Legislative Assembly of Manitoba DEBATES
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Fourth Session - Thirty-SixthLegislature of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba DEBATES and PROCEEDINGS Official Report (Hansard) Published under the authority of The Honourable Louise M. Dacquay Speaker Vol. XLVIII No. 16 - 1:30 p.m., Thursday, March 12, 1998 MANITOBA LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY Thirty-Sixth Legislature Member Constituency Political Affiliation ASHTON, Steve Thompson N.D.P. BARRETT, Becky Wellington N.D.P. CERILLI, Marianne Radisson N.D.P. CHOMIAK, Dave Kildonan N.D.P. CUMMINGS, Glen, Hon. Ste. Rose P.C. DACQUAY, Louise, Hon. Seine River P.C. DERKACH,Leonard, Hon. Roblin-Russell P.C. DEWAR, Gregory Selkirk N.D.P. DOER, Gary Concordia N.D.P. DOWNEY,James, Hon. Arthur-Virden P.C. DRIEDGER, Albert Steinbach P.C. DYCK,Peter Pembina P.C. ENNS, Harry, Hon. Lakeside P.C. EVANS, Clif Interlake N.D.P. EVANS, Leonard S. Brandon East N.D.P. FAURSCHOU, David Portage Ia Prairie P.C. FILMON, Gary, Hon. Tuxedo P.C. FINDLAY,Glen, Hon. Springfield P.C. FRIESEN,Jean Wolseley N.D.P. GAUDRY,Neil St. Boniface Lib. GILLESHAMMER, Harold, Hon. Minnedosa P.C. HEL WER,Edward Gimli P.C. HICKES, George Point Douglas N.D.P. JENNISSEN,Gerard Flin Flon N.D.P. KOWALSKI, Gary The Maples Lib. LAMOUREUX, Kevin Inkster Lib. LATHLIN, Oscar The Pas N.D.P. LAURENDEAU,Marcel St. Norbert P.C. MACKINTOSH, Gord St. Johns N.D.P. MALOWAY, Jim Elmwood N.D.P. MARTINDALE, Doug Burrows N.D.P. McALPINE,Gerry Sturgeon Creek P.C. McCRAE,James, Hon. Brandon West P.C. McGIFFORD,Diane Osborne N.D.P. MciNTOSH, Linda, Hon. Assiniboia P.C. MIHYCHUK,MaryAnn St. James N.D.P. MITCHELSON, Bonnie, Hon. River East P.C. NEWMAN, David, Hon. Riel P.C. PENNER,Jack Emerson P.C. PITURA,Frank, Hon. Morris P.C. PRAZNIK, Darren, Hon. Lac du Bonnet P.C. RADCLIFFE, Mike,Hon. River Heights P.C. REID, Daryl Transcona N.D.P. REIMER,Jack, Hon. Niakwa P.C. RENDER, Shirley St. Vital P.C. ROBINSON, Eric Rupertsland N.D.P. ROC AN, Denis Gladstone P.C. SALE, Tim Crescentwood N.D.P. SANTOS, Conrad Broadway N.D.P. STEFANSON, Eric, Hon. Kirkfield Park P.C. STRUTHERS, Stan Dauphin N.D.P. SVEINSON, Ben La Verendrye P.C. TOEWS, Vic, Hon. Rossmere P.C. TWEED,Mervin Turtle Mountain P.C. VODREY,Rosemary, Hon. Fort Garry P.C. WOWCHUK, Rosann Swan River N.D.P. Vacant Charleswood 653 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA Thursday, March 12, 1998 The House met at 1:30 p.m. WHEREASthis proposal will not improve the quality of food but will cost hundreds of jobs to the provincial PRAYERS economy; and ROUTINE PROCEEDINGS WHEREAS on December 8th of 1997, the provincial cabinet staged a photo opportunity for the media in PRESENTING PETITIONS which government MLAs were served chicken bre�st from a chef flown in from Toronto for the occaswn Winnipeg Hospitals Food Services-Privatization while the actual meal served residents that night was macaroni and peas; and Ms. Marianne Cerilli (Radisson): Madam Speaker, I beg to present the petition of Janet Pidgeon, Muriel WHEREAS thisproposal will result in more health care Sweet, Mary Thompson and others praying that the dollars being spent on questionable privatization Legislative Assembly of Manitoba may be please? to . projects; and request the Minister of Health (Mr. Prazruk)to constder immediately cancelling the hospital food proposal and WHEREAS in December of 1997, the provincial concentrate on delivering quality health care instead of government was forced to drop a similar privatization using health dollars to provide contracts for private scheme involving home care which had been opposed firms. by the clients, families and the public; and Ms. Becky Barrett (Wellington): I beg to present the WHEREAS once again the provincial government petition of JamesAllum, Tom Moody, Steve Webb and without consultation has committed itself to a others praying that the Legislative Assembly of privatization project which will likely cost taxpayers Manitoba may be pleased to request the Minister of more money for a poorer quality service, thus Health to consider immediately cancelling the hospital forgetting the patients who deserve better care. food proposal and concentrate on delivering quality health care instead of using health dollars to provide WHEREFORE YOUR PETITIONERS HUMBLY PRAY contracts for private firms. that the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba may be pleased to request the Minister of Health to consider READING AND RECEIVING PETITIONS immediately cancelling the hospital food proposal and concentrate on delivering quality health care instead of Winnipeg Hospitals Food Services-Privatization using health dollars to provide contracts for private firms. Madam Speaker: I have reviewed the petition of the honourable member for Burrows (Mr. Martindale). It Madam Speaker: I have reviewed the petition of the complies with the rules and practices of the House. Is honourable member for Radisson (Ms. Cerilli). It it the will of the House to have the petition read? complies with the rules and practices of the House. Is it the will of the House to have the petition read? An Honourable Member: Dispense An Honourable Member: No. Madam Speaker: Dispense. WHEREAS the provincial government has embarked Madam Speaker: Dispense. upon a project in which it is closing hospital kitchens and having hospital food transported in from Toronto WHEREAS the provincial government has embarked for reheating; and upon a project in which it is closing hospital kitchens 654 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA March 12, 1998 and having hospital food transported in from Toronto and having hospital food transported in from Toronto for reheating; and for reheating; and WHEREASthis proposal will not improve the qualityof WHEREASthis proposal will not improve the quality of food but will cost hundreds of jobs to the provincial food but will cost hundreds of jobs to the provincial economy; and economy; and WHEREAS on December 8th of 1997, the provincial WHEREAS on December 8th of 1997, the provincial cabinet staged a photo opportunity for the media in cabinet staged a photo opportunity for the media in which government MLAs were served chicken breast which government MLAs were served chicken breast from a chef flown in from Toronto for the occasion from a chef flown in from Toronto for the occasion while the actual meal served residents that night was while the actual meal served residents that night was macaroni and peas; and macaroni and peas; and WHEREAS this proposal will result in more health care WHEREASthis proposalwill result in more health care dollars being spent on questionable privatization dollars being spent on questionable privatization projects; and projects; and WHEREAS in December of 1997, the provincial WHEREAS in December of 1997, the provincial government was forced to drop a similar privatization governmentwas forced to drop a similar privatization scheme involving home care which had been opposed scheme involving home care which had been opposed by the clients, families and the public; and by the clients, families and the public; and WHEREAS once again the provincial government WHEREAS once again the provincial government without consultation has committed itself to a without consultation has committed itself to a privatization project which will likely cost taxpayers privatization project which will likely cost taxpayers more money for a poorer quality service, thus more money for a poorer quality service, thus forgetting the patients who deserve better care. forgetting the patients who deserve better care. WHEREFORE YOUR PETITIONERSHUMBLY PRAY WHEREFORE YOUR PETITIONERSHUMBLY PRAY that the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba may be that the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba may be pleased to request the Minister of Health to consider pleased to request the Minister of Health to consider immediately cancelling the hospital food proposal and immediately cancelling the hospital food proposal and concentrate on delivering quality health care insteadof concentrate on delivering qualityhealth care instead of using health dollars to provide contracts for private using health dollars to provide contracts for private firms. firms. Madam Speaker: I have reviewed the petition of the Introduction of Guests honourable member for Broadway (Mr. Santos). It complies with the rules and practices of the House. Is Madam Speaker: Prior to Oral Questions, I would it the will of the House to have the petition read? like to draw the attention of all honourable members to the public gallery where we have this afternoon fifteen An Honourable Member: Dispense. Kindergarten to Grade 9 students fromHome Schooling under the direction of Mrs. Sandy Noble. This school Madam Speaker: Dispense. is located in the constituency of Charleswood. WHEREAS the provincial government has embarked Onbehalf of all honourable members, I welcome you upon a project in which it is closing hospital kitchens this afternoon. March 12, 1998 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA 655 ORAL QUESTION PERIOD St. Boniface General Hospital Patient Safety First Minister Apology Request Mr. Gary Doer (Leader of the Opposition): I would like to ask the Premier today: does he take any Mr. Gary Doer (Leader of the Opposition): Madam responsibility for the fact that according to nurses, in Speaker, St. Boniface Hospital has had a proud collaboration with management at the hospital, tradition of working for our community and working incidents that jeopardize patient care, incident reports for the citizens of this province. It has had people who that have been filed documenting jeopardy of patient have worked as volunteers, have worked as staff, have care have gone, over the last two years, from 187 to worked in the communities, have worked on 262, a 40 percent increase based on budget cuts that fundraising events and other endeavours that they have this Premier made andhis former Minister of Health a lot of pride in. They were absolutely shocked said would not impact patient care? Will this Premier yesterday to hear this Premier, who has reduced the start taking responsibility and stop pointing fingers at staff and cut the beds, blaming them for the situation everybody else except himself? and crisis at St.