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Hon. Vic Toews (Minister of Justice and Attorney General): Madam Speaker, I am wondering whether I might have leave of the House to make a motion establishing a commission of inquiry pursuant to The Manitoba Evidence Act.
Madam Speaker: Does the honourable Minister of Justice have leave? [agreed]
Mr. Kevin Lamoureux (Inkster): Madam Speaker, just for clarification, that would be a debatable motion, I take it. If it is a debatable motion, I think that there would definitely be leave for it.
Madam Speaker: On the point of order raised by the honourable member for Inkster, it is a debatable motion.
Mr. Toews: Madam Speaker, I move, seconded by the First Minister (Mr. Filmon), that this Assembly, for the purposes of subsection 83(3) of The Manitoba Evidence Act, assent to the issue of a commission to the Chief Electoral Officer under clauses 83(1)(d) and (f) of The Manitoba Evidence Act to inquire into and report on the alleged infractions of The Elections Act and The Elections Finances Act occurring during the period prior to and during the 1995 Manitoba general election in the electoral divisions of Dauphin, Interlake and Swan River, as set out in the attached proposed Order-in-Council. I have three copies.
Motion presented.
Mr. Lamoureux: Madam Speaker, I will not necessarily debate the motion right now, but I did want to see if I could have leave to pose a question to the minister just to give further detail, if we are asking Elections Manitoba through this motion to strike the inquiry or is it the government that is striking the inquiry. That would be the question if in fact there would be leave to allow that to occur.
Madam Speaker: Is there leave to permit the honourable Minister of Justice (Mr. Toews) to provide clarification to the honourable member for Inkster (Mr. Lamoureux)? [agreed]
Mr. Toews: Madam Speaker, the proposal is to follow the requirements of Section 83 of the act which sets out a particular authority to a commissioner and in this matter the proposed draft in fact, if I could refer to that proposed draft, is that the Chief Electoral Officer, Mr. Richard D. Balasko, be appointed as commissioner to inquire into and report on the alleged infractions. I trust that that answers the member's question.
Mr. Steve Ashton (Opposition House Leader): I move, seconded by the member for Concordia (Mr. Doer), that debate be adjourned.
Motion agreed to.