Madam Speaker: Prior to Oral Questions, I would like to draw the attention of all honourable members to the public gallery where we have this afternoon ninety-five Grade 5 students from Edward Schreyer School under the direction of Ms. Lianne Shume. This school is located in the constituency of the honourable Minister of Highways and Transportation (Mr. Praznik).

Also, eleven Grades 6 to 9 students from Countryview School under the direction of Mr. Sid Barkman. This school is located in the constituency of the honourable member for Steinbach (Mr. Driedger).

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

Mr. Gary Doer (Leader of the Opposition): Madam Speaker, in the '98 budget the government hastily closed the Misericordia Hospital and thereby closed the comprehensive breast program and services at the Misericordia Hospital. In May of '98, the chattering minister, the former minister, indicated that the program would be transferred, the whole comprehensive program would be transferred and women in Winnipeg and Manitoba could receive those services. He further announced on November 6, 1998, that we would be up and running in April of 1999 with the transfer of this program, the whole comprehensive program, to the St. Boniface Hospital.

I would like to know in June of 1999: was that commitment that was made a year ago and six months ago, is that open and running now in June of 1999, as promised six months ago?

Hon. Eric Stefanson (Minister of Health): Well, Madam Speaker, our government has announced and committed $5.6 million in funding for the development, and the Leader of the Opposition indicates he knows that, which is encouraging, that he is aware that we have committed $5.6 million for the development of a comprehensive breast health program. The program, I think, as most members know, will be located at 400 Tache Avenue, and it provides obviously for the development of this new site and the rapid access diagnosis centre. The information I have is that site will be open, I believe, as of September 1 of this year.

Mr. Doer: Madam Speaker, the date keeps changing and changing.

The staff and nurses at Misericordia Hospital have been informed that the program will be shut down at that site, the program for diagnostic testing, biopsies, counselling, both presurgical and post-surgical. This is following on a decision where surgery was closed down in December. These programs are going to be closed down on June 15.

I would like to know where Manitoba women will go on June 16 for those services.

Mr. Stefanson: Well, Madam Speaker, where Manitoba women will go will be to the same doctors who are providing the services today. Those doctors will still be available. They will be available at their individual clinics, their individual facilities and at other hospitals as well. By September of this year, the comprehensive facility on Tache Avenue will be open.

I think it is important to acknowledge the significant strides and improvements we made in this whole area of testing for women, in the area of potential breast cancer. Not only does our mobile unit now screen some 33,000 women annually right across Manitoba, an increase of 11,000 screenings this year alone, partly through the additional money we put in, in this 1999 budget that the Leader of the Opposition and his colleagues have voted for and supported, but, as well, there are an additional 30,000 screens done under the diagnostic mammography program. So, in total, on an annual basis, we are having some 63,000 Manitoba women screened for breast cancer, significant improvements over where we were several years ago because of the dedicated resources that we put into this very important area.

Mr. Doer: Madam Speaker, for once, just once, can this government not keep a program going for Manitoba patients before their changed program starts up? You know, the personal care home beds are promised, they are cancelled; the hospital beds are closed down before the personal care beds are open, and then we have the Filmon hallway medicine because of it. Can we not for once have a program continue for Manitoba women before the other program starts?

Now I would like to ask a simple question. Why does the government not look at some of the new bureaucracy they have created and reallocating those funds for one of the vice-presidents they have hired in the regional health authority, look at moving some of the money from the bureaucracy to this program and keep the comprehensive program open at the Misericordia Hospital for diagnostic tests, for pre- and post-counselling for surgical patients? Let us put the patients first, and let us not close a program down before the new program is open.

Mr. Stefanson: Well, Madam Speaker, by putting the patient first, that is why we introduced the Manitoba breast screening program in 1995, under this government, that today on the mobile basis and the combined basis is screening some 33,000 women in this province. As I say, from last year alone, an increase of 11,000 additional women to a total now of 33,000 annually; over and above that, 30,000 screens performed, as I have indicated, under diagnostic mammography, a total screening program of 63,000 women, programs put in place by this government that recognized that very important service that had to be provided. So again, it is through the commitment of our resources and the various requirements to put these programs in place to deal with this very important health matter.

* (1335)

Ms. Diane McGifford (Osborne): Madam Speaker, the Misericordia breast program closes on June 15. Nurses have had their notices, meaning that doctors will have to book summer surgeries through their own offices. There will not be an education program. Referrals to surgeons will be delayed, and I could go on discussing the problems in service. Frankly, the whole thing is a mess. I would like to ask this Minister of Health, and I am not asking him about breast screening, I would like to ask him exactly and specifically: what does this closure mean for a woman who discovers a lump on June 15, exactly and specifically?

Hon. Eric Stefanson (Minister of Health): Madam Speaker, here we go again with members opposite. I got called on a point of order once before when I suggested what they are trying to do with their approach when they come to this House in terms of their motives. They have the same services available to them. These doctors are still in these provinces, they are still in their clinics, they are still in hospitals and the services are available to get the various treatments.

Again the member did not pay attention to my answer to the Leader of the Opposition (Mr. Doer) when I clearly outlined the two elements. There is the screening mammography. Under that program, there are 33,000 women screened. There is the diagnostic mammography. Under that program, 30,000 women screened for a total of 63,000 women right across our province through a number of the services that are available not only at Misericordia but at the other hospital facilities and through the doctors' clinics.

So those doctors are still in place, those services are still available to women, and on I believe by September of this year, the one new facility at 400 Tache will be open.

Ms. McGifford: Madam Speaker, I would like to ask the Minister of Health if he would tell this House: why, since he and his colleagues have had well over a year to prepare for the move from the Misericordia to the so-called new facility, has he not opened one facility before closing another? It seems like he could not plan his way out of a paper bag.

Mr. Stefanson: Again, I think what members opposite should acknowledge is that we have put in place these programs, we have dedicated the resources, we have started programs like the Manitoba Breast Screening Program. We now have a situation where 63,000 Manitoba women annually have access to these very important services–not members opposite, not the NDP. In fact, until this year, those same members have voted against the very budget that has put in place the services that today are providing these services. Now, finally this year, they got the wisdom to support one of our budgets that is providing the resources to provide these screenings and these services to Manitoba women right across the province.

We certainly appreciate their support for our 1999 budget.

Ms. McGifford: I would like to ask the minister, on behalf of the Lakeshore Women's Resource Centre, who believe it is time that the needs of women were recognized, exactly and specifically when the new treatment centre will be open, because we have heard September, November, October, December. When exactly will it be open?

Madam Speaker: Order, please. The question has been put.

Mr. Stefanson: I will certainly look into the date for the member and report back to her as soon as possible.

Mr. Gord Mackintosh (St. Johns): To the Minister of Justice. Over the last week in particular, Manitobans have, I think it is fair to call it, renewed concerns about how police officers are dealt with when serious criminal acts are alleged against them, because there is a perceived conflict of interest when the officer's own police department and the Prosecutions department that works daily with police gathers and prepares the evidence.

My question to the minister is: to enhance the reputation of the police and to help enhance public confidence, would the minister change his position and now support our commitment to establish with Manitoba police forces special independent investigation teams and independent counsel for particular incidents of alleged police crimes?

* (1340)

Hon. Vic Toews (Minister of Justice and Attorney General): That indeed is an issue that this department has looked at on a periodic basis. The only province in Canada that has had an SIU, special investigations unit, is the province of Ontario, and there have been substantive problems with that particular mechanism. We work very closely together with the police, both the union and the management, to ensure that there are appropriate mechanisms, to ensure that everyone is held accountable under the law, and we will certainly continue to examine that to revise our policies and indeed, if necessary, to pass laws.

Mr. Mackintosh: By his answer, why is the minister therefore welcoming the perception of conflict of interest and rejecting the thrust of the Aboriginal Justice Inquiry into the killing of J.J. Harper and its conclusion that it is vitally important for the good of our communities that the public have confidence in its police forces–

Madam Speaker: Order, please. The honourable member I believe had put his question.

Mr. Mackintosh: On a point of order, Madam Speaker, I note a little pattern I would think here of your cutting me off in questions. It is interesting that you cut me off in a question two days ago, saying that I had a preamble. In fact, the only words were something to the effect: has the minister–

Some Honourable Members: Oh, oh.

Madam Speaker: Order, please.

Mr. Mackintosh: I ask, Madam Speaker, that you review Hansard, and after that you can report back to the House on what your findings are.

Madam Speaker: Order, please. I indeed will take the point of order raised by the honourable member for St. Johns under advisement, but I would remind the honourable member that the members should, when raising a point of order, state the rule that has been violated.

Mr. Toews: Of course, the Aboriginal Justice Inquiry is an inquiry that made a broad number of recommendations. Some of those recommendations have in fact been accepted by this government, and in fact programs have been implemented. There are, however, other programs where we do not agree. For example, I know the member wants all of our prisons converted into minimum-security, open-door institutions similar to Dauphin. Well, frankly, Madam Speaker, I do not agree with that recommendation of the justice inquiry, and I do not agree with the member for St. Johns in that respect.

Mr. Mackintosh: Would this minister, who just fabricated some nonsense, Madam Speaker, deal with the issues that Manitobans are dealing with?

Madam Speaker: Order, please.

Mr. Toews: Madam Speaker, the member for St. Johns has continuously asked me to implement the recommendations of the Aboriginal Justice Inquiry. One of those recommendations is that Headingley Correctional Institution and Stony Mountain Institution, the federal institution, are the only secure facilities for male offenders in Manitoba. In fact, the recommendation then continues to go on–

Madam Speaker: Order, please. The honourable Minister of Justice was recognized for a point of order, and I do not hear a point of order being cited. I hear only debate relative to the dispute over the comments made by the honourable member for St. Johns. Does the honourable Minister of Justice have a point of order?

* (1345)

Mr. Toews: Madam Speaker, my point of order is that, in fact, the Aboriginal Justice Inquiry recommended that there be open-door prisons.

Some Honourable Members: Oh, oh.

Madam Speaker: Order, please. The honourable Minister of Justice does not have a point of order.

Madam Speaker: Would the honourable member for St. Johns please pose his question now.

Mr. Mackintosh: Thank you, Madam Speaker. Would the minister, instead of being so insensitive to public perceptions, not learn something from tragic events like the killing of J.J. Harper and from recent public perceptions that he should be aware of? Why does he doom us to repeat history and risk diminishing the reputation of the police with his flawed process?

Mr. Toews: Well, Madam Speaker, for one reason, we believe that we have been working very well with police forces. We have been working very well with the management of police forces, and we have been working very well with community organizations. We have taken the position that there should not be an apartheid system of justice in Manitoba, contrary to what the member across the way believes.

Mr. Kevin Lamoureux (Inkster): Madam Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Finance.

Over the years, this government has taken great glee from the fact that they have kept personal income tax down. There has been a great cost if we take a look at the continual reliance of funding public education through our property tax. My question put quite simply to the Minister of Finance is: what is the government specifically doing to recognize the inequities that it is causing as a direct result of the continual reliance of financing more and more of our public education on our property tax?

Hon. Harold Gilleshammer (Minister of Finance): Madam Speaker, the member for Inkster, of course, is the only one in this House that voted against the budget this year, a budget that saw tax reductions to all Manitobans. We reduced the income tax of Manitobans by three points from 50 percent to 40 percent of federal tax. We also had other tax reductions within the budget which are within our control, and we will continue to do that. We have put the Lower Tax Commission into place, who are going to review the taxation system within the province of Manitoba and bring recommendations back to us by the end of the year.

Mr. Kevin Lamoureux (Inkster): Madam Speaker, is the Minister of Finance prepared to give assurances to Manitobans as a whole that this government does have an agenda that sees a reduction of property tax?

Hon. Harold Gilleshammer (Minister of Finance): I just indicated to the member for Inkster and to the House that we have put in place the Lower Tax Commission which has already started its work. It is looking at all forms of taxation in the province of Manitoba, including property tax.

Mr. Lamoureux: Madam Speaker, what we are asking the Minister of Finance to do is as he is doing with personal income tax. He is not relying on the tax fairness commission to come back with respect to that tax. We are asking the government to do likewise with regard to the property tax. Will the government not acknowledge the inequities that are there and do something to address them, make a commitment to Manitobans that this government is or is not committed to reducing property tax?

Mr. Gilleshammer: We are extremely proud on this side of the House of being able to cut taxes for Manitobans. We feel the taxes are too high. The only member in this House who voted against those tax cuts is the member for Inkster. We have put in place the Lower Tax Commission to review all forms of taxation, and we are not going to prejudge their work. They have just started work. We will be receiving their report later this year. Our commitment as a government is to continue to lower taxes for Manitobans.

Mr. Oscar Lathlin (The Pas): My questions are for the Minister of Health. As the minister knows, two CEOs of the Norman Regional Health Authority have quit in less than two years, just weeks after the current CEO went public with concerns over shortages of staff, refusal of the province to fund overtime and a continuing deficit. Given the status of existing services in the North, could I ask the minister to agree to review the situation at the RHA with a view to stabilize the RHA so as to ensure quality and continuity of service?

• (1350)

Hon. Eric Stefanson (Minister of Health): Again, Madam Speaker, I think most who have looked at the issue of regionalization would agree that it is the right approach, the right thing to do across Manitoba, that by having regional health authorities we are able to make the best use of our physical assets, our buildings in all of our communities, the best use of the equipment in terms of meeting the health care needs and the best use of our people. So, on an overall basis, certainly the feedback I have had is that regionalization is the right thing to do, and it is working very well right across Manitoba.

In terms of the Norman region, the specific questions from the member for The Pas, I am certainly prepared to look into any situations, any issues affecting health care in the Norman region.

Mr. Oscar Lathlin (The Pas): My second question is to the same minister. Why are taxpayers in the town of The Pas required to pay more than a 20 percent contribution that this government imposed, in light of the fact that the town was already required to spend $400,000 on road changes, not to mention the additional $60,000 that they are going to have to pay to the church for the property that this government refused to pay?

Hon. Eric Stefanson (Minister of Health): Madam Speaker, I have had an opportunity to meet with representatives from The Pas, from the surrounding municipality, from various organizations on this very important project, the new personal care home facility in The Pas, and all parties have agreed to that project in terms of seeing it go forward. We have committed our money as a provincial government.

The communities have certainly come up with their community contribution, and that project is ready to go. I expect it will be going out for tender very, very shortly, and what it will do is it will significantly enhance the personal care home facility in The Pas for the benefit of the people in that community and in the entire surrounding area. So we are very proud of that project, very proud to see it proceeding, and it will be into tender very shortly.

Mr. Lathlin: My last question, Madam Speaker, is to the same minister. Will the minister reconsider his decision to force the RHA to pay the $100,000 to the church for the property so that the RHA can hire extra nurses that are so badly needed there?

Mr. Stefanson: Again, Madam Speaker, I just reiterate for the member for The Pas, I have met with the various organizations, including the RHA, and everybody acknowledges this is a very important project to move forward. It is going to enhance the personal care home beds in The Pas, and all parties have come to agreement in terms of the funding of that going forward. The government of Manitoba will be providing 90 percent of the funding; the remainder is coming from a number of sources within the community. The town of The Pas itself is putting in place some improvements in terms of some of the road configurations and so on. So this is a very positive project, a very positive initiative in terms of meeting the health care needs of the people of The Pas and surrounding region.

Ms. Rosann Wowchuk (Swan River): Madam Speaker, rural families in southwestern Manitoba are facing serious challenges with the unprecedented rain and the additional rain they had last night. Unfortunately there are not very many supports in place to help these families who are facing tremendous stress. What we need are long-term solutions to provide services to rural Manitobans rather than ad hoc programs. Of course, a real solution would be the rural stress line.

I would like to ask the Minister of Health when he is going to finally recognize that we need a rural stress line in rural Manitoba, rather than ad hoc programs, and when is it going to be put in place.

Hon. Frank Pitura (Minister of Government Services): I thank the honourable member for that question. As she well knows, we have gone through a number of events in the last couple or three years in this province which has created a lot of stress and has been an emotional upheaval for many people. Our response to that type of situation through the Manitoba Emergency Management Organization is to apply our resources to that in terms of responding to the western side of the province. We have in place through the office at Melita the necessary resources that are there in terms of being able to deal with families who are having financial stress or emotional stress or any crisis that they may be encountering. That service is out there now, and it is in place.

Ms. Wowchuk: I would like to ask this government: why is it that they have to put in place ad hoc programs and temporary services for people throughout rural Manitoba only when a disaster comes about? Why can we not have a long-term program? Why can we not have a rural stress line in place?

Mr. Pitura: Madam Speaker, with regard to a disaster, of course, we are there, and we are there to assist in any way we can with any kind of emotional or financial stress. I believe that, although the member is talking about a constant line that is available, through our regional health districts there are lines set up that are called crisis lines at the present time that are available for use within the mental health area. So, as a result of just through Disaster Financial Assistance and through MEMO, in terms of co-ordinating all these agencies together, we are able to provide that service to that area right now, which is tending to need that service more so than they ever have in the past.

* (1355)

Ms. Wowchuk: I would like to ask the minister then why it is that in Saskatchewan they have a farm and rural stress line in place, they have sent out bulletins to all the farmers in the area offering the services, and here in Manitoba all we can have is ad hoc services and lack of services in southwest Manitoba and in other parts of the province where there is a tremendous amount of stress on all farmers who are facing very low commodity prices now.

Mr. Pitura: During the flood of 1997, we had essentially the same service in place that we have at the present time. In fact, we are still dealing with it, in terms of delivering that service to people who are still finishing off the recovery process from the 1997 flood. That service will be there until it is no longer required.

Our intention is the same in the western part of the province, to have that service in place. It will be in place as long as it is required, and we are committed to doing that.

Mr. Gregory Dewar (Selkirk): Madam Speaker, my questions are for the Premier.

According to the most recent State of the Environment report, transport-related environ-mental accidents involving hazardous waste increased by over 70 percent in a five-year period. This has raised concerns from Manitoba communities located on major trucking routes in this province. Concerns have been heightened by proposals to truck weapon-grade plutonium in the form of MOX fuel through Manitoba.

Madam Speaker, given that the Premier has been made aware of these concerns from the town of Morris, which is located on one of the proposed trucking routes, can he indicate whether he will actually oppose the shipment of plutonium through Manitoba?

Hon. Gary Filmon (Premier): Madam Speaker, I will take that question as notice and have some discussions with the people in the Department of Environment about the issue.

Mr. Dewar: I will have to ask the Minister of Environment, Madam Speaker. Can the minister indicate, when the town of Morris has written three letters to the federal government opposing the shipment of plutonium, why one of her officials is quoted as saying Manitoba would have no problem with plutonium being shipped along its highways?

Hon. Linda McIntosh (Minister of Environment): Madam Speaker, I thank the member for his question. This issue has been a current issue for some weeks now, and I am pleased that he has decided to ask a question on it.

I indicate that there are–

Some Honourable Members: Oh, oh.

Madam Speaker: Order, please.

Mrs. McIntosh: Thank you very much, Madam Speaker. There are very strict, very rigid guidelines and rules about how hazardous waste is transported right across the nation. Manitoba has hazardous waste being shipped from time to time from hospitals, from other areas. There are very firm and strict rules about how hazardous waste material has been transported in Canada. Those guidelines are adhered to.

The plutonium he is discussing, of course, will probably not come through the border into Manitoba. It is very unlikely that that is the route it would take. But if it does come that way, then all of the national standards for transportation will be met.

* (1400)

Mr. Dewar: Madam Speaker, my question to the minister is: does she support the transport of plutonium through Manitoba, yes or no?

Mrs. McIntosh: Madam Speaker, the member is probably not aware that plutonium and other materials such as that, radioactive materials from hospitals, et cetera, are being transported across this nation on highways under very strict rules and guidelines. In fact, we are making the point in Pinawa that the radioactive waste that is there must be taken to Chalk River, and we are making the case very strongly that the federal government cannot just store radioactive material here that is not being worked upon by eminent scientists, and it must be transported to Chalk River.

The member knows that there is work being done in Chalk River which will enable, hopefully, the global community to rid itself of some of this material, a goal I would think that he would support. I am sorry that he does not support that, because, as we attempt to reduce the radioactive material around the world or reduce nuclear waste, the member I think would participate willingly in having research done to accomplish that goal, which is being done at Chalk River.

Hon. Shirley Render (Minister of Consumer and Corporate Affairs): I took a question as notice yesterday, and I would like to respond.

However, first of all, on reading a Hansard, I noticed that I inadvertently omitted the word "life" from my answer. So I would like to correct the record to read: Manitoba has no provincially incorporated mutual life companies.

Now, in answer to the honourable member's question, are there any studies–there have been none done by this department, Consumer and Corporate Affairs, and when checking with the Securities Commission, they have no knowledge of any studies on this particular aspect.

Ms. Becky Barrett (Wellington): Madam Speaker, last week I had the opportunity to speak with a couple of senior citizens on Inglis Street, and the–

Some Honourable Members: Oh, oh.

Madam Speaker: Order, please.

Ms. Barrett: Madam Speaker, the senior citizen with whom I spoke had spent a week in Grace Hospital for a hip replacement, and he stated to me that the food was so bad he literally existed for a week on tea and water. I would like to ask the Minister of Health how he can say in the House earlier this week that the frozen food system is running smoothly when seniors like this and other people who are in hospitals and long-term personal care home beds have to eat sandwiches that are still frozen, potatoes that are hot outside and frozen inside.

Hon. Eric Stefanson (Minister of Health): Madam Speaker, a continued focus of the Urban Shared Services Corporation and facilities like our Grace Hospital is to continue to focus on quality, nutritional food. They have a patient advisory committee that reviews many of these issues, and they continue to do patient surveys. The patient surveys do show that more and more patients are satisfied with the food, comparing it to what the food was like prior to the changes. There are higher approval ratings today compared to what the food was like prior to the changes. But it is incumbent on that organization and the hospital to continue to focus on being sure that the food is of an appropriate quality, and in particular, appropriate nutrition to meet the needs of patients in our health care facilities.

Ms. Barrett: Madam Speaker, how can the Minister of Health justify spending and continuing to spend half a million dollars on advertising touting the positives of his health care system while seniors and others in hospitals and long-term personal care home beds are forced to choose between eating inedible food and going hungry?

Mr. Stefanson: Well, again, the hospitals themselves, the Urban Shared Services Corporation is managed by the nine hospitals themselves, and they certainly have as much interest as anybody in being absolutely certain that the food is of appropriate quality, nutrition, and so on for the patients in their facilities. They are running those same facilities that the food is being provided to, so those nine CEOs are very concerned about being sure that the food is of appropriate quality and nutritional value.

That is why they do patient surveys to continue to assess what the response is from the patients, and on an overall basis, patients continue to show more and more approval, higher approvals than the old system, and they should and they will continue to do that, to focus on providing quality, nutritional food to the patients in our health care facilities.

Ms. Barrett: Will the minister finally acknowledge that the sickest people in this province, the people who are in hospitals and long-term personal care homes, continue to have to pay for his government's arrogant refusal to acknowledge the fact that it is their responsibility for this frozen food fiasco, and the sickest people in this province are continuing to have to pay by eating this food?

Mr. Stefanson: Madam Speaker, our hospital system today in Manitoba serves on an annual basis some 243,000 patients every year, and that number has continued to go up each and every year because we are doing more procedures. We are doing more hip operations, more knee operations, more heart operations, and the list goes on and on, continuing to provide more services. That is why this budget has $194 million more in it. That is why we are spending $2.1 billion, but I am sure when you are servicing 243,000 patients and individuals, if the member for Wellington wants to go out and find one or two that might have something to complain about, I am sure she could do that.

But I encourage her to start to look at the overall surveys, the focus that is done by the hospitals themselves, the surveys of patients of the hospitals that show continual higher approval ratings of this food each and every month, higher approval rating than the previous system, and those CEOs of those hospitals are committed to providing nutritional, quality food to the patients in Winnipeg hospitals.

Mr. Eric Robinson (Rupertsland): It has been a year and a half now since the tragic crash at Little Grand Rapids, and residents there have been wondering what the province is prepared to do regarding the airstrip, aside from the recent removal of the downed aircraft. I would like to ask the Minister of Highways and Transportation to tell the House: what has happened to the December 1997 promise of the previous minister that the airstrip would be moved to the mainland?

Hon. Darren Praznik (Minister of Highways and Transportation): I did not catch the first part of the member's question. I believe he was talking about Little Grand Rapids as the community and place. That is a file of picking up as a new minister and looking at that particular file. The results of the investigation are obviously very important to determining the cause of the danger of that particular airport. I have not yet completed my analysis of that within the department. When I do, I will be very pleased to discuss that with the member, whether it be in the House or in Estimates.

Mr. Robinson: The tragedy I am talking about of course took four lives. The previous minister was quoted as saying: the only realistic option left would be to construct a new airport at a different location. With that in mind, I would like to table a letter from the previous minister. He wrote to me in 1994 in which–

Madam Speaker: Order, please. Would the honourable member please pose his question.

Mr. Robinson: The question I would like to ask the minister is: where is the plan to deal with this issue about the airstrip at Little Grand Rapids?

Mr. Praznik: The fundamental part, the question, is whether or not the issue is the airport itself or, in the case of that particular tragedy, decisions made by the pilot. That is part of the work that I am doing. The issue has been brought to my attention. There are problems with that airport. It is not necessarily the best in the province, but part of the work that I am doing with my department now is to do a good analysis as to what has to be done. Some of that work has been completed, and I would be more than pleased to have a more detailed discussion with the member about this in the Estimates debate.

* (1410)

Mr. Eric Robinson (Rupertsland): I have one final question with respect to this crash that occurred in 1997. As all members in the House know, the community came out in full force, including Councillor Enil Keeper, Councillor Nelson Keeper and others, and virtually no recognition was given to these residents of this community.

I would like to ask the minister if he could correct this wrong. In the meantime, others were recognized for their efforts, but it was the community that motivated and activated the community in saving lives.

Hon. Darren Praznik (Minister of Highways and Transportation): I am not quite sure what the member is asking of me in terms of recognition of the role of individuals or the community where that recognition was afforded or was not afforded. I think, on behalf of the province, whenever an emergency strikes and the community instigates emergency procedures and is very highly successful in doing that, as was the case here in saving lives, we certainly applaud their efforts. I am not quite sure where these individuals were not recognized or where others were recognized, but that is a discussion I certainly look forward to having with him in the Estimates process.

Mr. Conrad Santos (Broadway): To the honourable Minister of Family Services. Since April 1, 1999, Madam Speaker, the Department of Family Services assumed responsibility for administering the Home Care services program. The seniors who want to access the program are being required, as a precondition to accessing the service, to sign a waiver or general release and indemnity form absolving the government of responsibility for any damage, injury or any loss arising out of the performance of home care services, a document which I hereby table.

The question is: why does this Tory government, through the Department of Family Services, abdicate government responsibility for providing safe and good-quality home care services and discouraging seniors by asking them to sign waivers of their rights?

Hon. Bonnie Mitchelson (Minister of Family Services): Madam Speaker, I thank my honourable friend for that question. Yes, this is an issue that has been raised with me. As the member has indicated, we did take over the City of Winnipeg's caseload and the program that the City of Winnipeg was running. It was a community home services project.

That project has been ongoing and running, delivered by the City of Winnipeg for many, many years, and the form that the Province of Manitoba is having individuals sign is exactly the same form that the City of Winnipeg had.

Madam Speaker: Time for Oral Questions has expired.