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Standing Committee on Legislative Affairs Second Session – Forty-First Legislature of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba Standing Committee on Legislative Affairs Chairperson Mrs. Sarah Guillemard Constituency of Fort Richmond Vol. LXX No. 1 - 3 p.m., Friday, November 25, 2016 ISSN 1708-668X MANITOBA LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY Forty-First Legislature Member Constituency Political Affiliation ALLUM, James Fort Garry-Riverview NDP ALTEMEYER, Rob Wolseley NDP BINDLE, Kelly Thompson PC CHIEF, Kevin Point Douglas NDP 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 PC 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 PC 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 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 St. Vital PC MICHALESKI, Brad Dauphin PC MICKLEFIELD, Andrew, Hon. 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 NDP SCHULER, Ron, Hon. St. Paul PC SELINGER, Greg St. Boniface NDP SMITH, Andrew Southdale PC 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 Gimli PC WIEBE, Matt Concordia NDP WISHART, Ian, Hon. Portage la Prairie PC WOWCHUK, Rick Swan River PC YAKIMOSKI, Blair Transcona PC 1 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA THE STANDING COMMITTEE ON LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS Friday, November 25, 2016 TIME – 3 p.m. Hearing no other nominations, Mr. Teitsma is elected Vice-Chairperson. LOCATION – Winnipeg, Manitoba This meeting has been called to consider the CHAIRPERSON – Mrs. Sarah Guillemard following reports: Annual Report of Elections (Fort Richmond) Manitoba for the year ending December 31st, 2014, VICE-CHAIRPERSON – Mr. James Teitsma including the conduct of the 2014 Arthur-Virden and (Radisson) Morris by-elections; Annual Report of Elections Manitoba for the year ending December 31st, 2015, ATTENDANCE – 11 QUORUM – 6 including the conduct of The Pas by-election. Members of the Committee present: Before we get started, are there any suggestions Hon. Mmes. Cox, Stefanson from the committee as to how long we should sit this afternoon? Mr. Allum, Mrs. Guillemard, Messrs. Johnston, Kinew, Mses. Lamoureux, Morley-Lecomte, Mr. James Teitsma (Radisson): For two hours Messrs. Swan, Teitsma, Yakimoski and–or until the committee's work is done, and we can review at 5 p.m. APPEARING: Madam Chairperson: Is that the will of the Ms. Shipra Verma, Chief Electoral Officer, committee? [Agreed] Elections Manitoba Are there any suggestions as to the order in MATTERS UNDER CONSIDERATION: which we should consider the reports? Annual Report of Elections Manitoba for the Mr. Andrew Swan (Minto): I'd suggest we simply year ending December 31, 2014, including the proceed globally. conduct of the 2014 Arthur-Virden and Morris by-elections Madam Chairperson: Is this agreed by the committee? [Agreed] Annual Report of Elections Manitoba for the year ending December 31, 2015, including the Does the honourable Deputy Premier wish to conduct of The Pas by-election make an opening statement? And would she please introduce the officials in attendance. * * * Hon. Heather Stefanson (Minister of Justice and Madam Chairperson: Good afternoon. Will the Attorney General): I'd like to first of all introduce Standing Committee on Legislative Affairs please our officials in attendance. I'd like to introduce our come to order. Chief Electoral Officer, Ms. Shipra Verma, and Before the committee can proceed with the thank her for being here today. business before it, it must elect a new And I'll also ask her, if she could, introduce the Vice-Chairperson. other officials that are with her in attendance today, Are there any nominations? and then I'll proceed with other introductions. Ms. Shipra Verma (Chief Electoral Officer, Hon. Cathy Cox (Minister of Sustainable Elections Manitoba): We have Debbie MacKenzie, Development): Madam Chair, I would like to deputy chief electoral officer, and Tracy Nylen, nominate MLA James Teitsma from Radisson. manager of election finances. Madam Chairperson: Mr. Teitsma has been Madam Chairperson: Thank you. nominated. Mrs. Stefanson: Also in attendance is–with us today Are there any other nominations? is the Commissioner of Elections, Mr. Bill Bowles. 2 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA November 25, 2016 And I'm wondering if there would be leave of the In this celebration, we are reminded of the committee to have the Commissioner of Elections be importance of voting, having rightful representation with us at the table today and to provide an opening in the Legislature, and that fair elections are a statement if he has one for us today. cornerstone of any healthy democracy. Protecting and enhancing the electoral process requires the Madam Chairperson: Is it the will of the committee dedicated focus of all political parties and a team of to invite Mr. Bowles to the table? officials represented here today. That is why the Mr. Swan: Before we vote on that, I have a question work of this committee is particularly important. for the Deputy Premier. Is it the minister's view that The opportunity today to hear from the the commissioner for elections would simply provide Chief Electoral Officer–unfortunately, not the a statement of some type and would not participate Commissioner of Elections–but it does enable us all or what exactly is she proposing this afternoon? to benefit from the years of experience for service Mrs. Stefanson: I think at this stage we are to–on front lines of democracy. proposing that we–if the–if Mr. Bowles has an opening statement, that he provide one. If there are Our new government moved quickly to questions from the committee, I guess that would strengthen democracy and our democratic insti- come at the time and ask leave of the committee. I tutions. Our legislation in the First Session of the don't know if there are questions from members of 41st Legislature restored voting rights to workers. the committee or not, but if there are, I would leave Our legislation requires that by-elections be that up to that time to–and to the Chair to decide. conducted within 180 days after a vacancy occurs. Madam Chairperson: Is it the will of the committee This change was made necessary in part by the to invite Mr. Bowles to the table for the opening events leading up to the by-election in Morris and statement? The Pas, both of which are included in the annual reports we are discussing today. The people of Some Honourable Members: Agreed. Morris were denied fair representation in the An Honourable Member: No. Legislature for 350 days. Media reported this as the longest period of time a premier was–has waited to Madam Chairperson: I heard a no. So it's been call a by-election for a vacant seat in Manitoba denied. history. The people of The Pas were denied fair Minister Stefanson, continue with your representation for 341 days. We felt that these time statement, please. periods are far too long to leave Manitobans without representation in the Legislature, and that is why we Mrs. Stefanson: Well, I want to thank you very made these changes. much, Madam Chairperson. I just want to thank Commissioner Bowles for being with us and taking * (15:10) the time out of his schedule today. It's unfortunate, I Our government established a standard 28-day guess, the committee has not given him leave to election period for a set-date general election. This present an opening statement here today. But I do implements a long-standing recommendation that want to thank him for taking time to be here, and I'll appeared in not only the Elections Manitoba annual proceed now with my opening statement. report we are considering today but many of the It's a pleasure to speak to the committee as we reports that preceded them. consider the annual report of Elections Manitoba for There is, of course, much more that we need to the year ending December 31st, 2014, as well as the do. Our Throne Speech, delivered earlier this week, year ending December 31st, 2015. And I'd like the– included a commitment to introduce a stand-alone to thank the Chief Electoral Officer and the referendum law that will be a key part of our plan to Commissioner of Elections for their attendance restore Manitobans' right to vote on increases to today. We look forward to hearing from you as the major taxes. Again, this acts as a long-standing Chief Electoral Officer, and we look forward to recommendation of Elections Manitoba included in today's discussion on how to strengthen the electoral the annual reports under consideration today. In fact, process in Manitoba. the recommendation for a stand-alone referendum This year we are celebrating the 100th anni- law was first introduced in 2000 more than a decade versary of some women earning the right to vote. and a half ago. The input of the Chief Electoral November 25, 2016 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA 3 Officer has been invaluable as we move forward Mr.
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