Hon. Darren Praznik (Government House Leader): At this time I understand that His Honour the Lieutenant Governor will be entering the Chamber to give Royal Assent to the Workers Compensation bill. I think it is Bill 33.

Mr. Deputy Speaker (Marcel Laurendeau): I am advised that the Lieutenant Governor is about to enter the Chamber.

Sergeant-at-Arms (Mr. Mac Allen): His Honour the Lieutenant Governor.

Mr. Deputy Speaker: May it please Your Honour:

The Legislative Assembly, at its present session, passed a bill which, in the name of the Assembly, I present to Your Honour, and to which bill I respectfully request Your Honour's assent:

Bill 33–The Special Payment to Certain Dependent Spouses of Deceased Workers Act; Loi sur le paiement spécial destiné à certains conjoints à charge de travailleurs décédés.

Mr. Clerk (William Remnant): In Her Majesty's name, His Honour the Lieutenant Governor doth assent to this bill.

Hon. Darren Praznik (Government House Leader): Mr. Deputy Speaker, I have a number of announcements and things to go through respecting House business over the next few days.

First of all, I would ask if you could please canvass the Assembly to see if there would be a willingness to waive private members' hour.

Mr. Deputy Speaker: Is there leave to waive private members' hour? [agreed]

Mr. Praznik: Secondly, I would like to ask for you, Mr. Deputy Speaker, to seek leave to see if we could set Thursday hours tomorrow, Wednesday, given that Thursday is in fact Canada Day. In essence, that means we will have a sitting tomorrow morning from 10 a.m. to 12 noon.

Mr. Deputy Speaker: Is there leave of the House to sit Thursday hours on Wednesday? [agreed]

Mr. Praznik: Within that time tomorrow, just for members' information, it will be our intention to call–I am looking for the resolution–I believe it is private member's Resolution 35 at 10 a.m. In fact, I would like to so serve notice today.

I would ask as well for leave of the House to have Madam Speaker interrupt the debate on that resolution at 10:55 a.m. to put the question on it if there is agreement to do that. I believe that is Resolution 35 from the member for Rupertsland (Mr. Robinson) regarding Custody of Aboriginal and First Nations Children.

Mr. Deputy Speaker: Is there leave? [agreed]

Mr. Praznik: By way of information, following the completion of that resolution, it is the intention, after discussions with the opposition House leader (Mr. Ashton), that we will be calling bills for introduction for second readings and for debate on second readings for the remainder of the time.

I would also like to announce at this particular time a number of committees that we will be calling. First of all, I would like to call the Committee on Law Amendments for Monday at 10 a.m. to consider at this particular time Bill 26, which I believe is the chiropodists bill and any other legislation that we will be passing through–I believe it is Bill 20.

Mr. Praznik: Madam Speaker, just for your information, I am calling the Standing Committee on Law Amendments for Monday at 10 a.m. for the consideration, I believe we have one bill that is ready to go to committee, of Bill 20. I look to the Clerk for confirmation. There will be other bills I believe we will pass through second reading stage tomorrow. It is my intention to have those bills as well go to that committee.

I would also like to announce that the Standing Committee on Municipal Affairs will be called for Monday next at 7 p.m. to consider the municipal amendment legislation, which I believe is Bill 25, The Municipal Assessment Amendment Act. I understand that there are some nine registered presenters, and it would be our intention just to hear presenters for that particular session rather than moving clause by clause as well, so we would like to call that committee so that the Clerk's office can give appropriate notice. Many of those presenters are coming some distance.

I also would like to announce that the Standing Committee on Public Accounts be called for Tuesday next at 10 a.m. I am not calling it formally at this time, but I would like to provide again by way of notice that we are considering calling either the Standing Committee on Municipal Affairs or on Law Amendments for next Wednesday evening to deal with other matters that may not be completed, including the clause by clause of that assessment bill and other matters that may be necessary. So I am not formally calling it, but I am serving notice so members have as much notice as possible in doing their planning.

I would also this afternoon, Madam Speaker, like to ask for leave to sit the following committees in the Committee of Supply. In the Chamber, the Department of Consumer and Corporate Affairs until 4 p.m., followed thereafter by the Department of Northern Affairs. I believe some leaves are required here. In Room 255, the Department of Finance, and in Room 254, the continuation of the Department of Justice.

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Madam Speaker: Is there unanimous consent of the House for the Estimates of the Department of Consumer and Corporate Affairs to be considered in the Chamber, and upon completion of those Estimates, then the Estimates of the Department of Northern Affairs?

I apologize. There is a switch from one department to another at a prescribed time. Consumer and Corporate Affairs to be considered in the Chamber until 4 p.m., and then the Estimates of the Department of Northern Affairs to be considered from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. [agreed]

Is there unanimous consent of the House for the Estimates of the Department of Finance to be considered in Room 255? [agreed]

Is there unanimous consent of the House for the Estimates of the Department of Justice to be considered in Room 254? [agreed]

Mr. Edward Helwer (Gimli): Madam Speaker, I move, seconded by the member for Pembina (Mr. Dyck), that the composition of the Standing Committee on Law Amendments, June 29, 1999, at 10 a.m. be amended as follows: the member for Lakeside (Mr. Enns) for the member for Assiniboia (Mrs. McIntosh). This substitution was moved, by leave, during the committee held this morning, and the same change is now being moved to update the official records of the House.

Madam Speaker: I believe there are also some announcements regarding standing committees for next week. Municipal Affairs to sit on Monday at 7 p.m. to consider Bill 25. Law Amendments to sit on Monday at 10 a.m. to consider Bill 20 and any other bills that may be subsequently moved to that committee. Public Accounts committee tentatively scheduled for Tuesday at 10 a.m., and Law Amendments committee scheduled for Wednesday evening, 7 p.m.

Mr. Praznik: Madam Speaker, just for your information, to confirm that the House has given unanimous consent to sit tomorrow from 10 till noon and that, by way of business, the first item is the resolution of the member for Rupertsland (Mr. Robinson) with respect to aboriginal adoption, and we have unanimous consent for Madam Speaker to call the necessary questions at five minutes to 11. There may be an amendment, et cetera, but to bring the matters to a conclusion at that time to resolution, then we will be calling government bills in the order they appear on the Order Paper at that particular time.

Madam Speaker, no other business to be announced, so I would move, seconded by the honourable Minister of Natural Resources (Mr. Cummings), that Madam Speaker do now leave the Chair and that this House resolve itself into a committee to consider of the Supply to be granted to Her Most Gracious Majesty.