Ms. Jean Friesen (Wolseley): Madam Speaker, I would like to ask honourable members to join with us in commemorating the 80th anniversary of a pivotal time in Manitoba's and Winnipeg's history, the General Strike of 1919. Eighty years ago today, Winnipeggers awoke to find our streets silent after the shocking events of Bloody Saturday when two men were killed on Main Street as force was used to end a general strike in the city. It was the end of a tumultuous week which had begun with the 4 a.m. knock on the door of several families.

Bob Russell, one of the leaders, was sleeping on his back porch on Ross Avenue, and his daughter describes the tragic scene as his three-year-old son tried to prevent the Royal North-West Mounted Police taking his father away to Stony Mountain.

The facts of the General Strike, the goal of the metal trades and other unions to expand collective bargaining, and the resistance of the owners who saw a loss of power are relatively straightforward. But the meaning of history is much deeper than the facts. In Brandon, Seattle, Vancouver and elsewhere in the world, the end of the war had brought renewed expectations of hope for the ordinary men and women who had fought that terrible war.

In Manitoba, part of that post-war struggle was played out in the General Strike. The trial for sedition of the strike leaders, their imprisonment, and the use of force by the government to suppress the strike meant that in the short run the strike did fail. In the longer term, the issues of collective bargaining, the right to dissent, the respective role and power of each group in society are still part of our collective debate in this Legislature and in this province.

Mr. Jack Penner (Emerson): Madam Speaker, much has been said in this Legislature and in the media and other places about the difficult situation that many farmers find themselves in since the spring of this year. Many farmers across this province will not be able to put most of their crop in. Many farmers will probably not put any crop in, and many will find themselves in a position where much of their land will not be seeded.

The difficulty that this creates not only to the farmers but in the general sense–and those communities that are most affected, the business community, the schools, the people, the agencies that provide services for people that are under stress are all going to be affected.

I believe that the funding that has so far been announced–one of the most effective announcements that has been made has been the Custom Seeding Program, because we all know that farmers, at heart, will do everything in their power, everything they can, to get seed into the ground to make a crop grow because that is the essence of their existence. That is the very culture that they were born and raised in.

I believe that the federal government should have announced a program that would have mirrored what was announced by the federal government and the provincial government in the Red River Valley in 1997. I believe that the early start program should have been implemented immediately. I believe that the JERI program should have been initiated immediately because the JERI program helps mediate some of the losses that the business community will find themselves in, as well as the farm community. I believe that the AIDA program and the NISA program, as being expounded now by the federal government, will only come part way in recognizing the real loss because many of the younger farmers, Madam Speaker–and I wish you would allow me another minute or so–many of the younger farmers–could I have leave just to continue?

Madam Speaker: Does the honourable member for Emerson have leave? No? Leave has been denied.

Ms. Diane McGifford (Osborne): Madam Speaker, recently I was pleased to congratulate Murray Smith, retired teacher and community activist, who in April of this year was named the 1999 Joseph Zuken Citizen Activist. Today I am equally pleased to inform the House that Murray Smith recently was elected the president of the Canadian Association of Retired Teachers. Murray Smith is, of course, eminently suited for such a role. As a Rhodes scholar, Murray Smith brings a wide range of knowledge and international experience to his work. As a public school teacher, he was highly regarded by students and colleagues, apparent in his nomination for Canada's national Outstanding Educator Award. As assistant superintendent for Winnipeg School Division No.1, he promoted the abolition of corporal punishment, education for pregnant students and the elimination of barriers to education for older students. As president of the Manitoba Teachers' Society, he promoted the status of women and the elimination of discrimination against women. As president of the Manitoba association of retired teachers, he advocated for pension reform and the value of early childhood education. Indeed, early childhood education is near and dear to his heart.

Murray Smith's willingness to accept the position as president of the Canadian Association of Retired Teachers is one more sign of his distinguished and dedicated pedagogical record. We in Manitoba are fortunate to have had the benefit of his incisive intelligence, commitment to action, enlightened vision and belief in public service.

Once again I ask all members to join with me in congratulating Murray Smith on his recent election as president of the Canadian Association of Retired Teachers.

* (1420)

Mr. David Faurschou (Portage la Prairie): Madam Speaker, yesterday afternoon I had the pleasure of representing my colleague the Honourable Eric Stefanson, the Minister of Health, at the opening of the Lions Prairie Manor renovation project. This project, although involving upgrades to the emergency services, sprinkler alarms and sprinklers, focused primarily on improving the quality of life of those residents afflicted with Alzheimer-type dementia.

I want to take this opportunity to highlight the spirit of co-operation that allowed for this opportunity. It started with the residents and families identifying a concern, then working with Bev Boyd, facility director, and her staff, coming together with architectural designs. They worked in co-operation with Murray Graham, current chairperson, and former chairperson, Mr. Walt Bohonos, of the Lions Prairie Manor Foundation, and brought forward their ideas to the regional health authority. Having partnered with the regional health authority, the regional health authority in turn partnered with Manitoba Health to bring this project to fruition.

These renovations included one on-unit space for dining, activity room and lounge, enclosed sunroom with access to a safe, enclosed outside area, which is going to provide the residents of the Lions Prairie Manor with an enhanced quality of life.

These projects are key and vital to our community. By forming a successful partnership, these initiatives can become a reality and can contribute to the quality of life of all Manitobans. I would like to take this opportunity and ask all honourable members of this House to congratulate all those who have worked so hard to make this plan and this project a success. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Mr. Kevin Lamoureux (Inkster): You know, in listening to the member for Emerson's (Mr. Penner) appeal in terms of agriculture, I, too, would like to appeal to the member for Emerson in terms of the custom seeding benefit program. This is a program in which there is a need to see a little bit more flexibility. I think, given the background knowledge that the member for Emerson has in terms of the farming industry, this is something which he might want to take on as one of his personal causes because of the time frame and ensuring that there is a little bit more flexibility to take into consideration farmers who do have some machinery, that it is not quite late to take that machinery out and do their own planting of seeds as opposed to having to bring people from the outside in. Those are the only ones who get subsidized, from what I understand today. There is a need for some flexibility, and we are not too late to ensure that there is going to be some additional seeding, to recognize the fact that there is an additional cost, an additional burden over and above, unique, as opposed to what happened in the flood of the century. Thank you, Madam Speaker.