DEBATES and PROCEEDINGS
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Third Session - Fortieth Legislature of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba DEBATES and PROCEEDINGS Official Report (Hansard) Published under the authority of The Honourable Daryl Reid Speaker Vol. LXVI No. 17B - 1:30 p.m., Thursday, December 5, 2013 ISSN 0542-5492 MANITOBA LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY Fortieth Legislature Member Constituency Political Affiliation ALLAN, Nancy St. Vital NDP ALLUM, James, Hon. Fort Garry-Riverview NDP ALTEMEYER, Rob Wolseley NDP ASHTON, Steve, Hon. Thompson NDP BJORNSON, Peter, Hon. Gimli NDP BLADY, Sharon, Hon. Kirkfield Park NDP BRAUN, Erna, Hon. Rossmere NDP BRIESE, Stuart Agassiz PC CALDWELL, Drew Brandon East NDP CHIEF, Kevin, Hon. Point Douglas NDP CHOMIAK, Dave, Hon. Kildonan NDP CROTHERS, Deanne St. James NDP CULLEN, Cliff Spruce Woods PC DEWAR, Gregory Selkirk NDP DRIEDGER, Myrna Charleswood PC EICHLER, Ralph Lakeside PC EWASKO, Wayne Lac du Bonnet PC FRIESEN, Cameron Morden-Winkler PC GAUDREAU, Dave St. Norbert NDP GERRARD, Jon, Hon. River Heights Liberal GOERTZEN, Kelvin Steinbach PC GRAYDON, Cliff Emerson PC HELWER, Reg Brandon West PC HOWARD, Jennifer, Hon. Fort Rouge NDP IRVIN-ROSS, Kerri, Hon. Fort Richmond NDP JHA, Bidhu Radisson NDP KOSTYSHYN, Ron, Hon. Swan River NDP LEMIEUX, Ron, Hon. Dawson Trail NDP MACKINTOSH, Gord, Hon. St. Johns NDP MALOWAY, Jim Elmwood NDP MARCELINO, Flor, Hon. Logan NDP MARCELINO, Ted Tyndall Park NDP MELNICK, Christine Riel NDP MITCHELSON, Bonnie River East PC NEVAKSHONOFF, Tom Interlake NDP OSWALD, Theresa, Hon. Seine River NDP PALLISTER, Brian Fort Whyte PC PEDERSEN, Blaine Midland PC PETTERSEN, Clarence Flin Flon NDP REID, Daryl, Hon. Transcona NDP ROBINSON, Eric, Hon. Kewatinook NDP RONDEAU, Jim Assiniboia NDP ROWAT, Leanne Riding Mountain PC SARAN, Mohinder The Maples NDP SCHULER, Ron St. Paul PC SELBY, Erin, Hon. Southdale NDP SELINGER, Greg, Hon. St. Boniface NDP SMOOK, Dennis La Verendrye PC STEFANSON, Heather Tuxedo PC STRUTHERS, Stan, Hon. Dauphin NDP SWAN, Andrew, Hon. Minto NDP WHITEHEAD, Frank The Pas NDP WIEBE, Matt Concordia NDP WIGHT, Melanie Burrows NDP WISHART, Ian Portage la Prairie PC Vacant Arthur-Virden Vacant Morris 665 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA Thursday, December 5, 2013 The House met at 1:30 p.m. (2) This site is located 1,100 feet from the banks of the Red River. Mr. Speaker: Good afternoon, everyone. Please be seated. (3) Local residents are concerned that hydraulic pressure from the lagoon and instances of heavy ROUTINE PROCEEDINGS rainfall could cause contaminants left over from the INTRODUCTION OF BILLS manufacturing of explosives at the site to flow into the Red River. Bill 33–The Apprenticeship Employment Opportunities Act (Public Works Contracts) (4) Upon the review of a soil study conducted on the site, the Water Science and Management Hon. Theresa Oswald (Minister of Jobs and the Branch of the Department of Conservation and Economy): I move, seconded by the Minister Water Stewardship noted that effluent from the site of Mineral Resources (Mr. Chomiak), that Bill 33, could negatively affect aquatic life in the Red River The Apprenticeship Employment Opportunities Act and may result in increased risks of cancer in fish. (Public Works Contracts); Loi sur les occasions d'apprentissage en milieu de travail (marchés de (5) The chemical dinitrotoluene is present in the travaux publics), be now read a first time. soil at the former CIL explosives plant site and is a known carcinogen to fish and other aquatic species. Motion presented. (6) Soil testing done prior to the environmental Ms. Oswald: The Province, of course, will be licence being issued should've been done at a continuing to increase opportunities for apprentices, level consistent with the standards used by the and this bill emphasizes the government's role in Environmental Protection Agency in the United promoting skilled trades. This bill makes it a legal States, where they have more experience with testing requirement, Mr. Speaker, that when contractors for contaminants at former explosives sites. using trades are awarded Province of Manitoba public works contracts, they will be required to use (7) The Province of Manitoba has no available apprentices. This will ensure good, high-skilled jobs guidelines for the assessment of energetic com- right here in Manitoba. pounds in soil. Mr. Speaker: Is it the pleasure of the House to adopt (8) There are many other viable, non- the motion? [Agreed] contaminated sites in the area which would be better suited for the construction of a sewage lagoon. Any further introduction of bills? We petition the Legislative Assembly of PETITIONS Manitoba as follows: Mr. Speaker: We'll move on to petitions. To request that the Minister of Conservation and Water Stewardship reconsider his decision to grant East Selkirk Sewage Lagoon Site– an environmental licence for the construction of a Environmental Licence sewage lagoon at this site. Mrs. Heather Stefanson (Tuxedo): I wish to And, Mr. Speaker, this petition is signed by present the following petition to the Legislative A. Ward, E. Ward, K. Palmer and many, many other Assembly of Manitoba. fine Manitobans. And the background to this petition is as Mr. Speaker: In keeping with our rule 132(6), when follows: petitions are read they are deemed to have been received by the House. (1) On August 12th, 2013, Manitoba Conservation and Water Stewardship granted a Mrs. Leanne Rowat (Riding Mountain): I wish to licence for the construction of a sewage lagoon on present the following petition to the Legislative the former CIL explosives plant site in East Selkirk. Assembly of Manitoba. 666 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA December 5, 2013 And these are the reasons for this petition: The Applied Behaviour Analysis Services background to this–oh, sorry. Mrs. Bonnie Mitchelson (River East): I wish to On August 12th, 2013, Manitoba Conservation present the following petition to the Legislative and Water Stewardship granted a licence for the Assembly. construction of a sewage lagoon for the former CIL And the background to this petition is as explosives plant site in East Selkirk. follows: This site is located 1,100 feet from the banks of (1) The provincial government broke a the Red River. commitment to support families of children with a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder, including Local residents are concerned that hydraulic timely diagnosis and access to necessary treatment pressure from the lagoon and instances of heavy such as applied behavioural analysis, also known as rainfall could cause contaminants left over from the ABA services. manufacturing of explosives at the site to flow into the Red River. (2) The provincial government did not follow its own policy statement on autism services which notes Upon the review of a soil study conducted the importance of early intervention for children with on the site, the Water Science and Management autism. Branch of the Department of Conservation and Water Stewardship noted that effluent from the site (3) School learning services has its first ever could negatively affect aquatic life in the Red River waiting list which started with two children. The and may result in increased risk of cancer in fish. waiting list is projected to keep growing and to be in excess of 20 children by September of 2013. The chemical dinitrotoluene is present in the soil Therefore, these children will go through the biggest at the former CIL explosives plant site–is a known transition of their lives without receiving ABA carcinogen to–or fish and other aquatic species. services that has helped other children achieve huge Soil testing done prior to the environmental gains. licence being issued should have been done at a (4) The provincial government has adopted a level consistent with the standards used by the policy to eliminate ABA services in schools by Environmental Protection Agency in the United grade 5 despite the fact that these children have been States, where they have more experience with testing diagnosed with autism which still requires therapy. for contaminants at former explosives sites. These children are being denied necessary ABA The Province of Manitoba has no available services that will allow them to access the same guidelines for the assessment of 'energenetic' educational opportunities as any other Manitoban. compounds in soil. (5) Waiting lists and denials of treatment are There are many other viable, noncontaminated unacceptable. No child should be denied access to or sites in the area which could be better suited for the eliminated from eligibility for ABA services if their construction of a sewage lagoon. need still exists. We petition the Legislative Assembly of We petition the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba as follows: Manitoba as follows: To request that the Minister of Education To request that the Minister of Conservation and consider making funding available to eliminate the Water Stewardship reconsider his decision to grant current waiting list for ABA school-age services and an environmental licence for the construction of a to fund ABA services for individuals diagnosed with sewage lagoon at this site. autism spectrum disorder. This petition's signed by J. Curtis, And this petition is signed by M. Cetkovski, L. Kordalchuyk and R. Novakowski and many, many S. Cetkovski, K. Resler and many, many other fine more Manitobans. Manitobans. December 5, 2013 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA 667 Provincial Sales Tax Increase–Referendum feasibility study with respect to the Agassiz site and future opportunities for–in the area. Mr. Ralph Eichler (Lakeside): Good afternoon. I wish to present the following petition to the We petition the Legislative Assembly of Legislative Assembly of Manitoba. Manitoba as follows: These are the reasons for this petition: To request the appropriate ministers of the provincial government to consider outlining to Parks (1) The provincial government promised not to Canada the importance that a viable recreation raise taxes in the last election. facility in the Mount Agassiz area would play in the * (13:40) local and provincial economies.