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. 19-1:30 p.m., Tuesday, March 17, 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. DACQUA Y, Louise, Hon. Seine River P.C. DERKACH, Leonard, Hon. Roblin-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. HEL WER, Edward Gimli P.C. HICKES, George Point Douglas N.D.P. JENNISSEN, Gerard Flin Pion 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 Charles wood 783 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA Tuesday, March 17, 1998 The House met at 1:30 p.m. THAT the Urban Shared Services Corporation (USSC) has announced plansto privatize laundry, food PRAYERS services andpurch asing for the Winnipeg hospitals; and ROUTINE PROCEEDINGS THAT it is estimated that more than 1,000 health care jobs will be lost over the next year as a result, with PRESENTING PETITIONS many more privatized in the next two or three years; and Winnipeg Hospitals Food Services-Privatization THAT under the terms of the contract, Ontario Mr. George Hickes (Point Douglas): Madam businesses will profit at the expense of Manitoba's Speaker, I beg to present the petition of Russell health care system; and Schlamp, Paul Doiron, Gary Porter and others praying that the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba may be THAT after construction of a food assembly pleased to request the Minister of Health (Mr. Praznik) warehouse in Winnipeg, chilled, prepared fo od will be to consider immediately cancelling the hospital food shipped in from Ontario, then assembled and heated proposal and concentrate on delivering quality health before being shipped to the hospitals; and care instead of using health dollars to provide contracts fo r private firms. THAT people who are in the hospital require nutritious andap petizing food; and Ms. Becky Barrett (Wellington): Madam Speaker, I beg to present the petition ofHy M. Reubin, Laura A. THAT the announced savings as a result of the Fossey and Margaret Sutherland praying that the contract have been disputed, and one study by Legislative Assembly of Manitoba may be pleased to Wintemute Randle Kilimnik indicated that, "A request the Minister of Health to consider immediately considerable number of studies have compared costs of cancelling the hospital food proposal and concentrate service delivery in health care between self-operation on delivering quality health care instead of using health (public sector) and privatization. Invariably, dollars to provide contracts fo r private firms. privatization is more expensive."; and READING AND RECEIVING PETITIONS THAT no one in Manitoba seems to benefit from this contract, especially patients. Winnipeg Hospitals Food Services-Privatization Madam Speaker: I have reviewed the petition of the WHEREFORE YOUR PETITIONERS HUMBLY honourable member fo r Selkirk (Mr. Dewar), and it PRAY that the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba urge complies with the rules and practices of the House. Is the Minister of Health to put an end to the it the will of the House to have the petition read? centralization and privatization of Winnipeg hospital fo od services. An Honourable Member: Okay. Madam Speaker: I have reviewed the petition of the Madam Speaker: Yes. The Clerk will read. honourable member for Elmwood (Mr. Maloway), and it complies with the rules and practices of the House. Mr. Clerk (William Remnant): The petition of the Is it the will of the House to have the petition read? undersigned citizens of the province of Manitoba humbly sheweth: An Honourable Member: Yes. 784 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA March 17, 1998 Madam Speaker: Yes. The Clerk will read. Some Honourable Members: Dispense. Mr. Clerk: The petition of the undersigned citizens of Madam Speaker: Dispense. the province of Manitoba, humbly sheweth: WHEREAS the provincial government has embarked THAT the Urban Shared Services Corporation upon a project in which it is closing hospital kitchens (USSC) has announced plansto privatize laundry, fo od and having hospital food transported in from Toronto services and purchasing fo r the Winnipeg hospitals; and for reheating; and THAT it is estimated that more than I ,000 health WHEREASthis proposal will not improve the qualityof care jobs will be lost over the next year as a result, with food but will cost hundreds of jobs to the provincial many more privatized in the next two or three years; economy; and and WHEREAS on December 8th of 1997, the provincial THAT under the terms of the contract, Ontario cabinet staged a photo opportunity for the media in businesses will profit at the expense of Manitoba's which government MLAs were served chicken breast health care system; and from a chef flown in from Toronto for the occasion while the actual meal served residents that night was THAT after construction of a fo od assembly macaroni and peas; and warehouse in Winnipeg, chilled, prepared fo od will be shipped in from Ontario, then assembled and heated WHEREASthis proposal will result in more health care before being shipped to the hospitals; and dollars being spent on questionable privatization projects; and THAT people who are in the hospital require nutritious and appetizing fo od; and WHEREAS in December of 1997, the provincial THAT the announced savings as a result of the government was forced to drop a similar privatization contract have been disputed, and one study by scheme involving home care which had been opposed Wintemute Randle Kilimnik indicated that, "A by the clients, families and the public; and considerable number of studies have compared costs of service delivery in health care between self-operation WHEREAS once again the provincial government (public sector) and privatization. Invariably, without consultation has committed itself to a privatization is more expensive."; and privatization project which will likely cost taxpayers more money for a poorer quality service, thus THAT no one in Manitoba seems to benefit from this forgetting the patients who deserve better care. contract, especially patients. WHEREFORE YOUR PETITIONERS HUMBLY PRAY WHEREFORE YOUR PETITIONERS HUMBLY that the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba may be PRAY that the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba urge pleased to request the Minister of Health to consider the Minister of Health to put an end to the immediately cancelling the hospital food proposal and centralization and privatization of Winnipeg hospital concentrate on delivering quality health care instead of fo od services. using health dollars to provide contracts for private firms. * (1335) TABLING OF REPORTS Madam Speaker: I have reviewed the petition of the honourable member fo r Broadway (Mr. Santos). It Hon. Glen Cummings (Minister of Natural complies with the rules and practices of the House. Is Resources): Madam Speaker, I would like to table the it the will of the House to have the petition read? '96-97 Report fo r Venture Manitoba Tours Ltd. March 17, 1998 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA 785 ORAL QUESTION PERIOD Hon. James Downey (Deputy Premier): Madam Speaker, the answer to the first question is no. Winnipeg Hospital Authority Secondly, this government fully appreciates the Interfaith Agreement contribution that all the faith-related hospital organizationshave brought to this province. Again, this Mr. Gary Doer (Leader of the Opposition): Madam government's responsibility is to work with those Speaker, last week in reviewing minutes from labour organizations to make sure that the health care of the and management atSt. Boniface Hospital, the minutes patients, not only today, into the future, for the people note that the Minister of Health (Mr. Praznik) is of Manitobais looked after. Thatis the responsibility intending, with his new interfaith agreement with the of this government, and it is a matter of working in a WHA, to break the 1996 interfaith agreement. The co-operative way to make sure that that is minutes go on to say that the present Minister of Health accomplished. does not care about that.