First Session - Thirty-Ninth Legislature of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba DEBATES and PROCEEDINGS Official Report (Hansard) Published under the authority of The Honourable George Hickes Speaker Vol. LIX No. 13B – 1:30 p.m., Tuesday, October 2, 2007 The Legislative Assembly of Manitoba Debates and Proceedings are also available on the Internet at the following address: http://www.gov.mb.ca/legislature/hansard/index.html MANITOBA LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY Thirty-Ninth Legislature Member Constituency Political Affiliation ALLAN, Nancy, Hon. St. Vital N.D.P. ALTEMEYER, Rob Wolseley N.D.P. ASHTON, Steve, Hon. Thompson N.D.P. BJORNSON, Peter, Hon. Gimli N.D.P. BLADY, Sharon Kirkfield Park N.D.P. BOROTSIK, Rick Brandon West P.C. BRAUN, Erna Rossmere N.D.P. BRICK, Marilyn St. Norbert N.D.P. BRIESE, Stuart Ste. Rose P.C. CALDWELL, Drew Brandon East N.D.P. CHOMIAK, Dave, Hon. Kildonan N.D.P. CULLEN, Cliff Turtle Mountain P.C. DERKACH, Leonard Russell P.C. DEWAR, Gregory Selkirk N.D.P. DOER, Gary, Hon. Concordia N.D.P. DRIEDGER, Myrna Charleswood P.C. DYCK, Peter Pembina P.C. EICHLER, Ralph Lakeside P.C. FAURSCHOU, David Portage la Prairie P.C. GERRARD, Jon, Hon. River Heights Lib. GOERTZEN, Kelvin Steinbach P.C. GRAYDON, Cliff Emerson P.C. HAWRANIK, Gerald Lac du Bonnet P.C. HICKES, George, Hon. Point Douglas N.D.P. HOWARD, Jennifer Fort Rouge N.D.P. IRVIN-ROSS, Kerri, Hon. Fort Garry N.D.P. JENNISSEN, Gerard Flin Flon N.D.P. JHA, Bidhu Radisson N.D.P. KORZENIOWSKI, Bonnie St. James N.D.P. LAMOUREUX, Kevin Inkster Lib. LATHLIN, Oscar, Hon. The Pas N.D.P. LEMIEUX, Ron, Hon. La Verendrye N.D.P. MACKINTOSH, Gord, Hon. St. Johns N.D.P. MAGUIRE, Larry Arthur-Virden P.C. MALOWAY, Jim Elmwood N.D.P. MARCELINO, Flor Wellington N.D.P. MARTINDALE, Doug Burrows N.D.P. McFADYEN, Hugh Fort Whyte P.C. McGIFFORD, Diane, Hon. Lord Roberts N.D.P. MELNICK, Christine, Hon. Riel N.D.P. MITCHELSON, Bonnie River East P.C. NEVAKSHONOFF, Tom Interlake N.D.P. OSWALD, Theresa, Hon. Seine River N.D.P. PEDERSEN, Blaine Carman P.C. REID, Daryl Transcona N.D.P. ROBINSON, Eric, Hon. Rupertsland N.D.P. RONDEAU, Jim, Hon. Assiniboia N.D.P. ROWAT, Leanne Minnedosa P.C. SARAN, Mohinder The Maples N.D.P. SCHULER, Ron Springfield P.C. SELBY, Erin Southdale N.D.P. SELINGER, Greg, Hon. St. Boniface N.D.P. STEFANSON, Heather Tuxedo P.C. STRUTHERS, Stan, Hon. Dauphin-Roblin N.D.P. SWAN, Andrew Minto N.D.P. TAILLIEU, Mavis Morris P.C. WOWCHUK, Rosann, Hon. Swan River N.D.P. 657 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA Tuesday, October 2, 2007 The House met at 1:30 p.m. Minister of Aboriginal and Northern Affairs (Mr. Lathlin), that Bill 14, The Government Purchases ROUTINE PROCEEDINGS Amendment Act (Responsible Manufacturing); Loi INTRODUCTION OF BILLS modifiant la Loi sur les achats du gouvernement, be read for a first time. Bill 22–The Medical Amendment Act Hon. Theresa Oswald (Minister of Health): It's my Motion presented. pleasure to introduce Bill 22, The Medical Mr. Lemieux: Mr. Speaker, this bill updates the Amendment Act; Loi modifiant la Loi médicale, be rules governing how goods are to be purchased under now read a first time. Oh, pardon me, je m'excuse, The Government Purchases Act. It also requires that seconded by the Minister of Agriculture, Food and suppliers of certain classes of goods to establish that Rural Initiatives (Ms. Wowchuk). Thank you. the goods have been made in accordance with the Motion presented. minimum fair labour practices. Ms. Oswald: The Medical Amendment Act is going Mr. Speaker: Is it the pleasure of the House to adopt to go a long way to work with our medical the motion? [Agreed] professionals and our medical community to improve PETITIONS patient safety, to continue to improve accountability and to work on processes for appeals and other such Provincial Trunk Highway 2–Glenboro matters that will be of great importance to the Mr. Cliff Cullen (Turtle Mountain): Mr. Speaker, I citizens of Manitoba. wish to present the following petition. Mr. Speaker: Is it the pleasure of the House to adopt These are the reasons for this petition: the motion? [Agreed] Bill 13–The Organic Agricultural Products Act As a result of high traffic volumes in the region, there have been numerous accidents and near misses Hon. Rosann Wowchuk (Minister of Agriculture, along Provincial Trunk Highway 2, near the village Food and Rural Initiatives): I move, seconded by of Glenboro, leading to serious safety concerns for the Minister of Advanced Education and Training motorists. (Ms. McGifford), that Bill 13, The Organic Agricultural Products Act, be now read a first time. The provincial government has refused to construct turning lanes off Provincial Trunk Motion presented. Highway 2 into the village of Glenboro and on to Ms. Wowchuk: Mr. Speaker, currently a new Golf Course Drive, despite the fact that the number federal regulation for organic food production is of businesses along Provincial Trunk Highway 2 providing assurances to international and national have increased greatly in recent years. buyers that Canadian produced organic foods are We petition the Manitoba Legislative Assembly certified organic. By creating a provincial standard as follows: for organic food production in Manitoba that mirrors the federal regulation, the Manitoba Organic To urge the Minister for Infrastructure and Agricultural Products Act will provide the same Transportation (Mr. Lemieux) to consider assurances to Manitoba consumers. implementing a speed zone on Provincial Trunk Mr. Speaker: Is it the pleasure of the House to adopt Highway 2 adjacent to the village of Glenboro. the motion? [Agreed] This petition is signed by David Prost, Val Ford, Bill 14–The Government Purchases Amendment Daryl Ford and many, many others. Act (Responsible Manufacturing) Mr. Speaker: In accordance with our rule 132(6), Hon. Ron Lemieux (Minister of Infrastructure when petitions are read they are deemed to be and Transportation): I move, seconded by the received by the House. 658 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA October 2, 2007 Provincial Trunk Highway 10_Forrest to apply for PNP certificates in the same way a computer technician would be able to. Mrs. Leanne Rowat (Minnedosa): I wish to present the following petition to the Legislative We petition the Legislative Assembly of Assembly. Manitoba as follows: These are the reasons for this petition: To urge the Premier (Mr. Doer) and his government to recognize and acknowledge how Provincial Trunk Highway 10 separates two important immigration is to our province by schools and residential districts in Forrest, Manitoba, improving and strengthening the Provincial Nominee forcing students and residents to cross under very Program. dangerous circumstances. This is signed by S. Serrano, Barb Tuckett, Strategies brought forward to help minimize the Christa Smith, and many, many other fine danger pose either significant threats to the safety of Manitobans. our children or are not economically feasible. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Provincial Highway 10 serves as a route for an ever-increasing volume of traffic, including heavy TABLING OF REPORTS trucks, farm vehicles, working commuters, campers Hon. Rosann Wowchuk (Minister of Agriculture, and the transport of dangerous goods. Food and Rural Initiatives): Mr. Speaker, I'm Traffic levels are expected to escalate further pleased to table the 2006-2007 Annual Reports for due to projected industrial expansions. the Cooperative Promotion Board and the Co- operative Loans and Loans Guarantee Board. We petition the Manitoba Legislative Assembly as follows: Hon. Jim Rondeau (Minister of Science, To urge the Minister of Infrastructure and Technology, Energy and Mines): Mr. Speaker, I'm Transportation (Mr. Lemieux) to act on this situation pleased to table the 2006-2007 Annual Report for by considering the construction of a four-lane MERLIN. I'm also pleased to table the Annual highway that will bypass around the village of Report for the Industrial Technology Centre. Forrest. Hon. Greg Selinger (Minister of Finance): I'd like This petition signed by Patty Zolinski, C. to table the following reports: the Supplementary Chamberlain, Val Thoman and many, many others Information for Legislative Review, 2007-08 waiting for a meeting with the minister. Revenue Estimates. Provincial Nominee Program Hon. Diane McGifford (Minister of Advanced Education and Literacy): Mr. Speaker, I'm pleased Mr. Kevin Lamoureux (Inkster): Mr. Speaker, I to table the Manitoba Advanced Education and wish to present the following petition to the Literacy Annual Report 2006-07 and the Manitoba Legislative Assembly of Manitoba. Council on Post-Secondary Education Annual Report The background to this petition is as follows: '06-07. Immigration is critically important to the future Hon. Theresa Oswald (Minister of Health): Mr. of our province, and the 1998 federal Provincial Speaker, I'd like to table the Manitoba Health and Nominee Program is the best immigration program Healthy Living Supplementary Information for that Manitoba has ever had. Legislative Review, the 2007-2008 Departmental Expenditure Estimates. The current government needs to recognize that the backlog in processing PNP applications, is * (13:40) causing additional stress and anxiety for would-be MINISTERIAL STATEMENTS immigrants and their families and friends here in Manitoba. Manitoba Film and Music Week The current government needs to recognize the Hon. Eric Robinson (Minister of Culture, unfairness in its current policy on who qualifies to be Heritage and Tourism): This week, October 1-7, an applicant, more specifically, by not allowing has been officially proclaimed as Manitoba Film and professionals such as health-care workers to be able Music Week in the province of Manitoba. This October 2, 2007 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA 659 distinction is twofold.