Hon. James McCrae (Minister of Environment): Madam Speaker, I am pleased to table the State of the Environment Report for Manitoba for 1997.

Hon. James Downey (Minister of Industry, Trade and Tourism): Madam Speaker, I have a statement for the House of which I have copies for members opposite.

Madam Speaker, I am pleased to inform the House of a significant meeting held in Winnipeg last week of the Canada-Taiwan Business Association. The association alternates its annual joint meetings between Canada and Taiwan, and my wife and I had the pleasure of attending the last meeting in Canada two years ago which was held in New Brunswick. At that time, I made a proposal that the association hold its next Canadian meeting in Winnipeg.

My colleague the Honourable Harry Enns, Minister of Agriculture, led a trade mission to Taiwan in September 1996, and his efforts in promoting Manitoba assisted in making this meeting a reality. The result was this year's meeting here in Winnipeg which attracted the largest delegation ever from Taiwan with 130 official delegates. This conference is presented every year to promote trade and other economic relations between the two countries.

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The keynote speaker of this year's event was a leading Taiwanese economic adviser, Dr. P. K. Chiang, chairman of the Council for Economic Planning and Development. This year's event focused on sectors of special interest to Manitoba, including natural resources, agri-food, transportation and building products and services. During the meeting, 25 members of the Taiwan Venture Capital Association met with five Manitoba companies and were apparently very enthusiastic about the prospects for developing some partnerships. The conference also offered a rare opportunity for some 20 Manitoba companies to showcase their goods, services and capabilities to representatives of one of the world's most important emerging markets. As well, senior delegates from Taiwan toured several prominent local companies such as New Flyer Industries, Standard Aero, Bristol Aerospace and Loewen Windows.

So with all of these activities and positive expectations, I am confident this conference laid solid foundations for significant trade and commercial relationships. Indeed, in response to an invitation from the Taiwanese government and industrial officials, my department has begun planning a government-led private-sector trade mission to Taiwan within a year. Overall, Madam Speaker, this conference has been a notable achievement for Winnipeg and Manitoba and certainly holds great promise for enhancing our economic and other ties with Taiwan and other major markets in Asia.

I would also like to take this opportunity to thank the chairman of Taiwan's Council for Economic Planning and Development, Dr. P. K. Chiang, for the generous donation of $20,000 to the flood relief fund in Manitoba. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Mr. Tim Sale (Crescentwood): Madam Speaker, I would like to thank the minister for the statement in regard to the meeting of the Canada-Taiwan Business Association here last week and to commend members of that organization for their efforts to promote fair and free trade between our two countries. Particularly, I think it is appropriate that all members of the House join together in thanking the Council for Economic Planning and Development for its generous donation, one of thousands and thousands of donations from around the world to the flood relief efforts here in Manitoba.

So I am pleased to join with the minister in thanking that association and to wish the association well in its future endeavours to promote more interaction and exchange between our two economies and peoples.

Hon. Harry Enns (Minister of Agriculture): Madam Speaker, I would like to table with the Legislature several copies of the final task force report entitled Working for Value.