Fourth Session- Thirty-Sixth Legislature of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba DEBATES and PROCEEDINGS Official Report (Hansard) Published under the authority of The Honourable Louise M. Dacquay Speaker Vol. XLVIII No. 20- 1:30 p.m., Wednesday, March 18,1998 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. CHOMIAK, Dave Kildonan N.D.P. CUMMINGS, Glen, Hon. Ste. Rose P.C. DACQUAY, Louise, Hon. Seine River P.C. DERKACH, Leonard, Hon. Rob lin-Russell P.C. DEWAR, Gregory Selkirk N.D.P. DOER, Gary Concordia N.D.P. DOWNEY, James, Hon. Arthur-Virden P.C. DRIEDGER, Albert Steinbach P.C. DYCK, Peter Pembina P.C. ENNS, Harry, Hon. Lakeside P.C. EVANS, Clif Interlake N.D.P. EVANS, Leonard S. Brandon East N.D.P. FAURSCHOU, David Portage Ia Prairie P.C. FILMON, Gary, Hon. Tuxedo P.C. FINDLAY, Glen, Hon. Springfield P.C. FRIESEN, Jean Wolseley N.D.P. GAUDRY, Neil St. Boniface Lib. GILLESHAMMER, Harold, Hon. Minnedosa P.C. HELWER, Edward Gimli P.C. HICKES, George Point Douglas N.D.P. JENNISSEN, Gerard Flin Flon N.D.P. KOWALSKI, Gary The Maples Lib. LAMOUREUX, Kevin Inkster Lib. LATHLIN, Oscar The Pas N.D.P. LAURENDEAU, 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, Hon. Brandon West P.C. McGIFFORD, Diane Osborne N.D.P. MciNTOSH, Linda, Hon. Assiniboia P.C. MIHYCHUK, MaryAnn St. James N.D.P. MITCHELSON, Bonnie, Hon. River East P.C. NEWMAN, David, Hon. Riel P.C. PENNER, Jack Emerson P.C. PITURA, Frank, Hon. Morris P.C. PRAZNIK, Darren, Hon. Lac du Bonnet P.C. RADCLIFFE, Mike, Hon. River Heights P.C. REID, Daryl Transcona N.D.P. REIMER, Jack, Hon. Niakwa P.C. RENDER, Shirley 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, Hon. Kirkfield Park P.C. STRUTHERS, Stan Dauphin N.D.P. SVEINSON, Ben La Verendrye P.C. TOEWS, Vic, Hon. Rossmere P.C. TWEED, Mervin Turtle Mountain P.C. VODREY, Rosemary, Hon. Fort Garry P.C. WOWCHUK, Rosann Swan River N.D.P. Vacant Charleswood 831 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA Wednesday, March 18, 1998 The House met at 1:30 p.m. WHEREAS this proposal will not improve the quality of food but will cost hundreds of jobs to the provincial PRAYERS economy; and ROUTINE PROCEEDINGS WHEREASon December 8th of 1997, the provincial cabinet staged a photo opportunity for the media in PRESENTING PETITIONS which government MLAs were served chicken breast from a chef flown in from Toronto for the occasion Winnipeg Hospitals Food Services-Privatization while the actual meal served residents that night was macaroni and peas; and Mr. George Hickes (Point Douglas): Madam Speaker, I beg to present the petition of Tina Chubaty, WHEREAS this proposal will result in more health Darlene Martens, Paul Kler and others praying that the care dollars being spent on questionable privatization Legislative Assembly of Manitoba urge the Minister of projects; and Health (Mr. Praznik) to put an end to the centralization and privatization of Winnipeg hospitals food services. WHEREAS in December of 1997, the provincial government was forced to drop a similar privatization Ms. Becky Barrett (Wellington): Madam Speaker, I scheme involving home care which had been opposed beg to present the petition of Tammy Hudson, Joyce by the clients, families and the public; and MacDuff, Donna Stuski and others praying that the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba urge the Minister of WHEREAS once again the provincial government Health to put an end to the centralization and without consultation has committed itself to a privatization of Winnipeg hospitals food services. privatization project which will likely cost taxpayers more money for a poorer qualityservice, thus forgetting READING AND RECEIVING PETITIONS the patients who deserve better care. Winnipeg Hospitals Food Services-Privatization WHEREFORE YOUR PETITIONERS HUMBLY PRAY that the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba may Madam Speaker: I have reviewed the petition of the be pleased to request the Minister of Health to consider honourable member for Point Douglas (Mr. Hickes). It immediately cancelling the hospital food proposal and complies with the rules and practices of the House. Is concentrate on delivering quality health care instead of it the will of the House to have the petition read? using health dollars to provide contracts for private firms. An Honourable Member: Yes. Madam Speaker: I have reviewed the petition of the Madam Speaker: Yes. The Clerk will read. honourable member for Wellington (Ms. Barrett). It complies with the rules and practices of the House. Is Mr. Clerk (William Remnant): The petition of the it the will of the House to have the petition read? undersigned citizens of the province of Manitoba humbly sheweth that: An Honourable Member: Dispense. WHEREAS the provincial governmenthas embarked Madam Speaker: Dispense. upon a project in which it is closing hospital kitchens and having hospital food transported in from Toronto WHEREAS the provincial government has embarked for reheating; and upon a project in which it is closing hospital kitchens 832 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA March 18, 1998 and having hospital food transported in fromToronto ORAL QUESTION PERIOD for reheating; and Winnipeg Hospital Authority WHEREASthis proposal will not improve the qualityof Interfaith Agreement food but will cost hundreds of jobs to the provincial economy; and Mr. Gary Doer (Leader ofthe Opposition): Madam Speaker, yesterday I tabled a letter in the Chamber WHEREAS on December 8th of 1997, the provincial signed by the chair of the Concordia Hospital, Mr. cabinet staged a photo opportunity for the media in Olfert, which raises the issue of the intimidating tone of which government MLAs were served chicken breast the government dealing with the negotiations for the from a chef flown in from Toronto for the occasion WHA which is scheduled to come in place in 13 days. while the actual meal served residents that night was It talks about disregarding the spirit of the interfaith macaroni and peas; and agreement and talks about the fact that the government has, on the one hand, cut back the money for the WHEREASthis proposal will result in more health care hospitals, created the deficits,and then based on patient dollars being spent on questionable privatization care, the hospitals have had to run deficits, and this projects; and matter is on the table. Peter Liba further goes on to say today that this government is engaging in financial WHEREAS in December of 1997, the provincial blackmail in introducing and implementing the WHA, governmentwas forced to drop a similar privatization which is proposed to come in place in 13 days. scheme involving home care which had been opposed by the clients, families and the public; and I would like to ask the Premier (Mr. Filmon) first of all: will he ask his government minister to stop the WHEREAS once again the provincial government intimidating tactics that are referred to by both Mr. Liba without consultation has committed itself to a and Mr. Olfert, and further, will this Premier privatization project which will likely cost taxpayers acknowledge and confirm and maintain the interfaith more money for a poorer quality service, thus agreement that his previous minister signed with the forgetting the patients who deserve better care. faith institutions less than 18 months ago? WHEREFORE YOUR PETJTIONERS HUMBLY PRAY Hon. Darren Praznik (Minister of Health): Madam that the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba may be Speaker, the essence of the interfaith agreement is to pleased to request the Minister of Health to consider ensure that the principles of faith of the religious immediately cancelling the hospital food proposal and backgroundof the four hospitals involved is maintained concentrate on delivering quality health care instead of in the operation of their facilities. For example, using health dollars to provide contracts for private abortions would not be performed in those facilities. firms. Those are issues of faith. The issue here today is one as * (1335) to whether or not the Winnipeg Hospital Authority Introduction of Guests would be the employing authority for staff which facilitates much better labour-management relations Madam Speaker: Prior to Oral Questions, I would which facilitates the ability to move staff around the like to draw the attention of all honourable members to system as they are needed, which is a necessary tool to the public gallery where we have this afternoon twenty­ bring about the consolidation of programming which two Grade 9 students from Sisler High School under ultimately improves patient care. Surely to goodness the direction of Mrs. Carole Grier. This school is we need to have those kinds of tools in place to provide located in the constituency of the honourable member the best possible service to the patients in those for Inkster (Mr. Lamoureux). hospitals. On behalf of all honourable members, I welcome you Mr. Doer: Madam Speaker, the real issue here is this afternoon. whether the interfaith hospitals can have any faith in March 18, 1998 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA 833 this Premier (Mr. Filmon) and this former Minister of In October of 1996-I want to ask the Premier (Mr. Health and this Minister of Health. That is the issue. Filmon}-his minister, on behalf of his cabinet and his government, signed an agreement with the interfaith I want to table today a letter signed by the CEOs of hospitals in Winnipeg. Will this Premier keep his all four interfaith hospitals, Concordia, Grace, agreement with the interfaith hospitals or as a condition Misericordia and St.