ORAL QUESTION PERIOD

Winnipeg Jets

Agreement Tabling Request

Mr. Gary Doer (Leader of the Opposition): Madam Speaker, my question is to the First Minister.

Madam Speaker, in 1991, we received a copy of a summary agreement between the Province of Manitoba, the City of Winnipeg and the Winnipeg Jets hockey team indicating an operating loss agreement. We were told publicly at that time that the operating loss agreement would run about $10 million over the six years of that agreement that the Premier had signed, and it took us about three years later to find out that the government had in its possession projections to show a $43-million loss over that same period of time.

In light of the fact that we received on Friday a number of summaries of agreements and proposals that have been made by the province to the present owners of the Winnipeg hockey team, and in light of the fact that we are a shareholder, the public of Manitoba through this Premier's signature is a shareholder to the hockey team, would the Premier today table the full text of the proposed purchase agreement so that all Manitobans can see it and review it as they should?

Hon. Gary Filmon (Premier): Madam Speaker, as part of the preamble, the member referenced the fact that we said the losses would be about $10 million. They turned out to be $9 million over the life of the agreement, not the 43 that he went around the province saying, very falsely, of course. So it is that kind of misinformation that does not help any debate on issues of this nature.

There is, at this point, no agreement that has been agreed to, and so there is nothing to table because nothing has been agreed to.

Mr. Doer: Madam Speaker, I will get some xeroxed copies of the auditor's report so the Premier can refresh his memory on the $43.5-million loss.

Is the Premier saying today that in light of the fact that we are 18 percent owners of this team at present, we have invested or committed ourselves to $111 million in public investment to a new facility, $37 million of which has been committed by the Premier, that Jules Benson is on the interim board, is the Premier saying that he is just like Barry Shenkarow and has not agreed to this proposal? Is that what he is saying or could he tell us whether it is yes or no to the proposed purchase agreement, as outlined by Izzy Asper and articulated as a full and embellished agreement of the deal that they had previously with the owners of the team?

Mr. Filmon: Madam Speaker, getting back to the postamble or preamble to this question, the fact of the matter is that the estimate was $10 million, the actual tax expenditure was $9 million, and the member continues to refer to a worst-case scenario which we said was not the basis on which decisions are made.

In return for the $9 million that we spent, we received $17 million in direct taxes to the provincial government. That is exactly the scenario, and of course, New Democrats would have had the team out wearing a Minnesota uniform years ago. That is exactly where they have always stood on this issue. That is fine. They can get away with all of the criticism. They can get away with all of the negativism that they want, but that is why they are on that side of the House.

Madam Speaker, the proposal that he is referring to is a proposal between the group called Spirit of Manitoba which is the successor to MEC and Jets 8 Hockey Ventures, which is the majority-ownership group under Mr. Shenkarow. Those are the proposals that are out there which have not been agreed to, and, therefore, at this point, there is nothing to be tabled.

Winnipeg Jets/Arena

Donations--Tax Deductibility

Mr. Gary Doer (Leader of the Opposition): This is why the public is quite concerned. There are secret negotiations going on between the business community. There are secret taxes that the government has been involved in preparing, and the Premier will not table that in this Legislature and will not even tell us whether it is yes or no in terms of the proposal. No wonder the public does not trust this government in terms of dealing openly and honestly about their money and their investments in their community.

I would like to ask the Premier a final question, and I hope he answers the first question about whether it is yes or no. The Premier has indicated in this House before that he is opposed to a tax-free status for people like Hartley Richardson and others to be considered a charity under the tax act.

Has the government now reversed its position with this proposal to purchase the hockey team, which says it is subject to a tax agreement from Revenue Canada on the charitable-status proposal?

Hon. Gary Filmon (Premier): Madam Speaker, again, we have always indicated that the decision on that particular issue rests with Revenue Canada, and I have not changed my position on the matter.

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Winnipeg Jets

Operating Losses

Mr. Tim Sale (Crescentwood): I would like to table a document in regard to my question.

Madam Speaker, the government has frequently stated that the people of Manitoba will not be subject to any further losses under any circumstances or conditions, and yet article 4 of the agreement of which I have just tabled the summary states that: If and when the team is ever sold, the payments for the various partners in the project will include, before any monies are paid out to the province or the city, the repayment of the endowment fund. It will include any liabilities for the Spirit Limited partnership; that is, their losses. It will include any monies contributed to the fund.

Will the minister confirm today that the impact of article 4 is to put the Jets' losses back on the public side of the ledger?

Hon. Eric Stefanson (Minister of Finance): Absolutely not, Madam Speaker, and one other element of any potential agreements that are reached is there will be a separate lease agreement between the City of Winnipeg and the Province of Manitoba through whatever entity owns a new entertainment facility if it is built.

That lease arrangement, Madam Speaker, will have a sharing of proceeds based on any disposition, a sharing of proceeds of 50-50 on any disposition for a fixed period of time, which basically puts governments' dollar-for-dollar, coming out equally with the new money that is going in to keep the Jets here in Winnipeg, being the first dollars out, but the government is getting a very direct return before any other distribution to any other equity holders.

Mr. Sale: First of all, is the minister then saying to the House that there are some requirements in this deal which have not been referred to in the deal at all, specifically in regard to some period of time before which the team can be sold? Is there a fixed period of time before which the team can be sold in any paper that you have submitted so far as part of this deal?

Mr. Stefanson: The agreement the member is referring to is one that was tabled late Thursday between the Spirit of Manitoba which is the group of Manitobans, private-sector investors, who want to keep the Jets here in Manitoba, an offer being made to the current owners of the Winnipeg Jets Hockey Club.

There will be many other types of agreements. One of the most significant will be a lease agreement between the City of Winnipeg, Province of Manitoba and the new venture that owns the hockey club. That will have a fixed term on a lease. It will have a sharing of disposition on any sale of any hockey team. It will have a disposition of 50-50 if the venture makes any profits. That will be an agreement that will deal with those kinds of issues.

Guaranteed Stay

Mr. Tim Sale (Crescentwood): The contempt for the public continues--

Madam Speaker: Order, please.

Mr. Sale: Will the minister tell the House today, what is the government's proposed length of the guaranteed stay of the hockey team should this offer be accepted?

Hon. Eric Stefanson (Minister of Finance): The proposed term of lease on the new facility is a minimum of 20 years, potentially longer. Having said that, if under a worst-case scenario, if the money that the private sector has raised is all utilized, if the endowment fund is depleted, if for whatever reason expenses cannot be controlled and the operations continue to lose money, there might well be a period earlier than that that it is in the best interests of everybody to dispose of the team.

If that happens, as I have already outlined very clearly for this House, any proceeds of disposition would then be split 50-50 with the two levels of government. They would get a return of 50 percent of the proceeds. The other 50 percent of the proceeds would be going to the private sector.

Today, we are talking about values for these franchises of $80 million or $90 million or $100 million. So that gives you a sense of the magnitude that would come back to the two levels of government basically as an endowment fund and towards the $111 million that governments would put forward to build a facility.

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First Nations

Child Mortality Rate

Mr. Oscar Lathlin (The Pas): Madam Speaker, today we are seeing information released from the annual report of the pediatric death review committee of the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Manitoba indicating that Status Indian children were two and a half times more likely to die before they turned 14 than the non-native children.

Data from Medical Services branch since 1976 indicates that the infant mortality rate amongst the registered Indian population has not changed in almost 20 years.

These are real people. These are human beings we are talking about.

Given these statistics, I would like to ask the Minister of Health, if as the Minister of Health of this province, does he feel any sense of responsibility over this situation, and what is he prepared to do in responding to that tragic incidence of death amongst First Nations children?

Hon. James McCrae (Minister of Health): The statistic referred to by the honourable member in the report of the Manitoba College of Physicians and Surgeons dealing with infant or child deaths in the province of Manitoba is, indeed, indicative of a larger issue, and is not a new one.

In fact, it is a very old issue in this country of ours and one that I think we have made some beginnings here in Manitoba at addressing by bringing together various departments through our Child and Youth Secretariat and by accepting the bulk of the report on the health of Manitoba's children.

There is a lot of work to be done, and this is only one statistic. In every statistic relating to the status or well-being of people in Canada, those statistics relating to aboriginal peoples in our country are consistently worse than statistics relating to the rest of the population.

I am very, very mindful of that. The honourable member and I have both been mindful of that for a very long time, and I think with the child health strategy, we may be able to be successful, it is my hope, in bringing various jurisdictions, various orders of government together to attempt to address the problems associated and which lay behind these statistics.

Department of Health

Aboriginal Health Specialist

Mr. Oscar Lathlin (The Pas): Given that the aboriginal health specialist's position within the Department of Health was just filled in 1993, I would like to ask the minister if he feels that this one single $29,000 resource within a $1.8-million health budget is sufficient to deal with those conditions within the Manitoba aboriginal population, such as the prevalence of Type II diabetes to be up to 8.7 percent of the Indian population compared to 3 percent for the rest of Manitobans, suicide rates being five times higher, 47 percent of on-reserve housing lacking central heating, higher hospitalization case rates, just to name a few, Madam Speaker.

Hon. James McCrae (Minister of Health): Madam Speaker, I do not think any one initiative, taken all by itself, will address the enormity of the problem that our nation faces in this regard.

My best hope is to attempt to achieve partnership. It is not something I would like to claim the kind of success that I would like to claim, but it is something I and my colleagues are quite prepared to continue to work toward.

Aboriginal Health Care

Tripartite Agreement

Mr. Oscar Lathlin (The Pas): Is this minister and his government committed to working with other levels of government, specifically the federal, and aboriginal governments like Swampy Cree Tribal Council, to co-ordinate a tripartite approach to both address and remedy those horrible conditions?

Hon. James McCrae (Minister of Health): We always have been, Madam Speaker, and always will be. The thing that needs to happen is that all levels of government need to come to the table prepared to give and to take, and it cannot be all my way. It cannot be all somebody else's way. We are going to make progress when we decide that women and children in our province come first.

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Waterhen First Nation

Meeting Request

Mr. Stan Struthers (Dauphin): My question is for the Minister of Northern and Native Affairs.

Earlier today, on behalf of a delegation of residents from the Waterhen First Nation, I asked the minister to meet with them following Question Period.

Is the minister prepared to review with an open mind the buffalo compound situation at Waterhen?

Hon. Darren Praznik (Minister responsible for Native Affairs): As the member has indicated, he wrote to me earlier in the day and asked if I would meet with representatives of the delegation that are here today at 2:30. I am certainly prepared to do that. I am not going to comment one way or another on any specifics of issues they might wish to raise at that particular time.

We will have our meeting following Question Period.

Mr. Struthers: Would the Minister of Native and Northern Affairs then be willing to release publicly his analysis regarding the situation concerning the buffalo compound at the First Nation at Waterhen?

Mr. Praznik: Madam Speaker, one should appreciate that the member, this morning, sent a letter to my office asking for me to meet with the delegation. He is asking now for specifics and analysis on particular issues.

I, quite frankly, am not fully conversant with the matters that are going to be raised. My deputy minister had some discussions today while I was tied up in other meetings. The particular issue that he raises was not one that was flagged with my deputy minister, so, quite frankly, he asks today in Question Period for information that I expect to be raised with me following Question Period.

I think it is quite unfair to ask for a comment today on an issue that has not really been flagged other than this morning with me. I will await our discussions following Question Period.

Mr. Struthers: How long then is the minister willing to meet this afternoon with the delegation from the Waterhen First Nation, given that this is not an issue that just came up this morning? It has been in the news and in the media for the better part of the year.

Mr. Praznik: Madam Speaker, first of all, the member for Dauphin wrote to me this morning requesting a meeting which I am prepared to have. The member did not request a meeting a week or so ago in which I would have had an opportunity to prepare information for issues. He did not flag issues that he wanted to discuss.

I must also indicate that my deputy minister in discussions that he had today in setting up this meeting for this afternoon, the issue that he raises was not one that was flagged. The issues that were flagged for discussion are somewhat different. They may be related; I am not sure. I will have to wait for the meeting.

I would suggest to the member for Dauphin that if he wishes to be effective in trying to advance whatever position with government, he should be more specific and give people an opportunity to come to the table prepared to discuss information because they have had suitable notice to be prepared.

The member has not provided that and today in Question Period, possibly to play to the gallery, the member asks these questions. I think there are better ways to be more--

Point of Order

Mr. Steve Ashton (Opposition House Leader): Madam Speaker, I think the comments of the minister are highly out of order. If the minister does not have an answer, it would be better if he would sit down and leave it at that rather than make accusations against the member for Dauphin who is doing his job as a member of the Legislature in asking this question.

Madam Speaker: The honourable member for Thompson indeed does have a point of order.

I would remind all honourable members that answers to questions, according to Beauschene 417, should not be lengthy, should not contain argument or debate and/or provoke debate.

Seven Oaks Hospital

Funding Reduction

Mr. Dave Chomiak (Kildonan): Madam Speaker, two weeks ago in this Chamber we raised with the government the issue of the more than $2 million in cuts at Seven Oaks Hospital. We got the usual government denials.

Today I have in front of me a memo that outlines those cuts. It indicates that those cuts are in fact $2.4 million and will result in a loss of approximately 45 positions at Seven Oaks Hospital.

My question to the minister is, what is the government's position on these cuts since they have been imposed on the hospital by this government?

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Hon. James McCrae (Minister of Health): Madam Speaker, last November the honourable Minister of Finance (Mr. Stefanson) made known to the hospitals, personal care homes and community health centres that the budget for those institutions for this fiscal year would be the same as for last fiscal year, that being $1.2 billion. Within that appropriation it was made clear that there would be more money made available within that appropriation for personal care facilities and for community health centres. That means the money would come from the acute care sector, which is what health reform is about. It is about bringing closer to the community, services in the community and making sure that the acute system is able to look after its responsibilities as well.

Seven Oaks Hospital is in a similar position to other hospitals, in that it has to make its contribution. We are doing that with the aid of labour adjustment strategies, which we hope will keep the possibility of layoff to an absolute minimum.

Mr. Chomiak: Madam Speaker, my supplementary to the minister is, what is the minister's position since this memo says that these cuts are pending the government's decision as to whether they should go ahead with the cuts? What is the government's position regarding the cuts that they have imposed on Seven Oaks and the potential loss of up to 45 workers at the hospital?

Mr. McCrae: Each year there is a process followed, Madam Speaker, between the government and the hospital sector whereby proposals are made to come within certain kinds of targets. Those proposals are reviewed by health consultants in the Department of Health. Health consultants visit hospitals to ensure that changes do not impact negatively on patient care. That is my bottom line. If any reductions taking place in our hospitals have to happen, we would like to ensure that our labour adjustment strategy is applied to the maximum benefit of the people who work in those institutions.

Mr. Chomiak: Madam Speaker, the minister has not answered the question. I will ask it a third time.

Will the minister advise this House whether or not--and we would rather have more nurses than consultants--they will reject the recommendations to cut more than 45 positions from the staff at Seven Oaks Hospital who can afford no more cuts?

Mr. McCrae: Madam Speaker, that is the same language honourable members opposite might have been using seven years ago. Previous to that, it was not the language they were using as they were closing down beds in Manitoba hospitals.

Judicial System

Affirmative Action

Mr. Gary Kowalski (The Maples): Madam Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Justice.

We are all aware that courts are amongst the most important institutions shaping our society. For our legal process to achieve just results, it is important that membership of the bench reflect the composition of society. In Manitoba, only one of seven appeal court judges is female. With appointments imminent at both the appellate and the Queen's Bench level, I would like to ask the Minister of Justice what lobbying efforts she has undertaken on this issue.

Hon. Rosemary Vodrey (Minister of Justice and Attorney General): Madam Speaker, the member is quite right that our courts do need to be representative of the people of Manitoba, and I am well aware of the issue.

The action I have taken is to directly write a letter to my federal colleague the federal Minister of Justice, telling the federal Minister of Justice that we in Manitoba are aware of the appointments being made, and we would ask that full consideration be given to all applicants who will be applying.

Mr. Kowalski: Madam Speaker, what response has the minister given to the letter written to her some time ago by the Gender Issues Section of the Manitoba Bar Association on this issue?

Mrs. Vodrey: Madam Speaker, certainly, to my knowledge, I have replied to all of those letters, indicating to that Gender Issues Section that a letter has been forwarded to the federal Minister of Justice on behalf of this issue.

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Photo Radar Legislation

Introduction

Mr. Gary Kowalski (The Maples): My last question to the Minister of Justice is, does the minister plan to introduce any legislation to facilitate photo radar for the province of Manitoba?

Hon. Rosemary Vodrey (Minister of Justice and Attorney General): Madam Speaker, as this issue falls to our colleague the Minister of Highways and Transportation (Mr. Findlay), I will take that question as notice on his behalf.

Milk Industry

Pricing Structure

Ms. Rosann Wowchuk (Swan River): Madam Speaker, changes made by this government over the past few years to the milk industry have had a negative effect both on the whole industry and on consumers.

In light of the fact that we have some of the highest child poverty in the country, and milk is an essential commodity for healthy children, I want to ask the Minister of Agriculture how he can justify changes that have been made that will remove the maximum pricing of wholesale and retail milk.

Hon. Harry Enns (Minister of Agriculture): Madam Speaker, members will be aware that we have had for some time a commission that annually reviews the pricing structures of this important commodity in the province of Manitoba. They undertake to examine producers' costs as well as processors' costs and come to a determination, I believe it is on an annual basis, that adjusts upwards or downwards the price of milk.

What has happened in this, the last current round of this annual occurrence was that they determined that the producer input costs had increased only very slightly, but there was quite a dramatic increase in the costs that the processors faced in the containers, basically the paper containers for the production of the milk cartons.

That should come as no surprise to any of us. There has been a very marked increase in the costs of all paper products. Those were considered by the commission, and the recommendation was made at that time to establish the prices that the commission announced last Friday.

Ms. Wowchuk: Can the minister indicate, although there are regulated prices that have to go up, why has he allowed the maximum pricing to be removed, and whom did he consult with? Did he consult with the antipoverty groups that have real concerns about the price of milk for consumers?

Mr. Enns: I have to correct the honourable member. We did not remove the maximum limits. We removed the maximum limits from certain classifications, but the basic one litre/quart of milk maximums continue on the question. What I am pleased to remind the honourable member and indeed remind all members, it was this government that removed the minimum pricing mechanisms that were in place during the NDP reign of government. There was a period of time that your government refused to allow the price of milk to fall because we insisted on minimum levels.

Ms. Wowchuk: What assurances can this government give to people who live in rural and northern Manitoba who do not have the access to milk that is being sold in competition that the price of milk will not go out of hand, and they will still have the ability to purchase milk for children as an essential commodity and they are not going to have to pay an extremely high price for it?

Mr. Enns: I can assure that we have every intention of maintaining the level of control that currently exists which is, as I said, the maintenance of a maximum ceiling on the most popular, the one quart, the one litre container of milk that is purchased in most cases.

Where that has been removed is in some of the higher volume supermarket chains where in fact price competition in many instances keeps the price of milk within the levels that are acceptable to most Manitobans.

But, Madam Speaker, the price of milk in the province of Manitoba relative to any and all other jurisdictions is very comparable, and our consumers are receiving value for their dollar.

Public Housing

Herbicide Spraying Notification

Ms. Marianne Cerilli (Radisson): Madam Speaker, I have a number of concerns about the maintenance policies of this government for public housing. Today, specifically, I want to ask how tenants are to be informed prior to herbicide spraying in public housing. What is this government's policy for notifying tenants in public housing prior to spraying for herbicides?

Hon. Jack Reimer (Minister of Urban Affairs): I would like to thank the honourable member for Radisson for that question because the use of chemicals and the use of herbicides and pesticides in any type of accommodation is of a highly cautionary note because of the fact of the contagious aspects some people might have to chemicals.

The process is to inform the people 24 hours in advance and ask their permission to come into their suites for spraying or any type of fumigation.

Ms. Cerilli: Madam Speaker, I do not think we are going to be spraying herbicides--

Madam Speaker: Order, please. I would remind the honourable member for Radisson that Beauchesne's 414 says, regarding a supplementary question, it should not require any preamble and must be asked to obtain clarification of the answer or answers provided by the minister.

The honourable member for Radisson, with a supplementary question.

Ms. Cerilli: Madam Speaker, I appreciate your indulgence. I would like to clarify for the minister. I am speaking of herbicide sprayed on lawns in public housing developments, and I am wanting to clarify the government's policy of informing the tenants prior to the spraying being conducted. This is a chemical that is harmful to children and to pets. I want to make sure that the government has a policy, and I would ask that the minister table the notice to inform the tenants prior to spraying.

Mr. Reimer: Madam Speaker, I got carried away with roaches there. I am sorry. I will take that question as notice for the member.

Ms. Cerilli: I would ask that the minister would consider ensuring that notification of tenants would occur during and after spraying since often, as I have had complaints, tenants are concerned that the spraying is begun one week and completed the final week, and there is the chance that children and pets could be on the lawn and be contaminated by hazardous chemicals. Will the minister--

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

Mr. Reimer: Madam Speaker, every effort will be made to inform the tenants of the program and the application of any type of herbicide in their complex.

Urban Planning

Government Position

Ms. Becky Barrett (Wellington): Madam Speaker, Plan Winnipeg, the provincial land-use policies under The Planning Act and the guidelines of sustainable development of the Manitoba Round Table on the Environment and Economy all outline a strong mandate for the province to be involved in municipal planning issues, based on the principles of containment and revitalization.

How does the Minister of Urban Affairs reconcile this leadership mandate for the provincial government with his comments this weekend, and I quote, that growth is determined by demand, the provincial role is to act as a facilitator to provide a forum, and that he is not prepared to undertake any jurisdiction?

Hon. Jack Reimer (Minister of Urban Affairs): Madam Speaker, in the contents of what the member for Wellington has outlined, I disagree in the sense that the direction and the planning will be done on a consultation basis with the City of Winnipeg and surrounding areas, and as a department, the consensus that comes forth is what will be taken. The position of direction and of enforcement and of being heavy-handed in it is not within this department's mandate.

Ms. Barrett: Madam Speaker, I would like to ask the minister why he, and by extension his government, has abrogated the leadership, not heavy-handedness, but the leadership responsibility in addressing the difficult and vital planning issues facing not only the City of Winnipeg but also the capital region.

Mr. Reimer: Madam Speaker, what we are looking at with the questioning here is a philosophical difference in direction. This government will do it in consultation with the municipalities around it and will seek consensus not only with the City of Winnipeg but the surrounding municipalities.

On the other hand, members on the other side are looking for direct government intervention, direct control by the government and a direction set up that is on the control end of it.

Madam Speaker, we will be in a consultation process with the City of Winnipeg. We will access and facilitate with the surrounding municipalities so there is a direction and an agreement as to plans and the future development in the area.

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Ms. Barrett: Madam Speaker, I would like to ask the minister, in light of his earlier answer that it was consultation, not leadership, how he will respond to the direct requests for leadership brought by the City of Winnipeg and the Town of Selkirk in their responses to the workbook on the Capital Region Strategy, if his words this weekend are an accurate reflection of his government's policy in regard to municipal planning.

Mr. Reimer: I would like to point out to the member for Wellington that the committee meets on the basis of about three times per year in trying to set up a formula of consensus with it. Each member has the ability to bring forth their concerns at that time. There is a discussion. There is a formula and a development that is put into place so that the whole strategy of working together within the city and within the municipalities is approached in a more constructive manner.

Taking Charge! Program

Implementation

Mr. Doug Martindale (Burrows): Madam Speaker, the Minister of Family Services likes to talk about programs for single parents on social assistance. Regrettably, there is lots of talk and no action particularly when it comes to the Taking Charge! program which was announced by her and the Honourable Mr. Axworthy in September 1994. They have appointed the board of directors, but none of the 4,000 single parents who are supposed to be taking advantage of this program have been accepted in the program because it is not open yet.

Can the minister tell us when she plans to finally get around to opening up Taking Charge! so that single parents can take advantage of this so-called program?

Hon. Bonnie Mitchelson (Minister of Family Services): Madam Speaker, I thank my honourable friend for that question because it does again give me the opportunity to indicate our government's commitment to single parents and trying to reverse the dependency that has been in place for many, many years for those that are on social allowance.

The Taking Charge! board is working very proactively in the recruitment of an executive director and in location of storefront space so that office can be opened just as soon as possible.

Mr. Martindale: Madam Speaker, I would like to ask the minister how single parents can become independent when the program does not exist yet. I would like to know, why is it taking so long? It has been since September '94. Is it going to take a year?

Mrs. Mitchelson: Madam Speaker, again, I thank my honourable friend for that question because this is something new. It is something that is not happening across the country, and we have ensured that--[interjection]

I want to assure this House and all Manitobans, Madam Speaker, that, in fact, we have taken our time to put in place a board that has membership from the community, from the business sector and from those who understand the issues surrounding single parents.

That is not an easy undertaking, but we have, in fact, a board in place which is very proactive and committed to single parents. I have every confidence that the program that will be up and running in the very near future will be the best across the country to address the issues for single parents and removing the dependency on our social allowances system.

Evaluation Process

Mr. Doug Martindale (Burrows): Madam Speaker, I would like to ask the minister why in the Order-in-Council which was made public, the last page, the page for evaluation, was absolutely blank. Could it be related to the fact that there are no job creation goals in this program?

Hon. Bonnie Mitchelson (Minister of Family Services): Madam Speaker, again, I thank my honourable friend for that question.

In fact, there will be an evaluation program. Unlike programs that have been in place for many, many years right across this country, there will have to be measured outcomes, and those measured outcomes will be the determination of how many single parents become independent of our social allowances system, and no longer, Madam Speaker, will there be programs in place in perpetuity where, in fact, a dependency is created.

This will be a program that will develop individual needs assessments for individual women and help them through that path of dependency to independence.

Unemployment Insurance Changes

Government Action

Mr. Steve Ashton (Thompson): Madam Speaker, the member for The Pas (Mr. Lathlin) referenced the situation facing many First Nations people earlier today.

Many of the underlying causes are economic, Madam Speaker, and I would like to ask if the government could indicate what its position is to the latest indications from the federal government there will be major cuts to unemployment insurance, cuts that will have a dramatic negative impact on many First Nations communities in northern Manitoba.

What action will this government be doing in response to those major cuts?

Hon. Gary Filmon (Premier): Madam Speaker, the last time that there were changes to the federal UI, they resulted in an offloading of about $4 million or $5 million a year to the provincial government.

We have indicated that we are concerned about the impacts of the proposed changes, because in general it means they will have longer periods of time on provincial welfare and therefore greater expense to the provincial government. Regrettably, the federal government has indicated they are not prepared to engage in any discussion or negotiation with us. They will simply inform us after they have decided on what changes to make.

Madam Speaker: Time for Oral Questions has expired.

NONPOLITICAL STATEMENTS

Chiropractic Run and Walk

Mr. David Newman (Riel): May I have leave to make a nonpolitical statement about a charitable event in St. Vital Park yesterday?

Madam Speaker: Does the honourable member for Riel have leave to make a nonpolitical statement? [agreed]

Mr. Newman: Yesterday morning, in St. Vital Park, the Manitoba Chiropractors Association presented its 10th Annual Chiropractic Run and Walk in support of Winnipeg Harvest. The event is an opportunity for Manitoba chiropractors, supported by their families, patients and friends, to get involved and provide tangible assistance to the less privileged in Winnipeg.

Over 1,200 individuals, including seniors, babies in strollers, toddlers in arms and amateur running enthusiasts, including myself, of all ages participated in this event. The objective of the organizers is to get everyone involved either as volunteers, over 200 yesterday, or as participants, over 350 registered runners and 650 walkers, and to enjoy an event that stresses the importance of health and the opportunity to help those less fortunate than us.

Yesterday's biggest winners were Winnipeg Harvest and the families that are supported by Winnipeg Harvest. A preliminary count of the proceeds raised through the pledge walk estimates the donations totalled at least $10,000 with the receipts of the coin collection boxes from each chiropractic office still to be added. In addition, hundreds of kilograms of baby food were also collected through an innovative food-for-food picnic, which encouraged participants to bring an article of baby food in exchange for a picnic voucher.

Chiropractors throughout the world are celebrating in 1995 the centennial of the founding of their profession by Dr. Daniel David Palmer, a Canadian from Port Perry, Ontario. Sunday's event marked the end of Spinal Health Week in Manitoba. Thank you.

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Hon. Vic Toews (Minister of Labour): Madam Speaker, I wonder if I could have leave to make a nonpolitical statement.

Madam Speaker: Does the honourable member for Rossmere have leave to make a nonpolitical statement? [agreed]

Mr. Toews: I have had the pleasure of declaring June 11 to 17 as Public Service Week in Manitoba.

Just to give you a few details, Public Service Week became a reality in 1992 when Bill C-328 was passed in the House of Commons to recognize the value of services provided by public servants from all jurisdictions. The act designated the third week of June as National Public Service Week--

Madam Speaker: Order, please. I would like to remind all honourable ministers that I feel this type of a statement is indeed a ministerial statement and should not be made as a nonpolitical statement. There is precedent for that.

I wonder if I might ask for the co-operation of the honourable Minister of Labour to reintroduce that as a ministerial statement or request leave to do it now.

MINISTERIAL STATEMENTS

Public Service Week

Madam Speaker: Does the honourable Minister of Labour have leave to make a ministerial statement at this point in the day? [agreed]

* (1420)

Hon. Vic Toews (Minister of Labour): Madam Speaker, I thank the House.

Just continuing on, in Manitoba, there is a steering committee whose members represent all three levels of government, which has organized a number of events which will be held in conjunction with Public Service Week. These events include a blood-donor clinic, seminars and noon-hour information sessions. There will also be public service relay teams and a hospitality booth at the Manitoba Marathon to be held June 18.

I am certain members of this House will join with me in recognizing the value of services provided to Manitobans by public servants of all three levels of government in this province. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Ms. Becky Barrett (Wellington): Madam Speaker, on behalf of the official opposition, I would like to, as well, respond to the ministerial statement dealing with Public Service Week in Canada and certainly join with the Minister of Labour in recognizing the value of the services provided by the public servants throughout this country, not only at the federal level but also provincial public servants and municipal public servants.

I think it is important that we stress the two words that reflect the duties that these people perform. They perform public services, and I think far too often, we, in our communities, forget the essential nature of the public services that these people provide to all citizens in the country.

Our public service is what enables us to all be equal in our public hospital system, in our public Legislatures and our public garbage collection. All of the services that the public servants in the country provide for us enables us to be equal as the recipients of those services. We do not have to be able to pay in order to get the services of these public servants.

I would just like to again state that, on this side of the House, we retain our strong commitment and support of the work that these public servants do on behalf of all citizens in this country in increasingly difficult circumstances.

I think it is a wonderful thing that the federal government instituted Public Service Week in the country, and I just hope that the rest of the actions of all levels of government carry on with the understanding of the vital role these people serve for all of us. Thank you.