DEBATES and PROCEEDINGS
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Third Session – Forty-Second Legislature of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba DEBATES and PROCEEDINGS Official Report (Hansard) Published under the authority of The Honourable Myrna Driedger Speaker Vol. LXXV No. 16A - 10 a.m., Tuesday, November 17, 2020 ISSN 0542-5492 MANITOBA LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY Forty-Second Legislature Member Constituency Political Affiliation ADAMS, Danielle Thompson NDP ALTOMARE, Nello Transcona NDP ASAGWARA, Uzoma Union Station NDP BRAR, Diljeet Burrows NDP BUSHIE, Ian Keewatinook NDP CLARKE, Eileen, Hon. Agassiz PC COX, Cathy, Hon. Kildonan-River East PC CULLEN, Cliff, Hon. Spruce Woods PC DRIEDGER, Myrna, Hon. Roblin PC EICHLER, Ralph, Hon. Lakeside PC EWASKO, Wayne Lac du Bonnet PC FIELDING, Scott, Hon. Kirkfield Park PC FONTAINE, Nahanni St. Johns NDP FRIESEN, Cameron, Hon. Morden-Winkler PC GERRARD, Jon, Hon. River Heights Lib. GOERTZEN, Kelvin, Hon. Steinbach PC GORDON, Audrey Southdale PC GUENTER, Josh Borderland PC GUILLEMARD, Sarah, Hon. Fort Richmond PC HELWER, Reg, Hon. Brandon West PC ISLEIFSON, Len Brandon East PC JOHNSON, Derek Interlake-Gimli PC JOHNSTON, Scott Assiniboia PC KINEW, Wab Fort Rouge NDP LAGASSÉ, Bob Dawson Trail PC LAGIMODIERE, Alan Selkirk PC LAMONT, Dougald St. Boniface Lib. LAMOUREUX, Cindy Tyndall Park Lib. LATHLIN, Amanda The Pas-Kameesak NDP LINDSEY, Tom Flin Flon NDP MALOWAY, Jim Elmwood NDP MARCELINO, Malaya Notre Dame NDP MARTIN, Shannon McPhillips PC MICHALESKI, Brad Dauphin PC MICKLEFIELD, Andrew Rossmere PC MORLEY-LECOMTE, Janice Seine River PC MOSES, Jamie St. Vital NDP NAYLOR, Lisa Wolseley NDP NESBITT, Greg Riding Mountain PC PALLISTER, Brian, Hon. Fort Whyte PC PEDERSEN, Blaine, Hon. Midland PC PIWNIUK, Doyle Turtle Mountain PC REYES, Jon Waverley PC SALA, Adrien St. James NDP SANDHU, Mintu The Maples NDP SCHULER, Ron, Hon. Springfield-Ritchot PC SMITH, Andrew Lagimodière PC SMITH, Bernadette Point Douglas NDP SMOOK, Dennis La Vérendrye PC SQUIRES, Rochelle, Hon. Riel PC STEFANSON, Heather, Hon. Tuxedo PC TEITSMA, James Radisson PC WASYLIW, Mark Fort Garry NDP WHARTON, Jeff, Hon. Red River North PC WIEBE, Matt Concordia NDP WISHART, Ian Portage la Prairie PC WOWCHUK, Rick Swan River PC 743 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA Tuesday, November 17, 2020 The House met at 10 a.m. Mr. Reyes: Today, I virtually rise on the second reading of Bill 211, The Employment Standards Code Madam Speaker: O Eternal and Almighty God, from Amendment Act (Unpaid Leave for Reservists); Loi Whom all power and wisdom come, we are assembled modifiant le Code des normes d'emploi (congé non here before Thee to frame such laws as may tend to payé à l'intention des réservistes). the welfare and prosperity of our province. Grant, O merciful God, we pray Thee, that we may desire only But before I go on, I want to thank each and that which is in accordance with Thy will, that we may everyone in the House who paid their respects to seek it with wisdom and know it with certainty and honour the many great men and women in uniform accomplish it perfectly for the glory and honour of who serve this great country by remembering them, Thy name and for the welfare of all our people. Amen. especially last week on Remembrance Day. Please be seated. Madam Speaker, this bill will amend the current ORDERS OF THE DAY Manitoba legislation in order to align with the federal law and create coherent leave rules for reservist taking PRIVATE MEMBERS' BUSINESS part in military training. Madam Speaker: Do we have the honourable Government House Leader (Mr. Goertzen) online? But before I go on, I would like for all of my [interjection] Oh. Okay. colleagues in the House and listening virtually to know what a Canadian Forces reservist is. We will–I will now recognize the honourable Minister for Agriculture and Resource Development. Well, colleagues, there are two types of forces in Can the member unmute his mic? the Canadian Armed Forces: the Regular Force and Hon. Blaine Pedersen (Acting Government House the Reserve Force. Leader): There, I'll get used to this yet. Thank you. This is straight from the Canadian Armed Forces' Madam Speaker: Okay. website: Members of the Regular Force serve Mr. Pedersen: We are going to move to Bill 211, full-time protecting Canada and defending our the employment standards code amendment act. sovereignty. They contribute to international peace and security and work for–the United States to defend Madam Speaker: It has been announced that the North America. They are ready to respond at a House will consider second reading of Bill 211, moment's notice to threats, natural disasters or The Employment Standards Code Amendment Act humanitarian crises at home and around the world. (Unpaid Leave for Reservists). Where members of the Reserve Force serve part-time in the Canadian Armed Forces, their main role is to SECOND READINGS–PUBLIC BILLS support the Regular Force at home and abroad. Bill 211–The Employment Standards Code Amendment Act Reservists technically serve one or more evenings (Unpaid Leave for Reservists) a week and/or during weekends at locations close to home. Some reservist may volunteer to be deployed to Mr. Jon Reyes (Waverley): I move, seconded by the operations if there are positions available. And that's honourable member for Assiniboia (Mr. Johnston), where Bill 211 comes into play here, Madam Speaker. that Bill 211, The Employment Standards Code Amendment Act (Unpaid Leave for Reservists); Loi As a–part-time Canadian Armed Forces mem- modifiant le Code des normes d'emploi (congé non bers, there may be opportunities for reservists to be payé à l'intention des réservistes), be now read a deployed on active duty or to participate and upgrade second time and be referred to a committee of this the soldier, sailor or airman or airwoman skills and House. qualifications in military training to achieve and, Motion presented. eventually, earn a higher rank, a promotion. 744 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA November 17, 2020 From my personal experience, I was fortunate to lives less bureaucratic and reducing the red tape that have had a six-month call-out, a full-time contract to surrounds reservists taking leave, we hope that this work at Canadian Forces Base Lahr in Germany back can help show our appreciation. in 1993, when I was a reservist with the army. I actually started off my military career here in * (10:10) Winnipeg at Minto Armoury. Personally, I can say as a 20-year-old at the time, I was fortunate, Madam Speaker. I actually, at having the opportunity to serve my country overseas that time, did not work for a civilian employer, so the was a tremendous experience–memories that will last flexibility for me to go to Germany at CFB Lahr to lifetime for me. It was honour to wear the Maple Leaf assist in the base closure was very simple for me to with pride, and I know reservists who are given that commit to. opportunity–and to have it facilitated by Bill 211– would certainly appreciate that our province would Madame la présidente, c'était en Allemagne où be at the forefront by aligning our legislation with the mon français a amélioré parce que j'étais entouré par federal legislation, amending the provincial Employ- des soldats de la fameuse–le 22e Régiment royal du ment Standards Code by reducing the length a Canada, qui sont venus de la belle Province reservist must have been employed from the current du Québec. Et c'est là où j'ai rencontré beaucoup seven months to three months. Our PC caucus wants de réservistes qui deviendraient des membres de this for our reservists and their employers in order to forces régulières comme moi, une fois que nous make taking leave from their full-time jobs less retournerions au Canada. Il leur était donné une difficult. And I am sure all sides of the House would opportunité de servir en dehors du pays–avance agree to this. rapide. En tant que législateurs, nous devrions donner aux réservistes la possibilité de leur permettre And we have done our consultation with de s'entrainer et d'aller à l'étranger. Ceci facilite la stakeholder groups, which include the Canadian législation. Forces Liaison Council, which is an organization of more than 140 Canadian volunteers who work in Translation partnership with the National Defence team to en- Madam Speaker, Germany is where I improved my gage employers, educational institutions and other French, because there I was surrounded by soldiers organizations to emphasize how valuable our reserve from the famous Royal 22e Régiment of Canada–the service is to Canadian communities and defence of Van Doos–coming from the beautiful province of Canada. Québec. There, I met many reservists who, like me, would become members of the Regular Forces once We also consulted with the labour management back in Canada. They were given the opportunity to resource committee comprised of representatives of serve abroad–as rapid advance. As legislators, we business and labour, which provides a forum for should give reservists the opportunity to train and go discussion of labour and management issues. The abroad. This streamlines the legislation. committee's mandate is to promote a harmonious labour relations climate and to foster effective labour English management, co-operation and support of the econo- mic and social well-being of Manitobans. When However, in this case of Bill 211, for those that legislative changes are contemplated by government, have a civilian employer, this bill would reduce the the LMRC generally acts as a consultative body, and time that employee has to be employed at their job and we consulted with them, Madam Speaker. therefore make it easier for a reservist to participate in military training.