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Legislative Reports

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Manitoba

On December 20, 1988, the first session of the Thirty-Fourth Legislature of Manitoba adjourned after sitting for a total of one hundred and two days.

The early conclusion of this session occurred unexpectedly when Premier Gary Filmon withdrew his government's resolution on the Meech Lake Accord on December 19. The resolution was introduced on Friday, December 16 and was to have been debated for the following five days.

Mr. Filmon explained the withdrawal of the resolution. "I believe the decision made yesterday by the Government of Quebec to restrict minority language rights in that province violates the spirit of the Meech Lake Accord. In these circumstances, I have concluded that the debate on the resolution before us and the public hearings would not serve a useful purpose and may invite a very negative anti-Quebec backlash."

Finance Minister Clayton Manness introduced his first budget on August 8, 1988. The minority Conservative government maintained spending in such key areas as health and social programs.

The Conservatives upheld an election promise to upgrade and to private schools, increasing their budget 3.3 million dollars.

Highlights of the budget included: no increase in personal income tax; payroll tax exemption increase; a new Small Business Tax Reduction plan; limited tax increases (mining tax increased to 20 per cent, an additional tobacco tax of 24 cents per 25-pack, and surcharge on leaded gas raised by 9 cents per litre); the provision of $1.5 billion for Health programs; $792 million for Education; $195 million for Social Services; $124 million for Child and Family Services; $36 million for child care; $115 million for Agriculture; $18.3 million for drought assistance; and $95 million for Highways.

Although total government spending for the fiscal year of 1988-89 is $4.6 billion, the budget projected a dramatic cut in the provincial deficit, slashing it to $196 million instead of the $334 million proposed in the ill-fated budget that led to the former NDP Government'sdefeat in the Legislature.

Presenting the new government's first budget, Mr. Manness said the document outlines the important first steps towards the overall goal of "a competitive and diversified economy which will provide increased investment and job opportunities for our citizens and pay for quality health, education and social programs."

On August 22, 1988, the Conservative minority government survived a vote on the budget motion by a narrow margin of 24-21.

Opposition Leader Sharon Carstairs, and eighteen of the nineteen member Liberal caucus, voted against the budget.

NDP Leader Gary Doer and the party's finance critic, Maureen Hemphill, voted with the Liberals against the budget, while the rest of the twelve member NDP caucus abstained. The New Democratic Party refused to support the Liberal party in a bid to defeat the government. Mr. Doer said people in Manitoba "do not want another election four months after the last one, without a good reason."

Much of the members' time this session was taken up in Committee of Supply considering Estimates for the fiscal year. The allotted time limit of 240 hours was barely sufficient to cover all departments.

The session was marked by a roster of bills and resolutions that proved to be generally non-contentious. Fifty-five bills were introduced in the Assembly. Of these thirty-six received Royal Assent.

Amendments to the Manitoba Labour Act intended to repeal the controversial final offer selection provisions of that act were not proceeded with. An agreement between House Leaders was reached to defer consideration of the bill until after the adjournment.

As promised in the Throne Speech a Commission of Inquiry into the Administration of Justice and Aboriginal People was established.

The Native Justice Inquiry began public hearings in September and has currently requested additional research funds to continue its activities.

In early September the minority government saw its ranks further depleted when the Conservative member for Springfied, Mr. Gilles Roch, crossed the floor to join the Liberals.

Current standings in the Legislature are 24 Conservatives, 21 Liberals, and 12 New Democrats.

Suzanne L. Dion, Editor of Hansard, Manitoba Legislative Assembly

New Brunswick

The First Session of the Fifty-first Legislative Assembly which had been adjourned for only the third time in the last seventeen years, resumed on 22 November 1988. After a busy fall schedule of committee hearings, the Legislature resumed and sat only long enough to adjourn again to November 29.

The spring session which sat for thirty days, considered some sixty pieces of legislation, five major discussion papers and included a budget which Premier Frank McKenna stated was consistent with the commitments made in the Agenda for Change to provide a new direction for fiscal integrity in the province.

Committee Activity

During the adjournment, standing and select committees played an important role in the work of the New Brunswick Legislature.

The Standing Committee on Law Amendments, chaired by James Lockyer, Minister of Justice, held hearings on eight bills introduced during the spring session. Among these was Bill 60, An Act to Amend the Days of Rest Act, which proposed to eliminate the "local option" for Sunday shopping and make Sunday shopping laws a provincial responsibility again. Also referred to the Committee was Bill 64, An Act to Amend the Employment Standards Act, giving wider rights to part-time workers and Bill 65, An Act to Amend the Industrial Relations Act dealing with the issue of strikes in municipal services. The amendments to Bill 64 extend the provisions of the Employment Standards Act to ensure equal treatment for part-time workers; extend the provisions of the Act concerning major layoffs of nonunionized workers in an effort to reduce the effects of technological change; provide for the protection of workers' wages; provide for unpaid leave when death occurs in the worker's family; povide for unpaid leaves for mothers and fathers at the birth or adoption of children; and protect seniority. Bill 65, An Act to Amend the Industrial Relations Act, designates a certain proportion of employees essential and, therefore, not able to strike.

Amendments to the Fish and Wildlife Act were also referred to the Law Amendments Committee for public input. Bill 42, An Act to Amend the Fish and Wildlife Act, was the focus of much attention and initiated a public discussion on a controversial bill, formerly introduced in 1986 as Bill 86. Although Bill 42 provided authority for developing a regulation to allow landowners to protect their property and to alleviate their concerns for public safety by posting certain kinds of lands regardless of size, it gave additional access to unposted lands entitling sportsmen to hunt or trap on foot on unposted lands.

The Standing Committee on Law Amendments reported the Bills back to the House when the session resumed in November.

The Special Committee on Economic Policy Development, chaired by A. W. Lacey, Minister of Commerce and Technology, held public hearings on the proposed Stock Savings Plan outlined in the government's Green Paper tabled during the spring session. The stock option plan offers New Brunswickers an opportunity to invest in their companies by providing a tax credit against a provincial tax. The government also referred to the Special Committee its Green Paper entitled "Adequate Highways -- A Key to Regional Economic Development" urging attention to improve the province's already overburdened transportation system. The discussion paper addressed the upgrading requirements of the province's arterial highways, including the Trans Canada Highway, stressed the considerable importance of highways to New Brunswick's present and future economic development, and called on the federal government for a significant financial contribution.

Among the Bills referred to the Special Committee for public consultation was Bill 63, Aquculture Act, an all-encompassing piece of legislation designed to regulate the province's burgeoning aquaculture industry. The Act sets down the legal authority of the Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture to promote, regulate and manage all aspects of the industry from the backyard to the marine culture of salmon, other fin fish and shellfish from fresh-water hatcheries, to nutrition and harvesting of aquaculture products. The Act sets the framework for encouraging an industry where sound management practices ensure minimal losses and minimal interference with traditional fisheries and other affected interest groups.

In referring the Bill to the Special Committee, former Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture, Doug Young, invited the public to become involved in the formation of the Aquaculture Act by participating in the public consultation process and identifying changes required thereby contributing to the final draft of the legislation.

Public hearings of the Special Committee on Economic Policy Development were held throughout the province in September and October and were concluded in November with the Committee tabling its report in the Legislature on December 7, 1988.

The Special Committee on Social Policy Development, chaired by J. Raymond Frenette, Minister of Health and Community Services, held public hearings during the fall on four major discussion papers tabled during the spring session. As part of its commitment to introduce and integrated ambulance policy for New Brunswick, the government launched a major review of the ambulance system and initiated public discussions to determine a plan for the future. On May 5, 1988, Mr. Frenette tabled two documents: (1) a Green Paper prepared by the Department of Health and Community Services entitled "Discussion Paper on Ambulance Services; and (2) "Applied Management Consultants' Report: A Review of Ambulance Services in New Brunswick" prepared for the Minister of Health and Community Services, which were forwarded to the Legislatue's Special Committee on Social Policy Development. As well, a discussion paper on clean water legislation and another dealing with beverage container legislation were referred to the Special Committee for public input. Hearings of the Committee were held in September and October, and a final report is expected to be tabled during the 1989 session.

As promised in the Throne Speech, the Select Committee on the 1987 Constitutional Accord was established and was charged "with the responsibility of receiving public input on the 1987 Constitutional Accord both from individuals and groups resident in the province of New Brunswick, and where deemed appropriate by the committee, from persons outside of New Brunswick with expert knowledge".

The Select Committee sat following the adjournment of the House and heard testimony from various constitutional experts on the proposed changes outlined in the 1987 Constitutional Accord.

As a result of advertisements giving notice of public hearings on the Constitution Amendment, 1987, 111 submissions were received by the Committee from various organizations and special interest groups -- more than any other legislative committee -- indicating great public interest in the issue.

Twenty-five new pieces of legislation were introduced during the eight-day fall sitting. As a result of public hearings, Bill 42, An Act to Amend the Fish and Wildlife Act, was formally withdrawn. Its replacement, Bill 89, received Royal Assent 8 December 1988. Introduced to replace Bill 42 after public hearings and cooperation from the province's woodlot owners, wildlife federation and agricultural sector, Bill 89 accommodates the needs and recommendations of both landowners and hunters and contains provisions for a coding system which incorporates no hunting or trapping, hunting or trapping with permission, and nonposting of lands. The colour coding system designates landowners who wish to allow hunting and trapping on their land, those who allow hunting or trapping but want hunters an trappers to seek permission first; and yet reserves the right of those people who choose not to post their land to ask any trespasser to leave their property if they so choose. A clause included in the bill forbids the establishment of private hunting preserves, that is people charging a fee for hunting on their land.

Although Bill 65, An Act to Amend the Industrial Relations Act, was an attempt to provide for the protection of public safety, the workers' right to strike and the maintenance of free collective bargaining and a framework whereby municipalities and their unions could overcome the climate of confrontation of recent years, it was formerly withdrawn after public consultation, further examination and public commentary in the Law Amendments Committee.

Its replacement, Bill 73, provides for the removal of the right to strike by police officers, and replaced it with binding arbitration, thus ensuring the continuous protection of the public without negating the collective bargaining process.

As a result of public hearings undertaken by the Special Committee on Economic Policy Development in relation to Bill 63, Aquaculture Act, and to address the concerns of the fishing industry and the public, 34 of the 43 sections of the Bill were amended in Committee of the Whole.

Two other bills of note established the Arterial Highway Trust Fund and legislated the New Brunswick Highway Patrol out of existence.

Bill 81, Arterial Highway Trust Fund Act which received Royal Assent 8 December 1988, establishes a trust fund dedicated to upgrading the arterial highway system of the province. The trust fund was proposed in the governments discussion paper entitled "Adequate Highways -- A Key to Regional Economic Development" as a mechanism for financing part of the province's share of the required upgrading. Revenues for the fund will be obtained from a tax increase on gasoline and diesel fuel. In introducing the Bill, Sheldon Lee, Minister of Transportation, stressed that the province woul not accomplish all the required upgrading alone and that the successful implementation of the total program proposed in the discussion paper would require a significant contribution by the federal government to those arterial highways of regional, national and international importance.

Bill 82, An Act to Repeal the New Brunswick Highway Patrol Act, received Royal Assent on 8 December 1988. The Act abolished the New Brunswick Patrol established in 1980 by the former Hatfield government. The decision to disband the New Brunswick Highway Patrol and transfer highway law enforcement functions to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police was made after a government commissioned a study by Alan Grant, Professor of Law, Osgoode Law School, found that the provincial force was neither service or cost effective.

Solicitor General Conrad Landry noted the positive benefits of the government's decision to return highway law enforcement to the RCMP: unity of provincial police services will be achieved under one common structure; there will be no overlap of personnel, buildings, communication systems and vehicles; there will be an overall increase in police coverage, given the number of RCMP detachments which will be involved; there will be a substantial saving in provincial policing costs to the end of the present RCMP contract in 1991.

"Of most importance will be increased operational efficiency resulting from a unified police effort", stated the Solicitor General. Continuing, he stated that "in the long run, the Province of New Brunswick could not afford the luxury of two police forces with specialized functions operating side by side".

The Solicitor General emphasized once again in the House that the government's decision to disband the patrol did not in any way reflect on the professional competence and dedication of the men and women of the New Brunswick Highway Patrol. Mr. Landry concurred with Professor Grant " that the members and employees of the New Brunswick Highway Patrol share no blame for he organizational failure of separating the traffic and general police functions into separate police forces in the same territory". In the words of Professor Grant, "they were given a `Mission Impossible'".

On Thursday, 1 December 1988, Allan Maher, Minister of Finance, presented his government's $298 million capital budget for 1989-90 fulfilling an election commitment to present the province's capital budget well in advance of the beginning of the fiscal year as well as a further commitment outlined in the Agenda for Change; namely, to keep borrowing for capital spending within a limit of about $300 million in each of the next three years.

Mr. Maher remarked that "An early capital budget is better for the government, school boards, hospital boards, the construction industry and all New Brunswick citizens". He added that by having its construction program established well in advance of the beginning of the construction season, the government has more time to plan the implementation of its program; this involves such matters as calling for tenders, selecting contractors and timing actual construction in order to achieve the lowest cost and minimize disruption to delivery of services; school and hospital boards can better plan their activities if they know well in advance the details of the construction program for their facilities and by giving plenty of advance notice of the province's capital projects, the construction industry in New Brunswick will respond by doing the best job possible at reasonable prices.

Procedural Changes

The government made good on a promise made in the Speech from the Throne that it would ensure that there was every opportunity for open debate and the expression of opposing viewpoints in the legislative process.

Most of the changes in procedures in the all Liberal Legislature involved the operation of the Law Amendments Committee, the Public Accounts Committee, the Committee of the Whole House (legislation) and the Committee of Supply (departmental estimates) threby allowing opposition statements.

Minor bills introduced during the session were considered in Committee of the Whole House and passed relatively quickly while more controversial bills and matters of greater public interest were referred to committees of the legislature to allow input from the public, special interest groups and opposition parties.

Departmental estimates and controversial legislation were routinely referred to the Standing Committee on Estimates and the Standing Committee on Estimates and the Standing Committee on Law Amendments respectively, whereby representatives of the recognized parties could appear as witnesses before the Committees and comment on the government's policies and direction.

In an effort to improve the functioning of the Legislature, the government assigned specific issues to each of the 36 backbenchers. Thus, advocates were designated for consideration of departmental estimates during the budget process and during the consideration of legislation in the Committee of the Whole House.

The government maintains that these changes to traditionally established procedures will ensure that the political parties and members of the public have a chance to present their opinion on various legislative matters before final decisions are made. Since the prorogation of the session on 8 December 1988, the government has relaxed the rules and has allowed direct questioning of departmental officials by representatives of the recognized political parties in Public Accounts Committee. No doubt other measures will be considered as further experience is developed in this unique situation.

Loredana Catalli Sonier, Deputy Clerk (Procedural), New Brunswick Legislative Assembly

Ontario

On Thursday, 2 March, Lieutenant Governor Lincoln Alexander prorogued the 1st Session of the 34th Parliament. The Session, which began on 3 November, 1987, was the second longest Session in Ontario's history, the House having met on 156 days. The longest Session was in 198-69 when the House met on 173 days.

During the 1st Session, 126 government bills were introduced. Of these bills, 94 passed the House and received Royal Assent. Ninety-seven private members' public bills were introduced. One bill, Bill 181, An Act to amend the Legislative Assembly Act, was the eleventh private member's public bill in the last 50 years to pass all stages in the House and receive Royal Assent. The bill was introduced by Herb Epp, Chairman of the Standing Committee on the Legislative Assembly, at the request of the Committee. It prohibits the service of civil process in the legislative building, a room or place in which a committee of the Assembly is meeting or in an office of a member (other than a constituency office) that is designated by the Speaker. Breach of the prohibition would be dealt with as a contempt of the Assembly. The bill also deleted reference to the archaic concept of "molestation" in a civil cause. Seventy-five private bills were introduced and 70 of these bills were passed and received Royal Assent.

During the Session, 47 private members' resolutions were debated during the time for private members's public business. Of these, 36 were carried and 11 were lost. The motions for second reading of 18 private members' public bills were debated. Thirteen of the bills passed second reading and 5 were lost.

Changes to the Retail Business Holidays Act and the Employment Standards Act passed the House on February 7th. Both bills had been before the House since 25 April, 1988.

The opposition parties had delayed the introduction and first reading of the legislation for 5 days by presenting petitions for the whole day. A division on the motion for first reading of Bill 113 resulted in the division bells ringing over a four-day period. The legislation was before the Standing Committee on Administration of Justice for 47 days of public submissions and clause-by-clause consideration. When Bill 114 was reported from the Committee on 17 January, 1989, the House diided on the motion by the Chairman of the Committee, Bob Callahan, for the adoption of the report. The bells rang throughout the night of 17 January with the division taking place just before 6:00 p.m. on 18 January. On 19 January, the Government House Leader, Sean Conway, gave notice of a time allocation motion to fix the amount of time for further proceedings on the legislation. This was only the fifth time in the history of the province that a government had had to resort to a time allocation motion.

The Leader of the Opposition, Bob Rae, and the Deputy House Leader for the Progressive Conservative Party, Norm Sterling, asked the Speaker to find the motion out of order because it proposed to allocate time to the consideration of 2 bills. The Speaker, Hugh Edighoffer, ruled that the motion was in order. The Speaker's ruling was sustained on appeal to the House. The motion to allocate time was debated for 5 days and the House proceeded to the remaining proceedings on the legislation. Bill 113 permits municipalities to pass by-laws allowing retail business establishments to be open on holidays or requiring them to be closed on holidays. Before passing a by-law, a municipality is required to hold a public meeting. Bill 114 enables employees in retail business establishments that are permitted to open on Sunday to refuse work that they consider unreasonable and provides for mediation where an employer and employee disagree on what constitutes unreasonable Sunday work and where an employee is punished or treated improperly for refusing Sunday work that the employee considers unreasonable.

The Minister of the Environment, Jim Bradley, introduced legislation to prohibit the making, use, transfer, display, transportation, storage and disposal of specified things containing on ozone depleting substance and of specified things made using an ozone depleting substance. Bill 218, An Act to amend the Environmental Protection Act, defines "ozone depleting substance" as a chlorofluorocarbon, a halonor any other substance that has the potential to destroy ozone in the stratosphere.

The government proceeded with legislation introduced in November to assert provincial jurisdiction in areas of health care and natural resources. Bill 147, An Act respecting Independent Health Facilities, was given second reading on 22 February and referred to the Standing Committee on Social Development for consideration in the Spring. Bill 175, An Act respecting transfers of Water, was passed and given Royal Assent on 2 March. A third bill, Bill 204, An Act to amend the Power Corporation Act, was introduced to assert provincial jurisdiction in the field of energy. Section 30 of the Bill requires the Board to ensure that the requirements for power of Ontario customers and other customers in Canada are met before meeting the requirements for power of customers outside Canada.

On 30 November, 1988, the Minister of Labour, Greg Sorbara, introduced for first reading Bill 194, An Act to restrict Smoking in Workplaces. The Bill prohibits smoking in all areas of a workplace except in designated smoking areas, public areas, areas used for lodging and private dwellings. Under the legislation, the total space for designated smoking areas at an enclosed work space may not exceed 25 per cent of the total floor area of the enclosed workplace. Consultation with joint health and safety committees in the workplace will be required before an area can be designated to permit smoking. The minister proposed that the legislation take effect on 1 July, 1989.

The Chairman of the Management Board of Cabinet, Murray Elston, also announced that as of 31 March, 1989, smoking would no longer be permitted in the Ontario public service and schedule 1 agency workplaces. The policy will apply equally to public servants and to those who visit government workplaces. As part of the policy, the government will offer assistance to employees who wish to enrol in smoking cessation programmes.

Before the bill was given second reading an referred to the Standing Committee on Social Development for hearings during the Recess between Sessions, the opposition critics indicated the areas of the bill which were of concern to them.

Speaking for the New Democratic Party, Bob Mackenzie stated that the bill was "introduced without any real consultation with many of the interested parties ... the trade unions that represent workers in the workplace and the Non-Smokers' Rights Association." He argued that the bill was fundamentally flawed in that it would do "nothing to remove toxic substances and the dangers posed by second-hand smoke. It might reduce it, but it is not going to remove it. The bill does avoid requiring employers to establish designated smoking areas that are properly ventilated." Mr. Mackenzie also noted that the bill did not make provision for smoking cessation programmes or a phase-in period to be determined in consultation with interested persons. He also called for a reduction in the fines for individual workers and an increase in the penalties for employers.

Mr. Sterling referred to legislation which he had introduced in 1985 to control smoking in the workplace and public places and to legislation which he had brought before the House in the current session dealing with smoking. Bill 157, An Act to authorize Municipalities to pass By-laws respecting Smoking in the Workplace and in Enclosed Public Places, has been given second reading and referred to the Standing Committee on Social Development. Bill 215, An Act to amend certain Acts concerning the Sale of Tobacco to Minors, would increase the finds for selling tobacco to minors and require judges to take into account the amount of profit the vendor made from the sale of tobacco in the year preceding the conviction in setting the fine.

Mr. Sterling pointed out that under the bill there was no need to provide separate ventilation between a smoking area and a nonsmoking area. He said that he would be insisting during committee stage that "if there i to be a division between a smoker and a nonsmoker, there must be a wall or some separate ventilation to protect ... the nonsmoker from the second-hand smoke of my fellow worker." He also argued that the bill did not guarantee a nonsmoker a clean environment in his or her workplace and that it may be too arbitrary in that if everyone within a working establishment smokes and does not object to second-hand smoke, only 25 per cent to the enclosed workplace may be designated as a smoking area.

The House passed legislation amending the Executive Council Act and the Legislative Assembly Act to provide an increase of 4.7 per cent in members' indemnities and allowances and ministers' and parliamentary assistants' salaries. The Government House Leader, in introducing the legislation, indicated that the government had considered a number of alternatives to the current method of increasing members' indemnities, allowances and salaries. He stated that the government was prepared to "build into the process an annual escalator ... to eliminate the annual introduction of the pay bill" but that it had "decided that the mix of base salary and expense allowances ought to be maintained as they are and that they should be adjusted this year by essentially the rate of inflation."

The Opposition House Leader, David S. Cooke, stated that "if we are to allow people and encourage people and have a process that allows people from all areas of society to participate in the Legislature and to consider running for office, for the Legislature, and if people are going to be restricted as to what they can make outside of this place, then obviously we have to have a pay package that is adequate, that offers some incentive to people to run for this office." Mr. Cooke indicated that the base pay for members was unsatisfactory and had not received the proper adjustments in past years. His Party could not support the automatic escalator offered by the government until there is an adequate base pay fo members. Progressive Conservative Party House Leader, Mike Harris, stated his Party's opposition to the legislation. Saying that "there ought to be a better way than members of this assembly year after year after year voting themselves whatever the increase is", Mr. Harris proposed that members' indemnities be determined by an independent body or commission in relation to some other salary in the workplace. He said that the legislature "should be looking forward. We should be reflecting the role of the Legislature. We should be looking at the changes that have evolved over the last 10 or 15 years. We should be taking a look at how that role has changed and how some of the remunerations like the expense allowance have in fact outlived their usefulness."

A member's annual indemnity is now set at $41,113, up from $39,229. A member's annual allowance for expenses increased from $13,171 to $13,790.

Before prorogation, the House adopted the report of the Standing Committee on the Legislative Assembly with respect to the process for the restoration of the Parliament Building. A Special Committee on the Legislative Precinct has been created to develop, approve and supervise and co-ordinate the implementation of a programme for the restoration, renovation, rehabilitation, cyclical maintenance and use of the Parliament Building and grounds. The Committee is required to submit an annual budget to the Board of Internal Economy for funds required for proposed work or expert or professional assistance. Its membership is composed of the Speaker and Chairman of the Standing Committee on the Legislative Assembly as Co-chairman and a member from each of the recognized parties in the House.

The House also agreed to a recommendation of the Standing Committee on the Legislative Assembly and authorized the Committee to undertake a comprehensive review of the Election Act and the election process.

The House by Order carried over into the Second Session 29 government bills awaiting second reading or referred t committee. Eight private members' public bills which have been referred to standing committees were also ordered to be continued in the next Session as was one private bill. Five committee reports were also ordered to be carried over into the 2nd Session for debate.

Eleven committees were continued and authorized to meet in the Recess between the Sessions. The Select Committee on Education will meet to consider the organization and length of the school day and the school year and the financing of Ontario's education. The Standing Committee on Administration of Justice will consider Bill 187, An Act to amend certain Acts as they relate to Police and Sheriffs, and Bill 4, An Act to amend the Metropolitan Toronto Police Force Complaints Act, 1984. The Standing Committee on Finance and Economic Affairs will continue its hearings on pre-Budget consultations. The Standing Committee on General Government will consider Bill 170, An Act to revise several Acts related to Aggregate Resources.

The Standing Committee on Government Agencies will continue with its review of agencies, boards and commissions of the Government of Ontario. In addition to its review of matters related to election laws and the election process, the Standing Committee on the Legislative Assembly will consider members' services issues. The Standing Committee on the Ombudsman will meet on the Special Report of the Ombudsman on the Denied Case of Farm Q.

The Standing Committee on Public Accounts will continue its meetings on the 1987 and 1988 Annual Reports of the Provincial Auditor. The Standing Committee on Resources Development will be holding extensive meetings around the province on Bill 162, An Act to amend the Workers' Compensation Act. Finally, the Standing Committee on Social Development will meet on Bill 124, An Act to amend the Children's Law Reform Act, and on Bill 194, An Act to restrict Smoking in Workplaces.

No date has been announced for the commencement of the 2nd Session, but it is expected tobe in late April.

Smirle Forsyth, Clerk Assistant and Clerk of Committees, Legislative Assembly of Ontario