Province Législature Session Type de discours Date du discours Locuteur Fonction du locuteur Parti politique Manitoba 33e 3e Discours du trône 11 février 1988 George Johnson Lieutenant-gouverneur NPD Madam Speaker and Members of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Manitoba: I am pleased to welcome you to the Third Session of the Thirty-Third Legislature of the Province of Manitoba. This Session promises to be of vital interest to all Manitobans. Every member will have an opportunity to participate fully in addressing the problems and promise which face our great province in 1988 and beyond. It was less than a year ago that I presided at the Opening of the last Legislative Session which, as you know, was the first for me as Lieutenant-Governor. I found the experience of my first year to be exciting and invigorating and I wish to express my gratitude to all members of the Assembly, as well as to the staff of this Chamber, for the assistance they have rendered in making this a most pleasurable experience for me. The imagination of all Canadians was captured recently, as the Olympic Torch made its way, kilometre by kilometre, across our great country They came from the cities, the towns and the farms of Canada - the young and the old, men and women, students and workers - to hold high that flickering lamp, and with it, the Olympian dream of fostering better international understanding through the universal medium of youth's love of athletics. On behalf of all Manitobans, I salute those torchbearers and extend the best wishes of us all to the athletes for a successful and memorable Olympic Games and for a lifetime continuation of their dreams. One of the great strengths of the people of Manitoba is that they have historically been able to imagine and shape their future, rather than be content merely to inherit one. The imagination and aspiration of Manitobans - their vision, if you will - is not limited to their own community, nor to their own province or even country. Theirs is a vision of a world of social justice, of peace, of overcoming poverty and alienation, of building a more truly humane future. Manitoba is not a province of people who are content but to dream. We are a people who turn our dreams into reality. Like the Olympic athletes, we have not been afraid to roll up our sleeves to transform our vision into practical terms - to make the intangible a reality. Like the Olympic motto, "Citius, Altius, Fortius," swifter, higher, stronger - Manitobans have continued to forge a province and a future upon their dreams and the dreams of their forebears. Mon gouvernement continue de prêter une oreille attentive aux aspirations et aux préoccupations de tous les Manitobains, et travaille en collaboration avec eux en vue d'arriver à de plus grandes réalisations et à une croissance encore plus marquée. My government has renewed its commitment to listening to the dreams and concerns of all Manitobans and to working in partnership with them to build upon our proud record of accomplishment and growth. Indeed, we have accomplished much by working together. Many effective steps have been taken. More Manitobans than ever before are working at productive jobs. Our economic development has outpaced the Canadian average. Our health care, education and social service programs are among the best in the country, if not the world. We have fulfilled many dreams, but there is much more to do to convert new challenges into new achievements. By working together, we have come a great distance. That spirit of cooperation will continue to carry our province into the next century, and will turn our challenges into opportunities for us and for our children. During this Legislative Session, my government will bring before you a set of legislative proposals which are responsive to the wishes and concerns of Manitobans. Since the last Session we have listened carefully to Manitobans as they shared with us their hopes and creative ideas for the future. Les Manitobains veulent que la société dans laquelle ils vivent se fonde sur les qualités traditionnelles qu'on leur reconnaît: la bienveillance, la compétence et la compassion. Ils nous demandent d'être à la recherche de l'excellence dans tout ce que nous faisons, et se disent nettement en faveur de l'élaboration d'un nouveau programme concret, qui répondra aux besoins actuels, tout en nous permettant d'entrer de plein pied dans les années 1990. Manitobans want their society to be built upon their best traditions as a caring, competent, compassionate province. They tell us that we must strive for excellence in all that we do. They have spoken strongly in favour of a new agenda for action which will meet the needs of today and carry us into the 1990's. Our agenda must include: • more employment opportunities and creative job training that will ensure Manitobans have the jobs and skills which will be so necessary in the rapidly evolving future; • maintaining and improving our health and education services; • working with rural Manitobans to cope with the continuing crisis facing sections of our agricultural community; • ensuring equitable treatment and fair opportunities for all regions of our province; • protecting all Manitobans from unfair and arbitrary practices in the marketplace; • playing a constructive and, where necessary, forceful role in fighting for fair treatment for Manitoba by the Federal Government; and • defending the long-term interests of Manitobans against the serious, negative consequences of the Canada-United States trade deal. One of my government's highest priorities in this Session will be to address the implications of the Canada-United States trade deal that was signed on January 2. We will continue to study this complex, far-reaching arrangement to ensure, as far as possible, that all Manitobans understand the impact it will have on the economy of Manitoba and on the freedom of Manitobans to shape their own future and that of their children. Les membres de l'Assemblée auront la possibilité de discuter des mérites de l'accord commercial et mon gouvernement profitera entre autres de cette occasion afin de veiller à ce que les Manitobains puissent disposer de toute l'information nécessaire pour se faire une idée sur l'accord en question. There will be an opportunity for members to debate the merits of the trade deal, and my government will use that and other opportunities to ensure that Manitobans obtain the information they need to judge the deal. My government will continue to seek the views of Manitobans on this important issue. A resolution will be brought before this House and referred to a Committee of the Legislature to ensure that all members have an opportunity for thorough study and debate. It is our belief that the Canada-United States Trade Agreement is a poor one which should not be approved by Parliament. Our principal reasons for opposing the deal are these: First, the major objective - to shelter Canadian exporters from "the rising tide of U.S. protectionism" - was not met. The Government of Canada failed to attain a set of jointly agreed rules covering unfair trade practices which would have preempted the present rules of both countries. However, the agreement states only that the two parties will attempt to negotiate such rules over the next five years. Once we have approved the deal, we will have given up all of our bargaining power. In the meantime, the agreement only creates a panel for settling disputes on trade remedy actions, a panel which only has the power to rule on whether the United States law was applied correctly. Second, the investment provisions require Canada to limit severely our right to review U.S. takeovers of Canadian firms, while the ability of the United States to harass, block or interfere with Canadians trying to invest in the United States remains intact. Not only is this provision unbalanced, but it has nothing to do with trade and does not belong in a trade treaty. It is also binding on future generations of Canadians. Third, the energy provisions give the United States far-reaching rights of access to Canadian non-renewable energy resources, but the deal does nothing to prevent the United States from launching countervail, antidumping or safeguard protectionist actions against our energy exports, including hydro-electricity. Again, this was a very significant concession for which Canada received nothing in return. Fourth, the government procurement provisions, which the Federal Government promised would be very broad in scope and therefore valuable to Manitoba, turned out to be quite narrow and almost insignificant. Fifth, in return for very large concessions to the United States, especially in the areas of investment and energy, Canada receives very limited economic benefits. My government is fearful for the future of the family farm, already hard pressed by slumping world prices and increasing business input costs. The effects of the trade deal will be felt very acutely in this sector. Our farmers stand to lose a huge share of the Canadian market for processed foods, chicken, turkey and eggs, among others. Manitoba magazine publishers, film-makers, writers, performers and artists all stand to lose from a "notwithstanding clause" which will enable Americans to retaliate against Canada if the United States disapproves of Canadian efforts to safeguard our cultural industries. The Government of Manitoba, in partnership with the cultural community, believes that this deal will have significant impacts on Canadian culture, our cultural sovereignty and our national identity. The fight against this trade deal is a fight between our future and about protection of our identity as a land, as a culture, and as a province. CONTINUING EMPLOYMENT GROWTH Manitoba's economy recorded a fifth year of post-recession expansion in 1987. As some forecasters have noted, the province continues to "have the best growth record in Western Canada," and over the entire 1981 to 1987 period, growth in output, investment and incomes has exceeded the national average. A spirit of cooperation, evident throughout our province's history, has inspired recent achievements, contributing to the greater security of Manitobans now and for their future. Construction projects - renewable resource development and the expansion and redevelopment of Manitoba's urban environment - continue to be a major source of growth, with employment in the construction industry in 1987 reaching its highest level in a decade. Total non-agricultural employment increased by 10,000 or 2.1 percent in 1987, while the economy-wide unemployment rate declined to 7.4 percent. Youth unemployment also declined somewhat during the year and remained the second lowest among the provinces. When a national recession struck several years ago, Manitobans did not wait for someone else to solve the problem for them. Through imaginative and innovative approaches to the problem, Manitoba became a bellwether for all of Canada. First among these approaches was the Jobs Fund. Successful initiatives like Career-start, Jobs and Training, Youth Business Start and the Community Assets Program created and maintained thousands of jobs and showed the country that dreams can be fulfilled when a government and its citizens work cooperatively toward shared goals. Ensuring the fullest opportunity for employment for Manitobans will continue to be a cornerstone of my government's policies and programs. L'emploi a été notre plus grand défi et le demeure toujours. Tant qu'il y aura des Manitobains qui voudront travailler sans toutefois pouvoir trouver d'emploi, nous ferons tout notre possible pour répondre à la demande. Unemployment among our young people remains unacceptably high. Despite our ongoing leadership there is more to be done. Our young people should have a fairer share of opportunities within our economy. Despite gains made in the last decade by Manitoba working women, there remains serious inequities in their income levels. Our province is a leading light in Canada in attempting to remedy this obvious unfair situation, and members will be asked to support specific action to continue that leadership through the development of pay equity. My government will also continue its cooperative approach with business to keep our economy vibrant and growing. The owners of Manitoba's businesses, both large and small, have played an integral role in promoting the employment and economic well-being of our province and that role must continue. As an indication of the healthy economic climate in Manitoba, my government is pleased to report that the number of small businesses increased to more than 40,000 by the middle of 1987 - a substantial growth during this administration. My government will continue its efforts to further strengthen our vibrant small business sector which provides much of the employment and economic diversity of our province. Members will be asked to support an Employment Standards Code to facilitate improved relationships between employers and employees. Mon gouvernement reconnaît toujours l'importance de la nouvelle technologie pour la croissance économique a long terme de notre province; il continuera à soutenir les entreprises du Manitoba par le truchement de programmes techniques efficaces. My government continues to recognize the importance that new technologies play in the long-term economic development of our province, and will continue to support Manitoba's businesses through its effective technology programs. The government and people of Manitoba have long believed in the social and economic worth of Manitoba's Crown corporations. In order to bring Manitoba's Crown corporations into the 1990's and to ensure that they will function more effectively and efficiently, the Assembly passed The Crown Accountability Act at the last Session of the Legislature. Many of the aspects of the legislation, which places a great emphasis on public accountability, will come into effect this Session. For the first time, all commercial Crown corporations covered by this legislation will appear before a standing committee of this House. In addition, in 1988, MTS, MPIC, Hydro and the Manitoba Liquor Control Commission will hold public accountability sessions to permit Manitobans to deal directly with the management and boards of those corporations on matters of service. My government has also appointed an Autopac Review Commission to determine the most appropriate ways to ensure the availability of continuing low-cost, high-quality automobile insurance to Manitoba drivers on a self-sustaining basis. These and other legislated measures will ensure that our Crown corporations will better deliver services for all Manitobans. MEETING THE CHALLENGE OF HEALTH CARE Through the pioneering efforts of social democrats, we enjoy a health care system of which Canadians are justly proud and which is the envy of other countries around the world. In Manitoba, the torch of universal health care has been held high. Manitobans have built the most comprehensive health service system in the nation, including such initiatives as ensuring of personal care homes, the introduction of Pharmacare, continuing care, and dental health programs for children My government has provided sound, innovative leadership in the past and will continue to do so in the future. Manitoba is not alone in facing major pressures to our health care system. All across the country, and indeed around the world, there are new challenges to health care which cannot be ignored. These challenges include: • an aging population; • an increase in long-term chronic illness; • new health hazards and diseases such as AIDS and Alzheimer's; • rapid technological advances that are costly and often raise fundamental ethical questions having to do with the prolongation and termination of life • the increasing scale and organizational complexity of the health care system itself. To meet successfully these and other challenges, my government intends to preserve the system which social democrats have created, and to build upon those achievements to make an even stronger health care system which is more responsive to changing circumstances and to new needs and ideas. Pour donner une nouvelle orientation aux services de santé, il faut que le gouvernement assume un rôle de véritable chef de file et que tous les partenaires dans ce domaine s'engagent à long terme; ainsi, nous pourrons ensemble améliorer le système et permettre aux générations à venir d'en bénéficier. Developing new directions in health care will require strong government leadership and long-term commitment by all partners in health care if we are to improve the system for the benefit of future generations. My government's approach is one of cooperation, participation and action. This is in sharp contrast to the approach taken by many other provinces, where a crisis mentality in health care has been fuelled by harsh budgetary measures, program cutbacks, the introduction of user and deterrent fees and, in some cases, the introduction of privatized health care. My government rejects that path. Instead, we are committed to a public sector approach to the funding and delivery of health care and to pursuing solutions to our problems in ways which are fair and consistent with our tradition of preserving access to comprehensive health care services for all Manitobans - not just for those able to pay. Among the specific initiatives to be undertaken by my government are: • an expanded focus on health prevention and promotion, particularly on encouraging healthier lifestyles; • a broadened and accelerated AIDS education program; • legislation to regulate smoking in public places; • a variety of initiatives to improve the availability of health services in rural and Northern Manitoba; • a range of initiatives to shift the emphasis of health care from large in-patient institutional programs to community-based services, including expanding community health programs, further development of community health centres and alternatives to in-patient hospital services; • improvements in the coordination of mental health services to ensure a better balance between institutional and community-based care; • measures to strengthen health research. My government is seeking to establish a new partnership in planning for health services development in Manitoba. This will bring together all segments of the health care system into a collaborative planning process that is designed to improve overall health services coordination and to facilitate the implementation of improvements to the system. My government is also hopeful that a new partnership with the Federal Government can be forged. Through its reduced commitment to less than equal sharing of health care funding, the Federal Government has breached the partnership with the provinces and the Canadian people that was the foundation of our health care system. You will be asked to support a resolution which seeks a united voice on behalf of all Manitobans to call upon the Federal Government to live up to its historical responsibilities to provide adequate funding to preserve the Canadian health care system as a strong and vital public service available to all Canadians regardless of their ability to pay. Manitoba has now been joined by other provinces in pressing the Federal Government to establish a National Health Incentives Fund that would facilitate the process of change and innovation. The response to date has been silence. My government, however, believes the challenge to find creative and innovative solutions to today's health care problems cannot wait on the Federal Government. Therefore, you will be asked to support legislation to encourage the development of new directions in the provincial health care system. BUILDING RURAL MANITOBA Many Manitoba farmers continue to experience difficult economic times due largely to the international grain wars in combination with the massive export subsidies of the United States and the European Common Market. My government is pleased that farm income losses will be partially offset by payments from the Western Grain Stabilization Program and the Special Grains Program. The assistance provided by these programs clearly points to the need to revamp federal income support programs so they more adequately protect farmers from income declines experienced over the last three years. Measures will be introduced by my government during the Session to establish a Stabilization Plan for the feedlot sector of Manitoba's beef industry. My government has concentrated its efforts on younger and beginning farmers with emphasis on farm management upgrading and special financial assistance programs. In response to the need to further assist farmers in the most acute financial difficulty, my government introduced The Family Farm Protection Act to mediate settlements between farmers and lenders. The Manitoba Mediation Board is now fully operational and is working actively with farmers and lenders to sustain the viability of many hundreds of younger and beginning farm families. The action of the board, when combined with special Manitoba Agricultural Credit Corporation programs and farm management assistance, is proving to be a successful combination to minimize the loss of many farm families from rural Manitoba. Recognizing the special circumstances of Manitoba farm families, my government will extend the special School Farm Tax Assistance Program introduced last year. Despite the prompt, responsive actions of this government there are still problems facing many of our farm families. My government will continue to implement programs and policies which will enhance the growth and diversity of agriculture so this tremendously important industry can continue to play its vital role in the expansion of the Manitoba economy. Assistance in revitalizing our communities will be continued through the Manitoba Community Places Program, now in its second year. Non-profit organizations, such as day care associations, senior citizen groups, ethnocultural communities, and recreation associations are adding to the quality of life in their communities through the use of lottery funds for Capital projects. In cooperation with Brandon University, the special needs and concerns of rural communities will be addressed specifically through creation of a rural development institute. Changes to the Manitoba Telephone System will also enhance the quality of rural life in our province. Les efforts de revitalisation des collectivités augmenteront grâce aux projets que ce gouvernement appuie dans les domaines de la culture et du patrimoine. Nous continuons de vouloir entretenir chez les Manitobains ce sens aigu d'appartenance, et de vouloir l'ancrer davantage. Community revitalization will also be reinforced through this government's support of cultural and heritage initiatives. We continue to be committed to preserving and strengthening Manitobans' keenly felt sense of place and belonging. My government eagerly awaits the report of the Manitoba Task Force on Multiculturalism which has provided an additional vehicle for groups and individuals to express their views and opinions. The task force report will assist in the development of a multicultural policy which will provide direction for the continued enrichment of social, economic and cultural quality into the next decade and beyond. My government will also continue to deliver on its promise of an enhanced quality for those with lower incomes. Manitobans have long rejected the approach of blaming the poor and the disadvantaged for their unfortunate circumstances. Instead, we have offered compassionate social programs to assist in improving employability and opportunities for employment. You will be asked to consider legislation which will further help to narrow the disparities in our society. My government will intensify its efforts to bring greater fairness and equity across the province. Members will be asked to support initiatives to protect Manitoba consumers, including strengthening consumer protection through a Business Practices Act and amendments to The Consumer Protection Act. The responsibilities of the Rentals man will also be increased, and proposed amendments will ensure more equitable resolution of disputes between landlords and tenants. Security of tenure and security from abrupt and dramatic rent increases is a basic tenant right in the Province of Manitoba and will remain so. Landlords, in their turn, require a clear definition of both their rights and their responsibilities. Manitobans are duly proud of the efforts of their government to ensure access to suitable, affordable housing for all. Over the past five years, more than $300 million has been committed for housing development. Manitoba has, on a per-capita basis, one of the highest levels of non-profit housing in Canada. My government will continue its efforts on behalf of the homeless in our province. Manitobans enjoy one of the finest natural environments in North America. My government is committed to a continuation of its strong policies for conservation and sound management of our environment and our abundant natural resources. My government was pleased to receive the Report of the National Task Force on Environment and Economy late last year. Chaired by my Minister of Environment, the task force is a joint industry-government approach to foster and promote environmentally sound economic development in this country. Continued prosperity will depend on integrating economic and environmental development and on the cooperation of all Canadians. My government also plans to develop a Northern Economic Strategy to reaffirm Manitoba's commitment to the development of the North and to ensure that Northerners share fully in that development. Support for aboriginal people of this province in their desire for recognition of Treaty and aboriginal rights and self-government will be effectively continued. In my government's view, a fundamental part of a true democracy is equality of opportunity. In the field of education, this means equality of access to the best we can afford in programs and institutions. My government is proud of our ACCESS programs which have contributed much to assisting many Manitobans in gaining entry to post-secondary training and educational opportunities, and thus to employment opportunities. FEDERAL-PROVINCIAL RELATIONS The past year witnessed some of the most significant, wide-ranging and intensive national policy debates in recent Canadian history. The national agenda focused not only on the Canada-U.S. Trade Agreement, but also on the Constitution, regional economic development, agriculture, transportation, health care, higher education, tax reform and child care, among other issues. Those same issues remain top priorities in 1988. Policy debates are an inevitable and ongoing characteristic of intergovernmental relations in Canada. In fact, they are essential to ensuring better national policies which are sensitive to regional needs. However, my government wishes to reaffirm its determination that legitimate policy differences not be allowed to interfere with its efforts to maintain and strengthen cooperative relations with the Federal Government and other provinces in the coming year. Fair and balanced regional development was established as a joint national goal by the federal, provincial and territorial governments in 1985. Since that time, unfortunately, the lack of progress toward that goal has been a major disappointment to my government and to others across the country. In the last year, the authority for initiating regional development policies has been fragmented within the Federal Government through the creation of various new agencies and the reorganization of others. At the same time, the potential value of future regional development efforts is being called into question by the Canada-U.S. trade deal. Repeated and welcome assurances have been given that Manitoba will receive an equitable share of federal economic development support in the future. Manitobans will continue to watch carefully for solid evidence that those assurances will be met. In the interest of fairness, my government will continue to press for an end to the erosion of participation by the Federal Government in such crucial areas as health care and higher education funding. My First Minister and Minister of Finance will persevere as well in their discussions at the federal level for a more meaningful reform of the taxation system. My government has acknowledged the recent initiatives taken by the Federal Government to improve child care across the country. However, the degree of additional support and the way it is to be distributed will not do enough to increase the number of spaces available and will fall far short of the needs of working parents. My government will continue to press for improvements in the federal proposals in upcoming meetings with the Government of Canada. Later in the Session, my government expects to introduce in the Assembly a resolution proposing adoption of the amendments agreed to by the First Ministers last June as part of the 1987 Constitutional Accord. The House of Commons and three of the ten Provincial Legislative Assemblies have approved the Accord up to now, and another Legislature is reviewing it at this time. My government believes that the Constitutional Accord has much to commend it. At the same time, my government will respect its commitment to the people of Manitoba to conduct meaningful public hearings on the Accord, and to assess very carefully the opinions voiced in the course of those hearings. During debate in the Assembly and elsewhere, my government will also be advancing its priorities for further reform of the Canadian Constitution. In this regard, my Ministers were pleased by the undertaking given by all provincial Premiers last summer to propose that constitutional provisions for regional development be addressed as part of the next round of formal constitutional discussions. My government is also eager to participate in a reopened process of consultation aimed at achieving long-overdue constitutional reform in the area of aboriginal self-government rights. BUDGET ADDRESS AND PUBLIC ACCOUNTS My government has remained faithful to its commitment to consulting with Manitobans in the development of our Budget and Estimates of Expenditures. The priorities of creating jobs, fairness, and maintenance of our proud record of provision of vital public health services have been continued and will be reflected in the proceedings of the Chamber. Estimates of Revenues and Public Accounts will also be presented for the inspection of all members. My government has set out a clear agenda for this Legislative Session which addresses the priority concerns of Manitobans. They have told us that we must continue to work in partnership to build upon the progress of the past years. Now more than ever before, we must draw together as Manitobans in addressing common needs and objectives. My government has set clear goals and has reaffirmed its commitment to working in partnership with all Manitobans into the coming decade. In closing, I pray Divine Providence may guide you and enlighten you in your deliberations and your decisions. May God bless the Queen and our Country.