Third Session - Thirty-Seventh Legislature of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba DEBATES and PROCEEDINGS Official Report (Hansard) Published under the authority of The Honourable George Hickes Speaker Vol. LII No. 49- 1:30 p.m., Monday, June 17,2002 MANITOBA LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY Thirty-Seventh Legislature Member Constituency Political Affiliation AGLUGUB, Cris The Maples N.D.P. ALLAN, Nancy St. Vital N.D.P. ASHTON, Steve, Hon. Thompson N.D.P. ASPER, Linda Riel N.D.P. BARRETT, Becky, Hon. Inkster N.D.P. CALDWELL, Drew, Hon. Brandon East N.D.P. CERILLI, Marianne Radisson N.D.P. CHOMIAK, Dave, Hon. Kildonan N.D.P. CUMMINGS, Glen Ste. Rose P.C. DACQUA Y, Louise Seine River P.C. DERKACH, Leonard Russell P.C. DEWAR, Gregory Selkirk N.D.P. DOER, Gary, Hon. Concordia N.D.P. DRIEDGER, Myrna Charleswood P.C. DYCK, Peter Pembina P.C. ENNS, Harry Lakeside P.C. FAURSCHOU, David Portage Ia Prairie P.C. FRIESEN, Jean, Hon. Wolseley N.D.P. GERRARD, Jon, Hon. River Heights Lib. GILLESHAMMER, Harold Minnedosa P.C. HA WRANIK, Gerald Lac du Bonnet P.C. HELWER, Edward Gimli P.C. HICKES, George Point Douglas N.D.P. JENNISSEN, Gerard Flin Flon N.D.P. KORZENIOWSKI, Bonnie St. James N.D.P. LATHLIN, Oscar, Hon. The Pas N.D.P. LAURENDEAU, Marcel St. Norbert P.C. LEMIEUX, Ron, Hon. La Verendrye N.D.P. LOEWEN, John Fort Whyte P.C. MACKINTOSH, Gord, Hon. St. Johns N.D.P. MAGUIRE, Larry Arthur-Virden P.C. MALOWAY, Jim Elmwood N.D.P. MARTINDALE, Doug Burrows N.D.P. McGIFFORD, Diane, Hon. Lord Roberts N.D.P. MIHYCHUK, MaryAnn, Hon. Minto N.D.P. MITCHELSON, Bonnie River East P.C. MURRAY, Stuart Kirkfield Park P.C. NEVAKSHONOFF, Tom Interlake N.D.P. PENNER, Jack Emerson P.C. PENNER, Jim Steinbach P.C. PITURA, Frank Morris P.C. REID, Daryl Transcona N.D.P. REIMER, Jack Southdale P.C. ROBINSON, Eric, Hon. Rupertsland N.D.P. ROCAN, Denis Carman P.C. RONDEAU, Jim Assiniboia N.D.P. SALE, Tim, Hon. Fort Rouge N.D.P. SANTOS, Conrad Wellington N.D.P. SCHELLENBERG, Harry Rossmere N.D.P. SCHULER, Ron Springfield P.C. SELINGER, Greg, Hon. St. Boniface N.D.P. SMITH, Joy Fort Garry P.C. SMITH, Scott, Hon. Brandon West N.D.P. STEFANSON, Heather Tuxedo P.C. STRUTHERS, Stan Dauphin-Rob lin N.D.P. TWEED, Mervin Turtle Mountain P.C. WOWCHUK, Rosann, Hon. Swan River N.D.P. 2549 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA Monday,Junel7, 2002 The House met at 1 :30 p.m. Madam Clerk (Patricia Chaychuk): The petition of the undersigned citizens of the PRAYERS Province of Manitoba humbly sheweth: ROUTINE PROCEEDINGS THAT on November 8, 2001, the Minister of Education (Mr. Caldwell) announced a split in PRESENTING PETITIONS the Transcona-Springfield School Division but despite repeated requests has been unable to Transcona-Springfield School Division identify any benefits of this decision to the students and taxpayers of said school division; Mr. Ron Schuler (Springfield): Mr. Speaker, I and beg to present the petition of Gladys Hayward Williams, Catharina De Meyer, Dave Kumhyr THAT this decision was not preceded by and others praying that the Legislative Assembly adequate public consultation as outlined in of Manitoba request the Minister of Education section 7 of The Public Schools Act; and (Mr. Caldwell) to reverse the decision to split the Transcona-Springfield School Division and THAT this decision would result in allow it to remain as a whole or to consider significant hardships for the students in both immediately convening the Board of Reference Transcona and Springfield that would affect the to decide the matter. quality of their education; and Universities Property Tax THAT the proposal by the Minister of Education on February 12, 2002, neither Mrs. Joy Smith (Fort Garry): Mr. Speaker, I alleviates nor remedies these hardships; and beg to present the petition of Louise Lemoine, Jenny Lawe, Louise Friesen and others praying THAT this decision results in an increased that the Government of Manitoba consider financial burden on the taxpayers of both the ensuring that local property and education taxes Transcona-Springfield School Division and the do not rise as a result of the offloading of province of Manitoba; and provincial responsibilities onto the city of Win­ nipeg, the city of Brandon, Fort Garry, THAT on March 13, 2002, the number of Assiniboine South, Winnipeg One, St. Boniface resident electors required by The Public Schools and St. Vital school divisions. Act requested the Minister of Education to convene a Board of Reference to decide the READING AND RECEIVING PETITIONS matter. Transcona-Springfield School Division WHEREFORE YOUR PETITIONERS HUMBLY PRAY THAT the Legislative Mr. Speaker: The honourable Member for Assembly request the Minister of Education to Springfield (Mr. Schuler), I have reviewed the reverse the decision to split the Transcona­ petition and it complies with the rules and Springfield School Division and allow it to practices of the House. Is it the will of the House remain as a whole or to consider immediately to have the petition read? convening the Board of Reference to decide the matter. Some Honourable Members: Agreed. Mr. Speaker: Presenting Reports by Standing Mr. Speaker: Clerk, please read. and Special Committees; Ministerial Statements 2550 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA June 17, 2002 and Tabling of Reports; Notices of Motions­ be we will continue to work with residents, Order. providing them with current information as quickly as possible. Is the honourable minister getting up on a ministerial statement? * (13:35) Hon. Oscar Lathlin (Minister of Con­ servation): I have a ministerial- While the decline of water levels in some areas has helped in keeping roads open, a Mr. Speaker: Well, I have already gone number of provincial highways remain closed. I beyond. Is it the will of the House to revert back have tabled these details for the information of to Ministerial Statements and Tabling of the House. Reports? [A greed] Mr. Speaker, flood waters of this magnitude MINISTERIAL STATEMENTS need to be treated with caution and an incident where a boat capsized yesterday near St. Malo is Flood Forecast a painful reminder of that. Fast moving and cold rivers need to be respected and navigated very Hon. Oscar Lathlin (Minister of Con­ carefully at all times, particularly when rivers are servation): Mr. Speaker, I have a statement to elevated and unpredictable. I hope all make. Manitobans will take this as a reminder of the need for caution whenever we approach the I rise to update the House on the flooding water. that continues to affect areas of southern Manitoba. Flood waters from local runoff Mr. Jack Penner (Emerson): I thank the crested through much of southeastern Manitoba honourable minister for the statement he has over the weekend and declines were seen in made today. some areas. While the Roseau River is one area that experienced a slight decline, a second crest Many of the commumhes in southeast is expected to move along the Roseau from the Manitoba and indeed some parts of central United States, amvmg in Manitoba in Manitoba have experienced a very dramatic approximately one week. The water levels being event. Much of the damage that has been caused experienced 25 miles upstream from Manitoba is now becoming very evident. There are huge in Ross, Minnesota, are 50 percent higher than crop losses that are very evident directly south of the previous records set there in the 1950s. This the city of Winnipeg in the Emerson, Ridgeville should provide some indication of the volume of and Altona east areas, Rosenfeld, the water we will have to deal with in the upcoming communities which I visited this morning. There weeks. is huge damage that has been caused because of, in some instances, man-made structures, gov­ Although we are not expecting further rises ernment-built dikes, dams and waterways that in the Red River, Rat River and Joubert Creek, it cannot be accessed by this water. is clear that southeast Manitoba's floodseason is I believe there will have to be inordinate far from over. The provincial government is measures taken in order to ensure the survival of continuing to work with the communities and many of these farmers. Dairy farms have been local governments to assist people who have flooded, cattle have been moved. So far we think been affected by the flooding. We are working in that there has not been a loss of life, although the close conjunction with local governments to unfortunate incident the minister has addressed, provide resources in dealing with flood waters. one of the young people that was in the boat has We are also co-ordinating assistance efforts by yet to be accounted for. We hope that the the many agencies that have come forward to youngster will be found alive and well. help. We have held community meetings in Vassar, La Broquerie and Vita, and Many of the experiences that we have seen understanding how stressful these situations can in the last week might well be repeated next June 17, 2002 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA 2551 week or this coming week when the crest from from Calvin Christian School 45 Grade 9 Minnesota appears. As the minister has students under the direction of Mr. Ken indicated, large amounts of waters are still to Symanski. This school is located in the come down the Roseau River, and we hope that constituency of the honourable Member for the Gardenton dike will be maintained. Signif­ River East (Mrs. Mitchelson). icant effort has been made to reinforce that area, but again untold damages have been done, and it Also in the public gallery we have from is the time of year when reseeding is simply not Shore Elementary School 54 Grade 5 students a possibility anymore.