DEBATES and PROCEEDINGS
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Fourth Session – Forty-First Legislature of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba DEBATES and PROCEEDINGS Official Report (Hansard) Published under the authority of The Honourable Myrna Driedger Speaker Vol. LXXII No. 10A - 10 a.m., Tuesday, December 4, 2018 ISSN 0542-5492 MANITOBA LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY Forty-First Legislature Member Constituency Political Affiliation ALLUM, James Fort Garry-Riverview NDP ALTEMEYER, Rob Wolseley NDP BINDLE, Kelly Thompson PC CLARKE, Eileen, Hon. Agassiz PC COX, Cathy, Hon. River East PC CULLEN, Cliff, Hon. Spruce Woods PC CURRY, Nic Kildonan PC DRIEDGER, Myrna, Hon. Charleswood PC EICHLER, Ralph, Hon. Lakeside PC EWASKO, Wayne Lac du Bonnet PC FIELDING, Scott, Hon. Kirkfield Park PC FLETCHER, Steven, Hon. Assiniboia Man. FONTAINE, Nahanni St. Johns NDP FRIESEN, Cameron, Hon. Morden-Winkler PC GERRARD, Jon, Hon. River Heights Lib. GOERTZEN, Kelvin, Hon. Steinbach PC GRAYDON, Clifford Emerson Ind. GUILLEMARD, Sarah Fort Richmond PC HELWER, Reg Brandon West PC ISLEIFSON, Len Brandon East PC JOHNSON, Derek Interlake PC JOHNSTON, Scott St. James PC KINEW, Wab Fort Rouge NDP KLASSEN, Judy Kewatinook Lib. LAGASSÉ, Bob Dawson Trail PC LAGIMODIERE, Alan Selkirk PC LAMONT, Dougald St. Boniface Lib. LAMOUREUX, Cindy Burrows Lib. LATHLIN, Amanda The Pas NDP LINDSEY, Tom Flin Flon NDP MALOWAY, Jim Elmwood NDP MARCELINO, Flor Logan NDP MARCELINO, Ted Tyndall Park NDP MARTIN, Shannon Morris PC MAYER, Colleen, Hon. St. Vital PC MICHALESKI, Brad Dauphin PC MICKLEFIELD, Andrew Rossmere PC MORLEY-LECOMTE, Janice Seine River PC NESBITT, Greg Riding Mountain PC PALLISTER, Brian, Hon. Fort Whyte PC PEDERSEN, Blaine, Hon. Midland PC PIWNIUK, Doyle Arthur-Virden PC REYES, Jon St. Norbert PC SARAN, Mohinder The Maples Ind. SCHULER, Ron, Hon. St. Paul PC SMITH, Andrew Southdale PC SMITH, Bernadette Point Douglas NDP SMOOK, Dennis La Verendrye PC SQUIRES, Rochelle, Hon. Riel PC STEFANSON, Heather, Hon. Tuxedo PC SWAN, Andrew Minto NDP TEITSMA, James Radisson PC WHARTON, Jeff, Hon. Gimli PC WIEBE, Matt Concordia NDP WISHART, Ian Portage la Prairie PC WOWCHUK, Rick Swan River PC YAKIMOSKI, Blair Transcona PC 333 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA Tuesday, December 4, 2018 The House met at 10 a.m. I sincerely hope everyone who speaks today shares my determination and commitment for passing this Madam Speaker: O Eternal and Almighty God, from important non-partisan bill and wants to ensure we will Whom all power and wisdom come, we are assembled have unanimously passed this bill supporting and here before Thee to frame such laws as may tend to the recognizing our conservation officers prior to 11 a.m. welfare and prosperity of our province. Grant, today. O merciful God, we pray Thee, that we may desire only that which is in accordance with Thy will, that we Madam Speaker, as stated, the purpose of the may seek it with wisdom and know it with certainty conservation recognition day act is to recognize the and accomplish it perfectly for the glory and honour of history of conservation officers in Manitoba, to Thy name and for the welfare of all our people. Amen. recognize the training and responsibilities of conservation officers in Manitoba and to recognize Please be seated. Good morning, everybody. those who've passed in the line of duty. ORDERS OF THE DAY Madam Speaker, conservation service has had a PRIVATE MEMBERS' BUSINESS long history in our province, beginning in 1889, under the leadership of Conservative premier, John Norquay. Hon. Colleen Mayer (Minister of Crown Services): Good morning, Madam Speaker. The protection of game act was one of Manitoba's first conservation acts. Over the years, legislation and We wish to proceed with Bill 207, the Manitoba enforcement powers changed, with jurisdiction flowing conservation officers recognition act–[interjection]– from the federal government to the provinces and, in second reading. We'd like to proceed with second 1998, game guardians became natural resource reading, Madam Speaker. officers. Madam Speaker: It has been announced that the In 2015, after years of discussion with the House will consider second reading of Bill 207 this government of the day, The Conservation Officers Act morning. finally received royal assent. It provided that SECOND READINGS–PUBLIC BILLS conservation officers had the powers and protections of peace officers while carrying out their enforcement Bill 207–The Manitoba Conservation Officers duties. Recognition Day Act Madam Speaker, as our laws and descriptions of Madam Speaker: Therefore, moving to second conservation officers changed over the years, so has reading, Bill 207, The Manitoba Conservation Officers their responsibilities and training. Today's officers are Recognition Day Act. highly trained select group of men and women Mr. Alan Lagimodiere (Selkirk): Madam Speaker, I prepared to tackle a diverse work environment, move, seconded by the member from Thompson, that protecting our natural resources. Bill 207, The Manitoba Conservation Officers Often working independently in a physically Recognition Day Act, be now read a second time and demanding profession, today's officers are expected to be referred to a committee of this House. work in three main areas, including law enforcement, Motion presented. resource management and disaster management. When performing law enforcement duties, our officers' job is Mr. Lagimodiere: I'm very pleased to once again to ensure that hunting, trapping and fishing are carried bring The Manitoba Conservation Officers Recognition out safely and legally. Their job is difficult and Day Act forward. Although many members in the dangerous. They can face many dangers while House have spoken to this bill in the past, all members performing these duties. who feel they have something significant to say in the debate on this bill will again have the opportunity to Resource management entails working with stand in this House and let all Manitobans see how wildlife officials, conducting population surveys, they spend their important time serving. determining hunting seasons and closures, while 334 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA December 4, 2018 working closely with indigenous communities and Madam Speaker, my uncle also started his career stakeholders. It involves working with cottagers to and worked as a resource officer for many years before establish safe buffer zones between cottages and moving to other government departments. My 'forestez'–and forests, to help control a fire, should one brother-in-law was, until recently, a conservation get out of control. officer. When younger, I was a firetack crew foreman, fighting fires in northern Manitoba as part of the It involves working with trappers and enforcing current conservation department. the use of humane traps. Our officers are attending schools to help educate our children about resource Attending the annual conservation officers' management, and they work on projects throughout convention banquets in Manitoba has been a highlight Manitoba, making recommendations for resource of our years since 1986. I have had the honour to management to minimize environmental impacts of attend ceremonies welcoming our newly appointed such projects. They also provide ongoing monitoring officers, as well as attend retirement parties for our of projects that receive government approval. officers. Disaster management is usually an emergency Offers–officers have invited me to observe their response. Whether it's a raging forest fire, a flood of recertification courses for shotguns, rifles and the century or a train that derailed, containing products handguns. Officers and government personnel have that are potentially environmental concerns, our invited me to learn about the firefighters program in officers are professionally trained and at the ready. Manitoba. This fall I was invited to tour one of our They are quick to set up incident command centres, firefighting warehouses. initiate evacuations, deploy resources to save lives and I personally know the majority of officers and their help mitigate the severity of any potential damage. families in the province. I have cared for many of their Members opposite have suggested my bringing pets as a veterinarian. I have watched their children this bill forward is disingenuous, using this word to try grow and choose careers. I have shed tears with to suggest my actions are insincere. If the members members and family over the loss of fellow officers who stated this for the record would take the time to and family members. look up the meaning of the word, they will find * (10:10) 'disingengenous' means one typically pretending to know less about something than one really does, which Madam Speaker, too often members opposite use certainly is not the case here, Madam Speaker. this tactic to try to place on the record statements about members on this side being disingenuous or lacking I have a great deal of personal experience and empathy. It is important you understand these knowledge about–[interjection] statements are not accurate. Madam Speaker: Order. Madam Speaker, we have gone on the record Mr. Lagimodiere: –conservation officers, their providing details of those who have paid the ultimate profession, the challenges they face on a daily basis, sacrifice in the performance of their duties. I personally the challenge they have faced over the years. This knew three of these officers that lost their lives, as knowledge comes from family members and many well, the families of two of the officers. Out of respect, friends in the profession. the names of the fallen officers will be read into the record once again: Charles Morrish, April 3rd, 1966, My grandfather was a conservation officer until his drowning; William McLeod, May the 12th, 1967, untimely passing following a Bombardier accident. complications from a gunshot wound; Allan While on patrol, he was attempting to navigate down Assiniboine, July 27th, 1976, drowning after the boat the banks of the Saskatchewan River when one of the he was in exploded; Robert Logan, November 3rd, skis caught a willow root. This caused the Bombardier 1983, a motor vehicle accident; Keith Bartley, to come to an abrupt stop.