March 1, 2000 Alberta Hansard 185 Legislative Assembly of Alberta I am honoured to be here along with our colleague Pearl Calaha- sen to participate in this most important ceremony. I thank our Title: Wednesday, March 1, 2000 1:30 p.m. Premier and everyone that was involved in the development of this legislation. Thank you. [as submitted] Date: 00/03/01 Mr. Speaker, I’m honoured also to introduce to you and through [The Speaker in the chair] you to all members of the Legislature Chief Harry GoodRunning, Sunchild reserve; Chief Darcy Dixon, Bearspaw band; Chief Gerry head: Prayers Ermineskin, Ermineskin band; Chief Paul Chiniquay, Chiniki band; THE SPEAKER: Hon. members, on this special day Alberta’s and other special guests representing treaties 6, 7, and 8 who are Legislative Assembly will hear first reading of the First Nations seated in the members’ gallery. I thank them for being here on this Sacred Ceremonial Objects Repatriation Act. special occasion of witnessing the introduction of a very significant I would ask that you now join me in the prayer. Creator, we piece of legislation and for being part of a native ceremony in humbly ask Your guidance as we turn our thoughts to the legacy of honour of this legislation. I would ask them now to rise and receive First Nations sacred ceremonial traditions. Grant us vision so that the traditional warm welcome of the Assembly. these sacred ceremonial objects can once again play their role in the living traditions of First Nations people today, and grant us under- THE SPEAKER: Hon. members, there are other members of First standing so that we make wise choices for the future. Amen. Nations here, and I would ask them to rise as well. Chief Alexis and I want to give thanks to Dr. Jack Ives, the manager of archeology others, please rise and receive the warm welcome. and ethnology at the Provincial Museum of Alberta for assistance with the words of the prayer today. head: Presenting Petitions Please be seated. THE SPEAKER: The hon. Member for Red Deer-South. head: Introduction of Visitors MR. DOERKSEN: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It’s my pleasure to THE SPEAKER: The hon. the Premier. table a petition today on behalf of the members for Lacombe- Stettler, Rocky Mountain House, Ponoka-Rimbey, Innisfail-Sylvan MR. KLEIN: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Before I introduce our Lake, Drumheller-Chinook, Olds-Didsbury-Three Hills, Red Deer- distinguished guests, I would like to like to point out that you are an North, and Red Deer-South. The petition has 5,287 signatures and honorary chief of the Alexis First Nation with the name White Man reads as follows. with a Kind Heart. We, the undersigned residents of Alberta reaffirm our support Mr. Speaker, I am honoured to introduce to you and through you for the five basic principles upon which Medicare was built: to all members of the Legislature a number of distinguished First accessibility, universality, portability, comprehensiveness and public Nations guests who have come to witness the introduction of a very administration. We urge the Government of Alberta to uphold the significant piece of legislation entitled the First Nations Sacred letter and spirit of these principles. Ceremonial Objects Repatriation Act. We also oppose two-tier health care and urge the government Prior to entering the Legislature Chamber today, these guests were of Alberta to maintain an adequate system of public hospitals and to not permit the development of private hospitals in the province of part of a First Nations ceremony in honour of this legislation. These Alberta. distinguished guests are elders and chiefs representing three First Nations treaty areas in the aboriginal culture. Elders are highly THE SPEAKER: The hon. Member for St. Albert. respected as they provide their people with important counsel as to their traditional way of life. MRS. O’NEILL: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wish to present a Mr. Speaker, they are your special guests and are seated in your petition on behalf of the hon. Member for Stony Plain. Three gallery. I would ask them to rise as I call out their names, and then hundred and fifty-one parents in his riding wish to urge the once I’ve introduced them, I would ask all Members of this Legisla- Legislative Assembly to intervene on behalf of the students at tive Assembly to give them the traditional warm welcome of the Meridian Heights school to “ have the Parkland school division No. Assembly. Frank Weaselhead, representing the Blood tribe; Martin Heavy 70 review and reconsider the decision to amalgamate the French Head, representing the Blood tribe; Leonard Bastien, representing Immersion program.” the Peigan nation; Nelson Adams, representing the Paul band; Madge McCree, representing Swan River First Nation; Joe Willier, THE SPEAKER: The hon. Member for Lethbridge-East. representing the Sucker Creek band; Harold Healy, representing the Blood tribe, and his wife, Joan; Mike Beaver, representing the Big DR. NICOL: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It’s a privilege of mine today Stone Cree nation; Kirby Bird, representing the Paul band; Allen to table a petition with 821 names on behalf of citizens from Pard, representing the Peigan nation; Gabriel Meneen, representing Lethbridge, Coleman, Blairmore, Fort Macleod, Milk River, the Tallcree band; Bennet Grey, representing the Whitefish Lake Raymond, Coutts, and Taber asking the government to stop First Nation; Chief Wilson Bearhead, representing the Paul band; promoting private health care and to ensure that the public health Chief Richard Davis, representing the Swan River First Nation: I care system is kept strong. would ask them to receive the warm welcome of this Legislature. THE SPEAKER: The hon. Member for Spruce Grove-Sturgeon-St. THE SPEAKER: The hon. Associate Minister of Forestry. Albert. MR. CARDINAL: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. On behalf MRS. SOETAERT: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I, too, have a petition of my colleague Pearl and I, I’d like to say a few words in our own signed by 395 people in the Grande Prairie, Beaverlodge, Fort language today. [remarks in Cree] McMurray, Wembley, and Anzac areas. They are petitioning the 186 Alberta Hansard March 1, 2000 Legislative Assembly to “urge the government of Alberta to stop THE CLERK: promoting private health care and undermining the public health care We the undersigned citizens of Alberta petition the Legislative system.” Assembly to urge the government of Alberta to stop promoting private health care and undermining public health care. THE SPEAKER: The hon. Member for Edmonton-Strathcona. THE SPEAKER: The hon. Member for Edmonton-Centre. DR. PANNU: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It’s my pleasure to table a petition signed by 242 Albertans. They are requesting that this MS BLAKEMAN: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise today to request Legislative Assembly pass a bill “banning private for-profit hospitals that the petition I presented yesterday signed by a number of in Alberta so that the integrity of the public, universal health care individuals from Cold Lake be now read and received. system may be maintained.” This brings the total number today to Thank you. 1,115 signatures on this petition. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. THE CLERK: We the undersigned citizens of Alberta petition the Legislative THE SPEAKER: The hon. Member for Edmonton-Gold Bar. Assembly to urge the government of Alberta to stop promoting private health care and undermining public health care. MR. MacDONALD: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise this afternoon to table a petition with over 1,000 signatures on it from the citizens THE SPEAKER: The hon. Member for Spruce Grove-Sturgeon-St. of Edmonton-Gold Bar: Albert. We the undersigned citizens petition the Legislative Assembly to urge the government of Alberta to stop promoting private health care MRS. SOETAERT: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I, too, would ask that and undermining public health care. the petition I presented the other day regarding public health care be This petition has been gathered by many energetic seniors. now read and received. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. 1:40 head: Reading and Receiving Petitions THE CLERK: We the undersigned citizens of Alberta petition the Legislative THE SPEAKER: The hon. Member for Edmonton-Meadowlark. Assembly to urge the government of Alberta to stop promoting private health care and undermining public health care. MS LEIBOVICI: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise this afternoon to ask that the petition I presented yesterday be now read and received. THE SPEAKER: The hon. Member for Edmonton-Strathcona. THE CLERK: DR. PANNU: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I request that the petition I We the undersigned citizens of Alberta petition the Legisla- presented yesterday be now read and received. tive Assembly to urge the government of Alberta to stop Thank you, Mr. Speaker. promoting private health care and undermining public health care. THE CLERK: We the undersigned residents of the province of Alberta hereby THE SPEAKER: The hon. Member for Edmonton-Calder. petition the Legislative Assembly of Alberta to pass a Bill banning private for-profit hospitals in Alberta so that the integrity of the MR. WHITE: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise to ask that the petition public, universal health care system may be maintained. I presented yesterday be read and received now. head: Introduction of Bills THE CLERK: We the undersigned citizens of Alberta petition the Legislative THE SPEAKER: The hon. Associate Minister of Aboriginal Affairs. Assembly to urge the government of Alberta to stop promoting private health care and undermining public health care. Bill 2 First Nations Sacred Ceremonial THE SPEAKER: The hon. Member for Lethbridge-East. Objects Repatriation Act DR. NICOL: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise to request that the MS CALAHASEN: Mr.