Madam Speaker: Bill 2, on the proposed motion of the honourable Minister of Rural Development (Mr. Derkach), The Municipal Assessment Amendment and Assessment Validation Act; Loi modifiant la Loi sur l'évaluation municipale et validant certaines évaluations.

Hon. Jim Ernst (Minister of Consumer and Corporate Affairs): I move, seconded by the Minister of Environment (Mr. Cummings), that Bill 2, The Municipal Assessment Amendment and Assessment Validation Act; (Loi modifiant la Loi sur l'évaluation municipale et validant certaines évaluations), be now read a third time and passed.

Motion agreed to.

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Hon. Jim Ernst (Minister of Consumer and Corporate Affairs): I move, seconded by the Minister of Rural Development (Mr. Derkach), that Bill 3, The Surface Rights Amendment Act (Loi modifiant la Loi sur les droits de surface), be now read a third time and passed.

Motion agreed to.

Hon. Jim Ernst (Minister of Consumer and Corporate Affairs): I move, seconded by the Minister of Rural Development (Mr. Derkach), that Bill 43, The Municipal Assessment Amendment, City of Winnipeg Amendment and Assessment Validation Act (Loi modifiant la Loi sur l'évaluation municipale et la Loi sur la Ville de Winnipeg et validant certaines évaluations), be now read a third time and passed.

Motion presented.

Mr. Kevin Lamoureux (Inkster): We just wanted to take this opportunity just to express some concern with respect to Bill 43. My gut feeling on this particular piece of legislation, Madam Speaker, it is only a question of time before we are going to come back or bring in legislation to try to reverse the action that we are taking today. I think, as a whole, the city of Winnipeg property taxpayers are feeling very frustrated in terms of the way in which properties are being assessed, that is demonstrated through the number of appeals and so forth, that I do not believe this is a forward step for the property taxpayers in the city of Winnipeg.

I have had some discussions with members of the public that have indicated to me that the City of Winnipeg does have the capacity and should be being held more accountable, and particularly within the civil service, in trying to make these assessments more on a regular basis. I have even had some suggest that it could be done virtually on a yearly basis if it was being done properly. We are really concerned in terms of the government's caving in, what appears to be caving in, in terms of trying to accommodate the city, not necessarily thinking of the property taxpayer.

I can recall, when we modernized the legislation a few years back, where we tried to shorten the amount of years between assessment and now are going the other way. Even though it is one year, it does concern me and my colleagues greatly, and we look forward to a government rectifying the problem in the not-too-distant future in trying to get us moving in the other direction, where we get more up-to-date assessments leading to less frustration and less appeals from members of the public. With those few words, Madam Speaker, we are prepared to allow the bill to go to a vote.

Madam Speaker: Is the House ready for the question? The question before the House is third reading, Bill 43, The Municipal Assessment Amendment, City of Winnipeg Amendment and Assessment Validation Act (Loi modifiant la Loi sur l'évaluation municipale et la Loi sur la Ville de Winnipeg et validant certaines évaluations). Is it the will of the House to adopt the motion?

Some Honourable Members: Agreed.

Madam Speaker: Agreed and so ordered.

Hon. Jim Ernst (Minister of Consumer and Corporate Affairs): I move, seconded by the Minister of Rural Development (Mr. Derkach), that Bill 56, The Manitoba Investment Pool Authority Act (Loi sur l'Office manitobain de mise en commun des placements), be now read a third time and passed.

Motion agreed to.

Hon. Jim Ernst (Government House Leader): Madam Speaker, momentarily, the Lieutenant Governor and the Premier (Mr. Filmon) will be here in order to give Royal Assent to the bills that we have just passed.