Mr. Chairperson (Ben Sveinson): Good afternoon. Will the Committee of Supply please come to order. This afternoon this section of the Committee of Supply meeting in Room 255 will resume consideration of the Estimates for the department of Sport. As had been previously agreed, questioning for this department will follow in a global manner with all line items to be passed once the questioning has been completed. The floor is now open for questions.

Ms. Marianne Cerilli (Radisson): I think I indicated yesterday that I had hoped to be finished yesterday, but there are still a few items with the Pan Am Games I want to go through really quickly and then just ask a few other questions about some of the other events and responsibilities under Sport. We will not take much longer.

When we left off yesterday I had just asked for an update on the aboriginal component of the Games. I do not know if the minister has anything for me today or if that is going to be part of the package.

Hon. Eric Stefanson (Minister responsible for Sport): We made the request for the information. We do not have it yet. I do have two additional pieces of information. One is just a summary of the capital expenditures of the Pan Am Games with a little more detail on the projects that the member asked for that we went through in some detail over the course of the last day or two, and as part of that the member had asked the difference between the listing of $15,588,000 in the budget of approximately $17 million. The main reason for that gap in dollars between the facilities budget of $17 million and this listing is the university's funding of the Investors Group Athletic Centre. The facilities budget carries the total cost of over $8.5 million; however, the university's funding of over $2 million was considered revenue and not deducted from the cost. So that really explains that, and I have got a couple of copies of that to provide.

The member had also asked for a detailed listing of the equipment, I believe, being bought and/or rented for the Games. I think she may have a copy of this already, but in the event that she does not there are two copies of this listing as well. It is basically listed out by sport activity.

Ms. Cerilli: I appreciate getting this. I have not seen either of these documents previously. I think that this is good information to have. As the minister said yesterday when we were discussing the way that the Pan Am Games Society may have to deal with any financial arrears, they would possibly have to sell some of their assets, so this would be, I guess, the sheet that they would be using for that.

One of the things I wanted to just ask about, and I know we discussed this last year, and I am wanting to get an update in terms of the Affirmative Action Policy and requirements for the Games and the staffing and the other components to the Games that would include sort of a full participation of all Manitobans. So I want to find out what the effects are or the impact has been of the Affirmative Action program in terms of the hiring, and maybe while we are on this, too, an update in terms of the hiring from out of province. There has been some concern that a lot of the high-price expertise that has been brought in has been not, I guess, applying a sort of hire-local policy.

Mr. Stefanson: Mr. Chairman, actually part of that question, of course, was touched on yesterday by the member for The Maples (Mr. Kowalski), and we will provide the member with a total listing of all of the employees, a breakdown of how many are non-Manitobans. I think I did this last year, but we will provide a status report on that, and we will provide her details on Affirmative Action. I know there was, again, a little bit of controversy around that a few months ago through the media, but I will provide her with the information on that as well. I do not see that being a problem.

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Ms. Cerilli: How has the minister, or not the minister necessarily, but the Pan Am Games Society, responded to the criticisms that there have not been very many visible minorities hired by the Games staff?

Mr. Stefanson: Mr. Chairman, well, I certainly had a discussion at the time with the society when the issue appeared in the media. They were meeting with various groups, community groups, on that issue to be sure that they were doing everything possible or everything within reason to be sure that they were addressing the issue of Affirmative Action. My impression was that they were doing a good job overall of meeting with the groups, hiring individuals, in many cases where obviously the individuals had the skills necessary as well. So I really should get the numbers for the member, and I think they, to a certain extent, might speak for themselves. But I believe, by and large, other than a little bit of controversy at the time, that they have been addressing that issue in a very serious way. Certainly my impression from my meetings and discussions has been they definitely are taking that issue very seriously and are working with the communities to continue to address it.

Ms. Cerilli: Okay, I will get that update. The other issue that we had been discussing was the provision of emergency services, ambulance, paramedics, but I also should ask more specifically about the requirements for other medical staff, for doctors. I understand that there is a problem. There has been, anyway, a problem with getting enough volunteer doctors.

I know that the 40-hour commitment is quite a bit. It may not seem a lot when you are considering that it could be spread over two weeks, but for a lot of the sports, they are only one week or less, which means that it amounts to volunteering as a full-time job for that period of time. I understand that doctors may not be able to make that kind of a commitment, so if there are some changes there that are occurring in order to try and get more doctors who will be able to give up some time, if not the full 40 hours that is being required of other volunteers?

As I understand it from a report from June 10, there were 71 doctors that have offered to volunteer, but perhaps not, as I have just mentioned, for the full 40-hour commitment. Mr. Chairperson, 130 were needed for that time period, but they would really like 200. So, in keeping with the serious nature of having adequate coverage in the Games of medical emergency staff, I wonder if I can get an update on the status of this area.

Mr. Stefanson: Well, I know that the Pan Am Games has just done a release, which is probably the one the member is referring to, in the last couple of days on the issue of volunteers. Looking back at the April/May Partners report, page 6, it talks about the medical committee service providers beginning the process of scheduling their volunteers. At that time, of course, they say recruitment of physician and support staff is ongoing. It says that they are working with the College of Physicians and Surgeons to obtain temporary physician registration for visiting physicians and so on, Mr. Chairman. So, again, they are certainly working with all of the right organizations to meet that need, and we could provide a more current status report for the member.

Ms. Cerilli: I guess my concern would be if some of these kinds of issues are prescribed in some of the agreements that are signed, certain areas that would relate to safety, if there is a consideration for those kinds of issues and agreements that are signed with PASO. I know that the minister said before that he was not aware of that in terms of ambulance and paramedics, but that would be a similar question I would have in this area.

Mr. Stefanson: Mr. Chairman, I will follow up on that issue as well for the member and get back to her.

Ms. Cerilli: We have had quite a big discussion about the ticket sales, but one of the issues that has been brought to my attention since then is the fact that, as I have described in the difficulty that I encountered in terms of purchasing tickets and dealing with Select-A-Seat, if there is a big rush on either at the very end of the pre-Games period or during the Games for tickets, the capability may not be there to actually meet the demand for tickets and that there could then be a problem of issuing all the tickets that are required to be issued sort of at the last minute. Could the minister clarify how that is going to be dealt with?

Mr. Stefanson: Again, I am told Select-A-Seat has the capacity to deal with it. I am told that they have been looking at their entire staffing requirements during that period.

Now, I recognize this is an event over two weeks with a lot of different venues, but, of course, looking at the experience of Select-A-Seat from major sporting events, Grey Cups, World Junior to concerts, they certainly have the technology and the ability to provide this service. So I am told that they are taking appropriate steps to be sure the service will be provided efficiently to the public, which is very important. I am also told that if the member contacts Select-A-Seat, that her change-order request has been fulfilled as requested.

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Ms. Cerilli: In terms of the test events, this is another issue I raised last year, that sport organizations were concerned that the cost of Pan Am Games test events was not included as a provision in the Pan Am Games budget. I am wondering if Sport Manitoba or the Pan Am Games Society would have a figure of the total cost for the test events for all the different sports and how that is going to be affecting all the different sport associations.

Mr. Stefanson: Mr. Chairman, again, I am told that I can provide a summary of the overall costs of the test events. I am also told that at the end of the day, most of the events broke even, or those that had a loss, it was fairly minimal. But I can certainly provide that information.

Ms. Cerilli: Well, I would be interested in finding out how they have managed to either break even or meet the costs and what impact, as I have said, that has had on the sport organizations in terms of them not having other events that would have been available for Manitobans, and also if the minister can confirm if the attitude or the policy is based on the idea that the sports are going to be getting equipment or perhaps other facilities and upgrades and that is sort of the exchange for them in running these test events. Is that sort of what they have been told in terms of why there is no budget for the test events?

Mr. Stefanson: Mr. Chairman, one of the reasons that the test events were able to break even in most cases or have minimal losses was that both Sport Manitoba and the Pan Am Games supported the test events. The issue that the member asks about equipment, again, the indication is that was not in any way a condition of hosting a tenth test event. But having said that, ultimately the equipment disposition policy on the assumption that the equipment will be there to be disposed of and utilized for amateur sport in the province of Manitoba, I think many of those sporting organizations will be making requests for that equipment and obviously will receive very serious consideration, I am sure, in terms of being the recipient of the equipment.

But I am also told in most cases, if not all cases, the organizations were very pleased to host the events here in Manitoba, obviously a chance for all of their volunteers to get involved, a chance to enhance just coaching athletic involvement, all of those types of things, to see some of the best athletes in the sports that they take interest in and so on. So the indication is that the sporting organizations were in most, if not all cases, very pleased to have the opportunity to host those events here in Manitoba.

Ms. Cerilli: I am in no way suggesting they would not be pleased to do it. I think sport organizations are in the business of wanting to host sport events, but the concern is that they get the adequate funding in order to do the best job that they can and the high standard that they want to have, and that is the concern that has been expressed to me. I think that is, as it was expressed to me, it seems like in the development of the budget for the Pan Am Games there should have been some attention paid to test events, and that maybe even should have been a separate line in terms of the budgets that were drafted for venues and for sport.

Mr. Stefanson: Well, that is certainly a legitimate point, Mr. Chairman, and that issue was resolved through financial contributions being made both by the Pan Am Games Society and by Sport Manitoba for the hosting of the test events, and that is why, as I indicated, most of them have broken even or any losses have been minimal.

Ms. Cerilli: I am wrapping up my questions really to the Pan Am Games. One of the things I wanted to ask about when we were talking about the television contracts, and I think that is one of the areas that the minister said he was going to get back to me on in terms of providing me with details. We sort of got into a bit of a debate yesterday over the kind of information that I was looking for. One of the questions is that the CBC agreement included a requirement to have monies related to the Pan Am Games pay for CBC upgrades in terms of their studio sets and improvements. Is that true?

Mr. Stefanson: Mr. Chairman, as the member indicated, we discussed this in part yesterday. She asked various questions about the television arrangements both in Canada and any other contracts outside of Canada. I indicated I would provide her with as much information as I can on all of those issues, and if there are any aspects of any contracts that have confidentiality clauses in them, I would obviously point that out to the member if that is the case. I am just indicating that sometimes that is the case with some agreements. So, as part of that, I will undertake to provide the information the member is asking for now.

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Ms. Cerilli: Also, in terms of the television contracts, other than an ESPN two-hour retrospective on the day the Games complete, there is no U.S. television, and I am wondering if the minister has asked for information of how that affected the budget in terms of other sponsorships that would have been forthcoming, particularly from U.S. companies.

Mr. Stefanson: I am sure the member recalls that this issue was really a part of the entire discussion back in 1997 when the budget was revised for the Pan Am Games. Both the federal government and provincial government made an additional contribution. The impact of the television rights and revenue associated with that have really been factored in with that revised budget. What they expected to end up with in Canada, U.S., and South America have been reflected in that revised budget.

Ms. Cerilli: The budget was revised to $145 million and then revised down to $140 million. I guess somewhere between there is the amount that would have been expected to come from additional corporate sponsorship or corporate marketing revenue. Is that an accurate way of portraying it, the difference between $140 million and $122 million?

Mr. Stefanson: There were a few issues that affected the revised budget back in 1997. I do not want to go by memory. I do not have that information here. I will undertake to provide the member with a summary of what those changes were.

Ms. Cerilli: A few other questions I have relate more to Sport Manitoba. One of the other issues that has come up time and time again are the kind of agreements that sport organizations have with Sport Manitoba and sort of with the provincial government, I guess, through Sport Manitoba. I understand now that there is a multiyear funding agreement for Sport Manitoba, but for sport governing bodies it is sort of a year-to-year funding arrangement where they have to do their game plan. That is addressed each year. That provides a lot of administrative work for sport governing bodies.

They have said that it would make a lot more sense to sort of have them go to a four-year cycle similar to a lot of the major games. They operate in that kind of a fashion. Is that something the minister would agree would make sense? Is that something that Sport Manitoba can look to do, have similar agreements as they have with the government in terms of a multiyear agreement for all the sport governing bodies?

Mr. Stefanson: I do tend to agree wherever possible that you should give commitments over a reasonable period of time. We always argue that as a provincial government, with the federal government and others, that we want some predictability and certainty and stability and all those kinds of things. The same applies with organizations that we fund. I am told in this particular case that the sport governing bodies do have a four-year commitment on their base funding, which represents up to at least 80 percent of the funding in all cases.

Sport Manitoba holds back 20 percent to be allocated based on the implementation of game plans relevant to the sport. So the sport governing bodies do have a commitment for 80 percent of their funding, and it is the final 20 percent that comes back to the submission of an individual game plan.

Ms. Cerilli: Well, for that 20 percent funding, it would be interesting to do a cost benefit analysis in terms of the amount of administrative time that is required for some of these sports to put these plans together and meet with their advisors with Sport Manitoba and go through that whole process. I am wondering how much of that 20 percent of the budget goes to that process. That is just me speculating.

But the whole new system that is in place for classifying sports, that raised quite a lot of controversy when it was first introduced, and I am looking for some update in terms of any changes that were made in terms of sports that were reclassified as part of the transition into that process.

Mr. Stefanson: First of all, just to conclude with the first issue we were discussing and the submission of game plans, they are certainly not meant to be onerous undertakings. The purpose is to get a sense of what the sport is doing in terms of athlete development, coaching development, participation, all of those issues, and, obviously, the allocation of the 20 percent varies from sport to sport. So there certainly is an opportunity to assess how they are doing in those important areas.

Having said all of that, I think we are now into the second year of this process. I believe that Sport Manitoba is looking, as everybody gets comfortable with the process and the information is fairly stable, to potentially move to either a two- or a three- or a four-year cycle on that part of it as well. I do not want to leave the impression that that might not change, but in the initial stages, to get a good handle on the game plans for all of the sports, this was the initial process.

In terms of the shifting of classification, I will obtain from Sport Manitoba a summary of what sport shifted into what categories, but in terms of the financial impact of the sports, they were bridged for a period of four years, I believe, so that they are not again hit in a burdensome kind of a way in a short period of time over one year or anything like that. So it is being bridged over four years in terms of financial adjustments. I can provide a summary of the categorization of the sports for the member.

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Ms. Cerilli: I know that there was quite a difference for a few sports, that they were really going to lose quite a lot of money. I guess I am interested in getting another report on how this is affecting those sports in particular. In some of them, they were thinking they were going to have to lay off staff; that they were going to have to close their office, that they were going to have to eliminate some programs because they were going to lose in some cases–I am going from memory here–it was over 30 percent, 40 percent of their funding. At the same time there were complaints that some of the sports did not meet all the qualifications–or criteria, I guess I should say–but they were given the upper classifications and were qualifying for the most funding. I am interested in finding out how some of those issues were resolved.

Mr. Stefanson: Again, I am told, because of the bridging in particular, that there were no reductions in programs by sport organizations and as well that we are not aware of any significant layoffs within the sport governing bodies. There may have been some adjustments. I am not suggesting there may not have been some adjustments in some administrative areas and so on. Part of the bridging funding was to make sure that any adjustments are done in a fair and orderly way. I think the member's specific question was that there were some fairly significant adjustments and wanting a sense of which sports were impacted significantly. We can undertake to provide that as well.

Ms. Cerilli: I am also wanting to get an update in terms of Sport Manitoba. They seconded a number of staff to the Pan Am Games. There were a few staff that also came from some of the sports. I am interested in getting sort of an update on the number of staff at Sport Manitoba, where they have gone and what Sport Manitoba has given up. If not all the staff that have been seconded have been replaced, have there been certain functions at Sport Manitoba that have been reduced during that period?

Part of the transition that was made in creating Sport Manitoba was to try and deal with sort of a top-heavy administration, and I am wanting to see what progress has been made in that vein. I remember your predecessor, the Minister for Sport, Mr. Ernst, used to talk about wanting to get more of the dollars in Sport into the grassroots and into sport programs. That was why some of the changes we have been talking about were made. I am interested in seeing any progress in that area, and how that is being sort of measured.

Mr. Stefanson: I am told that presently there are 33 staff positions at Sport Manitoba, and Sport Manitoba has three seconded to the Pan Am Games Society, for a total of 36 staff positions.

The member's specific question, on an overall basis, Sport Manitoba has cut down on administration. They have introduced some other administrative efficiencies, and I am certainly prepared to get the percentages or ratios, but there is no doubt that a higher percentage of Sport Manitoba's budget today is going directly into programming and sport organization.

Ms. Cerilli: I am almost done. I will look forward to getting that.

One of the Expected Results listed in the Estimates book is that there will be effective implementation of Manitoba Sport policy. I am interested in knowing how the government is going to know that there is effective implementation of Manitoba Sport policy. What is being done to evaluate? What is being done to monitor, particularly as it relates to schools and other institutions?

Even at the Sport organization level now, it is much more arm's length from government. The minister makes reference to that. This has been an issue in terms of ensuring that the Sport policy is actually being followed as intended.

Again, I reference the changes that have been made organizationally. I know that the previous Minister of Sport used to reference the Sport policy as one of the reasons for making some of these changes. I am wondering if the minister can show that there has been some improvement in the implementation of Sport policy.

Mr. Stefanson: Well, that is a good question. I know the member is familiar with the Sport policy document introduced a few years ago. Annually Sport Manitoba produces a business plan. This is a copy of the executive summary of this year's business plan. I believe the member has a copy. If not, we can certainly undertake to provide her one.

Really, the development of the annual business plan, the foundation for it is the Sport policy. On an annual basis in the preparation of the business plan, the Sport policy document is the key foundation, the key sourcing document in the preparation to be sure that these policies continue to be pursued, what progress is being made, how they are being introduced, how they are being dealt with, and so on. If the member has not had a chance to look at this year's business plan for Sport Manitoba, I think she would find it certainly informative and find a direct correlation back to Sport policy.

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Ms. Cerilli: Well, I think I have a photocopy of that booklet that the minister has. I am not sure. I cannot tell from where I am sitting. He can send me a copy of that. I guess I can follow up and compare those two and follow up on this issue.

Two more issues and we are done, three actually. One of them has to do with the Western Canada Summer Games. I am basically just wanting to get some more information in terms of the budget, the revenue sources, usual sort of expense facilities, indication of the location of some of the facility upgrades as well. I am not sure if there is sort of a package, sort of an update that could be provided for me just on general information on the Western Canada Summer Games.

I appreciate it is sort of a unique situation where it is a region that is offering the games. I think that is positive. I look forward to being able to follow this. I understand that it is sort of at the beginning stages. The games are not until 2003.

Mr. Stefanson: We can certainly provide a status report, information like the budget, the preliminary locations for venues, and so on. The member is right that the 2003 Western Canada Summer Games is basically four communities–Selkirk, Gimli, Stonewall, and Beausejour–just fairly recently awarded the games. The Province of Manitoba has made a commitment of $500,000 to assist the host community in the games, but I can undertake to provide the budget that they have prepared and information on sports locations and venues.

Ms. Cerilli: My final couple of questions then have to do with the treatment of athletes in Manitoba and more of our provincial developmental programs. I have received phone calls and letters from concerned individuals on a couple of issues, first of all the sense that rural athletes be given I guess some kind of consideration in terms of what they face in being able to train and prepare for provincial teams or trials and because of the lack of facilities in a lot of rural areas, the lack of coaches, just the general difficulties presented because of geography and travel and costs, how this is addressed by either sport governing bodies or other provincial teams, that sort of thing, so that parents and rural athletes feel that they are not sort of having to face double barriers in terms of being successful in having as many opportunities as athletes who live in urban centres or in Winnipeg.

Mr. Stefanson: That is an important issue. There are at least two sets of organizations that are helping in this area. One is the regional sport associations themselves, who assist athletes in the fashion the member is referring to, to a certain extent in terms of whether it be travel related costs in some cases or other forms of assistance for athletes.

The other one is the National Sport Centre. Now, they are here in Winnipeg, as the member knows, under the chair of Dr. Glen Bergeron. They do a number of things, I think as the member knows, from sport medicine to psychology to physio and massage therapy and personal, but they also do educational and career counselling and job placement. That is one of their functions, to work with athletes in terms of both career counselling and, in some cases, job placement, which can be important for some of our athletes, particularly some of our higher performance athletes.

Ms. Cerilli: Maybe in writing the minister could give me a little more information about how the rural sports organizations, other than the granting program, are trying to support rural athletes.

The other issue I wanted to raise is–maybe just start off with a general question. If there is a complaint about a certain sport, in terms of fairness to athletes, if one athlete feels like they are being unfairly treated or there is bias and they are being barred from sort of making teams and that kind of thing, is that something that the minister is made aware of?

Mr. Stefanson: Mr. Chairman, I would say in most if not all, I certainly receive some letters on that, and what I do with those letters is immediately contact Sport Manitoba, usually Jeff Hnatiuk, and ask them to investigate the matter, which they do. They, as the member knows, are the organization that provides the direct funding to the sport governing bodies, have the day-to-day liaison, are housed in the same facility in most cases, or many cases, and so on. I then get a report back on the issue and then usually communicate with the athlete or with the family or whoever the source of the question or concern is.

I am also usually kept informed if an issue relative to an athlete's participation or some concern goes directly to Sport Manitoba which also happens in some cases–it does not necessarily come directly to me–and then Sport Manitoba keeps me informed of what review is undertaken and what the results are of that review, Mr. Chairman.

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Ms. Cerilli: So you would monitor any follow-through on any complaints yourself or through your office. I guess I am wondering if it works the other way, too, if not necessarily the complaint originally goes to you but if it goes to Sport Manitoba, is there a requirement for Sport Manitoba to inform you of those kinds of public complaints?

Mr. Stefanson: The short answer is yes on that total question.

Ms. Cerilli: And individuals who have a complaint, would they be able to go to the Ombudsman? Would the Ombudsman cover sport organizations?

Mr. Stefanson: Again, Mr. Chairman, I know obviously Sport Manitoba takes any of those issues very seriously which they should, as do I. In some cases, they have introduced a mediator to the process, but whether or not if an individual is not happy with the final outcome of an issue they can appeal that or take the issue to the Ombudsman, I will have to check on that, and I will get back to the member.

Ms. Cerilli: If there are cases where the Human Rights Commission is involved, and there is a ruling, and there is even maybe going to be a decision made, I guess there is some concern by some of the public that unless it goes to a body like that, that there is not going to be sort of an unbiased view, that they would sort of view a sport organization, Sport Manitoba, all in the same way, and I am wondering if the minister would consider that there may be a need in some cases to ensure that there is a real third party that would be involved.

In some cases, these can be fairly serious allegations. There can be quite a bit at stake in terms of people's reputation, financial assets, business interests. So it can be more than just an individual athlete's feelings hurt because they are not selected for a team. I guess that is the point I am trying to make.

So I wonder if the minister would consider that there needs to be a process set up, so that it really is an impartial third party that would be investigating and would be seen to be investigating any kinds of complaints about Sport Manitoba's organizations that are involved and provincial teams and that kind of thing.

Mr. Stefanson: As the member knows, the sport governing bodies are not members of Sport Manitoba, but they do receive their funding from Sport Manitoba. I think she is right that sometimes when Sport Manitoba is dealing with a situation, there can be the perception that there is not necessarily independence. That is one of the reasons that Sport Manitoba in various cases has pulled in a third-party mediator to assist, try to resolve the situation, and so on. So we have taken some steps along the path of what she is referring to, trying to be absolutely certain that the review process is objective and is independent. I am certainly prepared to look at her suggestion whether or not there is anything else we can or should be doing to create a mechanism to ensure that that is the case.

Ms. Cerilli: I do not know if you had addressed the issue of the Ombudsman having jurisdiction. Did you address that?

Mr. Stefanson: On the Ombudsman question, I did indicate I would get back to the member. We are not certain whether there is an appeal mechanism to the Ombudsman, but we will determine that and get back to the member.

Ms. Cerilli: Just to wrap up then, I know that I have asked a lot of questions in Question Period in the past about the government's education policies as related to physical education and the amount of concern in the sport community about that. I know that the government has just also undertaken as part of an agreement with the federal government to try and reduce the inactivity of Canadians by 10 percent. I have been concerned that there has not been a lot of investment on the part of this government into this whole area of fitness and recreation in terms of trying to reverse the trend, where we now have 50 percent of adults in Canada, in Manitoba, that are obese and are inactive.

I am wanting to know what Sport Manitoba or the whole sort of sport structure has been involved in this initiative. It is actually through the Fitnesss Directorate. I am not sure, I am assuming it is the Minister for Culture and Heritage that has signed the agreement that all provinces have signed with the federal government to try and reduce the number of inactive citizens. I am wanting to see what kind of involvement Sport Manitoba or other parts of the sport structure have been playing in developing any kind of plan to attain that goal for Manitoba by the year 2003, I believe it is.

Mr. Stefanson: Again, the member is right. Fitness is under Culture, Heritage and Citizenship, but there is a relationship obviously to Sport and some other departments of the government. Sport does interact with the Fitness division in Culture and Heritage. Sport does participate in the SummerActive program, the WinterActive program and some of those initiatives.

One other thing that I think is important is the whole issue of participation. Again, when we talked about the game plans for the sport organizations, that is certainly one of the issues, is what are they doing to encourage and create participation in their sport at all levels, from the recreational fun participation to the high performance.

So that is certainly a vehicle that Sport can use and utilize well to encourage healthy lifestyles, fitness activity and so on. So Sport is certainly a participant and a key player in addressing that issue.

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Ms. Cerilli: My specific question, though, was pertaining to this agreement that the province has entered into to reach this target of reducing the number of inactive people in the province by 10 percent by the year 2003. My question is what role is Sport Manitoba playing in that?

Mr. Stefanson: Well, again, as the member indicated, the agreement is with Culture, Heritage and Citizenship in Fitness, and Sport is partnering with Fitness in terms of a number of these initiatives to achieve that target. So the lead is Fitness but Sport is doing a number of things. I have outlined that they are working with sport governing bodies, the provincial sport organizations in terms of the various programs in place but also to enhance participation in sport.

Ms. Cerilli: Perhaps before we completely leave that alone, I can just ask the minister if I could get a more detailed answer to that question sent to me.

Mr. Stefanson: Sure, Mr. Chairman.

Mr. Chairperson: 28.1. Sport (a) Support Services (1) Salaries and Employee Benefits $15,400–pass; (2) Other Expenditures $40,600–pass.

28.1.(b) Sport Manitoba $10,205,000–pass.

28.1.(c) Major Sport Initiatives (1) Team Canada Volleyball Centre $75,000–pass; (2) 1999 Pan American Games (a) Grant Assistance $5,000,000–pass; (b) Less: Recoverable from Urban Economic Development Initiatives ($5,000,000)–pass; (3) 2003 Western Canada Summer Games $75,000–pass; (4) Other Events $115,000–pass.

28.1.(d) Manitoba Boxing Commission $29,100–pass.

Resolution 28.1: RESOLVED that there be granted to Her Majesty a sum not exceeding $10,555,100 for Sport, Sport, for the fiscal year ending the 31st day of March, 2000.

28.2. Amortization of Capital Assets $1,700–pass.

Resolution 28.2: RESOLVED that there be granted to Her Majesty a sum not exceeding $1,700 for Sport, Amortization of Capital Assets, for the fiscal year ending the 31st day of March, 2000.

This completes the Estimates of Sport. I thank you. The next Estimates we will be considering will be Consumer and Corporate Affairs.