Fourth Session - Thirty-Sixth Legislature of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba DEBATES and PROCEEDINGS Official Report (Hansard) Published under the authority of The Honourable Louise M. Dacquay Speaker Vol. XLVIII No. 30 • 1:30 p.m., Tuesday, April14, 1998 MANITOBA LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY Thirty-Sixth Legislature Member Constituency Political Affiliation ASHTON, Steve Thompson N.D.P. BARRETI, 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. Roblin-Russell P.C. DEWAR, Gregory Selkirk N.D.P. DOER, Gary Concordia N.D.P. DOWNEY, James, Hon. Arthur-Virden P.C. DRIEDGER, Albert Steinbach P.C. DYCK, Peter Pembina P.C. ENNS, Harry, Hon. 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, 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. LATH LIN, 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, Hon. Riel P.C. PENNER, Jack Emerson P.C. PITURA, Frank, Hon. Morris P.C. PRAZNIK, Darren, Hon. Lac du Bonnet P.C. RADCLIFFE, Mike, Hon. 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. SVEJNSON, 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, Rosano Swan River N.D.P. Vacant Charleswood 1537 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA Tuesday, April14, 1998 The House met at1:30 p.m. THA T under the terms of the contract, Ontario businesses will profit at the expense of Manitoba's PRAYERS health care system; and ROUTINE PROCEEDINGS THA T afterconstruction of a food assembly warehouse in Winnipeg, chilled, prepared food will be shipped in PRESENTING PETITIONS from Ontario, then assembled and heated before being shipped to the hospitals; and Winnipeg Hospitals Food Services-Privatization Ms. Becky Barrett (Wellington): Madam Speaker, I THA T people who are in the hospital require nutritious beg to present the petition of Carol Schulkins, Cindy and appetizing food; and Nowicki, Kerri Medwid and others praying that the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba urge the Minister of THA T the announced savings as a result of the contract Health (Mr. Praznik) to put an end to the centralization have been disputed, and one study by Wintemute and privatization of Winnipeg hospitals fo od services. Randle Kilimnik indicated that, "A considerable number of studies have compared costs of service Ms. Jean Friesen (Wolseley): Madam Speaker, I beg de liveryin health care between self-operation (public to present the petition of Joan Brown, Janette Dobbie, sector) and privatization. Invariably, privatization is B. King and others praying that the Legislative more expensive. "; and Assembly of Manitoba urge the Minister of Health to put an end to the centralization and privatization of THA T no one in Ma nitoba seems to benefit from this Winnipeg hospitals fo od services. contract, especially patients. READING AND RECEIVING PETITIONS WHEREFORE YOUR PETITIONERSHUM BLY PRAY that the Legislative Assembly of Ma nitoba urge the Wmnipeg Hospitals Food Services-Privatization Minister of Health to put an end to the centralization and privatization of Winnipeg hospital food services. Madam Speaker: I have reviewed the petition of the honourable member fo r Wolseley (Ms. Friesen). It complies with the rules and practices of the House. Is PRESENTING REPORTS BY it the will of the House to have the petition read? STANDING AND SPECIAL COMMITTEES An Honourable Member: Dispense. Committee of Supply Madam Speaker: Dispense. Mr. Marcel Laurendeau (Chairperson): Madam Speaker, the Committee of Supply has adopted a certain THA T the Urban Shared Services Corporation (USSC) resolution, directs me to report the same and asks leave has announced plans to privatize laundry, food services to sit again. and purchasing for the Winnipeg hospitals; and I move, seconded by the honourable member fo r THA T it is estimated that more than 1, 000 health care Turtle Mountain (Mr. Tweed), that the report of the jobs will be lost over the next year as a result, with committee be received. many more privatized in the next two or three years; and Motion agreed to. 1538 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA April 14, 1998 Introduction of Guests committee which established a sub-committee of it on tuition fe e policy fo r students. That body did come up Madam Speaker: Prior to Oral Questions, I would with some recommendations which were then like to draw the attention of all honourable members to transferred to the Council on Post-Secondary Education the loge to the right where we have this afternoon Mr. when it was established. That body has now been in Brian Pallister, fo rmer member fo r Portage Ia Prairie. existence fo r about a year and amongst the many things they are doing is the examination of that Also seated in the public gallery this afternoon we recommendation on tuition fe e policy. That policy have seven Grade 9 students from Chief Peguis Junior currently being examined had input from students High School under the direction of Mrs. Delores amongst other educational stakeholders and they have Smorang. This school is located in the constituency of yet to report back to us on their conclusions on that the honourable Minister of Family Services (Mrs. study, but the process has been underway fo r some Mitchelson). time. Also, we have fo rty-seven Grade 11 students from Mr. Doer: Madam Speaker, this was a promise made Gimli High School under the direction of Mr. Peter by the Premier (Mr. Filmon) over three years ago to the Bj ornson and Mr. Richard Johnston. This school is people of Manitoba. It was not a promise that located in the constituency of the honourable member somebody else would give it to somebody else who fo r Gimli (Mr. Helwer). would review it with somebody else and some day report. It was a specific promise made in writing to the On behalf of all honourable members, I welcome you people of Manitoba. this afternoon. I want to table a draft business plan fo r the Red River * (1335) Community College which indicates that they are proposing to raise tuition fe es at the Red River ORAL QUESTION PERIOD Community College 10 percent per year fo r the next five years. This of course is on top of some 30 percent Post-Secondary Education increase in tuition fe es at community colleges. I would Tuition Fee Policy like to ask the Premier today: will he rej ect those 10 percent proposed tuition fe e increases and fo llow Mr. Gary Doer (Leader of the Opposition): Madam through on his promise to have a tuition fe e policy that Speaker, my question is to the First Minister. During will allow students to fa irly access community colleges the election campaign the Premier (Mr. Filmon) here in Manitoba? promised to review tuition fe e policies fo r universities and community colleges. He stated that the 5 percent Mrs. Mcintosh: The member opposite I am sure is cap, of course a pre-election tuition fe e cap, had been aware that tuitions in Manitoba are the third lowest in put in place and that they would be coming back with Canada, a very good record. He is also aware, I am a policy on tuition fe es. Can the Premier today table certain, that we have increased substantially our fo r the people of Manitoba, some three years after his fu nding to community colleges and this year in promise, the tuition fee policy fo r community colleges particular to universities and colleges, a very large here in Manitoba? increase. Hon. Linda Mcintosh (Minister of Education and Training): Madam Speaker, when the government We have done a number of things as well as having began to proceed with the establishment of the Council the tuition fe e policy devised initially with input from on Post-Secondary Education in Manitoba, a body that students, now with the Council on Post-Secondary is in the process of co-ordinating activities between and Education currently being reviewed by, amongst others, amongst post-secondary educational institutions in students fo r final recommendation to the government. Manitoba, at that time was struck an interim transition In the meantime, Madam Speaker, we have increased April 14, 1998 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA 1539 the amount of money going to community colleges, we Post-Secondary Education have put and made a pledge and are in the process of Tuition Fee Policy completing having students increased to 25 percent representation on college and university boards of Ms.