2nd-36th, Volume 32a - Routine Proceedings

ROUTINE PROCEEDINGS

PRESENTING PETITIONS

Home Care Services

Mr. Clif Evans (Interlake): Madam Speaker, I beg to present the petition of Jean Zander, Edith Christison, Elsie Kneeshaw 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. Gregory Dewar (Selkirk): I beg to present the petition of Loretta Marucci, Kathy Edwards, Heather MacArthur and others requesting the Premier and the Minister of Health to consider reversing their plans to privatize home care services.

Ms. Marianne Cerilli (Radisson): Madam Speaker, I beg to present the petition of Christine Morrison, John Schillinger, Signy Scutter and others requesting the Premier and the Minister of Health to consider reversing their plan to privatize home care services.

READING AND RECEIVING PETITIONS

Home Care Services

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

An Honourable Member: Yes.

Madam Speaker: The Clerk will read.

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

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 Radisson (Ms. Cerilli). 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 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.

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Madam Speaker: I have reviewed the petition of the honourable member for Point Douglas (Mr. Hickes). 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 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.

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?

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 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 adopted a certain resolution, directs me to report the same and asks leave to sit again.

I move, seconded by the honourable member for Gladstone (Mr. Rocan), that the report of the committee be received.

Motion agreed to.

MINISTERIAL STATEMENTS

Census 1996

Hon. James Downey (Minister of Industry, Trade and Tourism): I have a statement for the House.

Madam Speaker, as Minister responsible for the Manitoba Bureau of Statistics, I would like to inform the House that Statistics Canada will be conducting the 1996 Census of Population on Tuesday, May 14. Census questionnaires are being distributed to all Manitoba households between May 6 and May 10. The Census of Agriculture will also be conducted on May 14.

Federal and provincial governments use the latest Census figures as a basis for calculating the distribution of transfer payments to provincial and municipal governments. These funds are applied towards health care, education, social services and other provincial and municipal services.

I would strongly urge all Manitobans to take a few moments to fill out their Census form. Each person missed means money lost. Each Manitoba resident not counted in the forthcoming Census process could cost the province approximately $30,000 in lost federal government transfer payments over the next five years. By completing the Census form, each of us can help ensure that Manitoba gets its fair share of federal dollars for programs we need.

I would stress that all information obtained through the Census is kept confidential under the terms of the federal statistics act and may be used only for the production of statistics. No individual information will be released. The upcoming Census is important as we face more dramatic change than ever before. It will provide us with facts about numbers, distribution activities and the situation of our society. This information will provide guidance over the next five to seven years to governments, business, nonprofit organizations and individuals.

The Manitoba Bureau of Statistics has been co-ordinating the government's support of Statistics Canada's public awareness efforts through various activities. This is including the placing of posters in government and Crown corporation buildings and inclusion of Count Yourself In reminder notices in various government mailings to Manitobans. The Manitoba government will also launch a radio message campaign to further encourage full participation in the Census. This media campaign will commence across Manitoba this weekend.

On May 14, Manitobans can make an investment in the future. A few minutes of time is all that is required. Returns on this modest investment will be high so I would strongly urge, Madam Speaker, all Manitobans to please, Count Yourself In.

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Mr. Tim Sale (Crescentwood): Madam Speaker, I am pleased to add the support of members of this side of the House to the minister's statement in support of the Census which takes place this year. I am particularly happy this year that the Census is including a new section on unpaid work which will give Canadians and Manitobans a much better sense of the contribution of unpaid work to our economy. I am also very pleased that more than 49 other languages have now been able to be accessed through the Census questionnaire. The questionnaire is translated into 49 different languages. There is also a Braille help line which I think is a very useful addition this year.

Modern nations need very much to know about themselves in an accurate and comprehensive manner and Canada's bureau of statistics, as Manitoba's Bureau of Statistics, has long provided high quality information for planning economic, social, educational, health and other public policy and private policy initiatives. So we are very pleased to support the statement by the minister and to urge all Manitobans to take the few minutes necessary to fill in their Census form and to ensure that Manitoba as a province gets the full benefit and recognition of our numbers and our needs. Thank you.

Business Regulations Review

Hon. Brian Pallister (Minister of Government Services): Madam Speaker, when the people of Manitoba spoke on April 25, 1995, and this government received its third mandate, one of the chief concerns raised by both business and individuals was the over-regulation of business. The nine-member Advisory Panel on Business Regulations, in the report issued in July of 1994, spoke loud and clear about the difficulties that business has been facing with respect to over-regulation and excessive paper burden.

The panel found that small businesses in Manitoba commit up to four hours of valuable time per week to comply with government paperwork requirements. These concerns were echoed once again by the Working for Value rural task force this spring. Members of our government met with rural Manitobans through a series of public forums, and the reform of regulations consistently ranked near the top as a way of freeing up the dynamic forces necessary to drive our economy well into the next century.

Since our government is firmly committed to the creation of a dynamic and vibrant small business sector while at the same time maintaining essential protection of the public, the regulatory review committee was formed to address the concerns raised by the panel. The committee consists of four members, those being myself, the Honourable Jim Ernst, Minister of Consumer and Corporate Affairs; Shirley Render, MLA for St. Vital; and Merv Tweed, MLA for Turtle Mountain, all of whom are experienced in the realm of business regulation.

This government has listened to the people of Manitoba and has made the review and reform of business regulations a top priority on its agenda of job creation and business-innovation support. It was one of the many election promises fulfilled within less than one year from the beginning of our re-election.

The zero-based review of regulations was an eight-month-long mammoth undertaking involving the review of 560 base regulations. During the course of the review, close to 11,000 pages of regulatory material were examined by the committee that required some 60 hours of hearings.

The findings of the review are significant. Of the 560 base regulations reviewed, 133, or nearly a quarter of the total regulation base, were identified for repeal or streamlining. Of the 297 regulatory forms reviewed, 78 forms have been identified for outright elimination or consolidation with other forms. One hundred and eight forms have been identified for streamlining or deregulation, and a further 111 forms have been earmarked for electronic filing and/or conversion. These 297 forms cover well over 1,000 pages of classic red tape which will be dealt with by this government, thereby reducing administrative delays and costs, and saving taxpayers through the elimination of government bureaucracy and waste.

In addition, the review was successful in uncovering a number of areas where there was duplication and overlap between federal, provincial and municipal governments that should be either harmonized, unilaterally withdrawn or marketed out. The regulatory review committee will continue its forward momentum into the future, and changes are expected that will further reduce the regulatory burden on business and individuals as well as trimming government waste and red tape. We have already seen a 74 percent reduction in new base business regulations as a result of the committee's screening process.

Today's announcement of the streamlining of close to one-third of the province's regulations and forms solidifies our government's commitment to working hand in hand with small business to make the Manitoba climate for business growth second to none, thereby increasing jobs and prosperity for all Manitobans.

Mr. Jim Maloway (Elmwood): Madam Speaker, I would like to thank the minister for his statement. I would also like to point out that this statement comes at a time when, after every year in office, this government has actually added regulations, not decreased regulations.

We heard this government and other governments across the country, Conservative governments, talk about decreased regulation on business for 10, 15 years now, and in fact, the trend is in the opposite direction. So I applaud the government in its efforts to do something about regulation, but I think that time will tell whether in fact there are any results out of what their stated intentions are.

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TABLING OF REPORTS

Hon. Harry Enns (Minister of Agriculture): Madam Speaker, I wish to table with the House Supplementary Information for Legislative Review regarding the Expenditure Estimates for the Department of Agriculture.

Hon. Bonnie Mitchelson (Minister of Family Services): Madam Speaker, I would like to table the Supplementary Information for Legislative Review for the Department of Family Services Departmental Estimates.

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 this afternoon thirteen Grades 9 and 10 students from the Community Bible Fellowship School under the direction of Mr. Ken Geddert. This school is located in the constituency of the honourable member for Swan River (Ms. Wowchuk).

And, we have 25 first-year journalism students from Red River Community College under the direction of Donald Benham.

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