Manitoba's community newspapers are lobbying the Pallister government to change its legislation regarding public notices.

Two bills currently before the legislature will eliminate the need for municipal and provincial governments to notify the public of important actions and events in their local newspaper.

Instead, notices would be posted on the Manitoba Gazette website or the local planning district website.

Ken Waddell, president of the Manitoba Community Newspapers Association (MCNA) calls the legislation a misguided move.

"Eighty percent of people in rural Manitoba read their local community newspaper. I doubt if even one percent go to the government website or local planning district website. If you don't know the information is there you're not going to go looking for it and I think it's a bad step backwards for transparency in government."

The province has since backed down from the plan and has assured newspaper publishers that it will not enact the relevant sections of an omnibus bill, however, Waddell says that's not good enough, and he wants that section taken out of the bill completely.

"We're not happy with that. It's a good first step, but it will always be there hanging over the minister who could enact it at any time if he decided to make this change ... and he could it without notifying the public."

MCNA has put forward an amendment which would leave the newspaper notice as it is in the legislation going forward.

"It's a simple amendment and it will help avoid legal disputes."