on. In fact, I understand from talking to Gord that they expect that since it has been such an efficient reconstruction process they will come in under budget, and that is indeed something that this government could learn from. And I hope they do, Mr. Speaker. I hope they do see how things can be done efficiently, effectively and under budget–something that is indeed a learning opportunity.
You know, for me, Mr. Speaker, my memories of the Dome Building are having been driven past it by my parents as we went to a fair. And, even, I'm sure, the member from Brandon East did the same thing that I did. We all played hockey on community rinks out in the cold, often in 40 below. That's where I learned I did not want to be a goalie, because, oh, those toes recovering from that, well, that was not a good thing. But we did have a good fortune at one particular time. I do remember that they put a rink inside the Dome Building. They flooded, and we played indoors. There was no wind; it was fabulous–still cold, but nonetheless it was inside and that was quite a memory. I can remember the green lights that hung, oh, maybe about 8 or 10 feet above the ice, and I certainly didn't have the skill, but some of the other players were able to raise the puck off of their flat sticks, and I know some of those bulbs were broken. We had to stop play so that we could scrape the glass off the ice. But, indeed, for a young hockey player, it was a memorable experience, because that was my first indoor hockey game and quite a thing to happen.
So those memories are all there, and now we will have memories that will be extended into the future for many residents, not only of Brandon but of western Manitoba, indeed, Manitoba and Canada, because Brandon is a centrepiece of agriculture in Manitoba. Western Manitoba is very important for agriculture, as it is agriculture for the entire province of Manitoba and, indeed, Canada.
We know that that is a centrepiece of our 'econoby' and it is one of the most–the highest growth areas of our economy in the last year or so. Agriculture has had a pretty good year. Even dealing with floods, even dealing with droughts, they were able to pull things out because we did see some very good prices out there for the producers and they had some–maybe not bumper crops, but they did have some good crops and were able to take advantage of that–those prices.
Agriculture is a part of my life, Mr. Speaker, and I know I've spoken about it in the Chamber before and we're continue to educate the Speaker; he may take up farming in his retirement if those years should come. But it has always been a part of my life, whether we lived in Libau or Selkirk or East St. Paul or Brandon or Indiana, all over, that it was very important there.
And the honesty of people that you deal with in agriculture is really something that always impresses me. And again, a lesson that could be taken by this government: honesty is very important. And dealing with producers, dealing with farmers, that is something that is first and foremost. You can go and you talk to a farmer and they will tell you the honest truth as what is happening, as opposed to other people in other sectors and perhaps some governments.
Indeed, Mr. Speaker, there was an opportunity when I was a member of the Chamber of Commerce; I was the treasurer, so not–part of the executive but not the president. Certainly, we were able to go to the national meetings of the Chamber of Commerce in that fabulous Saskatoon wonderful city, the great host city, and we see the opportunities that abound in Saskatchewan these days with a government that is efficient and effective.
But we did go there with a resolution, because at that time there was a problem with wheat exports from Canada. There were ships that were in port in Vancouver that were waiting because we could not get the proper grain to the terminals there at the right time, and there was a problem with the rail lines, there was a problem with cars.
So the joke became, as a ship owner, if you needed repairs to your ship, you should send them to Vancouver because you could get paid for demurrage while your ship was in port and essentially make money on your repairs. And, indeed, that was something that was well known at that time.
So we took a resolution to the Canadian chamber and wanted to–them to deal with this particular issue, and the chair of the transportation committee had the gall to say that that was not a national issue. So I stood up and spoke to that particular issue and, indeed, wheat is Canada's signature export, it is what we are known for around the world, Mr. Speaker, and what this Dome Building does celebrate indeed. And we did get a unanimous consent from the committee to take that forward to the floor of the Canadian chamber and, indeed, they did pass that resolution unanimously. So, interesting that the chair of the committee didn't see it as a national issue; it certainly became one and, indeed, that issue did go away.
So at the recent President's Dinner that the fair board held, that was a celebration of the Dome Building, and we saw many people there that were dressed in period costumes. There were tuxedos. I saw Stan Cochrane wearing a tuxedo and his wife wearing a dress that were heritage costumes from their–I believe, parents or grandparents even, and, you know, amazing that they could fit in these. Very remarkable.
Also a celebration of the campaign for the Dome Building, and they did have models that were custom made on the tables that you could buy, Mr. Speaker. I did purchase one of those. I cannot bring it into the Chamber because I understand that would be an item, a prop, a demonstration, but it is in my office in Brandon and very proud of that particular model. They were individually constructed by the board members. They are quite substantial in weight and, indeed, are a good representation of the Dome Building. And I know members here have bought and purchased those models as well to support the Dome Building, and it's very good that there is that type of support for this issue out there and from the members present here on this side.
So overall, Mr. Speaker, the Keystone Centre, the Keystone grounds, the Dome Building are all part of a visionary group in Brandon and western Manitoba that were able to foresee the requirements that Brandon would have in the future.
* (11:20)
I am constantly amazed when I go into the Keystone Centre, now called Westman Place, that it was built in 1972 and it is still servicing the community and the province and, indeed, the country very, very well. There have obviously been some changes and some improvements over time, but you walk in there and the events that we're able to have there–the national and international events that are able to be hosted in that by the volunteers in Brandon and western Manitoba are absolutely amazing, Mr. Speaker. And this reconstruction of the Dome Building will, indeed, celebrate those volunteers. They are an integral part of the reconstruction.
And I commend to Gord and Diane Peters for their involvement, and obviously they are, as I said, very relentless once they start a process. This is something that many people in Brandon had a question about whether, you know, we should put money into that building, and obviously they believed and they are able to sell that belief to people throughout Manitoba.
And again, that's another lesson that this government could take. If they believed in the PST increase, they should be able to go sell that to Manitobans and have a referendum.
Gord and Diane Peters believed and they were able to sell that idea to not only people in Brandon, but western Manitoba and Manitoba and across Canada and into the US. I know they have donors–[interjection] Speaking of hecklers, Mr. Speaker, I am speaking to a particular serious issue commending volunteers that are putting their time into this. I–our family has donated our own money for this particular cause, and I would challenge the members opposite to take their own money and support this organization because it's something–I'm very proud of Gord and Diane Peters and their board for the time they have put into this. It is fine–it is great to see a successful fundraising campaign by individuals in Brandon.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Hon. Jennifer Howard (Minister of Family Services and Labour): Mr. Speaker, it's my pleasure to get up and share a few words with the House in support of this resolution, and I always like to get a chance to stand up and talk about my hometown.
I was, of course, born in Brandon, lived there 'til '98 and then moved to Winnipeg, went to university in Brandon, worked in Brandon, and certainly for as long–I was born in 1971, so certainly the Keystone Centre is part of my entire memories of living in Brandon. And I think, as the member for Brandon West was saying, as the member for Brandon East (Mr. Caldwell) has said, having the Keystone Centre in Brandon has really changed that community. It's brought many things to the community of Brandon that otherwise probably wouldn't have been there.
For me, personally, like most people in my generation, I learned to drive in the Keystone parking lot back before it was paved and had any lines, and it was just one big open gravel field and you couldn't probably hit anything that would damage things too much–went out there with my mom in the 19–I think it was a '76 Datsun. It still had–it had–was a manual transmission, and I could not manage to operate both the clutch and gearshift and everything at the same time, so she did part of it and I did the other part of it. And that's the first time I drove.
I also remember going to many, many Wheat Kings games, of course, at the Keystone Centre and sitting very close behind the bench and cheering on the team. And I also remember having had the great opportunity to actually work for Len Evans as one of my first political jobs; how proud he was of having that Keystone Centre in the community of Brandon–proud of the role that he played in ensuring that it had provincial funding and backing. But he was also an advocate for that centre throughout his time in office, whether in government or in opposition.
When I go back to Brandon now, I think it's fair to say–and everybody would recognize–that the community has changed a great deal, certainly from the time that I lived there and from the time that I grew up there. It is a growing community. You see the evidence of the progress and success that growing numbers of newcomers have made to that community. You see that just in terms of the diversity of Brandon, but also many of the great things that are happening in that community.
Of course, I think the Dome Building is probably most associated with the Royal Manitoba Winter Fair. I remember, growing up, everybody looked forward to fair week, partially because it coincided with spring break, so you had the week off, but also because it was time when you could go see the animals, which was a huge highlight for me, not having grown up on a farm, but having, certainly, grandparents that were farmers, getting to go and see the horses and pet the baby animals. I got bit by a baby pig once at the winter fair, which taught me not to put my hand so close to the baby pig's mouth, and recently when we had MLA day at the fair, I got to return there with my own son and my family. And last year we went with Harry and he was just six months old so he could kind of take it or leave it, but this year he was very into the experience.
He went into the pen with the baby goats and the rabbits and the chickens. He fed the goats. He was very leery of the chickens, which I think it wise. My own experience with chickens is not good to get too close to them, and, but he–for him, as a child, who's going to grow up in a completely urban environment, getting that opportunity from a young age to see animals, to interact with animals, to learn about agriculture, I think that fair has grown tremendously in the work that they do to educate urban people about the value of agriculture. The displays that we went through that showed us everything from chickens to pigs to grains and celebrated that very important part of our heritage in our province. I was very happy to be able to bring my son there and look forward to doing that every year for as often as we can do that.
So I'm happy to support not only what we're doing in terms of investment in the Keystone Centre, what the community has done to treasure that centre and especially this building. I think, you know, too often in our past, we take architectural heritage for granted or we don't think it really matters. And there's many examples many of us could tell of buildings that we loved and treasured that we lost because people didn't either think it was important to restore them or it just wasn't something that was current in the day.
I still remember growing up in Brandon watching the Prince Edward Hotel be demolished, and today, hopefully, we wouldn't do that. We would see the architectural value, the historical value of that kind of building, and so I think it's just really important, and I want to give full credit to the community of Brandon that has worked together to make this a reality and to the investment that has come from this government to preserve the heritage of the Dome Building, to continue to invest in Keystone Centre and to continue to support my hometown which is a fast growing and progressive place to live.
And I want to thank the member for Brandon East (Mr. Caldwell) for bringing this resolution forward today. Thank you.
Mrs. Leanne Rowat (Riding Mountain): I'd like to put a few words on the record with regard to the resolution, The 100th Anniversary of the Provincial Exhibition of Manitoba, which is the Dome Building and to recognize the significant history that agriculture has played in the Provincial Exhibition and the significance of Manitobans in ensuring that agriculture will be remembered through agriculture hall of fame, 4-H, et cetera, will have a home, Mr. Speaker, in this dome. And I want to congratulate and thank Gord and Diane Peters, Karen Oliver, Neil Thomson and the Keystone board and the Provincial Exhibition board for their insight in recognizing the significance of the Dome Building and how we need to ensure that generations to come will have an opportunity to learn about agriculture, the history and the challenges that these Manitoba families have faced over the last century.
Mr. Speaker, the Dome Building has an interesting history which began with Brandon lobbying for several years to win the bid to host the 1913 Dominion Exhibition and produce the biggest trade show ever and that was the last Dominion fair. World War I broke out shortly after and Dominion fairs were no more. So the Dome Building actually has a significant place in history with that regard.
With regard to the Provincial Exhibition, the dinner that was recently hosted, the President's Dinner, I thought it was really neat and unique that there were the replica domes at everybody's table, and you had an opportunity to bid on one of those domes. And I couldn't help but cut a cheque and make sure that I took one of the domes back with me, because that building has a significant place in not only Westman or Manitoba's heart, but it also has a significant value to my family.
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I remember going with my grandmother from Angusville all the way to Brandon to the fair, and we would have our roasted chicken in the trunk with warm tea in a jar and planning a picnic near the Dome Building. And in that Dome Building were animals, as the member opposite had spoke about, and it–even though I grew up in a rural community, I didn't necessarily grow up right on a farm. So I enjoyed seeing the different animals and can remember quite clearly how proud the 4-H members were in showing their animals and how well they kept them clean and ready for show, Mr. Speaker. I also remember walking with my grandmother and looking at the different types of products that were available or made available through contests, like the quilting and the flower displays and the baking goods. And it–actually, my grandmother was a great quilter and she would often take ideas from the fair and, you know, the next winter we would see a quilt exactly–or not exactly, but very similar to what she had seen at the fair. And too bad she didn't have an iPhone, she could have taken a picture and it would have, you know, even more enhanced the quality of the work. But she loved the fair and so did we, and it was a great family, Kremp [phonetic] family event.
I just want to quote Karen Oliver, CEO of the Provincial Ex. She's a good friend and I'm just so proud of her leadership on so many different issues within agriculture in the Westman area, Mr. Speaker, and I'm going to quote her here. She has said, and I quote: We will have an experimental agriculture museum on-site and that will be a place where families can learn about agriculture in a hands-on way. Oliver said: She–we will make it a tourist attraction that will change on a seasonal basis and will be a great addition to the community. The finished building will also have a park surrounding it which we hope is a hub of agriculture activity. End quote.
So again, what she's–what Karen has said here is exactly what I've just explained in my statements or my comments. It was in the past a place of family gatherings and individuals to learn about agriculture and different ways of presenting either crops or flowers or baking, and I think what Karen has said here is exactly what will continue to happen.
So I want to say that I am pleased to see this space being brought back to life and I believe that Brandon should be very proud of the people that took a leadership role in raising the dollars for this project, Mr. Speaker. And I look forward to having the opportunity to take my children to the dome and to experience and celebrate agriculture in Manitoba.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Hon. Nancy Allan (Minister of Education): It is definitely an honour for me to thank the MLA for Brandon East for bringing this private resolution forward so that we can recognize and honour all of the volunteers that have worked tirelessly in regards to the Dominion Exhibition Display Building No. 2, not just that but all of the volunteers that have worked tirelessly in Brandon on behalf of the Keystone Centre.
My relationship with Brandon has been longstanding. I was born and raised in MacGregor and my father was a trucker and my mother was a business woman, and for many, many years we would go to the Brandon winter fair, because I had a relationship, of course, with horse owners in MacGregor. Many people who are familiar with what happens at the Brandon winter fair will know the Moore family, and they had heavy horses in MacGregor and they showed their heavy horses at the Brandon winter fair for many years. In fact, Bill Moore was the chair of the heavy horse division at the Brandon winter fair.
And for many, many years, I would go to the Brandon winter fair with my mom, and one of my earliest, earliest childhood memories is when Dorothy Moore [phonetic] took me into the grandstand for one of the big Grand Prix shows as a little girl, and took me up to sit in the grandstand and sit with all of the riders to watch the show. And that was before the Keystone Centre was built now, as it is.
And so there has been an absolutely incredible amount of work that has gone on in Brandon to preserve agriculture, to preserve a historic building, and it is of such a value to us as a province and as an economy to recognize what is happening in Brandon.
Last Brandon winter fair, two years ago, I had the pleasure of taking a tour of the Dome Building when I was there for the Brandon winter fair. I took that tour with Stan Cochrane. Of course, Stan and Pat are long-time volunteers at the Brandon winter fair, and I had an opportunity to walk through the renovation of the Dome Building, and it really was an incredible building.
It is going to be phenomenal, what is going to be able–what that Dome Building is going to bring to Brandon. They're going to use part of the Dome Building for office space. They're also going to be able to use the space in there for many community events or educational opportunities. They're going to connect to schools. It's going to be a very, very important–it's going to be very important for Brandon, and, of course, that's one reason why we as a government have invested in the Dome Building.
We believe that this is an important venue for Brandon. We initially contributed $500,000 to the project in 2010, to the preservation and the redevelopment of the Dominion Exhibition Display Building. And in 2011, we contributed another $450,000 to the project. And I just want to add my thanks to Gord and Diane Peters, the leadership team, and their leadership team for all of the work that they have done.
This is a huge project. It's close to $7 million, and there is absolutely–that is absolutely–there's no question this is a lot of work, and the fundraising is going to be absolutely phenomenal to make it happen. But this is going to be a very important cultural and tourism asset for the Westman region, and, of course, we all know that there's some very interesting aspects of this important building.
It's going to be environmentally friendly. It's going to have geothermal heat, which will provide cost savings in their operations. They're going to have an agricultural museum where visitors can experience agriculture first-hand through a variety of interactive displays and activities. And it will also contain, in the office space, a board room for several non-profit agricultural organizations, of course, including the Provincial Exhibition of Manitoba. They will also develop an agricultural park to surround the facility. It will include agricultural demonstration projects and activities, a community garden, crop plots, an agriculture-themed playground, wind turbines and a composting station.
So we've looked–we have consistently supported Brandon throughout the years as a government. In fact, we opened the Keystone Centre in 1972 when the premier was Ed Schreyer, and this–the Keystone Centre is a significant economic engine outside of the Perimeter Highway. And we are pleased to continue to support the activities in Brandon. And we're certainly interested in continuing to support anything like–any opportunity to make sure that we keep agriculture alive in Manitoba.
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I have a little, tiny St. Vital Agricultural Society fair in my riding and we continue to work with it because it's very, very important. St. Vital was an agricultural community at one time. It was built on agriculture and it's very, very important.
So I know that there are many people across the way that want to speak on this bill and pass this resolution today, so I look forward to that.
So thank you, Mr. Speaker, I'm pleased to put a few comments on the record. Thank you.
Mr. Larry Maguire (Arthur-Virden): Mr. Speaker, it's my privilege to speak today to the 100th Anniversary of the Provincial Exhibition of Manitoba's Dome Building private member's resolution.
This is a very significant time in Manitoba's history. This is a significant building in the city of Brandon in regards to the region of southwest Manitoba. In fact, I want to acknowledge that it is the Royal Manitoba Winter Fair, not the Brandon fair, Mr. Speaker, as has been pointed out. I just wanted to make sure that's on the record. It is the Royal Manitoba Winter Fair and the crowds have continued to grow for this major event for many, many years. But there's also the Summer Fair, and the Provincial Exhibition of Manitoba is a very dynamic organization that has continued to put on support for these events and promote agriculture, as well as events for the rest of the citizens that aren't as familiar with agriculture as they may be in the province of Manitoba throughout that area, also attracting many visitors from Saskatchewan, neighbouring provinces and, certainly, neighbouring states to the US as well.
The Dome Building, if I may, is certainly a project that has been taken on by a group of individuals and the Provincial Exhibition in Brandon to restore and resurrect this particular building that I remember having lunches beside, Mr. Speaker, at the summer fairs in Brandon back in my days of youth.
An Honourable Member: Five years ago.
Mr. Maguire: Yes, four or five years ago, as my colleague from Steinbach reminds me.
Mr. Speaker, this is a very significant building. The people that have taken it on, there are many, many organizations involved in the support of this. It has, of course, been led by a group of fundraisers, I guess, under the chairmanship of both Gord and Diane Peters. Gord, of course, and Diane are very involved as the owners and operators of Cando Contracting, a very successful rail building and operating company in North America, if I could say so. They have also put forth their philanthropic endeavors to make sure that this type of a building has, you know, proceeds in a very timely way. They saw the–they had the vision of being able to see along with many others the significance of an historic building like this and to bring it to where it is today. To have it developed in the particular 100th Anniversary of the Provincial Exhibition of the Dome Building is of great significance for Manitoba.
I want to say that they have included many others. This was not just a raise a lot of money and spend it to get this project done, Mr. Speaker. It has taken a significant many millions of dollars to make this happen. But I want to say, as well, that these folks have encouraged others and they've had other groups come forward. People at the airport, for instance, I know have brought their carpentry expertise and skills to the forefront in making sure that they–that all of the windows in this particular building were redone by them in their time, at a significant saving, I may say, to the costs of renovations of this building.
I had the opportunity of being taken on a tour of this particular construction site, the rebuilding of this building back a few–a year and a half ago, Mr. Speaker, now, when it was in its infancy. And they were just starting to put the windows back in that facility about a year ago and there were still many, many more to go. But it was of great significance to me to see the work that they'd already done in regards to the footing replacements, the foundation replacements, and also to look at the plans that they had laid out for the offices that will become part of this new facility that will be used by citizens of Manitoba. Particularly, probably in southwest Manitoba, for those regions in regards to agriculture, 4-H and other areas. And I think that those–the vision that the people brought forward to see this project through, I think took a considerable amount of research. It took a considerable amount of their time before they even got into this particular building, Mr. Speaker.
And so I want to say that the, you know, the campaign to restore this important part of Manitoba's heritage has had many players involved and will continue to grow and be used by not just those who can remember its historic value, Mr. Speaker, listening to Bill Turner's talk show on CKLQ in the past. They've had many people speak about the importance of this building on broadcasting across Manitoba, and the various comments that came in that day from individuals who were, you know, talking about when they played floor hockey in that particular building back in their youth when they played, when they watched–came to the judging of the displays at the Summer Fair, as well. And this building has been used throughout its history for a number of those events, and it has been–unfortunately, it sat for many decades without being used.
So it was of great, I think, importance that when Diane and Gord were on that radio show that day that people phoned in and talked about their personal circumstances with this building and with their stories that they could tell about the significance of what the building meant to them. And so I think that's probably that history of western Manitoba and indeed Manitoba is what the groups that put this together felt was important in regards to the reconstruction and rebuilding of it, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, agriculture has always been a significant part of Manitoba but it's certainly nowhere more important than it has been in western Manitoba. Throughout those early days some of the top cattle showmen in both purebred and commercial herds were from western Manitoba. They had tremendous success at both the Royal Winter Fair presentations, the Summer Fair, as well as the Toronto Royal and other places that they had taken their stock to show, and the heritage and the remembrance of that is something that I think we must never lose track of.
I know the member from St. Vital just indicated that they were always there to support the agricultural industry. Well, Maple Leaf has had a significant role to play in western Manitoba's development in regards to the hog industry. But, you know, right now it's short some over a thousand hogs a week, Mr. Speaker, to meet its obligations for a full program of exports, and I think that even the government members can't deny that the actions that they've taken to impede on the moratorium on hogs in Manitoba has had a significant role in undermining Maple Leaf's ability to get the kind of product that they need to have a full usage of their facility, and I would hope that the government continues to look at that and encourage the opportunities to make sure that that plant stays here in Manitoba because it would mean thousands of job losses in Brandon and area if it was to ever leave.
Mr. Speaker, I think the significance of the Dome Building project is–has been outlined in–by many in this Chamber, and I would certainly look forward to hearing the comments of others. There are–I've been reminded that there are two or three months perhaps maybe left in this session that we could debate some of these bills in the future as well, and I think that one of the things that I'd like to leave on the record today is that, you know, the government left out a lot of the players, a lot of the key stakeholders who were involved in the expansion of this particular facility in their comments today.
And I would think that while the federal government has put more funds into a facility like this, there needs to be some recognition of others who have played a role in the development of this particular Dome Building that may want to be brought to the forefront at a later time, as well. Unless, of course, they are able to do that in the next few minutes that we have left remaining today to debate this particular bill, and so–or private member's resolution. And so I just wanted to say that again and look forward to some of the other opportunities, give some of the other opportunities to members to speak in this House on this particular Dome Building bill. Thank you.
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Ms. Melanie Wight (Burrows): I just wanted to put a couple of words on the record about this building and about royal Manitoba fair. We called it the Brandon fair when I was a kid, so that's probably why that's what comes up in our minds is the Brandon fair.
It was a huge event for us as children. It seemed like the most exciting thing that we could be doing was to be going to both of those fairs, the Summer Fair and the winter fair, and I'm really pleased that the government has been able to help all the other groups that are involved in making these renovations possible because the history in the building and the memories that people have of that building are just so important.
And many of my memories match the member from Riding Mountain in going for picnics first and then going to see it. Many of my family members live in Brandon. Some of them raise horses. They're frequently at the Keystone Centre as well showing the horses. My mother, it was a favourite thing for her to watch the jumping of the horses at the events, and I'm really happy that my daughter ended up going for many many years because I worked, myself, and so through spring break she had to be somewhere so someone could take care of her. So she would go stay at mom's, and so she also benefited from years of getting to go to that fair and, like other members were mentioning, getting some actual close-up moments with animals and agriculture that she didn't get to have, having been born in the city.
So I just wanted to mention that and mention how pleased I am that the Dome Building will remain in Manitoba for hopefully many more centuries. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Cliff Cullen (Spruce Woods): Indeed, it's a pleasure to enter into the discussion and debate on this resolution this morning. I do want to acknowledge the member for Brandon East (Mr. Caldwell) for bringing forward this resolution so that we do have the opportunity to talk about agriculture here in the province of Manitoba.
Clearly, many of us on this side of the House are very passionate about agriculture and the many industries contained within agriculture. So I do know there is a lot of our members that will like to speak to this particular resolution, so hopefully we can bring this forward again sometime down the road so we can have a full, honest debate on this resolution.
Mr. Speaker, first off, I do want to acknowledge the volunteers that have been involved in this important project. Certainly, Gord and Diane Peters have taken the bull by the horns here in terms of the fundraising initiatives, and we certainly acknowledge them. I acknowledge all of the people that have donated both financially and as well through the time on this particular cause and this building resurrection.
Mr. Speaker, certainly all of Brandon and a big chunk of western Manitoba, and I think even a lot of Manitobans outside of western Manitoba are interested in seeing the restoration of this Dome Building being completed. Clearly, we've got a provincial and federal heritage site there at this site and have that building completed for the 100th anniversary will be a very interesting task.
In debate this morning, Mr. Speaker, we heard quite a few people reminiscing about the winter fair and the Summer Fair held on those grounds over the years. I, too, can remember attending the winter fair as a young child and certainly have attended that winter fair for quite a number of years. Also enjoyed spending time at the Summer Fair.
There was a period of time when my grandmother lived just down the street on Queens Avenue, so we could see the activities just a couple of blocks away during the summer, and it was a great opportunity to spend some time with her and then go down the street and spend some time at the Summer Fair. And also I–just thinking this morning, as well, it was a number of years ago now, but that's actually the place–the Summer Fair is when I had my first date with my now wife.
So the Summer Fair in Brandon certainly does hold some significance for me, Mr. Speaker. It's one of those things you don't think about too much, but upon reflection this morning, I was reminiscing about that time quite a number of years ago. So good that the member did bring forward this resolution this morning.
Mr. Speaker, I do want to talk about western Manitoba and, certainly, the importance of agriculture in our region, and we have a lot of people that are–been involved in the summer and winter fairs there over the years, and I've been very active on the exhibition boards and the various activities that are ongoing throughout the year.
And really, our hats go off to all the volunteers, you know, not just in western Manitoba, but across the province that recognize the Brandon facility as some of the best agriculture facilities we have in many–for many miles around, including Saskatchewan and in North Dakota. And, clearly, the facilities there are an attraction for other jurisdictions to come together.
In fact, I can remember the–back in the days when we had–it was called the Weed Fair, and I was on the organizing committee for the Weed Fair. And at that time the Weed Fair was set up in both Brandon at the ag centre there and in Winnipeg, and it was certainly an interesting challenge. But as the Weed Fair grew, it grew into the Manitoba Ag Days. And now the Manitoba Ag Days is held exclusively in Brandon at the Keystone Centre.
And it certainly has grown to be a very–it's one of the best agriculture shows, I think, we have in Canada. And it's very important to the economy of western Manitoba and, quite frankly, Mr. Speaker, it's very important to the economy–all of–of all Manitoba. And, certainly, when we talk about agriculture shows, it is a very important driver for the agriculture economy and, in fact, the economy for the province of Manitoba.
So I know the resolution speaks specifically about Brandon and Westman, but I think the Keystone Centre has an attraction for all Manitobans, especially those that are involved in agriculture across our great province, Mr. Speaker.
Now, I know the NDP, of course, want to take credit for–wherever they can in terms of agriculture and in particular this particular project, but I think it's maybe time for a little reflection, too, in terms of what the NDP have not done for agriculture in the province of Manitoba.
I'll look back. It was the year before I got elected. It was the onset of the BSE fiasco, if you will, Mr. Speaker. And, you know, we're still recovering from the BSE situation, and the NDP, over the years, did little to assist the cattle producers, in terms of moving forward on that–helping that particular industry.
Now we've got a situation in the last few years with the hog industry in Manitoba facing some serious financial problems. Obviously, some rules and regulations that the government has brought down have hampered the ability of that industry to survive here in Manitoba.
So, clearly, the NDP have been directly involved in the hog industry as well and haven't been really there to support that hog industry. In fact, just a couple of weeks ago, the industry came to the Minister of Agriculture (Mr. Kostyshyn) and said, you know, we need some backing here to provide some financial support for the industry.
And, unfortunately, the Minister of Agriculture was not there to stand up for the hog industry here in Manitoba. So, a very–another–unfortunate, Mr. Speaker, that the NDP has not here been–not been here for the hog and the cattle industry.
And now, Mr. Speaker, the front page of the paper today, here we have another agriculture industry on the verge of collapse, thanks to this NDP government. The Minister of Finance (Mr. Struthers) is forging ahead, trying to–looks like he's going to attempt to kill a $50-million horse-racing industry here in Manitoba, an industry that has 500 jobs related to it in and around the city of Winnipeg.
So it's pretty clear the NDP have a lot of work to do and a lot of respect to do when it comes to–
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Mr. Speaker: Order. Order, please.
When this matter's again before the House, the honourable member for Spruce Woods will have two minutes remaining.
The hour being 12 noon, this House is recessed with the understanding that I will return at 1:30 p.m. this afternoon.