Winnipeg Jets
Provincial Funding--Refund
Mr. Gary Doer (Leader of the Opposition): Madam Speaker, during the election, of course, the government promised to limit the public donations for the hockey team to $10 million and to cancel the operating-loss agreement effective May 1, 1995.
After the election, as well as committing up to $37 million and keeping the operating-loss agreement in play, Madam Speaker, the government forwarded a secret payment to the Spirit/Winnipeg Jets takeover of some $5 million which was not O/C'd and became public later on.
Madam Speaker, I would like to ask the minister, could he table in this House the written agreement that he has with Spirit on the forwarding of the $5 million and the written agreement he has that interest rates would be returned with the money, and when will it be returned?
Hon. Eric Stefanson (Minister of Finance): Madam Speaker, first of all, there was no secret flowing of any money to Spirit. The only secret is in the mind of the Leader of the Opposition.
I want to tell the Leader of the Opposition that I met this morning with the majority owners and once again have confirmed the agreement with them that we have reached before on previous occasions, that the $5-million deposit put forward by the provincial government will be returned to the province along with interest, Madam Speaker.
Mr. Doer: I did not hear the end of the statement. If it was, with interest, I would like the minister to table that agreement in this Chamber on behalf of the taxpayers.
Operating Losses
Mr. Gary Doer (Leader of the Opposition): Madam Speaker, the government stated at the beginning of September that the operating-loss agreement signed by the Premier (Mr. Filmon) in 1991 as his claim to keep the team here in the city of Winnipeg and pay for the operating losses of a privately owned team, the government claimed that the losses of the team to the province would be $8.5 million this year, outside of the infrastructure money and other funds in the capital fund that are liabilities for the Province of Manitoba.
In light of the fact that there were only 6,700 fans at the game, regrettably, last night, and the four-game average is now under 9,000 people, Madam Speaker, I would like to ask the Premier (Mr. Filmon), what is the new projected loss for the team, and what will the taxpayers of Manitoba be liable for under the agreement that the Premier signed in 1991?
Hon. Eric Stefanson (Minister of Finance): Madam Speaker, throughout the whole preparation of budgets for '95-96, there has been a range of what the losses could be from as low as about $14 million or $15 million to as high as $25 million, depending on different corporate support, depending on different attendance and so on.
The best information we were provided several weeks ago, I believe, Madam Speaker, still remains to be the best information today, that the projected losses for the upcoming season will be in the vicinity of about $17.5 million, of which the provincial government is responsible for half of those losses.
I want to remind the Leader of the Opposition that by June of next year, at the end of this hockey season, when you factor in direct taxes to the provincial government versus what we will have paid out in terms of covering our share of losses, Madam Speaker, our Treasury will be ahead by $8 million, and that does not include the fact that our Treasury will also be ahead by approximately another $10 million as our share of the net proceeds as a result of the sale that was concluded today of the Winnipeg Jets.
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Barry Shenkarow Salary
Mr. Gary Doer (Leader of the Opposition): Yes, that is why the minister promised to cancel the operating-loss agreement effective May 1 during the election campaign and broke his promise after the campaign, because it was going to save us money, Madam Speaker.
The losses will be up to $60 million, Madam Speaker, counting infrastructure. The proceeds for the sale of the team will be about $31 million, and none of these hockey players in 1996 will be paying their taxes in Canada.
I would like to ask the Premier (Mr. Filmon), Madam Speaker, under the operating-loss agreement and the capital liability that we have as taxpayers here in Manitoba, what is the annual salary to Mr. Shenkarow under this agreement, the annual salary?
Hon. Eric Stefanson (Minister of Finance): Well, Madam Speaker, I notice the Leader of the Opposition is smiling, and I guess for him this is a happy day, because today the official agreement to sell the team and relocate it outside of Manitoba has occurred.
We know what the position of the Leader of the Opposition and the NDP has been through this entire issue. They have never tried to be a part of finding any solution, never worked with the community to provide any solution, even though thousands and thousands of Manitobans worked very hard to find a solution to keep the Jets here in Manitoba for the long term. We know they have no vision, and they certainly were not in step with what Manitobans were attempting to accomplish.
In terms of the specific compensation for the president of the Winnipeg Jets Hockey Club, Mr. Shenkarow, I will take that part of his question as notice.
Mr. Doer: With a supplementary question, I would like to ask the Minister of Finance, Madam Speaker--and I think his comments about the team and ourselves, the only difference between ourselves and the government opposite is we told the truth during the election campaign.
The government made a number of commitments. [interjection] Nobody is happy this team is leaving Winnipeg. We just thought it was the role of the private sector to pay for the losses of the team, not the taxpayers of Manitoba, Madam Speaker.
Madam Speaker, I would like to ask the Minister of Finance, what was the annual salary for Mr. Shenkarow in the '93-94 hockey season year paid for in part by the agreement signed by the Premier, and in the '94-95 year?
The numbers are in. The minister knows the number. Let us let the public know those numbers.
Mr. Stefanson: Madam Speaker, I think the Leader of the Opposition knows that there is a process in place to review the budgets of the Winnipeg Jets Hockey Club. There is an interim steering committee chaired by Mr. Del Crewson that reviews the budget on an annual basis. There are also certain limitations and restrictions around the budget of the hockey club, that they have to operate in the bottom one-third of the NHL franchises and hockey teams.
So those are some protections in terms of the costs of the operating of the hockey team. The interim steering committee goes through the detailed budget, Madam Speaker. Some of that information can be made public. Some of that information is confidential.
I certainly will take this very specific question that the Leader of the Opposition has asked as notice and determine what information can, in fact, be provided to him.
University of Manitoba
Labour Dispute
Mr. Daryl Reid (Transcona): Madam Speaker, yesterday the Minister of Labour stated it is not an appropriate time for government to interfere in the free collective bargaining at the University of Manitoba, a statement undermined by his government's action in the sugar beet dispute and Bill 22 attack on public sector negotiations.
Professors are out of work, students are being hurt and it appears that this government does not care. They do not care. [interjection] Madam Speaker, I know members opposite are sensitive on this issue.
My question is for the Minister of Labour, Madam Speaker.
Can the Minister of Labour indicate, now that the U of M strike has occurred, has he contacted the parties in the dispute to determine their willingness to commence voluntary binding arbitration, and if he has not, why not?
Hon. Vic Toews (Minister of Labour): Madam Speaker, the government is very concerned about this strike, and we want to make sure that the appropriate thing is being done. We do not, however, feel that it is necessary to interfere in negotiations at this time.
There is a mediator who is available to the parties on a 24-hour basis. That mediator is free to discuss any of the issues that the parties may wish to raise with him.
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Mr. Reid: Madam Speaker, is the Minister of Labour aware, now that negotiations have broken down and are not taking place, either involving the conciliator or not, is the Minister of Labour aware that in the negotiations in the process, the Faculty Association is willing to allow an arbitrator to consider the financial condition of the University of Manitoba in conjunction with public accountability, academic integrity and fair procedures?
Is the minister aware that this was one of the conditions that was placed on the table by the Faculty Association to allow the university to be treated in a fair manner as the professors themselves wish to be treated?
Mr. Toews: Yes, I am aware of that.
Mr. Reid: Madam Speaker, can the Premier, who appoints over half of the University of Manitoba governors and considering that the University of Manitoba forms an important piece of our economy in this province, indicate to the students--like the one who wrote to us, and I quote: As a student, my entire stake is already on the table. I have nothing further to ante up so I guess I lose.
What is the Premier prepared to do to ensure that the students are not losers in this dispute, Madam Speaker?
Hon. Gary Filmon (Premier): Madam Speaker, I know that the member for Transcona takes great glee in having this kind of major public issue so that he can--
Point of Order
Mr. Dave Chomiak (Kildonan): Madam Speaker, on a point of order, I believe it is entirely inappropriate, if you would review Beauchesne's, for the minister, particularly the First Minister, to impute motives to members on this side of the House who are trying to do their part to prevent discord in our society, not fomenting it like the Premier is.
Madam Speaker: Order, please. On the point of order, I will review the tape and Hansard and report back to the House if necessary.
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Mr. Filmon: Madam Speaker, I appreciate your taking this under advisement, and I will ignore the grinning of the member for Transcona when I respond to him.
We on this side are very concerned with the fact that the decision that has been made by the Faculty Association utilizes the students as pawns in this battle, that it is the students who are the ones who are being asked to bear the consequences of this dispute, that it is the students who have invested in their education, who have taken, in many cases, accommodation here in Winnipeg as they come from outside the city and who are being left in jeopardy of completing their programs.
That is a terrible situation, and we, obviously, are very concerned about it, Madam Speaker, very concerned about it and very concerned about the fact that in issues of this nature the students are the ones who suffer and whose views and whose concerns are not being taken into account when a decision is made to walk out on them like this.
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Mr. Reid: Madam Speaker, a final supplementary for the Premier: Since the Premier, as the head of this government, as the Lieutenant-Governor-in-Council which is his responsibility, as well, and which has the power to appoint the majority of the members of the board of the University of Manitoba, in his powers as the Premier, will he undertake to ascertain whether or not there is a willingness on the part of the parties involved in this dispute to commence the process of voluntary binding arbitration, so that the teachers can get back to teaching and the students can get back to their classes and not disrupt the activities and the economy of the province of Manitoba?
Mr. Filmon: Madam Speaker, you know, as members opposite who try and portray themselves as protectors and guardians of the collective bargaining approach, the free collective bargaining approach to settling disputes, they ought to know that the professors could walk back in today, this afternoon, and begin to teach the students if there was a will on their part to do so.
They ought to know that that is open to them at any time, if they really care about the students.
Concordia Hospital
Emergency Services
Ms. Marianne Cerilli (Radisson): Concordia Hospital Emergency is the most highly used community hospital in Winnipeg. In addition, Concordia Hospital receives a disproportionately high number of emergency cardiac arrests, and this hospital has developed efficiency and expertise in dealing with cardiac life and death situations.
I want to ask the Minister of Health, given that the thrombolytic agents necessary to deal with cardiac arrests must be given in the first 20 to 30 minutes to save people's lives, how are the people in northeast Winnipeg going to be ensured that they will receive adequate treatment to save their life under a heart attack?
Hon. James McCrae (Minister of Health): Madam Speaker, Concordia Hospital has joined with all the other hospitals in Winnipeg to develop an integrated emergency services plan for the city, and as recently as yesterday, all the facilities met as part of the steering committee to develop not only the ongoing implementation now but also the plan for emergency services for the future.
I can tell the honourable member that all facilities confirmed that since the last meeting on October 13, the situation is satisfactory. Each facility stated that the weekend, this past weekend, was manageable and that staff were pleased with the changes agreed to at the last meeting.
Facilities also agreed to work co-operatively to ensure that patients have timely access to beds, Madam Speaker. This is done to ensure that the tertiary centres do not get backlogged with patients, particularly during the weekends.
Health Care System
Emergency Services
Ms. Marianne Cerilli (Radisson): What is the 24-hour emergency plan for heart attack treatment in the city of Winnipeg, and what will happen to the expertise from Concordia Hospital in this area?
Hon. James McCrae (Minister of Health): Madam Speaker, each community hospital, as a group they have all addressed the issue raised by the honourable member.
They have all agreed that each community hospital will have a registered nurse assess all patients who happen to appear at their facilities in the nighttime hours. Individuals requiring immediate attention will be seen by the in-house physician. All nonurgent patients will be advised of alternate services available.
Ms. Cerilli: I want to ask the minister why he is closing both the Concordia Hospital emergency at night and the Seven Oaks Hospital, when a report from a task force dealing with emergency services says the two hospitals are situated relatively in the same area of the city and are linked by two bridges. If one ER curtails night activities, the other should remain active for at least a six-month period to evaluate any shift in patient load.
Why is he closing both hospitals when it is going to jeopardize the lives of Winnipeggers?
Mr. McCrae: Madam Speaker, the question the honourable member asks today would have been just as appropriate the day after Labour Day, when 42 physicians left their posts at community hospitals in this city and 14 pathologists left their posts and left us with the necessity to develop a contingency plan to safeguard the interests of Manitobans.
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University of Manitoba
Labour Dispute
Mr. Kevin Lamoureux (Inkster): Madam Speaker, my question is for the Premier.
Earlier he stated in Question Period that the Premier is concerned about the students in the province of Manitoba, and for good reason, Madam Speaker. In excess of 20,000 students, spending millions of dollars in tuition and books, are looking at what is happening and are being very frustrated.
This government took a lead role on the sugar beet industry. They were concerned about the producers.
My question to the Premier is, will he express the same sort of concern that he had for the producers during the sugar beet potential strike, the same sort of concern for the students of the province of Manitoba?
Hon. Gary Filmon (Premier): Madam Speaker, I have expressed that concern. I have indicated that I think that it is highly unfair that the professors are walking out on the students at a time when they have made major commitments, major investments, and, in fact, are in many cases expecting to graduate and have jobs waiting for them.
All of this is being thrown aside by the decision that has been made to walk out by the professors.
Mr. Lamoureux: Madam Speaker, does the Premier believe that this government has any role whatsoever in trying to expedite and get the students back in the classroom? Does this government have any role, and if so, what is it?
Mr. Filmon: Madam Speaker, obviously, we have the resources of the government available to them. The Minister of Labour (Mr. Toews) has indicated that there is the availability of a mediator to work on it with the two parties to try and help lead towards a solution.
Obviously, there are resources that are available to the two sides, Madam Speaker, but this is a free collective bargaining process, and it does require the will of the two parties to try and solve this problem.
Mr. Lamoureux: Madam Speaker, will the Premier show his concern for those 20,000-plus students by asking his Minister of Labour to attempt to convene a meeting between the professors and the administration to see if there is anything at all that this government can do in a proactive way?
Mr. Filmon: Madam Speaker, as I understand it, the major issue that is of concern probably for both sides in this issue is their continued academic freedom. This government, if it were to intercede and impose a solution would be immediately accused by both sides of interfering with academic freedom in this province.
This is a situation that requires obviously both sides to work within the bounds that they have available to them. We have resources available by way of mediation services from the Department of Labour, and those resources are available to them, Madam Speaker.
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Health Care System
Emergency Services
Mr. Tim Sale (Crescentwood): Madam Speaker, the emergency room function in any hospital is absolutely integral to the overall role of an acute care hospital. In Victoria Hospital, there were 33,000 total visits of which 3,600 were emergencies--11 percent, not 4 percent as the Minister of Health has said--and 74 percent of their visits fall into either the emergency or urgent category.
Madam Speaker, I wonder if in the light of these statistics which are clearly different from the statistics that the Minister of Health presented in the House, averages from American studies perhaps, in the light of these statistics, will he tell the people of Fort Garry and the people of all parts of Winnipeg that their emergency departments will be reopened until his study is completed?
Hon. James McCrae (Minister of Health): Madam Speaker, the honourable member often expresses, I believe, support for an integrated system of health care delivery and emergency services delivery, but in the preamble to his question all he talks about is individual hospitals.
Madam Speaker, we are talking about an emergency system comprising seven hospitals and getting seven hospitals to work together to integrate and make efficient the services that they make available to Manitobans so that we can give Manitobans the best service available within the resources that are at our disposal.
So, Madam Speaker, the studies with which the honourable member quibbles are not American studies. As usual, honourable members have the U.S.A. on their minds. I do not know why.
But, Madam Speaker, the numbers that we have are taken from the hospitals themselves, and one hospital will have a different number than the other, and they all come together to make an average.
Mr. Sale: Madam Speaker, can the minister explain how telling people to take their emergent and urgent health care needs to Health Sciences Centre or St. Boniface Hospital is even vaguely consistent with his government's oft-repeated policy of decentralizing emergent and nonurgent health care needs to community-based hospitals? How is it consistent?
Mr. McCrae: It would be very nice, Madam Speaker, if the honourable member would be consistent in his approach to his critique on health issues and social issues in general.
Madam Speaker, I remind the honourable member that we have capacity in seven Winnipeg hospitals--two tertiary centres and five community hospitals. After the doctors returned to work, we began a resumption of the services in those community hospitals during 14 hours of the day. We have put in place and are putting in place even more resources as necessary at the Health Sciences Centre and the St. Boniface Hospital, and we are having seven hospitals working together which is something we did not have in the past to the extent we have today.
The honourable member should be pleased about that, instead of coming forward one day with one point of view and the same member coming forward with another point of view on a different day.
Provincial Council on Youth Crime
Membership
Mr. Gord Mackintosh (St. Johns): My question is to the Minister of Justice.
The minister's statements about, first, the Provincial Council on Youth Crime, second, the Crime Prevention Council, third, the Youth Advisory Council and, fourth, all of that surveillance of gang members by the Winnipeg Youth Crime Intervention Team are haunting this Legislature, Madam Speaker. I say haunting because those initiatives actually do not exist.
My question for the minister is, while we are impressed with the minister's vivid imagination, will she tell the people of Manitoba who have growing and legitimate concerns about their safety when she might get around to announcing the membership for the Provincial Council on Youth Crime promised by her--and I quote from Hansard--"no later than the fall"?
That was, by the way, Madam Speaker, the fall of 1994.
Hon. Rosemary Vodrey (Minister of Justice and Attorney General): Madam Speaker, the initiatives that this government has taken on behalf of youth crime are numerous. Just let me speak about the position taken on the Young Offenders Act, the changes in the area of Corrections, the addition of more police officers to the street, the close working relationship with initiatives of the Winnipeg Police Services.
But, Madam Speaker, we do believe that the community should become involved. We think that no one group can provide a solution alone, and that is why on the community and prevention side, as well, we have been very active with Street Peace, the youth gang line, with the No Need to Argue program which brings young people into both the identification and the solution.
Another way we would plan to have the community become involved is in the process of two youth councils, Madam Speaker, which have been spoken about, a provincial council on youth crime and a youth council.
The member seems to have misunderstood the intention. I made it clear during this session that I will be announcing very shortly; however, it did require visits around the province to determine what was needed.
Youth Crime Intervention Team
Gang Surveillance
Mr. Gord Mackintosh (St. Johns): My supplementary: When will the minister then turn her mind to announcing the surveillance strategy of the Winnipeg Youth Crime Intervention Team because she promised, and I quote from Hansard: "I am looking to be in a position fairly shortly to make an announcement about that strategy," back in May of '94. Of course, that is when we had half the number of gang members in Winnipeg.
Hon. Rosemary Vodrey (Minister of Justice and Attorney General): Madam Speaker, as I have said in this House as recently as a couple of days ago, the surveillance team is operating. The purpose is the sharing of information.
The member would like greater specifics around exactly what information or how that information is shared, but there is some requirement of confidentiality both in terms of process and the kind of information which can be shared. However, the initiatives which he has spoken about in terms of the youth gang line, the surveillance team, they are operative.
Madam Speaker, I would just like to say around the youth gang line called Street Peace, the Winnipeg police have identified this as a very valuable tool in dealing with offenders of all ages but particularly gang offenders.
Youth Advisory Council
Membership
Mr. Gord Mackintosh (St. Johns): Well, let us try this one. When might the minister actually announce the membership of the Youth Advisory Council, because she told the House she was aiming to have it finalized, and I quote, by the early summer, end of quote--being, of course, the summer of 1994?
Hon. Rosemary Vodrey (Minister of Justice and Attorney General): The naming of members to those councils has been a process, one which required the--[interjection] Well, you know, the members across the way have had trouble with process in every question that they have asked.
Madam Speaker, the process has been that there has been an individual who has visited Youth Justice Committees across this province. That person has met with the Youth Justice Committees and through those committees identified exactly what needs are to be met by the purposes of this council, because Youth Justice Committees wanted to have some input into the kind of advice that would be offered to them. That process is now complete and the availability of individuals whom we would like to appoint to those councils is now being worked out with those individuals.
But, Madam Speaker, the member seems to have had slip his mind all of those other initiatives that he has disagreed with on a regular basis, failing to come forward with a position on the Young Offenders Act, failure to support Street Peace, failure to support the Youth Secretariat, so let there be no confusion about the number of initiatives which have been put forward by this government.
Some Honourable Members: Oh, oh.
Madam Speaker: Order, please. If Madam Speaker could hear over the roar from all sides of the House, people would be recognized when they are on their feet.
Point of Order
Mr. Doug Martindale (Burrows): On a point of order, Madam Speaker, I refer to Beauchesne's 417, which points out that answers to questions should be brief and should not provoke debate, and I ask the Speaker to keep this in mind and remind honourable ministers of this rule. Thank you.
Madam Speaker: On the point of order, I thank the honourable member for Burrows for his advice, and I would remind both parties posing questions and also in responding to questions that, indeed, we have some very--I will not say definitive, but we have some agreed-to guidelines, and I would appreciate the co-operation of all members in adhering to those agreed-to guidelines.
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Western Grain Transportation Program
Payment Guidelines
Ms. Rosann Wowchuk (Swan River): Madam Speaker, the Western Grain Transportation program which is the result of the cancellation of the Crow benefit has not been without its problems.
There have been problems with the sign-up date having been delayed. There have been problems for owners of small parcels of land which have been addressed, and landowners and renters are now facing problems because there are no guidelines as to how they should share the payment.
Will the Minister of Agriculture recognize that there is a problem and call on the federal government to put in place guidelines for landowners and renters on how the money should be shared, as well as call on him to put in guidelines for the arbitration board that is supposed to be dealing with the problems between landowners and renters.
Hon. Harry Enns (Minister of Agriculture): Madam Speaker, I want to remind the honourable member for Swan River that for the better part of a year, I, along the with the support of all major farm organizations in this province, tried to provide the best advice to the federal minister on this very matter.
The federal minister and the government of Ottawa chose to ignore that advice that came not just from the Department of Agriculture of this government but from Manitoba Pool, from the largest farm organization in Manitoba. They chose to ignore that advice.
The questions that she refers to--and I happen to agree with the issue that she is making about some of the problems. They are all of the federal government's making, and it is their responsibility to try to resolve them.
Ms. Wowchuk: I realize that these are federal issues, but I am asking the minister to address them on behalf of Manitoba farmers.
I want to ask the minister if he will address also the concerns of many farmers who have converted a portion of their land into hay production. That has been done to promote sustainable agriculture, but these people will not receive payment.
Has the minister raised this, and will he take it again to the federal government to tell them that producers are not being treated fairly?
Mr. Enns: Madam Speaker, I want to acknowledge where the federal government has accepted some advice, particularly from the province of Manitoba because of our unique land holdings, historic land holdings, I might say, some of the Francophone lots along the Assiniboine River and the Red River. We have an abundance of these small acreages that were originally excluded.
I wrote directly to the federal minister, and the federal minister of government has responded and alleviated that particular problem.
Madam Speaker, the issue that she raised, again, I agree with her, and again, we suggested, along with Manitoba Pool, that we simply use the permit books, the permit system, that acknowledged all improved acreages, because she is right. Farmers in their rotation have changed and had been advised to change and encouraged to grow forages in their rotation from time to time. Regrettably, under the system that the federal government has imposed, if the farmer had forage in the ground in '94, he is not eligible for any payment.
Again, this complaint has been made very clear to federal officials, but I seek the support, quite frankly, of her federal colleagues in Ottawa. I seek the support of the nine Liberal colleagues in Ottawa on these kinds of issues. They are very silent on this issue.
Education System
Language Arts Examinations
Ms. Jean Friesen (Wolseley): Madam Speaker, yesterday, the Minister of Education claimed that she as minister had no knowledge of Manitobans' concerns about the loss of 250 classroom teachers for 12 days for the marking of Grade 12 exams.
I want today to refer the minister to a letter sent to her on October 5 by the Beautiful Plains School Division which outlined precisely such concerns and to refer her, as well, to the same issues raised by the Lakeshore School Division and reported in the Interlake Spectator on October 2 and to similar issues posed by the St. James School Division and reported October 17 in The Metro.
I want to ask the minister today, as each of those school divisions have, would she reconsider the timing and the method of the marking of these Grade 12 exams?
Hon. Linda McIntosh (Minister of Education and Training): Madam Speaker, let us make clear the implications the member is trying to leave, because after Question Period yesterday I did go and check, having invited her to provide me with copies of letters, which she did not.
On my desk, Madam Speaker, was one letter dated October 5, received in my office October 16, processed and placed on my desk October 17, which, of course, was yesterday. I read that letter. I have not been inundated. I had two earlier letters from school divisions saying they could not release the number of teachers that we had requested.
That is not an inundation as far as I am concerned, when yesterday I was inundated, she said, for months by letters from parents and students. There was a false impression that was left. It was somewhat misleading, and that is a perfectly allowable thing because I am not implying she intended to mislead.
But, Madam Speaker, I will say that the marking will take place. We are going to have tests and examinations. They will be measured against a standard. They will be marked by qualified and experienced teachers who will be available to mark those papers, and students will not lose instructional days as teachers mark those papers.
Ms. Friesen: Madam Speaker, I will say for the record that it is the minister's language that says inundated. I asked about the concerns of Manitobans, and it is very clear. It is in yesterday's Hansard and it has been printed. I do not know what she is going on about.
Madam Speaker: Order, please. The honourable member for Wolseley was recognized for a supplementary question.
Ms. Friesen: Madam Speaker, will the minister tell us what legal basis she has for requiring school boards to provide teachers for marking and to require them, as the Beautiful Plains School Division maintains, to work for 19 consecutive days?
Mrs. McIntosh: Madam Speaker, I already indicated to the member and perhaps she did not hear my answer, and that is that we will be hiring qualified teachers, qualified markers, to mark examinations, to mark tests for students. These will be centrally marked so that the measurable standard can indeed be measured on a standard.
Teachers were hired to teach. Teachers were hired to mark. School divisions were asked to release teachers. Many school divisions have indeed complied with that request and said they will release teachers. They have contracts with their divisions, and the division has made a request of them to work as teachers.
Energy Audit Program
Reinstatement
Ms. MaryAnn Mihychuk (St. James): Madam Speaker, my question is to the Minister of Energy and Mines.
Energy conservation efforts elsewhere, in other jurisdictions, have reduced energy costs by over one-third. The Toronto school boards are retrofitting 525 buildings, resulting in savings of over $20 million per year, and that is on their utility bill. Manitoba has over 700 public school buildings that are in similar conditions.
Given that this government has previously cut its conservation and energy management programs including energy audits, contrary to promises made by previous ministers of this department, will the minister reassess his government's cutback of this valuable program in the interests of all Manitoba taxpayers?
Hon. Darren Praznik (Minister of Energy and Mines): Madam Speaker, as the member should know from her past experience involved with the Winnipeg School Division as a trustee, those who administer public buildings, whether they be the Minister of Government Services (Mr. Pallister), whether they be school divisions, whether they be buildings owned by public Crown corporations, have ultimately a responsibility to manage within their budget their decisions on what steps they take in terms of conservation of energy. Retrofitting of buildings, et cetera, are ones that they make as managers of those buildings, and where we have the resources to provide information assistance, we obviously do.
I refer to, as well, that one of the largest providers of energy in this province, Manitoba Hydro, operates a very widespread and effective program in the Power Smart program, so there is a lot of effort being done, but the responsibility for making those decisions rests with the managers, the people who are in charge of those specific buildings.
Madam Speaker: Order, please. Time for Oral Questions has expired.
Committee Changes
Mr. George Hickes (Point Douglas): I move, seconded by the member for Broadway (Mr. Santos), that the composition of the Standing Committee on Economic Development be amended as follows: Brandon East (Mr. Leonard Evans) for Dauphin (Mr. Struthers) for Thursday, October 19 for 7 p.m.
Motion agreed to.
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Ms. Diane McGifford (Osborne): Madam Speaker, I request leave to make a nonpolitical announcement.
Madam Speaker: May I have the indulgence of the member for Osborne to recognize the member for Gimli for committee changes first?
Ms. McGifford: Yes, Madam Speaker.
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Mr. Edward Helwer (Gimli): Madam Speaker, I move, seconded by the member for Morris (Mr. Pitura), that the composition of the Standing Committee on Public Utilities and Natural Resources for Thursday, October 19, 10 a.m. session, be amended as follows: the member for Kirkfield Park (Mr. Stefanson) for the member for Minnedosa (Mr. Gilleshammer).
I move, seconded by the member for Sturgeon Creek (Mr. McAlpine), that the composition of the Standing Committee on Economic Development for the Thursday evening, 7 p.m. session, be amended as follows: the member for Kirkfield Park (Mr. Stefanson) for the member for Steinbach (Mr. Driedger); the member for Charleswood (Mr. Ernst) for the member for Sturgeon Creek (Mr. McAlpine); and the member for Morris (Mr. Pitura) for the member for Turtle Mountain (Mr. Tweed).
Motions agreed to.
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NONPOLITICAL STATEMENTS
Person's Day
Ms. Diane McGifford (Osborne): Madam Speaker, I request leave to make a nonpolitical announcement.
Madam Speaker: Does the honourable member for Osborne have leave to make a nonpolitical statement? [agreed]
Ms. McGifford: Madam Speaker, 66 years ago today the British Privy Council agreed that Canadian women were to be considered as persons in matters of rights and privileges and not just in matters of pains and penalty. Obviously, October 18, 1929, was an historic and important day for Canadian women.
October 18 is now celebrated as Person's Day and today in recognition of Person's Day, I ask the House to join me in honouring the famous five who initiated the person's case--Emily Murphy, Irene Parleby, Henrietta Muir, Nellie McClung and Louise McKinney. Thank you.
Condolences--Walter Walsh
Mr. Gerard Jennissen (Flin Flon): Madam Speaker, I seek leave to make a nonpolitical statement.
Madam Speaker: Does the honourable member for Flin Flon have leave to make a nonpolitical statement? [agreed]
Mr. Jennissen: Madam Speaker, I rise today to express our sorrow at the death of Walter Walsh of Leaf Rapids who died tragically earlier this week as a result of a mining accident at HBM&S's Ruttan Mine.
All of us feel sympathy for the Walsh family and relatives at this their most painful hour, and we are reminded once again that mining has long been recognized as one of the most dangerous occupations in this country. Walter's death confirms that. Thank you.