2nd-36th, Volume 22 - Routine Proceedings

VOL. XLVI No. 22 - 1:30 p.m., TUESDAY, APRIL 23, 1996

Tuesday, April 23, 1996

LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA

Tuesday, April 23, 1996

The House met at 1:30 p.m.

PRAYERS

ROUTINE PROCEEDINGS

PRESENTING PETITIONS

Home Care Services

Mr. Doug Martindale (Burrows): Madam Speaker, I beg to present the petition of Adeline Sobie, Michael Sobie, Jeff Sobie and others requesting the Premier (Mr. Filmon) and the Minister of Health (Mr. McCrae) to consider reversing their plan to privatize home care services.

Mr. Kevin Lamoureux (Inkster): Madam Speaker, I beg to present the petition of Pauline Pikl, Tracy Heppner, Eta Meinders and others requesting the Premier and the Minister of Health to consider reversing their plan to privatize home care services.

Mr. Jim Maloway (Elmwood): Madam Speaker, I beg to present the petition of L. Lanigan, M. Bisson, B. Halaiko and others requesting the Premier and the Minister of Health to consider reversing their plan to privatize health care services.

Ms. MaryAnn Mihychuk (St. James): Madam Speaker, I beg to present the petition of A. Lalonde-Muise, C. Irwin, Linda Gail Bucholz and others requesting the Premier and Minister of Health to consider reversing their plan to privatize home care services.

Mr. Conrad Santos (Broadway): Madam Speaker, I beg to present the petition of Leanne Chirnecki, Tanis Olson, Lisa Hoppenheit and others requesting the Premier and the Minister of Health to consider reversing their plan to privatize home care services.

Ms. Marianne Cerilli (Radisson): Madam Speaker, I beg to present the petition of Kathryn Grant, Sandra Elder and Sandra Unrau and others requesting the Premier and the Minister of Health to consider reversing their plan to privatize home care services.

Mr. Dave Chomiak (Kildonan): Madam Speaker, I beg to present the petition of Victor Gerbasi, Jean Gerbasi, Joyce Luff and others requesting the Premier and the Minister of Health to consider reversing their plan to privatize home care services.

* (1335)

READING AND RECEIVING PETITIONS

Home Care Services

Madam Speaker: I have reviewed the petition of the honourable member for Burrows (Mr. Martindale). It complies with the rules and practices of the House. Is it the will of the House to have the petition read?

An Honourable Member: Dispense.

Madam Speaker: Dispense.

THAT on at least six occasions during the 1995 provincial election, the Premier promised not to cut health services; and

THAT on December 16, 1995, a plan to privatize home care services was presented to Treasury Board; and

THAT this plan calls for the complete divestiture of all service delivery to nongovernment organizations, mainly private for-profit companies as well as the implementation of a user-pay system of home care; and

THAT previous cuts to the Home Care program have resulted in services being cut and people’s health being compromised; and

THAT thousands of caring front-line service providers will lose their jobs as a result of this change; and

THAT profit has no place in the provision of vital health services.

WHEREFORE your petitioners humbly pray that the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba may be pleased to request the Premier (Mr. Filmon) and the Minister of Health (Mr. McCrae) to consider reversing their plan to privatize home care services.

Madam Speaker: I have reviewed the petition of the honourable member for Inkster (Mr. Lamoureux). It complies with the rules and practices of the House. Is it the will of the House to have the petition read?

Some Honourable Members: Dispense.

Madam Speaker: Dispense.

THAT on at least six occasions during the 1995 provincial election, the Premier promised not to cut health services; and

THAT on December 16, 1995, a plan to privatize home care services was presented to Treasury Board; and

THAT previous cuts to the Home Care program have resulted in services being cut and people’s health being compromised; and

THAT thousands of caring front-line service providers will lose their jobs as a result of this change; and

THAT profit has no place in the provision of vital health services.

Seasonal Camping Fees

Madam Speaker: I have reviewed the petition of the honourable member for Thompson (Mr. Ashton). It complies with the rules and practices of the House. Is it the will of the House to have the petition read?

An Honourable Member: Yes.

Madam Speaker: Yes? The Clerk will read.

Mr. Clerk (William Remnant): The petition of the undersigned citizens of the province of Manitoba humbly sheweth that:

WHEREAS seasonal camping has provided an affordable form of recreation for many Manitobans; and

WHEREAS the provincial government has announced increases in seasonal camping fees of up to 100 percent; and

WHEREAS this huge increase is far more than any cost-of-living increase; and

WHEREAS this increase will lead to many people being unable to afford seasonal camping.

WHEREFORE your petitioners humbly pray that the Legislative Assembly urge the provincial government not to increase seasonal camping fees by such a large amount.

* (1340)

Home Care Services

Madam Speaker: I have reviewed the petition of the honourable member for St. James (Ms. Mihychuk). It complies with the rules and practices of the House. Is it the will of the House to have the petition read?

Some Honourable Members: Dispense.

Madam Speaker: Dispense.

THAT on at least six occasions during the 1995 provincial election, the Premier promised not to cut health services; and

THAT on December 16, 1995, a plan to privatize home care services was presented to Treasury Board; and

THAT previous cuts to the Home Care program have resulted in services being cut and people’s health being compromised; and

THAT thousands of caring front-line service providers will lose their jobs as a result of this change; and

THAT profit has no place in the provision of vital health services.

PRESENTING REPORTS BY

STANDING AND SPECIAL COMMITTEES

Committee of Supply

Mr. Marcel Laurendeau (Chairperson of Committees): Madam Speaker, the Committee of Supply has considered certain resolutions, directs me to report progress and asks leave to sit again.

I move, seconded by the honourable member for River Heights (Mr. Radcliffe), that the report of the committee be received.

Motion agreed to.

TABLING OF REPORTS

Hon. Vic Toews (Minister charged with the administration of The Workers Compensation Act): Madam Speaker, I have the honour of tabling the Workers Compensation Board of Manitoba 1996 Five Year Strategic Plan.

INTRODUCTION OF BILLS

Bill 202--The Home Care Protection and Consequential Amendments Act

Mr. Dave Chomiak (Kildonan): Madam Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable member for Interlake (Mr. Clif Evans), that leave be given to introduce Bill 202, The Home Care Protection and Consequential Amendments Act; Loi concernant la protection des soins à domicile et apportant des modifications corrélatives, and that the same be now received and read a first time.

Motion presented.

Mr. Chomiak: With the introduction of this bill to protect home care, we hope we will be able to draw a line in the sand and indicate that privatization will not be a way of life in Manitoba concerning home care.

As services have been deinsured, as hospital beds have been closed, as Pharmacare has been cut, as eye examinations have been eliminated, we have seen an erosion of the universal principle of medicare in this province. As such, programs like Home Care have become even more important to replace the programs that have been cut by the members opposite.

Home care is not protected under the Canada Health Act. This bill will bring home care under the same kind of protection in the province of Manitoba as is afforded other aspects of medicare in this country. It will say no more privatization, no privatization of home care. It will say no user fees in home care, and we hope by introducing this bill and passing this bill in this Chamber we can not only protect home care and medicare as we know it but we can go on to try to build the the best health care system in this province, and not unimportantly, it also, we believe, will help to end the strike situation we face today. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Madam Speaker: Agreed?

An Honourable Member: Agreed.

Madam Speaker: Agreed and so ordered.

* (1345)

Introduction of Guests

Madam Speaker: Prior to Oral Questions, I would like to draw the attention of all honourable members to the public gallery where we have with us this afternoon twenty-four Grades 5 and 6 students from Ralph Brown School under the direction of Mr. Paul Dobson. This school is located in the constituency of the honourable member for St. Johns (Mr. Mackintosh).

We have 18 adults from the Salvation Army Literacy Program under the direction of Mrs. Emily Dalton. This school is located in the constituency of the honourable member for Point Douglas (Mr. Hickes).

On behalf of all honourable members, I welcome you this afternoon.