Second Session - Thirty-Ninth Legislature of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba DEBATES and PROCEEDINGS Official Report (Hansard) Published under the authority of The Honourable George Hickes Speaker Vol. LX No. 72 – 1:30 p.m., Monday, September 22, 2008 ISSN 0542-5492 MANITOBA LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY Thirty-Ninth Legislature Member Constituency Political Affiliation ALLAN, Nancy, Hon. St. Vital N.D.P. ALTEMEYER, Rob Wolseley N.D.P. ASHTON, Steve, Hon. Thompson N.D.P. BJORNSON, Peter, Hon. Gimli N.D.P. BLADY, Sharon Kirkfield Park N.D.P. BOROTSIK, Rick Brandon West P.C. BRAUN, Erna Rossmere N.D.P. BRICK, Marilyn St. Norbert N.D.P. BRIESE, Stuart Ste. Rose P.C. CALDWELL, Drew Brandon East N.D.P. CHOMIAK, Dave, Hon. Kildonan N.D.P. CULLEN, Cliff Turtle Mountain P.C. DERKACH, Leonard Russell P.C. DEWAR, Gregory Selkirk N.D.P. DOER, Gary, Hon. Concordia N.D.P. DRIEDGER, Myrna Charleswood P.C. DYCK, Peter Pembina P.C. EICHLER, Ralph Lakeside P.C. FAURSCHOU, David Portage la Prairie P.C. GERRARD, Jon, Hon. River Heights Lib. GOERTZEN, Kelvin Steinbach P.C. GRAYDON, Cliff Emerson P.C. HAWRANIK, Gerald Lac du Bonnet P.C. HICKES, George, Hon. Point Douglas N.D.P. HOWARD, Jennifer Fort Rouge N.D.P. IRVIN-ROSS, Kerri, Hon. Fort Garry N.D.P. JENNISSEN, Gerard Flin Flon N.D.P. JHA, Bidhu Radisson N.D.P. KORZENIOWSKI, Bonnie St. James N.D.P. LAMOUREUX, Kevin Inkster Lib. LATHLIN, Oscar, Hon. The Pas N.D.P. LEMIEUX, Ron, Hon. La Verendrye N.D.P. MACKINTOSH, Gord, Hon. St. Johns N.D.P. MAGUIRE, Larry Arthur-Virden P.C. MARCELINO, Flor Wellington N.D.P. MARTINDALE, Doug Burrows N.D.P. McFADYEN, Hugh Fort Whyte P.C. McGIFFORD, Diane, Hon. Lord Roberts N.D.P. MELNICK, Christine, Hon. Riel N.D.P. MITCHELSON, Bonnie River East P.C. NEVAKSHONOFF, Tom Interlake N.D.P. OSWALD, Theresa, Hon. Seine River N.D.P. PEDERSEN, Blaine Carman P.C. REID, Daryl Transcona N.D.P. ROBINSON, Eric, Hon. Rupertsland N.D.P. RONDEAU, Jim, Hon. Assiniboia N.D.P. ROWAT, Leanne Minnedosa P.C. SARAN, Mohinder The Maples N.D.P. SCHULER, Ron Springfield P.C. SELBY, Erin Southdale N.D.P. SELINGER, Greg, Hon. St. Boniface N.D.P. STEFANSON, Heather Tuxedo P.C. STRUTHERS, Stan, Hon. Dauphin-Roblin N.D.P. SWAN, Andrew, Hon. Minto N.D.P. TAILLIEU, Mavis Morris P.C. WOWCHUK, Rosann, Hon. Swan River N.D.P. Vacant Elmwood 3349 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA Monday, September 22, 2008 The House met at 1:30 p.m. We petition the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba as follows: PRAYER ROUTINE PROCEEDINGS To urge the Premier (Mr. Doer) of Manitoba to consider reversing his decision to increase INTRODUCTION OF BILLS Pharmacare deductibles by 5 percent in budget 2008. Bill 241–The Grandparents' Day Act To request the Premier of Manitoba to consider Ms. Erna Braun (Rossmere): Mr. Speaker, moved reducing health-care bureaucracy, as previously by myself, seconded by the Member for Burrows promised, and to consider directing those savings (Mr. Martindale), that Bill 241, The Grandparents' into sustaining Pharmacare and improving patient Day Act, be now read a first time. care. Motion presented. This is by Val Lockery, Sandra Ammeter, Shirley Weidman and many others. Ms. Braun: Mr. Speaker, The Grandparents' Day Act be read today: As October Seniors' and Elders' Mr. Speaker: In accordance with our rule 132(6), Month approaches, we are pleased to introduce this when petitions are read they are deemed to be bill that is intended to formally acknowledge the received by the House. priceless and essential contributions grandparents Long-Term Care Facility–Morden make in supporting and caring for their families and communities by designating a special Grandparents' Mr. Peter Dyck (Pembina): Mr. Speaker, I wish to Day in the province of Manitoba on the first Sunday present the following petition to the Legislative after Labour Day. Assembly. Mr. Speaker: Is it the pleasure of the House to adopt The background for this petition is as follows: the motion? [Agreed] Tabor Home Incorporated is a time-expired PETITIONS personal care home in Morden with safety, environmental and space deficiencies. Pharmacare Deductibles The seniors of Manitoba are valuable members Mrs. Mavis Taillieu (Morris): I wish to present the of the community with increasing health-care needs following petition to the Legislative Assembly of requiring long-term care. Manitoba. The community of Morden and the surrounding These are the reasons for this petition: area are experiencing substantial population growth. The NDP government has increased Pharmacare We petition the Legislative Assembly of deductibles by 5 percent each year for the past seven Manitoba as follows: years, with the curious exception of the 2007 election year. To request the Minister of Health (Ms. Oswald) to strongly consider giving priority for funding to As a result of the cumulative 34 percent hike in develop and staff a new 100-bed long-term care Pharmacare deductibles by the NDP government, facility so that clients are not exposed to unsafe some Manitobans are forced to choose between milk conditions and so that Boundary Trails Health Centre and medicine. beds remain available for acute-care patients instead of waiting placement clients. Seniors, fixed and low-income-earning Manitobans are the most negatively affected by these This is signed by Lois Friesen, Harold Schlegel, increases. Janet Wiebe and many, many others. 3350 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA September 22, 2008 Hard Surfacing Unpaved Portion– The background to the petition is as follows: Provincial Road 340 The 2007 provincial election did not clear the Mrs. Leanne Rowat (Minnedosa): I wish to present NDP government of any negligence with regard to the following petition to the Legislative Assembly of the Crocus Fund fiasco. Manitoba. The government needs to uncover the whole These are the reasons for this petition. truth as to what ultimately led to over 33,000 Crocus All Manitobans deserve access to well- shareholders to lose tens of millions of dollars. -maintained rural highways as this is critical to both The provincial auditor's report, the Manitoba motorist safety and to commerce. Securities Commission's investigation, the RCMP Provincial Highway 340 is a well-utilized road. investigation and the involvement of revenue Canada and our courts, collectively, will not answer the Heavy vehicles from potato and livestock questions that must be answered in regard to the operations, agricultural-related businesses, Hutterite Crocus Fund fiasco. colonies and the Maple Leaf plant in Brandon use this road. We petition the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba as follows: Vehicles from Canadian Forces Base Shilo also travel this busy road. To urge the Premier (Mr. Doer) and his NDP government to co-operate in uncovering the truth in Commuter traffic from Wawanesa, Stockton, why the government did not act on what it knew and Nesbitt and surrounding farms to Shilo and Brandon to consider calling a public inquiry on the Crocus is common on this road. Fund fiasco. Provincial Highway 340 is an alternate route for Mr. Speaker, this is signed by Eileen Collins, many motorists travelling to Brandon coming off Irene Collins and J. Cesmystruk and many other fine Provincial Highway 2 east and to Winnipeg via the Manitobans. Trans-Canada Highway No. 1. An upgrade to this road would ease the traffic congestion on Provincial Education Funding Highway 10. Mr. Rick Borotsik (Brandon West): Mr. Speaker, I Access to the Criddle-Vane Homestead wish to present the following petition to the Provincial Park would be greatly enhanced if this Legislative Assembly of Manitoba. road were improved. The background to this petition is as follows: The hard surfacing of the unpaved portion of Historically the Province of Manitoba has Highway 340 south of Canadian Forces Base Shilo received funding for education by the assessment of toward Wawanesa would address the last few property that generates taxes. This unfair tax is only neglected kilometres of this road and increase the applied to selected property owners in certain areas safety of motorists who travel on it. and confines. We petition the Legislative Assembly of Property-based school tax is becoming an ever- Manitoba as follows: increasing burden without acknowledging the To request the Minister of Infrastructure and owner's income or owner's ability to pay. Transportation (Mr. Lemieux) to consider hard The provincial sales tax was instituted for the surfacing of the unpaved portion of Provincial purpose of funding education. However, monies Highway 340 south of Canadian Forces Base Shilo generated by this tax are being placed in general towards Wawanesa. revenue. This petition signed by Bruce Gullett, Amy We petition the Legislative Assembly of Coveney, Gordon Judson and many, many others. Manitoba as follows: Crocus Investment Fund–Public Inquiry To request that the Minister of Education, Mr. Kevin Lamoureux (Inkster): Mr. Speaker, I Citizenship and Youth (Mr. Bjornson) consider wish to present the following petition to the removing education funding by school tax or Legislative Assembly of Manitoba. education levies from all property in Manitoba. September 22, 2008 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA 3351 To request that the Minister of Education, Hon. Jon Gerrard (River Heights): Mr. Speaker, I Citizenship and Youth consider finding a more ask leave to speak to the minister's statement. equitable method of funding education such as Mr. Speaker: Does the honourable member have general revenue following the constitutional funding leave? [Agreed] of education by the Province of Manitoba. Mr. Gerrard: Mr. Speaker, I join other members of This petition, Mr. Speaker, is signed by Ken the Assembly in recognizing National Forest Week, Kiselbach, Linda Kiselbach, Gord Lysen and many, recognizing the importance of trees to our economy, many other Manitobans.