Mr. Peter Dyck (Pembina): I have risen often in this Legislature to extol the economic success stories that have occurred and continue to occur in the constituency of Pembina. Recently in Rural Manitoba Development, a publication of Manitoba Rural Development, no less than eight businesses from Pembina were highlighted. Thanks to a variety of government programs, including the Rural Entrepreneur Assistance program, Grow Bonds and Community Works Loan Programs, these businesses have succeeded beyond their wildest expectations. They continue to provide quality employment opportunities to the people of Pembina and rural Manitoba.
I would therefore like to congratulate Ron Giesbrecht of Ronnie's Jumbo Seeds; Ralph and John Fehr of Elias Woodworking and Manufacturing Limited; Alvin Thiessen of Winkler Meats; John Borland of Acrylon Plastics; Tina Friesen of PembinaValley Job Finding Club; Peter Wiebe of Geriatric Education and Consultative Services and Charlene Morrow of CJ's Massage Clinic.
Our government recognized the potential of these individuals and their businesses. Rural Manitobans are succeeding; the rural economy is succeeding, and more rural Manitobans are finding new and exciting career possibilities. I am confident that we will hear a great deal more from all these companies in the future as they continue developing their markets and their clientele. My congratulations go out to these people and their companies. Thank you.
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Mr. Stan Struthers (Dauphin): Madam Speaker, in 1996 this government made it perfectly clear that park use would no longer be accessible to all Manitobans. It systematically raised user fees, introduced new fees for seniors and discouraged tourism by issuing parking tickets and removing park gate attendants.
One of the most questionable things this government did was to contract out our parks reservation system to a San Diego-based company. This was done with a fanfare of better service and more jobs for Manitobans. One of the hitches to privatization was of course the doubling of fees for reservations. It was not long before the Department of Natural Resources had to assign a staffperson to accept the hundreds of complaints that poured in over Destinet. By the end of the summer, a group of campers got together to sign a petition against the new system which had ruined the camping experience that some had enjoyed for 30 years.
No jobs came, and instead Manitobans had to phone San Diego to reserve a site. Manitobans trying to get a camping spot within an hour's drive from where they lived heard San Diego operators saying things like: where is Manitoba or what is a white shell?
Complaints about the system included being required to pay by credit card four days in advance of camping, double booking and overcharging. When the minister responded to the campers in October of last year, he acknowledged that re-routing calls created new problems and those policies were incorrectly administered by Destinet, but he promised the Destinet system would be improved. In February, Destinet Reservation went bankrupt. Given the service they provided to Manitobans, this comes as no surprise. Because of the bungling of yet another privatization scheme, there is today no reservation service in place for the May long weekend.
The worst part of this exercise has been the government still fails to recognize that good service in our parks makes good economic sense. Our parks provide recreation for citizens, wonderful opportunities for tourism and used to provide employment for our students. Once again, in its efforts to privatize services, this government has let its ideology overshadow what is best for the province of Manitoba.
Mr. Ben Sveinson (La Verendrye): Madam Speaker, our government recognizes the important link that exists between education and the environment. As we all know, children are our future, and the environment in which we live is their future. Therefore, it is encouraging that two schools in my constituency of La Verendrye have taken a leadership role in preserving and enhancing our environment. With $5,000 in funding provided under the provincial Special Conservation and Endangered Species Fund, Richer School will improve the natural habitat in part of their schoolyard and provide all students with an opportunity to learn about the environment.
Lorette Collegiate has received a $2,000 grant to transform a large wheat field, which is currently completely devoid of trees, into an outdoor classroom. Under the project, the school will establish a permanent outdoor learning resource by planting trees and native grasses to restore again a part of the schoolyard to its original prairie and woodland habitat.
Over the years, the Special Conservation and Endangered Species Fund has helped organizations in our communities and across the province improve our surroundings. I have every confidence that these most recent projects in my constituency will provide lasting benefits to the current student population and students to come.
So, on behalf of all honourable members, I congratulate the students and the staff at Richer and Lorette Collegiate for their efforts and wish them all the best as they create their own lasting legacy. Thank you.
Mr. Eric Robinson (Rupertsland): In November of 1996, the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples was released and promptly forgotten by the federal and provincial governments. The plight of aboriginal victims at residential schools run by or authorized by the federal government was a major component of the report. These paternalistic schools were run with a deliberate goal of assimilation. Children were forced to stay in them 24 hours a day for 10 months a year or more. Speaking in their own language was prohibited, abuse was common and education often an afterthought.
Finally, this past January the federal government issued a response to the commission called: Gathering Strength. Not included in that response was a commitment or a policy on settling outstanding claims against the federal government by victims of residential schools.
Currently there are more than 1,000 lawsuits against the federal government from these victims with many more expected in the near future. We are told that the federal government is now considering settling with victims rather than forcing them to pay through individual court costs. This is the obvious solution to the very valid concerns of these victims, and we urge the federal government to do the right thing and settle them now.
The federal government should make it clear that none of these funds will be taken from the previously announced healing fund which goes towards communities, not individuals. Settling the claims of victims would be a positive step forward. The federal government should also act on the other economic and social priorities identified in the report, and we also continue to wait for the province to make its response to the report. Thank you, Madam Speaker.
Mr. Kevin Lamoureux (Inkster): Madam Speaker, I want to just say a few words with respect to the hepatitis C issue.
Madam Speaker, this is an issue in which what I would like to be able to see is some leadership coming from the government in dealing in a more tangible way with a very important issue that is facing the province of Manitoba. The minister, the Premier (Mr. Filmon), talked earlier today in Question Period with reference to, well, its concern is having double standards, one in Manitoba, something else happening in B.C. and something else may be happening in Ontario and other provinces. To a certain degree, that already exists today in terms of the way in which health care is delivered. You can find many different examples.
What we are really talking about is trying to look at individuals that were infected prior to 1986 and acknowledging that there is a need, there are special circumstances surrounding this particular case to justify some form of compensation. We would appeal to the Premier to take a position on it. What the Premier seems to be doing is leading towards, well, we will wait and see what happens in Ottawa. That is in part what the resolution is currently being debated in health care, which causes concern.
Madam Speaker, I do believe that the province has not only a role, it also has a responsibility here. I would like to see the government of the day live up to that responsibility and to indicate to individuals that have been infected prior to 1986 in particular that there will be something, and that something will be hopefully determined in the not-too-distant future. Thank you, Madam Speaker.