Standing Committee on Municipal Affairs
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Fifth Session • Thirty-Fifth Legislature of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba Standing Committee on Municipal Affairs Chairperson Mr. Jack Penner Constituency ofEmerson Vol. XLill No. 1 • 10 a.m., Tuesday, June 14, 1994 ISSN07!3-9S6X MANITOBA LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY Thirty-Fifth Legislature Members, Constituencies and Political Aftlliation NAME CONS'ITI1JENCY PARTY. ASIITON, Steve Thompson NDP BARRETI, Becky Wellington NDP CARSTJlDRS,Sharon River Heights Liberal CERJLLI, Marianne Radisson NDP CHOMIAK, Dave Kildonan NDP CUMMINGS, Glen, Hon. Ste.Rose PC DACQUAY, Louise Seine River PC DERKACH, Leonard, Hon. Roblin-Russell PC DEWAR, Gregory Selkirk NDP DOER, Gary Concordia NDP DOWNEY, James, Hon. Arthur-Virden PC DRIEDGER, Albert, Hon. Steinbach PC DUCHARME, Geny, Hon. Riel PC EDWARDS, Paul St. James Liberal ENNS, Hany, Hon. Lakeside PC ERNST, Tun, Hon. Charleswood PC EVANS,Clif Interlake NDP - EVANS, Leonard S. Brandon East NDP FD..MON, Gary, Hon. Tuxedo PC FJNDLAY, Glen, Hon. Springfield PC FRlESEN, Jean Wolseley NDP GAUDRY, Neil St. Boniface Liberal Glll...ESHAMMER, Harold, Hon. Minnedosa PC GRAY, Avis Crescentwood Liberal HELWER, Edward R. Girnli PC HICKES, George Point Douglas NDP KOWALSKI, Gary The Maples Liberal LAMOUREUX, Kevin Inkster Liberal LATHLIN, Oscar The Pas NDP LAURENDEAU, Marcel St. Norbert PC MACKINTOSH, Gord St. Johns NDP MALOWAY,J"un Elmwood NDP MANNESS, Clayton, Hon. Morris PC MARTINDALE, Doug Burrows NDP McALPINE, Geny Sturgeon Creek PC McCORMICK, Norma Osborne Liberal McCRAE,James,Hon. Brandon West PC - MciNTOSH, Linda, Hon. Assiniboia PC MITCHELSON, Bonnie, Hon. River East PC ORCHARD, Donald, Hon. Pembina PC PALLISTER, Brian Portage la Prairie PC PENNER, Jack Emerson PC PLOHMAN,John Dauphin NDP PRAZNIK, Darren, Hon. Lac du Bonnet PC REID, Daryl Transcona NDP REIMER, Jack Niakwa PC RENDER, Shirley St. Vital PC ROBINSON, Eric Rupertsland NDP ROCAN, Denis, Hon. Gladstone PC ROSE, Bob Turtle Mountain PC SANTOS, Conrad Broadway NDP SCHELLENBERG, Hany Rossmere NDP STEFANSON, Eric, Hon. Kirkfield Park PC STORIE, Jeny FlinFlon NDP SVEINSON, Ben La Verendrye PC VODREY, Rosemary, Hon. FortGany PC WOWCHUK, Rosann Swan River NDP 1 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA THE STANDING COMMITIEE ON MUNICIPAL AFFAIRS Tuesday, June 14,1994 TIME -10 a.m. Mr. Edward Helwer (Gimli): I would like to nominate Jack Penner as Chairperson. LOCATION-Winnipeg, Manitoba CHAIRPERSON - Mr. Jack Penner Madam Clerk: Mr. Penner has been nominated as (Emerson) Chair. Are there any other nominations? Seeing none, Mr. Penner, please take the Chair. ATTENDANCE· 10-QUORUM· 6 Members of the Committee present: Mr. Chairperson: Will the Committee on Municipal Affairs please come to order. We have Hon. Mrs. Mcintosh before us the following report to consider, the Ms. Friesen, Ms. Gray, Messrs. Helwer, Annual Report of The Folks Renewal Corporation McAlpine, Penner, Reimer, Mrs. Render, for the year ended March 31, 1993. Although it Messrs.Schellenberg,Sveinson was not referred to the committee, is it the will of APPEARING: the committee to also consider The Folks Renewal Corporation Financial Statements for the Year Cam MacLean, Chairperson, The Forks Ended March 31, 1993, and the Auditors' Report? Renewal Corporation Agreed? [agreed] Nick Diakiw, President, The Folks Renewal For any members who have not received a copy Corporation of the reports, they are available on the desk in AI Baronas, Vice-President, The Forks front of me here. Renewal Corporation Before getting underway, I would like to remind Marilyn Williams, Communications Manager the committee that we are here to only consider the Del Crewson, Deloitte & Touche report, not to pass it as is done with other annual Sid Kroker, Archaeolgist reports. The committee proceeds in the same manner as when other annual reports are MATTERS UNDER DISCUSSION: considered, with the opening statements, followed Annual Report of The Forks Renewal by questions by the committee members to the Corporation for the year ended March 31, minister responsible, but for, at the conclusion of 1993 the meeting, when all questions are exhausted, the ••• committee rises without passing the report . Clerk of Committees (Ms. Judy White): Good One other matter of business, I understand that morning. Will the Standing Committee on the staff of The Folks Renewal Corporation would Municipal Affairs please come to order. like to make an audio-visual presentation. This is not the usual practice of our standing committee as I have before me the resignation of Mr. Sveinson Hansard cannot record the presentation, so I would as the Chairperson of the Standing Committee on like to ask, what is the will of the committee? Do Municipal Affairs. The letter reads: I would like to you want to see the presentation? [agreed] I would resign as Chairperson for the Standing Committee invite the honourable minister to make her opening of Municipal Affairs effective June 13, 1994. statement and to introduce her staff present this The floor is now open for nominations. morning. 2 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA June 14, 1994 Hon. Linda Mcintosh (Minister of Urban critic for Urban Affairs. As the members of the Affairs): Mr. Chairperson, I will be brief in my Legislature realize, I was just elected in the opening comments. I simply wanted to indicate by-election last fall, so this is my first direct that The Forlcs Renewal Corporation, as you know, experience with the board's work. was established in 1987 by the Government of I am generally aware of bow successful The Canada, the Province of Manitoba and the City of Forlcs has been for the tourists in a commercial Winnipeg, so it is a partnership of the three levels in a very true sense of the word. It has become a centre. Like most residents of the city, I have been place where Winnipeggers, Manitobans and there many times and must commend all those who tourists have come and found much pleasure in have worked on a professional and volunteer basis that setting. on the many attractions at The Forlcs. It is a job well done. It is an excellent example of partnership The Forlcs refers to the junction of the two rivers. of all three governments. It is a site that has become known in recent years in large part because of this corporation for its The number of tourists who visit the site each historic significance and as a meeting place. year is truly rematkable, given the size of the city and the overall dismal tourism record over the past I am very proud to be able to be responsible at few years. this point for The Folks, and I must give credit to the people, the board and the staff who have Canada, we are told, has an overbuilt worked so hard over the years to take this place, commercial capacity, something that the rash of which was really ignored for such a long time, and department store and chain store closures over the make it into the very popular and productive place past year or so have bluntly pointed out We only that it is today. have to look at a few blocks away, the situation I know that in the time to come, there have been facing Portage Place, to recognize how vulnerable plans that have been laid and a foundation that has many shopping centres have become. I say this been built that will see this centre of the city, this with regret and as a point of caution. meeting place become ever more significant in the Many people before me have questioned the lives of Manitobans and those who come to our speed of commercial development at The Forks on city to visit. the basis of changing the original green space That is just a general, very subjective opinion. I plans. This is a valid concern. Given the economic record of this province, we should also be sure that - know it is one that is shared. The number of visitors that have come to The Forlcs has increased developments are not proceeding beyond the phenomenally as time bas gone on. potential matkets, that commercialism is going faster than the development of public activities. The technical questions that will be coming, I will rely upon staff and the board chair to assist me Certainly, programs like The Public in answering. With that, Mr. Chairperson, I would Archaeology Program, and a new Children's like to introduce Mr. Cam MacLean, who is Museum, along with the move of the Children's chainnan of the board, Mr. Nick Diakiw, who is Festival have rightly brought thousands upon the chief staffperson, the CEO, the one who is on thousands of people to The Forks. site working hard all the time, and then we have I know all too well how hard it is to get a parking board members here, as well. Mr. Del Crewson is here, and I think with that perhaps we will proceed. space at The Forlcs. Just last weekend I was at The Forks for part of the Mennonite Central Committee Mr. Chairperson: Does the critic for the official relief and auction sale. That drew thousands of opposition have a position or a statement to make? people. It is relief sale for third world countries, Mr. Harry Schellenberg (Rossmere): I am very and no doubt many came because of the location. pleased to be here today as the official opposition The location was The Forks. June 14, 1994 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA 3 Whenever you seem to have an event at The moratorium on the commercial expansion of The Forks it seems to be a success. I think The Forks Forks. We are getting very close to seriously has something to do with it. It has tremendous overexpanding at The Forks. Manitobans do not support in the community. want to build a West Edmonton Mall at The Forks.