Fifth Session - Thirty-Sixth Legislature of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba DEBATES and PROCEEDINGS Official Report (Hansard) Published under the authorityof The Honourable Louise M. Dacquay Speaker Vol. XLIX No. 41 - 1:30 p.m., Wednesday, June 9, 1999 ISSN 0542·5492 MANITOBA LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY Thirty-Sixth Legislature Member Constituency Political Affiliation 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, Bon. Ste. Rose P.C. DACQUA Y, Louise, Bon. Seine River P.C. DERKACH, Leonard, Bon. Roblin-Russell P.C. DEWAR, Gregory Selkirk N.D.P. DOER, Gary Concordia N.D.P. DOWNEY, James Arthur-Virden P.C. DRIEDGER, Albert Steinbach PC. DRIEDGER, Myrna Charleswood P.C. DYCK, Peter Pembina P.C. ENNS, Harry, Bon. Lakeside P.C. EVANS, Clif Interlake N.D.P. EVANS, Leonard S. Brandon East N.D.P. FAURSCHOU, David Portage Ia Prairie P.C. FILMON, Gary, Bon. Tuxedo P.C. FINDLAY, Glen Springfield P.C. FRIESEN,Jean Wolseley N.D.P. GILLESHAMMER, Harold, Bon. 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, Bon. 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, Bon. River East P.C. NEWMAN, David, Bon. Riel P.C. PENNER, Jack Emerson P.C. PITURA, Frank, Bon. Morris P.C. PRAZNIK, Darren, Hon. Lac du Bonnet P.C. P.C. RADCLIFFE, Mike, Bon. River Heights N.D.P. REID, Daryl Transcona P.C. REIMER, Jack, Bon. Niakwa P.C. RENDER, Shirley, Hon. St. Vital N.D.P. ROBINSON, Eric Rupertsland ROCAN, Denis Gladstone PC. N.D.P. SALE, Tim Crescentwood N.D.P. SANTOS, Conrad Broadway P.C. STEFANSON, Eric, Hon. Kirkfield Park N.D.P. STRUTHERS, Stan Dauphin P.C. SVEINSON, Ben La Verendrye P.C. TOEWS, Vic, Hon. Rossmere PC. TWEED, Mervin, Hon. Turtle Mountain PC. VODREY, Rosemary, Bon. Fort Garry N.D.P. WOWCHUK, Rosann Swan River Vacant St. Boniface 2471 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA Wednesday, June 9, 1999 The House met at 1:30 p.m. ended December 31, 1996, 1997 and 1998. Your committee also met on Thursday, April 24, 1997, PRAYERS at 10 a.m. in Room 255 of the Legislative Assembly to consider the December 31, 1996, ROUTINE PROCEEDINGS Annual Report of the Workers Compensation Board, the December 31, 1996, Report of the PRESENTINGREPORTS BY Appeal Commission, and the 1996 and 1997 STANDING AND SPECIAL COMMITTEES Five-year Operating Plans. Committee of Supply At the April 24, 1997, meeting, your committee elected Mr. Tweed as its chairperson and Mr. Mr. Marcel Laurendeau (Chairperson): McAlpine as its vice-chairperson. Madam Speaker, the Committee of Supply has adopted certain resolutions, directs me to report At the April 24, 1997, meeting, Mr. Wally Fox­ the same, and asks leave to sit again. Decent, chairperson of the board and chief executive officer, Mr. Alfred Black, executive I move, seconded by the honourable director, claims services, Mr. Terry Edgeworth, member for Sturgeon Creek (Mr. McAlpine), executive director, employer services and human that the report of the committee be received. resources, Mr. Glenn Hildebrand, director, communications, and Mr. Sid Rogers, senior Motion agreed to. director, claims services, vocational rehabili­ tation, provided such information as was Standing Committee on Public Utilities requested with respect to the annual reports and and Natural Resources business of the Workers Compensation Board. First Report At the May 25, 1999, meeting, Mr. Wally Fox­ Mr. Gerry McAlpine (Acting Chairperson of Decent, chairperson of the board, Ms. Pat the Standing Committee on Public Utilities Jacobsen, president and chief executive officer, and Natural Resources): Madam Speaker, I Ms. Deborah Vivian, chief appeal commissioner, beg to present the First Report of the Standing and Mr. Rob Campbell, vice-president of Committee on Public Utilities and Natural financial services and administration and Resources. director of sector services, provided such information as was requested with respect to the Some Honourable Members: Dispense. annual reports and business of the Workers Compensation Board. Madam Speaker: Dispense. At the June 8, 1999, meeting, Mr. Wally Fox­ Your Standing Committee on Public Utilities and Decent, chairperson of the board, Ms. Pat Natural Resources presents the following as its Jacobsen, president and chief executive officer, First Report. Ms. Deborah Vivian, chief appeal commissioner, Your committee met on Tuesday, May 25, 1999, Mr. Don Paul, vice-president of rehabilitation and on Tuesday, June 8, 1999, at 10 a.m. in and compensation services, Mr. Alan Scramstad, Room 255 of the Legislative Building to consider director of legal services and corporate the Annual Reports of the Workers Compen­ secretary, and Mr. Alfred Black, vice-president sation Board for the years ended December 31, of financial services and administration, 1996, 1997 and 1998, the Five-year Operating provided such information as was requested with Plans for 1996, 1997, 1998 and 1999, and the respect to the annual reports and business of the Reports of the Appeal Commission for the years Workers Compensation Board. 2472 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA June 9, 1999 Your committee has considered the Annual Hon. Vic Toews (Minister of Justice and Reports of the Workers Compensation Board for Attorney General): Madam Speaker, indeed, the years ended December 31, 1996 and 1997, the issue of gangs and gangs in our streets is a the Five-year Operating Plans for 1996 and very important one and one that this government 1997, and the Reports of the Appeal Commission takes very seriously. The recent indications from for the years ended December 31, 1996 and the Winnipeg Police Service indicate that there 1997, and has adopted the same as presented. are as a result of their very extensive ability now to determine exact amounts of gang members in Mr. McAlpine: I move, seconded by the 1999, 1,53 1 members. However, what they honourable member for Gimli (Mr. Helwer), that indicate is that 601 of these are confirmed the report of the committee be received. members and that others are associated with a gang in much lesser numbers. Motion agreed to. The other point that needs to be made is that TABLING OF REPORTS presently today in our provincial jails-this is exclusive of federal jails-3 85 of the most hard Hon. Eric Stefanson (Minister of Health): core of these gang members are there. So we are Madam Speaker, I am pleased to table the making a real difference in terms of ensuring Supplementary Information fo r Legislative that gang members are responsible for their Review fo r Manitoba Community Support actions. Programs for 1999-2000, along with the same information fo r Manitoba Sport. Mr. Doer: Madam Speaker, the minister has just confirmed that there are 1,53 1 known gang Hon. Mike Radcliffe (Minister charged with members to the City of Winnipeg Police after the administration of The Civil Service Act): the election promise of the Premier in 1995 Madam Speaker, I am pleased to table the where he talked and promised to do something Actuarial Report on the Civil Service Super­ about it when the number was only 400. annuation Fund. I would like to ask the Premier: why have *(1335) his policies fa iled to curtail the growth in gangs, and why do we have more gang members today ORAL QUESTION PERIOD known to the City of Winnipeg Police under his watch? Gangs Hon. Gary Filmon (Premier): Madam Speaker, Reduction Strategy of course, the member opposite is being, I think, less than fa ir to the police fo rces of the city and Mr. Gary Doer (Leader of the Opposition): the RCMP. These fo rces have put together the Madam Speaker, in 1993 there were 300 intelligence that allows them to track the members known to the Winnipeg police of gangs activities and identify all ofthese people. It may in Winnipeg, and in '94, regrettably, that number well be that there were many more who were not had climbed to 400, according to the Winnipeg identified back in 1993 or '94. Not only are they city police in their statistics. In 1995 we made identified, but as the Attorney General has just promises, the government made promises and indicated, some 385 of them are in our the Premier quoted in his promise: Manitoba's provincial institutions as a result of the efforts of neighbourhoods must be protected from those the police forces. In many cases, the police will who threaten our neighbourhoods. Of course it tell you that these are the leaders who they have was a sentiment that all of us would agree with. been able to convict and incarcerate. I would like to ask the Premier (Mr. We have put together many, many resources Filmon), from his promise in 1995, has the that have resulted in this kind of impact, number of people known to be in gangs gone including dedicated gang prosecutors, including down, or has it increased under his watch? the fact that Crown attorneys oppose bail fo r June 9, 1999 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA 2473 violent and gang-related accused, the trans­ throughout the city and the province of ference of youth involved in violent gang Manitoba. Dedicated gang prosecutors; Crown activity to adult court wherever possible, and attorneys opposing bail for violent and gang­ this province with 4 percent of the population related accused; transfer of youth involved in has over 40 percent of the cases that are raised to violent crime activity to adult court; the street adult court in the whole country.