The fall sitting of the Manitoba Legislature began Wednesday and Health Minister Kelvin Goertzen is hoping a bill he introduced in spring will get final approval during this sitting. Goertzen says the legislation he is referring to is very important for health providers.

"Certainly one (bill) that I'll be looking and hoping that the Opposition will allow passed in the next few weeks is the bill that protects medical professionals from having to participate in a medically-assisted death. We want to ensure that no medical professional is required to participate, nor can there be any repercussions for them participating, from a practice perspective. It would be the only legislation like it passed in Canada if it passes this session."

Goertzen notes he has received thousands of letters of support for the legislation.

He says other business during the fall sitting includes completion of the budget process that started in spring.

"This is really the back end of the session that began in March. We will finish off the budget process and there are a number of pieces of legislation that remain for review and consideration. We will finish off this part of the session on or about November 9th and then a new session will begin on November 21st which will carry us through to next year."

The Opposition New Democrats are expected to focus much of their question period efforts during the fall sitting on health-care changes, including the closure of three of Winnipeg's six hospital emergency rooms.