ORAL QUESTION PERIOD

Health Care System

Audiology Services--Children

Mr. Gary Doer (Leader of the Opposition): Mr. Speaker, my question is to the Premier.

The government put a lot of words in previous Speeches from the Throne and again the existing Speech from the Throne dealing with preventative health and children's health.

In 1989, the government received a report called the McDermott report recommending increased services in audiology and speech, but in 1991 after they said in the Speech from the Throne they were going to proceed with the healthy child program, they proceeded to cut those services across Manitoba.

We are aware of long waiting lists in both preschool and early-age school children in these very important services, preventative services that help children and help our total health care system.

I would like to ask the Premier (Mr. Filmon) what has been the impact of their cuts on the caseloads of children receiving audiological assessments.

Hon. James McCrae (Minister of Health): I am pleased to see the new approach being taken by the New Democratic Party with regard to children in our province. It is refreshing to see.

We have had to upgrade our health system in very many areas from the time that we took over from the New Democrats. To see the emphasis being placed on a child health strategy that is being developed in the government, a strategy that the announcement made by the Leader of the New Democratic Party recently has an uncanny resemblance to, we are delighted that the honourable member is noticing and learning what we are doing in these areas and supports that approach. I look forward to continuing to work together with the Leader of the Opposition on developing a strong child health strategy in Manitoba.

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Mr. Doer: The minister did not answer the question. What was the impact of the former Minister of Health's cutbacks approved by the Premier (Mr. Filmon) in 1991, which at the time were called by the Speech and Hearing Association, massive cuts in audiology programs?

If this is going forward, Mr. Speaker, people with children in the communities feel you are going backwards and have the evidence to prove it.

I would like to ask the minister what has been the impact of a reduction in the caseloads in audiology in school-age children from 6,000 in 1991 when they made the cuts, down to 3,000 in 1993. What has been the impact on these children that need these preventative health care services so they can have an education and dignity and so they can have an opportunity in their lives rather than being denied those opportunities by Tory health care policies?

Mr. McCrae: Mr. Speaker, the tone of the honourable member's question sounds a little menacing and unhelpful. I know that deep down they do share with me a concern for a health care system that will provide us with healthier communities in the future.

You cannot advocate continuous spending in the same traditional ways we have always spent in double-digit levels of inflationary spending. You cannot advocate all of that and then advocate also a healthy health system in the future. So we do look for some consistency from honourable members opposite. We look for support from them when they see a shift from a system of health care which is dealing only with illness and to the exclusion of dealing with programs and policies that would promote healthier communities.

So as I say to the honourable Leader of the Opposition, I look forward to his support and the kinds of details he might like to have from us, what information we have, we will make available to him.

Mr. Doer: Mr. Speaker, the only consistency we see from the government is kind words and cruel cutbacks. What they do and what they say are the opposite. You will excuse us if the public is a little cynical about listening to the government talking about a healthy child program after they cut back many of the preventative programs.

I would like to ask the minister--and I asked him a question about the caseload which he did not answer. I asked him another question about this program, which he did not answer. Can the minister advise the House and the people of Manitoba on the length of waiting lists for preschool children for audiology programs at St. Boniface and Health Sciences Centre?

We have been informed by a vice-president of the speech and language programs for preschool children that the waiting list is over a year for some of these children. It is especially affecting--and members opposite may want to pay attention to this--it is affecting all children, and it is especially tough on rural children.

Mr. McCrae: Mr. Speaker, I take note of the honourable member's question and undertake to provide information to the honourable member about services that are provided in Manitoba.

But I dare say the honourable member ought to be consistent in his approach to health care in Manitoba. The honourable member needs to understand that unlike his own government, the government for which he sat around the cabinet table and spent a lesser percentage annually on health services in Manitoba than the present government, he has to bear in mind that a higher rate of total government spending is spent in Manitoba, a total of 34 percent. That figure cannot be matched anywhere in this country. You have to come to Manitoba to find that level of health care spending going on.

Now we need the honourable member's support and that of his party in spending those dollars as wisely and as well as we can to secure a healthy population. Any efforts that he makes in that direction I will appreciate, and I will not appreciate the kind of approach that has been taken for too long by members in his party. But as I said, the announcement he made a week or two ago with respect to child health I welcome, and I hope that signals a turning of the corner on the part of the New Democratic Party.

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Aboriginal Health Conference

Manitoba Representation

Mr. Eric Robinson (Rupertsland): Mr. Speaker, this government has treated aboriginal health care in the same way it has treated other aboriginal issues. It has cut programs and ignored the needs of aboriginal people, and the lack of interest in this issue can be summed up by the failure of the government to find one single person in the Health department that could benefit from a conference that was held in April of last year in Toronto dealing with aboriginal health.

My question is for the Minister of Health. Why was the Manitoba government the only province not represented at this conference?

Hon. James McCrae (Minister of Health): Mr. Speaker, the honourable member ought to bear in mind that a very, very large percentage of the program and spending going on in the Health department in this province, in the Justice department, in the Family Services department is spent on aboriginal Manitobans. The honourable member refuses to take any notice of that, and the honourable member ought to be in contact with me and with our counterparts in the federal government to remind them of their responsibility, while I very cautiously applaud what I see happening in recent days in Manitoba respecting Status Indians in Manitoba, a cautious view but hopefully optimistic of the future for relationships between the various levels of government.

The honourable member ought to remember that many, many aboriginal Manitobans are served by the system that we have here, but we cannot expect a federal government to enjoy very much in the way of credibility if they want to pull back from taking part in programming. They want to have a say in how programming runs, but they want to back away from financing them, Mr. Speaker. That is not going to work in Manitoba or anywhere in Canada.

Children's Dental Health Program

Reduction Justification

Mr. Eric Robinson (Rupertsland): Mr. Speaker, the government recognizes that children in Manitoba are up to 10 times more likely to be admitted to hospital if they live in a poor income group, and I think that aboriginal people definitely--it will come as no surprise to members in this House that they definitely will fall under that category.

Why was the only response from this government to poor quality health care to be more cuts and the elimination of programs like the Children's Dental Program when there are no replacements available in these communities?

Hon. James McCrae (Minister of Health): Mr. Speaker, I hope the honourable member makes himself aware of the Manitoba Centre for Health Policy and Evaluation which, in the words of his colleague for Kildonan, is beyond reproach in terms of its ability to advise government and to evaluate programs. That centre tells us that people living in poorer social and economic circumstances of this province make the most use of our health care system.

Well, that should not surprise anybody who knows that the people in poor economic circumstances also do not enjoy the same level of health status as people in other economic circumstances.

That being said, why does the honourable member not recognize, as the Manitoba Centre for Health Policy and Evaluation does, that people in those income groups and social and economic groups do indeed receive the health care, higher levels of health care than other people in Manitoba?

With that being said, why does not--[interjection] Read the report. I mean the honourable member for Kildonan (Mr. Chomiak) tells us the centre's efforts and work is above reproach. I mean, you cannot have it both ways. The honourable member does not want to listen to advice that is there and given to us in an independent way, but the fact is, will he get on board with us when we try to deal with the issue of a healthier population?

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Northern Nursing Program

Government Support

Mr. Eric Robinson (Rupertsland): Mr. Speaker, my final question is to the same minister.

The minister should know the seriousness of a health issue facing aboriginal people in this province and the consequences of the refusal of this province to recognize and work with these problems with the aboriginal representative organizations.

Is the minister at least prepared to formally endorse the Manitoba Keewatin Owi Okimakanak-proposed Northern Bachelor of Nursing Program which has received support from the federal government?

Hon. James McCrae (Minister of Health): Mr. Speaker, it will be my hope and my expectation to support any measure within our ability and jurisdiction that we are able to participate in that would improve the overall health of our population.

I can point to programs that are in implementation stages in northern Manitoba right now where many aboriginal people live dealing with mental health services. Where was the honourable member's party when for many, many years the consumers of mental health services and their families have been asking for proper services in northern Manitoba? No, that was not good enough. It all had to be done in the city of Winnipeg or in Brandon or in Selkirk and if you did not live there then you had to get there somehow. That is where the honourable member and his colleagues stood, Mr. Speaker.

Where was the honourable member when we were announcing new psychiatric beds at The Pas or in Thompson? Where was the honourable member when we are putting in place self-help centres with the help of the government? Where are the honourable members opposite when it comes to providing services in the community in northern Manitoba? Just in case the honourable member did not think about it, he might check to see what the admissions at the Health Sciences Centre are as well.

Employment Creation Strategy

Provincial Comparisons

Mr. Paul Edwards (Leader of the Second Opposition): Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Premier.

Just earlier today, the Premier took the members of the Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce through a fun-filled trip through fantasyland about the current state of the economy. The Premier set his own target and his own goal and his own test. He talks about the primary purpose of government being that of creating jobs. I agree. All of the things that we talk about--sectoral analysis, trade with one country or another--it comes back to the jobs that we want to have in Manitoba. That is what this is about.

My question for the Premier: He said in his speech, so far this year we have already seen 8,000 more full-time jobs than at the same time in 1993. In fact, according to the Manitoba Bureau of Statistics it is 7,000, but the main point, Mr. Speaker, is the country has created in that same period of time 386,000. Our percentage of that based on our population should have been 15,400. We got 7,000. Why is this province performing at less than the national average in the creation of jobs?

Hon. Gary Filmon (Premier): Mr. Speaker, I think it would be well for the member opposite to do a little bit of research and to look into all aspects of Manitoba's economic growth. For instance in the last five years, including 1994, four of those five years Manitoba's GDP growth will have exceeded the national average--four of the five years. That is a phenomenal record and something that has not been seen for a long time in this province.

We know, of course, that there was nothing--[interjection] I know that it pains the member for Concordia (Mr. Doer) to hear the truth. Well, this is from Stats Canada and you may want to read them and try and understand them. The member opposite may want to read them and try and understand them, because they are here for everybody to see.

In fact, if he wants to take a look at his own record, the record of the administration of which he was a part--1985 Manitoba's GDP rate was below the national average; '86 it was below; '87 it was below; '88 it was below; '89 it was below. Finally, since 1990, we have had growth rate above the national average; 1990, '90-91 and 1993 and 1994, Mr. Speaker, that is exactly the fact. This is Stats Canada. It is there for you to see.

Mr. Speaker, with respect to job creation, this province has added 15,000 jobs in the last three months alone--15,000 jobs. You have to take a continuum, not just one month at a time and so on. In the last three months, we have added 15,000 jobs, which is among the highest growth rate of job creation in this country.

In 1993, we were third best in Canada in job creation rate, and we continue the progress of job creation. That is what it is all about. I will talk more about other elements of the economy in response to the next question.

Mr. Edwards: Let us take the continuum theory, Mr. Speaker. Let us take September 1990, when this government got a majority, to November of '94, the last month for which we have employment statistics. Let us take that period of time.

In that period of time, this province has had a decrease of 6,000 jobs. There were 507,000 people working in September '90. There are 501,000 working as of November '94--down 6,000. In the same period of time, having gone through the same recession, the nation is up 125,000 jobs.

Why is this province underperforming the nation on jobs, whether it is the continuum, the last year, the last two years, the last three years? Why is this government not doing the job?

Mr. Filmon: Mr. Speaker, among many things, as I explained to the chamber of commerce, this province has had a reduction of public sector jobs of some 16,000 during the period from 1988 until the present. That is not necessarily an unhealthy situation. What it means is that we are getting off the dependency on public sector jobs, paid for totally by the taxpayer, and moving on to private sector creation of jobs. During that same period of time, the private sector job creation has made up for the public sector job creation.

Let me tell you a little bit about where the growth is taking place. In terms of exports this year, this province's exports have increased better than any other province in Canada during this year of 1994. That is a continuum again of experience that we have had, because between 1990 and 1993, our exports to the U.S. went up 40 percent during that period, which was the highest increase again of any province in Canada.

Our increase in mining, for instance, this has become the hotbed of Canada for the mining industry. We have had, for two years in a row, the highest levels of exploration in mining in our province's history.

In manufacturing, our manufacturing job rate, as the throne speech said--firstly, our job increases in manufacturing this past year have been the highest in any province in Canada, but we are now back to a 13-year high in the number of people working in manufacturing, Mr. Speaker. Those are all good news and those are the kinds of things I would expect the Leader of the Liberal Party to endorse, to support and to be happy about because it is good for Manitobans.

Mr. Edwards: Mr. Speaker, the Premier continues to sectorize this sector, that sector, this trading partner, that trading partner. The bottom line is jobs. That is what he says. That is what he talks about. When he talks about exports, let him remember that the most valuable export from this province is our people and in particular the young people. We have lost net 30,000 people under this government, 13,000 of them between the ages of 20 and 29 looking for their first career.

Mr. Speaker, my final question for this Premier: Why, in his term of government that is coming to an end, has he underperformed the national average of job creation? Why do we have 6,000 fewer Manitobans working and in the same period of time going through the same recession, the nation has created 125,000 more? Why is that?

Mr. Filmon: Mr. Speaker, firstly, the figure is wrong. The figure is that the comparison between September of 1990 and November of this year on a seasonally adjusted basis is a difference of 1,000 jobs. During that period of time, we have gone through both the second worst recession this century and an economic restructuring from a production economy to an information economy.

The job creation continues to grow, as I said, 15,000 jobs added since August of this year alone and growth in every sector of the economy to the point that manufacturing jobs are at a 13-year high. This continues to show the progress that we embarked upon, a progress that as a result of the changes that we have made, changing so that we have 16,000 fewer people in the public sector so that there is less drain on the taxpayers of this province, no tax increases for seven years in any of the major areas of taxation. Those changes have been lauded by people throughout the country from outside our province. The Dominion Bond Rating Service has said that Manitoba has been the most fiscally responsible province in Canada since 1987. That is a result of the effects and the efforts of this province.

Mr. Speaker, I would think that this member, above all, would want to help Manitobans take pride in all of these accomplishments. The growth in tourism, the growth in manufacturing, the growth in every one of those sectors that we have talked about--mining, telecommunications--that is good news for Manitoba and it is opportunities. Instead of being so negative all the time, I would hope that he would join together in a nonpartisan way and celebrate the accomplishments of Manitoba.

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Health Care Facilities

No-Deficit Policy

Mr. Dave Chomiak (Kildonan): Mr. Speaker, we are very pleased to hear the recent announcement that Seven Oaks Hospital will not be laying off any staff this year. We also know that the Department of Health, in writing, allowed Seven Oaks Hospital to have its $8,000 deficit covered this year.

Can the minister indicate whether the provincial no-deficit funding policy has been changed for this year and whether it will remain in effect next year after the election?

Hon. James McCrae (Minister of Health): Mr. Speaker, I am perplexed by the sudden interest of the honourable member opposite in issues like deficits.

Honourable members in the New Democratic Party and also, especially, members in the Liberal Party are very good at helping governments, suggesting ways to increase deficits and debt. Now all of a sudden, we get a question that has some kind of a concern about a deficit. I must say I am delighted to have such a question but very surprised that it should be coming from this particular honourable member.

His interest in Seven Oaks Hospital is commendable too. The improvements they have been making, especially with programs for release for people so that they can have home care services at home, his interest in that whole area is refreshing to me too, and I appreciate it.

I am happy to report to the honourable member that there are very few hospitals in Manitoba who are experiencing deficits any more. That is a credit to the operations and the people in those hospitals throughout Manitoba who have worked very hard with Manitoba Health and in their communities to deliver good services to the people and to do so in an efficient way.

I have a lot of time for those people, and I spend it with them all the time. Those who have deficits, those few, we will continue to work closely with them.

Mr. Chomiak: Mr. Speaker, that is the seventh question in a row the Minister of Health has refused to answer.

I will ask him again. Can the minister indicate whether or not the payment for the deficit policy will apply to St. Boniface's $800,000 deficit this year and its accumulated deficit of $4.1 million, to Victoria Hospital's $250,000 deficit, to the Health Sciences Centre's million dollar deficit? Will the funding for the deficit that is being applied this year to Seven Oaks apply to those institutions as well?

Mr. McCrae: Mr. Speaker, I thought I was being very responsive. I will only repeat the answer to the last question.

There are very few hospitals in this province that are experiencing this problem. We are working very closely with them to resolve those deficit problems.

Nobody wants to have deficits, Mr. Speaker, not the government. Maybe honourable members opposite do. They have certainly demonstrated that they like deficits a lot. That is not where we are going, and that is not where these hospitals are going. We will continue to work closely with them, as I said in my last answer.

Mr. Chomiak: Mr. Speaker, can the minister try to explain perhaps the fact that he will fund some deficits this year, but community health centres were told in a letter dated September 21 that the no-deficits policy will apply to their budgets, despite the fact that apparently, according to Jules Benson, they will be getting more money this year?

How does he reconcile the fact that some deficits appear to be funded, and community health centres have been told that their deficits will not be funded?

Mr. McCrae: Mr. Speaker, I repeat, we are going to be working with the hospitals to ensure that deficits will be eliminated in an orderly manner.

While all of this is happening, I should remind honourable members about the performance of the hospitals and the staff that are working in those hospitals, the doctors, the nurses, the administrators and the technicians and the cleaners and all of those people who have been working so very, very hard to do the best that they can for the patients of this province.

At a time when hospital budgets are either flat, or in some cases decreasing, we are doing more for the patients of this province. We are conducting more services. We are doing more not-for-admission surgeries and we are getting better outcomes than we ever have before. At a time when the honourable member wants to doom and gloom and talk about how terrible everything is, our hospitals are getting better.

Highway Construction Projects

PTH 15

Mr. Daryl Reid (Transcona): Mr. Speaker, good roads are a lifeline for many communities in northern Manitoba. Many communities are served by only one road. Roads such as 391, 384, 373, 280 and 234 are the only roads feeding northern rural communities.

Recently, the RCMP issued a public notice for one such road, advising against its use due to its dangerous condition when residents of northern Manitoba were injured.

My question is for the Minister of Highways and Transportation. Can the Minister of Highways explain why he authorized nearly $2 million for the paving of Provincial Trunk Highway 15 in his own constituency?--since this project does not appear on either the 1990-91, 1991-92, 1992-93 and 1993-94 project lists.

Hon. Glen Findlay (Minister of Highways and Transportation): The member refers to one or two roads in the province of Manitoba, some 18,000 kilometres. Staff constantly analyze what kind of projects will respond to community need and number of vehicles on a road.

The road he refers to has 6,000 vehicles per day. The department has been looking at four-laning that road for many, many years, or, whether because of the large volume of traffic at this time, in the interests of safety, there was a way to make it more safe in the short term.

Six thousand vehicles a day is a lot of vehicles on any road in this province. I know there is need all over the province. I just met with the Union of Manitoba Municipalities where 35 different delegations of municipalities came. We have roads to upgrade all over this province. There are long-term plans in the department on every road in the province.

What is the most cost-effective way to improve safety on the road is the issue. The member refers to 391. I have been up there; staff have been up there. We have consulted with communities up there.

We are going to respond with a meeting next month to try to determine where priority use of scarce dollars can do the most effective job of improving that road, which is the only road to some of those communities.

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Mr. Reid: The more the minister explains it, the deeper he digs.

I would like to table a copy to refute the minister's statistics that he has provided here today. Can the minister table either an RCMP advice notice pertaining to the dangerous condition of Provincial Trunk Highway 15 or advice from his department on the dangerous conditions or poor road surface for this provincial trunk highway? Can he table that information?

Mr. Findlay: Mr. Speaker, I am disappointed that this member wants to attack citizens from having good roads in the province of Manitoba. Every road we build can be attacked by somebody in some other community saying, it should have been our road instead of their road.

Through the process of evaluating roads in the department and using scarce dollars, we allocate the dollars where we believe the numbers of traffic and condition of the road will improve road safety to the maximum allowed.

Mr. Speaker, the member for Dauphin (Mr. Plohman), when he was the Minister of Highways, spent $30 million on a bridge to nowhere, $30 million that could have been spent anywhere else in the province to improve the road system.

Mr. Reid: Mr. Speaker, here the question is fairness, fairness for all Manitobans.

My final question is for the same minister. Can this minister explain why he authorized, in addition to the paving of the road service, the paving of the shoulders of Provincial Truck Highway 15 in his own constituency when so many roads in northern Manitoba are begging attention?

Mr. Findlay: Mr. Speaker, as we upgrade road surfaces in Manitoba, whether it is Highway 16, whether it is Highway 1 East or West or Highway 75 or Highway 15, the standard is to pave the shoulders for additional road safety when the traffic volumes are as high as they are on those roads.

There is need all over the province. We are responding to the need because we have increased spending on highways from $85 million when we came into government to $109 million, $110 million today. We are doing a class-one job of upgrading roads in this province.

That member does not want Manitobans to have safer roads.

Hazardous Waste Management Corporation

General Manager--Remuneration

Ms. Norma McCormick (Osborne): Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Environment.

On March 10, 1994, I received a letter from Mr. Sherwood, the president and chief executive officer of the Crown Corporations Council, in response to some questions I had asked with respect to the contract agreement between them and the then- general manager of Manitoba Hazardous Waste Management Corporation.

The response indicates that the employment contract between Mr. Johnson and the corporation was provided for a level which was higher than the council's guidelines.

Mr. Sherwood's letter says: When the council drew this to the attention of the minister, the agreement was terminated and a new agreement entered into which was consistent with the council's guidelines.

Mr. Speaker, we have received information that under this new contract--

Mr. Speaker: Question, please.

Ms. McCormick: The question to the Minister of Environment is: Has the Minister of Environment again been called into account by the Crown Corporations Council as the remuneration paid further exceeds the guidelines?

Hon. Glen Cummings (Minister of Environment): Mr. Speaker, the member speaks as though this was some kind of a clandestine operation whereby she acquired this information. It was sent to her, as I understand, by the Crown in question to make sure that she had full information in reference to the salaries that were being paid so that there would be no question about where public dollars are being spent.

The fact is, the contract that was entered into with the gentleman with whom she has taken some dislike--I guess would be the best way to describe it--that contract was kept on an hourly basis, Mr. Speaker, so it could be severed any day in anticipation that the corporation would evolve into a public-private-sector co-management and investment. To that end, it was a much better arrangement than the previous arrangements that were in place, which in fact allocated up to some six months of severance pay for staff that have in fact been replaced.

Ms. McCormick: A supplementary to the same minister. Mr. Johnson was paid $76,000 which was more than he was entitled to be paid under the original contract.

A supplementary: Were additional monies paid to Mr. Johnson on his termination of tenure as general manager? If yes, what was the amount paid?

Mr. Cummings: Mr. Speaker, this is exactly the point that I am attempting to make with the member. This contract had no health leave or sick pay, had no severance pay. It had no allowance for any time off or pay in lieu of holidays. This was strictly a per hour contract that could be terminated at any time in the best interests of containing the cost to the corporation.

In fact, when the gentleman left, he was left without any pension other than what he might have provided for himself, no sick leave and no severance pay. That, I believe, Mr. Speaker, has completed eluded the member across the way. She would prefer that the corporation went back to its old policies where it provided six months severance pay.

Ms. McCormick: My final supplementary, Mr. Speaker. Can the minister advise this House of the current contractual arrangements with the Manitoba Hazardous Waste Management Corporation, given that he has been replaced by a new chief executive officer?

Mr. Cummings: Mr. Speaker, I would ask if you would allow the member to supplement her question. A current condition with whom? The present officer or the past one?

Mr. Speaker: The honourable member for Osborne, with clarification, please.

Ms. McCormick: The contractual arrangements with the Manitoba Hazardous Waste Management Corporation.

An Honourable Member: By whom?

Ms. McCormick: By Mr. Johnson.

Mr. Cummings: He is gone, Mr. Speaker.

Highway Construction Projects

Northern Manitoba

Mr. Steve Ashton (Thompson): Mr. Speaker, the hypocrisy of this government and this Minister of Highways is incredible. The Minister of Highways knows full well that this government has cut the construction budget that is going to northern Manitoba from 15 to 20 percent of the budget to less than 5 percent.

I would like to table a presentation from the Leaf Rapids Chamber of Commerce, the mayor and council of Leaf Rapids, HBM&S, Leaf Rapids Health Centre, Leaf Rapids School District, United Steelworkers of America 8l44, South Indian Lake, Nelson House, the Leaf Rapids Chamber of Commerce: a letter and a picture demonstrating just how bad this highway is.

I have a very simple question to the Minister of Highways: Why is it that he will not face the reality that northern roads and 391 are in, in particular? Why has he refused to try to meet with people in Leaf Rapids, Nelson House and other communities affected as recently as this Friday? Why will he not meet with northerners?

Hon. Glen Findlay (Minister of Highways and Transportation): Mr. Speaker, for the member's information, if he is interested in knowing what is going on, 3 percent of the traffic in Manitoba occurs on the roads he is talking about; 8 percent of the maintenance and 5 percent of the capital spent where 3 percent of the traffic occurs.

I have to be the minister for all citizens of Manitoba. I have a department of some 2,300 people whose job it is to do the maintenance, to do the road assessment, and I have driven that road in very recent days with staff of the department.

I have met with members of the communities of Leaf Rapids, Lynn Lake, Churchill and Thompson, along with the Minister of Northern Affairs (Mr. Praznik), and the agreement from those people was to sit down with my department staff with technical information to determine on a consensus basis how we appropriate dollars to maximize the improvement of those roads, Mr. Speaker. That was agreed to by members of those councils, communities, that the member talks about.

We met in that office of the Minister of Northern Affairs, and that meeting is being set up with my department and those communities for next month to deal with emergencies that need to be addressed in 1995.

Minister of Highways and Transportation

Resignation Request

Mr. Steve Ashton (Thompson): Mr. Speaker, let there be no doubt about the intentions of this government and the fact they will do anything to punish northerners.

I would like to table a letter that was sent to the member for Rupertsland (Mr. Robinson), a letter from the Minister of Highways (Mr. Findlay) in which he crossed out--and I will quote what he crossed out in this letter: the government will eventually provide a surfaced route from Thompson to Leaf Rapids.

The minister personally crossed out this letter which was prematurely sent to us, obviously a draft letter.

What I would like to ask, Mr. Speaker, is to the Premier. Will the Premier remove this incompetent Minister of Highways who is shafting northerners when it comes to road construction? He crossed it out.

Hon. Gary Filmon (Premier): Mr. Speaker, the biggest punishment that is visited upon the people of the North is having that MLA as their representative.

Mr. Speaker: Time for Oral Questions has expired.

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NONPOLITICAL STATEMENTS

Pierre Radisson Collegiate Seniors Christmas Evening

Mr. Speaker: Does the honourable member for St. Vital have leave to make a nonpolitical statement? [agreed]

Mrs. Shirley Render (St. Vital): Mr. Speaker, I want to applaud Pierre Radisson Collegiate for the very innovative and community spirit program that they provided for the seniors in their area.

Last night, December 7, the food services students cooked a Christmas dinner for over 200 seniors, and with help from other students and staff, they served, as I said, over 200 seniors from their immediate area. Work education and ESL students decorated the gym, and the music department students and the staff choir performed for the seniors. As you can see, this was a total school effort. Everyone pitched in.

I understand that the music was so invigorating that some of the selections, such as Elvis Presley's All Shook Up, had the seniors get up and dancing in the aisles. In fact, the seniors so enjoyed the evening that they decided to leave some money on the table which the school in turn donated to the Christmas Cheer Board.

So, a thank you to the staff and students of Pierre Radisson for giving their time and energy to the seniors of the area and thanks to the seniors who returned the spirit of giving by donating to the Christmas Cheer Board.

So once again, congratulations to Pierre Radisson for initiating a community event which also helped to develop their students' skills and work experience. Thank you.

Press Gallery Reception and Hockey Game

Mr. Speaker: Does the honourable Minister of Finance have leave to make a nonpolitical statement? [agreed]

Hon. Eric Stefanson (Minister of Finance): Mr. Speaker, I rise on behalf of all members of this side of the House to say thank you to the press gallery for their kind hospitality at the reception last night.

As you well know, the gallery and other members of the media challenged the three parties to a friendly game of street hockey in the parking lot last night. What better time of year to put our differences aside and participate in a friendly sporting event in the crisp, clean Manitoba air. Also, what better way for a group of Canadian men and women to get together for a good time than an informal game of road hockey in the spirit of our youth and a great Canadian pastime.

Mr. Speaker, as usual, you displayed a great deal of diplomacy and impartiality in playing goal in four of the games last night for opposing sides, and I would like to express the thanks of all members of the House for your very good sportsmanship.

I would also like to pay tribute to the Leader of the Opposition (Mr. Doer) for his athletic prowess in being the top goal scorer of the evening. However, his grace and determination did not match those of our Premier (Mr. Filmon) who scored several goals himself, one of which came from what I can only humbly describe as a magnificent play by myself.

I would like to add with all modesty, the score once again favoured this side of the House, and the trophy is now proudly displayed in the office of our Premier.

Once again, Mr. Speaker, thank you to the media, to yourself, and to all members of the House for their good sportsmanship and the ability to relax and enjoy ourselves. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker: Does the honourable Leader of the official Opposition have leave to make a nonpolitical statement? [agreed] You bet he does.

Mr. Gary Doer (Leader of the Opposition): I would like to join the Minister of Finance (Mr. Stefanson) in thanking the press corps for the good idea, I thought, of having a road hockey game. It is a little bit similar to our pastime as youth, I suppose, but it was missing some of the old ingredients of road hockey as we know it from our grandfathers and grandmothers who used to play with other material, rather than a broom hockey ball. I believe it was called a road apple in the old days.

Perhaps rather than having these new fancy balls that froze and then broke at the end of the game when it was a crucial point, we could have the old equipment in the next game.

We would like to congratulate members opposite and all the deputy ministers and executive assistants and others who joined in on their victorious team. We want to congratulate you on your victory. It is, as our caucus said today, the only thing you have won in the last four years, but it is worthy of congratulations.

It is something we should do a little more often. Good physical fitness I think is good for all of us in the Chamber and all of our communities. Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker: Does the honourable Leader of the second opposition party have leave to make a nonpolitical statement? [agreed]

Mr. Paul Edwards (Leader of the Second Opposition): Mr. Speaker, I would be remiss if I did not join with both of the representatives of the other parties in thanking the media for organizing the event last night which I had the great pleasure to participate in. Although I obviously have to recognize that we did not fare as well as I had hoped and finished in third behind the parties, we did beat the media. We were able to overcome the challenge of the media.

Mr. Speaker, I might congratulate you for an outstanding job. We do not blame you for our first loss, although we did notice that you did improve over the course of the evening. You did a wonderful job. I was reflecting on why you had chosen to be the goalie. I suspect it was because it was the only position you could play and smoke at the same time. That is fair ball. You did a wonderful job.

The level of competition was so high that the original ball actually broke apart over the course of the night. It was broken up, not before that frozen object hit a number of us for which we are feeling pain today.

In any event, it was an outstanding evening. I hope to do it again. It was mentioned it would be an annual event. We all hope that indeed comes to pass. The only possible reason I can think that we did not do better was because I simply need a bigger caucus. Thank you very much.