Legislative Assembly of Manitoba DEBATES and PROCEEDINGS
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First Session - Thirty-Seventh Legislature of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba DEBATES and PROCEEDINGS Official Report (Hansard) Published under the authority of The Honourable George Hickes Speaker .... · .. ·· Vol. L No.5- 1:30 p.m., Thesday, November 30, 1999 MANITOBA LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY Thirty-Seventh Legislature Member Constituency Political Affiliation AGLUGUB, Cris The Maples N.D.P. ALLAN, Nancy St. Vital N.D.P. ASHTON, Steve, Hon. Thompson N.D.P. ASPER, Linda Riel N.D.P. BARREIT, Becky, Hon. Inkster N.D.P. CALDWELL, Drew, Hon. Brandon East N.D.P. CERILLI, Marianne Radisson N.D.P. CHOMIAK, Dave, Hon. Kildonan N.D.P. CUMMINGS, Glen Ste. Rose P.C. DACQUAY, Louise Seine River 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. ENNS, Harry Lakeside P.C. FAURSCHOU, David Portage Ia Prairie P.C. FILMON, Gary Tuxedo P.C. FRIESEN, Jean, Hon. Wolseley N.D.P. GERRARD, Jon, Hon. River Heights Lib. GILLESHAMMER, Harold Minnedosa P.C. HEL WER, Edward Gimli P.C. IUCKES, George Point Douglas N.D.P. JENNISSEN, Gerard Flin Flon N.D.P. KORZENIOWSKI, Bonnie St. James N.D.P. LA THLIN, Oscar, Hon. The Pas N.D.P. LAURENDEAU, Marcel St. Norbert P.C. LEMIEUX, Ron, Hon. La Verendrye N.D.P. LOEWEN, John Fort Whyte P.C. MACKINTOSH, Gord, Hon. St. Johns N.D.P. MAGUIRE, Larry Arthur-Virden P.C. MALOWA Y, Jim Elmwood N.D.P. MARTINDALE, Doug Burrows N.D.P. McGIFFORD, Diane, Hon. Lord Roberts N.D.P. MIHYCHUK, MaryAnn, Hon. Minto N.D.P. MITCHELSON, Bonnie River East P.C. NEVAKSHONOFF, Tom Interlake N.D.P. PENNER, Jack Emerson P.C. PENNER, Jim Steinbach P.C. PITURA, Frank Morris P.C. PRAZNIK, Darren Lac du Bonnet P.C. REID, Daryl Transcona N.D.P. REIMER, Jack Southdale P.C. ROBINSON, Eric, Hon. Rupertsland N.D.P. ROCAN, Denis Carman P.C. RONDEAU, Jim Assiniboia N.D.P. SALE, Tim, Hon. Fort Rouge N.D.P. SANTOS, Conrad Wellington N.D.P. SCHELLENBERG, Harry Rossmere N.D.P. SCI IULER, Ron Springfield P.C. SELINGER, Greg, Bon. St. Boniface N.D.P. SMITH, Joy Fort Garry P.C. SMITH, Scott Brandon West N.D.P. STEFANSON, Eric Kirkfield Park P.C. STRUTHERS, Stan Dauphin-Roblin N.D.P. TWEED, Mervin Turtle Mountain P.C. WOWCHUK, Rosann, Hon. Swan River N.D.P. 83 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA Tuesday, November 30, 1999 The House met at 1:30 p.m. Report of the Agricultural Credit Corporation Certification Agency. PRAYERS Hon. Greg Selinger (Minister of Finance): Mr. Speaker, I would like to table the Public ROUTINE PROCEEDINGS Accounts, Volumes I and 2 for 1998-99, which have previously been distributed. As well, I am TABLING OF REPORTS tabling Public Accounts Volume 3 also for 1998- 99. Hon. Diane McGifford (Minister of Culture, Heritage and Tourism): Mr. Speaker, I am Introduction of Guests pleased to table the following reports, copies of which have already been distributed: The Mr. Speaker: Prior to Oral Questions, may I Freedom of Information and Protection of direct the attention of honourable members to Privacy Act Annual Report 1999; Culture, the public gallery where we have with us today Heritage and Citizenship Annual Report 1998- twenty-five Grade 9 students from Sisler High 1999; Manitoba Centennial Centre Corporation under the direction of Mrs. Jo-Ann Kellow. This Annual Report 1998-1999; Manitoba Film and school is located in the constituency of the Sound Recording Development Corporation honourable member for Burrows (Mr. Annual Report 1998-1999; Manitoba Arts Martindale). Council Annual Report; the Centre culture! franco-manitobain Annual Report; Manitoba Also seated in the public gallery are thirty Liquor Control Commission Annual Report; Grades 2 and 3 students from Prairie Rose Manitoba Lotteries Corporation Annual Report; Elementary School under the direction of Mrs. Manitoba Lotteries Corporation First Quarter Carol Klem. This school is located in the Report for the period April to June 1999. constituency of the honourable Minister of Labour (Ms. Barrett). I am also pleased to table the following reports: the Status of Women Annual Report Also seated in the public gallery are forty 1998-1999; Manitoba Lotteries Corporation eight Grade 5 students from Linwood Elemen Second Quarter Report for the period April to tary School under the direction of Mr. Ed Hume. September 1999. This school is located in the constituency of the honourable member for St. James (Ms. Hon. Rosano Wowchuk (Minister of Korzeniowski). Agriculture and Food): Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to table the report of 1998-99 Annual On behalf of all honourable members, I Report of the Manitoba Agricultural Credit welcome you here this afternoon. Corporation; 1998-99 Annual Report of the Manitoba Farm Mediation Board; and the 1998- *(1335) 99 Annual Report of the Department of Agriculture, all copies of which have been ORAL QUESTION PERIOD previously distributed. New Democratic Party As well, I am pleased to table the 1998-99 Fundraising Dinner Annual Report of Manitoba Crop Insurance; the 1998 Annual Report of the Faculty of Mr. Gary Filmon (Leader of the Official Agricultural and Food Sciences, the University Opposition): My question is for the First of Manitoba; and I am also pleased to table the Minister. 84 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA November 30, 1999 On September 10 this year, Today's NDP members opposite. In that particular holier-than issued a news release committing to reforming thou news release of September 10 that Today's The Elections Finances Act to ban all donations NDP released, the Leader of the New from all corporate, union and other organiza Democratic Party, of course, in trying to ensure tional sources, limiting contributions to those that he made his point as to why he was solely given by individuals. In the throne speech, advocating these changes said in reference to Mr. Speaker, the government said: "The people's opinions about politicians: cynicism is Manitoba government has committed . to high in this province. eliminate corporate and union contributions to political parties." I have here a letter from the Well, my question is: does the Premier Manitoba NDP which announces a business and believe that he is going to lower the cynicism professional dinner tomorrow evening in which about politicians by, after committing to passing members of the corporate and business laws to ban corporate donations, holding a $200- community are invited for a $200-a-plate dinner a-plate dinner specifically aimed at fleecing the to raise funds for the New Democratic Party of corporate and business community? Manitoba. Mr. Doer: This coming from an individual who So my question is: given the government's accepted donations from Crown corporations stated commitment to eliminating corporate and here in Manitoba, Mr. Speaker, a party that business contributions to political parties in received $700,000 from corporations in the last Manitoba, how can Today's NDP government filing. We have not got the latest filing. justify holding a $200-a-plate fundraising dinner tomorrow night directed specifically at the We are proud of the fact that we get 80 business and corporate community? percent of our money from people, the highest amount. We are proud of the fact that we get the Hon. Gary Doer (Premier): Mr. Speaker, other 20 percent from business and unions, and when we made the announcement in September we are proud of the fact that we live within the we basically stated that we would be changing existing election laws. It was actually quite the laws and when we change the laws we would interesting because when we made the be banning union and corporate donations here announcement and we said we would change the in Manitoba. We also said that we would change laws in the future in government, which we will it at the same time for all political parties at the do, the former Deputy Premier and the co-chair same time, that we would not-[interjection] of the Conservative election party said, and I Well, if members opposite- quote: Oh, people will just find a way to get around those laws. Well, we are happy to say Some Honourable Members: Oh, oh. that that is the Tory way of running election campaigns. That is not the NDP way. Mr. Speaker: Order, please. We have always said that we would live Mr. Doer: We need no lectures from members under the existing- opposite about following the election laws of Manitoba. We follow the laws of Manitoba, we Some Honourable Members: Oh, oh. respect the laws of Manitoba, and we will change the laws in Manitoba. When we change Mr. Speaker: Order, please. the laws in Manitoba for all political parties, we will be glad to see the Conservatives voting with Some Honourable Members: Oh, oh. us to ban union and corporate donations at the same time. Mr. Doer: Yes, if the research person that was sent to follow me at every announcement had Mr. Filmon: Mr. Speaker, on Friday, of course, taken accurate-and I believe I was taped-notes, I the member opposite spoke about hypocrisy. He said we would live under the existing laws until is now defining it for us by his comments, and we changed the laws. We will be proud to that is the problem, the hypocrisy of the change those laws, and we will look forward to November 30, 1999 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA 85 quick passage by members opposite to ban union law, we will live under the law, not like corporate donations in Manitoba.