VOL. XLIV No. 8A - 1:30 p.m., MONDAY, DECEMBER 12, 1994
Monday, December 12, 1994
LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA
Monday, December 12, 1994
The House met at 1:30 p.m.
PRAYERS
ROUTINE PROCEEDINGS
PRESENTING PETITIONS
Physical Education in Schools
Mr. Kevin Lamoureux (Inkster): Mr. Speaker, I beg to present the petition of Kathleen Matwee, Bernie Moore, Colleen Budzinski and others urging the Minister responsible for Education (Mr. Manness) to consider reinstating physical education as a compulsory core subject area.
READING AND RECEIVING PETITIONS
Physical Education in Schools
Mr. Speaker: I have reviewed the petition of the honourable member (Mr. Lamoureux). It complies with the privileges and the practices of this House and complies with the rules. Is it the will of the House to have the petition read?
Some Honourable Members: Dispense.
Mr. Speaker: Dispense.
The petition of the undersigned residents of the province of Manitoba humbly sheweth:
THAT in July 1994, the Minister of Education introduced an action plan entitled Renewing Education: New Directions;
THAT this report will make physical education an optional course in Grades 9 to 12;
THAT the physical education curriculum should be regularly reviewed to ensure that it meets the needs of students;
THAT the government is failing to recognize the benefits of physical education such as improved physical fitness, more active lifestyles, health promotion, self-discipline, skill development, stress reduction, strengthened peer relationships, weight regulation, stronger bones, reduced risk of health diseases and improved self-confidence.
WHEREFORE your petitioners humbly pray that the Legislative Assembly urge the Minister responsible for Education to consider reinstating physical education as a compulsory core subject area.
Rent Hike Cancellation
Mr. Speaker: I have reviewed the petition of the honourable member (Mr. Martindale). It complies with the privileges and the practices of this House and complies with the rules. Is it the will of the House to have the petition read? The Clerk will read.
Mr. Clerk (William Remnant): The petition of the undersigned citizens of the province of Manitoba humbly sheweth that:
WHEREAS thousands of Manitobans depend upon public housing as affordable housing geared to their income for themselves and their families; and
WHEREAS these units are particularly important for low income seniors and single parents; and
WHEREAS the provincial government upon the request of the federal government has increased without notice the rent payable for tenants; and
WHEREAS the provincial government has also cut property tax credit of these tenants resulting in a further rent increase amounting to a total increase as much as 17 percent for some tenants; and
WHEREAS the federal government has failed to provide any funding for new public housing; and
WHEREAS seniors and other Manitobans on modest incomes have already had their standard of living reduced by the erosion of Pharmacare, the increase in nursing home rates and the cuts to home care;
WHEREFORE your petitioners humbly pray that the Legislative Assembly request the Minister responsible for Housing (Mrs. McIntosh) to consider cancelling the recent unilateral rent hikes.
TABLING OF REPORTS
Hon. James McCrae (Minister of Health): Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to table the 1993/94 Annual Report for Manitoba Health.
Hon. Gerald Ducharme (Minister of Government Services): Mr. Speaker, I have the pleasure of tabling the 1993-94 Annual Report for Government Services, the '94 Annual Report for Fleet Vehicles and the '94 Annual Report for Materials Distribution.
Hon. Rosemary Vodrey (Minister of Justice and Attorney General): Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to table the Annual Report 1992-93 for the Women's Directorate.
Hon. James Downey (Minister of Industry, Trade and Tourism): Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to table the reports of the Manitoba Development Corporation for 1993 and 1994.
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INTRODUCTION OF BILLS
Bill 11--The Cattle Producers Association Amendment Act
Hon. Harry Enns (Minister of Agriculture): Mr. Speaker, I would like to move, seconded by the honourable Minister of Industry, Trade and Tourism (Mr. Downey), that leave be given to introduce Bill 11, The Cattle Producers Association Amendment Act (Loi modifiant la Loi sur l'Association des éleveurs de bétail), and that the same be now received and read a first time.
Motion presented.
Mr. Enns: Mr. Speaker, just a few comments at first reading. This bill essentially enables the cattle producers of Manitoba to better organize their affairs, and it strengthens the check-off legislation that they are currently operating under.
As well, on occasion there are still some bad actors on the cattle scene where cattle producers, while not facing the rustling of yesteryear, are nonetheless left holding the bag when a vendor goes broke or does something else. This would enable the cattle producers to better fund their own business by topping off the bonding requirements currently in place in the province.
I am advised that the cattle producers are anxiously awaiting these amendments and look forward to making them law when next we meet.
Motion agreed to.
Bill 12--The Development Corporation Amendment Act
Hon. James Downey (Minister of Industry, Trade and Tourism): Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the minister of food and fibre, otherwise known as the Minister of Agriculture (Mr. Enns), that leave be given to introduce Bill 12, The Development Corporation Amendment Act (Loi modifiant la Loi sur la Société de développement), and that the same be now received and read a first time.
Motion presented.
Mr. Downey: Mr. Speaker, just a brief explanation. This is mainly a housekeeping bill which will further add to the efficient operation of the Manitoba Development Corporation, coming into line with some of the practices that are being carried out, and as this government has continually done, bring more efficiency to all operations of government.
Motion agreed to.
Bill 13--The Mines and Minerals Amendment Act
Hon. Donald Orchard (Minister of Energy and Mines): Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the Minister of Education (Mr. Manness), that leave be given to introduce Bill 13, The Mines and Minerals Amendment Act; Loi modifiant la Loi sur les mines et les minéraux, and that the same be now received and read a first time.
Motion presented.
Mr. Orchard: Mr. Speaker, as all members will recall, two sessions ago, we passed the new Mines and Minerals Act which brought the principles of sustainable development into the mines and minerals production industry of the province of Manitoba. In the course of passing that new legislation, a number of minor amendments were noted that are being proposed in this bill.
As well as with recent significant activity in terms of claim staking for the search for diamonds in the province of Manitoba, there needs clarification around the staking of mineral claims below the surface of the ground on property that may well have been staked for the purpose of aggregate extraction so that we do not have any disappointment in terms of staking of a deep mineral and diamond potential beneath known quarry lands.
Motion agreed to.
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Bill 212--The Child and Family Services Amendment Act (2)
Mr. Doug Martindale (Burrows): Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the member for Wellington (Ms. Barrett), that leave be given to introduce Bill 212, The Child and Family Services Amendment Act (2); Loi no 2 modifiant la Loi sur les services à l'enfant et à la famille, and that the same be now received and read a first time.
Motion presented.
Mr. Martindale: Mr. Speaker, the purport of my bill is to do that which the government refuses to do, namely to require the Children's Advocate to report to the Legislative Assembly, instead of the Minister of Family Services (Mr. Gilleshammer).
Motion agreed to.
Bill 214--The Residential Tenancies Amendment Act
Mr. Conrad Santos (Broadway): Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable member for Selkirk (Mr. Dewar), that leave be given to introduce Bill 214, The Residential Tenancies Amendment Act; Loi modifiant la Loi sur la location à usage d'habitation, and that the same be now received and read a first time.
Motion presented.
Mr. Santos: Mr. Speaker, the purpose of this legislation is to remedy an unfair situation when unforeseen events happen that lead to undesirable consequences. The purpose of this bill is to allow senior citizens who are tenants of public housing who have been paneled and therefore cannot get back to the apartment but yet get charged for the rent--this is an unfair situation and a fair government cannot tolerate this to happen.
Motion agreed to.
Introduction of Guests
Mr. Speaker: Prior to Oral Questions, may I direct the attention of honourable members to the gallery, where we have with us this afternoon from The Maples School 30 English language students under the direction of Mr. Murray Goldenberg and Mrs. Liisa Schell. This school is located in the constituency of the honourable member for The Maples (Mr. Kowalski).
From the Daniel McIntyre Collegiate, we have seventeen Grade 11 students under the direction of Mrs. Baker. This school is located in the constituency of the honourable member for Wellington (Ms. Barrett).
From the Kelvin High School, we have twenty-five Grade 11 students under the direction of Mr. John Durham. This school is located in the constituency of the honourable member for Crescentwood (Ms. Gray).
On behalf of all honourable members, I would like to welcome you here this afternoon.