Legislative Assembly of Manitoba DEBATES and PROCEEDINGS
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Second Session - Thirty-Sixth Legislature of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba DEBATES and PROCEEDINGS (Hansard) Published under the authority of The Honourable Louise M. Dacquay Speaker Vol. XLVI No. 27- 1:30 p.m., Wednesday, May 1, 1996 MANITOBA LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY Thirty-Sixth Legislature Members, Constituencies and Political Affiliation Name Constituency &.1:4' 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. DACQUA Y, Louise, Hon. Seine River P.C. DERKACH, Leonard, Hon. Rob lin-Russell P.C. DEWAR, Gregory Selkirk N.D.P. DOER, Gary Concordia N.D.P. DOWNEY, James, Hon. Arthur-Virden P.C. DRIEDGER, Albert, Hon. Steinbach P.C. DYCK, Peter Pembina P.C. ENNS, Harry, Hon. Lakeside P.C. ERNST, Jim, Hon. Charles wood P.C. EVANS, Clif Interlake N.D.P. EVANS, Leonard S. Brandon East N.D.P. 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 Riel P.C. PALLISTER, Brian, Hon. Portage Ia Prairie P.C. PENNER, Jack Emerson P.C. PITURA, Frank Morris P.C. PRAZNIK, Darren, Hon. Lac du Bonnet P.C. RADCLIFFE, Mike River Heights P.C. REID, Daryl Transcona 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. 1553 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA Wednesday, May 1,1996 The House met at 1:30 p.m. READING AND RECEIVING PETITIONS PRAYERS Seasonal Camping Fees ROUTINE PROCEEDINGS Madam Speaker: I have reviewed the petition of the honourable member for Thompson (Mr. Ashton). It PRESENTING PETITIONS complies with the rules and practices of the House. Is it the will of the House to have the petition read? Home Care Services An Honourable Member: Dispense. Ms. Jean Friesen (Wolseley): Madam Speaker, I beg to present the petition of Debra McNicholl, Diane Madam Speaker: Dispense. Rodrigue, Diane Waterchuk and others requesting the Premier (Mr. Filmon) and the Minister of Health (Mr. WHEREAS seasonal camping has provided an McCrae) to consider reversing their plan to privatize affordable form of recreation for many Manitobans; home care services. and Ms. Marianne Cerilli (Radisson): Madam Speaker, I WHEREAS the provincial government has announced beg to present the petition of E.N.D. Smalling, C. increases in seasonal camping fees of up to 100 Panergo, J. Lillies and others requesting the Premier and percent; and theMinister of Health to consider reversing their plan to privatize home care services. THAT on at least six occasions during the 1995 provincial election, the Premier promised not to cut Mr. Gregory Dewar (Selkirk): Madam Speaker, I beg health services; and to present the petition of J. Nicolson, W. Teichroeb, Helen Sawatsky and others requesting the Premier and WHEREASthis huge increase is far more than any cost the Minister of Health to consider reversing their plan to of-living increase; and privatize home care services. WHEREASthis increase will lead to many people being Mr. Conrad Santos (Broadway): Madam Speaker, I unable to afford seasonal camping. beg to present the petition of Elizabeth Smedts, Ian B. Fraser, Jason Paas and others requesting the Premier and WHEREFORE your petitioners humbly pray that the the Minister of Health to consider reversing their plan to Legislative Assembly urge the provincial government privatize home care services. not to increase seasonal camping fees by such a large amount. Mr. Jim Maloway (Elmwood): Madam Speaker, I beg to present the petition of Patricia Cameron, A.J. Murphy, Home Care Services K. Alix and others requesting the Premier and the Minister of Health to consider reversing their plan to Madam Speaker: I have reviewed the petition of the privatize home care services. honourable member for Radisson (Ms. Cerilli). It complies with the rules and practices of the House. Is it Mr. Kevin Lamoureux (Inkster): Madam Speaker, I the will of the House to have the petition read? beg to present the petition of Angel Busch, Bernice Ezirim, B. McGregor and others requesting the Premier An Honourable Member: Dispense. and the Minister of Health consider reversing their plan to privatize home care services. Madam Speaker: Dispense. 1554 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA May 1, 1996 THAT on December 16, 1995, a plan to privatize home THAT previous cuts to the Home Care program have care services was presented to Treasury Board; and resulted in services being cut and people's health being compromised; and THAT this plan calls for the complete divestiture of all THAT thousands of caring front-line service providers service delivery to nongovernment organizations, will lose their JObs as a result of this change; and mainly private for-profit companies as well as the implementation of a user-pay system of home care; and THAT profit has no place in the provision of vital health services. THAT previous cuts to the Home Care program have WHEREFORE your petitioners humbly pray that the resulted in servicesbeing cut and people 's health being Legislative Assembly of Manitoba may be pleased to compromised; and request the Premier (Mr Filmon) and the Minister of Health (Mr. McCrae) to consider reversing their plan to THAT thousands of caring front-line service providers privatize home care services. will lose their jobs as a result of this change; and Madam Speaker: I have reviewed the petition of the THAT profit has no place in the provision of vital honourable member for Burrows (Mr. Martindale). It health services. complies with the rules and practices of the House. Is it the will of the House to have the petition read? WHEREFORE your petitioners humbly pray that the Some Honourable Members: Dispense. Legislative Assembly of Manitoba may be pleased to request the Premier (Mr. Filmon) and the Minister of Madam Speaker: Dispense. Health (Mr. McCrae) to consider reversing their plan THAT on at least s1x occasions during the 1995 to privatize home care services. provincial election, the Premier promised not to cut health services; and Madam Speaker: I have reviewed the petition of the honourable member for The Pas (Mr. Lathlin). It THAT on December 16, 1995, a plan to privatize home complies with the rules and practices of the House. Is it care services was presented to TreasuryBoard; and the will of the House to have the petition read? THAT this plan calls for the complete divestiture of all An Honourable Member: Yes. service delivery to nongovernment organizations, mainly private j(H-profit companies as well as the Madam Speaker: Yes. The Clerk will read. implementation of a user-pay system of home care; and THAT previous cuts to the Home Care program have Mr. Clerk (William Remnant): The petition of the resulted in services being cut and people 's health being undersigned citizensof the province of Manitoba humbly compromised, and sheweth: THAT thousands of caring front-line service providers THAT on at least six occasions during the 1995 will lose their jobs as a result of this change; and provincial election, the Premier promised not to cut health services; and THAT profit has no place in the provision of vital health services. THAT on December 16, 1995, a plan to privatize WHEREFORE your petitioners humbly pray that the home care services was presented to Treasury Board; and Legislative Assembly of Manitoba may be pleased to request the Premier (Mr. Filmon) and the Minister of THAT this plancalls for the complete divestiture of all Health (Mr. McCrae) to consider reversing their plan service delivery to nongovernmentorganizations, mainly to privatize home care services private for-profit companies as well as the implementation of a user-pay system of home care; and * (1335) May 1, 1996 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA 1555 Madam Speaker: I have reviewed the petition of the I move, seconded by the honourable member for honourable member for Broadway (Mr. Santos). It Emerson (Mr. Penner), that the report of the committee complies with the rules and practices of the House. Is it be received. the will of the House to have the petition read? Motion agreed to. An Honourable Member: Yes. MINISTERIAL STATEMENTS Madam Speaker: Yes? The Clerk will read. Provincial Flooding Update Mr. Clerk: The petition of the undersigned citizens of the province of Manitoba humbly sheweth· Hon. Brian Pallister (Minister of Government Services): Madam Speaker, I have a statement for the THAT on at least six occasions during the 1995 House. provincial election, the Premier promised not to cut health services; and I rise in the House today to update all members on the serious flooding situation in our province.