Province Législature Session Type de discours Date du discours Locuteur Fonction du locuteur Parti politique Manitoba 30e 4e Discours du trône 17 février 1977 Francis L. Jobin Lieutenant-gouverneur NPD I welcome you to the Fourth Session of the Thirtieth Legislature of the Province of Manitoba. I know I speak for all Manitobans in expressing our warm and affectionate good wishes to Her Majesty the Queen on attaining the Silver Jubilee of her reign. A resolution will in due course be placed before you to obtain the consent of the House for a message of loyal congratulations and good wishes to the Queen on reaching this significant point in her reign. My Ministers have informed me that the performance of the Manitoba economy in 1976 was marked by many of the same influences which affected the national economy. A gradual recovery trend was evident throughout the year, and the value of our province's total output of goods and services, measured in constant dollar terms, increased at a rate significantly in excess of that recorded in 1975. When final statistics have been compiled, they are expected to reveal that the gross provincial product for 1976 totalled at least $7.5 billion. After inflation has been netted out, the increase has been approximately 25 percent since the beginning of this decade. Despite a serious worsening in unemployment in several other regions of the country, the situation in Manitoba was relatively stable in 1976, and the unemployment rate in our province continues in the pattern of the last four years at approximately 2.4 percentage points below the national average. I am pleased to note that during 1976 tourism in Manitoba went up by approximately three percent at a time when tourism in Canada went down by approximately seven percent. Manitoba farmers realized a bountiful harvest in 1976, indeed better than could be inferred from precipitation records. Production of wheat exceeded 100 million bushels for the first time in the history of the province. However, drought and hail took their toll and indemnities paid by the Manitoba Crop Insurance Corporation for crop losses insured under the all-risk and hail insurance contracts will reach an estimated $9.5 million. Due to farmers' concerns over lack of moisture reserves in the soil, further increases in participation in the crop insurance program are anticipated. Gross cash receipts of $900 million from farming operations, while slightly lower than in 1975, were the second highest in history, as was total net farm income at $342 million. The rather sharp decline in grain prices that has occurred in the past six months is expected to have an adverse effect on cash receipts from grain sales in 1977 while income from livestock operations is expected to improve over 1976 levels. My Ministers are currently negotiating with the government of Canada on methods to integrate the provincial and federal beef producers' income stabilization programs. You will be asked to approve farm income assurance legislation that will facilitate the integration. In response to widespread concern over speculative land purchases and foreign ownership of land, my government will introduce legislation to limit the purchase of agricultural land by non-residents and by nonfarmer owned corporations. A favourable trend occurred in consumer prices last year as well. By year end, the rate of inflation in our province was less than half the rate recorded in the peak months of 1975. In addition, general price levels in Manitoba remained among the lowest in Canada. My Ministers look forward to participating in formal discussions with the government of Canada, the other provinces, labour organizations and business representatives on options for terminating the anti-inflation program. Along with the other provinces, Manitoba was prepared to support its introduction; however, any advantages to be gained by a protracted extension of the original controls beyond this year would be out weighed by the disadvantages. Members should be aware that substantial cut backs in federal cost-sharing programs and fiscal arrangements have placed severe pressures on the budgets of nearly all provincial governments, thus making program continuation difficult without compensating fiscal adjustments. Provincial legislative changes may be required to complement new federal legislation governing the financing of hospital insurance, medicare and post-secondary education. A Bill now before Parliament provides for the transfer of greater income tax responsibility to all ten provinces as a partial replacement for federal cost-sharing payments for these programs starting this year. A number of technical matters remain to be worked out, however, before the new federal-provincial financing arrangements will be finalized. My Ministers are at present reviewing the provisions of The Succession Duty Act and legislation reflecting the results of the review will be placed before Members later in the session. Although many new initiatives over the past seven years have been undertaken to improve the quality of the human condition, my Ministers inform me that Manitoba's per capita level of expenditures remains among the lowest in the country. In preparing the estimates for the 1977/78 fiscal year, my Ministers have imposed restraint guidelines on all departments and agencies which have been even more stringent than those applied in previous years. Care will be taken that in the course of applying budgetary limits, the legitimate needs for services necessary to an improved and more equitable human condition are not frustrated. My Ministers continue to be committed to the improvement of the human condition. In this endeavour, the provision of equality of educational opportunity is essential for the benefit of those children who, through their own efforts, are able to attain, in their adult lives, a position in society commensurate with the potential of their latent abilities and personalities. Every effort must be made to ensure that an education is available to those who are in need of special programs, those who live in isolated and remote communities, and those who are recently arrived in our province from other countries. As a lasting and meaningful learning experience is based on a command of language and a facility with computational skills, my government will continue to make available to the public schools the greater proportion of the financial resources required for the provision of a basic education to children living in all circumstances and in all parts of our province. My government will direct additional financial resources to the elementary level of public school education in recognition of the importance of these formative years in school for our children, and in acknowledgment of the range and complexity of desirable educational programs expected from teachers in the elementary schools. Another prime example of my Ministers' dedication to meeting the needs of Manitobans has been my government's commitment to make significant improvements in housing conditions in the province. Since 1969, the government of Manitoba has invested a quarter of a billion dollars in social housing. The current value of that investment in the stock of housing far exceeds even this amount. My Ministers have developed some 12,000 housing units for low income families and for senior citizens, a major program which has enabled thousands of parents to raise their children in a decent environment and has allowed thousands of senior citizens in Manitoba to live with comfort and dignity. In 1976, the Manitoba Housing and Renewal Corporation had a record year of performance by constructing some $54 million of public housing, including 900 family social housing units and over 1,000 elderly persons housing units. In line with the commitment of the government of Manitoba to continue building social housing, my Ministers have authorized M.H.R.C. to develop in excess of 2,000 additional units of housing stock. My government intends to continue its program of grants and low interest rate loans to senior citizens and families of modest income to permit improvements to the dwellings. Over 6,300 families and senior citizens have been assisted by the Pensioners' and Critical Home Repair Programs over the past few years, and it is my government's intention to allocate $5 million for that purpose in the current year. Mon gouvernement cherchera à étendre son programme d'aide aux familles à revenues modestes afin qu'elles puissent aquérir un logement à un coup raisonnable par l'entremise de coopératives de construction à capital travail TRANSLATION: My government will seek to expand its program of assisting moderate income families to provide themselves with homes at reasonable prices by means of sweat equity building co-operatives. The government of Manitoba is concerned with the high cost of serviced land to home purchasers. For that reason, my Ministers are planning the development of over 500 acres in the Winnipeg region. These serviced lots will be provided to home-buyers at prices related to real cost and will be of considerable assistance to persons purchasing new homes. My Ministers' responsiveness to the needs of Manitobans also is demonstrated by the priority attention they have given to child and family service programs. I am informed by my Ministers that this special focus on child and family services will be undertaken through close liaison and consultation with children's aid societies and institutional care providers. Je suis informé par mes ministres que des projets-témoins de dépistage des troubles de l'audition chez les enfants seront établis dans deux localités durant l'année qui vient. Mon gouvernement est conscient des difficultés auxquelles les enfants ont à faire face lorsqu'ils entendent mal et ce projet cherchera a améliorer les programmes de dépistage des troubles auditifs. TRANSLATION: My Ministers inform me that demonstration projects in two locations will be established in the coming years for the screening of children with hearing defects. My government recognizes the difficulties children face when they possess hearing defects, and the program to be implemented will be an attempt to improve hearing screening programs. In order to increase significantly the availability of vital treatment for kidney patients, equipment, instruction and support staff will be provided to permit the introduction of a home dialysis program. The policy of the correctional system will continue to be firm but fair, and reflect the rights of the public to protect itself by removing those who are deemed by the Courts to be a threat, but at the same time by attempting to help those who can be helped. Agreements have been entered into with the federal government to allow additional training opportunities for staff, resulting in better service to the public by returning people to the community who will respect the rights of others and are better able to accept responsibility for their own actions. For the past year, I am told, progress has been made in the development of community mental health and community mental retardation programs. This will be expanded to include development of additional community residences for the mentally retarded and the establishment of a number of community residences for the mentally ill. My Ministers will be requesting funds for the construction of a recreation building and a specialized support services building at the Manitoba School in Portage la Prairie. The capital program for the development of health facilities, previously announced, will be continuing in 1977. The chief focus of the program will be on nursing care facilities for our elderly citizens and those designed to place greater emphasis on levels of care other than acute hospital beds. Meanwhile, my government will continue its effort to limit the expansion of expenditures on traditional health services, while maintaining a high standard of excellence. Preparations are being made to consolidate the various occupational health and safety programs within the Department of Labour and to hold public seminars to establish the most effective ways of administering the new Workplace Safety and Health Act. Those measures will be of fundamental importance in helping to maintain the health and safety of Manitobans, incidence of accidents, some will continue inevitably to occur and cause their victims, in all walks of life, serious disabilities and loss of income. Cognizant that existing public programs cover only certain groups or certain accidents and that a significant part of the population has no insurance coverage, my government intends to introduce proposals which will lead to the development of a comprehensive accident compensation plan. Legislation will be introduced to deal fairly with the matters of hours of operation and overtime work which have created problems to employer and employee groups in the province. My Ministers will continue their policy of reviewing and making appropriate increases in the provincial minimum wage. It is gratifying to note the high percentage of students of all ages who take work-oriented courses at the community colleges, and who secure employment in the areas in which they are trained or in closely related areas. When these are combined with those who complete the special programs of teacher education and new careers, it is clear that many of our citizens, including the disadvantaged, ere finding it possible to improve their economic position as a result of the opportunities that are provided. My Ministers have asked a number of crown corporations to examine the feasibility of placing employees on their boards of directors. We are hopeful that approach, new and experimental in Canada, may help to improve labour relations. My Ministers are pleased to inform me that the civil engineering works of the Lake Winnipeg regulation and the Churchill River diversion are now completed. That major undertaking, necessary to ensure renewable energy for Manitoba's longer-term needs, has been built in spite of various obstacles and difficulties over the past several years. My Ministers wish me to commend the engineering group and management of Manitoba Hydro for carrying out those developments so expeditiously and to note the fact that senior engineering personnel of Manitoba Hydro have recently received both local and international professional citations and recognition. I am informed that the entire Nelson River development program is proving to be of critical importance during a period of the driest conditions in over 90 years. This is evidenced by the fact that Winnipeg River plants which supplied virtually 100 percent of our requirements 12 years ago account this winter for less than 20 percent of such requirements. Now that the essential components of the Nelson River development are in place, Manitoba Hydro is in a post position to maintain flexibility in its forward plans for new generation and distribution to meet future load. I am informed that new generating units at the Jenpeg and Long Spruce stations on the Nelson River are being commissioned and Manitoba Hydro is undertaking site preparation work at the Limestone station so that that facility can be developed at the most appropriate time to meet Manitoba's needs. Manitoba Hydro is continuing its program of bringing central station power to customers in remote areas of the province, with maximum participation by local residents in the work. My Ministers plan to continue their efforts to reduce our dependence on traditional energy resources. That will be done by encouraging conservation of these energy sources through more efficient use, as well as by cooperating nationally in the development of alternative sources of energy. The Manitoba Telephone System is forecasting a substantial increase in telephones over the next fiscal year. At the end of January, the System placed its 600,000th telephone in service. The undepreciated book value of the Manitoba Telephone System property has reached $524 million or an average capital investment of $876 per telephone, and the System's manual-to-dial conversion program will be completed early in the new fiscal year. At present, 99.5 percent of the telephones in Manitoba are dial operated. Substantial progress will be achieved in the System's rural service improvement program, which by 1981 will bring individual line service to 170 communities previously provided with multi-party line service. As well, multiparty line loadings are being reduced in other areas to no more than four per line by 1981. In northern Manitoba, the System will largely complete its major program, which began in 1973, to provide expanded and improved service to about 20,000 residents of 45 permanent communities. During the fiscal year, the $12.8 million Lake Winnipeg microwave network will be completed, connecting Winnipeg and Gillam. Residents of 17 northern Manitoba communities will benefit through the provision of improved long distance service and, in some cases, live CBC television reception and higher quality radio reception. Plans are under way to provide cable television to approximately 30 communities in the province through the Manitoba Telephone System, subject to licensing of such operations by federal authorities. Within the Manitoba Public Insurance Corporation, both the automobile and the general insurance operations enjoyed a surplus in the past fiscal year. My Ministers tell me that the approximately $30 million reserve funds of the Manitoba Public Insurance Corporation have been invested in provincial, municipal and hospital bonds in various towns, villages, rural municipalities and cities in Manitoba. My government's Department of Highways will continue its program of four-laning the Trans-Canada highway. A $10 million expenditure on that program will soon bring into service 224 miles of four-lane highway between Brandon and Falcon Lake. The joint federal-provincial road strengthening program will continue and bring a network of designated primary highways to a maximum gross weight of 110,000 pounds. My Ministers inform me that there will be measures to reduce highway speed limits which will coincide with Manitoba's conversion to the metric system. To meet the recreational needs of the over 51/2 million people expected to visit Manitoba's parks during 1977, several sites and areas will be expanded. Major cottage lots and campgrounds will be completed at Hugo Bay in Clearwater Provincial Natural Park, at Childs Lake in Duck Mountain Park, Grindstone Point, and Nopiming Provincial Park, adding several hundred units to meet part of the significant growth in demand for such facilities on the part of our citizens. Gull Harbour Lodge, built through cost-sharing with the federal government, will open early this spring, providing further accommodation, meeting and recreational facilities in Hecla Provincial Natural Park. My government hopes to sign an agreement under which the provincial and federal governments will undertake to preserve the historical significance of a number of areas and sites along the Red River. In addition, recreational facilities such as picnic sites and trails will be developed. You will be asked to approve certain amendments to The City of Winnipeg Act designed to provide for further refinement and improvement of the legislative framework for urban government in the Winnipeg area. My government will continue in its effort to assist remote communities to improve further on recently established local self-government. My government will continue its efforts to assist Manitobans who are attempting to provide themselves with necessary goods and services, at cost, through co-operative endeavour. In accordance with the needs of the credit union movement in Manitoba for legislation reflecting its growth and increasing sophistication, my Ministers inform me that a bill governing credit unions will be introduced for consideration by this Assembly. The reform of family law is a matter of high priority to my government. The recommendations of the Manitoba Law Reform Commission in its reports on Family Law have been considered by a committee of the Legislative Assembly. Legislation will be introduced which will recognize that marriage is an equal partnership. My Ministers will introduce amendments to The Jury Act. The intention of those amendments will be that the provisions of the Act dealing with disqualifications and exemptions of prospective jurors will be changed to reflect our contemporary society. The plans and the legislative proposals which I have outlined to you have been prepared by my Ministers in consideration of the interests of the people of Manitoba. The estimates of expenditure for the public service of the province for the next fiscal year as well as the public accounts for the last fiscal year will all be submitted for your consideration. En vous quittant, je prie la Divine Providence de vous guider et d'éclairer votre jugement dans vos délibérations. TRANSLATION: In leaving you I pray that you may have the guidance of Divine Providence and reason in your deliberations. May God Bless the Queen and our Country.