First Session – Forty-First Legislature of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba DEBATES and PROCEEDINGS Official Report (Hansard) Published under the authority of The Honourable Myrna Driedger Speaker Vol. LXIX No. 8 - 1:30 p.m., Thursday, May 26, 2016 ISSN 0542-5492 MANITOBA LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY Forty-First Legislature Member Constituency Political Affiliation ALLUM, James Fort Garry-Riverview NDP ALTEMEYER, Rob Wolseley NDP BINDLE, Kelly Thompson PC CHIEF, Kevin Point Douglas NDP CLARKE, Eileen, Hon. Agassiz PC COX, Cathy, Hon. River East PC CULLEN, Cliff, Hon. Spruce Woods PC CURRY, Nic Kildonan PC DRIEDGER, Myrna, Hon. Charleswood PC EICHLER, Ralph, Hon. Lakeside PC EWASKO, Wayne Lac du Bonnet PC FIELDING, Scott, Hon. Kirkfield Park PC FLETCHER, Steven, Hon. Assiniboia PC FONTAINE, Nahanni St. Johns NDP FRIESEN, Cameron, Hon. Morden-Winkler PC GERRARD, Jon, Hon. River Heights Lib. GOERTZEN, Kelvin, Hon. Steinbach PC GRAYDON, Clifford Emerson PC GUILLEMARD, Sarah Fort Richmond PC HELWER, Reg Brandon West PC ISLEIFSON, Len Brandon East PC JOHNSON, Derek Interlake PC JOHNSTON, Scott St. James PC KINEW, Wab Fort Rouge NDP KLASSEN, Judy Kewatinook Lib. LAGASSÉ, Bob Dawson Trail PC LAGIMODIERE, Alan Selkirk PC LAMOUREUX, Cindy Burrows Lib. LATHLIN, Amanda The Pas NDP LINDSEY, Tom Flin Flon NDP MALOWAY, Jim Elmwood NDP MARCELINO, Flor Logan NDP MARCELINO, Ted Tyndall Park NDP MARTIN, Shannon Morris PC MAYER, Colleen St. Vital PC MICHALESKI, Brad Dauphin PC MICKLEFIELD, Andrew Rossmere PC MORLEY-LECOMTE, Janice Seine River PC NESBITT, Greg Riding Mountain PC PALLISTER, Brian, Hon. Fort Whyte PC PEDERSEN, Blaine, Hon. Midland PC PIWNIUK, Doyle Arthur-Virden PC REYES, Jon St. Norbert PC SARAN, Mohinder The Maples NDP SCHULER, Ron, Hon. St. Paul PC SELINGER, Greg St. Boniface NDP SMITH, Andrew Southdale PC SMOOK, Dennis La Verendrye PC SQUIRES, Rochelle, Hon. Riel PC STEFANSON, Heather, Hon. Tuxedo PC SWAN, Andrew Minto NDP TEITSMA, James Radisson PC WHARTON, Jeff Gimli PC WIEBE, Matt Concordia NDP WISHART, Ian, Hon. Portage la Prairie PC WOWCHUK, Rick Swan River PC YAKIMOSKI, Blair Transcona PC 219 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA Thursday, May 26, 2016 The House met at 1:30 p.m. MEMBERS' STATEMENTS Madam Speaker: O Eternal and Almighty God, Oseredok Ukrainian Cultural and from Whom all power and wisdom come, we are Educational Centre assembled here before Thee to frame such laws as Mr. Blair Yakimoski (Transcona): Madam may tend to the welfare and prosperity of our Speaker, I rise today in my traditional vyshyvanka, province. Grant, O merciful God, we pray Thee, that or Ukrainian shirt, in celebration of my Ukrainian we may desire only that which is in accordance with heritage as I also did last Thursday here in Thy will, that we may seek it with wisdom and know the House, which was Vyshyvanka Day where it with certainty and accomplish it perfectly for the Ukrainians across the globe participate similarly in glory and honour of Thy name and for the welfare of their communities. I had the pleasure of participating all our people. Amen. in this event at Oseredok Ukrainian Cultural and Please be seated. Education Centre. ROUTINE PROCEEDINGS Oseredok was an appropriate venue for Vyshyvanka Day as this institution is all about INTRODUCTION OF BILLS Ukrainian culture and heritage. The centre's mission Bill 2–The Legislative Assembly Amendment Act statement, Sharing Canadian-Ukrainian cultural experiences, reflects its role on a variety of levels. Hon. Heather Stefanson (Minister of Justice and Attorney General): I move, seconded by the Madam Speaker, it is the keeper of the Minister of Health, that Bill 2, The Legislative community's collective memory by virtue of its Assembly Amendment Act; Loi modifiant la Loi sur extensive collections that document 125 years of the l'Assemblée législative, be now read a first time. intellectual and cultural life the of the Ukrainian community in Canada. These include archives of Motion presented. prominent Ukrainian Canadians and community Mrs. Stefanson: Madam Speaker, this bill requires a organizations, an extensive research library, fine art by-election to be conducted within 180 days after a and folk art, and an ethnology collection which vacancy occurs. This requirement does not apply if includes about 4,000 pysanka, or Ukrainian Easter the vacancy occurs less than one year before a eggs. general election held on a fixed date. And this is our The centre brings value in to the province of first bill towards the openness and transparency that Manitoba as one of the preeminent sources of we have–that we ran on, and we look forward to Ukrainian culture and heritage in North America, a having this bill pass through the House. place where scholars and the general public can Madam Speaker: Is it the pleasure of the House to pursue any information on things Ukrainian. adopt the motion? [Agreed] Oseredok also shares Ukrainian culture through Committee reports? diverse public programs, exhibitions such as New Dimensions of Pysanka Art, the pysanka mosaics TABLING OF REPORTS of the Wasylyshen family, they connect tradition Hon. Ron Schuler (Minister of Crown Services): with a contemporary perspective on an ancient folk Madam Speaker, I am pleased to table the Annual art form. Workshops, such Oseredok's pysanka Report of the Crown Corporations Council for 2015 workshops, encourage individuals and families to and the Quarterly Financial Report of the Manitoba embrace an activity that is both some ritual and Public Insurance Corporation. art form. Special events, such as the annual Festival of Carols–which I have sung in–brings together Madam Speaker: Any further tabling of reports? community choirs in a festive celebration of Ministerial Statements? Ukrainian Christmas music. 220 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA May 26, 2016 Oseredok Ukrainian Cultural and Education well, after all, our grandchildren will judge us based Centre deserves acknowledgement for its fine work on how well we respond to the challenge of climate in sharing Canadian-Ukrainian cultural experiences change. and its significant contribution to the heritage of all Dauphin Agricultural Society–125th Anniversary Manitobans. Mr. Brad Michaleski (Dauphin): Madam Speaker, Thank you, Madam Speaker. the Dauphin Agricultural Society was the first Climate Change Town Hall organization established in the Dauphin area, even before the establishment of the now City of Dauphin Mr. Wab Kinew (Fort Rouge): Last night the or the RM of Dauphin. member for Fort Garry-Riverview (Mr. Allum), the member for Wolseley (Mr. Altemeyer) and myself * (13:40) attended the federal government's climate change town hall here in Winnipeg. This year, the agricultural society is celebrating The room was packed, there was some-300 its 125th anniversary. The society continues to people there, including–plus an additional 75 who promote all facets of agriculture and encourages stayed in the hallway to participate. Groups such the youth to understand and appreciate agriculture. The Manitoba Energy Justice Coalition as well as many ag society is also a proud supporter of 4-H in the local residents associations had a strong presence. North Parkland area. Indigenous people made their voices heard As part of the 125th-year celebration, the as well. I saw my friend from the Manitoba Metis famed RCMP Musical Ride will be coming to Federation, President David Chartrand; as well as Dauphin on July 7th. The Musical Ride is performed Chief of the Brokenhead Ojibway Nation, Jim by a full troop of 32 riders and their horses. The ride Bear, there; as well as activists like Sadie-Phoenix provides the opportunity–experience the heritage Lavoie and many others. Many non-indigenous and traditions of the RCMP. people present at the meeting last night were saying: listen to the words of indigenous elders. Madam Speaker, over the years, the Dauphin People urged the federal government to invest in Agricultural Society has contributed significantly flood protection, to restore wetlands to act as carbon to the development, growth and formation of sinks, to consider the emissions and spill impacts of the agricultural industry in the region, and all proposed pipelines and much more. agricultural associations throughout Manitoba have played a significant role in building our province. A call to say no to the Trans-Pacific Partnership was greeted with hearty applause. People argued the Madam Speaker, on behalf of myself and all TPP would limit our ability to regulate fossil fuel and of my constituents in Dauphin, I would like to to invest in green technology. Our caucus agrees that congratulate the Dauphin Agricultural Society in the current iteration of the TPP is a bad deal for reaching this significant milestone, and all the best Canada. with their future success. Of interest to this government was that many Thank you. last night advocated for a carbon pricing plan. They agreed that the goal should be to provide a Small Business Community disincentive to the use of fossil fuels, and that such a Mr. Andrew Micklefield (Rossmere): Madam plan should be transparent. All revenues should go to Speaker, I am proud to stand in the House today subsidizing green technology and green jobs. and acknowledge the small-business owners in our The last word from the floor was a call to province and the confidence they have shown in our politicians to be brave, brave enough to make the government. changes needed to protect our planet and our people. Today, the Canadian Federation of Independent The first step to accomplishing that is to listen, Business released their Business Barometer Index, and it appears as though the federal government which shows that, under our new government, is listening. The NDP is listening and I hope the optimism in the Manitoba economy has already risen members on the government side are listening as almost 3 and a half per cent in the month of May.