DEBATES and PROCEEDINGS
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Third Session – Forty-Second Legislature of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba DEBATES and PROCEEDINGS Official Report (Hansard) Published under the authority of The Honourable Myrna Driedger Speaker Vol. LXXV No. 30B - 1:30 p.m., Thursday, March 4, 2021 ISSN 0542-5492 MANITOBA LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY Forty-Second Legislature Member Constituency Political Affiliation ADAMS, Danielle Thompson NDP ALTOMARE, Nello Transcona NDP ASAGWARA, Uzoma Union Station NDP BRAR, Diljeet Burrows NDP BUSHIE, Ian Keewatinook NDP CLARKE, Eileen, Hon. Agassiz PC COX, Cathy, Hon. Kildonan-River East PC CULLEN, Cliff, Hon. Spruce Woods PC DRIEDGER, Myrna, Hon. Roblin PC EICHLER, Ralph, Hon. Lakeside PC EWASKO, Wayne, Hon. Lac du Bonnet PC FIELDING, Scott, Hon. Kirkfield Park PC FONTAINE, Nahanni St. Johns NDP FRIESEN, Cameron, Hon. Morden-Winkler PC GERRARD, Jon, Hon. River Heights Lib. GOERTZEN, Kelvin, Hon. Steinbach PC GORDON, Audrey, Hon. Southdale PC GUENTER, Josh Borderland PC GUILLEMARD, Sarah, Hon. Fort Richmond PC HELWER, Reg, Hon. Brandon West PC ISLEIFSON, Len Brandon East PC JOHNSON, Derek, Hon. Interlake-Gimli PC JOHNSTON, Scott Assiniboia PC KINEW, Wab Fort Rouge NDP LAGASSÉ, Bob Dawson Trail PC LAGIMODIERE, Alan Selkirk PC LAMONT, Dougald St. Boniface Lib. LAMOUREUX, Cindy Tyndall Park Lib. LATHLIN, Amanda The Pas-Kameesak NDP LINDSEY, Tom Flin Flon NDP MALOWAY, Jim Elmwood NDP MARCELINO, Malaya Notre Dame NDP MARTIN, Shannon McPhillips PC MICHALESKI, Brad Dauphin PC MICKLEFIELD, Andrew Rossmere PC MORLEY-LECOMTE, Janice Seine River PC MOSES, Jamie St. Vital NDP NAYLOR, Lisa Wolseley NDP NESBITT, Greg Riding Mountain PC PALLISTER, Brian, Hon. Fort Whyte PC PEDERSEN, Blaine, Hon. Midland PC PIWNIUK, Doyle Turtle Mountain PC REYES, Jon Waverley PC SALA, Adrien St. James NDP SANDHU, Mintu The Maples NDP SCHULER, Ron, Hon. Springfield-Ritchot PC SMITH, Andrew Lagimodière PC SMITH, Bernadette Point Douglas NDP SMOOK, Dennis La Vérendrye PC SQUIRES, Rochelle, Hon. Riel PC STEFANSON, Heather, Hon. Tuxedo PC TEITSMA, James Radisson PC WASYLIW, Mark Fort Garry NDP WHARTON, Jeff, Hon. Red River North PC WIEBE, Matt Concordia NDP WISHART, Ian Portage la Prairie PC WOWCHUK, Rick Swan River PC 1373 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA Thursday, March 4, 2021 The House met at 1:30 p.m. ROUTINE PROCEEDINGS Madam Speaker: Good afternoon, everybody. INTRODUCTION OF BILLS Please be seated. Bill 207–The Abortion Protest Buffer Zone Act An Honourable Member: Point of order. Point of Order Madam Speaker: The honourable member for St. James. Madam Speaker: The honourable Government House Leader, on a point of order. An Honourable Member: St. Johns? Hon. Kelvin Goertzen (Government House Madam Speaker: Sorry. Leader): On a point of order. An Honourable Member: That's okay. I'll be brief, although I think it is important to raise this privilege as we start a relatively new sitting in the Madam Speaker: The honourable member for Legislature. St. Johns. Yesterday during question period, Madam Ms. Nahanni Fontaine (St. Johns): I move, Speaker, the member for St. James (Mr. Sala) in– seconded by the member for Thompson (Ms. Adams), apparently posing a question, said in reference to the that Bill 207, The Abortion Protest Buffer Zone Act, Premier (Mr. Pallister): Why did he break the law by be now read a first time. hiding his interference in Manitoba Hydro? Madam Speaker, all of us know that we are Motion presented. elected here to do a job and to do it respectfully. Ms. Fontaine: Bill 207, The Abortion Protest Buffer Accusing another member, the Premier, or any other Zone Act, establishes buffer zones or safety member of breaking the law is clearly beneath the perimeters around any clinic, hospital or health-care offices that we were elected to by the good people of facility offering abortion services, in addition to Manitoba. buffer zones around public schools. This bill prohibits I know that this is something that you take very any protest, demonstrations or picketing within these seriously, the issue of decorum, and have done many zones to protect Manitobans, alongside health-care things to try to improve decorum in the House. And I providers, against harassment, intimidation and regret that the member for St. James is falling into a persuasion on abortion. pattern, and I would hope that his leader would take it Anti-choice individuals, Madam Speaker, have upon himself as leader of his caucus to speak to the absolutely no business protesting and harassing member about this continued abuse of the rules. citizens accessing abortion services, or harassing But in the interim, in the absence of the Leader of children outside our schools. the Official Opposition (Mr. Kinew) doing what a Finally, Madam Speaker, I welcome and leader of any political party should do, Madam encourage anti-choice protestors to protest here at the Speaker, I would ask that you would, using the rules Manitoba Legislature any time they want. It is their of this House, say to the member opposite that it is not right to do so, and it doesn't bother any of us here. appropriate to suggest or to specifically accuse any member of this Legislature, in this case the Premier, Miigwech. of breaking the law. Madam Speaker: Is it the pleasure of the House to Madam Speaker: I would–as this is a serious issue, I adopt the motion? [Agreed] am going to take this under advisement to pursue, look into Hansard and to see what was actually said, and Committee reports? Tabling of reports? Minis- then I will come back to the House with a ruling. terial statements? 1374 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA March 4, 2021 MEMBERS' STATEMENTS Lymphedema Association of Manitoba's board of directors into Hansard, which–I've provided you the Lymphedema Awareness Day list. Hon. Wayne Ewasko (Minister of Advanced Education, Skills and Immigration): Madam Madam Speaker: Is there leave to name those names Speaker, Lymphedema Awareness Day in Manitoba in Hansard? [Agreed] is March 6th, and all members know that this day was proclaimed in Manitoba back in 2014 when I Lymphedema Association of Manitoba Board of brought forward a private member's bill declaring Directors: Linda Menzies, president; Susan Stratford, March 6th each year as Lymphedema Awareness Day. past president; Isabelle Thorvardson, vice-president; Claire Ann Deighton-Lamy, treasurer; Adrienne The message remains the same each and every Pearson, secretary; Cherida Olson; Ron Wersch; year, and it is to raise public awareness of lymph- Ace Zhao. edema and the impact that ongoing education and research has on creating valuable resources and Mike Babb supports within the lymphedema community. Mr. Matt Wiebe (Concordia): Madam Speaker, a Lymphedema affects over 250 million people good education is key to building strong individuals, globally. Not only are cancer survivors susceptible to community and society. Central to that truth are the lymphedema, but also to anyone whose lymphatic teachers and educators who guide and inspire their system has been damaged through accident, surgery students to achieve success, both in their academics or other genetic factors. In fact, lymphedema can and in their community. show up at birth and continue throughout infancy and into adulthood. The symptoms, such as chronic One educator who has consistently gone above swelling and pain, progressively gets worse unless it and beyond to help build successful students and is treated, and often affects the quality of life of community is Elmwood High School principal individuals on a daily basis. Mr. Mike Babb. In celebration of our province's sesquicentennial, Mr. Babb is being honoured for his Here in Manitoba, there continues to be a outstanding work with the prestigious Honour dedicated team made up of staff, board members, 150 award for his contributions to making northeast volunteers and health-care workers that help to not Winnipeg and our province an even better place to only raise awareness of lymphedema and improve live. access to quality information, but finding treatment solutions for those living with this debilitating Since starting as Elmwood's principal in 2008, medical condition. having served four years as vice-principal beforehand, Madam Speaker, while COVID-19 has limited in- Mr. Babb has overseen an increase in the size of the person activities and gatherings, the importance of graduating class by over 50 per cent. His work over this day is not lost. On the afternoon of March 6, to the last decade implementing Elmwood's Student celebrate world lymphedema awareness day, there Success Centre has meant hundreds of additional will be a virtual symposium hosted by our local students graduating and achieving their goals, while chapter with guest speakers on the important topic of supporting–support for initiatives like the Elmwood healthy lifestyle for lymphatic and fat disorders. I Legacy Fund has meant many of these students have encourage all members to sign up for this symposium been able to attend college and university as well. This to learn more about this important topic. has been a game changer for those students. In closing, I want to thank President Linda Beyond the classroom Mr. Babb's passion for the Menzies and the LAM board for its ongoing work to community has helped instill a sense of pride for the raise awareness of lymphedema to the general public whole neighbourhood, as he has been a champion for and the medical community. I am tremendously proud the changing face of Elmwood. Whether it's initiatives to once again recognize March 6 as Lymphedema like the school's annual multicultural dinner, support Awareness Day here in Manitoba. for community programs like the after-school home- work club, or his passion for organized sports with the Thank you, Madam Speaker. revitalized and competitive Elmwood Giants teams, Madam Speaker, whilst I still have your attention, Mr. Babb has given students a reason to be proud of I'm asking leave to be able to enter the list of who they are and where they come from.