Flag Day--Morden Elementary School
Census Day
Mr. Peter Dyck (Pembina): Madam Speaker, last Friday I had the pleasure of attending a celebration of Canada at Morden Elementary School as students took part in a ceremonial raising of our national symbol as part of Flag Day.
The Canadian flag is a symbol that conjures a variety of feelings for people the world over. In many countries our flag is a beacon for freedom and for hope as our peacekeepers provide aid to their war-torn countries. For others, Canada and the maple leaf stand for opportunity and the promise of a better life as they attempt to escape oppression and persecution. This was a chance to reflect on the privileges and blessings we enjoy in our great nation. The young people who joined in the chorus of O Canada! at the raising of the Canadian flag represent--
Some Honourable Members: Oh, oh.
Madam Speaker: Order, please. This is Members' Statements time, and every individual member is an honourable member and has the right to put his or her comments for two minutes on the record. Now, I am requesting the co-operation of all honourable members to respect other members' rights and listen attentively or leave the Chamber.
The honourable member for Pembina, to complete his remarks.
Mr. Dyck: Thank you, Madam Speaker.
The young people who joined in the chorus of O Canada! at the raising of the Canadian flag represent the future and promise of our country, a country that in turn offers them promise and future. That day, more than most, I counted myself a proud Canadian. On this day, May 14, I ask all members and citizens of our province to count themselves in as proud residents of Manitoba as it is Census Day in Canada. By taking this time to fill in their delivered census forms, Manitobans are ensuring that our province receives its appropriate and full share of federal transfer dollars--
Some Honourable Members: Oh, oh.
Madam Speaker: Order, please. Would the honourable member for Thompson (Mr. Ashton) please pay attention to the request for order?
Mr. Dyck: By taking the time to fill in their delivered census forms, Manitobans are ensuring that our province receives its appropriate and full share of federal transfer dollars for programs such as health, education, daycare, housing and highways. The results of this census will also help government gauge their demographic, economic and cultural make-up which will, in turn, help to guide the formation of policy.
Madam Speaker, Manitobans have many things to take pride in today, as I ask each of them to take the time to be counted as proud residents of our province. Thank you.
Some Honourable Members: Oh, oh.
Madam Speaker: Order, please. I am, for the final time this afternoon, reminding the House that if there is lack of co-operation from both sides of the House, I will have no alternative but to call a recess and have a meeting with the House leaders in my office.
Seasonal Camping Fees
Ms. Rosann Wowchuk (Swan River): Madam Speaker, from the time when this government tabled their budget, we saw that this government was taking an attack on some of the most vulnerable in our society, and among those, our seniors. We see that through their plan to privatize home care, elimination of eye examination and destruction of Pharmacare that seniors are going to pay much more to live in this province. Many of the low-income people are also going to be squeezed to the point where they will not have the ability or the resources left for any entertainment or recreation.
Our seniors, many of whom are on fixed incomes, are now having their recreational opportunities taken away from them as well. It is absolutely outrageous that this government would move to increase seasonal camping fees up by 100 percent in some areas. In my constituency, areas like Wellman Lake have gone from $390 to $480, huge increases in costs.
But the other area where there is an increase that is hurting our seniors is in the area of seasonal camping fees. Seniors have the ability to go to the lakes from Monday to Friday--or I should say they did have the ability to go for $3.50 per day. Now under this government that is raised to $10 a day in addition to an additional entry fee of $25 per year. This is outrageous, and this is hurting many people. I have had calls from seniors in my constituency who have said this is taking away any opportunity of recreation that we have. The Minister of Natural Resources (Mr. Driedger) is saying, if it is $20, fine. But it is a much greater increase than seniors can afford, and it is absolutely disrespectful that this government should take this kind of attack on seniors.
I would ask that they reconsider what they are doing because the seniors who built this province should have the opportunity for some recreational activity without being penalized by this government.
Heart Transplant Surgery Support--Community of Domain
Mr. Frank Pitura (Morris): I rise to pay tribute to a community that pulled together to assist a young Canadian. His name is Chris Manness, and he is awaiting heart transplant surgery. Chris is a Grade 12 student at Sanford Collegiate. Since his birth, he has been awaiting the day when he will receive a new heart. Until recently Chris was very active and participated in many sports. Among other sports, Chris enjoyed curling and participated in my junior curling program at La Salle when I was teaching junior curling. Unfortunately, his heart continued to grow weaker and he was forced to stop curling. However, what could not be weakened was the spirit of support that grew stronger with every passing day.
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I am proud to be a member of the community that has taken it upon itself to assist him as he seeks a heart transplant. Chris has a very contagious spirit, and I am not surprised at the level of response his need has generated. Recently Chris was informed that his heart surgery was imminent. While this is certainly good news, it also meant that monies would be required as he awaited surgery. Without even so much as a second thought, the community where I live banded together and sponsored a fundraising social for Chris.
The social was held at the La Salle Centre this past Friday, and upwards of 300 people turned out for this worthy cause. I am informed that some $21,000 was raised that evening. Home-baked goods and donated items were auctioned off, and, in the true spirit of philanthropy, most products fetched prices well beyond their market value.
I would like to take this opportunity to wish Chris well as he journeys towards having a new life. I know that there is still uncertainty, and I am sure that there have been and will continue to be anxious moments. I am very pleased that Chris is finally in the position to receive the transplant that he so desperately requires.
I also want to thank the community in and around Domain for their tremendous support and compassion. I am very proud to be a member of a community that personifies the true spirit of giving and which is willing to act selflessly for those who need our help. I am proud to live in a community where neighbours help neighbours. Thank you.
Regional Health Boards
Mr. Kevin Lamoureux (Inkster): Madam Speaker, I wanted to bring to the--not necessarily to the attention of the House because everyone is already familiar with this whole process in terms of the regional health boards that have been created, but on Monday, in yesterday's newspaper, there was an article that was printed which talked about what was happening in another province. The reason why I want to bring this up at this point in time is because we have argued that what this government has done; they have created another level of administration to administer cuts in health care in rural Manitoba and then to say, no, no, no, it is not us that is making the cuts, if you have anyone to blame, do not blame us, go ahead and blame the regional health boards.
Well, we do not believe that this government is prepared to accept responsibility for things that are going to happen. It was interesting when I read in one of the daily newspapers that in Regina opponents are criticizing the Saskatchewan government for making district health boards the scapegoats for unpopular funding cuts while triumphantly proud of its medicare history. The Liberal Party there is criticizing, saying this government has played dirty pool and continues to deflect the blame every time it has bad news, Liberal critic Buckley Belanger charged last week. Instead of taking responsibility for the cuts, they are letting health districts fight their battles for them.
The concern that we have for this government is that it is going to try to emulate what is happening in Saskatchewan. By creating these regional health boards, they are going to be putting or reducing the level of funding to rural Manitoba health, expecting the regional health boards to take the blame. They are trying to do what we believe is a step in the wrong direction by creating this administration, which we estimate is likely going to cost somewhere in the neighbourhood of $3 million. That money could have been put into health care in rural Manitoba as opposed to creating a new level of administration at the same time cutting back on health care needs in rural Manitoba. Thank you, and I find it most interesting that they are trying to emulate what is happening in Saskatchewan.
Manitoba Telephone System
Privatization
Mr. Steve Ashton (Thompson): On a daily basis we are seeing very serious questions raised about the ability of this government to deal with anything related to MTS. We have seen a pattern of sell-offs at cut-rate prices. We have seen the Yellow Pages deal, the Faneuil deal, and, most recently, we have revealed information in this House on just how incompetent this government has been and this minister in dealing with the public assets of this province.
In case the minister does not understand the strategic value, I will read from the Ernst & Young report which, by the way, was delivered to the president of Manitoba Telephone System, which stated: There is a wealth of evidence demonstrating the strategic value of a cable television plant to a local exchange carrier. In our view, MTS is indeed fortunate to own cable TV facilities and to have had a number of years' experience in maintaining this type of distribution plan. As broadband services to the home become a more significant revenue stream for telephone companies and as cable TV companies become more aggressive in encroaching on traditional exchange carrier lines of business, this asset can only increase in strategic value.
Madam Speaker, this government and this minister does not understand the convergence of technologies. I really wonder, if they are really that incompetent, what is going to happen with the sale of MTS? We are now dealing with the whole company being sold off. We are seeing the first serious questions raised about the way in which they are dealing with this, and what really disturbs me is, here is a case where this information was ignored by the government.
I ask the question, and I hope to be asking this question throughout the session, how much consideration was given to the whole issue of sale? Did it go to the Board of MTS? Did it even go to the Conservative caucus until it was a fait accompli?
We know it did not go to members of the public. So I ask the question, Madam Speaker, how can anyone trust the ability of this government, which has broken its election promise, which has had no public consultation, which has in the past had a record of demonstrated incompetence in dealing with public assets involving MTS? If you cannot trust them on those issues, how can you trust them with dealing with our public asset, the proposed sale of MTS?