Second Session - Thirty-Ninth Legislature of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba DEBATES and PROCEEDINGS Official Report (Hansard) Published under the authority of The Honourable George Hickes Speaker Vol. LX No. 13A – 10 a.m., Thursday, December 6, 2007 ISSN 0542-5492 MANITOBA LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY Thirty-Ninth Legislature Member Constituency Political Affiliation ALLAN, Nancy, Hon. St. Vital N.D.P. ALTEMEYER, Rob Wolseley N.D.P. ASHTON, Steve, Hon. Thompson N.D.P. BJORNSON, Peter, Hon. Gimli N.D.P. BLADY, Sharon Kirkfield Park N.D.P. BOROTSIK, Rick Brandon West P.C. BRAUN, Erna Rossmere N.D.P. BRICK, Marilyn St. Norbert N.D.P. BRIESE, Stuart Ste. Rose P.C. CALDWELL, Drew Brandon East N.D.P. CHOMIAK, Dave, Hon. Kildonan N.D.P. CULLEN, Cliff Turtle Mountain 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. EICHLER, Ralph Lakeside P.C. FAURSCHOU, David Portage la Prairie P.C. GERRARD, Jon, Hon. River Heights Lib. GOERTZEN, Kelvin Steinbach P.C. GRAYDON, Cliff Emerson P.C. HAWRANIK, Gerald Lac du Bonnet P.C. HICKES, George, Hon. Point Douglas N.D.P. HOWARD, Jennifer Fort Rouge N.D.P. IRVIN-ROSS, Kerri, Hon. Fort Garry N.D.P. JENNISSEN, Gerard Flin Flon N.D.P. JHA, Bidhu Radisson N.D.P. KORZENIOWSKI, Bonnie St. James N.D.P. LAMOUREUX, Kevin Inkster Lib. LATHLIN, Oscar, Hon. The Pas N.D.P. LEMIEUX, Ron, Hon. La Verendrye N.D.P. MACKINTOSH, Gord, Hon. St. Johns N.D.P. MAGUIRE, Larry Arthur-Virden P.C. MALOWAY, Jim Elmwood N.D.P. MARCELINO, Flor Wellington N.D.P. MARTINDALE, Doug Burrows N.D.P. McFADYEN, Hugh Fort Whyte P.C. McGIFFORD, Diane, Hon. Lord Roberts N.D.P. MELNICK, Christine, Hon. Riel N.D.P. MITCHELSON, Bonnie River East P.C. NEVAKSHONOFF, Tom Interlake N.D.P. OSWALD, Theresa, Hon. Seine River N.D.P. PEDERSEN, Blaine Carman P.C. REID, Daryl Transcona N.D.P. ROBINSON, Eric, Hon. Rupertsland N.D.P. RONDEAU, Jim, Hon. Assiniboia N.D.P. ROWAT, Leanne Minnedosa P.C. SARAN, Mohinder The Maples N.D.P. SCHULER, Ron Springfield P.C. SELBY, Erin Southdale N.D.P. SELINGER, Greg, Hon. St. Boniface N.D.P. STEFANSON, Heather Tuxedo P.C. STRUTHERS, Stan, Hon. Dauphin-Roblin N.D.P. SWAN, Andrew Minto N.D.P. TAILLIEU, Mavis Morris P.C. WOWCHUK, Rosann, Hon. Swan River N.D.P. 419 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA Thursday, December 6, 2007 The House met at 10 a.m. die, not because of anything they had done wrong but simply because of who they were. PRAYER Ms. Bonnie Korzeniowski, Deputy Speaker, in the ORDERS OF THE DAY Chair PRIVATE MEMBERS’ BUSINESS Madam Deputy Speaker, this is wrong. It is time SECOND READINGS–PUBLIC BILLS that we in this Legislature stood up and spoke out about atrocities like this, even though they happened Mr. Speaker: Bill 202, The Health Services a long time ago, 75 years ago. This is the 75th Amendment and Health Services Insurance anniversary of this atrocity and people across Amendment Act. Canada, across the world, for that matter, have Mr. Kevin Lamoureux (Inkster): Mr. Speaker, I paused this year to reflect upon this atrocity and how am sure if you were to canvass the House that there it impacted the lives of so, so many people. might be leave to go to Bill 217, The Ukrainian Famine and Genocide Memorial Day Act, and we'll In Manitoba we have a significant population of start the day off with that. Ukrainian people who have silently endured the memory of this horrific event and have been Mr. Speaker: Is there leave of the House for us to reluctant to speak out about it because of fear. When deal with Bill 217 first? [Agreed] we saw the survivors of this genocide in the Legislature when we introduced this bill, we saw the Bill 217–The Ukrainian Famine and emotion in their faces, Madam Deputy Speaker, and Genocide Memorial Day Act the fact that finally after 75 years they were able to Mr. Speaker: Leave has been granted, so I am tell their story. calling Bill 217, The Ukrainian Famine and That story was caught on a video that has been Genocide Memorial Day Act. produced by the sponsorship of Canad Inns and Leo Ledohowski, and for that I am grateful to them for at Mr. Leonard Derkach (Russell): I move, seconded least doing their part in making sure that the world by the Member for Burrows (Mr. Martindale), that understands what really went on in those times, Bill 217, The Ukrainian Famine and Genocide because these are the words of people who are still Memorial Day Act, be now read a second time and living today who experienced that atrocity. be referred to a committee of this House. So when I introduced this bill, I did want the Motion presented. support of members of this Legislature because I did Mr. Derkach: I certainly want to today not want to make it a partisan bill. I wanted this bill acknowledge the good work of the government in to be the words of this Legislature. I wanted this bill terms of allowing this bill to come forward today, to be the understanding of this Legislature that we and, also, I want to give credit to the Liberal Party together from all sides of this House will oppose this and their caucus, Mr. Speaker, for allowing this bill kind of genocide, this kind of atrocity no matter to come forward today to be dealt with and, where it happens in the world. So, for that reason, hopefully, passed through this second reading at this Madam Deputy Speaker, this as an event in history stage and then on to a committee, whenever that must be remembered not as something that we want committee may be called. to hold up a banner but, more importantly, that we want to speak out against so that it never, ever Mr. Speaker, I do want to acknowledge that this happens again in that part of the world or in any is a bill that speaks to humanity. It speaks to the fact other part of the world. that we as citizens of this province recognize that an atrocity occurred in 1932 and '33 in Europe and Today we know that there are things of this specifically in Ukraine which was inflicted by a nature happening in other parts of the world, and I Communist leader who decided that people should think if we as legislatures throughout this country, 420 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA December 6, 2007 throughout other parts of the world can speak up in remembering the Ukrainian famine and genocide, but unison about the fact that we will not tolerate this the member's bill we're debating today says the kind of inhumane treatment of people no matter fourth Saturday in November, which is a very small where they are–and, yes, Madam Deputy Speaker, minor difference. So we are pleased on this side of there are other disasters that occur in the world, the House to support this private member's bill. whether it’s an earthquake, whether it’s hunger. All of those things need to be paid attention to, but when This really began in 2003 with a proclamation people are simply killed because of who they are, by the Minister of Labour and Immigration that the that is simply wrong. last Saturday in November be the day to commemorate the Ukrainian famine and genocide. I want, in the same moment, to pay tribute to the That proclamation was presented at St. Mary The Aspers who have spearheaded the whole issue of Protectress Ukrainian Orthodox Cathedral. It was the developing the museum for humanity along with our following year that I introduced my resolution which governments, of course, but that’s our responsibility. passed with all-party support. Every year since I've But we have a family who has, because of their been able to present a copy of the proclamation to position, been able to do something for the groups in the community, including the Golden recognition that this is the type of event in history Gates seniors club, the Prosvita seniors club and St. that needs to be remembered. One should also Mary The Protectress Ukrainian Orthodox Cathedral. mention the fact that the Aspers have done their job in ensuring that these kinds of things are not only I want to congratulate Father Buciora and the earmarked but, indeed, are made visible to the world Ilarion Centre for sponsoring seminars on important in terms of making the world aware that we stand topics including the famine and genocide, and on against that kind of treatment of people. trafficking. They were the sponsors of the events * (10:10) along with Canad Inns and Mr. Leo Ledohowski on a recent weekend, where, as the Member for Russell So, Madam Deputy Speaker, I will stop here and pointed out, the DVD was premiered. I had a chance simply thank members of this Legislature for the to see it, actually twice, on that weekend. support that they have given to this bill. Also I want to make mention of the Member for Burrows (Mr. I would like pay tribute to the individuals, Martindale), who brought forward a resolution a survivors of the famine holocaust who spoke about couple of years ago in which he actually identified their experiences.