LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF
Thursday, March 24, 2005
The House met at 10 a.m.
PRAYERS
Introduction of Guests
Mr. Speaker: I would like to draw the attention of all honourable members to the Speaker's Gallery where we have with us this morning Dr. Jaroslaw Barwinsky.
On behalf of all honourable members, I welcome you here this morning.
Also, in the public gallery we have with us this morning Brad Rowat, and Cameron and Mackenzie Rowat. That is the family of the honourable Member for Minnedosa (Mrs. Rowat).
On behalf of all honourable members, I also welcome you here today.
House Business
Hon. Gord Mackintosh (Government House Leader): Mr. Speaker, I wonder if you would seek leave of the House for this morning as Private Members' Business. First, would you seek leave to deal with this morning as one comprehensive private members' hour for the full two hours? Number two, would you seek leave for the House to allow the moving of Resolutions 1 and 2 following consideration of Bill 202?
Mr. Speaker: Is there leave for private members' hour to be a complete two hours? Also, is there leave to deal with Resolutions 1 and 2–[interjection]–okay, the resolutions will follow Bill 202. Is there agreement? [Agreed]
We will now proceed to Orders of the Day. We will now go to second reading of public bills, Bill 202, The Health Services Amendment and Health Services Insurance Amendment Act.
ORDERS OF THE DAY
Hon. Gord Mackintosh (Government House Leader): Our understanding was that Bill 201 and 202 would be both called.
Mr. Speaker: Okay, 201 and 202, we will deal with first. Then we will deal with the resolutions.
Is there agreement to
deal with 201 and 202 in that order? [Agreed]
Okay, we will now resume
debate on second reading of Bill 201, The Legislative Assembly Amendment Act,
standing in the name of the honourable Member for
PRIVATE MEMBERS' BUSINESS
PUBLIC BILLS
Bill 201–The Legislative
Assembly
Amendment Act
Hon. Jon Gerrard (
In essence, this bill calls for a minimum of 80 sitting days in the Legislature. I think that, in fairness, all of us should be embarrassed that we have had two years where on one occasion we had 35 days sitting in the Legislature, and last year it was 55 days sitting in the Legislature. Clearly, it is time to move to a minimum standard of 80 days sitting time in the Legislature.
This time in the Legislature is important to have Question Period. It is important to make sure that there is due consideration given, careful consideration given, to bills and other matters which are before the Legislature. The fact of the matter is that, when we have to wait and have long periods when the Legislature is not sitting, much of the business that should be being addressed by this government is not being addressed. When we have long periods when the Legislature is not sitting, then there are critical issues which arise, which it is important to be questioning the government on and approving their awareness of particular issues.
Mr. Speaker, I would give, as a prime example, the handling of the water act, Bill 22. This was a bill which was introduced approximately a year ago. Because we have been sitting only so few days in the last year, this bill is still not passed. We can blame, as we often do, the government for not paying attention or giving it the priority or all sorts of other reasons. But one of the fundamental reasons the water act is not passed is that we have not been spending enough time sitting in the Legislature.
I see the MLA for Thompson (Mr. Ashton) is agreeing with me because, fundamentally, he knows that the water is important to this province. We have something like 100 000 lakes. We need a minimum of 80 days, I would suggest, to deal with matters dealing with all these lakes. Clearly, this is one bill which the government should be embarrassed about.
* (10:10)
If one read the Winnipeg Free Press this morning, as I suspect the MLA for Thompson
has done, he is probably also embarrassed that he did not have a minister's
statement yesterday on the fact that
it was World Water Day and the first
day of a decade, international decade, of the water. This was a very important
day, yesterday, which clearly was not given adequate attention. I raised this
in my question, and my question dealt with
I had a brief chat with the MLA for Flin Flon (Mr. Jennissen) yesterday about this particular issue. He was well aware of this issue in opposition, but it is too bad that he and his colleagues did not develop it when they were in opposition. When they had the time, the plan of attack, they could have implemented it in the first 100 days that they became government. Here we are, they have been government not a hundred days, but far more than a thousand days and the core of this problem is still not addressed. In fact, if you fly over Kississing Lake, you will see that it is a red scar blot on the landscape. It is a terrible situation which is not just sitting there, sadly, it is getting worse because the acidity within the tailings pond is getting greater. It is like battery acid.
I note that the MLA for Assiniboia (Mr. Rondeau), who has visited this, is well aware of this problem. I was on the phone with people up in Sherridon the other day, and they said we were promised something three years ago, but that just was not a priority to put it in the budget. Then we were promised it two years ago and there was not a priority to put it in the budget. Then we were promised it last year and there was not a priority to put in the budget. So the story goes on and on.
That is one of the reasons why we need this Legislature to be sitting a minimum of 80 days so that issues can be brought up and they can be hammered home to this government which does not often pay attention. You know, when we are in here hammering at issues day after day, finally they are forced sometimes to start paying a little bit more attention.
I note that there is another issue which is from southwestern Manitoba which has been lingering for some nine years, the sour gas issue, and people have been getting very sick. There are two people, at least, who were knocked unconscious by the sour gas. This is a very serious issue and it is continuing. A farmer with cattle had, just before Christmas, went off their feed and two cattle aborted two of their cows. It just speaks to the problems which are continuing under the NDP government and have not been fully addressed. It is just the kind of thing which needs to be brought up time and time and time again. That is why we need a minimum of 80 days' sitting.
So, Mr. Speaker, I think I have said enough on this bill. We do not have to deal with just environmental issues. There are crime issues. There are budget issues. There are so many issues at the moment that it would be impossible to reel off all of them in the time I have available. Just let me say, when it comes to having 80 days, we certainly need 80 days because whether it comes to health care or education or environment or poverty or infrastructure or the floodway, we need to make sure we have got enough time in the Legislature. Thank you.
Mr. Tom Nevakshonoff (Interlake): Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the Member for Rossmere (Mr. Schellenberg), that debate now be adjourned.
Motion agreed to.
Bill 202–The Health
Services Amendment and
Health Services Insurance
Amendment Act
Hon. Jon Gerrard (
Mr. Speaker: You have got to move the motion.
Mr. Gerrard: I am sorry, here we go.
I move that Bill 202, The Health Services Amendment and Health Services Insurance Amendment Act; Loi modifiant la Loi sur les services de santé et la Loi sur l'assurance-maladie, be now read a second time and be referred to a committee of this House.
Mr. Speaker: Do you have a seconder for the motion?
Mr. Gerrard: Seconded by the MLA for
Mr. Speaker: It has been moved by the honourable Member for River Heights, seconded by the honourable Member for Inkster (Mr. Lamoureux), that Bill 202, The Health Services Amendment and Health Services Insurance Amendment Act, be now read a second time and be referred to a committee of this House.
Mr. Gerrard: Mr. Speaker, I rise to speak on Bill 202 at second reading. The purpose of this bill is to amend both The Health Services Act and The Health Services Insurance Act to ensure that accountability is recognized as the fundamental principle which will govern the delivery of health services under these two acts.
The bill begins by setting out the fact that services delivered under these two acts need to follow the five principles established nationally, that is, public administration, comprehensiveness, universality, portability and accessibility.
We in the Manitoba
Liberal Party believe strongly in these five principles and want to ensure that
delivery of health care services in
The main purpose of this
bill is to establish clearly that the principle of accountability will be
recognized and required with respect to health services delivered in
The report by Roy
Romanow, presented in November 2002, to the people of
The Romanow report said,
and I quote, "Currently, there is no principle in the Canada Health Act that addresses accountability. During
the consultation process, Canadians expressed their deep suspicions about the
way governments have managed their health care system and where the money
goes. As the owners, funders and users of the health care system, Canadians
have a right to know how their system is being administered, financed and
delivered and which order of government is responsible for which aspects of the
health care system. A new principle in the Canada Health Act should confirm the
importance of accountability in the health care system. In particular,
provincial, territorial and federal governments have a collective
responsibility to: (1) clarify the roles and responsibilities of governments
as well as intergovernmental processes and expected outcomes; (2) ensure
adequate, stable, and predicable funding; (3) explain in an open and
understandable way where the money goes in terms of the national dimensions of
health care funding; and (4) inform Canadians on the performance of the health
care system. This accountability can be reinforced through annual reports to
the public provided by the proposed Health Council of Canada."
That comes to the end of the quote from the Roy Romanow report.
I think, clearly, on the basis of the Romanow report and many other observations over many years, that a large majority of Manitobans will support putting the principle of accountability as a fundamental principle to be recognized and required for the delivery of health care services, but it might well be asked why should Manitoba put in legislation the principle of accountability to ensure it applies to services delivered in Manitoba.
Why should
There are two clear and
valid reasons for doing this. First, as the national government has not yet put
the principle of accountability into the Canada Health Act, it is badly needed
to put it into
Second, that there is a
second reason why this should be done in the Manitoba Legislature. It needs to
be specifically done in
We can see this, clearly, when we see the areas emphasized in the Romanow report with respect to accountability. The emphasis in the Romanow report was in the area of health care where the federal government has a more direct role. But we need to ensure that accountability is included in Manitoba's statutes as part of an effort to ensure that our Province moves step by step into a much more accountable approach to the delivery of health care.
At a provincial level, it is easy to identify areas of significant concern. Areas where accountability is badly needed include the following.
One, quality of care. I suggest to members of the Assembly, as I have done on other occasions, that we need accountability to ensure that services are delivered in a quality fashion and that we enforce the need to ensure that great attention is paid to the maxim "do no harm."
It was disturbing to find, for example, in a report in the Canadian Medical Association Journal from last fall, that some 50 surgical procedures, carotid endoarterectomies, had been performed on Manitobans under conditions where substantial research shows that the procedures caused more harm than benefit. It should be a fundamental principle in the delivery of health care that public dollars should not be used in ways that cause more harm than good. Yet it is precisely because the NDP have been running a health care system where some procedures are being delivered which cause more harm than good that we need this principle of accountability.
* (10:20)
Unfortunately, the principle of "do no harm" is being broken in other ways. Reports of medical errors are far too frequent, and, clearly, we need to address this. To its credit, the NDP government are making some very tentative steps in this direction, but I argue here today that we need to ensure the principle of accountability in law in order to move this effort forward as fast as possible.
The quality of care is more than just doing no harm. It is doing the best that is possible, and that, clearly, is vital. We need province-wide standards in a number of areas.
Second, we need to address cost of care. As I meet with people around Manitoba, it is remarkable the number of people who point out areas of health care where we should be spending dollars much more wisely, where we are wasting dollars, and, clearly, we badly need much in the way of accountability in terms of the cost of care.
Third, we need quick access to care. This is critical as a fundamental approach to how we deliver health care. Slow access means duplicate procedures, many more doctor's visits, lots of days in pain and pain medications, and lots of other costs. Quick access is not only better quality, it is lower cost.
Fourth, we need ongoing research to establish new standards. It is good to have Doctor Barwinsky here, who was involved in areas of research. He knows very well how important it is to have such research to improve the quality and the cost-effectiveness of health care delivery.
There is a long history of reports: the Thomas, the Sinclair, Koshal and various other reports. As Kirby in his report, nationally, said, "Unless changes are made to the structure and functioning of the system, no amount of new money will make the current system sustainable over the long term." He has a clear call for accountability. That is a quote from the section on accountability, and that is one of the reasons why we need to enshrine the principle of accountability in the delivery of health care services in Manitoba.
Mr. Gregory Dewar (Selkirk): Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the Member for Elmwood (Mr. Maloway), that debate be now adjourned.
Motion agreed
to.
Mr. Speaker: As previously agreed, we will now move to Resolutions. On notice, we will now move to the resolution of the honourable Leader of the Official Opposition.
PROPOSED RESOLUTIONS
Mr. Stuart Murray (Leader of the Official Opposition): Mr. Speaker, I would like to move, seconded by the member from Tuxedo,
WHEREAS Dr. Jaroslaw Barwinsky is a distinguished surgeon and a leader in the area of cardiac surgery; and
WHEREAS he graduated in 1955 from the University of Manitoba with a degree of Doctor of Medicine and obtained his Diploma of Surgery from the University of Manitoba in 1959; and
WHEREAS he joined the surgical staff at the St. Boniface General Hospital in 1961 and was appointed Director of the Surgical Research Laboratory, a position that he held for over 14 years; and
WHEREAS during this time he conducted research relevant to the innovative science and technology needed for cardiac surgery; and
WHEREAS he was instrumental in the introduction of several cardiac surgical procedures in Winnipeg, including the procedure to install pacemakers, heart valves and coronary bypass grafts, all of which have been beneficial to over tens of thousands of individuals in Manitoba and abroad, by improving their quality and duration of life; and
WHEREAS he set a record of personally performing over 5500 surgical operations; and
WHEREAS he served as the Head and Program Director of Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery with the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Manitoba; and
WHEREAS he played a significant role in organizing the Canadian Society of Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgeons, now known as the Canadian Society of Cardiac Surgeons. He was instrumental in fundraising to assist in establishing the Association of Cardiac Surgeons of Ukraine in 1993; and
WHEREAS he was granted the status of Senior Member of the Canadian Medical Society, Lifetime Member of the Canadian Cardiovascular Society, Professor Emeritus with the University of Manitoba and Distinguished Alumni Award from the Alumni Association of the University of Manitoba; and
WHEREAS he served on the Board of Directors of the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra and has been Vice-President of the Taras Shevchenko Foundation of Canada, President of the Catholic Physicians Guild and President of the Canada-Ukraine Foundation.
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba acknowledge the tremendous contributions made by Doctor Barwinsky to the health of Manitoban and Canadian citizens, and for his service to the community and contribution to the field of medical science.
Mr. Speaker: It has been moved by the honourable Leader of the Official Opposition, seconded by the honourable Member for Tuxedo (Mrs. Stefanson), whereas–
An Honourable Member: Dispense.
Mr. Speaker: Dispense? Dispense.
Mr. Murray: Mr. Speaker, it is truly an honour to put some comments on the record of Doctor Barwinsky who we are delighted to be with us here today. I note that his background is immense, and I know that there a number of people in this Legislature who are thrilled that he is here and want to put comments on the record.
So, Mr. Speaker, I would
just like to put his background in perspective. Doctor Barwinsky was born in
I want to make a couple of notes, Mr. Speaker, that Doctor Barwinsky married his wife, Mary, in 1956. They have four children, Larysa, Ihor, Martha and Christina, and five grandchildren.
I would like to make a
comment that Doctor Barwinsky met his wife, Mary, who was a nurse training at
the St. Boniface Hospital. Of course, Mary's parents also were born in
I thought it was interesting, Mr. Speaker, that Doctor Barwinsky, when he arrived in Canada, could not speak English, and so he went to St. John's in the evening to learn how to speak English. He got some great advice from one of his teachers, and they said, "Every day learn 30 words of English and use them as often as you can, and oh, by the way, find a girl and date a lot so that you can use your language." So I think he took that to heart, and I think he met Mary and they have, obviously, had a wonderful relationship.
His educational
background is, obviously, incredible. He studied at the
* (10:30)
He passed the exams of
the Royal College of Surgeons of
He is a Fellow of the
Professionally, he has been a distinguished cardiac surgeon who has, in the resolution it states, performed over 5500 surgical operations. He joined the surgical staff at St. Boniface Hospital in 1961 and was appointed as Director of the Surgical Research Laboratory of St. Boniface Hospital in that same year, and that is the position he held for over 14 years. He developed new procedures, new techniques in cardiac surgery including the procedure to install pacemakers, heart valves, coronary bypass grafts to benefit not only the people in Manitoba, but tens of thousands of Manitobans and those abroad in Canada and indeed around the world.
What he has done, Mr.
Speaker, through that hard work, clearly has improved the duration and quality
of their lives. He moved through the academic ranks to become full Professor of
Surgery at the
He played a significant
role in organizing the Canadian Society of Cardiac Surgeons where he served as
president in 1988 and 1989. He was a lifetime member of the Canadian
Cardiovascular Society, and over his career, he has written 34 articles and
scientific journals. He has delivered 56 scientific lectures in
Some of the awards that
Doctor Barwinsky has earned and has
been respected as he has earned them, the 2001 Distinguished Alumni Award
recipient from the University of Manitoba. On April 21, 2001, he became the
Professor Emeritus, University of Manitoba, and the Ukrainian Medical
Association of North America Distinguished Service Award in 1991. He won the
Taras Shevchenko Medal for
contributions to the Ukrainian culture in
Doctor Barwinsky has also served on may boards and has given back to the community in many, many ways. He was a director of the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra from 1970 to 1974. He was on the board of the Manitoba Heart Foundation between 1981 and 1986. He was a former vice-president of the Taras Shevchenko Foundation of Canada from 1970 to 1981, and president of the Canadian Ukraine Foundation 1996-1997.
He was also involved as a
board member in the St. Boniface Hospital Research Foundation in 1973 to 1980.
I noted that Dr. Wasyl Zarichnyj, Professor of Orthopedic Surgery from
Mr. Speaker, I note today
that, the member from Carman reminded me, there are 158 medals on the east side
in the lobby here in the Legislative Building, and those are distinguished
Canadians. I know that any of those people could be patients of Doctor
Barwinsky. Those people are the kinds of people that I think Doctor Barwinsky
shows that we have in this fabulous
Well, Doctor Barwinsky I think, and you will hear from others that speak in this Chamber today and those in the public, the reason that people make a fuss about you is because you are a great man. The reason you are a great man is because you have made great contributions to our society without even realizing perhaps what you were doing. So why the fuss about you, sir? The fuss about you is because we are proud you are a Canadian, we are proud you are a Manitoban, and we are very proud to salute your contribution to society today. Thank you very much.
Hon. Dave Chomiak (Minister of Energy, Science and Technology): Mr. Speaker. I, too, want to take the honour and the pleasure of putting a few words on the record on behalf of myself, my colleagues, all members of the Legislature, and perhaps, particularly, a small contribution because of my own ethnic background and heritage, with respect to Doctor Barwinsky.
I want to say at the onset that the awards and the credits and the various accolades that are going to be heard in this Chamber today are well deserved and very appropriate. But I also think there are other aspects that ought to be recognized and ought to be put on the record so that perhaps everyone in this Chamber and everyone in this province will realize some of the other impacts that Doctor Barwinsky has had on the community and on the population in this country.
Firstly, for those of us who are children of immigrants or immigrants ourselves, the concept of someone becoming a role model or someone becoming a specialist in the field is very, very important and serves as a guiding light to those who came to this country to see that, in fact, you can succeed in this country. You can succeed in this province. You can come from a place that has suffered trials and tribulations, and you can succeed beyond your wildest dreams. In fact, you can achieve your dreams here. But, in doing so, you can show to the rest of those who come that this is a place where you have the opportunity to develop and to grow, and this is the kind of country that not only welcomes but helps nourish that. You serve as a role model to all of us, growing up in any community that emigrates from another country. I think that is very fundamental.
The other point that I wanted to say, from the Ukrainian community, generally, if you talk to someone in the Ukrainian community and if they had a heart problem, they usually go something like, "Barwinsky," tap themselves on the chest and just say, "Barwinsky." That was something that I experienced quite regularly in the Ukrainian community, including the Archbishop.
The Leader of the Opposition, I think quite correctly, talked about humility and the humble nature of the man that we are talking about today. I want to speak to an occasion that perhaps reflects that. I can recall being in the committee of this Chamber several years ago when we were sitting as we often do, late, late at night, debating a bill dealing with health-related matters. As we all know, as the night draws on, as the heat increases, as the temperature around the table increases and the crowd thins out in the committee Chamber, there was a lone man sitting in the committee Chamber waiting to make a presentation to the Legislative Committee. Someone who did not have to be there late at night, someone who did not have to spend four or five or six hours sitting in the committee Chamber to make a presentation to legislators who are paid to do that, to sit there, but came on his own time, on his own energy, patiently and quietly sat there until his time came up to make a presentation to us and the committee.
That was Doctor Barwinsky. No fuss, no fanfare, but he wanted to put on the record some of his perspective and some of his experience to allow us, to try help us, to educate us to do our jobs better. There was no need or desire to say, "I have more important things to do." That was an important thing to do, and he did it on his own time and his own pleasure and his own humble and his own dedicated fashion. One of the advantages of being in the caring profession, that I said on many occasions, is that you get to look in the eyes of your patients and know, through their response, that you have accomplished something.
* (10:40)
That is something that, maybe, we in this Chamber do not get to experience on a daily basis, but that is one of the wonderful and, perhaps, one of the few significant benefits of being in the caring profession that you know through your dedication, hard work and your commitment, that you have been able to help affect a life and help improve a life and help to make the quality of life of an individual and a family and a community that much better. For that, our words cannot capture the thanks that you have received through the eyes of those patients.
Much will be said about the awards and the recognition, but I think much more will go unsaid about the dedication, the leadership role that you have played in the Ukrainian community and the impact that you have had on the individual lives of those families that you have touched through your skill and your determination and your dedication.
On behalf of myself and all members of the Chamber, I think we are all speaking collectively and unanimously in this regard, thank you and mohiay blaha ialita [phonetic].
Mrs. Heather Stefanson (Tuxedo): Mr. Speaker, I am truly honoured to second this resolution today, recognizing the contributions of Doctor Barwinsky, someone who I believe to be, and indeed all members of this Chamber and our community, a truly remarkable Manitoban, Canadian and, I might say, a truly remarkable neighbour, too.
Doctor Barwinsky was born in
Doctor Barwinsky studied at the
Doctor Barwinsky was a distinguished cardiac surgeon who has performed over 5500 surgical operations. He joined the surgical staff at St. Boniface Hospital and was appointed as director of the surgical research laboratory of the hospital in 1961, a position he held for more than 14 years.
He developed new procedures and techniques in cardiac surgery including the procedure to install pace makers, heart valves and coronary bypass grafts that have benefited tens of thousands of Manitobans and Canadians and people around the world by improving the duration and quality of their lives.
Doctor Barwinsky moved through the academic ranks to
become full Professor of Surgery at the
Thanks to Doctor
Barwinsky's efforts, the
post-graduate surgery program at the
Doctor Barwinsky has received numerous awards and has been involved with a number of organizations and sat on numerous boards in our community. On behalf of the constituents of Tuxedo, I want to congratulate Doctor Barwinsky for his contribution to the field of medical science. I want to thank him for all he has done for our Tuxedo community, for Manitobans, Canadians and, indeed, for people around the world.
To Doctor Barwinsky, who is here with us today, dyakuyu. Thank you.
Mr. Doug Martindale (Burrows): Mr. Speaker, it is a pleasure to take part in this debate on this resolution which I am sure will garner all-party support.
The Member for
He was born in the
In 1961, he became the
first Ukrainian physician in
Doctor Barwinsky is a dedicated Canadian citizen who cherishes his roots and love of Ukraine. In 1993, he was instrumental in raising funds to assist in establishing the Association of Cardiac Surgeons in Ukraine. He was also one of the founding members of the Canada-Ukraine Foundation.
I would like to pay
tribute to Doctor Barwinsky and the Canada-Ukraine Foundation because I believe it was this
foundation that raised money for the Canadian Ukrainian Congress to support their observers in the
election in Ukraine in December 26, 2004. I believe they raised over a million
dollars. That was very helpful in subsidizing the costs of these observers. I
was one of those 500 observers and it was a privilege to be a part of that
delegation. On behalf of all the observers, we thank you and the Ukrainian
Canadian foundation for your fundraising efforts.
Doctor Barwinsky has been recognized by the Osvita Foundation as their 17th recipient of the Osvita Foundation award in 1998. The Osvita Foundation raises money for the Manitoba Parents for Ukrainian Education, to support the English-Ukrainian bilingual programs in a number of schools across Manitoba. My children and thousands of Manitoba children have benefited from the English-Ukrainian bilingual program. So we thank you for your contribution and your being recognized by the Osvita Foundation.
Doctor Barwinsky has been active as a member of the board of the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra, past vice-president of the Taras Shevchenko Foundation, board member of St. Sophia Religious Organization, president of the Canada-Ukraine Foundation and past-president of the Catholic Physicians Guild.
In 1998, Doctor Barwinsky
retired from cardiovascular surgery. He remains heavily involved in the
community and in the field of cardio research and medical ethics. I think all
of us can agree with the conclusion of the resolution, the "therefore be
it resolved" paragraph. All of us acknowledge the tremendous contribution
made by you, since you are in the gallery today, to the health of
Mrs. Myrna Driedger (Charleswood): I am pleased to rise today and put a few words on the record regarding this resolution honouring and recognizing Doctor Barwinsky.
When I first met him almost 30 years ago, I was just sitting here figuring it out, it was about 30 years ago when I was a nurse at St. Boniface Hospital. I had just moved there from the Health Sciences Centre in 1974, and the neuro-sciences ward was right next to the cardiovascular-thoracic ward, or the CVT ward, and then later I had an opportunity to reconnect as a nursing supervisor on the cardiovascular-thoracic ward when it was a new ward at St. Boniface Hospital.
* (10:50)
It is amazing now, really, to stand here and for me to think back over those 30 years and to think about the contributions that Doctor Barwinsky made. I am really quite humbled, because here we have really a world-renowned surgeon and man in our midst from our own province, from within our own back yard. I never in my wildest dreams, probably, would have thought that I would have ever had an opportunity to stand here as a legislator in the province and be able to acknowledge some of the incredible contributions that he has made to this province and to medicine in this province.
Doctor Barwinsky is part of a legacy in the province in
terms of what happened with the whole evolution here of cardiac surgery, and he
was part of an incredible team that built a world-renowned program right here
in this province. St. Boniface Hospital is duly proud of what this team,
particularly Doctor Barwinsky, was
able to do in building this team and the contributions they were able to make
to the province and to the field of medicine in what they were doing with open
heart surgery.
I would also indicate that, having spent many years at St. Boniface Hospital and seen the work of Doctor Barwinsky, he is highly respected within the health care profession by nurses, by doctors and by all other health care professionals, but also by patients and families for what he was able to for them. He always came across as a very quiet man, a very thoughtful man and surgeon, one of calming influence. Sometimes, when you are dealing in the field of medicine and surgery, you do not necessarily always find somebody that can put forward that kind of calming influence, that no matter the crisis that is going on, and when you are in the midst of a 10-, 12-hour surgery, you know things are not always going smoothly as you might like. There are challenges before you, but Doctor Barwinsky always came across as a quiet, calming influence, a thoughtful surgeon, a thoughtful man, and very supportive of all those professions around him.
As a nurse that had just come to work at St. Boniface Hospital, Doctor Barwinsky always had to walk through the neural sciences ward to get to the CVT ward, and whether he was in scrubs or his signature bowtie, it was something that always acknowledged and you always felt kind of a sense of calm prevailing when you knew Doctor Barwinsky was on the ward. He has certainly been highly acclaimed for his professional contributions as a doctor, whether it has been as a surgeon, a researcher or a teacher. Many of those have been recognized today through the many awards that he has received.
Besides Doctor Barwinsky's significant contributions and his leadership in the area of medicine, he also has been a man that has been proud and stayed strong to his Ukrainian roots and I think that the Ukrainian community here in this province, as has been mentioned, are very proud to know that he is one of them. He is also a man that has remained strong to his faith and contributed in what ways he could there.
Today, Doctor Barwinsky, I am indeed honoured to have this opportunity to stand here and acknowledge what you have given to this province, to the people here, to the patients, to the families, to those of us who have been in the profession, to us here as legislators. We are certainly proud to recognize you as a remarkable Manitoban for the impact you have made on many, many people in this province. I would like to say on behalf of the people of Charleswood whom I represent and as a former nurse, on behalf of all of us in the nursing profession, thank you so much for what you have given to all of us. It is indeed an honour to acknowledge you here today, Doctor.
Hon. Tim Sale (Minister of Health): Mr. Speaker, I think I am privileged to be in my particular role when Doctor Barwinsky is being honoured through this motion which I am sure we will all support. I was also very honoured last year to be at the dinner at which Doctor Barwinsky was honoured by the St. Boniface Hospital Research Foundation. I heard stories which both moved me, and, I think, made me very grateful for somebody who clearly has lived his life through a deep faith.
In particular, I was moved by the discussion which made it clear that Doctor Barwinsky sees himself as a servant and not as a director. The words that were spoken last year in honouring him spoke so highly of a person who, above all, saw himself as privileged to serve and a learner from his patients. I remember those words, that he saw himself as having been taught by his patients like courage, I think courage was mentioned very clearly, as an outstanding quality of people who, when cardiac surgery was an early pioneering kind of work, the courage of people to face what they had to deal with in their life and to take the risks.
I guess, for me, understanding servanthood is something that comes with an understanding of a Judaeo-Christian heritage, and for a physician of great stature to very clearly understand himself as both a learner from and a servant of those with whom he participated in the healing process, I think, is a tremendous example to young physicians, to young nurses, to any of us who would serve the public or would serve people in times of need. I think that it was a great truth that was spoken, that when you understand yourself as servant and as participant, you do indeed learn from the people with whom you work in ways that perhaps surprise us. I want to thank Doctor Barwinsky for that life of servanthood, in which curiously when you are that kind of servant, you become honoured as a leader. It is an interesting process that servant hood that is truly lived out turns out to be exemplary leadership.
I want to thank you, Doctor Barwinsky, through the Chair, for that contribution. I know, because you continue to teach ethics, which is essentially the ethics of how we behave in the medical system, profoundly qualify that relationship between the clinician, the healer, and the person participating and healing, and that whole ethical construct is terribly important. Thank you for continuing to provide that kind of servant hood in asking young students and practitioners to think through how it is they face the challenges of difficult patients, difficult healing situations, and what face they bring to that. Do you bring that the face of the expert, or do they bring that the face of the servant? I think that is a very important question you are continuing to help our students to face and understand. So, thank you, Mr. Speaker.
* (11:00)
Hon. Jon Gerrard (
As a doctor who has practised in Manitoba and who has been involved in research, I know first-hand and from discussions with many colleagues of the contribution of Doctor Barwinsky, both as a surgeon and physician, and as a member who has been very involved in the Ukrainian community and indeed in the medical and health community generally.
We owe a great deal to
Doctor Barwinsky for his caring for patients, for his involvement in research.
The contributions to improving the way we install pacemakers and heart valves
and do cardiac bypass procedures are significant. Doctor Barwinsky's role has
been acknowledged not only in
I just want to say and to reiterate, as a member of this Legislature, as a member of the Liberal Party and as a physician, thank you for all that you have done for people in Manitoba. We very much appreciate it.
Mr. Jack Reimer (Southdale): I just wanted to put a few words on the record in regard to the resolution that was brought forth. A lot of things have been said about Doctor Barwinsky in regard to his background, his statistics, where he was born and everything else like that. There is one statistic I would just like to talk about for one moment. That is where it mentions that the distinguished cardiac surgeon performed over 5500 surgical operations.
I just want to relate about two of those operations that are referred to in your bio here, doctor. One of those was to my father. My father had an operation a few years ago, quite a little while ago. My father passed away just recently, but I remember the time when I heard that my father was going to have to go in for bypass surgery. At that time it was a relatively new expression, if you want to call it, in regard to something that was going to be operated on in your heart. Your heart, the vital organ of your body, controls everything. Here there was going to be open heart surgery on my father.
I still remember a bit of the anxiety, the apprehension as to what might happen or the speculation and everything else like that. The operation went smoothly. Dad was in, he was out, he recovered. He went on to work, went on to do a lot of other things, had a tremendous life after that. But the moment and the time is still fairly vivid in the time when the doctor had to literally open up your chest to get at the heart. So I remember that one quite specifically, you know, about my father.
The next one, No. 2 on your statistics, was my brother-in-law. My brother-in-law came to a point where he had problems with his heart. He was going through a fair amount of discomfort and anguish as to what was going to happen with him. I remember talking to my sister about it and I talked to my brother-in-law about it, but he had to go in for surgery. Doctor Barwinsky, this doctor here, was the one that operated on him. My brother-in-law went into the operation. Everything went smoothly. Everything turned out well. He went on, kept on his work. He worked for quite a few years after that, retired. He was too young to retire but he did, but part of it was, you know, his life was back on normal, and things like that just happen.
There is another statistic there, but I am not part of it. I am not part of that 5500, but I, too, had the opportunity to have open heart surgery. It was done by one of his team, one of the people that was at St. Boniface.
That happened to me a little while ago, too. The operation, the whole atmosphere about having something done to your heart, is very, very traumatic, in a sense. There is a sense of total lack of confidence that you put within the surgeon that is doing that operation. The surgeon comes to you, he talks to you or she talks to you. The nurses are around you. There is a feeling of calmness. There is a feeling of confidence you have that you put in the hands of a surgeon who operates on your heart. I certainly do not recommend everybody to have that type of feeling, but I tell you, when you are there and the procedure starts to take over, and the confidence, the presence of an individual with that type of ability, there is a calming effect that comes over you when the time comes that you have to wheel down the hall.
The doctor is there standing over you and he talks to you as you are going under. It is usually a doctor. I had a very wonderful doctor who did my operation. I know he was part of Doctor Barwinsky's team because he was there at the same time. It was a different doctor. I just wanted to relate to you that the presence you have in being surrounded by the competent staff, and the tremendous contributions that you put your life, in essence, into the hands of a qualified and a dedicated surgeon, is something that, as a person myself, have experienced once with my dad, once with my brother-in-law and then I personally went through it.
I just want to join in
with the other people that have talked and mentioned about Doctor Barwinsky. It
is a tremendous profession. It is a tremendous vocation that you have, sir. It
is something that is very, very dedicated to the people of
Mr. Leonard Derkach (Russell): I join my colleagues in the Legislature today, and I am sure many hundreds of Manitobans and professionals in the medical field and Canadians and people who are associated with the medical field and the Ukrainian community in putting a few comments on the record, but more importantly, it is a day when I want to say on behalf of our caucus and on behalf of many Manitobans and Canadians, thank you to a man who is indeed a hero in our province and in our land.
Mr. Speaker, it is often said that you are never a hero in your own town or in your own community, but today we change that because today we recognize the contribution that has been made to the medical field, especially in the cardiovascular area, by an individual who we are extremely proud of. When I say that, I do not speak just on behalf of our party, I speak on behalf of all of us in this Legislature, and probably on behalf of many hundreds and thousands of Manitobans.
Mr. Speaker, I have known of Doctor Barwinsky for some time, but it seems that, on a daily basis, you can run into someone who knows of him, who knows of his contribution and who maybe has had the occasion to have a family member or somebody that is acquainted who has had surgery performed by Doctor Barwinsky. It was quite by coincidence that this morning I met with an individual who works for Immigration, and we started chatting about things and family issues. I came to realize that he had had heart surgery. I asked him when he had had it and he said it was back in 1998. I thought, "Wow, I had not heard of this," and yet I knew this fellow quite well. We discussed it a little bit, and then he told that it was Doctor Barwinsky that did his surgery.
* (11:10)
When I met Doctor Barwinsky this morning, I mentioned this individual's name and Doctor Barwinsky knew exactly who he was and where he worked. This is the kind of mind this gentleman has. He not only performed thousands of surgeries, but every patient to him is an individual of importance, and he takes the time to know these people and where they are in life. That, again, speaks to the quality of the individual. If we could have all of the professionals gather in an assembly who could speak about the contributions of Doctor Barwinsky, it would take an enormous amount of time, because I know the high esteem that this gentleman is held in by the medical community and by the specialists and all of the medical community who have had an opportunity to touch him, to work with him, to know the kind of individual and the contribution that he is able to make.
I am not going to go back and read that litany of contributions and the litany of accomplishments of Doctor Barwinsky, but I think I want to spend a moment just to acknowledge that this individual was not one who was born to riches, if you like. He was born in a foreign land, came to this country, had to struggle to put himself through school, and he did that. Every step of the way, he was someone who was an individual of achievement.
At the same time, while he moved through life and accomplished the different levels that he had, he contributed to his community. You can see that when you look at sort of the cultural mosaic of our province and you look at the Ukrainian community itself as part of that mosaic. Look at the contributions that Doctor Barwinsky made to that community. It is, indeed, something that is quite astounding in terms of the contribution he made there as well as the contribution he made to medicine.
The member from Burrows
talked about the significant contribution he made with respect to the
Doctor Barwinsky is also a family man, someone whose family have grown up in our province. I know there are members in this Legislature who know his family and know the quality of his family. He is an individual who has contributed both to his family and to the community. His family, again, have the same ideals, the same values, the same goals, if you like, of accomplishment as he has. He is leaving with all of us, and continues to leave, a legacy, a legacy that all of us should be extremely proud of. He is a hero, not only in the Ukrainian community, but I think in Manitoba, as a great Manitoban, a great Canadian, someone who is renowned not only in this country, but throughout the world.
This is a day, when we set aside a little bit of time in the Legislature to recognize the accomplishments of someone who has dedicated his life to a cause, someone who has dedicated his life to the quality of life of others. It is for that reason, I think, that we stand very proud as Manitobans to have among us someone who has this significant contribution to the quality of life for our society, to the quality of life for us as Manitobans and Canadians.
Today, in conclusion, I want to say to Doctor Barwinsky, his wife and his family, thank you for the tremendous contribution that you have made to all of us as Manitobans, all of us as Canadians, to us who are part of that Ukrainian community. Thank you for your contribution as a volunteer and thank you for the citizenship that you have brought to this country. We are so very proud of you and your family. Thank you once again.
Mr. Speaker: Is the House ready for the question?
An Honourable Member: Question.
Mr. Speaker: The question before the House is the motion moved by the honourable Leader of the Official Opposition (Mr. Murray).
Is it the pleasure of the House to adopt the motion? [Agreed]
Mr. Leonard Derkach (Official Opposition House Leader): I would like it noted in the record that this motion is passed unanimously.
Mr. Speaker: Is it the will of the House for the motion to be passed unanimously? [Agreed]
The motion has been passed unanimously.
We will now move on to the next resolution as previously agreed. The next resolution is standing in the name of honourable Member for St. James, the celebration of the 60th anniversary of VE Day.
Res.
2–60th Anniversary of VE Day
Ms. Bonnie Korzeniowski (St. James): Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the member for Flin Flon (Mr. Jennissen),
WHEREAS World War II was
declared on September 3, 1939, by
WHEREAS the war
eventually encompassed Europe, Asia,
WHEREAS the war was the greatest and most destructive war in history, which strained the economic capabilities of major nations and left many countries on the edge of collapse; and
WHEREAS more than an estimated 17 million members of the armed forces of the various belligerents perished during the conflict, and
WHEREAS in the six years of conflict, Canada enlisted more than 1 million men and women in the armed forces with over 55 000 wounded and 45 000 giving their lives in the cause of peace and freedom; and
WHEREAS on May 7, 1945,
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba, in celebration of the 60th anniversary of VE Day, express on behalf of all Manitobans, our deepest sympathies and thanks for the sacrifices of those Canadians who joined the forces and those that supported the war effort on home base.; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this Assembly call on all generations and governments to be involved in the ongoing struggle for world peace and social justice.
Mr. Speaker: It has been moved by the honourable Member for St. James, seconded by the honourable Member for Flin Flon
WHEREAS World War II—
An Honourable Member: Dispense.
Mr. Speaker: Dispense?
An Honourable Member: Flin Flon?
Mr. Speaker: Oh, he is not in his seat.
Point of Order
Mr. Speaker: The honourable Government House Leader, on a point of order.
Hon. Gord Mackintosh (Government House Leader): Mr. Speaker, I am just wondering if there is leave of the House to have this matter maintain its precedence, and we will begin debate on it. I understand that vets are coming down in May, and we will have some discussion amongst the parties in terms of recognizing that at that time.
Mr. Speaker: The motion that was presented forward is out of order anyway, because there is no seconder for the motion, so I cannot even move the motion. We will just leave as is. I cannot move the motion because I do not have a seconder. I have to leave as is.
* * *
Mr. Speaker: We will move on to other business of the House.
What is the will of the House? Is it the will of the House for the motion to remain standing in its place as is? [Agreed]
Is it the will of the House to call it twelve o'clock? [Agreed]
The hour being twelve o'clock, we will recess and we will reconvene at 1:30 p.m.