Legislative Assembly of Manitoba DEBATES and PROCEEDINGS
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Fifth Session- Thirty-Sixth Legislature of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba DEBATES and PROCEEDINGS Official Report (Hansard) Published under the authority of The Honourable Louise M. Dacquay Speaker Vol. XLIX No. 14- 1:30 p.m., Monday, Apri126, 1999 MANITOBA LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY - Thirty-Sixth Legislature Member Constituency Political Affiliation ASHTON, Steve Thompson N.D.P. BARRETT, Becky Wellington N.D.P. CERILLI, Marianne Radisson N.D.P. CHOMIAK, Dave Kildonan N.D.P. CUMMINGS, Glen, Hon. Ste. Rose P.C. DACQUAY, Louise, Hon. Seine River P.C. DERKACH, Leonard, Hon. Roblin-Russell P.C. DEWAR, Gregory Selkirk N.D.P. DOER, Gary Concordia N.D.P. DOWNEY, James Arthur-Virden P.C. DRIEDGER, Albert Steinbach P.C. DRIEDGER, Myrna Charleswood P.C. DYCK, Peter Pembina P.C. ENNS, Harry, Hon. Lakeside P.C. EVANS, Clif Interlake N.D.P. EVANS, Leonard S. Brandon East N.D.P. FAURSCHOU, David Portage Ia Prairie P.C. FILMON, Gary, Hon. Tuxedo P.C. FINDLAY, Glen Springfield P.C. FRIESEN, Jean Wolseley N.D.P. GILLESHAMMER, Harold, Hon. Minnedosa P.C. HEL WER, Edward Gimli P.C. HICKES, George Point Douglas N.D.P. JENNISSEN, Gerard Flin Flon N.D.P. - KOWALSKI, Gary The Maples Lib. LAMOUREUX, Kevin Inkster Lib. LATHLIN, Oscar The Pas N.D.P. LAURENDEAU, Marcel St. Norbert P.C. MACKINTOSH, Gord St. Johns N.D.P. MALOWAY,Jim Elmwood N.D.P. MARTINDALE, Doug Burrows N.D.P. McALPINE, Gerry Sturgeon Creek P.C. McCRAE, James, Hon. Brandon West P.C. McGIFFORD, Diane Osborne N.D.P. MciNTOSH, Linda, Hon. Assiniboia P.C. MIHYCHUK, MaryAnn St. James N.D.P. MITCHELSON, Bonnie, Hon. River East P.C. NEWMAN, David, Hon. Riel P.C. PENNER, Jack Emerson P.C. PITURA, Frank, Hon. Morris P.C. PRAZNIK, Darren, Hon. Lac du Bonnet P.C. RADCLIFFE, Mike, Hon. River Heights P.C. REID, Daryl Transcona N.D.P. REIMER, Jack, Hon. Niakwa P.C. RENDER, Shirley, Hon. St. Vital P.C. ROBINSON, Eric Rupertsland N.D.P. ROCAN, Denis Gladstone P.C. SALE, Tim Crescentwood N.D.P. SANTOS, Conrad Broadway N.D.P. STEFANSON, Eric, Hon. Kirkfield Park P.C. STRUTHERS, Stan Dauphin N.D.P. SVEINSON, Ben La Verendrye P.C. TOEWS, Vic, Hon. Rossmere P.C. TWEED, Mervin, Hon. Turtle Mountain P.C. VODREY, Rosemary, Hon. Fort Garry P.C. - WOWCHUK, Rosann Swan River N.D.P. Vacant St. Boniface 595 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA Monday, April26, 1999 The House met at 1:30 p.m. Gilleshammer), that leave be given to introduce Bill 18, The Correctional Services Amendment PRAYERS Act (Loi modifiant la Loi sur les services correctionnels), and that the same be now ROUTINE PROCEEDINGS received and read a first time. TABLING OF REPORTS Motion agreed to. Hon. Harold Gilleshammer (Minister of * (1335) Finance): I am pleased to table the following reports which have previously been distributed. ORAL QUESTION PERIOD The Canada/Manitoba Infrastructure Works Annual Report; the Government Information Nursing Shortage Systems Management Organization (Man) Inc. Impact on Health Care System Annual Report; the Fiscal Stabilization Fund Annual Report; and the Crown Corporations Mr. Gary Doer (Leader of the Opposition): Council Annual Report. Madam Speaker, over the last fo ur years hundreds of nurses have lost their jobs in Hon. Eric Stefanson (Minister of Health): I Manitoba. There has also been a major change am pleased to table three reports: the Annual in the training fo r nurses in this province. The Report for 1997-98 of the Addictions BN program exists and has been expanded, but Foundation of Manitoba; the Annual Report fo r the RN program, the hospital-based nursing the Health Information Services of Manitoba program which used to train nurses in two years Corporation for the year ending March 31, 1998; and then one year of practicum, has been and the Annual Report fo r 1997-98 for Manitoba radically changed and downsized and closed Health. down by this provincial government. Hon. Vic Toews (Minister of Justice and What has been the impact of those changes Attorney General): Madam Speaker, I am on nursing shortages here in Manitoba? pleased to table, pursuant to The Regulations Act, a copy of each regulation registered with Hon. Eric Stefanson (Minister of Health): the Registrar of Regulations since the Madam Speaker, I think, as the member opposite regulations were tabled in this House in knows, changes have been made to the nursing December of 1997. education programs basically with the support of nurses here in Manitoba and right across Madam Speaker: I am pleased to table the Canada. The member is right that there is a Freedom of Information 1997 Annual Report of Bachelor of Nursing program, a· fo ur-year the Provincial Ombudsman, copies of which program here in Manitoba, which can be taken have previously been distributed to members. now in three years under an accelerated program. I understand enrollment in that program this last INTRODUCTION OF BILLS year alone was up some 23 percent. Bill 18-The Correctional Services We also have a licensed practical nursing Amendment Act program which is run out of Assiniboine Community College. I believe their entrance Hon. Vic Toews (Minister of Justice and last year was about 90 and that certainly will be Attorney General): Madam Speaker, I move, significantly increased. So, again, our Faculty of seconded by the Minister of Finance (Mr. Nursing and our licensed practical nursing 596 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA April 26, 1999 - program at Assiniboine Community College are taking to lead to more enrollment at our going to be significant contributors to more educational fa cilities, additional incentives like nurses in Manitoba because there is absolutely our $7-million nurse recruitment fu nd to bring no doubt that Manitoba needs more nurses, more nurses into the profession, creating more which is the case right across Canada. We have permanent positions in nursing, which is undertaken a number of initiatives that I am something that nurses tell us all the time, and we more than pleased to outline fo r the member are working with employers to do that. A opposite in terms of attracting and bringing more number of initiatives are underway to bring more nurses back into the nursing profession here in nurses back into that profession in the province Manitoba. of Manitoba. Nursing Education Programs Nursing Shortage Graduation Rate Bed Closures Mr. Gary Doer (Leader of the Opposition): Mr. Gary Doer (Leader of the Opposition): Madam Speaker, the minister did not answer the The nurses' professional body di d recommend question. I asked what was the impact of the the change, but a number of bedside nurses decision the government made, and he never warned us about the change, an d it is the answered the question. As I understand it, we government's responsibility to deal with the used to graduate about 500 nurses per year, and recruitment and retention of nurses, Madam as I understand it we are not graduating, through Speaker. The minister again did not answer the any of the programs, the numbers of nurses at question. How many are graduating? How the speed at which we used to graduate those many do we need? And what are the nurses in the past. I would like to know how projections? Those are very simple questions. many people are we graduating, how many The minister never answered them. I would like nurses are we graduating right now, what is the to ask the minister: are any beds being closed or - expected graduation rate over the next three or contemplated to be closed because of a shortage four years, and what is the discrepancy in terms of nurses here in Manitoba? of need? Hon. Eric Stefanson (Minister of Health): Hon. Eric Stefanson (Minister of Health): Madam Speaker, as I have indicated, the nursing Madam Speaker, the short answer to the final education program was changed back in the part of the question is no. Fortunately, in our early '90s and that was done with the support of system, we have very dedicated health care nurses not only here in Manitoba but indeed professionals, our nurses, our do ctors, our other right across Canada. In fa ct, it was actually at people in the health care system, and in many the request of nurses fr om across Canada to cases the needs of our nursing services are being make the changes. Again, we are continuing to met by nurses working overtime, by nurses change the program to allow fo r more working a longer shiftthan they originally would opportunities to take part in nursing, and that is intend. So the needs are being met by nurses why the fo ur-year program can be done on an currently in our system, but there is a need fo r accelerated basis. A licensed practi cal nursing more nurses in the province of Manitoba. There program is going to be done on a significant is a need fo r more nurses right across Canada, increase in the upcoming year in terms of the and that is exactly why we have set up the numbers of enrollments. number of initiatives that we have done here in the province to do just that, to bring more nurses So we recognize, as is the case right across into the profession through our educational Canada, because of some of these changes in the opportunities, to bring more nurses back into the educational programs right across Canada, that is system, to bring more nurses back to Manitoba, one of the issues that has contributed to a a number of initiatives that we have introduced shortage of nurses not only in Manitoba but in to create more nurses here in the province of literally every province in Canada.