Second Session - Thirty-Fifth Legislature of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba STANDING COMMITTEE on PUBLIC UTILITIES and NATURAL RESOURCES 40 Elizabeth II Chairman Mr. Marcel Laurendeau Constituency of St. Norbert VOL. XL No.8 -1 p.m., FRIDAY, JUNE 21,1991 ISSN 0713·9454 Printed by the Offlce of the Q.-ns Printer. Province of Manitoba MANITOBA LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY Thirty-Fifth Legislature LIB -Liberal; ND - New Democrat; PC - Progressive Conservative NAME CONSTITUENCY PARTY. ALCOCK,Reg Osborne LIB ASHTON,Steve Thompson ND BARRETI,Becky Wellington ND CARR, James Crescentwood LIB CARSTAIRS,Sharon River Heights LIB CERILLI,Marianne Radisson ND CHEEMA,Guizar The Maples LIB CHOMIAK,Dave Kildonan ND 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 ND DOER, Gary Concordia ND DOWNEY,James, Hon. Arthur-Virden PC DRIEDGER, Albert,Hon. Steinbach PC DUCHARME,Gerry, Hon. Riel PC EDWARDS,Paul St. James LIB ENNS,Harry, Hon. Lakeside PC ERNST,Jim, Hon. Charleswood PC EVANS, Clif Interlake ND EVANS,Leonard S. Brandon East ND FILMON,Gary, Hon. Tuxedo PC FINDLAY, Glen,Hon. Springfield PC FRIESEN,Jean Wolseley ND GAUDRY,Neil St. Boniface LIB GILLESHAMMER,Harold, Hon. Minnedosa PC HARPER, Elijah Rupertsland ND HELWER, Edward R. Gimli PC HICKES,George Point Douglas ND LAMOUREUX,Kevin Inkster LIB LA THLIN, Oscar The Pas ND LAURENDEAU,Marcel St. Norbert PC MALOWAY,Jim Elmwood ND MANNESS, Clayton,Hon. Morris PC MARTINDALE,Doug Burrows ND McALPINE,Gerry Sturgeon Creek PC McCRAE,James, Hon. Brandon West PC MciNTOSH,Linda, Hon. Assiniboia PC MITCHELSON,Bonnie, Hon. River East PC NEUFELD,Harold, Hon. Rossmere PC ORCHARD,Donald, Hon. Pembina PC PENNER,Jack Emerson PC PLOHMAN,John Dauphin ND PRAZNIK,Darren, Hon. Lac du Bonnet PC REID,Daryl Transcona ND REIMER,Jack Niakwa PC RENDER,Shirley St. Vital PC ROGAN, Denis,Hon. Gladstone PC ROSE,Bob Turtle Mountain PC SANTOS,Conrad Broadway ND STEFANSON,Eric, Hon. Kirkfield Park PC STORIE,Jerry Flin Flon ND SVEINSON, Ben La Verendrye PC VODREY, Rosemary Fort Garry PC WASYLYCIA-LEIS, Judy St. Johns ND WOWCHUK,Rosann Swan River ND 223 LEGISLATIVEASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA STANDING COMMITTEEON PUBLIC UTILITIES AND NATURAL RESOURCES Friday, June 21, 1991 TIME-1 p.m. River (Mrs. Dacquay), that the member for St. LOCATION- Winnipeg, Manitoba Norbert (Mr. Marcel Laurendeau) be Chair. CHAIRMAN - Mr. Marcel Laurendeau (St. Madam Clerk: We do not need a seconder in Norbert) committee, but Mr. Laurendeau has been nominated. Are there any further nominations? ATTENDANCE-10 -QUORUM-6 Since there are no other nominations, will Mr. Members of the Committee present: Laurendeau please take the Chair? Hon. Messrs. Cummings, Downey, Enns * (1305) Ms. Cerilli, Mrs. Dacquay, Messrs. Dewar, Mr. Chairman: I call the meeting to order and ask Edwards, Laurendeau, McAlpine, Mrs. Render the members of the committee if they wish to APPEARING: continue on in the same format as we have been, Doug Martindale, MLA for Burrows that we hear the out-of-town presenters first, or if you WITNESSES: want to start going from the top of the list down? What is the will of the committee? Greg Mickie, Triple S Business Development Corporation Mrs. Render: Mr. Chairman, I suggest we check with the out-of-town presenters first. Margaret Kapinga, Private Citizen Prasad Gowdar, Private Citizen Mr. Chairman: Okay, then we will continue on in the same fashion we have been. Rob Altemeyer, Private Citizen Neill Adhikari, Private Citizen Ms. Marianne Cerllll (Radisson): I wonder if we could have a brief discussion about the plans for Harvey Williams, Time to Respect Earth's today. I understand that there is still quite a list of Ecosystems people to present, that we consider hearing people Jenny R. Ward, Private Citizen today who cannot return, as we have been, and end Written Presentations Submitted: presentations today by around five and resume on Peter Mandryk and Ray Marquette, Interlake Monday. Development Corporation Inc. Hon. Harry Enns (Minister of Natural Linh Vu, Private Citizen Resources): Mr. Chairman, I think we have Laura Reeves, Private Citizen managed to work out our arrangements reasonably MATTERS UNDER DISCUSSION: well to most people's satisfaction, that we come to that determination at that time. Say around five 38- Bill The Wildlife Amendment Act o'clock, we will see how the committee proceeds. *** Mr. Chairman: We will decide at five o'clock then? That is the will of the committee? Good enough. Clerk of Commi ttees (Ms. Bonnie Greschuk): Mr. Greg Mickie. Come forward, Mr. Mickie. Will the committee please come to order? We must Have you a written presentation, Mr. Mickie? proceed to elect a Chairperson for the Standing Mr. Greg Mickle (TripleS Business Development Committee on Public Utilities and Natural Corporation): Yes, I do. Resources. Are there any nominations? * (1310) Mrs. Shirley Render (Sl VItal): Madam Acting Chair, I move, seconded by the member for Seine Mr. Chairman: Has it been brought forward yet? 224 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA June 21 , 1991 Mr. Chairman: Has it been brought forward yet? way. We are looking at the number of families who would relocate from Winnipeg probably to Selkirk. Mr. Mickle: No, it is really too brief, Mr. Chairman, to pass out. We are the major service centre of the Interlake. We have been known recently as the No. 1 rural Mr. Chairman: Okay, that will be fine. Carry on, community in terms of residential and business Mr. Mickie. growth. We are looking forward to the number of Mr. Mickle: Mr. Chairman, committee members, tourists this project could attract. After all, what ladies and gentlemen, my name is Greg Mickie. I would the Oak Hammock Marsh be today if it were am employed by Triple S Business Development as not for Ducks Unlimited, never mind what it could managing director. be? Our group is responsible for economic * (1315) development in the Selkirk, St. Andrews and St. Mr. Enns: Mr. Chairman, my first introduction to Clements communities. We have very little to say your organization, and I am trying to recall whether today because, in our opinion, after months and you were part of the delegation that did in fact have months and months of discussion on the Ducks a meeting with me in my office, led at that time by Unlimited project, certainly, what more can be said the then liberal MLA for Selkirk, Ms. Gwen Charles. that has not been said already? I appreciated her support for the project. This is not a Ducks Unlimited bill, but if the I would simply encourage your organizations to proposed amendments contained within Bill 38 continue suggesting to the present member for allow the DU project to proceed, then we support Selkirk that Ms. Charles in fact understood her this legislation. We respectfully urge this constituents in this instance, and I would ask you to government to do what the vast majority of keep that in mind. Thank you. Manitobans want, make a decision, make it now and Mr. Mickle: Mr. Chairman, I would just like to I make it in favour of Ducks Unlimited. That is all mention that our local MLA is probably aware that have to say. the Selkirk and District labour Council, which Mr. Chairman: Thank you, Mr. Mickie. Any represents over 2,000 families, is strongly in support questions? of this project. Mr. Enns: Is that not interesting? Thank you. Mr. Enns: Mr. Chairman, I appreciate the brevity of the presenter's brief. We have listened to many Mr. Chairman: Thank you, Mr. Mickie. presentations. Of course, they are all welcome. Mr.Mickle: Thank you. I just want to ask one question. My first Mr. Chairman: Any further questions? introduction to your organization, and perhaps that Ms. Cerllll: Mr. Mickie, what are your thoughts on should be the first question. You list yourself as the the concept of putting into wildlife protection Triple S Business Development. Could you just legislation the ability for a minister to allow economic expand on what that represents? Who are you development? This is not legislation that is being speaking for? put in place to encourage economic development. Mr. Mickle: Yes, Mr. Chairman, we do economic This is legislation that is designed to protect wildlife. development in the town of Selkirk and the two rural At this point in time, when we are trying to develop municipalities of St. Andrews and St. Clements. We endangered spaces campaigns, when we are trying are a federally funded Community Futures to change legislation and change our economic organization. We are also supported financially by practices to protect the environment, we have the municipalities. We are responsible to before us legislation that is going in the opposite encourage businesses to expand and locate within direction and is putting in environment protection those areas. areas the ability to open them up for economic development. Do you understand the arguments We view the Ducks Unlimited project as against that, and what is your sense of that? something that would certainly enhance our community. We recognize that the R.M. of Mr. Mickle: Mr. Chairman, as I said, I am not Rockwood is the location for the proposed project, absolutely familiar with the proposed amendments but we see a good amount of spinoff coming our to the bill or the bill itself, but I believe that there are June 21 , 1991 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA 225 enough checks and balances in the system that this questions, but the honourable member did not have minister or any future ministers would govern a point of order. themselves properly and would seek all of the *** appropriate advice before making any changes.