Third Session – Forty-Second Legislature of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba DEBATES and PROCEEDINGS Official Report (Hansard) Published under the authority of The Honourable Myrna Driedger Speaker Vol. LXXV No. 42B - 1:30 p.m., Thursday, March 25, 2021 ISSN 0542-5492 MANITOBA LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY Forty-Second Legislature Member Constituency Political Affiliation ADAMS, Danielle Thompson NDP ALTOMARE, Nello Transcona NDP ASAGWARA, Uzoma Union Station NDP BRAR, Diljeet Burrows NDP BUSHIE, Ian Keewatinook NDP CLARKE, Eileen, Hon. Agassiz PC COX, Cathy, Hon. Kildonan-River East PC CULLEN, Cliff, Hon. Spruce Woods PC DRIEDGER, Myrna, Hon. Roblin PC EICHLER, Ralph, Hon. Lakeside PC EWASKO, Wayne, Hon. Lac du Bonnet PC FIELDING, Scott, Hon. Kirkfield Park PC FONTAINE, Nahanni St. Johns NDP FRIESEN, Cameron, Hon. Morden-Winkler PC GERRARD, Jon, Hon. River Heights Lib. GOERTZEN, Kelvin, Hon. Steinbach PC GORDON, Audrey, Hon. Southdale PC GUENTER, Josh Borderland PC GUILLEMARD, Sarah, Hon. Fort Richmond PC HELWER, Reg, Hon. Brandon West PC ISLEIFSON, Len Brandon East PC JOHNSON, Derek, Hon. Interlake-Gimli PC JOHNSTON, Scott Assiniboia PC KINEW, Wab Fort Rouge NDP LAGASSÉ, Bob Dawson Trail PC LAGIMODIERE, Alan Selkirk PC LAMONT, Dougald St. Boniface Lib. LAMOUREUX, Cindy Tyndall Park Lib. LATHLIN, Amanda The Pas-Kameesak NDP LINDSEY, Tom Flin Flon NDP MALOWAY, Jim Elmwood NDP MARCELINO, Malaya Notre Dame NDP MARTIN, Shannon McPhillips PC MICHALESKI, Brad Dauphin PC MICKLEFIELD, Andrew Rossmere PC MORLEY-LECOMTE, Janice Seine River PC MOSES, Jamie St. Vital NDP NAYLOR, Lisa Wolseley NDP NESBITT, Greg Riding Mountain PC PALLISTER, Brian, Hon. Fort Whyte PC PEDERSEN, Blaine, Hon. Midland PC PIWNIUK, Doyle Turtle Mountain PC REYES, Jon Waverley PC SALA, Adrien St. James NDP SANDHU, Mintu The Maples NDP SCHULER, Ron, Hon. Springfield-Ritchot PC SMITH, Andrew Lagimodière PC SMITH, Bernadette Point Douglas NDP SMOOK, Dennis La Vérendrye PC SQUIRES, Rochelle, Hon. Riel PC STEFANSON, Heather, Hon. Tuxedo PC TEITSMA, James Radisson PC WASYLIW, Mark Fort Garry NDP WHARTON, Jeff, Hon. Red River North PC WIEBE, Matt Concordia NDP WISHART, Ian Portage la Prairie PC WOWCHUK, Rick Swan River PC 2035 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA Thursday, March 25, 2021 The House met at 1:30 p.m. continued support of the local community and generous donors, the organization continues to work Madam Speaker: Good afternoon, everybody. relentlessly as they address the needs of Winnipeg's Please be seated. vulnerable population. ROUTINE PROCEEDINGS I am very proud of this group, made up entirely of Madam Speaker: Introduction of bills? Committee Manitobans, for Manitobans, as they rose to the reports? occasion when they were needed the most. TABLING OF REPORTS Madam Speaker, I ask that we acknowledge Rashmi Saxena and her husband Ankur Aneja for Hon. Blaine Pedersen (Minister of Agriculture and their leadership in these difficult times, as well as the Resource Development): Madam Speaker, I'm many volunteers and donors who have made, and pleased to deliver the Manitoba Watershed Districts continue make We Got This Canada a successful Program 2019-2020 Annual Report. community assistance organization it is today. Madam Speaker: Ministerial statements? Please join me in recognizing them. MEMBERS' STATEMENTS Thank you. Rashmi Saxena and Ankur Aneja Anti-Racism Week Mr. Andrew Smith (Lagimodière): Madam Mr. Jamie Moses (St. Vital): Well, happy Anti- Speaker, during the COVID-19 pandemic, many Racism Week. Although, should I really be happy? Manitobans have been in need of assistance. Rashmi You know, I am at least glad this issue is being Saxena, and her husband, Ankur Aneja, heard the call discussed and ways to eliminate racism, that they're for help and devised a way to assist Winnipeggers slowly taking shape. But really, in 2021, I'm not happy who were struggling. that racism exists at all. They started with a Facebook group that was Now, I do 'commayor'–commend Mayor established in order to provide relief to Winnipeg Bowman and the City of Winnipeg for holding the families, seniors, and immune-compromised individ- 'antism'–racism week and the discussion–all the uals who had lost access to the basic necessities. The issues. But this won't prevent and stop a lot of the group successfully connected those seeking assistance racism that occurs in our society. But I do applaud the with others who were willing to help. mayor and city council. Within a few months, the group had grown from You know, racism can come in many forms, a few, to thousands of members who were donating including overt racism, the racism we see when a first their time, food, and resources to those who needed it responder might withhold appropriate life-saving the most. Members of the group worked together to treatment to an Indigenous person or a person based build a caring community who believed that they on their race. It happens when we see horrifying acts could overcome their challenges together. of racial violence as we saw in Georgia just a few days ago. By May of 2020, their endeavour evolved into We Got This Canada, an incorporated non-profit which Racism can be subtle, you know, like when I, for aims to provide nutrition, assistance and engagement example, walked into a diner a few months ago, and to low-income families, individuals with disabilities, an employee mistaken me–mistakenly presumed that, special needs and seniors. based on the way I looked, I was a SkipTheDishes driver there for a pick-up order. In collaboration with local businesses and gen- erous donors, the group has been able to touch Racism, of course, can also be systemic. This thousands of lives, serving up to 500 families a month, Pallister government ought to know that very well, providing hot meals, food, and hygiene hampers. because through their action, and often inaction, it Through their various programming, and with the comes to light. For example, we see racism when the 2036 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA March 25, 2021 government tramples on Indigenous rights through were started innocently that got out of control and Bill 57, when it chooses not to listen to marginalized destroyed homes and property. Wildfires can be very communities, newcomer families on education and destructive, and I am one that is hoping for rain so puts forward Bill 64, which creates new barriers to Manitoba firefighters can be like the rest of us and learning. We see racism when this government delays enjoy spring. an anti-racism education legislation, Bill 212, using Madam Speaker, I would ask all members of this excuses like we already do some diversity training, to Chamber, help me thank all the Manitoba firefighters explain away their inaction. for all they do to protect us and our property. This is a clear signal that this Pallister govern- Thank you, Madam Speaker. ment– Appreciation for Educators Madam Speaker: The member's time has expired. MLA Uzoma Asagwara (Union Station): I'm Some Honourable Members: Leave. honoured to rise in the House today to highlight the Madam Speaker: Is there leave to allow the member good and important work of Manitoba educators and to complete his statement? commend the resilience of students in Union Station and throughout Manitoba. Some Honourable Members: Agreed. Madam Speaker, long before this pandemic, Some Honourable Members: No. Manitoba teachers, administration and staff have put Madam Speaker: Leave has been denied. students first. Wildfire Prevention They have coached; tutored; volunteered; provided menstrual products for kids of all genders; Mr. Dennis Smook (La Vérendrye): It is indeed an provided safety, comfort, understanding and space for honour to rise in this House today to do a private students to be all of who they are. They've served as member's statement. bridges of understanding. They've even have fed our My statement today is twofold. I would first like children. All of this, on occasions, with their own to thank all the volunteer firefighters and departments money and on their own time. for all the hard and dangerous work they do to protect Bill 64 is the culmination of disregard and mis- Manitobans and their property. In the last couple of treatment of Manitoba educators by this Premier weeks, Manitoba has experienced above normal (Mr. Pallister) and his government. temperatures and, combined with the lack of precipi- tation this past winter, the dangerous–the danger of It's shameful that in the midst of the pandemic, serious wild fires is real. when we've seen school leaders and students alike rise to meet unprecedented challenges, this Cabinet have Madam Speaker, I have noticed over the last so wholly disrespected Manitoba educators and their couple weeks that many fire departments have already families. been out fighting fires, and if we don't receive any rain, the situation will only get worse. Bill 64 does nothing to address the root causes of the challenges which they face. Educators and Madam Speaker, spring is a beautiful time of the students need committed, intentional and root-level year, and after a long winter everyone is just waiting support. to get outside. And with this comes the need to clean up all the dead grass around the yard and the fields, And so, to all Manitoba educators, staff, students, and no quicker way than to burn it. families and communities, and those within those groups who have felt especially nervous that they Madam Speaker, before striking that match, I might somehow lose the progress that's helped make would ask all Manitobans to check with the local auth- them feel safer, perform better, feel affirmed and orities to see if there are burning bans in their area, if valued, know that you deserve to be lifted up, sup- burning permits are required and to make sure that, if ported and equipped with the resources that you need, they are going to burn, they have a plan in place not to just survive this pandemic, but to thrive through should the fire get out of control.