LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA
Wednesday, May 31, 2017
Madam Speaker: O Eternal and Almighty God, from Whom all power and wisdom come, we are assembled here before Thee to frame such laws as may tend to the welfare and prosperity of our province. Grant, O merciful God, we pray Thee, that we may desire only that which is in accordance with Thy will, that we may seek it with wisdom and know it with certainty and accomplish it perfectly for the glory and honour of Thy name and for the welfare of all our people. Amen.
Please be seated.
Madam Speaker: Introduction of bills? Committee reports?
Hon. Cameron Friesen (Minister of Finance): Madam Speaker, I rise today to table the Public Utilities Board Annual Report, 2016-2017.
Hon. Ian Wishart (Minister of Education and Training): Madam Speaker, I wish to table the proclamation declaring June 5th to 9th as Aerospace Week.
Madam Speaker: The honourable Minister of Growth, Enterprise and Trade, and I would indicate that the required 90 minutes notice prior to routine proceedings was provided in accordance with rule 26(2).
Would the honourable minister please proceed with his statement.
Hon. Cliff Cullen (Minister of Growth, Enterprise and Trade): Madam Speaker, May 28th to June 3rd is national Tourism Week, a time to highlight the important impact of tourism, which is helping to grow our economy and energize our communities.
In Manitoba, tourism already plays a major role in our communities. We attract over 11 million visitors who spend over $1.5 billion every year. That helps sustain over 10,000 businesses and employs almost 13,000 Manitobans in all regions of the province–
Madam Speaker: Order, please.
It appears we may have had another audio glitch, and I wonder if the Minister of Growth, Enterprise and Trade could start again with his statement.
Mr. Cullen: Well, Madam Speaker, it is indeed good news that should be repeated to Manitobans.
Madam Speaker, May 28th to June 3rd is national Tourism Week, a time to highlight the important impact of tourism, which is helping to grow our economy and energize our communities.
In Manitoba, tourism already plays a major role in our communities. We attract over 11 million visitors per year who spend over $1.5 billion here in the province. That helps sustain over 10,000 businesses and employs almost 13,000 Manitobans in all regions of our province, and our government believes that the time is right to continue to build our visitor economy.
Our government has made significant investments in the tremendous tourism potential of our province. We have invested nearly $4 million through Plan 96/4 to support Manitoba tourism to create memorable experiences and visits for everyone.
We are listening to Manitoban's ideas for growth and innovation, and we'll continue to help create the conditions that will strengthen local businesses and communities and attract visitors from around the world.
Madam Speaker, I would encourage all members to assist in promoting Manitoba as a destination.
Thank you very much.
Mr. Tom Lindsey (Flin Flon): Madam Speaker, Tourism Week in Manitoba is a great opportunity to promote the distinct and often hidden cultural gems across Manitoba. Instead of exploring Manitoba's rural and northern festivals, far too many people, most notably our Premier (Mr. Pallister), jet off to the tropics. Instead of just promoting the North, why not visit it?
In my own constituency, the Flin Flon Trout Festival brings people together at the end of June–[interjection]
Madam Speaker: Order.
Mr. Lindsey: –for Main Street Days and an incredible fish fry. All–as fall sets in, Culture Days ignites a celebration of northern arts and heritage. I truly hope the Premier (Mr. Pallister) will attend one of these amazing events to understand what he's missing by going down south.
I'm sure the member for The Pas (Ms. Lathlin) would love to introduce the Premier to Opaskwayak Indian Days. Every August, the Opaskwayak Cree Nation hosts an elaborate celebration of Cree tradition and cultures.
Further east, Norway House Cree Nation has been hosting Treaty & York Boat Days since 1973. It's a summer festival that relives the community's establishment during the time of the fur trade.
The member for Thompson (Mr. Bindle) may want to introduce the Premier to Nickel Days, held annually at–on the third weekend in June. It includes the National King Miner Contest, a parade and other special events.
If the Premier and his caucus are truly as brave as he–
Madam Speaker: The member's time has expired.
Ms. Cindy Lamoureux (Burrows): Madam Speaker, I'm hoping that I can have leave to respond to the minister's statement.
Madam Speaker: Does the member have leave to respond to the statement? [Agreed]
Ms. Lamoureux: Tourism Week is a Canada-wide celebration that highlights the economic impact and social benefits of our country's tourism sector. It is a time to recognize the importance of Manitoba's tourism industry, an industry that sees over 11 million visitors, producing a $1.5-billion industry here in our province.
There is so much to do and see here in Manitoba, whether you like to travel down the highway to explore our many lakes or you prefer to go up north to learn about our polar bears and beluga whales or you fancy a performance at the Royal Winnipeg Ballet.
I know my colleague from River Heights enjoys bringing his grandkids to the children's garden at Assiniboine Park, and my colleague from Kewatinook likes to educate her children by bringing them to provincial parks so they can experience the trapline life, minus the trapping, of course. And I personally love my day trips to Pinawa where I get to hike and float down the river.
Madam Speaker, Manitoba is a beautiful place. We all know this, especially from the building that we are standing in. I want to take this opportunity to wish everyone a summer full of adventures and, of course, some relaxation. Thank you.
Madam Speaker: Further ministerial statements?
The honourable Minister of Education, and I would indicate that–[interjection]
Order, order–and I would indicate that the required 90-minutes notice prior to routine proceedings was provided in accordance with rule 26(2).
Would the honourable minister please proceed with his statement.
Hon. Ian Wishart (Minister of Education and Training): I am honoured to stand in the House today to proclaim June 5th to 9th as Aerospace Week in Manitoba and to recognize the importance of the aerospace and aviation industry to our growing economy.
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Manitoba's aerospace industry is globally recognized for the world-class products and technologies that makes it the largest in western Canada. The sector employs over 5,300 individuals, producing goods and services for customers on six continents and has revenues exceeding $1.9 billion annually.
We are home to not one, but three cold-weather testing facilities. Our aerospace companies manufacture products for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter Program, and we have a state-of-the-art training and flight simulation technology that provides primary flight training and specialized helicopter pilot training to the Royal Canadian Air Force.
Continuous innovation and improvements have helped Manitoba's aerospace industry remain competitive in the global marketplace, contributing prosperity to Manitoba from all walks for life.
Our government will continue to stand up for Manitoba's aerospace sector and defend thousands of high-skilled, goodpaying jobs that workers depend on to provide for their families across our great province.
We encourage Manitobans to take the time to learn more about Manitoba's aerospace and the important role it plays in providing high-quality jobs in our province. The achievements of Manitoba's aerospace and the role that vital industry plays in building a better Manitoba is truly worth celebrating.
Thank you, Madam Speaker.
Mr. Jim Maloway (Elmwood): Manitoba's highly competitive aerospace sector is the third largest in the country. This week, we acknowledge our advancements in aerospace research and reflect on the role Manitoba has played worldwide.
Our NDP team supports a strong aerospace sector. During our previous government, we invested millions of dollars to develop the province's aerospace and aviation capabilities. Our most recent $2‑million investment in the Composites Innovation Centre supported over 2,000 good jobs and helped pave the way for research and innovation in aerospace industries. With our investments into Tec Voc High School, more high school students are able to begin working with companies like StandardAero, Boeing and Magellan Aerospace as they earn their high school diplomas, giving them a head start in their aerospace and aviation careers and allowing them to contribute to this the robust industry.
Madam Speaker, this government has been all talk and no action when it comes to aerospace industry. The Province claims it would help bring a centre of excellence to Winnipeg that would create over 150 jobs and contribute to aerospace and aviation at home and abroad. Yet one year later, jobs for Manitoba aerospace workers have not materialized. This government must stick up for our aerospace workers and continue to invest in their good work.
Ms. Judy Klassen (Kewatinook): Madam Speaker, I ask for leave to respond to the ministerial statement.
Madam Speaker: Does the member have leave to respond to the ministerial statement? [Agreed]
Ms. Klassen: Aerospace Week is a chance for us to celebrate Manitoba as home to Canada's third largest aerospace industry, many of which are consistently some of Manitoba's top employers.
It's a week where the aerospace sector reaches out to the community to encourage students to study science, technology, engineering and math.
This is also the week where we can look to the future of aerospace in Manitoba. The industry is always braving new frontiers. In the past 20 years, ice roads in Manitoba have lost half of their season. University of Manitoba's Dr. Barry Prentice has devoted himself to building ultralight airships that will be able to ferry supplies to our northern communities. These airships can operate at a fraction of the cost of traditional air services.
That is why, on behalf of my Liberal colleagues, we urge the government to research the use of cargo airships as a solution to the transportation problems in the North. It's time we put the technology to the test. This is a real solution that must be explored.
During this Aerospace Week, I ask that all members think about the future of aerospace in Manitoba and supporting innovative ideas.
Thank you, Minister, for highlighting the importance of our aerospace industry today.
Hon. Cathy Cox (Minister of Sustainable Development): I am honoured to rise in the House today to recognize Gateway Recreation Centre and its invaluable volunteers.
Located in the heart of River East, it is one of Winnipeg's leading community clubs. Started over 50 years ago in an old garage heated by a wood-fired stove, today, Gateway boasts state-of-the-art indoor hockey rinks, a soccerplex, ball diamonds, soccer fields and a recreational facility.
While the bricks and mortar are important, Madam Speaker, it's the volunteers that have been the driving force behind Gateway's success. Thanks to the hundreds of dedicated coaches, Gateway hosts, on average, 112 sports teams annually for children ages three to 18. They also organize craft sales, hockey tournaments, as well as many community events.
The Gateway volunteers have always maintained a get-it-done attitude. Regardless of the challenge, Madam Speaker, they are always quick to assemble and reach out to help those in need. Over the years, they have generously reached out to help numerous families by organizing fundraisers to assist families afflicted by illness or a tragedy. Their willingness to help was especially evident last year when Gateway assisted a local family in the search for their son, an effort that was embraced by the entire community.
This past weekend, I attended Gateway's annual summer carnival, handing out cool treats to over 400 children, families, neighbours and friends. You could feel the excitement in the air, with the young soccer players proudly clasping their medals and eager to join in the carnival fun.
I would like to extend my sincere thanks to all the volunteers, board and staff of Gateway for their enormous contributions. Thanks for making a real difference in the lives of so many children, families and youth.
Madam Speaker, I ask all members of the House to stand and thank Gateway president, Tammy Harper, and soccer convenor, Gord Lovell, who are joining us in the gallery today. Thank you for your dedication and commitment to improving the lives of so many Manitobans.
Mr. Rob Altemeyer (Wolseley): Madam Speaker, it is with great honour that I stand in this House today and–to celebrate, congratulate and thank an amazing teacher who has inspired her young students for decades.
After 35 years of service, the last 17 of them teaching kindergarten at École Laura Secord School in Wolseley, Deenie Lefko-Halas will retire in June. It is not possible to convey the impact of her incredible teaching gifts and sacrifices in the two minutes available for this speech, but here at least are a few highlights.
Deenie has been a classroom innovator her entire career, incorporating the arts, music and learning through play into her classroom long before these concepts reached the mainstream.
One parent recalled her kid's excitement when Deenie would, quote, set up the classroom to appear like an airplane so the children could fly to a new country that they would study for a few weeks, complete with passports, luggage tags, special food, music and dancing.
Another Deenie creation was Person of the Week, where each child in her class had a turn being treated like royalty, able to share their family story, pictures and their favourite things with their classmates. My own daughter was lucky enough to have Deenie as a teacher and, believe me, person of the week was a very big deal.
The results of Deenie's remarkable efforts speak for themselves. As Principal Rhona Churman wrote, quote, her children come in feeling unsure and shy, feeling tentative, and by the end of the year, they have the confidence of students who are graduating from high school.
At a recent parent council meeting that I attended, we brainstormed this idea to try and surprise Deenie today by bringing her down to the Manitoba Legislature for this special recognition. It is but a small token of our gratitude for the joy and love of learning that she has brought to our children's lives.
Madam Speaker, I invite all members of this House to join me in thanking Deenie Lefko-Halas for all she has done for our kids, for our community and for the better world that she is creating.
Thank you.
Hon. Ian Wishart (Minister of Education and Training): Madam Speaker, I am honoured to inform this House about the Portage la Prairie Citizens on Patrol Program, COPP, which celebrated their 25th anniversary on May 23rd, 2017.
COPP started in May 1992 and is the longest running group of its kind in Manitoba with over 400 community volunteers participating as members over the past years.
The program was started under the advice of the local RCMP detachment looking for the possibility of mobilizing citizens to act as their eyes and ears. The mission then was to patrol the streets of the city and report suspicious or criminal behaviour.
Today COPP still have the same task, along with public crime education, road-related initiatives and awareness of their presence in the community.
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COPP work closely with RCMP both in Portage la Prairie as well as "D" Division in Winnipeg. They do road safety initiatives for Manitoba Public Insurance and free residential check services to residents who are registered while away on vacation.
Originally funded by provincial Justice Department at inception, Manitoba Public Insurance currently funds the program.
The community-minded group hosts annual charity events while the funds are donated to local children's programs and the Salvation Army.
In 1998, the group received the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Manitoba Crime Prevention Award; and in 2007, the Manitoba Attorney General safety–Safer Communities Award; and in 2016, the Premier's voluntary service award.
The group currently has 41 members. Six of these have 20 years or more of service. Over the past 10 years alone, they have consistently volunteered between 1,200 and 1,500 hours per year and patrolled between 500 and 7,000 kilometres per year.
I ask all honourable members to join me in congratulating the Portage la Prairie Citizens on Patrol Program for their efforts and commitment to keeping the community and the constituency safer for all citizens.
I ask for leave to have the names of the volunteers added to Hansard.
Madam Speaker: Is there leave to have the names of the volunteers added to Hansard. [Agreed]
Portage la Prairie Citizens on Patrol Program volunteers in attendance: Beverley Strong and Rose Carrier
Mrs. Sarah Guillemard (Fort Richmond): Madam Speaker, this past weekend I had the pleasure of attending the Winnipeg tradition known as the Teddy Bears' Picnic.
The Teddy Bears' Picnic began 30 years ago when a group of volunteers got together and planned an educational yet fun day for children. The Teddy Bears' Picnic went from being a seven-tent event in 1986, to over 50 tents today. This provides children and families with an exciting and fun experience, all while benefiting the Children's Hospital Foundation of Manitoba.
The favourite part for many participants is getting their teddy bear checked out at the Dr. Goodbear Clinic, where they learn how to keep their stuffed friends healthy and safe. Therefore, in turn, they learn something about their own health and well-being.
I had a wonderful time volunteering alongside my colleague, the Minister of Sport, Culture and Heritage (Ms. Squires) in the rotary food tent.
I learned that this year was the first year that there was a tent for anxiety, called the Worry Bear Tent. Having the Worry Bear Tent will help stimulate the conversation to break the stigma surrounding mental health at a young age.
It was so heartwarming to see children and families discuss health conditions and issues that may affect them or the lives of other children across Manitoba.
Madam Speaker, no amount of rain or chilly weather could stop the hundreds and hundreds of people coming out to enjoy the picnic and all that it had to offer.
I would like to congratulate the Children's Hospital Foundation, as well as all the volunteers and organizers who worked tirelessly to make this year's Teddy Bears' Picnic such an amazing event.
Thank you, Madam Speaker.
Madam Speaker: Any further statements? Oh, the honourable member for Assiniboia.
Hon. Steven Fletcher (Assiniboia): Madam Speaker, 1972 was a difficult year for many people. It began with earthquakes in Turkey and Iraq. There was 11 Israelis killed during the Munich Olympics. Nixon visited China. The Vietnam War was occurring. And the Watergate scandal was just beginning.
The Cold War was hot, but in Canada we were concerned about a certain hockey series, the famous hockey series with the Canadians and the Russians where Canada, down three games to one, came back to win the series. They did what Canadians do when they get knocked down; they stood up, fought back and got even.
Today I had the pleasure of being at a stamp unveiling with Canada Post at 17 Wing with about 400 members of the public and military. At this ceremony, a stamp was unveiled to commemorate this great event. Manitoba's own Bobby Clarke from Flin Flon was present, as were about half a dozen of his teammate colleagues.
Madam Speaker, 1972 was also the year the Eagles came together, and may I paraphrase the Hotel California: Canada welcomes everyone in and nobody ever wants to leave. Thank you.
Madam Speaker: Prior to oral questions, we have some guests in the gallery, and I would like to make a short statement for the House.
Madam Speaker: On behalf of all honourable members, I want to wish Dwight MacAulay the very best of wishes as he retires. Dwight joins us today in the Speaker's Gallery. Dwight has provided 36 years of dedicated service to the Province of Manitoba, 19 of those years spent as chief of protocol. During Dwight's 19 years as chief of protocol he not only served Manitoba, but he also served for two years as the chief of protocol for the government of South Australia working out of Adelaide. He has had roles in many international trade missions, including China, India, Australia, England, Belgium, France, the United States as well as Iceland.
He has successfully co-ordinated over 12 royal visits, hosted many foreign dignitaries, been part of many legislative ceremonies and worked with five different premiers. If you asked Dwight how to manage 19 years as chief of protocol and the thousands of details that must be done for each event, he will tell you that you require good manners, common sense and a sense of humour.
You have done a terrific job, Dwight, and we sincerely thank you for your dedication and your service to not only the Province of Manitoba, but to this Legislative Assembly of Manitoba as well. Enjoy the next chapter in your life and we wish you the very best.
Introduction of Guests
Madam Speaker: Seated in the public gallery, from École Lansdowne, we have 49 grade 4 students under the direction of Lucille Galvez, and this group is located in the constituency of the honourable member for Kildonan (Mr. Curry).
And also seated in the public gallery, from River East Collegiate, we have 30 grade 9 students under the direction of Braden Cochrane, and this group is located in the constituency of the honourable member for Sustainable Development.
Also, I am pleased to introduce to the House eight of the 10 students next year who have been selected to serve as pages. I would ask members to hold their applause until I have completed the introductions.
This year's pages are: Ms. Lilja Best, Ms. Freja Cuddington, Ms. Lydia Gork, Ms. Hailey Hansen, Mr. Scott Knight, Ms. Clѐche Kokolo, Ms. Anika Moran and Mr. Paul Zorbas.
On behalf of all honourable members here, we welcome all of you to the Manitoba Legislature.
I would also like to take a moment, on behalf of all of us here, to extend a thank you to Roger Wiebe and all of the Hansard staff who worked so hard to complete the 24-hour turnaround for Hansard to have it available for members today, even though the House sat very late last night. This diligence is very much appreciated.
[Applause]
Timeline for Bill Debate
Ms. Flor Marcelino (Leader of the Official Opposition): On behalf of my colleagues on this side of the House, we'd like to add to your profound thanks to Mr. Dwight MacAulay for 36 years with the civil service, and our sincerest thanks and congratulations.
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Madam Speaker, we valued greatly Dwight's services to our institution in this province. He had worked on so many important Manitoba events, but I will treasure his work in co-ordinating ceremonies for–to celebrate the citizenship of new Canadians and new Manitobans.
So thank you so much, Dwight. I'm looking forward to your officiating next month's citizenship ceremony.
Madam Speaker, on another matter, on behalf of many Manitobans, how distressed we are with the way the government is ignoring parliamentary tradition, pushing its legislative agenda forward with limited or, as we saw yesterday, with no debate.
Why is the government ignoring the long‑standing traditions of this House?
Madam Speaker: Order.
Hon. Brian Pallister (Premier): Madam Speaker, I appreciate the member opposite venturing in with her positive comments on Mr. MacAulay's service, and I don't think that there's any possible way any of us can do–adequately do justice to a career as stellar as his in a few short words, but, simply put, he served the people of Manitoba with integrity, with competence, with enthusiasm, with an attitude of friendliness and class that stood him in tremendous stead and stood all of us who followed in the wake of his preparations and knowledge at every event that he was part of.
And so, Mr. MacAulay, all the best to you as you go forward. We thank you and we look forward to staying in regular touch. Thank you.
Madam Speaker, it may be one of my last opportunities, or my last opportunity, to say congratulations to the member for Logan, and I would like to do that. She took on a difficult and onerous responsibility in accepting her challenges as interim leader of her party in what some within the organization opposite called the dark days of the NDP. And she dealt with the challenges that were given to her–many of them, as with our challenges, inherited challenges–with, I think, great composure and consistent effort. And I want to offer my congratulations to her.
Madam Speaker: The honourable interim Leader of the Official Opposition, on a supplementary question.
Ms. Marcelino: I thank the Premier for the kind words, but I would like to–an answer to my question: why is this government ignoring the long-standing traditions of this House?
Madam Speaker, the Premier submitted his most contentious pieces of legislation on the last possible day. He failed to call many of these for second reading until debate was limited. And then yesterday, he provided no time to debate all but one of the reasonable amendments put forward.
Some Honourable Members: Oh, oh.
Madam Speaker: Order.
Ms. Marcelino: Why is the Premier employing such tactics in this House?
Madam Speaker: Order.
Mr. Pallister: I appreciate the member's concerns, Madam Speaker, and I know that she presented those same concerns to her own party as well in respect of their outdated, antique leadership selection process. She communicated to the member for Minto (Mr. Swan) for–on–and apologized for the member for Minto, for example, on several occasions, because of his shameful conduct here in this Chamber and elsewhere. And so–[interjection]
Madam Speaker: Order.
Mr. Pallister: –Madam Speaker, given the onerous responsibility of covering up for members who don't understand the need to address themselves professionally is a challenge she has accepted and she has faced up to very well.
But she did campaign, and quite rightly–in a letter to colleagues she said, and I'm paraphrasing now, our party is at a crossroads. The choice for us is clear. We can renew our party by building on our tradition of being open, democratic and progressive. Alternatively, we can turn back the clock, restrict and close the doors on renewal.
This was an effort to try to get her party to move to a one-member, one-vote process. She was rebuffed in that, so I appreciate her consistent efforts in respect of changing her own party, which have been unsuccessful.
We are changing the government to make it more open and transparent, Madam Speaker.
Madam Speaker: The honourable interim Leader of the Official Opposition, on a final supplementary.
Impact of Closures
Ms. Flor Marcelino (Leader of the Official Opposition): I thank the Premier, but still waiting for the answer to my question.
Madam Speaker, it's not just the traditions of the House that the government is ignoring. Thousands of people have signed a petition calling on the government to reconsider its plans to close ERs at Concordia, Victoria and Seven Oaks hospitals, as well as the Misericordia Urgent Care Centre. With–northeast Winnipeg is now left without an emergency room or urgent-care centre and the closest QuickCare clinic has been closed.
Why is the Premier ignoring the needs of northeast, northwest and south Winnipeg?
Hon. Brian Pallister (Premier): Well, again, Madam Speaker, on the theme of turning back the clock, which the members seem to want to do, they commissioned expert advice. They asked, because they recognized the system was broken. They recognized we had the longest emergency wait times in Canada and many other challenges faced our health-care system, and yet they refused to follow the advise they were given out of a lack of courage, I guess, but certainly not out of a lack of having professional scientific research done.
We are acting on that advice now and we're following other jurisdictions in respect of our improvements in regard to things like emergency room service. There is a reason every other major centre has moved to have more concentrated resources in fewer spots so that people can get the care they need when they need it. And, Madam Speaker, that's why, for example, Vancouver metro, with a population that is well over triple our own here in Winnipeg, has not six emergency rooms but four.
They've made the changes elsewhere that needed to be made. We're making the changes that were recommended to us in the best interests of Manitobans.
Introduction of Guests
Madam Speaker: Before proceeding with oral questions, we have some further students to introduce to you in the gallery.
We have with us, from Prairie View School, 17 grade 7 and 9 students under the care of Karlin Hiebert, and this group is located in the constituency of the honourable member for Morris (Mr. Martin).
On behalf of all honourable members, we welcome you to our Manitoba Legislature.
Impact on Patient Care
Mr. Matt Wiebe (Concordia): As one of the largest dialysis units in the country, Seven Oaks relies on its ICU when patient situation becomes life threatening. Without it the hospital will have to send patients to HSC by ambulance and doctors are worried it will mean patients waste time relocating.
The Health Minister has failed to announce new funding to adequately increase the province's ambulance fleet so that patients can be relocated as fast as possible. Instead, he shuttered three ERs, he refused to expand the existing ERs and he's refusing to add enough ambulances to make sure that patients get care quickly. It's becoming more and more clear that this plan is actually less efficient, puts added pressure on our first responders and hurts patient care.
Is the minister willing to listen to the front-line doctors and nurses who are telling him that this plan just won't work?
Hon. Kelvin Goertzen (Minister of Health, Seniors and Active Living): Madam Speaker, we know that there will remain, of course, an urgent‑care centre at Seven Oaks, an expanded urgent-care centre. There'll remain complex-care beds so those who are having complications from dialysis will be able to access both the urgent-care centre and the complex care beds which are within Seven Oaks.
Seven Oaks is a centre for dialysis and one of the leading centres for dialysis in the province of Manitoba. It'll continue to be so in the future and, in fact, I would expect it'll even be relied upon more than it is now, Madam Speaker.
Madam Speaker: The honourable member for Concordia, on a supplementary question.
Mr. Wiebe: And, similarly, Concordia ER doctors are confused what will happen with patients with hip and knee surgery complications without an ICU in the building. They're also concerned that post-op patients won't be able to get back into Concordia if they develop life-threatening infections and this could have negative consequences on patient care.
Residents in northeast Winnipeg were clear yesterday when they delivered 5,000 signatures to condemn this government's failing to consult with them, and this morning I'd like to table another 800 signatures that were dropped off this morning from patients in the emergency room at Concordia Hospital.
Nurses get it, doctors get it, patients get it: What more does this minister need to change his mind?
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Mr. Goertzen: Well, Madam Speaker, it's curious, because dialysis takes place in many different facilities that don't have ICUs. In fact, it's been happening in rural Manitoba for many years that dialysis is happening in locations that don't have an ICU.
I've checked back on Hansard. I've consulted with the authorities. Nobody ever remembers this member for Concordia in government raising concerns about his own government having dialysis in facilities that don't have ICUs. Is that because he wasn't interested then, he wouldn't speak up then, or he doesn't care about rural Manitobans, Madam Speaker?
Madam Speaker: The honourable member for Concordia, on a final supplementary.
Mr. Wiebe: It's clear, Madam Speaker, that this minister isn't listening, because doctors are confused, nurses are angry, and patients are worried. The minister made these cuts–[interjection]
Madam Speaker: Order.
Mr. Wiebe: –and now he's expecting health professionals to scramble to fill the gaps that he's created. This government left them in the dark, and even the WRHA's chief medical officer admits that they're, quote, struggling to understand the rationale.
Will the minister just admit he hasn't thought through his half-baked plan, and he hasn't properly communicated these changes with the health professionals and front-line workers that will be implementing the changes he's implementing on them?
Mr. Goertzen: Well, Madam Speaker, the greatest challenge that we actually have are individuals, particularly the member for Concordia, fear mongering without actual, real facts. That is the greatest challenge.
I've already indicated to him in the first question that–[interjection]
Madam Speaker: Order.
Mr. Goertzen: –Seven Oaks will continue to have an urgent-care centre; there'll continue to be complex-care beds; they'll continue to do dialysis.
And they do it in many other facilities in Manitoba, in Canada, where they have dialysis without ICU units. They've been doing it in Manitoba for years, and this member never said peep about it because he knows that it is acceptable way to do it, Madam Speaker. Now he's just trying to fear monger without any facts.
Impact of Closure on Patient Care
Mr. Rob Altemeyer (Wolseley): This government's fatally flawed approach to revamping emergency services in Winnipeg is reaching a new low in terms of this government not listening to the obvious facts being presented in front of it.
Just yesterday, we had the doctors from the urgent-care centre at Misericordia go publicly on the record and say, quote, in our opinion, there is certainly no patient-care justification for this closure.
This minister's been claiming all along his moves are to improve patient care. How does he respond to the front-line workers telling him he's wrong?
Hon. Kelvin Goertzen (Minister of Health, Seniors and Active Living): Well, Madam Speaker, I would respond by pointing the member and others to the Peachey report which was commissioned by the NDP government. In fact, Dr. Peachey was sought out by the NDP as a sole-source contractor. [interjection]
Madam Speaker: Order.
Mr. Goertzen: They looked for one person who could redesign the system. They looked for one person in all of North America that the NDP would trust to redesign the system, and they picked him, and now they're trying to run away from the evidence, run away for political expediency.
They had no plan before. They didn't want to act on evidence. They were happy to leave people in the ERs for hours and hours. We're not satisfied with that. The member for wait times can sit there and be satisfied, but we are not satisfied with that, Madam Speaker.
Madam Speaker: I would just indicate to the member that when we're referring to members, it is to be by their constituency name or their portfolio, so'd–I would urge caution in the language that is chosen.
The honourable member for Wolseley, on a supplementary question.
Mr. Altemeyer: I thank you for that, Madam Speaker.
And the only slight problem with the minister's reference to the Peachey report: the Peachey report does not, in any page, suggest that the Misericordia Urgent Care Centre should be closed. It's not in there.
The minister gave a flippant answer when we raised this point weeks ago, saying page 62. Page 62 does not even contain the word Misericordia. This agenda has never been about patient care; it's been about cutting costs.
So let's see if the minister will listen to his own words. Who said, quote, it doesn't cost as much to operate an urgent-care centre as it does an emergency room? It was this Health Minister in Estimates, Madam Speaker.
Mr. Goertzen: Well, and I think the proof is there. Madam Speaker, it doesn't cost as much. But we're doubling the number of urgent-care centres in the city of Winnipeg. We're ensuring that there is the proper care.
As Dr. Peachey put in his NDP-commissioned report, there should be two urgent-care centres in Winnipeg, there should be three acute-care hospitals in Winnipeg and there should be a subacute tertiary care unit. That's exactly the model that we're following, the model that was put out by the NDP, the sole-source contract that was let by the NDP. We're following the plan that they didn't have the courage to follow.
Their solution to everything was to pour hundreds of millions of dollars more to ERs with no results. We'll get results where they failed, Madam Speaker.
Madam Speaker: The honourable member for Wolseley, on a final supplementary.
Mr. Altemeyer: The minister has just conceded that his agenda all along has been about cutting costs and not patient care. I do thank him for that clarification.
There is an additional problem with the answer he just gave. He says there's going to be additional urgent-care centres. Well, it turns out his own official has said–this is Mr. Brock Wright, quoted in today's paper–Wright said, quote, in the future he expects most vulnerable Misericordia patients will choose Health Sciences Centre, with some going to St. Boniface Hospital, not the suburbs where he proposes to build more urgent-care centres.
He won't listen to doctors. He won't listen to nurses. Will he at least listen to patients?
I table this document, Madam Speaker: dozens of personal stories, with the names removed to protect confidentiality, of what Misericordia urgent care means to this community.
Will the minister commit today to back off and keep urgent care open at the Misericordia?
Madam Speaker: Order.
Hon. Brian Pallister (Premier): Rather than listening to experts, Madam Speaker, the opposition is using fear to attempt to shout them down.
The most noted expert in our province, and arguably one of the leading experts in the country, is Dr. Alecs Chochinov, who is head of the department of emergency medicine at the University of Manitoba, who is the regional director of emergency programming for the WRHA, who is president-elect of the Canadian Association of Emergency Physicians. Dr. Chochinov, if the members would care to listen to him, says this: Those patients in Manitoba who have been waiting longer than every other patient across the country are not getting the care they need in our emergency departments as they're presently constituted–[interjection]
Madam Speaker: Order.
Mr. Pallister: Well, perhaps they're not interested in hearing, Madam Speaker–
Madam Speaker: Order please.
Mr. Pallister: –but perhaps you are–because either the diagnostic equipment isn't there; the people to interpret the tests aren't there; the specialists who need to look after them aren't there.
So, in fact, our system actually prolongs care–to have a number of less-equipped emergency departments as opposed to the comprehensive care you can get with a more limited number of emergency departments. This is what every other major centre across Canada has done.
These members knew it was the right thing to do. They failed to do it, and now they're not listening to the experts in our own province, Madam Speaker.
Future of EIA Recipients
Ms. Nahanni Fontaine (St. Johns): Rent Assist is a vital program ensuring low-income seniors, students and working families, as well as those on EIA, have access to safe and affordable housing. Since the program was implemented under our NDP government, more than 20,000 Manitoba households have received benefits. Over 6,000 of these have been through the non-EIA stream and include minimum wage workers, newcomers and seniors.
The minister is reviewing the program. Can he confirm that low–no low-income person or persons receiving EIA will be cut from Rent Assist?
Hon. Scott Fielding (Minister of Families): Well, I guess we've heard all now from the group that's across the way over here.
We know that this government–this–in opposition we pushed hard for the Rent Assist increase that are part of it.
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This government has made substantial increases. In fact, this budget increased the Rent Assist budget by over $36 million. That means low‑income Manitobans and vulnerable Manitobans will be supported more than what was done in the previous administration.
Madam Speaker: The honourable member for St. Johns, on a supplementary question.
Calculation Based on Market Rates
Ms. Fontaine: I'm not sure why the minister is taking credit for our work, but it was our work that got Rent Assist. Regulations stipulate that Rent Assist increases on July 1st.
Some Honourable Members: Oh, oh.
Madam Speaker: Order.
Ms. Fontaine: It must be calculated on the CMHC medium market rates for Winnipeg. Poverty advocates warn any changes to the Rent Assist increase calculations, other than CMHCs Winnipeg medium calculation, will unfairly impact on low-income people in Brandon, Dauphin, Portage and other small communities. There can't be separate rates for smaller communities intrinsically creating second-class citizens.
Can the minister confirm the rent increase will not be contingent on local market conditions and will be implemented evenly across the province?
Mr. Fielding: The member is a new member like myself, still a new member, and we know that what she's learning is revisionist history, because that's exactly what this is. Our government increased the Rent Assist budget by over $36 million. It is the most generous program of any across the country that's a part of it.
We are committed to supporting low-income Manitobans. In fact, under the Rent Assist program, from the time that we've been in office there'll be over 5,500 more people–low income and vulnerable people–supported than we took office in 2016.
Madam Speaker: The honourable member for St. Johns, on a final supplementary.
Funding for Security Supports
Ms. Nahanni Fontaine (St. Johns): Low-income Manitobans who use Rent Assist while living in Manitoba Housing are calling for greater security supports as they struggle to deal with the rise in neighbourhood crime. Residents at the Fred Tipping Place in Fort Garry-Riverview have been calling on Manitoba Housing to take action on the constant drug activities, assaults and gang activities that is happening inside their building, by increasing the number of security cameras. Residents want to see cameras not just in the front lobby, but also in the hallways as well, Madam Speaker.
Will the minister commit today to boosting funding for security supports so that Manitoba Housing residents can feel safe in their homes?
Hon. Scott Fielding (Minister of Families): And this government cares for vulnerable people, people that are in Manitoba Housing. We've supported them in terms of the Rent Assist program by over thousands of more people that are supported–that's low-income and vulnerable Manitobans.
In terms of a housing issue, we know that the previous administration left over $500 million of deferred maintenance, which is exactly the type of items that the member opposite is talking about this. I encourage the member opposite to join our policies in terms of housing, providing housing solutions for Manitobans.
Ability to Call Inquests
Mr. Andrew Swan (Minto): Last year, Madam Speaker, at least seven Manitobans died in our provincial jails. Several others died at Stony Mountain penitentiary. In spite of that, or maybe because of that, the minister has a bill before this House that will sharply reduce the chance of inquests being called when someone dies in custody.
Inquests allow a provincial court judge to determine the circumstances surrounding a death and make recommendations to prevent similar deaths.
Why did the government vote down, without debate, an amendment to allow grieving families to ask for a review of a decision to deny an inquest?
Hon. Heather Stefanson (Minister of Justice and Attorney General): Well, again, the member puts false assertions on the record, and he should know that there are rules that were agreed to with respect to how the House is run. It was agreed to by all parties of the House. The member opposite was part of that at the time and so he knew that there–what the rules were.
Now, I know the member likes to play fast and loose with the rules. When he doesn't like the rules within his own caucus, he conducts a rebellion and that's the way he chooses to conduct this matter, Madam Speaker.
But I will tell Manitobans that this bill before the House is a very good one and it will ensure the future safety of all Manitobans. It does not take away that ability for the Chief Medical Examiner to call inquiries in the cases that he has mentioned.
Madam Speaker: The honourable member for Minto, on a supplementary question.
Changes to Access
Mr. Andrew Swan (Minto): Well, these members voted against grieving families.
Under orders from the Premier (Mr. Pallister), the minister's changing the way Manitobans can access their building–this Legislative building. The minister's made it very clear on the record that arrangements, including conditions for allowing people to enter and stay in the building and even on the grounds, will now be determined through a secret agreement.
Why did the government vote down, without debate, amendments that would have allowed members of this House to have access to the information and confirm that a lack of photo ID does not disqualify a Manitoban from having access to this very building, Madam Speaker?
Hon. Heather Stefanson (Minister of Justice and Attorney General): Well, Madam Speaker, I want to thank the member for the question.
And, of course, if the member opposite and his caucus hadn't spent the last several weeks filibustering various pieces of legislation, we could have had that opportunity to debate that. The member opposite knows the rules–
Some Honourable Members: Oh, oh.
Madam Speaker: Order.
Mrs. Stefanson: –all members of the House know the rules, so there was the opportunity for that to happen.
But I can tell you that we will always put–[interjection]
Madam Speaker: Order.
Mrs. Stefanson: –the safety of Manitobans first. We have a number of schools that attend this Legislative Building and Precinct. We have a number of Manitobans–[interjection]
Madam Speaker: Order.
Mrs. Stefanson: –a number of people outside of our province who visit this Legislature. These rules are put in place to ensure the public safety of all Manitobans when they visit the Legislative Precinct.
Madam Speaker: The honourable member for Minto, on a final supplementary.
Tax Credit to Donors
Mr. Andrew Swan (Minto): Public-sector wages will be frozen. Minimum wage, frozen last year, will now be, as the Minister of Growth called it, a poverty wage, as long as this government has its way. Support for municipalities and universities and colleges–all frozen.
Yet this minister's priority was to raise the maximum annual political donation by 66 per cent, and the Minister of Finance (Mr. Friesen), who tells us he hates tax credits, was right by her side to give a bigger tax credit to those who are the biggest donors.
Why did the government vote down, without debate, amendments to roll back the limits on the influence of the most wealthy?
Hon. Heather Stefanson (Minister of Justice and Attorney General): You know, this coming from a member opposite who went door to door in the last election campaign and faced Manitobans at that door, told them that they wouldn't–that he would not raise their taxes, and the first available opportunity that he and his Cabinet and caucus had, they raised the PST, Madam Speaker. So, I will take no lessons from this member from Minto.
Request for Inquiry
Hon. Jon Gerrard (River Heights): Madam Speaker, on November 6th, 2008, David Fifi passed away, a 52-year-old boilermaker. He was working for Comstock at the Vale smelter site in Thompson. His wife, Lila, who is in the gallery today, has been concerned that his death resulted from exposure to toxic gases at the worksite.
With worker safety being a very top priority, I ask the government: Will it investigate the death of David Fifi and two other deaths of workers at the site at about the same time?
Hon. Cliff Cullen (Minister of Growth, Enterprise and Trade): I thank the member opposite for raising this issue with us.
Certainly, from our perspective as a new government, we extend our sincere sympathy to the family on their loss.
Certainly, from our perspective as a new government, we take workplace safety very seriously, and in view of that, we just commissioned a workplace health and safety review, a very comprehensive review of the legislation. We certainly look forward to receiving feedback from stakeholders, members of the public.
You know, as we move to modernize Manitoba's workplace safety and health framework, I will reassure members that our new government does take workplace safety and health very seriously.
Madam Speaker: The honourable member for River Heights, on a supplementary question.
Mr. Gerrard: Madam Speaker, after being denied access to witnesses' statements for more than eight years, Lila Fifi was finally provided them recently.
I table one. This witness says, he, David Fifi, was on my crew the week prior to this–his death–and we got high gas at least three times a day for at least six days. All members of the crew, including myself, are ill right now.
The evidence shows a major problem with workplace safety existed.
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I ask the minister: Will he call an inquiry into what happened to David Fifi, why the evidence was hidden for so long and ensure changes are made so that similar worker safety issues never happen again?
Mr. Cullen: I'm not aware of the specifics of this case, but I do thank the member for sharing this information.
Certainly, as minister, we want to make sure the legislation was properly followed. I'm certainly not sure where this particular case is in terms of the process. Clearly, there is a process through Workers Compensation Board. There is certainly a review committee there. There's an appeal process, as well. There is a worker advisory committee through the Fair Practices Advocate, as well. So there is a process to be followed and I certainly will follow up in terms of where this particular file is in that process.
Madam Speaker: The honourable member for River Heights, on a final supplementary.
Mr. Gerrard: Madam Speaker, another witness statement, which I table, says: I was working on the 204 duct line with David Fifi and we were getting constantly gassed. This gas cuts right through your respirators so no matter how you try to protect yourself, you can't. That's the week that David Fifi, myself and others all started to feel sick. We were not provided enough gas monitors because more often than not we did not have enough.
He then describes leaks which should've been fixed and says: it's pretty sad that someone had to die before they will look at the problem.
Will the minister call the much‑needed full inquiry today?
Mr. Cullen: As I said, this is my first look at the information, some of the specifics of this particular file.
Certainly, workers' safety is paramount to us and any loss is too many. We certainly want to make sure that we have proper and effective legislation in process–in place. You know, to that end, we're reviewing workplace safety and health legislation and regulation. We've also undertaken a very comprehensive view of the Workers Compensation Board to make sure that the Workers Compensation Board and the process is responding to Manitobans.
So, with that in mind, Madam Speaker, I will certainly look at the specifics of this case, but I will say that Manitobans can rest assured that we, as a new government, do take safety of workers paramount.
Partnerships with Private Sector
Mrs. Colleen Mayer (St. Vital): Madam Speaker, over the last several months, one of the things that I have been hearing from constituents is that they want a way to build their skill sets, and many are looking for entry‑level positions.
With our all-hands-on‑deck approach, we know that we need private sector to be willing partners in this. I know that the Minister for Families has also been hearing this, and particularly from EAI recipients and other stakeholder groups who are working to help people enter the workforce.
Can the minister please tell this House how we are partnering with the private sector to provide these much-needed jobs?
Hon. Scott Fielding (Minister of Families): Well, thank you, Madam Speaker, for the fantastic question.
Manitobans, of course, elected us over a year ago to rebuild the province's economy. We're pleased to have an environment where we're connecting workers with real jobs. Our side of the House truly believes if you create an environment you'll be able to create jobs in and itself.
A good example is this–is a partnership with Canada Goose where we're train–able to train over 250 new hires for their plant here in Winnipeg. Our government invested over $560,000 in a two‑year program that will help generate and return on investment over $7 million in terms of wages that you're going to see on an everyday basis. It also helped to support new hiring for workers for under‑represented areas.
This is examples of how our government wants to work with the private sector to create real jobs–
Madam Speaker: The member's time has expired.
Support for Legislation
Mr. Wab Kinew (Fort Rouge): Madam Speaker, Phyllis Webstad was taken from her parents in 1973 and sent to residential school in British Columbia. Before she was taken, her parents dressed her in an orange shirt. On her first day of school, she was stripped of all her clothes and her orange shirt was never given back. She was six. For her, the orange shirt represents her trauma.
Today, there is a growing movement in schools in Manitoba and across the country to teach young people about residential schools, in part by wearing orange shirts on September 30th.
Will the Premier support Bill 223 and recognize September 30th as Orange Shirt Day in the province of Manitoba?
Hon. Eileen Clarke (Minister of Indigenous and Municipal Relations): I thank the member opposite not only for his question, but the information provided.
I was very pleased last year to take part in a school day workshop with teachers throughout the division where I live and–in recognition of residential schools. And it was an Orange Shirt Day. And I know that other schools and other jurisdictions did the same. We have great respect for that.
Madam Speaker: The honourable member for Fort Rouge, on a supplementary question.
Mr. Kinew: The members in the Legislative Assembly could make it official by supporting Bill 223 and take that participation a step further.
We know that 150,000 kids were taken from their families. We know that children were experimented on, often abused, regularly beaten for speaking the only languages that they knew. Thousands died, including a young boy who shared a bunk with my late father.
Now, this period of cultural genocide resulted in generations of trauma that people such as myself are sorting through to provide a better life for our children. But there is room for all Canadians to get involved in this journey of reconciliation.
So, again, I would ask if the Premier will contribute another step by supporting Bill 223?
Ms. Clarke: Over the past year, I have certainly gained a lot more knowledge, and I've been reading a lot of books from accounts from residential schools, which, you know, really enlightens me.
We were also pleased to have a great meeting with the council of Waywayseecappo last summer, and one of their councillors, an elderly gentleman, expressed that he had been to a school reunion that particular day. And I thought that was quite interesting. And then he explained where it had been a reunion that they had on a weekly basis in Brandon with his other friends and family members that had been in residential school, and explained it as a good experience, and was really happy that he finally felt comfortable talking about it, as well as across our province–this is what's happening.
Madam Speaker: The honourable member for Fort Rouge, on a final supplementary.
Mr. Kinew: The Truth and Reconciliation Commission's call to action No. 80 calls for us to create a national statutory holiday to honour residential school survivors.
Now, it's not just about commemorating the darkness of what happened–that is important, we don't want to repeat the mistakes of the past in any way–but it is also having a day to honour residential school survivors and for their resilience, so we can all take inspiration from those who overcame trauma and became great people.
So, again, will the Premier support Bill 223 and recognize September 30th as Orange Shirt Day in Manitoba?
Hon. Brian Pallister (Premier): I thank the member for the question. It's an important one, and particularly of importance, I think, in terms of the actions going forward that he referenced in his preamble.
I would also mention that I was very proud to be part of a federal government that issued, for the first time in Canadian history, an apology for the residential schools debacle, and I think it was an important gesture, and more than symbolic–an important healing exercise, as well.
I was also proud to be representing the people of Manitoba, as a Member of Parliament at the time that our government pushed forward an initiative, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. And I applaud the work of our now-Senator Murray Sinclair and his colleagues across the country for their tremendous efforts in respect of addressing these issues, not in the sense of shame, but, rather, in the sense of a joint future exercise that can see us build a stronger relationship and a stronger country in the future. That's what's we'll continue to focus on together here, I hope.
Funding Inquiry
Mr. Tom Lindsey (Flin Flon): The government seems to have forgotten the important priorities for the city of Brandon. The government has delayed important infrastructure decisions for the city, such as whether it will fund the Keystone Centre.
For over a year they've been waiting. Brandonites deserve better than this.
Will this government give them a straight answer? Will it fund the Keystone Centre ongoing, yes or no?
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Some Honourable Members: Oh, oh.
Madam Speaker: Order.
Hon. Brian Pallister (Premier): Well, as proud as we are about many issues, Madam Speaker, we are proudest of the fact that we here understand the importance of agriculture and the agricultural contribution in the province of Manitoba, and represent, along with the member for The Pas (Ms. Lathlin), all the farmers of Manitoba and all the agricultural producers in Manitoba on this side of the House.
And so we are particularly cognizant of the tremendous contributions of the centre the member references in his preamble. I would say, also, though, we are cognizant of the mantle we were handed, the mandate we were given by the people of Manitoba after a decade of debt to fix the finances of our province after a decade of decay to repair the social services, and after a decade of decline, Madam Speaker–[interjection]
Madam Speaker: Order.
Mr. Pallister: –we are, all of us here as a team, dedicated to rebuilding the economy of our province. Thank you.
Madam Speaker: The time for oral questions has expired.
Mr. Jim Maloway (Elmwood): I wish to present–[interjection]
Madam Speaker: Order.
Mr. Maloway: –the following petition to the Legislative Assembly.
The background of the petition is as follows: [interjection]
Madam Speaker: Order.
Mr. Maloway: (1) The taxi industry in Winnipeg provides an important service to all Manitobans.
(2) The taxi industry is regulated to ensure that there are both the provision of taxi service and a fair and affordable fare structure.
(3) Regulations have been put in place that have made Winnipeg a leader in protecting the safety of taxi drivers through the installation of shields and cameras.
(4) The regulated taxi system also has the significant measures in place to protect passengers, including a stringent complaint system.
(5) The provincial government has moved to bring in legislation through Bill 30 that would transfer jurisdiction to the City of Winnipeg in order to bring in so-called ride-sharing services like Uber.
(6)–[interjection]
Madam Speaker: Order.
Mr. Maloway: –There were no consultations with the taxi industry prior to the introduction of this bill.
(7) The introduction of this bill jeopardizes safety, traffic–taxi service and also puts consumers at risk, as well as the livelihood of hundreds of Manitobans, many of whom have invested their life savings into the industry.
(8) The proposed legislation also puts the regulated framework at risk and could lead to issues such as what has been seen in other jurisdictions, including differential pricing, not providing service to some areas of the city and significant risks in terms of taxi driver and passenger safety.
We petition the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba as follows:
To urge the provincial government to withdraw its plans to deregulate the taxi industry, including withdrawing Bill 30.
And this petition is signed by many, many Manitobans.
Madam Speaker: In accordance with our rule 133(6), when petitions are read they are deemed to be received by the House.
Ms. Amanda Lathlin (The Pas): I wish to present the following petition to the Legislative Assembly.
The background to this petition is as follows:
(1) Manitobans recognize that–excuse me–everyone deserves quality accessible health care.
(2) The people of northern Manitoba face unique challenges when accessing health care, including weather, remote communities and seasonal roads.
(3) The provincial government has already unwisely cancelled northern health investments, including clinics in The Pas and Thompson.
(4) Furthermore, the provincial government has taken a course that will discourage doctors from practising in the North, namely, their decision to cut a grant program designed to bring more doctors to rural Manitoba.
(5) The provincial government has also substantially cut investments in roads and highways, which will make it more difficult for northerners to access health care.
(6) The provincial government's austerity approach is now threatening to cut funding for essential programs such as the Northern Patient Transportation Program, which was designed to help some of the most vulnerable people in the province.
(7) The provincial government has recently announced it would cancel the airfare subsidy for patient escorts who fly to Winnipeg for medical treatment, which will be devastating for patients with mobility issues, dementia or who are elderly and need assistance getting to the city.
(8) The challengers–the challenges that northerners face will only be overcome if the provincial government respects, improves and adequately funds quality programs that were designed to help northerners, such as the Northern Patient Transportation Program.
We petition the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba as follows:
To urge the provincial government to recognize the absolute necessity of maintaining and improving the Northern Patient Transportation Program by continuing to respect northern patient transfer agreements and funding these services in accordance of the needs of northern Manitobans.
This petition has been signed by many, many Manitobans. Thank you.
Mr. Ted Marcelino (Tyndall Park): Madam Speaker, I wish to present the following petition to the Legislative Assembly.
The background to this petition is as follows:
The taxi industry in Winnipeg provides an important service to all Manitobans.
(2) The taxi industry is regulated to ensure there are both the provision of taxi service and a fair and affordable fare structure.
(3) Regulations have been put in place that has made Winnipeg a leader in protecting the safety of taxi drivers through the installation of shields and cameras.
(4) The regulated taxi system also has significant measures in place to protect passengers, including a stringent complaint system.
(5) The provincial government has moved to bring in legislation through Bill 30 that will transfer jurisdiction to the City of Winnipeg in order to bring in so-called ride-sharing services like Uber.
(6) There were no consultations with the taxi industry prior to the introduction of this bill.
(7) The introduction of this bill jeopardizes safety, taxi service, and also puts consumers at risk, as well as the livelihood of hundreds of Manitobans, many of whom have invested their life savings into the industry.
(8) The proposed legislation also puts the regulated framework at risk and could lead to issues such as what has been seen in other jurisdictions, including differential pricing, not providing service to some areas of the city, and significant risks in terms of taxi driver and passenger safety.
We petition the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba as follows:
To urge the provincial government to withdraw its plans to deregulate the taxi industry, including withdrawing Bill 30.
This petition was signed by many Manitobans.
Mr. Tom Lindsey (Flin Flon): I wish to present the following petition to the Legislative Assembly.
The background to this petition is as follows:
(1) Manitobans recognize that everyone deserves quality, accessible health care.
(2) The people of northern Manitoba face unique challenges when accessing health care, including inclement weather, remote communities and seasonal roads.
(3) The provincial government has already unwisely cancelled northern health investments, including clinics in The Pas and Thompson.
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(4) Furthermore, the provincial government has taken a course that will discourage doctors from practising in the North, namely, their decision to cut a grant program designed to bring more doctors to rural Manitoba.
(5) The provincial government has also substantially cut investments in roads and highways, which will make it more difficult for northerners to access health care.
(6) The provincial government's austerity approach is now threatening to cut funding for essential programs such as the Northern Patient Transportation Program, which was designed to help some of the most vulnerable people in the province.
(7) The provincial government has recently announced it would cancel the airfare subsidy for patient escorts who fly to Winnipeg for medical treatment, which will be devastating for patients with mobility issues, dementia or who are elderly and need assistance getting to the city.
(8) The challenges that northerners face will only be overcome if the provincial government respects, improves and adequately funds quality programs that were designed to help northerners, such as the Northern Patient Transportation Program.
We petition the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba as follows:
To urge the provincial government to recognize the absolute necessity of maintaining and improving the Northern Patient Transportation Program by continuing to respect Northern Patient Transfer agreements and funding these services in accordance with the needs of northern Manitobans.
And this petition has been signed by many northern Manitobans.
Ms. Flor Marcelino (Leader of the Official Opposition): I wish to present the following petition to the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba.
And the background for this petition is as follows:
(1) The taxi industry in Winnipeg provides an important service to all Manitobans.
(2) The taxi industry is regulated to ensure there are both the provision of taxi service and a fair and affordable fare structure.
(3) Regulations have been put in place that has made Winnipeg a leader in protecting the safety of taxi drivers through the installation of shields and cameras.
(4) The regulated taxi service also has significant measures in place to protect passengers, including a stringent complaint system.
(5) The provincial government has moved to bring in legislation through Bill 30 that will transfer jurisdiction to the City of Winnipeg in order to bring in so-called ride-sharing services like Uber.
(6) There were no consultations with the taxi industry prior to the introduction of this bill.
(7) The introduction of this bill jeopardizes safety, taxi service and also puts consumers at risk, as well as the livelihood of hundreds of Manitobans, many of whom have invested their life savings into the industry.
(8) The proposed legislation also puts the regulated framework at risk and could lead to issues such as what has been seen in other jurisdictions, including differential pricing, not providing service to some areas of the city and significant risks in terms of taxi driver and passenger safety.
We petition the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba as follows:
To urge the provincial government to withdraw its plans to deregulate the taxi industry, including withdrawing Bill 30.
Signed by many, many Manitobans. Thank you.
Mr. Mohinder Saran (The Maples): Madam Speaker, I wish to present the following petition to the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba.
The background to this petition is as follows:
(1) The taxi industry in Winnipeg provides an important service to all Manitobans.
(2) The taxi industry is regulated to ensure there are both the provision of taxi service and a fair and affordable fare structure.
(3) The regulations have been put in place that has made Winnipeg a leader in protecting the safety of taxi drivers through the installation of shields and cameras.
(4) The regulated taxi system also has significant measures in place to protect the passengers, including a stringent complaint system.
(5) The provincial government has moved to bring in legislation through Bill 30 that will transfer jurisdiction to the City of Winnipeg in order to bring in so-called ride-sharing services like Uber.
(6) There were no consultations with the taxi industry prior to the introduction of this bill.
(7) The introduction of this bill jeopardizes safety, taxi service and also puts consumers at risk, as well as the livelihood of hundreds of Manitobans, many of whom have invested their life savings into the industry.
(8) The proposed legislation had–also puts the regulated framework at risk and could lead to issues such as what has been seen in other jurisdictions, including differential pricing, not providing service to some areas of the city and significant risks in terms of taxi driver and passenger safety.
We petition the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba as follows:
To urge the provincial government to withdraw its plans to deregulate the taxi industry, including withdrawing Bill 30.
Signed by many Manitobans.
Madam Speaker: Grievances?
Mr. Andrew Swan (Minto): Here it is, the 61st day of the session, and I've decided this is probably an appropriate day to rise on a grievance.
Every day, it becomes clearer, Madam Speaker, this government has a problem. It's democratic deficit disorder. And this government was handed a set of rules which, of course, gives the government some major advantages. We know that they're entitled to have certain bills passed within a certain time, which is actually a big advantage to the government.
But what is very, very clear is that, despite being given that, this government doesn't want debate; this government doesn't want to have to justify its decisions; and, of course, when they are asked questions–as we see even today–they lash out. They lash out at those of us in the opposition doing our job to ask questions of the government to try and improve laws for the people of the province of Manitoba.
And even as I hear the Minister for Crown Services heckling, as he did last night when I put on the record our suggested amendments to make things more fair for grieving families, to make things more fair for people without photo identification, he continued to yammer from his seat, as he continues to do even as I speak here today. That minister, and all ministers, do have a problem, and it's a democratic deficit.
Now, it–nothing was more abundantly clear on the level which this government has sunk to in just over a year as yesterday, as we got to voting on report stage amendments. And I say voting on report stage amendments, Madam Speaker, because debating report stage amendments was not something this government was interested in doing. The only report stage amendment that this government chose to call was about an hour of discussion on a very, very good amendment put forward by the member for Flin Flon (Mr. Lindsey) on Bill 33.
So, because the members last night were clearly not listening, I'm going to spend some time talking about some of the report stage amendments that they voted down just last night. And I'll start with Bill 17.
There was an amendment to Bill 17, which is the Crown–I'm sorry, the court safety–Court Security Amendment Act, a bill which passed quickly through this House despite what the Minister of Justice (Mrs. Stefanson) would like people to believe. And, in fact, it went to committee on April the 5th. And it passed through committee quickly, and I filed a report stage amendment in this House, and it was distributed on April the 10th. For those of you without a calendar at your seat, that is over seven weeks ago. And this government chose not to even call this report stage amendment, and not to have one single moment of debate on that amendment. And they waited until they took advantage of the rules and had a vote without any debate.
And that's too bad, Madam Speaker, because the amendment proposed to Bill 17 was actually something that would have made things better for Manitobans. And that amendment would provide that Manitobans who have to attend court–whether as a party to a lawsuit or a witness or a family member or a friend supporting someone else–well, they'd be able to take their medication with them to prevent them from having seizures or, perhaps, from having a negative reaction from the stress of being in a–the courthouse. And I can tell you, Madam Speaker, even for lawyers and for police officers and those who are used to being in court, it is a stressful place. People are not at their best. So much more so for people who are there not because they work in that place or they choose to be in that place, but because they have to be there.
And it was fascinating, actually. I had a discussion with some government members whose names, of course, I am not going to put on the record, who actually are quite knowledgeable. They know people who require cannabis products or other medication to be able to get by. And some of them know people who served in our military, who served in our–in law enforcement who actually require those products because they suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder. And we had an informal discussion–again, I'm not going to put their names on the record because I don't want them to get in trouble with the administration across the way–but they understood and they knew, unlike some of the members who sit in the front row of this government, that there are Manitobans who depend on cannabis and other products as medication to be able to go through their day.
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And it is a shame that this government chose not to have a mature discussion about that and, instead, chose to hide for seven weeks–seven weeks–without even allowing me, as the opposition critic, to put forward the reasons for that, hopefully have an informed discussion and perhaps have some of the members on the–in the government side, who do have some knowledge and who I believe do have some compassion on this issue, to have the discussion in their caucus. And that was truly a lost opportunity.
And what about Bill 16, where the minister wants to greatly reduce the number of inquests that are held in the province of Manitoba, especially from deaths in custody? Seven deaths in custody in Manitoba last year–that's a number that I don't know has ever been seen. Deaths at the Stony Mountain Institution, the federal penitentiary north of Winnipeg, and this minister wants to take this year to cut down the number of inquests, to reduce the ability of a Provincial Court judge to conduct an inquest, find out what happened and make recommendations to try and stop tragedies like this from happening in future.
And I put forward a very, very gentle resolution, which would provide that any change in policies, whether provincial, municipal, federal, would be grounds to call an inquest. And that was voted down last night. And I put forward an amendment to provide that the Chief Medical Examiner could not fail to call an inquest simply because he believed there was some other process for reviewing the facts. The key in that amendment was that it should be a public process. When there is a death in custody, I know that the Department of Justice investigates and they do a good job and they provide that information to the minister. It doesn't go to the Chief Medical Examiner. It doesn't go to the general public. And it certainly doesn't go to the grieving families who've lost somebody whose time in a provincial institution or a federal institution has turned into a death sentence. And I'm sorry that this minister and this government didn't have the courage to call this bill–this amendment and have a discussion about that in this House. And that's another missed opportunity.
And also on Bill 16 I'd put forward an amendment taken from the Province of Ontario which would provide for the ability for a grieving family to at least have a review of the decision of the Chief Medical Examiner not to call an inquest. The Minister of Justice (Mrs. Stefanson), by this bill, is taking herself entirely out of the picture. She's not going to be responsible for anything. And all this amendment would have done would be to provide that a family who is grieving, who are upset, who want answers, could ask the Chief Medical Examiner to review their decision and if they were unsatisfied with that to ask the minister to review the decision, not to force the minister to say there should be an inquest, but just to have the minister turn his or her attention to the fact that someone has died in jail. And nobody seems to care about that. And that's another missed opportunity.
And what about Bill 18? Well, Bill 18, which is itself a democratic deficit bill, is probably going to be the first bill that's ever going to pass through this Legislature without a single word of debate being spoken before 5 p.m.
This was one of the bills that this government held off until the last possible day for second readings. And we went through it. I was able to speak for 10 minutes on this bill. None of my NDP colleagues were able to speak for a minute on this bill. And we proceeded straight to–straight through then to committee. And this government, of course, refused to call any of the amendments that I'd put forward to try and give people some reasonable access to a building they have had access to for more than–or for approximately 100 years. And all I had asked is that the secret arrangement that the Minister of Justice told us about–where all of the decisions regarding who's given access to the building, what are the circumstances for someone being removed from the building, that's going to be kept secret. And all I had asked by my amendment last night was that MLAs, members of this very House, should have the right to see what the rules are going to be for allowing people in or what the conditions will be for people to be removed. And this government voted down that amendment without a single word of debate on that, and that is a shame for democracy in Manitoba, Madam Speaker.
And what else did we ask for last night? We asked for a provision that the lack of photo identification should not disqualify somebody from coming into their building and being in the Legislative Assembly.
Some Honourable Members: Oh, oh.
Mr. Swan: And this government, without a word of debate, voted against that. If you don't have photo ID, you're not welcome. I wish the Minister of Justice could go up and tell those grade 3 students up in the gallery that if they don't have photo ID– [interjection]
Madam Speaker: Order.
Mr. Swan: –there's no guarantee they'd be able to be here. [interjection]
Madam Speaker: Order.
Mr. Swan: She should tell seniors who may not have a driver's licence that she can't guarantee they're going to be given access when they come down and they protest because of the Concordia ER being closed or the Seven Oaks ER being closed or the Victoria ER being closed or the Misericordia Urgent Care Centre being closed.
This is anti-democratic and it's only doubled over by the fact that this minister and this government would not allow for a single moment of debate on any of those amendments. This Minister of Justice should be ashamed of herself. All of these members should be ashamed of 'theirself'.
We're going to keep fighting for people's rights. We're going to keep fighting for democracy. I wish a few members in the–of the government would get onside and be with us and pay attention to good amendments–
Some Honourable Members: Oh, oh.
An Honourable Member: Thank you very much, Madam Speaker, and I am proud to join my passionate and–
Madam Speaker: Sorry, I'm going to have to repeat. Sorry, I'm going to have to repeat that again.
The honourable member for Wolseley, on a grievance.
Mr. Rob Altemeyer (Wolseley): I am proud to join my passionate and articulate colleague from Minto in presenting a grievance this afternoon.
This is not something that I do lightly, Madam Speaker. A grievance is, of course, only available to any MLA once in an entire session. It gives us a rare opportunity for a few minutes to share concerns that we have in an attempt to get the government to do something that this government is lousy at, and that is listen.
There are maybe a handful of people outside of this Chamber right now listening to my speech live. A 10-minute speech is way too long to be mailed out to any constituents, so my message here today is purely for the members opposite. And the theme is: when you don't listen, people get hurt and you miss out on important opportunities that could make the world a better place.
As my honourable colleague from Minto has just articulated so well, this government has taken page after page after page out of the Stephen Harper playbook and is blocking the democratic process at multiple fronts. And last night was just a perfect example. We were, under agreement by all parties, supposed to have three full days of debate. Three full days, Madam Speaker, where any MLA–government or opposition–could present amendments to the government's legislative agenda in an attempt to convince the government that maybe they didn't get it one hundred per cent right, one hundred per cent of the time.
This government, instead of three days of debate, through their own incompetence and their own ill will towards democratic process, gave us one hour on one piece of legislation.
An Honourable Member: It wasn't even specified, not a specified bill.
Mr. Altemeyer: And it wasn't even a specified bill, as our House leader has just pointed out. They gave us zero on all the rest of them.
Now, Madam Speaker, part of this problem started when the government's own caucus split apart on Bill 19. This is the so-called Efficiency Manitoba Act, and their own member for Assiniboia (Mr. Fletcher) blocked any progress at the committee level. On the first night, we were there 'til midnight. I was there; I would know. And then, on the second night, we had the truly bizarre circumstance where the minister himself who had authored this flawed legislation tried to match his own colleague, the MLA for Assiniboia, in filibustering his own government bill, something I have never seen in all my time down here at the Legislature.
There was, therefore, no opportunity for debate on this flawed legislation. I had over two dozen amendments–constructive amendments, not overly political amendments at all, but amendments that would make this legislation functional in a far better way than what the public was presented with originally by this government. I ended up only being able to read out the amendments. I read out half of them at committee. The government summarily dismissed them all.
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And then last night, we had a repeat of the same fiasco, where this government denied the opportunity to have any meaningful debate on the ideas that were brought forward–not just by me on Bill 19, but by other honourable colleagues in our caucus who had good, constructive ideas to bring forward.
And Madam Speaker, let me make this perfectly clear: the members opposite, the Conservatives, they won the last election. They have won the right–
Some Honourable Members: Oh, oh.
Mr. Altemeyer: They have won the right to govern; nobody is disputing that. What they have not won, Madam Speaker, what they have not earned is the right to conduct themselves with arrogance such that nobody else's ideas, such that nobody else's suggestions are ever even worth the time of day.
That is not something that any government which is serving the public good, serving the well‑being of all Manitobans should ever even have strived for, but this government is accomplishing it day after day after day, and they need to look themselves in the mirror and ask themselves, are we actually doing a disservice by shutting down opposition voices and refusing to listen to any suggestions?
And let's just take a few examples, Madam Speaker. Let's just take a few examples of the opportunities this government lost by dismissing every single one of the amendments that I brought forward. For instance, the Manitoba Industrial Power Users Group represents some of the largest employers and largest companies in our province. They use significant amounts of electricity. Their position has been very clear, year after year after year, that the type of expertise, the type of relationship, the type of accomplishments they've managed to achieve by working with specific personnel at Manitoba Hydro, is fundamentally different from the type of Power Smart operations that would apply more to your home, to my home or to a small business.
They wanted to stay with that relationship directly with Manitoba Hydro. I brought in an amendment which would say, okay, Efficiency Manitoba, if the government insists on creating it as a duplicate Crown corporation for whatever reason, let's just keep the relationship with the Manitoba Industrial Power Users Group separate. The government voted against that. They will have to be held accountable to that organization and explain to them why they didn't listen to their concerns.
Let's take another example. Efficiency Manitoba makes absolutely no reference and absolutely no provision for the type of energy efficiency work that can be done with First Nations. The word First Nations doesn't even appear in the entire legislation. Madam Speaker, I brought in specific amendments which would clarify and empower and direct Efficiency Manitoba that they can also, they should also, they must also work with First Nations to make sure that they are not left out in the energy efficiency work and benefits of that, that can happen across the province in terms of lower bills, in terms of job creation, in terms of cleaning up the planet. What did this government do? No debate, no discussion, just a rejection.
And, Madam Speaker, let's go to climate change. Climate change, my goodness, this government did not even make addressing greenhouse gas emissions from Manitoba part of the core function of Efficiency Manitoba. My amendments would've done that in a perfectly reasonable way. It gave Cabinet the opportunity to bring in whatever regulations it wanted at whatever pace it wanted. That, again, completely rejected.
And let's draw a parallel here, Madam Speaker. Everyone knows climate change is the single biggest issue facing the world right now. Just today we have the US President, Donald Trump, indicating that he is going to pull his country out of the Paris climate accord.
Here in Manitoba, we have a provincial government which has twice promised a climate action plan–[interjection]
Madam Speaker: Order. Order.
Mr. Altemeyer: Madam Speaker, I thank you for the intervention, and I would remind members opposite who are enjoying heckling my speech that the starting theme for this was listening. They haven't quite got past the title, but I will continue.
Donald Trump is pulling America out of the climate accord and here in Manitoba the Pallister government is ignoring the issue in exactly the same way. To the planet, to my children, to their children, to all of our grandchildren, to the health of the planet as a whole there is no difference between what Trump is doing and between what the Pallister government is not doing. The end result is the same, especially when we have a Finance Minister who's gone on the record saying that emissions in Manitoba are projected to go up over the next dozen years and not down, as they simply have to begin to happen.
And another example of a lost opportunity: because this government is not listening, we saw it again here today during question period about this government's incredibly bizarre and nonsensical decision to try and close the Misericordia Urgent Care Centre. We have a Health Minister who on the one hand says, oh, it's all about better patient care. Then we have the doctors who actually work at the urgent care centre saying there is no rationale for improved patient care in this move.
Then we have the minister saying, oh, well, people can go to urgent care centres elsewhere, and, lo and behold, his own official goes on the record in the paper today saying: The people who go to Misericordia, we expect them to go to the emergency rooms at Health Sciences and St. Boniface, which is what everyone in Wolseley, in River Heights, in Fort Rouge and across the city has been saying from day one about this boneheaded idea.
You do not shut down an urgent care centre in the inner city and pretend to have even the faintest clue of what you're doing for health policy.
And, Madam Speaker, it is not a pleasure to deliver this speech. As I mentioned at the outset, there is only one opportunity to do this, and I do it purely because I am hoping somebody over there is finally going to start listening, start listening to someone other than themselves, stop listening to someone other than what they see in the mirror every day and start paying attention to the mistakes and the opportunities that are lost because of the approach they are taking.
Manitobans are going to get hurt. Manitobans are already hurting. Our future is not going to be what it should be, and this government–I beg and I plead of them to please take a far more parliamentary approach, follow less of a Harper approach and start governing for the betterment of all Manitobans, please.
House Business
Hon. Andrew Micklefield (Government House Leader): Madam Speaker, I would like to announce that the Standing Committee on Public Accounts will meet on June 19, 2017, at 1 p.m. to consider the following reports: Auditor General's Report–Follow‑up of Our December 2006 Report: Audit of the Child and Family Services Division Pre‑Devolution Child in Care Processes and Practices dated September 2012; Auditor General's Report–Follow-up of Previously Issued Recommendations, dated May 2015, section 3–Special audit: Society for Manitobans with Disabilities; Auditor General's Report–Follow-up of Recommendations, dated March, 2017, Manitoba Early Learning and Child Care Program. Witnesses to be called: Minister of Families, Deputy Minister of Families.
Madam Speaker: It has been announced that the Standing Committee on Public Accounts will meet on June 19, 2017, at 1 p.m. to consider the following reports: Auditor General's Report–Follow‑up of our December 26th report: Audit of the Child and Family Services Division Pre‑devolution Child in Care Processes and Practices dated September 2012; Auditor General's Report–Follow‑up of Previously Issued Recommendations, dated May 2015, section 3–Special audit: Society for Manitobans with Disabilities; Auditor General's Report–Follow‑up of Recommendations, dated March, 2017, Manitoba Early Learning and Child Care Program. Witnesses to be called: Minister of Families and Deputy Minister of Families.
Mr. Micklefield: Madam Speaker, could you please canvass the House for leave to waive rule 119 for the rest of this session to allow the Standing Committee on Public Accounts to call witnesses in addition to ministers and deputy ministers.
Madam Speaker: Is there leave to waive rule 119 for the rest of this session to allow the Standing Committee on Public Accounts to call witnesses in addition to ministers and deputy ministers? Agreed? [Agreed]
* * *
Mr. Micklefield: This afternoon we would like to proceed with Interim Supply.
Madam Speaker: It has been announced that the House will consider Interim Supply this afternoon.
The House will now resolve into Committee of Supply to consider the resolutions respecting the Interim Supply Bill.
Mr. Deputy Speaker, please take the Chair.
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Mr. Chairperson (Doyle Piwniuk): Will the Committee of Supply please come to order.
We have before us the consideration of two resolutions respecting the Interim Supply bill.
The first resolution respecting operating expenditures for the Interim Supply reads as follows:
RESOLVED that a sum not exceeding $10,191,552,000, being 75 per cent of the total amount to be voted as set forth in part A, Operating Expenditures, of the Estimates, be granted to Her Majesty for the fiscal year ending the 31st day of March, 2018.
Does the Minister of Finance have any opening comments?
Hon. Cameron Friesen (Minister of Finance): I do not.
Mr. Chairperson: Does the official opposition Finance critic have any opening comments? No?
Okay, the floor is open for questions.
There's no questions?
Is the committee ready for the question?
Some Honourable Members: Question.
Mr. Chairperson: Shall the resolution pass?
Some Honourable Members: Pass.
Some Honourable Members: No.
Mr. Chairperson: I hear a no.
The honourable member for Elmwood–
Voice Vote
Mr. Chairperson: All those in favour of the passing of the resolution, please say yea.
Some Honourable Members: Yea.
Mr. Chairperson: All those opposed to the passing of the resolution, please say nay.
Some Honourable Members: Nay.
Mr. Chairperson: In my opinions, the Yeas have it.
Recorded Vote
Mr. Jim Maloway (Official Opposition House Leader): Mr. Deputy Speaker, I request a recorded vote.
Mr. Chairperson: A recorded vote has been requested. Call in the members.
Will–the question before the committee is the first resolution respecting Operating Expenditures for Interim Supply.
A COUNT-OUT VOTE was taken, the result being as follows: Yeas 35, Nays 13.
Mr. Chairperson: The resolution is accordingly passed.
* * *
Mr. Chairperson: The second resolution respecting capital investment for the Interim Supply reads as follows:
RESOLVED that a sum not exceeding $619,648,000 being 90 per cent of the total amount to be voted as set out in part B of Capital Investment, of the Estimates, be granted by Her Majesty for the–granted to Her Majesty for the fiscal year ending the 31st day of March, 2018.
Does the Minister of Finance have any opening comments?
Mr. Friesen: I do not.
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Mr. Chairperson: Okay, there's no comments from the minister.
Does the official opposition–does the opposition Finance critic have any opening comments?
Mr. James Allum (Fort Garry-Riverview): No, I do not.
Mr. Chairperson: Okay, there's no comments.
The floor is opening for questions. Any questions? There's no questions.
Is the committee ready for the question? Shall the resolution pass? [Agreed]
This concludes the business for the committee. The committee rise.
Call in the Speaker.
IN SESSION
Madam Speaker: The honourable member for Arthur-Virden.
Mr. Doyle Piwniuk (Chairperson): Madam Speaker, the Committee of Supply has considered and adopted two resolutions respecting Interim Supply.
I move, seconded by the honourable member for Morris (Mr. Martin), that the report be–the report of the committee be received.
Motion presented.
Madam Speaker: Is it the pleasure of the House to adopt the motion? Agreed?
Some Honourable Members: Agreed.
Some Honourable Members: No.
Madam Speaker: I hear a no.
Voice Vote
Madam Speaker: All those opposed to the motion, please–all those in favour in of the motion, please say yea.
Some Honourable Members: Yea.
Madam Speaker: All those opposed, please say nay.
Some Honourable Members: Nay.
Madam Speaker: In my opinion, the Yeas have it.
Recorded Vote
Mr. Jim Maloway (Official Opposition House Leader): Madam Speaker, I request a recorded vote.
Madam Speaker: A recorded vote having been called, call in the members.
The question before the House is the motion to receive the report of the committee.
Division
A RECORDED VOTE was taken, the result being as follows:
Yeas
Bindle, Clarke, Curry, Eichler, Ewasko, Fletcher, Friesen, Goertzen, Graydon, Guillemard, Helwer, Isleifson, Johnson, Johnston, Lagassé, Lagimodiere, Martin, Mayer, Michaleski, Micklefield, Morley‑Lecomte, Nesbitt, Pallister, Pedersen, Piwniuk, Reyes, Schuler, Smith, Smook, Squires, Stefanson, Teitsma, Wharton, Wishart, Wowchuk, Yakimoski.
Nays
Allum, Altemeyer, Fontaine, Klassen, Lamoureux, Lathlin, Lindsey, Maloway, Marcelino (Logan), Marcelino (Tyndall Park), Swan, Wiebe.
Madam Speaker: Order.
Clerk (Ms. Patricia Chaychuk): Yeas 36, Nays 12.
Madam Speaker: I declare the motion carried.
* * *
Hon. Cameron Friesen (Minister of Finance): Madam Speaker, I move, seconded by the Minister of Justice (Mrs. Stefanson), that there be granted to Her Majesty on account of Certain Expenditures of the Public Service for the fiscal year ending March the 31st, 2018, out of the Consolidated Fund, the sums of $10,191,552,000, being 75 per cent of the total amount to be voted as set out in part A, Operating Expenditure, and $619,648,000, being 90 per cent of the total amount to be voted as set out in part B, Capital Investment, of the Estimates, laid before the House at the present session of the Legislature.
Madam Speaker: It has been moved by the honourable Minister of Finance, seconded by the honourable Minister of Justice, that there be granted to Her Majesty on account of Certain Expenditures of the Public Service for the fiscal year ending March 31st, 2018, out of the Consolidated Fund, the sums of $10,191,552,000, being 75 per cent of the total amount to be voted as set out in part A, Operating Expenditure, and $619,648,000, being 90 per cent of the total amount to be voted as set out in part B, Capital Investment, of the Estimates, laid before the House at the present session of the Legislature.
Is it the pleasure of the House to adopt the motion? Agreed?
Some Honourable Members: Agreed.
An Honourable Member: No.
Madam Speaker: I hear a no.
Voice Vote
Madam Speaker: All those in favour of the motion, please say yea.
Some Honourable Members: Yea.
Madam Speaker: All those opposed, please say nay.
Some Honourable Members: Nay.
Madam Speaker: In my opinion, the Yeas have it.
Recorded Vote
Mr. Maloway: Madam Speaker, I request a recorded vote.
Madam Speaker: A recorded vote having been called, call in the members.
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The question before the House is the motion put forward by the Minister of Finance.
Division
A RECORDED VOTE was taken, the result being as follows:
Yeas
Bindle, Clarke, Cox, Curry, Eichler, Ewasko, Fielding, Fletcher, Friesen, Goertzen, Graydon, Guillemard, Helwer, Isleifson, Johnson, Johnston, Lagassé, Lagimodiere, Martin, Mayer, Michaleski, Micklefield, Morley-Lecomte, Nesbitt, Pallister, Pedersen, Piwniuk, Reyes, Schuler, Smith, Smook, Squires, Stefanson, Teitsma, Wharton, Wishart, Wowchuk.
Nays
Allum, Altemeyer, Fontaine, Gerrard, Klassen, Lamoureux, Lathlin, Lindsey, Maloway, Marcelino (Logan), Marcelino (Tyndall Park), Swan, Wiebe.
Clerk: Yeas 37, Nays 13.
Madam Speaker: I declare the motion carried.
Hon. Cameron Friesen (Minister of Finance): I move, seconded by the Minister of Infrastructure (Mr. Pedersen), that Bill 38, The Interim Appropriation Act, 2017 (2); Loi de 2017 portant affectation anticipée de crédits (2), be now read a first time and be ordered for a second reading immediately.
Motion presented.
Madam Speaker: Is it the pleasure of the House to adopt the motion? Agreed?
Some Honourable Members: Agreed.
Some Honourable Members: No.
Madam Speaker: I hear a no.
Voice Vote
Madam Speaker: All those in favour of the motion, please say yea.
Some Honourable Members: Yea.
Madam Speaker: All those opposed, please say nay.
Some Honourable Members: Nay.
Madam Speaker: In my opinion, the Yeas have it.
Recorded Vote
Mr. Jim Maloway (Official Opposition House Leader): Madam Speaker, I request a recorded vote.
Madam Speaker: A recorded vote having been called, call in the members.
The question before the House is Bill 38, The Interim Appropriation Act, 2017 (2), the first reading.
Division
A RECORDED VOTE was taken, the result being as follows:
Yeas
Bindle, Clarke, Cox, Cullen, Curry, Eichler, Ewasko, Fielding, Fletcher, Friesen, Goertzen, Graydon, Guillemard, Helwer, Isleifson, Johnson, Johnston, Lagassé, Lagimodiere, Martin, Mayer, Michaleski, Micklefield, Morley-Lecomte, Nesbitt, Pallister, Pedersen, Piwniuk, Reyes, Schuler, Smith, Smook, Squires, Stefanson, Teitsma, Wharton, Wishart, Wowchuk, Yakimoski.
Nays
Allum, Altemeyer, Fontaine, Gerrard, Klassen, Lamoureux, Lathlin, Lindsey, Maloway, Marcelino (Logan), Marcelino (Tyndall Park), Saran, Swan, Wiebe.
Clerk (Ms. Patricia Chaychuk): Yeas 39, Nays 14.
Madam Speaker: I declare the motion carried.
Hon. Cameron Friesen (Minister of Finance): I move, seconded by the Minister of Health, that Bill 38, The Interim Appropriation Act, 2017 (2); Loi de 2017 portant affectation anticipée de credits (2), be now read a second time and be referred to Committee of the Whole.
Motion presented.
Mr. Friesen: I'm pleased to rise and put some brief comments on the record in relation to The Interim Appropriation Act, 2017 (2), Bill 38.
Let us understand in this Legislature that this is not the ideal situation. The ideal situation in the Legislature would be for the Estimates to have been fully considered in this spring session, subsequent to the introduction of a budget, and then BITSA, the budget implementation and tax statutes amendment act, would be introduced and the process would lead to a vote and the passing of a budget in the spring session. Now, we understand that is the ideal situation.
We know that in some other jurisdictions they have House rules that compel all parties to make sure that all the key focus is on the passing of the budget in a spring session to allow the House to focus its efforts in the fall session on the passage and introduction and the debate of bills.
The situation we find ourselves in is one where we are now at a point where we have the knowledge now that the budget will not pass before the rising of this session. The session is set to rise tomorrow. Because of that, of course, members will all remember that in March we brought an interim appropriation act, and that, for all members, of course, and for all Manitobans, we understand that is the way that government seeks the authority to continue to operate, essentially to pay the bills and keep the lights on when it anticipates that it will not have a budget passed to renew that authority for the new fiscal year.
We brought that interim appropriation act. We had very significant debate of it in March in the Legislature, and I would believe that the opposition would have had to feel like they were fully satisfied in their ability to prioritize that because, of course, by bringing that bill, we saw it introduced on March the 6th. On March the 7th, it received its second reading; questions were asked. There was debate ensuing, March 8th, 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th, 13th, March 14th, March 15th, March 16th, March 20th, and on March 21st, that bill achieved royal assent.
The problem, Madam Speaker, is that bill was not allowed to contemplate an event whereby somehow perhaps the budget would not pass by the end of session. That bill could only point ahead and say, anticipating the passage of the budget, this should be enough appropriation to allow the government to operate in the 2017‑2018 year.
Well, here we are on the last day of May, understanding that the budget will not pass, we also must now look back at that first Interim Appropriation Act and we see clearly that our authority exhausts itself on the last day of July. Therefore, we seek this other appropriation, this interim appropriation, the second one, (2), would therefore in this way–and members can see Bill 38 in front of them–extend this interim authority until the end of November. We anticipate because of the rules of the House that when the session comes back in in the fall, that in addition to bills being introduced and bills being debated at that time, we will have to resume the Committee of Supply, because there are hours still on the clock counting down, and we anticipate, then, because of the rules of the House, that the budget itself would pass before the Throne Speech in November. We need an authority as this House in order to allow the government to continue to operate.
* (16:10)
I want to make very clear, though, Madam Speaker, this issue is not a political one. This is a logistical one. This is about the ability of government not only to pay for programs, but to pay civil servants, to meet its obligations in respect of accounts receivable. It is about the obligation to have put fuel in the tanks of the vehicles that we own, to pay our hydro bills and our telephone bills, to pay for the supplies that we need. And we should understand that if the opposition is demonstrating to Manitobans that they do not support The Interim Appropriation Act passing–I'm looking at the way the bells have been ringing this afternoon, Madam Speaker–is–what they are demonstrating, and what Manitobans should realize is they are demonstrating an opposition to the very function of the Province of Manitoba.
We have heard members say that they have concerns about program delivery. Now, we know that, after 17 years of the NDP, our programs are in some very serious state of disrepair. We need to fix the finances. We need to repair our services. But the very repair work that the opposition calls for is jeopardized by their inability–or by them not supporting this measure.
So let us understand that this measure in front of us this afternoon would seek 75 per cent of the total authority on part A. It would seek 90 per cent of the total authority on part B, which we call the capital investment part B authority. Of course, the members know from our very considerable discussions in March on a similar appropriation bill, the reason we seek a higher amount of the total appropriation for part B, of course, is to allow for the construction season to get started. These contracts need to be let, vendors need to be paid, award recipients–we have obligations there. And we understand that our party and this new government and the Minister of Infrastructure (Mr. Pedersen) is seeking to improve that overall procurement system. But we understand that this is the requirement that is in the bill. It is the requirement that will serve all Manitobans as our very significant $1.7-billion infrastructure investment, the second highest in the history of Manitoba, takes shape.
In addition to these things, of course, the same measures are in this bill when it comes to things like inventory expenditure, long-term liability expenditure and some commitments to future expenditure. These are conventions of the bill; they are there each and every time.
What I would want to reinforce to members is this: it is in the interest of all of us; it is in the interest of the 1.3 million Manitobans that we make short work of this today. In no way, shape or form to suggest somehow that we would want to run roughshod over the process, but instead to say we have had a very considerable and robust discussion of interim supply earlier in this session.
Now, I could suggest to the members opposite that they actually robbed themselves of the ability to debate the very bills that the member for Minto (Mr. Swan) today stood indignantly by, saying he didn't have time, he didn't have time. He just didn't have the time. Madam Speaker, under the rules of the House, the opposition is the full partner or more of ordering the priorities of the House.
Madam Speaker, the bill we bring today extends above and beyond the appropriation interim that was sought earlier. It simply replaces the first one and goes on this authority. I invite all members to support these measures. I invite the opposition to make the most effective use of all of our time in this Legislature, both today and tomorrow, and I ask for all members' support of these measures to help us pay for civil servant salaries, keep the lights on, meet our obligations of a province until such time as the full budget is passed.
Some Honourable Members: Oh, oh.
Madam Speaker: Order.
Madam Speaker: Do members have questions? A question period of up to 15 minutes will be held. Questions may be addressed to the minister by any member in the following sequence: first question by the official opposition critic or designate; subsequent questions asked by the critics or designates from other recognized opposition parties; subsequent questions asked by each independent member; remaining questions to be asked by any opposition member; and no question or answer shall exceed 45 seconds.
Mr. James Allum (Fort Garry-Riverview): Could the Finance Minister tell the House today whether this gargantuan sum of money that he's asking for today includes any new programs, any new services or any new capital expenditures?
Hon. Cameron Friesen (Minister of Finance): Madam Speaker, as the member knows, that the authority we seek through an interim appropriation is a reference in terms of a percentage of the overall amount of government spending composite in the budget. So that means new program spend; it means existing program; all of the obligations of government in all of the appropriations, as indicated in this bill.
Hon. Jon Gerrard (River Heights): Madam Speaker, it's one thing to pass the appropriations but it's another thing to leave many organizations in limbo. For example, last year the MMF didn't learn until December, I think it was, that even though they thought the funding was there that it wasn't there.
So, for example, I'm hearing from sector councils that they, although there appears to be money in the budget, they're not sure that they're actually going to get funding.
Is the Minister of Finance actually going to communicate with organizations as to whether they're going to get money this year?
Mr. Friesen: Well, I'm anticipating the support of that member for River Heights for these measures because he realizes the conundrum of his question. It's exactly by passing this bill that we assure that the government can continue to make very significant investments across the province of Manitoba.
We are working with our partners, our third parties. We are working with those who deliver services and participate with government. This is the very way that we will continue to do it. A failure to support today's measures, of course, calls into question the ability of government to continue to provide the services that Manitobans so desperately need.
Madam Speaker: Are there any further questions?
If there are no further questions, debate is open.
Mr. James Allum (Fort Garry-Riverview): Madam Speaker, I just want to take a moment to say a couple of things. One, it's become quite clear this afternoon, it's never give the Finance Minister a captive audience or he'll go on and on and on, and what we really need to hear–is to get down to the business of the House.
Secondly, I want to say that in politics there's an old rule of thumb: If you're explaining, you're losing. And it seems to me that that extended explanation by the Finance Minister suggests to me that he's starting to lose public confidence by the people of Manitoba in the austerity agenda that he's following through.
On interim appropriation act one, we put very clearly–we tried to provide the government with some guidance or some wisdom–
Some Honourable Members: Oh, oh.
Madam Speaker: Order.
Mr. Allum: –and suggestions about how to ensure that the people of Manitoba have a strong, safe, and sustainable future. He clearly ignored that in the budget, and so what we're seeing in this particular debate this afternoon is that we don't want to continue it on for an extended period. We're not going to spend time in the House talking about it. We're going to go on to the doorsteps of Manitoba and we're going to tell Manitobans what the consequences of this government's action is.
Hon. Jon Gerrard (River Heights): Briefly, Madam Speaker, we're not at all on board with government's approach to close down the urgent-care centre in the Misericordia and many of the other government's initiatives, and so we will not be supporting this, even though we recognize that there are some important things that are done by the government and it is really important.
I would urge the Finance Minister to actually communicate with organizations to let them know what their funding is this year, because we're already–now, three months past the–April the 1st, and organizations which are kept in limbo are in a difficult position.
Thank you.
Madam Speaker: Is the House ready for the question?
Some Honourable Members: Question.
Madam Speaker: Is it the pleasure of the House to adopt the motion?
Some Honourable Members: Yes.
Some Honourable Members: No.
Voice Vote
Madam Speaker: All those in favour of the motion, please say yea.
Some Honourable Members: Yea.
Madam Speaker: All those opposed, please say nay.
Some Honourable Members: Nay.
Madam Speaker: In my opinion, the Yeas have it.
Recorded Vote
Mr. Jim Maloway (Official Opposition House Leader): Madam Speaker, I request a recorded vote.
Madam Speaker: A recorded vote having been called, call in the members.
* (16:20)
The question before the House is second reading of Bill 38, The Interim Appropriation Act, 2017 (2).
Division
A RECORDED VOTE was taken, the result being as follows:
Yeas
Bindle, Clarke, Cox, Cullen, Curry, Eichler, Ewasko, Fielding, Fletcher, Friesen, Goertzen, Graydon, Guillemard, Helwer, Isleifson, Johnson, Johnston, Lagassé, Lagimodiere, Martin, Mayer, Michaleski, Micklefield, Morley-Lecomte, Nesbitt, Pallister, Pedersen, Piwniuk, Reyes, Schuler, Smith, Smook, Squires, Stefanson, Teitsma, Wharton, Wishart, Wowchuk, Yakimoski.
Nays
Allum, Altemeyer, Fontaine, Gerrard, Kinew, Klassen, Lamoureux, Lathlin, Lindsey, Maloway, Marcelino (Logan), Marcelino (Tyndall Park), Saran, Selinger, Swan, Wiebe.
Clerk (Ms. Patricia Chaychuk): Yeas 39, Nays 16.
Madam Speaker: I declare the motion carried.
The House will now resolve itself into Committee of the Whole to consider and report on Bill 38, The Interim Appropriation Act, 2017 (2), for concurrence and third reading.
Mr. Deputy Speaker, please take the Chair.
Bill 38–The Interim Appropriation Act, 2017 (2)
Mr. Chairperson (Doyle Piwniuk): Will the Committee of the Whole please come to order.
We will now consider the Bill 38, The Interim Appropriation Act, 2017 (2).
Does the honourable Minister of Finance have any opening statements?
Hon. Cameron Friesen (Minister of Finance): I do not.
Mr. Chairperson: Does the official opposition Finance critic have any statements?
An Honourable Member: Nor do I.
Mr. Chairperson: We shall proceed with the consider of the bill clause by clause. The title and the enacting clause are postponed until other clauses have been considered.
Clause 1–pass; clause 2–pass; clause 3–pass; clause 4–pass; clause 5–pass; clause 6–pass; clause 7–pass; enacting clause–pass; title–pass. Bill be reported.
That concludes the business for the committee.
Committee rise. Call in the Speaker.
IN SESSION
Mr. Doyle Piwniuk (Chairperson): Madam Speaker, the committee in the whole has considered Bill 38, the interim appropriation act, 2017 dash two and the reports be the same without–with amendment–[interjection]–without amendment.
I move, seconded by the honourable member for Lac du Bonnet (Mr. Ewasko), that the report be–the report of the committee be received.
Motion presented.
Madam Speaker: Is it the pleasure of the House to adopt the motion?
Some Honourable Members: Agreed.
Some Honourable Members: No.
Voice Vote
Madam Speaker: All those in favour of the motion, please say yea.
Some Honourable Members: Yea.
Madam Speaker: All those opposed, please say nay.
Some Honourable Members: Nay.
Madam Speaker: In my opinion, the Yeas have it.
Recorded Vote
Mr. Jim Maloway (Official Opposition House Leader): Madam Speaker, I request a recorded vote.
Madam Speaker: A recorded vote having been called, call in the members.
* (16:30)
The question before the House is the motion to receive the report from the Committee of the Whole.
Division
A RECORDED VOTE was taken, the result being as follows:
Yeas
Bindle, Clarke, Cox, Cullen, Curry, Eichler, Ewasko, Fielding, Fletcher, Friesen, Goertzen, Graydon, Guillemard, Helwer, Isleifson, Johnson, Johnston, Lagassé, Lagimodiere, Martin, Mayer, Michaleski, Micklefield, Morley-Lecomte, Nesbitt, Pallister, Pedersen, Piwniuk, Reyes, Schuler, Smith, Smook, Squires, Stefanson, Teitsma, Wharton, Wishart, Wowchuk, Yakimoski.
Nays
Allum, Altemeyer, Fontaine, Gerrard, Kinew, Klassen, Lamoureux, Lathlin, Lindsey, Maloway, Marcelino (Logan), Marcelino (Tyndall Park), Saran, Selinger, Swan, Wiebe.
Clerk (Ms. Patricia Chaychuk): Yeas 39, Nays 16.
Madam Speaker: I declare the motion carried.
Hon. Cameron Friesen (Minister of Finance): I move, seconded by the Minister of Growth, Enterprise and Trade (Mr. Cullen) that Bill 38, The Interim Appropriation Act, 2017 (2), reported from the Committee of the Whole, be concurred in and now be read for a third time and passed.
Motion presented.
Madam Speaker: The honourable Minister of Finance?
Is it the pleasure of the House to adopt the motion?
Some Honourable Members: Agreed.
An Honourable Member: No.
Madam Speaker: I hear a no.
Voice Vote
Madam Speaker: All those in favour of the motion, please say yea.
Some Honourable Members: Yea.
Madam Speaker: All those opposed, please say nay.
Some Honourable Members: Nay.
Madam Speaker: In my opinion, the Yeas have it.
Recorded Vote
Mr. Jim Maloway (Official Opposition House Leader): Madam Speaker, I request a recorded vote.
Madam Speaker: A recorded vote having been called, call in the members.
The question before the House is concurrence and third reading of Bill 38, The Interim Appropriation Act, 2017 (2).
Division
A RECORDED VOTE was taken, the result being as follows:
Yeas
Bindle, Clarke, Cox, Cullen, Curry, Eichler, Ewasko, Fielding, Fletcher, Friesen, Goertzen, Graydon, Guillemard, Helwer, Isleifson, Johnson, Johnston, Lagassé, Lagimodiere, Martin, Mayer, Michaleski, Micklefield, Morley-Lecomte, Nesbitt, Pallister, Pedersen, Piwniuk, Reyes, Schuler, Smith, Smook, Squires, Stefanson, Teitsma, Wharton, Wishart, Wowchuk, Yakimoski.
Nays
Allum, Altemeyer, Fontaine, Gerrard, Kinew, Klassen, Lamoureux, Lathlin, Lindsey, Maloway, Marcelino (Logan), Marcelino (Tyndall Park), Saran, Selinger, Swan, Wiebe.
Clerk (Ms. Patricia Chaychuk): Yeas 39, Nays 16.
Madam Speaker: I declare the motion carried.
* (16:50)
Hon. Andrew Micklefield (Government House Leader): Madam Speaker, I'd like to call Bill 33, The Minimum Wage Indexation Act, for concurrence and third reading.
An Honourable Member: Madam Speaker, I ask for leave to not see the clock until 5 after 5 in order to continue.
Madam Speaker: The–it has been–is there leave to–oh, he didn't–the honourable Government House Leader. If he could please repeat that again for the audio system.
Mr. Micklefield: Madam Speaker, I ask for leave to not see the clock until 5:05 in order to complete concurrence and third reading on Bill 33.
Madam Speaker: It has been announced that the House will now deal with concurrence and third reading of Bill 33.
Is there leave to not see the clock until 5:05? [Agreed]
Hon. Cliff Cullen (Minister of Growth, Enterprise and Trade): I move, seconded by the Minister of Finance (Mr. Friesen), that Bill 33, The Minimum Wage Indexation Act, the employment standards code amendment, reported from the Standing Committee on Social and Economic Development, be concurred in and be now read for a third time and passed.
Madam Speaker: It has been moved by the honourable minister of Growth, Enterprise and Trade (Mr. Cullen), seconded by the honourable minister of Finance, that Bill 33, The Minimum Wage Indexation Act, employment standards code amendment, reported from the Standing Committee on Social and Economic Development, be concurred in and be now read for a third time and passed.
Mr. Cullen: I appreciate a couple of minutes on this particular bill. We have consulted with Manitobans. We believe that we have brought forth legislation, here, that provides predictability for Manitobans. Certainly, the indexing of minimum wage, I think, provides that predictability to Manitobans. And we look forward to passage of this legislation. Thank you.
Mr. Tom Lindsey (Flin Flon): We've tried to convince the government that 15 cents is insufficient over the course of two years as a raise for minimum wage. The government has refused to listen. But they didn't just refuse to listen to us; they refused to listen to anybody that came to committee. They refused to listen to people that earn minimum wage that said 15 cents is not enough.
We're not going to hold up passage of this bill, because 15 cents is better than nothing. But this government should be ashamed of the way they treat minimum wage workers in this province, Madam Speaker.
And, with that, I will conclude my remarks.
Ms. Cindy Lamoureux (Burrows): Madam Speaker, just a few short words on Bill 33.
We will be supporting Bill 33, but there's a lot more that needs to be done. Our country is changing. Look at Ontario. Next year, they're going to be raising minimum wage to $15. This government needs to be reminded that poverty–
Some Honourable Members: Oh, oh.
Madam Speaker: Order.
Ms. Lamoureux: –is way too high here in Manitoba, and people deserve and need livable wages. There needs to be a long-term plan, and this government needs to invest proactively to reduce future costs. Minimum wage is only a small piece of the puzzle.
Thank you.
Madam Speaker: Is the House ready for the question? The question before the House is concurrence and third reading of Bill 33, The Minimum Wage Indexation Act, employment standards code amendment.
Is it the pleasure of the House to adopt the motion? [Agreed]
Mr. Micklefield: Madam Speaker, I'd like to canvass–I'd like you to canvass the House and see if there is leave to call it 5 o'clock.
Madam Speaker: Is there leave to call it 5 o'clock? [Agreed]
The hour being 5 p.m., this House is adjourned and stands adjourned until 10 a.m. tomorrow.
LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA
Wednesday, May 31, 2017
CONTENTS
Prairie Citizens on Patrol Program
Canada-Russia Hockey Series Stamp Commemoration
Misericordia Urgent Care Centre
Review of the Rent Assist Program
Northern Patient Transfer Program
Northern Patient Transfer Program
Bill 38–The Interim Appropriation Act, 2017 (2)
Bill 38–The Interim Appropriation Act, 2017 (2)
Bill 38–The Interim Appropriation Act, 2017 (2)
Concurrence and Third Readings
Bill 38–The Interim Appropriation Act, 2017 (2)
Bill 33–The Minimum Wage Indexation Act (Employment Standards Code Amended)