Mr. Frank Pitura (Morris): On Saturday, November 2, Madam Speaker, I had the opportunity to participate in a curling bonspiel at the Carman Curling Club.

The bonspiel, the third annual, was initiated by a small group of local people whose lives have been touched by cancer. Their efforts resulted in 80 people participating on 20 rinks. During the last three years approximately $15,000 has been raised and donated to Manitoba cancer research. This is a significant contribution to the fight against cancer. Of course, these people had assistance from the community at large. Local businesses, without even being asked, came forward to donate prizes and food to the bonspiel. As well, the Carman Curling Club donates all the ice for the event.

A special feature of the bonspiel, Madam Speaker, was a tableful of memorial candles. Individuals could purchase a candle for $5 and light it in memory of someone they know who has contracted this dreaded disease. This bonspiel is truly a community event. Cancer is a tragedy that has struck the lives of many Manitobans. The community of Carman, both individuals and businesses, have come together to address this issue. Their success in bringing people together to curl, socialize, share their stories and fundraise is evident.

I would like to take this opportunity to extend my congratulations to the organizers of the curling bonspiel and, in particular, Cliff and Marge Holliston and Trevor and Kathy Smith. Their efforts are appreciated far more than they can realize. Thank you very much.

Ms. Marianne Cerilli (Radisson): Madam Speaker, I want to congratulate the aboriginal youth justice symposium which is entitled Challenging our Choices. I attended the symposium this morning at the Winnipeg Indian and Metis Friendship Centre and there were more than 400 young aboriginal people discussing issues that are affecting their community and our community. They were discussing the videotaped messages of some of the community leaders in our province. When I was there, they were listening to Judge Murray Sinclair, Chief Phil Fontaine, Police Chief David Cassels and Suzanne McLeod from the Manitoba Anti-Poverty Organization, to name a few. The organizers expressed their disappointment that the Minister of Justice (Mrs. Vodrey) did not send in a message as was requested, and they are really wondering what the cabinet is doing. They are concerned that the minister has often made reference to the Young Offenders Act and commitments for youth justice, but they could not understand the message that was being sent by not sending a videotaped recording.

The process for the forum was that the adults and teachers were in a separate room viewing the presentations. One vice-principal said that it was very important that young people are aware of the other symposiums and investigations that have resulted in recommendations such as the Aboriginal Justice Inquiry, and there was again a call for this government to implement many of the recommendations from the Aboriginal Justice Inquiry which would go a long way in addressing the problems facing aboriginal youth and reduce their incidence of being victimized or involved with the criminal justice system.

I hope that the minister and members opposite will take very seriously the recommendations from this youth conference that will be presented to them on December 2, and would the Minister of Justice make every effort to attend?

Mr. Peter Dyck (Pembina): Madam Speaker, this weekend I had the pleasure of attending the Boundary Trail Heritage Region's semiannual general meeting. The Boundary Trail Heritage Region is a nonprofit incorporated body whose purpose is to enhance the quality of life within the 12 municipalities of southern Manitoba adjacent to the U.S. boundary and between the Red River and Saskatchewan border. Their goal is to help residents and visitors appreciate their history, heritage and culture and to increase opportunities through marketing and promotion of local tourism and economic development. With the historic boundary commission trail as its focal point, all the communities of the region have worked hard to locate, mark, preserve and display the heritage resources locally so that together they could create, and I quote, a whole that is much better than the sum of its parts.

By sharing the work and expense of the promotion of events, tours and sites and by co-operating with one's neighbours on a program and initiatives, the possibilities are endless. The Heritage Region has done a great deal to promote tourism in the area. In fact, they have developed a Boundary Trail Heritage Region travel companion which has been circulated to Travel Manitoba tourist information centres as well as to local information centres, motels, restaurants, museums and to North Dakota Museum and sent to various schools, tour groups, national groups, Geographic and Readers' Digest. So I would like to congratulate and thank the organization for their continuous promotion of Manitoba as a tourist destination. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

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Ms. Diane McGifford (Osborne): Madam Speaker, more than once during recent weeks this government has donned the gown of moral virtue to praise itself as the only jurisdiction in Canada to hold public presentations on all government bills. Strictly speaking, this may be true, though other jurisdictions do hold committee hearings on some bills, particularly on controversial ones. Hence we are not, underline the word "not," the only jurisdiction to allow the public the opportunity to address legislation at committee stage.

A second point is that some jurisdictions actually consult with the public before drafting legislation. This government did not hold public consultations on many controversial pieces of legislation. Bill 67 and Bill 36, commonly and respectively known as the MTS and workfare bills, are good examples. Then there is the difference between holding public committee meetings and making them accessible. Meetings at two and three in the morning when buses have stopped, kids are home in bed, people have to work the next day, and everything happens in Winnipeg cut out most Manitobans and explains why the process is flawed.

Presenters who had the temerity to question the process were admonished, at least in Law Amendments, and instructed to be grateful for the opportunity to address honourable members. No mention was made of the fact that each and every committee member has a duty to the electorate who put them in office and pay their salaries. But, for arrogance, the Premier (Mr. Filmon) took the cake. On CBC Radio he told Manitobans that Winnipeg is the seat of the Legislature, and that if anyone wanted to present, he or she would repair to the Legislature. The assumption is that those who did not go were either happy with the legislation or dyed-in-the-wool slackers. Lucky for the Premier, he can travel when and where he pleases, but most of us cannot, which is a measure of the difference between appearance and reality and explains why this process stinks.

Mr. Edward Helwer (Gimli): Madam Speaker, I am pleased to present to the House today the exciting news of how the three levels of government are expanding Manitoba's transportation industry by contributing a total of $8.2 million toward the twinning of Brookside Boulevard from Inkster Boulevard to the north city limits. With such a large number of commuters from this area heading in and out of Winnipeg, this new highway and its improved road conditions will be a welcome item for many Manitobans and for the trucking industry in the province.

The approved project to construct the four-lane divided highway funded by the Canada- Manitoba Infrastructure Works Program was announced on Friday, November 1 by our Premier, Premier Filmon and by Foreign Affairs Minister Lloyd Axworthy. After years of lobbying the City of Winnipeg and pushing for the approval of this project, I am extremely pleased with Friday's announcement.

The construction phase of the Brookside Boulevard project will create some 4,800 weeks of temporary employment and 150 jobs. This project will drastically improve Winnipeg's ability to accommodate the flow of cargo to and from the airport and will give truckers a direct four-lane route from the airport to the north Perimeter and to other major highways fanning out from the city of Winnipeg.

This project will be especially beneficial for the preparation of the Winnport plan to make Winnipeg an international transportation and distribution hub. As we widen Brookside Boulevard we will increase the opportunities to create new business and jobs around this area. Since the Canada-Manitoba Infrastructure Works Agreement was signed in January of '94, its total investment of $204 million in the province will create over 3,100 jobs and more than 375 projects throughout Manitoba. It is evident, Madam Speaker, that this government is committed to creating investment and employment within this province. Thank you.

Mr. David Newman (Riel): Madam Speaker, I seek leave of the House to rectify the grave injustice done to the honourable members on the Law Amendments committee.

Earlier I reported the Seventh Report to the Law Amendments committee; it should have been the Eighth Report of the Law Amendments committee.

Madam Speaker: Does the honourable member for Riel have leave to correct the record? [agreed]

I thank the honourable member for Riel for that clarification.

Mr. Edward Helwer (Gimli): I move, seconded by the member for Sturgeon Creek (Mr. McAlpine), that the composition of the Standing Committee on Public Utilities and Natural Resources for the November 1 sitting be amended as follows: the member for St. Norbert (Mr. Laurendeau) for the member for Kirkfield Park (Mr. Stefanson).

I move, seconded by the member for La Verendrye (Mr. Sveinson), that the membership change of the member for Morris (Mr. Pitura) for the member for Kirkfield Park (Mr. Stefanson) to the Standing Committee on Public Utilities and Natural Resources for Monday, November 4, at 9 a.m., be rescinded.

Also, I move, seconded by the member for Morris (Mr. Pitura), that the composition of the Standing Committee on Public Utilities and Natural Resources for Monday, November 4, at 9 a.m., be amended as follows: the member for Morris (Mr. Pitura) for the member for St. Norbert (Mr. Laurendeau).

I move, seconded by the member for La Verendrye (Mr. Sveinson), that the composition of the Standing Committee on Public Utilities and Natural Resources for Monday, November 4, 1996, 9 a.m., be amended as follows: the member for Gladstone (Mr. Rocan) for the member for Steinbach (Mr. Driedger).

Motions agreed to.