Easter Service--Legislative Building
Mr. Mike Radcliffe (River Heights): Madam Speaker, I rise this afternoon to advise this Chamber that I had the pleasure of attending an Easter hymn service at 5:30 a.m. Easter Sunday morning, on the grand staircase in this building, accompanied by 1,000 citizens from Manitoba.
We were treated to a magnificent array of hymns sung by members of the Manitoba Choral Association, directed by no less than Bramwell Tovey, William Baerg, Henry Engbrecht and Mel Braun, accompanied by the Winnipeg Symphony Brass and organist Lawrence Ritchley. The event was broadcast, Madam Speaker, on CBC-FM from coast to coast in Canada. The program was hosted by the learned Dr. Murdith McLean, warden of St. John’s College, and the renowned Howard Dyck.
It was a delight to hear the combined voices of Manitobans singing out the glory and praise of the Easter festival, and we owe a sincere debt of thanks to the hardworking volunteers, one of whom is my constituent Patricia Rabson of River Heights and also the many technicians of CBC who made this occasion possible. I am proud that this program was carried coast to coast from the heart of our country, our wonderful Manitoba. Thank you.
Social Assistance--Policy
Mr. Doug Martindale (Burrows): Dumb policy ideas which discourage individual initiatives. Number one, would it make sense if you were on social assistance to want to increase your income by working? Would it make sense to take in a boarder? Not in Manitoba. One of my constituents who is on social assistance wanted to take in a boarder to increase her income. She was told that if she did she would be cut off social assistance. Whatever happened to encouraging individual initiative and independence? What happened to common sense?
Under the existing work incentive program people on social assistance are allowed to work and keep a percentage of their earnings. The amounts are meagre. Until recently, it was $50 per month. Everything over that amount is deducted from the welfare cheque dollar for dollar. In effect, the poor are the only people in Manitoba who are taxed back at the rate of 100 percent. This, too, discourages initiative and independence, something about which the Minister of Family Services (Mrs. Mitchelson) is constantly talking. If the minister was serious about encouraging initiative and independence she would get rid of this dumb policy which prohibits my constituent from taking a boarder in order to supplement her income.
Stay tuned, Madam Speaker. This is only the first in a series of dumb policies, policies which need to be changed.
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Victoria General Hospital 25th Anniversary
Mr. Marcel Laurendeau (St. Norbert): Madam Speaker, I would like to say a few words this afternoon in recognition of the Victoria General Hospital’s 25th anniversary of its present location on Pembina Highway.
Since 1971 the Victoria General Hospital has been an important part of the community in south Winnipeg. The commitment to excellence shown by the administration and staff at the Vic makes our hospital a model for the health care standards all Manitobans have come to expect. Throughout its history the Vic has worked hard to focus on the changing needs of the community. This hospital has anticipated and adapted to change, rather than merely reacting to it, while maintaining quality patient care as their first priority.
The honourable member for Fort Garry (Mrs. Vodrey) joins me in congratulating the CEO at the Victoria General Hospital, Marion Suski, the board of directors, the dedicated staff and the volunteers who have made the Victoria General Hospital what it is today. They will continue to work to ensure the high quality of health care for the future.
Madam Speaker, as our province continues its reforms to the health care system, the Victoria Hospital continues to work in a proactive manner with the community, its patients and our government to ensure that the Vic moves strategically to work within the health care system to better reflect the changing needs of our community. Thank you.
Fine Increases--Winnipeg Police Services
Mr. Gary Kowalski (The Maples): I rise to talk about a government news release today about fine increases. I have mixed feelings about these increases in fines because, having been a traffic officer with the Winnipeg Police Services, I had most of these fines memorized and now if I ever go back to police work I will have to memorize them again. [interjection] That is right.
What I want to share with the government is my knowledge from my years of experience on the police force that to be a deterrent not only does there need to be a strict punishment or a fine, but there has to be a good chance of being caught.
One of the biggest impacts on safety on our highways would be photo radar. It would have a far greater impact than an increase in fines, which is nothing more than a grab for money by this government. If they were really interested in safety on Manitoba highways, they would do what they have done in B.C. on March 1, introducing photo radar, and within one month the number of speeders has decreased dramatically which has increased the safety on B.C. highways.
I would encourage this government or the Minister of Justice (Mrs. Vodrey), the Minister of Highways (Mr. Findlay) and the Minister in charge of MPIC (Mr. Cummings) to get together and do something that does more than generate money for this government but will make our highways safer.
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Female Poverty
Ms. Diane McGifford (Osborne): Madam Speaker, I wish to speak today about the institutionalization of female poverty in Manitoba. Today, as Chapter 1, the story will continue. First we get the theory: the so-called balanced budget legislation, which because of its limited perspective, dictates that the budget will be balanced by cutting programs, implementing user fees and implementing hidden tax increases. After the theory comes the practice: a series of cuts announced prior to the April 2 budget to health, education and health care, and then we get the budget itself in its full-blown draconian glory.
Clearly, women who are forced to access social services at a much greater rate than their male counterparts will suffer disproportionate hardship. Sixty percent of single parent families live below the poverty line and 85 percent of these families are headed by women. Many are dependent on social assistance. Some 75 percent of social assistance recipients are women. This means an income of 50 percent to 60 percent below the poverty line, and take off an extra 10 for the current cuts.
Those women who are single parents and have children over six will automatically be considered ripe and ready for the workforce or for training, though some have special circumstances, like one of my constituents with two children over six, both of whom are severely asthmatic. Jobs are as scarce as hen's teeth, while training programs are numerically inadequate and often inaccessible. The net result is a vicious cycle of poverty with many entrances and only carefully concealed exits. In this way Manitoba's women are kept poor, ill-educated, unhealthy, ill-housed and badly fed.