Third Session – Forty-First Legislature of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba DEBATES and PROCEEDINGS Official Report (Hansard) Published under the authority of The Honourable Myrna Driedger Speaker Vol. LXXI No. 52 - 1:30 p.m., Wednesday, May 23, 2018 ISSN 0542-5492 MANITOBA LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY Forty-First Legislature Member Constituency Political Affiliation ALLUM, James Fort Garry-Riverview NDP ALTEMEYER, Rob Wolseley NDP BINDLE, Kelly Thompson PC CLARKE, Eileen, Hon. Agassiz PC COX, Cathy, Hon. River East PC CULLEN, Cliff, Hon. Spruce Woods PC CURRY, Nic Kildonan PC DRIEDGER, Myrna, Hon. Charleswood PC EICHLER, Ralph, Hon. Lakeside PC EWASKO, Wayne Lac du Bonnet PC FIELDING, Scott, Hon. Kirkfield Park PC FLETCHER, Steven, Hon. Assiniboia Ind. FONTAINE, Nahanni St. Johns NDP FRIESEN, Cameron, Hon. Morden-Winkler PC GERRARD, Jon, Hon. River Heights Lib. GOERTZEN, Kelvin, Hon. Steinbach PC GRAYDON, Clifford Emerson PC GUILLEMARD, Sarah Fort Richmond PC HELWER, Reg Brandon West PC ISLEIFSON, Len Brandon East PC JOHNSON, Derek Interlake PC JOHNSTON, Scott St. James PC KINEW, Wab Fort Rouge NDP KLASSEN, Judy Kewatinook Lib. LAGASSÉ, Bob Dawson Trail PC LAGIMODIERE, Alan Selkirk PC LAMOUREUX, Cindy Burrows Lib. LATHLIN, Amanda The Pas NDP LINDSEY, Tom Flin Flon NDP MALOWAY, Jim Elmwood NDP MARCELINO, Flor Logan NDP MARCELINO, Ted Tyndall Park NDP MARTIN, Shannon Morris PC MAYER, Colleen St. Vital PC MICHALESKI, Brad Dauphin PC MICKLEFIELD, Andrew Rossmere PC MORLEY-LECOMTE, Janice Seine River PC NESBITT, Greg Riding Mountain PC PALLISTER, Brian, Hon. Fort Whyte PC PEDERSEN, Blaine, Hon. Midland PC PIWNIUK, Doyle Arthur-Virden PC REYES, Jon St. Norbert PC SARAN, Mohinder The Maples Ind. SCHULER, Ron, Hon. St. Paul PC SMITH, Andrew Southdale PC SMITH, Bernadette Point Douglas NDP SMOOK, Dennis La Verendrye PC SQUIRES, Rochelle, Hon. Riel PC STEFANSON, Heather, Hon. Tuxedo PC SWAN, Andrew Minto NDP TEITSMA, James Radisson PC WHARTON, Jeff, Hon. Gimli PC WIEBE, Matt Concordia NDP WISHART, Ian, Hon. Portage la Prairie PC WOWCHUK, Rick Swan River PC YAKIMOSKI, Blair Transcona PC Vacant St. Boniface 2493 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA Wednesday, May 23, 2018 The House met at 1:30 p.m. Madam Speaker: Is it the pleasure of the House to adopt the motion? Agreed? [Agreed] Madam Speaker: O Eternal and Almighty God, from Whom all power and wisdom come, we are Committee reports? Tabling of reports? assembled here before Thee to frame such laws as MINISTERIAL STATEMENTS may tend to the welfare and prosperity of our province. Grant, O merciful God, we pray Thee, that Madam Speaker: The honourable Minister of we may desire only that which is in accordance with Infrastructure, and I would indicate that the required Thy will, that we may seek it with wisdom, and 90 minutes notice prior to routine proceedings was know it with certainty and accomplish it perfectly for provided in accordance with our rule 26(2). the glory and honour of Thy name and for the Would the honourable minister please proceed welfare of all our people. Amen. with his statement. Please be seated, everybody. Good afternoon. Wildfire Update ROUTINE PROCEEDINGS Hon. Ron Schuler (Minister of Infrastructure): Safety and security of Manitobans is our first INTRODUCTION OF BILLS priority. I wish to provide the House with an update Bill 230–The Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder on the current wildfire fighting activities in the Awareness Day Act province of Manitoba. Mrs. Sarah Guillemard (Fort Richmond): Madam Manitoba Emergency Measures Organization, or Speaker, I move, seconded by the member for Seine EMO, is currently monitoring the provincial River (Ms. Morley-Lecomte), that Bill 230, The wide-fire situation. There are a number of wildfires Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder Awareness Day burning in various locations that are impacting Act; Loi sur la Journée de sensibilisation à multiple communities due to the proximity of fires l'ensemble des troubles causés par l'alcoolisation and related smoke. Multiple provincial, federal and fœtale, be now read a first time. local authorities and non-government agencies are engaged in responding to the fires. Motion presented. Extreme fire behaviour is being observed with Mrs. Guillemard: Madam Speaker, this bill will dry and windy conditions. Joint response efforts recognize September 9th each year as Fetal Alcohol continue in many areas. Currently 80 firefighters Spectrum Disorder Awareness Day. The day is from Ontario and a tanker group from Quebec already recognized nationally, but I feel that are assisting response operations. An additional Manitoba would benefit from efforts to raise 40 Ontario firefighters are anticipated to arrive awareness locally, as our province has one of the today. Hot and dry weather forecast to continue for highest rates of this condition in the country. the next few days for most areas of the province. As Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder, or FASD, is a of May 22nd, total fires to date are 163, whereas the preventable brain injury and is caused by the average for this time is 100. consumption of alcohol during pregnancy. Much of Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada, or the damage is done during the first trimester when INAC, has engaged the Canadian Red Cross and the many women do not even know that they are Canadian Armed Forces to assist with evacuations in pregnant. This is why it is important to educate the following communities: Manitobans about how to prevent this condition, but also to highlight the many resources that are Little Grand Rapids First Nation: Canadian Red available to assist families as they support those Cross is working with stakeholders in the city of living with this injury. Winnipeg to ensure continuity of health care, provision of social services and evacuation supports Thank you. for evacuees when they arrive. 2494 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA May 23, 2018 In Pauingassi First Nation, the community of up Thank you, Madam Speaker. to 300 residents located adjacent to Little Grand Mr. Jim Maloway (Elmwood): Mother Nature has Rapids First Nation is also being affected by fire and left us with one of the driest springs in history, smoke. bringing with it the devastation of already 163 forest Sapotaweyak Cree Nation: Madam Speaker, fires in Manitoba. starting May 21st, 660 people were evacuated due to Fires have begun to tragically spread across multiple fires in close proximity to the community. northern Manitoba this season with many northern Evacuees were sent to hotels in The Pas and Swan families beginning to be forced to evacuate or live in River. Evacuations are being co-ordinated by the fear and uncertainty as flames encroach on their Canadian Red Cross. communities. In Kinonjeoshtegon, or Jackhead, First Nation, The amount of land burned in Manitoba has due to increased smoke in the community, dramatically increased in the last 24 hours to over evacuations of 100 priority health individuals and 31,000 hectares, tragically forcing the evacuation of other at-risk community members took place on even more communities. May 22nd to Fisher River and Winnipeg, and conditions have improved, so these evacuees will The Canadian Red Cross, Canadian Armed hopefully return home today. Evacuations are being Forces and Indigenous Services Canada are working co-ordinated by the Canadian Red Cross. together to ensure the safety of northern Manitoba communities and provide the assistance they need In pelican 'rabits,' starting May 21st, 38 people while away from their homes. were evacuated due to fires, with evacuees being sent to hotels in Dauphin. Evacuations are being * (13:40) co-ordinated by Manitoba Indigenous and Northern Relations. More than 600 people have already been evacuated, with hundreds more waiting to leave Fires near Ashern continue to move with swift Little Grand Rapids and Pauingassi First Nations. winds and are currently, thankfully, moving away Many municipalities, including Ashern, and First from Ashern. This has reduced the threat to Ashern Nations communities face potential evacuation. since Monday, and fire protection work continues. Fire crews are also continuing to work to protect The warm, dry, windy conditions continue to properties near Mulvihill, south of Ashern. However, make the jobs of firefighters difficult. I want to the expected hot temperatures and winds are recognize the bravery of the many professionals expected to be factors with these fires today. and volunteers who have begun assisting with combatting the fires, including the different workers In the RMs of Grahamdale and West Interlake, who fight fires from the air in water bombers and on each have a state of local emergency in place and the ground fighting the different blazes. issued an evacuation alert advising residents they may have two hours notice to evacuate. The RCMP Thank you to fire crews and water bombers have closed Highway 6 south of Ashern. They did from Ontario and Quebec to provide support for so on Tuesday, May 22nd. And Lakeshore School our–to our province. Our hearts and thoughts are Division cancelled all classes. with all of the evacuees, families, communities and first responders who continue to face the wildfire 'Manita' EMO–Manitoba EMO will continue to devastation. monitor the ongoing situations across the province and co-ordinate teleconferences with the agencies Thank you, Madam Speaker. involved. Hon. Jon Gerrard (River Heights): Madam We wish to thank all agencies, governments and Speaker, I ask leave to speak to the minister's individuals who are involved in this very important statement. undertaking to ensure the safety and security of all Madam Speaker: Does the member have leave to affected by the current wildfire situation. Our speak to the ministerial statement? [Agreed] government wishes to remind everyone to obey all fire bans and to keep their properties clear of any Mr. Gerrard: I thank the minister for his report. combustible materials to reduce risk. I want to thank all the emergency personnel and May 23, 2018 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA 2495 people who are working all over the province to try Over the years, Marian has served not only as a and address this situation.