Honorary Peacekeeping Award--St. James Collegiate

Mr. Gerry McAlpine (Sturgeon Creek): Madam Speaker, I rise in the House today to inform the members about a very special group of young people from St. James Collegiate.

As the members know, many Canadians dedicate a good deal of their lives to the effort of helping people from countries that are not as fortunate as ours. Through these peacekeeping missions, Canada has earned a positive reputation and the gratitude of people the world over. Yet, too often these Canadians do not always receive the type of recognition in their homeland as they do abroad. That is why the efforts of a group of Senior 1 French students from the St. James Collegiate is so notable.

Under the initiative of their teacher, Ms. Triolo, these students began a letter-writing campaign to our Canadian peacekeepers in Bosnia. These letters kept our Canadian troops informed of the news from Canada and Manitoba, as well as providing the moral encouragement needed under the trying circumstances in which they served.

Madam Speaker, I had the privilege of attending a ceremony that recognized the contribution that these young Canadians have made to the peacekeeping effort. Under the order of Major-General Clive Addy, Commander of the Land Forces Western Area, Ms. Triolo and her students were presented with the Honorary Peacekeeping Award.

It is important that our young people understand and appreciate the sacrifices that our Canadian peacekeepers have made and continue to make for the benefit of our country and those around the world. While it often seems that we cannot make a difference to the effort when we are so far away, this group of young people have shown that a difference can indeed be made. These students have set an example, not just for the young people of our province, but indeed for all Manitobans.

I applaud the initiative of Ms. Triolo and her class, and I continue to encourage and support all Canadians who are serving abroad. Their efforts are truly appreciated. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Manitoba Day

Prix Awards

Louis Riel Statue

Ms. Diane McGifford (Osborne): Madam Speaker, I am pleased to have this opportunity to invite all members of the House to join with me, and indeed with all Manitobans, in recognizing Manitoba Day which was celebrated yesterday, Sunday, May 12, a nice synchronicity, I think, that on the same day we celebrated our province's birthday and Mother's Day. They are our public and personal heritages.

Yesterday was Manitoba's official 126th birthday, an occasion which gives us pause to reflect on the richness and diversity of our heritage, culturally, ethnically, linguistically, spiritually. As well, Manitoba Day affords us the chance to meditate on the present and imagine the future.

Last week, the Minister of Culture, Heritage and Citizenship (Mr. Gilleshammer) presented the Prix Awards which honours individuals and groups for their contributions to heritage and recreation. On behalf of my caucus, I congratulate the recipients.

Yesterday the Metis people unveiled a statue of Louis Riel honouring this father of Confederation and this father of Manitoba. Members on this side of the House join with the community in celebrating Louis Riel.

At this time, at this crossroads in our nation's history, we desperately need commitment and leadership. If our country is to survive as a nation, the courage, morality, tenacity and creativity which distinguish creative leadership are essential. Let us remember that we are both Manitobans and Canadians and that we wish to keep it this way.

Madam Speaker, it needs to be said that Manitoba Day, May 12, is a created tradition, a European-Canadian tradition. This tradition recognizes 126 years of history, but aboriginal people can celebrate some 12,000 years of history in Manitoba. So let us be encompassing and farsighted, even curious. Let us honour the Manitoba history of aboriginal people by making personal commitments to learn about this history, for to know is to understand.

Finally, let us remember that the Manitoba flag now waves over a staggering diversity of peoples, that the fabric of our province is woven from many different strands, aboriginal, European, Asian, Caribbean, to name a few. As we live with one another and exchange ideas, culture, language, customs, as we intermarry and share a common humanity, we are developing a new spirit of understanding and multiculturalism.

We see this especially in our schools--

Madam Speaker: Order, please. As much as I regret, I have to do this. I believe I have been very lenient. The honourable member has been speaking for in excess of two minutes.

Reach for the Top--Kelvin High School

Mr. Mike Radcliffe (River Heights): Madam Speaker, it gives me great pleasure today to draw the attention of this House to a significant achievement by Kelvin High School's Reach for the Top team. The Kelvin team, represented by Paul Hesse, Ben Singer, Billie Coish and Josh Drury, finished second in the provincial Reach for the Top championships held recently. As a result of their efforts, these students will be participating at the national Reach for the Top championship in Toronto later this month, along with the first-place team from Pinawa Secondary School.

At the national tournament, both teams will be representing our province against the best Reach for the Top teams from the nation. I would ask all honourable members to join me in congratulating these assiduous young people on their success in the provincial Reach for the Top tournament and in wishing them all the best as they represent Manitoba in exemplary fashion at the national tournament in Toronto later this month. Thank you.

Employment Standards for Youth

Ms. Marianne Cerilli (Radisson): I want to raise the issue of the enforcement of employment standards for youth today. It has been drawn to my attention by a number of young people that although we do not have child labour as many other countries do, we still have a number of young people in our province who are being taken advantage of in the workplace. In Manitoba, we have a requirement of a work permit for young people under the age of 16 who are working. We do not have a very good system of enforcing that employers require the work permit, and we do not really know how many young people are working who are underage.

We also know that many young people are working more than 20 hours per week while being full-time students, and they are pressured to work more hours than they would like to and that this is affecting their academic studies. Young people are still being taken advantage of because they do not know that they are entitled to overtime pay, to vacation pay, entitled to a ride home when they work past 12 a.m. They do not know that they are entitled to having an emergency work plan for when they are working alone.

They are often told to work extra hours, and they are intimidated by the threat of being fired and told that there are many other people that would gladly have their jobs if they do not wish to comply with their employers' demands. Young people are often told that their probation period is greater than 30 days, is actually 90 days, and this makes them vulnerable of being fired without notice. They are not aware of where to turn in these situations, or they are not aware that they have the right to complain. Harassment and discrimination also face many young people in the workforce, and we know that 90 percent of women at some time in their life will be sexually harassed in their workplace.

In response to this, I have prepared a pamphlet, Your Rights, Your Job, which I will make available to Manitoba young people to try and address these problems.

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Canada Pension Plan

Mr. David Newman (Riel): Madam Speaker, I stand to speak on the future of Canada's social insurance plan, founded in 1966. This social insurance plan provides retirement disability survivor and death benefit and has been financed by a dedicated payroll tax for 30 years. For 20 years, the payroll tax was 3.6 percent of earnings up to $35,400, less a $3,500 exemption. The plan was designed to be financed by a maximum tax of 5.5 percent in perpetuity.

Increased benefits, especially in the 1970s, investment policy, lack of accurate foresight, failure to act in a timely way to correct an apparent lack of sustainability and pending intergenerational inequity in the '80s and '90s so far has resulted in a challenging situation which must be addressed now. Transparent, timely, wise and effective action is overdue.

As of January 1996, we began paying a 5.6 percent payroll tax to support this plan. This is in excess of the projected maximum of 5.5 percent. Finance ministers in this country predict we must pay 14.2 percent by the year 2030 or soon begin a steady rate of over 10 percent with changes to the plan as well. We have a challenge, Madam Speaker. The increase means a payroll tax of at least 4.4 percent more now and year after year or a progressive increase of up to 8.8 percent or more by 2030. Will our sons, daughters and grandchildren want to pay these combined rates with their employers? Will the 81,000-plus sole proprietors in the province of Manitoba and employees and small businesses want to pay this tax?

Madam Speaker, an information paper for consultations on the Canada Pension Plan is available. Please, honourable members, study this, make your submissions to the ministers of Finance in this country. Thank you.