Second Session - Thirty-Ninth Legislature of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba DEBATES and PROCEEDINGS Official Report (Hansard) Published under the authority of The Honourable George Hickes Speaker Vol. LX No. 52 – 1:30 p.m., Wednesday, June 4, 2008 ISSN 0542-5492 MANITOBA LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY Thirty-Ninth Legislature Member Constituency Political Affiliation ALLAN, Nancy, Hon. St. Vital N.D.P. ALTEMEYER, Rob Wolseley N.D.P. ASHTON, Steve, Hon. Thompson N.D.P. BJORNSON, Peter, Hon. Gimli N.D.P. BLADY, Sharon Kirkfield Park N.D.P. BOROTSIK, Rick Brandon West P.C. BRAUN, Erna Rossmere N.D.P. BRICK, Marilyn St. Norbert N.D.P. BRIESE, Stuart Ste. Rose P.C. CALDWELL, Drew Brandon East N.D.P. CHOMIAK, Dave, Hon. Kildonan N.D.P. CULLEN, Cliff Turtle Mountain P.C. DERKACH, Leonard Russell P.C. DEWAR, Gregory Selkirk N.D.P. DOER, Gary, Hon. Concordia N.D.P. DRIEDGER, Myrna Charleswood P.C. DYCK, Peter Pembina P.C. EICHLER, Ralph Lakeside P.C. FAURSCHOU, David Portage la Prairie P.C. GERRARD, Jon, Hon. River Heights Lib. GOERTZEN, Kelvin Steinbach P.C. GRAYDON, Cliff Emerson P.C. HAWRANIK, Gerald Lac du Bonnet P.C. HICKES, George, Hon. Point Douglas N.D.P. HOWARD, Jennifer Fort Rouge N.D.P. IRVIN-ROSS, Kerri, Hon. Fort Garry N.D.P. JENNISSEN, Gerard Flin Flon N.D.P. JHA, Bidhu Radisson N.D.P. KORZENIOWSKI, Bonnie St. James N.D.P. LAMOUREUX, Kevin Inkster Lib. LATHLIN, Oscar, Hon. The Pas N.D.P. LEMIEUX, Ron, Hon. La Verendrye N.D.P. MACKINTOSH, Gord, Hon. St. Johns N.D.P. MAGUIRE, Larry Arthur-Virden P.C. MALOWAY, Jim Elmwood N.D.P. MARCELINO, Flor Wellington N.D.P. MARTINDALE, Doug Burrows N.D.P. McFADYEN, Hugh Fort Whyte P.C. McGIFFORD, Diane, Hon. Lord Roberts N.D.P. MELNICK, Christine, Hon. Riel N.D.P. MITCHELSON, Bonnie River East P.C. NEVAKSHONOFF, Tom Interlake N.D.P. OSWALD, Theresa, Hon. Seine River N.D.P. PEDERSEN, Blaine Carman P.C. REID, Daryl Transcona N.D.P. ROBINSON, Eric, Hon. Rupertsland N.D.P. RONDEAU, Jim, Hon. Assiniboia N.D.P. ROWAT, Leanne Minnedosa P.C. SARAN, Mohinder The Maples N.D.P. SCHULER, Ron Springfield P.C. SELBY, Erin Southdale N.D.P. SELINGER, Greg, Hon. St. Boniface N.D.P. STEFANSON, Heather Tuxedo P.C. STRUTHERS, Stan, Hon. Dauphin-Roblin N.D.P. SWAN, Andrew, Hon. Minto N.D.P. TAILLIEU, Mavis Morris P.C. WOWCHUK, Rosann, Hon. Swan River N.D.P. 2629 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA Wednesday, June 4, 2008 The House met at 1:30 p.m. It's also announced that the Standing Committee on Legislative Affairs will meet to continue to PRAYER consider the following bills: Bill 6, Bill 25, Bill 29, ROUTINE PROCEEDINGS Bill 38. House Business The Legislative Affairs Committee will meet on the following days at the indicated times: Friday, Mr. Speaker: The honourable Government House June 6, from 10 a.m. until midnight; Saturday, June Leader, on House business? 7, from 10 a.m. until midnight; Monday, June 9, Hon. Dave Chomiak (Government House from 10 a.m. until noon and again at 6 p.m., and also Leader): On House business. on Tuesday, June 10, at 6 p.m. Mr. Speaker, I'm rising on House business so PETITIONS that this matter can be dealt with sooner rather than Long-Term Care Facility–Morden later, so that people can be advised of the committee hearings. I'd like to announce that the Standing Mr. Peter Dyck (Pembina): Mr. Speaker, I wish to Committee on Agriculture and Food will meet on the present the following petition to the Legislative following days and times to consider Bill 17, The Assembly. Environment Amendment Act (Permanent Ban on The background for this petition is as follows: Building or Expanding Hog Facilities): Friday, June 6, from 10 a.m. until midnight; Saturday, June 7, Tabor Home Incorporated is a time-expired from 10 a.m. until midnight; Monday, June 9, from personal care home in Morden with safety, 10 a.m. until noon and again at 6 p.m.; Tuesday, June environmental and space deficiencies. 10, at 6 p.m. The seniors of Manitoba are valuable members Mr. Speaker, I'd also like to announce that the of the community with increasing health-care needs Standing Committee on Legislative Affairs will meet requiring long-term care. to continue to consider the following bills: Bill 6, The community of Morden and the surrounding The Securities Amendment Act; Bill 25, The area are experiencing substantial population growth. Embalmers and Funeral Directors Amendment Act; Bill 29, The Business Practices Amendment Act We petition the Legislative Assembly of (Disclosing Motor Vehicle Information); Bill 38, The Manitoba as follows: Balanced Budget, Fiscal Management and Taxpayer To request the Minister of Health (Ms. Oswald) Accountability Act. to strongly consider giving priority for funding to The Legislative Affairs Committee will meet on develop and staff a new 100-bed long-term care the following days at the indicated times: Friday, facility so that clients are not exposed to unsafe June 6, from 10 a.m. until midnight; Saturday, June conditions and so that Boundary Trails Health Centre 7, from 10 a.m. until midnight; Monday, June 9, beds remain available for acute-care patients instead from 10 a.m. until noon and again at 6 p.m.; of waiting placement clients. Tuesday, June 10, at 6 p.m. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This is signed by Jack Peters, Jeff Penner, Carla Peters and many, many others. Mr. Speaker: It's been announced that the Standing Committee on Agriculture and Food will meet on the Mr. Speaker: In accordance with our rule 132(6), following days and times to consider Bill 17, The when petitions are read they are deemed to be Environment Amendment Act (Permanent Ban on received by the House. Building or Expanding Hog Facilities): Friday, June The Elections Act Amendments 6, from 10 a.m. until midnight; Saturday, June 7, from 10 a.m. until midnight; Monday, June 9, from Mr. Kevin Lamoureux (Inkster): Mr. Speaker, I 10 a.m. until noon and again at 6 p.m.; then on wish to present the following petition to the Tuesday, June 10, at 6 p.m. Legislative Assembly of Manitoba. 2630 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA June 4, 2008 The background to the petition is as follows: Virden. [interjection] Oh, it's Minnedosa. Okay, sorry about that. In the constituencies of The Maples and Wellington, serious allegations were made about An Honourable Member: Do you know something inappropriate behaviour by high-ranking NDP we don't know? members, and the Premier (Mr. Doer) failed to show Mr. Speaker: It wasn't on my list so I just took a leadership in enforcing a political code of ethical guess. It was a wrong guess. Usually it's on the list. conduct. So the school is located in the constituency of the Elections Manitoba has made it clear that it does honourable Member for Minnedosa (Mrs. Rowat). not have the jurisdiction or any authority to enforce Also seated in the public gallery from Centennial in any way a shared code of ethical conduct. School we have 23 grade 4 students under the The '99 Monnin inquiry clearly wanted an direction of Ms. Cathy Renaud. This school is effective code of ethics, not the current non- located in the constituency of the honourable enforceable code of ethics that the Premier and Member for Selkirk (Mr. Dewar). others continue to ignore. Also we have with us in the public gallery from The '99 Monnin report states, and I quote: "If the Gray Academy of Jewish Education 15 grade 9 political parties fail to implement a Code of Ethics students under the direction of Mrs. Linda Connor. by December 31, 2001, that the standard Code be This school is located in the constituency of the made compulsory by legislation." honourable Member for Tuxedo (Mrs. Stefanson). We petition the Legislative Assembly of On behalf of all honourable members, I welcome Manitoba as follows: you all here today. To urge the Manitoba Legislature to consider * (13:40) acting on the 1999 Alfred Monnin report and include ORAL QUESTIONS the principles of a shared code of ethical conduct into The Elections Act. Trade Meetings Premier's Attendance Mr. Speaker, this is signed by R. Lacap, A. Velano, E. Quindara and many, many other fine Mr. Hugh McFadyen (Leader of the Official Manitobans. Opposition): Trade and transportation, as all Manitobans know, are critical to our economic Thank you, Mr. Speaker. position and the creation of thousands of jobs for Introduction of Guests Manitobans fundamental to our quality of life. Mr. Speaker: Prior to oral questions, I'd like to draw Now, Mr. Speaker, there's been some confusion the attention of honourable members to the public as of late with respect to this NDP government's gallery where we have with us today Jean Altemeyer policies on trade and transportation. Now, we know who is the mother of the Member for Wolseley (Mr. that the Premier (Mr. Doer) is in Guanajuato, Altemeyer), Sean Altemeyer who is the member's Mexico, today, tomorrow and Friday, and he's nephew and Claire and Larry Morse from promoting free trade with Mexico, even though he Greensboro, North Carolina. used to be opposed to free trade with Mexico and now that we already have free trade with Mexico. Seated in the public gallery we have with us today 6 students from Sansome elementary School He's also promoting an inland port here in under the direction of Mr.