First Session - Thirty-Fourth Legislature of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba DEBATES and PROCEEDINGS (HANSARD) 37 Elizabeth 11 Publishedunder the authorityof The HonourableDenis C. Rocan Speaker VOL. XXXVII No. 73A - 1:30 p.m., MONDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 1988. MG-8048 ISSN 0542-5492 Printed by the Office of the Queens Printer, Province of Manitoba MANI TOBA LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY Thirty-Fourth Legislature Members, Constituencies and Political Affiliation NAME CONSTITUENCY PA RTY ALCOCK, Reg Osborne LIBERAL ANGUS, John St. Norbert LIBERAL ASHTON, Steve Thompson NDP BURRELL, Parker Swan River PC CARR, James Fort Rouge LIBERAL CARSTAIRS, Sharon River Heights LIBERAL CHARLES, Gwen Selkirk LIBERAL CHEEMA, Gulzar Kildonan LIBERAL CHORNOPYSKI, William Burrows LIBERAL CONNERY, Edward Hon. Portage la Prairie PC COWAN, Jay Churchill NDP CUMMINGS, Glen, Hon. Ste. Rose du Lac PC DERKACH, Leonard, Hon. Roblin-Russell PC DOER, Gary Concordia NDP DOWNEY, James Hon. Arthur PC DRIEDGER, Albert, Hon. Emerson PC DRIEDGER, Herold, L. Niakwa LIBERAL DUCHARME, Gerald, Hon. Riel PC EDWARDS, Paul St. James LIBERAL ENNS, Harry Lakeside PC ERNST, Jim, Hon. Charleswood PC EVANS, Laurie Fort Garry LIBERAL EVANS, Leonard Brandon East NDP FILMON, Gary, Hon. Tu xedo PC FINDLAY, Glen Hon. Virden PC GAUDRY, Neil St. Boniface LIBERAL GILLESHAMMER, Harold Minnedosa PC GRAY,Avis Ellice LIBERAL HAMMOND, Gerrie Kirkfield Park PC HARAPIAK, Harry The Pas NDP HARPER, Elijah Rupertsland NDP HELWER, Edward R. Gimli PC HEMPHILL, Maureen Logan NDP KOZAK, Richard, J. Transcona LIBERAL LAMOUREUX, Kevin, M. lnkster LIBERAL MALOWAY, Jim Elmwood NDP MANDRAKE, Ed Assiniboia LIBERAL MANNESS, Clayton, Hon. Morris PC McCRAE, James Hon. Brandon West PC MINENKO, Mark Seven Oaks LIBERAL MITCHELSON, Bonnie, Hon. River East PC NEUFELD, Harold, Hon. Rossmere PC OLESON, Charlotte Hon. Glad stone PC ORCHARD, Donald Hon. Pembina PC PA NKRATZ, Helmut La Verendrye PC PATTERSON, Allan Radisson LIBERAL PENNER, Jack, Hon. Rhineland PC PLOHMAN, John Dauphin NDP PRAZNIK, Darren Lac du Bonnet PC ROCAN, Denis, Hon. Tu rtle Mountain PC ROCH, Gilles Springfield LIBERAL ROSE, Bob St. Vital LIBERAL STORIE, Jerry Flin Flon NDP TAYLOR, Harold Wo lseley LIBERAL URUSKI, Bill lnterlake NDP WASYLYCIA-LEIS, Judy St. Johns NDP YEO, lva Sturgeon Creek LIBERAL LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA Monday, November 7, 1988. The House met at 1:30 p.m. today that there will not be this massive layoff that an internal memo said would be created at CN Manitoba? PRAYERS Hon. Albert Driedger (Minister of Highways and ROUTINE PROCEEDINGS Transportation): There seems to be conflicting stories as to what is going to happen. Senior officials from ANNOUNCEMENT CN have indicated that there will be no layoffs. Mr.Speaker: Prior to oral questions, I have a statement * (1335) for the House. I should like to inform all Honourable Members that I have received a communication from Future Job Losses the Honourable Hugh Edighoffer, Speaker of the Ontario legislative Assembly, with respect to the proposed Mrs. Sharon Carstairs (Leader of the Opposition): Constitutional Amendment 1987. Mr. Speaker, that is not quite what they said. They said In addition, Mr. Speaker Edighoffer has been kind that in five years, between now and then, there would enough to provide me with a copy of the report of the in fact be 4,000 layoffs. Can the Minister tell us how Ontario Select Committee on Constitutional Reform many- � regarding the Constitutional Amendment 1987, which ' was adopted by the Ontario House on June 29, 1988. Mr. Speaker: Order, please; order, please. Order! I am pleased today to table both of these documents. Mrs. Carstairs: Mr.. Speaker, according to the report Members wishing to examine them may do so by given to the House of Commons by CN Rail, there will contacting the Clerk of the House (Mr. W. Remnant). be 4,000 fewer jobs in the next five years. How many of those jobs will be in Manitoba? INTRODUCTION OF GUESTS Hon. Albert Driedger (Minister of Highways and Mr. Speaker: Prior to oral questions, may I direct Transportation): lt was my understanding that there Honourable Members' attention to the gallery where would be no layoffs, that they will use attrition in some we have, from the West Park School, seventy Grade cases to allow some of the jobs to elapse. 6 students under the direction of Mr. Ken Doell. This school is located in the constituency of the Honourable I have indicated already at a time previously that I have Minister of Natural Resources (Mr. Penner). made an arrangement with the CN people from Manitoba here that before any changes will take place On behalf of all Honourable Members, I welcome you in Manitoba that will affect the employment factor, that here this afternoon. I will have an opportunity to discuss it with them because I am as concerned as anybody else that there be no ORAL QUESTION PERIOD layoffs, that there be no jobs lost. I will do whatever I can in terms of negotiating with CN and discussing CN Rail Layoffs this with them. Manitoba Employees Mrs. Carstairs: With a supplementary question to the � Mrs. Sharon Carstairs (Leader of the Opposition): Minister of Transportation (Mr. Albert Driedger). The Mr. Speaker, my first question is to the Minister of memo talks about 5 years to 10 years and it talks about Transportation (Mr. Albert Driedger). Wescott Fashions, 17,000. Has this Minister met with CN national officials Doerksen & Gronau, and now CN Rail-last week was or will he meet with them, not local but national, and quite a week for Manitoba's labour force. will he find out how many jobs in this province are forecast to be lost? Thousands of Manitobans earn their living in this city and in other communities like The Pas from CN Rail. Mr. Albert Driedger: I can indicate that I will try and Already many have been put out of work. As for the find out exactly what impact it will have. I will also try others, for years they have been haunted by constant and have written documentation based on the speculation that it is only a matter of time before they comments made by CN officials that there will be no too would be out of work. Recent reports of 17,000 layoffs in Manitoba. being laid off does little but aggravate the situation. CN employees have a right to know what lies ahead Awasis Agency and not from leaked memos or memos otherwise received. They need to hear from Government and CN Meeting Government Officials representatives. Mrs. Sharon Carstairs (Leader of the Opposition): My question to the Minister of Transportation (Mr. Mr. Speaker, with a question to the Minister of Albert Driedger) is what assurances is he able to provide Community Services (Mrs. Oleson). Once again, and 2817 Monday, No vember 7, 1988 tragically, the Aw asis Child and Family Service Agency Manfor Ltd. has made the news. Th e incidents that have been Negotiations for Sale reported over the past months are tragic and I am certain that the Minister would agree that everything Mr. Gary Doer (Leader of the Second Opposition): must be done to improve the level and quality of services My question is for the Minister responsible for Manfor. that this agency provides to our Native children living Certainly, Manitobans have been concerned over the throughout this province. last period of time with the negotiating style of the present Government-the evaluation of the Manfor My question to the Minister of Community Services plant down to $1, the lack of any specific information is: has she met in the past weeks with Awasis officials on the forestry cut area, the highway weight size and to discuss the problems in the agency, and if she has, other important factors for Manitobans. what resolution has been reached? My question to the Minister responsible for Manfor: can he advise the House on the status of negotiations Hon. Charlotte Oleson (Minister of Community in light of all the rumours that are in the North about Services): Ye s, I share the Member's concern with an imminent sale, and can he also advise the House another tragedy in that agency. I should indicate to the whether there is any federal funding involved in the Member that I had recently met with officials from modernization and capitalization of the Manfor plant Awasis last month, and after that meeting I indicated as part of the negotiations for the sale of Manfor? to my staff that they should meet with officials of Awasis, plus the officials from the federal Government, to review Hon. Clayton Manness (Minister responsible for the operation of the agency and any help that can be Crown Corporations): Negotiations with interested given it. parties continue. As I said the last time that I discussed this issue on the floor, we will not disclose the specific New Protocols items working towards divestiture of Manfor. We are still fully committed to seeing a major infusion of capital Mrs. Sharon Carstairs (Leader of the Opposition): that will guarantee the long-term viability of the With a supplementary question to the same Minister. operation plus the long-term viability of the jobs. With respect to the other matters, we will not talk in an open Can the Minister table in this House today new protocols fashion about them. which have been established for the Awasis Agency so that events that we have learned about in the weekend Mr. Doer: Mr. Speaker, the Member should realize that and previously cannot occur again? the forest area, the highways, many of the other important decisions that he is making are Manitoba Hon. Charlotte Oleson (Minister of Community assets and Manitobans have a right to know the status Services): We are all anxious that these events do of their assets, not be left in the dark by this "open not occur again.