ORDERS OF THE DAY

THRONE SPEECH DEBATE

(Second Day of Debate)

Madam Speaker: To resume adjourned debate on the proposed motion of the honourable member for Turtle Mountain who has 16 minutes remaining.

Mr. Mervin Tweed (Turtle Mountain): Thank you again, Madam Speaker, to allow me to finish my remarks in regard to the throne speech presented in the last day. Recognizing that all Manitobans have a stake in the well-being of our children, our government will co-operate with other governments including the federal government to deliver a new national child benefit. All children must be given every opportunity to grow and develop mentally, physically and emotionally. Our government welcomes this co-operative spirit which is sure to assist all our children and especially children of most need.

A recent public review of The Child and Family Services Act by the member for River Heights (Mr. Radcliffe) will soon result in changes to the act to modernize the system and ensure children remain secure. The safety and security of the individual, our families and our communities is vital to the quality of our life, and to that end our government shall continue its policy of zero tolerance in reference to violence against women, and initiatives such as early intervention urban youth sports camps will also assist youth and families.

The urban sports camp is a recreation program that would provide prevention and intervention efforts for youth. The long-term goal of this program is to promote leisure-time activity as an alternative to negative behaviour with the desire to create safe and productive environments, and early intervention for families at risk will be developed.

Addressing criminal activity is more than simply a matter of providing police, courts and jails. Crime prevention is a key link in this chain. A Public Safety Branch responsible for crime prevention initiatives and victims programming has been established. The unit will be responsible for all victim and crime prevention programming, policy development and planning. The unit will include Victim/Witness Assistance, Women's Advocacy/Child Witness Support, crime prevention and other victim programming.

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Seniors comprise a large segment of our population and their safety is paramount. To that end, life safety programs will be enhanced. The program has already been a success in revitalizing capital infrastructure such as green spaces and lighting in