Second Session - Fortieth Legislature of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba DEBATES and PROCEEDINGS Official Report (Hansard) Published under the authority of The Honourable Daryl Reid Speaker Vol. LXV No. 39B - 1:30 p.m., Thursday, May 9, 2013 ISSN 0542-5492 MANITOBA LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY Fortieth Legislature Member Constituency Political Affiliation ALLAN, Nancy, Hon. St. Vital NDP ALLUM, James Fort Garry-Riverview NDP ALTEMEYER, Rob Wolseley NDP ASHTON, Steve, Hon. Thompson NDP BJORNSON, Peter, Hon. Gimli NDP BLADY, Sharon Kirkfield Park NDP BRAUN, Erna Rossmere NDP BRIESE, Stuart Agassiz PC CALDWELL, Drew Brandon East NDP CHIEF, Kevin, Hon. Point Douglas NDP CHOMIAK, Dave, Hon. Kildonan NDP CROTHERS, Deanne St. James NDP CULLEN, Cliff Spruce Woods PC DEWAR, Gregory Selkirk NDP DRIEDGER, Myrna Charleswood PC EICHLER, Ralph Lakeside PC EWASKO, Wayne Lac du Bonnet PC FRIESEN, Cameron Morden-Winkler PC GAUDREAU, Dave St. Norbert NDP GERRARD, Jon, Hon. River Heights Liberal GOERTZEN, Kelvin Steinbach PC GRAYDON, Cliff Emerson PC HELWER, Reg Brandon West PC HOWARD, Jennifer, Hon. Fort Rouge NDP IRVIN-ROSS, Kerri, Hon. Fort Richmond NDP JHA, Bidhu Radisson NDP KOSTYSHYN, Ron, Hon. Swan River NDP LEMIEUX, Ron, Hon. Dawson Trail NDP MACKINTOSH, Gord, Hon. St. Johns NDP MAGUIRE, Larry Arthur-Virden PC MALOWAY, Jim Elmwood NDP MARCELINO, Flor, Hon. Logan NDP MARCELINO, Ted Tyndall Park NDP MELNICK, Christine, Hon. Riel NDP MITCHELSON, Bonnie River East PC NEVAKSHONOFF, Tom Interlake NDP OSWALD, Theresa, Hon. Seine River NDP PALLISTER, Brian Fort Whyte PC PEDERSEN, Blaine Midland PC PETTERSEN, Clarence Flin Flon NDP REID, Daryl, Hon. Transcona NDP ROBINSON, Eric, Hon. Kewatinook NDP RONDEAU, Jim, Hon. Assiniboia NDP ROWAT, Leanne Riding Mountain PC SARAN, Mohinder The Maples NDP SCHULER, Ron St. Paul PC SELBY, Erin, Hon. Southdale NDP SELINGER, Greg, Hon. St. Boniface NDP SMOOK, Dennis La Verendrye PC STEFANSON, Heather Tuxedo PC STRUTHERS, Stan, Hon. Dauphin NDP SWAN, Andrew, Hon. Minto NDP WHITEHEAD, Frank The Pas NDP WIEBE, Matt Concordia NDP WIGHT, Melanie Burrows NDP WISHART, Ian Portage la Prairie PC Vacant Morris 1141 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA Thursday, May 9, 2013 The House met at 1:30 p.m. Bill 207–The Family Maintenance Amendment and Garnishment Amendment Act Mr. Speaker: Good afternoon, everyone. Please be seated. Mr. Blaine Pedersen (Midland): I move, seconded by the member for Brandon West (Mr. Helwer), that ROUTINE PROCEEDINGS Bill 207, The Family Maintenance Amendment and INTRODUCTION OF BILLS Garnishment Amendment Act, be now read. Bill 42–The Highway Traffic Amendment Act Motion presented. (Enhancing Passenger Safety) Mr. Pedersen: Mr. Speaker, this bill calls for a Hon. Steve Ashton (Minister of Infrastructure kinder legal system that allows parents struggling and Transportation): I move, seconded by the with divorce and custody–that it assists them with Minister of Healthy Living (Mr. Rondeau), that The legal costs as the divorce proceedings occur. Thank Highway Traffic Amendment Act (Enhancing you. Passenger Safety); Loi modifiant le Code de la route Mr. Speaker: Is it the pleasure of the House to adopt (sécurité accrue des passagers), be now read a first the motion? [Agreed] time. Any further introduction of bills? Seeing none– Motion presented. PETITIONS Mr. Ashton: I am very pleased to introduce this bill Provincial Sales Tax Increase–Referendum which enhances passenger safety. Mrs. Bonnie Mitchelson (River East): I'd like to present the following petition to the Legislative First of all, Mr. Speaker, it may come as a Assembly. surprise, but in a vehicle, currently, if there are five seat belts you can have six passengers. There's no And these are the reasons for this petition: connection between the number of seat belts and the The provincial government promised not to raise number of passengers. This will–this bill will ensure taxes in the last election. that every passenger has to have a seat belt and have it fastened. Through Bill 20, the provincial government wants to increase the retail sales tax, known as the Currently, it is illegal to carry dogs in the back PST, by one point without the legally required of a pickup truck but not people, and this bill will referendum. ensure that, again, that passengers are not carried in An increase to the PST is excessive taxation that the back of trucks. will harm Manitoba families. And also, there's some difficulty currently with Bill 20 strips Manitobans of their democratic wheelchairs and access, particularly in terms of right to determine when major tax increases are safety. This will ensure that all wheelchairs are necessary. secured in the vehicle and that all wheelchair We petition the Legislative Assembly of occupants are wearing a seat belt. Manitoba as follows: Again, Mr. Speaker, this bill will significantly To urge the provincial government to not raise enhance passenger safety in the province. the PST without holding a provincial referendum. Mr. Speaker: Is it the pleasure of the House to adopt And this petition is signed by J. Russell, J. Dyck, the motion? [Agreed] R. Campbell and many thousands of angry Manitobans that feel disenfranchised and betrayed by Any further introduction of bills? this– 1142 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA May 9, 2013 Mr. Speaker: Order, please. Order, please. Bill 20 strips Manitobans of their democratic right to determine when major tax increases are I wish to caution the House. I've been fairly necessary. lenient as your Speaker in allowing editorial comments to be made during the tabling of petitions. We petition the Legislative Assembly of I must indicate to honourable members I'm going to Manitoba as follows: have to clamp down on that a little bit, and please do To urge the provincial government to not raise not editorialize anything that is not included on the the PST without holding a provincial referendum. petition that is being tabled. This petition is signed by J. Thiessen, G. Hird, So, further petitions. B. Arksey and many, many other angry Manitobans. Mr. Ian Wishart (Portage la Prairie): I present a Mr. Dennis Smook (La Verendrye): I wish to petition to the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba. present the following petition to the Legislative And these are the reasons for the petition: Assembly. The provincial government promised not to raise These are the reasons for this petition: taxes in the last election. The provincial government promised not to raise Through Bill 20, the provincial government taxes in the last election. wants to increase the retail sales tax, known as the Through Bill 20, the provincial government PST, by one point without the legally required wants to increase the retail sales tax, known as the referendum. PST, by one point without the legally required An increase to the PST in–is excessive taxation referendum. that will harm Manitoba families. An increase to the PST is excessive taxation that Bill 20 strips Manitobans of their democratic will harm Manitoba families. right to determine when major tax increases are Bill 20 strips Manitobans of their democratic necessary. right to determine when major tax increases are We wished–we petition the Legislative necessary. Assembly of Manitoba as follows: We petition the Legislative Assembly of To urge the provincial government to not raise Manitoba as follows: the PST without holding a provincial referendum. To urge the provincial government not to raise This petition's signed by D. Comeau, J. Hopkins the PST without holding a provincial referendum. and K. Hamm and many, many more. This petition is signed by A. Reimer, E. Fosty Mr. Speaker: In accordance with our rule 132(6), and B. Smook and thousands more angry when petitions are read they are deemed to have been Manitobans. received by the House. Mr. Wayne Ewasko (Lac du Bonnet): I wish to Mr. Speaker: Order, please. present the following petition to the Legislative A few moments ago, I cautioned honourable Assembly. members when they're tabling petitions not to add The reason for the–for this petition is as follows: editorial comments at the end. I'm again asking for the co-operation of the House. Please do not add The provincial government promised not to raise editorial comments at the end. taxes in the last election. Through Bill 20, the provincial government I believe, if I understand correctly, we're wants to increase the retail sales tax, known as the supposed to read the contents of the petition and the PST, by one point without the legally required first three names, and that would be the content of referendum. the petition itself. So I'm asking for the co-operation of all honourable members. An increase to the PST is excessive taxation that will harm Manitoba families. Further petitions? Seeing none– May 9, 2013 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA 1143 Introduction of Guests The NDP promised no PST until they got elected. And now Manitobans know that the NDP Mr. Speaker: Prior to oral questions, I want to draw lied. Even worse, it will have a negative impact on the attention of honourable members to the Speaker's Manitoba's economy. Gallery where we have with us today Claudia Peel, Victoria Peel, Tara Peel and Harry Peel, who are the So, Mr. Speaker, the people of Manitoba have family of the honourable Minister of Family Services risen up against the NDP. The media in Manitoba and Labour (Ms. Howard). Behalf of honourable have come out against this NDPST and now even members, we welcome you here today. economists. Also with us today, we have in the public gallery Will the Premier do the right thing and call a Elizabeth Catacutan, Joe Calcutt, Abi Calcutt and referendum on the NDPST? Let the people have their Cody Calcutt, who are the guests of the honourable say.