Thursday, June 29, 1995

LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA

Thursday, June 29, 1995

The House met at 1:30 p.m.

PRAYERS

ROUTINE PROCEEDINGS

PRESENTING PETITIONS

Funding Model for Quality Public Education

Mr. Steve Ashton (Thompson): Madam Speaker, I would like to present the petition of Sylvia Fillier, Virginia Davis, Shannon Achter and others requesting the Minister of Education and Training (Mrs. McIntosh) to reconsider the funding model to ensure that Thompson and other communities in this province are able to maintain quality public education.

READING AND RECEIVING PETITIONS

Funding Model for Quality Public Education

Madam Speaker: I have reviewed the petition (Mr. Ashton), and it complies with the rules and the practices of the House. Is it the will of the House to have the petition read (by leave)?

Some Honourable Members: Yes.

Madam Speaker: The Clerk will read.

Mr. Clerk (William Remnant): The petition of the undersigned citizens of the province of Manitoba humbly sheweth that:

WHEREAS funding for public schools by the provincial government has been cut twice in the past three years; and

WHEREAS provincial funding for the school district of Mystery Lake has dropped by nearly $2 million over the same period, more than 10 percent; and

WHEREAS funding for private schools has increased by over 110 percent under the same provincial government; and

WHEREAS Thompson was faced with a 48 percent increase in the education support levy tax as a result of reassessment in 1993, resulting in $500,000 leaving our community; and

WHEREAS the Thompson school district is also now faced with a massive $1.8-million deficit equivalent to a 48 percent increase in local school taxes; and

WHEREAS unless the minister reviews this funding the Thompson school district will be forced to consider both a $500,000 tax increase and severe program cuts totalling over $1.3 million.

WHEREFORE your petitioners humbly pray that the Legislative Assembly request the Minister of Education and Training (Mrs. McIntosh) to reconsider the funding model to ensure that Thompson and other communities in this province are able to maintain quality public education.

* (1335)

PRESENTING REPORTS BY

STANDING AND SPECIAL COMMITTEES

Standing Committee on Law Amendments

Third Report

Hon. Jim Ernst (Government House Leader): I wonder, Madam Speaker, if the House would grant leave to consider the report of the Committee on Law Amendments from this morning.

Madam Speaker: Is there leave of the House to present the report of the Committee on Law Amendments from this morning? [agreed]

Mr. David Newman (Vice-Chairperson of the Standing Committee on Law Amendments): Madam Speaker, I beg to present the Third Report of the Committee on Law Amendments.

Mr. Clerk (William Remnant): Your Standing Committee on Law Amendments presents the following as its Third Report.

Your committee met on Thursday, June 29, 1995, at 10 a.m. in Room 255 of the Legislative Building to consider bills referred.

At that meeting, your committee elected Mr. Newman to fill a vacancy for the Vice-Chairperson position.

Your committee has considered:

Bill 35--The Elections Amendment, Local Authorities Election Amendment and Consequential Amendments Act; Loi modifiant la Loi électorale, la Loi sur l'élection des autorités locales et apportant des modifications corrélatives

and has agreed to report the same without amendment.

All of which is respectfully submitted.

Mr. Newman: I move, seconded by the honourable member for Gladstone (Mr. Rocan), that the report of the committee be received.

Motion agreed to.

Committee of Supply

Mr. Marcel Laurendeau (Chairperson of Committees): Madam Speaker, the Committee of Supply has adopted certain resolutions, directs me to report the same and asks leave to sit again.

I move, seconded by the honourable member for Turtle Mountain (Mr. Tweed), that the report of the committee be received.

Motion agreed to.

Introduction of Guests

Madam Speaker: Prior to Oral Questions, I would like to draw the attention of all honourable members to the public gallery, where we have seated this afternoon forty Grades 1 to 10 students from New Haven School under the direction of Ms. Margaret Mozdzen. This school is located in the constituency of the honourable member for Gimli (Mr. Helwer).

On behalf of all honourable members, I welcome you this afternoon.