LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA
Tuesday, May 11, 2021
Mr. Deputy Speaker (Doyle Piwniuk): Good afternoon, everyone.
Please be seated.
Hon. Scott Fielding (Minister of Finance): Mr. Deputy Speaker, could you please canvass the House for leave to allow for the immediate introduction, first reading and distribution of Bill 73, The Employment Standards Code Amendment Act, COVID vaccination leave, despite the fall that the bill does not appear on today's Order Paper, but is instead listed on today's Notice Paper?
Mr. Deputy Speaker: Is there leave to allow the intermediate introduction and first reading, distribution of Bill 73, The Employment Standards Code Amendment Act (COVID‑19 Vaccination Leave), despite that the fact that the bill was not appeared on today's Order Paper, but instead listed on today's Notice Paper? Is there leave? Agreed? [Agreed]
Hon. Scott Fielding (Minister of Finance): I move, seconded by the Minister of Health, that Bill 73, The Employment Standards Code Amendment Act (COVID‑19 Vaccination Leave), be now read a first time.
Motion presented.
Mr. Fielding: I am pleased to introduce Bill 73, The Employment Standards Code Amendment Act (COVID‑19 Vaccination Leave). The bill will amend Employment Standards Code to allow Manitoba employees to take up to three hours of paid leave in order to receive their COVID‑19 vaccinations. It will also clarify that the existing public health emergency leave provisions apply to employees who are unable to work due to the suffering side effects after receiving COVID‑19 vaccination.
Thank you.
Mr. Deputy Speaker: Sorry, is it pleasure of the House to adopt the motion? [Agreed]
Mr. James Teitsma (Chairperson): Mr. Deputy Speaker, I wish to present the tenth report of the Standing Committee on Social and Economic Development.
Clerk (Ms. Patricia Chaychuk): Your Standing Committee on Social and Economic Development presents the following as its–
Some Honourable Members: Dispense.
Mr. Deputy Speaker: Dispense.
Your Standing Committee on Social and Economic Development presents the following as its Tenth Report.
Meetings
Your Committee met on May 10, 2021 at 6:00 p.m. in Room 255 of the Legislative Building.
Matters under Consideration
· Bill (No. 71) – The Education Property Tax Reduction Act (Property Tax and Insulation Assistance Act and Income Tax Act Amended) / Loi sur la réduction de l'impôt foncier pour l'éducation (modification de la Loi sur l'aide en matière de taxes foncières et d'isolation thermique des résidences et de la Loi de l'impôt sur le revenu)
· Bill (No. 223) – The Spirit Bear Day Act / Loi sur la Journée de l'ourson Spirit Bear
Committee Membership
As per the Sessional Order passed by the House on October 7, 2020 and further amended on December 3, 2020, Rule 83(2) was waived for the May 10, 2021 meeting, reducing the membership to six Members (4 Government and 2 Official Opposition).
· Hon. Mrs. Cox
· Hon. Mr. Fielding
· Mrs. Smith (Point Douglas)
· Mr. Teitsma
· Mr. Wasyliw
· Mr. Wishart
Your Committee elected Mr. Teitsma as the Chairperson.
Your Committee elected Mr. Wishart as the Vice‑Chairperson.
Non-Committee Members Speaking on Record
· Mr. Lamont
Public Presentations
Your Committee heard the following nine presentations on Bill (No. 71) – The Education Property Tax Reduction Act (Property Tax and Insulation Assistance Act and Income Tax Act Amended) / Loi sur la réduction de l'impôt foncier pour l'éducation (modification de la Loi sur l'aide en matière de taxes foncières et d'isolation thermique des résidences et de la Loi de l'impôt sur le revenu):
Alan Campbell, Manitoba School Boards Association
Floyd Martens, Mountain View School Division, Board of Trustees
Lorne Weiss, Manitoba Real Estate Association
David von Meyenfeldt, Private Citizen
Bill Campbell, Keystone Agricultural Producers, President
David Kennedy, Manitoba Life Lease Occupants Association
Molly McCracken, Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives
Kevin Rebeck, Manitoba Federation of Labour
Josh Brandon, Social Planning Counsel of Winnipeg
Written Submissions
Your Committee received the following written submission on (No. 71) – The Education Property Tax Reduction Act (Property Tax and Insulation Assistance Act and Income Tax Act Amended) / Loi sur la réduction de l'impôt foncier pour l'éducation (modification de la Loi sur l'aide en matière de taxes foncières et d'isolation thermique des résidences et de la Loi de l'impôt sur le revenu):
Penny Helgason, Evergreen School Division
Bills Considered and Reported
· Bill (No. 71) – The Education Property Tax Reduction Act (Property Tax and Insulation Assistance Act and Income Tax Act Amended) / Loi sur la réduction de l'impôt foncier pour l'éducation (modification de la Loi sur l'aide en matière de taxes foncières et d'isolation thermique des résidences et de la Loi de l'impôt sur le revenu)
Your Committee agreed to report this Bill without amendment.
· Bill (No. 223) – The Spirit Bear Day Act / Loi sur la Journée de l'ourson Spirit Bear
Your Committee agreed to report this Bill without amendment.
Mr. Teitsma: Mr. Deputy Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable member for Portage la Prairie (Mr. Wishart), that the report of the committee be received.
Motion agreed to.
Mr. Deputy Speaker: Now we'll go on to tabling of reports?
Mr. Deputy Speaker: The honourable Minister of Climate and Conservation–the required 90 minutes notice prior to the routine proceedings was provided in accordance with rule 26(2).
Would the honourable minister please proceed with her minister's statement.
Hon. Sarah Guillemard (Minister of Conservation and Climate): The month of May is dedicated to wildfire prevention and preparedness across North America. With the severe, dry conditions we are currently experiencing across southern Manitoba, we wish to remind all Manitobans of the importance of being extra careful with all activities they are planning to undertake this spring and to be prepared in the event of an approaching wildfire.
The Manitoba Wildfire Service and local fire department are already very active in responding to wildfires, and we must all do our part to minimize the risks. Wildfire Service staff and local fire department personnel from the rural municipality of Piney are currently engaged in fire operations in southeast Manitoba within the Pineland provincial forest.
The Manitoba Wildfire Service has taken steps to implement early restrictions on burning and travel across southern Manitoba this spring. These measures are in direct support of local prevention measures. Further restrictions will be implemented until we see significant amounts of precipitation.
We ask the general public to please stay away from active wildfires. Getting a photo is not worth putting your safety or that of our firefighters at risk.
As part of the department of conservation's effort to promote wildfire prevention and mitigation, an additional $460,000 was invested across the province this past year. Recent partnerships include involvement with FireSmart Canada in the development of wildfire prevention and mitigation materials that are relatable and relevant to Indigenous communities across Canada. This project includes support for the printing and distribution of Blazing the Trail: Celebrating Indigenous Fire Stewardship, a publication promoting action to ensure wildfire-resilient communities.
Also included in support–is support for an educational outreach project through the Boreal Discovery Centre at Nisichawayasihk Cree Nation's traditional territory in Thompson. Programming addresses boreal forest-fire ecology, fire weather and Indigenous fire management. The Manitoba Wildfire Service will also soon launch a remote lodge and outfitter wildfire mitigation program, a unique FireSmart initiative to promote wildfire preparedness planning and ensure that lodges in remote areas are well prepared for approaching wildfires prior to the arrival of Manitoba Wildfire Service's resources.
Other important projects include the development of a comprehensive wildfire management strategy for the Whiteshell Provincial Park, as well as upgrades to Wildfire Service remote weather station monitoring network. Preparedness efforts include an investment of $774,000 for salaries and operating costs to support the hiring of five additional five-person, initial-attack fire crews for the 2021 wildfire season. These highly mobile crews will be available for the deployment anywhere around the province when required.
Finally, the Province has also recently committed $5.2 million towards avionics communications and safety upgrades to our air tanker fleet. Madam–Mr. Deputy Speaker, these important prevention initiatives and financial commitments demonstrate this government's commitment to wildfire prevention, mitigation and preparedness as we enter what we anticipate to be a very busy wildfire season.
I would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to the dedicated women and men of our Wildfire Service, the members of local fire departments across the province, as well as the supporting agencies, for their continued hard work and dedication in protecting Manitobans. These brave individuals face dangerous circumstances so that we can all stay safe.
Thank you, Mr. Deputy Speaker.
Ms. Lisa Naylor (Wolseley):
As spring arrives in Manitoba, it brings warmer temperatures and with that, a risk of wildfires. Wildfires are naturally occurring and, when controlled, can benefit the environment by promoting forest regeneration. Unfortunately, human activity can increase the risk of wildfires and make them more dangerous. Wildfires can destroy homes and cottages, sometimes burning through entire communities and displacing thousands.
Wildfires are becoming increasingly unpredictable as climate change worsens. Research shows us that climate change will increase the frequency and severity of droughts in the Prairies, which will have a negative impact on agriculture and increase the likelihood of forest fires.
A fire in the RM of Piney that is currently burning out of control and has consumed nearly 900 hectares of forest reminds us of the dangers close to home. According to Canadian fire researchers, if we don't significantly reduce our carbon emissions, central and southern Manitoba will see a 40 per cent increase in area burned by 2050 and northern Manitoba will see a 78 per cent increase. We need to act now to prevent worsening fires.
Unfortunately, this government is refusing to take meaningful action on climate change. The Premier (Mr. Pallister) continues to pick fights in court and the minister herself said that their plan is not to reduce emissions, but just to let them increase less than if we'd done nothing.
This is not climate leadership; it's embarrassing and it is dangerous. At the same time, they've actively reduced our ability to fight fires. They've privatized our fire-suppression program and are leasing our province's water bombers to Babcock Canada. If Babcock picks up a new contract, these planes could be used in other provinces, meaning they might not be here when we need them the most.
* (13:40)
Climate change is real, it is here and it is putting Manitoban families at risk. Manitobans deserve a government that tackles climate change and wildfires head-on, not one that actively worsens our climate outlook.
I encourage all Manitobans to be fire smart this summer and to call on this government for meaningful climate action.
Thank you.
Hon. Jon Gerrard (River Heights): I ask leave to speak to the minister's statement.
Mr. Deputy Speaker: Does the honourable member for River Heights have leave to reply to the ministerial statement? Agreed? Does everybody agree? [Agreed]
You can proceed with the statement.
Mr. Gerrard: Mr. Deputy Speaker, this year is a dry year, and we face an increased potential for wildfires. Indeed, it's possible that the dry 'mether'–weather may represent a major issue for Manitoba this summer, and this may be in part because of climate change, and it may be something that we have to be prepared for and not just this summer but in summers to come.
We have a wildfire right now, ongoing, in the Sandilands area. On behalf of Manitoba Liberals, I extend thanks to all who've been involved in fighting this wildfire and extend our hopes that no one will lose their property or be–there will be no casualties.
A number of years ago we had asked that there be community fire protection plans, and that these include fire breaks and the clearing of underbrush near communities to protect communities from wildfires.
I note that residents like Ronnie Bugera had asked the government for such a plan for communities like Sandilands, Woodridge and Carrot. The government, we learn, had turned them down. We are left to puzzle why the government turned them down. Certainly, the government was well aware of the need for cleaning of brush near communities to protect the communities; we had raised it earlier, and this is well known.
It is hoped that the government will work more co-operatively with people in communities in areas where there will be wildfires in the future as well as this one. This should apply to all communities at risk in Manitoba, including First Nation, Métis and Inuit, as well as other communities. We have in Manitoba a lot of wonderful forest; we need to be good stewards of that forest, and that includes managing wildfires and protecting communities.
Thank you, merci, miigwech.
Mr. Andrew Micklefield (Rossmere): When the COVID‑19 virus first made the news, I was skeptical. Was this any more than the flu?
But then my friend got COVID and wound up in intensive care, and I began to take things more seriously. However, I wasn't entirely persuaded. I thought maybe he was just unlucky.
Then another friend got COVID and died. Then my friend's mom got COVID and died as well.
Then another friend, who is 44 years old, in reasonable health, got COVID and was admitted to hospital, his blood oxygen at dangerous levels. Thankfully for his wife and six children, he returned home sometime later, over the worst, but weak and physically exhausted. That was last Christmas. I spoke with him recently and he is still unable to work and still physically affected: Sometimes I feel like I'm shuffling about from better to worse to better again without making much progress. There does appear to be slow improvement but doctors say it will take time to return to normal, hopefully later this year.
Two weeks ago another friend got sick with COVID and found herself in intensive care. Her family asked their church to pray while she wondered if she would ever see them again. Thankfully, she's now recovering at home.
People who do not have so many friends affected by this virus are fortunate. But these situations changed my mind, and I am no longer skeptical or unsure. They showed me the very real and life-threatening impacts COVID can have on families and individuals.
That's why my wife and I chose to get vaccinated. Places with high vaccine uptake develop herd immunity and are opening up, something all of us want. That's why Ruth and I are vaccinated. I hope these words and stories will help others do the same.
Thank you.
Ms. Lisa Naylor (Wolseley): Many Wolseley constituents receive Employment and Income Assistance or the EIA disability benefit. They have shared their struggles with me and I rise today to advocate on their behalf.
Currently, the monthly allowance for a single adult on EIA is $771. Anne, a Wolseley constituent, rents one of the most affordable one-bedroom apartments in Winnipeg at $713 per month, but this leaves Anne with $58 for everything else.
No amount of careful budgeting can stretch $58 to cover food, toiletries, hydro, clothing, bus tickets or even washing her laundry. No amount of financial literacy will allow Anne the joys of recreation or pet ownership.
If Anne tries to improve her situation by making and selling crafts or picking up odd jobs, any money she makes will be clawed back at a rate of 70 per cent after the first $200. This is a vicious cycle that is trapping Manitobans in poverty.
In 2019, there were 43,300 active EIA case files and this has only increased. More Manitobans need help than ever before, but instead last year the PCs proposed a $4.5‑million cut to EIA, clawed back benefits for those receiving CERB and cut the portable housing benefit, which clawed back $200 per month from hundreds of Manitobans living with mental health challenges.
No Manitoban should have to choose between rent and food, but that is the reality for people like Anne under the Pallister government. The Premier (Mr. Pallister) and Minister of Families (Ms. Squires) need to immediately reverse their cuts and increase EIA rates to be in line with a living wage.
When people have their basic needs met, they are better equipped to overcome whatever challenges they are facing. Manitobans deserve an EIA program that enables our most vulnerable to live healthy and fulfilling lives. I call on this government–
Mr. Deputy Speaker: The honourable member's time is up.
Hon. Eileen Clarke (Minister of Indigenous and Northern Relations): I rise today to recognize and acknowledge the life and accomplishments of the late Ron Forsman. He was a resident of Neepawa.
Ron received his education in Neepawa and as a young man worked for the Department of Highways before getting his mechanic papers in 1960. Ron had [inaudible] Dwayne, Sharran, Kristine and his late son Kelly.
Ron worked as an auto mechanic until 1964 and then service manager of Murray's Garage until 1974. He went on to manage, own and operate several businesses, one of those being the ambulance service that he had purchased in 1975. In 1991 he opted to concentrate on ambulance services and was also hired to operate the Neepawa handy van until 2002, and in 2005 he transferred the ambulance service to the Assiniboine Regional Health Authority.
Ron was an important community volunteer and he belonged to several clubs and organizations. He had a significant role in starting the Driver's Education Program in Neepawa and was an instructor for seven years.
I got to work with Ron during his time as a councillor for the Town of Neepawa, that of–which he served 25 years and one year as mayor. He served his community in so many ways for so many years.
In 1995, Ron received the emergency medical exemplary service medal for his 20 years of service to public pre-hospital emergencies in Canada. In 2012, he was recognized for his work and dedication and was awarded the Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee Medal.
Ron was an extraordinary man who made friends easily, talked to everyone and made outstanding contributions to his community. Ron passed away March 25th this year, and he leaves behind many friends and family to cherish his memory: his wife Norma of 28 years and his children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, [inaudible] brothers, Doug and Don. We wish to extend our condolences to Ron's family for being a great man within his community.
Thank you, Mr. Deputy Speaker.
Mr. Deputy Speaker: Due to the audio that we had with the minister, I was wondering if we can have leave from the House to have everything printed on–in Hansard based on the statement of the honourable minister? Is it agreed? [Agreed]
We'll have it all printed in Hansard.
Madame Speaker, I rise in the house today to recognize and acknowledge the life and accomplishments of the late Ron Forsman, who was a resident of Neepawa.
Ron received his education in Neepawa and as a young man worked for the Department of Highways before getting his mechanic papers in 1960. Ron had four children with his late wife Inky: Dwayne, Sharran, Kristine and his late son Kelly.
Ron worked as an auto mechanic until 1964 and then service manager of Murrays Garage until 1974. Ron went on to manage, own and operate several businesses one of those being the ambulance service that he had purchased in 1975. In 1991 he opted to concentrate on ambulance services and was also hired to operate the Neepawa handy van until 2002, and in 2005 he transferred the ambulance service to the Assiniboine Regional Health Authority.
Ron was an important community volunteer and belonged to several clubs and organizations. He had a significant role in starting the Driver's Education Program in Neepawa and was an instructor for seven years.
I got to work with Ron during his time as a councilor for the Town of Neepawa that of which he served 25 years and was Mayor for one year. He served his community in so many ways for so many years.
In 1995 Ron received The Emergency Medical Exemplary Service Medal for his 20 years of service to public prehospital emergencies in Canada. In 2012 he was recognized for his work and dedication and was awarded The Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee Medal.
Ron was an extraordinary man who made friends easily, talked to everyone and made outstanding contributions in his community. Ron leaves behind many friends and family to cherish his memory. His wife Norma of 28 years and his children, grandchildren, great grandchildren, and two brothers Doug and Don.
Thank you.
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Mr. Deputy Speaker: Now we'll go on to the honourable member for St. James.
Mr. Adrien Sala (St. James): I recently received a phone call from a community member whose 93‑year-old mother was brought to the Grace Hospital ER for medical attention. I learned that, instead of receiving a room to remain in while in care, she was left on a stretcher in the ER hallway for a total of four consecutive nights.
When I contacted the hospital to advocate on behalf of the family, I not only confirmed that this had happened, but I also learned that there were others who'd been waiting even longer for access to a room. Thanks to the bravery of this family and their willingness to make the story public, I've since heard from other families and health-care staff who shared serious concerns about the situation within the Grace ER.
Through these discussions, it's become clear to me that the current chaos within the Grace ER is a direct by-product of the Pallister government's decision to close three out of six ERs across Winnipeg. These decisions led to a massive increase in the number of patients being routed to the Grace ER for care, yet this increase in patients was never matched with an increase in available space or staffing.
Simply put, this government's decision to close ERs and to prioritize finances over people is forcing Manitobans to sleep on stretchers in the hallways of the Grace ER instead of receiving the dignified experience they deserve. This isn't politics; it's just fact.
The doctors, nurses and health-care aides who've been forced to serve in this environment have been doing an incredible job providing the best patient care they can in an impossible situation. But enough is enough.
I am urging this government to take action in response to these issues of overcrowding and understaffing, and I am specifically calling on the members for Assiniboia and Kirkfield Park to convince their colleagues of the value and importance of making the required investments to ensure members of our shared communities can once again feel confident they'll receive the care they deserve when visiting the Grace ER in their time of need.
Thank you.
Ms. Cindy Lamoureux (Tyndall Park): I want to talk today about a few different groups for two specific reasons. The first reason is because we are celebrating Asian Heritage Month, and the second reason is because these groups have played a huge role in helping Manitobans throughout the pandemic, all in different ways.
The first group I want to talk about is the Filipino Business Council of Manitoba, a council that specifically focuses on connecting Filipino business owners with each other and other communities through a series of networking events. We know small businesses have suffered dramatically throughout the pandemic, and the council has extended their resources in continuing to help businesses stay connected and informed, and they have been faced with many challenges over this last year.
Another group I want to acknowledge is Asian Women of Winnipeg. We know how important socializing is for our mental health, and although we cannot get together in person, AWOW has gone above and beyond in hosting online events, some even with food, that has brought so many of us together to celebrate and socialize virtually throughout all the lockdowns.
And, Mr. Deputy Speaker, we can't discuss a pandemic and not mention the sacrifices of our health-care workers. That is why I want to acknowledge and extend such gratitude towards the Philippine Nurses Association of Manitoba. This association offers support to internationally educated nurses from all countries and have done an outstanding job dedicating themselves towards the health of Manitobans.
Mr. Deputy Speaker, beyond the groups I have mentioned, there are many more Manitobans assisting businesses who have suffered through lockdowns, groups who have created platforms to have virtual ways to socialize for our mental health and groups that continue to risk their own health who work tirelessly for the health and well-being of all Manitobans. A big thank-you to all of you, and thank you, Mr. Deputy Speaker.
Mr. Deputy Speaker: Time for oral questions.
Mr. Wab Kinew (Leader of the Official Opposition): The Premier has failed us as Manitobans during the pandemic and he knows it. He knows it. That's why he's now trying to rewrite history.
We all watched the press conference on Friday night. We watched Dr. Roussin–[interjection]
Mr. Deputy Speaker: Order.
Mr. Kinew: –stand there by his lonesome and announce the new restrictions, and yet the Premier emerged from hiding yesterday to claim–get this–claim that he was actually there on Friday night with Dr. Roussin, even though the video evidence clearly proves otherwise.
He is trying to rewrite history because he's ashamed of his actions.
Will the Premier finally commit to learning from the mistakes he's made from the pandemic, starting by admitting he wasn't there Friday night? [interjection]
Mr. Deputy Speaker: Order.
Hon. Brian Pallister (Premier): Couple of things: I think the member's a little confused. I announced changes to the health orders on Friday morning, so the member needs to take note of that.
An Honourable Member: No, you didn't.
Mr. Pallister: Yes, I did.
And I announced also that Dr. Roussin would be giving the details–[interjection]
Mr. Deputy Speaker: Order.
Mr. Pallister: –later in the day. That's what I said at the press conference.
But if the member wants to talk about rewriting history, let's talk about his book. Let's talk about why I run–[interjection]–why I run–[interjection]
Mr. Deputy Speaker: Order.
Mr. Pallister: The book, why I run, chronicles just one criminal act, when he knows that there were many, many, many more. And so when the member talks about rewriting history, he's a bit of an expert on it.
Manitobans have the opportunity, as they have throughout this pandemic, to continue to bend the COVID curve. They've been the most successful people in the country at doing it. We've had the lowest case numbers in 2021 in the country outside of the Atlantic bubble, and that's a tribute to the people of Manitoba.
This is about Manitobans. This isn't about the member from Fort Rouge. [interjection]
Mr. Deputy Speaker: Order. Order.
The honourable Leader of the Official Opposition, on a supplementary question.
Mr. Wab Kinew (Leader of the Official Opposition): Well, there he goes again. This is why outcomes during the third wave in Manitoba are now worse than they were during the second wave. The seven-day case count average is worse than it was in the second wave, and yet the Premier tries to stand up now and say things are going great.
Again, that's the hill he wants to die on, try and claim that he announced health restrictions on Friday when we all know that's not true? We all watched Dr. Roussin. We still have the video evidence to prove that what he said isn't true. This is why he continues to repeat the mistakes of the pandemic time and time again.
Is he thinking about Manitobans when he does that? No, he's not. He's only thinking about himself. And it's up to the rest of us to try and clean up the mess that he's made.
So I'll ask again: Will the Premier finally start to learn from the mistakes he's made from the pandemic, starting by admitting that maybe things aren't going so well right now?
Hon. Brian Pallister (Premier): The member focuses on his political goals, Mr. Speaker. We're focused on helping encourage Manitobans to do the right thing.
Manitobans–[interjection]–Manitobans–[interjection]
Mr. Deputy Speaker: Order.
Mr. Pallister: –that follow the health rules are doing the right thing. The member for Fort Rouge didn't follow the health rules. A few weeks ago, he didn't wear a mask, he assembled a big group, he flaunted the public health rules and he still hasn't apologized for it. When we talk about shameful behaviour, that is the epitome right there.
Now, what we're concerned about here is getting Manitobans vaccinated. [interjection] If the member wants to keep chirping from his seat, he should do it because it shows he's losing control–[interjection]
Mr. Deputy Speaker: Order.
Mr. Pallister: –of himself, Mr. Chair. Here's the deal: the vaccine team isn't.
The vaccine team that he criticized and derided yesterday, and continues to, is doing a great job. To date: 576,000 doses, including close to 500,000 first doses. Our vaccine team's doing a great job. The member opposite should get behind the people in Manitoba that are trying to help us get through this third wave. [interjection]
Mr. Deputy Speaker: Order.
The honourable Leader of the Official Opposition, on a final supplementary question.
Mr. Kinew: Mr. Deputy Speaker, teamwork makes the dream work, but the team don't work if the Premier keeps trying to blame Manitobans instead of accepting responsibility. That's what he's done every step of the way.
This is the person who failed to wear a mask in the airport. This is the person who failed to self-isolate when coming back from outside the exclusion zone. And yet, is it ever his fault? Is it ever his fault–[interjection]
Mr. Deputy Speaker: Order.
Mr. Kinew: –when he fails to show up for Manitobans time and time again? No, it's not. It's always the people of Manitoba who are to blame, according to this Premier and to that PC caucus.
We say otherwise. We say it's now the people who have to clean up their mess.
Will someone on the other side of the House finally admit that this government has made mistakes and commit to doing better?
Mr. Pallister: The member's not, by any stretch of the imagination, an expert on admitting past mistakes, Mr. Chair. The fact of the matter is it's a global pandemic. There's no playbook. We're doing the absolute best we can. We have the best small-business supports available in the country. [interjection] Oh, the member wants to chirp again–[interjection]
* (14:00)
Mr. Deputy Speaker: Order.
Mr. Pallister: –because he's losing control. He can't listen to the facts. We have the–[interjection] There he goes again.
Mr. Deputy Speaker: Order.
Mr. Pallister: There he goes again. Can't control himself over there.
We have the strongest enforcement. We have the strongest–[interjection]
Mr. Deputy Speaker: Order.
Mr. Pallister: We have the strongest team of people doing the enforcement in the country for our size, but there are still people breaking the health orders, and if the member wants to make excuses for them, I know and you know, Mr. Chair, that he is just making excuses for himself, because when he had the chance to stand up and support our health leadership–the physician of the year, Dr. Brent Roussin, according to his colleagues–he didn't.
He blamed Dr. Roussin. He blamed Dr. Atwal. He blamed the vaccine team. And now he's blaming us. That's fine, Mr. Speaker, but it doesn't make things better.
We're focused on making things better.
Mr. Deputy Speaker: The honourable Leader of the Official Opposition, on a different question. [interjection] Order.
Mr. Wab Kinew (Leader of the Official Opposition): The Premier's colleagues are clapping so slowly it almost seems like it's sarcasm. It almost seems like he's lost his caucus.
And who would want to support an answer like that? The delays, the hiding, the lay-and-pray strategy has caused chaos and confusion for parents and for teachers and for students this week. They're all scrambling.
Now, they heard the announcement on Mother's Day, and they thought that critical-service workers would still be able to send their children to school this week. However, I'll table a letter that came out from one school today saying that, no, in fact, not all critical-service workers can send their kids to school as of Wednesday.
This is the result of the confusion and the ad hoc approach to fighting the pandemic that the PCs have taken.
So I'll ask the Premier: How long has he known that schools would have to close?
Hon. Brian Pallister (Premier): Ad hoc opposition attacks by the member just demonstrate that he still thinks this is about him. It isn't about him. It's about Manitobans. It's about the best supportive paid sick leave program available in the country. It's about the strongest enforcement. It's about introducing–a month ago–restrictions that were already very restrictive and then strengthening them even further when we had 100 cases in our province.
It's about working. The member says things didn't work. The member knows about not working. He knows about not thinking too, and he needs to think about someone other than–[interjection]
Mr. Deputy Speaker: Order.
Mr. Pallister: –himself. He needs to think about Manitobans now, because we need to get Manitobans vaccinated, and we are. And thank you to our vaccination team for getting us to 24-plus today and 18-plus tomorrow.
Mr. Deputy Speaker: The honourable Leader of the Official Opposition, on a supplementary question.
Mr. Kinew: So, again, the document that I tabled that the Premier refuses to answer is just one more piece of evidence for the chaos and confusion that his government has created. You can see why it's been so confusing: the epic flip-flop that we saw on Sunday was truly startling.
For months, this government 'clinged' to the claim that schools were safe, and then they rushed an announcement out on Mother's Day, all of a sudden warning Manitobans, you know what, schools aren't safe. But send your kids in on Monday, send them in on Tuesday. Wednesday, that's when they're no longer safe for your kids to be in class.
I'll table the document again. The guarantee provided to critical-service workers that they would be able to send their children to schools is not accurate in all cases. Now, this sort of confusion could have been worked out in advance had the government shared the information with the people of Manitoba and made the announcement earlier.
So, again, how long did the Premier know that schools in Manitoba would have to close?
Mr. Pallister: I'd encourage the member, as Greg Selinger 'jid'–did during the 2016 election campaign, just to stay cool. It's not about him. It is about our students, it's about our teachers, it's about our educators. Every school in the–every province in this country has had to, at various times, unfortunately, during this pandemic close its schools even though they knew, as we know, that the best place for children to learn is in those schools.
Is the member suggesting that he would have closed them earlier? [interjection]
Mr. Deputy Speaker: Order.
Mr. Pallister: Is he suggesting he would close them later? No. He has no ideas, he only criticizes our senior health officials, the physician of the year–the physician of the year, whose advice we act on and have taken throughout this pandemic, is the person the member is now criticizing.
So, it's–[interjection]
Mr. Deputy Speaker: Order.
Mr. Pallister: –not about him, Mr. Chair. It is not about him. It is about Manitobans, and we're going to keep it that way. [interjection]
Mr. Deputy Speaker: Order. Order.
The honourable Leader of the Official Opposition, on a final supplementary question.
Mr. Kinew: If this were about Manitobans, the government would've released information about school transmissions to Manitobans.
If this were about Manitobans, the government would've given at least a week's advance notice. And I'm not talking about delaying the announcement. I'm talking about accelerating when you notify parents that they're going to have to switch to remote learning.
No new information came out on Saturday and Sunday, when it came to school transmission. This government had it for weeks, and for weeks they hid it from Manitobans.
When did they make the decision to–[interjection]
Mr. Deputy Speaker: Order.
Mr. Kinew: –close schools? I guarantee that they didn't make that decision on Mother's Day.
So, again, I'll ask the Premier: How long has he known that schools in Manitoba would have to switch to remote learning, and why did he decide to hide that for so long?
Mr. Pallister: Ah, Mr. Chair, in his own book, in his own words, the–in his book, the reason I hide, he said very clearly that he had been a new man as a consequence of a variety of undertakings. But he hid–he hid 95 per cent of his criminal past from the readers of the book, a fictionalized account from the member opposite, and now he tells us about hiding. He's an expert on hiding.
The member's been in hiding. His thought process has been in hiding because what he just said is that we should keep the schools open for another week. That's what he just put on record, and he's wrong. We're doing the–[interjection]
Mr. Deputy Speaker: Order.
Mr. Pallister: –right thing to protect our students, the right thing to protect our school system.
These aren't easy decisions. They're easy for the member opposite. They're easy, just like the decisions he made to belittle his friends, to beat his friends, to betray his friends, to blame his friends. These are easy decisions for him. Difficult decisions are made by this government; they are not always correct, but they are thought through and they are done with the advice of our senior health officials at every step of the way. [interjection]
Mr. Deputy Speaker: Order.
MLA Uzoma Asagwara (Union Station): Mr. Deputy Speaker, ready, set, go. That's how the Premier shot us into the second wave of the pandemic. They even put it up on billboards, and up we went in daily case counts. So too did hospitalizations and, unfortunately, also deaths.
Now, nearly–[interjection]
Mr. Deputy Speaker: Order.
MLA Asagwara: –1,000 Manitobans have succumbed to this deadly pandemic, far more than we should've lost. This government says all of this was inevitable, but we know much more could've been done to mitigate this disaster.
Now this government has failed yet again. Leaked modelling shows the Province crashing through ICU capacity. It's taken them far too long to act.
Why? Why is this government always so flat-footed and reactive throughout this public health emergency? [interjection]
Mr. Deputy Speaker: Order.
Hon. Heather Stefanson (Minister of Health and Seniors Care): Mr. Deputy Speaker, our No. 1 priority in the face of this pandemic is about protecting our most vulnerable Manitobans and obviously encouraging and ensuring that every Manitoban gets vaccinated.
That's why we prioritized those individuals in personal-care homes. That's why we prioritized those who worked in those personal-care homes to first protect them. And we have continued along that path to protect Manitobans–the most vulnerable Manitobans–all the way through this pandemic.
Mr. Deputy Speaker, I will continue to work with our Vaccine Implementation Task Force to ensure that we continue to encourage all Manitobans to get vaccinated.
Mr. Deputy Speaker: The honourable member for Union Station, on a supplementary question.
MLA Asagwara: Mr. Deputy Speaker, this government does the same things over and over again, yet they expect different results. We know that that doesn't make any sense, yet it's precisely how this Pallister government continues to behave.
They ran us straight into a second wave of this pandemic, and their reactive measures always come too late. Now, in this third wave, they've seen an exponential growth of COVID for weeks. They've had the modelling data right in front of them, and yet they refused to share it with Manitobans. Yet again, they dithered. Yet again, they waited. Now we're all paying the price for this government's absolute failure to lead.
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Why has this Premier (Mr. Pallister), the Minister of Health and this whole PC caucus again taken the wrong steps–
Mr. Deputy Speaker: The honourable member's time is up.
Mrs. Stefanson: We'll continue to focus on ensuring that all Manitobans get the vaccine.
That's why we have expedited our vaccine delivery. That's why we have our seven supersites open, our 14 pop-up sites this week, 131 clinics of doctors' offices and pharmacies. We'll continue to work with our partners to ensure that we roll out that vaccine in order to fully protect Manitobans.
Mr. Deputy Speaker: The honourable member for Union Station, on a final supplementary question.
MLA Asagwara: The cresting wave of this pandemic is now locked in. The waters have receded from the shore and our intensive-care units are waiting for the tsunami. Doctors and nurses have an immense fight in front of them. And this government has betrayed them.
Right before the pandemic, they cut ICU capacity and acute care in consolidation. Winnipeg hospitals are short 1,300 nurses. Those units should have been much better prepared and positioned for this fight. Instead, it's been years of cutbacks and disrespect that have left hospitals down in capacity for the biggest fight they've ever had to face.
Promises of new positions in the future are too little and too late.
Why has this minister left our health system and our professionals in the lurch?
Mrs. Stefanson: Deputy Speaker, the member opposite continues to say negative things about our senior health officials.
In fact, our health officials have been working diligently to prepare for the third wave. Efforts have been focused on ensuring we have sufficient staffing, supplies, equipment and space. Increasing our ICU capacity, you know, has been a priority. We've been increasing our critical-care-bed base. As health officials announced last week, we're scaling up our ICU bed capacity in Winnipeg and in Brandon to enable a surge in capacity for the third wave.
These are the officials that are working diligently to ensure that we have that I-C-Q capacity, that we have the hospitalization capacity for Manitobans when they need it. I will continue to take the advice of our health-care officials when it comes to the best interests of Manitobans who need health care in the province, not members opposite.
Mr. Nello Altomare (Transcona): Manitoba families got an unwelcome surprise on Mother's Day: schools were closing. Thousands of Manitoba parents are now forced to take unscheduled weeks off. For far too many, this will be a financial disaster and a crushing burden. They are scrambling.
As it turns out, the Pallister government knew full well this day was coming. They saw the exponential growth weeks ago. Their own internal modelling showed it. But instead of laying a course, it is once again a mad scramble and little or no support to families who need it most.
Why is the government leaving Manitoba students and families out to dry once again?
Hon. Cliff Cullen (Minister of Education): It's sort of make-believe day coming out of members opposite today. They're just clearly making this stuff up, Mr. Deputy Speaker. I mean, we've 'heared' a lot of fear mongering over the NDP for years and years and years–same rhetoric coming out of them today.
We've been monitoring very closely cases within schools and we're just finding out over the last–course of the last week, year–week over week, that we had a 67 per cent–[interjection]
Mr. Deputy Speaker: Order.
Mr. Cullen: –increase in student cases. And the members are chirping about rhetoric from their seats. We will take advice from public health officials, not opinions from members opposite. [interjection]
Mr. Deputy Speaker: Order.
The honourable member for Transcona, on a supplementary question.
Mr. Altomare: Clearly, this is a government without a plan flying by the seat of its pants. Just look at their half-baked proposal for sending educators to North Dakota for a vaccine.
Parents, of course, are exhausted and they are furious at this government's failure to plan. This government has still not released its modelling and, like the last wave, they'll release it on their own time, after the wave has crested.
This government's failure to inform and their failure to plan has broken trust with families. Far too many have to bear the burden the next few weeks on their own.
Why is the minister and the Pallister government leaving Manitoba families in the lurch yet again?
Mr. Cullen: Well, Mr. Deputy Speaker, the member opposite is just making things up. Our government set aside–last year's budget–$185 million–[interjection]
Mr. Deputy Speaker: Order.
Mr. Cullen: –for K–funding for K to 12 for COVID alone.
We don't think COVID is going to be over come the new school year. That's why in this year's budget we've set aside $160 million for our K‑to‑12 COVID fight.
Mr. Deputy Speaker, we've also established a remote learning centre months ago, and we've had discussions with schools and school boards for months, and they recognize we've done this before, we've had to close schools. Our public health officials said, we're to the point we have to close schools for public safety.
I don't know why the members continue to fear monger. This day was going to come. I'm afraid we had to prepare for it. We did prepare–
Mr. Deputy Speaker: The honourable minister's time is up.
The honourable member for Transcona, on a final supplementary question.
Mr. Altomare: A responsible government would inform and update its citizenry. It would develop a plan to mitigate impact on families ahead of time. It would provide relief to families who now have no choice but to leave their jobs to care for children at home.
Now, yesterday, I asked the minister a direct question and he failed to answer it. Will he instruct school divisions to maintain their educational assistants, or is he going to lay them off by the thousands like what happened last year? That is, thousands of hard-working EAs will have to make a very hard decision very, very quickly. They deserve an answer.
Will they keep their jobs? Yes or no?
Mr. Cullen: Well, Mr. Deputy Speaker, I certainly hope school trustees will not be laying off any educational assistants. That's their prerogative.
We've asked school boards to make sure that they have critical–allowances for critical care–parents who are working there and have their students able to come to these schools. We've said, parents, if you want to bring your special needs students to school, we will provide administrative assistance. I mean, they should be there to support those students, and we expect school boards and school divisions to respect that request and make sure that parents and students are served.
Ms. Malaya Marcelino (Notre Dame): With schools in Brandon and Winnipeg closing their doors tomorrow, thousands of Manitoba parents will have no choice but to stay home. Many of them will withdraw younger children from child care. The result is a financial disaster for parents, and it will be an added disaster for non-profit child-care centres who are already struggling just to keep their heads above water and keep child care available.
The Pallister government's response to date has been to send them expired personal protective equipment and set aside $22 million for the Chamber of Commerce, yet spend only 8 per cent of it.
Why is this government failing Manitoba's families?
Hon. Rochelle Squires (Minister of Families): Manitobans know that our government values and prioritizes child care. That is why we've created almost 5,000 more child-care spaces since we formed office than the NDP ever did. This is why we spent $25 million a year more than the NDP ever did. [interjection]
And while the Leader of the Official Opposition (Mr. Kinew) likes to chirp from his seat–he doesn't like to hear about his failed record on child care–our government is getting results for child care. Last month, we flowed $4.4 million to our child-care centres to cover off their losses that were due to COVID closures and reduced revenues.
We have been working with the child-care sector to ensure that they are made whole, that their deficits are cleared. We will continue to do that good work, Mr. Deputy Speaker.
Mr. Deputy Speaker: The honourable member for Notre Dame, on supplementary question.
Ms. Marcelino: Licensed non-profit child care is in serious trouble. Thousands of parents are withdrawing their children. Some facilities expect their attendance to drop by half.
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This government has provided these centres with no plans and no reassurance that they will make it through the coming weeks. Child-care centres are already struggling because operating funding has been frozen for five years. Now it's a crisis, but there's tens of millions of child-care dollars sitting in a bank account, sitting unused.
Will the minister do the right thing and redirect those funds and save our daycare centres from collapse?
Ms. Squires: Perhaps members opposite had missed the announcement that we'd made a month ago where we invested 11 and a half million–it was nine and a half million dollars more, in a Child Care Sustainability Trust to make it up to $11.5 million for the Child Care Sustainability Trust.
We know that this money is very important and very vital for our child-care centres who have discretionary expenditures that they can access new monies to provide those costs.
We're going to continue to work with the child-care centres. That is why budget '21 enhanced $25 million more for child care than was ever spent in the province of Manitoba.
We know that there's still a long way to go to build robust child care for families in Manitoba, but we will continue to do that work on behalf of all Manitoba families.
Mr. Deputy Speaker: The honourable member for Notre Dame, on a final supplementary question.
Ms. Marcelino: The decisions this government makes during this pandemic will have consequences for years to come.
We are losing child-care spaces. Centres are on the brink. They are told they are staying open, but thousands of parents will withdraw their children from care as schools close.
Many parents have no choice as their income disappears, and for centres it is a financial disaster. I have heard from child-care centres that anticipate half the children may withdraw. They need help to weather this storm. They need more than their ongoing operating funds.
There are tens of millions of dollars this government has squirrelled away for their pet projects. They must save our community non-profit child-care centres.
Will they do so today?
Ms. Squires: The member opposite had highlighted the failed legacy of her own government on child care when they were in office.
Perhaps, when she was reading her question, she was thinking about in 2004-2005 when the NDP created 92 spaces in the province of Manitoba for child care. Perhaps she was thinking about in 2006‑2007 when they created less than 400 new spaces for child care. Perhaps she was thinking about some of the other years when the NDP government failed to create new child-care spaces for Manitoba families.
This government is working towards creating new child-care spaces each and every year. We've created 5,000 new spaces since we formed office.
We know that there's a long way to go. We need to modernize the child-care system and we will do that work on behalf of Manitoba families so that all families have affordable access to child care.
Ms. Nahanni Fontaine (St. Johns): I want to take a moment to congratulate former MP Rona Ambrose on Bill C-3, an act to amend Judges Act and the Criminal Code, on receiving royal assent last week. Bill C requires all new federally appointed judges to undergo training in sexual assault law.
I've introduced similar legislation with The Provincial Court Amendment Act, mandatory training and continuing education. I've introduced it in 2017, 2019 and 2020. [interjection]
Mr. Deputy Speaker: Order.
Ms. Fontaine: It requires all Manitoba judges and JJPs to participate in training on sexual assault law, domestic violence, rape culture and consent.
Will the Minister of Justice support Bill 206 and get it passed this sitting?
Hon. Cameron Friesen (Minister of Justice and Attorney General): Mr. Deputy Speaker, I've had the opportunity to speak to Rona Ambrose about her advocacy, both in the House of Commons and then, following that, to be able to drive the changes that she's made. She's an impressive leader in Canadian politics and she has acquitted herself well in her support of this bill.
I've been in constant communication with the chief judge in Manitoba, I have been in contact with former justice ministers across this country as we continue to think about how we can best support these efforts while recognizing the fundamental, enshrined separation between legislative authority and judicial authority.
Mr. Deputy Speaker: The honourable member for St. Johns, on a supplementary question.
Ms. Fontaine: Survivors of sexual assault more often than not do not report their sexual assault because of the very real fear of the way the system treats victims and often being blamed for their assault.
Bill 206 would require Manitoba judges to take training on sexual assault law, rape culture, consent, and JJPs to take training on domestic violence and stalking. This training is a crucial step towards removing some of the systemic barriers when survivors of sexual violence come forward.
Will the minister support Bill 206 and work towards eliminating barriers of survivors of sexual assault?
Mr. Friesen: It's not a partisan issue to say we all care very much about the fact that we want to make sure that we have the best possible trained judges that are able to hear cases, that they have the sensitivity, especially when it comes to these kind of cases that are so complex. That's why I've been in–constantly in contact with leaders in other parts of the country, former justice ministers, Rona Ambrose in her sponsorship of the bill.
The member tries to take too much credit. There is another bill as well before this Legislature, brought by the member for Tyndall Park (Ms. Lamoureux). I've met with the member for Tyndall Park to talk about the complication of how to proceed when we must acknowledge also the fundamental division between legislative authority, executive authority and judicial authority.
Surely, this member is not suggesting that somehow we should encroach or impinge on court autonomy. If she's–
Mr. Deputy Speaker: The honourable minister's time is up.
The honourable member for St. Johns, on a final supplementary question.
Ms. Fontaine: Manitoba has the highest rates of reported sexual assault in Canada, Deputy Speaker. We know that there are many more survivors of sexual assault who just simply don't come forward.
Bill 206 is a very tangible step in addressing and dismantling some of the stereotypes and beliefs held by people in positions of power. Judges trained on sexual assault law, stereotypes, rape culture and consent surrounding sexual assault, domestic violence and stalking will give confidence to Manitobans to come forward to report and seek justice on their sexual assault.
Will the minister support Bill 206 and get it passed this sitting?
Mr. Friesen: Well, again, the member takes too much credit, not even acknowledging the member for Tyndall Park has a similar bill in front of the Legislature. I have appreciated the interactions that I have had with the chief judge on this matter in Manitoba, with the chief justices to provide additional counsel.
I would encourage all members to avail themselves of the opportunity to seek clarifications about the very significant ways in Manitoba in which judges are trained in matters of sexual assault awareness and sensitivity. That work is ongoing. We have some of the best judicial training in all of Canada. But, of course, my door remains open and we remain open to suggestions about how to accomplish here what needs to be done to make sure that people have a high degree of confidence in judicial preparation for these sensitive matters.
Of course, at the end of the day, judicial independence matters–
Mr. Deputy Speaker: The honourable member's time is up.
Mr. Dougald Lamont (St. Boniface): With COVID case counts rising and ICUs filling up, I'm going to ask a question that people in the disability community have asked of this government in the second wave. Last November 20th and again on December 3rd, Barrier-Free Manitoba wrote open letters to the Health Minister asking to ensure that critical-care and ICU triage protocols are free of bias for people with disabilities.
There are 175,000 persons in Manitoba who live with a disability, and they're rightly concerned about how they'll be prioritized because we are in a third wave and this government still can't give a satisfactory answer to their questions.
Why doesn't this government have critical-care and triage protocols in place for people with disabilities?
Hon. Heather Stefanson (Minister of Health and Seniors Care): I thank the member for the question.
Of course, I know our government has worked very closely with those in the disabilities community and–ensuring that we're moving things forward to make Manitoba much more accessible.
And I want to thank the Minister of Families (Ms. Squires) for the work that she is doing to ensure that we continue to work with those in the community to ensure that the access is there for them when they need it.
And we'll continue to work in that direction, Mr. Deputy Speaker.
Mr. Deputy Speaker: The honourable member for St. Boniface, on a supplementary question.
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Mr. Lamont: Mr. Deputy Speaker, as Barrier-Free Manitoba made clear, this is a question of life or death.
They're asking for the government of Manitoba to develop critical-care guidelines and triage protocols that state clearly that persons with disabilities are to be treated equally–as equally valuable and worthy of care as others, include the criteria for triage decisions and the reasoning behind them in critical care and ICU, never equate disability status with health status and are based on a knowledge of a person's medical history, not on assumptions about their background health status or quality of life.
Will the Premier and the Health Minister work with Barrier-Free Manitoba to ensure these protocols are put into place now?
Mrs. Stefanson: I thank the member for the question.
Of course, we will continue to work with members of the disability community to ensure that they have the accessibility that they need. All across Manitoba, we've been working with municipalities to that front, and we'll continue to work, especially in this area.
And this member's 'opping'–asking about health care. I know our health-care officials take this very, very seriously. We want to ensure that all Manitobans have access to the facilities that they need when they need them, including those with disabilities. We'll continue to work with them to ensure that they get the access to health care that they need, want and that they deserve, Mr. Deputy Speaker.
Mr. Deputy Speaker: The honourable member for River Heights, on a final supplementary question.
Hon. Jon Gerrard (River Heights): Mr. Deputy Speaker, the government has more than 900,000 rapid test kits still unused. These tests should be used now to prevent spread in daycares, schools or businesses or to protect individuals with disabilities.
I also note that the government doesn't have an organized approach to COVID‑19 research. The FIPPAs I table show that there's no COVID research advisory committee, nor even a list of research being conducted.
Is the government not using the rapid tests to help reduce the spread of the virus because it hasn't got an organized approach to research to figure out the best way to use them, or is the government just waiting for a fourth wave to use the tests?
Hon. Brian Pallister (Premier): Yes, we've invested significant sums in rapid testing equipment that is of a higher grade than the federal government had offered to us. This is not to besmirch their intention. It was a noble intention, I'm sure, but the fact is that we needed more reliable equipment and that equipment has been out there now. We're increasingly partnering with numerous entities, private sector and public sector, to effectively use the rapid-testing machinery to assist us.
And the member need not criticize the vaccine team in his preamble because they have worked diligently. We're now ranking fourth in terms of total vaccines out there. I expect the number may even rise, in terms of our ranking, and this is because they have focused very diligently on prioritizing the most vulnerable people first and then moving to the broad-based application that we're now seeing in Manitoba.
We need to get people vaccinated, and in the meantime, we need people to follow the health orders that the member for Fort Rouge (Mr. Kinew) so diligently fails to follow.
Mr. Brad Michaleski (Dauphin): Over the past year, the Manitoba economy has been heavily impacted by the COVID‑19 pandemic. This Province has worked with employers to help support the training of new or existing employees.
Can the Minister of Economic Development and Jobs update the House on how the Canada-Manitoba Job Grant will provide support for employers to better train their employees?
An Honourable Member: I want to thank the member from Dauphin for the question–
Mr. Deputy Speaker: The honourable member for–sorry, I have to repeat this.
The honourable Minister for Economic Development and Jobs. My mic wasn't on. Sorry. Go ahead.
Hon. Ralph Eichler (Minister of Economic Development and Jobs): I thank the member from Dauphin for the question.
This program not only helps employers offset the costs of training new employees, but it will also help with costs associated with developing the skills of their existing workers to meet the new requirements of their present jobs.
We're a listening government that understands businesses are changing now more than ever. Our government is here to stand with and support our businesses, especially during these challenging times, Mr. Deputy Speaker.
Mr. Deputy Speaker: Time for question period has expired.
Now we'll go on to petitions.
Mr. Deputy Speaker: The honourable member for Union Station (MLA Asagwara)? No? You don't have one?
The honourable member for Keewatinook? Does the honourable member have a petition?
Mr. Ian Bushie (Keewatinook): Yes, thank you, Mr. Deputy Speaker.
I wish to present the following petition to the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba.
These are the reasons for this petition:
(1) One in 10 Manitobans will have a seizure in their lifetime, and the incidence of epilepsy in the Indigenous populations is double the national average. Epilepsy occurs just as often as breast and lung cancer world-wide.
(2) COVID has cancelled epilepsy surgeries booked for Manitoban patients elsewhere in Canada because they cannot receive this standardly routine surgery in the province.
(3) Manitoba is the only province which has an inappropriate hospital environment to perform most epilepsy surgeries because it conducts epilepsy monitoring on an orthopedics ward with orthopedic staff, instead of an epilepsy ward with trained epilepsy staff.
(4) Patients in Manitoba have to wait three or more years for epilepsy surgery, which has resulted in them having to continue to suffer uncontrolled seizures, struggle with mental health issues, including depression, anxiety, headaches, general poor health and even death, in some cases.
(5) Since an epilepsy neurologist resigned in 2012, more neurologists have resigned due to dealing with old and failing equipment, which has resulted in sending patients out of province, costing the provincial government millions of dollars.
(6) Epilepsy surgery is extremely difficult–extremely effective, resulting in patients requiring less medication, sometimes becoming seizure-free, enabling them to return to work, drive and live fulfilling lives.
We petition the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba as follows:
(1) To urge the Minister of Health and Seniors Care to open a genuine, four-bed epilepsy unit, similar to the one recently opened in Saskatchewan, at the Health Sciences Centre, with modern equipment and adequate epilepsy neurosurgeons, neurologists, nurses, clerks and technicians.
(2) To urge the Minister of Health and Seniors Care to formally establish an epilepsy program to ensure that all epilepsy staff can deliver care to patients in a co‑ordinated fashion.
This has been signed by many Manitobans.
Mr. Deputy Speaker: In accordance with rule 133-6, when petitions are read they must–deemed to be received by the House.
Hon. Jon Gerrard (River Heights): I wish to present the following petition to the Legislative Assembly.
The background to this petition is as follows:
People who suffer hearing loss due to aging, illness, employment or accident not only lose the ability to communicate effectively with friends, relatives or colleagues; they also can experience unemployment, social isolation and struggles with mental health.
A cochlear implant is a life-changing electronic device that allows deaf people to receive and process sounds and speech, and also can partially restore hearing in people who have severe hearing loss and who do not benefit from conventional hearing aids. A processor behind the ear captures and processes sound signals which are transmitted to a receiver implanted into the skull that relays the information to the inner ear, cochlea.
The technology has been available since 1989 through the 'svent'–Central Speech and Hearing Clinic founded in Winnipeg, Manitoba. The Surgical Hearing Implant program began implanting patients in the fall of 2011 and marked the completion of 250 cochlear implant surgeries in Manitoba in the summer of 2018. The program has implanted about 60 devices since the summer of 2018, and it–as it is only able to implant about 40 to 45 devices per year.
There are no upfront costs to Manitoba residents who proceed with cochlear implant surgery, as Manitoba Health covers the surgical procedure, internal implant and the first external sound processor. Newfoundland and Manitoba have the highest estimated implantation costs of all provinces.
Alberta has one of the best programs with Alberta aids for daily living, and their cost share means the patient pays only approximately $500 out of pocket. Assisted devices program in Ontario covers 75 per cent of the cost, up to a maximum amount of $5,444, for a cochlear implant replacement speech processor. The BC Adult Cochlear Implant Program offers subsidized replacements to aging sound processors through the Sound Processor Replacement program. This provincially funded program is available to those cochlear implant recipients whose sound processors have reached six to seven years old.
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The cochlear implant is a lifelong commitment. However, as the technology changes over time, parts and software become no longer functional or available. The cost of upgrading a cochlear implant in Manitoba of approximately $11,000 is much more expensive than in other provinces, as adult patients are responsible for the upgrade costs of their sound processor.
In Manitoba, pediatric patients, under 18 years of age, are eligible for funding assistance through the Cochlear Implant Speech Processor Replacement Program, which provides up to 80 per cent of the replacement costs associated with a device upgrade.
It is unreasonable that this technology is inaccessible to many citizens of Manitoba who must choose between hearing and deafness due to financial constraints because the costs of maintaining the equipment are prohibitive for low-income earners or those on a fixed income, such as old age pension or Employment and Income Assistance.
We petition the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba as follows:
To urge the provincial government to provide financing for upgrades to the cochlear implant covered under medicare, or provide funding assistance through the Cochlear Implant Speech Processor Replacement Program to assist with the replacement costs associated with a device upgrade.
Signed by Andrea Epler, Damian Epler, Dave Eyjolfson and many, many other Manitobans.
Merci. Miigwech. Thank you.
Mr. Jim Maloway (Elmwood): I wish to present the following petition to the Legislative Assembly.
The background to this petition is as follows:
(1) The US government has identified lead water pipes as a clear and present danger to American public health and President Biden has announced 100 per cent replacement of lead water pipes in 10 million US homes and 400,000 schools and child-care centres as part of the America's job plan.
(2) 2,755 homes in the Elmwood-East Kildonan area have lead water pipes connecting their basements to the City-owned water pipes at their property line. Homes built before 1950 are likely to have lead water pipes running to this connection.
(3) New lead level guidelines issued by Health Canada in 2019 are a response to findings that lead concentrations in drinking water should be kept as low as reasonably achievable, as lead exposures are inherently unsafe and have serious health consequences, especially for children and expectant mothers.
(4) 31 per cent of Winnipeg's 23,000 homes with lead water pipes connecting basements to the City-owned water pipes at their property line were found to have lead levels above the new Health Canada lead level guidelines.
(5) The City of Winnipeg has an inventory of which homes and public buildings, including schools and daycares, that have the lead water pipe connection to the City's watermain and will only disclose this information to the homeowner or property owner. The cost of replacing the lead water pipe to individual homeowners is over $4,000.
We petition the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba as follows:
To urge the provincial government to immediately contact all home and property owners in Manitoba with lead water pipes connecting to the City water main line and provide full financial support to them for lead water pipe replacement so their access to clean water is assured and exposure to lead and its health risks are eliminated.
And this petition is signed by many, many petitioners.
Mr. Deputy Speaker: Any further petitions?
Grievances?
House Business
Hon. Kelvin Goertzen (Government House Leader): Pursuant to rule 33(7), I'm announcing that the private member's resolution to be considered on the next Tuesday of private members' business will be the one put forward by the honourable member for Dauphin (Mr. Michaleski). The title of the resolution is Commending the Provincial Government for Investments into Fish and Wildlife Enhancement, should pass unanimously.
Mr. Deputy Speaker: It has been announced by the Government House Leader that the private member's resolution to be considered for next Tuesday on private members' business will be the one put forward by the honourable member for Dauphin. The title of the resolution is commending the provincial government for investments in fish and wildlife enhancement.
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Mr. Goertzen: Again, Mr. Speaker, could you please call for report stage this afternoon Bill 29, Bill 47, Bill 61, Bill 62, Bill 5, Bill 6, Bill 63, Bill 49, Bill 52 and Bill 33.
Mr. Deputy Speaker: It has been announced–called by the honourable Government House Leader to–report stage amendment for the following bills: 29, 47, 61, 62, 5, 6, 63, 49, 52 and 33.
Mr. Deputy Speaker: The honourable–so we'll go on to the first one, Bill 29, The Reducing Red Tape and Improving Services Act, 2020.
Hon. Kelvin Goertzen (Minister of Legislative and Public Affairs): I move, seconded by the Minister of Justice (Mr. Friesen),
THAT Bill 29 be amended in Clause 33(2) by adding the following after clause (d):
(e) sections 31 and 32.
Mr. Deputy Speaker: It has been moved the honourable minister of legislative and–affairs that–dispense? [interjection] Okay, I–seconded by the honourable Minister for Justice,
THAT Bill 29–
An Honourable Member: Dispense.
Mr. Deputy Speaker: Dispense.
Mr. Goertzen: This amendment amends the coming-into-force clause when it comes to the requirement for a hearing for a substitute decision-maker. Having spoke with the Minister of Families (Ms. Squires), she supports this amendment.
Of course, this amendment–or this amended legislation falls under the broader bill that has a number of different departments that are involved in it. This particular amendment is a result of the two presentations that came from a couple at the committee hearing. It's a demonstration that this government is very mindful and listening to those who are making suggestions at committee.
After their presentation I think it was rightfully determined that there needed to be a bit more time to consider unintended consequences of this particular amendment.
Thank you very much, Mr. Deputy Speaker.
Mr. Deputy Speaker: Any further speakers on the amendment? The honourable member for St. Boniface (Mr. Lamont)? No. Okay.
Then, we'll–is it the pleasure of the House to adopt the amendment? [Agreed]
It's been agreed and the amendment has been carried.
Now we'll go on to the next amendment for the same bill.
Ms. Danielle Adams (Thompson): I move, seconded by the honourable member for The Maples (Mr. Sandhu),
THAT Bill 29 be amended by striking out Clauses 31 and 32.
Mr. Deputy Speaker: It has been moved by the honourable member for Thompson, seconded by the–here we go. Okay.
It has been moved by the honourable member for Thompson, seconded by the honourable member for The Maples,
THAT Bill 29 be amended to striking out Clauses 31 and 32.
Is this stage–amendment in order. Now we can go on to debate.
Is–any speakers?
Ms. Adams: By reducing the involvement of hearing panels in cases where vulnerable persons may–all interested parties agree, the minister is putting people with disabilities at risk. Hearing panels are an important function that is recommended–whether the situation decision-maker should be appointed. There are also recommended to be a substitute decision-maker and should be–as those appointed.
The proposed changes allows the commissioner to perform such functions without referring it to a hearing panel under certain circumstances. On an occasion that agreement the parties is not straightforward as presumed, the panels provide an open, transparent forum and ensure families are heard and ensure that agreements will be meant–needs of the parties. The panels also deliberate those who have no families or advocate; in such cases, the province and agents that are agreeing on a course of action.
* (14:50)
I think vulnerable people would be served by having panels and taking a sober second thought on what has been proposed. Thank you.
Mr. Deputy Speaker: Any further speakers on the amendment?
Is is the pleasure of the House to adopt the amendment?
Some Honourable Members: No.
Mr. Deputy Speaker: I hear a no.
Voice Vote
Mr. Deputy Speaker: All those in favour of the amendment, please say yea.
Some Honourable Members: Yea.
Mr. Deputy Speaker: All those opposed, please say nay.
Some Honourable Members: Nay.
Mr. Deputy Speaker: In my opinion, the Nays have it.
I declare the amendment lost.
Mr. Deputy Speaker: Now we'll go on to Bill 47, The Early Learning and Child Care Act.
Ms. Danielle Adams (Thompson): I move, seconded by the member for St. James (Mr. Sala),
THAT Bill 47 be amended in Clause 1(1) by striking out "infants and–school age" in the definition "early learning program".
Mr. Deputy Speaker: It has been moved by the honourable member for Thompson, second by the honourable member for St. James,
THAT Bill 47 be amended in Clause 1.1 by striking out "infants and preschool age" in the definition "early learning program".
The report stage amendment is in order.
Ms. Adams: By striking out infants and preschool in the definition, it ensures all children are included. School-age children must be able to access quality, affordable, accessible child care. By not including school-age children in this, it is setting the stage for school-age programming to be unregulated.
We heard at committee how important it was for school-age programs to be included in the definition. By excluding children by the definition, it is opening the door for school-age programming to be unregulated, which will put Manitoban children at risk.
I hope members opposite will support this amendment to ensure all Manitoban children have access to quality, affordable, accessible child care.
Thank you.
Mr. Deputy Speaker: Is there any other speakers for the amendment?
Is it the pleasure of the House to adopt the amendment?
Some Honourable Members: Yes.
Some Honourable Members: No.
Mr. Deputy Speaker: No? I hear a no.
Voice Vote
Mr. Deputy Speaker: All those in favour of the amendment, please say yea.
Some Honourable Members: Yea.
Mr. Deputy Speaker: All those opposed, please say nay.
Some Honourable Members: Nay.
Mr. Deputy Speaker: In my opinion, the Nays have it.
I declare the amendment lost.
* * *
Mr. Deputy Speaker: Now we'll go on to the same, Bill 47.
Ms. Adams: I move, seconded by the member for St. James (Mr. Sala),
That amend Bill 47, Clause 8 by striking out "infants or preschool–".
Mr. Deputy Speaker: Or preschool age.
Ms. Adams: Preschool age.
Mr. Deputy Speaker: Yes, infants or preschool age. Okay?
It was moved by the honourable member for Thompson, second by the honourable member for St. James,
THAT Bill 47 be amended to–in Clause 8 by striking out "infants and–or preschool age".
The honourable member for–the report stage amendment is in order.
Ms. Adams: As we heard at committee, it was very important that school-age children be included in the definition, and by excluding them it is putting children at risk.
And I implore members opposite to support this amendment.
Thank you.
Mr. Deputy Speaker: Is there another speaker on the amendment?
Is it the pleasure of the House to adopt the amendment?
Some Honourable Members: Agreed.
Some Honourable Members: No.
Mr. Deputy Speaker: I hear a no.
Voice Vote
Mr. Deputy Speaker: All those in favour of the amendment, please say yea.
Some Honourable Members: Yea.
Mr. Deputy Speaker: All those opposed, please say nay.
Some Honourable Members: Nay.
Mr. Deputy Speaker: In my opinion, the Nays have it.
Recorded Vote
Ms. Nahanni Fontaine (Official Opposition House Leader): A recorded vote, please.
Mr. Deputy Speaker: A recorded vote has been declared. Call in the members.
* (15:00)
The question before the House is report stage amendment on Bill 47, The Early Learning and Child Care Act, the amended–to amend–in clause 8 by striking out infants and preschool age.
Division
A RECORDED VOTE was taken, the result being as follows:
Yeas
Adams, Altomare, Asagwara, Brar, Bushie, Fontaine, Gerrard, Kinew, Lamont, Lamoureux, Lathlin, Lindsey, Maloway, Marcelino, Moses, Naylor, Sala, Sandhu, Smith (Point Douglas), Wasyliw.
Nays
Clarke, Cullen, Eichler, Ewasko, Friesen, Goertzen, Guenter, Guillemard, Isleifson, Johnson, Johnston, Lagassé, Lagimodiere, Martin, Michaleski, Micklefield, Morley‑Lecomte, Schuler, Smith (Lagimodière), Smook, Squires, Teitsma, Wishart, Wowchuk.
Clerk (Ms. Patricia Chaychuk): Yeas 20, Nays 24.
* * *
Mr. Deputy Speaker: Now we'll go on to–continue with Bill 47, with the amendment–report stage amendment.
Ms. Adams: I move, seconded by the honourable member for St. James (Mr. Sala),
THAT Bill 47 be amended in Clause 18(2)(b) by striking out "infants or preschool age".
Motion presented.
Mr. Deputy Speaker: The honourable member for–the report stage amendment is in order.
Ms. Adams: I'm just so shocked and saddened by members opposite not prioritizing or supporting school-aged children in Manitoba. They'd need to have access to quality, affordable child care in Manitoba, and this government continues to put them at risk and it's just highlighted by not supporting my amendment.
So, thank you, and I once again would urge them to support my motion–or my amendment.
Mr. Deputy Speaker: Is there any other speakers on the amendment?
Is it the pleasure of the House to adopt the amendment?
An Honourable Member: Agreed.
Some Honourable Members: No.
Mr. Deputy Speaker: I hear a no.
Voice Vote
Mr. Deputy Speaker: All those in favour of the amendment, please say yea.
Some Honourable Members: Yea.
Mr. Deputy Speaker: All those opposed, please say nay.
Some Honourable Members: Nay.
Mr. Deputy Speaker: In my opinion, the Nays have it.
Ms. Fontaine: On division, Deputy Speaker.
Mr. Deputy Speaker: The amendment has been defeated, on division.
* * *
Mr. Deputy Speaker: So now we'll go on to the same Bill 47, another amendment by the honourable member for Thompson.
Ms. Adams: Mr. Deputy Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable member for St. James (Mr. Sala),
THAT Bill 47 be amended in Clause 23 by striking–"without–prior–consent of the provincial director".
Mr. Deputy Speaker: It has been moved by the honourable member for Thompson (Ms. Adams), seconded by the honourable member for St. James,
THAT Bill 47 be amended in Clause 23 in striking out "without the prior written consent of the provincial director".
The report stage amendment is in order.
Ms. Adams: We need to ensure licences are not transferrable. The fact that we even have to make this amendment just shows how little members opposite care about child care in Manitoba. The fact that they think licences should be traded like stocks or bonds is unthinkable. This amendment is needed so we can ensure that licences can't be bought. The fact that the government is trying to do this is unacceptable.
I would hope members opposite will support this amendment to ensure child care remains public, affordable, and accessible to all Manitobans.
Thank you.
Mr. Deputy Speaker: Any further speakers on the amendment? No other speakers?
Is it the pleasure of the House to adopt the amendment?
Some Honourable Members: Yes.
Some Honourable Members: No.
Mr. Deputy Speaker: No–I hear no?
An Honourable Member: Yes.
Voice Vote
Mr. Deputy Speaker: All those in favour of the amendment, please say yea.
Some Honourable Members: Yea.
Mr. Deputy Speaker: All those opposed, please say nay.
Some Honourable Members: Nay.
Mr. Deputy Speaker: In my opinion, the Nays have it.
Ms. Fontaine: On division.
Mr. Deputy Speaker: On division. The–I declare the amendment lost and–on division.
* * *
Mr. Deputy Speaker: So now we'll go on to–to continue going on to Bill 47.
Ms. Adams: I move, seconded by the honourable member for Notre Dame (Ms. Marcelino),
THAT Bill 47 be amended by adding the following–clause after–by–following–after–the–Clause 32(1):
Restriction on grants
32(1.1) Under–grant–subsection (1) must not be made to a for-profit corporation.
Mr. Deputy Speaker: It has been moved by the honourable member for Thompson (Ms. Adams), seconded by the honourable member for Notre Dame,
THAT Bill 47 be amended by adding the following after Clause 32-1:
Restriction on grants
32(1.1) In the–grant under–section–(1) must not be made to a for-profit corporation.
The report stage amendment is in order.
Mr. Dennis Smook, Acting Speaker, in the Chair
Ms. Adams: We need to make sure all grants are only going to non-profit child-care centres. We heard from–I've heard from many people across Manitoba how important child care is and how important it is to remain public.
We've seen what happens when for-profit gets involved in the care sector. All we have to do is look to long-term-care homes or even other provinces that have for-profit child care. This is not about choice. This is about this government trying to have their rich friends make money off of our children.
We know what will happen if the for-profit sector is enabled to play a larger role in child care. Quality and wages will go down and fees will go up. That's because their goal is money, not quality early childhood learning for our children.
This is not what parents want. This is not what Manitobans want. They want to ensure that child care is going to be quality, affordable and accessible to all children in Manitoba.
I would urge members opposite to support this amendment as it is needed to ensure that there is quality, affordable, accessible child care in Manitoba.
Thank you.
The Acting Speaker (Dennis Smook): Are there any other speakers to this amendment?
Hearing none, is it the pleasure of the House to adopt the amendment?
Some Honourable Members: No.
The Acting Speaker (Dennis Smook): I hear a no.
Voice Vote
The Acting Speaker (Dennis Smook): All those in favour of the amendment, please say yea.
Some Honourable Members: Yea.
The Acting Speaker (Dennis Smook): All those opposed, please say nay.
Some Honourable Members: Nay.
The Acting Speaker (Dennis Smook): In my opinion, the Nays have it.
Recorded Vote
Ms. Fontaine: Acting Deputy Speaker, a recorded vote, please.
The Acting Speaker (Dennis Smook): A recorded vote has been asked for. Call in the members.
* (15:20)
The question before the House is the proposed amendment to Bill 47, The Early Learning and Child Care Act, moved by the member for Thompson,
THAT Bill 47 be amended by adding the following after Clause 32(1):
Restriction on grants
32(1.1) A grant under subsection (1) must not be made to
a–non-profit–corporation.
Division
A RECORDED VOTE was taken, the result being as follows:
Yeas
Adams, Altomare, Asagwara, Brar, Bushie, Fontaine, Gerrard, Kinew, Lamont, Lamoureux, Lathlin, Lindsey, Maloway, Marcelino, Moses, Naylor, Sala, Sandhu, Smith (Point Douglas), Wasyliw.
Nays
Clarke, Cullen, Eichler, Ewasko, Friesen, Goertzen, Guenter, Guillemard, Helwer, Isleifson, Johnson, Johnston, Lagassé, Lagimodiere, Martin, Michaleski, Micklefield, Morley‑Lecomte, Pedersen, Reyes, Schuler, Smith (Lagimodière), Squires, Teitsma, Wishart, Wowchuk.
Clerk (Ms. Patricia Chaychuk): Yeas 20, Nays 26.
The Acting Speaker (Dennis Smook): The motion–oh, sorry, the amendment is accordingly defeated.
* * *
The Acting Speaker (Dennis Smook): We will now move on to bill number–yes, still the same bill–Bill 47, The Early Learning and Child Care Act.
Ms. Cindy Lamoureux (Tyndall Park): I move, seconded by the member for River Heights (Mr. Gerrard),
THAT Bill 47 be amended in Clause 1(1) by adding the following definition:
"school age learning program" means a program of developmentally appropriate learning experiences for school age children that supports their social, emotional, physical and cognitive development. (« programme d'apprentissage pour enfants d'âge scolaire »)
The Acting Speaker (Dennis Smook): The member for Tyndall Park, I did not hear who your seconder was.
An Honourable Member: The member for River Heights.
The Acting Speaker (Dennis Smook): River Heights?
Moved by the member for Tyndall Park, seconded by the member for River Heights,
THAT Bill 47 be–
An Honourable Member: Dispense.
The Acting Speaker (Dennis Smook): Dispense.
The amendment appears to be in order–or, the report stage amendment is in order. Debate can proceed.
Ms. Lamoureux: We think that it's really important to be clear in legislation and fully define the terms in our amendment and, in this case, a school-age learning program is a developmentally appropriate learning experience for school-age children that supports their social, emotional, physical and cognitive development.
Thank you.
The Acting Speaker (Dennis Smook): Are there any further speakers to this amendment?
Hon. Rochelle Squires (Minister of Families): It is a pleasure to rise to speak to this amendment on Bill 47, The Early Learning and Child Care Act.
First off, I want to thank my colleague, the MLA for Tyndall Park, for bringing forward this amendment and I want to commend her for her collaboration, her co-operation and for sponsoring this amendment.
As we all know, the COVID‑19 pandemic has disproportionately hurt women and we must create a child-care system that is responsive to the diverse needs of our mothers as we move to reopen our economy and get Manitobans back to work and recover from this pandemic.
That is what Bill 47 is about: creating a more diverse, flexible system that can respond to the needs of Manitoba families.
This amendment would add into legislation the requirement for programming for school-age child-care spaces, something that has always been required in regulation but should've been included in this mill–in this bill similar to requirements for infant and preschool spaces. This omission had caused concern in the sector and in the community, and I want to assure all Manitobans that it has always been our government's intent to ensure that school-age spaces and early learning child-care spaces are regulated.
We are and always have been committed to providing a high-quality, robust child-care system to all Manitoba children who need it. That is why I'm pleased to accept this amendment today to ensure that this fundamental commitment is enshrined in legislation.
It is great to work together with all members of this Legislature, and I once again want to thank my colleague from Tyndall Park for bringing forward this important amendment.
The Acting Speaker (Dennis Smook): Are there any further speakers to this amendment? Question?
Some Honourable Members: Question.
The Acting Speaker (Dennis Smook): Is it the pleasure of the House to adopt the amendment? [Agreed]
We will now move on to–the amendment is adopted.
We will now move on to the next amendment to Bill 47, The Early Learning and Child Care Act.
Ms. Lamoureux: I move, seconded by the member for River Heights (Mr. Gerrard),
THAT Bill 47 be amended by adding the following after Clause 8:
School age learning program
8.1 A licensed provider who provides care and supervision of one or more school age children at a centre must provide an approved school age learning program as part of the care and supervision.
Motion presented.
The Acting Speaker (Dennis Smook): The amendment appears to be in order. Debate can proceed.
Ms. Lamoureux: It's important that children are being educated and that the care they're being provided with helps strengthen and helps them grow in their school-age learning abilities. And this means supporting social, emotional, physical and cognitive development and that is why we are bringing this amendment forward.
Thank you.
Ms. Squires: I'm very pleased to support this amendment and just want to once again thank my colleague from Tyndall Park for her research on this initiative and, more importantly, her collaboration. It was great to work with members opposite to ensure that our legislation supports all Manitoba families.
Thank you, Mr. Deputy Speaker.
The Acting Speaker (Dennis Smook): Is it the pleasure of the House to adopt the amendment? [Agreed]
I declare the amendment carried.
We will now move on to report stage amendments, again, of Bill 47, The Early Learning and Child Care Act.
The member for Tyndall–the honourable member for Tyndall Park.
Ms. Lamoureux: I move, seconded by the member for River Heights,
THAT Bill 47 be amended by adding "At least one member of the advisory council must be a member of the Manitoba Child Care Association." at the end of Clause 60(3).
Motion presented.
The Acting Speaker (Dennis Smook): The motion appears to be in order. Debate can begin.
Ms. Lamoureux: I'd like to thank the minister for her debate on these amendments thus far and hopefully we can get a three-for-three here.
This last amendment is about using our resources. The Manitoba Child Care Association is here to benefit child care here in Manitoba, and we want to be able to hear them out, we want to be able to learn from them, and we're hoping we can do this by giving them a spot at the table.
Thank you.
Ms. Squires: I'd like to just thank the Manitoba Child Care Association for their work that they do on behalf of all Manitoba families.
We already have a very robust policy to ensure that they have the seat at the table, and, therefore, this amendment is–while it was very–something worth considering, and I appreciate the member's initiative in bringing this forward, we already do have that robust policy to ensure that they are at the table.
Thank you.
The Acting Speaker (Dennis Smook): Are there any further speakers to this amendment?
Is it the pleasure of the House to adopt the amendment?
Some Honourable Members: No.
The Acting Speaker (Dennis Smook): I hear a no.
Voice Vote
The Acting Speaker (Dennis Smook): I–all those in favour of the amendment, please say yea.
Some Honourable Members: Yea.
The Acting Speaker (Dennis Smook): All those opposed amendment, please say nay.
Some Honourable Members: Nay.
The Acting Speaker (Dennis Smook): In my opinion, the Nays have it.
I declare the amendment lost.
Mister–the honourable mister–the–the honourable mister–member for River Heights, on division.
Mr. Gerrard: On division.
The Acting Speaker (Dennis Smook): The amendment is defeated, on division.
The Acting Speaker (Dennis Smook): We will now move on to Bill 49. [interjection] Oh. 61? Bill 61, the proposed amendment for The Apprenticeship and Certification Amendment Act.
The honourable mister–sorry, the honourable member for Flin Flon.
* (15:40)
Mr. Tom Lindsey (Flin Flon): I move, seconded by the member from St. Johns,
THAT Bill 61 be amended by replacing Clause 19(a) with the following:
(a) by replacing everything before clause (b) with the following:
Regulations
46(1) After consulting with the board, the minister may make regulations
(a) prescribing the required experience of a person who is not a board member under item 3 of subsection 9(4);
(a.1) designating a trade for the purposes of subsection 18(1);
The Acting Speaker (Dennis Smook): The honourable–or, member for Flin Flon, we seem to be on the wrong amendment. It should be Bill 61, amended clause 6, by adding the following after proposed amendment 8(1).
Mr. Lindsey: My mistake, Mr. Deputy Speaker.
So, I move, seconded by the member from St. Johns,
THAT Bill 61 be amended in Clause 6 by adding the following after the proposed subsection 8(1):
Consultations before making by-laws
8(1.1) Before–
The Acting Speaker (Dennis Smook): Could you please continue, the member–
Mr. Lindsey: I will do that as soon as I get the right thing here.
All right, so, 8(1.1). I just had a little mix-up in my papers here. Amendment clause 6, 8(1.1). I cannot find it here in my papers.
So, just bear with me for a moment, please. I just thought I had these all in order, but they do not seem to be.
An Honourable Member: Point of order.
Point of Order
The Acting Speaker (Dennis Smook): On a point of order, the minister of–sorry–Minister of Justice (Mr. Friesen).
Hon. Cameron Friesen (Deputy Government House Leader): I would suggest that if the member doesn't have the amendment prepared, perhaps he could proceed to a different amendment and revert to this one. Knowing it's going to be a long day in the House, we're just concerned about the pause.
So is there leave of the House to allow the member to proceed to his next amendment and revert to this one?
The Acting Speaker (Dennis Smook): The honourable Official Opposition House Leader, on the same point of order.
Ms. Nahanni Fontaine (Official Opposition House Leader): I am just going to ask my colleague to go–if we can just go back to my colleague one more time. I think that we have to just be a little bit flexible. Sometimes there's a little bit of a confusion with stuff over email.
So I'm just going to ask him one more time, and then if so, perhaps we can entertain the minister's request.
The Acting Speaker (Dennis Smook): Is the member from Flin Flon got the proper amendment now?
Mr. Lindsey: Yes.
The Acting Speaker (Dennis Smook): The member for Flin Flon.
Mr. Lindsey: I ask leave for just a couple minutes to get my papers in order.
The Acting Speaker (Dennis Smook): Is–I will–okay. Is the member for Flin Flon got what he needs?
Mr. Lindsey: I hope so.
So, I move–
An Honourable Member: Point of order.
Point of Order
The Acting Speaker (Dennis Smook): The member–the Minister of Justice (Mr. Friesen), on a point of order.
Mr. Friesen: On a point of order, I'm wondering if we could maybe proceed–if there's leave of the House to proceed to the next bill on the docket for this afternoon, Bill 62, and then revert to this bill when the member has found his materials.
The Acting Speaker (Dennis Smook): Is it–if–on the same point of order, the Official Opposition House Leader (Ms. Fontaine).
Ms. Fontaine: I think that the member for Flin Flon is ready now. I think we're all good to go.
The Acting Speaker (Dennis Smook): Is the member for Flin Flon ready to go?
Mr. Lindsey: Yes.
* * *
Mr. Lindsey: My apologies for the confusion.
I move, seconded by the member from St. Johns,
THAT Bill 61 be amended in Clause 6 by adding the following after the proposed subsection 8(1):
Consultations before making by-laws
8(1.1) Before making a by-law, the board must provide opportunities for consultation on the proposed by-law with employers, employees, persons who provide technical training and other stakeholders of the apprenticeship system.
The Acting Speaker (Dennis Smook): It has been moved by the member for Flin Flon, seconded by the member for St. Johns (Ms. Fontaine),
THAT Bill 61–The Apprenticeship and Certification Amendment Act, moved by the member for Flin Flon, seconded by the member from St. Johns,
THAT Bill 61 be amended in Clause 6 by adding the following after proposed subsection 8(1)–
An Honourable Member: Dispense.
The Acting Speaker (Dennis Smook): Dispense.
The amendment appears to be in order.
The–[interjection]–the point of order has been dealt with. The member for Flin Flon has located the proper amendment.
The floor is now open for debate.
Mr. Lindsey: I apologize to everyone for the confusion.
When we had the committee hearing on this particular bill, pretty much everyone that was there was in agreement that some of the really important stuff that we talked about in bringing these amendments forward would've made perfect sense.
And if–I hope the minister recalls those conversations we had that night and particularly this one when it comes to consultation before making bylaws that really, it's making sure that employers, employees, persons who provide the technical training and other stakeholders actually have a point or a part to play in developing any of these bylaws that come forward.
Thank you.
The Acting Speaker (Dennis Smook): Are there any further speakers to this amendment?
The honourable Minister of Economic Development and Jobs (Mr. Eichler)? No?
Is it the pleasure of the House to adopt the amendment?
Some Honourable Members: Yes.
Some Honourable Members: No.
The Acting Speaker (Dennis Smook): I hear a no.
Voice Vote
The Acting Speaker (Dennis Smook): All those in favour of the amendment, please say yea.
Some Honourable Members: Yea.
The Acting Speaker (Dennis Smook): All those opposed, please say nay.
Some Honourable Members: Nay.
The Acting Speaker (Dennis Smook): In my opinion, the Nays have it.
Recorded Vote
Ms. Fontaine: Assistant Deputy Speaker, a recorded vote, please.
The Acting Speaker (Dennis Smook): A recorded vote has been called–has been asked for. Call in the members.
* (15:50)
The question before the House is amendment to Bill 61, brought forward by the honourable member for Flin Flon, his first amendment to the bill.
Division
A RECORDED VOTE was taken, the result being as follows:
Yeas
Adams, Altomare, Asagwara, Brar, Bushie, Fontaine, Gerrard, Kinew, Lamont, Lamoureux, Lathlin, Lindsey, Maloway, Marcelino, Moses, Naylor, Sala, Sandhu, Smith (Point Douglas), Wasyliw.
Nays
Clarke, Cullen, Eichler, Ewasko, Friesen, Guenter, Guillemard, Helwer, Isleifson, Johnson, Johnston, Lagassé, Lagimodiere, Martin, Michaleski, Micklefield, Morley‑Lecomte, Pedersen, Reyes, Schuler, Smith (Lagimodière), Teitsma, Wishart, Wowchuk.
* (16:00)
Deputy Clerk (Mr. Rick Yarish): Yeas 20, Nays 24.
The Acting Speaker (Dennis Smook): The amendment is accordingly defeated.
* * *
The Acting Speaker (Dennis Smook): The time being 4 p.m., I am now interrupting debate to put the question on the remaining report stage amendments without further debate or amendment on the following specified bills: bills 5, 6, 33, 49, 52, 61, 62 and 63.
The House will not adjourn until all the applicable questions have been put. In accordance with our rules, all matters of privilege and points of order are deferred until after these actions have been concluded.
If there are any applicable report stage amendments that have yet to be moved, the member bringing the report stage amendment forward will move the motion but with no debate.
For each report stage amendment, the sponsor will move the report stage amendment and send the motion up to the Speaker who will start reading the report stage amendment back to the House. The Speaker will then rule on the orderliness of the report stage amendment, then the question will be put on the report stage amendment without further debate or amendments.
The Acting Speaker (Dennis Smook): I will now call on the honourable member for River Heights to remove the–to–sorry–to move the report stage amendment to Bill 5 without debate.
Could the honourable member for River Heights please unmute himself?
Hon. Jon Gerrard (River Heights): My apologies.
I move, seconded by the MLA for Tyndall Park,
THAT Bill 5 be amended in the title of the English version by striking out "FEE" and substituting "TAX".
Motion presented.
The Acting Speaker (Dennis Smook): The amendment appears to be in order.
Is it the pleasure of the House to adopt the amendment?
Some Honourable Members: Yes.
Some Honourable Members: No.
The Acting Speaker (Dennis Smook): I hear a no.
Voice Vote
The Acting Speaker (Dennis Smook): All those in favour of the amendment, please say yea.
Some Honourable Members: Yea.
The Acting Speaker (Dennis Smook): All those opposed, please say nay.
Some Honourable Members: Nay.
The Acting Speaker (Dennis Smook): In my opinion, the Nays have it.
I declare the amendment lost.
An Honourable Member: On division, Mr. Speaker.
The Acting Speaker (Dennis Smook): The honourable member for River Heights.
Mr. Gerrard: On division.
The Acting Speaker (Dennis Smook): On division. The amendment has been lost, on division.
* * *
The Acting Speaker (Dennis Smook): We're just taking a minute to switch Speakers, so we will be right back.
Mr. Doyle Piwniuk, Deputy Speaker, in the Chair
Mr. Deputy Speaker: Now we'll continue with Bill 5, the amendment.
Mr. Gerrard: I move, seconded by the MLA for Tyndall Park,
THAT Bill 5 be amended in Clause 2 of the English version
(a) in the proposed section 101.3(3), by striking out "fee" and substituting "tax" in the section heading and in the section; and
(b) in the proposed subsection 101.3(4), by striking out "fee" and substituting "tax" in the section heading and in the part before clause (a).
Mr. Deputy Speaker: It has been moved by the honourable member for River Heights (Mr. Gerrard), seconded by the honourable member for Tyndall Park (Ms. Lamoureux)–
An Honourable Member: Dispense.
Mr. Deputy Speaker: Dispense.
Before we continue, I just want to have leave from the House to–with this–consider it as written in the–in Hansard. It was sort of misread from the–no problem? [Agreed]
So we're going to have it through text on Hansard, agreed by–from the House.
THAT Bill 5 be amended in Clause 2 of the English version
(a) in the proposed subsection 101.3(3), by striking out "fee" and substituting "tax" in the section heading and in the section; and
(b) in the proposed subsection 101.3(4), by striking out "fee" and substituting "tax" in the section heading and in the part before clause (a).
Mr. Deputy Speaker: The motion is in order.
Is it the pleasure of the House to adopt the amendment?
Some Honourable Members: Yes.
Some Honourable Members: No.
Mr. Deputy Speaker: I hear a no.
Voice Vote
Mr. Deputy Speaker: All those in favour of the amendment, please say yea.
Some Honourable Members: Yea.
Mr. Deputy Speaker: All those opposed, please say nay.
Some Honourable Members: Nay.
Mr. Deputy Speaker: In my opinion, the Nays have it.
I declare the amendment lost.
An Honourable Member: Mr. Speaker, on division.
Mr. Deputy Speaker: The honourable member for River Heights.
Mr. Gerrard: On division.
Mr. Deputy Speaker: The declare–I declare the amendment lost, on division.
* * *
Mr. Deputy Speaker: So now we'll go on to the next stage–report stage amendment, and, again, it's the honourable member for River Heights.
Mr. Gerrard: Mr. Deputy Speaker, I move, seconded by the MLA for Tyndall Park,
THAT Bill 5 be amended in Clause 3 by striking out "fee" wherever it occurs in the proposed clause 157(1)(j) of the English version and substituting "tax".
Mr. Deputy Speaker: It has been moved by the honourable member for River Heights, seconded by the honourable member for Tyndall Park (Ms. Lamoureux),
THAT Bill 5 be amended in Clause 3 by striking out "fee" wherever it occurs in the–
An Honourable Member: Dispense.
Mr. Deputy Speaker: Dispense.
The report stage amendment is in order.
Is it the pleasure of the House to adopt the amendment?
Some Honourable Members: Yes.
Some Honourable Members: No.
Mr. Deputy Speaker: I hear a no.
Voice Vote
Mr. Deputy Speaker: All those in favour of the amendment, please say yea.
Some Honourable Members: Yea.
Mr. Deputy Speaker: All those opposed, please say nay.
Some Honourable Members: Nay.
* (16:10)
Mr. Deputy Speaker: In my opinion, the Nays have it.
I declare the amendment lost.
Mr. Gerrard: On division.
Mr. Deputy Speaker: I declare the amendment lost, on division.
Mr. Deputy Speaker: Now we'll go on to the next one. Bear with me here. We're going to Bill 6.
Hon. Jon Gerrard (River Heights): Yes. I have–Mr. Deputy Speaker, I move, seconded by the MLA for Tyndall Park,
THAT Bill 6 be amended in Clause 3
(a) in the proposed section 101.18.1, by striking out "Except" and substituting "Subject to subsection (2), and except"; and
(b) by renumbering the proposed section 101.18.1 as subsection 101.18.1(1) and adding the following as subsection 101.18.1(2):
No consumption where young persons assemble
101.18.1(2) A person must not consume cannabis on or in premises where young persons regularly assemble, such as the premises of a public or independent school, a playground or an early learning and child care centre.
Mr. Deputy Speaker: The report stage amendment is in order.
It has been–oh, sorry. It has been moved by the honourable member for River Heights, seconded by the honourable member for Tyndall Park,
THAT Bill 6–
An Honourable Member: Dispense.
Mr. Deputy Speaker: Dispense.
The report stage amendment is in order.
Now we'll–is it the pleasure of the House to adopt the amendment?
Some Honourable Members: Yes.
Some Honourable Members: No.
Mr. Deputy Speaker: No? I hear a no.
Voice Vote
Mr. Deputy Speaker: All those in favour of the amendment, please say yea.
Some Honourable Members: Yea.
Mr. Deputy Speaker: All those opposed, please say nay.
Some Honourable Members: Nay.
Mr. Deputy Speaker: In my opinion, the Nays have it.
I declare the amendment lost.
* * *
Mr. Deputy Speaker: So we'll go on to–continue on Bill 5–6. Bill–okay, we're done on six.
Mr. Deputy Speaker: Now we'll go to Bill 33, and the honourable member for St. Vital.
The honourable member for St. Vital, can you unmic–unmute your mic? If I can get the honourable member for St. Vital to turn on their camera.
Okay, we have the honourable member for St. Vital.
Mr. Jamie Moses (St. Vital): Oh, geez. We're on the amendment?
Mr. Deputy Speaker: The honourable member for St. Vital.
Mr. Moses: Sorry, Mr. Deputy Speaker. We're on the amendment for Bill 33?
Mr. Deputy Speaker: Bill 33. Yes, we have to move your first amendment.
Mr. Moses: Okay. Thank you, Mr. Deputy Speaker.
I move, seconded by the member for fort–for Wolseley (Ms. Naylor),
THAT Bill 33 be amended in Clause 4 by striking out the proposed subsection 2.2(5).
Mr. Deputy Speaker: It has been moved by the honourable member–just one second here.
I just want to let the member for St. Vital–you actually went on your second amendment, not your first one. So, if I can get you to read your first amendment and then we'll proceed with this.
The honourable member for St. Vital–we have to go by order.
Mr. Moses: I move, seconded by the honourable member for Wolseley,
THAT Bill 33 be amended in Clause 4 by adding "after consulting with–university board and the relevant student unions or–associations" at the end of the proposed subsection point two (1).
Mr. Deputy Speaker: It has been moved by the honourable member for St. Vital, seconded by the honourable member for Wolseley,
THAT Bill 33 be amended in Clause 4 by adding "after consulting with the university–
An Honourable Member: Dispense.
Mr. Deputy Speaker: Dispense.
I just want to also have the will for–if it's okay with the House to–that we agree in the House that we can actually consider as written on–the amendment to–be put in Hansard. Is it agreed for? [Agreed]
THAT Bill 33 be amended in Clause 4 by adding "after consulting with the university board and the relevant student unions or student associations" at the end of the proposed subsection 2.2(1).
Mr. Deputy Speaker: So we'll put the–basically the amendment that has been written in–to be put on–in Hansard. Okay.
Now, the report stage amendment is in order.
And now, is it the pleasure of the House to adopt the amendment?
Some Honourable Members: Agreed.
Some Honourable Members: No.
Mr. Deputy Speaker: I hear a no.
Voice Vote
Mr. Deputy Speaker: All those in favour of the amendment, please say yea.
Some Honourable Members: Yea.
Mr. Deputy Speaker: All those opposed, please say nay.
Some Honourable Members: Nay.
Mr. Deputy Speaker: In my opinion, the Nays have it.
Recorded Vote
Ms. Nahanni Fontaine (Official Opposition House Leader): Recorded vote, please.
Mr. Deputy Speaker: A recorded vote has been declared. Call in the members.
The question before the House is the first amendment of Bill 33 brought forward by the honourable member for St. Vital.
* (16:20)
Division
A RECORDED VOTE was taken, the result being as follows:
Yeas
Adams, Altomare, Asagwara, Brar, Bushie, Fontaine, Gerrard, Lamont, Lamoureux, Lathlin, Lindsey, Maloway, Moses, Naylor, Sala, Sandhu, Smith (Point Douglas), Wasyliw.
Nays
Clarke, Cullen, Eichler, Ewasko, Friesen, Guenter, Guillemard, Helwer, Isleifson, Johnson, Johnston, Lagassé, Lagimodiere, Martin, Michaleski, Micklefield, Morley‑Lecomte, Pedersen, Reyes, Schuler, Smith (Lagimodière), Smook, Teitsma, Wishart, Wowchuk.
Deputy Clerk (Mr. Rick Yarish): Yeas 18, Nays 25.
Mr. Deputy Speaker: I declare the motion defeated.
* * *
Mr. Deputy Speaker: Now we'll go on to–we'll continue on Bill 33, the second stage–report stage, the second one.
Mr. Moses: I move, seconded by the honourable member for Wolseley,
THAT Bill 33 be amended in Clause 4 by striking out the proposed subsections 2.2(3) and (4).
Motion presented.
Mr. Deputy Speaker: The amendment–the report stage amendment is in order.
Is it the pleasure of the House to adopt the amendment?
Some Honourable Members: Yes.
Some Honourable Members: No.
Mr. Deputy Speaker: I hear a no.
Voice Vote
Mr. Deputy Speaker: All those in favour of the amendment, please say yea.
Some Honourable Members: Yea.
Mr. Deputy Speaker: All those opposed, please say nay.
Some Honourable Members: Nay.
Mr. Deputy Speaker: I declare the amendment lost.
Ms. Fontaine: On division, Deputy Speaker.
Mr. Deputy Speaker: I declare the amendment lost, on division.
* * *
Mr. Deputy Speaker: So we'll go on to the third stage amendment on Bill 33.
Mr. Moses: I move, seconded by the honourable member for Wolseley,
THAT Bill 33 be amended in Clause 4 by striking out the proposed subsection 2.2(5).
Motion presented.
Mr. Deputy Speaker: The report stage amendment is in order.
Is it the pleasure of the House to adopt the amendment?
Some Honourable Members: Agreed.
Some Honourable Members: No.
Mr. Deputy Speaker: I hear a no.
Voice Vote
Mr. Deputy Speaker: All those in favour of the amendment, please say yea.
Some Honourable Members: Yea.
Mr. Deputy Speaker: All those opposed, please say nay.
Some Honourable Members: Nay.
Mr. Deputy Speaker: In my opinion, the Nays have it.
Recorded Vote
Ms. Fontaine: A recorded vote, Deputy Speaker.
Mr. Deputy Speaker: A recorded vote has been declared. Call in the members.
* (16:30)
The question before us is–in the House is amendment 3 of Bill 33, brought forward by the honourable member for St. Vital.
Division
A RECORDED VOTE was taken, the result being as follows:
Yeas
Adams, Altomare, Asagwara, Brar, Bushie, Fontaine, Gerrard, Lamont, Lamoureux, Lathlin, Lindsey, Maloway, Moses, Naylor, Sala, Sandhu, Smith (Point Douglas), Wasyliw.
Nays
Clarke, Cullen, Eichler, Ewasko, Friesen, Guenter, Guillemard, Helwer, Isleifson, Johnson, Johnston, Lagassé, Lagimodiere, Martin, Michaleski, Micklefield, Morley‑Lecomte, Pedersen, Reyes, Schuler, Smith (Lagimodiere), Smook, Teitsma, Wishart, Wowchuk.
Deputy Clerk: Yeas 18, Nays 25.
Mr. Deputy Speaker: The motion is accordingly defeated.
* * *
Mr. Deputy Speaker: Now we'll go on to report stage–[interjection]
Now we'll move on to report stage amendment No. 4 on–for Bill 33.
Mr. Moses: I move, seconded by the honourable member for Wolseley,
THAT Bill 33 be amended in Clause 4 by striking out the proposed subsection 2.2(7).
Motion presented.
Mr. Deputy Speaker: This report stage amendment is in order.
Is it the pleasure of the House to adopt the amendment?
Some Honourable Members: Agreed.
Some Honourable Members: No.
Mr. Deputy Speaker: I hear a no.
Voice Vote
Mr. Deputy Speaker: All those in favour of the amendment, please say yea.
Some Honourable Members: Yea.
Mr. Deputy Speaker: All those opposed, please say nay.
Some Honourable Members: Nay.
Mr. Deputy Speaker: In my opinion, the Nays have it. I–
Recorded Vote
Ms. Fontaine: A recorded vote, Deputy Speaker.
Mr. Deputy Speaker: A recorded vote has been declared. Call in the members.
* (16:40)
The question before the House is amendment No. 4, the bill–for Bill 33, brought forward by the honourable member for St. Vital. All those in the Chamber in favour of the motion please rise.
Division
A RECORDED VOTE was taken, the result being as follows:
Yeas
Adams, Altomare, Asagwara, Brar, Bushie, Fontaine, Gerrard, Lamont, Lamoureux, Lathlin, Lindsey, Maloway, Marcelino, Moses, Naylor, Sala, Sandhu, Smith (Point Douglas), Wasyliw, Wiebe.
Nays
Clarke, Cullen, Eichler, Ewasko, Friesen, Guenter, Guillemard, Helwer, Isleifson, Johnson, Johnston, Lagassé, Lagimodiere, Martin, Michaleski, Micklefield, Morley‑Lecomte, Pedersen, Reyes, Schuler, Smith (Lagimodière), Smook, Teitsma, Wishart, Wowchuk.
Deputy Clerk: Yeas 20, Nays 25.
Mr. Deputy Speaker: The motion is accordingly defeated.
* * *
Mr. Deputy Speaker: Now we'll go on to No. 1 of–report stage amendment No. 1 with the name of the honourable member for Tyndall Park.
Ms. Cindy Lamoureux (Tyndall Park): I move, seconded by the member for River Heights (Mr. Gerrard),
THAT Bill 33 be amended in Clause 4 by adding the following as subsection 2.2(5.1)–
Mr. Deputy Speaker: Just one second. Order. Order.
I guess when–the honourable member for Tyndall Park, I guess this is one of the amendments that proceed without–not proceeding with this certain amendment because–the others ones, you are proceeding.
You have to indicate that this is the one that you're not going to proceed with before you can do the other ones.
Ms. Lamoureux: Do you want me to proceed with my second amendment?
Mr. Deputy Speaker: I would say that, if we can just–with this certain amendment, if you can just say that, you know, basically, we're proceed with–not proceeding with this amendment. [interjection] Okay, you have to be on record to say that you're not going to proceed with the first one.
So, if you can just say that so it gets in Hansard.
Ms. Lamoureux: To put on record here, I will not be proceeding with the first amendment.
Mr. Deputy Speaker: Now we'll go on to No. 2 amendment from the honourable member for Tyndall Park, and you can proceed.
Ms. Lamoureux: I move, seconded by the member for River Heights,
THAT Bill 33 be amended in Clause 4 by adding the following as subsection 2.2(5.1):
Consultation required
2.2(5.1) Before issuing a guideline or making a regulation under this section, the minister must consult with the student unions, student organizations, faculty organizations and board of each university affected by the guideline or regulation.
Mr. Deputy Speaker: It has been moved by the honourable member for Tyndall Park, seconded by the member for River Heights,
THAT Bill 33 be amended in Clause 4 by adding the following as subsection 2.2(5.1):
Consultation required
2.2(5.1) Before issuing the guidelines and making a regulation under this section–
An Honourable Member: Dispense.
Mr. Deputy Speaker: Dispense.
The report stage amendment is in order.
Is it the pleasure of the House to adopt the amendment?
An Honourable Member: No.
Mr. Deputy Speaker: I hear a no.
Voice Vote
Mr. Deputy Speaker: All those in favour of the amendment, please say yea.
Some Honourable Members: Yea.
Mr. Deputy Speaker: All those opposed, please say nay.
Some Honourable Members: Nay.
Mr. Deputy Speaker: In my opinion, the Nays have it.
I declare the amendment defeated.
Okay, we'll go on to–
An Honourable Member: On division, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Deputy Speaker: The honourable member for River Heights.
Mr. Gerrard: On division.
Mr. Deputy Speaker: The amendment is defeated, on division.
* * *
Mr. Deputy Speaker: Okay, and the next one–the honourable member for Tyndall Park, again, this one–you're going to have to–if you–indicate that you're not going to proceed with this amendment then. Same like you did on the first one.
Ms. Lamoureux: Okay. Mr. Deputy Speaker, I had initially brought forward three amendments. I am still choosing not to proceed on the very first amendment. This is now my third amendment I would like to proceed on.
Mr. Deputy Speaker: Just one moment, please.
Yes, this is consequential. If the first one never would've passed, then this one can't proceed because it's sort of amendment of an amendment. It's consequential to the first amendment that was withdrawn.
Ms. Lamoureux: Okay, so therefore this amendment cannot be brought forward?
Mr. Deputy Speaker: That's correct. That's correct. So you just have to say you're not proceeding with this amendment.
Ms. Lamoureux: Okay, I will not be proceeding with this amendment.
Mr. Deputy Speaker: Okay. So then we'll move on to amendment No. 4.
Ms. Lamoureux: I move, seconded by the member for River Heights,
THAT Bill 33 be amended in Clause 4 by adding the following after the proposed subsection 2.2(7):
Average tuition fees–are–not to exceed those of most populous provinces
2.2(7.1) The minister may also direct the Minister of Finance to make deductions in the grants requisitioned for universities under section 9.1 if the minister is reasonably satisfied that the average tuition fees charged by the universities exceed the lowest average tuition fees charged by the universities in any of the four provinces of Canada that have the highest population.
Mr. Deputy Speaker: It has been moved by the honourable member for Tyndall Park, seconded by the honourable member for River Heights,
THAT Bill 33 be amended–
An Honourable Member: Dispense.
Mr. Deputy Speaker: Dispense.
Before we move on, I just want to have the–leave to the House to have the–this amendment to be considered as written on the text of the amendment.
Is it in order for the House to agree? [Agreed]
THAT Bill 33 be amended in Clause 4 by adding the following after the proposed subsection 2.2(7):
Average tuition fees not to exceed those of most populous provinces
2.2(7.1) The minister may also direct the Minister of Finance to make deductions in the grants requisitioned for universities under section 9.1 if the minister is reasonably satisfied that the average tuition fees charged by the universities exceed the lowest average tuition fees charged by the universities in any of the four provinces of Canada that have the highest population.
Mr. Deputy Speaker: So, the report stage amendment is in order.
Is the pleasure of the House to adopt the amendment?
An Honourable Member: No.
Mr. Deputy Speaker: I hear a no.
Voice Vote
Mr. Deputy Speaker: All those in favour of the amendment, please say yea.
Some Honourable Members: Yea.
Mr. Deputy Speaker: All those opposed, please say nay.
Some Honourable Members: Nay.
Mr. Deputy Speaker: In my opinion, the Nays have it.
I declare the amendment lost.
* (17:00)
Mr. Deputy Speaker: So, okay, now we'll go on to the next bill, which would be Bill 49. Okay, we'll go onto Bill 49, amendment number–report stage amendment No. 1. The honourable member for–[interjection]
Just one second, the honourable member for St. Boniface. We–give us one minute here.
Mr. Dougald Lamont (St. Boniface): I move, seconded by the member for River Heights (Mr. Gerrard),
THAT Bill 49 be amended by striking out Clause 5.
Mr. Deputy Speaker: It has been moved by the honourable member for St. Boniface, seconded by the–
An Honourable Member: Dispense.
Mr. Deputy Speaker:–member for River Heights,
THAT Bill–dispense?
The report stage amendment is in order.
Is it the pleasure of the House to adopt the amendment?
Some Honourable Members: Yes.
Some Honourable Members: No.
Mr. Deputy Speaker: I hear a no.
Voice Vote
Mr. Deputy Speaker: All those in favour of the amendment, please say yea.
Some Honourable Members: Yea.
Mr. Deputy Speaker: All those opposed, please say nay.
Some Honourable Members: Nay.
Mr. Deputy Speaker: In my opinion, the Nays have it.
I declare the amendment lost.
* * *
Mr. Deputy Speaker: So now we'll go on to amendment No. 2 on the same Bill 49.
Mr. Lamont: I move, seconded by the member for Tyndall Park (Ms. Lamoureux),
THAT Bill 49 be amended by striking out Clause 10(2).
Motion presented.
Mr. Deputy Speaker: The report stage amendment is in order.
Is it pleasure of the House to adopt the amendment?
Some Honourable Members: Yes.
Some Honourable Members: No.
Mr. Deputy Speaker: I hear there–no.
Voice Vote
Mr. Deputy Speaker: All those in favour of the amendment, please say yea.
Some Honourable Members: Yea.
Mr. Deputy Speaker: All those opposed, please say nay.
Some Honourable Members: Nay.
Mr. Deputy Speaker: In my opinion, the Nays have it.
I declare the amendment lost.
So now we'll go on to the same bill, amendment–report stage amendment–
An Honourable Member: On division.
Mr. Deputy Speaker: Oh–the member from River Heights. I declare the amendment lost, on division.
* * *
Mr. Deputy Speaker: So now we'll go on to report stage No. 3 of Bill 49.
Mr. Lamont: I move, seconded by the member for River Heights,
THAT Bill 49 be amended by replacing Clause 15(3)(b) with the following:
(b) by replacing clause (b) with the following:
(b) if the information is not available to the public within 60 days after the applicant's request is received, respond to the applicant's request, in writing, within 15 days after the last day of the 60-day period and not refuse access to the information under subsection (1).
Mr. Deputy Speaker: It has been moved by the honourable member for St. Boniface (Mr. Lamont), seconded by the honourable member for River Heights (Mr. Gerrard)–
An Honourable Member: Dispense.
Mr. Deputy Speaker: Dispense.
The report stage amendment is in order.
Is it the pleasure of the House to adopt the amendment?
Some Honourable Members: No.
Mr. Deputy Speaker: I hear noes.
Voice Vote
Mr. Deputy Speaker: All those in favour of the amendment, please say yea.
Some Honourable Members: Yea.
Mr. Deputy Speaker: All those opposed, please say nay.
Some Honourable Members: Nay.
Mr. Deputy Speaker: In my opinion, the Nays have it.
I declare the amendment lost.
An Honourable Member: Yes. On division.
Mr. Deputy Speaker: Oh–the honourable member on River Heights–I declare the amendment lost, on division.
Mr. Deputy Speaker: So now we'll go on to Bill 52–I guess–the honourable member for River Heights.
The honourable member for River Heights, can you unmute your mic?
Hon. Jon Gerrard (River Heights): Yes. Mr. Deputy Speaker, I move, seconded by the MLA for St. Boniface,
THAT Bill 52 be amended in Clause 21(2) by replacing the proposed subsection 14(1) of The Public Health Act with the following:
Report on
health status of Manitobans
14(1) Beginning in 2021, the chief public health officer must
give the minister an annual report on the health status of Manitobans.
Mr. Deputy Speaker: It has been moved by the honourable member for River Heights, seconded by the honourable member for St. Boniface (Mr. Lamont),
THAT Bill 52 be amended to clauses 2.2–
An Honourable Member: Dispense.
Mr. Deputy Speaker: Dispense.
The report stage amendment is in order.
Is it the pleasure of the House to adopt the amendment?
Some Honourable Members: Yes.
Some Honourable Members: No.
Mr. Deputy Speaker: I hear a no.
Voice Vote
Mr. Deputy Speaker: All those in favour of the amendment, please say yea.
Some Honourable Members: Yea.
Mr. Deputy Speaker: All those opposed, please say nay.
Some Honourable Members: Nay.
Mr. Deputy Speaker: In my opinion, the Nays have it.
Mr. Gerrard: On division, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Deputy Speaker: I declare the amendment lost, on division.
Mr. Deputy Speaker: Yes, I just want to remind: we're going into Bill 61. We've already done the first amendment for Bill 61, so now we're on to the second amendment for Bill 61.
And the member's name–the honourable member for Flin Flon.
Mr. Tom Lindsey (Flin Flon): I move, seconded by the member from St. Johns,
THAT Bill 61 be amended in Clause 6 by striking out–
Mr. Deputy Speaker: Oh, the honourable member from Flin Flon, I think we lost your audio. I'll get you to start over, if you have that audio back.
Mr. Lindsey: Thank you, Mr. Deputy Speaker.
I move, seconded by the member from St. Johns,
THAT Bill 61 be amended in Clause 6 by striking out "employers and employees" in the proposed subsection 9(2) and substituting "employers, employees and apprentices".
Mr. Deputy Speaker: The report stage amendment is in order.
Is it the pleasure of the House to adopt the–sorry, I have to read this out.
It was moved by the honourable member for Flin Flon, seconded by the honourable member for St. Johns (Ms. Fontaine),
THAT Bill 61 be amended to–
An Honourable Member: Dispense.
Mr. Deputy Speaker: Dispense.
The report stage amendment is in order.
Is it the pleasure of the House to adopt to amendment?
Some Honourable Members: Agreed.
Some Honourable Members: No.
Mr. Deputy Speaker: No? I hear a no.
Voice Vote
Mr. Deputy Speaker: All those in favour of the amendment, please say yea.
Some Honourable Members: Yea.
Mr. Deputy Speaker: All those opposed, please say nay.
Some Honourable Members: Nay.
Mr. Deputy Speaker: In my opinion, the Nays have it.
Ms. Nahanni Fontaine (Official Opposition House Leader): On division, Deputy Speaker.
Mr. Deputy Speaker: I declare the amendment lost, on division.
* * *
Mr. Deputy Speaker: So, we'll go on to report stage amendment No. 3 of Bill 61.
Mr. Lindsey: I move, seconded by the member from St. Johns again, I guess,
THAT Bill 61 be amended in Clause 6 by replacing the proposed subsection 9(4) with the following:
Composition of committees
9(4) A committee must be composed in accordance with the following rules:
1. The number of committee members who represent the interests of employers and the number of committee members who represent the interests of employees must be equal.
2. One member of a committee must represent the interests of apprentices. The member is a non-voting member.
3. The board may appoint a person who is not a member of the board to a committee only if the person has the prescribed experience.
Mr. Deputy Speaker: It was–have been moved by the honourable member for Flin Flon, seconded by the honourable member for St. Johns,
THAT Bill 61–
An Honourable Member: Dispense.
Mr. Deputy Speaker: Dispense.
The report of–the report stage amendment is in order.
Is the pleasure of the House to adopt the amendment?
Some Honourable Members: Yes.
Some Honourable Members: No.
Mr. Deputy Speaker: I hear a no.
Voice Vote
Mr. Deputy Speaker: All those in favour, please say yea.
Some Honourable Members: Yea.
Mr. Deputy Speaker: All those opposed, please say nay.
Some Honourable Members: Nay.
Mr. Deputy Speaker: In my opinion, the Nays have it.
Recorded Vote
Ms. Fontaine: Deputy Speaker, a recorded vote, please.
Mr. Deputy Speaker: A recorded vote has been declared. Call in the members.
* (17:10)
The question before the House is amendment No. 4 of Bill 61 brought forward by the honourable member for Flin Flon.
Division
A RECORDED VOTE was taken, the result being as follows:
Yeas
Adams, Altomare, Asagwara, Brar, Bushie, Fontaine, Gerrard, Kinew, Lamoureux, Lathlin, Lindsey, Maloway, Marcelino, Moses, Naylor, Sala, Sandhu, Smith (Point Douglas), Wasyliw, Wiebe.
Nays
Clarke, Cox, Cullen, Eichler, Ewasko, Friesen, Guenter, Guillemard, Helwer, Isleifson, Johnson, Johnston, Lagassé, Lagimodiere, Martin, Michaleski, Micklefield, Morley‑Lecomte, Nesbitt, Pedersen, Reyes, Schuler, Smith (Lagimodière), Smook, Teitsma, Wharton, Wishart, Wowchuk.
Clerk (Ms. Patricia Chaychuk): Yeas 20, Nays 28.
Mr. Deputy Speaker: The motion is accordingly defeated.
* * *
Mr. Deputy Speaker: So now we'll go on to report stage No. 4 of Bill 61.
Mr. Lindsey: I move, seconded by the member from Keewatinook,
THAT Bill 61 be amended in Clause 6 by striking out "not be inconsistent with" in the proposed section 9.3 and substituting "meet or exceed".
Mr. Deputy Speaker: It has been moved by the honourable member for Flin Flon–
An Honourable Member: Dispense.
Mr. Deputy Speaker: Dispense.
The report stage amendment is in order.
Is it the pleasure of the House to adopt the amendment?
Some Honourable Members: Yes.
Some Honourable Members: No.
Mr. Deputy Speaker: I hear a no.
Voice Vote
Mr. Deputy Speaker: All those in favour of the motion, please say yea.
Some Honourable Members: Yea.
Mr. Deputy Speaker: All those opposed, please say nay.
Some Honourable Members: Nay.
Mr. Deputy Speaker: In my opinion, the Nays have it.
Ms. Fontaine: On division, Deputy Speaker.
Mr. Deputy Speaker: I declare the amendment lost, on division.
* * *
Mr. Deputy Speaker: So we'll go on to report stage No. 5 on Bill 61.
* (17:20)
Mr. Lindsey: I move, seconded by the member from Transcona,
THAT Bill 61 be amended by replacing Clause 19(a) with the following:
(a) replacing everything before clause (b) with the following:
Regulations
46(1) After consulting with the board, the minister may make regulations
(a) prescribing the required experience of a person who is not a board member under item 3 of subsection 9(4);
(a.1) designating a trade for the purposes of subsection 18(1);
Mr. Deputy Speaker: It has been moved by the honourable member for Flin Flon, seconded by the honourable member for Transcona (Mr. Altomare),
THAT Bill 61–
An Honourable Member: Dispense.
Mr. Deputy Speaker: Dispense.
The report stage amendment is in order.
Is there–is the pleasure of the House to adopt the amendment?
Some Honourable Members: Yes.
Some Honourable Members: No.
Mr. Deputy Speaker: I hear a no.
Voice Vote
Mr. Deputy Speaker: All those in favour of the amendment, please say yea.
Some Honourable Members: Yea.
Mr. Deputy Speaker: All those opposed, please say nay.
Some Honourable Members: Nay.
Mr. Deputy Speaker: In my opinion, the Nays have it.
Ms. Fontaine: On division, Deputy Speaker.
Mr. Deputy Speaker: I declare the amendment lost, on division.
Mr. Deputy Speaker: So we'll go on to Bill 62.
Hon. Jon Gerrard (River Heights): Mr. Deputy Speaker, I move, seconded by the MLA for Tyndall Park,
THAT Bill 62 be amended in Clause 4 by adding the following after the proposed subsection 13.2(2):
No restriction on activities
13.2(3) For certainty, nothing in subsection (2) restricts the ability of one or more persons to engage in the following activities, as long as the activity does not interfere with a vehicle being used to transport or keep a commercial animal:
(a) peacefully assembling on public property;
(b) taking photographs or recording images of the vehicle or the commercial animals being transported or kept in the vehicle.
Mr. Deputy Speaker: It has been moved by the honourable member for River Heights (Mr. Gerrard), seconded by the honourable member for Tyndall Park (Ms. Lamoureux),
THAT Bill 62 be amended to Clause–
An Honourable Member: Dispense.
Mr. Deputy Speaker: Dispense.
The report stage amendment is in order.
Is it pleasure of the House to adopt the amendment?
Some Honourable Members: Yes.
Some Honourable Members: No.
Mr. Deputy Speaker: I hear a no.
Voice Vote
Mr. Deputy Speaker: All those in favour of the amendment, please say yea.
Some Honourable Members: Yea.
Mr. Deputy Speaker: All those opposed, please say nay.
Some Honourable Members: Nay.
Mr. Deputy Speaker: In my opinion, the Nays have it.
An Honourable Member: Mr. Speaker, on division.
Mr. Deputy Speaker: The honourable member for River Heights.
Mr. Gerrard: On division.
Mr. Deputy Speaker: The–I declare the amendment lost, on division.
* * *
Mr. Deputy Speaker: So we'll go on to the same bill. And this time the honourable member for the–Burrows.
Mr. Diljeet Brar (Burrows): Mr. Deputy Speaker, I move, seconded by the member for St. James (Mr. Sala),
THAT Bill 62 be amended in Clause 4
(a) by striking out the proposed section 13.2; and
(b) in the part of the proposed subsection 13.3(1) before clause (a), by striking out "sections 13.1 and 13.2" and substituting "section 13.1".
Mr. Deputy Speaker: It has been moved by the honourable member for Burrows–
An Honourable Member: Dispense.
Mr. Deputy Speaker: Dispense.
The report stage amendment is in order.
Is it the pleasure of the House to adopt the amendment?
Some Honourable Members: Agreed.
Some Honourable Members: No.
Mr. Deputy Speaker: I hear a no.
Voice Vote
Mr. Deputy Speaker: All those in favour of the amendment, please say yea.
Some Honourable Members: Yea.
Mr. Deputy Speaker: All those opposed, please say nay.
Some Honourable Members: Nay.
Mr. Deputy Speaker: In my opinion, the Nays have it.
Recorded Vote
Ms. Nahanni Fontaine (Official Opposition House Leader): Deputy Speaker, a recorded vote, please.
Mr. Deputy Speaker: A recorded vote has been declared, call in the members.
The question before the House is report stage amendment number–of Bill 62, brought forward by the honourable member for Burrows.
Division
A RECORDED VOTE was taken, the result being as follows:
Yeas
Adams, Altomare, Asagwara, Brar, Bushie, Fontaine, Gerrard, Kinew, Lamoureux, Lathlin, Lindsey, Maloway, Marcelino, Moses, Naylor, Sala, Sandhu, Smith (Point Douglas), Wasyliw, Wiebe.
Nays
Clarke, Cox, Cullen, Eichler, Ewasko, Fielding, Friesen, Guenter, Guillemard, Helwer, Isleifson, Johnson, Johnston, Lagassé, Lagimodiere, Martin, Michaleski, Micklefield, Morley‑Lecomte, Nesbitt, Pedersen, Reyes, Schuler, Smith (Lagimodière), Smook, Stefanson, Teitsma, Wharton, Wishart, Wowchuk.
Clerk (Ms. Patricia Chaychuk): Yeas 20, Nays 30.
Mr. Deputy Speaker: The motion is accordingly defeated.
Mr. Deputy Speaker: Now we'll move on to Bill 63, the first report stage amendment.
Hon. Jon Gerrard (River Heights): I move, seconded by the MLA for Tyndall Park,
THAT Bill 63 be amended in Clause 3(1) by striking out "lawn or" in the proposed subclause 1(1)(a)(iv).
Mr. Deputy Speaker: It has been moved by the honourable member for River Heights, seconded by the honourable member for Tyndall Park (Ms. Lamoureux),
THAT Bill 63 be–
An Honourable Member: Dispense.
Mr. Deputy Speaker: Dispense.
The report stage amendment is in order.
Is it pleasure of the House to adopt the amendment?
Some Honourable Members: Yes.
Some Honourable Members: No.
Mr. Deputy Speaker: I hear a no.
Voice Vote
Mr. Deputy Speaker: All those in favour of the amendment, please say yea.
Some Honourable Members: Yea.
Mr. Deputy Speaker: All those opposed, please say nay.
Some Honourable Members: Nay.
Mr. Deputy Speaker: In my opinion, the Nays have it.
Mr. Gerrard: On division, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Deputy Speaker: I declare the amendment lost, on division.
* * *
Mr. Deputy Speaker: So, now we'll go on 'til number–report stage amendment No. 2 for Bill 63.
Mr. Gerrard: I move, seconded by the MLA for Tyndall Park,
THAT Bill 63 be amended in Clause 3(2) by adding "road or" after "uses a" in the proposed clause 1(1.1)(a).
Mr. Deputy Speaker: It has been moved by the honourable member for River Heights, seconded by the honourable member for Tyndall Park,
THAT Bill 63 be amended by–in clauses 3-2–by adding "road or" after "uses a" in the proposed clause–
An Honourable Member: Dispense.
Mr. Deputy Speaker: Dispense.
The report stage amendment is in order.
Is it the pleasure of the House to adopt the amendment?
Some Honourable Members: Yes.
Some Honourable Members: No.
Mr. Deputy Speaker: I hear a no.
Voice Vote
Mr. Deputy Speaker: All those in favour of the amendment, please say yea.
Some Honourable Members: Yea.
Mr. Deputy Speaker: All those opposed, please say nay.
Some Honourable Members: Nay.
Mr. Deputy Speaker: In my opinion, the Nays have it.
Mr. Gerrard: On division.
Mr. Deputy Speaker: I declare the amendment lost, on division.
* * *
Mr. Deputy Speaker: So now we'll go on to amendment No. 3.
Mr. Gerrard: I move, seconded by the MLA for Tyndall Park,
THAT Bill 63 be amended in Clause 3(2) by striking out "or" at the end of the proposed clause 1(1.1)(a), adding "or" at the end of the proposed clause 1(1.1)(b) and adding the following after the proposed clause 1(1.1)(b):
(c) unintentionally enters on the lands or premises.
Mr. Deputy Speaker: It has been moved by the honourable member for River Heights, seconded by the–
An Honourable Member: Dispense.
Mr. Deputy Speaker: Dispense.
The report stage amendment is in order.
Is it the pleasure of the House to adopt the amendment?
Some Honourable Members: Yes.
Some Honourable Members: No.
Mr. Deputy Speaker: I hear a no.
Voice Vote
Mr. Deputy Speaker: All those in favour of the amendment, please say yea.
Some Honourable Members: Yea.
Mr. Deputy Speaker: All those opposed, please say nay.
Some Honourable Members: Nay.
Mr. Deputy Speaker: In my opinion, the Nays have it.
Mr. Gerrard: Yes. On division.
Mr. Deputy Speaker: I declare the amendment lost, on division.
* * *
Mr. Deputy Speaker: So, now we'll go into the fourth amendment and the last amendment for Bill 63.
Mr. Gerrard: Yes. I move, seconded by the MLA for Tyndall Park,
THAT Bill 63 be amended in Clause 3(3) by adding the following after the proposed Clause 1(3.1)(c):
(d) an Indigenous person who is exercising their aboriginal rights or treaty rights.
Mr. Deputy Speaker: It has been moved by the honourable member for River Heights, seconded by the honourable member for Tyndall Park,
THAT Bill–
An Honourable Member: Dispense.
Mr. Deputy Speaker: Dispense.
The report stage amendment is in order.
Is it the pleasure of the House to adopt the amendment?
Some Honourable Members: Yes.
Some Honourable Members: No.
Mr. Deputy Speaker: I hear a no.
Voice Vote
Mr. Deputy Speaker: All those in favour, please say yea.
Some Honourable Members: Yea.
Mr. Deputy Speaker: All those opposed, please say nay.
Some Honourable Members: Nay.
Mr. Deputy Speaker: In my opinion, the Nays have it.
Mr. Gerrard: Yes. On division.
Mr. Deputy Speaker: I declare the amendment lost on division.
* * *
Mr. Deputy Speaker: That concludes the–all the amendments.
The hour being 5 p.m.–after 5 p.m., the House is adjourned and stands adjourned until 1:30 in the afternoon–p.m.–in the afternoon–tomorrow.
LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA
Tuesday, May 11, 2021
CONTENTS
Bill 73–The Employment Standards Code Amendment Act (COVID‑19 Vaccination Leave)
Standing Committee on Social and Economic Development
Importance of Receiving COVID Vaccine
Filipino Community Support Groups
COVID‑19 Public Health Restrictions
Switch to Remote Learning for Schools
Switch to Remote Learning for Schools
Switch to Remote Learning for Schools
Sexual Assault Awareness Training for Judges
Health Care for Persons with Disabilities
Bill 29–The Reducing Red Tape and Improving Services Act, 2020
Bill 47–The Early Learning and Child Care Act
Bill 61–The Apprenticeship and Certification Amendment Act
Bill 5–The Liquor, Gaming and Cannabis Control Amendment Act (Cannabis Social Responsibility Fee)
Bill 6–The Liquor, Gaming and Cannabis Control Amendment Act
Bill 33–The Advanced Education Administration Amendment Act
Bill 49–The Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Amendment Act
Bill 52–The Minor Amendments and Corrections Act, 2021
Bill 61–The Apprenticeship and Certification Amendment Act
Bill 62–The Animal Diseases Amendment Act
Bill 63–The Petty Trespasses Amendment and Occupiers' Liability Amendment Act