Federal Budget
Impact on Agriculture Industry
Mr. Gary Doer (Leader of the Opposition): Mr. Speaker, last week we asked a number of questions about the government's projections and the fact that they had not built into their own projections the loss of revenues in terms of cutbacks on the post-secondary education, health care and social services amounting to over $200 million in the next two years.
Mr. Speaker, we have further information dealing with agriculture, a memo I would like to table dealing with agriculture and its impact on Manitoba's specific agricultural economy. It appears to us that agriculture in Manitoba is going to receive, in essence, four hits on this federal budget in terms of the actual income level and economy of Manitoba. The publicized reductions in the Western Grain Transportation Act of some $85 million are in the budget, and also some loss of about $10 million in direct payrolls here in the province of Manitoba with a reduction of research jobs in the province in terms of swine research and canola research and other vital research to the province of Manitoba.
I would like to ask the Premier: Given that agriculture is a billion-dollar industry in this province and given that we have had considerable challenges in agriculture on prices--a little bit of improvement last year but a slight potential reduction in some products for next year--did the provincial government in their three-year projection build in these drastic cuts in agricultural support that were released in the federal budget just recently?
Hon. Gary Filmon (Premier): Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for raising the issue of the cuts to the Western Grain Transportation Act and impacts that will be felt to Manitoba farmers and farm producers throughout our province.
Last Friday, he may be aware that a coalition on transportation reform who refer to themselves as After The Crow, Approaching 2000 met. There were representations not only from our side of the House but from his caucus, the member for Swan River (Ms. Wowchuk), a representative of the Liberal Party as well, the provincial Liberal Party there.
These are all farm producer groups, a coalition that included representation from all of the various sectors in the farm economy. They came up with a statement of condemnation of the federal government, a joint statement in which they lay out what they believe should take place in the future.
I understand that his representative, the member for Swan River, refused to support this statement, that from a party who is mouthing its concerns about the effects of the WGTA cut on farmers. They will not even sign on to the statement that all the farm groups want support on.
Mr. Doer: Mr. Speaker, the Premier did not answer the question. I asked the Premier, given the fact that last week they did not build the health and post-secondary cuts into the budget, did they build the cuts in agriculture into their three-year projections, or do they have a contingency plan to fight the federal government on agriculture like post-secondary education?
I have a further question to the Premier. Given the fact that 40 percent of farmers in Manitoba--and according to the government's own internal documents, their land is rented--may be disenfranchised by the so-called transition payment, and given the fact that the federal budget also contains a $32-million reduction in the pooling provisions, which will cost Manitoba farmers about $14 extra a tonne by reducing $32 million of the pooling provisions in Manitoba in terms of the province, did they build those into the projections for the '96 year, Mr. Speaker, or do they have another contingency plan on that, like they do with health and post-secondary education?
Mr. Filmon: Mr. Speaker, this statement begins: Manitoba farmers and the provincial government are disappointed that the federal government did not deal with the issues of the WGTA and Canadian Wheat Board pooling in the February 27 budget in a fashion which had been recommended to them by the Manitoba WGTA coalition.
It goes on to say: The coalition believes that if the buy-out funds were directed to producers instead of landowners, more of the money would stay in the agricultural community to aid in the making of the transition to a nonsubsidized freight reality.
Mr. Speaker, I understand that the NDP refused to support this because they still are clinging to the old pay-the-railroad position of the New Democrats and the Farmers Union of Manitoba, and they are the ones who are not trying to be positive in helping farmers with the very serious situation they face. That is the crime of all of this, that the NDP are full of rhetoric and not full of any concern for the farm community.
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Mr. Doer: The Premier did not answer the question again. Our Agriculture critic has raised this question before and raised it last year and raised it when Mazankowski cut the freight payments, and this Premier did the hallelujah chorus for Kim Campbell and Brian Mulroney when they started cutting back in western Canada.
The Premier did not answer the first question on the Western Grain Transportation asked. He did not answer the second question on the pooling impact on Manitoba. I would like him to try to answer the third question.
The internal document of the provincial government indicates two things. One is that the safety net funding will drop by 30 percent in the subsequent years of this federal budget and that Manitoba's share will be disproportionate to other provinces.
Secondly, the internal documents also indicate that the federal government is proposing a $100 administrative fee per farmer to be involved in crop insurance and revenue insurance contracts, a provision that would give money to both the province and the federal government.
I would like to ask the Premier whether this hundred dollars is going to be implemented. It is not fair to the producers. What will be the impact? Has that been built in to the provincial budget of a 30 percent reduction in the safety net provisions in Manitoba?
Mr. Filmon: He might ask the federal government who are proposing that $100 fee, Mr. Speaker. We are not proposing it. He might ask the Leader of the Liberal Party (Mr. Edwards), who supports it and says it is fair. He says it is fair and says that he will go to the polls supporting all those elements. He might ask his own member about this. He might find out why it is that the Province of Saskatchewan got out of the GRIP program entirely and transferred $180 million into their deficit reduction fund.
That is what he might do about those kinds of things, but this is the statement of the Coalition of Manitoba Producers, people who represent all elements of the farm community, that expresses concern about each and every one of these, a statement that has been refused to be signed by the New Democratic Party in this Legislature or the representative of the Liberal Party in this Legislature. That is the crime of all of this, that the Leader of the Opposition and his party are full of rhetoric when it comes to supporting farmers and do not do anything for the farmers when they have an opportunity.
Sustainable Development Legislation
Public Consultation
Mr. Gord Mackintosh (St. Johns): Mr. Speaker, last year the government released a discussion document about a proposed sustainable development act that talked in terms of conservation and stewardship of the environment. The document highlighted the important role of co-operation and public participation in creating the act.
Given this professed commitment to our role as stewards and to including all Manitobans in the legislative process, would the minister advise Manitobans whether they will have any input into the development of the draft legislation, and if so, when?
Hon. Glen Cummings (Minister of Environment): Mr. Speaker, I missed the last sentence of the member's question, but I believe he was asking about the opportunity that is associated with the introduction of a sustainable development act and all of the impacts that flow with this.
If there is one thing that this administration has been well known for, especially in the initiatives around sustainable development, is there is always ample opportunity for public input and consultation.
Mr. Mackintosh: Would the minister then explain to Manitobans why only members of the Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce get special status allowing them to examine and to comment on the draft legislation? I will table the minutes of the sustainable development advisory panel of the Chamber of Commerce for January 9.
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Mr. Cummings: Mr. Speaker, I think it might be much the same as the heads of a number of environment groups who meet in my office at least quarterly, or more often, and very often sit and discuss principles and concerns around various initiatives that the government is taking, including sustainable development and the consequences or implications of moving towards an overarching sustainable development act.
So the member is entirely wrong in his conclusions. I suspect that he is probably a little envious that this is one jurisdiction, the only jurisdiction in Canada, probably the only one in North America, that is now contemplating the real effects that can come with a properly instituted approach to sustainable development and is now moving it forward into the legislative agenda. That, Mr. Speaker, is probably making him a little envious.
Mr. Mackintosh: Mr. Speaker, my question was about the review of draft legislation.
Mandate
Mr. Gord Mackintosh (St. Johns): Given that Manitobans have heard over and over again about how this government has a commitment to the environment, only to be disappointed time and time again, would the minister now tell Manitobans if he endorses assurances made to the Chamber by Mr. Robert Sopuck, the executive director of the government's Sustainable Development Co-ordination Unit, that the sustainable development act is to be, and I quote: unabashedly prodevelopment?
Will he admit that the government is going to gut environmental assessment?
Hon. Glen Cummings (Minister of Environment): Mr. Speaker, the comment made by the member certainly reflects his bias, which is antidevelopment, and probably the bias of almost every member across the floor, given the debate we have had over the last number of years, considering the attacks they have made on very appropriate and useful initiatives made by this government.
Let me be very clear, Mr. Speaker. Sustainable development speaks to the balance between development and the environment. It speaks to the fact that in many cases we have a multiplicity of approvals, a multiplicity of a very complex approach that in some cases, from the outside casual observer and to those who wish to participate, is very often totally confusing and quite biased. We need to make sure that, in developing a better approach, it is clear and definable, and I am pretty sure that is the reference the member is making.
Crisis Centres
Funding
Mr. Paul Edwards (Leader of the Second Opposition): Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Family Services.
Today, Ms. Waltrud Grieger, president of the women's shelter association publicly communicated information gathered from a year's worth of intake forms at women's shelters around the province which asks clients to respond to whether a drug, alcohol or gambling addiction was involved in their problems. Some shelters, quite shockingly, found that 40 to 50 percent of their clients cited gambling as a contributor to family violence and breakdown. Clearly, the public is becoming more and more aware of the problems associated with gambling addiction and more and more concerned about them, in particular, in the wake of the recent budget which relies so heavily on the government's use of lotteries revenues.
My question for the minister: Given that women are sometimes saying that, where they do not have the means to leave an abusive relationship, they are even desperately gambling in the hopes of winning enough money to get out of those relationships and given that the northern region is one of the highest areas for gambling problems in families, will the minister reconsider the decision to in fact cut funding from the Flin Flon/Creighton crisis shelter in northern Manitoba, where family problems with gambling are known to be some of the worst in the province?
Hon. Jim Ernst (Minister charged with the administration of The Manitoba Lotteries Foundation Act): Mr. Speaker, we have, I think, recognized from the outset that there may well be some Manitobans who have difficulties with respect to gambling. As a result, we were the first province in Canada to establish treatment programs for people with problem areas with respect to lotteries and gaming.
We are the first province in Canada to go into the schools and take a proactive approach, through the Addictions Foundation of Manitoba, to recognize that an addiction is an addiction regardless of the format that demonstrates itself. We are the first in Canada to do a follow-up study with respect to these difficulties.
The Addictions Foundation of Manitoba has been in contact with Ms. Grieger's group, Mr. Speaker, has talked to them about these issues and has offered their support and all of the additional programs that are being provided by the Addictions Foundation of Manitoba respecting this issue.
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Mr. Edwards: Mr. Speaker, clearly the minister's statement that there may well be some problems is a substantial understatement of the problem as he has consistently attempted to do.
My supplementary question to the minister: Will he reconsider his statement of last April when he said that there had not been adequate research into the connection between family violence and gambling addiction? He seems to be acknowledging now that that connection is there, at least in part, in his mind. Is he now prepared to say that in fact there is a link, given this evidence which seems to be compelling and substantial over the last year, a significant study? Will he reconsider the funding to the crisis shelters in the wake of this increased evidence, that there is a very clear link between gambling and family abuse and in particular violence against women in this province?
Mr. Ernst: Mr. Speaker, I want to paraphrase the words of Mr. Herb Thompson, who is the acting director of the Addictions Foundation of Manitoba. Addiction is a dysfunctional activity. It takes many forms. No one form necessarily creates or contributes more or less to a particular problem.
Certainly substance abuse, alcoholism, addiction to gambling, addiction to a whole host of other societal problems creates a dysfunctional activity that creates some difficulties within certain families. We understand that. The whole question then is why we are the first to deal with treatment programs. That is why we are today, through the Addictions Foundation of Manitoba, going out, reaching out to the community, through the schools, through various organizations, through the corporate community to talk to their employees, to see if we cannot head off potential problems that are related to gambling. We are taking a very extremely proactive approach, including dealing with the question of women's shelters and what assistance the AFM can provide to them.
Mr. Edwards: Mr. Speaker, the minister talks about various forms of addiction being dysfunctional activities. There is a difference between the situation with alcohol and the situation with gambling. The difference is that this government owns and promotes gambling across this province. With respect to tobacco, with respect to liquor, they control advertising. They work to pare it down. In this case, because they own it, they are out there promoting it themselves. There is a difference and the responsibility is higher.
My final question for the minister: Will he reassess the funding decisions to women's shelters, and, in particular, with respect to the Flin Flon/Creighton which is in a high problem area for gambling? Will he make that reassessment at least until the committee that he has structured reports?--because we now have compelling evidence, again, from a number of sources, and credible sources, that it is a much more serious problem than he or the AFM appear to recognize.
Mr. Ernst: Mr. Speaker, I do not wish to make light at all of the problems associated with family breakdown related to any kind of dysfunctional activity, or for that matter, any form of addiction, but the member for St. James (Mr. Edwards) comes in here and calls empirical evidence, calls all kinds of activities.
Let me refer to December 7, 1994. We had the member for St. James: "We have had confirmed by the Addictions Foundation this morning that fully 20 percent of their clientele have admitted to committing a criminal act to support their gambling addictions."
The public would believe by that that this was a total clientele of 400, but, Mr. Speaker, it was 8.1 percent of a sample of 68. It was five people--five people, not 200, as the member would come forward and have everyone believe. Let him be a little honest in coming into this Chamber and presenting information to the public of Manitoba and the members of this House. Let him be a little honest in what he brings to this Chamber.
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Gambling Policy Review
Terms of Reference
Ms. Becky Barrett (Wellington): Mr. Speaker, I hope that the responses of the Minister responsible for Lotteries as made to the Leader of the second opposition party are not saying in any way, shape or form that he does not consider the one year of studies done by all 10 Manitoba shelters on the linkage between domestic violence and gambling addiction not serious and sufficient in and of itself to require additional support in many ways.
I would like to ask the minister if this demonstrated link, which we believe is a clear demonstrated link that needs to be responded to is now going to be made part of the terms of reference of the lottery review that he recently announced.
Hon. Jim Ernst (Minister charged with the administration of The Manitoba Lotteries Foundation Act): Mr. Speaker, I want to make it abundantly clear to the member for Wellington that in no way--and I prefaced my last statement with that--in no way did I wish to detract at all from the problems that have been experienced by a manifestation of dysfunctional activity, particularly through the experience of women's shelters.
The working group that will be examining issues related to the lotteries in Manitoba has a very wide scope. They will be able to deal with every issue that presents itself, either through the public or through the work of the committee itself in wishing to look and seek out any kind of activity that is related to the question of lottery and gaming in the province of Manitoba, to study those issues and to bring forward recommendations.
Ms. Barrett: Will, for example, the Minister responsible for the Status of Women (Mrs. Vodrey) ensure that the lotteries review is represented in its composition by members of women's groups so that this issue and other issues that deal directly and specifically with the concerns of women are brought to this review's attention, that there are representatives of the women's groups in this province on the lotteries review? Will the Minister responsible for the Status of Women ensure that her discussions with the Lotteries minister ensure that women are represented on that review?
Mr. Ernst: I can assure the member for Wellington that women will be represented on that working group.
Ms. Barrett: Women who represent women's groups?
Gambling Addiction Programs
Domestic Violence Segment
Ms. Becky Barrett (Wellington): I would like to ask the minister responsible for the lotteries review and for Lotteries if the programs on gambling addictions that are now being developed by the Addictions Foundation of Manitoba will specifically take into account the issues of the relationship between domestic violence and gambling addiction. They are similar to but have different components than alcohol or other addictions that are connected with domestic violence. Will he ensure that those courses and those programs have the component that relates specifically to gambling addiction and domestic violence?
Hon. Jim Ernst (Minister charged with the administration of The Manitoba Lotteries Foundation Act): Mr. Speaker, I do not for a minute profess to be an expert in the field of treatment of dysfunctional behaviour related to gambling, but certainly the Addictions Foundation of Manitoba is. They will, when the new additional funding I announced last week kicks in, have 16 dedicated staff to deal with those issues. They have in fact already, I am told, met with the Association of Women's Shelters, had a seminar to try and deal with issues surrounding the problems that they were experiencing and what the Addictions Foundation could do to assist them.
So, Mr. Speaker, I suspect that the Addictions Foundation and for that matter the Association of Women's Shelters are probably way ahead on this issue of both the member for Wellington or myself.
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SmartHealth
Information Tabling Request
Mr. Dave Chomiak (Kildonan): Mr. Speaker, at a major speaking event on March 9, the Deputy Minister of Health stated that SmartHealth cards, the $150-million deal with the Royal Bank, would include information from Family Services as part of its data system.
Mr. Speaker, can the minister outline how it is now that this health card will include information from Family Services, and will the minister finally table information, including the contract on this card so the public can finally know what it is paying $150 million to the Royal Bank for? Will the minister outline that information for us, please?
Hon. James McCrae (Minister of Health): Mr. Speaker, I guess I can only correct the honourable member so many times before he gives up and maybe he never will, but $150 million is not in the cards. The people of Manitoba will be paying approximately $100 million. If there are any cost overruns, they will be borne by SmartHealth. That has been made very, very clear many, many times.
As for what Dr. Wade, Deputy Minister of Health, said recently, I will review all of his comments and respond at a later time to the honourable member's question.
Confidentiality
Mr. Dave Chomiak (Kildonan): Mr. Speaker, I am sure the public is very much assured now that they know it is only $118 million that they are going to pay for this deal with the Royal Bank.
My supplementary to the minister is: Will he now at least table in this House the government's studies and its plans as to how they are going to ensure confidentiality of this information, and what mechanisms they are going to put in place prior to the system being up and running, so the public of Manitoba can have assurances about the confidentiality of this system?
Hon. James McCrae (Minister of Health): As I said to the honourable member, the falsehood of $150 million can be floated as many times as the honourable member wants to float it. I tell him, that is a falsehood. I do not know why the honourable member insists on putting falsehoods on the record.
With respect to confidentiality, which is a very key concern of all of the stakeholders in the public health information system, as well as the government, the honourable member needs to be reminded that this is a multimodular project. There are many go or no-go points along the way where decision points are arrived at.
If at any point the privacy committee, the membership of which I read out to the honourable member the other day, has concerns which outweigh moving forward, it is stop, no go.
Information Tabling Request
Mr. Dave Chomiak (Kildonan): Mr. Speaker, we have the deal. We do not have the contract. We do not have any studies. We do not have any information other than the press release of the minister and its comments to just trust us; this $118-million or $150-million or $100-million contract will be good for you.
Will the minister finally do the right thing and allow the public of Manitoba to know what they are buying from the Royal Bank, that great health care institution? Can he please let us know, table that information so we know what the public is buying for the $100 million or the $118 million or the $150 million? Will he at least table the information, Mr. Speaker?
Hon. James McCrae (Minister of Health): Mr. Speaker, the honourable member is not accustomed to taking my word for anything, virtually, in this House or anywhere else.
I would refer him to some of the partners involved in the project. If he does not think the answers that he is getting from me are appropriate to his particular needs, then he might check will all of the stakeholders with whom we work who are partners in this project and by whom we must pass each and every module of this project. I refer the honourable member, for example, to the Assembly of Chiefs, to the Cadham Lab, the whole list I went through the other day, the Manitoba Society of Seniors, the Consumers' Association of Manitoba.
If he does not want to take my word for these things, let him consult with those organizations. I am sure they will sort these matters out for the honourable member.
Victims Assistance Programs
Rural Funding
Mr. Brian Pallister (Portage la Prairie): Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Justice and concerns the rural victims services program.
Through the efforts of a local co-ordinator and a number of volunteers in Portage la Prairie, this program has been rated by most as being very successful in Portage and I understand from comments from other members, also in other rural communities.
Can the minister today inform the House as to whether the province will be continuing its funding support for this very important program?
Hon. Rosemary Vodrey (Minister of Justice and Attorney General): Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to inform the member, this House and the people of Manitoba that our government has committed additional resources, $225,000, to see the continuation of this program to those seven rural communities in Manitoba.
Mr. Speaker, in addition to the financial resources which have been committed by this government for the continuation of the program, we are also undertaking a study to see how we can look after the needs of victims across this whole province, not just in the seven communities.
Government Initiatives
Mr. Brian Pallister (Portage la Prairie): My question for the minister: In keeping with the consistent concern for the victims of crime that this government has demonstrated in its programs, are there other initiatives which the department will be implementing which will enhance the plight of the victims of crime in Manitoba?
Hon. Rosemary Vodrey (Minister of Justice and Attorney General): Mr. Speaker, we certainly recognize that victims are vulnerable people, that they should not be retraumatized again for the purposes of court appearances, which is why we are extending the victims services. In addition, through the budget we have increased the support to the criminal injuries area which deals in counselling of victims. We have had quite an increase of victims who require counselling in the area of sexual abuse. We use victim impact statements in youth cases.
We have been pressing the federal government to deal with antistalking victims, and we are awaiting the federal Liberal minister's decision as to whether or not he will look after victims and allow them some support in the federal legislation of the Criminal Code. Also, this government took a very bold and courageous step when we became the first government across Canada to announce a process to identify publicly those sexual predators or pedophiles who are within the community, in the interests of public safety.
Health Care System
Pediatric Service Reviews
Ms. Avis Gray (Crescentwood): Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Health.
One of the government's many committees that began doing some work in early 1991 through the Urban Hospital Council was a committee that was set up to review all pediatric services in urban areas in the city of Winnipeg, and that particular committee was chaired by Dr. John Wade who is now, of course, the Deputy Minister of Health. I have a copy of the status reports from 1991.
Can the minister tell us: Does he have the results of the working committee that looked at pediatric services in Winnipeg? In that review of those reports, were there any problems or concerns identified about the pediatric cardiac program at Health Sciences Centre?
Hon. James McCrae (Minister of Health): Mr. Speaker, as I said to the honourable member the other day, over the years there have been numerous reports and recommendations and comments, and the honourable member really is asking questions today that go to the heart of what will be the subject of the inquest when it begins. I think that it is not going to do the honourable member or me any good to debate whether this should have been done or that should have been done, by this party or that party or the other party.
The obvious thing that we need to do is to make sure that all of these questions that are being raised do indeed get answered in the appropriate form. Hopefully recommendations flow therefrom, and we can all work together to make decisions to ensure the safety of the children in the future.
Ms. Gray: Mr. Speaker, I have a supplementary for the minister. Surely the minister, as Minister of Health, is not going to wait till an inquest to ensure that he has all of the possible information about what has been going on in his department since at least 1990.
In the provincial surgical services committee, another committee which was established in the early '90s, can he tell us if in fact any problems were identified at the Health Sciences Centre in regard to the pediatric cardiac program?--because one of the terms of reference in this committee was to specifically ensure that a sufficient number of trained staff were available to ensure safe care. What did that particular committee come up with?
Mr. McCrae: I would like to assure the honourable member, Mr. Speaker, that while the inquest is an important thing for us to be engaged in, we indeed would not wait for such a thing to carry on with the necessary work that needs to be done to ensure the highest standards and the highest level of care and safety for everyone in our health system. I want it clear no one is waiting around for something else to be completed before other measures are taken.
Dr. Wade, as deputy Health minister, is engaged in discussions with colleagues from across the country and engaged with medical people and hospital people. We are pleased that Dr. Bill Lindsay has returned to Manitoba from his work in Minneapolis to head up our cardiac program in Manitoba. With his leadership, and the work of Dr. Wade and all of the others involved, we will no doubt be addressing many issues while we await the results of an inquest.
It is not a question of standing still until that process is through at all, Mr. Speaker. It never has been thought to be the appropriate way to go and is not being done now.
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Ms. Gray: Mr. Speaker, with a final supplementary to the Minister of Health: Can the minister tell us, with these two committees that were specifically reviewing urban pediatric services, has the department been made aware of any problems or concerns about the pediatric cardiac program at the Health Sciences Centre from these working groups and committees composed of doctors and people who work in the system? Was the Department of Health, and this minister or former minister, made aware of any concerns and problems? If so, what then happened? What did the department do to address those concerns?
Mr. McCrae: Well, certainly in addition to the questions being raised by the honourable member, we were aware of and responded to a letter written by a number of doctors back in 1991, addressed to the president of the Health Sciences Centre and copied to the government. Following that letter, the hospital, the government and the doctors worked together to address some of the concerns relating to equipment and other matters as well, including recruitment, Mr. Speaker.
Since that time, too, there have been pretty significant negotiations and discussions between the Health Sciences Centre, St. Boniface Hospital, the University of Manitoba and the government relating to tertiary care services. There was the striking of the Bell-Wade Report on tertiary care services in Manitoba. Flowing from the Bell-Wade Report was--[interjection] I hope members of the New Democratic Party want to hear these answers.
Flowing from the Bell-Wade Report was a Memorandum of Understanding between the two tertiary hospitals and the recruitment of Dr. Bill Lindsay, which is about where I was when I finished up my last question.
Children's Advocate Report
Recommendations
Mr. Doug Martindale (Burrows): Mr. Speaker, in December of last year, the Children's Advocate handed in his report to the Minister of Family Services. It is a damning report. It condemns many policies of this government, including their fiscal policies.
One of the questions that the Children's Advocate asked, one of the concerns he raised, was how many bruises or child deaths does it take for government to acknowledge that the Child and Family Services system is under tremendous strain; agencies should not have to be forced to pick and choose which children they can protect; our obligations towards all children must be fulfilled.
The minister has had three or four months to study this report. I wonder if she could tell the House which of the 41 recommendations has she already started to act on. Which of the priorities has she started to act on on behalf of her department? What is she going to implement, and when, of the Children's Advocate's report?
Hon. Bonnie Mitchelson (Minister of Family Services): Mr. Speaker, I thank my honourable friend for that question.
The report was tabled with all members of the House and made public back in December. Indeed, there were a lot of issues and recommendations that the Child Advocate did make.
I want to go back and indicate to my honourable friend that it was this government that put in place the Child Advocate, so we could get first-hand information on what needed to be fixed in the system.
Mr. Speaker, there is not anyone in the opposition ranks or within this government that would indicate that we have a perfect child welfare system out there. We have looked towards implementing and looking at new ways of delivery of service in child welfare with a new vision that talks about family support, family preservation and family responsibility.
Mr. Speaker, in last year's budget, we put in place the Family Support Innovations Fund, which has developed support for front-line workers to keep children in their families rather than removing them from their families.
Social Policies
Impact on Child Abuse Rate
Mr. Doug Martindale (Burrows): Mr. Speaker, the problem with the minister's policy is that it is not new money, it is only reallocated money.
I would like to ask this minister if she understands the relationship between the mean-spirited policies of her government which has closed parent-child centres, which has increased parent fees in child care centres, cut foster parent rates, has had no increases in social assistance rates for two years and three months and the amount of abuse in the province of Manitoba which is the highest per capita in Canada.
Does the minister understand the relationship between her policies and child abuse?
Hon. Bonnie Mitchelson (Minister of Family Services): Mr. Speaker, I totally reject the presumption in the preamble to that question that is there, because I do not think there is a member of this House who wants to take credit for any abuse that has happened over the last many years, much before we were in government. We know that abuse happens in families. I have indicated before that there probably is not a person in this Legislature if they were responsible for Family Services who would not lose sleep over the circumstances and the situations that exist in our community.
Mr. Speaker, what we have to realize and recognize is that the reason we need a child welfare system and a Child and Family Services is because children are being neglected and abused in their own households. We have a system that is in place that has to pick up the pieces after the fact. It is not a perfect system, but there are children who are damaged out there in our society and we have to look at ways and means of trying to support those children to ensure that they move ahead. We know that it is not a perfect system but we will continue to do everything within our power to try to support families, ensure that families are looking after their children so they do not need to be taken into care and provided with taxpayers' support after the fact.
Mr. Speaker: Order, please. Time for Oral Questions has expired.