First Session - Fortieth Legislature of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba DEBATES and PROCEEDINGS Official Report (Hansard) Published under the authority of the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba Vol. LXIV No. 2 - 10 a.m., Friday, October 21, 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 11 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA Friday, October 21, 2011 The House met at 10 a.m. To urge the Minister of Healthy Living, Youth and Seniors to consider implementing a universal Mr. Speaker: O Eternal and Almighty God, from hearing screening program accessible to parents of Whom all power and wisdom come, we are all newborns in Manitoba. assembled here before Thee to frame such laws as may tend to the welfare and prosperity of our This petition is signed by T. Celere, L. Oleszko, province. Grant, O merciful God, we pray Thee, that C. Barry and many, many other Manitobans, Mr. we may desire only that which is in accordance with Speaker. Thy will, that we may seek it with wisdom and know Mr. Speaker: In accordance with our rule 132(6), it with certainty and accomplish it perfectly for the when petitions are read they are deemed to have been glory and honour of Thy name and for the welfare of received by the House. all our people. Amen. PTH 5–Reducing Speed Limit ROUTINE PROCEEDINGS Mr. Stuart Briese (Agassiz): Mr. Speaker, I wish to PETITIONS present the following petition to the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba. Newborn Universal Hearing Screening Program And these are the reasons for this petition: Mrs. Leanne Rowat (Riding Mountain): I wish to Concerns continue to be raised about a number present the following petition to the Legislative of motor vehicle accidents at the intersection of Assembly of Manitoba: PTH No. 5 and PR No. 276 and at the intersection of PTH 5 and 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 Manitobans’ currently–current hearing screening on the portion of PTH 5 in the vicinity of Ste. Rose program does not allow for every child to be du Lac. screened. Other stakeholders, including the Ste. Rose Without early detection, children are more likely General Hospital, Ste. Rose and Laurier fire to develop poor speech and language skills and also departments, East Parkland Medical Group and the encounter social and emotional difficulties, which Ste. Rose and District Community Resource Council, lead to poor academic performance. have also suggested that lowering 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 reduce the potential for collisions. development because newborns can be provided with We petition the Legislative Assembly of effective programs and support that foster Manitoba as follows: development success–developmental success. To request the Minister of Infrastructure and While most other developed countries and many Transportation to consider the importance of Canadian provinces have a newborn hearing reducing the speed limit on PTH 5 to 80 kilometres screening program, Manitoba is lagging behind. an hour in the vicinity of the town of Ste. Rose from There are only a handful of screening programs in the west side of the Turtle River Bridge to the south the province while all other newborns can be–only side of the access to the Ste. Rose Auction Mart to be tested if they have risk factors of hearing loss or if help better protect motorist safety. parents specifically request a test. This petition is signed by C. Luke, We petition the Legislative of–Legislative C. Gudmundson, I. Delaurier and many, many other Assembly of Manitoba as follows: fine Manitobans. 12 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA October 21, 2011 TABLING OF REPORTS I would also like to draw to attention of members of the Assembly that we have a new Hon. Dave Chomiak (Minister charged with the member of our table officers here with us today and administration of The Gaming Control Act): Mr. that they will be a–and ask them to–ask you to assist Speaker, I’m pleased to table the 2010-2011 Annual me in welcoming to the table Mr. Andrea Signorelli, Report for the Manitoba Gaming Control our newly appointed Clerk Assistant of the–Clerk of Commission. the committees. Welcome. Mr. Speaker: I have a report for the House, too. In compliance with section 4 of the Members’ Salaries, ORAL QUESTIONS Allowances and Retirement Plans Disclosure Flooding Regulation, I am pleased to table the reports of Independent Review of Forecasting amounts claimed and paid for members for the 2010- 2011 fiscal year. Mr. Hugh McFadyen (Leader of the Official Opposition): As I was saying, I want to just begin Introduction of Guests by welcoming and congratulating all members of the Mr. Speaker: I wish to introduce to and draw to the House, both those who are returning and those who attention of members of the Assembly to the–and are newly elected, and to congratulate you as well, draw your attention to the Speaker’s Gallery where Mr. Speaker, on your election yesterday. We’ll have we have six individuals who are serving on the opportunities during the debate on the Speech from Manitoba Legislative Internship Program for the the Throne to elaborate on all of those, but I do want 2011 and 2012 year, and they are seated in the to congratulate everybody who has been given the Speaker’s Gallery. great privilege of serving in this great institution. In accordance with the established practice, three Mr. Speaker, the flood of 2011 has been a interns were assigned to the government caucus and significant issue for many Manitobans. Thousands of three to the official opposition caucus. Their term of Manitobans were evacuated from their homes and employment is 10 months. They will be performing a many others have seen significant damage to variety of research and other tasks for private property that’s been very important to them, as well members. These interns commenced their as farms and businesses. The Premier has indicated assignments in September and will complete them in his own view that the flood was a very serious one June, and they are, working with the government and that the challenges arising from the flood are caucus, Ms. Leezann Freed-Lobchuk of the ongoing. University of Winnipeg, Mr. Tim Johnson of the Over the past two months, we’ve seen different University of Winnipeg, Mr. Andrew Tod of the experts come forward saying that the Province made University of Winnipeg; working with the official some significant mistakes in terms of forecasting opposition caucus, Ms. Anna Murawski of the which led to some significant mistakes in terms of University of Manitoba, Mr. Kai Olsen of the floodfighting and preparation. Mr. Speaker, we are University of Winnipeg, and Ms. Susan Schipper of disappointed that the Speech from the Throne Queen’s University. yesterday made no reference to an independent Professor Jean Friesen looks after the academic review of the decisions that were made with respect portion of the internship. The administration of the to this year’s flood. program is carried out by our own Clerk, Patricia I want to ask the Premier: In light of the Chaychuk. The government caucus representatives disclosures which have come public over the past on the Internship Administration Committee are the couple of months, will he commit today to a full and member for Rossmere (Ms. Braun) and the member independent review of the government’s handling of for Spruce Woods (Mr. Cullen). the 2011 flood with particular emphasis on the errors that were made with respect to flood forecasting? I would like to take this opportunity, on behalf of all members, to congratulate the interns on their Hon.