Province Législature Session Type de discours Date du discours Locuteur Fonction du locuteur Parti politique Manitoba 34e 2e Discours du trône 18 mai 1989 George Johnson Lieutenant-gouverneur PC Mr. Speaker and Members of the Manitoba Legislature: Bienvenue à tous à l'occasion de la deuxième session de la trente-quatrième législature de la Province du Manitoba. I welcome you to the Second Session of the Thirty-Fourth Legislature of the Province of Manitoba. My Government has prepared an active agenda to fulfill its mandate of restoring the confidence of Manitobans in their province and its Government. My Ministers want to ensure all Manitobans have the opportunity to make the most of their unique abilities to build a stronger province for us all. My Government shares Manitoba's pride in our province. Manitoba has long been a land of opportunity. Our central location and vast array of resources have drawn people who are willing to take risks to build a better future for themselves and their families. Our people and our resources have allowed Manitoba to develop a strong and diversified economy. More than that, we have developed a quality of life rich in diversity and reflective of the value we place on family and community. This Session begins as Manitoba is hosting an International Conference on Sustainable Development, an approach to economic growth which recognizes the interdependence of our economic, environmental and social well-being. This approach provides the cornerstone of my Government's agenda for renewing pride in Manitoba. The conference brings together participants from around the world and highlights the global nature of the challenges we face. But events such as this conference not only broaden our horizons, they focus our attention on the immediate threats and opportunities before us. In the First Session of the Legislature, my Government laid out its vision for the future: a competitive and diversified economy providing increased job opportunities for our citizens to pay for quality health, education and social services. In the year since my Government assumed office. Manitobans have seen significant progress towards this goal in several critical areas. LAYING THE FOUNDATION For too many years we have been living beyond our means. We spend over $1.5 million a day just to pay for the interest on our debt. But Manitoba's Government is back under control. Over the past year my Government has repriorized spending and reorganized Government to provide more effective and responsive service to Manitobans. Now, after one year in office, my Government has lowered the deficit to its lowest level since 1981. It is difficult to overstate the significance of these fiscal improvements. Had they not been achieved. Government would have continued to become less able to meet its responsibilities to the people of this province. My Government recognizes the necessity of continuing to improve the fiscal position of the province for a number of years if we are to restore Government's capacity to work in partnership with Manitobans to achieve the goals that we share. With our deficit under control we can afford to reduce some of the taxes that most directly affect our ability to compete and to secure economic growth and increased opportunities for our people. We have cut the payroll tax; we have reduced the education tax on farm land; and we have introduced a new tax holiday for small business. My Government remains firm in its commitment that there shall be no increases in personal taxation. My Ministers will continue to give priority to effective management to reduce further the burden of taxes upon Manitobans. Over the past year my Government has established a solid financial foundation. Now it is time to build upon that foundation. During the Session, my Government will continue to pursue its plan to achieve, over the next three years, its objective of economic renewal through sustainable development. My Ministers believe this will allow them to pursue reforms in human services and policies to provide greater opportunity and enhanced security, to achieve greater equality for all groups, and to strengthen protection for the vulnerable among us. CREATING OPPORTUNITY With our financial house in order, my Government's greatest challenge is to make the best use of our people and our resources to create opportunity in Manitoba. The last 12 months have seen significant improvement in a number of economic indicators, such as manufacturing shipments and growth in average weekly earnings. The Conference Board of Canada predicts that, with one of the lowest unemployment rates in Canada, real growth in Manitoba will reach 4 percent in 1989. Manitoba is also forecast to experience the third highest level of growth in capital investment among all provinces. Our commitment to sustainable development recognizes the fundamental need for economic growth if we are able to maintain and enhance the quality of life we enjoy in Manitoba today. Manitobans are proud of our formidable economic strengths. Our resources in agriculture, forestry, minerals and hydro-electric generating capacity, if responsibly managed, can continue to provide much of the basis for our prosperity. The potential for increases in tourism, in trade, in manufacturing and for achieving a critical mass in high technology industries represents challenges and opportunities. My Government will be announcing programs in those key areas. Our central location is a distinct advantage, in terms of proximity to markets and, in an information economy, in terms of time zone. Trade opportunities are crucial to Manitoba's ability to support developments such as these over the long term. My Government is encouraged by the progress being made in trade liberalization through initiatives such as the Western Canada Procurement Agreement, the Manitoba-Minnesota Accord, the Canada-U.S. Free Trade Agreement, and multilateral trade negotiate My Government also recognizes that we must expand our trade and investment promotion efforts to ensure Manitoba takes full advantage of the opportunities available. New trade initiatives will include such efforts as free trade planning workshops, marketing plan assistance export development training and a quality assurance initiative. Efforts will also be expanded to attract increased investment to Manitoba. Current promotional activities will be strengthened with additional emphasis being placed on eastern and central United States, the Far East and western Europe. Energy-intensive industries such as Dow Corning, which build upon our abundant hydro resources, will remain priority targets. My Government will bring forward initiatives to encourage our innovative capabilities in Manitoba. The Manitoba Research Council and the Centres of Excellence Fund will be incorporated within an innovation strategy. Specific industries to be targeted include health industries, aerospace and agri-foods My Government is particularly proud of the role it played in attracting the Wang Laboratories Imaging Centre as part of our plan to establish a critical mass in Information Technologies. As part of our information technologies strategy, my Government is considering the possible sale of the Government's mainframe computer service bureau Manitoba Data Services. My Ministers advise me that the successful sale of the company will lead to growth opportunities for that enterprise and will assist in the attraction of additional technologically advanced industry to the province. My Government will continue to support small business. Manitoba Business Start will provide loan guarantees for new small business with a specific focus on women and rural Manitobans. PROTECTING THE ENVIRONMENT While increasing opportunities is the fundamental goal of my Government, Manitobans recognize that prosperity will mean little, if en achieving it, the quality of their environment is sacrificed. The unprecedented number of forest fires is jeopardizing the livelihood and the safety of many communities. This emergency has once again underscored the fragility of our natural environment. Although the environment has been a focus of political attention for several years, that attention has rarely translated into effective action or sufficient resources. My Government is committed to redressing this inconsistency. My Government has established a strengthened, stand-alone Department of Environment. Priority areas of attention will include the implementation of The Environment Act and the proclamation of The Dangerous Goods Handling and Transportation Act. The capacity to respond to environmental accidents will be increased. My Government will adopt consistent procurement policies and bring forward legislation to promote and encourage recycling. My Government has produced a comprehensive Land and Water Strategy which is now being widely discussed within the province and will be implemented later this year. For the first time, Lotteries funds will be made available to support community conservation projects. An agreement to provide more and better monitoring of water quality within Manitoba is being negotiated with the federal Government. Trans-boundary water protection continues to be a concern of my Government. Manitoba's participation in acid rain monitoring and testing has been reinstated. My Ministers remain committed to reducing acid rain originating in Manitoba. Legislation to increase penalties for polluters will be introduced. As the Conference on Sustainable Development reminds us, global concerns frequently require local initiative. Action will be taken to protect the ozone layer to complement national and international efforts to ensure that the protective layer of the atmosphere is not further depleted. My Government welcomes the initiative of the federal Government to establish the International Centre on Sustainable Development in Winnipeg to help develop solutions to national and international concerns. My Ministers will introduce an Endangered Species Act, setting out Government's responsibility and power to act for the protection of endangered species in Manitoba. You will also have the opportunity to consider amendments to The Wildlife Act and The Ecological Reserves Act. Within the framework of sustainable development and the protection of our environment, my Government is committed to developing our natural resources as an engine of growth for rural and northern Manitoba. My Government believes that every region of Manitoba must have access to economic opportunities that also contribute to social, cultural and environmental progress. RURAL DEVELOPMENT My Government's strategy for rural development will focus on the fundamental economic challenges affecting agriculture and on the other economic and social issues that are of concern to rural Manitobans. A new Department of Rural Development has been established to lead in fulfilling this commitment. Our agricultural sector, while buffeted by drought, international trade wars and shifts in technology is still among the most productive in the world and is the backbone of Manitoba's economy. My Government will proceed with reforms and improvements in crop insurance and income stabilization. Additional support will be provided for agricultural marketing to diversify our agricultural exports. Tax relief on farm land will continue. Additional drought-proofing projects will be commenced. The Young Farmers Rebate Program will be expanded to support our family farms. My Ministers will place a discussion paper before this House and the people of Manitoba on a proposed "Agricultural Practices Protection Act." An Agri-Food Advisory Council has been appointed to advise on key issues affecting the future development of our agricultural economy. The first issue being addressed by the agricultural leaders will be anticipated changes to the Western Grain Transportation Act. The pressures of continued out-migration on the social services and infrastructure of rural Manitoba will be addressed in concert with the people who live in these areas. My Government's strategy to strengthen rural communities includes a Government-wide effort to decentralize service delivery. To this end, my Government has established a working group to continue the process of identifying Government operations that can beneficially be decentralized. A provincial Government presence has already been re-established in Boissevain. To better serve rural Manitoba, the expansion of the unified family court is also under way. Regional Cabinet Offices have been opened in Brandon and Thompson to ensure that citizens in these regions have ready access to their Ministers and their Government. My Ministers also advise me that we will provide financial support to the redevelopment of the Keystone Centre in Brandon. Plans will be announced for the expansion and improvement of the highway system, an essential part of the infrastructure in all regions of the province. NORTHERN MANITOBA In the context of Northern Manitoba, sustainable development will mean a greater emphasis on the human and environmental outcomes of development that has always prevailed in the past. This new emphasis shows clearly in the developments that are taking place in The Pas. It would have been possible for my Government to divest itself of the Man for facility more quickly had the sole concern been price. Instead, the transition to private ownership has resulted in significant ongoing investment commitments and in anchoring world leading technology in Manitoba. An environmentally sound development plan for that facility will increase not only its output and the employment it generates but the protection it provides for the environment. For the first time, regeneration will equal 100 percent of the annual harvest. A training program will ensure that northern residents, including members of Manitoba's aboriginal community, have full access to these economic opportunities. My Ministers also inform me that at long last, the Government is moving quickly to resolve outstanding aspects of the Northern Flood Agreement in addressing the social and environmental impacts of past hydro development in northern Manitoba. During this Session, my Ministers will bring forward other aspects of the Government's strategy for the North. There will be a clear focus on infrastructure development to provide enhanced access to resources and on environmental reform to ensure that resource industries are operated in a manner consistent with the highest environmental standards. Later in this Session, my Government will introduce amendments to The Mines Act, reflecting both the environmental concerns that Manitobans share and the advances that have been made within the industry to ensure competitiveness. My Government will be a willing and supportive partner to the aboriginal community. The aboriginal people of Manitoba are assuming increasing responsibility for and control over their own affairs, and my Ministers believe that in the economic, social and cultural spheres this is a healthy development that deserves the support and cooperation of Government. My Government believes that appropriate services, amenities and infrastructure are part and parcel of the kind of development Manitobans wish to achieve. My Government will address the need for improved library services in rural and northern Manitoba, beginning with the appointment of a Public Libraries Advisory Board. In addition to their cultural value, libraries have great potential to contribute to the success of the new learner-centred and community-based literacy programs that will be established as a result of the work of the Task Force on Literacy. My Ministers also recognize the importance of adequate recreational facilities in rural and remote communities to provide a positive outlet for our young people. Lotteries funds will be specifically designated for these projects. URBAN AFFAIRS The urban areas of Manitoba also have their own unique challenges. In the case of the City of Winnipeg, my Government's approach to sustainable development is reflected in decisive action to protect Winnipeg's water supply. Measures will be taken to enhance the use and enjoyment of Winnipeg's rivers, as a key civic amenity, and to continue support for the revitalization of downtown Winnipeg, specifically with continued progress on The Forks development project. My Government will also introduce The City of Winnipeg Act amendments. These changes have been developed in consultation with the city and adjoining municipalities, and follow the productive reforms begun in this area by the previous administration. OUR CULTURAL HERITAGE My Government recognizes that of all Manitoba's advantages, our people are our greatest strength. Our province has a proud history of working together as a community while encouraging Manitobans to preserve and share their unique cultural heritage and diversity. My Government will be engaging in a consultative process to develop a new arts policy in Manitoba, beginning with the appointment of an Arts Policy Committee. Additional resources will be provided in this year to ensure that Manitoba's major cultural facilities, most of which are now more than 20 years old, are properly maintained. My Government is committed to the principle of a multiculturalism. Building on the work of the Multicultural Task Force, a Manitoba multiculturalism policy will be released and a Multiculturalism Act developed over the next year. EDUCATION My Government recognizes that for Manitoba to meet the challenges facing our province, we must ensure that every Manitoban is able to contribute to his fullest potential. Yet many barriers exist to prevent full participation. There is no more powerful tool to secure equality of opportunity than our education system. My Government recognized the lifelong nature of education in its recent reorganization and established a comprehensive Department of Education and Training. My Government is continuing its reforms in all levels of education. A White Paper to be circulated by the Minister of Education will propose changes in education legislation that will make our education system more accessible and flexible. There will be renewed emphasis on strengthening the links between community colleges, the communities they serve and the real opportunities that exist in the economies of all regions of the province. In addition, my Government will continue to expand education and training programs in rural and northern communities through the use of state-of-the-art distance technologies. My Government remains committed to a collaborative basis for resolving the complex issues of education finance. A consultation paper on proposed funding measures will be issued by the Minister of Education in this Session. My Government recognizes that a skilled, productive and adaptable work force is essential if Manitobans are to compete and prosper in a rapidly changing global economic environment. A Skills Training Advisory Committee will bring together representatives from business and labour to provide advice on future training requirements. My Government also plans to expand provincial measures to help Manitoba workers adapt to changing job and skill requirements. My Government also hopes to conclude arrangements with the Government of Canada, to provide benefits to older workers who lose their jobs due to major permanent layoffs and are unable to secure new employment. My Ministers will also provide additional support for the growing capabilities of the Faculty of Management at the University of Manitoba, to complement the commitment shown by the students, the faculty, the Board of Governors and the Manitoba business community. OPPORTUNITY FOR ALL As Manitobans, we see our province as a land of opportunity. For many new Canadians that is not the case. Immigrants and refugees who come to our country with skills and expertise to share often find themselves unable to work in their chosen field because their credentials are not recognized. My Government is committed to establishing a means to assess new Canadians' trade, technical and professional credentials. As part of this commitment, my Government will provide further assistance to businesses that place a landed immigrants in new, permanent positions of a d' professional or technical nature. As part of its commitment to the United Nations Decade of the Disabled, my Government will cooperate with disabled Manitobans in a joint effort to raise community-wide awareness and understanding of this important issue through a Speaker's Forum on the Status of Disabled Persons." My Government will continue to provide leadership in measures designed to humanize the workplace and to ensure that all Manitobans enjoy true equality in employment in Manitoba. These measures will include the extension of the Career Development Program for Affirmative Action groups as well as expanded executive development opportunities for women in the Civil Service. Following an assessment of the current progress of the Government's Pay Equity Program, my Government will continue the process of leading by example by extending pay equity further in the public sector. Consultations will continue with school boards and municipalities to establish a timetable for extending pay equity to these sectors. SOCIAL PRIORITIES As this Legislature began, my Government articulated its social priorities. These included the enhancement of our health care system, initiatives to provide more effective protection for the vulnerable among us, and reforms in social services to ensure that they contribute to the highest possible degree to our goal of equality and opportunity for all. My Government is committed to working with our communities to ensure that we are caring and competent and receptive to the contributions of all members of our society. All Manitobans should be full participants in the life of the community. My Government will announce the establishment o' a Working Group on Community Living with a specific mandate to conduct a review of programs where financial incentives exclude people with disabilities from community living, and to recommend means to bring inventiveness to the community's commitment to receive the hidden gifts and contributions of citizens with disabilities. As a first step, my Government will be implementing a training program for Government and non-government staff providing service to handicapped persons as recommended in the Weins Report. My Government's approach to social challenges has been based on the broadest possible consultation with Manitobans. My Ministers advise me that formal consultations in the form of the Women's Initiative, the Child Care Task Force, and the Task Force on Literacy have provided valuable insights into the needs and expectations of Manitobans. These consultations have already led to a number of reforms and my Ministers will announce more as this Session proceeds. HEALTH CARE In addition, there have been less formal consultations relating to subjects such as mental health services that have already led to significant and overdue reforms in these critical health services. Further measures will include the expansion of community-based mental health services in rural and northern Manitoba. The Manitoba Health Advisory Network is providing a mechanism that permits the health services community and Government to work as partners in an overall effort to reform and improve health services while ensuring that health costs are managed as effectively as possible. As part of this overall effort, my Ministers will devote significant resources from Lottery funds to pilot and implement innovative health projects that prevent illness and injury. Major funding increases are also being provided in support of medical research. During this Session, my Government will announce significant new measures that reflect the views and concerns shared by the health services community and the people of Manitoba. Building upon its successful campaign on AIDS awareness, my Government will provide additional resources for outreach, prevention and education services for Manitobans with AIDS. In direct response to the concerns expressed to the Women's Initiative, my Government will establish a Women's Health Directorate to provide a central point of responsibility to address health issues affecting women. There will also be a screening program for the early detection of breast cancer to begin to reduce the number of deaths that result from this devastating disease. My Government will also extend the additional resources necessary to permit the Manitoba Cancer Research and Treatment Foundation at St. Boniface Hospital to become a world class facility recognized by the World Health Organization. My Ministers advise me there will be additional resources provided to the Health Sciences Centre, to enable that institution to meet its goals in the provision of world leading surgical education and services. My Government will also be developing a strategic plan to establish a consistent and cohesive direction for the major institutional and community health care sectors in Manitoba. There will also be initiatives to address the special needs and barriers to health services that affect the members of the multicultural community in Manitoba. Health services in Manitoba are improving because my Government has succeeded in developing a partnership involving all parts of the health services community. During this Session, my Ministers will announce a major effort to extend that partnership to include the community, as a whole, to focus attention on lifestyle-related illness and injury in enhanced health promotion in the workplace and on personal responsibility for health. My Government will also be initiating consultations regarding issues raised by new medical technologies and advances in health sciences. FAMILY SERVICES One of the most important responsibilities that Government bears is to reflect the values of Manitoba. Consistent with that responsibility, my Government has established the Department of Family Services to reflect the importance Manitobans place on family life. The new department has a series of initiatives it will be pursuing over the next year. Early in this Session, my Government will release the Report of the Child Care Task Force. My Government is committed to building upon our already strong child care system, to enhance its flexibility and its responsiveness to changing needs, particularly those of rural and northern Manitoba. My Government will continue its program of strengthening measures to address spousal abuse and the abuse of children. As recommended by the Women's Initiative, my Government's initiatives regarding abuse will be based on the recognition that abuse is a crime. You will have an early opportunity to consider legislation to require the reporting of third party abuse of children. In addition to the actions already taken, my Ministers will announce details on the establishment of new abuse treatment, registration and support programs to protect and assist victims of child abuse. My Government believes that in this action it is reflecting deeply held values shared by all Manitobans. The federal Government will be encouraged to share our determination to treat family violence as a crime. My Government will introduce a number of measures to bring family law practices into line with the values of Manitobans and to ensure greater equality in pension rights between men and women. My Government will also ensure that sole support parents receiving social allowances have access to legal aid in their efforts to obtain maintenance orders. The Seniors Directorate, established last year, will continue to inform and consult with Manitoba seniors, communicating their needs and concerns to providers of Government services and programs. A paper on the issue of elder abuse, initiated last fall, will be released during 1989-90. It will outline the scope of the problem and chart a path for future Government action. JUSTICE AND REFORM Manitobans place tremendous value on the pace and quality of life in our province. Manitoba is a place where respect for others and protection of the vulnerable are fundamental values. Unfortunately, not all people live by those values. In this Session, my Government will present reform measures to protect the vulnerable and ensure greater fairness and safety for all. My Government has already announced measures to strengthen the laws and the administration of laws relating to impaired and suspended driving in a manner that will reduce these unacceptable practices in Manitoba. My Ministers will introduce new consumer protection legislation to ensure a fair marketplace in Manitoba My Ministers will introduce a new and effective means of resolving disputes between landlords and tenants, to reduce the costs of such resolution and to ensure that tenants are not exposed to long periods of delay and insecurity where disagreements arise. My Government has other matters outstanding to bring before the Legislature. Last year, my Minister of Justice restored the Law Reform Commission to its previous position as an independent advisory body. In this Session, My Government will bring forward Legislation to make this Commission truly independent of Government. As they have been urged to do by both management and organized labour, my Ministers will proceed with the repeal of final offer selection legislation to permit free collective bargaining to be conducted in an appropriate manner in Manitoba. My Ministers will also be placing before this House a series of amendments to The Electoral Divisions Act in accordance with established Manitoba practice. Federal-provincial relations are of prime concern to my Government. Within the Canadian federation, it is essential that the two levels of government work together effectively. My Ministers are extremely concerned about the disproportionate impacts the recent federal Budget will have on Manitoba, particularly the proposed reduction and closure of two Canadian Forces Bases. There is concern, too, with the delay in completing negotiations on several major agreements between Manitoba and Canada. My Ministers will continue to press for the satisfactory resolution of these matters. To enhance communications, a Manitoba office is being opened in Ottawa and efforts will be intensified by all my Ministers to ensure timely and complete exchange of information with their counterparts in the federal Government and other provinces. My Government is sensitive to the fiscal realities that confront the federal Government, but it is Manitoba's belief that a clear understanding between the two levels of Government is essential. With respect to the Meech, Lake Accord, my Government awaits the report of the Legislative Task Force that has been listening to the views of Manitobans. My Government will continue to represent strongly Manitoba's interests on this important constitutional issue. Mon gouvernement s'engage à collaborer au renouveau constitutionnel déjà amorcé, et ce dans l'intérêt du Canada. Mes ministres, de concert avec les autres gouvernements, continueront à oeuvrer dans ce sens. My Government is committed to the ongoing process of constitutional renewal in the best interests of Canada. They will continue to work with other governments to this end. FOUNDATIONS FOR THE FUTURE The premiere issue of Manitoba Hydro Savings Bonds provides Hydro with a valuable source of capital and presents a unique opportunity for all residents of Manitoba to invest in our natural resources and in the future of our province. HydroBonds will go on sale tomorrow. My Ministers advise me that the bonds will pay an attractive interest rate of 11.25 percent per annum for the first year, with a guaranteed minimum rate of 10 percent for the second and third years. My Government is presenting a program focusing on protecting our environment, creating opportunities in every region for all Manitobans and enhancing the values and institutions of our community. My Ministers believe that, building on the foundations of the fiscal gains made over the past year, this Legislature and the community at large will join them in a concerted effort to achieve the goals that we share in a manner consistent with the values that unite us. Estimates for the requirements for the public services of the province for the next fiscal year, and the public accounts for the last fiscal year, will be placed before you for your consideration. Je vous laisse maintenant aux nombreuses tâches que vous allez être appelés à accomplir fidèlement. Due la divine Providence vous éclaire au cours des délibérations nécessaires à l'exécution de ces tâches. I leave you now to the faithful performance of your many duties and trust that in meeting them you may have the guidance of divine providence in all your deliberations.