Fifth Session - Thirty-Sixth Legislature of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba DEBATES and PROCEEDINGS Official Report (Hansard) Publisl1ed under tile autllorityof Tile Honourable Louise M. Dacquay Speaker Vol. XLIX No. 348- 1:30 p.m., Thursday, May 27, 1999 ISSN 0542-5492 MANITOBA LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY Thirty-Sixth Legislature Member Constituency Political Affiliation ASHTON, Steve Thompson N.D.P. BARRETT, Becky Wellington N.D.P. CERILLI, Marianne Radisson N.D.P. CIIOMIAK, Dave Kildonan N.D.P. CUMMINGS, Glen, lion. Ste. Rose P.C. DACQUA Y, Louise, lion. Seine River P.C. DERKACII, Leonard, lion. Rob) in-Russell P.C. DEWAR, Gregory Selkirk N.D.P. DOER, Gary Concordia N.D.P. DOWNEY, James Arthur-Virden P.C. DRIEDGER, Albert Steinbach P.C. DRIEDGER, Myrna Charleswood P.C. DYCK, Peter Pembina PC. ENNS, Harry, lion. Lakeside P.C. EVANS,Ciif Interlake N.D.P. EVANS, Leonard S. IJrandon East N.D.P. FAURSCIIOU, David Portage Ia Prairie P.C. FILMON, Gary, lion. Tuxedo P.C. FINDLAY, Glen Springfield P.C. FRIESEN, Jean Wolseley N.D.P. GILLESBAMMER, Harold,Bon. Minnedosa P.C. IIELWER, Edward Gimli P.C. I !ICKES, George Point Douglas N.D.P. JENNISSEN, Gerard Flin Flon N.D.P. KOWALSKI, Gary The Maples Lib. LAMOUREUX, Kevin Inkster Lib. LATIILIN, Oscar The Pas N.D.P. l.AURENDEAU, Marcel St. Norbert P.C. MACKINTOSH, Gord St. Johns N.D.P. MALOWAY, Jim Elmwood N.D.P. MARTINDALE, Doug Burrows N.D.P. McALPINE, Gerry Sturgeon Creek P.C. McCRAE, James, Bon. Brandon West P.C. McGIFFORD, Diane Osborne N.D.P. MciNTOSH, Linda, Hon. Assiniboia P.C. MIIIYCHUK, MaryAnn St. James N.D.P. MITCHELSON, Bonnie, Bon. River East P.C. NEWMAN, David, Bon. Riel P.C. PENNER. Jack Emerson P.C. PITURA, Frank, lion. Morris P.C. PRAZNIK, Darren, Hon. Lac du Bonnet P.C. RADCLIFFE. Mike, Bon. River Heights P.C. REID. Daryl Transcona N.D.P. REIMER, Jack, lion. Niakwa P.C. RENDER, Shirley, lion. St. Vital P.C. ROBINSON. Eric Rupertsland N.D.P. ROCAN. Denis Gladstone P.C. SALE. Tim Crescentwood N.D.P. SANTOS, Conrad Broadway N.D.P. STEFANSON, Eric. lion. Kirkfield Park P.C. STRUTIIERS, Stan Dauphin N.D.P. SVEINSON, Ben La Verendrye P.C. TOEWS. Vic, lion. Ross mere P.C. TWEED, Mervin, lion. Turtle Mountain P.C. VODREY. Rosemary, Hon. fort Garry P.C. Swan River N.D.P. WOWCIIUK, Rosann - l"acanl St. Boniface 1861 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA Thursday, May 27, 1999 The House met at 1:30 p.m. make about Provincial Mining Week in Manitoba. ROUTINE PROCEEDINGS I would also like to take a moment to PRESENTINGREPORTS BY welcome several guests in the public gallery this STANDINGAND SPECIAL COMMITTEES afternoon: Ed Huebert of the Mining Association of Manitoba, Jim Campbell of Gossan Resources Committee of Supply and Brian Gordon and John Knowles of Hudson Bay Mining and Smelting. Mr. Marcel Laurendeau (Chairperson): Madam Speaker, the Committee of Supply has Madam Speaker, as Minister of Energy and considered certain resolutions, directs me to Mines, I am pleased to proclaim the week of report progress and asks leave to sit again. May 28 to June 3, 1999, as Provincial Mining Week. Mining and exploration together are I move, seconded by the honourable significant contributors to our economy, our member fo r Emerson (Mr. Penner), that the everyday life and the sustainability of many report of the committee be received. Manitoba communities, particularly in the North. It surely is no accident that Thompson, the hub Motion agreed to. of our mining industry and the largest city in the North, ranks third in community size in MINISTERIAL STATEMENTS Manitoba. Mining is our second-largest primary resource industry with a production value of Provincial Mining Week more than $900 million and spinoff value of many times that amount, and employs more than Hon. David Newman (Minister of Energy and 4,000 workers. Mines): Madam Speaker, I have a ministerial statement for the House on provincial mining. In Manitoba, for most of this century, Madam Speaker, our mining communities have developed a rich history and community life. Members of the House will have noticed the They have been built and sustained by packages of rock that were on their desks when generations of strong-willed, self-reliant people, they took their seats this afternoon. They are many from other parts of Canada and dozens of samples of mineral ores taken from Manitoba other countries. They have been the backbone of mining sites and are the gift of the Mining the industry in their communities and have taken Association of Manitoba. For the information of on and overcome the challenges of work and the House, the packages have the fo llowing: community involved in the mining industry in nickel ore and market nickel from Inco; copper our province. zinc ore as well as anode copper and refined zinc, all from Hudson Bay Mining and Smelting; Madam Speaker, we want to make spodumene, pollucite and tantalum from Manitobans aware of the benefits and major Tantalum Mining Corporation and a diamond­ impacts of mining for our economy. Increasing drilled core used for exploring fo r gold from citizen awareness will help give Manitobans an New Britannia Mine. appreciation of the improvements the mining industry has made in environmental The ores have been contributed to management, preparedness for emergency demonstrate the rich variety of ores that are responses, occupational health and safety, and mined in our province. They also serve as an the need for sustainability of mining operations. introduction to a brief statement I would like to By encouraging a variety of productive 1862 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA May 27, 1999 partnerships between government, the industry living in St. Vital, those in the inner city and and communities, we hope to make Manitoba those in rural Manitoba. Mining is a fundamental the most effective technologically advanced and key economic resource for Manitoba. That is socially and environmentally responsible why it is important to have a government that jurisdiction fo r mining in Canada. cares about mining, that is willing to work with the partners and willing to sustain mining in Madam Speaker, I look on Provincial Manitoba. Mining Week as an opportunity to celebrate the vital role of mining in our province. I would like wish to congratulate the Mining to invite members of this House to the major Association fo r working so hard to bring event of the week which the Mining Association awareness of mmmg and minerals to of Manitoba is co-sponsoring with the Mines Manitobans, and thank the minister for his Accident Prevention Association of Manitoba. statement. This is the Meet the Miners Reception which will take place at the Winnipeg Art Gallery on INTRODUCTION OF BILLS May 31, from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. and will offer an opportunity to meet many members of Bill30- The Veterinary Medical Act Manitoba's mining and exploration community. I ask all honourable members to join me in Hon. Harry Enos (Minister of Agriculture): support of Provincial Mining Week. Thank you. Madam Speaker, I move, seconded by the Minister of Rural Development (Mr. Derkach), * (1335) that leave be given to introduce Bill 30, The Veterinary Medical Act (Loi sur Ia medecine Ms. MaryAnn Mihycbuk (St. James): Madam veterinaire), and that the same be now received Speaker, it is my pleasure to rise to put a few and read a first time. comments in response to the minister's statement and welcome colleagues who are here from the Motion agreed to. mining industry and the Mining Association. I am very pleased that they took me up on the idea Biii31-The Association of Manitoba of providing members of this House with a little Municipalities Incorporation and sample of the rocks that we collect in Manitoba Consequential Amendments Act and produce many important minerals and end products that sustain many of the jobs that we Hon. Leonard Derkach (Minister of Rural have in Manitoba. Development): Madam Speaker, I move, seconded by the Minister of Highways and Unfortunately, we have seen metal prices in Transportation (Mr. Praznik), that leave be given a low situation in many, many commodities, one to introduce Bill 31, The Association of of the most critical situations in the mineral Manitoba Municipalities Incorporation and industry that we have seen fo r many years. The Consequential Amendments Act; Loi constituant consequences have been indeed fe lt in mining !'Association des municipalites du Manitoba et communities in Thompson, in Bissett, in Flin modifications correlatives, and that the same be Flon, in Lynn Lake and in other mining now received and read a first time. communities where we have seen the loss of perhaps about a thousand jobs in Manitoba Motion agreed to. already. Introduction of Guests Madam Speaker, it is a time to celebrate and learn about minerals and mining, and it is a time Madam Speaker: Prior to Oral Questions, to understand how important mining is to all would like to draw the attention of all people of Manitoba. Not only is it important to honourable members to the public gallery where the workers and the families who live in the we have nine Grades 2 to 6 students from North or mining communities, but it affects Brandon Community School under the direction - every single one of us here in the south, those of Mrs. Cecilia Fjeldsted and Mrs. Bev Leckie. May 27, 1999 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA 1863 This school is located in the constituency of the further pursue her education. The total honourable Minister of Education and Training complement of the clinic will not only be (Mr.