Correctional Facilities
Temporary Absence Policy
Mr. Gary Doer (Leader of the Opposition): Madam Speaker, my question is to the Acting Premier.
Regrettably, a person convicted of assault and convicted of resisting arrest was on temporary absence and is alleged to have committed a murder in our province. I would like to ask the Acting Premier, in light of this very, very serious situation, what is the government policy on temporary absences from our jails, and were there any changes in government policies based on the riot that took place at the Headingley Correctional Institution?
Hon. Rosemary Vodrey (Minister of Justice and Attorney General): Madam Speaker, I do not want to speak about any case specifically. I think that may jeopardize the case; however, I am very happy to speak about the policies of this government in relation to the temporary absences.
First of all, in Manitoba, public safety is our main concern. That is why in Manitoba our inmates serve approximately twice as long as they do in any other province in this country before they are eligible for temporary absences. That is the first criterion.
Madam Speaker, following that--and that change, by the way, was made by this government by regulation over a year ago, in 1995, so that is the first point. Then, following the serving of a sentence, approximately twice as long as is required in other provinces, there is then a criterion and a risk assessment which is done by the qualified correctional officers. That risk assessment is one which includes issues such as the current offence, any past offences and employment.
Mr. Doer: The minister did not answer the question. I do not know how the minister could say she is happy on today's occasion. I think it is a very sad situation, and I am very disappointed in the answer of the Minister of Justice. In fact, members of this side of the House and the public are getting used to words from this minister that do not fit the reality of what is going on in our justice system day after day.
I asked the question about whether the policy changed based on the riot at Headingley Correctional Institution, and I would like to ask the Acting Premier, in light of the fact that the Minister of Justice, like so many other words she has issued in the public, had stated on June 22, 1995, that “inmates with violent records certainly will have to have increased consideration for any temporary absences.”
I would like to ask the Deputy Premier (Mr. Downey), in light of the fact this individual was already charged with assault and resisting arrest, did the policy of Corrections, was it followed through in the release of this inmate, and did the riot at Headingley play any part in this decision?
Mrs. Vodrey: Madam Speaker, I am happy to now complete my response. As you had indicated, my time was up.
To complete my response, there were not any special criteria given to the release of inmates under temporary absence, and in fact this government has strengthened temporary absences. According to the corrections and reformatories act, inmates would be eligible for temporary absences at about one-sixth of the sentence. In Manitoba, not referring to any specific case whatsoever, we changed our regulations and they are required to serve approximately one-half of the sentence before they are eligible for a temporary absence. So, Madam Speaker, in Manitoba we have changed the regulations, and in fact now most inmates who are not charged with a violent offence must serve at least one-third of their sentence. The criterion in other provinces, to my knowledge, is approximately one-sixth of the sentence.
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Mr. Doer: The minister still did not answer the question. I asked a specific question about whether the temporary absence policies of this government were changed after the Headingley riot and during the Headingley riot. That is a very specific question that I asked on two occasions.
I would like to ask the Acting Premier: In light of the fact that we had this in-your-face statement from the Minister of Justice released in the House that made no mention of the changing criteria of temporary absences based on the Headingley riot, can the Acting Premier please inform Manitobans, was the policy changed on the basis of the riot, how many inmates were released from our correctional institution based on the riot, and what criteria were used to allow people who obviously had violent records or charges of a violent nature to be released into our Manitoba communities? Very specific questions. Please answer them.
Mrs. Vodrey: Madam Speaker, I will answer the question again for the member because he does not seem to have heard the answer. This government strengthened our policies of rigorous confinement for temporary absences in February 1995. They were changed by way of regulation. Any inmates who were released following the riot at Headingley were inmates--
Mr. Doer: This is another cover-up.
Mrs. Vodrey: Madam Speaker, I resent the accusation being screamed across the House by the Leader of the Opposition. I am answering the question openly. The Leader of the Opposition knows very well that I am not able to speak about any background of a case currently before the court.
Madam Speaker: Order, please.
Point of Order
Mr. Doer: A point of order, Madam Speaker. The minister is rambling on a question I did not pose. I posed the question about the policy which is completely within the jurisdiction of the government and within the jurisdiction of the Minister of Justice. She should know that and answer the question for the people of Manitoba.
Madam Speaker: The honourable Leader of the official opposition does not have a point of order. The honourable minister was attempting, in my opinion, to respond to the question asked.
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Madam Speaker: The honourable Minister of Justice, to complete her response.
Mrs. Vodrey: Thank you very much, Madam Speaker. The member across the way has asked when there was a change in our policy around temporary absences, and the change in policy around temporary absences occurred in 1995, as I said in an earlier answer, as well. Any inmates who were released following the Headingley riot were those inmates who qualified under the temporary absence provision that was changed in 1995. That is the information that I have been given from my department.
Correctional Facilities
Temporary Absence Policy
Mr. Gord Mackintosh (St. Johns): My question is to the Minister of Justice.
Could the minister explain, while she talks about a new rigorous confinement policy and says, and I quote from June in the Hansard: “Inmates with violent records certainly will have to have increased consideration for any temporary absences” and says: “No temporary absences will be granted unless there is a low risk to the community”, why is a riot now a criterion for a temporary absence and why was one granted to Mr. Rouire excusing him from weekend prison for four weeks in the face of an already, I would suggest, lenient sentence for a vicious, vicious assault and resisting arrest? What rigorous confinement is that?
Hon. Rosemary Vodrey (Minister of Justice and Attorney General): The member criticizes the sentence given by the judge which he knows this government has no part in. The members across the way, I am sure nothing would please them more than to have a comment on aspecific case, but I have made it clear in my comments today, I am not able to comment on any specific case raised by members opposite if that case happens to be before the court.
However, Madam Speaker, what I can do on behalf of the people of Manitoba for the people of Manitoba is to explain to them the changes that were made in the area of temporary absences, and I have explained that. Changes were made in 1995 to increase the length of time that an inmate must serve in order to qualify for consideration for a temporary absence. Following time served, it is professional correctional officers who then apply a criterion to that eligible pool of individuals to determine if those eligible individuals may in fact receive a temporary absence.
Mr. Mackintosh: Since the minister is now down the path of blaming a judge, is she prepared to put on the record that her department, her staff, her attorneys did not plea bargain or agree to the sentence in this matter, because we have seen over and over again inappropriately weak and, indeed, perhaps dangerous plea bargains from her department?
Mrs. Vodrey: Madam Speaker, as the member very well knows, as Attorney General I am not able to comment at all on any case in which a charge has been laid and is before the court. The member always comes very dangerously close himself to putting forward information; whether or not that is correct I am not able to comment on and will not comment on.
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Mr. Mackintosh: A final supplementary: Would the minister at least tell us what message does her granting TAs solely because of a riot give--solely because of a riot, not public safety--what message does it give both to the violent criminal and to the community about the seriousness of violent offences and about the authority of the justice system and indeed this minister?
Mrs. Vodrey: The member is making an accusation around why temporary absences were granted. Madam Speaker, what has happened is there is a pool of individuals who may be eligible for temporary absences but that pool of individuals are part of a group in which there are strengthened criteria already in place, strengthened by this government to deal with temporary absences. There is then a criterion that professional correctional officers use.
The member makes statements about individuals being released into the community. I cannot comment on a specific case. I have made that clear. However, there is a strict criterion which is adhered to in the matter of rigorous confinement which, by the way, this government put in place, was never considered by members across the way.
Mr. Mackintosh: In the questioning of the Minister of Justice yesterday, the minister undertook to make inquiries of her department and report back to the House on information regarding the temporary absences. At that time she said that she was aware that individuals have been released from Headingley and perhaps from other institutions because of the riot, at least she said, when they had two weeks or less left to serve in their sentence.
My question for the minister, and further to the question from the Leader of the Opposition, will she now tell Manitobans how many prisoners have indeed been released because of the riot at Headingley and what sentences are involved? Has she assured herself, can she assure Manitobans, that none of those released took part in the riot?
Mrs. Vodrey: Yesterday I undertook to gather information about those who qualified after the riot for temporary absences. It was only those individuals who qualified for temporary absences. Those absences may be granted on medical grounds, on humanitarian grounds and on rehabilitative grounds.
Madam Speaker, there were some inmates discharged from Headingley. I am informed by my department that they were not inmates who took part in the riot. I am informed that these inmates, by and large, were located or housed outside of the main building, that they in fact did not participate, that they were all eligible for temporary absences according to the length of time served, that they were assessed by a team of four professional correctional officers for their temporary absence.
Mr. Mackintosh: Madam Speaker, a very serious issue is arising here. The minister said in answer to questions earlier that none have been released because of the riot. She now has just said that individuals were indeed released because of the riot. Would the minister stop this flip-flop justice that we are suffering?
Mrs. Vodrey: Madam Speaker, let me clarify. The question was, earlier, was there a change to the temporary absence procedure as a result of the riot? That was the question that was put by the Leader of the Opposition. My answer to him was no. The criterion established for the release of inmates was established in 1995, February 1995, and it was exactly that same criterion that was applied to inmates who were eligible for temporary absence following the riot.
Mr. Mackintosh: Can the minister explain her contradiction on the record in this House, so Manitobans and people in this Legislature can understand? Would she also explain the contradiction when the individual who is in question here today, after serving for 60 days, or in the course of a 60-day sentence on weekends is all of a sudden given a temporary absence? When? On the day following the riot. What does that say? Will the minister come clean on this issue?
Mrs. Vodrey: As I said, again, in earlier answers to the member, I am not able to speak about the specific case that he continues to raise in this House. That is obviously very difficult because he has in the past put forward information not always correct. However, I am not able to comment on that case.
What I am able to comment on, however, Madam Speaker, is a process for the granting of temporary absences which includes two parts: length of time served in Manitoba is required to be greater than most other provinces in the country and then a criterion or risk assessment.
Each of the individuals who was released had an assessment upon entry to the institution, a risk assessment upon leaving the institution, and I ordered a risk assessment on individuals released on temporary absences last evening. They are released, Madam Speaker, with conditions and with supervision, into the community.
Home Care Program
Privatization
Mr. Dave Chomiak (Kildonan): Madam Speaker, on February 27 this year when we revealed and released the fact that the government was going to privatize 100 percent of home care, the minister said, and I quote, on February 27, I would like to see the whole program subject to the opportunity for bids, and, further, the minister said, in quotations, that they were going to be setting up the company, the Crown corporation to look after the 100 percent privatization.
Madam Speaker, now that the government is being forced to back off its 100 percent plan to privatize, will the minister today table in the House the new government plans to privatize, and will the minister outline to this House what the government plans are, and, hopefully, he will listen to arguments not to privatize anything?
Hon. James McCrae (Minister of Health): Whatever the term in the collective agreement after ratification, Madam Speaker, for that particular term whatever is done will be consistent and in accordance with the collective agreement.
Mr. Chomiak: Madam Speaker, can the minister explain how they intend to privatize a portion of service, be it geographic or based on areas of the city or based on types of clients, and still offer clients a choice about whether they want the government service or the new-fangled government privatization plan that may come into being?
Mr. McCrae: If I may offer the honourable member a little bit of advice, it might be good if he respected the process of collective bargaining and allowed the workers involved to have their say on the tentative agreement before we go any further.
Home Care Program
Privatization--Public Hearings
Mr. Dave Chomiak (Kildonan): Madam Speaker, if I can offer the minister a bit of advice, perhaps. Will the minister consider submitting the government plans to privatize to the public, hold public hearings, allow the citizens of Manitoba to have a say in that ridiculous scheme, and will they allow Manitobans to have a say prior to them embarking on that ridiculous scheme to privatize?
Hon. James McCrae (Minister of Health): What we will do, Madam Speaker, is we will honour the terms of the collective agreement and be guided by the collective agreement.
Gaming Commission
Establishment
Mr. Kevin Lamoureux (Inkster): Madam Speaker, my question is for the Minister responsible for Lotteries.
Last year, the government, in an attempt to hide behind the issue of gambling, had Mr. Desjardins head a commission, and that commission did have a report that was tabled. If you read the chairman's remarks, and I would like to quote from the report, and that is: As the chairman of the Lottery Policy Review Working Group, my name is bound to be very closely associated with this document. I do not wish it to be assumed that I favour every recommendation included in this report.
Madam Speaker, the chairperson's remarks reinforce that this whole entire gambling report is nothing but a whitewash of what this government's attempts to do in gambling are.
My question for the minister is that the major recommendation that came out of it was the establishment of a gaming commission which would act as a decoy to deflect criticism away from the government. The question specifically is: How can we expect this commission to represent the best interests of Manitobans when it is likely to be no more than a cheerleading squad for the government's gaming policies?
Hon. Eric Stefanson (Minister charged with the administration of The Manitoba Lotteries Corporation Act): Madam Speaker, what a totally ridiculous comment by the member for Inkster. He knows that review committee had 14 individuals, 14 Manitobans, from all walks of life who brought forward a series of very serious and important recommendations to our government. I have indicated to this House, and to him before, we will be acting on all of those recommendations in terms of which ones will be implemented, over what time frames and so on.
One of the most important that I believe has the support of members opposite, has the support of most Manitobans, if not all Manitobans, is the establishment of an independent gaming commission. We have indicated that we are acting on that issue, and I expect to be tabling legislation very shortly clearly outlining all of the aspects of that gaming commission and what role it will play on behalf of gaming and on behalf of Manitobans here in this province.
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Reporting Process
Mr. Kevin Lamoureux (Inkster): Madam Speaker, it seems absurd to set up a commission on gaming to formulate policy and report to the Legislature.
My question to the minister is: Why can the Legislature not--which is accountable to the people of Manitoba--formulate the policy and have Lotteries report to this Assembly on a more frequent basis, like every six months at the very least?
Hon. Eric Stefanson (Minister charged with the administration of The Manitoba Lotteries Corporation Act): Madam Speaker, what the member seems to miss is a major part often of formulating policy is gathering data, gathering information, consulting with Manitobans, going out and meeting with Manitobans as this Lottery Policy Review Committee did, and that is not uncommon for any initiative of any government or this Legislature to have resources able to accomplish and to do that on behalf of the Legislature and on behalf of government.
That is exactly one of the functions that the commission will in fact be performing, along with many others, in terms of licensing, regulation, auditing, surveillance and supervision. So there is a series of initiatives and obviously they will have the resources and deal with the expertise that helps formulate proper policy for government and for this Legislature.
Mr. Lamoureux: Madam Speaker, can the Minister of Finance then explain to us how he expects that the Premier's (Mr. Filmon) friends are going to be able to hold Manitoba Lotteries more accountable than this Legislature?
Mr. Stefanson: Madam Speaker, I am more than a little bewildered by where the member for Inkster is coming from with his entire line of questioning. He can look at the list of the 14 Manitobans who served on the Lottery Policy Review Committee, people of all walks of life, I believe of various political backgrounds. Certainly, the chair of the committee represented one other political party other than our government here in this Legislature. So people are coming from all political backgrounds, all walks of life, and their objective is to deal with this issue in a very informed and important manner, not in a political sense the way the member for Inkster is attempting to do here today.
Education System
Student Transportation
Ms. MaryAnn Mihychuk (St. James): Madam Speaker, my questions are for the Minister of Education.
The minister will be aware that the required years of school bus use in Manitoba has been pushed over 15 years in the last few years of this government. We are aware of the contrast between this delaying strategy of her government for school buses when compared to their three-year replacement cycle for their own provincial government vehicles.
Will the minister tell the House how her department's additional cutback of $5 per pupil in the student transportation entitlement, along with a 2-cent per kilometre decrease and the loaded kilometre rates will impact on the quality and safety of school bus transportation, especially in light, Madam Speaker, of the increased costs of operating the buses with the recent extraordinarily high increases to fuel costs?
Hon. Linda McIntosh (Minister of Education and Training): Madam Speaker, there were several parts to that question. I am not sure how often government vehicles rotate. I do know that my first car was the Leader of the Opposition's (Mr. Doer) used car--and he took very good care of it and it was in good shape--so I do not know how they recycle them. I do know that we get each other's cars by virtue of the fact that I got the car the Leader of the Opposition was tired of driving.
Some Honourable Members: Oh, oh.
Madam Speaker: Order, please. The honourable Minister of Education, to complete her response.
Mrs. McIntosh: Madam Speaker, as I said, a two-part question and I am not familiar with the government policy of how they switch cars except to say that the Leader of the official opposition took very good care of his car, because when I got it after he was tired of it, it was still in good shape.
In terms of the school buses, school buses are on a continuous safety check program. School divisions are not allowed to have buses on the road after 15 years even if they are still deemed roadworthy and school buses will be removed from the road under 15 years if they are proven not to be roadworthy in our inspections of them.
Ms. Mihychuk: Madam Speaker, my question to the minister is, in light of the budget document which actually cut the rates to school buses for support and maintenance and the kilometre rate, will the department be monitoring the increased cost of fuel with the possibility of restoring the kilometre rate cutback if prices do not come down in the near future?
Mrs. McIntosh: Madam Speaker, we are constantly reviewing those types of questions. That is an ongoing part of our work. Fuel prices--as she knows--fluctuate. The gasoline price for 1985 was not far off the gasoline price that we had just recently, so fuel prices do vary and, of course, it is always one factor that we consider as we make determinations about transportation grants.
Ms. Mihychuk: Madam Speaker, it is not very often we see gas prices go down.
My final question to the minister. Will the minister indicate whether her department will be extending the replacement cycle for school buses again this year and, if so, for how many years?
Mrs. McIntosh: Madam Speaker, I, first of all, believe we do have opportunity to address both the preamble and the question if both are there. In her third supplementary on her preamble, she indicated that gas prices do not very often come down. I would invite her maybe to consult the Minister of Consumer and Corporate Affairs (Mr. Ernst) and ask to see the charts that show the great fluctuation in gas prices and how frequently they do indeed come down. She might be interested in watching that fluctuation.
Madam Speaker, at this point we have no intention of extending further beyond the 15 years the length of time that school divisions are allowed to own buses, because we feel that that is probably the maximum length of time that a school division should be having a bus on the road even if it still is proving roadworthy.
Education System
Physical Education Curriculum
Ms. Marianne Cerilli (Radisson): Madam Speaker, I have a list of 49 studies that outlines the benefits of physical activity not only for the health of children and youth but that it also will enhance academic performance, discipline and concentration. I want to ask the Minister of Education to table any studies her department has that will show the benefits of her policy to reduce physical education and health education for Manitoba children and what the implications are for Manitoba youth of her policies.
Hon. Linda McIntosh (Minister of Education and Training): The member knows, because she has been following the issue that physical education is a very important component of Manitoba schools, we have just put out some scholarships or some money incentives into physical education for teachers in the schools. As well, Madam Speaker, I indicate to her that part of the health curriculum will now include health. I think that is the component she is getting at, but just as she now pointed out to me the importance of my understanding the benefits of physical education, so too we feel that the physical education courses should include health so that students may also benefit from the knowledge she feels it is important for me to have.
Ms. Cerilli: Will the minister not admit the incongruence of taking away physical activity time to teach sedentary classroom activity, and can she explain how that is going to make Manitoba children healthier?
Mrs. McIntosh: The member makes assumptions that all class time that does not involve touching your toes is sedentary, and that is a wrong assumption. I invite her, maybe she would like to accompany me on one of my regular school visits to see how active students are in the regular course of their day, not just in physical education class. Physical education is deemed to be extremely important for all of the reasons she named. Those are reasons we have studied well and are very, very convinced of.
I concur with her statements about the benefit of physical education. We agree departmentally. We also agree internally. I know she does not agree, but we do agree internally that it is very important for students to understand why physical activity is important, why there should be a lifestyle that includes physical activity, what happens to the body when movement occurs with big muscle movements, and so on. That is now called health and it is now part of the physical education curriculum. It does mean that there will now be 25 percent of the phys ed course spent on health and 75 percent on physical activity. We feel that is critical. She wants me to know. I want the students to know.
Ms. Cerilli: My final supplementary is for the Minister of Sport. I wonder if the Minister of Sport would explain to the Minister of Education that the sport policy for his government, and I quote, is to recognize the educational system as an integral component of the sport delivery system in Manitoba, encourage educational systems to enhance the role of sport in education and to encourage mandatory physical education from kindergarten to Grade 12. Can he explain how the government's policy rationalizes with this?
Hon. Jim Ernst (Minister responsible for Sport): Okay.
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McLeod School
Closure
Ms. Jean Friesen (Wolseley): Madam Speaker, my questions are for the Minister of Education.
Yesterday, the Minister of Education refused to take any responsibility for the proposed closing of McLeod School, despite the fact that since 1991-92 her government appears to have cut the funding to a school division by over $3 million. Both the parents and the superintendent are clear that this closure is caused by provincial funding cuts.
I want to ask the minister, why is it that she is the last person in Manitoba to recognize that funding does count.
Hon. Linda McIntosh (Minister of Education and Training): This morning in Estimates the question was raised about property taxes, and it came up that the property taxes in Manitoba raise about $556 million a year, almost the amount that we have to spend in interest on the debt left us annually by the members opposite.
Some Honourable Members: Oh, oh.
Madam Speaker: Order, please. The honourable Minister of Education, to complete her response.
Mrs. McIntosh: For 20 years across this nation, the federal government and provincial governments of every political stripe felt that the way to solve problems and address issues was to throw money at them. Overborrowing and overspending were the order of the day, and overborrowing and overspending have resulted in a situation where the federal government now feels it has to cut hundreds of millions of dollars in transfer payments to this province and that the province has also been left with a debt that is extremely hard. It is our fourth largest department.
Throwing more money at education has not helped solve some of the problems. I would think she would be the last person to talk about why there is no money available to do all of the things that we would like to be able to do.
Educational Facilities
Closures
Ms. Jean Friesen (Wolseley): Will the minister tell the House how many other schools in Manitoba are facing closure decisions, and would she tell us whether she has prepared any new policies to protect the concerns of parents, both for their schools and for their communities?
Hon. Linda McIntosh (Minister of Education and Training): I, first of all, do not accept any of the member's preamble and premise. The member has indicated in her first question and again has implied in her second that the school is closing because there was a 2 percent overall funding cut to education in Manitoba. I say to her, first of all, my understanding is a school is not closing per se, it is that some students are moving out to a different school and others are moving in. This has been happening in Manitoba for many years.
This has been happening since 1980, since I became involved in education as a decision maker. In 1980 there were many schools closed in Manitoba. That was double-digit revenues being given to school divisions. There have been schools--
Madam Speaker: Order, please.
BFI Landfill Site
Environmental Licensing
Ms. Becky Barrett (Wellington): Madam Speaker, members of the current government have repeatedly stated that the City of Winnipeg has refused to meet with other capital region municipalities to discuss the issues of solid waste management. In light of the reality that the City of Winnipeg has had a formal policy of co-operation with municipalities in place since July 24, 1994, and has actually met with several capital region municipalities, will the Minister of Environment now reverse the decision on BFI so that all municipalities in the capital region can have time to work out an effective solid waste management strategy?
Hon. Glen Cummings (Minister of Environment): I believe I was the one who pointed out to the member for Wellington that in fact it was a 1994 initiative that the city had begun to consult with its surrounding municipalities.
Ms. Barrett: Why does the Minister of Environment feel that he has to put the BFI decision on the fast track when the development of a regional waste management plan, which the city has repeatedly stated it is willing to undertake, was a major undertaking of the August 1995 Clean Environment Commission hearings, hearings that should have been listened to before the BFI licensing hearings were undertaken? Why the fast track?
Mr. Cummings: Madam Speaker, it seems to me that when a hearing takes four years from beginning until a licence is issued, that is far from being on the fast track.
Independent Schools-Religious
Funding
Mr. Jack Penner (Emerson): Madam Speaker, in our constituency we have a number of institutions that operate schools, and many of these schools are operated by faith-based organizations. I would like to ask a question of the Minister of Education, whether she is aware of any authorities who support the constitutional basis for the funding of independent faith-based schools in Manitoba.
Hon. Linda McIntosh (Minister of Education and Training): Madam Speaker, this came up in Estimates the other day and actually I have four, I think--some of which the House will be familiar with--I did indicate Roland Penner's indication, as Minister of Education for the NDP, that the political solution was the best way to avoid an unwelcome court settlement should the constitutional question proceed.
As well, of course, we have the other statements: Ed Schreyer's signing of the declaration of social and cultural rights which said that we must have respect for the liberty of parents to choose their children's schools, other than those established by the state, to ensure their religious and moral education in conformity with their own convictions and his statement that he would enact legislation if necessary to accomplish that.
As well, there is a letter from the previous Leader of the Liberal Party, Sharon Carstairs, who indicated that independent schools have legal and moral rights for that kind of funding. There is an authority I have not read in this Chamber and that is Dr. Gerald Friesen who wrote a book called, The Canadian Prairies: A History. Dr. Friesen said to question the rights of Roman Catholics to a public-supported school system was tantamount to challenging the very basis of Confederation.
Education System
Home Economics Curriculum
Ms. Rosann Wowchuk (Swan River): Madam Speaker, because of the government's decision to cut back on education funding and because of timetabling disruptions, home economics courses will no longer be offered in many schools for Grades 7 and 8 students. The minister, in Estimates, indicated that 4-H clubs could replace the skills for students that are offered in these classes.
I want to ask the Minister of Education whether she has checked whether there are 4-H clubs in many of these communities where there are no longer home ec classes offered.
Hon. Linda McIntosh (Minister of Education and Training): Madam Speaker, the member would do well to read Hansard, and I invite her again to try to be accurate. When the members opposite quote people, to quote accurately and to quote in context; to do otherwise is to mislead.
I would say to the member that how the conversation actually went was--it was with regard to home economics in schools--my statement was: We believe in parental choice for some of these things. It is the case--and I quoted--that in certain communities in Manitoba, not all, in certain communities where the parents have indicated that they have other alternatives, in some cases where parents have simply an extremely active 4-H club that does a lot of these things, could we not use our school time for something more academic? We have said we want them to have that choice. In no way did I say that 4-H would replace home ec.
I mean, the member is misquoting me in a very irresponsible and unfortunate manner.
Madam Speaker: Order, please. Time for Oral Questions has expired.