Thursday, April 9, 1998
The House met at 1:30 p.m.
PRESENTING PETITIONS
Ms. Jean Friesen (Wolseley): I beg to present the petition of Mary Masserey, Clarressa Valera, Linda Lemoine and others praying that the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba urge the Minister of Health (Mr. Praznik) to put an end to the centralization and privatization of Winnipeg hospital food services.
Mr. Jim Maloway (Elmwood): Madam Speaker, I beg to present the petition of Pam Rinehart, Ken Martin, Edgar Baril and others praying that the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba urge the Minister of Health to put an end to the centralization and privatization of Winnipeg health food services.
Mr. George Hickes (Point Douglas): Madam Speaker, I beg to present the petition of Doreen Loureiro, Edwar Swiston, Dorothy Webb and others praying that the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba urge the Minister of Health to put an end to the centralization and privatization of Winnipeg hospital food services.
Madam Speaker: I have reviewed the petition of the honourable member for Osborne (Ms. McGifford). It complies with the rules and practices of the House. Is it the will of the House to have the petition read?
An Honourable Member: Dispense.
Madam Speaker: Dispense.
THAT the Evergreen Women's Resource Centre provides services which focus on prevention and intervention in domestic abuse for communities within a 100-kilometre radius; and
THAT with only partial funding from the provincial government, Family Dispute Services, in the amount of $37,600 and some funding from the communities it serves, the Evergreen Women's Resource Centre hires three part-time employees and provides telephone, counselling, training and seminar facilities, in addition to education, information and outreach programming; and
THAT Evergreen Women's Resource Centre is also involved in referral services on a crisis-intervention and second-stage outreach level; and
THAT for years, the Evergreen Women's Resource Centre has struggled to provide these vital programs and services with limited funding or commitment from the provincial government; and
THAT during the 1995 provincial election, the Filmon government said, "The safety and security of the individual, our families and our communities is vital to the quality of our life."; and
THAT if the Filmon government is really committed to that statement, it must back it up with funding for the agencies that provide services to make it a reality.
WHEREFORE YOUR PETITIONERS HUMBLY PRAY that the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba urge the Filmon government to consider providing long-term, adequate and stable funding for the Evergreen Women's Resource Centre and other women's resource centres in the province to ensure that the vital services provided by these organizations are continued.
Madam Speaker: I have reviewed the petition of the honourable member for Wolseley (Ms. Friesen. It complies with the rules and practices of the House. Is it the will of the House to have the petition read?
An Honourable Member: Dispense.
Madam Speaker: Dispense.
THAT the Urban Shared Services Corporation (USSC) has announced plans to privatize laundry, food services and purchasing for the Winnipeg hospitals; and
THAT it is estimated that more than 1,000 health care jobs will be lost over the next year as a result, with many more privatized in the next two or three years; and
THAT under the terms of the contract, Ontario businesses will profit at the expense of Manitoba's health care system; and
THAT after construction of a food assembly warehouse in Winnipeg, chilled, prepared food will be shipped in from Ontario, then assembled and heated before being shipped to the hospitals; and
THAT people who are in the hospital require nutritious and appetizing food; and
THAT the announced savings as a result of the contract have been disputed, and one study by Wintemute Randle Kilimnik indicated that, "A considerable number of studies have compared costs of service delivery in health care between self-operation (public sector) and privatization. Invariably, privatization is more expensive."; and
THAT no one in Manitoba seems to benefit from this contract, especially patients.
WHEREFORE YOUR PETITIONERS HUMBLY PRAY that the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba urge the Minister of Health to put an end to the centralization and privatization of Winnipeg hospital food services.
Madam Speaker: I have reviewed the petition of the honourable member for Point Douglas (Mr. Hickes). It complies with the rules and practices of the House. Is it the will of the House to have the petition read?
An Honourable Member: Dispense.
Madam Speaker: Dispense.
THAT the Urban Shared Services Corporation (USSC) has announced plans to privatize laundry, food services and purchasing for the Winnipeg hospitals; and
THAT it is estimated that more than 1,000 health care jobs will be lost over the next year as a result, with many more privatized in the next two or three years; and
THAT under the terms of the contract, Ontario businesses will profit at the expense of Manitoba's health care system; and
THAT after construction of a food assembly warehouse in Winnipeg, chilled, prepared food will be shipped in from Ontario, then assembled and heated before being shipped to the hospitals; and
THAT people who are in the hospital require nutritious and appetizing food; and
THAT the announced savings as a result of the contract have been disputed, and one study by Wintemute Randle Kilimnik indicated that, "A considerable number of studies have compared costs of service delivery in health care between self-operation (public sector) and privatization. Invariably, privatization is more expensive."; and
THAT no one in Manitoba seems to benefit from this contract, especially patients.
WHEREFORE YOUR PETITIONERS HUMBLY PRAY that the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba urge the Minister of Health to put an end to the centralization and privatization of Winnipeg hospital food services.
Madam Speaker: I have reviewed the petition of the honourable member for Selkirk (Mr. Dewar). It complies with the rules and practices of the House. Is it the will of the House to have the petition read?
An Honourable Member: Dispense.
Madam Speaker: Dispense.
THAT the Urban Shared Services Corporation (USSC) has announced plans to privatize laundry, food services and purchasing for the Winnipeg hospitals; and
THAT it is estimated that more than 1,000 health care jobs will be lost over the next year as a result, with many more privatized in the next two or three years; and
THAT under the terms of the contract, Ontario businesses will profit at the expense of Manitoba's health care system; and
THAT after construction of a food assembly warehouse in Winnipeg, chilled, prepared food will be shipped in from Ontario, then assembled and heated before being shipped to the hospitals; and
THAT people who are in the hospital require nutritious and appetizing food; and
THAT the announced savings as a result of the contract have been disputed, and one study by Wintemute Randle Kilimnik indicated that, "A considerable number of studies have compared costs of service delivery in health care between self-operation (public sector) and privatization. Invariably, privatization is more expensive."; and
THAT no one in Manitoba seems to benefit from this contract, especially patients.
WHEREFORE YOUR PETITIONERS HUMBLY PRAY that the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba urge the Minister of Health to put an end to the centralization and privatization of Winnipeg hospital food services.