First Session - Fortieth Legislature of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba DEBATES and PROCEEDINGS Official Report (Hansard) Published under the authority of The Honourable Daryl Reid Speaker Vol. LXIV No. 5 - 1:30 p.m., Wednesday, October 26, 2011 ISSN 0542-5492 MANITOBA LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY Fortieth Legislature Member Constituency Political Affiliation ALLAN, Nancy, Hon. St. Vital NDP ALLUM, James Fort Garry-Riverview NDP ALTEMEYER, Rob Wolseley NDP ASHTON, Steve, Hon. Thompson NDP BJORNSON, Peter, Hon. Gimli NDP BRAUN, Erna Rossmere NDP BRIESE, Stuart Agassiz PC CALDWELL, Drew Brandon East NDP CHIEF, Kevin Point Douglas NDP CHOMIAK, Dave, Hon. Kildonan NDP CROTHERS, Deanne St. James NDP CULLEN, Cliff Spruce Woods PC DEWAR, Gregory Selkirk NDP DRIEDGER, Myrna Charleswood PC EICHLER, Ralph Lakeside PC EWASKO, Wayne Lac du Bonnet PC FRIESEN, Cameron Morden-Winkler PC GERRARD, Jon, Hon. River Heights Liberal GOERTZEN, Kelvin Steinbach PC GRAYDON, Cliff Emerson PC HELWER, Reg Brandon West PC HOWARD, Jennifer, Hon. Fort Rouge NDP IRVIN-ROSS, Kerri, Hon. Fort Richmond NDP JHA, Bidhu Radisson NDP KOSTYSHYN, Ron Swan River NDP LEMIEUX, Ron, Hon. Dawson Trail NDP MACKINTOSH, Gord, Hon. St. Johns NDP MAGUIRE, Larry Arthur-Virden PC MALOWAY, Jim Elmwood NDP MARCELINO, Flor, Hon. Logan NDP MARCELINO, Ted Tyndall Park NDP McFADYEN, Hugh Fort Whyte PC MELNICK, Christine, Hon. Riel NDP MITCHELSON, Bonnie River East PC NEVAKSHONOFF, Tom Interlake NDP OSWALD, Theresa, Hon. Seine River NDP PEDERSEN, Blaine Midland PC PETTERSEN, Clarence Flin Flon NDP REID, Daryl, Hon. Transcona NDP ROBINSON, Eric, Hon. Kewatinook NDP RONDEAU, Jim, Hon. Assiniboia NDP ROWAT, Leanne Riding Mountain PC SARAN, Mohinder The Maples NDP SCHULER, Ron St. Paul PC SELBY, Erin, Hon. Southdale NDP SELINGER, Greg, Hon. St. Boniface NDP SMOOK, Dennis La Verendrye PC STEFANSON, Heather Tuxedo PC STRUTHERS, Stan, Hon. Dauphin NDP SWAN, Andrew, Hon. Minto NDP TAILLIEU, Mavis Morris PC WHITEHEAD, Frank The Pas NDP WIEBE, Matt Concordia NDP WIGHT, Melanie Burrows NDP WISHART, Ian Portage la Prairie PC Kirkfield Park St. Norbert 111 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA Wednesday, October 26, 2011 The House met at 1:30 p.m. hearing screening program accessible to parents of all newborns in Manitoba. Mr. Speaker: O Eternal and Almighty God, from Whom all power and wisdom come, we are This petition is signed by N. Yoks, M. Celere, assembled here before Thee to frame such laws as V. Mikolayenko and many, many other concerned may tend to the welfare and prosperity of our Manitobans. province. Grant, O merciful God, we pray Thee, that Mr. Speaker: In accordance with rule 132(6), when we may desire only that which is in accordance with petitions are read they are deemed to have been Thy will, that we may seek it with wisdom and know received by the House. it with certainty and accomplish it perfectly for the glory and honour of Thy name and for the welfare of PTH 5–Reducing Speed Limit all of our people. Amen. Mr. Stuart Briese (Agassiz): I wish to present the ROUTINE PROCEEDINGS following petition to the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba. PETITIONS And these are the reasons for this petition: Newborn Universal Hearing Screening Program Concerns continue to be raised about the number Mrs. Leanne Rowat (Riding Mountain): I wish to of motor vehicle accidents at the intersection of present the following petition to the Legislative PTH 5, PR 276 and at the intersection of PTH 5 and Assembly of Manitoba. PR 68. And these are the reasons for this petition: The Rural Municipality of Ste. Rose and the More than three in 1,000 newborns are born with town of Ste. Rose have both raised concerns with the educationally significant hearing loss, but Highway Traffic Board about the current speed limit Manitoba’s current hearing screening program does on the portion of PTH 5 in the vicinity of Ste. Rose not allow for every child to be screened. du Lac. Without early detection, children are more likely Other stakeholders, including the Ste. Rose to develop poor language–speech and language skills General Hospital, Ste. Rose and Laurier fire and also encounter social and emotional difficulties, departments, East Parkland Medical Group and the which leads to poor academic performance. Ste. Rose and District Community Resource Council, have also suggested the lowering of the current Early diagnosis of hearing loss in newborns can 100-kilometre-an-hour speed limit on a portion of make a considerable difference in a child’s PTH 5 may help to reduce the potential for development because newborns can be provided with collisions. effective programs and support that foster developmental success. We petition the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba as follows: While most other developed countries and many Canadian provinces have a newborn screening– To request the Minister of Infrastructure and hearing screening program, Manitoba is lagging Transportation to consider the importance of behind. There are only a handful of screening reducing the speed limit on PTH 5 to 80 kilometres programs in the province, while all other newborns an hour in the vicinity of the town of Ste. Rose from can only be tested if they have risk factors of hearing the west side of the Turtle River Bridge to the south loss or if parents specifically request a test. side of the access to the Ste. Rose Auction Mart to We petition the Legislative Assembly of help better protect motorist safety. Manitoba as follows: This petition is signed by B. Kujanpaa, To urge the Minister of Healthy Living, Youth K. Wilkinson, D. Vandepoele and many, many other and Seniors to consider implementing a universal fine Manitobans. 112 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA October 26, 2011 Coulter Bridge However, the fight against the wildfires reinforced the shortcomings with the Mr. Larry Maguire (Arthur-Virden): I wish to communications system in the region, specifically present the following petition to the Legislative the gaps in cellular phone service. Assembly. And the background of this petition is as These gaps made it difficult to co-ordinate follows: firefighting efforts and to notify people that they had to be evacuated. The situation also would have made During the record flood of 2011, the increased it difficult for people to call for immediate medical volume of water flowing through the Souris River assistance if it had been required. caused the Coulter bridge on Highway 251 to buckle and become unstable in late June. Local government, businesses, industries and area residents have for years sought a solution to this The Coulter bridge is used by agricultural very serious communication challenge. producers, local businesses and area residents. It is especially important to the region’s multi-million We petition the Legislative Assembly as dollar oil industry. follows: Motorists are now forced to use a lengthy detour To urge the appropriate provincial government on a gravel road not meant for heavy vehicle traffic. departments to consider working with all The increased presence of industrial vehicles on this stakeholders to develop a strategy to swiftly address gravel road has created considerable safety concerns, the serious challenges posed by limited cellular especially for school buses. The detour also results in services in southeastern Manitoba in order to ensure increased costs and time for–lost time for motorists. that people and property can be better protected in The provincial government has indicated it has the future. no plans to establish a temporary bridge, and construction of a new bridge is expected to take And this petition is signed by M. Brisebois, several years. K. Dokken and M. Smetana and many, many more fine Manitobans. We petition the Legislative Assembly as follows: Mr. Dennis Smook (La Verendrye): Mr. Speaker, I wish to present the following petition to the To urge the Minister of Infrastructure and Legislative Assembly. Transportation to recognize the serious safety concerns and adverse socio-economic impact caused The background to this petition is as follows: by the loss of the Coulter bridge and to consider During early October 2011, parts of southeastern making it an urgent priority to restore traffic across Manitoba were hard hit by wildfires. Thanks to the the Souris River either by a temporary or a swift action of provincial and municipal officials, permanent bridge. including 27 different fire departments and countless And this petition is signed by S. Temple, volunteers, no lives were lost and property damage M. Temple, D. Renwick and many, many other was limited. Manitobans, Mr. Speaker. However, the fight against the wildfires Cellular Phone Service in Southeastern Manitoba reinforced the shortcomings with the Mr. Cliff Graydon (Emerson): I wish to present the communications system in the region, specifically following petition to the Legislative Assembly. the gaps in cellular phone service. And the background to this petition is as These gaps made it difficult to co-ordinate follows: firefighting efforts and to notify people that they had to be evacuated. The situation also would have made During the early October 2011, parts of it difficult for people to call for immediate medical southeastern Manitoba were hard hit by wildfires. assistance if it had been required. Thanks to the swift action of provincial and municipal officials, including 27 different fire Local governments, businesses, industries and departments and countless volunteers, no lives were area residents have for years sought a solution to this lost and property damage was limited. very serious communications challenge. October 26, 2011 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA 113 We petition the Legislative Assembly as happening at the fund but failed to disclose it to the follows: public. * (13:40) Given that the Premier, as Finance Minister and Crocus minister at the time, was in the identical To urge the appropriate provincial government position as these directors, will he acknowledge departments to consider working with all today that he deserves to be held accountable as stakeholders to develop a strategy to swiftly address well? the serious challenges posed by limited cellular phone service in southeastern Manitoba in order to Hon.