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. 42A - 10 a.m., Thursday, April 18, 2019 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 1387 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA Thursday, April 18, 2019 The House met at 10 a.m. I know as a government, and all sides of the House, I mean, we've–obviously, it's important to Madam Speaker: O Eternal and Almighty God, everyone. We've had a proclamation of a bill from from Whom all power and wisdom come, we are the government proclaiming April as Sikh heritage assembled here before Thee to frame such laws as month. We've had a Bill 228 come forward that we're may tend to the welfare and prosperity of our debating from the opposition leader, and we had province. Grant, O merciful God, we pray Thee, that Bill 229–I believe it was–that we debated last week we may desire only that which is in accordance with as well from an independent from Maples. So it Thy will, that we may seek it with wisdom and know shows that we're all on the same page here. it with certainty and accomplish it perfectly for the glory and honour of Thy name and for the welfare of We all appreciate the diversity of cultures that all our people. Amen. we have in this province, and, Madam Speaker, I want to, again, talk about, very briefly here, that I Please be seated. didn't have the experience in my home community of ORDERS OF THE DAY Brandon. We do not have a gurdwara in Brandon. So, a year and a half ago, I had the pleasure of PRIVATE MEMBERS' BUSINESS visiting a gurdwara here in Winnipeg South and it DEBATE ON SECOND READINGS– was certainly an experience that I enjoyed. I learned PUBLIC BILLS a lot of the culture and I thank you for that and I look forward to visiting again and even working with the Bill 228–The Sikh Heritage Month Act Sikh population in Brandon so that I get to know Madam Speaker: As previously announced, we will more about their culture, their heritage, their religion. now be resuming debate at second reading of the second selected bill from the official opposition, It is certainly something that I look forward to Bill 228, The Sikh Heritage Month Act. As a when I go to different events even, is to have the reminder, in accordance with rule 24 and as ability–if I'm unsure, if my ignorance in their culture, previously announced, I will be interrupting this their heritage, their religion is there–it gives me the debate at 10:50 to put the question. opportunity to do some research to educate myself, because we all have to look back at some point in The bill is currently standing in the name of the time–even my heritage, being an Icelander, we were member for Brandon East, who has seven minutes not the first in this country. But my ancestors came remaining. over from Iceland and it created an opportunity for my family to grow here. And again, if it wasn't for Mr. Len Isleifson (Brandon East): It's–got up this that ability to open our borders to bring people into morning, went outside and thought, what a beautiful Canada, into Manitoba, I'm not sure what this day it is outside and what a great community we live province would look like. in, and we have the ability to live in such a great community because of the diversity we have in But, again, you know, it is certainly something Manitoba. that I look forward to, getting more involved in and understanding a little bit more. And I noticed this morning, I walked in. I got beat into the House this morning by half a step by And, before I get into some comments on the one colleague, but I did want to–I walked in here Sikh heritage in Brandon and what's happening and, surprisingly–and pleasantly surprised–I looked out there, I want to again congratulate the Sikh up and I want to welcome our friends into the gallery community here in Winnipeg. I started speaking last today, which I did when I first walked in. But, again, week on Thursday and in my first three minutes welcome to your House. The Legislature here I didn't get to a point that I wanted to talk about last belongs to all Manitobans, and it is certainly a great Thursday when we ran out of time. And that is the pleasure to see you all join us today and listen to the fact that the Sikh community here in Winnipeg were debate about something so important as recognizing out–they've–not only work in their own areas but the Sikh heritage here in Manitoba. they work for the whole city. They were out last 1388 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA April 18, 2019 Thursday collecting food. Their idea was to, because So that's what we talk about when we talk about of the Sikh Heritage Manitoba, working hard for the community involvement. It's not just building at the Winnipeg Sikh Sangat Food Drive, their goal was to roots, it's about expanding, it's about opening the fill a five-ton truck of food by April the 12th. culture, creating a heritage that we can all enjoy. And I know I've been very fortunate when I look at my And, of course, I wanted to push that out circle of friends from different cultural backgrounds. because that morning you had left and gone out on My previous employment, I had the excellent the streets at 9:15 in the morning to continue that opportunity to work with a number of people that drive, and I was hoping to get that word out so that have come into Manitoba, especially in Brandon to people could hear that was going on and then maybe help build a community because we all need to work get involved and help as well. together to build strong, vibrant communities. And if So, again, I am looking forward to finding the it wasn't for all the cultures, again, we would not results. I know the results were announced at have much. Winnipeg City Hall last Thursday at 11 a.m. but, again, we were in the House and I didn't have the * (10:10) opportunity to hear that. In my last 25 seconds here that I have, Madam I do–I've only got three minutes left, Madam Speaker, again, I do want to say what an honour it is Speaker, so I want to just quickly talk about the to stand up here and talk on this bill and Brandon's Sikh community. They are so involved in acknowledge the Sikh community and how the community in Brandon and the importance part important you are to all of us here in Manitoba. I of overall education in the city. congratulate you on April being proclaimed as Sikh heritage month, and, as we go on, I'm sure that we The Sikh community has established a new can all work closer together on an individual basis as scholarship at Brandon University in honour of Guru well as a Legislature. Nanak Dev, who was the founder of Sikhism. Continuing Brandon University students, on the basis Thank you very much, Madam Speaker. of academic merit and on a record of significant community service to a volunteer organization, can Mr. Dougald Lamont (Leader of the Second qualify for this scholarship put forward in Brandon Opposition): I'd like to thank the member for Fort by the Sikh community.