Second Session - Fortieth Legislature of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba DEBATES and PROCEEDINGS Official Report (Hansard) Published under the authority of The Honourable Daryl Reid Speaker Vol. LXV No. 31 - 10 a.m., Friday, April 26, 2013 ISSN 0542-5492 MANITOBA LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY Fortieth Legislature Member Constituency Political Affiliation ALLAN, Nancy, Hon. St. Vital NDP ALLUM, James Fort Garry-Riverview NDP ALTEMEYER, Rob Wolseley NDP ASHTON, Steve, Hon. Thompson NDP BJORNSON, Peter, Hon. Gimli NDP BLADY, Sharon Kirkfield Park NDP BRAUN, Erna Rossmere NDP BRIESE, Stuart Agassiz PC CALDWELL, Drew Brandon East NDP CHIEF, Kevin, Hon. Point Douglas NDP CHOMIAK, Dave, Hon. Kildonan NDP CROTHERS, Deanne St. James NDP CULLEN, Cliff Spruce Woods PC DEWAR, Gregory Selkirk NDP DRIEDGER, Myrna Charleswood PC EICHLER, Ralph Lakeside PC EWASKO, Wayne Lac du Bonnet PC FRIESEN, Cameron Morden-Winkler PC GAUDREAU, Dave St. Norbert NDP GERRARD, Jon, Hon. River Heights Liberal GOERTZEN, Kelvin Steinbach PC GRAYDON, Cliff Emerson PC HELWER, Reg Brandon West PC HOWARD, Jennifer, Hon. Fort Rouge NDP IRVIN-ROSS, Kerri, Hon. Fort Richmond NDP JHA, Bidhu Radisson NDP KOSTYSHYN, Ron, Hon. Swan River NDP LEMIEUX, Ron, Hon. Dawson Trail NDP MACKINTOSH, Gord, Hon. St. Johns NDP MAGUIRE, Larry Arthur-Virden PC MALOWAY, Jim Elmwood NDP MARCELINO, Flor, Hon. Logan NDP MARCELINO, Ted Tyndall Park NDP MELNICK, Christine, Hon. Riel NDP MITCHELSON, Bonnie River East PC NEVAKSHONOFF, Tom Interlake NDP OSWALD, Theresa, Hon. Seine River NDP PALLISTER, Brian Fort Whyte PC PEDERSEN, Blaine Midland PC PETTERSEN, Clarence Flin Flon NDP REID, Daryl, Hon. Transcona NDP ROBINSON, Eric, Hon. Kewatinook NDP RONDEAU, Jim, Hon. Assiniboia NDP ROWAT, Leanne Riding Mountain PC SARAN, Mohinder The Maples NDP SCHULER, Ron St. Paul PC SELBY, Erin, Hon. Southdale NDP SELINGER, Greg, Hon. St. Boniface NDP SMOOK, Dennis La Verendrye PC STEFANSON, Heather Tuxedo PC STRUTHERS, Stan, Hon. Dauphin NDP SWAN, Andrew, Hon. Minto NDP WHITEHEAD, Frank The Pas NDP WIEBE, Matt Concordia NDP WIGHT, Melanie Burrows NDP WISHART, Ian Portage la Prairie PC Vacant Morris 787 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA Friday, April 26, 2013 The House met at 10 a.m. Further introduction of bills? Mr. Speaker: O Eternal and Almighty God, from Bill 28–The Health Services Insurance Whom all power and wisdom come, we are Amendment and Hospitals Amendment Act assembled here before Thee to frame such laws as (Admitting Privileges) may tend to the welfare and prosperity of our Hon. Theresa Oswald (Minister of Health): I province. Grant, O merciful God, we pray Thee, that move, seconded by the Minister of Family Services we may desire only that which is in accordance with and Labour (Ms. Howard), that Bill 28, The Health Thy will, that we may seek it with wisdom, know it Services Insurance Amendment and Hospitals with certainty and accomplish it perfectly for the Amendment Act (Admitting Privileges); Loi glory and honour of Thy name and for the welfare of modifiant la Loi sur l'assurance-maladie et la Loi sur all our people. Amen. les hôpitaux (privilèges d'admission), be now read a Good morning, everyone. Please be seated. first time. ROUTINE PROCEEDINGS Motion presented. INTRODUCTION OF BILLS Ms. Oswald: The changes we're introducing today authorize nurse practitioners and midwives to admit Bill 27–The Highway Traffic Amendment Act patients to hospitals. Nurse practitioners and (Charter Bus Service) midwives provide a wide range of high quality care Hon. Steve Ashton (Minister of Infrastructure to patients and families in Manitoba, and these and Transportation): I move, Mr. Speaker, changes will help to further their contribution to our seconded by the Minister of Education (Ms. Allan), health-care system, streamline the admissions that The Highway Traffic Amendment Act (Charter process, save time for patients and make the health- Bus Service); Loi modifiant le Code de la route care system more efficient. (services d'autobus nolisés), be now read a first time. Mr. Speaker: Is it the pleasure of the House to adopt Motion presented. the motion? [Agreed] Mr. Ashton: I had originally planned on introducing Bill 204–The Manitoba Human this yesterday, but I was a bit delayed because I was Trafficking Awareness Day Act at the official opening of the Oscar Lathlin Research Ms. Melanie Wight (Burrows): I move, seconded Library in The Pas, UCN. by the member from St. James, that Bill 204, The Mr. Speaker, this bill is part of our Manitoba Human Trafficking Awareness Day Act, modernization of our regulations–regard to bus be now read for the first time. service in this province. As members will know, we were faced with a very significant change in bus Motion presented. service when Greyhound, a number of years ago, Ms. Wight: At present, Stop Child Sexual indicated it was leaving the province. We brought in Exploitation Awareness Week takes place during the a new system of regulation for scheduled bus service, second week of March every year. This act would and what this does, this also provides for greater designate the Thursday of that week as Manitoba flexibility for charter bus operators to operate Human Trafficking Awareness Day. Such a day will throughout the province. It maintains safety bring much needed attention to this serious human provisions, provides greater ability for operators to rights violation which occurs both at home and enter and exit the market. abroad. Thank you. Once again, it's about modernizing our bus service. Mr. Speaker: Is it the pleasure of the House to adopt the motion? [Agreed] Mr. Speaker: Is it the pleasure of the House to adopt the motion? [Agreed] No further bills? We'll move to petitions. 788 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA April 26, 2013 PETITIONS If the provincial government imposes amalgamations, local democratic representation will St. Ambroise Beach Provincial Park be drastically limited while not providing any real Mr. Ian Wishart (Portage la Prairie): Mr. Speaker, improvements in cost savings. I wish to present the following petition to the Local governments are further concerned that Legislative Assembly. amalgamation will fail to address the serious issues And this are the reasons for the petition: facing–currently facing municipalities, including an absence of reliable infrastructure funding and timely St. Ambroise provincial park was hard hit by the flood compensation. 2011 flood, resulting in the park's ongoing closure, the loss of local access to Lake Manitoba, as well as Municipalities deserve to be treated with respect. untold harm to the ecosystem and wildlife in the Any amalgamations should be voluntary in nature region. and led by the municipalities themselves. The park's closure is having a negative impact in We petition the Legislative Assembly of many areas, including disruptions to local tourism, Manitoba as follows: hunting and fishing operations, diminished economic To request that the Minister of Local and employment opportunities and the potential loss Government afford local governments the respect of the local store and decrease in property values. they deserve and reverse his decision to force Local residents and visitors alike want St. municipalities with fewer than 1,000 constituents to Ambroise provincial park to be reopened as soon as amalgamate. possible. And this petition is signed by R. Rempel, We petition the Legislative Assembly of C. Heinrichs, M. Martens and many, many more fine Manitoba as follows: Manitobans. To request the appropriate ministers of the *(10:10) provincial government consider repairing St. Highway 217 Bridge Repair Ambroise provincial park and its access points to their preflood conditions so the park can be reopened Mr. Cliff Graydon (Emerson): Mr. Speaker, I wish for the 2013 season or earlier if possible. to present the following petition to the Legislative Assembly. This signed–petition's signed by T. McKay, P. Belard and C. Chartrand and many, many more And these are the reasons for this petition: fine Manitobans. The bridge over the Red River on Highway 217 Mr. Speaker: In accordance with our rule 132(6), outside of St. Jean Baptiste was built in 1947 and when petitions are read they are deemed to have been provides a vital link of economic opportunities and received by the House. community development on both sides of the river. Municipal Amalgamations–Reversal The Department of Infrastructure and Transportation closed the bridge after spending Mr. Blaine Pedersen (Midland): I wish to present significant sums of money and time on rehabilitation the following petition to the Legislative Assembly. efforts in the summer of 2012. The background to this petition is as follows: Individuals require numerous trips across that The provincial government recently announced river each day to access schools, businesses and plans to amalgamate any municipalities with fewer health-care facilities. The bridge closure causes daily than 1,000 constituents. undue hardship and inconvenience for residents due to time requirements and higher transportation costs. The provincial government did not consult with We petition the Legislative Assembly of or notify the affected municipalities of this decision Manitoba as follows: prior to the Throne Speech announcement on November 19th, 2012, and has further imposed To urge the Minister of Infrastructure and unrealistic deadlines. Transportation to repair or replace the existing bridge April 26, 2013 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA 789 as soon as possible to allow communities on both Prevention, the result of a series of reviews sides of the river to return to normal activities. conducted in 2012 of Manitoba's approach to workplace safety and health, and drawing on the And this petition has been signed by input of hundreds of Manitoba workers and L. Beaudette, K. Gilmore and D. Bruneau and employers. thousands of other fine Manitobans. Today, as we remember and honour those Mr. Speaker: Any further petitions? workers who were killed and injured on the job, we Seeing none, we'll move on to– must strengthen our commitment to work together to put an end to these preventable tragedies.