Legislative Assembly of Manitoba DEBATES
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Fifth Session - Thirty-Sixth Legislature of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba DEBATES and PROCEEDINGS Official Report (Hansard) Published under the authorityof The Honourable Louise M. Dacquay Speaker Vol. XLIX No. 28- 1:30 p.m., Monday, May 17, 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 1349 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA Monday, May 17, 1999 The House met at 1:30 p.m. Environment Canada is fo recasting drier weather fo r the coming week. PRAYERS An additional concern is that heavy rain has ROUTINE PROCEEDINGS caused extensive flooding of fields as soils are becoming waterlogged, and virtually all low PRESENTINGREPORTS BY areas have become small lakes. The flooding STANDING AND SPECIAL COMMITTEES situation on agricultural lands away from the river is worse than it was in April. Significant Committee Report rises are occurring and will exceed bank-full capacity in lower areas. Some smaller drains Mr. Marcel Laurendeau (Chairperson): have crested. Larger tributaries such as the Madam Speaker, the Committee of the Whole Antler River will crest at or above flood stage has considered Bill 22, The Statute Law near the middle of this week. It will likely be Amendment (Taxation) Act, 1999; Loi de 1999 early June before the Souris River will return to modifiant diverses dispositions legislatives en its banks, and it will be mid-June before low matiere de fiscalite, directs me to report progress lying lands in the Coulter area will become and asks leave to sit again. workable. I move, seconded by the honourable In other areas, rainfall is also heavy in the member fo r Emerson (Mr. Penner), that the Assiniboine River watershed, particularly from report of the committee be received. St. Lazare to Brandon. Near bank-full con ditions are expected in the region fo r the next Motion agreed to. week or so. Rainfall is significant over the Pembina River watershed and will result in MINISTERIAL STATEMENTS higher levels and a longer duration of flooding in this area. So we can hope that the outlook for Flood Conditions warmer, drier weather holds, or we are seeing a continuing bad situation for the farmers in this Hon. Glen Cummings (Minister of Natural area. Resources): I have a statement for the House, Madam Speaker. * (1335) The Souris River watershed received Mr. Stan Struthers (Dauphin): Madam another drenching last Friday, on Friday evening Speaker, I thank the minister fo r bringing forth and Saturday, with another 25 to 35 millimetres this update on flood conditions, particularly in of rain over most of the area with the heaviest the southwest and western part of our province. rainfall in the Melita and the Napinka areas. The I join, too, with him in offering our best hopes rain has worsened flooding conditions through fo r the people living along the Souris, out most of the watershed with the Souris River Assiniboine and the Pembina rivers watersheds rising close to crests observed in mid-April. The in their efforts to fight the flood. I want to pay river will again become a mile or so wide from particular attention to farmers in those areas who the U.S. boundary to ab out Hartney. are right now experiencing difficulty in planting their crops. We know how important agriculture Crests are expected in the Melita area this is to this part of the province, so we hope that coming weekend with more downstream the conditions that they are experiencing now do locations to crest around May 24. This is based not last for a long time and that Mother Nature on normal weather conditions from now on. changes her mind and provides a little bit of 1350 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA May 17, 1999 sunshine and a little bit of a breeze to dry fo r agricultural purposes. One reason is wildlife conditions in this area. management areas, and the second reason is a refuge area. I would like to ask the Premier (Mr. I also want to pay attention to the local flood Filmon): has there been any change in the fighters in these communities who are battling policy fo r rejecting the sale of that land? the fo rces of nature and trying to protect their farms and their homes and their communities. It Hon. Harry Enos (Minister of Agriculture): is our hope as well, once the flood conditions Madam Speaker, there are these broad policies subside, that the provincial government will within the management guidelines fo r work co-operatively with local rural agricultural Crown lands which from time to municipalities and town councils in the flood time are challenged by persons who wish to fighting effort and also in compensation and purchase them. The honourab le member fo r reimbursement of equipment that will be used in Swan River (Mrs. Wowchuk) just last week the attempts to contain the floods. brought several of those examples to the House. I remind the honourable member fo r Concordia So with that, Madam Speaker, from this side that the sale of Crown lands is ad ministrated by of the House we wish the people of these my colleague the Minister of Natural Resources watersheds all the best and look fo rward to the (Mr. Cummings). time when the farmers can get out and do their seeding and contribute to the economy of that * (1340) part of the area and sustain their own livelihoods. Mr. Doer: I would remind the Minister of Agriculture that in a section dealing with Crown Thank you, Madam Speaker. lands, it says it must be closely co-ordinated between the Ministry of Natural Resources and TABLING OF REPORTS the Ministry of Agriculture. Having said that, the Premier did not answer the question. In Madam Speaker: I have two reports to table: 1965, Sleeve Lake game bird refuge was firstly, the Statutory Report of the Chief designated. Looking back through the years, in Electoral Officer on the Charleswood By '86 it continued to be a game bird refuge, and in election; and the Annual Report. of the Chief 1996, the Premier signed an Order-in-Council in Electoral Officer on The Election Finances Act, November 1996, selling Sections 10, 22 and 27 1997. of Township 24, which was a game bird refuge. Introduction of Guests I would like to ask the Premier: why did they not fo llow their own guidelines and manual Madam Speaker: Prior to Oral Questions, I on rejecting these requested sales? would like to draw attention to the public gallery where we have this afternoon Myrna Phillips, Hon. Gary Filmon (Premier): Without the fo rmer Speaker and the fo rmer member fo r accepting any of the preamble as being accurate, Wolseley. Madam Speak er, I will take the question as notice and return with a response. On behalf of all honourable members, I welcome you this afternoon. Mr. Doer: Madam Speaker, the Premier signed ORAL QUESTION PERIOD the Order-in-Council in November of 1996 converting a game bird refuge to agricultural Crown Lands land, contrary to the policy. This land was sold Purchase/Leasing Policy to Roland, Kris and Carl Barrett. Mr. Gary Doer (Leader of the Opposition): Madam Speaker, a 1990 policy and procedure I would like to ask the Premier: did they manual dealing with agricultural Crown lands change the policy from the policy in 1990, and if has reasons for rejecting the sale of Crown lands they have, can he tab le it in this House, please? May 17, 1999 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA 1351 Mr.