First 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. LXIV No. 21 - 1:30 p.m., Tuesday, April 24, 2012 ISSN 0542-5492 MANITOBA LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY Fortieth Legislature Member Constituency Political Affiliation ALLAN, Nancy, Hon. St. Vital NDP ALLUM, James Fort Garry-Riverview NDP ALTEMEYER, Rob Wolseley NDP ASHTON, Steve, Hon. Thompson NDP BJORNSON, Peter, Hon. Gimli NDP BLADY, Sharon Kirkfield Park NDP BRAUN, Erna 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 MAGUIRE, Larry Arthur-Virden PC MALOWAY, Jim Elmwood NDP MARCELINO, Flor, Hon. Logan NDP MARCELINO, Ted Tyndall Park NDP McFADYEN, Hugh Fort Whyte PC MELNICK, Christine, Hon. Riel NDP MITCHELSON, Bonnie River East PC NEVAKSHONOFF, Tom Interlake NDP OSWALD, Theresa, Hon. Seine River NDP PEDERSEN, Blaine Midland PC PETTERSEN, Clarence Flin Flon NDP REID, Daryl, Hon. Transcona NDP ROBINSON, Eric, Hon. Kewatinook NDP RONDEAU, Jim, Hon. 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 TAILLIEU, Mavis Morris PC WHITEHEAD, Frank The Pas NDP WIEBE, Matt Concordia NDP WIGHT, Melanie Burrows NDP WISHART, Ian Portage la Prairie PC 477 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA Tuesday, April 24, 2012 The House met at 1:30 p.m. Amended); Loi sur la transparence et la responsabilité (modification de diverses dispositions Mr. Speaker: O Eternal and Almighty God, from législatives), be now read for a first time. Whom all power and wisdom come, we are assembled here before Thee to frame such laws as Motion presented. may tend to the welfare and prosperity of our Mrs. Stefanson: This bill amends The Balanced province. Grant, O merciful God, we pray Thee, that Budget, Fiscal Management and Taxpayer we may desire only that which is in accordance with Accountability Act. Thy will, that we may seek it with wisdom and know it with certainty and accomplish it perfectly for the The budget tabled in the Legislative Assembly glory and honour of Thy name and for the welfare of must include a comparison of each fee amount all our people. Amen. charged to the public for the current fiscal year and Good afternoon. Please be seated. the previous fiscal year, and an itemization of the increase in total revenue resulting from those ROUTINE PROCEEDINGS increased fee amounts, and an itemization of each revenue increase resulting from an expansion of the INTRODUCTION OF BILLS tax base. Bill 9–The Public Schools Amendment Act This bill also amends The Financial (Community Use of Schools) Administration Act and The Public Sector Hon. Nancy Allan (Minister of Education): I Compensation Disclosure Act. The information move, seconded by the Minister of Health required to be disclosed by a public sector body (Ms. Oswald), that Bill 9, The Public Schools under The Public Sector Compensation Disclosure Amendment Act (Community Use of Schools); Loi Act must be included in the government's public modifiant la Loi sur les écoles publiques (utilisation accounts. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. communautaire des écoles), be now read a first time. Mr. Speaker: Is it the pleasure of the House to adopt Motion presented. the motion? [Agreed] Ms. Allan: The Public Schools Act is amended to require school boards to establish community use Bill 10–The Securities Amendment Act policies for school facilities when the facilities are Hon. Stan Struthers (Minister of Finance): I not being used by pupils. A community use policy move, seconded by the Minister of Health must set out the terms and conditions that apply (Ms. Oswald), that Bill 10, The Securities when members of the community use the school Amendment Act; Loi modifiant la Loi sur les valeurs facilities. Each school division and district must mobilières, be now read a first time. maintain a copy of its policy and application form and the name and contact information of its Motion presented. community use co-ordinator on a website that is open to the public. Mr. Struthers: I'm pleased to table Bill 10, the security amendments–Securities Amendment Act. Mr. Speaker: Is it the pleasure of the House to adopt These proposed amendments will ensure Manitoba's the motion? [Agreed] rules can adapt to the changing markets, function Bill 211–The Increased Transparency and seamlessly with other provinces and maintain Accountability Act (Various Acts Amended) protection for investors. Mrs. Heather Stefanson (Tuxedo): Mr. Speaker, I It is important that Manitoba and all provinces move, seconded by the member for Morris continue their work to ensure Canada's national (Mrs. Taillieu), that Bill 211, The Increased securities system, the passport system, remains one Transparency and Accountability Act (Various Acts of the best and most effective in the world. 478 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA April 24, 2012 This legislation allows Manitoba to do its part to Mr. Speaker: In accordance with our rule 132(6), ensure that there is appropriate oversight of the when petitions are read they are deemed to have been securities sector. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. received by the House. Mr. Speaker: Is it the pleasure of the House to adopt PR 227 Bridge the motion? [Agreed] Mr. Ian Wishart (Portage la Prairie): I wish to Further bills? Seeing none, we'll move to present the following petition to the Legislative petitions. Assembly. PETITIONS The background for this petition is as follows: Mount Agassiz Ski Area The bridge on Provincial Road 227 was used by both heavy truck traffic and by agricultural producers Mr. Stuart Briese (Agassiz): I wish to present the back and forth to their fields. following petition to the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba. During the flood of 2011, the heavy use of the Portage Diversion resulted in damage to this bridge. These are the reasons for this petition: Due to irreparable damages to the structure, it For several decades, the Mount Agassiz ski area, was removed in February 2012, leading to detours home to the highest vertical between Thunder Bay and associated challenges. and the Rocky Mountains, was a popular skiing and snowboarding destination for Manitobans and * (13:40) visitors alike. Because there is no natural flow in the Portage The operations of the Mount Agassiz ski area Diversion, water is only present when the provincial were very important to the local economy, not only government opens the Portage Diversion gates. creating jobs but also generating sales of goods and The provincial government has no set timeline services at area businesses. for the bridge's replacement, nor has it indicated In addition, a thriving rural economy generates plans to establish a temporary bridge. tax revenue that helps pay for core provincial We petition the Legislative Assembly as government services and infrastructure which follows: benefits all Manitobans. To urge the Minister of Infrastructure and Although the ski facility closed in 2000, there Transportation to recognize the safety concerns and remains strong interest in seeing it reopened, and the negative socio-economic impact caused by the Parks Canada has committed to conducting a loss of the bridge and to consider establishing a low- feasibility study with respect to the Agassiz site and level crossing for farm machinery to cross the future opportunities in the area. Portage Diversion a half mile north of Provincial We petition the Legislative Assembly of Road 227. Manitoba as follows: Signed by C. Finnie, J. Finnie, K. Yuill and To request the appropriate ministers of the many others, fine Manitobans. provincial government to consider outlining to Parks Thank you. Canada the importance that a viable recreation facility in the Mount Agassiz area would play in the Cellular Phone Service in Southeastern Manitoba local and provincial economies. Mr. Cliff Graydon (Emerson): Mr. Speaker, I wish And to request that the appropriate ministers of to present the following petition to the Legislative the provincial government consider working with all Assembly. stakeholders, including Parks Canada, to help develop a plan for a viable multiseason recreation And these are the reasons for the petition: facility in the Mount Agassiz area. During early October 2011, parts of southeastern This petition is signed by B. Rasmussen, Manitoba were hard hit by wildfires. Thanks to the M. Hunter, R. Eastoe and many, many other fine swift action of provincial and municipal officials, Manitobans. including 27 different fire departments and April 24, 2012 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA 479 countless volunteers, no lives were lost and property Matters under Consideration damage was limited. • The Annual Report of the Manitoba Lotteries However, the fight against the wildfires Corporation for the fiscal year ending reinforced the shortcomings with communication March 31, 2010 system in the region, specifically the gaps in cellular • The Annual Report of the Manitoba Lotteries phone service. Corporation for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2011 These gaps made it difficult to co-ordinate firefighting efforts and to notify the people that they Committee Membership had to be evacuated.