Hon. Travis Keisig: — Thank you, Mr. Speaker. To you and through you and to all members of the Legislative Assembly, I would like to introduce several staff members of the Saskatchewan Wildlife Federation who have joined us in the west gallery here today.

I would really like to first welcome SWF’s [Saskatchewan Wildlife Federation] long-time executive director, Darrell Crabbe. Give a wave there, Darrell. Darrell has recently retired from his position, serving more than 20 years in that role. Thank you, Darrell. Thank you for your years of service and the work you have done for wildlife, for hunters, and hunting advocates all across Saskatchewan.

Another recent retiree, Mr. Speaker, who I am told who will shy away from being recognized, is Marilee Heron, SWF’s long-serving executive assistant. Give a wave. I don’t have to tell any of my colleagues in the Chamber here how critical a strong and passionate executive director is for any organization, never mind having to keep Darrell in line, Mr. Speaker. Marilee, thank you as well for your years of service. I hope you enjoy your retirement.

I would also like to introduce a number of other SWF members with us here today: Todd Smith, the new executive director. Welcome to your legislature. Welcome to your new role. And I really look forward to working with you in the future. Heather Bergdahl, SWF’s new executive assistant. Darren Newberry, the director of habitat and lands. Courtney Devins, the director of education. Courtney Piercy, the director of fisheries. Blaine Olfert, the National Archery in the Schools Program — a great program, Mr. Speaker, helping so many students take up the sport of bowhunting. And Lyubov Horpinchenko, the accountant that keeps the money flowing in and out, Mr. Speaker.

With the support of thousands of dedicated members, the Saskatchewan Wildlife Federation plays a vital role in conserving and managing Saskatchewan’s fish and wildlife resources. They have been a valued partner to the Government of Saskatchewan, particularly to the Ministry of Environment and particularly to this minister, on a wide range of projects and educational initiatives.

I ask all members to join me in welcoming to this, their Legislative Assembly.

Speaker Goudy: — I recognize the member from Regina Walsh Acres.

Jared Clarke: — Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It’s an honour to join with the minister and welcome the good folks from Saskatchewan Wildlife Federation. I want to echo his words in terms of the valuable work that this organization does in Saskatchewan for conservation, for hunters, for wildlife across the province.

As a former teacher, I’ve said many times in this House that I participated in the FinS [Fish in Schools] program in my classroom to have rainbow trout in there for a number of years. And we also had the archery program at my school at Grant Road, and I got to participate a little bit in that too. And I know the kids absolutely adored the program.

So really amazing things going on at Sask Wildlife Federation. I do want to join with the minister and thank Darrell Crabbe for his long-time service to the organization and to conservation in this province. So thank you, Darrell, and enjoy retirement. Marilee, I want to thank you as well. Enjoy your retirement as well; you’ve earned it.

And I also want to welcome Todd Smith as the new executive director to the Saskatchewan Wildlife Federation. I have known Todd for a number of years, and just an amazing human being. He brings a great background as a teacher, as an avid hunter. I know he’s been involved with the pheasants, releasing pheasants in the Moose Jaw area for a long time, and done a lot of great things educating youth in conservation and hunting. And really excited about him coming into this role.

So on behalf of the official opposition, I want to thank all of the folks from Sask wildlife for being here. And happy Camo Day. Happy opening day of the hunt for whitetail on Saturday. So welcome to your legislature, and I ask all members to join me in thanking Saskatchewan Wildlife Federation for the wonderful work that they do.

Speaker Goudy: — I recognize the member from Batoche.

Darlene Rowden: — Thank you, Mr. Speaker. To you and through you, seated in your gallery, I would like to introduce the Sunset Rangers 4‑H Club. November is 4‑H Month in Saskatchewan and across Canada.

As a proud former member, leader, and 4‑H parent, I am so pleased to introduce some future leaders and food producers who learn to do by doing. They are project leader Michael Richards, and the members are Sydney, Easton, and Hayden Richards; Alexander Best; Wyatt and Ellayna Fremont; Khole Reddekopp; Kolbe Muzyka; Reece Fleishhacker; Riley Hyshka; Theo Meckelborg; as well as proud parents Hope Fremont, Chastidy Fleishhacker, Danielle Third, Stephanie and Paul Muzyka, Allie Hyshka, and Greg Fremont.

This club has over 30 members who are developing hands-on skills through a wide range of projects, including agriculture, vet science, light horse, small animal, photography, 3‑D design, and practical living, which is a mix of outdoor living and home economics.

So will all the members please join me in welcoming this outstanding group of young leaders from Aberdeen, the Sunset Rangers Multiple 4‑H Club.

Speaker Goudy: — I recognize the member from Regina Mount Royal.

Trent Wotherspoon: — Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It’s a pleasure to join with the member opposite to welcome the Sunset Rangers 4‑H Club from Aberdeen to their Assembly. And their lead, Mike Richards, a pleasure to have him here as well. Alongside of this leadership, he’s also an elected school trustee in the province, Mr. Speaker. We’re thankful for his leadership there as well.

But to this 4‑H organization, I want to welcome them to their Assembly, to thank them for their service and their commitment and to their learning. And 4‑H of course is an organization that goes back over 100 years. One of the oldest organizations within this province, Mr. Speaker, and one that’s motto is “learning by doing,” Mr. Speaker. One that gets deeply involved in agriculture and our natural environment and in outdoor learning. And this club epitomizes the best of 4‑H.

And to these young leaders that are here today: when we look to you we know the future is bright in this province because of your commitment and learning through 4‑H, and because of what you bring to your communities and to this province. It’s an honour to have you here. And on behalf of the official opposition, it’s my pleasure to welcome them to their Assembly.

Speaker Goudy: — I recognize the Minister of Agriculture.

Hon. Daryl Harrison: — Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to join with the member from Batoche and the member opposite in welcoming the Sunset Rangers to their provincial legislature, Mr. Speaker. The 4‑H motto, “learn to do by doing,” I think is exemplified by their program at Aberdeen. And they’re well known for their leadership and their community involvement and volunteerism. And nothing better than having 4‑H as part of your life growing up. It builds a lot of character. And I would like to welcome them and ask all members to welcome them to their legislature.

While I’m on my feet, Mr. Speaker, I have a couple constituents in your gallery, Mr. Speaker: Pamela Babbings-Bartlett — she’s the chief administrative officer for the RM [rural municipality] of Enniskillen — and her daughter Abby, who is also 4‑H. And Pamela is also 4‑H alumni as well. And her daughter Abby is the secretary-treasurer for the local 4‑H club there. And I ask all members to welcome them to their Legislative Assembly.

Speaker Goudy: — I recognize the member from Saskatoon Churchill-Wildwood.

Keith Jorgenson: — Thank you so much, Mr. Speaker. I would like to join the Minister of Agriculture in welcoming Pamela Bartlett and her daughter Abby to their legislature. Pamela is a passionate advocate for rural health care. And I’m so pleased to have her today in our legislature, and I would like everyone to warmly welcome her.

Speaker Goudy: — I recognize the Minister of Energy and Resources.

Hon. Colleen Young: — Mr. Speaker, I ask leave for an extended introduction.

Speaker Goudy: — The minister has requested leave for an extended introduction. Is leave granted?

Some Hon. Members: — Agreed.

Hon. Colleen Young: — Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, seated in the west gallery is my senior administrative assistant, Dawn Keating, accompanied by some of my office staff and friends of Dawn. Mr. Speaker, after more than 10 years in this legislature building serving in four different offices, five different ministers including myself, two premiers, Dawn has decided to retire effective tomorrow, November 14th.

Dawn has worked as the itinerary coordinator in Executive Council for Premier Brad Wall and Premier Scott Moe; as the senior administrative assistant to ministers Wyant, Beaudry-Mellor, Makowsky, Reiter, and now myself as the Minister of Energy and Resources. Dawn’s strong organizational skills, knowledge, guidance, friendly demeanour, and support have been immense in helping me navigate my portfolio, and helps the office run smoothly every day. Above all, I have appreciated starting my day with Dawn’s warm morning greetings and friendly smile. I must say, she also has a wonderful fashion sense.

Replacing Dawn is Debbie Wintonyk, also seated in the west gallery. Debbie previously worked as a caseworker and as a senior administrative assistant in the former Corrections, Policing and Public Safety office. Her fiery attitude and strong work ethic will serve our office well. So welcome, Debbie.

I ask all members now of this Assembly to join me in thanking Dawn for her 10‑plus years of public service, and for being a good, kind friend and colleague to so many. Thank you, Dawn. We will miss you, and wish you all the very best in your retirement.

Speaker Goudy: — I recognize the member from Regina Wascana Plains.

Brent Blakley: — Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to welcome a guest sitting in the east gallery. Mr. Speaker, I welcome the bishop of the Eastern Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada. The Eastern Synod consists of all the Lutheran churches and pastors in Ontario, Quebec, and the Atlantic provinces. Bishop Carla Blakley also happens to be my wife of 35 years.

I want to publicly thank her for her support over the last year and for making our unique living arrangements work. She booked her flight here about two months ago, saying to everybody she wanted to be here for the Grey Cup party because she knew the Riders were going to be in it. So I give her some credit for the team’s success. Love you, Sweetie. Join me in welcoming Carla to her Legislative Assembly.

Speaker Goudy: — I recognize the Minister of Education.

Hon. Everett Hindley: — Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Just if the Assembly would allow me to introduce a few guests here in the west gallery. First of all, apologies to my colleague, the Minister of Energy and Resources. I also want to mention and thank Dawn Keating for her service to the Government of Saskatchewan. The minister forgot one important fact, which is that Dawn was a resident of Swift Current. And so we managed to get her here.

And very grateful to have yet another Swift Current influence here at the Legislative Assembly, and thank her for her years in government in a number of ministers’ offices. And of course, as we heard, in the former premier’s office as well, which is always . . . There’s some stories to be told there, Dawn, I think, about some of the things that happened in that office.

Secondly, Mr. Speaker, up in the west gallery in the very top row close to the door — probably they’ve seated themselves there so they can quickly exit should I embarrass them here today, Mr. Speaker — a couple of friends of mine: Nola and Dave Smith. Nola has been my constituency assistant at the MLA [Member of the Legislative Assembly] office in Swift Current since 2009, and I think that’s . . . She’s nodding her head. That is the correct date. But she’s been helping me out there, keeping me on the straight and narrow and managing things in that office for some time.

[10:15]

Prior to joining us in government, Nola worked at city hall, working at the rec and parks department, but has been working for us at the MLA office for quite a period of time. And I thank her for that.

Her husband, Dave, also a great individual. He has been many things: worn a hat as a youth pastor, volunteer firefighter. He’s doing some other stuff in the housing sector right now, Mr. Speaker. Both Nola and Dave are also, I would say, casual golfing buddies of mine. Unfortunately we didn’t get our annual summer golf game in this summer because I had something else kind of take precedence in my household.

Mr. Speaker, in addition to that, they’re just great people. They have three grown kids. They’ve got some grandbabies as well, Mr. Speaker. I joke that if either one of them were to challenge me for the nomination they’d win hands down because they know more people than I do, and they’re very well respected in Swift Current and surrounding area.

And most importantly, Mr. Speaker, they are deep, dear friends to me and my family, and I can’t thank them enough. So thanks to Dave and Nola for being here today and for everything you do for me. Thank you.

Speaker Goudy: — I recognize the member from Saskatoon Eastview.

Matt Love: — Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It’s my honour to rise and introduce a guest who’s going to ensure that I’m at my very best behaviour today, Mr. Speaker. It’s because my mother is sitting across from me in the east gallery. I’d like to welcome her to her Assembly. And it gives me a lot of pride to say “her Assembly” because she’s of course a new resident of Saskatchewan.

My mother, Jody, raised three boys in Calgary, Alberta through the ’80s and ’90s, and went on to serve her community and her family in a variety of ways, eventually moving out to Vernon, British Columbia, to Kelowna to help care for family members, and build a career out there. And this summer she moved to Saskatoon so she could be closer to our family and to her grandkids. And you know, Mr. Speaker, I’m very hopeful that with her one vote we might be able to hold Saskatoon Nutana next election. She’s just a few houses outside of my boundary, but we’re still thankful that she’s in Saskatoon, there to really get to know her three amazing grandkids and to be a part of all the moments of their lives that she can while she’s here.

So I’d like to ask all of my colleagues in the Assembly to welcome my mother, Jody Love, to her Assembly.

Speaker Goudy: — I recognize the Minister of Justice.

Hon. Tim McLeod: — Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. To you and through you, I’d like to beg the indulgence of the House for a few introductions. If I could, I want to join with our Minister of Environment and welcome the folks from Sask Wildlife Federation, many of whom are Moose Javians, and we proudly welcome them to this Assembly.

One in particular, Mr. Speaker, is in fact Darrell Crabbe who I want to recognize. Darrell and I sat on the Prairie South school board together when I was newly elected. So for anybody who doesn’t appreciate the way I do governance, you can blame Darrell, because I learned everything I knew from Darrell.

Also seated in the west gallery, Mr. Speaker, together with Dawn and Debbie, who were recognized, is one of the ministerial assistants in Justice. And Michelle Chyz, I would like to welcome here to her Legislative Assembly. Michelle has started in Justice in 2008 and she’s been a ministerial assistant in a variety of ministries, Mr. Speaker. She’s worked in Parks, Culture and Sport; Advanced Education; and Corrections, Policing and Public Safety. Michelle loves spending time with her grandchildren in Saskatoon. And, Mr. Speaker, there is no bigger Rider fan than Michelle.

Also seated in your gallery, Mr. Speaker, is somebody else who I blame for me being here, and that’s my constituency assistant, Jacqui Stephens. Jacqui and I worked together for over 20 years now, and only my wife has demonstrated a greater tolerance for me, Mr. Speaker, than Jacqui. Jacqui and her husband, Kelly, are diehard Maple Leafs fans, and despite that we’ve forgiven them. And I consider Jacqui and Kelly two of my dearest and closest friends, Mr. Speaker.

And seated with Jacqui is her dear friends, Harvey and Glenda, and I understand this is their first time visiting this beautiful building. And I look forward to giving them a bit of a dime tour when question period is over, Mr. Speaker. So if my colleagues would please join me in welcoming all of these guests to their Legislative Assembly.

Speaker Goudy: — I recognize the member from Regina Walsh Acres.

Jared Clarke: — Thank you, Mr. Speaker. To you and through you, it’s an honour today to welcome and introduce two guests sitting in your gallery: Paula Trefiak and Benjamin Webb. These are two constituents of mine and two amazingly inspiring people.

Paula lives with ALS [amyotrophic lateral sclerosis] and has been an amazing advocate to try and raise awareness of this disease and what it means, but also to look for solutions. And so she has been, you know, instrumental as part of the global and national ALS initiative in raising the profile and trying to move that initiative forward and bringing that to Saskatchewan and making sure that Saskatchewan is aligned with those initiatives. So I really want to thank her for the work that she does.

Benjamin — and I’m going to speak to both Paula and Benjamin in my member’s statement — but Benjamin recently did a genetic test and found out that he carries the gene for ALS, which means he will develop the gene in time. And he recently went to Ottawa and spoke at parliament about one of the drugs that has worked so amazingly for his mom: tofersen. This drug has basically stopped disease progression for Paula, but this drug only works for 1 per cent of people suffering with ALS. It doesn’t work for the other 99 per cent of the folks who are afflicted with ALS. And so there’s lots of work to be done.

They are doing amazing work, and I’m so incredibly thankful for especially Benjamin for using his voice as he has, here and in Ottawa. I know they would love to have a sit-down with the Health minister at some time to talk about how we can align things in Saskatchewan around ALS.

But with that, Mr. Speaker, I’d like to ask all members of the Assembly to join me in welcoming these two amazing constituents from Regina Walsh Acres. Thank you.

Speaker Goudy: — I recognize the Minister of Health.

Hon. Jeremy Cockrill: — Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I’d like to join with the member opposite in welcoming Paula and Benjamin to their Legislative Assembly. It’s always great when we have Saskatchewan residents go to Ottawa and advocate on behalf of the people of our province, ensuring that we have things in Saskatchewan that we can be proud of.

You know, it’s interesting. Talking to a couple of ALS patients in this province who I know about, they spoke about Benjamin’s speech in Ottawa. So your reputation precedes you. They spoke of how eloquently he spoke on behalf of himself and his family. And a true honour to have him here at the Legislative Assembly today. If we’re not able to find some time today, we’ll definitely make some time very soon and have a sit-down with Paula and Benjamin and myself.

I’d like to ask all members of the Assembly to join me in welcoming them to their Assembly.

Speaker Goudy: — I recognize the member from Regina Mount Royal.

Trent Wotherspoon: — Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I want to join with the very warm recognition and celebration of Darrell Crabbe in this Assembly here today. I certainly welcome the Saskatchewan Wildlife Federation here again for Camo Day and into their Assembly and to thank them for all their leadership in this province. We have unprecedented natural assets in this province in hunting and fishing. And the leadership that we see up in this Chamber here today really goes out of their way to build those opportunities and build opportunities for this province as the wildlife federation.

But I want to specifically thank Darrell Crabbe for his incredible service and leadership as CEO [chief executive officer]. I’m proud of his work as a member of the wildlife federation. I’m proud of his work as a partner in the way he’d work to advance and work with government and with us over the years.

This is an exceptional leader who’s made his province a better place. And I wish him real well and many, many wonderful hunting and fishing experiences into retirement, many happy days. I think this weekend he’s told me he’s going to be out in the field for opening rifle whitetail season. I’m not going to be. I’m going to be at a hockey tournament this weekend. So, Darrell, please leave one for me.

I ask all members to join with me to celebrate and thank Darrell Crabbe for his leadership and service to his province.

Speaker Goudy: — I recognize the member from White City-Qu’Appelle.

Brad Crassweller: — Thank you, Mr. Speaker. To you and through you, it’s my distinct privilege today to welcome some grade 12 students from Bert Fox High School in Fort Qu’Appelle. I ask you guys to give us a wave. They’re accompanied by their teacher, Andre Boutin-Maloney, and chaperones Bailey Antonishyn, Brenden Easton, and Rei Matsumoto. So we want to thank them for coming.

I look forward to getting together later on and chatting with them and answering some questions. Some of their team is away because they’re in Maple Creek at the senior girls volleyball provincials, and so we wish them good luck there. And I’m looking forward to chatting with you guys and having some ice cream. And I would just ask all members to welcome Bert Fox to their Legislative Assembly.

Speaker Goudy: — I recognize the member from Saskatoon Churchill-Wildwood.

Keith Jorgenson: — Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wanted to recognize someone who came in a couple minutes late, somebody who’s very special to me, my daughter Lily sitting in the east gallery — Lily Jorgenson and her boyfriend, Pascal, who are back here from the November break. They’re both back from the November break. They are both students at the U of A [University of Alberta], and I would like everyone to welcome them to their legislature.

Speaker Goudy: — And I would like to mention a friend I’ve got up in the gallery today, Murray Carswell. Strangely enough, I was sitting here thinking, you know, he’s a friend of mine. He’s a friend of Saskatchewan. But I’ve prayed with him a few times in my office, and I don’t think I’ve ever said this about a person before, but I think he’s a friend of God. This guy, he spends a lot of time in prayer for us, for the province, and spends his evenings at Zoom meetings praying for the people of this province. It’s hard work. I don’t know if you’ve ever prayed for an hour or two, but it’s not, you know, something that’s like doomscrolling. It’s really interceding and asking for peace in this Chamber.

I don’t know if you’ve noticed him up there, but he’s here quite often. He’s been here longer than a lot of the staff members that I’ve heard of before. And I said, who is this guy? And as I’ve got to know him, I just want to thank you for being here and working for us in prayer and blessing us all. He doesn’t have favourites on sides. He prays for us all. So thank you again for being here, Murray.

Let’s move on to presenting petitions.

PRESENTING PETITIONS

Speaker Goudy: — I recognize the member from Saskatoon Southeast.

Brittney Senger: — Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise to present a petition to the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan to immediately reimburse Regina taxpayers for the Regina Costco deal.

The undersigned residents of the province of Saskatchewan wish to bring to your attention the following: that the city of Regina had to offer Costco a $6.78 million incentive package to keep Costco at the originally proposed location; that the city of Regina was forced to offer an incentive package because the Global Transportation Hub, or GTH, attempted to outbid them; that a sale to the GTH would have denied Regina the property taxes from development, while forcing the city to enhance and maintain the roadwork services.

I shall now read the prayer:

We, in the prayer that reads as follows, respectfully request the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan call on the Government of Saskatchewan to immediately reimburse Regina taxpayers for this Costco deal.

The undersigned residents reside in Regina. I do so present.

Speaker Goudy: — I recognize the member from Riversdale.

Kim Breckner: — Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise today to present a petition calling for the Government of Saskatchewan to repeal Bill 137. The undersigned residents would like to bring to our attention the following: queer and trans youth are at a higher risk of homelessness, self-harm, and suicide when denied access to safe and inclusive learning environments; that Bill 137 directs educators to non-consensually out two-spirit, trans, and nonbinary students under the age of 16 to their parents; and that Bill 137 is in direct contravention of The Saskatchewan Human Rights Code and the Charter of Rights and Freedoms as it relates to gender identity and expression.

With that, I’ll read the prayer:

We, in the prayer that follows, respectfully request the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan to call on the Government of Saskatchewan to immediately repeal Bill 137 and ensure that all 2SLGTBQI+ students are supported and protected in accordance with The Saskatchewan Human Rights Code.

The signatories to this petition reside in Saskatoon. I do submit.

Speaker Goudy: — I recognize the member from Saskatoon Meewasin.

Nathaniel Teed: — Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I rise today to present our petition calling on the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan to fix the crisis in our health care system.

We, the undersigned residents of the province of Saskatchewan, wish to bring to your attention the following: that in the past five years, the health care closures across rural Saskatchewan disrupted services for a total of 8,600‑plus days, and that for more than 4,000 of those days, those disruptions were to Saskatchewan emergency rooms; that for the first time, an emergency room in one of our major cities shut down due to short-staffing, Mr. Speaker; that Saskatchewan people deserve to have adequate and accessible health care where and when they need it.

[10:30]

I will read the prayer:

We, in the prayer that reads as follows, respectfully request that the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan call on the Government of Saskatchewan to immediately address the short-staffing crisis in our health care and work with health care workers on solutions to improve patient care.

Mr. Speaker, the undersigned reside in Regina. I do so present.

STATEMENTS BY MEMBERS

Speaker Goudy: — I recognize the member from Regina Walsh Acres.

Advocates Call for Action on ALS Care and Research

Jared Clarke: — Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I rise to recognize three extraordinary advocates whose voices are shaping the future of ALS care and research in this province and across Canada. Paula Trefiak and Benjamin Webb of Regina, alongside Tre Archibald of Elbow, Saskatchewan recently returned from Parliament Hill, where they presented a bold and compassionate vision — a national ALS collaboration strategy aimed at finding effective treatments for all people living with ALS within the next decade.

Benjamin, a 17‑year-old student from Winston Knoll Collegiate with remarkable courage, shared his personal story with parliamentarians. He recently learned he carries the ALS gene just three days after the approval of the drug tofersen, a groundbreaking, gene-specific ALS drug that has halted his mother’s ALS disease progression. His testimony was not only moving, it was a call to action — a call rooted in hope, science, and the unwavering love of a family determined to change the course of this disease.

Together Paula and Benjamin are here today to advocate for a provincial strategy, supported by the ALS Society of Saskatchewan, that aligns with national and global efforts. Mr. Speaker, I ask all members to join me in thanking these advocates for their leadership, their vision, and their commitment to ensuring that Saskatchewan is part of a collaborative, research-driven future, one where ALS is no longer a terminal diagnosis but a treatable condition. Thank you.

Speaker Goudy: — I recognize the member from Kelvington-Wadena.

Hunting, Fishing and Trapping Heritage Day

Chris Beaudry: — Mr. Speaker, hunting, fishing, and trapping play important roles in shaping our province’s heritage and economy. On Saturday, November 15th people across Saskatchewan, residents and visitors alike, will celebrate Hunting, Fishing and Trapping Heritage Day.

Today we’re seeing a new generation stepping forward — young hunters, anglers, and trappers, who continue these traditions. Their passion, respect for the land, and commitment to conservation ensures these traditions remain strong and meaningful for generations to come.

In 2009 The Hunting, Fishing and Trapping Heritage Act was passed as an important step in recognizing the value of these outdoor traditions in Saskatchewan. Camo Day was launched in conjunction with Saskatchewan Hunting, Fishing and Trapping Heritage Day. This day encourages people to wear camo and share their stories with friends and colleagues in support of the benefits that hunting, angling, and trapping provide.

The Saskatchewan Wildlife Federation has been a key partner in celebrating the economic, cultural, and social contributions of the outdoors. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the SWF for being here with us today. We will continue to strengthen this important relationship and raise awareness about the vital roles hunters, anglers, and trappers play as stewards for our environment. Thank you.

Speaker Goudy: — I recognize the member from Regina Wascana Plains.

Supporting Athletes at the End of Football Season

Brent Blakley: — Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Well unfortunately football season in Saskatchewan will soon come to an end. The Saskatchewan teams still playing at this time of year is an indication of our provincial teams’ success this year.

The U of S [University of Saskatchewan] Huskies won out over the Regina Rams in Canada West and will take on the Queen’s golden Gaels in the Mitchell Bowl this Saturday to earn a berth in the Vanier Cup, played right here in Regina next weekend.

A packed Mosaic stadium witnessed the Saskatchewan Roughriders win over the BC [British Columbia] Lions in the west final and will compete for the Grey Cup this Sunday in Winnipeg. The Riders last played in and won the Grey Cup in 2013 and will take on the Montreal Alouettes in an attempt to win their fifth Grey Cup in the team’s history. Fans throughout the province will be in front of their screens hanging on every play. In Saskatchewan we take our football seriously, but in the end we are reminded that it is just a game and there’s a human aspect to it that is more important than the game itself.

The U of S Huskies starting quarterback this year, Anton Amundrud from Lloydminster, has missed the team’s last several games and is battling lymphoma. So this weekend and next, while we’re cheering on our Saskatchewan football teams, we will hold Anton Amundrud and his family and his teammates in our hearts. Go Huskies. Go Riders.

Speaker Goudy: — I recognize the member from Yorkton.

50th Anniversary of the Yorkton Kalyna Ukrainian Dance School

David Chan: — Mr. Speaker, it’s my pleasure to rise in this Chamber to recognize a very special group in the community of Yorkton. Whether it’s perogies, pysanka, or folk dance, Ukrainians have helped to shape the cultural landscape of our city. This year the Yorkton Kalyna Ukrainian Dance School is marking its 50th anniversary since being incorporated by the UCWLC [Ukrainian Catholic Women’s League of Canada] Branch #2 in 1975.

Although its official inception was in 1975, the club’s history began over 20 years prior with a dedicated group of parents and volunteers who wanted a way to preserve their culture. Many of those who once danced as children have returned later in life to introduce their own children to the art and to the dance once again as adults.

This year Kalyna boasts 112 registered dancers and is looking forward to several events, most notably the upcoming 50th anniversary gala which will be held on November 22nd at the Gallagher Centre in Yorkton. Current dancers, alumni, family members, and the community at large are all invited to take part in this opportunity to reminisce on what Ukrainian dance has meant and continues to mean for the city of Yorkton.

Congratulations Yorkton Kalyna Dance School on reaching this half-century milestone.

Speaker Goudy: — I recognize the member from Regina Douglas Park.

Celebrating Graduates of Ignite Adult Learning Corporation

Nicole Sarauer: — Mr. Speaker, I rise today to highlight the Ignite Adult Learning Corporation’s 2025 graduation ceremony. The Ignite Adult Learning Corporation has faced a difficult year. Earlier this year, they believed they would have to permanently close their doors as a result of funding cuts. There was a real possibility that Ignite would never again be able to graduate students.

Despite facing significant challenges, Ignite has continued to provide an inclusive and safe learning space that serves at-risk young adults facing poverty, houselessness, and other significant barriers. Ignite’s education and skills training programs act as a lifeline for so many in our communities.

I had the privilege of attending this year’s graduation ceremony, which celebrated the remarkable achievements of the 13 graduating students. The celebration began with honour songs performed by the Lone Creek drummers, a meaningful blessing from Kohkom Brenda Dubois, and a warm welcome from executive director Dellice Saxby.

Ignite teacher, Joanne Farmer, offered powerful words of encouragement and pride to her students in her keynote speech. This year four students were recognized for graduating with distinction: Charity Bird-Deegan, Alesha Black, Hamma Khalid, and Fatema Payanda. Mr. Speaker, I ask that all members join me in congratulating the Ignite Adult Learning Corporation’s graduating class of 2025.

Speaker Goudy: — I recognize the member from The Battlefords, our health care minister.

Museum Honours Retiring Director and Curator

Hon. Jeremy Cockrill: — Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I rise today as the MLA for The Battlefords to honour a pillar of our community, Bernadette Leslie of the Fred Light Museum in the town of Battleford. After beginning her journey in 1979 as a summer student, Bernadette dedicated over 45 years to preserving and sharing our local history and just retired earlier this fall.

Under her stewardship the museum has grown from a modest operation to a richly curated local gem, complete with themed rooms and an incredible collection of old firearms. The museum also leads The Battlefords’ veterans banner program every year that honours our local residents that fought valiantly for our country. And they also put on a great family fun day every summer at the Fred Light Museum.

Bernadette’s work has meant far more than artifacts. It has meant connecting generations, offering students hands-on experience, and making our past accessible and alive to residents in our community. Her thoughtful mentorship to volunteers and staff has ensured that the museum will continue to thrive for many more years.

Today I invite my legislative colleagues to join me in thanking Bernadette for her remarkable service to The Battlefords as well as to the province of Saskatchewan. We wish her a fulfilling retirement, knowing that the legacy she built in our community will last for many years to come. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Speaker Goudy: — I recognize the member from Warman, the Social Services minister.

New Franchise with Historic Roots Joins Junior Hockey League

Hon. Terry Jenson: — Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It’s with immense pride and as the MLA for Warman and a nod to the hockey history of this province that I recognize the SJHL’s [Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League] newest franchise, the Warman Wolverines.

The Wolverines were born February 18th of this year because of relocation from their previous home in Wilcox as the Notre Dame Hounds at the end of the 2024‑25 season. After nearly 45 years in the SJHL, more than 100 Hounds have been drafted or signed by NHL [National Hockey League] teams, including some whose names are entrenched in our province’s hockey history: Wendel Clark, Rod Brind’Amour, Curtis Joseph, Jaden Schwartz, and current Tampa Bay Lightning head coach, Jon Cooper. The Wolverines are led by an ownership group of several investors, including Jonathan Abrametz, Cole Kachur, and Tyler Helm.

Head coach and general manager, Brett Pilkington, has built a roster that works hard every shift and are being rewarded by the fans’ tremendous energy inside KH Developments Arena. Whether it’s captain Vinnie Palmarin of Wilcox or Owen Parks of Long Beach, California, the entire Wolverines roster are growing into their new identity very quickly, and they’re becoming part of the community.

The Wolverines picked up their first ever franchise win on the road in Kindersley on September 26th and recorded their first win on home ice October 18th in a thrilling 4‑3 shootout win over the Battlefords North Stars. Mr. Speaker, the Wolverines may be a new franchise, but it’s safe to say that with the Hounds’ history as part of this team, the tradition of producing world-class hockey players and Hall of Famers will continue in the years to come. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

QUESTION PERIOD

Speaker Goudy: — I recognize the Opposition House Leader.

Rural Health Care Staffing and Provision of Emergency Services

Nicole Sarauer: — Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, yesterday we exposed just how desperate the health care crisis is on the front lines in rural Saskatchewan — a single registered nurse left to fend for themselves in rural emergency rooms. That’s right, Mr. Speaker, one registered nurse running an entire hospital. We know a major reason behind this is because this government has frozen wages for front-line health care workers. We hear from those workers. They put in a full shift and then have to stop at the food bank on their way home.

Why has this Premier failed to help Saskatchewan’s incredible front-line health care workers with a skyrocketing cost of living?

Speaker Goudy: — I recognize the Minister of Health.

Hon. Jeremy Cockrill: — Mr. Speaker, it was disappointing to see the members opposite put forward yesterday that these regulations are somehow new to the health care system, Mr. Speaker. The Facility Designation Regulations were last amended in 2011, Mr. Speaker. That’s where these requirements for staff were put in, Mr. Speaker. These are not new, as the members opposite yesterday indicated.

When it comes to compensating our health care workers, Mr. Speaker, that do important work each and every day in facilities large and small across our province, we’re currently in bargaining with all of our health care union partners. We’re going to ensure that compensation remains competitive across Western Canada. We look forward to continuing those discussions at the bargaining table.

Speaker Goudy: — I recognize the Opposition House Leader.

Nicole Sarauer: — Mr. Speaker, 18 years of this government, and now rural health care is in the worst shape we’ve ever seen. Now according to a Saskatchewan Health Authority memo, a single registered nurse is expected to keep an entire hospital up and running. But the Health minister, he keeps saying — he said again today — nothing new to see here. But then an official he brought out from the SHA [Saskatchewan Health Authority] yesterday admitted the memo was meant to “standardize health care across the province.” Clearly, Mr. Speaker, the left hand doesn’t know what the right hand is doing.

Is the Premier aware of this mess that his Health minister has caused?

Speaker Goudy: — I recognize the Minister of Health.

Hon. Jeremy Cockrill: — You know, Mr. Speaker, the members opposite want to talk about nurses staffing our hospitals all across the province, Mr. Speaker. We have some fantastic nursing staff right across the province, whether they’re RNs [registered nurse] or LPNs [licensed practical nurse] or RPNs [registered psychiatric nurse], right across the province, Mr. Speaker.

And let me remind the members opposite, Mr. Speaker . . .

[Interjections]

Speaker Goudy: — Okay.

I recognize the Minister of Health.

Hon. Jeremy Cockrill: — Mr. Speaker, I’ll remind the members opposite that under the most ambitious health human resources action plan in the country, Mr. Speaker, we have reduced our chronic nursing vacancies by 56 per cent over the last two years. Hiring nurses all over the province thanks to the generous incentives in place, Mr. Speaker, that’s the work that this government is going to continue to do.

The members opposite have voted against that plan time and time again, Mr. Speaker. We’re going to continue to make sure that care is available close to home for everyone.

Speaker Goudy: — I recognize the member from Regina Walsh Acres.

Jared Clarke: — Thank you, Mr. Speaker. You know, it’s front-line health care workers who are the ones telling us just how brutal working conditions are in rural health care. Not only is it just one registered nurse to run an entire hospital, maybe with an LPN, but there is no need for a physician to be on site now. A virtual physician will do, according to the memo.

[10:45]

People deserve to know before they arrive at a rural hospital that there is no physician in the emergency room. You’ve just got one overworked registered nurse and a virtual physician. Is this what the Premier considers proper health care in rural Saskatchewan these days?

Speaker Goudy: — I recognize the Minister of Health.

Hon. Jeremy Cockrill: — Well there it is, Mr. Speaker. Time and time again, Mr. Speaker, we’ve spoken about the innovations that this government is working on to deal with service disruptions in rural Saskatchewan.

Point-of-care testing, Mr. Speaker, members opposite have voted against it. The virtual physician program, Mr. Speaker, they say they’re for it, but the record shows differently, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, we should really be asking the members opposite, would they get rid of the virtual physician program, a program put together by Saskatchewan physicians in partnership with the Saskatchewan Health Authority and the Ministry of Health . . .

[Interjections]

Speaker Goudy: — There’s all sorts of time for your questions, but please listen to the answers. We’ll listen to the questions.

Continue, Minister.

Hon. Jeremy Cockrill: — The virtual physician program, Mr. Speaker, developed by Saskatchewan physicians working with the Saskatchewan Health Authority and the Ministry of Health, has saved thousands of days of disruptions across the province, Mr. Speaker. Is that something that the members opposite would get rid of?

Speaker Goudy: — I recognize the member from Regina Walsh Acres.

Jared Clarke: — Thank you, Mr. Speaker. You know, virtual care has a time and a place in health care in Saskatchewan. Nobody is denying that. But CIHI [Canadian Institute for Health Information] data shows that only 10 per cent of emergency room visits can safely be treated by a virtual physician. People deserve to know before they go to the hospital whether there’s a virtual physician or a real physician there.

Now we’ve seen nearly an 800 per cent increase in rural health care closures since this Premier took office — 800 per cent — but rather than fix the problem, Mr. Speaker, he’s clearly just dispatched the Health minister to move those goalposts.

Simple question: how many front-line health care workers did the Health minister consult before imposing these dangerous new working conditions on them?

Speaker Goudy: — I recognize the Minister of Health.

Hon. Jeremy Cockrill: — I’ll say it again. Maybe the member opposite missed it in one of my initial answers, Mr. Speaker. These regulations have been in place since 2011, Mr. Speaker. That’s about 14 years that these same regulations have been in place.

But, Mr. Speaker, the members opposite want to talk about listening to health care workers. The virtual physician program, Mr. Speaker, was developed by Saskatchewan physicians for settings such as what we see in rural Saskatchewan all across the province, Mr. Speaker. This is a highly successful program developed by health care workers right in our province, Mr. Speaker. And yet the members opposite have voted against it time and time again and rise in this House and say that we should not be innovating in health care, Mr. Speaker.

This is a government that is going to continue innovating in health care, Mr. Speaker, and we’re proud of it.

Speaker Goudy: — I recognize the member from Regina Walsh Acres.

Jared Clarke: — Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Health minister will have many, many opportunities to ask questions soon enough.

Now it sure sounds like they’ve consulted with zero health care workers before they implemented these dangerous new rules, Mr. Speaker. But the problem, we know, runs deep in rural health care.

We know full well that the Saskatchewan Health Authority board is full of Sask Party donors, friends, and political campaign hacks. Now yesterday, the minister trotted out an SHA official to the media to act as a political flak jacket, simply to avoid having to answer real questions himself about . . .

Speaker Goudy: — Our public servants certainly aren’t here to defend themselves, and we won’t be bringing accusations and comments about their work. Please, a question for the ministry or the work of the government.

Jared Clarke: — Does the minister realize the dangerous game that he’s playing with Saskatchewan people’s lives, or is he finally admitting that he doesn’t know that he can do his job?

Speaker Goudy: — I recognize the Minister of Health.

Hon. Jeremy Cockrill: — You know, Mr. Speaker, it’s really concerning that we would have elected MLAs in this province question the dedication of Saskatchewan Health Authority executives and employees. Mr. Speaker, I have a high degree of confidence and trust in those people that run our health care system across this province, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, I’ll repeat again. The member opposite just said that virtual physicians aren’t real physicians. Mr. Speaker, nothing could be farther from the truth. The virtual physician program is staffed by real physicians in this province developed by Saskatchewan physicians to serve Saskatchewan patients in rural facilities right across the province, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, time and time again the members opposite, when our new ideas are brought to the forefront — whether it’s privately delivered, publicly paid-for surgeries; whether it be the virtual physician program; whether it be the point-of-care testing that has saved many rural disruptions right across the province — the members opposite say no to innovation. We are going to continue to innovate in health care and make sure that patients are looked after.

Speaker Goudy: — I recognize the member from Regina Walsh Acres.

Jared Clarke: — Mr. Speaker, not a single ounce of contrition from this government about the dangerous games they are playing with people’s lives in rural Saskatchewan.

I’ll remind the minister that hospital closures have increased by 800 per cent under that Premier. Instead they plow ahead knowing full well that the changes that they are making in rural health care could cost the lives of someone or hurt someone very seriously.

Will this government commit today to reversing its dangerous new rules that it is forcing rural emergency rooms, hospitals to stay open?

Speaker Goudy: — I recognize the Minister of Health.

Hon. Jeremy Cockrill: — These new rules that the member references have been in place since 2011, Mr. Speaker.

Speaker Goudy: — I recognize the member from Saskatoon Churchill-Wildwood.

Keith Jorgenson: — You know, wow. All I have to say is, I think people would expect more of their local Taco Bell franchise than this.

Mr. Speaker, Pamela Bartlett from the Oxbow area is here advocating for change in health care. This Sask Party government is standing by their decision to have one manager split between two facilities 50 kilometres apart. And right now neither facility has an administrator at all.

This is dangerous, Mr. Speaker, for their community, and it undermines the quality of care for the residents, patients, and the dedicated staff in those facilities. I’ll quote from the letter that was sent to the minister: “The current staffing crisis poses a serious risk to patient safety, staff retention, and community health stability.”

How did the minister let things get so bad in rural health care?

Speaker Goudy: — I recognize the Minister of Health.

Hon. Jeremy Cockrill: — Well thank you, Mr. Speaker, I had the opportunity along with my colleague, the Minister of Rural and Remote Health, to meet with Pamela Bartlett, the administrator of the RM of Enniskillen, this morning, Mr. Speaker. I had a great meeting, productive meeting. I know that my colleague has spoken with Ms. Bartlett many times over the last year, Mr. Speaker.

You know, Mr. Speaker, it’s interesting. I’ll remind the member opposite of a recent announcement that we were able to make earlier this year, Mr. Speaker, asking the Saskatchewan Health Authority to find administrative savings. They found over $10 million of administrative savings and put those right back into front-line managers and front-line positions in rural facilities right across the province, Mr. Speaker. We’re going to continue looking for more administrative savings, so that we can have more people on the front line putting patients first, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.

Speaker Goudy: — I recognize the member from Saskatoon Churchill-Wildwood.

Keith Jorgenson: — Thank you so much, Mr. Speaker. The RM and the town have been calling for help with their health care for over a year, Mr. Speaker. They’ve been begging for change. The RM and the town have been calling for their health care centre to be re-designated as a hospital. They have 10 beds sitting there and staff that could be utilized and aren’t. This could be easing the pressure on the system all across the Southeast. The residents could be receiving timely, high-quality health care, but they’re not, Mr. Speaker.

Why do residents of Oxbow have to drive all the way to Regina to their legislature to have their concerns heard, Mr. Speaker?

Speaker Goudy: — I recognize the Minister of Health.

Hon. Jeremy Cockrill: — You know, I’ll say, Mr. Speaker, if the member opposite had engaged to the depth that the local MLA has on this issue, that my colleague the Minister of Rural and Remote Health has on this issue, he would know the full details, Mr. Speaker. We want to ensure that we have the right alignment of staff in the community, Mr. Speaker, so that we can have the right services available to people in that community.

We will continue working, again through the country’s most ambitious health human resources action plan to add more health care professionals — whether those be physicians, whether those be nursing staff, Mr. Speaker — to ensure that, whether it be Oxbow or any other community in Saskatchewan, that we can continue to increase the level of service available close to home for patients.

Speaker Goudy: — I recognize the member from Regina Mount Royal.

Restrictions on Foreign Farm Landownership

Trent Wotherspoon: — Mr. Speaker, this tired and out-of-touch government has failed the people of Saskatchewan for 18 years to improve rural health care. And of course they’ve failed producers in rural Saskatchewan with respect to illegal foreign farm landownership. In fact the Sask Party government has failed to act to ensure enforcement of the law, and they’ve looked the other way and dismissed the very serious concerns of . . .

Speaker Goudy: — Sorry. Yesterday I heard you mentioned “looking the other way” and calling things “crime.” I’m going to ask you to avoid what I sense is accusing the government, of our hon. members, that they’re looking the other way on things that you’re calling crime. So please reword your question.

Trent Wotherspoon: — They’ve dismissed the very serious concerns of producers, and they failed to have the measures in place to ensure the enforcement of the law, Mr. Speaker.

How can the Agriculture minister defend that government’s record of failure and inaction, one that spans almost two decades on this front?

Speaker Goudy: — I recognize the Minister of Agriculture.

Hon. Daryl Harrison: — Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As a producer and a landowner, I take farm landownership very seriously. Mr. Speaker, we have strengthened the legislation around farm landownership. We have implemented all the recommendations by the Provincial Auditor, Mr. Speaker, and I struck a committee to further review.

Mr. Speaker, this government is always there for our producers, and we will continue to be so every step of the way. Thank you.

Speaker Goudy: — I recognize the member from Regina Mount Royal.

Trent Wotherspoon: — You know, Mr. Speaker, it’s one thing for that government, that minister, to be dismissive of the opposition, but it’s another thing to be dismissive of the Agricultural Producers Association of Saskatchewan, of the producers of this province. Now of course they sent a letter to that minister yesterday, but I don’t think he read it. I don’t think he got the message: “Suspicion of indirect forms of foreign ownership include corporate structures and financial instruments, distort market dynamics, and further limits access for Saskatchewan producers.”

You know, if the minister won’t take my word for it, will he listen to the producers of Saskatchewan, to APAS [Agricultural Producers Association of Saskatchewan], to SARM [Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities]? Will he finally acknowledge there’s a serious problem in this province with respect to illegal foreign farm landownership? And will he finally get to work to fix his weak and inadequate measures to enforce the law?

Speaker Goudy: — I recognize the Minister of Agriculture.

Hon. Daryl Harrison: — Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I struck this advisory committee to meet with groups like SARM and APAS. And as the member opposite alluded to suspicion of illegal farm landownership, if the president from APAS or SARM have evidence or the member opposite has evidence, please bring it forward to the Farm Land Security Board. Let them do their job. Thank you.

Speaker Goudy: — I recognize the member from Regina Mount Royal.

Trent Wotherspoon: — Talk about dismissive. That minister knows full well that producers in this province and the people of this province have taken very serious concerns and information to the Farm Land Security Board. It’s that minister and that government that has failed to provide them the teeth and the resources they need to enforce the law, Mr. Speaker.

You know, the loopholes with their enforcement are so wide, you could drive an air seeder through them, Mr. Speaker. Half the deals examined by the auditor lacked the appropriate documentation. Six employees for over 40,000 transactions — it’s a system designed to fail by a government that has failed to support the Farm Land Security Board and make sure the measures and resources are in place to enforce the law.

After years of inaction on this file, why on earth should Saskatchewan people and producers trust now that that minister and this government are now going to finally take this issue seriously?

Speaker Goudy: — I recognize the Minister of Agriculture.

Hon. Daryl Harrison: — Thank you, Mr. Speaker. To the member opposite, I’ll remind him that farm landownership rules were strengthened here by my predecessor in 2014, Mr. Speaker. We implemented stronger legislation on ownership of farm land here in the province. Mr. Speaker, from the auditor’s report we have implemented mandatory statutory declarations on all farm land transactions. All the recommendations that the auditor made, we have implemented, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.

Speaker Goudy: — I recognize the member from Saskatoon Centre.

Overdose Deaths and Treatment for Addictions

Betty Nippi-Albright: — Mr. Speaker, yesterday I asked the Minister for Mental Health and Addictions a simple question, and that was to confirm the devastating reports I’ve heard about 200 people waiting for addiction treatment and support at the facility in Thorpe alone. That’s right — 200 people trying to get help to save their lives.

The minister ignored my question, so I’m going to try again. How many people are currently stuck on wait-lists across Saskatchewan for mental health and addictions?

[11:00]

Speaker Goudy: — I recognize the Minister of Mental Health and Addictions.

Hon. Lori Carr: — Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And, Mr. Speaker, I just want to set the record straight on the facility that the member was talking about yesterday. That’s actually an Alberta facility that she’s talking about. The province of Saskatchewan rents 15 spaces within that facility, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, spaces available for residents in Saskatchewan is exactly what this government is doing. We have our recovery-oriented system of care that we are putting in place, and within that we’re expanding spaces within the province. Our goal is 500 spaces on top of the spaces that we already have, Mr. Speaker. We’re at just about 300 of those spaces, and we’re continuing to do that work.

As soon as we get those full 500 spaces in place, Mr. Speaker, we’ll evaluate what we have out there, and most likely we will have to do more work. But what we’re doing is we’re not closing down spaces, Mr. Speaker. We’re actually opening them in the province.

Speaker Goudy: — I recognize the member from Saskatoon Centre.

Betty Nippi-Albright: — Mr. Speaker, this province still funds spaces for that facility. People are still waiting to get into those spaces. How many people are currently on wait-lists across Saskatchewan to get into in-patient treatment centres?

Speaker Goudy: — I recognize the Minister of Mental Health and Addictions.

Hon. Lori Carr: — Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I did say that we do fund 15 spaces in that facility. That’s exactly what I said, and if she was listening, she would have heard that the first time around, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, we do have several programs that we run throughout this province. And within those spaces that we’re providing through recovery-oriented system of care, there are pre-treatment spaces, there are treatment spaces for addictions, and then there are post-treatment spaces, Mr. Speaker.

And I want to talk about the post-treatment spaces that we are making available. Those are to ensure that when the people do get out of treatment, Mr. Speaker, that they have those wraparound supports for them so that they are able to continue down that path of recovery. And that is what our government is looking at so that we have strong communities, strong families, as people live in recovery, Mr. Speaker.

Speaker Goudy: — I recognize the member from Saskatoon Centre.

Betty Nippi-Albright: — Mr. Speaker, she hasn’t said of those 200 people are Saskatchewan citizens waiting to get into that facility. Mr. Speaker, I’ve asked this question many times. To act on the addictions crisis; I ask this government to act on that. Addictions is killing our people and they’re destroying so many lives.

In the past they accused us, the NDP [New Democratic Party], of wanting to give out free drugs. Just yesterday the minister implied that I wanted to give out free crack pipes. She knows that’s wrong and disparaging. I wonder why she’d say that to me. What does the minister say to First Nations and Métis people who are disproportionately dying from this toxic drug crisis?

Speaker Goudy: — I recognize the Minister of Mental Health and Addictions.

Hon. Lori Carr: — Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, what I would say to all residents in Saskatchewan is that we will advocate for recovery for you. We will put services in place so that every individual in this province has an opportunity at recovery, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, the illicit drugs that are out there are so dangerous, they’re so addicting that we will not advocate in any way, shape, or form in providing those drugs to individuals. But what we will advocate for, Mr. Speaker, is recovery. And as we continue to talk about the services that are out there, we have outreach teams that meet people where they are at on the streets to try and encourage them to get into recovery, Mr. Speaker. And that is what we will continue to do, Mr. Speaker.

Speaker Goudy: — I recognize the member from Regina Coronation Park.

Supports to Ensure Immigration

Noor Burki: — Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, our Saskatchewan motto is “from many peoples, strength.” But we will never be able to realize that motto unless we make this province that is a welcoming place for all.

The Sask Party sent the wrong message to young people and newcomers at their convention last weekend. But that’s not the only problem, Mr. Speaker. We see thousands of people leaving Saskatchewan every year to other provinces, and the provincial government could not make a deal on SINP [Saskatchewan immigrant nominee program] like Manitoba and New Brunswick managed. Our new SINP spots have been cut drastically.

With that I will ask the government what is their plan to ensure that newcomers can stay here in this province and help build a bright future for our province?

Speaker Goudy: — I recognize the Minister of Finance.

Hon. Jim Reiter: — Mr. Speaker, as the member opposite knows, in immigration, much of it’s controlled by the federal government. What is controlled by the provincial government is the economic streams from allocations from the federal government, Mr. Speaker. Those were cut in half last spring, Mr. Speaker.

We’ve had many discussions with the federal government pointing out the imperative that those streams have to the economy of Saskatchewan, Mr. Speaker. While we want Saskatchewan people to have the first opportunity, in some cases, those need to be provided from other provinces, Mr. Speaker.

INTRODUCTION OF BILLS

Bill No. 38 — The Building Schools Faster Act

Speaker Goudy: — I recognize the Minister of Education.

Hon. Everett Hindley: — Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I move that Bill No. 38, The Building Schools Faster Act, be now introduced and read a first time.

Speaker Goudy: — It has been moved by the Minister of Education that Bill No. 38, The Building Schools Faster Act, be now introduced and read a first time. Is it the pleasure of the Assembly to adopt the motion?

Some Hon. Members: — Agreed.

Speaker Goudy: — Agreed. Carried.

Deputy Clerk: — First reading of this bill.

Speaker Goudy: — When shall this bill be read a second time?

Hon. Everett Hindley: — Next sitting of the Assembly.

Speaker Goudy: — Next sitting.

Bill No. 39 — The Building Schools Faster Consequential Amendment Act, 2025/Loi de 2025 corrélative de la loi intitulée The Building Schools Faster Act

Speaker Goudy: — I recognize the Minister of Education.

Hon. Everett Hindley: — Mr. Speaker, I move that Bill No. 39, The Building Schools Faster Consequential Amendment Act, 2025, bilingual, be now introduced and read a first time.

Speaker Goudy: — It’s been moved by the Minister of Education that Bill No. 39, The Building Schools Faster Consequential Amendment Act, 2025 be now read the second time. Is it the pleasure of the Assembly to adopt the motion?

Some Hon. Members: — Agreed.

Speaker Goudy: — Oh, for the first time. Well we’ll do it first before we do it second, Minister. Is it the pleasure of the Assembly to adopt the motion?

Some Hon. Members: — Agreed.

Speaker Goudy: — Carried.

Deputy Clerk: — First reading of this bill.

Speaker Goudy: — When shall this bill be read a second time?

Hon. Everett Hindley: — Next sitting of the Assembly, Mr. Speaker.

Speaker Goudy: — Next sitting.

ORDERS OF THE DAY

SEVENTY-FIVE MINUTE DEBATE

Speaker Goudy: — I recognize the member from Kindersley-Biggar.

Support for Development of Pipeline to West Coast

Kim Gartner: — Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It’s a pleasure to rise and enter debate. Mr. Speaker, the energy sector in this province contributes $13.5 billion annually to our provincial economy and includes over 160 companies that operate oil and gas wells in Saskatchewan.

The industry operates very visibly in many areas of the province. I am proud to represent such an area. The constituency of Kindersley-Biggar is home to many oil and gas producers. In fact no less than seven of the top 10 Saskatchewan producers have significant holdings in west central Saskatchewan. We are also home to the Kerrobert terminal, a major pumping station for Enbridge pipelines.

Mr. Speaker, growing up on a farm outside a small town in west central Saskatchewan located less than one mile from the Alberta border, I had a front-row seat to the development of our oil industry. And even though I didn’t know it at the time, I was watching an interesting growth pattern of the oil and gas development in our area. As I progressed through elementary and then high school, there were always new families moving to town. Their parents were always directly or indirectly employed in the oil and gas sector.

It was a slow migration and there was always a buzz about the potential explosion of exploration and development. We watched as just 2 kilometres to the west a prosperous and vibrant oil industry was booming, and a similar-sized town was now doubling in its population while we continued with a slow-growth pattern. What was the difference in communities? The community services were the same. The farm economy was the same. Surely the oil didn’t stop at that imaginary border between our two provinces.

As I moved into my graduation year, the mood and the vibe of our community changed. My classmates were no longer looking west to Alberta, and our parents began giving us graduation presents that weren’t suitcases. Entrepreneurs and businesses, business-minded people began investing into our community as provincial policies began to shift and change.

It was the election in 1982 that began the shift of economic policy towards a market-based economy, where communities like those in west central Saskatchewan, began to thrive as we moved away from state-led economics. Yes, Mr. Deputy Speaker, there was oil and gas development before 1982.

In fact west central Saskatchewan was home to some of the very large holdings of a company called SaskOil. Now, the roots of this company are really quite interesting. The idea of an oil company, to be owned by the province of Saskatchewan to compete with other extraction companies within the province, was originated by the NDP in 1972 by a faction of the NDP party known as the Waffle.

The Waffle actively organized behind an NDP policy initiative to have complete public ownership of the provincial oil industry. SaskOil was to be that vehicle when it was created in 1973. The NDP implemented a 100 per cent windfall tax on oil profits and expropriated the mineral and exploration rights of 24 private companies.

Mr. Speaker, our Premier often speaks to policies and how policies matter. Well the Premier is absolutely correct. And the Waffle-NDP policy that stagnated the development of our oil and gas sector held back our economy, sent a generation of young Saskatchewan graduates to Alberta, and forced us to watch in envy as the Alberta economy exploded has once again reared its head.

From the recent NDP convention, be it resolved that the NDP will take ownership of a public and socialized oil and gas sector. Yes, Mr. Deputy Speaker, policies matter. Today the company assets that were once proposed to control development and expansion are owned and operated by Strathcona Resources, the fourth-largest producer in our province.

Mr. Speaker, the movement of the oil and gas produced in our province is carried by various pipeline companies assisting with the safe movement of our energy products every day. Enbridge pipeline’s Kerrobert Terminal is connected to the Mainline pipe system and has a shell capacity of about 318,000 barrels. Inter Pipeline Ltd. is a crude oil gathering system, carrying oil from the Kindersley-Kerrobert region to the Enbridge system. Alliance Pipeline operates an integrated natural gas system delivering Western Canadian natural gas to the United States.

These companies help manage the flow of our energy commodities across North America and to markets around the world. The location of the Kerrobert Terminal strengthens the stability and the reliability of Saskatchewan as a major player in Canadian energy production and distribution. For the province of Saskatchewan, it is an investment that demonstrates a commitment to the energy sector that we can safely transport and market our commodities to the world. It demonstrates that private enterprise joins with the province of Saskatchewan, demonstrating that we are a safe, strong, and secure place to invest.

[11:15]

Mr. Speaker, the oil and gas sector in Saskatchewan wants to help with economic growth. They want to continue contributing to advancements in health, education, and our entire provincial economy. Mr. Deputy Speaker, that can happen with pipeline capacity expansion.

But, Mr. Speaker, the pipelines are full. We need to — and they want to — expand their capacity both east and west. The oil and gas companies that supply the pipeline systems with product want to expand, particularly into Saskatchewan. In an effort to get more west central Saskatchewan oil to market, Strathcona Resources has purchased the Hardisty, Alberta rail terminal, the largest crude-by-rail terminal in Western Canada.

Without additional pipeline space, the demand for crude by rail will continue to increase, and the ability for our rail-dependent industries to transport to market will be increasingly difficult. The need for increased pipeline space is a required element to stabilize the movement of our mining, manufacturing, forestry, and agricultural products to market.

Mr. Deputy Speaker, on this side of the Chamber, we have the desire to unlock the full potential of our province’s economy, including the energy sector. And it is not a pipe dream. It is a reality. Companies that produce and transport our energy products are willing and ready to invest to continue contributing to our prosperity. They see Saskatchewan as a safe, secure, and stable partner, a partner that shares the same goals for a strong economy, safe environmental protections, and a secure energy future. We are a leader in carbon capture technology. So what is standing in our way?

Standing in our way is uncertainty — uncertainty with federal policy, uncertainty about the removal of policies that restrict our exports from moving freely across this country and through the ports to the markets around the world, uncertainty that comes from policies and protectionist red tape that exists in provinces that stand between our products and the tidewater ports that are our conduit to the world.

Mr. Deputy Speaker, as a province we understand the importance of maintaining policy that promotes pipeline investment. The oil infrastructure investment program was recently extended until March 2029, providing support for qualifying oil and CO₂ pipeline projects within the province to encourage infrastructure development and investment.

In fact our Premier has been a very vocal supporter of large, interprovincial pipeline projects in all directions. Our Premier has explicitly backed the recent proposal for a new oil pipeline to the British Columbia coast, advocating for federal approval, arguing a West Coast pipeline is of national interest.

The Northern Gateway pipeline was originally approved in 2014 by the National Energy Board. However the NDP stood in this House and voted against supporting the construction. Following a change of our federal government, the project was cancelled in 2016. This cancellation was followed by the implementation of a series of strict federal regulations designed to prohibit further development or expansion of our oil industry and restrict further development of pipelines and port facilities along Canada’s West Coast.

The current provincial NDP government in British Columbia have said that they do not and will not support any pipeline project application. In 2024 the lack of Western Canadian pipeline access to tidewater cost the Saskatchewan oil producers $1.6 billion in lost revenue and the Government of Saskatchewan approximately 130 million in lost taxes, royalties, and other revenue.

So, Mr. Speaker, it is very interesting to read the wording of support we see from the Saskatchewan NDP as it is specifically for a pipeline to the East Coast with no mention of a West Coast pipeline. A quote by the member from Regina University: “We need to focus on diversifying our markets — and that starts with building a pipeline to Canada’s East Coast.” This statement is consistent with current NDP policy. No mention of a pipeline to the West Coast.

Why would you not support further development to the West Coast? Why would you not contact your NDP colleagues and promote the importance of further West Coast pipeline development? Why would you not support a pipeline that has once been approved, and in favour for an East Coast pipeline that requires a proponent and has already once been rejected?

This Saskatchewan Party government’s policies and actions are not talking points. These are clear and concise policies that align with our goal to keep Saskatchewan strong, safe, and secure.

[Interjections]

Deputy Speaker B. McLeod: — I’ll ask the members to pay attention to the speech that’s being given and keep your comments for later. Thank you.

Kim Gartner: — Our policies are open, transparent, and stable. They are part of what we openly believe. You can ask any one of the members on this side of the House if they support our oil and gas industry and the pipeline systems that safely transport its product, and you will receive a clear, concise, affirmative answer.

Our government will continue to promote and advocate for pipeline access. And I am however just as confident that not all members opposite can or would unequivocally support our oil and gas industry and the required pipeline system. To quote the member from Regina Elphinstone-Centre:

So tar sands and no federal plan to transition out of oil is the context in which we are talking about investing millions of public money into increasing our capacity to move raw bitumen? Absolutely it should be opposed.

The members opposite refuse to separate themselves from their waffled past and continue to support a state-led economic policy.

Mr. Speaker, the upstream oil and gas industry employs 26,250 families and workers here in Saskatchewan. The companies and their employees continue to contribute to the social and economic fabric of every Saskatchewan community. They are our neighbours, they are our community members, and they are our fundraising partners, and they desire to continue contributing to the prosperity of our province.

Therefore, Mr. Deputy Speaker, it is my pleasure to move:

That this Assembly call upon the Government of Saskatchewan to support the development of a new Canadian pipeline to carry Saskatchewan oil to the West Coast of Canada.

Thank you.

Deputy Speaker B. McLeod: — It has been moved by the member from Kindersley-Biggar:

That this Assembly call upon the Government of Saskatchewan to support the development of a new Canadian pipeline to carry Saskatchewan oil to the West Coast of Canada.

Is the Assembly ready for the question? I recognize the member from Regina University.

Sally Housser: — Thank you very much, Deputy Speaker. I could not be more delighted to rise today to speak in favour of this motion by the government that calls on itself — the government — to support something that I thought we already did.

And I know that I’ve only been here for just over a year, but perhaps I misunderstood what 75‑minute debate was about. I thought it was putting forward something where there was a disagreement so that we could actually debate it, you know, as we did with the foreign ownership of land. We agree with APAS and SARM and the producers that there’s a problem. The government doesn’t, and we debated it as such, you know. But far be it from me to try to unpack the multi-layered complex strategy of some of the finest political minds that I know we have over there on the other side.

Mr. Deputy Speaker, suffice it to say that I could not be more delighted to rise, and for myself and my colleagues to once again — once again publicly, with industry here in the House — talk about our support for getting our product to market for the construction of more rail, more pipe to the West Coast, and support for our industry and support for our industry workers. Any day that I get to talk about the oil and gas industry is a good day for me.

You know, back in the late spring or early summer, myself and the Leader of the Opposition and my colleague from Saskatoon Riversdale had a great trip to Calgary. And in that trip we met with leadership from Enbridge, leadership from Cenovus, leadership from CAPP [Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers], EPAC [The Explorers and Producers Association of Canada], many other industry professionals. And it was clear that we need to be building more infrastructure everywhere in this country, but there absolutely was consensus that the place to start was Western Canada. And we said in that room, like we consistently say in the public and the media and here in the House, that we agree, that we need more capacity going west.

We are consistent in that in the room. You know, I always am baffled at how the government refuses to take yes for an answer. You know, there’s so many things in this House that we disagree massively on — their failure on health care, their failure on education, their failure on affordability — but this is one where there’s a level of consensus. And you would think that a government would take yes for an answer and actually do the work and get a pipeline built.

In the generation that they have been in government, the only thing that they have seen built, Justin Trudeau had to buy for them, right. So I mean I am consistently baffled by that, how we don’t see them actually working with . . . and continuing to try to drive a partisan wedge where there isn’t one instead of getting the job done.

Yeah, you know, the one thing where we might not agree on this one is who should be building this pipeline. We think it should be built by Saskatchewan steel with Saskatchewan steelworkers, the best in the country, some of the best in the world, Mr. Speaker. But unfortunately this province signed an MOU [memorandum of understanding] with Ontario that specifically says new pipelines and rail projects will be built with Ontario steel.

And I just do not understand how our Premier . . . Did he not read the document? Was it a mistake? Did he ask Ford to correct? And what does he have to say to the steelworkers, our hard-working steelworkers here in Saskatchewan? That yeah, that if they do actually manage to get something moving, that yeah, that that steel is just going to come from Ontario. It makes no sense to me, Mr. Speaker.

You know, here the Saskatchewan NDP has repeatedly called. Back in March our leader wrote to every federal leader calling for all sorts of infrastructure projects, but quite specifically the need for more energy infrastructure and quite specifically the need for more pipelines. We have called for expanding access to global markets for Saskatchewan products, investments in trade-enabling infrastructure like ports, rails, pipelines, and power lines.

You know, Mr. Speaker, I didn’t come from an oil and gas family but I married into one. My father-in-law founded Seven Generations Energy in Alberta. I’ve had the opportunity to work as a consultant lobbyist for Enbridge over the construction of Line 3, you know, and worked with many other industry clients like Imperial Oil as well.

I am so proud of what we have to offer the world here in Saskatchewan, and we know we need more of it. And not just here in Saskatchewan for our own power needs, but we want to be in a position where we can export as well, where we become that energy leader and energy superpower in Saskatchewan. And we have that ability.

And I think it’s very frustrating for those of us in the House here to stand up, acknowledge that, say that repeatedly, consistently. And the government knows this, right? The government knows this. They bring up resolutions that didn’t make it to the floor let alone be debated, let alone be voted on, that our members in their wisdom voted so low on the priority list that they didn’t even make the floor. They know that. And I get it. I get, you know, again this is dizzying political minds and the strategy over there. I get what they’re doing. I understand it.

[11:30]

But it is frustrating when something so important that should not be a partisan debate in the House — support for our energy industry, support for our energy workers, support for getting our product to market — is used as such a cynical wedge. You know, a cynical wedge.

And you know, this is . . . again being baffled by this being the debate. I tell you what. We’ve been . . . even last time, like, 75‑minute debates where we go, oh, that’s a good one and who’s going to talk and then how . . . And it shouldn’t probably be how 75‑minute debates work, where the government presents something and we’re all absolutely delighted on this side of the House to be able to talk about that. I mean, keep it coming. You know what I mean?

You know, you could put one forward next on maybe support for food banks that have the highest rates of use in the country, or you know . . . Anyways keep it coming, Mr. Speaker. We’d love to see it.

You know, one thing that we’re disappointed to see — and again this goes back to this government being in power for a generation and their inability to actually get projects done — very disappointed to see that Alberta’s kind of western pipeline doesn’t appear to be in the latest list of approved major projects. Again we’re completely unsure of what Saskatchewan’s major projects that were submitted were because the government has refused to release the list.

But you know, the government says to us, like talk to your people. And I think it’s a better question is — they’re in government — of who they’re talking to. And the relationship with the federal government has been so broken through sabre rattling and chest pounding under this government that it has made it even harder for us to get the job done here in Saskatchewan, right. We need to have a government that is focused on actually getting results for the people of Saskatchewan instead of this consistent gamesmanship that we see, this consistent partisanship that we see.

Well I think the people of Saskatchewan want to see the members opposite and this government say, look, the NDP agrees with us that we need to get this done. We have cross-partisan agreement and acceptance. That happens so rarely in the Westminster system here, and they’re squandering that opportunity and squandering the resources we have and the ability to actually build things and get things done, Mr. Speaker.

You know, so I’m looking forward to the questions we have. I don’t think I’ll be particularly shocked with anything we stand up with. But maybe this time they’ll have more than one or two written down from the issues managers opposite, Mr. Speaker. But I very much look forward to this debate.

Again as I’ve said, any time that myself and my colleagues get to stand up and once again, Mr. Speaker, put on the record our support for our energy industry, our support for building trade-enabling infrastructure, our support for oil and gas, and our support for oil and gas workers is always going to be a fantastic day. And so once again, on the opposition side, we support this motion that calls on the government for the government to support a pipeline to the West Coast of Canada.

I look forward to the debate, Mr. Speaker, to hear from my colleagues, to hear from them opposite. But I would urge them to take yes for an answer, move ahead of this partisan debate, and get the job done. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Deputy Speaker B. McLeod: — I recognize the member from White City-Qu’Appelle.

Brad Crassweller: — Thank you, Deputy Speaker. I look forward to the opportunity to address you today, and I want to take you actually back to the last time I addressed you in a 75‑minute debate. And I want to bring up one word I spent most of my time talking about, and that word was commitment.

Mr. Deputy Speaker, we talked about the fact that commitment is a really interesting word. It’s a word that’s real easy to say, but it’s not so easy to actually make good on many times. Many times if you look around our world, you’ll see commitment to many varying degrees. But along with that, Mr. Deputy Speaker, you see the ramifications or the consequences of that varying degree of commitment. And I fully believe that commitment can make or break a business, can make or break a sports team, and make or break relationships. Commitment is vital. Matter of fact, it’s crucial to success in life.

And, Mr. Speaker, we saw a great example of this, this past weekend, with the Riders in the Western Final. And, Mr. Deputy Speaker, I would ask you, how many of us thought it was a good idea to go for it on 3rd and 10? I was yelling at my TV, we should go for it. Don’t kick a field goal; we got to go for it. Or go for it on third down instead of punting it away. The time was running out, Mr. Speaker. But you know what? Coach Mace was committed. He was committed to his defence. He was committed to his plan. He was committed to his strategy. And in the end, Mr. Deputy Speaker, it worked out pretty well.

But today as we enter debate, I want to pick up where I left off and actually take this concept and this word, commitment, a little bit further because, again, we spend a lot of time talking about commitment. We could talk about varying levels of commitment, degrees of commitment to different ideas and projects, whether it be a sports team, a business team, relationships. Again, commitment is vital, crucial to success.

But, Mr. Deputy Speaker, I think we need to take it further because what is critically important is a commitment to the right things, a commitment to the right policies, a commitment to the right actions. And, Mr. Deputy Speaker, the problem is many times, people and organizations are committed, but they’re committed to the wrong things. We see this in every aspect in life.

We can come back for a second and talk about sports teams because, Mr. Speaker, in this House there’s some people, people in this room that are committed to the Maple Leafs. Some are committed to the Montreal Canadiens. And no matter how you slice it, Mr. Speaker, they are committed, but unfortunately committed to the wrong things. Maybe the wrong teams. Maybe the Bruins. Possibly the wrong team as well.

And we can joke about sports teams, but many times in life people find themselves committed to things that are ultimately very damaging and destructive to themselves, to their families, to their communities, and even to an entire nation. But, Mr. Deputy Speaker, I’m proud to say that this government has a history — and I would say it’s a long history — of being committed to the right things.

I’d have to take you back and we could talk about the fact that this government is committed to economic growth and job creation through the private sector, not government, as the engine of the economy.

Well, Mr. Speaker, how has that commitment worked out? Well we have one of the strongest GDPs [gross domestic product], some of the lowest unemployment, the best credit rating in Canada, the most affordable place to buy a home, to live and work and raise a family.

Mr. Speaker, we’ve made record investments in education and health care, and it’s only due to the strong economy that we see here in Saskatchewan, which is only due to a commitment to the right things along the way. So, Mr. Speaker, the things that I’m going to share with you in just a minute are only possible because this government long ago was committed to the right things, the right policies, the right direction at the right time, enabling us to build — and listen to this, Mr. Deputy Speaker, this is amazing — enabling us to build, renovate, or replace 115 schools since 2008, and enabling us to build, renovate, or upgrade 31 hospitals, long-term care centres, and integrated facilities throughout our province since 2010.

Mr. Deputy Speaker, that’s only made possible by a strong economy which comes from a commitment to the right things. The other bookend of that first commitment, Mr. Deputy Speaker, that I just talked about, is that this government is also committed to the constant improvement of Saskatchewan’s economic and social conditions within a strong and unified Canada. Again, Mr. Deputy Speaker, a commitment to the right things, to the right policies, to the right relationships.

With our trade offices around the world, for example, those relationships and that commitment made so long ago is paying off in dividends, huge dividends, Mr. Deputy Speaker. And this government and the policies and the laws that have been put in place over the years are working, and that’s why we have a strong economy. That’s why we have safer communities, and that’s why we have a secure future.

You see, Mr. Deputy Speaker, it’s a commitment. And our government is renewing those commitments, signing a memorandum of understanding with Alberta and Ontario to start a feasibility study for the advancement of an east-west energy corridor. Our government is supportive of an economic corridor that runs from Alberta to Southern Ontario — an economic corridor that will continue to grow our economy, to grow the economy of other provinces — because we’re committed to the constant improvement of Saskatchewan’s economic and social conditions, as well as those of our neighbours in this great nation we call Canada.

Building an east-west corridor, Mr. Deputy Speaker, would be a nation-building project that would support a more competitive and resilient Canadian economy and would bring us closer to our goal of becoming an energy superpower as our Prime Minister has indicated. Mr. Deputy Speaker, we’ll continue to be committed to the right things at the right time. And right now, one of those things is another pipeline to the West Coast. We’re Canada’s second-largest oil producer, the sixth-largest onshore producer in Canada and the US [United States], where we have estimated oil reserves of almost 1.6 billion barrels.

Mr. Deputy Speaker, our Saskatchewan has excellent refining and upgrading capacity and an extensive network of pipelines. We have robust production capabilities currently averaging 440,000 barrels a day, and we’re on target to produce 600,000 barrels per day by 2030. Mr. Speaker, it’s all supported by competitive royalties, established infrastructure, and enhanced recovery technologies. This key energy sector in Saskatchewan offers significant opportunities for investment. But, Mr. Deputy Speaker, we need another pipeline. We need to get to tidewater. We need to diversify our markets. And once again, this government is committed to the right things, the right direction at the right time.

Mr. Deputy Speaker, I want to quote something out of the National Post, and here’s what it said:

The real “double-talk” comes from those who acknowledge Canada’s productivity crisis and over-dependence on the US economy and then do nothing to support the best idea to address these problems, namely pipelines to the West Coast and new markets in Asia.

Again, this government is committed to the right thing at the right time.

I’m going to share another quote with you, Mr. Deputy Speaker, from Lisa Baiton, president and CEO of the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers. Here’s what she said: “Saskatchewan is a jurisdiction that understands the importance of policy alignment, regulatory efficiency, and investment attraction.”

Mr. Deputy Speaker, what she’s saying is the Government of Saskatchewan is committed to the right direction, to the right policies at the right time to enable growth, to stimulate growth.

She says this: “To support this ambition, Saskatchewan has introduced a suite of forward-thinking policy tools designed to stimulate private sector investment.” One of the things we committed to long ago, Mr. Deputy Speaker.

She goes on to acknowledge that the revenue generated for this province funds such initiatives that I just spoke about — new hospitals, new schools, new infrastructure, more social programs. You see, Mr. Deputy Speaker, it’s not just this government that stands up and acknowledges that these type of commitments generate revenue that allows us to invest into many areas for the betterment of everyone in this great province. She refers to them as dividends of responsible development, and I couldn’t agree more. The Government of Saskatchewan remains committed to developing a positive climate for new and established oil and gas companies.

Mr. Deputy Speaker, with all that I’ve just talked about, we can see that not only do we need another pipeline to the West Coast, but we’re also ready to fill it, and by doing so will benefit the entire province in so many areas of need — from building more hospitals and schools to continue to improve our infrastructure, to keep Saskatchewan growing and improving, to continue to be the best place in Canada to live and work and raise a family.

Mr. Speaker, just this past weekend Nathan Rourke, the quarterback for the BC Lions, after scoring a touchdown looked into the camera and he said, it’s our time. Mr. Speaker, he was wrong, because with 11 seconds left in the game, Trevor Harris and Tommy Nield completed an incredible comeback to correct the story to say, no, it’s our time; it’s Rider time.

But I will agree, Mr. Deputy Speaker, that BC and Alberta and Saskatchewan should work together with regard to a new pipeline to the West Coast. Mr. Deputy Speaker, it’s our time. And that’s why I support this motion brought by the member from Kindersley-Biggar:

That this Assembly call upon the Government of Saskatchewan to support the development of a new Canadian pipeline to carry Saskatchewan and Alberta oil to the West Coast of Canada.

Thank you, Mr. Deputy Speaker, for your time. God bless you and God bless Saskatchewan.

Deputy Speaker B. McLeod: — I recognize the member from Saskatoon Riversdale.

Kim Breckner: — Thank you, Mr. Deputy Speaker. And I’d like to thank my colleague, the MLA from Regina University, for clarifying the absurd notion of this motion. I thought I just had pregnancy brain. I was looking at it and like, yeah, okay. Sounds good. But I guess I’ll find something to debate here.

[11:45]

First of all, let me be perfectly clear. The Saskatchewan NDP supports the development of a new Canadian pipeline to carry Saskatchewan oil to the West Coast of Canada. We support it because we support getting our resources to tidewater to access global markets and secure the best return for the people of this province.

In fact our vision goes beyond just one project. We have consistently called for the expanding access to global markets for all Saskatchewan products. And that requires strategic investments in the trade-enabling infrastructure that makes it possible, not just pipelines but ports, rail lines, and power lines.

But, Mr. Deputy Speaker, there’s a crucial element that this government consistently overlooks. When we talk about building a pipeline, we’re not just talking about moving a product. We’re talking about building something, and that building should be done by Saskatchewan hands. It should be done with Saskatchewan steel and by the best steelworkers in the world right here in this province.

Let me be clear again. We want pipelines built by Saskatchewan steelworkers. This isn’t just a sentimental motion; it’s an economic imperative. Using Saskatchewan steel would create jobs, stimulate our local economies, and be a point of immense provincial pride. It’s a win-win. Maybe here I’d insert a sports metaphor, but I don’t really have one handy.

Yet what do we see from this Sask Party government? A pattern of failure and missed opportunities that have left our workers and our industry behind. Let’s look at their record. While it’s refreshing to see the Sask Party champion a pipeline through Western Canada, it was as recently as February — well into the US tariffs war — that the Premier championed building a pipeline to the US. And while he championed more dependence on the US economy, he failed to stand up to Trump on tariffs. And we’re still seeing the results of this Premier’s inaction on tariffs.

This is a government that, in their most recent budget, provided no measures to address the impact of these international tariffs and no contingency plan to protect our industries. They’re simply not prepared for the realities of this global economy.

Also this is a government that has a, for some reason, secret priority list of infrastructure projects that they’ve provided to the federal government, but they have point-blank refused to tell the people of Saskatchewan, the very people that they serve, what projects are on the list. What are they hiding? Is the new West Coast pipeline even on that list? We don’t know.

And, Mr. Deputy Speaker, this is a government that talks a big game about Saskatchewan jobs. But when it comes to actually planning for a pipeline, like the one in the recent memorandum of understanding between Ontario and Alberta and Saskatchewan to build the pipeline east, what happened? They handed our pipeline jobs to Ontario. They signed on the dotted line that that manufacturing and fabrication work would be sent down the line. They are not standing up for steelworkers in this province, even though doing so would massively boost our provincial economy.

Let’s talk about their actual 18‑year record on pipelines. They’ve been in the government for nearly two decades. In that time . . .

[Applause]

Kim Breckner: — Okay, great. How many pipelines have you built? Yay, still waiting.

I mean, there was one. There was one. But who paid for it? The Trans Mountain pipeline expansion, who paid for it? Who navigated the complexities and the hurdles to get it past the finish line? It was the federal government under Justin Trudeau. I know, Trudeau bad, boo. And this government takes a victory lap for a project they didn’t plan, didn’t pay for, and didn’t build. News flash: to build a pipeline, you can’t just say all pipelines are pre-approved. It takes real planning, real commitment, real consultation with the stakeholders. A commitment — something something sports, you know.

The Sask Party government’s record is one of inaction and outsourcing. They’ve had 18 years to champion a new pipeline to the West Coast, and we have nothing to show for it but empty rhetoric.

Now they have a new ally in Ottawa. They have a Conservative leader, Pierre Poilievre, who they stand with, who they champion. He too talks a great game about pipelines.

So I have a simple question for the government: have you asked Pierre Poilievre to get a new pipeline to the West Coast? Have you presented him with a concrete plan? Have you demanded his commitment? Because if you have and one isn’t being announced, it can only mean one of two things. Either you haven’t actually asked, or you have and Pierre Poilievre just can’t deliver. So which is it? Are you failing to ask, or is the federal government ally failing to deliver? Saskatchewan people deserve an answer.

Mr. Deputy Speaker, the contrast could not be clearer. The Sask Party offers words. The Saskatchewan NDP offers a vision and a plan. We envision a province where our resources get to market, creating wealth that benefits every single citizen. We envision a province where the infrastructure we build — the pipelines, the power lines — are constructed with Saskatchewan steel by Saskatchewan workers. We believe in a future where we don’t just extract resources but we build things, we manufacture things, and we create lasting value right here at home.

We support this motion because it aligns with our long-held principles, but a vote for this motion is not an endorsement of this government’s failed record. It is a call for them to finally do their job. It is time for this government to stop the secrecy, stop outsourcing our jobs, and start fighting for Saskatchewan workers with the same passion we on this side of the House demonstrate every single day.

We support this motion, but this government has to get to work. Make the call to Mr. Poilievre. Release your secret list; send it to the federal government. Champion Saskatchewan steel. Let’s finally build a pipeline and let’s build it right.

And I can’t help but to notice that this government is stuck in the past again. I think I heard something about 1975. Oh my goodness. Let’s get a bit more recent. When I say that the Saskatchewan NDP has a plan for the future, supports our resource industry, we can look as recently as this century.

In 2005 Premier Calvert changed the royalty structure. That structure is largely in place today. It’s a structure, a royalty structure, a leasing structure that enabled oil and gas development. We became a have province. We ran a surplus. I just pulled up this article from, you know, several years ago but more recent than 1970‑whatever, from the Saskatchewan Chamber of Commerce, where they say:

In 2003 and 2005, the NDP government made major changes to the potash production tax system to help the industry realize its immense growth and potential in Saskatchewan. The province is now seeing results from these initiatives. The economic spinoff in jobs created by the industry’s increased capital investment and capacity is spreading wealth across the province.

From the Saskatchewan Chamber of Commerce. So maybe we need to stop . . . Well I shouldn’t give the government advice, but I can’t help myself. They do need it. And perhaps instead of looking back, I don’t know . . . How long ago was 1970 — 30, 40? Fifty years. Maybe they should look back on the past 18 years. Yeah. I mean even the past seven. Let’s look at the past seven.

The government talks about trade diversification. We’ve actually seen trade diversification decrease over the past seven years. The plan isn’t working. We need to be more ambitious, we need to be more future focused. And for that I support this motion, and in doing so I call this government to get to work.

Deputy Speaker B. McLeod: — I recognize the member from Moosomin-Montmartre.

Kevin Weedmark: — Thank you very much, Mr. Deputy Speaker. The question before us is support of development of a new pipeline to carry Saskatchewan oil to the West Coast of Canada.

It’s an important question. The lack of pipeline capacity has created a huge disparity in the value of oil produced in Saskatchewan compared with oil produced just south of the border, and that has cost Saskatchewan billions of dollars. And it continues to cost Saskatchewan more than a billion dollars a year in lost sales. It’s cost Saskatchewan jobs, it’s cost Saskatchewan tax revenue, and it has limited the growth potential of the oil industry and the province.

But this is part of a larger question which will define Saskatchewan’s future: whether our governments will unleash our potential or restrain it.

Mr. Deputy Speaker, few places on earth are as blessed in natural resources as we are here in Saskatchewan. We’re blessed with vast farm land, with uranium vital to powering the world, with potash that helps farmers feed the world, and with rare earth minerals that will drive the next generation of technology. And yes, we have oil — ethically produced, responsibly produced oil that can power economies, support families, and build communities for generations to come.

But Saskatchewan oil doesn’t have enough access to global markets through Canada’s West Coast. A new pipeline to the West Coast isn’t just about oil. It’s about opportunity, about giving Saskatchewan the infrastructure it needs to compete, to grow, and to lead.

And the numbers are truly staggering, Mr. Speaker. In 2024 alone, the lack of pipeline capacity cost Saskatchewan oil producers $1.6 billion in lost revenue. And that same year, the lack of pipeline capacity cost the Government of Saskatchewan $130 million in lost taxes, royalties, and other revenue. And we don’t have to guess at the impact of greater pipeline capacity on the price paid for Saskatchewan oil. We can look at the facts.

We can look at the example of the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion, the TMX [Trans Mountain Expansion], and we can see exactly what happened when we have added pipeline capacity. In the months leading up to the start up of the TMX, the price differential between Western Canada Select, the price paid for Western Canadian oil, and West Texas Intermediate had widened to an average of 18.70 a barrel from September 2023 to April 2024. And after the start up of TMX, that differential narrowed to an average of just $12 US a barrel from June 2024 to July 2025.

With oil production growth expected in the coming years, more pipeline capacity will be needed or we’ll be back in the same situation — a rising differential. And the time to act is now.

So we have seen the benefits of the TMX, but believe it or not, Mr. Deputy Speaker, not everyone was in favour of the Trans Mountain Expansion. The member for Regina Elphinstone-Centre wrote on Facebook, “Any political agenda that takes climate change seriously doesn’t have any room for the Trans Mountain Expansion, and most regular people understand this intuitively.” Well I’m glad that the decision on the expansion, which has benefited Saskatchewan, was not based on that member’s intuitive knowledge.

But I take it that member is not interested in the growth of the Saskatchewan oil industry and the Saskatchewan economy, as she also wrote, “If our society relies on a destructive, finite resource, boom-bust economy to fix income inequality, that’s a big problem. But it’s not a reason to keep pumping oil.” And that seems to be a common attitude on the other side of the aisle. The member for Regina Walsh Acres wrote on X, “You can’t address climate change by extracting more oil.”

Mr. Speaker, our government doesn’t disparage our resources or the people who develop them because we understand the importance of what they can add to our province. We have amazing resources under our feet, and we are a province built by resourceful, resilient, and determined people. We have oil field workers who put in long hours in the coldest weather imaginable to provide for their families. I know many people in my constituency who make their living pipelining, working on the rigs, and I know that it can be incredibly hard work. I was fortunate to visit a couple of oil rigs this summer and learn more about just how difficult that life is.

We have innovators, Mr. Deputy Speaker, who find new ways to do things better, cleaner, and more efficiently. Including my home community where IJack is manufacturing equipment in Moosomin that’s making a huge difference in the efficiency of the oil industry and is selling those products — engineered, designed, manufactured in Moosomin — all around the world. We have entrepreneurs and community builders who see opportunity where others see obstacles.

These are the same people who will build Saskatchewan’s future if we let them. But for that to happen, governments must be partners, not barriers. And too often the federal government has put up barriers to the pipelines that can safely get our oil to market. Without pipelines, demand for crude on the rails increases, and our rail-dependent industries pay the price — mining, manufacturing, forestry, and agriculture.

[12:00]

And transporting oil by rail puts lives at risk. A few years ago, we hosted a pro-pipeline rally in Moosomin that attracted leaders from across the country. That very day of the rally, an oil train derailed at St. Lazare just across the border of Manitoba, and one of our organizing committee members missed the rally because he was responding to that derailment. That kind of incident can happen in any community along the rail lines. And because of that, getting the oil off of rail and into pipelines is something that will benefit our economy, something that will free up rail capacity for other goods, but also a matter of safety, meaning less oil travelling through Saskatchewan communities on rail.

The reason we do not have adequate pipeline capacity to export our oil is not because projects haven’t been planned and promoted, but because at the federal level, the government has put up barriers to what makes good economic sense. And Energy East is a great example of a project that would have benefited Saskatchewan so much. There was a plan for a tank farm at the Moosomin compressor station, a pipeline from Cromer to Moosomin to feed into Energy East, and another pipeline for Bakken production. So Energy East would have taken Saskatchewan oil production directly from that on-ramp at Moosomin to tidewater, but the federal government put up barriers and stopped the project.

And that’s unfortunate because every time we block a pipeline or stall a resource project, we’re not just blocking that project. We block jobs. We block hope. We block the chance for communities to thrive. When we hold back the energy sector, we’re not just holding back companies. We’re holding back workers, communities, and regions that depend on resource development. We’re holding back the tax revenue that pays for everything we need in this province. We’re holding back opportunity for the next generation.

Imagine what Saskatchewan could do if our energy could flow freely to tidewater through a new pipeline to the West Coast. Imagine the jobs created not just in oil and gas, but in construction, manufacturing, transportation, and service industries that support those projects. Imagine the investment that would flow into Saskatchewan communities, supporting small businesses, strengthening local economies, and giving young people another reason to build their future right here at home. Imagine the royalties and tax revenues that could go toward better health care for our seniors, better schools, and better infrastructure for our communities.

And all it takes is for government to get out of the way, to trust the people who have built this province from the ground up. Mr. Speaker, government’s job should be to set the stage for success, not to script the play. We should ensure that development is safe, responsible, and sustainable. But we should never let regulation become strangulation. And, Mr. Speaker, we saw with Energy East and with previous proposals for pipelines to the West Coast that the federal government extended regulations to the point where projects couldn’t move forward. In those cases, federal regulation became strangulation.

Mr. Speaker, this government has always advocated for pipeline construction. And in many votes in the House, the NDP has opposed it in the past. The opposition NDP stood in this House and voted against supporting construction of the Northern Gateway pipeline, as approved by the National Energy Board, and voted against the promotion of the Keystone XL pipeline as well.

Mr. Speaker, the world needs more Saskatchewan, and a new pipeline to the West Coast is one way of delivering just that. And economic growth, resource development, and prosperity are not ends in themselves. They’re the tools, the means by which we build a better life for the people we serve.

Mr. Speaker, the promise of Saskatchewan has always been simple. If you work hard, if you dream big, anything is possible. Let’s build the pipelines, unlock the potential, and trust the people of Saskatchewan. Between the resources under our feet and the resourcefulness, resilience, and drive of Saskatchewan people, there’s no limit to what this province can achieve. And that’s why I support this motion and a new pipeline to the West Coast of Canada. Thank you very much.

Deputy Speaker B. McLeod: — I recognize the member from Regina South Albert.

Aleana Young: — Why thank you so very much, Mr. Deputy Speaker. It’s another 75‑minute debate, my favourite time of the week, Mr. Deputy Speaker, and I think it’s incumbent on me to once again remind government members this is supposed to be fun. This is supposed to be enjoyable, a nice cathartic end to the week. But again we see, as my colleagues have canvassed, a bit of a peculiarity today, Mr. Speaker.

As was noted by the member from Regina University, typically 75‑minute debates are, you know, an opportunity for us to debate matters on which we disagree. But despite the best efforts of members opposite to not listen to the 30 minutes of debate thus far, this is actually a matter on which we agree, Mr. Deputy Speaker. And we do agree that this motion — again calling on the Government of Saskatchewan to support the development of a new Canadian pipeline to carry Saskatchewan oil to the West Coast — is great.

It is odd, of course, Mr. Deputy Speaker, that the Government of Saskatchewan feels the need to call on the Government of Saskatchewan to support this. You know, there have been some questions today on which side of the House supports the development of a new pipeline to the West Coast, Mr. Speaker. And based on the text of this motion, I’m going to suggest that it’s members on the government side who seem to need reassurance as to whether or not the Government of Saskatchewan actually supports this endeavour. Crack research team over there, Mr. Speaker, as the saying in this House so often goes.

You know, my colleagues have canvassed a pipeline to the West Coast very, very thoroughly. But I want to take a little dance through what was mentioned, I believe, by both members on my side, which was the unusual occurrence this summer in which Premier Moe stood next to Premier Ford in a news release on July 22nd titled, “Saskatchewan joins Ontario and Alberta in agreement to build new energy and trade infrastructure.”

I saw this and I was like, great, let’s get things built. More pipelines, rail lines, power lines. But it was peculiar, Mr. Speaker. In reading this press release again from the Government of Ontario, from the Office of the Premier, which says, and I will quote:

“As the world grapples with President Trump’s unfair tariffs, it’s more important than ever to build a resilient and self-reliant economy here at home,” said Premier Ford. [I agree.] “This agreement sends a clear message [he goes on]: Ontario, Alberta, and Saskatchewan are ready to get shovels in the ground and move forward on projects that will secure our long-term prosperity.”

Again, no disagreement there, Mr. Speaker. And then in the very next paragraph, it says at the very top:

Today’s MOU calls for the new pipelines to be built using Ontario steel along a route that will connect Western Canadian oil and gas to new and existing refineries in southern Ontario, as well as a new deep-sea port in James Bay.

Now, Mr. Speaker, I’m not precisely clear what facility in Ontario Premiers Ford, Smith, and our very own Premier Moe think will be building pipelines with Ontario steel, because it’s actually Interpro Pipe and Steel here in Regina, here in Saskatchewan, that builds the pipe necessary for pipelines. It’s not a mill in Ontario.

And it’s peculiar, Mr. Deputy Speaker, to see the Premier of Saskatchewan again sign on to this — he’s quoted in the very next paragraph — sign on to this press release from Premier Ford saying that new pipelines will be built with Ontario steel. That’s peculiar, Mr. Speaker. Yeah, frankly it is unbelievable.

I know members opposite are proud of the fact that they’ve managed to find Evraz on a map recently. But let’s be clear, Mr. Speaker, that these pipelines, whether they be going west or east, should be carrying Western Canadian oil and gas to markets, and they should be built using Saskatchewan steel.

This isn’t just about supporting local, Mr. Speaker. They’re the only game in town. They’re the only plant that could be building this. So again, it’s very, very unusual to see the Premier of Saskatchewan again stand up, sign a news release with his name, throwing the hard-working men and women of our local steel mill under the bus, sending their jobs to Ontario, to plants that don’t currently exist.

But, Mr. Speaker, this speaks to this government’s record when it comes to actually getting things built and focusing on the economy of Saskatchewan. I dug into this MOU, Mr. Speaker, which again, you know, speaks to the necessity of building new energy and trade infrastructure. But again, Mr. Speaker, it has Saskatchewan in third place. Every mention of Ontario, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Saskatchewan comes third.

It speaks about unlocking the potential of Alberta’s energy sector and embracing Ontario’s manufacturing sector, and Saskatchewan throughout is an afterthought. And far too often, that is this government’s strategy across the country when it comes to building this critical infrastructure and when it comes to promoting the necessary industrial growth that we need to see here in Saskatchewan.

In this province we believe in a few things, and I like to choose to believe that members on all sides believe this. We believe in the value of our land and we believe in the promise of our people, Mr. Deputy Speaker. And we shouldn’t just be selling what we dig up. We should be building. We should be refining. We should be processing, innovating, and employing right here in Saskatchewan, Mr. Speaker. That’s why the natural resources that we’re blessed with here in Saskatchewan are critical to building a prosperous and wealthy province.

There’s no disagreement in this House, Mr. Speaker, whether it’s oil and gas or whether it’s the potash industry — which again, it was this government who raised the royalty rates on the potash industry not eight short years ago. We don’t have to go back to the 1950s. It was former minister Eyre, Mr. Speaker, who raised those royalty rates on the potash industry. And they were not thrilled about that, Mr. Speaker. Yeah, they were quite unimpressed. I think I have a quote here. What did they say? Nutrien said that “with these changes, Saskatchewan’s potash production will be subject to the highest royalty and tax rates in the world.” And what a shame, Mr. Speaker.

But far too often, whether it’s potash, whether it’s oil and gas, whether it’s forestry, whether it’s the bounty of all that we have in this province, this government’s plan is to tax more and deliver less for Saskatchewan people. They have delivered zero pipelines in nearly two decades in office, Mr. Speaker. None.

They have a record currently of cancelled megaprojects: canola crush plants, biodiesel, the mill in P.A. [Prince Albert] — which I believe this government campaigned on reopening in 2007, probably 2011, 2016. I remember in 2020, the moves with the wood allotment, and yet here we are again. Oh, and 2024 I think they also moved the wood allotment again. I’m seeing some nods from members from P.A. opposite, Mr. Speaker.

Yet here we are. Stalled industrial growth. Stagnant wages plummeting below Western Canadian averages. We see head office jobs moving. We see no pipelines built to the West or the East Coast under this government. We see, again, the Premier of Saskatchewan signing on to an MOU which commits to building new pipelines not with Saskatchewan steel but with Ontario steel, Mr. Speaker. Tax more, deliver less — that is the plan of this government.

So I’m pleased that we have the opportunity to stand and agree that the Government of Saskatchewan should support the development of a new pipeline to carry Saskatchewan oil. Whether it be to the West Coast, Mr. Speaker, the East Coast, there’s no disagreement on this side.

What you will find on this side of the aisle, Mr. Speaker, is great impatience because the people of this province have been waiting for 18 years for this government to act, for this government to build the relationships necessary to get industry truly going here in Saskatchewan, Mr. Speaker. And they quite simply have failed.

Deputy Speaker B. McLeod: — The 65‑minute period has expired. The 10‑minute question-and-answer period will begin. I recognize the member from Prince Albert Carlton.

Kevin Kasun: — Thank you, Mr. Deputy Speaker. During the opposition’s 2025 convention, their party advocated for a resolution that calls on the government, and I quote, “take ownership of public socialized oil and gas sector.” Yes-or-no question to the member from Saskatoon Riversdale: do you believe in socializing oil and gas sector in Saskatchewan like your colleagues do? Yes or no?

Deputy Speaker B. McLeod: — I recognize the member from Saskatoon Riversdale.

Kim Breckner: — Thank you, Mr. Deputy Speaker. The question was, something something, do I socialize like my colleagues do? Okay, which one of you commies wants to socialize? No, I don’t think myself or any of my colleagues wish to socialize our resource industry.

[12:15]

Deputy Speaker B. McLeod: — I recognize the member from Regina University.

Sally Housser: — Thank you very much, Mr. Deputy Speaker. This is an odd one, but it’s just that the wording of this motion in addition to its intent is baffling to me. So I would love it if the member for Kindersley-Biggar could just walk me through the thought process on the government calling on itself to support a pipeline to the West instead of, say, calling on the federal government to do so. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Deputy Speaker B. McLeod: — I recognize the member from Kindersley-Biggar.

Kim Gartner: — Thank you, Mr. Deputy Speaker. And I want to thank the member opposite for the question. You know, if debate was a drama class homework assignment, we know the members opposite definitely have an advantage. But the question to me is to explain . . . The member from Saskatoon Riversdale also doesn’t like to have history lessons.

Well history is important, Mr. Deputy Speaker. Knowing your history and what previous NDP governments have done to our oil and gas industry is important. Their past is what they are. It is what their policy began as an idea and became a reality, Mr. Speaker.

We don’t build pipelines. We promote policies to encourage pipeline development.

Deputy Speaker B. McLeod: — I recognize the member from Saskatoon Riversdale.

Kim Breckner: — Okay, I’m asking the question. Where does the member for White City-Qu’Appelle expect the steel for any future pipelines to be produced?

Deputy Speaker B. McLeod: — I recognize the member from White City-Qu’Appelle.

Brad Crassweller: — Thank you, Mr. Deputy Speaker. As I’ve already said, this government has been committed throughout our time governing this province, and this government will continue to be committed to the energy sector in any and every way possible, giving them the tools they need to succeed, to continue to make Saskatchewan the best place to live and work and raise a family.

Deputy Speaker B. McLeod: — I recognize the member from Dakota-Arm River.

Barret Kropf: — Thank you, Mr. Deputy Speaker. To the member from Saskatoon Riversdale: your colleague from Saskatoon Nutana said, and I quote:

The global oil and gas market is undergoing a massive shift, which is making our domestic market less competitive. Instead of pipelines, we should be building an east-west electricity grid.

Do you support these comments opposing pipeline development made by your colleague?

Deputy Speaker B. McLeod: — I recognize the member from Saskatoon Riversdale.

Kim Breckner: — Thank you, Mr. Deputy Speaker. Maybe if I say it very slowly it’ll sink in. The Saskatchewan NDP supports a pipeline to the West Coast of Canada.

Deputy Speaker B. McLeod: — I recognize the member from Regina South Albert.

Aleana Young: — Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I have a question. We’re talking a lot about competitiveness here in Saskatchewan, so my question is for the member to Moosomin. Now just last year, I believe it was March 31st, this government said that as of April 1st Saskatchewan would be the first carbon tax-free jurisdiction in Canada. And yet, before . . . Oh, oh, oh. Wait, wait. To the member from P.A. Carlton, before you clap for yourself, I have been unable to get the Minister for Environment to clarify for me what legislative or regulatory mechanism the Government of Saskatchewan used to eliminate their very own Sask Party carbon tax.

So to the member for Moosomin: can you tell me, does the carbon tax exist in Saskatchewan? Yes or no?

Deputy Speaker B. McLeod: — I recognize the member from Moosomin-Montmartre.

Kevin Weedmark: — Mr. Speaker, I’ll maybe bring the topic of debate back to what we’re talking about today, which is a pipeline to the West Coast. And we on this side, Mr. Speaker, have always stood for pipelines. We have always stood for construction of a pipeline to the West Coast, Mr. Speaker.

I will remind the members opposite that six years ago we had an effort in my hometown in Moosomin to try to restart the national conversation on pipelines. We called it Energy East 2.0. We had a massive event in Moosomin. The federal Conservative leader showed up; leaders from across the country showed up; the premier of Nova Scotia came to Moosomin, Saskatchewan, to show his support for a new pipeline.

And, Mr. Speaker, there’s one group in this House that did not show up. Lots of members on this side showed up. There was no opposition there at all. They did not show up for that event to stand up for Saskatchewan.

Deputy Speaker B. McLeod: — I recognize the member from Carrot River Valley.

Terri Bromm: — Thank you, Mr. Deputy Speaker. One more time to the members opposite for clarity. To the member from Saskatoon Riversdale: do you believe in socializing the oil and gas sector in Saskatchewan like your colleagues do? Will you denounce your colleagues who do support the socialization of our resource sector as proposed at your recent convention?

Deputy Speaker B. McLeod: — I recognize the member from Saskatoon Riversdale.

Kim Breckner: — Mr. Speaker, the question has been asked and answered.

Deputy Speaker B. McLeod: — I recognize the member from Regina South Albert.

Aleana Young: — Mr. Speaker, it seems that the Government of Saskatchewan can’t find enough to talk about when we’re talking about building pipelines. What a heady day for the opposition here in the House, Mr. Speaker.

To the member from Moosomin: is the member aware, has the Premier of Saskatchewan picked up the phone, called Pierre Poilievre, and asked for his support on building a pipeline? If so, why hasn’t he gotten it done?

Deputy Speaker B. McLeod: — I recognize the member from Moosomin-Montmartre.

Kevin Weedmark: — Thank you very much, Mr. Deputy Speaker. Our government has gone on the record and has worked with other provinces to try to promote nation-building projects like pipelines. We recently signed a memorandum of understanding and the opposition likes to quote from a news release about that memorandum of understanding.

But in that memorandum of understanding, our province, Alberta, and Ontario are going to work collaboratively to launch a preliminary joint feasibility study this year in order to help move a private sector-led investments in rail, pipeline, and port projects across the country. So our government is standing up. Our government is working with governments at all levels to try to move pipelines and other nation-building projects forward. Thank you.

Deputy Speaker B. McLeod: — I recognize the member from Moose Jaw Wakamow.

Megan Patterson: — Thank you, Mr. Deputy Speaker. To the MLA from Saskatoon Riversdale: if the Saskatchewan NDP so strongly support a West Coast pipeline, why don’t they work with their BC NDP counterparts and Premier Eby to convince them of the national benefits of a West Coast pipeline?

Deputy Speaker B. McLeod: — I recognize the member from Saskatoon Riversdale.

Kim Breckner: — Thank you, Mr. Deputy Speaker. It doesn’t seem to be getting through. Maybe en français [Translation: in French] this time.

Le NPD [Nouveau Parti démocratique] de la Saskatchewan appuie toutes les infrastructures favorisant le commerce, y compris les pipelines énergétiques.

[Translation: The Saskatchewan NDP supports all infrastructure that favours commerce, including energy pipelines.]

And we have been clear about this to all members of provincial governments, federal governments. In advance of the election we sent out a letter calling for this trade-enabling infrastructure. We have been very clear on this, in multiple languages now, that we support a pipeline to the West Coast.

Deputy Speaker B. McLeod: — I recognize the member from Regina University.

Sally Housser: — Mr. Speaker, I see we’re getting down to our time here, but the member from Moosomin mentioned this MOU that we talked about a fair amount today, and seeing as how we’re in the habit of re-asking questions here, I would like to get a little more specific.

What does he have to say to the steelworkers at Evraz about the Premier signing over their jobs to Ontario and building . . .

Deputy Speaker B. McLeod: — This 75‑minute debate period has expired.

PRIVATE MEMBERS’ PUBLIC BILLS AND ORDERS

SECOND READINGS

Bill No. 606 — The Provincial Health Authority (ER Closure right-to-know) Amendment Act

Deputy Speaker B. McLeod: — I recognize the member from Regina Walsh Acres.

Jared Clarke: — Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise today to move second reading of Bill No. 606, The Provincial Health Authority (ER Closure right-to-know) Amendment Act.

Like to speak to it for a few minutes about what this bill is trying to accomplish here. Our bill is calling for government to change legislation so that SHA publicly discloses when a rural hospital or any hospital health care facility is closed in Saskatchewan. And that would require them to disclose that information publicly on some kind of website or through some kind of app within one hour of that hospital closure happening.

I think this is really about patient safety, Mr. Deputy Speaker. We have seen far too many instances in this province in the last eight years where folks show up to their local hospital and find a piece of paper on the door telling them that it’s closed. And so again we want to talk . . . This bill is a band-aid mechanism, a short-term fix to try and give Saskatchewan people more transparency about whether or not their hospital is open.

We have seen an increase of 800 per cent in hospital closures in the province during the Premier’s time in office. This is a significant increase to hospital closures, and I think really puts folks who live in rural Saskatchewan in a really hard place. In a number of instances — and we’ve talked about those in the Assembly here — there have been instances where a person goes to their local hospital only to find a closed sign on the door redirecting them to another hospital, them driving to that second hospital only to find another piece of paper on the door telling them that that hospital is also closed.

These errors, I would call them, are going to cost someone their life or cause very, very serious health implications for someone’s loved one. These situations should not be happening. Saskatchewan people deserve better than that. They should be able to trust their government that health care will be there for them when and where they need it.

And so this bill that I’m moving second reading of today tries to implement some transparency for people so in the moment of an emergency, ensuring that all health care professionals know when the hospital closures are happening so communities, health centres in other communities already know that the hospital in another community is closed so they aren’t directing them to the wrong place, but also for EMS [emergency medical services] and all of those other health care professionals that are part of an emergency response team.

This information is pretty basic. People deserve to have this information. They don’t deserve to, in an emergency with a child or a parent, drive in an emergency to their hospital to find a piece of paper on the door telling them that it’s closed. This is happening far too much in this province, Mr. Speaker. And so really want to see this bill passed.

You know, the SHA used to disclose this information, Mr. Deputy Speaker. They used to disclose on their website all of the temporary closures that were happening in the province. And then at some point there was a policy change that eliminated that, and so only really long-term closures were posted on SHA’s website. And again I don’t understand why that policy change would happen. I believe people in rural Saskatchewan deserve to know whether their hospital is closed or not. And so we’re trying to get to a place where they get that information.

I know one of the other issues that’s really concerning too, Mr. Deputy Speaker, around the current state of things in health care here in Saskatchewan is the erosion of trust that local community members feel in their health care facilities. Because they don’t know if their hospital is going to be open or closed, people are making decisions in the moment to, in many cases, bypass their local community and head to somewhere else where they feel that there will be care for them when they need it.

And so it’s really an unfortunate reality that health centres and hospitals in rural Saskatchewan are facing, in that their own communities are losing trust in them. I think this bill would go a long way in helping to restore that trust and building towards fixing health care in this province.

I know we’ve been out, my colleagues from . . . The member from Saskatoon Churchill-Wildwood, the member from Regina Elphinstone-Centre, and a number of other folks have been out across the province, talking to health care workers, talking to community members about those health care needs. And across the board I’ve got to say, Mr. Speaker, people are supportive of this bill. They think it’s kind of a common-sense, no-brainer kind of bill that would allow community members to know whether they should be going to their local hospital or not.

[12:30]

There’s a lot of options in terms of how this could be deployed. I mean we have a great website in Saskatchewan, the Highway Hotline, where you can actually see the snowplows actually like going down the road on the app.

So I think there’s lots of apps on smartphones that talk about drug alerts and notify communities about dangerous drugs in the communities. There’s the SaskPower outage map that is, you know, kept very up to date on power outages and when they expect to be back in service and all of those things. There’s a lot of options. There’s a lot of templates that could be used.

I think Saskatchewan people deserve to know when their hospital is open or closed, especially in an emergency. And I just think this is a bill that needs to come in. Saskatchewan people deserve it. And I think of, you know, as a parent of two kids or as a son to my parents, who may at one point need emergency care, I want to make sure that that care is going to be there for them. I want to make sure that I know I’m going to take them to the right place. And I think every person in Saskatchewan deserves that information and that transparency from this government.

So with that, Mr. Speaker, I’m pleased to move second reading of Bill No. 606, The Provincial Health Authority (ER Closure right-to-know) Amendment Act. Thank you.

Deputy Speaker B. McLeod: — It has been moved that Bill No. 606 be now read a second time, The Provincial Health Authority (ER Closure right-to-know) Amendment Act. Is the Assembly ready for the question? I recognize the member from Regina Douglas Park.

Nicole Sarauer: — Thank you, Mr. Deputy Speaker. I appreciate the opportunity to enter into the debate on this legislation. And I very much thank my colleague, the member for Regina Walsh Acres, for his work in putting forward this bill, a very practical bill that we know the people of Saskatchewan have been calling for. They want this enshrined in legislation, not just in policy, so that there is accountability for government to make sure that this happens.

So I thank the member for his hard work in consulting with respect to this legislation. I’m looking forward to further debate on this bill. And I am now prepared at this stage to move to adjourn debate on this legislation.

Deputy Speaker B. McLeod: — The Opposition House Leader has moved to adjourn debate. Is it the pleasure of the Assembly to adopt the motion?

Some Hon. Members: — Agreed.

Deputy Speaker B. McLeod: — Carried. This House now stands adjourned until Monday, November 17th . . . [inaudible interjection] . . . Oh, I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I recognize the Government House Leader.

Hon. Tim McLeod: — You stole my thunder, Mr. Deputy Speaker. Mr. Deputy Speaker, I move that this Assembly do now adjourn.

Deputy Speaker B. McLeod: — We’ll just blame that on the rookie sitting in the Chair. The member has moved to adjourn debate. Is it the pleasure of the Assembly to adopt the motion?

Some Hon. Members: — Agreed.

Deputy Speaker B. McLeod: — Carried. This House now stands adjourned until Monday, November 17th at 1:30. And we’ll all look forward to a Rider victory on Sunday. Go Riders!

[The Assembly adjourned at 12:33.]

Published under the authority of the Hon. Todd Goudy, Speaker

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