Mr. Edward Helwer (Gimli): Mr. Deputy Speaker, this morning I had the pleasure of--
Some Honourable Members: Oh, oh.
Mr. Deputy Speaker: Order, please. Before the honourable member gets started, could I ask for honourable members who want to carry on conversations to do so in the loge or out in the halls. I am having great difficulty hearing the honourable member for Gimli.
Mr. Helwer: Mr. Deputy Speaker, this morning I had the pleasure of attending a ceremony to mark Balmoral Elementary School receiving the prestigious title of Earth School. The event marked the completion and recording of 1,000 environmental projects for the SEEDS program. Balmoral Elementary School becomes only the 100th school in Canada to achieve Earth School status from the SEEDS Foundation, and this is all the more impressive considering that Balmoral Elementary has been competing with much larger schools from across the country.
The SEEDS program is important because it helps motivate students and staff to take environmental action, and it encourages them to carry out projects that either communicate about the environment or enhance it directly.
Balmoral Elementary School completed its first Learners in Action project in 1992 when students took part in a Green Day in which they ate a garbageless lunch and wore green clothing. Over the years, they took part in a wide variety of projects ranging from paper recycling to learning about ponds to making bird mobiles or to building robots from recyclable materials.
In a country with more than 15,000 schools, Balmoral Elementary School's achievement is truly remarkable. There are just over 100 Earth Schools in Canada and less than half a dozen here in Manitoba. I am pleased to add that another one of these schools is in my constituency, and that is the Stony Mountain School.
So I want to congratulate the students and staff at the Balmoral Elementary School for dedication to this project, and a special pat on the back should go to kindergarten teacher Brenda Margetts. She is affectionately known as "little earth worm" or "old mother earth." I know she has been a great source of inspiration and direction for this project.
Thank you, Mr. Deputy Speaker.
Mr. Conrad Santos (Broadway): Mr. Deputy Speaker, if there is an eternal guide to human conduct it is written already: Seek ye the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
It is also written that all persons should be subject to some higher power. There is no power except from God, and the powers that be are ordained by God. But they are ordained and the judge, the ruler is ordained there to be a minister for the good of man and of society. If we do that which is good, then we shall have praise of the same, but if we do that which is evil, then we should be afraid because the judge beareth the sword not in vain.
No agency or institution instituted by man can be expected to act against itself. If Elections Manitoba, even if institutionally independent, is already involved in that process of questionable tampering with the election process, it cannot again reinvestigate itself. The same thing with a judge who has judged a case before. When new evidence comes up and there is a new trial, the same judge who had tried the previous decision will not be sitting there. It will be against his interest to do so. It will be another judge.
Therefore, with the greatest respect for Elections Manitoba and the person who happens to occupy the position of the office, it cannot investigate itself. It cannot reverse its own decision before. It has to be an independent judge outside of the government. Thank you, Mr. Deputy Speaker.
Mrs. Myrna Driedger (Charleswood): Mr. Deputy Speaker, this week I had the pleasure of attending a wonderful event at Assiniboine Park. As members of this House are aware, June has been proclaimed Seniors Month in Manitoba.
In recognition of Seniors Month, Seniors Day was held on Tuesday at Assiniboine Park. The Premier (Mr. Filmon) and the Minister responsible for Seniors (Mr. Reimer) hosted a fun-filled morning for Manitoba seniors. Entertainment included line dancing demonstrations, bingos and singalongs, and everyone had a fantastic time. Participants were also invited to take part in nature walks through the park, and a tour of the Leo Mol Gardens and the Conservatory.
I had the opportunity to meet some very dynamic individuals. Seniors contribute immensely to the fabric of our society through the work they do. Moreover, the foresight and work of seniors in our province has contributed immeasurably to the quality of life we enjoy today. I hope all seniors across Manitoba have had an opportunity to enjoy the activities that were held in honour of Seniors Month.
Mr. Deputy Speaker, I would ask all members of the House to join me in applauding the efforts of seniors in Manitoba for the contributions they make to our communities. Thank you.
Mr. Daryl Reid (Transcona): I am pleased to rise, Mr. Deputy Speaker, and draw attention of members in this Chamber to an event that occurred this past weekend in my community. I was pleased to participate with the Transcona division of the Girl Guides of Canada who were organizing a benefit, a pancake breakfast, to help raise funds for a guider, Joan Wiebe, who has been a long-time resident of Transcona, and has been a guider for approximately 10 years.
Recently Joan was diagnosed with Usher Syndrome. This syndrome affects one's hearing and vision. Joan has been impaired since childhood. Recently her sight has started to diminish, and she has been diagnosed with RP, Retinitis Pigmentosa. Joan has an opportunity to go for an eye operation to help preserve her current vision; however this operation is only performed at a clinic in Cuba. The operation and travel expenses will be over $6,000 and are not covered by Manitoba health services.
This fundraiser was an overwhelming success in that over 400 residents of the community of Transcona attended the pancake breakfast, and it was quite a success in that the fundraising effort achieved some $1,700 towards the $6,000 cost for Joan. We congratulate the organizers of this fundraiser breakfast, and we wish Joan well with her operation and travels to Cuba, and we hope that she is able to stall the progress of this particular disease. Thank you to the organizers of this event, Mr. Deputy Speaker.
Mr. Kevin Lamoureux (Inkster): I did want to just add some comments, listening to what the member for Broadway (Mr. Santos) was talking about. I know the member for Broadway gives a great deal of thought to issues of this nature, and it was interesting in hearing his response.
I would suggest to the member for Broadway, amongst other members of the caucus, the concern that I raised today in Question Period. The one of the two issues, I think, do need to be dealt with separately, that you cannot on the one hand suggest an independent or a judicial inquiry into what has occurred while, at the same time, not call into question the integrity of the office of Elections Manitoba. That is the only real concern that I have with the position that the New Democrats seem to be taking on this issue. I think there is a lot of legitimacy in terms of the allegations that they have raised that cause a great deal of concern. I applaud their caucus in bringing the issue and aggressively pursuing it as they have.
What I would appeal to is to be very careful when we talk about the integrity of Elections Manitoba and its office. I think, in the long term, what we want to do is we want to restore or add as much credibility or confidence, public confidence, to the Elections Manitoba office. Far too often there is a small percentage of the population base that discredits any aspect of politics, whether it is Elections Manitoba, whether it is politicians, and I say that just as a word of caution in some of the things that might be happening later today.
Mr. George Hickes (Point Douglas): I move, seconded by the member for Broadway (Mr. Santos), that the composition of the Standing Committee on Law Amendments be amended as follows: St. Johns (Mr. Mackintosh) for Swan River (Ms. Wowchuk); Selkirk (Mr. Dewar) for Flin Flon (Mr. Jennissen) for Thursday, June 25, 1998, for 3 p.m.
Motion agreed to.
Mr. Edward Helwer (Gimli): Mr. Deputy Speaker, I move, seconded by the member for Pembina (Mr. Dyck), that the composition of the Standing Committee on Law Amendments be amended as follows: the member for La Verendrye (Mr. Sveinson) for the member for River Heights (Mr. Radcliffe); the member for Pembina for the member for Gladstone (Mr. Rocan).
Motion agreed to.
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