Tuesday, April 16, 1996

LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA

Tuesday, April 16, 1996

The House met at 1:30 p.m.

PRAYERS

ROUTINE PROCEEDINGS

PRESENTING PETITIONS

Home Care Services

Mr. Jim Maloway (Elmwood): Madam Speaker, I beg to present the petition of Diane Favell, George Koutroubis, D. Downey and others requesting the Premier (Mr. Filmon) and the Minister of Health (Mr. McCrae) to consider reversing their plan to privatize home care services.

Ms. MaryAnn Mihychuk (St. James): Madam Speaker, I beg to present the petition of J. Havelock, V. Lemon, G. Stargardter and others requesting the Premier and the Minister of Health to consider reversing their plan to privatize home care services.

Ms. Marianne Cerilli (Radisson): I beg to present the petition of Michelle Pinsonneault, Rachel Preston, Colin Hiebert and others requesting the Premier and the Minister of Health to consider reversing their plan to privatize home care services.

Mr. Doug Martindale (Burrows): Madam Speaker, I beg to present the petition of Karen Mazowta, Susan Gigliotti, Elizabeth Morsette and others requesting the Premier and the Minister of Health to consider reversing their plan to privatize home care services.

Mr. Kevin Lamoureux (Inkster): Madam Speaker, I beg to present the petition of Theresa Scott, Marvyn Cohen, Cecilia Breyese and others requesting the Premier and the Minister of Health to consider reversing their plan to privatize home care services.

Mr. Tim Sale (Crescentwood): Madam Speaker, I beg to present the petition of Mary Matewish, Helen T. Abbott, Nelson Bourdon and others requesting the Premier and the Minister of Health to consider reversing their plan to privatize home care services.

READING AND RECEIVING PETITIONS

Home Care Services

Madam Speaker: I have reviewed the petition of the honourable member for Inkster (Mr. Lamoureux). It complies with the rules and practices of the House. Is it the will of the House to have the petition read?

An Honourable Member: Yes.

Madam Speaker: The Clerk will read.

Mr. Clerk (William Remnant): The petition of the undersigned citizens of the province of Manitoba humbly sheweth:

THAT on at least six occasions during the 1995 provincial election, the Premier promised not to cut health services; and

THAT on December 16, 1995, a plan to privatize home care services was presented to Treasury Board; and

THAT this plan calls for the complete divestiture of all service delivery to nongovernment organizations, mainly private for-profit companies as well as the implementation of a user-pay system of home care; and

THAT previous cuts to the Home Care program have resulted in services being cut and people’s health being compromised; and

THAT thousands of caring front-line service providers will lose their jobs as a result of this change; and

THAT profit has no place in the provision of vital health services.

WHEREFORE your petitioners humbly pray that the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba may be pleased to request the Premier (Mr. Filmon) and the Minister of Health (Mr. McCrae) to consider reversing their plan to privatize home care services.

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Licensed Practical Nurses

Madam Speaker: I have reviewed the petition of the honourable member for Kildonan (Mr. Chomiak). It complies with the rules and practices of the House. Is it the will of the House to have the petition read?

Some Honourable Members: Dispense.

Madam Speaker: Dispense.

THAT many LPNs have been eliminated from most acute care facilities in Manitoba, including St. Boniface, Seven Oaks, and most recently HSC; and,

THAT the LPNs of this province are valuable members of the health care system, providing professional, competent, skilled and cost-effective services; and

THAT staffing cuts will only result in declining quality of health care and potentially tragic outcomes; and

THAT it will not be long before the negative results of this shortcut effort are realized, including higher costs and poorer services.

WHEREFORE your petitioners humbly pray that the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba urge the Minister of Health to recognize the value of LPNs and to consider reversing the decision to cut LPNs in Manitoba.

TABLING OF REPORTS

Hon. Linda McIntosh (Minister of Education and Training): Madam Speaker, I am pleased to table the 1996-97 Departmental Expenditure Estimates, Supplementary Information for Legislative Review for the Department of Education and Training.

Hon. Jim Ernst (Minister of Consumer and Corporate Affairs): Madam Speaker, I am pleased to table the 1995 Annual Report of the Public Utilities Board.

Introduction of Guests

Madam Speaker: Prior to Oral Questions, I would like to draw the attention of all honourable members to the public gallery where we have seated this afternoon, huit militaires canadiens du ministère de la Défense nationale, sous la direction de Pauline Kennedy.

[Translation]

. . . eight members of the Armed Forces from the Department of National Defence under the direction of Pauline Kennedy.

[English]

This institution is located in the constituency of the honourable member for Sturgeon Creek (Mr. McAlpine).

On behalf of all honourable members, I welcome you this afternoon.

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