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? Dispense.

THAT during the 1995 provincial election, the Premier (Mr. Filmon) promised not to cut health services; and,

THAT the Pharmacare program brought in by the former NDP government was the first in Canada and has served as a model for pharmacare programs in Canada; and,

THAT the Manitoba Pharmacare program has enabled thousands of Manitobans over the years to be able to stay out of costly institutions and to avoid financial ruin due to the high cost of necessary pharmaceuticals; and,

THAT previous cuts to Pharmacare have reduced the budget from $60 million to less than $50 million over the past two years; and,

THAT as of April 1996 the provincial government is slashing benefits, effectively putting a tax on the sick and reducing the Pharmacare budget by $20 million; and,

THAT these cuts more than double the deductible for most Manitobans to over $1,000 for most families, effectively ending Pharmacare for the vast majority of the population regardless of health.

WHEREFORE your petitioners humbly pray that the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba may be pleased to request the Premier and the Minister of Health to consider reversing their plan to cut Pharmacare in 1996.

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

An Honourable Member: Dispense.

Madam Speaker: Dispense.

Your Standing Committee on Economic Development presents the following as its Fourth Report.

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

Your committee has considered:

Bill 14--The Manitoba Trading Corporation Amendment Act; Loi modifiant la Loi sur la Société commerciale du Manitoba

Bill 15--The Tourism and Recreation Amendment Act; Loi modifiant la Loi sur le tourisme et les loisirs

Bill 27--The Museum of Man and Nature Amendment and Consequential Amendments Act; Loi modifiant la Loi sur le Musée de l'Homme et de la Nature et apportant des modifications corrélatives

Bill 39--The Pari-Mutuel Levy and Consequential Amendments Act; Loi concernant les prélèvements sur les mises de pari mutuel et apportant des modifications corrélatives

Bill 71--The Manitoba Film and Sound Recording Development Corporation Act; Loi sur la Société manitobaine de développement de l'enregistrement cinématographique et sonore

and has agreed to report the same without amendment.

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

Motion agreed to.

Mr. Dyck: Madam Speaker, I beg to present the Fifth Report of the Committee on Economic Development.

An Honourable Member: Dispense.

Madam Speaker: Dispense.

Your Standing Committee on Economic Development presents the following as its Fifth Report.

Your committee met on Thursday, October 10, 1996, at 3:30 p.m. in Room 255 of the Legislative Building to consider the Financial Statements of Venture Manitoba Tours Ltd. for March 31, 1996 and 1995.

Mr. Bob Sparrow, chairman of Venture Manitoba Tours Ltd. and Mr. Harvey Boyle, assistant deputy minister, Department of Natural Resources, provided such information as was requested with respect to the Financial Statements of Venture Manitoba Tours Ltd. for March 31, 1996 and 1995.

Your committee has considered the Financial Statements of Venture Manitoba Tours Ltd. for March 31, 1996 and 1995 and has adopted the same as presented.

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

Motion agreed to.

Hon. Jim Ernst (Minister of Consumer and Corporate Affairs): On behalf of the Minister of Finance (Mr. Stefanson), I would like to table the Second Quarterly Report for the Manitoba Telephone System.

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