LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA
Tuesday, March 15, 2022
Madam Speaker: Good afternoon, everybody. Please be seated.
Hon. Kelvin Goertzen (Minister of Justice and Attorney General): Good afternoon, Madam Speaker.
I move, seconded by the Minister of Finance (Mr. Friesen), that Bill 18, The Legislative Security Amendment Act, be now read for a first time.
Motion presented.
Mr. Goertzen: The Legislative Security Amendment Act will enhance security at the Manitoba Legislature for all those who visit, work and tour the provincial seat of democracy in Manitoba. It establishes a chief legislative security officer who will be responsible for all security operations involving the Legislative Precinct and members of the Legislative Assembly while ensuring that the roles and responsibilities of the Assembly, which are divided, are still respected.
It will help to ensure the safeguard and the right of peaceful protest and ensure that all Manitobans can access the Legislative Precinct, free from fear and intimidation. As a democratic House, it is important that we strike the right balance between ensuring that there is security but also ensuring that the people's House is also free for the things that should happen in a democratic institution.
Thank you very much, Madam Speaker.
Madam Speaker: Is it the pleasure of the House to adopt the motion? Agreed? [Agreed]
Hon. Kelvin Goertzen (Minister of Justice and Attorney General): I move, seconded by the Minister of Finance, that Bill 23, The Reducing Red Tape and Improving Services Act, 2022, be now read for a first time.
Motion presented.
Mr. Goertzen: This bill amends 10 statutes to reduce or eliminate regulatory requirements and to streamline government and provincial services that support Manitoba residents and organizations.
It also incorporates the learnings of the last couple of years when it comes to issues of electronic filing or virtual meetings. The Manitoba government remains committed to the annual reporting of reducing red tape and improving services act so that departments and government agencies are able to propose legislative amendments that remove red tape and improve services for all Manitobans.
Madam Speaker: Is it the pleasure of the House to adopt the motion? Agreed? [Agreed]
Hon. Reg Helwer (Minister of Labour, Consumer Protection and Government Services): I move, seconded by the Minister of Municipal Relations (Ms. Clarke), that Bill 24, the real property valuation board and related amendments, be now read a first time.
Madam Speaker: It has been moved by the honourable Minister of Labour, seconded by the honourable Minister of Municipal Relations, that Bill 24, The Real Property Valuation Board and Related Amendments Act, be now read a first time.
Mr. Helwer: This bill will amalgamate the land value functions of the Land Value Appraisal Commission, the Surface Rights Board and the assessment appeal function of the Municipal Board.
Currently, several boards in Manitoba provide similar roles and functions related to land valuation and land value disputes. The real property valuation board act will create a single window for stakeholders seekings resolution of land value disputes. This action will improve board services to Manitobans and create a simplified, fair, transparent and streamlined process for the public to interact with government on matters related to land value.
Thank you, Madam Speaker.
Madam Speaker: Are there any further introduction of bills? [interjection] Oh, sorry.
Is it the pleasure of the House to adopt the motion? Agreed? [Agreed]
Are there any other introduction of bills?
Mr. Adrien Sala (St. James): I move, seconded by the member for Wolseley (Ms. Naylor), that Bill 218, The Residential Tenancies Amendment Act; Loi modifiant la Loi sur la location à usage d'habitation, be now read for a first time.
Madam Speaker: I apologize for the delay, I had a different name on my sheet.
Motion presented.
Mr. Sala: I am honoured to present Bill 218, The Residential Tenancies Amendment Act, to this House to help better protect renters from above-guideline rent increases in Manitoba.
With the costs of living continuing to rise exponentially, it's so important to protect renters. Bill 218 will help to mitigate rent evictions and tenants being hit with large rent increases for work that is simply needed ongoing maintenance.
In situations where above-guideline increases are needed, Bill 218 will provide means to limit the immediate financial impact on renters by phasing the increases over a period of time to ensure greater affordability for renters.
Thank you very much, Madam Speaker.
Madam Speaker: Is it the pleasure of the House to adopt the motion? Agreed? [Agreed]
Mr. Len Isleifson (Chairperson): I wish to present the second report of the Standing Committee on Social and Economic Development.
Clerk (Ms. Patricia Chaychuk): Your Standing Committee on–
Madam Speaker: Dispense.
Your Standing Committee on Social and Economic Development presents the following as its Second Report.
Meetings
Your Committee met on March 14, 2022 at 6:00 p.m. in Room 255 of the Legislative Building.
Matters under Consideration
· Bill (No. 5) – The Coat of Arms, Emblems and the Manitoba Tartan Amendment Act / Loi modifiant la Loi sur les armoiries, les emblèmes et le tartan du Manitoba
· Bill (No. 10) – An Act respecting Amendments to The Health Services Insurance Act, The Pharmaceutical Act and Various Corporate Statutes / Loi modifiant la Loi sur l'assurance-maladie, la Loi sur les pharmacies et diverses lois visant des corporations
· Bill (No. 11) – The Elections Amendment Act / Loi modifiant la Loi électorale
Committee Membership
As per the Sessional Order passed by the House on October 7, 2020, amended on November 19, 2020, December 3, 2020, May 18, 2021, December 1, 2021 and further amended on March 1, 2022, Rule 83(2) was waived for the March 14, 2022 meeting, reducing the membership to six Members (4 Government and 2 Official Opposition).
· MLA Asagwara
· Ms. Fontaine
· Hon. Mr. Goertzen
· Hon. Ms. Gordon
· Mr. Isleifson
· Mr. Nesbitt
Your Committee elected Mr. Isleifson as the Chairperson.
Your Committee elected Mr. Nesbitt as the Vice‑Chairperson.
Non-Committee Members Speaking on Record
· Hon. Mr. Gerrard
Public Presentations
Your Committee heard the following presentation on Bill (No. 10) – An Act respecting Amendments to The Health Services Insurance Act, The Pharmaceutical Act and Various Corporate Statutes / Loi modifiant la Loi sur l'assurance-maladie, la Loi sur les pharmacies et diverses lois visant des corporations:
David Kron, Cerebral Palsy Association of Manitoba
Bills Considered and Reported
· Bill (No. 5) – The Coat of Arms, Emblems and the Manitoba Tartan Amendment Act / Loi modifiant la Loi sur les armoiries, les emblèmes et le tartan du Manitoba
Your Committee agreed to report this Bill without amendment.
· Bill (No. 10) – An Act respecting Amendments to The Health Services Insurance Act, The Pharmaceutical Act and Various Corporate Statutes / Loi modifiant la Loi sur l'assurance-maladie, la Loi sur les pharmacies et diverses lois visant des corporations
Your Committee agreed to report this Bill without amendment.
· Bill (No. 11) – The Elections Amendment Act / Loi modifiant la Loi électorale
Your Committee agreed to report this Bill without amendment.
Mr. Isleifson: Madam Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable member for Riding Mountain (Mr. Nesbitt), that the report of the committee be received.
Motion agreed to.
Madam Speaker: Tabling of reports?
Madam Speaker: The honourable Minister of Families, and I would indicate that the required 90 minutes notice prior to routine proceedings was provided in accordance with our rule 26(2).
Would the honourable minister please proceed with her statement.
Hon. Rochelle Squires (Minister of Families): For many of us, it is hard to imagine the horrors of child sexual exploitation, and yet it happens every day in our nation to children who are violated in such a traumatizing, shameful and horrific way. We hear from survivors of the lasting trauma and lifelong impacts for those fortunate enough to escape the dangers of the street and those who violate them.
We also know that social media is a breeding ground for human trafficking. Sexual exploitation is often called a hidden crime, and that is why it is so important to highlight the manipulative 'tactives' and luring measures of perpetrators, and provide tools to families and communities to keep children and youth safe.
As the Minister of Families, I am proud to proclaim the week of March 13th to 19th as Stop Child Sexual Exploitation Awareness Week. Today we honour the survivors, as well as all the community partners that are committed to combatting sexual exploitation and as–also highlight the work of Tracia's Trust, the provincial strategy in keeping children and youth safe.
Tracia's Trust also raises awareness about the tragedy of sexual exploitation and human trafficking. Through this strategy, we continue to invest in initiatives to prevent and intervene in sexual exploitation and trafficking here in Manitoba.
Recently, our government invested $2.1 million to re-establish StreetReach North in Thompson. In its first year, StreetReach North helped return 473 children and youth to their placements or places of safety, and made 2,458 relationship-building contacts with vulnerable youth. And I'd like to commend them for this tremendous work.
Last year, the Manitoba Hotel Association also received one-time funding from our government to develop an education and awareness campaign for hotel management and front-line staff, including front desk, 'conciere' and housekeeping personnel to provide comprehensive training on sexual exploitation through a targeted industry approach.
This campaign, led by the Manitoba Hotel Association, in partnership with the Manitoba Tourism Education Council and the government of Manitoba, developed the Keeping Kids Safe training program, which helps all employees recognize the signs of child sexual exploitation occurring in hotels.
We also note that in Manitoba, a disproportionate number of Indigenous girls and boys continue to be exploited in the sex trade. We know that exploitation is not being detected early enough, and is further legitimized through pop culture and social norms. These findings are reflected in Manitoba research, as well as the work of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls.
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From this research, we know that this is a complex issue that is rooted in colonization, intergenerational trauma and racism, as identified by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. These findings illustrate the importance and need for collaborative partnerships to combat child sexual exploitation and bring about change.
The Department of Families and our government is committed to working collaboratively across systems with the direct service providers to ensure the overall safety and well-being of our vulnerable youth in the province.
Madam Speaker, we cannot do this work alone. Our partnerships are imperative. We commend the work of grassroots regional teams, our knowledge keepers, survivors and various coalitions that collectively respond and assist victims of sexual exploitation and human 'traffing.' This work is invaluable, and our work will continue until all children and youth are safe from sexual exploitation.
Thank you, Madam Speaker.
Ms. Nahanni Fontaine (St. Johns): This week is Manitoba's Stop Child Sexual Exploitation Awareness Week.
Declared in 2008, this week was born out of the tragic death of Tracia Owen, age 14, who died in August of 2005 to suicide and the inquest that followed, which found Tracia had been sexually exploited and fell through the myriad of gaps in service.
In August of 2007, the body of 17-year-old Fonassa Bruyere was found on the northern edge of Winnipeg. Fonassa, like Tracia, was also sexually exploited and also fell through the cracks of various systems. Cherisse Houle, Angel Wilson, Tina Fontaine and many many more: all young Indigenous girls, vulnerable, exploited and ultimately murdered.
Madam Speaker, 70 to 80 per cent of all children sexually exploited are Indigenous. Colonization, the social construction of Indigenous women and girls as whores or promiscuous, homelessness, intergenerational trauma, CFS systems, economic marginalization create the conditions that see Indigenous girls more vulnerable to sexual exploitation.
Sexually exploited Indigenous girls are exponentially more at risk to be killed. These are little girls that are murdered. The stories of each of these young girls highlights the critical need to address sexual exploitation in our province and across Canada.
Throughout the pandemic, a large number of children have been exploited online, and, over the past year, Cybertip, Canada's cyber tip line for reporting online child sexual abuse and exploitation, has seen a 37 per cent increase in the over–online victimization of youth.
Predators and pedophiles aggressively target children with online sexual violence, which includes using social media accounts to message and harass young children, using coercive tactics to obtain sexual images or messages and sending unsolicited sexual images to our children.
There are many manifestations of sexual exploitation of children, all of them a violation of children's human rights and many of them deadly.
Today, and every day, we call on the government to address the sexual exploitation of Manitoba children and commit the resources needed in protecting the lives of all vulnerable children, including Indigenous girls.
And finally, Madam Speaker, I want to acknowledge and say a profound miigwech to those on the front lines of protecting Manitoba's children from sexual exploitation. We have some pretty phenomenal, dedicated people working each and every day protecting and saving lives.
Miigwech.
Ms. Cindy Lamoureux (Tyndall Park): I ask for leave to respond to the ministerial statement.
Madam Speaker: Does the member have leave to respond to the statement? [Agreed]
Ms. Lamoureux: I'd like to thank the minister for bringing forward today's statement.
Madam Speaker, child sexual exploitation and trafficking is a horrific problem that is consistently high here in Manitoba. Something that many of us can do as a society is ensure we are taking the issue of sexual exploitation seriously. Currently, we know that there are obstacles when people are seeking help, justice and, most importantly, healing.
Through my education, I've had to take specialized courses about trauma and, Madam Speaker, I have learned so much about how trauma can present very differently from person to person–
Madam Speaker: Order. The member's mic might have been–the sound might have dropped.
Can she just repeat the last few words?
Ms. Lamoureux: I've had the opportunity to take some specialized courses about trauma and, Madam Speaker, I learned so much about how trauma can present very differently from person to person and how impactful and life-changing it can be. This is why it's important to have people with the proper training, both working and accessible for individuals and families who have experienced, in this case, exploitation.
Madam Speaker, we need to have preventative measures and programs in place here in Manitoba and we have many ways to do this through our Justice and Health departments. For example, more programs like the Toba Centre for Children and Youth–used to be known as the Snowflake Place. They advocate to ensure children are protected, listened to and supported against the threat of sexual exploitation.
I also reflect back to the excellent legislation that my colleague from The Pas-Kameesak introduced in 2021, seeking the Province to report annually on the number of health professionals with special training to examine children who have been sexually assaulted, as well as the inventory of sexual assault evidence kits.
Madam Speaker, it's great that this legislation unanimously was supported because it ensures greater equitable access to individuals who face exploitation, especially in areas of Manitoba where service delivery is minimal.
Lastly, I am reminded of the importance of regulating therapy here in Manitoba. We need trained professionals to work with those who have experienced trauma because, as mentioned, Manitoba consistently has too high a rate of child sexual exploitation, and we can do more by making tangible changes here at a provincial level.
Thank you.
Ms. Janice Morley-Lecomte (Seine River): People driving and walking in St. Norbert in the winter will stumble upon a winter wonder.
For the last 21 years, Wayne Casper has been entertaining neighbours, families and visitors with his large snowmen. Wayne said he worked the late shift and would get home around 2 a.m.. He would relax and sometimes shovel the snow off his driveway. It was while shovelling he decided to build a snowman, and, as they say, the rest is history.
The snowmen have changed over the years. The first snowman built was six feet tall, and in the last few years with the top hat, they are 12 feet high. All the accessories are repurposed items that Wayne has on hand. The scarves and earmuffs are made from blankets, the eyelashes are from weeping tile and the top hat is a constructed–is constructed of cardboard on a plywood base.
Six years ago, he started to alphabetically name his snowmen after family and friends. This year, with the extra snowfall and being recently retired, Wayne decided to build a partner for his snowman. Passersby have the pleasure of taking pictures with two snow people: Fern and Doris, named after his in-laws. Wayne plans on building a snowman for many years and hopes one day to get to the letter W in the alphabet so he can have a snowman named after himself.
The snowmen have become an expected winter sight for neighbours and his snowmen have been featured in local papers and on the Last Snowman Winnipeg site. Visitors from many areas come to pose and take selfies with the snowmen. Wayne says he has had many people share their photos with friends and family members in other countries.
I'd like to thank Wayne for his creativity and for putting smiles on the faces of children both young and old.
Ms. Nahanni Fontaine (St. Johns): Women and gender-diverse folks are gaining access to run in elections at a glacier pace. There's still way too many barriers for BIPOC women and gender diverse folks in accessing candidate processes and winning elections.
While we need women and gender-diverse folks to be elected, we must elect intersectional feminists.
The Western political system has always been the domain of men, by men, for men, upholding patriarchy in all of its manifestations. It's not enough for women to get elected if they only use their powerful–their power to further uphold these systems of oppression.
Often when electing non-intersectional feminists, what we end up with are dutiful foot soldiers of patriarchy, wholly satisfied with the crumbs patriarchy throws at us and certainly satisfied with the marginalization of BIPOC women and gender-diverse folks.
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As intersectional feminists, we seek to dismantle systems of power that harm all women and gender-diverse folks, particularly BIPOC, no matter what the consequences.
This past September, the MLA for Union Station and I held an information session for women and gender-diverse folks contemplating running for office. We wanted to encourage women and gender-diverse folks who've thought about running to run.
This October, Winnipeggers will vote for the next mayor. In the last 148 years, there has only ever been one woman elected mayor. I encourage BIPOC women to run for mayor. Winnipeggers deserve equitable change.
Finally, I encourage women and gender-diverse folks to run and go after the 34 PC seats up that are up for grabs the next provincial election, October 2023, because Manitobans deserve a representative, feminist government.
Miigwech.
Madam Speaker: The honourable member for McPhillips. [interjection]
Order. Order.
The honourable member for McPhillips.
Mr. Shannon Martin (McPhillips): Madam Speaker, it gives me great pleasure to recognize the executive board of directors for the Canadian Polish Congress, Manitoba branch for their assistance in helping to provide humanitarian aid to the families forced to leave their homes in Ukraine.
The recent events occurring in Ukraine have hurt many innocent people. Civilians are dying; belongings, housing, daycare, schools and infrastructure are being destroyed by Russian advances. The people of Ukraine need our help. They need anything that may help them to survive.
The executive board of the Canadian Polish Congress, Manitoba branch is supporting the Ukrainian Canadian Congress in Manitoba in their endeavour to provide humanitarian assistance to people who are starting to flee their homes. They have partnered with a parish in Kyiv to send funds directly to the parishioners who cannot leave or have chosen to stay in the capital. These funds will go directly to provide food, medical supplies and any immediate needs of those individuals.
The Canadian Polish Congress is working with the Ukrainian congress of Manitoba on developing a coalition with various community groups to assist with fundraising across Manitoba.
The Polish community stands with Ukrainian people in the hope that Ukraine will remain safe, that its citizens will be able to enjoy all the privileges of a free nation.
The executive board of directors of the Canadian Polish Congress, Manitoba branch have been and continue to be hard-working and dedicated volunteers. They have been visionaries and leaders in providing quality services for our communities and abroad.
Please join me in thanking the volunteers of the executive board of the Canadian Polish Congress, Manitoba branch–president, Jolanta Gronowski; vice-president, Kris Palichleb; and second vice-president, Jakub Gubala–for their continued vision and hard work on behalf of the Polish community in Manitoba.
Slava Ukraini. [Glory to Ukraine.]
Thank you, Madam Speaker.
Mr. Jim Maloway (Elmwood): The North American-wide spike in catalytic converter and scrap metal theft continue to escalate all over Manitoba.
In the past year, there was a whopping 450 per cent increase in catalytic converter thefts. MPI reports catalytic converter claims spiked in 2020 from 400 to 2,200 in 2021.
As the government's Bill 9 proceeds through the legislative process, the government needs to consider improvements to avoid the Alberta experience where catalytic thefts substantially increased after legislation was brought in.
In Edmonton, there were 2,484 reported catalytic converter thefts between November 1, 2020 and October 31, 2021, an increase from 1,697 over the same period the previous year. In Calgary, the converter theft rose from 300 reported thefts in 2020 to 1,014 up until only August of 2021.
For the government's legislation to have meaningful effect, an effective and accessible online registry is needed with photo posting requirements. Stolen property needs to be identified and local demand for stolen metals reduced. Special restrictions are needed for metal products like copper, where protective cover has been removed or burned off.
Resources need to be added to The Safer Communities and Neighbourhoods Act so they can do necessary investigations and enforcement.
The government also needs to build in incentives to engrave VIN numbers on catalytic converters for ID purposes. For example, MPIC could give credits for the–this feature.
Bill 9 is a good first step, but more work needs to be done.
Mr. Dougald Lamont (St. Boniface): Today, the 15th, is the Ides of March, and it's the fourth time this government has apparently decided to declare the pandemic over. By the numbers, Manitoba's handling of this pandemic is among the worst in Canada, and the excuse–which is an excuse–is that tragic mistakes and lack of preparation in this province couldn't possibly be avoided.
That has to be challenged. We warned this government at every turn, in this Chamber and out, how to get ready. There is a pandemic playbook for Manitoba from H1N1–everything from business to schools–but it was never used. It's not a secret that pandemics last years, not weeks.
We already knew in February 2020 that COVID was new, different and dangerous. In the first week of March 2020, we stood in this House to call for a plan to protect First Nations, long‑term‑care homes and Manitobans against price gouging and to shelter low-income people in who–in quarantine.
In May 2020, based on tragedies in care homes in Ontario and Quebec, we were pleading with this government to set up rapid-response teams for long-term care. Instead, the government shut down the incident command centre in June and launched an event attraction strategy to make mass gatherings a pillar of economic recovery–in a pandemic. They said then, we need to learn to live with this virus.
That summer, every single week, every single MLA got an e-mail from the Long Term and Continuing Care Association Manitoba pleading with government and Shared Health to put money into basic infection control, because 15 years of freezes left them unable to cope.
Cases were soaring across the US, but this government stuck its head in the sand. In the fall of 2020, instead of getting ready for a second wave, the government launched yet another disruptive overhaul of health care. And it happened again and again.
At the beginning of April last year, when we asked whether we were sleepwalking into a third wave, the former premier scoffed and, weeks later, our health-care system collapsed.
Every wave since the first has been worse than the worst-case scenario. That is a devastating indictment of this government's inability to learn from its own mistakes.
And I know why this government wants to turn the page, but I can't forget the emails and calls of family who lost loved ones at the Maples after we begged for more staff.
Today, lots of–more people are warning we should keep masks and pushing for more vaccine boosters.
Emotionally, we're all done with COVID. That doesn't mean it's done with us.
To say coulda, woulda, shoulda is pure denial–
Madam Speaker: The honourable member's time has expired.
Mr. Wab Kinew (Leader of the Official Opposition): Madam Speaker, Krystal Mousseau's life mattered. She is dearly missed by her friends, family and her children.
We now know, of course, that the government will not call an inquest into her death, but new information is coming to light from the critical incident investigation into her death, and this information is very concerning.
The company contracted to transport Krystal out of province used staff that did not have the proper training and used vehicles that did not have the right equipment to care for ICU patients. I'll table a document that lays this out.
Does the Premier agree that a team transporting ICU patients should have the necessary training and equipment to do so safely?
Hon. Heather Stefanson (Premier): Before I get to the member's question, I just wanted to say that sometimes it's–we need to remember that we need to take time to celebrate our kids.
And last night, it was a proud mum moment for me, it was a proud parent moment for both my husband and I when we were at a hockey rink in Selkirk, and Tommy and his high school hockey team were playing–the St. Paul's Crusaders. And they were–they defeated the Westwood Warriors to become the Manitoba provincial high school hockey champions.
Madam Speaker, I just want to congratulate Tommy, all his team members and the coach, Andrew Harder, for their victory last night. It's an exciting day for our family, and just thank you for the opportunity to say a few words about that.
What I will say, Madam Speaker, with respect to this, of course, I did–the member opposite asked these questions yesterday–
Madam Speaker: The member's time has expired.
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The honourable Leader of the Official Opposition, on a supplementary question.
Mr. Kinew: Krystal Mousseau's children will not be able to have their mother at the important moments of their lives, and that's why we are bringing these questions forward.
This is new information that I'm sharing with the House today. The critical incident report into her death makes clear that the company transporting Krystal used staff that did not have the proper training to care for ICU patients.
That is deeply concerning, especially because the CME, the Chief Medical Examiner, said that there is no mystery here.
But that's simply not true. A reasonable person looking at the critical incident investigation would ask whether Krystal might still be alive today if the team training–or the team caring for her had the proper training.
Does the Premier agree that an inquest is necessary to explain the discrepancy between the critical incident investigation that said that there was no training, and the Chief Medical Examiner who makes no mention of this issue?
Mrs. Stefanson: Of course, our condolences go out to the family of Krystal, and this is a very serious issue, Madam Speaker.
And members opposite know that sometimes in our first questions we have the liberty as leaders to be able to address other issues. Of course, we will address these very important issues, as I am right now.
So, from the letter from the Chief Medical Examiner, it says, and I quote: Health-care systems across the world have been overwhelmed at times by surges of COVID patients, and all have had to take the unprecedented step of making contingency plans for triage patients in the event that critical-care capacity was exceeded. Manitoba was no exception, Madam Speaker.
This is what's happening across the country, this is what happened across the country, Madam Speaker. There were various things that needed to be taken place. Those decisions are being made by medical professionals, as well as, in this case, by the Chief Medical Examiner.
Madam Speaker: The honourable Leader of the Official Opposition, on a final supplementary.
Mr. Kinew: Manitoba was the exception. It was the first province to send ICU patients out of their jurisdiction.
And now, we find that Manitoba may be the first province to use transport teams that did not have the proper training to care for ICU patients. [interjection]
Madam Speaker: Order.
Mr. Kinew: The critical incident investigation raises many other concerns. [interjection]
Madam Speaker: Order.
Mr. Kinew: In addition to not having the proper training, the critical incident investigation that is coming out of this government says that this transport team did not have the right equipment. They did not have the right equipment to monitor the blood pressure for an ICU patient during transport.
This is serious because it contributed to her death. There's no mention of this in the letter that the Premier is quoting from.
Does the Premier agree an inquest is necessary to explain that discrepancy?
Mrs. Stefanson: Madam Speaker, I said yesterday, and I will continue to say today, that these are decisions–they are very difficult decisions–that are made by medical professionals as to the movement of patients.
Madam Speaker, we leave those to the professionals to make those decisions. They are difficult decisions, but they are made by professionals in those situations.
With respect to an inquest, whether or not that will be called, those are decisions that are made by the Chief Medical Examiner. We leave those decisions up to the professionals, Madam Speaker.
Madam Speaker: The honourable Leader of the Official Opposition, on a new question.
Mr. Kinew: Madam Speaker, let's be clear. The information we're putting on the record today shows that the team that transported Krystal Mousseau didn't have the proper training to care for an ICU patient, and they didn't have the right equipment to take care of an ICU patient.
Whose decision was it to hire that company? It was the government's decision to do so. What due diligence did they conduct before hiring this company, Madam Speaker?
We are laying out the facts from the critical incident investigation that shows that there is a lack of proper training and a lack of proper equipment to care for this person who died while attempted to be transported because our health-care system collapsed.
The Premier was the minister of Health at the time.
What due diligence did the government conduct before hiring these companies to move ICU patients?
Mrs. Stefanson: Madam Speaker, these are nothing but allegations from the Leader of the Opposition.
He knows full well that my door is open. If he wants to bring an individual issue to my door, I would be happy to look into it, Madam Speaker, and ensure we get to the bottom.
This is a very serious matter. The allegations from the Leader of the Opposition and members opposite, it's very serious. If he truly cared about this, Madam Speaker, he wouldn't play politics on the floor of the Legislature, he would bring it to my office and deal with it properly.
Madam Speaker: The honourable Leader of the Official Opposition, on a supplementary question.
Mr. Kinew: Madam Speaker, we have been asking questions and discussing this on the floor of this House since May 26, 2021. The Premier may like to explain why Brian Pallister could talk about this issue, but she claims to not be able to today.
Specifically, the information that we're tabling today comes from a letter from Prairie Mountain Health sent to the family in February. The government has access to that letter. The Premier was briefed on this issue during her transition into the Premier's office, Madam Speaker.
This letter lays out a set of informal guidelines used to select patients for out of–transport–[interjection]
Madam Speaker: Order.
Mr. Kinew: –trips. The Chief Medical Examiner lays out a different set of criteria to select these patients.
Did the Chief Medical Examiner have access to the right information before he decided not to call an inquest, and does the Premier agree that an investigation is necessary to account for this discrepancy?
Mrs. Stefanson: The Leader of the Opposition is referring to a letter that he hasn't tabled. So, he is referring to it, he's probably quoting from it.
Madam Speaker, I would ask him, please, to table that letter for us today.
Madam Speaker: The honourable Leader of the Official Opposition, on a final supplementary.
Mr. Kinew: Madam Speaker, I asked the former premier, Brian Pallister, about this. I asked him if the staff who transported Krystal Mousseau had the capacity. [interjection]
Madam Speaker: Order.
Mr. Kinew: I asked Mr. Pallister if they had the right training and the right equipment to care for–[interjection]
Madam Speaker: Order.
Mr. Kinew: –ICU patients in this very Chamber in May of 2021, and he responded on the record. He said, quote: They do, or our health experts would not be using their services. End quote.
That now appears to be untrue. It is contradicted by the results of the critical incident report which we are sharing information from here today. They lacked the training. They–[interjection]
Madam Speaker: Order.
Mr. Kinew: –lacked the equipment. This leaves serious unanswered questions.
Does the Premier agree that there needs to be an investigation, an inquest, to resolve these discrepancies?
Mrs. Stefanson: The Leader of the Opposition is making very serious allegations on the floor of the Legislature in reference to a letter, Madam Speaker, that he is quoting from, that he is referring to, and yet he is refusing to table that for us today.
These are very serious allegations. I ask the member opposite to table that letter now. [interjection]
Madam Speaker: Order.
Mr. Nello Altomare (Transcona): The Premier (Mrs. Stefanson) says it's up to Manitobans to look after themselves, and adding to this, the PCs refuse to invest in ventilation to make students and educators safe.
I table a FIPPA. Madam Speaker, it shows ventilation upgrades for schools were underspent by more than $6 million last year. This was a choice the PCs made, and that's wrong.
Why did this government refuse to invest in school ventilation during the pandemic?
* (14:10)
Hon. Wayne Ewasko (Minister of Education and Early Childhood Learning): Again, unfortunately, the member, my friend from Transcona–the member from Transcona–stands up and puts misinformation on the record, Madam Speaker.
Here we have in–[interjection]
Madam Speaker: Order.
Mr. Ewasko: –Manitoba, Madam Speaker, we–our government has invested well over $320 million into education over the last two years. That's a 17.2 per cent increase.
The member knows that what ends up happening is a pot of money goes to the school divisions and they prioritize where they want to see some of these fundings.
But, in addition to that $320 million, Madam Speaker, we have invested even more so on COVID protocols and also other capital investments. More to come in my next answer.
Madam Speaker: The honourable member for Transcona, on a supplementary question.
Mr. Altomare: Manitobans deserve a government that cares about ventilation in schools. They deserve a government that cares about students, educators and everyone that works in schools.
This year–[interjection]
Madam Speaker: Order.
Mr. Altomare: –the situation is just as bad. Out of the $33 million earmarked for ventilation, only $1.7 million was spent. That's only–95 per cent of money unspent on these important projects.
The government didn't use the summer months to ensure necessary upgrades were completed. And that is shameful.
Why did this government refuse to invest in school ventilation during the pandemic?
Mr. Ewasko: It looked like the member wanted to keep going on his line of questioning, putting misinformation on the record, Madam Speaker.
We, on this side of the House, Madam Speaker, have invested many, many more dollars into education, and not only just–[interjection]
Madam Speaker: Order.
Mr. Ewasko: –within education, which goes to our school boards to make those prioritizing–[interjection]
Madam Speaker: Order.
Mr. Ewasko: –decisions, Madam Speaker.
I know that the member mentioned something about, like, 1.4 or something. You know what? If only the NDP only put in that much, we'd be much further ahead.
But, Madam Speaker, in 2020-2021, '21-22, we've spent over $20 million on ventilation to improve in–within the education system, within their ventilation systems.
Madam Speaker: The honourable member for Transcona, on a final supplementary.
Mr. Altomare: This government has had the worst pandemic response in the country, and we have that evidence in black and white every day.
We hear coulda, woulda, shoulda as part of their election campaign. And these FIPPA documents, Madam Speaker, show how–[interjection]
Madam Speaker: Order.
Mr. Altomare: –this government refused to invest in making kids and–schools safer environments. Millions of dollars in ventilation systems were left unspent. Our kids were sent back to school with important work left undone.
Why did the government shortchange safety for teachers, students and everyone working in our schools?
Mr. Ewasko: Madam Speaker, we on this side of the House–the PC government–have contributed more than double than any western province to education systems in COVID response.
Again, I mentioned $320 million over the last two years–
Some Honourable Members: Oh, oh.
Madam Speaker: Order.
Mr. Ewasko: [inaudible] have increased. Just earlier on, in–or, late 2021, Madam Speaker, we actually contributed to–an additional $6.8 million to Safe Schools funding, which was allocated evenly and distributed around the province to the various school divisions.
The member opposite is asking us to interfere with the decisions of school divisions, Madam Speaker. I want him to stand up and state that again in the House today.
Ms. Nahanni Fontaine (St. Johns): Just like Brian Pallister, the Premier (Mrs. Stefanson) thinks that she can play by her own rules.
She doesn't follow the conflict rules when it comes to government contracts. She thinks that she can just sit back and relax on the weekends while front-line health-care workers work mandatory overtime. She forgets to disclose $31 million in property sales. She called it an oversight, Madam Speaker, but she didn't apologize to Manitobans for it.
I'll give her the opportunity today: Will the Premier admit her mistakes and apologize to Manitobans for breaking the conflict law rules?
Hon. Heather Stefanson (Premier): The members opposite, there seems to be a theme there today: all sorts of allegations with no facts to actually back them up, Madam Speaker.
This member has–there's no facts, there's no basis for her allegations. What she should do is stand up and apologize for misleading this House.
Madam Speaker: The honourable member for St. Johns, on a supplementary question.
Ms. Fontaine: Some of us forget where we put our keys in the morning. Some of us forget to cancel an appointment. Some of us forget their kids' names sometimes. It happens, Madam Speaker. But I don't think the average–[interjection]
Madam Speaker: Order.
Ms. Fontaine: –Manitoban would forget about selling $31 million in property.
The Premier called it an oversight, Madam Speaker, but Manitobans knows when you break the law, you should be held accountable.
That starts with an apology. Manitobans still haven't heard an apology–
Some Honourable Members: Oh, oh.
Madam Speaker: Order.
Ms. Fontaine: –from the Premier.
Will she apologize today?
Hon. Rochelle Squires (Minister of Families): If the self-proclaimed feminist from St. Johns was really interested in getting more women involved in politics, which is what she said in her earlier statement, she'd–[interjection]
Madam Speaker: Order.
Ms. Squires: –perhaps say to her friend from Point Douglas to stop telling women to sit down and shut up when they're speaking.
If the self-proclaimed feminist from St. Johns was really interested in getting more women to run for office–[interjection]
Madam Speaker: Order.
Ms. Squires: –maybe she could tell her other colleague to stop calling women mean girls in this House.
Those are measures that would go a long way to bringing more women–[interjection]
Madam Speaker: Order.
Ms. Squires: –and civility to this Chamber, than having the member for Point Douglas (Mrs. Smith) chirping and yelling at women when they're standing up trying to speak.
Madam Speaker: I think we need to see improved civil discourse. And in the last few questions and answers, I have–having difficulty hearing and there is a lot of shouting across the way and a lot of noise throughout the Chamber.
I am going to start to–I'm giving you a warning right now that basically I want you to show respect for questions and answers. You may not like the questions and you may not like the answers, but that's everybody's privilege: to ask and answer the way they are answering.
So, you may not like it, but that's how this works. And yelling to somebody, trying to shout them down, isn't going to change their questions or answers.
So, let's have some respect in this Chamber for comments being made from this Chair, and I'm asking for respect by all members for each other and that's the least we should be able to do if we're talking about a democratic institution.
The honourable member for St. Johns, on a final supplementary.
Ms. Fontaine: The Premier sold thirty-one dollars of real estate without disclosing it as the–[interjection]
Madam Speaker: Order.
Ms. Fontaine: –law requires. Our conflict of interest act explicitly states that a member must file a disclosure statement within 60 days of a sale like this.
Was there anything disclosed by the Premier? No. Has there been an apology to the Premier–from the Premier to Manitobans? No.
The Premier thinks that she can play by her own rules like her best buddy, Brian Pallister, but that's wrong, Madam Speaker. Manitobans deserve better.
Will the Premier apologize to Manitobans for failing to disclose $31 million in real estate sales today?
Mrs. Stefanson: Madam Speaker, while the member and members opposite continue their smear campaign against me and my family, I will continue to do what I was elected to do, and that is to ensure that we make a better province here for Manitoba.
* (14:20)
We know–while the members opposite will continue along this line of questioning, Madam Speaker, and this smear campaign, where they continue along the lines of–[interjection]
Madam Speaker: Order.
Mrs. Stefanson: –negativity about our province, we will continue to talk about the hope and opportunity that is–that lies ahead for all Manitobans in this great province of ours.
MLA Uzoma Asagwara (Union Station): Madam Speaker, the Stefanson government cut hospital beds. They cut ICU capacity right before a pandemic.
Brian Pallister and the current Premier's (Mrs. Stefanson) response to the results during the pandemic: coulda, shoulda, woulda. Yesterday, when asked if this was the policy of the government, the Premier laughed, Madam Speaker. That is absolutely shameful.
This government was reckless, and they won't take responsibility for their actions.
Will they change course and accept responsibility for the mistakes they made during this pandemic?
Hon. Audrey Gordon (Minister of Health): It gives me great pleasure to rise in the House today to put some facts on the record, Madam Speaker: $1.18 billion in 2021 for COVID‑19 costs; $6.98 billion overall funding–an increase of $156 million from last year. Again, the largest Health budget in Manitoba history.
Madam Speaker, we will continue to do what is in the best interest for all Manitobans.
Madam Speaker: The honourable member for Union Station, on a supplementary question.
MLA Asagwara: Madam Speaker, during the third wave, the now-Premier says she was briefed daily on ICU patients. She said we had room. We did not. Manitobans died, including Krystal Mousseau.
No one was held responsible. The Premier says it's all just coulda, shoulda, woulda. That's not good enough for us, and it's not good enough for Manitobans.
This government needs to accept responsibility for the mistakes made during this pandemic, and they need to–[interjection]
Madam Speaker: Order.
MLA Asagwara: –apologize for this flippant and disrespectful PC talking point.
Will they do so today?
Ms. Gordon: Madam Speaker, the disrespect is the disrespect that I see that continues from 2016, when I was a candidate in Fort Rouge running against the Leader of the Opposition.
He's groomed his team very well to continue that disrespect: bullying me as a candidate from the corner of River and Osborne; coming into this Chamber–[interjection]
Madam Speaker: Order.
Ms. Gordon: –to discredit the good work of three Canadian–[interjection]
Madam Speaker: Order.
Ms. Gordon: –Red Cross nurses. And that disrespect towards women continues with the baseless–baseless–accusations, Madam Speaker, that are being levied against the Premier.
And then, on International Women's Day, to continue it again, Madam Speaker, calling us mean girls, singing songs about–
Madam Speaker: The member's time has expired.
The honourable member for Union Station, on a final supplementary.
Request to Stop Patient Transfers
MLA Asagwara: Madam Speaker, cuts made by this government made it so much harder for our nurses and doctors to support our loved ones in our health-care system. Hundreds of seniors are still being transferred miles–sorry, hundreds of kilometres away from their homes.
The response from this government has been coulda, woulda, shoulda. It's callous for the many families who are experiencing that very separation right now.
The Premier–minister, could in fact do something today, and set a date to stop these patient transfers.
Will they announce a date to stop patient transfers, and will they apologize for this callous PC talking point today?
Ms. Gordon: Madam Speaker, $812-million historic capital funding for rural and northern health care through our clinical preventative services plan; $50 million to address the diagnostic and surgical backlog; $23 million for cancer treatments; $2.7 million for dialysis treatments; and for the first time in Manitoba history, $6 million for diabetes funding for continuous and flash glucose monitors and insulin pumps.
Madam Speaker, those are not cuts; those are increases to health-care spending.
Mr. Ian Bushie (Keewatinook): The PC government abandoned the Turning the Page Agreement with the Manitoba Métis Federation. This government's actions around this matter resulted in the entire board of Manitoba Hydro resigning in protest. This was a shameful chapter in this government's tenure.
This government needs to change course and they can do so by returning to the table in good faith with the Manitoba Métis Federation.
Will they do so today?
Hon. Alan Lagimodiere (Minister of Indigenous Reconciliation and Northern Relations): To let the member know, we are committed to working in partnership with the Red River Métis on issues and concerns that are important to them.
Madam Speaker: The honourable member for Keewatinook, on a supplementary question.
Mr. Bushie: This government has chosen division. They have set the path of reconciliation backwards. They supported ripping up the Turning the Page Agreement. Their approach resulted in the resignation of the entire board of Manitoba Hydro.
We need a new 'apprort'–a new approach in a spirit of reconciliation that requires returning to the table. It requires making a commitment to negotiating and signing agreements in good faith with the Manitoba Métis Federation.
Why won't this government do that today?
Mr. Lagimodiere: Members opposite need to understand that reconciliation is everybody's responsibility–all of Manitobans, and all Canadians. And we remain committed to advancing reconciliation through continued concrete, tangible initiatives and we build on successful engagement with Indigenous nations–[interjection]
Madam Speaker: Order.
Mr. Lagimodiere: We call on the members opposite to get on board with reconciliation.
Madam Speaker: The honourable member for Keewatinook, on a final supplementary.
Mr. Bushie: I agree. Reconciliation: everybody's responsibility. So do more.
Brian Pallister may be gone, but this government has not changed. They chose conflict with the Manitoba Métis Federation. They supported ripping up the Turning the Page Agreement. They went along with lawsuits to undo agreements made in good faith.
This government can make a choice and make a commitment to real reconciliation. They can negotiate and sign agreements in good faith.
Why won't this government and this minister do so today?
Mr. Lagimodiere: Just want to remind the member opposite that, as a government, we have committed $3 million to the Clan Mothers for MMIWG survivors and affected women.
And I want to put on the record that we have regular communication with the Red River Métis government, its ministers and their president, David Chartrand. He calls me regularly, and we will continue to have a communication. And I always look forward to speaking to the–President Chartrand.
Mr. Dougald Lamont (St. Boniface): We want to salute President Zelensky of Ukraine for his historic address to Canada's Parliament today, but we are concerned that Manitoba is nowhere near ready for a potential influx of refugees. Getting to Canada is federal, but settlement is provincial, and we are going to need a serious ramp-up in capacity.
I've already received emails from a concerned individual whose relatives are here in Manitoba after escaping Ukraine. They have pre-existing health conditions, need to see a doctor, and can't pay because they only have Ukrainian currency, which they can't exchange.
Will this government change its policy so that refugees from Ukraine, Afghanistan, as well as international students, are welcomed as full Manitobans on arrival and can be covered immediately by Manitoba Health?
Hon. Jon Reyes (Minister of Advanced Education, Skills and Immigration): I've had conversations with the federal minister for immigration, and our thoughts are with Ukraine and Manitobans with Ukrainian family and friends.
I'm very proud that last week, our Premier (Mrs. Stefanson) did announce and committed to $500,000–now totalling $650,000–in funding to support the Ukrainian Canadian national congress as well. We are also prepared to engage with the newcomer support programs that will welcome these future Manitobans who wish to stay here permanently.
* (14:30)
Thank you, Madam Speaker.
Madam Speaker: The honourable member for St. Boniface, on a supplementary question.
Mr. Dougald Lamont (St. Boniface): The political unity around Ukraine has been truly inspiring, but beyond humanitarian aid in Ukraine, this government is going to have to invest immediately to help Ukrainians arriving here. We need to back up our words with meaningful actions and we don't want unnecessary delays or bottlenecks. We can't say we want to welcome people here and provide them sanctuary, and then tell them they're on their own.
We all want this war to end in Ukraine's favour, but enormous rebuilding will be required before people can return.
Will this government commit immediately to providing funding to UCC Manitoba Provincial Council specifically to expand settlement services to Ukrainians freeing–fleeing for their lives?
Hon. Jon Reyes (Minister of Advanced Education, Skills and Immigration): I welcome the member to come to my office to discuss these issues and we can, you know, productively engage on these matters.
I just want to let him know that, if he wasn't aware, I mentioned yesterday that a Ukraine special measures draw in our Provincial Nominee Program's website has been updated, in place to expedite those wishing to come to our province.
We know that there're Ukrainian citizens around the world that can't get to an embassy office. That's why we put this online and that's why they have access to this, and that's why we're making special measures for these citizens of Ukraine.
Thank you.
Madam Speaker: The honourable member for River Heights, on a final supplementary.
Hon. Jon Gerrard (River Heights): Madam Speaker, crises in Afghanistan and in Ukraine have created a need for a major expansion in the ability of Manitoba to help refugees fleeing from unsafe conditions.
I'm sure the minister responsible for 'immigation' is concerned about fair treatment of refugees. We all agree that Manitoba should be going full steam ahead in accepting and supporting refugees from Ukraine. I hope the minister's also on board with a significant program to help settle refugees from Afghanistan.
Will the government announce their plan for funding the major effort needed, and will it include provincial support for sponsorship agreement holders, like Hospitality House, Accueil francophone, Welcome Place and IRCOM?
Hon. Jon Reyes (Minister of Advanced Education, Skills and Immigration): You know, we live in a wonderful country. Very proud today to have met the crew of the HMCS Winnipeg, who defend the democracy and freedom of our country.
May I remind him that there are many immigration streams, federally and provincially, and may I remind him the refugee stream works with the federal government, but we will continue to work–the federal government to ensure we expedite those who need a safe haven here in our province.
Thank you, Madam Speaker.
Mr. Dennis Smook (La Vérendrye): Last week, our Premier (Mrs. Stefanson) committed an additional $500,000 to humanitarian aid for Ukraine, bringing the total to $650,000. This direct financial component is, of course, only one way in which Manitoba is stepping up to assist this assault on democracy–as this assault on democracy continues.
Can the Minister of Advanced Education, Skills and Immigration elaborate on the other ways in which Manitoba is offering aid and, specifically, what is being done to welcome Ukrainians to Manitoba?
Hon. Jon Reyes (Minister of Advanced Education, Skills and Immigration): I would like to thank my colleague for the question.
Madam Speaker, as part of our support for the people of Ukraine, we have authorized a prioritization review of Ukrainian application files for the Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program, including Ukrainian families. We've also flagged additional nominations that Manitoba has reviewed, endorsed and nominated for review and approval for the federal government.
I want to assure our Ukrainian friends that our government, under the leadership of our Premier, will do whatever we can to welcome as many Ukrainians as possible to stay in Manitoba. And that's why today, Madam Speaker, for any Ukrainian citizen applying for the Provincial Nominee Program, our government will be waiving off the $500 fee.
Thank you, Madam Speaker.
MLA Tom Lindsey (Flin Flon): The loss of 275 jobs will have a significant impact on the community of Flin Flon. Since this government has refused to invest in growing our northern economy, many will leave the community and even the province. In fact, the CEO of HudBay Minerals suggested that people should just go to Timmins.
Not only will these layoffs disrupt 275 lives, they also hit the local business and public services from lost revenue.
What is the minister doing to keep good‑paying jobs in Flin Flon and to support that community?
Hon. Scott Fielding (Minister of Natural Resources and Northern Development): Our government obviously feels–with any transition that happens in terms of HudBay. I am very pleased and was able to be up in Snow Lake to–with HudBay to announce the New Britannica [phonetic] mine, a $180-million investment, which makes a lot of sense. It's going to provide substantial jobs for people in around the region.
That's not the only good, positive thing that's going on, in terms of the mining development, and that's why our government is very much supportive of this. We think it's a true pathway to new and–developments that happen in the North.
Madam Speaker: The honourable member for Flin Flon, on a supplementary question.
Use of Mineral Development Fund
MLA Lindsey: HudBay is Flin Flon's biggest employer. That will no longer be the case come May, when some workers will leave for Snow Lake and 275 or so more workers will find themselves unemployed. And yet, to date, the government has barely spent anything from the Manitoba Mineral Development Fund.
Millions of dollars are sitting untouched that could be going to help northern communities like Flin Flon.
Will the Premier (Mrs. Stefanson) provide needed supports for the–from the community reserve fund to keep good paying jobs in Flin Flon and the North?
Mr. Fielding: The Manitoba Mineral Development Fund has helped many, many communities. In fact, there is over $3.5 million–[interjection]
Madam Speaker: Order.
Mr. Fielding: –in projects and 25 different projects that were approved.
We work with the Manitoba Chambers of Commerce and the Manitoba municipalities association in terms of making sure those priorities are there. We think the program's working well. We want to enhance this. We know that there's future development that can happen in the North.
Calex is also a company that's looking to invest in areas like Flin Flon. We know that there's $1 million of developments that can happen in a sustainable way that'll create hundreds of jobs for northern Manitobans.
Madam Speaker: The time for oral questions has expired.
Mr. Matt Wiebe (Concordia): Madam Speaker, I wish to present the following petition to the Legislative Assembly.
The background to this petition is as follows:
The population of those aged 55-plus has grown to approximately 2,500 in the city of Thompson.
(2) A large percentage of people in this age group require necessary medical foot care and treatment.
(3) A large percentage of those who are elderly and/or diabetic are also living on low incomes.
(4) The northern regional health authority, the N‑R‑H‑A, previously provided essential medical foot-care services to seniors and those living with diabetes until 2019, and then subsequently cut the program after the last two nurses filling those positions retired.
(5) The number of seniors and those with diabetes has only continued to grow in Thompson and surrounding areas.
(6) There is no adequate medical care available in the city and region, whereas the city of Winnipeg has 14 medical foot-care centres.
(7) The implications of inadequate or lack of podiatric care can lead to amputations.
(8) The city of Thompson also serves as a regional health-care service provider and the need for foot care extends beyond just those served in the capital city of the province.
We petition the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba as follows:
To urge the provincial government to provide the services of two nurses to restore essential medical foot care treatment to the city of Thompson effective April 1, 2022.
And this petition is signed by many Manitobans.
* (14:40)
Madam Speaker: In accordance with our rule 132(6), when petitions are read, they are deemed to be received by the House.
MLA Uzoma Asagwara (Union Station): Madam Speaker, I wish to present the following petition to the Legislative Assembly.
To the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba, the background of this petition is as follows:
(1) The population of those aged 55-plus has grown to approximately 2,500 in the city of Thompson.
(2) A large percentage of people in this age group require necessary medical foot care and treatment.
(3) A large percentage of those who are elderly and/or diabetic are also living on low incomes.
(4) The northern regional health authority, N‑R‑H‑A, previously provided essential medical foot-care services to seniors and those living with diabetes until 2019, then subsequently cut the program after the last two nurses filling those positions retired.
(5) The number of seniors and those with diabetes has only continued to grow in Thompson and surrounding areas.
(6) There is no adequate medical care available in the city and region, whereas the city of Winnipeg has 14 medical foot-care centres.
(7) The implications of inadequate or lack of podiatric care can lead to amputations.
(8) The city of Thompson also serves as a regional health-care service provider, and the need for foot care extends beyond those just served in the capital city of the province.
We petition the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba as follows:
To urge the provincial government to provide the services of two nurses to restore essential medical foot-care treatment to the city of Thompson effective April 1, 2022.
This has been signed by many Manitobans.
Mr. Diljeet Brar (Burrows): I wish to present the following petition to the Legislative Assembly.
To the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba, the background of this petition is as follows:
(1) The population of those aged 55-plus has grown to approximately 2,500 in the city of Thompson.
(2) A large percentage of people in this age group require necessary medical foot care and treatment.
(3) A large percentage of those who are elderly and/or diabetic are also living on low incomes.
(4) The northern regional health authority previously provided essential medical foot-care services to seniors and those living with diabetes until 2019, then subsequently cut the program after the last two nurses filling those positions retired.
(5) The number of seniors and those with diabetes has only continued to grow in Thompson and surrounding areas.
(6) There is no adequate medical care available in the city and region, whereas the city of Winnipeg has 14 medical foot-care centres.
(7) The implications of inadequate or lack of podiatric care can lead to amputations.
(8) The city of Thompson also serves as a regional health-care service provider, and the need for foot care extends beyond just those served in the capital city of the province.
We petition the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba as follows:
To urge the provincial government to provide the services of two nurses to restore essential medical foot-care treatment to the city of Thompson effective April 1, 2022.
This has been signed by many Manitobans.
Thank you.
Mr. Dennis Smook, Acting Speaker, in the Chair
An Honourable Member: I wish to present the following petition to the Legislative Assembly.
To the Legislative Assembly–
The Acting Speaker (Dennis Smook): Sorry, the honourable member for Keewatinook. I didn't have my mic on.
Mr. Ian Bushie (Keewatinook): Oh, thank you, Mr. Deputy Speaker.
I wish to present the following petition to the Legislative Assembly.
To the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba, the background of this petition is as follows:
(1) The population of those aged 55-plus has grown to approximately 2,500 in the city of Thompson.
(2) A large percentage of people in this age group require necessary medical foot care and treatment.
(3) A large percentage of those who are elderly and/or diabetic are also living on low incomes.
(4) The northern regional health authority, N‑R‑H‑A, previously provided essential medical foot-care services to seniors and those living with diabetes until 2019, then subsequently cut the program after the last two nurses filling those positions retired.
(5) The number of seniors and those with diabetes has only continued to grow in Thompson and surrounding areas.
(6) There is no adequate medical care available in the city and region, whereas the city of Winnipeg has 14 medical foot-care centres.
(7) The implications of inadequate or lack of podiatric care can lead to amputations.
(8) The city of Thompson also serves as a regional health-care service provider, and the need for foot care extends beyond just those served in the capital city of the province.
We petition the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba as follows:
To urge the provincial government to provide the services of two nurses to restore essential medical foot- care treatment to the city of Thompson effective April 1, 2022.
This has been signed by many Manitobans.
MLA Tom Lindsey (Flin Flon): I wish to present the following petition to the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba.
The background of this petition is as follows:
(1) The population of those aged 55-plus has grown to approximately 2,500 in the city of Thompson.
(2) A large percentage of people in this age group require necessary medical foot care and treatment.
(3) A large percentage of those who are elderly and/or diabetic are also living on low incomes.
(4) The northern regional health authority, N‑R‑H‑A, previously provided essential medical foot-care services to seniors and those living with diabetes until 2019, then subsequently cut the program after the last two nurses filling those positions retired.
Madam Speaker in the Chair
(5) The number of seniors and those living with diabetes has only continued to grow in Thompson and the surrounding areas.
(6) There is no adequate medical care available in the city and region, whereas the city of Winnipeg has 14 medical foot-care centres.
(7) The implications of inadequate or lack of podiatric care can lead to amputations.
(8) The city of Thompson also serves as a regional health centre–health-care service provider, for the need for foot care extends beyond just those served in the capital city of the province.
We petition the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba as follows:
To urge the provincial government to provide the services of two nurses to restore essential medical foot- care treatment to the city of Thompson effective April 1, 2022.
And this petition has been signed by Arlene Ferguson, Dale Ferguson and Shuhart Gohi [phonetic], and many other Manitobans.
Mr. Jim Maloway (Elmwood): I wish to present the following petition to the Legislative Assembly.
The background to this petition is as follows:
(1) Until recently, diagnostic medical tests, including for blood and fluid samples, were available and accessible in most medical clinics.
(2) Dynacare blood test labs have consolidated their blood and fluid testing services by closing 25 of its labs.
(3) The provincial government has cut diagnostic testing at many clinic sites, and residents now have to travel to different locations to get their testing done, even for a simple blood test or urine sample.
(4) Further, travel challenges for vulnerable and early–elderly residents of northeast Winnipeg may result in fewer tests being done or delays in testing, with the attendant effects of increased health-care costs and poorer individual patient outcomes.
(5) COVID‑19 emergency rules have resulted in long outdoor lineups, putting vulnerable residents at further risk in extreme weather, be it hot or cold. Moreover, these long lineups have resulted in longer wait times for services and poorer service in general.
(6) Manitoba residents value the convenience and efficiency of the health-care system when they're able to give their samples at the time of the doctor visit.
We petition the Legislative Assembly as follows:
To urge the provincial government to immediately demand Dynacare maintain all of the phlebotomy, blood sample, sites existing prior to the COVID‑19 public health emergency, and allow all Manitobans to give their–get their blood and urine tests done when visiting their doctor, thereby facilitating local access to blood testing services.
And this petition was signed by many, many Manitobans.
* (14:50)
Hon. Jon Gerrard (River Heights): I wish to present the following petition to the Legislative Assembly.
The background to this petition is as follows:
The Vivian sands project is a proposed silica sand mine and processing plant to be built in the RM of Springfield. The overall project includes mining claims of over 85,000 hectares, making it the largest claim ever given to a single company in Manitoba's history. It is larger than the city of Winnipeg, which is 46,410 hectares.
The amount of dry, solid sand mined produced per year according to the EAP is 1.36 million tons, and much of this sand will be used in fracking.
A major concern of the proposed mine and plant is that, if developed, it could contaminate the Sandilands aquifer, including both carbonate and sandstone aquifers, which covers much of southeastern Manitoba. It has excellent water quality and is the water source for tens of thousands of Manitobans, including many municipal water systems, agriculture, industry, private wells and an abundance of wildlife and ecosystems.
The sustainable yield of the combined sandstone and carbonate aquifers has still not yet been established by provincial authorities.
The mine could cause leaching of acid and heavy metals and pollute the aquifer, as it will go down 200 feet into the Winnipeg formation of the sandstone aquifer. There is concern that the shale, which separates the carbonate and sandstone aquifers–sand and pyritic oolite itself contains sulphides–will, when exposed to injected air from the CanWhite Sands extraction process, turn to acid.
An additional concern with the proposed mine and plant is the potential to pollute the Brokenhead River and the aquatic food chain leading to Lake Winnipeg.
Residents in the area have also expressed fears of being overexposed to silica dust during production, as there has been a demonstrated lack of safety and environmental procedures by the CanWhite Sands Corporation during the exploratory drilling phase. Signage and fencing has been poor; identifying and required mine claim tags were missing, and there were no warning signs for silica dust exposure and no coverings to prevent exposure of the silica stockpiles to the elements.
Residents' concerns include the fact that boreholes, which should have been promptly and properly sealed, were left open for a year. The drilling of hundreds of improperly sealed boreholes yearly creates significant risks of surface contamination, mixing of aquifer waters and drainage of surface fecal matters into the aquifer.
There is also a risk of subsidence around each borehole as a result of sand extraction.
There are also potential transboundary issues that need to be addressed as the aquifers extend into Minnesota.
The project should not proceed, as no licensing conditions and mitigation measures will alleviate the risk to all Manitobans and the environment since CanWhite Sands Corporation plans to use an unprecedented mining technique with no established safe outcome. The corporation has gone on record indicating that it does not know how to mine for the silica in the water supply and needs to develop a new extraction methodology that has never been done before.
Contamination of the aquifers and the environment is irreversible and there are many surface sources of high-purity silica that can be extracted without endangering two essential regional aquifers.
We petition the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba as follows:
To urge the provincial government to undertake a combined review of the Vivian Sand Facility processing plant and the mining/extraction portion of the operation as a class 3 development with a review by Manitoba's Clean Environment Commission to include public hearings and participant funding.
To urge the provincial government to halt all activity at the mine and plant until the Clean Environment Commission review is completed and the project proposal has been thoroughly evaluated.
Signed by Janet Nylen, Robert Chaput, Venice Jose and many others.
Ms. Nahanni Fontaine (St. Johns): I wish to present the following petition to the Legislative Assembly.
The background to this petition is as follows:
(1) Manitoba women, girls, two-spirit, genderqueer, non-binary and trans persons deserve to be safe and supported when accessing abortion services.
(2) Limited access to effective and safe abortion services contributes to detrimental outcomes and consequences for those seeking an abortion, as an estimated 25 million unsafe abortions occur worldwide each year.
(3) The provincial government's reckless health-care cuts have created inequity within the health-care system whereby access to the abortion pill, Mifegymiso, and surgical abortions are less accessible for northern and rural individuals than individuals in southern Manitoba, as they face travel barriers to access the handful of non-urban health-care professionals who are trained to provide medical abortions.
(4) For over five years, and over the administration of three failed Health ministers, the provincial government operated under the pretense that reproductive health was not the responsibility of the Ministry of Health and Seniors Care, and shifted the responsibility to a secretariat with no policy, program or financial authority within the health-care system.
(5) And for over four years, the provincial government has refused to support Bill 200, The Safe Access to Abortion Services Act, which will ensure the safety of Manitoba women, girls, two-spirit, genderqueer, non-binary and trans persons in accessing abortion services, and the staff who provide such services, by establishing buffer zones for anti-choice Manitobans around clinics.
We petition the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba as follows:
To urge the provincial government to immediately ensure effective and safe access to abortion services for individuals, regardless of where they reside in Manitoba, and to ensure that buffer zones are immediately legislated.
Signed by many Manitobans.
Miigwech.
Madam Speaker: Are there any further petitions?
MLA Malaya Marcelino (Notre Dame): Madam Speaker, I wish to present the following petition to the Legislative Assembly.
The background to this–of this petition is as follows:
In December of 2019, the provincial government's commissioned report on lead concentrations in soil in Winnipeg was completed.
(2) The report found that 10 neighbourhoods had concerning levels of lead concentration in their soil, including Centennial, Daniel McIntyre, Glenelm-Chalmers, north Point Douglas, River Osborne, Sargent Park, St. Boniface, the West End, Weston and Wolseley-Minto.
(3) In particular, the predicted blood lead levels for children in north Point Douglas, Weston and Daniel McIntyre were above the level of concern.
(4) The Weston Elementary School field has been forced to close down many times because of concerns of lead in soil and the provincial government's inaction to improve the situation.
(5) Lead exposure especially affects children aged seven years and under, as their nervous system is still developing.
(6) The effects of lead exposure are irreversible and include impacts on learning, behaviour and intelligence.
No. 8, the provincial government–sorry, No. 7, for adults, long-term lead exposure can contribute to high blood pressure, heart disease, kidney problems and reproductive effects.
(8) The provincial government currently has no comprehensive plan in place to deal with lead in soil, nor is there a broad advertising campaign educating residents on how they can reduce their risks of lead exposure.
(9) Instead, people in these areas continue to garden and work in the soil, and children continue to play in the dirt, often without any knowledge of the associated risks.
We petition the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba as follows:
To urge the provincial government to take action to reduce people's exposure to lead in Winnipeg, and to implement the recommendations proposed by the provincial government's independent review, including the creation of an action plan for the Weston neighbourhood, developing a lead awareness communications and outreach program, requisitioning a more in-depth study, and creating a tracking program for those tested for blood lead levels so that medical professionals can follow up with them.
This has been signed by Kris D. Lavarro, Denis Pichon [phonetic] and Matt French, and many other Manitobans.
Mr. Jamie Moses (St. Vital): I wish to present the following petition to the Legislative Assembly.
To the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba:
The background of this petition is as follows:
(1) The population of those aged 55-plus has grown to approximately 2,500 in the city of Thompson.
(2) A large percentage of people in this age group require necessary medical foot care and treatment.
(3) A large percentage of those who are elderly and/or diabetic are also living on low incomes.
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(4) The northern regional health authority, N‑R‑H‑A, previously provided essential medical foot-care services to seniors and those living with diabetes until 2019, then subsequently cut the program after the last two nurses filling those positions retired.
(5) The number of seniors and those with diabetes has only continued to grow in Thompson and surrounding areas.
(6) There is no adequate medical care available in the city and region, whereas the city of Winnipeg has 14 medical foot-care centres.
(7) The implications of inadequate or lack of podiatric care can lead to amputations.
(8) The city of Thompson also serves as a regional health-care service provider, and the need for foot care extends beyond just those served in the capital city of the province.
We petition the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba as follows:
To urge the provincial government to provide the services of two nurses to restore essential medical foot care treatment to the city of Thompson effective April 1, 2022.
This petition has been signed by many Manitobans.
Ms. Lisa Naylor (Wolseley): I wish to present the following petition to the Legislative Assembly.
To the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba, the background of this petition is as follows:
An estimated 1 million people suffer from eating disorders in Canada.
Eating disorders are serious mental illnesses affecting one's physical, psychological and social function and have the highest mortality rate of any mental illness.
The development and treatment of eating disorders are influenced by the social determinants of health, including food and income security, access to housing, health care and mental health supports.
It's important to share the diverse experiences of people with eating disorders across all ages, genders and identities, including Indigenous, Black and racialized people; queer and gender-diverse people; people with disabilities; people with chronic illness; and people with co‑occurring mental health conditions or addictions.
It is necessary to increase awareness and education about the impact of those living with, or affected by, eating disorders in order to dispel dangerous stereotypes and myths about these illnesses.
Setting aside one week each year to focus attention on eating disorders will heighten public understanding, increase awareness of culturally relevant resources and supports for those impacted by eating disorders and encourage Manitobans to develop healthier relationships with their bodies.
We petition the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba as follows:
To urge the provincial government to support a declaration that the first week in February of each year be known as eating disorders awareness week.
This has been signed by Sky Iftody, Clarice Ramadyan [phonetic], Deana Deeto [phonetic] Edmonds and many other Manitobans.
Mrs. Bernadette Smith (Point Douglas): I wish to present the following petition to the Legislative Assembly.
To the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba, the background of this petition is as follows:
(1) The population of those aged 55-plus has grown to approximately 2,500 in the city of Thompson.
(2) A large percentage of people in this age group require necessary medical foot care and treatment.
(3) A large percentage of those who are elderly and/or diabetic are also living on low incomes.
(4) The northern regional health authority previously provided essential medical foot-care services to seniors and those living with diabetes until 2019, then subsequently cut the program after the last two nurses filling those positions retired.
(5) The number of seniors and those with diabetes has only continued to grow in Thompson and surrounding areas.
(6) There is no adequate medical care available in the city and region, whereas the city of Winnipeg has 14 medical foot-care centres.
(7) The implications of inadequate or lack of podiatric care can lead to amputations.
(8) The city of Thompson also serves as a regional health-care service provider, and the need for foot care extends beyond just those served in the capital city of the province.
We petition the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba as follows:
To urge the provincial government to provide the services of two nurses to restore essential medical foot- care treatment to the city of Thompson effective April 1st, 2022.
This has been signed by Glen Hoffer [phonetic], A. Aubrial [phonetic] and Douglas Hart [phonetic] and many other Manitobans.
Madam Speaker: Grievances?
House Business
Hon. Kelvin Goertzen (Government House Leader): On government business, pursuant to rule 33(7), I'm announcing that the private member's resolution to be considered on the next Tuesday of private members' business will be the one put forward by the honourable member for Dauphin (Mr. Michaleski). The title of the resolution is Recognizing a Successful Agriculture Safety Week.
Madam Speaker: It has been announced that, pursuant to rule 33(7), the private member's resolution to be considered on the next Tuesday of private members' business will be one put forward by the honourable member for Dauphin. The title of the resolution is Recognizing a Successful Agriculture Safety Week.
* * *
Mr. Goertzen: Could you please commence Interim Supply.
Madam Speaker: It has been announced that the House will consider Interim Supply this afternoon.
Hon. Cameron Friesen (Minister of Finance): I have a message from His Honour the Administrator, which I would like to table.
Madam Speaker: Please stand for the reading of the message.
To the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly, I have been informed of a proposed bill, The Interim Appropriation Act, 2022, which will provide interim authority to make expenditures from the Consolidated Fund, effective April 1st, 2022, pending approval of The Appropriation Act, 2022.
The bill also provides for payments to develop or acquire inventory and against certain liabilities accrued and unpaid as of March 31st, 2022.
The bill will also provide a portion of commitment authority for future years.
I recommend the proposed bill to the Legislative Assembly.
And this is signed by the Lieutenant Governor.
Please be seated. [interjection]
Oh–it was signed by the Administrator on behalf of the Lieutenant Governor.
* * *
Madam Speaker: The House will now resolve into Committee of Supply to consider the resolutions respecting the Interim Supply bill.
Will the Deputy Speaker please take the Chair.
Mr. Chairperson (Andrew Micklefield): Will the Committee of Supply please come to order. We have before us for our consideration four resolutions respecting the Interim Supply bill.
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The first resolution pertaining to part A, Operating Expenditures for Interim Supply, reads as follows:
RESOLVED that there by granted to Her Majesty for the fiscal year ending March 31st, 2023, a sum not exceeding $12,687,535,000, being 75 per cent of the total amount set out in the 2021 Estimates, including Supplementary Estimates, for the purposes set out in part A, Operating Expenditures, of those Estimates.
Does the Minister of Finance have any opening comments?
Hon. Cameron Friesen (Minister of Finance): I do not.
Mr. Chairperson (Andrew Micklefield): Does the official opposition critic have any opening comments?
Mr. Mark Wasyliw (Fort Garry): We do not.
Mr. Chairperson: Does the honourable–oh. The floor is open for questions.
Is the committee ready for the question?
Some Honourable Members: Question.
Mr. Chairperson: Shall the resolution pass? [Agreed]
The second resolution pertaining to part B, Capital Investments for Interim Supply, reads as follows:
RESOLVED that there be granted to Her Majesty for the fiscal year ending March 31st, 2023, a sum not exceeding $722,985,000, being 90 per cent of the total amount set out in the 2021 Estimates, including Supplementary Estimates for the purposes set out in part B, Capital Investments of those Estimates.
Does the Minister of Finance have any opening comments?
Mr. Friesen: I do not.
Mr. Chairperson: Does the official opposition Finance critic have any opening comments?
Mr. Wasyliw: We do not.
Mr. Chairperson: The floor is open for questions.
Seeing no questions, is the committee ready for the question?
Some Honourable Members: Question.
Mr. Chairperson: Shall the resolution pass? [Agreed]
The third resolution pertaining to part C, Loans and Guarantees for Interim Supply, reads as follows:
RESOLVED that there be granted to Her Majesty for the fiscal year ending March 31st, 2023, a sum not exceeding $370,827,000, being 90 per cent of the total amount set out in the 2021 Estimates including Supplementary Estimates, for the purposes set out in part C, Loans and Guarantees of those Estimates.
Does the Minister of Finance have any opening comments?
Mr. Friesen: I do not.
Mr. Chairperson: Does the official opposition Finance critic have any opening comments?
Mr. Wasyliw: No, we do not.
Mr. Chairperson: The floor is open for questions.
Seeing no questions, is the committee ready for the question?
Some Honourable Members: Question.
Mr. Chairperson: Shall the resolution pass? [Agreed]
The fourth resolution pertaining to part D, capital investments for other reporting entities for Interim Supply reads as follows:
RESOLVED that there be granted to Her Majesty for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2023, (should be March 31st) a sum not exceeding $1,827,968,000, being 90 per cent of the total amount set out in the 2021 Estimates, including Supplementary Estimates for the purposes set out in part D, capital investments for other reporting entities of those Estimates.
Does the Minister of Finance have any opening comments?
Mr. Friesen: I do not.
Mr. Chairperson: Does the official opposition Finance critic have any opening comments?
Mr. Wasyliw: We do not.
Mr. Chairperson: The floor is open for questions.
Seeing no questions, is the committee ready for the question?
Some Honourable Members: Question.
Mr. Chairperson: Shall the resolution pass? [Agreed]
That concludes the business before the committee. Committee rise.
Call in the Speaker.
IN SESSION
Mr. Andrew
(Chairperson): Madam Speaker, the Committee of Supply has considered and adopted four resolutions respecting Interim Supply.
I move, seconded by the honourable member for Brandon East (Mr. Isleifson), that the report of the committee be received.
Motion agreed to.
Hon. Cameron Friesen (Minister of Finance): I move, seconded by the Minister of Health (Ms. Gordon), that there be granted to Her Majesty on account of certain expenditures to the public service for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2023, out of the consolidated fund for the purposes set out in the 2021 Estimates, including supplementary Estimates, sums not exceeding $12,687,535,000, being 75 per cent of the total amount voted as set out in part A, Operating Expenditures, of those Estimates; $722,985,000, being 90 per cent of the total amount voted as set out in part B, Capital Investment, of those Estimates; $370,827,000, being 90 per cent of the total amount voted as set out in part C, Loans and Guarantees, of those Estimates; and $1,827,968,000 being 90 per cent of the total amount voted as set out in part D, Capital Investments by Other Reporting Entities, of those Estimates.
Motion agreed to.
Hon. Cameron Friesen (Minister of Finance): I move, seconded by the minister responsible for Municipal Relations, that Bill 25, The Interim Appropriation Act, 2022, be now read a first time and be ordered for a second reading immediately.
Motion agreed to.
Hon. Cameron Friesen (Minister of Finance): I move, seconded by the minister responsible for Seniors and Long-Term Care, that Bill 25, The Interim Appropriation Act, 2022, be now read a second time and be referred to Committee of the Whole.
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Motion presented.
Mr. Friesen: I'm pleased to rise this afternoon and put a few words on the record in respect of the Interim Appropriation Act 2022, which we are debating today.
Madam Speaker, I'll just say off the top that I can recall doing these Interim Appropriation acts and Supplementary Appropriation acts early when our government–when our party won government in 2016, and it was such an uphill, steep learning curve, not just to understand the appropriations but to understand the process in the Legislature. It's not without complexity that this bill winds and weaves and makes its way, with the support of legislators today, should it be successful, through the Legislature, in one foul swoop. We are used to seeing these processes spread out over a period of weeks or months as a bill is introduced, of course usually without a resolution, but then a bill, you know, introduced and read at first reading, debated at second reading, making its way to committee stage, being reported back to the House, third reading, and eventually making its way towards royal assent and proclamation.
And in a bill like this we do it in more of a hurry. And, of course, there's a reason why, because in this Legislature we have a requirement and we have an obligation, all of us, as legislators in this place, to make sure that the government can pay its bills, that we can meet our obligations this afternoon. We are debating appropriations for part A, Operating Authority, and part B, C, and D in terms of the needs for capital for the government. But, of course, we always cross that magical day on March the 31st when we enter into a new fiscal year, and so we need to be able to have authority to spend, even while we are awaiting for a budget to be introduced, debated, passed in the Legislature.
And so this gives us that interim authority as the name suggests. I understand that the tradition is actually very, very old, borrowed from England. I think the Exchequer would have have originally brought the–this process through the parliament, but I think that so many of our processes are borrowed from democratic systems much older than our own, so it's a little bit of nostalgia to start our afternoon.
I'll make my comments brief here and say that it is exactly this interim authority to spend that we are seeking today. It is standard that the government would seek a certain allocation in respect of part A and, as indicated this afternoon, in respect of part A that is a 75 per cent request of all the sums, but it is not based, of course, off this year's budget. It is referenced to the last year's past budget. We can't reference a budget that is yet to be introduced, yet to be debated, yet to be passed. And that is why we have that reference into the past to the former year's budget.
So the amount of interim Operating Expenditure Authority requested is $12,687,535 for part A, as I said, representing 75 per cent of the total sums included in part A of the 2021-22 Estimates of Expenditure. That includes the Supplementary Estimates of Expenditure in 2021 and 2022.
The amount of part B, Authority, as we heard this afternoon, is $722,985,000. That represents 90 per cent of the sums of part B. That is for Capital of the Estimates expenditure.
In part C, which we entitle Loans and Guarantees, we are requesting $370,827,000. That is 90 per cent of the sums included in part C of last year's Estimates of Expenditure.
And under part D, Capital, we are requesting, as well, 90 per cent of the total sums, for an amount of $1,827,968,000, representing that reference to the 2021-22 Estimates of Expenditure.
There was a reference to inventory; the amount of expenditures authorized for developing or acquiring inventory for subsequent years is $100 million. Long‑term liabilities also need to be addressed in this request this afternoon that is being identified as $300 million, and future commitment authority amount at $900 million, that provides for the commitment of expenditures to ensure the completion of projects or fulfilling contracts initiated but not completed during the fiscal year ending March the 31st, 2023.
I also want to indicate to the members of the House that when the bill reaches the committee stage, I will provide members with a section-by-section explanation of this bill.
Thank you, Madam Speaker.
Madam Speaker: Do members have any questions on the bill?
The honourable member for Notre Dame.
Well, I should first say a question period of up to 15 minutes will be held. Questions may be addressed to the minister by any member in the following sequence: first question by the official opposition critic or designate, subsequent questions asked by critics or designates from other recognized opposition parties, subsequent questions asked by each independent member, remaining questions asked by any opposition members, and no question or answer shall exceed 45 seconds.
MLA Malaya Marcelino (Notre Dame): Will the minister please commit to actually spending the new investments in the 2022-23 budget for surgeries?
Hon. Cameron Friesen (Minister of Finance): As the member knows, amounts that are under debate today would be also allocated in part A for surgeries. The member know that our government has allocated $50 million to a procedures and priority wait time reduction initiative. We have a task force that is working very hard that has been successful thus far in signing other contracts, finding ways to reorient our system.
We know that COVID has not been kind to wait times all across Canada and the world, and we're working hard and have every intention of fully expending amounts to make sure that Manitobans get the procedures and surgeries that they are waiting for.
Hon. Jon Gerrard (River Heights): My question to the Minister of Finance: The minister says that the operating amount is 75 per cent of the total amount. This calculated out means that the total amount is $16 billion and approximately $900 million. That is about a billion dollars higher than the budgeted amount for Operating Expenditures last year.
Is the minister picking some number that's different from the budgeted last year, or was the expenditures estimated a billion dollars over what was budgeted for operating costs?
Mr. Friesen: I want to assure the member for River Heights that we have Treasury Board Secretariat officials who work hard and are very competent and very capable in terms of identifying these percentages and referencing them to the last year of voted authority for spending. So as the member says, you know, the number for this year being sought is twelve-six-eight-seven-five-three-five. It is 75 per cent of the printed–voted authority from last year's budget.
So if the member has a different question–I would explain to him, as well, though, as I indicated in my second reading of remarks, he may be referring to the fact that we've said–
Madam Speaker: The member's time has expired.
MLA Marcelino: Does the minister intend to increase supports to our acute-care system in the 2022-23 budget?
Mr. Friesen: I'm sorry, the tyranny of the system is we have 45 seconds and we get behind, so I missed the member's question. I'm going to invite her to say it again.
But I will take the opportunity now and just beg forgiveness for this to answer the member for River Heights (Mr. Gerrard) and say: I think what he's forgetting is that supplementary authority that was also sought.
So there's the Estimates of Expenditure, but also the supplementary Estimates of Expenditure from 2021-22, in this case, supplementary appropriations of $225 million, and perhaps that explains the variance that he is suggesting.
MLA Marcelino: Does the minister intend to increase supports to our acute-care system in the 2022-23 budget?
Mr. Friesen: I thank the member for the question.
Absolutely, our government continues to increase supports for the acute-care system. That member is aware that this government has worked very hard on the basis of some master reports that were delivered by experts in health care on how to improve Manitobans' health-care system.
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We believe that the changes that were put into effect actually strengthened the ability of our health-care system to respond, but clearly COVID has shown the whole world that investments are necessary in health care. That's why our government is investing over a billion dollars more now in health care every year than we did in 2016, but there are certainly more planned investments to come in acute care, including ones that we will announce in Budget 2022.
MLA Marcelino: Does the minister intend to increase funding to our PCHs, given there were no new investments made by Brian Pallister in this current fiscal year?
Mr. Friesen: I want to make clear that our government has talked about its fundamental commitment to build and replace personal-care-home beds. I'm so pleased. I can't name him by name but I–so pleased to have my colleague in the new role, a Minister responsible for Seniors and Long-Term Care. I know that he and the Minister of Health (Ms. Gordon) are working very, very hard on advancing the government's initiatives when it comes to building personal-care-home beds.
We've accepted all of the recommendations of the Stevenson report. We will be building future care-home beds that make sure that we are taking those recommendations, building them to be safe for those who call those personal-care homes home.
MLA Marcelino: Will Manitobans see investments in harm reduction measures, specifically a safe consumption site and managed alcohol programs in Budget 2022-23?
Mr. Friesen: I've been very pleased to work with the Minister responsible for Mental Health and Community Wellness (Mrs. Guillemard) and I have heard her speak over and over about comprehensive plans to strengthen the capacity, to make key investments in Manitoba in terms of mental health and addictions.
And so while that member and her party continue to take a highly ideological approach, an approach, I would say, that isn't followed in almost every nation of the world, our government has been hard a work building capacity in addictions medicine, building capacity in mental health, making good investments in acquiring new beds for treatment, getting housing in place and talking about the whole continuum of mental health and addictions. We'll continue to make those good investments.
MLA Marcelino: Does the minister plan to improve MPNP staffing levels and supports for settlement agencies to facilitate Ukrainians entering our province?
Mr. Friesen: Very pleased to be working, as well, with this new Minister of Immigration, who has received a body of work that is auguring towards dramatically increasing the capacity of MPNP, really retooling that organization that was first brought by a PC government, but clearly, now is the time for us to be looking at it.
We've–the minister's announced the election of a new task force that will be helping to guide those changes to increase capacity and, as the member knows, we're going to do everything in our power to be able to facilitate the people from Ukraine who decide to come to Manitoba.
MLA Marcelino: Now, more than ever, when our province continues to recover from the pandemic, we should be ensuring that post-secondary is accessible to those who need or want to retrain. Last year's budget cut post-secondary by nearly $9 million and froze financial assistance.
Will the minister commit to stopping these funding cuts, investing in post-secondary so that students don't have to have their tuitions increased?
Mr. Friesen: Speaking of highly ideological approach, as the NDP suggests, that somehow that even though everything goes up in price, that the tuition never can. That's not been the case in Manitoba, but clearly, our government has made clear that we will continue to have among the lowest tuitions in all of Canada. We're committed to that goal. We'll continue down that path.
Over time, we know that those amounts can't be held static. They can't be held without any increases, because we want quality education for the maximum of students in Manitoba who are entering post-secondary. That's our plan; that's our path. There are no cuts to post-secondary funding.
MLA Marcelino: Can the minister please explain why funding for education for this coming budget year, 2022-23, is not keeping up with inflation, and will he commit to re-evaluating this decision and increasing funding for our schools today?
Mr. Friesen: Only an hour ago in this Legislature, we heard the Minister of Education update the House and talk about its very significant funding increases to education that were just announced recently through the FRAME report. I believe–I won't quote the number correctly–entirely–but I believe it was around $200 million of additional funding for education. That means that every school division is seeing a net increase in funding for its students.
We believe it is the government's responsibility to make good education investments, but not only investments in funding but also investments in curriculum, investments in our K‑to‑12 review, and we know that the minister is hard at work to advance that understanding of how to improve education for all Manitoba students.
Mr. Gerrard: This year, the rate of inflation and the consumer price index are set to go up. The minister would likely receive increased monies through taxation as a result of these increases in inflation and in the consumer price index. I wonder if the minister is going to take this into account in terms of the budget when he presents it.
Mr. Friesen: I want to assure the member for River Heights (Mr. Gerrard) that the Finance Minister always takes into account detailed analysis of both the revenue and expenditure trends and planning; that's the work of the government.
He is correct; we are in, right now, a more inflationary environment that creates pressures on revenues, pressures on expenditures. It does, as he say, in some cases, it may mean that governments are in possession of greater revenues. It also means there's some pressure on revenue streams as well because we want to plan for a stable environment with all of these changes, to make sure that Manitobans can be at work, that they can be, you know, working hard to meet the needs of their families. That's the path that we're on, and we'll be able to give further updates when we move to budget '22 in a few weeks.
Madam Speaker: Are there any further questions?
Madam Speaker: If not, are there any members wishing to speak on debate?
MLA Malaya Marcelino (Notre Dame): The Throne Speech that we had to listen to recently was really lacking in so many key areas. In this Throne Speech, the Premier (Mrs. Stefanson) committed to many things. However, when we take a look at all her promises and then compare them to all the cuts that she and her government have made over the past few years, it's really hard to believe that she'll follow through. So many key things were missing from that Throne Speech.
Manitobans expect and deserve a government that will fix problems instead of making them worse. Under Pallister, the PCs did a lot of damage to our province, from health care to education to the rising cost of living. And this was the chance that the Premier had to prove that she's different. But it's clear that nothing has changed.
In fact, over 80 per cent of the Premier's Throne Speech appear to be repeats from the Pallister administration. This Premier is offering nothing new. Instead, she's recycling ideas from a failed premier. And this is concerning given Pallister's legacy of cuts to health care, to–cuts to education and cuts to child care. This Premier's Throne Speech contains the same broken promises used by Brian Pallister.
This Premier doesn't have a plan to listen to nurses. She doesn't have a plan to get people surgeries and tests. She doesn't have a plan to stop outbreaks in schools and to stop outbreaks in long-term-care homes. She doesn't have a plan to make life more affordable.
This Premier has failed to address the issues that Manitobans care about, like fixing our health-care system, making life more affordable, making sure that students have the supports that they need in the classroom and caring for our most vulnerable members of our society. There's no plan for the climate crisis and no plans to apologize, even, for comments made by her predecessor, Brian Pallister, regarding residential schools and colonialism.
Thousands are waiting for life-changing surgeries and diagnostic tests right now, and some Manitobans have had to leave the province, to pay out of pocket for essential health-care services. This is unacceptable.
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Manitobans want real action from this government to address the growing issues of poverty and homelessness across our province, and not the same empty promises giving–given to them by Brian Pallister and his repeat.
So today, we hope that the Premier (Mrs. Stefanson) will seriously reconsider and think about investments that are needed in Budget 2022 and 2023 to fix the damage from her and her government's previous cuts.
Just want to list some of these cuts that were made by the Premier's mentor, Brian Pallister.
On the health-care file, this Premier stood by as they fired hundreds of nurses, cut ICU beds, closed emergency rooms, urgent-care centres–and all this right before the pandemic. The PC government has undoubtedly made deep cuts to our health-care system.
Yet this government claims to be investing in health, but the numbers don't lie. In this year's budget, the funding they claim to increase were all below the rate of inflation, and that means they're de facto cuts.
The overall operating funding was 1.4 per cent. Long-term care went from $643,754 to $653,873, which is a 1.6 cut. In home care, funding went from $386,163 to $392,722, which is a 1.7 per cent cut. Funding to health authorities went from $3,793,296 to $3,807,668, which–a 0.38 per cent increase.
They actually decreased the budget for acute-care emergency services by $13 million. And, Madam Speaker, this was during the pandemic. They also froze both the physician recruitment and retention program, and the nursing recruitment and retention initiatives. This is at a time when vacancy rates have shot up and we desperately need to encourage more health-care workers to stay in our province.
I just recently spoke to representatives from Manitoba Nurses Union, and I was discussing how we have nursing vacancy rates in the North of up to 80 per cent. And this representative told me, it's not 80 per cent; it's actually 100 per cent in some areas and in some communities; we are relying 100 per cent on agency nurses in certain communities in our province. And that is shocking, and it is–just shows the neglect that these health facilities are facing and the people that rely on them every day.
It's easy to see why this government failed at responding to COVID‑19 when they spent the five years leading up to the pandemic slashing the resources desperately needed in our health-care system.
While the Premier was the minister of Health, this government cut funding for acute-care services by $13 million. They cut 10 ICU beds less than a year before the pandemic, and now these ICU beds, we know how desperately needed they are.
They cut 56 in-patient surgical beds right before COVID came to Manitoba, and now, you know, instead of us being able to use those beds, we are turning to private, for-profit health care to replace the capacity that was cut.
The PCs also closed 131 beds across Winnipeg in 2019. This is according to the 2019 WRHA annual report, on page 53. And the PCs also closed another 27 beds just as the virus attacked in March, and that's according to the 2020 WRHA report.
Brian Pallister left us very poorly unprepared. Before the pandemic, the majority of patients waiting for knee replacement and cataract surgery weren't receiving it within the target time frames, and Manitoba was far beyond the Canadian average.
But now it's gone from bad to worse. We all know that the wait-lists for surgeries, tests and procedures has grown to over 160,000 surgeries, tests and procedures, and that's according to Doctors Manitoba.
Doctors Manitoba has called for the establishment of a task force to ensure a clear date to clear the backlog and to provide monthly reporting to the public. It took the Stefanson government six months to establish the task force, and, to date, it has not committed to any target date to clear this backlog, nor have they regularly reported. And we know that this PC government hasn't even spent the full $50 million committed to–in this year's budget to address that surgical backlog.
So, this Premier's own Throne Speech has failed to mention the words harm reduction once; meanwhile, the number of people dying of overdose continues to rise exponentially, Madam Speaker.
There are also more cuts under the–this Premier's (Mrs. Stefanson) Families file. When the Premier was minister of Families, child poverty got worse, addictions continued to increase and her government cut and sold off social and affordable housing units.
Now, when it comes to social housing, this Premier has two instincts: cut and privatize. As deputy premier, she watched homelessness rise as her government cut hundreds of social housing units. That was 1,700 social housing units between the years 2016 to 2020.
This PC government cut the maintenance budget for existing units by almost 75 per cent from where it was under the NDP. That's from $120 million in 2015‑2016 to only $31.2 million in 2020-21.
Under this Premier, they've sold off or transferred hundreds of social housing units to private companies who want to make a profit and not to help many struggling Manitobans who need it. After six years of frozen funding to our child-care system, we hope that the Premier will end the freeze in budgets that was evident in Budget 2022-23.
Under the Education file, our children and these schools were not exempt from these cuts. For the first time in a generation, education funding is not keeping up with enrolment, which is rising at 1 per cent, and the growth in the economy, which is rising at 3.3 per cent.
For the sixth year in a row, in 2022-23, they cut education. And when we, then, uncovered the documents, which show that the PC government made an absolute reduction of $4.2 million to education funding this school year, 2021-22, this was the first time in the last 15 years that education funding was in the negative.
On top of cutting education and refusing to hire more teachers or educational assistants, they wasted $1.5 million on consultants and advertising to promote their failed bill 64. That's a complete waste of money that we're never going to get back.
And in their 2021 budget, the PCs insulted teachers by saying it's fair for them to buy their own school supplies. And when asked if he was bothered by the idea that teachers would have to do that, Brian Pallister said: Well, it doesn't bother me at all. That was from a CBC reporting article on April 8th, 2021.
To make matters worse, the Premier has launched an education funding model review, and just like everything else under this government, reviews lead to cuts.
The PC government set our schools up to fail going into the pandemic with years of underfunding, eliminating the cap on class sizes, cutting supports for kids with exceptional needs and putting unneeded stress on educators and, ultimately, setting our children back.
You know, this NDP caucus, we are hoping for better investments in this coming Budget 2022-23. We want to ensure that our hard-working civil servants get paid. We hope that greater investments are made in crucial areas, especially health care, to fix the Premier's mismanagement during her tenure as Health minister.
As we have learned during the worst time in Manitoba's pandemic, with the Premier as Health minister, there is no record of her working on the weekends, and this makes us very doubtful about her ability to do what's right for Manitobans.
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Manitobans expect and deserve a government that has actionable plans to address the ongoing and systemic issues within our province. Whether it's the climate crisis or another contagious virus, we have to be better prepared for the next emergency. We have to do what is necessary to build a better Manitoba.
Thank you, Madam Speaker.
Madam Speaker: Are there any other member–oh.
Mr. Dougald Lamont (St. Boniface): Yes, it's a pleasure to put some words on the record today just in reference to some of the spending practices of this government.
We–I–before I rose today, I took a look at some of the recommendations–budget recommendations we've made in the past. And one of them simply was that this government needs to–we called it off–pursue honesty in 'incounting' which, more simply put, is that we need to be accurate in our budget, as the government is going to–doesn't–shouldn't be overstating how much they intend to spend in the budget and then reversing themselves immediately, and telling Shared Health, or whoever, that they need to cut 15 per cent, which has been–which has tended to be the practice, unfortunately.
And this has been the case with a number of issues that we've seen, underinvestment with the goal of bringing deficits to bear. But in fact, it's been a bit of a shell game.
The reality, as I said before, is that this isn't so much a tax-and-spend government, it's a government that cuts, and borrows and spends all at the same time with the result that we're using deficits not to pay for programs, it creates the illusion that we're–that the government is being generous because it's running deficits.
Well, how could we possibly be cutting anything if we're running a deficit, if we're borrowing money? Well the answer is simply that deficit, that money that's being borrowed, is being used to finance tax cuts.
This is–it's–and it's under the idea that these tax cuts are going to be stimulating the economy. But the reality is with–when it comes to distribution, this is one of the great things, is the huge error that happens is the way where we treat everybody as average.
The reality is, there's a–80/20 rule in economics and in the distribution, and it's quite shocking when you drill in–down into it. The fact is, is that 20 per cent of–about 20 per cent of the top Canadians own 80 per cent of all the wealth. But of that 20 per cent, the 80/20 rule applies again: that 20 per cent owns 80 per cent of everything.
And the result is that you actually have a absolutely colossal concentration of both income and wealth, so that the top 20 per cent or so of Canadians own 67 per cent of all property. And the bottom 20 per cent have actually–are deeper in debt than they were 20 years ago.
And this has all accelerated desperately over the course of the pandemic in ways that are really serious.
And when we talk about, you know, where people are talking about inflation, one–I mentioned today in my member's statement that one of the things that government needs to do in a pandemic and in a crisis is watch for price gouging, is watch for people who are going to use a crisis to extract the maximum possible amount of money.
And, you know, there have been people who have said that. You know, there's lots of calls for people to reduce taxes because of higher gas prices because, you know, we're all supposed to be sacrificing, this is a cost, this is a result of the cost of the invasion of the–of Ukraine. That we all need to be sacrificing.
But it would be great, quite frankly, if some of the oil companies were willing to show some sacrifice and perhaps step back on either profit-taking or on dividends rather than governments always being expected to be the ones who cave in, and that we always have to be listening to the–and that the iron rule of corporate pricing is supposed to be inflexible while governments always have to be caving. It's really quite unfortunate.
But when we look at what's causing inflation, there are a number of things. Lots of people want to talk about fiscal spending. It's not fiscal spending; fiscal spending almost never causes inflation.
What's happened is a number of things. One is that we've seen massive supply disruptions around the world because of COVID. There are over 200,000 people around the world stuck on ships who have not been able to come ashore because–and haven't been able to deliver materials, because no one will take them onboard.
That–these supply chains in themselves have been a cause of increasing prices and inflation. That's about COVID; it's got nothing to do with what governments are doing, it's happening all over the world. The same is true of oil.
The same–the other thing about it is, frankly, climate change. We haven't talked about climate change much in a while. It's still a crisis. And the fact is, it's one of the major crises driving inflation.
We had massive storms that wiped out roads in BC that cut off vital transportation links and infrastructure links that are trade, that actually–you know, that allow us to ship stuff out of Manitoba and out of Canada and to take trade and products in from Vancouver. Those are broken. Why? Because we had extreme weather events tied to climate change.
The same is true: I was talking to somebody at the plumbing shop who said, why do they have all these restrictions? Why do they have shortages? There've been massive storms in the Gulf of Mexico that have wiped out oil refining capacity, that have wiped out resins that make plastic as a result of climate change. Climate change is one of the major things that's driving extra costs because it's massively disrupting capacity.
And the third thing is something that has nothing to do with–is technically government, but it's actually the fact that the Bank of Canada decided to drop interest rates as low as they possibly could and increase borrowing. So what we've seen is a massive, unaffordable increase in housing because banks have been encouraged to lend more and more and more. And I've talked about private debt, that I think we've got a very serious situation in Canada and–because people are just being priced out of the market.
I was talking to a real estate agent. He said it's almost impossible for somebody coming up right nowadays, in their twenties, to be able to afford a first home–it's–without taking on absolutely colossal amounts of debt right at the beginning of their life. That's something that shouldn't be happening, but it's something that was, I believe, a mistake on the part of the Bank of Canada.
And the other thing about it is that lots of the–and it's–that, too, has been driven by policies, including policies in this government, but they allowed evictions to be happening. So people have been driven out of their homes, driven out of their apartments, which is allowed for 'renovictions' and flipping, and massive increases in the price of rent and price of housing, which fundamentally underpins the entire economy.
Those are the real drivers of inflation. It's not fiscal spending. It's not CERB. It's not the fact that people were made–we can make sure that people could actually, you know, afford groceries. You know, it's the fact that we have, overwhelmingly, in this crisis, we've seen the fortunes of the very richest massively increase, whether it's Jeff Bezos or somebody like Elon Musk, people at the bottom end and the vast majority of people are struggling because they're having to pay much, much more for the necessities of life.
So those are–now, look, some of these are things that are beyond what this government can do, but they also need to be addressed as a reality because there are things this government, as a province, can still be doing in order to protect people from higher rents, to protect people but to stand up for business and make sure that they're not being oppressed with a colossal burden of debt.
But the other thing about it is to speak up, emphatically challenge the idea that, you know, that when we talk about massive, incredible increases in oil prices, we are absolutely justified in asking whether, in a crisis, somebody is price gouging–or what used to be called profiteering in the war.
So these are things that should all be looked at and considered. Again, this government, it–unfortunately, when they talk about the relief they provided, it tends to be very targeted and targeted to a surprisingly tiny amount of people, and they get around it by saying, well, it's an average. But again, the same thing applies to if you're talking about, well, we're going to save people on property taxes, we're going to save people the PST on insurance. The number–the concentration of ownership of property is huge. And they're–the vast majority of people, lots of people don't own property at all; they're renters.
I mean, the fact that, quite frankly, that First Nations are forbidden from owning property on reserve, generally speaking, speaks to the isolation and the ways in which we've denied opportunity to First Nations in Canada and in Manitoba; that they are–that, as a people, they are not–they've been denied the land that–to which they are attached and they are not–those are not allowed to be treated as assets. It's not allowed to be treated as something valuable.
The other thing about it is that when we–when it comes to what we're approaching, you would be great if there are–if this interim supply bill–I know that we've had a Throne Speech; there's been talk of a reset, but most of it's about tone and not about substance.
We are going to face–I think that there's a lot of optimism and, you know, people look at the things like unemployment rates and so on, but there's still a huge amount of fear and tension out there. There's lots of people who are unable to pay their bills or struggling because they–having to choose between rent, food and medication. This is something that is vital to address because very often, when you look at those statistics, there's lots of people who are left out.
Again, when we look at the–when we look at unemployment statistics for Manitoba, they don't include First Nations. First Nations are completely left out. They're not measured and they should be, so we can get a sort of false confidence from having those low levels of employment.
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The other question is whether those jobs are actually enough for people to pay their bills, and very often they're not. And, simply, that we are being asked to pass a very–a huge portion of the budget, which, you know, will ensure stability, which is positive.
The challenge is that we don't–is that we are living in an uncertain world. We don't know what's coming down the–in terms of the pandemic. We don't know what's happening economically, and there's going to be a point, you know, that–businesses are still struggling under a colossal amount of debt that was–and the Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce has been very vocal about this, saying that there are lots of businesses–many businesses did not suffer–did not survive the pandemic and that others are struggling because they'll have enormous difficulty because–and I think this is actually a critical point to make, both not just businesses, but as a society–we are not working for growth.
All the work we are doing is mostly to pay off debt. We are–and so we are–and this is a huge challenge because it means that we're paying off a load–some of that debt is toxic. Some of that debt grows on its own because it might have interest rates. You know, if it's an interest rate on a payday loan, it can be hundreds of–hundreds–100 per cent, or can be 500 per cent.
And there are some really quite scary stories because there are lots of people who are having to go into debt because they cannot get a raise, they cannot work, they cannot get support from government, so they are living on debt, and that debt is sinking them all.
And it's actually one of the things, quite frankly, that is driving the division in our country because people are becoming increasingly desperate. I actually–I had a long conversation with somebody who was–I spoke out about the convoy; he left a very angry message, but we talked, because he's really recognizing he's a person who's been suffering. He has a colossal debt on his business. He hasn't been able to work it. And that's a challenge–is that we need to do much more to make our economy more accessible and fair for people who are growing up, certainly in a very scary world, to make sure that they have opportunities–to make sure that they can actually just have the basic necessities of life and have the kind of opportunity that we all had growing up or better.
So, I will wrap up; I won't add too much more. We are–we continue to be very concerned with this government's fiscal management. I know that they continued with a–the policy of having multiple–which was criticized by the Auditor General–of having multiple measures of deficits. But fundamentally, we need to be investing in people. We need to be investing in education. We need to be investing in health. And we need to be investing in infrastructure. Those are all critical.
And it wasn't–it's not even a socialist idea; there was a–the very first professor at Wharton, business professor at Wharton, recognized: Look, investments by government in health care, in education and in infrastructure are not a cost; they are an investment. They are an investment.
And–[interjection]
No, I'm not. I'm–just to be clear to the member from Concordia, I learned of this from Michael Hudson, who is a very distinguished economist who delivered a–who was actually at the University of Manitoba delivering a talk, hosted by John Loxley, about heterodox economics, so there we go. I can send you the link if you like.
Sorry. I can send the member the link. I, like, I apologize for referring to him in the first person–or, second person.
But that being said, is that these are–it's–this isn't–like–these are not radical ideas; it's simply a recognition that education, health and infrastructure–what would be called factors of production, and that what creates value in our society is health, education and infrastructure, because it makes it possible and provides access for everybody. And that's why it's so important to have that access for everybody, that it means that you have the lowest–you have low-cost infrastructure for everyone, for individuals and business; low-cost, quality health care for everyone and low-cost education for everyone.
If you do that, you actually are that much further ahead because you're providing the crucial supports for success for private business as well as for individuals, and it means that everybody you–one hopes, can actually make the most of themselves and be their best selves and fulfill their potential. That should be our goal, not sure that Interim Supply does that.
But thank you very much, Madam Speaker.
Mr. Mark Wasyliw (Fort Garry): I'd just like to put a few brief comments on the record today.
We have gone through a transition period since the last budget where the, you know, PC caucus has gotten a new leader. And the reason for it, of course, is the former leader was a notoriously difficult person. People viewed him as racist and mean-spirited, would often come into this House and this Chamber and hurl abuse at people.
And the man was fantastically talented at finding people to fight with. And I don't know if there was anybody left in Manitoba to fight with, so if he had no one to fight with, he had to retire. And I think he wore out his welcome with his own party, and to their credit, you know, when it was time to go, they made him go.
And where I'm going with this is that the–again, the Premier (Mrs. Stefanson), the now-Premier, becomes their leader and she comes at Throne Speech time and says, you know, I don't want to be like that, and–to her credit. And, yes, you don't want to be like that.
And the whole substance of the Throne Speech was that there was going to be this new error of collaboration in Manitoba, and that the Stefanson government was now going to listen to Manitobas, was going to include them in decisions and that we were going to collaborate in this province in a way that hadn't happened in the previous, you know, five-odd years.
And then, of course, I mean, we have a perfect natural experiment that presents itself to this Legislature. We have this horrific invasion of Ukraine, something where every single member of this Chamber agrees on. There is very little light between all three political parties as to our absolute revulsion of what's going on, and the need to act.
Yet, somehow, those words in the Throne Speech about collaboration seems to fail the Stefanson government now. They refuse to actually work across party lines on a non-partisan basis on an issue that, purportedly, we all agree on. And they continue to politicize an issue which really should unite Manitobans.
And you saw this again, this sort of divisive attitude, towards the blockaders. Overwhelmingly, Manitobans did the right thing. Overwhelmingly, Manitobans sacrificed–you know, 90 per cent got vaccinations, there was no complaints about mask mandates and, you know, even–people may not have been enthusiastic about it, but they did it. They knew it was the right thing to do. They knew it protected not only their families but their neighbours, and that was the price of citizenship, that you had to participate.
So, there's obviously going to be people, always, who disagree. And those–you know, those who disagreed blockaded our border. Fourth busiest land crossing–you know, our third or fourth busiest land crossing in Canada. Something crazy like, you know, tens of millions of dollars of loss in economic activity every day.
And this government wouldn't stand with Manitobans, would not stand with all Manitobans who sacrificed and joined together to keep their community safe. They pandered to a very extreme minority with some very unhealthy and toxic views.
And again, where is the collaboration, where is the working with Manitobans? Why is this government signalling out the ugliest and nastiest voices and saying, we're with them? I mean, what does that say about this government? Well, what it says is not much, really, has changed.
Now, interesting report just came out yesterday from the Manitoba chapter of the Canadian Centre of Policy Alternatives. And we–at least for the next two years, we'll probably have a significant affordability crisis. And they are showing that there's three areas in Manitoba where cost of living is skyrocketing: it's in transportation costs, in fuel and the third area is shelter.
And this government has no plan, has never had an economic plan other than padding the wallets of the largest corporations in Manitoba, and the richest Manitobans, and shifting the tax burden from people who can afford to pay taxes in Manitoba and who are being successful under the current rules of our economic system, onto hard-working families who aren't as successful, who haven't had those advantages, who struggle to pay taxes. So, we certainly have become less fair and less equal as a province.
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We're seeing child poverty rates start climbing again under this government. We are seeing certain diseases of poverty that should be extinct in Manitoba appearing again, once again on the streets of Manitoba. What does that say about Manitoba when these medieval diseases are showing up again, you know, in our population? Well, it says that our government is failing Manitobans, that's what it says, you know.
So, basically, this government has no plan, they seem to have no interest in this thing and they'll turn and say, well, you know, our unemployment numbers are good.
There's two caveats with that: the inner city of Winnipeg has not recovered from the pandemic and the unemployment are–is very bad. And a lot of marginalized groups in Manitoba have not recovered, many have dropped out of the work force and this has not been an equal recovery.
Just like the cost of living crisis is not equal in Manitoba. It is going to affect our most vulnerable more. Actually, some Manitobans have seen their incomes going up. They've been in a better financial position through the pandemic. And the problem is, with this government, is that these people have no voice over there. This government doesn't see them. It doesn't recognize that they're struggling.
And if they did, they would start putting investments in this upcoming budget into public transportation in a real, significant way, as opposed to what they've been doing for years: cutting public transportation, making it less affordable for people just to their job or just to get to their school or just to get to their grocery store. This government would do something about a housing crisis that is building in Manitoba.
You know, it is not lost on Manitobans that our Premier (Mrs. Stefanson) was the former Housing minister at the same time she was a large commercial landlord. It is no accident that during that period of time and her tenure as a minister, we were selling off social housing stock. We were allowing the social housing stock that we have to decay. We watched as this government sat back and agreed to 100 per cent above-guideline rent increases.
So, if you're in the business of renting to Manitobans, how convenient for you to get rid of the supply of affordable housing in Manitoba, where people do not have a choice and they have to go to a private landlord who, you know, is asking for above-guideline rent increases at the same time. So, you're basically creating a captured market.
Now, by anybody's definition, that is a conflict of interest–[interjection]
Madam Speaker: Order.
Mr. Wasyliw: –right? And so much so that this government recognized that, brought in legislation that said that practice would be illegal, and after the next election, any Cabinet minister–[interjection]–sorry?
Oh. Sorry? Okay. It's late in the afternoon. So–[interjection]–well, I'll get it right back.
So, this government, knowing that's ethically wrong, passes a pieces of legislation that makes that behaviour illegal after the next election.
The question for Manitobans is, is that if you're a Cabinet minister, and you believe so strongly that you vote for that piece of legislation, why do you need it to be in place to act accordingly? Why do you need it to be in place before you actually do the right thing. Well, I'm playing by the rules even though the rules are skewed and I think they're wrong, and I think we have to change them, but you know, we're going to wait until we implement them. And that, of course, is wrong.
And you see with this government, there is a pattern here. We had a former–well, at that time, this government wouldn't even recognize the labour minister, but the equivalent of a labour minister, whose company employed low-wage workers that he personally profited from undervaluing his employees. And the more he undervalued them, the more that went into his pocket.
This employer was a subject of numerous employment-standard complaints. There was a lawsuit, there was investigations, and, of course, was the minister at the same time that his own department was investigating his own company.
Again, unethical–[interjection]
Madam Speaker: Order.
Mr. Wasyliw: –illegal, and will not be allowed after the last election. [interjection]
Madam Speaker: Order.
Mr. Wasyliw: But this government, despite voting for that legislation, conducted themselves in that way. Not only did the minister do that, he supressed minimum-wage laws in Manitoba, something that he had a direct pecuniary interest in the outcome of.
In Manitoba, in six years, we haven't even raised minimum wage to a dollar. That is shameful. We are now the second lowest province in Canada for minimum wage. They're talking about in BC, raising it 40 or 45 cents. Just in June, I think, they're coming in at $15.50, and we haven't even broke $12 yet here in Manitoba.
Well, that's real people; that's people who can't afford their ever-increasing rent, that can't afford transport. They can't afford, if they do have a car, to put fuel in it, and the public transit system has been reeling under cuts from this government.
So, there is a cost-of-living crisis in Manitoba, and it's directly related to the policies of this government. And, of course, there seems to be no plan for any sort of economic recovery, and again, I'm hoping the minister will put something in the budget, but I–you know, I've been disappointed before and I suspect I will be again.
You cannot go anywhere, you know, 50 meters from this building, without stumbling across small businesses that are no longer in business. And they are hurting; they are struggling; they are overloaded in debt, and this government seems to have no time for them.
Well, I shouldn't say that; they have time for some small businessmen, you know, they do. They, of course, have to have PC party membership, and then, of course, they'll get their, you know, rewards. And I'm wondering, that $500,000 of corporate welfare that was given to that company: how many small businesses would be open today if that money was fairly distributed to the small-business community?
And, of course, we're hearing from the small-business community about their outrage and how unfair–[interjection]
Madam Speaker: Order.
Mr. Wasyliw: –that clearly is.
But, of course, this is a pattern with this government about rewarding friends. I mean, it wasn't too long ago that this government had the great idea that despite the federal government providing free vaccines that had been government approved, they were going to spend over $7 million of Manitoba taxpayers' money on a fly‑by‑night company that hadn't actually approved a vaccine, and for which Manitobans would be on the hook financially to purchase this vaccine that has never been approved and never actually came to the market, as opposed to–[interjection]
Madam Speaker: Order. Order.
I'm having quite a bit of difficulty at the moment trying to hear the member. There is a lot of conversations going on here, and I'm going to ask members that are in conversation, could you please take those conversations either to a loge or into the hall, because I need to be able to hear the debate, and there are several conversations going here and, on top of that, heckling.
So this is getting a little bit out of hand, so I'm going to ask for everybody's co‑operation, please.
Mr. Wasyliw: So, what I'm going to–my message to the Finance Minister and to the rest of his Cabinet is that Manitobans need real support when it comes to affordability. We need investments in public transit. We need to keep Hydro public, and to make no further steps towards privatizing it.
We have to convince this government to stop raising Hydro rates on Manitobans. Stop raising tuition on Manitobans. Stop raising child-care fees on Manitobans. Stop cutting education, because when you cut education what happens is that schools have less money for things and they start charging fees, public schools start charging fees. And under six years of this government, public schools now are 'increasintly' demanding more money from parents for services that used to be included in the price of public education. It's obviously–this is not the direction that we need to be going. Manitobans need some help and, unfortunately, they're not going to get it from this government.
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Thank you, Madam Speaker.
Madam Speaker: Are there any other members wishing to debate the bill?
Is the House ready for the question?
Some Honourable Members: Question.
Madam Speaker: The question before the House is that Bill No. 25, The Appropriation Act, 2022, be now read a second time and be referred to Committee of the Whole.
Is it the pleasure of the House to adopt the motion? Agreed? [Agreed]
The House will now resolve into Committee of the Whole to consider and report on Bill 25, The Interim Appropriation Act, 2022, for concurrence and third reading.
Mr. Deputy Speaker, please take the Chair.
Mr. Chairperson (Andrew Micklefield): Will the Committee of the Whole please come to order.
We will now consider Bill 25, The Interim Appropriation Act, 2022.
Does the honourable Minister of Finance have an opening statement?
Hon. Cameron Friesen (Minister of Finance): I do, Mr. Chair. Thank you.
I wanted to–
Mr. Chairperson: The honourable Minister of Finance.
Mr. Friesen: I want to just briefly provide the section-by-section explanation of the Interim Appropriation Act, as I promised to do when we were in second reading.
Subsection–I won't repeat the amounts being appropriated because we've done it this afternoon a few times. Subsection 2(1), specifies the interim expend–spending authority, and that is for 75 per cent or nine months of operating funding.
Subsection 2.2–or, I should say 2(2), includes as in past years, it's 90 per cent of capital investments, you know, the sum from earlier this afternoon in part B, capital investments.
Subsection 2(3) of the bill provides interim funding for lending programs and loan guarantees. These include Student Aid Manitoba and MASC loans to farmers.
Subsection 2(4), provides for capital investments to reporting entities. So, that includes school divisions, regional health authorities, Manitoba Hydro and others. Those funds are provided in the form of loans under section–or, part D.
Subsection 2(5), provides authority for reporting entities to borrow funds that are provided as capital investments.
Section 3 affirms that money expended under the authority of this act may be made through whatever department has become responsible for the program or activity at the end of the 2021-22, fiscal year, or becomes responsible during the 2022-23 fiscal year. That's consistent with past appropriation acts and makes allowances for departmental reorganizations that may occur.
Section 4 provides monies for the acquisition or development of inventory in the next fiscal year, in the coming fiscal year. That amount, I would note, is half what was requested last year. This refers to inventory that would be acquired in 2022-2023, and would be used in a subsequent year. And the rationale for that, Mr. Chair, would be COVID‑19, and the reason to vote it in a larger amount last year.
And finally, section 5 authorizes monies for payments occurring in 2022-23 that reduce long-term liabilities accrued in previous years and has been already referred to.
Oh, one more. Section 6 provides authority under section 45 of The Financial Administration Act, and that is for commitments for capital projects be on this coming fiscal year, to cover the completion of projects or fulfillment of contracts that are initiated but not completed prior to March the 31st.
Section 7 simply specifies that the act comes into force on royal assent.
So I'm–with these comments I'm presenting the bill to the committee.
I would want to also correct the record: I actually understated the amount of Education funding previously in the question-and-answer part of this afternoon's debate. What I should have said is that in the last two years alone, the education increases, in respect of K‑to‑12 funding, is more than 17 per cent, 17.2 per cent on two years of funding, for a total amount of $320 million–
An Honourable Member: Not including COVID costs.
Mr. Friesen: –not including the very significant COVID costs that were alluded to this afternoon in question period.
So I stand corrected. The increases to education were even greater than were referred to earlier this afternoon.
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Mr. Chairperson: Does the official opposition critic, Finance critic, have an opening statement?
An Honourable Member: We don't.
Mr. Chairperson: We shall now proceed to consider the bill clause by clause.
Title and enacting clause are postponed until all other clauses have been considered.
Clause 1–pass; clause 2–pass; clause 3–pass; clause 4–pass; clause 5–pass; clause 6–pass; clause 7–pass; enacting clause–pass; title–pass. Bill be reported.
That concludes the business before the committee.
Committee rise.
Call in the Speaker.
IN SESSION
Mr. Andrew
(Chairperson): Madam Speaker, the Committee of the Whole has considered Bill 25, The Interim Appropriation Act, 2022, and reports the same without amendment.
I move, seconded by the honourable member for La Vérendrye (Mr. Smook), that the report of the committee be received.
Motion agreed to.
Hon. Cameron Friesen (Minister of Finance): I move, seconded by the minister responsible for Mental Health and Community Wellness, that Bill 25, the Interim Appropriation Act, 2022; Loi de 2022 portant affectation anticipée de crédits, reported from the Committee of the Whole, be concurred in and be now read for a third time and passed.
Motion presented.
Madam Speaker: Is the House ready for the question?
Some Honourable Members: Question.
Madam Speaker: The–is it the pleasure of the House to adopt the motion? Agreed? [Agreed]
* (16:30)
The question before the House is that bill No.–the motion is accordingly adopted and the House will now prepare for royal assent.
Deputy Sergeant-at-Arms (Mr. Cam Steel): His honour the acting administrator.
Her Honour Diana Cameron, Acting Administrator of the Province of Manitoba, having entered the House and being seated on the throne, Madam Speaker addressed Her Honour the Acting Administrator in the following words:
Madam Speaker: Your Honour:
The Legislative Assembly of Manitoba asks Your Honour to accept the following bill:
Clerk Assistant (Ms. Vanessa Gregg):
Bill 25 – The Interim Appropriation Act, 2022; Loi de 2022 portant affectation anticipée de crédits
Clerk (Ms. Patricia Chaychuk): In Her Majesty's name, the Acting Administrator of the Province of Manitoba thanks the Legislative Assembly and assents to this bill.
Her Honour was then pleased to retire.
Hon. Kelvin Goertzen (Government House Leader): Madam Speaker, could you please canvass members to see if it is the will of the House to call it 5 p.m.?
Madam Speaker: Is it the will of the House to call it 5 p.m.? [Agreed]
The hour being 5 p.m., this House is adjourned and stands adjourned until 1:30 p.m. tomorrow.
LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA
Tuesday, March 15, 2022
CONTENTS
Bill 18–The Legislative Security Amendment Act
Bill 23–The Reducing Red Tape and Improving Services Act, 2022
Bill 24–The Real Property Valuation Board and Related Amendments Act
Bill 218–The Residential Tenancies Amendment Act
Standing Committee on Social and Economic Development
Stop Child Sexual Exploitation Awareness Week
Canadian Polish Congress–Aid to Ukraine
Government's Pandemic Response
Company Transferring ICU Patients
Premier's Financial Disclosures
Refugees and International Students
Job Losses in Flin Flon, Manitoba
Diagnostic Testing Accessibility
Vivian Sand Facility Project– Clean Environment Commission Review
Eating Disorders Awareness Week
Bill 25–The Interim Appropriation Act, 2022
Bill 25–The Interim Appropriation Act, 2022
Bill 25–The Interim Appropriation Act, 2022
Concurrence and Third Readings
Bill 25–The Interim Appropriation Act, 2022
Bill 25 – The Interim Appropriation Act, 2022