Hon. Harry Enns (Minister of Agriculture): Madam Speaker, I am pleased to table the 1997-98 Annual Report for the Department of Agriculture, copies of which have been previously distributed.

As well, I am pleased to table the 1997-98 Annual Report of the Manitoba Agricultural Credit Corporation, copies of which have also been previously distributed.

As well, I am pleased to table the 1997-98 Annual Report for the Manitoba Farm Mediation Board, copies of which have also been previously distributed.

As well, I am pleased to table the 1997 Annual Report for the Faculty of Agriculture and Food Services, University of Manitoba.

As well, I am pleased to table the Annual Report 1997-98 for the Manitoba Crop Insurance Corporation, copies of which have been previously distributed.

In conclusion, I am also pleased to table the 1998 Annual Report for the Prairie Agricultural Machinery Institute, affectionately known as PAMI.

Hon. Darren Praznik (Government House Leader): Madam Speaker, I am rising to ask if there would be leave of the House to allow for the first reading today of the Electoral Boundaries Commission legislation.

I would like to table as well at this time a letter that we received today from the Leader of the Liberal Party requesting that the House deal with this matter and pledging his caucus to seeing that in fact happens.

I only indicate that if members opposite are prepared to give leave today and have first reading, we can distribute the bill this afternoon. I know the Leader of the Opposition (Mr. Doer) is quoted in the media as not having seen the bill. By allowing first reading today, the bill will be distributed this afternoon--it cannot be distributed without first reading--and the member can see the bill. I would ask if there is leave.

Madam Speaker: Order, please. The honourable member for Thompson. Are you on a point of order?

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Mr. Steve Ashton (Opposition House Leader): On a point of order, Madam Speaker.

I think the government House leader did far more than just ask for leave, and I am somewhat puzzled because I was contacted by the same government House leader, in fact, before the spring break in which he indicated that it was the government’s desire to proceed with the electoral boundaries bill following the throne speech and before the budget. I would like to note for the record that that seemed to have changed on the basis of a matter of privilege moved by the member for The Maples (Mr. Kowalski), and since that time the government House leader seems to have chosen to deal with House business on the floor of the House, which is certainly not the practice followed by previous government House leaders.

I want to indicate that when I spoke to the government House leader I indicated more our willingness to talk to the government to arrange the business of the House, and we want to see fair boundaries which will involve passage of the boundaries act and fair elections which will involve dealing with the Monnin recommendations. I would suggest that the government House leader might want to take less direction from the Liberal Party on this and follow the processes of the House and his own word that he made to myself that he was willing to schedule this after the throne speech. It was his proposal. I would suggest that he go back and reflect on his desire to now raise the business of the House on the floor of the Legislature.

Some Honourable Members: Oh, oh.

Madam Speaker: Order, please. On the point of order raised by the honourable member for Thompson, I would agree to a degree that indeed the government House leader did go beyond the request for asking for unanimous consent, but I also allowed the House leader of the official opposition a lot of latitude in responding to the honourable government House leader. I will now ask the question that the request was made for. Is there unanimous consent of the House to allow the government House leader to introduce Bill 2?

Some Honourable Members: Oh, oh.

Madam Speaker: Order, please. I would remind all honourable members that this is not a time for debate. We do have rules and procedures that should be followed. The request was made and asked and leave has been denied.

Madam Speaker: Prior to Oral Questions, I would like to have all honourable members draw their attention to the public gallery where we have a number of guests with us this afternoon. Firstly, in the Speaker’s Gallery we have three students who are returning from an exchange in Costa Rica with the operation World Scholarship. They are Beth Bryson, Michele Nychuk, and Niki Ashton from R.D. Parker Collegiate in the constituency of the honourable member for Thompson (Mr. Ashton).

Also seated in the public gallery this afternoon we have twenty-two Grades 7 to 11 students from Maples Collegiate under the direction of Mr. Murray Goldenberg. This school is located in the constituency of the honourable member for The Maples (Mr. Kowalski), and three Grade 9 students from Nelson McIntyre Collegiate under the direction of Mr. Elliott Drewiak. This school is located in the constituency of St. Boniface.

On behalf of all honourable members, I welcome you this afternoon.