Mr. Steve Ashton (Thompson): Madam Speaker, I wish to address the important issue of northern transportation in this member's statement. In particular, I would like to point to the need for the federal-provincial governments to make a real commitment to improving transportation, the same kind of commitment that we saw in this province in the 1970s, in particular with the Schreyer government provincially, going into the 1980s when we had northern development agreements, when we had a commitment to improve northern infrastructure, and when we had real improvement to access to northern communities, whether it be in terms of the construction of airstrips, the construction of roads and the upgrading of airstrips and roads during that period.
I want to stress that we have to look at the urgent situation at many of our northern airports. They were built more than 20 years ago. They are in dire need, in many cases, of upgrading. We need this to deal with the explosion of traffic, the greatly increased degree of traffic that we see in many northern airstrips, and I want to stress this as someone who flies into northern communities on a regular basis.
In my own constituency, there are four communities that have no roads, but part of what we have to do is make sure we have safe airstrips. We also, Madam Speaker, must not forget that many northern communities do not have road access. I say to the government, as I have said before in the past, communities such as Ilford, communities such as York Landing, Thicket Portage, Pikwitonei and many other communities are asking for this government to do the kind of planning, the kind of co-operative work with their community to try and look at extending road access into those communities. I would suggest that the more we can extend the road network in this province, even though it has a cost, the more we end up with communities not being so dependent on those airstrips.
I want to indicate again that, when communities have no access other than airstrip access, they have to rely very heavily on our winter roads system, and this is another area that could be improved, because we repeatedly ask this government to extend the season into communities by providing more maintenance. The bottom line is we need improved transportation in northern Manitoba. We need a northern development agreement signed by both the provincial and federal governments.
Mr. David Faurschou (Portage la Prairie): Madam Speaker, it is truly my pleasure to rise in this Legislative Chamber this afternoon to make all honourable members aware of a landmark signing of an agreement between the City of Portage la Prairie and the Rural Municipality of Portage la Prairie for water, sewer and tax-sharing. This fringe area water supply agreement will provide treated water and sewer services to the Rural Municipality of Portage la Prairie. In return, the City of Portage la Prairie will receive 10 percent of the municipal property taxes from new buildings that will create a new and additional demand for treated water. The leadership, through the spirit of co-operation and understanding shown by these two communities, can indeed serve as a model for all cities and rural municipalities in Manitoba.
The Filmon government, through the Department of Rural Development under the direction of the Honourable Len Derkach, recognized this importance of co-operation between communities when undertaking the review of The Municipal Act in 1994.
Some Honourable Members: Oh, oh.
Madam Speaker: Order, please. I am experiencing difficulty hearing the honourable member for Portage.
Mr. Tim Sale (Crescentwood): Madam Speaker, I would just like to inquire on a point of order as to whether it is proper to refer to members of the government by name and the government by the name of the Premier (Mr. Filmon) in a statement in the House. I believe there is a convention that we do not refer to members by name in this forum, and the member for Portage may be unaware of that convention.
Madam Speaker: The honourable government House leader, on the same point of order.
Hon. James McCrae (Government House Leader): Yes, it is true. Madam Speaker, there are occasions when honourable members on both sides of this House forget that little rule, and it is there for a reason because it helps to bring about order and decorum in such a decorous place.
I think the honourable member for Portage la Prairie would be the first to agree that we want to follow those rules, and I recommend it for all honourable members.
Madam Speaker: On the point of order raised by the honourable member for Crescentwood, indeed he did have a point of order. The honourable member for Portage la Prairie has, I believe, acknowledged that he indeed did abrogate the rules.
Madam Speaker: The honourable member for Portage, to continue his member's statement.
Mr. Faurschou: Thank you, Madam Speaker, and I appreciate the ruling.
In fact, Reeve Jim Knight noted the new Municipal Act provides a vehicle for inner municipal co-operation. As well, Mayor Glenn Carlson said this is a fine example of what can be done by recognizing each other's needs and concerns and seeking a solution that is acceptable to both sides. By working together for the betterment of all residents, whether rural or urban, these two communities have recognized that they are stronger together in the long run.
So, on behalf of all honourable members, I would like to extend my congratulations to the reeve and mayor and to the respective councils and administrations of the City of Portage and R.M. of Portage la Prairie for their vision, commitment and testimony to their partnership and co-operation.
Mr. Doug Martindale (Burrows): Madam Speaker, when we moved to Winnipeg, I confess that we kept our bank accounts at the Royal Bank at Selkirk and Salter. Well, what do you think happened to that branch? Well, of course, it closed. Our accounts were moved to Selkirk and Main. What do you think happened to that branch? It closed. There was a branch at McGregor and College. What do you think happened to that branch? Well, in the summer of 1997 it closed. The Martindales did the smart thing, and we moved our accounts to Carpathia Credit Union.
Since 1992, the Royal Bank has closed seven branches in rural Manitoba. One can only conclude that there is not enough profit in the inner city and rural Manitoba, although you would never know that from looking at the salary and bonuses of the chief executive officer, John Cleghorn, whose salary in the fiscal year ending October 31, 1997, was $3,172,704, up 23 percent; stock options in exercisable options: $5,634,660; in not-yet-exercised: $10,558,748, compared to the average hourly paid worker of the Royal Bank in 1995 of $16,700. We know that their profits were up 17 percent to $1.7 billion in 1997, and we read again in today's Free Press that their profits are going up another 15 percent for the first quarter. We can only conclude that this is due to corporate greed, since they only care about the salaries and perks of the CEO. They do not care about people in the inner city, especially seniors, but the good news is there is an alternative. People can move their accounts from a bank to a credit union, and I would encourage people to do so. Thank you.
Mrs. Myrna Driedger (Charleswood): Madam Speaker, it gives me great pleasure to rise today to share with my colleagues the details of a very special event which I recently had the honour of attending on behalf of the First Minister (Mr. Filmon).
As many of you know, the city has commissioned the creation of an aboriginal centre to be located on Main Street. I had the privilege of attending the unveiling of the plans for Neeginan, which will become the spiritual anchor for north Main redevelopment. World-renowned architect Douglas Cardinal has created a unique design for the complex. His design will significantly help to revitalize Main Street and the surrounding area. Cree for "our place," Neeginan includes a round house, a multipurpose centre for young people, an art gallery, a sweat lodge, a fabulous park and an outdoor market.
Having spent the last three years working closely with the aboriginal community, it was indeed my pleasure to be present at the unveiling of Douglas Cardinal's innovative design for this wonderful project. I encourage all of my colleagues to support Winnipeg's aboriginal community as its members join together to carve out a future for themselves in the heart of Winnipeg. Neeginan will contribute not only to the well-being of our aboriginal peoples but also to the betterment of the city of Winnipeg. Thank you.
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Mr. Tim Sale (Crescentwood): Madam Speaker, after 99 years of service, Misericordia Hospital has been slated for closure by the provincial government. As recently as 1994, Misericordia was the third-biggest hospital in Manitoba with just over 400 beds. We know the Misery was old and in need of substantial capital investment, but the government had provided funds for a new heating plant in order to provide the foundation for a renewed acute care mandate. Now the hospital is to be closed.
Even the promised 24-hour urgent care centre has become a nonurgent primary care centre, in the words of the Winnipeg Hospital Authority, in other words, a walk-in clinic. What went wrong?
Well, what went wrong, Madam Speaker, was the total confusion surrounding health planning in our city. Simply put, as the Minister of Health (Mr. Praznik) has acknowledged, acute care medicine is changing very rapidly, and the government did not know how to respond. Instead of working with communities to define their needs, the government hired big consulting firms and foreign experts like Connie Curran to tell it what to do. Consultants like quick fixes, not long-term solutions, so they said: close the beds and lay off staff. That was their solution. No one bothered to ask the communities involved or to consult with ordinary Manitobans.
At the same time, the government signed a five-year deal with doctors, giving them most of the say in what doctors were needed and where they were needed. Then next, just to confuse the situation, the government asked hospitals to set up centres of excellence. In the Misericordia's case, the result was the development of the eye surgery Ophthalmology Centre, the comprehensive breast care centre, the orthopedic surgery centre, and the plastic surgery centre.
Then, a couple of years later, the government took away the mandate from hospitals and gave it to the Winnipeg Hospital Authority. So now we have three different groups competing. The only comfort residents had was that they were promised a 24-hour urgent care centre. Now this seems to have been watered down to something called a 24-hour nonurgent primary care centre, a walk-in clinic.
Madam Speaker, the citizens of my community do not need another walk-in clinic.