Province Législature Session Type de discours Date du discours Locuteur Fonction du locuteur Parti politique Manitoba 39e 4e Discours du trône 30 novembre 2009 Philip S. Lee Lieutenant-gouverneur NDP Mr. Speaker and Members of the Manitoba Legislature: Welcome to the Fourth Session of the Thirty-Ninth Legislative Assembly of the Province of Manitoba. Citizens of our province should be congratulated for the hard work, foresight, and creativity they have displayed in responding to the challenges we have faced this year – including the second biggest flood of the past century, the H1N1 flu pandemic, and the ongoing impacts of a global recession. As in the past, we have demonstrated our ability to come together as one community. Thanks to new investments in flood protection works, improved planning and preparedness, and the coordinated response of community leaders and emergency workers, we were able to effectively manage this year’s flood, preventing a billion dollars in potential damages and avoiding major disruptions. The threat of H1N1 is not yet past, but we owe a debt to the health professionals and community volunteers who dealt with the first wave in the spring and then led the preparations for a second wave this fall. In particular, we commend the efforts of public health officials, the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs and the Manitoba Métis Federation, who ensured that priority attention was given to communities facing the highest risk of illness. The downturn in the global economy is a present and ongoing challenge for Manitoba. During the last year, our trading partners – including the rest of Canada, the United States and Europe – have all fallen into recession. Manitoba has fared well by comparison. Our levels of employment, capital investment, manufacturing sales and consumer confidence have proved resilient. Overall, we are projected to have the best economic performance of any province in Canada this year, and will significantly outperform the national economy. But we are not immune from the impacts of the downturn. Our provincial economy is forecast to contract by 0.2 percent in 2009, compared to the average 2.7 percent growth we have recorded over the past five years. Economists see signs of a recovery beginning in the next twelve months, but the fragile state of the global economy adds a note of caution to future projections. Just over a year ago, our government unveiled a balanced plan to support Manitoba families and entrepreneurs through these challenges. We have worked with business to preserve our affordability advantage, address access to credit issues, and ensure that our manufacturing and export sectors remain competitive. We have maintained the investments in health, education and public safety programs that Manitoba families rely on. And we have invested in an aggressive infrastructure renewal strategy that is bolstering Manitoba’s construction sector, upgrading our public assets, and creating jobs. By participating in the national stimulus program, our government will increase investments in needed infrastructure by more than 50 per cent over last year. These investments are supporting over 1,500 projects in every region of Manitoba. As the economy recovers they will create 12,000 direct jobs and an additional 10,000 jobs in related industries. With the support of Manitoba’s skilled workforce and entrepreneurs, our plan is contributing to the overall stability of our economy while maintaining needed services to citizens. But with a slowing of revenue due to the global downturn, plus emergency costs associated with the flood and the H1N1 pandemic, Manitoba is beginning to face fiscal pressures similar to those faced by other governments in Canada. We are managing these fiscal pressures by targeting spending to priority services and tightening our belts in all other areas. Most government departments are on pace to reduce spending below the amounts budgeted last spring. In addition, to support the national stimulus program and increased costs in health, justice and child protection, we will draw on Manitoba’s rainy day savings fund – which has nearly quadrupled over the past decade to 864 million dollars. Above all, we must ensure that Manitoba remains one of the most affordable places in Canada to live, work and raise a family. Manitoba is rejecting an invitation from the federal government to introduce a Harmonized Sales Tax. As proposed, the HST would impose more than 400 million dollars in new sales tax costs on Manitoba families at a time of economic uncertainty. At the same time, to ensure continued competitiveness for Manitoba businesses, we will proceed with the promised elimination of two key taxes on business. The Corporation Capital Tax, already eliminated for manufacturers and processors since 2008, will be completely eliminated for all businesses by the end of 2010. Manitoba will also become Canada’s first income tax free zone for small business in 2010 – the final step in a phased elimination of the small business income tax rate, which stood at eight percent a decade ago. While an economic downturn presents challenges to citizens and governments alike, it is not a time to stand still on building for the future. Our government will work with community partners this year to renew Manitoba’s economic strategy. The Manitoba Innovation Council, formed last year, will be presenting its first set of recommendations on strengthening our province’s innovation culture to a community forum in the new year. The Premier’s Economic Advisory Council – a group made up of leaders from business, labour, aboriginal and local governments and the education sector – will host a major Economic Summit this spring. The Summit will also concentrate on economic innovation, and on the proposals to strengthen trade, skills development and business investment. This year our government will continue its leadership role in furthering the development of CentrePort Canada, Manitoba’s inland port. CentrePort Canada has come a long way in the past 18 months. Legislation was passed to establish the corporation and permit the use of tax increment financing for land acquisition and development. Recently, CentrePort was designated Canada’s first Foreign Trade Zone. In partnership with the federal government, Manitoba has announced an investment of 212 million dollars in CentrePort Canada Way, a high-speed corridor connecting the inland port to the Perimeter Highway. Our government will continue with the ambitious plan to increase international immigration every year until we reach the objective of 20,000 persons a year by 2016. New resources are being put in place to ensure that provincial nominee applicants will be processed in less than six months. Other innovations this year will include new tools to assist Provincial Nominees and other immigrants to begin their settlement planning prior to arriving in Manitoba. In the coming year, our government will also introduce a new framework of consumer safeguards and a comprehensive approach to environmental protection – consolidating Manitoba’s national leadership in both areas. We will work with aboriginal leaders and the federal government on improving school completion and workforce transitions for youth. And we will work with local governments to use tools for community development. Education and Training In the past decade, enrollment in post-secondary education in Manitoba has increased by over a third. This overall expansion has been accompanied by targeted skills training for the growth sectors of our economy; the creation of new programs for rural and northern Manitobans; an historic investment in college and university campuses; and our ongoing commitment to ensure that higher education remains affordable for all students. Manitoba’s education strategy remains the key to the resilience of our economy and our prospects for future growth. Capital investments this year will include: • A large scale renovation of the University of Manitoba’s Fort Garry campus, as well as upgrades to the Biological Sciences building, the Buller Science labs, and Smartpark infrastructure. • Completion of the University of Winnipeg’s Richardson Science Building and construction of a new building on the United Army Surplus site. • Completion of Brandon University’s new physical plant, along with an Information Technology Server Room in the Brodie Building. • Construction of a new Health Sciences Pavillion at the College Universitaire de St. Boniface, coinciding with expansion of nursing and health-related programs at the College. • Construction of the main campus for the University College of the North in Thompson and a new research library, a student centre and 24 units of family housing at UCN’s campus in The Pas. • Completion of the Len Evans Centre for Trades and Technology at Assiniboine Community College. • Redevelopment of the Union Bank Tower as an addition to Red River College’s Princess Street campus; and a new Power Engineering Centre at Red River’s Notre Dame campus. These capital investments represent 2,177 person years of construction jobs and provide a direct boost to local economies throughout the province. They also support ongoing innovation in the delivery of programs. Skills training, which has been identified as a critical need by Manitoba employers, has increased dramatically in the past two years. Over 1,700 new apprenticeship seats have been added province-wide and Red River College is pioneering an innovative new approach to trades training in rural and northern Manitoba that uses mobile teaching labs. Tuition fees for most college and university programs in Manitoba remain below 1999 levels – reflecting an ongoing commitment to accessibility. In the coming year our government will take additional steps to address the financial pressures faced by students and their families. Many have told us that more up-front help is needed; so beginning this year, students who live and work in Manitoba will qualify for a portion of the innovative tuition fee income tax rebate while they are still in school. Investments in post-secondary education are supported by a commitment to primary education. Our government has made significant efforts to work with School Divisions to increase funding to schools for the betterment of our children, and as a down payment on our future prosperity. Total funding is up 37 percent since 1999, and the provincial share of school funding has reached 75.1 percent. Expenditure per pupil is the highest in Canada, and our class size ratio is the third lowest. Capital investment has been a major component of our school program. Our government has invested more than 568 million dollars to build and upgrade public schools this decade – an increase of 303 million dollars over the previous decade. In that time, we have built 17 new schools, 12 replacement schools and completed over 55 addition and renovation projects. Earlier this year our government announced a record 310 million dollar investment in school capital over the next four years. The program has been accelerated to help address the financial downturn. New projects include three middle schools in southern Manitoba – in Steinbach, La Broquerie and Winkler – that are now in the design stage. A major addition to Island Lakes school opened in September. The coming year will see the completion of the new Ecole Aurele Lemoine in St. Laurent and major renovations to Transcona Collegiate and Sargent Park School. This year’s funding will include a 41 million dollar investment for structural upgrades to 82 schools. These upgrades include funding for barrier-free upgrades to 15 Manitoba schools – so that they can fully accommodate students with disabilities. These projects alone will create 787 person years of employment. As funding has increased in recent years, school divisions have been asked to work with the province to keep education taxes from rising. We will ask the cooperation of divisions again this year, to ensure that expenditures are managed carefully and property taxes remain affordable. Improving education outcomes and graduation rates for First Nations students is one of the most important challenges we face as a province. Success in this area will mean a brighter future for all of our communities and stronger prospects for the economy as a whole. Earlier this Fall, the Government of Canada, the Government of Manitoba, and representatives of First Nations in Manitoba signed a Letter of Understanding that will serve as a blueprint for future action. Components of the plan include school readiness programming, expanding course offerings available to First Nations students, professional development for teachers of First Nations students, and transition arrangements for students who move from First Nations schools to provincial schools. Health Care When faced with difficult times, previous governments made decisions that undermined the long-term capacity of the healthcare system. These mistakes will not be repeated. Improvements to our healthcare system will continue, so that Manitobans continue to receive high quality medical care. Our program is built on a foundation of front-line professionals, hardworking support staff, and highly-trained technical staff. Today there are 345 more doctors and more than 2,034 additional nurses practicing in Manitoba than there were a decade ago. In the past year alone, 245 more nurses and a record 57 more doctors were added. Retaining health professionals in rural and northern Manitoba remains a major focus for our government. A recent program that recruits nurses from the Philippines to deliver care in under-serviced rural facilities proved highly successful. Our government is also working hard to ensure the best quality of health care for women, children and babies. Earlier this year we announced funding to improve the maternity ward at St. Boniface General Hospital. Site preparation will begin this year for a new women’s hospital at the Health Sciences Centre. Plans are also underway for a birthing centre in south Winnipeg and a new children’s rehabilitation centre. In the coming year, our government will announce a new tax credit for women and their loved ones to assist with the expense of fertility treatment. Also in 2010 we will proceed with important investments in primary health care, including new Access Centres in St. James and North-West Winnipeg. The Access Centre model puts health and social services under one roof and brings professional care closer to where people live. Significant additions to health care are in the works for rural and northern Manitoba. Construction has already begun on an expanded Westman Lab and a new cancer centre in Brandon. A new EMS station is being built in West St. Paul. In the months ahead, announcements will be made on the construction of dialysis units in Gimli and Russell. Later next year, work will begin on dialysis units in the First Nations communities of Peguis and Berens River. The impact of smoking on the health of Manitobans is heart-breaking for families who lose their loved ones to tobacco-related illness and adds enormous costs to the public health system. In the coming year, Manitoba will join with other provinces in seeking to recover from tobacco companies some compensation for their long-standing promotion of smoking. Tools For Local Government Our government will continue to work with local governments in Manitoba to improve transparency and service delivery and support community development efforts: • A new partnership with the City of Winnipeg will use tax increment financing to support the development of affordable housing in Winnipeg’s downtown; • In Brandon, tax increment financing will also be used to encourage the redevelopment of downtown heritage buildings such as the Strand Theater; • Changes will be made to streamline the provision of water system-related services to municipalities, including a stronger representative role for the Association of Manitoba Municipalities on the province’s Water Services Board; • Legislation will be introduced to give all municipalities in Manitoba the authority to take title of vacant and derelict buildings and to speed up the process; • We will work with municipalities to develop legislation to support the creation of granny suites; and • A new Act will provide a transparent framework for evaluating the full costs and benefits of public-private partnerships. Public Safety and Protection This session will see our government build on initiatives to protect vulnerable citizens. Our government will also intensify its efforts to combat the growth of gangs and the harm they bring to individuals, families, and the wider community. In response to recent recommendations from the Minister’s Advisory Council on Workplace Safety and Health, the maximum fines for safety violations will be increased for the first time in over a decade. The Family Maintenance Act will be amended to improve enforcement of support payments and to establish “best interest of the child” criteria to be applied by the courts. Similar provisions will be added to The Domestic Violence and Stalking Act, to be applied in custody decisions involving domestic violence. The struggle to combat the sexual exploitation of children and youth will continue, with expansions to Tracia’s Trust. Manitoba will continue to take a leadership role on the issue of missing and murdered women, working closely with law enforcement officials and aboriginal leaders. Fighting back against criminal gangs will continue to be a major priority of our government. Manitoba successfully lobbied for an end to two-for-one sentencing, which often meant that convicted gang members spent too little time behind bars. We have added provincial prosecutors to the gang crime unit, and in the coming year we will hire more prosecutors for that unit. Recently, two major initiatives aimed at targeting gang activity in Manitoba were announced. • Project Restore is a new program, modeled on a successful program which has seen auto-theft in Winnipeg reduced by 67 percent. The project brings together the Winnipeg Police Service and Manitoba Justice to intensively monitor high risk offenders and known gang members to lessen their opportunities to engage in gang activity. • Gang Awareness for Parents will raise awareness for parents of teenagers – highlighting the risk factors for gang involvement and the signs that children might be participating in gang activity, and offering strategies to help parents prevent their teens from being drawn into gangs. New funds will be provided to expand programs, like Turnabout, that are targeted at keeping kids from joining gangs, and programs that help former gang members stay out of gangs. At the same time, new laws will be introduced to make life harder for gangs to operate, including: • legislation to prevent the introduction of armoured gang vehicles in Manitoba; • legislation to create a list of known gangs to simplify court proceedings under provincial anti-gang laws; and • legislation to allow the province to play a more active role in denying or revoking licences for businesses that are acting as fronts for gangs. Our government has a long-term commitment to increase police presence in Winnipeg and Manitoba. Since 1999, 80 police officers have been added in Winnipeg alone. As part of this ongoing commitment, our government will work with the City of Winnipeg to add a helicopter to the police department’s crime fighting options. Early years education has been identified by experts as one of the most effective ways to prevent gang involvement in later years. To help break the cycle of both crime and poverty, a model Early Childhood Development project will be included in the newly-renovated Lord Selkirk Park housing development. The Centre will provide an enriched child development program with a proven track record in improving the futures of the children who attend it. Since 1999, Manitoba has been a leader in poverty reduction and the protection of vulnerable citizens. Through a combination of economic growth and targeted programs, the rate of child poverty in our province has been reduced 49 percent over the past decade. But every improvement in the poverty rate highlights the fact that there is still more to do. In the coming year, a Premier’s Advisory Council on Poverty and Education will be established, to co-ordinate the efforts of all sectors in the community and bring forward new ideas and approaches. Under Rewarding Work, our government has sought to create the right conditions to help Manitobans make the connection to jobs, overcome employment barriers and prepare for work. Twenty-six different measures have been implemented, including the new Manitoba Child Benefit, the Job Seekers Allowance, new training and education initiatives, and community-based employment projects. Other elements of this successful program will be unveiled in the coming months. This year, our government will introduce a new five-year plan that adds 1,500 units to address the shortage of social housing in Manitoba. The plan will also create more jobs in Manitoba. To help people in northern and remote communities with the cost of purchasing nutritious food, the Province will increase the Northern Allowance in the coming year. This enhancement builds on earlier increases to help northern citizens deal with the high cost of healthy food. Changes for Children will continue the reform of the child and family system and improve accountability. Additional efforts will be made to help address problems occurring in families before they escalate to the point that children are put at risk. Our government will continue its efforts to ensure that Manitoba develops into the most age-friendly province in Canada by taking into account the needs of seniors. We will work with organizations such as Age and Opportunity Manitoba and chambers of commerce to help make more employers aware of the talents and experience of older Manitobans. Manitoba supports the federal government’s intention to sign on to the United Nation’s Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. In our own province, we are working with the community to update and improve Manitoba’s disability strategy. Access issues and legislation will be central to these discussions. Manitoba Families In the coming months our government will launch a multi-year action plan to further modernize and strengthen consumer protections. Changes will include: • New regulations under the Pension Benefits Act to improve protection for Manitobans’ pension plans. Manitoba will also continue its work with the federal government and other provinces to develop CPP options for those Manitobans who do not have access to a pension plan; • The Condominium Act will be modernized to provide significant new protections for condominium owners; and • Our government will work with homebuilders to develop a New Home Buyers’ Protection Act to provide for warranties that give consumers greater assurance their new home or condominium will not require major repairs shortly after purchase. Other initiatives will be undertaken to support recreation and lifestyle options for Manitoba families: • A new Adult Fitness Tax Credit will be phased in; • Additional child care spaces will be created under the five-year Family Choices plan, which has funded almost 3,000 spaces since it was launched two years ago; • A property tax deferral program for cottages will be introduced to respond to property tax increases resulting from Reassessment 2010; and • Manitobans will enjoy another year of free access to provincial parks. 2010 will mark the 50th anniversary of the provincial parks system, and those who visit Manitoba parks will see a number of improvements: • the biggest campground development in 30 years is underway at Winnipeg Beach; • the new Duff Roblin Park is being developed on the banks of the expanded Floodway; • the campground at Wellman Lake in the Duck Mountains will be expanded; and • new facilities, including trails and campground improvements, will be opened at Asessippi Park, Grand Beach Park and Birds Hill Park. In addition, an Act will be introduced this year to designate Upper Fort Garry as a heritage provincial park. An advisory committee comprised of community stakeholders will conduct extensive public consultations to develop recommendations regarding the preservation of the historic resources of the park and development of interpretive programming. Finally, the coming year will see new and exciting additions to our cottage lot draw program. By opening 1,000 new cottage lots in rural Manitoba our government has helped to generate 86 million dollars in investment. This is a benefit to our economy, to our families, and to the promotion of Manitoba’s beautiful lakes and wilderness. Environmental Protection Our government will continue to work with Manitobans in the coming year to strengthen environmental stewardship in our province. The Sustainable Development Act will be modernized to reflect the significant changes in environmental policy that have occurred in the past decade. The Act will add new policy tools, allow for Sustainability Agreements to be signed with outside organizations, and incorporate the economic valuation of environmental goods and services. The full incorporation of forestry into Manitoba’s Kyoto plan is a new step, supported by research indicating the value of the boreal forest and peatlands as a major offset to global carbon emissions. Our government will continue to act on the recommendations of the Clean Environment Commission and the Lake Winnipeg Stewardship Board, and to work with the federal government and neighbouring jurisdictions on the restoration of Lake Winnipeg. Our nutrient reduction strategy includes: • a new ban on dishwasher soap containing phosphorous that will kick in this year; • new building codes to encourage better use of water; • an expanded septic field inspection program in sensitive areas; and • projects to restore the Delta and Netley-Libau Marshes – Manitoba’s most important coastal wetlands. This year we launched a producer responsibility program to fund the recycling of paper and packaging. The new model will be expanded in the coming year to increase the recycling of electronics and hazardous waste. The coming session will also see support for methane capture and flaring in Manitoba’s largest landfills. New legislation will be introduced to establish a Pimachiowin Aki World Heritage Site Trust Fund. The bill will ensure that revenue generated by the Fund is used in accordance with the World Heritage Site management plan – with the leadership and full participation of local First Nations. Work is also continuing to develop ecotourism opportunities for East Side communities. This year our government will add the Kaskatamagan Sipi and a portion of the Kaskatamagan Wildlife Management Areas to Manitoba’s Network of Protected Areas. Both sites fall within the boreal and together they comprise a vast area of ecologically significant habitat. They are home to polar bears, beluga whales, bearded seals and ringed seals and numerous bird species. Kaskatamagan Sipi is a particularly strategic site, providing over-wintering habitat for coastal caribou. Rural and Northern Rural and northern Manitoba have recently felt the impacts of the global economic slowdown. Forestry, mining and some parts of the agricultural sector have come under increasing pressure due to softening markets. Agriculture, particularly in the Interlake, has faced the additional challenge of inclement weather and flooding. Our government is maintaining a high level of support to our agricultural industry through risk management programs including AgriInsurance, AgriStability and AgriInvest. Funding for these programs in the last year was 144 million dollars. To assist hog producers deal with the impacts of several years of low incomes, Manitoba and the federal government will be making available up to 92 million dollars in Targeted Advance Payments. This builds upon previous advances of 32.6 million dollars in 2008 and 40 million dollars in 2007. Over the last several years, the province and federal governments have delivered targeted income assistance programming for producers dealing with successive years of excess moisture in the Interlake region. More than 40 million dollars has been made available through Excess Moisture Insurance, Disaster Financial Assistance and through various AgriRecovery programs such as the Manitoba Forage Assistance Program, the Manitoba Forage Restoration Program and the Manitoba Livestock Feed Assistance Program. Funding for the maintenance of our provincial drainage system has increased by 47 percent since 2007. Despite this increase, drainage issues continue to affect the lives of Manitobans, particularly in the Interlake. In the coming year work will take place on important drains in the Interlake, such as the Bass, the Fish Lake, the Hatchery Road, the Kilkenny, and the Crooked Lake drains. More work will be necessary to address the problems occurring during heavy rains. In the coming year our government will expand its support of organic farming, work with producers and others to support a “buy local” campaign and boost the use of farmer’s markets. In our mining sector, HudBay Minerals is moving forward on the development of the new Lalor zinc-copper-gold mine and has restarted their Chisel North copper-zinc mine. Also at Snow Lake, Garson Gold and Alexis Minerals are working to reopen the New Britannia gold mine. Our government’s 42 million dollars in funding is helping to rehabilitate 18 orphaned and abandoned mine sites in the province this fiscal year, which also provides training and employment opportunities for local communities. The Community Economic Development Fund Act will be amended to allow greater opportunities to expand the Northern economy. While a strong highway system is important to all Manitobans, it is particularly vital to the development of rural and northern Manitoba. Our government will continue with its commitment to invest four billion dollars on highway renewal over 10 years. Almost 545 million dollars will be spent this year to work on over 1,500 kilometers of Manitoba's roads. Our government will spend 155 million dollars on 28 bridges next year. These projects improve safety, stimulate the economy, and when completed, link Manitobans to their families and to economic potential. Our government is delivering on last year’s commitment to invest in single access roads, investing a total of 45.5 million dollars. The construction of the East Side Road will improve the lives of the people of the east side, and bring them real economic development opportunities. In the coming year we will continue to invest in major stimulus projects with the federal government as well as seek ways to accelerate key infrastructure projects throughout the province. Manitoba's polar bears are a significant tourism draw and a symbol of the strength of our north. To protect and encourage research into this endangered species our government will upgrade the existing polar bear facilities in Churchill, and we will make a signature contribution to establish a new Polar Bear Research and Arctic Exhibit at the Assiniboine Park Zoo. Like the Canadian Museum for Human Rights, this new development represents both an economic stimulus measure for today and benefits for Manitoba residents and tourists that will last well into the future. In closing, I would like to note that 2010 will be Homecoming Year in Manitoba. Special events will be taking place in communities across our province to welcome former residents and visitors. A highlight of the coming year will be the visit in July of Her Majesty the Queen and His Royal Highness the Duke of Edinburgh. As you proceed to carry out the responsibilities the people of Manitoba have entrusted to you, I trust that Divine Providence will guide your deliberations in the best interests of all our citizens.