Third Session -Thirty-F ifthLeg islature of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba DEBATES and PROCEEDINGS (HANSARD) 39-40 Elizabeth II Publishedunder the authorityof The HonourableDenis C. Rocan Speaker VOL. XLI No. 79 • 1 :30 p.m., THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 1992 ISSN 0542-5492 Printedthe by Office of the Q.,_,s Printer. Province of Manitoba MANITOBA LEGISLATIVE ASSEMB LY Thirty-F ifth Legislature Members, Constituencies and Political Affiliation NAME CONSTITUENCY PARTY. ALCOCK, Reg Osborne Liberal ASHTON, Steve Thompson NDP BARRETT,Becky Wellington NDP CARSTAIRS, Sharon River Heights Liberal CERILLI, Marianne Radisson NDP CHEEMA, Guizar The Maples Liberal CHOMIAK, Dave Kildonan NDP CONNERY, Edward Portage Ia Prairie PC CUMMINGS, Glen, Hon. Ste. Rose PC DACQUAY, Louise Seine River PC DERKACH, Leonard, Hon. Roblin-Russell PC DEWAR, Gregory Selkirk NDP DOER, Gary Concordia NDP DOWNEY, James, Hon. Arthur-Virden PC DRIEDGER, Albert, Hon. Steinbach PC DUCHARME, Gerry, Hon. Riel PC EDWARDS, Paul St. James Liberal ENNS, Harry, Hon. Lakeside PC ERNST, Jim, Hon. Charleswood PC EVANS, Clif Interlake NDP EVANS, Leonard S. Brandon East NDP FILMON, Gary, Hon. Tuxedo PC FINDLAY, Glen, Hon. Springfield PC FRIESEN, Jean Wolseley NDP GAUDRY, Neil St. Boniface Liberal GILLESHAMMER, Harold, Hon. Minnedosa PC HARPER, Elijah Rupertsland NDP HELWER, Edward R. Gimli PC HICKES, George Point Douglas NDP LAMOUREUX, Kevin Inkster Liberal LATHLIN, Oscar The Pas NDP LAURENDEAU, Marcel St. Norbert PC MALOWAY, Jim Elmwood NDP MANNESS, Clayton, Hon. Morris PC MARTINDALE, Doug Burrows NDP McALPINE, Gerry Sturgeon Creek PC McCRAE, James, Hon. Brandon West PC MciNTOSH, Linda, Hon. Assiniboia PC MITCHELSON, Bonnie, Hon. River East PC NEUFELD, Harold Rossmere PC ORCHARD, Donald, Hon. Pembina PC PENNER, Jack Emerson PC PLOHMAN, John Dauphin NDP PRAZNIK, Darren, Hon. Lac du Bonnet PC REID, Daryl Transcona NDP REIMER, Jack Niakwa PC RENDER, Shirley St. Vital PC ROCAN, Denis, Hon. Gladstone PC ROSE, Bob TurtleMountain PC SANTOS, Conrad Broadway NDP STEFANSON, Eric, Hon. Kirkfield Park PC STORIE, Jerry Flin Flon NDP SVEINSON, Ben La Verendrye PC VODREY, Rosemary, Hon. FortGarry PC WASYL YCIA-LEIS, Judy St. Johns NDP WOWCHUK, Rosann Swan River NDP 4198 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMB LY OF MANITOBA Thursday, June4, 1992 The House met at 1 :30 p.m. Legislative Assembly of Manitoba, in a manner similar to that ofthe Office ofthe Ombudsman; and PRAYERS WHEREAS pursuant to the Child and Family ROUTINE PROCEEDINGS ServicesAct Standards, the agency worker is to be the advocate for a child in care; and PRESENTING PETITIONS WHEREAS there is a major concern that child Mr. Kevin Lamoureux (Inkster): Mr. Speaker, I welfare workers, due to their vested interest as beg to present the petition of Wayne Arthur, Marika employees within the service system, cannot Sokulski, Catherine Collins and others requesting perform an independentadvocacy role; and the government reconsider its decisions and return the Manitoba Heritage Federation's granting WHEREAS pure advocacy will only be obtained authority. through an independent and external agency; and Mr. Leonard Evans (Brandon East) : Mr. WHEREAS the Minister of Family Services (Mr. Speaker, I beg to present the petition of Raymond Gilleshammer) has unsatisfactorily dealt with T. Pepper, Rosa L. Dutka, Susan Dutka and others complaints lodged against child welfare agencies; requesting the government consider reviewing the and now funding of the Brandon General Hospital to avoid THEREFORE your petitioners humbly pray that layoffsand cutbacks to vital services. the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba strongly urge Mr. Oscar Lathlln (The Pas): Mr. Speaker, I beg the provincial government to consider establishing to present the petition of Derek Sanderson, Wayne an Office of the Children's Advocate which will be McKay, Fabian Houle and others requesting the independent of cabinet and report directly to the government show its commitment to aboriginal Legislative Assembly ofManitoba. self-government by considering reversing its position on the AJJ by supporting the *** recommendations within its jurisdiction and implementing a separate and parallel justice I have reviewed the petition of the honourable system. member for Wolseley (Ms. Friesen), and it complies READING AND RECEIVING PETITIONS with the privileges and practices of theHouse and complies with the rules. Is it the will of the House to Mr. Speaker: I have reviewed the petition of the have the petition read? honourable Leader of the Second Opposition (Mrs. Carstairs). It complies with the privileges and The petition of the undersigned citizens of the practicesof the House and complies with the rules. province of Manitoba humbly sheweth that: Is it the will of the House to have the petition read? WHEREAS the Dutch elm disease control The petition of the undersigned residents of the program is of primary importance to the protection Province of Manitoba humbly sheweth that: of the city's many elm trees; and WHEREAS the Provinceof Manitoba announced WHEREAS the Minister of Natural Resources that it would establish an Office of the Children's himself stated that, "It is vital that we continue our Advocate in its most recent throne speech and active fight against Dutch elm disease in Manitoba, " allocated funds for this Office in its March '92 and budget; and WHEREAS, despite that verbal commitment, the WHEREAS the Kimelman Report (1983), the government of Manitoba has cut its funding to the Aboriginal Justice Inquiry (1991 ) and the Suche city's OED control program by half of the 1990 level, Report (1992) recommended that the province a move that will jeopardize the survival of establish such an office reporting directly to the Winnipeg's elm trees. 4199 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA June 4, 1992 WHEREFORE your petitioners humbly pray that The AJI delivered its reportin August of 1991 and the government of Manitoba may be pleased to concluded that the justice system has been a request the Minister of Natural Resources (Mr. massive failure for aboriginal people; and Enns) to consider restoring the full funding of the The AJI report endorsed the inherent right of Dutch elm disease control program to the previous aboriginal self-government and the right of level of 1990. aboriginal communities to establish an aboriginal As in duty bound your petitioners will ever pray. justice system; and *** The Canadian Bar Association, The Law Reform Commission of Canada, among many others, also I have reviewed the petition of the honourable recommend both aboriginal self-government and a member for Wellington (Ms. Barrett),and it complies separate and parallel justice system; and with the privileges and practices of the House and On January 28, 1992, five months afterreleasing complies with the rules. Is it the will of the House to the report, the provincial government announced it have the petition read? was not prepared to proceed with the majority of the The petition of the undersigned citizens of the recommendations; and province of Manitoba humbly sheweth: Despite the All-Party Task Force Report which THAT child abuse is a crime abhorred by all good endorsed aboriginal self-government, the provincial citizens of our society, but nonetheless it exists in government now rejects a separate and parallel today'sworld; and justice system, an Aboriginal Justice Commission and many other key recommendations which are It is the responsibility of the government to solely within provincial jurisdiction. recognize and deal with this most vicious of crimes; and WHEREFORE your petitioners humbly pray that the Legislature of the Provinceof Manitoba may be Programs like the Fight Back Against Child Abuse pleased to request that the government of Manitoba campaign raise public awareness and necessary show a strong commitment to aboriginal funds to deal with crime; and self-government by considering reversing its The decision to terminate the Fight Back Against position on the AJI by supporting the Child Abuse campaign will hamper the effortsof all recommendations within its jurisdiction and good citizens to help abused children. implementing a separate and parallel justice system. WHEREFORE your petitioners humbly pray that the Legislature of the Province of Manitoba may be TABLING OF REPORTS pleasedto request thatthe government of Manitoba show a strong commitment to deal with Child Abuse Hon. Linda Mcintosh (Minister of Consumer and by considering restoring the Fight Back Against Corporate Affairs): Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to Child Abuse campaign. table the Supplementary Information for Legislative Review for the 1992-1993 Departmental * (1335) Expenditure Estimates for the Department of *** Consumer and Corporate Affairs. Hon. Darren Praznlk (Minister responsible for I have reviewed the petition of the honourable and charged with the administration of The Civil member for The Pas (Mr. Lathlin), and it complies Service Act) : Mr. Speaker, I would like to table with the privileges and practices of the House and today the Supplementary Information for Legislative complies with the rules. Is it the will of the House to Review for 1992-1993 Departmental Expenditure have the petition read? Estimates of the Manitoba Civil Service The petition of the undersigned citizens of the Commission Em ployee Benefits. province of Manitoba humbly sheweth: Hon. Glen Cummings (Minister of Environment): THAT the Aboriginal Justice Inquiry was launched Mr. Speaker, I would like to table the Supplementary in April of 1988 to conduct an examination