Hon. Glen Cummings (Minister of Natural Resources): Mr. Deputy Speaker, I would like to provide an update on flood conditions. With the leave of the House, I do not have printed materials to distribute. This will be similar to last week in order to provide the most up-to-date information that we were receiving over the noon hour.

The levels of the Red River are continuing to rise but at a slower rate. This is due to the growing size of Lake Morris. Rises in the last 24 hours have ranged from over a foot near the floodway inlet to a third of a foot at Ste. Agathe and less than one quarter of a foot from Morris southward, and there has been little change at Emerson or at Selkirk. Levels will continue to rise slowly until crest elevations are reached in late April or early May.

There is no change in the forecasted crest stages and dates for the Red River except at St. Jean where the crest is expected to be about one foot lower than was earlier predicted. There is no change in predicted levels from Morris north. The levels of the Pembina River and the Assiniboine River continue to decline, and downtown Winnipeg levels are rising because of the levels of the Red River. The levels at Shellmouth Reservoir are quite rapidly rising. They are within 3 feet of summer target levels and we may expect some increased flows from that area later in the week, but they are not expected to cause any additional flooding problems.

Flooding continues on many of the Red River tributaries, either due to water backup from the Red River or due to excessive flows. However, levels are declining slowly on stream locations not affected by the Red River. They are unusually high in the Seine River near Grande Pointe, where the river rose overnight due to strong winds. The winds have caused PTH 59 to be overtopped near Grande Pointe, and overflows will end tonight, we believe, when the wind changes to a more westerly direction.

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On behalf of my colleague the Minister of Government Services (Mr. Pitura), I would like to report on some of the issues that his department are responsible for. In relationship to the states of emergency, we have 17 communities, towns and cities, including the city of Winnipeg, that now have a local authority and date of declaration of emergency. Under evacuations, we now have 10 communities and the city of Winnipeg where evacuation orders have been implemented and where evacuation plans are being exercised. They include Emerson, Letellier, St. Jean Baptiste, Dominion City, De Salaberry, St. Pierre-Jolys, Rhineland, Morris, the R.M. of Morris, St. Adolphe, Ste. Agathe, Roseau River Reserve and the city of Winnipeg, where there is a limited and in some cases mandatory evacuation.

We now have reached the trigger point in regard to the construction of the dike at Brunkild. We had indicated that when the water reached Highway 302, that would be considered a trigger point for the people who would be affected by that, protected by what is now known as the Z-dike, and they will be placed on 24-hour alert for evacuation. The water is reported crossing Highway 305 this morning due to high winds, and we are very concerned about the integrity of some of the personal dikes in the valley. All nonessential personnel as well in the evacuated areas of the valley--all those nonessential people are expected to be relieved today in accordance with Natural Resource officers and local authorities' direction. I emphasize that we are working in conjunction with the local authorities. I would like to indicate that there are about 2,500 armed forces personnel presently deployed within the area.

The Department of Agriculture reports that they, in conjunction with the Prairie Farm Rehabilitation Act, are co-ordinating relocation of livestock that are at risk. Particularly today in the R.M. of Macdonald, that work is proceeding. I would report that the Department of Natural Resources has 168 personnel deployed in the threatened communities. Essential personnel in the ring-dike communities include Natural Resources in consultation with local authorities to deal with the evacuation requirements.

I would remind all of us that Highways and Transportation has been taking the lead and has accomplished a considerable feat in construction of the 16-mile dike north and east of Brunkild to keep the Morris River from flowing into the La Salle. I report that the levels at that site are just about complete to the predicted levels, but I want to remind everyone that the intention is to continue construction to provide some freeboard and some erosion protection.

The Beausejour area has received some flooding from the Whitemud River due to ice jamming, but we are not able to report yet on the extent of that flooding.

The Seine River has peaked east of Lorette, and we have now been informed that there have been about 50,000 inquiries made on the net site that is established to provide information, so that is another source of information for the public, Mr. Deputy Speaker.

Social services have opened their emergency offices in Altona, Steinbach, Winnipeg and St. Malo. We are also receiving the assistance of amateur radio emergency service that has been established, a network in communities within the flood area to provide backup and supplementary communications.

Emergency health services have now been established in 10 communities, including St. Norbert within the city of Winnipeg. I want to thank all of the volunteers and all of the professionals out in the field who are working so hard to deal with the issues they are being presented with hourly.

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Mr. Stan Struthers (Dauphin): Since we last met here Friday, many things have happened over the weekend. I thank the minister for bringing us up to date on the activities as of today and the conditions. I also want to note that over the weekend many more examples of Manitobans coming together and helping out were evidenced in all the radio line phone calls that came in and all the reports through the media. I am sure we all heard of the instances as we went back to our constituencies and helped out in this time of need. I think the people of Manitoba should be congratulated wholeheartedly for the way they are pulling together in the flood of 1997.

Indeed, it is good news that the levels in the Pembina and Assiniboine rivers seem to be on their way down and the tributaries as well. We still have a time to go before the Red River itself crests, and we need to keep our eyes on the levels and the height of the water that we are eventually going to be dealing with through the next couple of weeks.

I wish everyone well who is evacuating communities all along the Red River. Of course our thoughts are with them as they move out of their homes and are placed elsewhere. Again, too, I think a great deal of credit and congratulations need to be sent to the volunteers and the people who are working on the Z-dike at Brunkild. It is going to be very important that we keep the Morris River out of the La Salle, something that has a great impact not only on the city of Winnipeg but the area out in Brunkild and that whole area west of the Red River.

Just to wrap up, I want to point out a few examples that I came across on the weekend of people who are helping out in different communities in Roblin and Fork River, in Winnipegosis and Dauphin and I notice in Neepawa, just to name a few of Manitobans coming together, getting sleeping bags and clothing and helping out with the consternations in different ways just from that area. I am very, very pleased and heartened to see the way that people of Manitoba who are a fair distance away from the actual evacuation sites are taking it upon themselves to help out in this time of crisis, and they deserve our congratulations.

Thank you, Mr. Deputy Speaker.

Hon. Eric Stefanson (Minister of Finance): I have two reports to table. The first one is revised Schedule 5 and Chart 4 of pages 15 and 17 of the Supplementary Information for the Legislative Review for the Department of Finance.

The second is the Supplementary Information for Legislative Review, Departmental Expenditures for Canada Manitoba Infrastructure Works for 1997-98.