Thirty-Eighth Legislature
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First Session - Thirty-Ninth Legislature of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba DEBATES and PROCEEDINGS Official Report (Hansard) Published under the authority of The Honourable George Hickes Speaker Vol. LIX No. 34B – 1:30 p.m., Thursday, November 8, 2007 MANITOBA LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY Thirty-Ninth Legislature Member Constituency Political Affiliation ALLAN, Nancy, Hon. St. Vital N.D.P. ALTEMEYER, Rob Wolseley N.D.P. ASHTON, Steve, Hon. Thompson N.D.P. BJORNSON, Peter, Hon. Gimli N.D.P. BLADY, Sharon Kirkfield Park N.D.P. BOROTSIK, Rick Brandon West P.C. BRAUN, Erna Rossmere N.D.P. BRICK, Marilyn St. Norbert N.D.P. BRIESE, Stuart Ste. Rose P.C. CALDWELL, Drew Brandon East N.D.P. CHOMIAK, Dave, Hon. Kildonan N.D.P. CULLEN, Cliff Turtle Mountain P.C. DERKACH, Leonard Russell P.C. DEWAR, Gregory Selkirk N.D.P. DOER, Gary, Hon. Concordia N.D.P. DRIEDGER, Myrna Charleswood P.C. DYCK, Peter Pembina P.C. EICHLER, Ralph Lakeside P.C. FAURSCHOU, David Portage la Prairie P.C. GERRARD, Jon, Hon. River Heights Lib. GOERTZEN, Kelvin Steinbach P.C. GRAYDON, Cliff Emerson P.C. HAWRANIK, Gerald Lac du Bonnet P.C. HICKES, George, Hon. Point Douglas N.D.P. HOWARD, Jennifer Fort Rouge N.D.P. IRVIN-ROSS, Kerri, Hon. Fort Garry N.D.P. JENNISSEN, Gerard Flin Flon N.D.P. JHA, Bidhu Radisson N.D.P. KORZENIOWSKI, Bonnie St. James N.D.P. LAMOUREUX, Kevin Inkster Lib. LATHLIN, Oscar, Hon. The Pas N.D.P. LEMIEUX, Ron, Hon. La Verendrye N.D.P. MACKINTOSH, Gord, Hon. St. Johns N.D.P. MAGUIRE, Larry Arthur-Virden P.C. MALOWAY, Jim Elmwood N.D.P. MARCELINO, Flor Wellington N.D.P. MARTINDALE, Doug Burrows N.D.P. McFADYEN, Hugh Fort Whyte P.C. McGIFFORD, Diane, Hon. Lord Roberts N.D.P. MELNICK, Christine, Hon. Riel N.D.P. MITCHELSON, Bonnie River East P.C. NEVAKSHONOFF, Tom Interlake N.D.P. OSWALD, Theresa, Hon. Seine River N.D.P. PEDERSEN, Blaine Carman P.C. REID, Daryl Transcona N.D.P. ROBINSON, Eric, Hon. Rupertsland N.D.P. RONDEAU, Jim, Hon. Assiniboia N.D.P. ROWAT, Leanne Minnedosa P.C. SARAN, Mohinder The Maples N.D.P. SCHULER, Ron Springfield P.C. SELBY, Erin Southdale N.D.P. SELINGER, Greg, Hon. St. Boniface N.D.P. STEFANSON, Heather Tuxedo P.C. STRUTHERS, Stan, Hon. Dauphin-Roblin N.D.P. SWAN, Andrew Minto N.D.P. TAILLIEU, Mavis Morris P.C. WOWCHUK, Rosann, Hon. Swan River N.D.P. 2063 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA Thursday, November 8, 2007 The House met at 1:30 p.m. extremely busy stretch of road, averaging 18,000 vehicles daily. ROUTINE PROCEEDINGS This section of the Trans-Canada Highway is PETITIONS one of the few remaining stretches of undivided Retired Teachers' Cost of Living Adjustment highway in Manitoba, and it has seen more than 100 accidents in the last two years, some of them fatal. Mr. Ron Schuler (Springfield): Mr. Speaker, I wish to present the following petition to the Legislative Manitoba's Assistant Deputy Minister of Assembly. Infrastructure and Transportation told a Winnipeg radio station on October 16, 2007, that when it These are the reasons for this petition: comes to highways' projects the provincial Since 1977, Manitoba teachers have made government has a flexible response program, and we contributions to the Teachers' Retirement have a couple of opportunities to advance these Allowances Fund Pension Adjustment Account, projects in our five-year plan. PAA, to finance a Cost of Living Adjustment, In the interests of protecting motorist safety, it is COLA, to their base pension once they retire. critical that the dividing of the Trans-Canada Despite this significant funding, 11,000 retired Highway in Headingley is completed as soon as teachers and 15,000 active teachers currently find possible. themselves facing the future with little hope of a We petition the Legislative Assembly as meaningful COLA. follows: For 2007, a COLA of only 0.63 percent was paid To request the Minister of Infrastructure and to retired teachers. Transportation (Mr. Lemieux) to consider making The COLA paid in recent years has eroded the the completion of the dividing of the Trans-Canada purchasing power of teachers' pension dollars. Highway in Headingley in 2008 an urgent provincial government priority. We petition the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba as follows: To request the Minister of Infrastructure and Transportation to consider evaluating whether any To urge the provincial government to consider other steps can be taken to improve motorist safety adequate funding for the PAA on a long-term basis while the dividing of the Trans-Canada Highway in to ensure that the current retired teachers, as well as Headingley is being completed. all future retirees, receive a fair COLA. This is signed by Kyle Shewfelt, Julien Gates, This is signed by Merle Spafford, Edith Kidds, Jason Dean and many, many more Manitobans. Renate Schultz and many, many other Manitobans. The Child and Family Services Act Mr. Speaker: In accordance with our rule 132(6), when petitions are read they are deemed to be Mrs. Leanne Rowat (Minnedosa): Mr. Speaker, I received by the House. wish to present the following petition to the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba. Dividing of Trans-Canada Highway Mrs. Mavis Taillieu (Morris): I wish to present the These are the reasons for this petition: following petition to the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba's provincial government has a Manitoba. responsibility to protect children from exploitation. These are the reasons for this petition: Canada's laws recognize those less than 18 years The seven-kilometre stretch of the Trans-Canada of age as deserving of certain legal protection. Under Highway passing through Headingley is an law, children cannot drive until they are 16, and 2064 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA November 8, 2007 cannot smoke cigarettes or drink alcohol until they Manitoba's provincial government has a are 18. Yet, the current age of consent under responsibility to provide quality long-term care for Canada's Criminal Code is 14 years of age. qualifying Manitobans. Families, communities and law enforcement Personal care homes in the town of Virden authorities recognize that young Canadians between currently have a significant number of empty beds the ages of 14 and 16 years of age are especially that cannot be filled because of a critical nursing vulnerable due to legal loopholes. They are frustrated shortage in these facilities. with the lack of tools available to them from In 2006, a municipally formed retention exploitation by adult predators at least three years committee was promised that the Virden nursing older whose intent is to sexually exploit these shortage would be resolved by the fall of 2006. children. Virtually all personal care homes in Predators are increasingly using nefarious means southwestern Manitoba are full, yet as of early such as drugs, alcohol, gifts and false promises to October 2007, the nursing shortage in Virden is so lure at-risk victims. In addition to sexual abuse, these severe that more than one-quarter of the beds at the victims are sometimes coerced and misled into Westman Nursing Home are sitting empty. criminal activity, drug use and gang recruitment. Seniors, many of whom are war veterans, are The consequences of any type of exploitation are therefore being transported to other communities for devastating. While any child may become a victim of care. These communities are often a long distance exploitation, at-risk children are particularly from Virden and family members are forced to travel vulnerable and targeted. Many of these children are for more than two hours round trip to visit their in the care or have previously had contact with Child loved ones, creating significant financial and and Family Services. emotional hardships for these families. While the age of protection is within federal Those seniors that have been moved out of jurisdiction, there are actions that could be taken by Virden have not received assurance that they will be the provincial government to protect young people in moved back to Virden when these beds become the care of the Department of Family Services and available. Housing. Section 52 of The Child and Family We petition the Legislative Assembly of Services Act could be strengthened to better Manitoba as follows: safeguard minors in care. To request the Minister of Health (Ms. Oswald) We petition the Legislative Assembly of to consider taking serious action to fill the nursing Manitoba as follows: vacancies at personal care homes in the town of Virden and to consider reopening the beds that have To request the Premier (Mr. Doer) to consider been closed as the result of this nursing shortage. amending and strengthening section 52 of The Child and Family Services Act to allow for the greater To urge the Minister of Health to consider protection of children in care from exploitation. prioritizing the needs of those citizens that have been moved out of their community by committing to To request the Premier to consider urging the move those individuals back into Virden as soon as federal government to raise the age of protection to a the beds become available. minimum of 16 years of age. Mr. Speaker, this petition is signed by Jeff This petition signed by Charlene Straight, E. Milne, Terri Cosens, Tammy Hubka and many, Rachuk, D. Riley, and many, many others. many others. Personal Care Homes–Virden Crocus Investment Fund - Public Inquiry Mr. Larry Maguire (Arthur-Virden): Mr. Mr. Kevin Lamoureux (Inkster): Mr. Speaker, I Speaker, I wish to present the following petition to wish to present the following petition to the the Legislative Assembly. Legislative Assembly of Manitoba.