Mr. Doug Martindale (Burrows): Madam Speaker, I beg to present the petition of Raymond Blue, D. Ansell, S. Bector and others requesting that the Legislative Assembly urge the Minister of Family Services (Mrs. Mitchelson) to consider withdrawing Bill 36 and replacing it with improved legislation which provides for a guaranteed annual income that allows people to have adequate food, clothing, housing, child care and health care that this annual income increases as prices increase and that this new legislation also provides for the creation of real jobs with the goal of creating full employment so that individuals on social assistance can find safe, meaningful work of their own choosing that allows them to meet their needs and the needs of their families.

Mr. Clif Evans (Interlake): Madam Speaker, I beg to present the petition of M. Senff, Len Krentzer, C.M. Robson and others requesting that the Premier (Mr. Filmon) withdraw Bill 67 and not sell the Manitoba Telephone System to private interests.

Mr. Gregory Dewar (Selkirk): Madam Speaker, I beg to present the petition of Al McKenzie, Heather Fisher, John Oltrop and others requesting that the Premier withdraw Bill 67 and not sell the Manitoba Telephone System to private interests.

Ms. Rosann Wowchuk (Swan River): Madam Speaker, I beg to present the petition of Anton Didwek, Maggie Quinton, Lena Boychuk and others requesting that the Premier withdraw Bill 67 and not sell the Manitoba Telephone System to private interests.

Mr. George Hickes (Point Douglas): Madam Speaker, I beg to present the petition of Irene Bender, George Bender, Pearl Kreutzer and others requesting that the Premier withdraw Bill 67 and not sell the Manitoba Telephone System to private interests.

Madam Speaker: I have reviewed the petition of the honourable member for Burrows (Mr. Martindale). It complies with the rules and practices of the House. Is it the will of the House to have the petition read?

An Honourable Member: Dispense.

Madam Speaker: Dispense.

THAT in 1976 Canada signed the United Nations Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights which recognized the right of everyone to make a living by work which is freely chosen, recognized the right of everyone to an adequate standard of living, including adequate food, clothing and housing, recognized the right of everyone to enjoy a high standard of physical and mental health, and provided for the widest possible protection and assistance to the family; and

THAT poor children and adults in Canada continue to die at a higher rate and earlier age than people with adequate incomes; and

THAT Bill 36, The Social Allowances Amendment Act, will create even greater poverty among the poor in Manitoba by eliminating government responsibility to ensure that everyone who lacks adequate food, clothing, housing and health care has these needs met; and

THAT the bill proposes to punish people by cutting them off from social assistance or reducing their benefits if they fail to meet employment expectations; and

WHEREFORE YOUR PETITIONERS HUMBLY PRAY that the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba urge the Minister of Family Services to consider withdrawing Bill 36 and replacing it with improved legislation which provides for a guaranteed annual income that allows people to have adequate food, clothing, housing, child care and health care and that this annual income increases as prices increase and that this new legislation also provides for the creation of real jobs with the goal of creating full employment so that individuals on social assistance can find safe, meaningful work of their own choosing that allows them to meet their needs and the needs of their families.

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Madam Speaker: I have reviewed the petition of the honourable member for Broadway (Mr. Santos). It complies with the rules and practices of the House. Is it the will of the House to have the petition read?

An Honourable Member: Dispense.

Madam Speaker: Dispense.

THAT the Manitoba Telephone System has served this province well for over 80 years providing province-wide service, some of the lowest local rates in North America and thousands of jobs and keeping profits in Manitoba; and

THAT MTS contributes $450 million annually to the Manitoba economy and is a major sponsor of community events throughout the province; and

THAT MTS, with nearly 4,000 employees including more than 1,000 in rural and northern Manitoba, is one of Manitoba's largest firms, headquartered in Manitoba and is committed to Manitoba; and

THAT the provincial government has no mandate to sell MTS and said before and during the 1995 election that MTS was not for sale.

WHEREFORE your petitioners humbly pray that the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba request that the Premier (Mr. Filmon) withdraw Bill 67 and not sell the Manitoba Telephone System to private interests.

Madam Speaker: I have reviewed the petition of the honourable member for Dauphin (Mr. Struthers). It complies with the rules and practices of the House. Is it the will of the House to have the petition read?

An Honourable Member: Yes.

Madam Speaker: Yes. The Clerk will read.

Mr. Clerk (William Remnant): The petition of the undersigned citizens of the province of Manitoba humbly sheweth:

THAT the Manitoba Telephone System has served this province well for over 80 years providing province-wide service, some of the lowest local rates in North America and thousands of jobs and keeping profits in Manitoba; and

THAT MTS contributes $450 million annually to the Manitoba economy and is a major sponsor of community events throughout the province; and

THAT MTS, with nearly 4,000 employees including more than 1,000 in rural and northern Manitoba, is one of Manitoba's largest firms, headquartered in Manitoba and is committed to Manitoba; and

THAT the provincial government has no mandate to sell MTS and said before and during the 1995 election that MTS was not for sale.

WHEREFORE your petitioners humbly pray that the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba request that the Premier (Mr. Filmon) withdraw Bill 67 and not sell the Manitoba Telephone System to private interests.

Mr. Peter Dyck (Chairperson of the Standing Committee on Economic Development): Madam Speaker, I beg to present the Sixth Report of the Committee on Economic Development.

Mr. Clerk (William Remnant): Your Standing Committee on Economic Development presents the following as its Sixth Report.

An Honourable Member: Dispense.

Madam Speaker: Dispense.

Your committee met on Friday, October 18, 1996, at 10 a.m. in Room 255 of the Legislative Building to consider the annual reports of the North Portage Development Corporation for the years ended March 31, 1992, and March 31, 1994; the financial statements for the North Portage Development Corporation for the year ended March 31, 1995; the financial statements for The Forks Renewal Corporation for the years ended March 31, 1994 and 1995; and the consolidated financial statements for the North Portage Development Corporation, operating as The Forks-North Portage Partnership, for the year ended March 31, 1996.

At that meeting, your committee elected Mr. McAlpine as its Vice-Chairperson.

Mr. Ernie Keller, chairman of the board, Mr. Kent Smith, president and chief executive officer, and Mr. Gary Steiman, board member, provided such information as was requested by members of the committee with respect to the reports and financial statements for The Forks-North Portage Partnership.

Your committee reports that it has considered the annual reports for the North Portage Development Corporation for the years ended March 31, 1992, and March 31, 1994; the financial statements for the North Portage Development Corporation for the year ended March 31, 1995; the financial statements for The Forks Renewal Corporation for the years ended March 31, 1994 and 1995; and the consolidated financial statements for the North Portage Development Corporation, operating as The Forks-North Portage Partnership, for the year ended March 31, 1996.

Mr. Dyck: I move, seconded by the honourable member for Riel (Mr. Newman), that the report of the committee be received.

Motion agreed to.

Mr. David Newman (Chairperson of the Standing Committee on Law Amendments): Madam Speaker, I beg to present the Fifth Report of the Committee on Law Amendments.

An Honourable Member: Dispense.

Madam Speaker: Dispense.

Your Standing Committee on Law Amendments presents the following as its Fifth Report.

Your committee met on Monday, October 21, 1996, at 10 a.m. in Room 255 of the Legislative Assembly to consider bills referred.

At that meeting your committee elected Mr. Penner as its Vice-Chairperson.

Your committee heard representation on bills as follows:

Bill 60--The Law Society Amendment Act; Loi modifiant la Loi sur la Société du Barreau

John Neufeld - Law Society of Manitoba

Bill 66--The Boxing and Wrestling Commission Amendment Act; Loi modifiant la Loi sur la Commission de la boxe et de la lutte

Bob Holliday - World Wrestling Federation

Your committee has considered:

Bill 25--The Jury Amendment Act; Loi modifiant la Loi sur les jurés

Bill 62--The Jobs Fund Repeal Act; Loi abrogeant la Loi sur le Fonds de soutien à l'emploi

Bill 66--The Boxing and Wrestling Commission Amendment Act; Loi modifiant la Loi sur la Commission de la boxe et de la lutte

and has agreed to report the same without amendment.

Your committee has also considered:

Bill 22---The Credit Unions and Caisses Populaires Amendment Act; Loi modifiant la Loi sur les caisses populaires et les credit unions

and has agreed to report the same with the following amendment:

MOTION:

THAT section 9 of the Bill be amended

(a) in clause (a), by striking out "or" and "by-laws"; and

(b) in clause (b), by striking out "and" and "by-laws".

Your committee has also considered:

Bill 28--The Winnipeg Stock Exchange Act; Loi sur la Bourse de Winnipeg

and has agreed to report the same with the following amendment:

MOTION:

THAT clause 11(1)(c) be amended in the English version by adding "in" after "only".

Your committee has also considered:

Bill 29--The Winnipeg Commodity Exchange Act; Loi sur la Bourse des marchandises de Winnipeg

and has agreed to report the same with the following amendments:

MOTION:

THAT section 1 be amended in the French version by striking out the definition " marchandise " et contrat à terme " and substituting the following:

marchandise et contrat à terme de marchandises S'entendent au sens de la Loi sur les contrats à terme. ("commodity", "commodity futures contract")

MOTION:

THAT section 5 be amended in the English version by striking out "object" and substituting "objects".

MOTION:

THAT clause 7(1)(b) be amended in the French version by striking out "maximun" and substituting "maximum".

MOTION:

THAT subsection 9(6) be struck out and the following substituted:

Officer cannot be director or member

9(6) No officer of the corporation, except the chair and any vice-chair of the board of directors, shall be a member of the Corporation and no officer of the Corporation, except the chair and any vice-chair of the board of directors and the president, shall be a director of the corporation.

Your committee has also considered:

Bill 45--The Consumer Protection Amendment Act; Loi modifiant la Loi sur la protection du consummateur

and has agreed to report the same with the following amendments:

MOTION:

THAT the proposed section 61, as set out in section 2 of the Bill, be renumbered as subsection 61(1) and the following be added as subsection 61(2):

Requirements re oral agreement

61(2) If an agreement for a retail sale or retail hire purchase to which this Part applies is not in writing, the vendor shall provide to the buyer, at the time that the agreement is entered into, a written statement of the cancellation rights that conforms with the requirements prescribed by the Minister.

MOTION:

THAT the proposed subsection 62(1), as set out in section 2 of the Bill, be amended by striking out ", excluding Sundays and holidays,".

MOTION:

THAT the proposed subsection 62(3), as set out in section 2 of the Bill, be amended by adding "any" before "goods" and before "services".

MOTION:

That Legislative Counsel be authorized to change all section numbers and internal references necessary to carry out the amendments adopted by this committee.

Your committee has also considered:

Bill 46--The Securities Amendment Act; Loi modifiant la Loi sur les valeurs mobilières

and has agreed to report the same with the following amendment:

MOTION:

THAT the proposed subclause 149(r)(iii), as set out in section 5 of the Bill, be amended in the English version by adding "of fees payable to the commission" after "exchanges".

Your committee has also considered:

Bill 60--The Law Society Amendment Act; Loi modifiant la Loi sur la Société du Barreau

and has agreed to report the same with the following amendments:

MOTION:

THAT clause 9(b) of the Bill be struck out.

MOTION:

THAT Legislative Counsel be authorized to change all section numbers and internal references necessary to carry out the amendments adopted by this committee.

Your committee voted to delete clause 8 of Bill 60.

Your committee also voted to delete clause 10 of Bill 60.

Mr. Newman: I move, seconded by the honourable member for Pembina (Mr. Dyck), that the report of the committee be received.

Motion agreed to.

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Hon. Rosemary Vodrey (Minister responsible for the Status of Women): Madam Speaker, I am pleased to table the Annual Report of the Manitoba Women's Advisory Council.