ORAL QUESTION PERIOD

Mr. Gary Doer (Leader of the Opposition): Madam Speaker, a 1990 policy and procedure manual dealing with agricultural Crown lands has reasons for rejecting the sale of Crown lands for agricultural purposes. One reason is wildlife management areas, and the second reason is a refuge area. I would like to ask the Premier (Mr. Filmon): has there been any change in the policy for rejecting the sale of that land?

Hon. Harry Enns (Minister of Agriculture): Madam Speaker, there are these broad policies within the management guidelines for agricultural Crown lands which from time to time are challenged by persons who wish to purchase them. The honourable member for Swan River (Mrs. Wowchuk) just last week brought several of those examples to the House. I remind the honourable member for Concordia that the sale of Crown lands is administrated by my colleague the Minister of Natural Resources (Mr. Cummings).

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Mr. Doer: I would remind the Minister of Agriculture that in a section dealing with Crown lands, it says it must be closely co-ordinated between the Ministry of Natural Resources and the Ministry of Agriculture. Having said that, the Premier did not answer the question. In 1965, Sleeve Lake game bird refuge was designated. Looking back through the years, in '86 it continued to be a game bird refuge, and in 1996, the Premier signed an Order-in-Council in November 1996, selling Sections 10, 22 and 27 of Township 24, which was a game bird refuge.

I would like to ask the Premier: why did they not follow their own guidelines and manual on rejecting these requested sales?

Hon. Gary Filmon (Premier): Without accepting any of the preamble as being accurate, Madam Speaker, I will take the question as notice and return with a response.

Mr. Doer: Madam Speaker, the Premier signed the Order-in-Council in November of 1996 converting a game bird refuge to agricultural land, contrary to the policy. This land was sold to Roland, Kris and Carl Barrett.

I would like to ask the Premier: did they change the policy from the policy in 1990, and if they have, can he table it in this House, please?

Mr. Filmon: Madam Speaker, I will take the question as notice and return with a response for the member.

Mr. Doer: I would like to ask the Premier, who is responsible for policy, my first question: did the government change the policy dealing on the sale of Crown land? Did they change the policy for reasons to reject those sales, or did somebody get a decision from this government that was favourable, against the policies of this government, Madam Speaker?

Hon. Glen Cummings (Minister of Natural Resources): Well, Madam Speaker, without accepting the preamble of the Leader of the Opposition, let me remind them that there are a number of situations where management of land swaps occur where better-quality refuge can be found where we, in fact, change the management plan. In fact, related to this very type of management decision, the Cattle Producers Association of Manitoba is currently concerned about whether or not some wildlife areas could in fact have a multiple use on them and improve the habitat, as opposed to otherwise when it is left in an unattended state. So, without accepting the preamble, I indicate to him that these management issues are consistently under review.

Mr. Doer: The minister, the Premier and the Minister of Agriculture (Mr. Enns) never answered the question. I asked whether the policy of the government for reasons to reject the sale of Crown land–has that policy changed, or did the Barretts get preferential treatment with the decision signed by the Premier in the Order-in-Council in November 1996? Did the policy change, or did the application of the policy change based on who was applying?

Mr. Cummings: Madam Speaker, we do not change policy depending on the applicant, and I will certainly review this issue.

Mr. Doer: Madam Speaker, the Sleeve Lake game bird refuge was clearly within the guidelines and policies of the government to be rejected by the government for conversion of a Crown land to agricultural land.

Can the Premier indicate what use would it be for the Barretts for the government to agree to convert this land from a game refuge for the agricultural purposes?

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Mr. Filmon: Madam Speaker, the member has rephrased his question six different ways. I told him in the beginning that I do not have that information at my fingertips. I am sure that the–

Some Honourable Members: Oh, oh.

Madam Speaker: Order, please.

Mr. Filmon: Madam Speaker, I said that I would take the question as notice and bring back a response for the member.

Mr. Dave Chomiak (Kildonan): Madam Speaker, my question is to the Premier.

If the Premier does not call a provincial election tomorrow, despite the hoopla of last Wednesday, I suspect a large part of it will be because the province and the people in the province of Manitoba do not believe this government on health care, and it will also be because the government wasted $500,000 of taxpayers' money that should have gone into patient care on an advertising campaign. Now I am offering the Premier an opportunity to definitively state today that the government will not spend another cent of taxpayers' dollars that is in this budget for health care for any government propaganda ads leading up to whenever a provincial election is called.

Hon. Gary Filmon (Premier): Madam Speaker, I sense the desperation in the member's–

Some Honourable Members: Oh, oh.

Madam Speaker: Order, please.

Mr. Filmon: Madam Speaker, I sense their desperation, having had the anticipation of an election and committing their own hundreds of thousands of dollars to those Tory-blue billboards that are going to turn orange over the summer as they reflect the true colours and the true principles of the members opposite. Given that the members opposite supported our budget and our commitments to spending, I am sure that they will approve of all the decisions that we make during the coming year.

Mr. Chomiak: Madam Speaker, will the Premier, who has raised some grave concerns in this House insofar as he is not committing to saying no more public money at the public Tory propaganda ads that were paid for in last year's appropriation, definitely say it is no longer government policy to use money that can go to home care, personal care homes and waiting lists on Tory propaganda ads? Will he make that statement today?

Madam Speaker: Order, please. The question has been put.

Mr. Filmon: Madam Speaker, this government and the people of Manitoba today are spending $1.5 million a day of interest on the debt that they accumulated when they were in office when they advertised more than any previous government and any current government in history. They spent close to a million dollars just simply advertising Limestone, a public investment that was done years ahead of its time just so that they could improve their opportunities. That is what they did on advertising.

Madam Speaker: Order, please.

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Mr. Steve Ashton (Opposition House Leader): Madam Speaker, Beauschesne's Citation 417 is quite clear. In fact, the Premier in this case was not even close to answering the question. We realize the Premier may be a little bit frustrated, but I would suggest that this kind of rant that we heard from the Premier might be more suitable for an election campaign. We are prepared for that anytime, but it certainly is not appropriate for Question Period.

Madam Speaker: The honourable government House leader, on the same point of order.

Hon. Darren Praznik (Government House Leader): Madam Speaker, on the same point of order. It is obvious that the Premier has touched a very soft spot with members opposite and that he continues to point out their hypocrisy, one day voting for the budget, next day opposing it, one day opposing advertising, the next supporting it–tactics rather than policy over and over again. Their point is out of order.

Madam Speaker: The honourable member for Thompson did not have a point of order.

Mr. Filmon: Madam Speaker, I know that the members opposite are getting a little flummoxed over all these issues, but I will conclude by saying this group, when they were in government under the Pawley-Doer administration, the members opposite spent more money on advertising than any government in the history of this province, and they should be ashamed at their hypocrisy in even raising the issue.

Mr. Chomiak: Madam Speaker, how does the Premier explain to the people of Manitoba–many of whom are waiting in hallways for services, who cannot get into personal care home beds, where there are the longest waiting lists in the country, who have suffered 11 years of dismal, awful management of the health care system–that the Premier is justified spending their money not on those health services but on ads designed to try to re-elect a government that has mismanaged the health care system for 11 years? Yes or no, are you going to cancel any more ads like that?

Mr. Filmon: Madam Speaker, as I speak with Manitobans throughout the province and including many in our health care system, they tell us that they want proper information on the plans for the future, and Manitobans deserve information on the plans for the future of the health care system in our province. We will ensure that is provided.

Ms. Jean Friesen (Wolseley): Madam Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Education. This minister has already confirmed that he is prepared to send Manitoba students' schools to watch commercial advertising, but I wonder why the minister is prepared to allow one corporation and not another to advertise to our children. Why is he advocating, for example, Nike over Adidas, Pepsi over Coke, or Corn Pops over Raisin Bran? Could he tell us what his purpose is in allowing this kind of exclusive advertising in schools?

Hon. James McCrae (Minister of Education and Training): Madam Speaker, the honourable member is totally wrong in what she has said. I have endorsed or authorized nothing in this matter. I have made it very clear that unlike the NDP, I would not usurp the powers and the responsibilities of individual school divisions. New Democrats, day after day, remind us they will take over the responsibilities of school divisions. We will not.

Ms. Friesen: Madam Speaker, would the minister then tell us what his response has been to the Miles Macdonell parents in River East School Division who have written to him telling him that, in their view, this is an unconscionable move and that their children's minds are not for sale?

Mr. McCrae: Madam Speaker, we on this side of the House take considerable pride in the support that we have offered to parent organizations in the province of Manitoba to do exactly as the honourable member suggests, advocate for what they think to be best in their particular school, whether it be Miles Macdonell or River East or Interlake, which takes another view. Every division should be listening, I suggest, to their parent councils and consulting those parent councils, and if a certain decision comes out a certain way in one division, it does not have to happen that way in the other. The divisions are there to reflect what the people in those divisions want to have.

Madam Speaker, this is a good discussion for divisions to be having with teachers and parents, and the honourable member again has made it very clear New Democrats tend to rule from their ivory towers on Broadway avenue. It is an arrogant approach that I do not accept.

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Ms. Friesen: Would the minister, who in fact with the Norrie commission wanted to eliminate half the school divisions without their consent–let us talk about ivory tower–

Madam Speaker: Order, please. Would the honourable member for Wolseley please pose her question now.

Ms. Friesen: Thank you, Madam Speaker. Would the minister confirm that the real reason that school divisions and trustees are looking at the offers of the Youth News Network is because this government has cut educational funding, made serious cuts after the last election and, in fact, is now devoting less money to public school education than it was 10 years ago? Sorry, seven.

Mr. McCrae: Madam Speaker, the honourable member is wrong on both counts. With respect to the Norrie report, the province has not opted to force amalgamations of school divisions. Mr. Roy Schellenberg, former president of the Manitoba Association of School Trustees, is out there attempting to work with divisions to find out where synergies and efficiencies exist, and where that happens, to try to broker arrangements between divisions. It may or may not result in amalgamations, but it should result in better efficiency of the taxpayers' dollars.

On the other part of the question, the honourable member just brings everything back to the issue of reductions. You know, school divisions are looking at the specific Athena proposal in whatever way they see fit. The honourable member cannot on the one hand support the budget that was brought forward by the honourable member for Minnedosa (Mr. Gilleshammer), the Minister of Finance, and daily in this House or in Estimates, joined by all her colleagues, cut the legs out from under their Leader who says he now supports balanced budgets.

Mr. Kevin Lamoureux (Inkster): Madam Speaker, the Liberal Party town hall on health care, which engaged more than 1,500 Manitobans, revealed the shocking situation that more than 71 percent of those who took part in the survey believed that one or more people in Manitoba will die in the next year after being turned away from a full-up emergency ward at a Manitoba hospital.

Can the Minister of Health provide detailed information on what waiting times at hospital emergency rooms in Manitoba are?

Hon. Eric Stefanson (Minister of Health): I look forward to the member for Inkster sharing his information with me from that survey that I gather their party undertook.

Again, we have talked about issues like access to our health care system. More Manitobans are using our health care system in terms of our surgeries, our surgical procedures than ever before. The numbers going through our hospitals continue to be at just as high levels, although some of them are now doing it on an outpatient basis where they do not need to go and spend a day or two in the hospital–are going in and getting their procedure done in the same day. If you look at our waiting lists for diagnostic tests, they are all coming down, you look at CT scans, ultrasounds, bone density testing, and so on. So, again, in large part, because of the additional resources, we have been able to address, and our plan for the future of health care services continues to be improved right across the board.

Mr. Kevin Lamoureux (Inkster): Madam Speaker, I would encourage the Minister of Health–

Madam Speaker: Order, please. Would the honourable member please pose his question.

Mr. Lamoureux: Madam Speaker, my question for the Minister of Health is to ask the minister if he is prepared to provide detailed information on where there are now shortages of general practitioners and specialists in Manitoba.

For the information that he wants from the Liberal Party, he can look up the website; and all 1,500 results of that survey are in fact available, so he could have his staff click in today if he so wanted.

Hon. Eric Stefanson (Minister of Health): Well, again, Madam Speaker, we are certainly prepared to continue to provide more and more information. This seems to be in contrast to the question from the member for Kildonan (Mr. Chomiak). We have the one member here from Inkster asking for more and more information to Manitobans on issues like reductions in waiting lists, on issues like access to family practitioners and other services within our health care system. I happen to agree with him. I think there is a responsibility on government to continue to provide information so that individual citizens, Manitobans are well informed of the changes taking place in their health care system and their access to very important services like diagnostic testing, surgical procedures, access to a family practitioner and so on.

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Mr. Kevin Lamoureux (Inkster): Madam Speaker, I ask for the Minister of Health to acknowledge the differences in opinions in terms of accessibility to health care and ask the minister: can the minister provide a measure of what the existing gaps between health care in Winnipeg and elsewhere in the province are?

Hon. Eric Stefanson (Minister of Health): Well, again, Madam Speaker, the whole objective is to continue to provide care to individual Manitobans where they need it when they need it. That is why there have been a number of changes across Manitoba. That is why communities like Morden, Winkler, Dauphin, Thompson are getting equipment like CT scans and so on. That is why we have done a number of changes to facilities like the Thompson General Hospital and so on, for that very fundamental objective, to provide the services where and when the citizens all across Manitoba need them.

Having said that, our two major tertiary hospitals are here in the city of Winnipeg, Health Sciences Centre and St. Boniface General Hospital, and they certainly serve a number of citizens from right across our province.

Ms. Rosann Wowchuk (Swan River): Madam Speaker, farmers are facing real challenges, not only with the weather but also because of the financial situation they are in. The funds from AIDA that were supposed to be coming will not be here till fall. Last week the Minister of Agriculture talked about the emergency recovery program and the number of farmers who had applied and the fact that the program might have to be extended beyond the $25 million. Can I ask the Minister of Agriculture whether the program has been extended or whether there are still funds available in the program for farmers to apply for?

Hon. Harry Enns (Minister of Agriculture): Madam Speaker, my understanding is that there are still some funds available for farmers to apply.

Ms. Wowchuk: Can the minister indicate then why MACC staff at many of the offices have been told not to take further applications because they will not be processed? Does he understand that there is a real crisis here? We need more money. Are you going to extend that program so that those people who need the funds will get it?

Mr. Enns: Madam Speaker, if and when that program will be further expanded beyond the original $25 million as was announced, that will be a matter of policy decision that I will be pleased to make my farmers fully aware of.

Ms. Wowchuk: Can the minister indicate then why staff at MACC are being told not to take further applications, indicating to farmers that there are not funds available for them at this time? Are there still funds available? Will the minister look into the situation and ensure that those farmers who need money will get money?

Mr. Enns: Madam Speaker, I believe I have answered that question. I was very pleased with the support of my government to announce a program of recovery under emergency situations. Farmers of Manitoba have availed themselves of that. There is a request in to extend that program. When that decision is made, I will make further announcements.

Mr. Stan Struthers (Dauphin): Madam Speaker, a week before last the Health minister missed an opportunity in this House to assure rural Manitobans that their ambulance services would not be eliminated or downgraded. The Association of Manitoba Municipalities has indicated that changes to emergency services should only be undertaken after extensive consultation occurs with communities and a province-wide model is finalized. Rural Manitobans want assurance from this minister.

Has he received an interim report from the Emergency Medical Services working group, as he said he was asked for a week ago?

Hon. Eric Stefanson (Minister of Health): No, I have not, Madam Speaker. I certainly expect to receive that very shortly. As the member for Dauphin, I believe, is well aware, there is a working group that includes representation from the regional health authorities, along with the Association of Manitoba Municipalities.

Mr. Stan Struthers (Dauphin): Well, Madam Speaker, then in the meantime, will the minister undertake to freeze decisions to eliminate or reduce rural ambulance services until this working group submits an interim or a final recommendation?

Hon. Eric Stefanson (Minister of Health): Madam Speaker, I have had the opportunity to meet with many of our regional health authorities, in fact all of our regional health authorities. They certainly recognize the importance of emergency medical services, and they are taking steps in all of the regions to ensure that they are maintained. We also have an outstanding volunteer base in terms of providing emergency medical services across our province, and again that is something that is extremely important to our government to maintain on a go-forward basis.

Mr. Struthers: Everyone seems to understand the importance of rural ambulance services except this minister.

Madam Speaker: Order, please. Would the honourable member for Dauphin please pose his question now.

Mr. Struthers: Why is this minister leaving rural Manitobans out to dry? Why will he not indicate to RHAs his disapproval of plans to change rural ambulance services until the working group reports to the minister?

Mr. Stefanson: Madam Speaker, that whole question is a mystery. It is silly because, again, we are very supportive of our emergency medical services right across Manitoba. I hear from many of my colleagues in our caucus on that issue on a regular basis about the urgency of the report that is coming from the regional health authorities, along with the municipal organizations, about the importance of maintaining the strong volunteer base within all of our communities, about the importance of that service and being sure that it is there for the people when they need it, where they need it. We are very committed to a quality emergency medical service right across Manitoba, and I am anxiously awaiting the report from that review committee.

Ms. Marianne Cerilli (Radisson): Madam Speaker, I have with me today a letter from the Minister of Housing asking me to direct all my inquiries to his department to his office and not ask his staff for information. I have been waiting for the minister and his department to release to me information I had received from his department in 1997 specifically about vacancy rates, arrears to the Manitoba Housing Authority, schedules for budget maintenance and their budgets.

I want to ask the Minister of Housing if he will provide this information to me prior to the Estimates and if he can tell the House today specifically what are the current vacancy rates and numbers of vacant units in Manitoba Housing Authority.

Hon. Jack Reimer (Minister of Housing): Madam Speaker, as to the exact numbers, I believe they fluctuate almost on a weekly basis, but 10 percent of our stock right now is approximately our vacancy rate at the present time.

Possibly, while I am up, I could answer a question the member asked me last week in regard to 101 Marion Street in which she was asking me about the social crisis there. I got a letter this morning actually from the residents there, and maybe I will just quote from it–that was written to me by the members at 101 Marion: however, what political–

Madam Speaker: Order, please.

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Ms. Cerilli: I think that the minister has answered the question. If he wants to table that letter, I believe that he can do that. If he wants to provide me with other information, he can do that.

Madam Speaker: The honourable Minister of Urban Affairs and Housing, on the same point of order.

Mr. Reimer: On the same point of order, I had mentioned on one of the questions that was asked of me last week that I would get back to the member with the information. I have the information, and I was going to relay it to the member.

Madam Speaker: The honourable member for Thompson, on the same point of order.

Mr. Steve Ashton (Opposition House Leader): Madam Speaker, it is quite common practice for the minister to take items as notice, but the appropriate thing would be to do it in a separate answer from what was in this case the first question raised by the member. In fact, if the minister wishes to table it now, that is not any difficulty, but I would suggest the answer would more appropriately come after the member has asked her questions and her supplementaries, and the minister can seek recognition at that point in time.

Madam Speaker: The honourable government House leader, on the same point of order.

Hon. Darren Praznik (Government House Leader): Madam Speaker, to restrict a member, when he is on his feet, from providing an answer taken as notice, particularly when that answer may be very germane and appropriate to the series of questions being asked, is not appropriate. That is what the member was doing. He should have the right to continue, and that should not interfere with the right of the member to continue with her series of supplemental questions.

Madam Speaker: On the point of order raised by the honourable member for Radisson, the honourable minister had only consumed 30 seconds of his time, and I thought he was being expeditious in providing you with additional information. But the honourable minister could stand later on to nearer the end of Question Period to put the response to the question taken as notice.

Ms. Marianne Cerilli (Radisson): I want to quote from a report for Manitoba Housing–

Madam Speaker: Order, please. The honourable member for Radisson was recognized for a supplementary question to which there should be no preamble. Would the honourable member please pose her question now.

Ms. Cerilli: Madam Speaker, my question pertains to a Manitoba Housing Authority report which had a number of recommendations for seniors housing. On this report on page 23 it recommends–

Madam Speaker: Order, please.

Hon. Darren Praznik (Government House Leader): Madam Speaker, clearly the member is not using her opportunity to put her question. She is providing a preamble, which is against the rules. She has been warned. Members opposite have asked for strict adherence to the rules.

Madam Speaker: The honourable government House leader indeed does have a point of order.

Madam Speaker: The honourable member for Radisson, please pose her question now.

Ms. Cerilli: Madam Speaker, I want to ask the minister, in reference to this report which recommends a plan for conversion of Manitoba Housing elderly persons bachelor units–it is from 1990–can the minister tell us how many bachelor units have been converted by this government, and are they developing a plan?

Hon. Jack Reimer (Minister of Urban Affairs): As I was about to say earlier, I had a reply back from the tenants where they have mentioned to me: What political motivation did Ms. Cerilli have to suggest that there is a social crisis at 101 Marion? I can tell you, as a tenant of 101 Marion, I did not appreciate hearing and reading a transcript of Question Period where Ms. Cerilli misleads the Legislature by indicating she met with the tenants of the association when in fact she only met with one tenant. It is my view, had our newly elected executive been in place, a motion would certainly have been brought forth demanding apology from the NDP for this outrageous behaviour and the tarnishing of the ability of the tenants to handle their own affairs without political interference.

Madam Speaker: Order, please. The honourable Minister of Housing wishes to table that document.

Some Honourable Members: Oh, oh.

Madam Speaker: Order, please. The honourable member for Radisson, to pose a final supplementary question.

Ms. Cerilli: Madam Speaker, I want to ask the minister: has he followed the recommendations in his own department's report on elderly persons housing which recommends they develop a plan for conversion of the vacant units to convalescent suites, to seniors, victims of abuse housing, to hostels or to student housing? Where is your plan–

Madam Speaker: Order, please. The question has been put.

Mr. Reimer: Madam Speaker, what we have been doing is looking at some of our buildings and our complexes where there is abundance of bachelor suites because we do realize that there is a fair amount of vacancies in that particular aspect of our housing. So what we are looking at is, where it is feasible and there is a possibility of converting bachelor suites into one-bedroom units, we are looking at that and we have commenced that in quite a few units. One of the things that has to be taken into consideration is the fact that we are dealing with bearing walls, we are dealing with buildings that possibly the architectural structure will not allow to do that, but those are some of the things that we are looking at.

I would also like to table a petition I received from the tenants of 101 Marion Street which they have sent me just this morning: We, the undersigned tenants of 101 Marion, would like to convey to you–me–our appreciation and approval of the care and maintenance being provided through our caretakers, Mavis and Lorne Remple, and support the work by the seniors resource worker, Lisa Sennicks.

Mr. Gerard Jennissen (Flin Flon): Madam Speaker, my questions are for the Minister of Highways and Transportation. For four years not one cent of federal gas taxes has been returned to this province for maintaining highways. Did the minister get a commitment from the federal Minister of Transportation last week to finally return some of the $140 million annually paid by Manitoba motorists in federal gas taxes?

Hon. Darren Praznik (Minister of Highways and Transportation): Yes, Madam Speaker, I would like to thank the member for Flin Flon for this particular question because he has flagged what we believe on this side to be the No. 1 issue facing the sustainability of our highway and transportation infrastructure. The fact, as he correctly outlines, is last year $147 million of gasoline taxes collected by the national government in the province of Manitoba and not one penny, not one penny, returned to maintain our road infrastructure.

I can tell him that provincial ministers continue to press the federal government for a national highways program in the short term, and certainly this minister continues to push for the long term sustainability. We are hoping we will have some success, but support of members opposite and questions like this today certainly work toward making the public aware of the importance of this issue.

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Mr. Gerard Jennissen (Flin Flon): Does the minister support the federal proposal to pay for maintaining highways by bringing in toll highways to this province?

Hon. Darren Praznik (Minister of Highways and Transportation): Madam Speaker, the member for Flin Flon has, I think correctly, hit upon an issue that we suspect from comments that have come from some in federal circles that this might be an option that provinces might want to pursue. Some have. But I can tell the member here that it is not the position of the Province of Manitoba to be charging tolls for Manitobans, and when Manitobans think about the fact that $147 million of their money paid through gas tax goes into federal coffers without a penny coming back, it is almost insulting to them to even have that kind of proposal made or floated by federal officials.

Mr. Gerard Jennissen (Flin Flon): Did the federal minister propose any kind of timetable for dealing with the $17 billion needed to upgrade the national highway system?

Hon. Darren Praznik (Minister of Highways and Transportation): Madam Speaker, again, I thank the member for, I think, a very timely and important series of questions.

The federal government today continues to talk with us and work toward some form of national highways program in next year's budget. Obviously, that kind of assistance is welcomed. But, as he has correctly outlined, unless we get to long-term sustainable financial support for maintaining our highway system, a one-time contribution towards a national highways program, although welcome, is not going to maintain and support our highway system in the long run. We continue to push for it, and support of the member and members opposite is certainly most welcome. We hope that members of the Liberal Party take that message back to their federal cousins as well.

Mr. Steve Ashton (Thompson): Madam Speaker, earlier in Question Period we raised yet another Cubby Barrett question. It seems that wherever you turn with this government, Mr. Barrett seems to pop up and including–I would like to table this. It is a picture from June of 1996 showing Mr. Cubby Barrett receiving his honorary life membership from the Premier, because sometimes you would almost think the Premier does not know Cubby Barrett.

I would like to ask the Premier: given the fact we have yet another serious question about, in this case, a land deal involving Cubby Barrett and his family directly, when will the Premier do what we have been asking for days in this House and call the audit that we need to get to the bottom of, once again, serious questions about unethical dealings between Mr. Barrett and this government headed by this Premier?

Hon. Gary Filmon (Premier): Madam Speaker, the members opposite are getting so bad now they even have to recycle their questions within a Question Period. They not only have been recycling from several years ago and several months ago, but now they recycle from within the same Question Period with their answer.

I will, as I said earlier, take the matter as notice and bring back information to the House.

Madam Speaker: Time for Oral Questions has expired.