Legislative Assembly of Manitoba DEBATES and PROCEEDINGS
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Fourth 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. XLVIII No. 68- 1:30 p.m., Monday, June 22, 1998 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, Davt: 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, Hon. Arthur-Virden P.C. DRIEDGER, Albt�rt 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, Hon. Springfield P.C. FRIESEN, Jean Wolseley N.D.P. GAUDRY, Neil St. Boniface Lib. GILLESHAMMER, Harold, Hon. Minnedosa P.C. HELWER, 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, Bon. Morris P.C. PRAZNIK, Darren, Bon. Lac du Bonnet P.C. RADCLIFFE, Mike, Hon. River Heights P.C. REID, Daryl Tr.mscona N.D.P. REIMER, Jack, Hon. Niakwa P.C. RENDER, Shirley 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 Turtle Mountain P.C. VODREY, Rosemary, Hon. Fort Garry P.C. WOWCHUK, Rosann Swan River N.D.P. 4687 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA Monday,June 22, 1998 The House met at 1:30 p.m. READING AND RECEIVING PETITIONS Independent Judicial Review Committee PRAYERS Madam Speaker: I have reviewed the petition of the ROUTINE PROCEEDINGS honourable member fo r Inkster (Mr. Lamoureux), and it complies with the rules and practices of the House. PRESENTING PETITIONS Is it the will of the House to have the petition read? Dispense. Independent Judicial Review Committee THAT an independent judiciary does not justifya total Mr. Kevin La moureu x (Inkster): Madam Speaker, I lack of public accountability; and beg to present the petition of W. Summers, R. Santos, L. Marcaida and others praying that the Legislative THAT the lack of public confidence and the level of Assembly of Manitoba may be pleased to advise the frustration in our judicial system continues to grow. minister of the need to consider establishing an independent review committee to report to the WHEREFORE your petitioners humbly pray that the Legislature on ways in which our judicial system may Legislative Assembly of Manitoba may be pleased to better service the public of Manitoba. advisethe minister of the need to consider establishing an independent judicial review committee to report to the Legislature on ways in which our judicial system Video Lottery Terminals may better serve the public of Manitoba. Mr. Gerard Jennissen (Fiin Flon): Madam Speaker, Winnipeg Hospitals Food Services-Privatization I beg to present the petition of D. Frederick, E. Batke, D. Farly and others praying that the Legislative Madam Speaker: I have reviewed the petition of the Assembly of Manitoba urge the Premier (Mr. Filmon) honourable member for Broadway (Mr. Santos), and it to consider permitting communities to hold plebiscites complies with the rules and practices of the House. Is on VL Ts, reducing gambling advertising and increasing it the will of the House to have the petition read? funding fo r treatment of problem gamblers. An Honourable Member: Dispense. Ms. MaryAnn Mihychuk (St. James): Madam Speaker, I beg to present the petition of E. Butler, G. Madam Speaker: Dispense. Duncan, N. Duncan and others praying that the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba urge the Premier to THAT the Urban Shared Services Corporation (USSC) consider permitting communities to hold plebiscites on has announced plans to privatize laundry, food services VLTs, reducing gambling advertising and increasing and purchasing for the Winnipeg hospitals; and funding fo r the treatment of problem gamblers. THAT it is estimated that more than 1,000 health care Mr. Doug Martindale (Burrows): Madam Speaker, jobs will be lost over the next year as a result, with I beg to present the petition ofM. Jenkins, G. Booth, H. many more privatized in the next two or three years; Massey and others praying that the Legislative and Assembly of Manitoba urge the Premier to consider permitting communities to hold plebiscites on VLTs, THAT under the terms of the contract, Ontario reducing gambling advertising and increasing funding businesses will profit at the expense of Manitoba's fo r treatment of problem gamblers. health care system,· and 4688 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA June 22, 1998 THAT after construction of a food assembly warehouse from Ontario, then assembled and heated before being in Winnipeg, chilled, prepared food will be shipped in shipped to the hospitals; and from Ontario, then assembled and heated before being shipped to the hospitals; and THAT people who are in the hospital require nutritious and appetizing food; and THAT people who are in the hospital require nutritious and appetizing food; and THATthe announced savings as aresult of the contract have been disputed, and one study by Wintemute THAT the announced savings as aresult of the contract Randle Kilimnik indicated that, "A considerable have been disputed, and one study by Wintemute number of studies have compared costs of service Randle Kilimn.ik indicated that, "A considerable delivery in health care between self-operation (public number of studies have compared costs of service sector) and privatization. Invariably, privatization is delivery in health care between self-operation (public more expensive. "; and sector) and privatization. Invariably, privatization is THAT no one in Manitoba seems to benefitfrom this more expensive. "; and contract, especially patients. THAT no one in Manitoba seems to benefitfrom this WHEREFOREYOUR PETITIONERSHUM BLY PRAY contract, especially patients. that the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba urge the Minister of Health to put an end to the centralization WHEREFORE YOUR PETITIONERS HUMBLY PRAY and privatization of Winnipeg hospital food services. that the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba urge the Minister of Health to put an end to the centralization Madam Speaker: I have reviewed the petition of the and privatization of Winnipeg hospital food services. honourable member fo r Burrows (Mr. Martindale), and it complies with the rules and practices ofthe House. Madam Speaker: I have reviewed the petition of the Is it the will of the House to have the petition read? honourable member fo r Point Douglas (Mr. Hickes), and it complies with the rules and practices of the An Honourable Member: Dispense. House. Is it the will of the House to have the petition read? Madam Speaker: Dispense. An Honourable: Member: Dispense. WHEREAS the provincial government has embarked upon a project in which it is closing hospital kitchens Madam Speake:r: Dispense. and having hospital food transported in from Toronto for reheating; and THAT the Urban Shared Services Corporation (USSC) has announced plans to privatize laundry, food services WHEREAS this proposal will not improve the qualityof and purchasing for the Winnipeg hospitals; and food but will cost hundreds of jobs to the provincial economy; and THAT it is estimated that more than 1,000 health care jobs will be lost over the next year as a result, with WHEREAS on December 8th of 1997, the provincial many more privatized in the next two or three years; cabinet staged a photo opportunity for the media in and which government MLAs were served chicken breast from a chef flown in from Toronto for the occasion THAT under the terms of the contract, Ontario while the actual meal served residents that night was businesses will profit at the expense of Manitoba's macaroni and peas; and health care system; and WHEREAS this proposal will result in more health care TElAT after construction of a food assembly warehouse dollars being spent on questionable privatization in Winnipeg, chilled, prepared food will be shipped in projects; and June 22, 1998 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA 4689 WHEREAS in December of 1997, the provincial THAT the announced savings as a result of the contract governmentwas forced to drop a similar privatization have been disputed, and one study by Wintemute scheme involving home care which had been opposed Randle Kilimnik indicated that, "A considerable by the clients, families and the public; and number of studies have compared costs of service delivery in health care between self-operation (public WHEREAS once again the provincial government sector) and privatization. Invariably, privatization is without consultation has committed itself to a more expensive. "; and privatization project which will likely cost taxpayers more money for a poorer quality service, thus THAT no one in Manitoba seems to benefitfrom this forgetting the patients who deserve better care. contract, especially patients.