The Manitoba Legislature Session - Week Five

October 22-26 - Week Five of the Manitoba Legislature

1) The Health and Well-being of Children

Jordan's Principle - Putting Children First: Monday October 22 would have been Jordan's eighth birthday. He was born in 1999. He need quite a bit of medical attention in hospital in Winnipeg. At age two, he was ready to go home to his community of Norway House. But arguments between provincial and federal governments over who would fund what, including items as small as a shower head, meant that his return to Norway House was delayed. Sadly, Jordan died in 2005, never having been able to go home, as the provincial-federal arguments continued. From Jordan's tragic story has arisen - Jordan's Principle - that the needs of the child should be considered first and government's should settle disputes over funding afterwards. I first raised my concerns that Manitoba needed to implement Jordan's Principle on an urgent basis in 2005. Sadly, two years later, even though there have been some discussions, Jordan's Principle has still not been implemented. On Monday, in question period, I continued my efforts to push the provincial government to implement Jordan's Principle. I got the same old story - they are working on it. I will continue to work for children in Manitoba and for the implementation of Jordan's Principle.

The Office of the Children's Advocate: On Monday I spoke at second reading on Bill 11 which deals with the mandate of the Children's Advocate. Bonnie Mitchelson summed up the Conservative's position "I can't specifically take issue with this piece of legislation." In contrast, we Liberals see a problem with the NDP's Bill 11. This bill transfers the investigative power when a child dies in care from the medical examiner to the Children's Advocate. The Children's Advocate is an advocate not an investigator. As I commented in the Legislature "If there is a single message from the huge review that Dr. Peter Markesteyn did in Newfoundland, it is that you have to have a separation of the review from the Office of the Children's Advocate because the Children's Advocate has a role in the process of helping children and is very often involved [or should be involved in helping the very children whose death is to be investigated]. I believe the government has to give the Chidlren's Advocate more and better resources, but Bill 11 is not the way to do it.

2) The Environment

Climate Change - and efforts to reduce greenhouse gases
As Liberals we see that the provincial government should exert leadership and run a carbon-netural government. As Liberals, during the last provincial election, we ran a carbon-neutral campaign. On Tuesday in Question Period, I asked the Premier whether his NDP government would move to operate the provincial government on a carbon-neutral basis. The Premier and his NDP government have clearly not yet decided to move in this direction.

3) Spirited Energy Audit

On Wednesday, the Auditor General released her audit into the Spirited Energy campaign. The audit showed that there were several untendered contracts, one worth more than $250,000. Moreover, although it is a requirement that untendered contracts are reported and the information is available in the Legislature Reading Room, this was done in only 15% of the cases. To fall 85% short of what should have been done is a failure in anyone's books. I raised these issues in Question Period on Wednesday.

4) Reducing Bullying and Harrassment in the Workplace: On Thursday, I introduced and spoke at second reading of our Liberal Bill 210 - to reduce bullying and harrassment in the workplace. The legislation follows legislation in Sweden and in Quebec which is designed to reduce bullying in the workplace and to create a win-win situaiton for employers and workers by improving the environment in the workplace.

5) Banning single-use plastic checkout bags in Manitoba: On Thursday, I introduced and spoke at second reading of our Liberal Bill 212 - to ban single-use plastic checkout bags in Manitoba as of January 1, 2009. Leaf Rapids in Manitoba has already taken this step. It is time to do it in all Manitoba. Sadly, however, the NDP refused to endorse Bill 212. Minister of Conservation, Stan Struthers said that he preferred the oil recycling model for dealing with plastic bags, but banning is much more compressive because it will eliminate the hundreds of millions of plastic checkout bags filling our landfills. Minister of Science, Technology, Energy and Mines, Jim Rondeau acknowledged that Bill 212 has "some merit", but he argued for a more comprehensive "cradle to grave" approach to dealing with plastic grocery bags. While Minister Rondeau is arguing about cradles and graves, we simply want to ban plastic bags. I believe Manitobans are behind our efforts, and I urge Manitobans to raise their voices and urge NDP MLAs to follow in Liberal footsteps and ban plastic bags.

6) Manitoba Hydro - East versus West Routes for the Transmission Line. Thursday evening, I had the opportunity to question Bob Brennan, President and CEO of Manitoba Hydro. The text of my questions and his answers will be available early this coming week on Hansard transcripts.

Conferences: It was a week of numerous conferences. I made an effort to attend sessions at several conferences to meet people and to be up to date on important issues. These included the Manitoba Business of Science Conference, a Forum on the future of Parks and Protected Areas focusing on Landscapes, Wildlife and People: The Great Balancing Act, and the Asperger Manitoba Conference titled "Breaking Through"