LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA

Thursday, November 24, 2022


The House met at 1:30 p.m.

Clerk (Ms. Patricia Chaychuk): It is my duty to inform the House that the Speaker is unavoidably absent. Therefore, in accordance with the statutes, I would ask the Deputy Speaker to please take the Chair.

Mr. Deputy Speaker (Andrew Micklefield): O Eternal and Almighty God, from Whom all power and wisdom come, we are assembled here before Thee to frame such laws as may tend to the welfare and prosperity of our province. Grant, O merciful God, we pray Thee, that we may desire only that which is in accordance with Thy will, that we may seek it with wisdom and know it with certainty and accomplish it perfectly for the glory and honour of Thy name and for the welfare of all our people. Amen.

      We acknowl­edge we are gathered on Treaty 1 territory and that Manitoba is located on the treaty territories and ancestral lands of the Anishinaabeg, Anishininewuk, Dakota Oyate, Denesuline and Nehethowuk nations. We acknowl­edge Manitoba is located on the Homeland of the Red River Métis. We acknowl­edge northern Manitoba includes lands that were and are the ancestral lands of the Inuit. We respect the spirit and intent of treaties and treaty making and remain committed to working in part­ner­ship with First Nations, Inuit and Métis people in the spirit of truth, recon­ciliation and col­lab­o­ration.

      Good afternoon, everybody. Please be seated.

ROUTINE PROCEEDINGS

Introduction of Bills

Bill 8–The Off-Road Trails Safety and Maintenance Act

Hon. Jeff Wharton (Minister of Environment, Climate and Parks): Mr. Deputy Speaker, I move, seconded by the Minister of Natural Resources and Northern Dev­elop­ment (Mr. Nesbitt), that Bill 8, The Off-Road Trails Safety and Maintenance Act, be now read for a first time.

Motion presented.

Mr. Wharton: Mr. Deputy Speaker, it gives me great pleasure to intro­duce The Off-Road Trails Safety and Maintenance Act. The purpose of this bill is to ad­vance a new user fee on registered off-road vehicles that will support the enhanced dev­elop­ment and maintenance of safe snowmobile and all-terrain vehicle trails, increase safety training, driver edu­ca­tion and other such programs to ensure the long-term sus­tain­ability of our key off‑road vehicle partner organi­zations.

      A portion of the funds will be allocated to support rehabilitation of any lands and trails that have been damaged by off-road vehicle activity. This will help provide Manitobans with safe recreational op­por­tun­ities while also attracting off-road vehicle enthusiasts from outside the province and generating economic dev­elop­ment op­por­tun­ities for small towns and busi­nesses.

      Thank you, Mr. Deputy Speaker.

Mr. Deputy Speaker: Is it the pleasure of the House to adopt the motion? [Agreed]

      Com­mit­tee Reports? Tabling of Reports?

Ministerial Statements

Mr. Deputy Speaker: The honourable Minister of Sport, Culture and Heritage–and I would advise the House the required 90 minutes notice prior to 'racine'–routine proceedings was provided in accordance with the rules.

Holodomor Memorial Day

Hon. Andrew Smith (Minister of Sport, Culture and Heritage): Thank you, Mr. Deputy Speaker–

Mr. Deputy Speaker: The hon­our­able minister. Yes, please go ahead.

Mr. Smith: I rise today in solemn observance of the 90th anniversary of Holodomor Memorial Day, which we commemorate the fourth Saturday of November.

      While the world has certainly seen its share of geno­cides and human rights violations, Holodomor, given the fact that it's the combination of genocide and famine, made it that much more appalling.

      Since the illegal occupation of Ukraine by Russia, we've seen the resurrection of legitimate fears and pain­ful memories of Ukrainians living in both in Ukraine, here in Manitoba and of course, around the world.

      One out of seven Manitobans are of Ukrainian des­­cent, myself included, Mr. Deputy Speaker. In fact, my baba–grandmother–was a Holodomor survivor. As a child, I was certainly spared some of the details of that ex­­per­ience, but at the time, she was not much older than who my son is today.

      As an adult I became more aware, not through my grandmother but through my mother, of the details of her ex­per­ience in Holodomor. And it's an ex­per­ience, I know, that's been shared by folks in Ukraine, by the diaspora of Ukrainians around the world and here in Manitoba.

      That's why today, to commemorate the lives lost and those who survived against all odds; the Holodomor statue outside the lawn of the Manitoba Legislature; the little girl grasping a shaft of wheat, show­ing both her vul­ner­ability but also her iron-clad deter­min­ation to survive against the odds.

      Mr. Deputy Speaker, I believe that is the story of Ukrainians, not only Ukraine but their diaspora around the world: the survival against the odds. We've seen an illegal, horrific occupation by Russia of the sovereign, in­de­pen­dent country of Ukraine. We know that Ukraine has an in­cred­ible fight on their hands, but we've seen them prevail and we know that, one day, that's what they will do.

      I say, Mr. Deputy Speaker, slava Ukraini [glory to Ukraine], heroyam slava [glory to the heroes] and dyakuyu [thank you].

      Before we go on to the rest of the responses to the minister's statement, I do ask for a moment of silence to commemorate those who perished during the Holodomor starvation and those who did manage to survive.

Mr. Deputy Speaker: It is the tradition of the House to have a moment of silence after the responses have been given. Is there leave to do that after the other responses? [Agreed]

      Okay, so we'll do that after the responses.

Mr. Mark Wasyliw (Fort Garry): On November 23rd, the world commemorates the famine of the 1932-1933 in Ukraine known as the Holodomor, which roughly translates to English as the death by hunger.

      In 1986, British historian Robert Conquest pub­lish­ed a heart-wrenching recollection of the famine entitled harvest of sorrow. As one of the first and most detailed accounts of the famine, the information from the book spread global awareness of the starvation and repression of the Ukrainian peoples.

      Some estimates put the death toll at 14 million dur­ing the year-long famine. This horrible event has inflicted deep and lasting scars on the Ukrainian com­munity here and throughout the world.

      There are strong and vibrant Ukrainian com­mun­ities here in Manitoba and across the country, many of whom immigrated due to the famine. Generations of Ukrainian Canadians have continued to deal with the intergenerational effects of the famine, and continue to deal with the persecution of their nation.

      This genocidal famine is recognized by the pro­vincial government as an atrocity and a dark page in human history. As Manitobans have historically had a significant population of Ukrainian families, as well as the recent influx of Ukrainian refugees due to the ongoing genocidal war, it is more important now than ever to recognize and commemorate the ongoing and historic oppression of the Ukrainian peoples.

* (13:40)

      The same sentiment which fuelled the Holodomor still exist today, and as the war of Russian aggression on Ukraine today continues its aims for the extin­guish­ment of Ukrainian culture and nation.

      The fourth Saturday in November is recognized as Ukrainian famine and genocide Holodomor mem­or­ial day, and as such I urge the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba to join with the Ukrainian community in commemorating this tragic event. And by honouring the survivors and those who lost their lives in the famine, we are bringing awareness to the tragedies of the past as well as their continuing war in Ukraine, which has already caused so much death, destruction and displacement.

      In learning these hard lessons from the past, we only hope that we can better understand the fight for genocidal wars in the present.

      Vichnaya pamyat, vichnaya pamyat, vichnaya pamyat, eternal memory, eternal memory, eternal memory.

Ms. Cindy Lamoureux (Tyndall Park): I ask for leave to respond to the minister's statement.

Mr. Deputy Speaker: Member have leave? [Agreed]

      The hon­our­able member for Tyndall Park has leave. Please go ahead.

Ms. Lamoureux: I rise today in solemn remembrance of the Ukrainian famine and genocide known as the Holodomor.

      Mr. Deputy Speaker, the famine imposed on Ukraine began with waves of deportation of Ukraine's farmers, as well as deportations and executions of Ukraine's religious, intellectual and cultural leaders.

      This intentional starvation resulted in the death of millions of people, and at the height of the Holodomor, 28,000 people died per day. Over 30 per cent were children under 10 years old.

      Mr. Deputy Speaker, several years back I visited Kyiv, Ukraine, and had the chance to experience the national museum memorial to Holodomor victims. To this day, this experience resonates with me. The mu­seum portrayed the suffering that millions of people went through and illustrated how horrific this famine was.

      Every time I reflect upon this experience, I think about the two angels of sorrow that stood at the front of the museum and represent the guardians of the souls who starved.

      Mr. Deputy Speaker, we have one of the most recognized statues of the Holodomor here on our Legislative grounds. The statue, titled the Bitter Memories of Child­hood, stands to the west of us and is a young girl clutching a handful of wheat. This statue has been dedicated to the most vulnerable victims of starvation.

      Mr. Deputy Speaker, the Holodomor was aimed as an act of genocide, and today we see how resilient Ukrainian people all over the world are.

      I am proud of the strong and growing presence of Ukrainians where we are fortunate to have such an active community here in Manitoba providing us with opportunities to learn.

      Today, we rise to remember the victims and their families of this senseless crime against humanity. This history is terrible and unexplainable, but we must con­tinue to share it in remembrance and the hope to learn from the past.

      Thank you, Mr. Deputy Speaker.

Mr. Deputy Speaker: As previously agreed, we'll now have a moment of silence. Please rise.

A moment of silence was observed.

Mr. Deputy Speaker: The hon­our­able Minister of Economic Develop­ment, Invest­ment and Trade. [interjection] Yes, thank you. And I do indicate to the House that the required 90 minutes notice was provided.

      The hon­our­able minister, please go ahead.

Small Business Saturday

Hon. Cliff Cullen (Minister of Economic Development, Investment and Trade): I'm pleased to rise in the House today and inform all mem­bers  and   Manitobans watching that this Saturday, November 26th, is Small Business Saturday.

      Small businesses are the backbone of our econ­omy and the heart and soul of our business community here in Manitoba.

      We all know the last two years have been ex­treme­ly hard on small businesses across our country and our province. Our government has continually stood with Manitoba small busi­nesses, making record investments to ensure they receive the help they deserve.

      Mr. Deputy Speaker, I'd like to thank Canadian Federation of Independent Busi­ness, who started Small Business Saturday over a decade ago, for their con­tinuous advocacy and support of their over 4,000  members here in Manitoba.

      The need to rally Manitobans around local busi­nesses is particularly important this holiday season. I encourage members of the House and all Manitobans to partici­pate in supporting small busi­nesses on November 26th. I also encourage everyone to support small busi­ness through­out this entire holiday season.

      Please post on social media to spread the word while tagging CFIB and using the hashtag #SmallBusinessSaturday.

      Thank you very much, Mr. Deputy Speaker.

Mr. Jamie Moses (St. Vital): During the weekend between Black Friday and Cyber Monday is Small Business Saturday, a day to recognize the important role that small businesses play in our communities and commit to supporting them.

      There are so many benefits to shopping from local businesses, and it is an excellent way to keep–to help our com­mu­nities grow and remain thriving. It also sup­ports the more than 10 million Canadian workers who work at small and medium-sized businesses. Shop­ping local keeps your hard‑earned dollars in the province, because nearly 70 per cent of small retailers buy from other small businesses. Two thirds of small retailers donate time and money to local charities, so supporting them is supporting local causes as well.

      In spite of all these positive benefits of shopping local, we know that small businesses in Manitoba are struggling. A recent CBC article talked to several small businesses in Winnipeg about the difficulty they face in being able to afford to stay open. They de­scribed having to make devastating decisions to lay off staff or cut back hours, because they simply cannot afford to keep them on, and monitoring the cash flow every day to make sure they can afford to open the next day.

      And not all businesses make it: it seems almost every week, we hear about another beloved small busi­ness in Winnipeg that isn't able to continue its busi­­ness due to the rising costs and falling sales.

      Although it's true that the Manitoba NDP has al­ways supported small–

Mr. Deputy Speaker: The member's time has expired.

An Honourable Member: Leave?

Mr. Deputy Speaker: Is there leave for the member to continue?

Some Honourable Members: No.

Mr. Deputy Speaker: I hear a no.

Mr. Dougald Lamont (St. Boniface): Mr. Deputy Speaker, I seek leave to speak to the min­is­terial state­ment.

Mr. Deputy Speaker: Is there leave for the member for St. Boniface to speak to the minister's statement? [Agreed]

Mr. Lamont: I'm proud to say that, prior to entering politics, I worked to help launch many small busi­nesses, and locally owned busi­nesses have a vital and outsized impact on the–[interjection]

Mr. Deputy Speaker: Order, please.

Mr. Lamont: –com­mu­nities they serve.

      AMIBA, which is a US small busi­ness associa­tion, calculated that for every $100 spent at a locally owned and operated store or busi­ness, $45 stays in the com­mu­nity. By contrast, for every $100 spent at a chain store or franchise, only $13 stays in the com­mun­­ity; while, when purchased at Amazon or another web giant, of that $100, only $1 will stay in the com­mu­nity. This economic fact shows it's–why it is so im­por­tant to support Manitoba owned and operated busi­nesses, producers, manufacturers and service providers.

      We continue to call on the Manitoba gov­ern­ment to step up with supports. I am proud of the work we've done in supporting Manitoba small busi­nesses. We helped broker a deal between the federal gov­ern­ment, First Nations fishers and the Freshwater Fish Marketing Cor­por­ation, which resulted in $10.8 million in fresh­water fish being distributed for free to 75 First Nations, clearing a backlog that allowed for the industry to get back to work, restoring 3,000 jobs across Manitoba and Western Canada.

      The pandemic and shattering of global supply chains has shown just how fragile and overdependent our economy can be. Today's crises and tough times will pass. We need to make the invest­ments now to make sure that small busi­nesses will stay open. We hope Manitobans will continue to support small busi­nesses and we hope the Manitoba gov­ern­ment will as well.

      Thank you.

Introduction of Guests

Mr. Deputy Speaker: We have seated in the public gallery, from Immanuel Christian School, 18 grade 4 stu­dents. This group is located in the con­stit­uency of the hon­our­able member for Radisson (Mr. Teitsma).

      We welcome you to the Manitoba Legislature today and hope you have a great time.

Members' Statements

BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir

Mr. Ron Schuler (Springfield-Ritchot): It is always exciting to see our communities grow in the con­stituency of Springfield-Ritchot.

* (13:50)

      One such example of growth can be found just off of PTH 75. It is here that a community of Hindu wor­shippers at the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir have put down roots. This group of worshippers has been meeting since the early 1990s, but as their num­bers and membership grew, the need for a place of their own to meet became paramount.

      They purchased this space in 2020, and volun­teers worked tirelessly to renovate the property to pre­pare it for worshippers. They had their grand opening on September 19th, 2021.

      This space, while small, is quickly expanding to accommodate the growing group of attendees. This mandir allows for them to provide activities to the community that preserve Hindu traditions, heritage and spiritual values.

      I had the distinct pleasure of joining them at their new mandir for their Diwali celebration this month. It was exciting to be able to come and experience this event alongside our Premier (Mrs. Stefanson) and the Minister of Advanced Education, Skills and Immigration (Mr. Reyes). During the tour of their facility, they show­ed us the completed sections of the mandir and also toured the larger space that they are in the process of renovating to provide even more area for wor­shippers to gather.

      We are so excited to have the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in our community and want to extend a warm welcome. It's always exciting to see our communities grow like this. Spiritual groups such as this mandir make a community feel like home, as its place–as it's in places like this that the community loves to gather in.

      I cannot wait to be able to attend at the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir again in the future.

Disability Benefits

Ms. Lisa Naylor (Wolseley): Supporting Manitobans with disabilities must be a priority for this gov­ern­ment, but the way to do it is not by providing support to some and leaving out others.

      With the government's proposed program changes, thousands of vulnerable Manitobans will soon lose bene­fits. The government's own regulatory consultation web­site acknowledges that approximately 2,000 house­holds are going to lose disability benefits.

      The newly designed program leaves out those experiencing disabilities that may last for more than–for less than one year. I'm thinking of people who are experiencing problems that are affecting them for an undetermined period such as those experiencing long COVID.

      Con­stit­uents in Wolseley have voiced concerns about folks with severe and prolonged disabling mental health, who are unable to work but do not fall under the definition required for the severe and prolonged disability benefit.

      The government's process for creating the assess­ment tool for this program was also concerning. MNP, a private for-profit consultancy firm, was paid over $250,000. This was a very unusual expense, given the department's own experts who are very capable. There are legitimate questions that need answers about whether this tool is designed with a focus on the public good and the actual needs of recipients. Too often, this government turns to private contractors because they are focused solely on dollars and cents and not the concerns of Manitobans.

      The people that these benefits are supposed to help–those with long-term disabilities–have been left for years wondering when they will receive benefits. When the government passed the bill in 2021, con­sultations had not even begun.

      It is time for the government to step up and pro­vide fair and appropriate benefits for all Manitobans experiencing disabilities.

Seeking Mental Wellness

Mr. Bob Lagassé (Dawson Trail): The last couple of months, I have felt like I was dead inside. I would go through the motions of my day and put a smile on. I would often get into my truck at the begin­ning and the end of the day and break down crying. The dark thoughts of self-harm had started coming often and there was no reason that I could think of. I could not shake myself out of being hyper-focused on these thoughts. This sense of hopelessness followed me around, very much like Eeyore and his cloud.

      Looking back now, I realize it was not one thing but several things that had been piling up, my untreat­ed ADHD/depression being a major contributing factor.

      I have learnt in the past few weeks, as a man, it's okay not to be okay and to recog­nize this doesn't make you weak.

      As a man, we have been told since we are young: you need to walk it off, stop being a sissy and men don't cry. All of these statements are lies, and I'm here to tell you, seeking help doesn't make you weak. You do not have to walk it off and it's okay to cry.

      I will continue to fight to spread awareness and take this head-on with the help of my doctor, friends and family. The member of Fort Richmond had re­cently read a statement on behalf of Stacia. Reflecting back, this was one of the reasons I decided to start seek­ing help for my own mental health journey.

      If you find yourself today feeling less than you are, I'm here to tell you you are im­por­tant and you are loved. I want to encourage you to talk to your doctor, a friend, a family member or someone you trust. You are here for a purpose. The tattooed semi-colon on my thumb reminds me my story is not over yet and neither is yours.

      To the members of this Chamber, I have only one message: Be kind to one another, be uplifting, be truth­ful. In this environ­ment of political theatre, we tend to be harmful to the detriment of our own and others' mental health. And remember, it's okay not to be okay. What's not okay is to go through it alone.

      Thank you, Mr. Deputy Speaker.

Dr. Krishan Sethi

MLA Tom Lindsey (Flin Flon): Today I rise to re­cog­nize Dr. Krishan Sethi, one of Flin Flon's longest serving practitioners.

      Dr. Sethi first came to Flin Flon in 1980 to work for a few years, but ended up staying for 43. Unfor­tunately, Dr. Sethi has made the tough decision to close his medical practice on November 30th of this year.

      During his time in Flin Flon, Dr. Sethi not only work­ed as a general prac­ti­tioner, but was also trained in obstetrics, pediatrics and anesthetics. He worked tirelessly on rotation in Flin Flon and Winnipeg oper­ating rooms and emergency departments for many years. His active service to the community allowed our operating and delivery rooms to thrive for many years. With his incredible education and abilities, Dr. Sethi has truly been a great asset in our community.

      Most recently Dr. Sethi focused on his general practice, looking after patients at his clinic. He work­ed hard to recruit a physician to take over his practice, going as far as offering his files to a local doctor for free. Unfor­tunately, he was not suc­cess­ful in finding someone to take over his patients.

      In 2005, he was named Doctor of the Year by his peers, the College of Physicians and Surgeons. He was awarded Manitoba's Top Family Doctor by the Manitoba College of Family Physicians. Dr. Sethi was the first northern physician to receive these honors and titles. In 2006, he was awarded for his rural ser­vice by the Society of Rural Physicians and in 2013, he was awarded a fellowship by the College of Family Physicians of Canada.

      Dr. Sethi's retirement is well deserved. He will be missed by all community members that he faithfully served.

      Dr. Sethi and his wife, Poomidevi, have two daugh­ters, Roshini and Avani, as well as four lovely grand­children. And we all wish him well.

      Thank you.

St. Raphael Wellness Centre

Hon. Jon Gerrard (River Heights): Mr. Deputy Speaker, I speak today of the St. Raphael Wellness Centre and the extraordinary work that they do. The centre is a welcoming community-based, recovery-oriented organization for people in pre and continuing recovery. They specialize in working with individuals before they get into addiction recovery treatment and after they complete the basic 45-day programs. This fills an important gap in the care provided elsewhere in the province.

      They offer non-residential education and coun­sel­ling morning, afternoon and evening for individuals and their families, and their dedicated staff and volun­teers build strong connections with those in their care.

      The St. Raphael Wellness Centre believes that there are many paths to recovery. They use the evidence‑based continuum of recovery model and fol­low 10 guiding principles. Though they are not 12‑step based, they are very supportive of those who attend self-help groups as part of their continuing recovery.

      For nearly 50 years they have positively impacted the lives of so many individuals and families suffering from mental health and substance abuse problems. In short, they are one of the best kept secrets in Winnipeg.

      Despite being highly regarded in the community by their referral network and being lauded by their participants, successive governments haven't been ad­e­quately aware of or sup­port­ive of their work, nor clearly understood the value of the work they do within the community.

* (14:00)

      In the gallery today from the St. Raphael Wellness Centre, I welcome Colleen Allan, executive director; Gordon Pratt, work sober counsellor and even­ing program co‑ordinator; and Elysia DuVal, out­reach in­take person.

      We encourage all MLAs to attend their AGM on Wednesday, November 30th. Please come and learn for yourself more about the St. Raphael Wellness Centre and why it should not be kept secret any longer.

      Thank you. Merci. Miigwech.

Oral Questions

Health‑Care System
Wait‑Time Concerns

Mr. Wab Kinew (Leader of the Official Opposition): Just want to say a couple words to our friend from Dawson Trail. Want to thank you for putting yourself on the line like that, certainly not easy.

      And we want you to be well. We value you. We know that you're hurting, but we got your back. And reach out any time. And if reaching out to the Leader of the Op­posi­tion isn't the easiest thing for a PC mem­ber to do, I'm sure everyone else in the Chamber feels the same way and would take your call at the ap­pro­priate moment.

      Emergency rooms in Manitoba are in crisis. Wait times are longer than they have ever been: HSC, St. Boniface, the Grace, Brandon.

      Why have the PCs failed to address the crisis in ERs, just like Brian Pallister?

Hon. Heather Stefanson (Premier): I, too, want to extend my very best to the member for Dawson Trail (Mr. Lagassé). It's not easy to stand before us and to make that kind of a statement.

      And you know what? We are so in­cred­ibly proud of you. This is not a partisan time; this is here for you, my friend, and we are all here for you. And I'm so in­cred­ibly proud of you, just like the note that I sent you earlier and many of the notes that you're getting from members in the Chamber.

      Thank you for every­thing that you do, and we're here for you, my friend.

      And as for the litany of the false accusations in the Leader of the Op­posi­tion's question, I'll address those in the next question.

Mr. Deputy Speaker: The hon­our­able Leader of the Official Op­posi­tion, on a follow‑up question.

Mr. Kinew: Yes, I just want to table the proof that shows that wait times are longer than they have ever been in Manitoba.

      When we're talking about emergency care, when we're talking about people waiting to access that, we're talking about seniors who are sitting in hard plas­tic chairs. We're talking about people with young children who are waiting hours on end. We're talking about our loved ones and our neighbours across Manitoba.

      This is the record of Brian Pallister and it's the record of this PC gov­ern­ment. Their cuts, signed off by this Cabinet, supported by every member of that caucus, are the reason that wait times are so bad.

      Will the Premier admit that PC cuts have harmed health care at emergency rooms and across our province?

Mrs. Stefanson: I certainly remember a time back in the previous NDP gov­ern­ment where people were wait­­ing upwards of 30 hours in emergency rooms in the province of Manitoba. And that wasn't just after a worldwide pandemic where there's been sig­ni­fi­cant chal­lenges, not just here in Manitoba, but right across our country. And that's why we set up the surgical and diag­nos­tic task force to help address these issues.

      But I tell you one thing, Mr. Deputy Speaker, we will not take an ideological approach when it comes to making sure that Manitobans get the health care that they need, when they need it. We will always put patients first.

Mr. Deputy Speaker: The hon­our­able Leader of the Official Op­posi­tion, on a final sup­ple­mentary.

Mr. Kinew: I encourage the Premier to look at the docu­­ments that I tabled. They show that wait times are worse than they've ever been.

      What those wait times, tracked month over month, also show is that these skyrocketing waits in ERs started before the pandemic. It began when this gov­ern­ment started to close emergency rooms, when they laid off–[interjection]

Mr. Deputy Speaker: Order.

Mr. Kinew: –all the nurses in those emergency room facilities and forced them, in a very undignified way, to battle each other to try and get their jobs back.

      And, of course, in that mix‑up–in that period in which their own health consultant said that they were mismanaging health care, many nurses and other al­lied health‑care pro­fes­sionals were left behind.

      Will the Premier just admit that their cuts have caused harm to health care in Manitoba?

Mrs. Stefanson: Well, Mr. Deputy Speaker, what will not help us tackle the surgical and diag­nos­tic back­logs in the province of Manitoba is taking an ideo­logical approach to health care in the province of Manitoba.

      Some 12,000 Manitobans received suc­cess­ful sur­geries at private providers in Manitoba over the last two years, and in the coming months, 13,000 Manitobans are scheduled to get their surgeries and diag­nos­tic pro­cedures in these private delivery facilities.

      And I will just remind Manitobans that, if the NDP was in charge, none of those Manitobans would get the care that they need.

Mr. Deputy Speaker: The honourable Leader of the Official Opposition, on a new question.

Physician Retention

Mr. Kinew: No, no one believes that. Everyone knows they cut health care. Everyone knows we're going to fix it.

      When we get to documenting the damage of the cuts that they've made to the health-care system, though, we see another con­cern­ing data point over and above the skyrocketing ER wait times which are being published today. We also see that the physician short­age in Manitoba is at an all-time high. That means that it's worse than it's ever been–another result of the PCs cuts to health care.

      Of parti­cular concern, though, when we look at these numbers, is that this loss of physicians working at the bedside has only accelerated since this Premier took office.

      I'd ask the Premier: Why has the number of phys­icians leaving the profession increased by 13 per cent since she was sworn in?

Mrs. Stefanson: I was very pleased to be with my colleague, the Minister of Health (Ms. Gordon), alongside Doctors Manitoba two weeks ago, and a $200-million an­nounce­ment on health human re­sources action plan, investing two–into 2,000 health-care pro­fes­sionals in the province of Manitoba, and that includes doctors, Mr. Deputy Speaker.

      So, we are listening to Manitobans, we are taking action and we're getting things done for Manitobans.

Mr. Deputy Speaker: The honourable Leader of the Official Opposition, on a follow-up question.

Mr. Kinew: Well, since the Premier's taken office, the health-care crisis in our province has only gotten worse, and it's worse than it's ever been. We heard from emergency room doctors at St. Boniface that the crisis is worse than they have ever seen before.

      And now we see, when it's about physicians leaving their practices in Manitoba, not only is that it–at an all-time high, but more physicians have left office since this Premier was sworn in–13 per cent, that's how much the physician shortage has grown since the Stefanson gov­ern­ment took over from Brian Pallister.

      Just like Brian Pallister, though, the cuts continue.

      Will the Premier finally admit that the PC cuts are harming health care in Manitoba?

Mrs. Stefanson: I'll just remind the member opposite that, when they were in power in 2001, we went from fourth most doctors per capita to eighth in between 2009 and 2016. They failed to address staffing short­ages then and they failed to retain hundreds of nurses.

      But let me just read a quote from the previous minister of–NDP minister of Health: But we recog­nize that physician recruitment and retention to rural hospitals isn't just an issue–[interjection]

Mr. Deputy Speaker: Order.

Mrs. Stefanson: –here in Manitoba, it's an issue across the country.

      Even back then, the then-NDP minister of Health got it, Mr. Deputy Speaker.

      We are taking action: 2,000 more health-care pro­fes­sionals in the province of Manitoba. We're listen­ing to Manitobans. We're working with stake­holders, including Doctors Manitoba, to address these very im­por­tant issues.

Mr. Deputy Speaker: The honourable Leader of the Official Opposition, on a final supplementary.

Mr. Kinew: No. Because for all the Premier said, the physician shortage is worse than it's ever been. It's at an all-time high. Whether we look at the closures in com­mu­nities like–[interjection]

Mr. Deputy Speaker: Order.

Mr. Kinew: –Grandview, whether we look at the em­e­r­gency room wait times or whether we're talking about the amount of physicians caring for Manitobans, we see that in–[interjection]

* (14:10)

Mr. Deputy Speaker: Order.

Mr. Kinew: –category after category, things in health care are worse than they've ever been.

      So the question is simple: Will the Premier ex­plain why Manitoba's doctor shortage got worse by 13 per cent since she took office?

Mrs. Stefanson: Maybe the Leader of the Op­posi­tion can explain to Manitobans why it got worse under the NDP watch, when we went fourth most doctors per capita in the country in 2001 to eighth from–between 2009 and 2016. So maybe he can explain that.

      Manitobans know, Mr. Deputy Speaker, that the NDP gov­ern­ment at the time closed almost 20 rural emer­gency rooms. Manitobans don't want to go back to the dark days of the previous NDP gov­ern­ment.

      The Leader of the Op­posi­tion has no plan, no vi­sion for the future of health care in our province. I will tell you right now, we on this side of the House will always put patients first to ensure that they get the health care that they need, when they need it, in Manitoba.

Mr. Deputy Speaker: The hon­our­able member for Union Station. [interjection] Order.

COVID Pandemic Review
Details and Timeline

MLA Uzoma Asagwara (Union Station): Deputy Speaker, we have seen many clear examples of why we need an in­de­pen­dent inquiry into Manitoba's ex­per­ience of the pandemic. We needed to know what led to the many, many failures that Manitobans are still dealing with.

      Earlier this month, the Premier (Mrs. Stefanson) indicated that they would, in fact, do a review.

      I ask the minister: Who are they appointing to do this review, what is their budget and when can Manitobans expect to see the results?

Hon. Audrey Gordon (Minister of Health): Rarely does this happen by the member opposite or anyone in the NDP caucus, but I would like to rise today in this Chamber to thank our prov­incial chief public health officer, Dr. Roussin, his public health staff and their team for the in­cred­ible work that they have done over the past two and a half years to keep Manitobans safe, to send the message that we need to get vac­cinated, that we need to look after our loved ones and ourselves, Mr. Deputy Speaker.

      Our gov­ern­ment is coming alongside health pro­fes­sionals to ensure that they have the–all the services that they need to be able to respond to the needs of Manitobans.

Mr. Deputy Speaker: The hon­our­able minister's time has expired.

MLA Asagwara: Deputy Speaker, I'll quote the Premier: What we need is to obviously review it and see what we can do better. End quote.

      She goes on, and I'll quote again: We will do that type of review to see where we can learn from those lessons. End quote.

      Manitobans actually expect that this work would've already been done, Deputy Speaker.

      I ask the minister: Who are they appointing to lead this review, what is their budget and when will the findings of the review be made public to Manitobans?

Ms. Gordon: I can see that the narrative from the last session continues, Mr. Deputy Speaker.

      First, the members opposite started with the Red Cross nurses, then they started to talk about para­medics and the new low of having paramedics assist in the emergency de­part­ment.

      Rarely do they stand in this Chamber and recog­nize or thank our public health officials who've kept them, their family members safe during a very, very–[interjection]

Mr. Deputy Speaker: Order.

Ms. Gordon: –difficult pandemic.

      Mr. Deputy Speaker, we are going to continue to support public health and our public health officials and all Manitobans.

Mr. Deputy Speaker: The hon­our­able member for Union Station, on a final sup­ple­mentary.

MLA Asagwara: Deputy Speaker, I'll quote the Premier again: If there are lessons to be learned, we will do that type of review to see where we can learn. End quote.

      Deputy Speaker, there is a lot that we can learn, especially about this gov­ern­ment's cuts to the health-care system, their failures that resulted in 57 ICU pa­tients being transported out of our province.

      We need an expert-led, in­de­pen­dent inquiry which will deliver the results to the public.

      Will the minister and her gov­ern­ment call an in­de­pen­dent inquiry today?

Ms. Gordon: Will the members opposite, including the member for Union Station, rise in this Chamber today and thank our prov­incial chief public health officer, Dr. Roussin–[interjection]

Mr. Deputy Speaker: Order.

Ms. Gordon: –all the public health officials, all the individuals who helped with our–[interjection]

Mr. Deputy Speaker: Order.

Ms. Gordon: –vac­cina­tion clinics, Mr. Deputy Speaker; all the Manitobans who got first, second, third, fourth doses for helping to keep–[interjection]

Mr. Deputy Speaker: Order.

Ms. Gordon: –Manitobans safe during a difficult pandemic?

Request to Esta­blish Seniors Advocate
Gov­ern­ment Intention

MLA Malaya Marcelino (Notre Dame): The Throne Speech stated that seniors carried a tre­men­dous bur­den through the pandemic. Yet, the Throne Speech offered little in support for Manitoba's seniors.

      There was no commit­ment to build ad­di­tional personal-care-home beds and no mention of home care. That's why Manitoba needs a seniors advocate to hold this gov­ern­ment to account and to ensure that the PCs make seniors a priority.

      The PCs should commit to creating a seniors ad­vocate: Will they do so today?

Hon. Scott Johnston (Minister of Seniors and Long-Term Care): I would agree with the member that seniors do need advocacy.

      They have a de­part­ment within the Province of Manitoba who is advocating, they have a minister who is respon­si­ble for that de­part­ment who is advocating, they have a Premier (Mrs. Stefanson) who is advo­cating and they have a–members on this side of the House who are advocating. [interjection]

Mr. Deputy Speaker: Order. [interjection] Order. [interjection] Order.

MLA Marcelino: In 2016, the PCs promised that they would build 1,200 new PCH beds, yet the opposite has happened: they've cut 216 beds and have cut funding to PCHs twice.

      Millions of dollars in PC cuts have put tre­men­dous strain on these trying to provide the best care they can for their beloved elders. The minister knows that this is wrong, and a seniors advocate would hold the PCs accountable for their cuts and broken pro­mises.

      Why is the minister refusing to esta­blish a seniors advocate?

Mr. Johnston: I certainly ap­pre­ciate that question, Mr. Deputy Speaker.

      As I've indicated on many occasions in this House, we are doing a seniors strategy. And I can tell you, based on the meetings that I have had and based on the discussions with stake­holders and based on the priorities of Manitoba, we will be satisfying the initia­tive that the member brings forward to the House. [interjection]

Mr. Deputy Speaker: Order. [interjection] Order. [interjection] Order.

      The honourable member for Notre Dame, on a final supplementary.

MLA Marcelino: You know, this minister has started his seniors strategy around April, but if the first order had been not to cut the Manitoba Council on Aging, which was a table advisory com­mit­tee that provided all the expert infor­ma­tion and research, then you would have had seven years to have already finished the strategy.

      So it's clear that the PCs aren't prioritizing Manitoba's seniors. They've run the quality of home care into the ground, leaving seniors without the care that they need. They've cut 216 PCH beds despite pro­mising to build 1,200 new ones.

      A seniors advocate would give seniors a strong voice at the table, and it would also hold the PCs ac­count­able for their cuts and broken promises–

Mr. Deputy Speaker: The member's time has expired.

Mr. Johnston: As I indicated to the Leader of the Opposi­tion earlier when he was asking questions in this House, I looked forward to the op­posi­tion coming and supporting the seniors strategy, because it will fulfill the needs of Manitobans.

      And in regards to advice, let me reread the minis­ter's advisory com­mit­tee and the profession­alism that's on that com­mit­tee: Connie Newman, who was the chair; Mari-Jean Nachtigall; Dr. Russ Albak; Randi Gage; Kevin Scott; Rob Lavin; Charles Gagné, Dr. Judith Bartlett–[interjection]

* (14:20)

Mr. Deputy Speaker: Order.

Mr. Johnston: –Maureen Stefanson [phonetic], Sherry Janzen. [interjection]

Mr. Deputy Speaker: Order.

Mr. Johnston: All people who are capable–[interjection]

Mr. Deputy Speaker: Order.

Mr. Johnston: –and all people who are advising this min­is­try. [interjection]

Mr. Deputy Speaker: I'm going to ask members to refrain from shouting across the aisle at each other. Let's have question period in its proper and intended format.

PC Candidate for Kirkfield Park
Concerns Regarding Peter Nygård Connection

Ms. Nahanni Fontaine (St. Johns): Kevin Klein is the PC candidate for Kirkfield Park.

      Kevin claims he only worked for Peter Nygård for two weeks in 2012 and four weeks–or, four months, pardon me–in 2014. However–[interjection]

Mr. Deputy Speaker: Order.

Ms. Fontaine: –new video evidence shows Kevin Klein traveling to Belize with Peter Nygård in December of 2010.

      Voters expect candidates to be honest with them about their work history. Kevin Klein is doing nothing of the sort.

      Does the Premier (Mrs. Stefanson) think it's accept­able for Klein to lie to Manitobans–[interjection]

Mr. Deputy Speaker: Order.

Ms. Fontaine: –about his work and his relationship with Peter Nygård?

Hon. Kelvin Goertzen (Minister of Justice and Attorney General): Prior to our gov­ern­ment changing the rules and requiring that those who are applying to be MLAs disclose their criminal activity, members opposite hid that.

      In the last election, there was a candidate for Radisson–[interjection]

Mr. Deputy Speaker: Order.

Mr. Goertzen: –an NDP candidate for Radisson who had to disclose a Criminal Code conviction, a con­trolled drug and substance conviction and an income tax conviction, Mr. Deputy Speaker.

      I'll table that for the House.

      I wonder if the member can explain why only NDP candidates had to disclose criminal activity? [interjection]

Mr. Deputy Speaker: Order. Order.

Ms. Fontaine: Video evidence, which I table today, shows Kevin Klein travelling to Belize with Peter Nygård in 2010 as part of his work with Nygard Biotech. That's two years earlier than Kevin Klein is telling the good voters of Kirkfield Park.

      Candidates should be honest about their work history.

      Ask any Manitoban–[interjection]

Mr. Deputy Speaker: Order.

Ms. Fontaine: –when applying for a new job, they agree that they–[interjection]

Mr. Deputy Speaker: Order.

Ms. Fontaine: –the person should be honest about their work history. [interjection]

Mr. Deputy Speaker: Order.

Ms. Fontaine: Does the Premier think it's okay that Kevin Klein is lying–[interjection]

Mr. Deputy Speaker: Order.

Ms. Fontaine: –about his work history?

Mr. Goertzen: In addition to the criminal activity for the candidate I just tabled, the NDP Assiniboia can­didate, in the last election, disclosed a criminal conviction for assault and failure to comply and the NDP candidate for Riding Mountain disclosed a shoplifting and an impaired driving conviction.

      I'm not sure what the vetting process is for the NDP when it comes to candidates, but maybe the member opposite can tell me: is it a detriment to having a criminal charge become an NDP candidate or is it actually a benefit?

      And I'll charge–and I'll table these. [interjection]

Mr. Deputy Speaker: Order. [interjection] Order. [interjection] Order.

Ms. Fontaine: Kevin Klein claims he only worked for Peter Nygård in 2012 and 2014. Those are inaccurate and they're lies, Deputy Speaker.

      We've previously shown Kevin Klein worked with Peter Nygård in 2015 and 2016 in St. Kitts and Nevis. Now, new video shows Kevin Klein travelling with Nygård in 2010 to Belize.

      Voters in Kirkfield Park deserve to know the truth, Deputy Speaker.

      Will the Premier tell Manitobans if she believes–[interjection]

Mr. Deputy Speaker: Order.

Ms. Fontaine: –her candidate for Kirkfield Park when he says he didn't work for Peter Nygård in 2010 and 2015 and 2016, and I'm–

Mr. Deputy Speaker: The member's time has expired.

Mr. Goertzen: Well, no Conservative candidates had to disclose criminal charges; already three that I've tabled for the NDP.

      In addition, the current MLA for Flin Flon had to disclose a criminal charge, which I'll table, Mr. Deputy Speaker.

      Of course, the Leader of the Op­posi­tion, the member for Fort Rouge (Mr. Kinew), had to disclose criminal convictions. And, in the last by-election in Thompson, the current MLA also had to disclose criminal convictions.

      So, if the new threshold is that if you've worked for someone who has a criminal history, you have to resign, when is the entire NDP caucus going to resign, Mr. Deputy Speaker?

Some Honourable Members: Oh, oh.

Mr. Deputy Speaker: Order, please. Order. Order.

      Gov­ern­ment benches, simmer down. Thank you.

Northern Health-Care Services
Pre­ven­tative Foot Care

Mr. Eric Redhead (Thompson): Foot-care service in Thompson has been cut for the past four years. This service is so im­por­tant to my con­stit­uents, especially those with diabetes and the senior popu­la­tion.

      Proper foot-care service is critical in preventing amputations.

      Will this gov­ern­ment invest in foot-care service for Thompson, Manitoba?

Hon. Audrey Gordon (Minister of Health): I'm dis­appointed that a newly elected MLA is already following through on the narrative that has been set by the Leader of the Op­posi­tion to put inaccurate–[interjection]

Mr. Deputy Speaker: Order.

Ms. Gordon: –infor­ma­tion, Mr. Deputy–[interjection]

Mr. Deputy Speaker: Op­posi­tion benches.

Ms. Gordon: –Speaker, on the record, but I can cor­rect the record.

      Medically indicated foot care is available–[interjection]

Mr. Deputy Speaker: Order.

Ms. Gordon: –through the northern regional health author­ity. There is a process to follow to receive this foot care, and I highly encourage the MLA to find out about that process.

Mr. Redhead: As a matter of fact, I've talked to the CEO of the NRHA. They informed me that pre­ven­tative health-care–foot-care service is not available.

      The foot-care service that the minister is referring to is actually medical foot care–so, after the fact. So, what we're requesting is preventable foot-care service so we don't get to that point.

      So, when will this service be restored in Thompson?

      Thank you.

Ms. Gordon: I was pleased this summer to be right in Thompson for the northern health-care sus­tain­ability summit. Thirty stake­holders were around the table–the table of solutions, Mr. Deputy Speaker–talking about the needs in the North, and spe­cific­ally in Thompson.

      We will continue to listen to these stake­holders and to meet the needs of Manitobans living in the North.

Mr. Deputy Speaker: The honourable member for Thompson, on a final supplementary.

Gov­ern­ment Commitment

Mr. Redhead: This gov­ern­ment is–has claimed to be throwing around health-care dollars like they're play­ing the game of Monopoly, and they're telling north­ern con­stit­uents, do not pass go; you're not eligible for pre­ven­tative foot care or abortion services.

      When will this gov­ern­ment stop playing games with northerners' health and 'reinstore' foot-care and abortion services for Thompson?

Some Honourable Members: Oh, oh.

Mr. Deputy Speaker: Order. Order, please.

* (14:30)

      The clock's still running, folks. We're–it's not my time that's being wasted.

Ms. Gordon: I know why the members opposite are angry. They're angry because our gov­ern­ment is sitting at the table of solutions with stake­holders in the North, is investing $812 million in our clinical pre­ven­tative services plan, which includes creation of a northern intermediary hub to ensure people living in the North receive care closer to home.

      I understand, Mr. Deputy Speaker, there's just too much good news from our gov­ern­ment related to the North.

Federal Emergencies Act Inquiry
Gov­ern­ment Position

Mr. Dougald Lamont (St. Boniface): We want to know why the Manitoba PC gov­ern­ment is ignoring the national inquiry into the Emergencies Act for a con­voy organized by yellow vesters, who, as the docu­­ments I table show, have been threatening to kill the Prime Minister and other Liberals since at least 2019.

      In August 2021, organizer Pat King told follow­ers, quote: I know what's coming and I know what I'm getting prepared for, and I'll tell you right now there's not a single person out there who's effing going to be able to stand up to what's coming. Wait 'til the real bullets start flying.

      Yet, this convoy was able to set up a siege outside this building. On February 11th, the Premier (Mrs. Stefanson) wrote a letter to the Prime Minister in private, calling for, and I quote, leadership that only you and the federal gov­ern­ment can provide. End quote.

      If the–only the federal gov­ern­ment could help, why did the Premier tell Manitobans it wasn't needed?

Hon. Kelvin Goertzen (Minister of Justice and Attorney General): It wasn't needed because Manitoba demon­strated that it wasn't needed, Mr. Deputy Speaker.

Mr. Deputy Speaker: The hon­our­able member for St. Boniface, on a follow-up question.

Mr. Lamont: Mr. Deputy Speaker, people's grocery deliveries downtown were cut off; on a highway, slow rollers blocked access to a rural hospital for a senior couple; and medical supplies were delayed at the border.

      The Premier and others have said that the police could handle it, but when asked why police weren't enforcing bylaws, the Winnipeg Police Service tweet­ed that, quote: The charter of rights protects every citizen's right to peacefully gather. This supersedes the traffic act and City bylaws.

      That is not the law, not according to the con­sti­tu­tion, the Supreme Court or the manual the police say they were using.

      That docu­ment page, which I table, says: No one has the right to block or disrupt traffic on public highways; the Criminal Code, section 423 (1)(g); see also The Highway Traffic Act.

      This is not about politicians directing police oper­ations. We want to know why any police service in Manitoba–

Mr. Deputy Speaker: The member's time has expired.

Mr. Goertzen: The blockade that happened at Emerson needed to be removed and the police had negotiations and were able to remove it without any arrest or violence, Mr. Deputy Speaker.

      The blockade, downtown Winnipeg, needed to be removed and the Winnipeg Police Service, through negotiation, were able to remove it without any arrests or violence, Mr. Deputy Speaker.

      If that member opposite wants to criticize the Winnipeg Police Service and the RCMP for doing what almost no other police service in Canada was able to do, shame on that member. He's a disgrace for asking that question.

Some Honourable Members: Oh, oh.

Mr. Deputy Speaker: Order. Order. Order. Order.

An Honourable Member: On a point of–

Mr. Deputy Speaker: The hon­our­able minister of–[interjection] There are no points of order during question period. Points of order or matters of privilege will be taken up after question period. [interjection]

      Order, please. We're going to continue in an or­der­ly fashion.

      The hon­our­able member for River Heights has the floor.

Child and Family Services
Transition to Adulthood–Homelessness Rates

Hon. Jon Gerrard (River Heights): Madam Speaker–Mr. Speaker, recent analysis has shown that more than half of those ex­per­iencing homelessness has been in the care of Child and Family Services and that the most common age for people to become homeless is 18.

      It is tough to live in­de­pen­dently when CFS sup­port ends abruptly at age 18. The NDP and PCs have done a terrible job of helping children transition out of CFS care.

      I ask the minister respon­si­ble: Why is the gov­ern­ment so ineffective in helping these children transition suc­cess­fully to adulthood, and when will the gov­ern­ment provide the adequate supports needed to truly make a difference to prevent people from becoming homeless?

Hon. Rochelle Squires (Minister of Families): It is a rare point of agree­ment between our gov­ern­ment and the members opposite who asked this question. We, too, agree that there were too many children in care for too long.

      And that is why we transformed child welfare so that we could ensure that families are kept together, that com­mu­nities are kept together and that we have a strategy for helping young people transition out of the child welfare system into adulthood. That is exactly what our gov­ern­ment is doing.

      We know that more work needs to be done. We know, under the NDP, they broke the system; they had record high numbers of kids in care; they apprehended a newborn child a day. And we need to fix that broken legacy of the NDP and work towards supporting all of our kids in care and our com­mu­nities who are suffering the aftermaths of their poor policies.

Substance Abuse Solutions
Gov­ern­ment Position

Mr. James Teitsma (Radisson): Our gov­ern­ment has been working hard to gather evidence-based and out­comes-focused data on mental health and addictions.

      Despite the loud and misdirected comments com­ing from members opposite, the Minister of Mental Health and Com­mu­nity Wellness has paved a way forward for Manitobans living with substance use challenges.

      Can the minister please update this House on some of her learnings?

Hon. Sarah Guillemard (Minister of Mental Health and Community Wellness): I do want to thank my friend and MLA for Radisson for that great question.

      Some of the learnings we have come across is that 90 per cent of all overdose deaths across Canada are from Ontario, Alberta and BC, all of whom have safe con­sump­tion sites. Only one juris­dic­tion is seeing a reduction in those deaths, and that is Alberta, who has instituted a recovery-oriented system of care and shut down two of their con­sump­tion sites.

      Even the premier in BC–an NDP premier–is now turning directions and funding, I quote, addictions programs that prioritize detox rather than safe con­sump­tion. And I will table that article that quotes him.

Water Manage­ment Strategy
Priva­tiza­tion Concerns

Ms. Lisa Naylor (Wolseley): Mr. Deputy Speaker, the PC plan is selling public goods for private benefit. Whether it's in our parks or in our health care, they're at it again.

      The newly released water strategy calls for in­creased costs for the public, coupled with priva­tiza­tion.

      Why is this gov­ern­ment so focused on priva­tizing every­thing in the province?

Hon. Jeff Wharton (Minister of Environment, Climate and Parks): It was certainly a pleasure to announce the new water strategy after 20 years, Mr. Deputy Speaker, with the Premier (Mrs. Stefanson) just two weeks ago. We know that water, and–every drop is very im­por­tant.

      We know that action needed to be taken, and that's exactly what this gov­ern­ment is doing.

Ms. Naylor: Mr. Deputy Speaker, under the PCs, water rates in Brandon are on their way to doubling. But that's not enough; in their own strategy, this gov­ern­ment says it wants rate increases while squeezing Manitobans for the benefit of large cor­por­ate investors.

      Whether it's our parks, our health care and now even our water, the PCs want to take a profit.

      Why is this gov­ern­ment's only plan the priva­tiza­tion of Manitoba?

Mr. Wharton: It's edu­ca­tion time for the member from Wolseley when it comes to water rates, Mr. Deputy Speaker.

      We know the NDP like to get involved in Manitoba Hydro and take care–and, matter of fact, double the rates for Manitobans.

      Well, Mr. Deputy Speaker, guess what? The PUB sets rates for water con­sump­tion through­out the pro­vince in 136 munici­palities, with the exception of Winnipeg.

Mr. Deputy Speaker: The hon­our­able member for Wolseley, on a final sup­ple­mentary.

Ms. Naylor: This gov­ern­ment sold off Lifeflight. They privatized water bombers. They contracted out a park. They're priva­tizing health care. Their approach to every­thing is to hand the public good over for pri­vate profit.

* (14:40)

      The watered strategy calls for increased rates, coupled with private profit for the delivery of water services.

      Why is this gov­ern­ment's only plan the priva­tiza­tion of Manitoba?

Mr. Wharton: I suspect the member didn't hear my last response, but I'll try to add to it a little bit so that she understands.

      Water is delivered by munici­palities, Mr. Deputy Speaker. They have their utilities, they deliver it to their ratepayers on a regular basis. Annually, when they do their budgets, as munici­pal–respon­si­ble muni­ci­pal gov­ern­ments, who they shout down for 17 years while they were in gov­ern­ment, understand what their com­mu­nities need when it comes to water and utility.

      We know that–on this House–the Public Utilities Board is respon­si­ble for setting rates within all the munici­palities within this province with the except of the city of Winnipeg, Mr. Deputy Speaker.

Mr. Deputy Speaker: The hon­our­able minister's time has expired.

      The hon­our­able member for St. Vital, there's time for one.

Uni­ver­sity of Manitoba–Dietetics
Status of Program for 2023

Mr. Jamie Moses (St. Vital): The PCs are at it again, failing to support Manitoba students.

      Their foot-dragging has resulted in the Uni­ver­sity of Manitoba's dietitian program not being approved for 2023. This means that–the–in the province, there will not be any new dietitians after June.

      This also means that dietitian students will have to finish their edu­ca­tion elsewhere, or abandon it and go to a near–'nother' career path. Now, the minister has over five months to approve this program, but he's just dragged his foot with it.

      So, can the minister explain why he's failing dietitian students to get educated right here in Manitoba?

Hon. Jon Reyes (Minister of Advanced Education, Skills and Immigration): I wish the member oppo­site would reach out to their counterparts in BC, an NDP gov­ern­ that only contributes 32 per cent towards post-secondary reve­nues, which is 6.6 per cent less than here in Manitoba, while the tuition is 25 per cent higher, and the NDP gov­ern British Columbia, as compared to Manitoba.

      And when I speak with many students around the province–[interjection]

Mr. Deputy Speaker: Order.

Mr. Reyes: –who are choosing to study–[interjection]

Mr. Deputy Speaker: Order.

Mr. Reyes: –at one of our Manitoba post-secondary in­sti­tutions, they often tell me that it's because it's one of the lowest and–affordable programs in Canada. [interjection]

Mr. Deputy Speaker: Order.

Mr. Reyes: I am proud that Manitoba has one of the lowest tuitions in the country. Our gov­ern­ment is listening to post-secondary students, unlike the NDP, who took an ideological approach to post-secondary edu­ca­tion during their 17 years–the dark days of the NDP.

Mr. Deputy Speaker: The hon­our­able minister–the time for oral questions has expired.

An Honourable Member: On a point of order.

Point of Order

Mr. Deputy Speaker: The hon­our­able Minister of Justice, on a point of order.

Hon. Kelvin Goertzen (Minister of Justice and Attorney General): During question period, following my response to the hon­our­able member for St. Boniface (Mr. Lamont), the hon­our­able member for St. Boniface decided to give me a hand signal that wasn't indicating that I was No. 1 in his heart, but that was indicating some­thing else, which I won't put on the record. It would be a 'euphem'–or it would be commonly called giving somebody the finger, Mr. Deputy Speaker.

      Personally, I would say I'm not someone who's easily offended, and I'm not going to classify myself as offended now. The member opposite wants to do this sort of thing outside this Chamber or on the street, I wouldn't be–I wouldn't suggest it or welcome it, but there's some­thing different in this Chamber, Mr. Deputy Speaker.

      I'm 20 years into my elected life, and I've–have been called many things in this Chamber and many things have happened. And no doubt I'm closer to the end than the begin­ning of my elected life, but I am concerned that there are members here who are going to be here much longer than I'm going to be.

      And they do deserve to be in a place where they can ask questions, answer questions in an honest and sometimes aggressive way, I understand, without the kind of thing that the member for St. Boniface did. If you want to disagree, you can disagree. If you want to shout at somebody, I guess, to some extent, under your purview, Mr. Deputy Speaker, you can do that. But to do what the member did in terms of what he indicated with his hand is simply inappropriate in a demo­cratic House.

      I'm not really doing this on my own behalf because I'm not all that offended personally, but it is not the kind of behaviour that should happen in a demo­­cratic House. And for all members–for younger members, electorally and by age, I would hope that they would be able to be in this House for many years without having to ex­per­ience the kind of behaviour that the member for St. Boniface (Mr. Lamont) con­ducted today, Mr. Deputy Speaker.

Mr. Deputy Speaker: The hon­our­able member for St. Boniface, on the same point of order.

Mr. Dougald Lamont (St. Boniface): I welcome the op­por­tun­ity to respond.

I will apologize. I'll put it in context.

      I believe that my colleague from Saint Boniface-Saint Vital, Minister Dan Vandal, has given the St. Boniface salute in the past and had to apologize for it in the House of Commons.

      But let me make this absolutely clear. When I raise an issue, when people in this House were being threatened, when we had people who were walking into MLAs' offices, when I was getting threats and when we had threats of–death threats being made by convoy supporters, and when the Minister of Justice (Mr. Goertzen) said that it was the Prime Minister who needed to cool down his rhetoric in the face of people who were threatening him with death and had been threatening him with death for three years, and then–and it appeared to me–and it still appears to me–that the minister says that the end justifies the means when it comes to the police misleading Manitobans about the law, I became frustrated.

      I will not do it again, and I sincerely apologize.

Mr. Deputy Speaker: On the same point of order, the hon­our­able Leader of the Official Op­posi­tion.

Mr. Wab Kinew (Leader of the Official Opposition): On the same point of order.

 

Mr. Deputy Speaker: The hon­our­able Leader of the Official Op­posi­tion.

Mr. Kinew: I want to begin by saying that I did not witness the gesture directly, though I did see the reaction, and I take the reaction of my colleagues at face value. And, certainly, you know, the apology, I think, affirms what had taken place.

      And that is completely inappropriate; that should not take place for reasons that have already been articulated, but also because it represents a gesture of inti­mida­tion, because that's a sort of action that typically precedes an es­cal­ation rather than a reasoned conclusion to some kind of disagreement.

      I would, of course, ask for your interjection as to whether this may be better dealt with as a matter of privilege, seeing as it does invoke the sort of inti­mida­tion but, again, I will leave that to your learned wisdom.

      I do, however, want to say, as I understand the emotional reaction from my colleagues on the other side of the House, which is justified in this instance, I do invite you to reflect on other behaviours that took place in this Chamber this week and to encourage us all to understand the sanctity and the sacredness of this hallowed hall. We have to ensure that the conduct in this place is not only of the highest standard for those members here, but also lives up to the principles of demo­cracy to which we all aspire.

      And so, I would ask that there not be a double standard when we adjudicate these matters, particu­larly not on a partisan basis. Everyone deserves to be able to speak here freely. Everyone deserves to be able to partici­pate here fully.

      So, certainly, I do sanction and condemn the ac­tions of my colleague from St. Boniface today, but I would be remiss if I did not add those other words to the record.

Mr. Deputy Speaker: Do any other members wish to speak?

      This matter was raised as a point of order. It will be handled as such.

      The member for St. Boniface did apologize. The member for St. Boniface did state that he apologized, and I will take that at face value. That ends the matter. We will continue with the rest of the afternoon.

* * *

Mr. Deputy Speaker: I do want to take the op­por­tun­ity to remind all of us about decorum, about letting our emotions get out of hand.

      I love a lively Parliament, but we can take things too far, and I think that happens on all sides. So, I just want to say, examine yourselves; think about it and we can have all the benefits of this place, including lively debate–I'm not wanting to squash that at all–but, clearly, things can get out of hand and have crossed some lines.

* (14:50)

      Let's make sure none of us are contributing to that, either by ourselves, or perhaps by stoking others' unfor­tunate behaviour.

Petitions

Mr. Deputy Speaker: Are there any petitions? I don't see any. [interjection]

      Thank you, the honourable member for River Heights.

Executive Function Disorder Supports

Hon. Jon Gerrard (River Heights): I wish to present the following petition to the Legislative Assembly.

      The background to this petition is as follows:

      (1) Individuals with executive function disorders usually associated with a learning dis­abil­ity, ADHD or autism, have a specific deficiency in the executive or adaptive function of their brain.

      (2) Individuals with executive function disorders can have a high IQ and can, in some instances, speak as eloquently as a university professor, but often are unable to plan and organize their lives, manage their meals, housing or finances.

      (3) Some individuals have an executive function disability in which their executive function develops slowly, requiring that they receive help and support for five to seven years after they turn 18 years old.

      (4) Many individuals with executive function dis­orders can do well in life and at work if given adequate supports and the chance to fully develop their executive function capabilities.

      (5) Without that support, they risk becoming home­less, face inconsistent employment and/or could be the victims or perpetrators of crime.

      (6) Manitoba has few limited resources specific­ally to help those with executive function disorders.

      We petition the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba as follows:

      (1) To urge the provincial government to partner with organizations that provide individual and group supports and online resources for children, adults with executive function disorders–[interjection]

Mr. Deputy Speaker: Order, please. [interjection] If we just–if we can just–[interjection] Order, please.

      I just–[interjection] Order. I actually say this for the benefit of the member. If all other members could turn the volume down a little bit, I really can't hear–and actually, I don't think anybody can–what that mem­ber is saying. So, chat, by all means, but please, at a volume that respects the person speaking.

      The hon­our­able member for River Heights, please go ahead.

Mr. Gerrard: Yes. Manitoba has few limited re­sources specifically to help those with executive func­tion disorders.

      We petition the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba as follows:

      (1) To urge the provincial government to partner with organizations that provide individual and group supports and online resources for children and adults with executive function disorders and IQs above 75, including:

      (a) online videos featuring individuals with execu­tive function disorders raising awareness and explaining in a strength-based way to fully develop their executive function capabilities;

      (b) a manual listing all resources for those with executive function defects;

      (c) learning modules and instructional videos teach­ing daily tasks that involve executive function; and

      (d) a free online webinar series to enable individ­uals with executive function deficiencies to access government supports.

      (2) To urge the provincial government to im­prove funding for Community Living disABILITY Services, and other organizations which can provide support for those with executive function disorders in order to reduce wait times for those who need to access them.

      (3) To urge the provincial government to recognize that individuals with executive function disorders with a normal-to-high IQ have great potential to be gainfully employed, providing they have some supports, and to set up initiatives to help those individuals get and keep jobs, including a public awareness campaign.

      (4) To urge the provincial government to re­cognize that individuals who are helping those with executive function disorders are essential partners and enable them to accompany the person into a hospital or other situations as necessary, regardless of age.

      (5) To urge the provincial government to mandate that all teachers take courses on learning disabilities, including executive function disorders, during their post-secondary education in order to better understand and educate and end the discrimination that they often experience in the classroom.

      Signed by Temple Duncan, Lea Martin, Mars Livingston and many other Manitobans.

Mr. Deputy Speaker: Are there any other petitions?

      Seeing no further petitions, orders of the day, govern­ment business.

ORDERS OF THE DAY

GOVERNMENT BUSINESS

Hon. Kelvin Goertzen (Government House Leader): Resuming debate on the Throne Speech. [interjection]

      Oh, yes. I have a leave request for the House.

House Business

Mr. Deputy Speaker: The hon­our­able Gov­ern­ment House Leader has a leave request.

Mr. Goertzen: Mr. Deputy Speaker, is there leave of the House to waive rule 63 and 64 and to replace the process for dealing with con­dol­ence motions in those rules with the following process:

      (1) Con­dol­ence motions for deceased former mem­bers of the Legis­lative Assembly of Manitoba shall be called as part of the routine proceedings prior to petitions or matters of urgent public importance if the Speaker has received written notice from a House leader of a recog­nized party 90 minutes prior to the start of the sitting date.

      (2) Written notice to the Speaker should include the names of the deceased members to be com­memorated that day, and should be copied to the other House leader, the member for River Heights (Mr. Gerrard), the Clerk and the Deputy Clerk.

      (3) The category of con­dol­ences will not appear on the daily Order Paper.

      (4) For each motion, (a) 10 minutes of speaking time will be allocated to members from the deceased member's political party, (b) five minutes of speaking time will be allocated to the members–to members from another political party, (c) five minutes of speak­ing time will be allocated to in­de­pen­dent members, (d) within those speaking time allocations, the parties or independent members may assign as many members as they wish to speak.

      (5) At the conclusion of the speeches, the Speaker shall put the question and ask members to signify their approval of the motion by rising in their places to observe a moment of silence.

      (6) Following the passage of any con­dol­ence motion, the Speaker's office shall send to the deceased member's family the Hansard transcript from the sitting day along with a personal letter of con­dol­ence from the Speaker, as well as letters of con­dol­ence from any other members who are unable to speak during the tribute. Those letters must be received by the Speaker's office when five days of the passage of the motion in the House.

      This agree­ment expires on December 1st, 2022.

Mr. Deputy Speaker: As requested by the hon­our­able Gov­ern­ment House Leader, is there leave of the House to waive rules 63 and 64 and to replace the process for dealing with con­dol­ence motions in those rules with the following process:

      (1) Con­dol­ence motions for deceased former members in the legis­lative–of the Legis­lative Assembly of Manitoba shall be called as part of routine proceedings prior to petitions or matters of urgent public importance if the Speaker has received written notice from the House leader of a recog­nized party 90 minutes prior to the start of the sitting date.

      (2) Written notice to the Speaker should include the name or names of the deceased member or members to be commemorated on that day, and should be copied to the other House leader, the member for River Heights, the Clerk and the Deputy Clerk.

      (3) The category of con­dol­ences will not appear on the daily Order Paper.

      (4) For each motion, (a) 10 minutes of speaking time will be allocated to members from the deceased member's political party; (b) five minutes of speaking time will be allocated to members from another political party; (c) five minutes of speaking time will be allocated to in­de­pen­dent members; (d) within those speaking time allocations, the parties or independent members may assign as many members as they wish to speak.

      (5) At the conclusion of the speeches, the Speaker shall put the question and ask members to signify their approval of the motion by rising in their places to observe a moment of silence.

      (6) Following the passage of any con­dol­ence motion, the Speaker's office shall send to the deceased member's family the Hansard transcript from that sitting day along with a personal letter of con­dol­ence from the Speaker, as well as letters of con­dol­ence from any other members who are unable to speak during the tribute. These letters must be received by the Speaker's office within five days of the passage of the motion in the House.

      This agree­ment expires on December 1st, 2022.

      Is there leave? [Agreed]

* * *

Mr. Deputy Speaker: As announced by the hon­our­able Gov­ern­ment House Leader (Mr. Goertzen)–[interjection]

      The honourable Government House Leader.

Mr. Goertzen: Could you please resume debate on the Throne Speech.

* (15:00)

Throne Speech


(Sixth Day of Debate)

Mr. Deputy Speaker: As announced by the hon­our­able Gov­ern­ment House Leader, we will now resume debate on the Throne Speech, the motion put for­ward  by the hon­our­able member for Borderland (Mr. Guenter) and amend­ments thereto, standing in the name of the hon­our­able Minister of Labour, Consumer Pro­tec­tion and Gov­ern­ment Services, who has 16 minutes remaining.

Hon. Reg Helwer (Minister of Labour, Consumer Protection and Government Services): So I–at the end of the day yesterday, you cautioned me and I won't use the word that you cautioned me on. I'm sorry if I used a word, or I'm sorry I used the word that is deemed to be unparliamentary; at the very best, right on the edge, as you so quote–so stated.

      So, sorry to the Legislature, although I do notice that the MLA for St. Johns used the same word today in her question and was not cautioned. So, we'll leave that on the table there, Mr. Deputy Speaker.

      But I do hear the litany of misdirection from the members opposite in question period every day and I do have to remind them that during a time where there was no pandemic, when it was under their gov­ern­ment, that I spent time visiting my aunt in her hospital bed in St. Boniface, where she was recovering from cardiac surgery in the hallway, Mr. Deputy Speaker, under their watch.

      It was hallway medicine and she wasn't counted in the hallway numbers. It was almost like there was a chalk mark on her bed where they would move it and say, okay, the bed moved so that's not in the hallway medicine count. Despicable, Mr. Deputy Speaker. They forget how horrible health care was under their watch.

      And I also spent time in the St. Boniface emer­gency room, not seated but standing because there was no seat available in the emergency room, waiting with our daughter who'd been brought in by paramedics. And she was in a stretcher on the hall–in the hallway, Mr. Deputy Speaker. Under their watch, health care was despicable.

      In fact, the paramedics that day timed out. They had to find a charge nurse to sign off on the care of that patient so that they could leave and actually go back to the hall because they were timing out.

      Whereas under our gov­ern­ment, Mr. Deputy Speaker–we saw, under their gov­ern­ment, their dismal treatment of the kidney clinic in health sciences; a dark, dank hallway. We've replaced that with a bright trans­plant centre that now patients–that can go to–they can get their lab work done there.

      Those are the things that have happened under our gov­ern­ment, Mr. Deputy Speaker; not the dark days of the NDP gov­ern­ment.

Mr. Deputy Speaker: Just before I recog­nize any other members, I'm obliged to caution the minister regarding reflecting on the Chair.

      Any caution given to any member is a caution to all members. No presiding officer is going to catch every­thing perfectly. Certainly, I think every pre­siding officer does their best and intends to be even-handed, but any caution to any member is, by ex­tension, to all members.

      Possibly, there are times where things go un­noticed, but we do our best and I think there is a legitimate caution regarding reflecting on the Chair.

      So, I say that–I'm obligated to say that. I think part of this place running smoothly is that we do that, so.

Mrs. Bernadette Smith (Point Douglas): The Speech from the Throne promised to continue down the cata­strophe path of cuts and cruelty that Brian Pallister started on us when he was premier.

      At the same time, it completely ignored so many things that Manitobans need, that front-line workers have been asking for and that the research and the experts stand behind.

      The speech didn't contain one single mention of social housing or Manitoba Housing or of affordable housing. The PCs bragged about an affordable pack­age, but they left out even one use of the word renters. Renters in this province are struggling under this gov­ern­ment. They haven't mentioned anything about Rent Assist or EIA benefits. How can a plan on afford­ability leave out Manitobans who need it the most, Deputy Speaker?

      I don't know how they can keep a straight face while they just give us a speech that talks about afford­ability for Manitobans who need financial relief right now. They didn't talk about them at all. Many con­stit­uents in Point Douglas are struggling, are homeless, have to use a shelter, have to go to a food bank, have to go stand in a line to get a meal.

      Did this gov­ern­ment think about those folks? No. They didn't mention anything about them.

      Rent has skyrocketed in this province. Did this gov­­ern­­ment support any of those renters? Absolutely not.

Mr. Brad Michaleski, Acting Speaker, in the Chair

      People are working one to two jobs just to pay for daycare, just to keep their lights on, and this gov­ern­ment continues to raise hydro rates, raise milk. You know, children in our schools need milk. They don't want to feed kids in schools.

      And what this gov­ern­ment is focused on is mak­ing sure that their friends have enough, you know, to continue lining their own pockets and getting richer while the poor and those that are, you know, working, struggling families get poorer and, you know, might end up in that shelter that this gov­ern­ment continues to build around.

      Deputy Speaker, shelters are not a sus­tain­able way of supporting people in–that need housing. We can't continue to just add shelter beds. We need to build housing, and this gov­ern­ment continues to sell off housing. They continue to cut the maintenance bud­gets for housing. They continue to leave social housing boarded up and have forced Manitobans to actually live in bus shelters in this province.

      You know, shame on a gov­ern­ment that drives by or walks out this building and can go to sleep at night knowing that someone could freeze to death in this province.

      This is the gov­ern­ment that we have. You know, these are Manitobans that deserve some support from this gov­ern­ment. I was one of those Manitobans. You know, I raised my kids in social housing. I was a single parent. I worked. I went on a bus every morning to take my kids to daycare, then got on a bus to take my–to go to work, got on that bus again to pick my kids up from daycare, and went back on a bus to my social housing unit.

      But I was fortunate enough to actually have a pro­gram that our NDP gov­ern­ment supported. It was called a Com­mu­nity-based Aboriginal Teacher Education Program. And that's the kind of invest­ments we need a gov­ern­ment to make, and that's not going to be this gov­ern­ment. That's going to be our NDP gov­ern­ment.

      When we form the next gov­ern­ment, we're going to ensure that we build social programs that this gov­ern­ment, in fact, has cut. You know, I look at my own com­mu­nity, Neighbourhoods Alive!, you know, the funding that they cut from that. They forced organi­zations to be able to match funds 50 per cent, and they couldn't be federal funds; they couldn't be funds that came from the City.

      Well, I can tell you, Deputy Speaker, that people in the North End, organi­zations in the North End, they struggle to get funding. They don't have folks that are, like, in the south end that can, you know, support and give to these kinds of organi­zations.

      So they had to cut staffing. So many people lost their jobs, which meant, you know, they had to, may­be, move out of the com­mu­nity or leave our province. We know that 10,000 people in the last year have left our province. That's 10,000 Manitobans that were spend­ing money in our province in the economy that left here because of this gov­ern­ment.

      And I don't know how many of those 10,000 were front-line workers in the health-care system, but I imagine there was quite a few of them that left to, you know, Ontario, to Saskatchewan. They were offering, you know, incentives for health-care workers to stay. They were actually treating their health-care workers with dignity, with respect. They were actually giving them collective agree­ments and not making them wait five years and take them to court. They actually valued their work.

* (15:10)

      And during a COVID, you know, when people were struggling, when people were losing their loved ones, people were struggling with online learning, people were struggling with isolation, you know, this gov­ern­ment was making cuts instead of invest­ments.

      I think about the detox centre that was in–that is at Main Street Project. There used to be 36 beds there for folks that wanted to, you know, get into treatment. And this gov­ern­ment talks about treatment beds. They say they're going to build up to 1,000 treatment beds.

      Well, I tell you, Deputy Speaker, people are strug­gling right now. They need a safe con­sump­tion site. They need somewhere where they can get supported and their drugs can be tested so that they don't lose their lives. And this has been proven. Every single safe con­sump­tion site right across Canada will tell you, there has not been an overdose death in those safe con­sump­tion sites.

      This gov­ern­ment has taken an ideological ap­proach to it. You know, it's–they look at people who are using drugs as morally failing, that they should just pull their bootstraps up and, you know, get into a treatment centre.

      But it's not that easy for some folks. People have been struggling for years with mental health issues. You know, we saw a member of this House today share their ex­per­ience. We need to make sure that people can access supports and get supports where they need it, not where we want them to be.

      You know, ultimately, yes, we'd like people to get into treatment, but not everybody's there. So what about those folks who aren't there? We're supposed to just, you know, not support them and allow them to lose their lives? Families are losing their loved ones. You know, I think about Moms Stop the Harm. I think about those front‑line workers that are working with these folks that, you know, they can't even count the amount of people that have died of overdoses in this province. They're holding memorials almost every day while this Province–or, this gov­ern­ment turns a blind eye to the crisis that's happening here in Manitoba.

      You know, it–they should be able to access health care. You know, addictions support is health care. If you look at safe con­sump­tion sites right across our province, they are connected to supports soon as they walk through that door, so they can have their drugs tested, they can use in a safe space. So many of them  have used a lot of veins in their body and have, you know, infections, so they can get connected to primary-care providers. There's a lot of blood‑borne diseases. We see our babies being born with con­genital syphilis. That's a direct result of drug use here in our province. And it's preventable. And our gov­ern­ment is doing nothing about it. We have a rise of HIV in this province. That is a result of intravenous drug use.

      And is this gov­ern­ment helping? No, they're turn­ing a blind eye to it and saying, well, you know what, just go to treatment.

      People have trauma. People need to be connected with social workers, with counsellors, with–to even get housing. That's exactly what safe con­sump­tion sites do. They have a whole‑centred‑person approach. It's not about just going in to the safe con­sump­tion site and using drugs like this gov­ern­ment wants, you know, Manitobans to believe.

      It's about connecting people with the resources that they need. It's about saving lives. It's about making sure that Manitobans aren't having to live with HIV. It's about taking some of the burden off of the health‑care system and that's exactly what it does.

      You know, someone that is prevented by, you know, getting harm reduction supplies in a safe con­sump­tion site, that may have HIV, that is not going to use another needle or share a needle, is not going to give another person HIV. If they get support for vein care, they're not going to be accessing the ERs that we know are overloaded because of this gov­ern­ment's cuts.

      You know, front‑line workers are burned out be­cause of this gov­ern­ment. You know, we have a vacancy of 2,400 nurses in this province and it's a dir­ect result of this Stefanson gov­ern­ment and them continuing to follow Brian Pallister's path. You know, they talk about their strategy; they've just continued the same strategy as Brian Pallister.

      And in their original report, there was a safe con­sump­tion site in there. And then they took that report back. And then they took that out because Brian Pallister and the rest of the other side didn't believe that Manitobans should have access to health care. And that's exactly what a safe con­sump­tion site is.

      You know, I think about those folks and I want to go back to housing because I think housing, you know, is a direct correlation to some people having to use drugs. And I've heard this from folks that, you know, they have to stay up all night. There are so many women that I've talked to that can't access shelters because there's only 36 beds for women in shelters. Can you imagine, as a woman, going to a shelter and being turned away, how vul­ner­able you are? You have to walk the street all night or live in a tent during this frigid cold that we have here in Manitoba?

      Does this gov­ern­ment care about that? Absolutely not. They don't care about Manitobans who are strug­gling; they care about their rich folks. You know, they care about people who can afford two-tiered health care, that can, you know, go across the line and get their health care.

      Well, Manitobans–not all Manitobans are able to do that. I know I certainly am not. You know, I make a decent wage here, but I also believe in supporting my children and my family and my kids. And my kids are, you know, they're adults now. But I still help, you know, support my kids. I still help to support my grand­kids. I still support–you know, I give to the shelter every year. My mom and dad–and I've told, you know, this story–they both used Main Street Project and Salvation Army.

      So, I'm thankful for things like that that I can–I have the privilege to help. Many people come to our office that are looking for food. You know, our food banks are overloaded. They don't have enough food. They can't keep up with the demand. We hear this with, right now, the Christmas Cheer Board. You know, over 40,000 more hampers this year than they did last year and the year before. That's just continuing to rise because of this gov­ern­ment and their lack of supports for those who actually need it.

      They continue just to line the pockets of the people who are wealthy, give big cor­por­ations, you know, money that don't even live here in Canada; that aren't even contributing here in Canada; that are making money here, in Manitoba, but live in other provinces. Is that fair to Manitobans? Absolutely not. That money should be staying right here in our province.

      I think about edu­ca­tion. And, Deputy Speaker, when I was a teacher, you know, I would buy snacks for students. But I'm hearing teachers–all teachers now are having to buy snacks, where that was few and far between. You know, all teachers weren't buying snacks because there wasn't the demand there is now. And it's because of this gov­ern­ment's lack of supports. They continue to make cuts to edu­ca­tion.

      You know, we see Seven Oaks School Division, which I had the privilege to work in for many years, have to cut teachers. Imagine that, Deputy Speaker, having to cut teachers to the supports for kids, who are our future, that need those supports. You know, I think about our special needs students that are included in every classroom, and what supports do they need that this gov­ern­ment has cut? So many supports.

      And this gov­ern­ment says, well, we're investing more, but, you know, we know, in fact, from the front line, from the school divisions them­selves that they continue to cut.

      And they continue to devalue the edu­ca­tion system here–we have here in Manitoba. And, thank­fully, Manitobans rose and caught–you know, stopped bill 36 from going through because this gov­ern­ment would've decimated the edu­ca­tion system. And Manitobans stood up and they said, absolutely not. We're not going to allow this gov­ern­ment to do exactly what they did to the health-care system.

      And they–continuing to do that, even though health care people on the front line are telling them, We are struggling. Doctors Manitoba, you know, less doctors here in Manitoba. Where are those doctors going? They're leaving our province because of this gov­ern­ment.

      And, you know, certainly, we will not be sup­porting this budget. This is, you know, a slap in the face to Manitobans who are struggling and certainly a slap in the face to folks in Point Douglas because we–one just has to drive down Main Street and see the struggle that people are having. And those are Manitobans.

* (15:20)

      And I say shame on this gov­ern­ment for allowing to–that to happen, for turning a blind eye, for not allow­ing safe con­sump­tion sites and lives to be saved and people to be using and get connected to supports here in our province.

      And, you know, I was really disappointed that the Minister for Mental Health and wellness would have the audacity to go to Vancouver and actually photo­graph folks who were struggling–

An Honourable Member: She told me to go there.

Mrs. Smith: Deputy Speaker, you can go visit there, absolutely, and I have told the minister to go visit there, but I would never, ever take photos of someone who was struggling.

      And, you know, we have folks right here in our own backyard that are struggling, and I encourage the minister to go and visit them, but not to photograph them, because that is very disrespectful; it's dehuman­izing, and shame on that minister for doing that.

      You know what that minister should have been doing? That minister should have been going in that safe con­sump­tion site, talking to the folks who are actually in there, asking them what it is about the safe con­sump­tion site that is supporting them and talking to actually the people who are working there, because many of those people that are working there are ac­tually mentors that actually were supported through that safe con­sump­tion site and have now turned in–are now supporting other folks because of the support that they received in that safe con­sump­tion site.

      So, again, I want to say shame on this gov­ern­ment for, you know, the cuts that they've continued to make, the lack of supports that they're provi­ding to those who are–that are really struggling in this province, and, you know, lastly, stay away from our edu­ca­tion system. You know, invest in it. This is our future. We don't need a gov­ern­ment that devalues edu­ca­tion in this province; we need a gov­ern­ment that's going to value edu­ca­tion.

      And you can bet when the NDP are in gov­ern­ment that we will do just that. It'll take us years to undo what this gov­ern­ment has done. They've decimated health care, and they've devalued every single worker on the front lines by slapping them in the face and forcing them to work mandatory overtime, forcing folks to leave Manitoba, and we will not be supporting this bud­get and, again, shame on this gov­ern­ment.

      Miigwech.

Mr. Mintu Sandhu (The Maples): It is my honour to rise in the–this Chamber today to put a few words on the record regarding the Speech from the Throne.

      Mr. Deputy Speaker, I like to thank the wonderful people for The Maples for electing me to this Chamber in 2019. I'm looking forward again to next year, October 3rd, 2023, or the sooner, whenever the election will be called by this PC gov­ern­ment, to be their repre­sen­tative again in this Chamber with an NDP gov­ern­ment and looking after everyone, equal.

      Mr. Deputy Speaker, it is so disheartening to see every single question period this PC caucus and the Premier (Mrs. Stefanson) misleading Manitobans on health-care cuts. We don't have to go that far.

      Probably some of the members from the PC caucus really don't know where Seven Oaks hospital is. I could give them directions: Memorial Boulevard north, all the way to Leila Avenue. Turn left, and right on the McPhillips and Leila Avenue, there's the Seven Oaks hospital. Used to have a Seven Oaks ER. It's closed. That's health-care cuts.

      They also closed Concordia Hospital. Again, if they still need directions, more than happy to provide them. If they need a ride to there, I'm more than happy to give them a ride, too.

      So each and every single day, PC caucus, PC Premier, she's lying to Manitobans.

      Sorry, I want to apologize–misleading Manitobans.

The Acting Speaker (Brad Michaleski): Would like to remind the member that you can't use the word lie. Acknowl­edge that you did make the correction, so we'll say, we'll give the floor back to the member for The Maples.

Mr. Sandhu: As I said, she's misleading every single day.

      CancerCare outpatient from Seven Oaks hospital is closed. That's also a health-care cut.

      Mr. Deputy Speaker, I want to bring it back a little more, because I've recently seen a few MLAs thank­ing their CAs. I'd also like to thank my CAs.

      At my con­stit­uency office–I don't know how many people come through the doors of other MLAs. Yesterday, because I knew I will be speaking today, I wanted to confirm how many people come through our doors. That's 25 people every day, average. We are open six days a week.

      So I want to thank Aman, who is going to India next Monday–and have a nice trip, Aman. And Sanjit, who is also my CA; Gurbax; Ahandjot. They're doing wonderful work.

      What kind of work, probably, Mr. Deputy Speaker, you're wondering, like, if there's a–average of 25 people coming through the doors, what kind of work they are doing every single day. They are starting from PR renewal applications, if somebody wants to apply for citizenship, if they want to apply Canadian passport, if they want to apply a Indian pass­port, those are the some–a few things that people in my office come for.

      Recently, I have seen, Mr. Deputy Speaker, people coming for Manitoba Prov­incial Nominee Program issues. People are wondering why the scores are so high. Recent draw was around 791. That's pretty high. There are so many people, there are so many inter­national students, who want to apply for Provincial Nominee Program, but because the scores are so high, they can't do it.

      One good thing is, this morning, I had a chance to speak to the minister this morning, and he clarified that new draws will be lower and it will be quicker, because last time, two months, there was no draw at all.

      Mr. Deputy Speaker, another thing that people are coming to my office recently are student aid. There is a big delay on student aid, and students have to start their edu­ca­tion, but the decision is not made if they will qualify for the student aid.

      And also, Mr. Deputy Speaker, we have seen re­cent­ly that the PC gov­ern­ment will be spending around $200 million to recruit health-care pro­fes­sionals. It's always, like, have seen so many times–this is not the first time that they have did a an­nounce­ment. Has they followed through those an­nounce­ments? No, they haven't.

* (15:30)

      There are so many–actually, I'd like to high­light a few of the things that they have misleaded.

      Mr. Deputy Speaker, they closed CancerCare loca­tions at Seven Oaks and Concordia, a new facility for CancerCare Manitoba, a personal-care home in Lac du Bonnet.

      Mr. Deputy Speaker, actually, when I came to mind the Lac du Bonnet, I think just before 2016 elections, the PCs announced that they will be build­ing new 1,200 PCH beds. Did they follow through on that one? No, they didn't. How many beds there are? There's 216 less beds today than what they were in 2016 for PCH beds.

      So it's very hard to believe if this PC gov­ern­ment is going to follow through any of their an­nounce­ments, especially when this is an election year. We are less than a year away. Is any of the programs they're announcing, any of–will have any effect? No, they're just an­nounce­ments only. We will not going to see any positive effect, any of this.

      So, Mr. Deputy Speaker, I know, I'm kind of–I was under the weather since last Thursday. Want to really speak today, so came to the session, but my request is to this–all the members in this Chamber and also those people who are listening: please wear a mask when you can, especially inside the Chamber here or when you are indoors. This is serious. I was really, really sick. I didn't know what is happening. And at one moment, I will be burning hot and the next moment I will be really, really cold. I'm finally feeling really well right now, but still, please, let's protect our kids; let's protect our seniors; let's protect each other.

      Thank you, Mr. Deputy Speaker.

Ms. Amanda Lathlin (The Pas-Kameesak): Thank you, Mr. Acting Deputy Speaker–am I correct? It's always a member–it's always an honour to stand here as the member for The Pas-Kameesak.

      When I first started this journey here in 2015, my com­mu­nities grew from 10 com­mu­nities to 17 when the boundaries changed in 2019. At first, anyone could address this with a little bit of inti­mida­tion but I, myself, welcomed it with open arms because that just meant getting to know new com­mu­nities, getting to make more friends and getting to be more stronger as a repre­sen­tative.

      And I can honestly say I've been here for seven years, and I honestly thought, you know, when de­bates first started, I couldn't do more than five min­utes. And I used to look at everyone here in awe and go, how, how can they do their full 30? Now I understand why. After seven years here, I sometimes have to get the plug pulled on me. I can't stop talking about what is going on in this province, and my wonderful colleagues here give me great narrative to run with it.

      But the favourite narrative that I love most of all is talking about my own backyard, northern Manitoba. And that's why I bought forward a very im­por­tant reso­lu­tion about a very im­por­tant lack of service that we do not have in northern Manitoba, which is psychiatric assessments for children. And within the Throne Speech, not much has been bought up with that. And just imagine the entire popu­la­tion of children that are not being addressed in northern Manitoba and rural Manitoba to have this im­por­tant assessment done.

      Currently, my 17‑year-old, because of this lack assess­ment, is suspended from school. So, therefore, you know, when a parent gets a phone call such as this morning, your child is–has been suspended, and because this is the lack of services that this poor young woman needs, and the only way this can be done, if the RCMP intervenes.

      Now, just imagine if we lived in a wonderful world where this service was available in The Pas, I wouldn't be here as a stressful mother wondering what's next, right? So, these services need to be pro­vided for our children in northern Manitoba because it's just going to drive families and children into darker areas in their life, right? Like, imagine a family going through a crisis but the next available service is probably six hours away and six months away. All right?

      So, that is what my goal is to do, to advocate for these services for northern Manitoba and–because this was not even aimed or even think of–thought of as im­por­tant within the Throne Speech.

      Another thing that I wanted to bring up is the pro­v­incial gov­ern­ment, they fail to outline how will they reduce the number of Child and Family Services care and support who are currently in the system. I can truly, truly speak to this personally as a foster mother and dealing with the service that do not truly believe in reunification.

      I find that the children in care files are far more massive than the little, probably, couple of files of re­uniting families thoroughly. I honestly believe that it's much more easier to apprehend, and it's harder work to get a whole family together, especially when you're dealing with addictions and depression and suicide. That's tough work.

      So we need to change that mentality within the sys­tem, and the training and whatever lack of training that we currently have within this system. Like, we have people are not even trained who are making decisions, playing God with families of who and when gets to have their children. That mentality has to stop because it's destroying families, it's driving children to quit school, get into crime. And that is why we have this pathetic cycle that we used to go through for residential school; now it is the CFS system that the cycle is going through.

      And another thing that I wanted to talk about was the–fail to mention the start of the Lake Manitoba-Lake St. Martin channels project. As a repre­sen­tative for our com­mu­nities within the Interlake, right from the begin­ning, right from the get-go, this project has had problems.

      For example, you forgot a major stake­holder: the com­mu­nities that are actually affected. They were not talked about, they were not even, you know, a part of the plan. You know, was there employment even offered? You know, instead of these other companies always guaranteed these contracts, right? But the people here, all they want to be–all they wanted to be is to be included within the decisions, right? That is what your phantom con­sul­ta­tion process looks like, right?

      And con­sul­ta­tion is way more than sitting down and having a meeting. Con­sul­ta­tion is true part­ner­ship. Con­sul­ta­tion is actually having an Indigenous com­mu­nity with a solid seat at the table with decision making and benefits dripping down to the com­mu­nities. Right now, we see nothing.

      And another thing I want to talk about is the im­portance of an expansion of broadband services in rural and northern Manitoba. And–[interjection]–exactly. You know, some of these com­mu­nities that I have to go into, I have to let my chief of staff know, and my own staff know, I'll be off the radar for the whole afternoon, right?

      So, being within these com­mu­nities, you know, the–you know, yes, there's, you know, Internet, you know, for edu­ca­tion and all that, but what about safety? You know, for safety issues and whatnot, because I remember when the pandemic happened in Moose Lake, we had the army, you know, services going there, but there was no Wi-Fi, no Internet connection–[interjection]

* (15:40)

The Acting Speaker (Brad Michaleski): Order.

Ms. Lathlin: –we had to com­muni­cate through walkie-talkies. And so, with that, it's a safety issue as well.

      So, another thing I wanted to bring up is health-care services, parti­cularly eye-care services. I'm really looking forward to this breakfast that we all got an invitation to regarding diabetic eye health.

      Like I said, I'm currently going through health care for my own eyes. I'm a diabetic. I have to get injections and laser treatment in order for my sight not to get worse. And even these can't even help at the moment until my treatment is done.

      And I have people who are my age, at the age of 46, who are blind. They chose to go blind because the services are not offered to–where they live. They're afraid of the services. They can't afford the services. And they just chose to go blind.

      People my age are choosing to do that because of the point of not having a vehicle to come down here–[interjection]

The Acting Speaker (Brad Michaleski): Order.

      I would just like to remind the House, the member for The Pas-Kameesak has the floor.

      The level of con­ver­sa­tions are getting fairly high. So, if you could take a–drop it down a notch or take it to the loge, that would be much ap­pre­ciated.

Ms. Lathlin: Thank you very much for that.

      So, with closing, I just want to talk about that par­ti­cular service I was talking about. You know, I'm looking forward to attending that breakfast with the optometrist–I believe it's on Monday morning–and talk about how can we work together and people across–to ensure that these services can be provided.

      You know, we need incentive for somebody to go up there or a couple of people to go up there to provide these services. And this is very im­por­tant because, when we talk about northern Manitoba, we're talking about a high popu­la­tion of diabetics. That is my–that is why my good friend, the MLA for Thompson, is begging for that foot-care clinic to be back in Thompson.

      Did you know that Opaskwayak Cree Nation has the highest rate of amputations in northern Manitoba–in Manitoba altogether? And also, with that, with the foot-care clinic, you know, without that pre­ven­tative stage of care, we're going to contribute to that high number of amputations.

      And as a diabetic myself, shoot, I would hate to be living there, you know, as a diabetic. I would be protecting my feet and terrified if anything happened to them because I would probably have to travel to Winnipeg. Okay, do I have money in my bank ac­count? Do I have a vehicle? Do I have a place to stay there? Am I going to be able to eat, you know?

      So these are challenges that we face. And, unfor­tunately, these challenges are overbearing where we just neglect the health care. We can't make it to our ap­point­ments so we're getting sicker and sicker and sicker, the more that these folks ignore our cries for health-care services.

      So, with that, Mr. acting deputy services–Mr. Acting Deputy Speaker, again, it's an absolute honour to be standing here to put my issues on record. I speak from the heart. I speak for the people.

      And I again, too, want to em­pha­size the im­port­ance of our role here in this room. We always have to conduct ourselves with the utmost respect. We always have to conduct ourselves with the dignity that we deserve.

      You know, every single one of us here worked very hard to get here. It was a tough time to get here, some of us–thin–our skin had to get thicker. I can truly tell you mine is thick since I arrived here at 2015. But it still doesn't mean that I still can't get hurt in here. Okay? So, every single member here needs to under­stand that.

      Look at each other. Don't think every­thing is just fine on the face value. No. We have a lot of stuff going on back home and we leave our families, such as me, to come here and deal with this, when I would pro­bably want to be at home right now dealing with my kid who just got suspended from school, right?

      So, with our time here, respect each other. Think about the hard work we all pulled to get here, and don't forget that.

      So, have each other's back. I don't care where we're sitting here on this political spectrum that we have here. But take care of each other and respect each other. And that's what I want to leave my words on record.

      Ekosi.

Mr. Matt Wiebe (Concordia): Mr. Deputy Speaker, I ap­pre­ciate the op­por­tun­ity to rise and to put a few words on the record with regards to this year's Throne Speech.

      You know, I just wanted to say, Mr. Deputy Speaker, you know, politics is a tough, you know, occupation–or, a tough endeavour. There's a lot of really difficult decisions that we need to make on a daily basis. There's a lot of really nuanced positions that we often take and that we need to sort of navigate on behalf of our con­stit­uents. And I do think that most of us come to this place in a very honest and thought­ful way and do try to navigate those in the best way for our con­stit­uents.

      But, oftentimes, you know, the challenge in this job is communicating those positions in a way that folks can understand, that makes sense to them. And, you know, not every­thing gets communicated very clearly. Sometimes there's, as I said, there's nuance; there's grey areas; it can be very difficult to do that.

      What's really nice in politics is when there's a very clear black and white that is presented to the people of Manitoba. And I feel like that's the op­por­tun­ity that we got in this Throne Speech because for years we've had a gov­ern­ment that has been on this slow but very steady–well, sometimes not so slow, but very steady march towards priva­tiza­tion in so many different areas of gov­ern­ment. They've been on the march to cut, to strangle, to take the air out of some of the most im­por­tant public in­sti­tutions that we have in this province and in this country.

      And they've been doing that sometimes–as I said, sometimes quickly, sometimes slowly, but always trying to say, no, no, no, no, that's not what we're doing; actually, don't you know, we're spending more money that's ever been spent ever in the history of the universe, Mr. Deputy Speaker.

      That's what they say. We know it's not true, but that's what they've been saying. And they've been trying to bamboozle the people of Manitoba to think that they are actually not trying to cut and priva­tize our in­sti­tutions.

      Then we get an op­por­tun­ity like this Throne Speech where we have a Premier (Mrs. Stefanson) who, you know, takes off the mask, who doesn't try to hide it anymore and comes out very clearly to the people of Manitoba and says, I want to priva­tize health care in Manitoba.

      And if she thinks that that is the winning message that she's going to go to the people of Manitoba with, I encourage her to do that, because every single mem­ber on this side of the Chamber, day in and day out, whether it's in Concordia, whether it's in Transcona, whether it's in Kirkfield Park, we will say every single day, we believe in public health care in this province and across this country, and so do the people of Manitoba and across Canada.

      You know, the list–and I was hoping I'd have more time here, Mr. Deputy Speaker, because the list we have is a mile long–of the areas in which this gov­ern­ment has cut and privatized already. But I just want­ed to point out a few points that I think really high­light the impact that priva­tiza­tion can have.

      You know, I have been spending a lot of time in Kirkfield Park. You know, it is a by-election going on, but I really enjoy being out there and talking to the people in that com­mu­nity, because they do care. They are people who care deeply about health care, about their cost of living. You know, it's easy to paint people with one brush. It's easy to say, well, you know, isn't that a Conservative voting area.

      Well, first of all, I would take issue with that be­cause we, of course, had a very good MLA who many in this Chamber would know, Sharon Blady, re­presented those fine, fine folks. But it's easy to just say well, that's a Conservative household, right, or that's somebody who always votes Conservative. But I take the time, Mr. Deputy Speaker. I knock on the door and I say, you know, tell me your story. Let's hear what matters to you.

      And, you knowyou would beI'd be very sur­prised how many people come to me and say I'm a health-care worker; my daughter's a nurse; you know, my husband's a doctor. You know, across the board, we get people who work in health care who are telling us they see the effects day in and day out of the priva­tiza­tion and the use of agency nurses in the case of this couple I just talked to the other day. They see the impact that that's taking resources away from the public system and it's pumping it into the private system.

* (15:50)

      And we have a Premier who stands up and says, I'm proud of that; I'm proud to spend more in the pri­vate health-care system; I'm proud that we're sending people out of this province down to the United States; I'm proud that during our darkest hour during the COVID pandemic, our cuts–that is, the gov­ern­ment's cuts–and the priva­tiza­tion that had already been done led to so many people being shipped out of our pro­vince–some of our sickest people being shipped out of our province. It's absolutely shameful, Mr. Deputy Speaker.

      Cuts have con­se­quences. When we stood up in 2016 and we said, don't close our ERs, don't close Misericordia, don't close the Concordia ER and the Seven Oaks ER, this gov­ern­ment said, well, they're just fear mongering, this is–well, they're just making it up.

      We're living the ex­per­ience, now, of those cuts. We are living the con­se­quences of those cuts, Mr. Deputy Speaker.

      And you know, the–and the chickens have come home to roost for this gov­ern­ment. And now they say, well, oh, well the–don't worry, we'll fix it. Trust us. Trust us, they say. They broke it, Mr. Deputy Speaker. We, the NDP, will be the ones to fix it once again.

      You know, very briefly because I do want to give time to our brand new MLA for Thompson. And if I can just take a quick second while I have the floor to say what an amazing addition he's been to our team and what a great repre­sen­tative of what we should be doing here, bringing issues that are im­por­tant to his con­stit­uents to the floor of this Legislature. And we get the spin back, but, you know, what he's asking are real questions that actually affect his con­stit­uents, so I just wanted to quickly point that out.

      Very briefly, Mr. Deputy Speaker, the other thing I'm hearing on the doorstep in my own com­mu­nity, I'm hearing it every single door that I knock across this city and across the province, I've been a lot of places lately. I'm looking forward to being all over the place going forward. But we're hearing the issues of crime. We're hearing the issues of homelessness. We see it on our streets and it's not right. It's not right what's hap­­pening to our most vul­ner­able people in this province. They have no choice but to be on our streets. And that's not right.

      We brought forward a plan: the Houston model, it's been used elsewhere. You know, not exactly the socialist bastion down there in Texas, but we know that we can see examples where it's worked. We know that safe con­sump­tion sites work, we can go to the evidence. We're not making this up.

      You know, it's the Minister of Justice (Mr. Goertzen) who took that report and he ripped out that page. We got the real report that said safe con­sump­tion sites were a part of the solution, but he rip­ped that out because, I guess, members in his caucus said that they needed to be ideological about this. We won't be, Mr. Deputy Speaker.

      While we're losing housing in our city, while we're seeing our most vul­ner­able who are struggling, we need real answers. We need real steps that we can take. We've put forward that plan. Manitobans will get a chance–as I said, absolutely black and white. We are standing for publicly owned health care. We're stand­ing on the side of our most vul­ner­able. We will do that every single day, Mr. Deputy Speaker.

      And I'm glad that the Premier (Mrs. Stefanson) is taking the mask off. She's out in the open now. She's making sure that everybody understands where she stands. We're going to be clear. We're going to send that message. And we're looking forward to bringing that to the doorsteps of Manitobans hopefully very soon.

      Thank you, Mr. Deputy Speaker.

Mr. Eric Redhead (Thompson): It's an honour to stand here for the first time and respond to the PC's last Throne Speech.

      So I want to thank the con­stit­uents of Thompson for allowing me to be here today. And I want to thank my colleagues who have been a tre­men­dous support through­out this learning curve for me in my recent change in career. Each and every one of them have been very sup­port­ive, and I ap­pre­ciate that.

      I want to also thank my family for putting up with the long days and–away from home and all these other issues that come with this role. Nonetheless, I am honoured and I know my family is very proud of this today, so thank you.

      So, you know, I want to talk a little bit about the Throne Speech–obviously, that's why I'm here–and the issues that need to be addressed that weren't addressed in the Throne Speech. You know, Thompson and the North have been neglected for many, many years by this gov­ern­ment, and that Throne Speech proved that again this year.

      You know, when we're talking about health-care services, this is vital to our families, to our region, to our com­mu­nities. And the lack of services that are provided in the North, in Flin Flon, in The Pas–all over the North–is shameful, right.

      I mean, you know, when my con­stit­uents call me, saying, look, we need foot care; we need access to abortion clinics. These are the issues that the Throne Speech did not address, right? And we're here today to bring that to light, and the shamefulness of that–the lack of access to these services for the North. And so I wanted to put that on record.

      You know, it's not only that, but the Northern Patient Trans­por­tation Program is–it puts–it's still there apparently, right? I mean, I get calls from the office that people aren't able to access that service or they're denied it. Where an elder who's an amputee has to take a bus out of their own–or, pay out of their own pocket–take a bus from Thompson to Winnipeg–that's an eight-hour drive on a bus. They're denied a flight because of the cuts that this gov­ern­ment has put on the North. That's shameful, right?

      And I remember a few years ago, it wasn't even that long ago where it was recom­mended that an elder take a flight rather than take a bus when accessing medical services down in Winnipeg. What happened to that elder? They died on that bus of a heart attack. I don't know if you guys remember this but this just happened, right? And that shows the deep impacts that the Throne Speech has on northerners' health. I mean, that's shameful.

      That's–we're talking about people's lives. And when we're talking about people's lives, there's fam­ilies, right? There's–it goes on and on.

      And so, I wanted to bring health care up. And again, you know, even Thompson General still strug­gles with hot water issues. I still get calls that the hot water goes out from time to time and that health-care aides are still lugging up water–boiling water and–to give patients a bath. That's still happening–[interjection]–yes, I get calls from that from time to time, even after it was claimed to be fixed by this gov­ern­ment. That's shameful.

      I mean, I've had calls from members who went months without a proper bath in the hospital–months. All they had to do–they get a sponge bath. And, you know, this is 2022. Since when is that acceptable? You know, if your hot water goes out in your house, you're going to fix it, but if it goes out in a northern com­mu­nity with a prominently Indigenous popu­la­tion, well, that can wait.

      And then, talking about some Indigenous issues, I wanted to bring up the fact that, you know, over the past six years the PCs have been in office, and they've failed to implement the recon­ciliation strategy despite the legal obligation to do so, right? Legal obligation to do this.

      In my capacities before I became MLA, I've met with various ministers on recon­ciliation, and I can say that there was no dialogue. It was a dominated con­ver­sa­tion by the other side, right? And so it's–that's the approach that they want to take to recon­ciliation. I was so disheartened by that, I decided to run for MLA for the NDP to help address that issue.

      And so, it's this type of behaviour that–why I'm here today to try and change for the betterment of Manitobans, for the betterment of the North. And they're still not listening; they're still chatting over there, despite the fact that, you know, we're talking about Indigenous issues. But that just goes to show the type of narrative that this gov­ern­ment wants to im­plement, right? And it's very shameful.

* (16:00)

      And, you know, I have four children that I'm raising by myself as a single father. I want them to grow up in a respected environ­ment where they have access to child care, they have access to health care, they have access to quality edu­ca­tion. This Throne Speech does none of that, right? And it doesn't even address the cost of living.

      So, it's–I just wanted to point that out, that's it's a very, very shameful Throne Speech from this gov­ern­ment, and very happy that it's their last.

      Thank you.

Hon. Alan Lagimodiere (Minister of Indigenous Reconciliation and Northern Relations): They always say you save the best for last. I'm not sure what they mean when they say you're second last. I don't know what they would call you with that.

      So, anyway, the Throne Speech has reaffirmed our gov­ern­ment's commit­ment to advancing recon­ciliation. And we are continuing our whole‑of‑gov­ern­ment approach to advancing key recon­ciliation initia­tives, including economic recon­ciliation.

      As the Minister for Indigenous Recon­ciliation and Northern Relations, I am pleased to share what our gov­ern­ment is doing to advance recon­ciliation. The Premier (Mrs. Stefanson) of Manitoba and this gov­ern­ment, non‑Indigenous and Indigenous Manitobans have work­ed hard in advancing recon­ciliation since the Premier took office in November of 2021.

      And this work remains a priority for our gov­ern­ment as we high­lighted as one of the seven top com­mit­ments. The other commit­ments were: helping make com­mu­nities safer; helping families make ends meet; strengthening health care and reducing surgical and diag­nos­tic backlogs; helping make Manitoba more competitive; yes, helping protect our environ­ment, climate and parks; and helping build stronger com­mu­nities.

Mr. Andrew Micklefield, Deputy Speaker, in the Chair

      Each and every one of these commit­ments in the Throne Speech touches on and advances recon­cilia­tion as we engage with Indigenous people in actioning these priorities. Recon­ciliation is now inherent in the actions of every gov­ern­ment de­part­ment as they dir­ectly affect every Manitoban.

      To make com­mu­nities safer, our gov­ern­ment is  investing $1.7 million in N'Dinawemak–Our Relatives' Place, and Indigenous-led com­mu­nity re­source offering 24-7 warming space. This invest­ment will ensure there's a warm place for those in need this winter season.

      Addressing violence against women and girls, and the incidents of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls remains a priority for this gov­ern­ment. We are committed to release the first progress and update to the gender-based violence framework that will be released in the coming months.

      Our gov­ern­ment is also making downtown safer by extending a $3.6-million grant to the Downtown Com­mu­nity Safety Part­ner­ship.

      Our gov­ern­ment is helping all Manitobans, in­cluding Indigenous families, make ends meet by intro­ducing an $87-million family affordability package. This was intro­duced to help all families with children, seniors and vul­ner­able Manitobans. No distinctions have ever been made between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Manitobans. This is as it should be, focused on equality, and we are delivering.

      We're helping all Manitoban families by giving affordability cheques to all families and children under the age of 18; $250 will be given to the first‑born child, and $200 for each additional child. This is helping Manitobans during an historic inflation crisis, some of which is the result of the federal Liberal-NDP alliance, which affects affordability and the economy.

      Mr. Deputy Speaker, we want to help all Manitoban families during these difficult times, and we know provi­ding these funds to Manitobans will help relieve some of these stresses.

      Mr. Deputy Speaker, we are strengthening health care and reducing surgical and diag­nos­tic backlogs for all Manitobans, including the NDP. We are doing this in an approach that focuses on recon­ciliation. We have committed millions for health care outside of Winnipeg. We are taking the necessary steps to pro­vide health care closer to home because Manitobans deserve this.

      Mr. Deputy Speaker, I have recently been in­volved in discussions 'incompaning' addictions and the suicide crisis in northern Indigenous com­mu­nities. This national crisis requires strong leadership and col­lab­o­ration from all levels of gov­ern­ment. Our gov­ern­ment continues to build on our existing road map for mental health and wellness. We will complete and im­plement a prov­incially co‑ordinated strategy for sui­cide pre­ven­tion, focusing on youth and at-risk com­mu­nities, including First Nations and Indigenous com­mu­nities.

      We are committed to collaborating with Indigenous com­mu­nities, leadership and federal gov­ern­ment to im­prove wellness and mental health. We are committed to end substance abuse and provide needed addictions services and programs in Manitoba. This is a priority for our gov­ern­ment.

      Mr. Deputy Speaker, the Throne Speech points out that we are helping make Manitoba more com­petitive and are focused on strategic invest­ments to sup­port economic growth. Our gov­ern­ment created the Com­mu­nities Economic Dev­elop­ment Fund that will support northern economic dev­elop­ment by pro­vi­ding a reliable source of capital for northern busi­ness dev­elop­ment. The CEDF will soon re-open its busi­ness loan program to support key sectors of northern Manitobans' growing economy, which will benefit many of our northern relations' busi­nesses and com­mu­nities.

      We have invested $74 million in the Hudson Bay rail line, which will not only ensure continued rail service to northern and remote com­mu­nities, but will build a multi-modal trans­por­tation hub and trade gate­way that will attract increased invest­ments in the Port of Churchill, the closest Canadian port to Europe, creating jobs and busi­ness op­por­tun­ities, not only in North, but all of North America. The Port of Churchill is a jewel that was overlooked by the NDP for their entire 17-year term. Instead of coming up with a sus­tain­ability plan–

An Honourable Member: No plans.

Mr. Lagimodiere: None. The NDP decided it was better to provide handout funding, making the port dependent on continued gov­ern­ment handouts for survival. We know and support the importance of northern Manitoba in the future of Manitoba, and are taking action to give the hand up needed for a vital, sus­tain­able port that can serve all of North America.

      Unlike the NDP members' leave-it-in-the-ground policies, we are working hard to regain our reputation as a leading world mining juris­dic­tion. [interjection] Okay. We are working hard to regain our reputation as a leading world mining juris­dic­tion was–we recent­ly announced $5 million to improve and modernize systems that support mineral dev­elop­ment and ex­ploration and mining in Manitoba. [interjection]

Mr. Deputy Speaker: Order.

Mr. Lagimodiere: We will help stream­line regula­tory processes and enhance de­part­ment's internal capa­city to meaningful con­sul­ta­tion and en­gage­ment with First Nations and Métis com­mu­nities.

Mr. Jim Maloway (Elmwood): Very pleased to make a few comments on the Speech from the Throne.

      And, you know, I recog­nize that an election might be coming pretty soon, maybe sooner than we think. Hopefully we'll be back here in March.

      But there's some issues–some consumer issues–that the gov­ern­ment should be paying some attention to. I know they did step up on the catalytic converter issue and–you know, and we pushed that along. But there's some new issues that are coming up.

* (16:10)

      And, actually, in the last little while, we've seen quite a few articles on the market adjustment fees in the auto industry. I read, across Canada, people are having trouble buying new cars and dealers have taken advantage of consumers by requiring them to buy all of the extra warranties and rust-proofing and other things that are normally options that consumers do not have to buy. Now, if they don't buy these things, they're told they can't have the car.

      So it's incumbent upon this gov­ern­ment to–there's a minister in charge here, somewhere. The minister should be, you know, taking this up with the–well, actually, it's a violation of the federal Competition Act, to start with. But they should be looking at that angle there, and they should also be looking at the con­sumer legis­lation.

      In Ontario's case, there's legis­lation there where the gov­ern­ment can remind the dealers that they can­not do, or should not be doing stuff like this, basically forcing the consumers to pay way more for cars than they should have to.

      So, you know, there's other issues, too. Like, in the United States we have President Biden, over a year and a half ago, made an an­nounce­ment under the jobs–the big jobs fund for America to replace lead pipes in 10 million US households. And, you know, in Canada, we have federal guide­lines that came out with lead level require­ments, 2019. So the gov­ern­ment's got to be aware of this. President Biden is a year and a half ahead of this government on this parti­cular issue.

      And we have, you know, several thousand houses in my con­stit­uency, in other con­stit­uencies in this pro­vince, and the City knows where they are. I can't get a list of them, because they'll only give the infor­ma­tion to the owners of the houses. So, the gov­ern­ment should be involved with the munici­palities, City of Winnipeg and other munici­palities, in working out a system where homeowners can get help in replacing these lead pipes.

      So, you know–Mr. Deputy Speaker, you know, I don't want to slow down the process here. I know we've all got to get places. So, I'm going to–yes, I've got other things to say about this as well, but we can do that in the future.

      So, thank you very much, Mr. Deputy Speaker.

Hon. Heather Stefanson

 (Premier): It's an honour for me to rise in the Chamber today to put a few words on the record with respect to the Throne Speech that was intro­duced to Manitobans last week by Her Honour Anita Neville. And I want to thank her for every­thing that she does in the province of Manitoba.

      I want to start off today by thanking all of my  colleagues. I know that they have been out in their  con­­stit­uencies, they have been listening to Manitobans. And we're taking action based on what we are hearing out in our com­mu­nities. And this Throne Speech is really about what we heard from Manitobans and what their priorities are.

      We heard loud and clear, Mr. Deputy Speaker, that Manitobans want us to help make our com­mu­nities safer. They want us to help families make ends meet. They want us to strengthen health care and reduce the surgical and diag­nos­tic backlogs. They want us to help make Manitoba more competitive, and they want us to help protect our environ­ment, our climate and our parks. And they want us–to 'helb' us build stronger com­mu­nities. And, of course, advance recon­ciliation.

      Mr. Deputy Speaker, that is what we have heard loud and clear from Manitobans. Our gov­ern­ment will continue to listen to and to work with Manitobans, to accom­plish our shared goals together.

      Mr. Deputy Speaker, this upcoming year, Manitobans will be asked to make an im­por­tant choice about the future of our province. They will be asked to choose between the positive and forward‑looking vision of our Progressive Conservative team and the divisive and misguided ideology of the NDP. The Leader of the Op­posi­tion outlined that ideo­logy in his–[interjection]

Mr. Deputy Speaker: Order.

Mrs. Stefanson: –remarks to the Speech from the Throne.

      First, he said he would eliminate all private pro­vision of health care in Manitoba and stop Manitobans from receiving needed surgeries and tests out of province, Mr. Deputy Speaker. Former premier Gary Doer and other moderate New Democrats have historically supported contracting out with the private providers under a uni­ver­sal, publicly funded system. They have supported it because they know that con­tracting with private providers makes our public health‑care system better and more ac­ces­si­ble for Manitobans.

      Make no mistake, this is not a Gary Doer NDP op­posi­tion. The Leader of the Op­posi­tion's misguided ideology would result in more people waiting for care increasing pandemic backlogs and leaving Manitobans to suffer needlessly. That is not what Manitobans want, Mr. Deputy Speaker.

      The Leader of the Opposition and his party also want to raise taxes on Manitoba families. It's what they have done every time they have been in gov­ern­ment, and it is what they will do again if given the chance, Mr. Deputy Speaker. When they were in gov­ern­ment they broke their promise to Manitobans and raised the PST, taking $325 million out of the pockets of hard‑working Manitoba families. And in op­posi­tion they have voted against every single tax relief measure that we have brought forward for Manitobans.

      Mr. Deputy Speaker, they have opposed cumula­tive tax relief of $2,400 for average Manitobans and $4,800 for the average two-income family. Unlike the NDP's ideological agenda, our vision outlined in this Throne Speech will make Manitoba stronger, it will make Manitoba safer, and it will make Manitoba more affordable.

      With the price of essentials like gas and groceries going up, we know that families need help now, and we are responding to those needs. In the spring we announced a continuation of our plan to eliminate edu­ca­tion property taxes on resi­den­tial and farm prop­erties, increasing the Edu­ca­tion Property Tax rebate to 37 and a half per cent. Next year, as announced in the Throne Speech, the rebate will grow to 50 per cent, putting $700 more in the pocket of the average Manitoban.

      We also announced our $87-million Family Affordability Package this summer, provi­ding the average Manitoba family with $450 and low-income seniors with $300 to help with the cost of gas, with the cost of groceries and other essentials. And what did members opposite do about that? They voted against it, Madam Speaker–or Mr. Speaker.

      And Manitoba Public Insurance has provided $500 million in rebates to Manitoba drivers, including an average rebate of $700 per vehicle for Manitobans.

      Our Throne Speech commits to provi­ding even more relief from rising costs, and we will continue to do every­thing we can to reduce the cost of living and help families make ends meet. We have been listening to Manitobans. We are taking action and we are get­ting the job done on their behalf.

      Mr. Deputy Speaker, we have all seen the recent rise in crime in Manitoba, including a sig­ni­fi­cant up­tick in violent crime. I said it publicly just a few weeks ago, and I will say it again, enough is enough; we are taking action. This year's Throne Speech continues to make that im­por­tant point. It offers a balanced ap­proach that gets tough on violent offenders while ad­dressing the root causes of crime.

* (16:20)

      Over the last month, we have announced $15 million for Manitoba's first‑ever homelessness strategy; $3.2 million for an intensive bail supervision and high‑risk warrant en­force­ment unit to crack down on the most dangerous repeat violent offenders through­out Manitoba; and $3.6 million for the Downtown Community Safety Part­ner­ship provi­ding eyes and ears on the streets of downtown Winnipeg.

      Mr. Deputy Speaker, these measures will help address the root 'crauses' of crime. They will help make our com­mu­nities safer. They will protect the most vul­ner­able people in our com­mu­nities and it will keep the high-risk offenders off our streets.

      Mr. Deputy Speaker, our Throne Speech pro­mises to improve the safety and well-being of our entire province. Through im­prove­ments to tech­no­lo­gy, to training and increased police presence, we will make Manitoba safer.

      We all know the pandemic created challenges in our health-care system, including a sig­ni­fi­cant back­log in surgeries and diag­nos­tic tests. Over the last year, we esta­blished a diag­nos­tic and surgical task––recovery task force that has reduced the backlog for several procedures, including sig­ni­fi­cant progress in cataract surgeries and hip and knee re­place­ments. Mr. Deputy Speaker, we are making progress so that Manitobans can stop waiting and start living.

      We have invested $812 million to build, expand and fix health-care facilities in every region of our province. And our Throne Speech commits to a new multi-year, multi-billion-dollar capital invest­ment in our hospitals right here in our capital city in Winnipeg.

      On this side of the House we know that health-care staffing is just as critical as system capacity. To increase nursing capacity we committed and then sur­passed our goal of adding over 400 nursing seats to our post-secondary in­sti­tutions.

      And our gov­ern­ment is investing $200 million in a plan to retain and to train and to recruit more than 2,000 health-care pro­fes­sionals across our great pro­vince. And I can tell you, Mr. Deputy Speaker, it was an honour to stand with the Minister of Health (Ms. Gordon) just a couple of weeks ago, along with Doctors Manitoba, along with nurses, along with those in our health-care fields where we have been lis­ten­ing to those on the front line as to what is needed out there. We have been listening to them, we are taking action and we are getting things done for those in our province.

      Mr. Deputy Speaker, we recog­nize that there's more work to be done, and that's why we will always put patient care first and we will never allow ideology to get in the way of patient care in our province.

      Mr. Deputy Speaker, our gov­ern­ment believes that Manitoba is poised to lead the country in econ­omic growth. We are creating jobs and attracting in­vest­ments like never before in this great province of ours. Our GDP is projected to grow by 3.6 per cent this year, and we have ex­per­ienced sig­ni­fi­cant re­bounds in retail sales, in manufacturing sales and in farm cash receipts. We have gained over 55,000 full-time jobs in many of our key industries, from agri­cul­ture processing, to mining, to film and television production, all are expanding rapidly right here in this beautiful province of ours.

      Earlier this month, Mr. Deputy Speaker, we an­nounced a new water manage­ment strategy, and I want to thank the minister for bringing that forward. It was great to be with him at that an­nounce­ment along with many of my colleagues. This is one of the most im­por­tant things we can do in our province, the first of its kind in almost 20 years and a critical blueprint for managing our abundant water resources effective­ly as our economy grows.

      As the minister said just today in question period, in response to a question from members opposite, it's im­por­tant to note that every drop of water counts and we will ensure that we implement this water manage­ment strategy. It's absolutely critical for economic dev­elop­ment and for our province, Mr. Deputy Speaker, so very excited to be a part of that.

      We invested $50 million in a new venture capital fund and we have already received $100 million worth of private sector enquiries looking to invest in Manitoba alongside that fund. That is going to be so exciting for the future growth op­por­tun­ities right here in this beautiful province of ours.

      And we have re-energized our mining sector, ap­proving our first potash mine and investing $10 million in the Manitoba Mineral Dev­elop­ment Fund to support this critical industry here in Manitoba. I–we were at one point No. 1 in the world when it comes to mining in our province and we have–we've slipped behind, but we are going to be No. 1 again, you mark my words, Mr. Deputy Speaker.

      Our central location and proximity to the United States make us a potential hub for continental trade. Hudson Bay and the Port of Churchill give us unique access to global markets. This year, we announced $1.5 billion to support Manitoba's trade and com­merce grid, and the Winnipeg One Million Perimeter Freeway Initiative ensuring the efficient movement of goods along key trade corridors. We recently an­nounced a $40‑million commit­ment in the expansion and future dev­elop­ment of CentrePort South, North America's largest inland port and foreign trade zone.

      And we are investing over $73 million in up­grading the rail line to Churchill, enhancing our export capacity at a critical time for the global economy. And one day, soon, Mr. Deputy Speaker, western Canadian exporters from the Rocky Mountains to Hudson Bay will have secure access to global markets, right here, in Manitoba.

      Mr. Deputy Speaker, we are working to grow our economy. We are working to attract invest­ment and we are working to create good jobs for Manitoba families right across this great province of ours. Manitobans will have a choice to make this coming year. They can choose the NDP's ideological agenda, which offers a higher cost of living, which offers more crime on the streets in our com­mu­nities across this province and a stagnant economy. I don't think that's what and we don't think that's what Manitobans want.

      The other choice they have is, they can choose our positive vision for a Manitoba which offers a life of affordability, which offers a safer streets in our com­mu­nities and good jobs right here in Manitoba, Mr. Deputy Speaker. [interjection]

      Keep clapping.

      So Mr. Deputy Speaker, I am confident in Manitobans and I am confident that Manitobans, when they are given the chance, they will make the right decision. Manitobans will support the vision outlined in our Throne Speech because that came from them. It came as a result of all of my colleagues going out and listening to Manitobans.

      We heard loud and clear what they wanted and that is reflected in this Throne Speech. Manitobans will support the vision outlined in our Throne Speech and they will elect a third straight consecutive Progressive Conservative gov­ern­ment in the province of Manitoba. [interjection]

      Keep clapping.

* (16:30)

Mr. Deputy Speaker: The hour being 4:30 p.m., I am interrupting the proceedings to put the questions necessary to dispose with the proposed motion of the hon­our­able member for Borderland (Mr. Guenter), that is the motion for an address in reply to the Speech from the Throne and all amend­ments to that motion.

      Therefore, the question before the House is the pro­posed subamend­ment of the hon­our­able member for St. Boniface (Mr. Lamont), that is the sub­amend­ment to the motion for an address in reply to the Speech from the Throne.

      Do members wish to have the sub­amend­ment read?

Some Honourable Members: No.

Mr. Deputy Speaker: Is it the pleasure of the House to adopt the sub­amend­ment?

Some Honourable Members: Agreed.

Some Honourable Members: No.

Mr. Deputy Speaker: I hear a no.

Voice Vote

Mr. Deputy Speaker: All those in favour of the sub­amendment, please say yea.

Some Honourable Members: Yea.

Mr. Deputy Speaker: All those opposed, please say nay.

Some Honourable Members: Nay.

Mr. Deputy Speaker: In my opinion, the Nays have it.

* * *

Hon. Jon Gerrard (River Heights): On division, Mr. Deputy Speaker.

Mr. Deputy Speaker: On division. Defeated on division.

      The question before the House is the motion of the leader of the–the hon­our­able Leader of the Official Op­posi­tion party (Mr. Kinew), that is, the amend­ment to the motion for an address in reply to the Speech from the Throne.

      Is it the pleasure of the House to have the amend­ment read?

Some Honourable Members: Agreed.

Some Honourable Members: No.

Mr. Deputy Speaker: The proposed–just want to figure out where to start reading. Okay. The amend­ment reads as follows:

THAT the motion be amended by adding at the end the following words:

But this House regrets that the provincial government has:

  (a)  demonstrated to Manitobans that the Premier is continuing former premier Brian Pallister's agenda of health-care cuts and privatization while giving cheques to billionaires; and

  (b)  refused to reverse its cuts to public healthcare and is instead pushing through further pri­vatization of Manitoba's public health-care system, bringing the province closer to a cost­lier and inequitable American-style two-tier health-care system; and

  (c)  fails to address the current health-care crisis in Manitoba that is putting intense strain on front-line health-care workers and patients waiting in pain in emergency rooms, espe­cially in pediatric facilities such as the Health Science Centre's Children's Hospital; and

  (d)  continued to cut northern health care and mental-health services in the North; and

  (e)  fails to fill widespread staff vacancies in home­care so that seniors and vulnerable Manitobans have access to quality and timely care; and

  (f)  refused to call an independent public inquiry into Manitoba's pandemic response to learn from its mistakes and bring forward changes to improve the lives of Manitoba families and strengthen the health-care system; and

  (g)  continued to cut and underfund K‑to‑12 edu­ca­tion in Manitoba while class sizes keep on increasing, while offering no real plans to support adult education; and

  (h)  refused to address the addictions crisis by failing to provide investments into harm reduc­tion initiatives including safe consump­tion sites; and

  (i)   continued to make misleading statements on safe consumption sites by citing non-existent safe consumption sites in California; and

  (j)   refused to address the housing crisis by fail­ing to build affordable social and supportive housing; and

  (k)  failed to act to improve access to mental-health services across the province, par­ticularly for youth and children and those living in remote and rural areas, as well as supports for children in Child and Family Services care; and

  (l)   failed to take actions to address the epidemic of missing and murdered women, girls and two-spirited people and failed to offer any concrete supports to help prevent domestic violence and to help those fleeing domestic violence; and

(m)  failed to outline how the provincial govern­ment will reduce the number of children in Child and Family Services care and support those who have left the system; and

(n)   continued to make life more expensive for aver­age Manitobans by raising taxes on renters, cutting services, hiking hydro rates, attacking workers and increasing the price of essentials at the grocery store while offering no supports for producers; and

(o)   refused to support workers while freezing their wages and undermining workers in the public service by leaving positions vacant in important sectors such as highway safety and health care; and

(p)   continued to attack collective bargaining in the province while failing to bring in paid sick days or health and safety supports for working Manitobans to keep them safe and healthy at work; and

(q)   refused to take concrete initiatives to advance reconciliation with Indigenous peoples of Manitoba yet again by failing to complete legally required duties or make progress to repair the damage caused by former premier Pallister's hurtful comments; and

(r)    refused to increase funding for municipalities like Brandon, Dauphin, Selkirk, Gimli, Thompson and Flin Flon, leaving their bud­gets frozen for the seventh straight year; and

(s)    failed to take meaningful action to combat climate change, while pushing ahead with a plan to privatize provincial parks; and

(t)    failed to mention the fact the province has failed to even start the Lake Manitoba-Lake St. Martin Channels project while under­spending by millions of dollars in infra­structure projects such as highway main­tenance and repair and failing to staff road clearing services adequately especially in northern Manitoba; and

(u)   continued its attack on post-secondary stu­dents and institutions by forging ahead with the plan to cut funding for universities and colleges while increasing tuition and failing to support English language services for new­comers and refugees; and

(v)   failed to offer any vision for supporting the people of northern Manitoba as the Provincial Government continues to cut es­sen­tial business supports for the people of the North; and

(w)   offered no supports for producers suffering from high input costs and other challenges during this cost of living crisis; and

(x)   failed to support francophone services in Manitoba; and

(y)   failed to support an expansion of broadband services in rural and northern Manitoba; and

(z)    failed to mention how the provincial govern­ment will work towards creating an equitable Manitoba for everyone, particularly people of colour, women, Indigenous peoples and mem­­bers of equity‑seeking groups; and

(aa)  failed to fill vacancies in important positions in the Justice department such as Crown attor­neys in locations across the province; and

(bb)  failed to implement a comprehensive plan to support people with disabilities during this cost of living crisis.

As a consequence of these and many other failings, the provincial government has thereby lost the trust and confidence of the people of Manitoba and this House.

      Is it the pleasure of the House to adopt the amend­ment?

Some Honourable Members: Yes.

Some Honourable Members: No.

Mr. Deputy Speaker: I hear a no.

Voice Vote

Mr. Deputy Speaker: All those in favour of the amend­ment, please say yea.

Some Honourable Members: Yea.

Mr. Deputy Speaker: All those opposed, please say nay.

Some Honourable Members: Nay.

Mr. Deputy Speaker: I believe the Nays have it.

Recorded Vote

Ms. Nahanni Fontaine (Official Opposition House Leader): A recorded vote, please.

Mr. Deputy Speaker: A recorded vote having been called, call in the members.

* (16:40)

Division

A RECORDED VOTE was taken, the result being as follows:

Yeas

Altomare, Asagwara, Brar, Bushie, Fontaine, Gerrard, Kinew, Lamont, Lamoureux, Lathlin, Lindsey, Maloway, Marcelino, Moses, Naylor, Redhead, Sala, Sandhu, Smith (Point Douglas), Wasyliw, Wiebe.

Nays

Clarke, Cox, Cullen, Eichler, Ewasko, Friesen, Goertzen, Gordon, Guenter, Guillemard, Helwer, Isleifson, Johnson, Johnston, Khan, Lagassé, Lagimodiere, Martin, Michaleski, Morley‑Lecomte, Nesbitt, Pedersen, Piwniuk, Reyes, Schuler, Smith (Lagimodière), Smook, Squires, Stefanson, Teitsma, Wharton, Wishart, Wowchuk.

Clerk (Ms. Patricia Chaychuk): Yeas 21, Nays 33.

Mr. Deputy Speaker: I declare the amend­ment lost.

* * *

Mr. Deputy Speaker: The question before the House is the motion of the hon­our­able member for Borderland (Mr. Guenter), that is the motion for an address in reply to the Speech from the Throne.

      Do members wish to have the motion read?

Some Honourable Members: No.

Mr. Deputy Speaker: Is it the pleasure of the House to adopt the motion?

Some Honourable Members: Agreed.

Some Honourable Members: No.

Mr. Deputy Speaker: I hear a no.

Voice Vote

Mr. Deputy Speaker: All those in favour, please say yea.

Some Honourable Members: Yea.

Mr. Deputy Speaker: All those opposed, please say nay.

Some Honourable Members: Nay.

Mr. Deputy Speaker: In my opinion, the Yeas have it.

Recorded Vote

Hon. Kelvin Goertzen (Government House Leader): Recorded vote, Mr. Deputy Speaker.

Mr. Deputy Speaker: A recorded vote having been called, call in the members.

Division

A RECORDED VOTE was taken, the result being as follows:

Yeas

Clarke, Cox, Cullen, Eichler, Ewasko, Friesen, Goertzen, Gordon, Guenter, Guillemard, Helwer, Isleifson, Johnson, Johnston, Khan, Lagassé, Lagimodiere, Martin, Michaleski, Morley‑Lecomte, Nesbitt, Pedersen, Piwniuk, Reyes, Schuler, Smith (Lagimodière), Smook, Squires, Stefanson, Teitsma, Wharton, Wishart, Wowchuk.

Nays

Altomare, Asagwara, Brar, Bushie, Fontaine, Gerrard, Kinew, Lamont, Lamoureux, Lathlin, Lindsey, Maloway, Marcelino, Moses, Naylor, Redhead, Sala, Sandhu, Smith (Point Douglas), Wasyliw, Wiebe.

Clerk (Ms. Patricia Chaychuk): Yeas 33, Nays 21.

Mr. Deputy Speaker: I declare the motion carried.

* * *

Mr. Goertzen: Mr. Deputy Speaker, could you please canvass the House to see if it's the will of members to call it 5 p.m.?

Mr. Deputy Speaker: Is it the will of members to call it 5 p.m.? [Agreed]

      The hour being 5 p.m., this House is adjourned and stands adjourned until Monday at 1:30 p.m.

      Have a good and safe weekend, everybody.


 


LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA

Thursday, November 24, 2022

CONTENTS


Vol. 8

ROUTINE PROCEEDINGS

Introduction of Bills

Bill 8–The Off-Road Trails Safety and Maintenance Act

Wharton  229

Ministerial Statements

Holodomor Memorial Day

A. Smith  229

Wasyliw   230

Lamoureux  230

Small Business Saturday

Cullen  231

Moses 231

Lamont 232

Members' Statements

BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir

Schuler 232

Disability Benefits

Naylor 233

Seeking Mental Wellness

Lagassé  233

Dr. Krishan Sethi

Lindsey  234

St. Raphael Wellness Centre

Gerrard  234

Oral Questions

Health‑Care System

Kinew   234

Stefanson  235

COVID Pandemic Review

Asagwara  237

Gordon  237

Request to Establish Seniors Advocate

Marcelino  238

Johnston  238

PC Candidate for Kirkfield Park

Fontaine  239

Goertzen  239

Northern Health-Care Services

Redhead  240

Gordon  240

Federal Emergencies Act Inquiry

Lamont 240

Goertzen  241

Child and Family Services

Gerrard  241

Squires 241

Substance Abuse Solutions

Teitsma  242

Guillemard  242

Water Management Strategy

Naylor 242

Wharton  242

University of Manitoba–Dietetics

Moses 243

Reyes 243

Petitions

Executive Function Disorder Supports

Gerrard  245

ORDERS OF THE DAY

GOVERNMENT BUSINESS

Throne Speech

(Sixth Day of Debate)

Helwer 247

B. Smith  247

Sandhu  251

Lathlin  252

Wiebe  254

Redhead  256

Lagimodiere  257

Maloway  258

Stefanson  259