MEMBERS' STATEMENTS

Manitoba Tartan Day

Mr. Gerry McAlpine (Sturgeon Creek): I wanted to rise yesterday with regard to paying tribute to the celebrations for Tartan Day, which is April 6. Tartan Day is normally--and it has been pledged by this government and this province that April 6 of each year would be a celebration for people who respect and honour the tartan.

Madam Speaker, it gives me great pleasure to speak about Manitoba Tartan Day. The Province of Manitoba declared April 6 as Manitoba Tartan Day, recognizing Scotland’s freedom from England many years ago. On April 6, 1320, the Scottish Lords assembled in Arbroath Abbey to appeal to Pope John XXII to recognize Scottish independence from the English.

Some Honourable Members: Oh, oh.

Madam Speaker: Order, please. I am experiencing great difficulty hearing the honourable member for Sturgeon Creek. I wonder if I might ask that those members having private meetings do so either in the loge or outside the Chamber. Thank you.

Mr. McAlpine: Thank you, Madam Speaker. On April 6, 1320, the Scottish Lords assembled in Arbroath Abbey to appeal to Pope John XXII to recognize Scottish independence from the English and to declare Robert the Bruce their king. This message resulted in a successful truce in 1323, giving Scotland peace after 25 years. Scotland remained separate from England until the Act of Union in 1707. In the year 2000, Scotland will elect their first parliament in 300 years, and they will have control of almost all aspects of their country.

Tartan Day is celebrated all across the world, Madam Speaker, by descendants of Scotland, including my family, the McAlpine clan. Manitoba Tartan Day is a very important day to all members of this House, as I imagine all of us have constituents of Scottish heritage in our ridings. I would like to thank the many people that were going to come here in celebration of Tartan Day on Tuesday at the opening of the House, but fortunately they were able to find some control and to make the decision to cancel this and to respect security’s wishes of the House in cancelling the Tartan Day celebration that was, instead of the obvious that happened on April 6 here and--

Madam Speaker: The honourable member’s time has expired.

* (1430)

OCN Blizzard

Mr. Oscar Lathlin (The Pas): I am very proud to rise today and announce to this Chamber that the OCN Blizzard, owned and operated by the Opaskwayak Cree Nation in The Pas, won the MJHL championship and the Turnbull trophy. In spite of all our detractors, the story of the OCN Blizzard is truly an incredible one. They have been in the league only three years. In the first year, they went all the way to the league championship final. In the second year, they played in the division final. This year, of course, they went all the way and are now the MJHL champions, and we are very proud of them.

The Blizzard in this season set all kinds of records. They had the most wins in a season. They had the most goals. They had the least goals scored against them, and their goalie is rated No. 1 across Canada. Madam Speaker, they also had the fan attendance in the highest, and they had the most enthusiastic, most supportive, and I believe the noisiest fans in the league.

Besides these remarkable achievements, OCN Blizzard also served to rally the whole community--OCN, the town of The Pas and the R.M. of Kelsey—together. The team has everyone working together.

Finally, I congratulate the Blizzard for winning the championship, the Opaskwayak Cree Nation, the town of The Pas and the R.M. of Kelsey for getting together and supporting the team. I also want to thank the board of directors and management, the coaching staff, and finally the fans who were fantastic all three seasons. Lastly, I want to wish all the success to the Blizzard in the upcoming Anavet Cup, and I hope they go all the way to the Royal Bank Cup. Thank you.

Urban Green Team

Mrs. Myrna Driedger (Charleswood): Madam Speaker, I am pleased to discuss an initiative of this government that benefits not only young Manitobans but our communities overall. The Urban Green Team, a component of the Green Team youth employment program has again received the support of the government for 1999. Urban Green Team projects have been providing valuable work experience for young Manitobans. The benefits extend beyond the jobs created. Urban Green Teams also improve the urban environment and our communities.

Under the Urban Green Team, youth work for nonprofit organizations and engage in projects such as park and riverbank cleanup, improvement of public facilities, trail enhancement, recycling and conservation education. Up to 750 young Winnipeg residents will gain valuable employment throughout this program this year.

This initiative is consistent with this government’s commitment to the development of young people. We are happy to assist our young people in gaining skills and work experience as a component of their education. The Urban Green Team is commendable not only because of the work experience it affords young Winnipeggers but also because of the community benefits. Young people gain the positive experience of contributing something of lasting value to Winnipeg neighbourhoods and community residents can regard their enhanced surroundings with greater pride.

I am proud to be part of a government which believes in its youth and its communities and which takes action to promote the development of both. Thank you.

Poverty—Housing Issues

Ms. Marianne Cerilli (Radisson): I want to draw attention of the House to the national disaster that has been declared in Canada. Housing and homelessness has been declared a national disaster by Canadian mayors. The UN convention on economic, cultural and social rights has cited the federal government and provincial governments on its lack of follow-through on dealing with poverty and housing issues, particularly as they affect aboriginal people in Canada. Madam Speaker, 4,500 units are needed in the North for housing aboriginal people.

We have had a provincial government in Manitoba that has sat back for the last 10 years or so. They have had a number of policies that have increased the problem of housing in our older neighbourhoods in Manitoba by allowing exurban and urban sprawl. They reduced wages and kept the minimum wage down. They have cut a number of services, funding to community groups like friendship centres. All of these have had an effect, and we heard about this last night at a meeting at R.B. Russell School.

The other thing that was made loud and clear through all of this and that we have realized in Canada for more than 40 years is you cannot make money off of housing low-income people. That is also what has been contributed to by this government with their offloading of property taxes, and we now have a property value problem in downtown areas of Winnipeg. What we have also seen from the last few years is you also cannot have a housing sector run on charity, and a number of the groups last night said that they cannot do it alone and indeed they need leadership and they need the government as a partner. They want a new model. They do not want the old model of social housing which was built and owned by government. They want the community to be involved, but they also want the government to be clear about what it can do. It was very clear last night they want this government to take action on urban sprawl. They want this government to have a renovation and retrofitting program that will meet the scale of the need, and they want to have some assistance on mortgage financing.

Madam Speaker: Order, please. Your time has expired.

Ms. Cerilli: Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Mr. Gary Kowalski (The Maples): Madam Speaker, I rise to make a statement in regard to a matter that should not be given as much attention as it is, and that is the boundaries. I heard one of the official opposition members comment toward our little caucus: that one-trip pony. Well, if we had as many questions, opportunities and research capabilities as the official opposition, we would be asking questions on agriculture, education and that, but we would still be asking questions about this because this is what gives us our credibility as legislators, to be able to speak on education. That is, a fair democratic election. And the comment has been made: what is the rush? When tomorrow--I do not know what is happening with the Conservative nominations. Maybe some of their members are going to be mad at their own party. I know it could happen. And what happens if a number of Conservatives vote a nonconfidence vote with the opposition. We could have an instant election tomorrow, and that is why it is important to do this bill as soon as possible.

And there is no controversy here. There is no controversy here whatsoever. The official opposition today declined the opportunity to look at the bill. They declined the opportunity. I am getting to trust none of the other two parties for running a fair and respecting democracy in this province. You know, I have been accused that I am posturing for the benefit of my colleague from Inkster, but, know what? Maybe they are posturing because maybe the member for Broadway (Mr. Santos) and the member for St. James (Ms. Mihychuk) are going to fight it out. Maybe the member for Crescentwood (Mr. Sale) and the member for Osborne (Ms. McGifford ) are going to fight it out, and maybe that is why they are doing it. So, Madam Speaker, I think we should pass this bill as soon as possible.