Thirty-Ninth Legislature, October 7, 2008
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Second 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. LX No. 81B – 1:30 p.m., Tuesday, October 7, 2008 ISSN 0542-5492 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. 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, Hon. Minto N.D.P. TAILLIEU, Mavis Morris P.C. WOWCHUK, Rosann, Hon. Swan River N.D.P. Vacant Elmwood 3811 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA Tuesday, October 7, 2008 The House met at 1:30 p.m. Heavy vehicles from potato and livestock operations, agricultural-related businesses, Hutterite ROUTINE PROCEEDINGS colonies and the Maple Leaf plant in Brandon use PETITIONS this road. Long-Term Care Facility–Morden Vehicles from Canadian Forces Base Shilo also travel this busy road. Mr. Peter Dyck (Pembina): Mr. Speaker, I wish to present the following petition to the Legislative Commuter traffic from Wawanesa, Stockton, Assembly. Nesbitt and surrounding farms to Shilo and Brandon is common on this road. The background for this petition is as follows: Provincial Highway 340 is an alternate route for Tabor Home Incorporated is a time-expired many motorists travelling to Brandon coming off personal care home in Morden with safety, Provincial Highway 2 east and to Winnipeg via the environmental and space deficiencies. Trans-Canada Highway No. 1. An upgrade to this The seniors of Manitoba are valuable members road would ease the traffic congestion on Provincial of the community with increasing health-care needs Highway 10. requiring long-term care. Access to the Criddle-Vane Homestead The community of Morden and the surrounding Provincial Park would be greatly enhanced if this area are experiencing substantial population growth. road were improved. We petition the Legislative Assembly of The hard surfacing of the unpaved portion of Manitoba as follows: Highway 340 south of Canadian Forces Base Shilo towards Wawanesa would address the last few To request the Minister of Health (Ms. Oswald) neglected kilometres of this road and increase the to strongly consider giving priority for funding to safety of motorists who travel on it. develop and staff a new 100-bed long-term-care facility so that clients are not exposed to unsafe We petition the Legislative Assembly of conditions and so that Boundary Trails Health Centre Manitoba as follows: beds remain available for acute-care patients instead To request the Minister of Infrastructure and of waiting placement clients. Transportation (Mr. Lemieux) to consider hard This is signed by Stan Hildebrand, Wes surfacing of the unpaved portion of PR 340 south of Schroeder, Jan Hand and many, many others. Canadian Forces Base Shilo towards Wawanesa. Mr. Speaker: In accordance with our rule 132(6), This petition is signed by Dennis Thompson, when petitions are read they are deemed to be Kurt Heinrichs, Colleen Scott and many, many received by the House. others. Hard Surfacing Unpaved Portion– Mr. Cliff Cullen (Turtle Mountain): I wish to Provincial Road 340 present the following petition to the Legislative Assembly. Mrs. Leanne Rowat (Minnedosa): I wish to present the following petition to the Legislative Assembly of These are the reasons for this petition. Manitoba. All Manitobans deserve access to well- These are the reasons for this petition. maintained rural highways as this is critical to both motorist safety and to commerce. All Manitobans deserve access to well- maintained rural highways as this is critical to both Provincial Road 340 is a well-utilized road. motorist safety and to commerce. Heavy vehicles from potato and livestock Provincial Highway 340 is a well-utilized road. operations, agricultural-related businesses, Hutterite 3812 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA October 7, 2008 colonies and the Maple Leaf plant in Brandon use generated by this tax are being placed in general this road. revenue. Vehicles from Canadian Forces Base Shilo also We petition the Legislative Assembly of travel this busy road. Manitoba as follows: Commuter traffic from Wawanesa, Stockton, To request that the Minister of Education, Nesbitt and surrounding farms to Shilo and Brandon Citizenship and Youth (Mr. Bjornson) consider is common on this road. removing education funding by school tax or PR 340 is an alternate route for many motorists education levies from all property in Manitoba. travelling to Brandon coming off PTH 2 east and to To request that the Minister of Education, Winnipeg via the Trans-Canada Highway No. 1. An Citizenship and Youth consider finding a more upgrade to this road would ease the traffic equitable method of funding education such as congestion on PTH 10. general revenue following the constitutional funding Access to the Criddle-Vane Homestead of education by the Province of Manitoba. Provincial Park would be greatly enhanced if this road were improved. This petition, Mr. Speaker, is signed by Roland Dandeneau, Ray Ostertag, Wayne Robson and many, The hard surfacing of the unpaved portion of PR many other fine Manitobans. 340 south of Canadian Forces Base Shilo towards Wawanesa would address the last few neglected Air Canada kilometres of this road and increase the safety of Mr. Kevin Lamoureux (Inkster): Mr. Speaker, I motorists who travel on it. wish to present the following petition to the We petition the Legislative Assembly of Legislative Assembly of Manitoba. Manitoba as follows: The background to the petition is as follows: To request the Minister of Infrastructure and Transportation (Mr. Lemieux) to consider hard On September 29, 2008, the Member for Inkster surfacing of the unpaved portion of Provincial Road stated in question period: ". when Air Canada was 340 south of Canadian Forces Base Shilo towards privatized, there was a moral, if not a legal Wawanesa. obligation, for Air Canada to protect the bases here in Winnipeg." This petition is signed by Earl Vidler, Karen Kotak, Verna Hutlet and many, many other fine On September 29, 2008, the Premier (Mr. Doer) Manitobans. responded by saying that: ". the wording of the law and the spirit of the law is consistent with the Education Funding member's analysis that the presence would stay." Mr. Rick Borotsik (Brandon West): Mr. Speaker, I We petition the Legislative Assembly of wish to present the following petition to the Manitoba as follows: Legislative Assembly of Manitoba. The background to this petition is as follows: To request the Premier of Manitoba to consider taking whatever action possible to keep both the Air Historically, the Province of Manitoba has Canada flight attendant base and the Air Canada received funding for education by the assessment of pilot base here in Winnipeg. property that generates taxes. This unfair tax is only applied to selected property owners in certain areas Mr. Speaker, this is signed by C. Graham, P. and confines. Smith, M. Boudreau and many, many other fine Manitobans. Property-based school tax is becoming an ever- increasing burden without acknowledging the Neepawa, Minnedosa and Areas–Local Hospitals owner's income or owner's ability to pay. Mr. Stuart Briese (Ste. Rose): Mr. Speaker, I wish The provincial sales tax was instituted for the to present the following petition to the Legislative purpose of funding education. However, monies Assembly. October 7, 2008 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA 3813 These are the reasons for the petition: Subsequently, the Government of Manitoba has indicated it will pave the shoulders on the Trans- Residents of Neepawa, Minnedosa and the Canada Highway but has not provided a time frame surrounding areas are concerned about the long-term for doing so. viability of their respective local hospitals. Manitoba's Assistant Deputy Minister of Impending retirements, physician shortages and the Infrastructure and Transportation told a Winnipeg closure of many other rural emergency rooms have radio station on October 16, 2008, that when it caused residents to fear that their health-care comes to highway projects, the provincial facilities may also face closure in the future.