Third 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. XLVII No. 66-1:30 p.m., Tuesday, June 24, 1997 ISSN 0542-5492 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. DACQUAY, Louise, Hon. Seine River P.C. DERKACH, Leonard, Hon. Rob lin-Russell P.C. DEWAR, Gregory Selkirk N.D.P. DOER, Gary Concordia N.D.P. DOWNEY, James, Hon. Anhur-Virden P.C. DRIEDGER, Albert Steinbach P.C. DYCK, Peter Pembina P.C. ENNS, Harry, Hon. Lakeside P.C. ERNST, Jim Charleswood P.C. EVANS, Clif Interlake N.D.P. EVANS, Leonard S. Brandon East N.D.P. 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. HELWER, Edward Gimli P.C. HICKES, George Point Douglas N.D.P. JENNISSEN, Gerard Flin Flon N.D.P. KOWALSKI, Gary The Maples Ind. 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. N.D.P. REID, Daryl Transcona REIMER, Jack, Hon. Niakwa P.C. RENDER, Shirley St. Vital P.C. ROBINSON, Eric Rupertsland N.D.P. ROCAN, Denis Gladstone P.C. N.D.P. SALE, Tim Crescentwood N.D.P. SANTOS, Conrad Broadway P.C. STEFANSON, Eric, Hon. Kirkfield Park N.D.P. STRUTHERS, Stan Dauphin P.C. SVEINSON, Ben La Verendrye P.C. TOEWS, Vic, Hon. Rossmere P.C. TWEED, Mervin Turtle Mountain P.C. VODREY, Rosemary, Hon. Fort Garry N.D.P. WOWCHUK, Rosann Swan River Vacant Portage Ia Prairie 5193 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA Tuesday, June 24, 1997 The House met at 1:30 p.m. It complies with the rules andpractices ofthe House. Is it the will of the House to have the petition read? PRAYERS An Honourable Member: Dispense. ROUTINE PROCEEDINGS Madam Speaker: Dispense. PRESENTING PETITIONS WHEREASmedical authorities have stated that breast cancer in Manitoba has reached almost epidemic Mobile Screening Unit fo r Mammograms proportions; and Ms. Rosano Wowcbuk (Swan River): Madam WHEREASyearly mammograms are recommended for Speaker, I beg to present the petition of Patsy Clarkson, women over 50, and perhaps younger if a woman feels Brad Wyatt andKen Munro asking that the Legislative she is at risk; and Assembly of Manitoba request the Minister of Health (Mr. Praznik) to consider immediately establishing a WHEREAS while improved surgical procedures and mobile screening unit fo r mammograms to help women better post-operative care do improve a woman's across the province detect breast cancer at the earliest chances ifshe is diagnosed, early detection plays a possible opportunity. vital role; and Obstetrics Closure-Grace General Hospital WHEREASManitoba currently has only three centres where mammograms can be performed, those being Ms. MaryAnn Mihycbuk (St. James): Madam Winnipeg, Brandon and Thompson; and Speaker, I beg to present the petition of Marion Graham, Arnold Graham, Marie Friesen and others WHEREAS a trip to and from these centres for a praying that the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba mammogramcan cost a woman upwards of$500 which request the Minister of Health consider stopping the is a prohibitive cost for some women; and closure of the obstetrics program at Winnipeg's Grace Hospital. WHEREAS a number of other provinces have dealt with this problem by establishing mobile screening CRTC-Presentations units; and Mr. Stan Struthers (Dauphin): Madam Speaker, I WHEREASthe provincial governmenthas promised to beg to present the petition of Peter Atamanchuk, Helen take action on this serious issue. Atamanchuk, Anne Harrison and others praying that the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba request that the WHEREFORE YOUR PETITIONERSHUMBLY PRAY Premier (Mr. Filmon) and the minister of that the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba may be telecommunications make presentations before the pleased to request the Minister of Health (Mr. Praznik) CRTC opposing such hikes in local rates. to consider immediately establishing a mobile screening unit for mammograms to help women across the province detect breast cancer at the earliest READING AND RECEIVING PETITIONS possible opportunity. Mobile Screening Unit fo r Mammograms Obstetrics Closure-Grace General Hospital Madam Speaker: I have reviewed the petition of the Madam Speaker: I have reviewed the petition of the honourable member fo r Swan River (Ms. Wowchuk). honourable member for St. James (Ms. Mihychuk). It 5194 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA June 24, 1997 complies with the rules and practices of the House. Is THAT the obstetrics program has always been an it the will of the House to have the petition read? important part of the Grace Hospital's mandate; and An Honourable Member: Dispense. THAT both people in the community and a number of government studies have recommended against the Madam Speaker: Dispense. further closure of community hospitals' obstetrics programs; and The petition of the undersigned citizens of the province of Manitoba humbly sheweth: THAT as a result of federal and provincial cuts in the health budget, hospitals are being forced to eliminate THAT the obstetrics program has always been an programs in order to balance their own budgets; and important part of the Grace Hospital's mandate; and THAT the closure of the Grace Hospital obstetrics THAT both people in the community and a number of ward will mean laying off54 health care professionals, government studies have recommended against the many of whom have years of experience and dedicated further closure of community hospitals' obstetrics service in obstetrics; and programs; and THATmoving to a model where more and more births THAT as a result of federal and provincial cuts in the are centred in the tertiarycare hospitals will be more health budget, hospitals are being forced to eliminate costly and decreases the choices for women about programs in order to balance their own budgets; and where they can give birth. THAT the closure of the Grace Hospital obstetrics WHEREFORE YOUR PETITIONERS HUMBLY PRAY ward will mean laying off54 health care professionals, THAT the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba request many of whom have years of experience and dedicated that the Minister of Health (Mr. Praznik) consider service in obstetrics; and stopping the closure of the obstetrics program at Winnipeg's Grace Hospital. THAT moving to a model where more and more births are centred in the tertiarycare hospitals will be more PRESENTING REPORTS BY costly and decreases the choices for women about STANDING AND SPECIAL COMMITTEES where they can give birth. - Standing Committee on Economic Development WHEREFORE YOUR PETITIONERSHUMBLY PRAY Third Report THAT the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba request that the Minister of Health (Mr. Praznik) consider Mr. Mervin Tweed (Chairperson of the Standing stopping the closure of the obstetrics program at Committee on Economic Development): Madam Winnipeg's Grace Hospital. Speaker, I wish to present the Third Report of the Committee on Economic Development. Madam Speaker: I have reviewed the petition of the honourable member for Broadway (Mr. Santos). It An Honourable Member: Dispense. complies with the rules and practices of the House. Is it the will of the House to have the petition read? Madam Speaker: Dispense. An Honourable Member: Dispense. Your Standing Committee on Economic Development presents the following as its Third Report. Madam Speaker: Dispense. Your committee met on Friday, June 20, 1997, at 10 The petition of the undersigned citizens of the province a.m., in Room 255 of the Legislative Assembly to of Manitoba humbly sheweth: consider bills referred. June 24, 1997 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA 5195 At that meeting, your committee elected Mr. Tweed as Bill 27-The Public Schools Amendment Act; Loi its Chairperson and Mrs. Render as its Vice­ modifiant la Loi sur les ecoles publiques Chairperson. Bill32-The Workplace Safetyand Health Amendment Your committee heard representation on bills as Act (2); Loi no 2 modifiant Ia Loi sur Ia securite et follows: !'hygiene du travail Bill 15- TheGovernment Essential Services Amendment and has agreedto report the same without amendment. Act; Loi modifiant la Loi sur les services gouvernementaux essentiels Your committee also considered: Bill Sumerlus- CUPE Manitoba Bil/ 15-The GovernmentEssential Se rvices Amendment John Doyle - Manitoba Federation of Labour Act; Loi modifiant Ia Loi sur les services gouvernementauxessentiels Bill 16-The Council on Post-Secondary Education Amendment Act; Loi modifiant Ia Loi sur le Conseil de and has agreed on a counted vote of 6 Yeas, 4 Nays, to l'enseignement postsecondaire report the same without amendment. Dr. Wm. R. Eichhorst - Representative for Independent Your committee also considered: Colleges of Manitoba Elizabeth Carlyle- Canadian Federation of Students­ Bill 39-The Labour-Sponsored Venture Capital Manitoba Corporations Act; Loi sur les corporations a capital de Bill 27-The Public Schools Amendment Act; Loi risque de travailleurs modifiant le Loi sur les ecoles publiques and has agreed to report the same with the following Diane Beresford- Manitoba Teachers' Society amendment: Bill 32-The Workplace Safety and Health Amendment MOTION: Act (2); Loi no 2 modifiant Ia Loi sur Ia securite et !'hygiene du travail THAT the definition "employee organization" in subsection 1 (1) be amended by striking out everything HarryMesman - Manitoba Federation of Labour after "such organizations ".