May 5, 2010         LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA - Hansard        Page 1857

Rejection of Sewer Line Proposal

Mrs. Mavis Taillieu (Morris): Madam Deputy Speaker, the Rural Municipality of Cartier is disappointed that this NDP government nixed a plan that would have assisted the residents of the White Horse Village trailer park. New sewer lines being planned for the Lido Plage area would have also served the White Horse Village, but the minister would not allow that proposal in their development plan.

Madam Deputy Speaker, why did the Minister of Local Government scrap the proposed pipe-sewer lines in Cartier's development plan, which would have aided in development of the Lido Plage area and help the village–White Horse Village residents, stay in their home?

Hon. Ron Lemieux (Minister of Local Government): Madam Deputy Speaker, we're working very, very closely with all elected officials in the province of Manitoba, and, indeed, we had a meeting with the reeve and a couple of the councillors and we discussed the issue. And we went over a couple of the challenges that they're currently having with regard to residents. And some of the suggestions that they put forward, we certainly looked at them. And we also are certainly having further conversations, and people within my department are having further conversations with them.

Mrs. Taillieu: Well, there are 200 homes within 500 metres of the Assiniboine River in Lido Plage. The R.M. of Cartier had a plan to run sewer pipes to these sensitive river lots, which would've also alleviated the need for septic fields and allowed the extension of these lines to the White Horse Village trailer park. But the NDP killed this idea, preferring to turn off services to 40 families when they close that park on July 15th.

Madam Deputy Speaker, is it the intent of this government to force the people to leave their homes or, if people remain because they have no place else to go and the sewer pumps are turned off, will the Minister of Conservation (Mr. Blaikie) allow raw sewage to leak into the Assiniboine River?

Mr. Lemieux: The landlord, as we all know, failed to implement the required sewerage disposal in January, and the government intervened to protect the health of the tenants.

It was costing approximately a thousand dollars a day, Madam Deputy Speaker, to ensure that the pumping of the sewerage and waste water was done, and the pump-out program is in place certainly until this summer. So, we are certainly taking some action to ensure that the health and safety of those residents and the tenants are–and the initiatives we put in place, are to do that. But, we are in conversation with the R.M. to take a look at a lot of other proposals that they're putting forward.

Now, you know, we have to take a look also–

Madam Deputy Speaker: Order. The honourable member's time has expired.

Mrs. Taillieu: Madam Deputy Speaker, this NDP government has killed any chances of the sewer lines to the people at the mobile home park. They could have chosen to work with the municipality; instead, they chose to retain septic fields in sensitive areas by the river. They've created a situation that will either force families from their homes or leave them with no services.

Madam Deputy Speaker, I want to ask the Minister of Finance (Ms. Wowchuk): When she's writing the cheque for $115 million to the stadium, at the same time she's turning off the lights and she's turning off the water and she's turning her back on the people in the White Horse Village, does she feel she has her priorities right?

Mr. Lemieux: This government has its priorities straight, Madam Deputy Speaker. We spent almost a hundred thousand dollars helping the residents, and we're providing the emergency costs, meals, shelter, looking for ways to assist the residents of this mobile home park.

But also, with regard to the stadium, Madam Deputy Speaker, they were against MTS Centre. They're against the football stadium, amateur sport in this province. Every single time this government brings some initiative forward, the members opposite are opposed to it. They vote against it. They voted against our budgets. Not only will we help these residents of this trailer park, but we'll also build a football stadium that we can all be proud of.