Sixth Session - Thirty-Fifth Legislature of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba DEBATES and PROCEEDINGS (Hansard) Published under the authority of The Honourable Denis C. Rocan Speaker - Vol. XLIV No.17A -1:30 p.m., Monday, March 13,1995 ISSN 0542-5492 MANITOBA LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY Thirty-Fifth Legislature Members, Constituencies and Political Affiliation Name Constituem;y ~ ASHTON, Steve Thompson NDP BARRETT, Becky Wellington NDP CERILLI, Marianne Radisson NDP CHOMIAK, Dave Kildonan NDP CUMMINGS, Glen, Hon. Ste. Rose P.C. DACQUA Y, Louise Seine River P.C. DERKACH, Leonard, Hon. Roblin-Rossell P.C. DEWAR, Gregory Selkirk NDP DOER, Gary Concordia NDP DOWNEY, James, Hon. Arthur-Virden P.C. DRIEDGER, Albert, Hon. Steinbach P.C. DUCHARME, Gerald, Hon. Riel P.C. EDWARDS, Paul St. James Lib. ENNS, Harry, Hon. Lakeside P.C. ERNST, Jim, Hon. Charleswood P.C. EVANS, Clif Interlake NDP EVANS, Leonard S. Brandon East NDP FILMON, Gary, Hon. Tuxedo P.C. FINDLAY, Glen, Hon. Springfield P.C. FRIESEN, Jean Wolseley NDP GAUDRY, Neil St. Boniface Lib. GILLESHAMMER, Harold, Hon. Minnedosa P.C. GRAY, Avis Crescentwood Lib. HELWER, Edward Gimli P.C. HICKES, George Point Douglas NDP KOWALSKI, Gary The Maples Lib. LAMOUREUX, Kevin Inkster Lib. LATHLIN, Oscar The Pas NDP LAURENDEAU, Marcel St. Norbert P.C. MACKINTOSH, Gord St. Johns NDP MALOWAY, Jim Elmwood NDP MANNESS, Clayton, Hon. Morris P.C. MARTINDALE, Doug Burrows NDP McALPINE, Gerry Sturgeon Creek P.C. - McCORMICK, Norma Osborne Lib. McCRAE, James, Hon. Brandon West P.C. MciNTOSH, Linda, Hon. Assiniboia P.C. MITCHELSON, Bonnie, Hon. River East P.C. ORCHARD, Donald, Hon. Pembina P.C. PALLISTER, Brian Portage Ia Prairie P.C. PENNER, Jack Emerson P.C. PLOHMAN, John Dauphin NDP PRAZNIK, Darren, Hon. Lac du Bonnet P.C. REID, Daryl Transcona NDP REIMER, Jack Niakwa P.C. RENDER, Shirley St. Vital P.C. ROBINSON, Eric Rupertsland NDP ROCAN, Denis, Hon. Gladstone P.C. ROSE, Bob Turtle Mountain P.C. SANTOS, Conrad Broadway NDP SCHELLENBERG, Harry Rossmere NDP STEFANSON, Eric, Hon. Kirkfield Park P.C. SVEINSON, Ben La Verendrye P.C. VODREY, Rosemary, Hon. Fort Garry P.C. WOWCHUK, Rosann Swan River NDP Vacant River Heights Vacant Flin Flon 799 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA Monday, March 13, 1995 The House met at 1:30 p.m. harming of some people by others, but it knows how to make allowances when things go wrong. PRAYERS It can forgive mistakes as well as giving ROUTINE PROCEEDINGS encouragement and guidance on how to avoid them. It knows also that enhancing the quality Messages of life of the individual brings benefit to the family, to the community, to the nation and to Commonwealth Day Message international relations. Mr. Speaker: I am advised that I have a That sort of tolerance is something which all message from Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth, her of us must learn if we are to restore peace in the Commonwealth Day Message, and I would have world, and here the young people of the to ask all members to please rise while we read Commonwealth have a special part to play. The her message. young have the vision and ability to make the world a better place and are not fettered by Commonwealth Day Message 1995, from experience. They can see where the older Her Majesty the Queen, Head of the generation have made their mistakes through Commonwealth. intolerance, and they can do better. The General Assembly has proclaimed 1995 Over the last year we have seen shining as the United Nations Year for Tolerance, a examples of this quality in action in the choice which is particularly appropriate for the emergence of new South Africa, which I shall be Golden Jubilee of the United Nations visiting next week, and in the recent signs of organization itself. The same theme has been change in Northern Ireland. We pray that these chosen for this year's Commonwealth Day. examples will inspire everyone to try harder to make tolerance a universal rule of life. We in the Commonwealth can teach the rest of the world something about tolerance because On this Commonwealth Day, as we make the it is at the heart of the unique association to traditional affirmations which are at the centre of which we belong. Although our countries are the Commonwealth Day observance, I send to all spread all over the world and face many different of you, with these examples in mind, a message problems, we know a great deal about each other of encouragement and hope for the future. and it is therefore easier for us to understand each other's point of view even when we Signed Elizabeth R., the 13th ofMarch, 1995. disagree. PRESENTING PETITIONS That understanding is essential to a tolerant society, which is not simply one which gives to Communities' Public Education the individual scope and freedom from restraint. Rather it is a society which actively develops the Mr. Steve Ashton (Thompson): Mr. Speaker, people who belong to it, brings out their gifts I beg to present the petition of Sonia-Rae and enriches their lives because it values their Cashman, James Dakers, Warren Kozuvarovski diversity. It does not condone persecution or the and others requesting the Minister of Education 800 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA March 13, I 995 and Training (Mr. Manness) to reconsider the faced with a massive $1.8-million deficit funding model to ensure that Thompson and equivalent to a 48 percent increase in local other communities in this province are able to school taxes; and maintain quality public education. WHEREAS unless the minister reviews this Physical Education in Schools funding the Thompson school district will be forced to consider both a $500,000 tax increase Mr. Kevin Lamoureux (Inkster): Mr. and severe program cuts totalling over $1.3 Speaker, I beg to present the petition of E. million. Sokoliwski, Irene Leperre, AI Compton and others urging the Minister responsible for WHEREFORE your petitioners humbly pray Education to consider reinstating physical that the Legislative Assembly request the education as a compulsory core subject area. Minister of Education and Training (Mr. Manness) to reconsider the funding model to READING AND RECEIVING PETITIONS ensure that Thompson and other communities in this province are able to maintain quality public Communities' Public Education education. Mr. Speaker: I have reviewed the petition of TABLING OF REPORTS the honourable member (Mr. Ashton). It complies with the privileges and the practices of Mr. Speaker: I am pleased to table the this House and complies with the rules. Is it the Provincial Auditor's Report on Public Accounts will of the House to have the petition read? Yes. for the year ended March 3 I, I 994, Volume 2. The Clerk will read. * (1335) Mr. Clerk (William Remnant): The petition of the undersigned citizens of the province of MINISTERIAL STATEMENTS Manitoba humbly sheweth that: Manitoba Curling Champions WHEREAS funding for public schools by the provincial government has been cut twice in the Bon. Jim Ernst (Minister responsible for - past three years; and Sport): Mr. Speaker, I have a statement for the House. WHEREAS provincial funding for the school district of Mystery Lake has dropped by nearly Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this $2 million over the same period, more than I 0 opportunity to recognize the Manitoba rinks who percent; and have reclaimed our curling supremacy as Canada's curling power. WHEREAS funding for private schools has increased by over I I 0 percent under the same Yesterday's outstanding performance by the provincial government; and Kerry Burtnyk rink at the men's championships in Halifax capped off an unbelievable year for WHEREAS Thompson was faced with a 48 Manitoba's athletes. percent increase in the education support levy tax as a result of reassessment in 1993, resulting I would like to congratulate the 1995 junior in $500,000 leaving our community; and men's champions from the Fort Rouge Curling Club: Chris Galbraith, Scott Cripps, Brent WHEREAS the Thompson school district is now Barrett, Bryan Galbraith and their coach, Arnold March 13, 1995 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA 801 Asham; the 1995 junior women's champions Canada, and we are very, very proud of that, as from the Deer Lodge Curling Club: Kelly well. MacKenzie, Joanne Fillion, Carlene Muth, Sasha Bergner and their coach, Bill MacKenzie; the I am sure there will be some nonpolitical 1995 women's curling champions from the Fort statements after Question Period, but I also want Rouge Curling Club: Connie Laliberte, Cathy to congratulate the University of Winnipeg Overton, Cathy Gauthier, Janet Arnot, Debbie women's basketball team that for three years in Jones-Walker, Karen Purdy and their coach, a row has won the Canadian women's university Tom Clasper; and finally, the 1995 Canadian championships. So we also want to congratulate men's curling champions: the Manitoba rink of that basketball team too. Thank you very much. Kerry Burtnyk, Jeff Ryan, Rob Meakin, Keith Fenton and Denis Fillion. Ms. Avis Gray (Crescentwood): Mr. Speaker, I, too, rise on behalf of my colleagues in the I join all Manitobans and I hope all members Liberal Party to give congratulations to our fine of this House in thanking these athletes for their curlers here in Manitoba. achievements in bringing these much coveted championships to the home of champions, I think it is very gratifying that as we have Manitoba. I join all Canadians in wishing you ministerial statements and oftentimes this is a the best of luck and good curling at the world House of adversary and complaints and whining championships, two of which will be held in that in fact we can all agree that Manitoba is the Brandon, Manitoba later this year.