Manitoba.

• Author: Yarish, Rick
• Position: Legislative Reports

Manitobans went to the polls on Tuesday, May 22, 2007 to vote in the province's 39th general election. Once the polls closed and the ballots were counted the NDP emerged with 36 members and a third majority government. The Progressive Conservatives won 19 seats to retain official opposition status while the Manitoba Liberals won back the two seats they had held in the previous legislature.

Of note in the election results were the high proportion of women elected. At 32%, the Manitoba Legislature now has the largest proportion of female members of any Legislature in Canada.

The inaugural sitting of the first session of the 39th Manitoba legislature ran from June 6th to June 14th, 2007. On opening day George Hickes (NDP--Point Douglas) was acclaimed as Speaker of the House. First elected to the Chair in 1999, this will be Mr. Hickes' third term as Speaker. The session also saw the passage of a Throne Speech and Interim Supply measures, as well as notification that the government will reintroduce 22 bills from the last legislature during the fall sitting.

Changes to the Legislative Assembly Act also passed during this short sitting. The amendments provide that the Speaker of the assembly continues to hold office when the house is dissolved, providing continuity when house proceedings are interrupted, for example, in the event of an election. The amended act will also ensure the speaker's compensation better reflects the challenges of the position.

Following the example of previous sessions...