CONTENTS
TABLING THE SPEECH FROM THE THRONE
Consideration of Speech from the Throne
THIRD
SESSION — THIRTIETH LEGISLATURE
of
the
Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan
DEBATES
AND PROCEEDINGS
(HANSARD)
N.S. Vol. 68 No. 1A Tuesday, October
27, 2026, 14:00
[The Assembly met at 14:00.]
Speaker Goudy: — Members of the legislature,
Assembly, guests, please remain standing, if able, for the entrance of the
Lieutenant Governor and the Vice-Regal party.
[At
14:02 Her Honour the Lieutenant Governor entered the Chamber and took her seat
upon the Throne. Her Honour then opened the session with the following speech.]
SPEECH
FROM THE THRONE
Her
Honour: — Pray be
seated.
Before I begin the Throne Speech, I wish
to acknowledge the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan’s commitment to our
parliamentary traditions. For more than 120 years, the opening of the
legislature has affirmed our shared respect for democracy, the institutions
that sustain it, and the responsibilities we hold in common.
Mr. Speaker, Members of the Legislative
Assembly, honoured guests, People of Saskatchewan.
The world is uncertain. Saskatchewan
isn’t.
A STRONG, STEADY ECONOMY
While global unrest, tariffs and market
turmoil affect trade relationships, economies, nations and people all over the
world, Saskatchewan remains strong and steady.
Saskatchewan is an affordable, reliable
and ethical supplier of the food, fuel and fertilizer the world needs.
While we continue to expand and
diversify our export markets abroad, we also continue to build here at home.
Canada is a nation of builders.
A century and a half ago, that meant
building a national railway across our vast country.
To this day, it remains a symbol of the
first time Canada was truly unified and an important means of getting our
products to market.
We have the opportunity again today to
unify our great country from coast to coast to coast.
We need to build the things that will
make us stronger — pipelines, ports and power grids — to connect provinces and
to provide the infrastructure that will benefit economies, businesses and
families across our nation.
That is why our government supports an
east-west pipeline — one that does not have to go through the United States
first before reaching Ontario.
That is why our government signed a
Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with nine other provinces to build a unified
national power grid.
It is also why last month, our
government signed a MOU with Alberta and the Northwest Territories to work
together on a secure, reliable and affordable electricity system — one that
utilizes nuclear energy to help power our future.
While we work together with other
provinces to build across our provincial borders, we are also attracting new
investment to build within our borders.
Today, billions of dollars of new
investment are creating thousands of new jobs and building Saskatchewan.
Strong, steady Saskatchewan.
Companies are investing in our province
at a pace unlike anything we have witnessed in our history.
More than 60 major projects valued at
over $100 billion.
That is unlike any time in our
province’s history and unlike what is happening in any other province in
Canada.
Earlier this year, Bell Canada announced
it would build its new $12 billion data centre just outside of Regina.
Then last month, Bell Canada, together
with the Prime Minister and our Premier, announced it will quadruple that
project and that investment to over $50 billion.
This is the largest private capital
investment in Canadian history, creating thousands of new jobs and protecting
Canadians’ online data.
There are some who would try to block
this project and send those jobs, that investment and Canadians’ online data to
another country, but Canadians understand the importance of home ice advantage.
This data centre will be built in
Canada, and Canadians’ online data will be stored in Canada, by a Canadian
company governed by Canadian laws — right here in Saskatchewan.
Strong, steady Saskatchewan.
Saskatchewan has the highest grade, most
sustainable and ethically produced uranium in the world.
Recently, two new uranium mines were
approved — the first new mines to be approved in Saskatchewan in over a decade.
It is estimated that NexGen’s Rook 1
mine alone has the ability to meet 20 per cent of global demand, and that
global uranium demand will grow.
Eighty nuclear reactors are being built
around the world with another 120 in planning stages.
More than 35 countries are looking at
nuclear power for the first time.
Saskatchewan can help power the world.
With 10 active potash mines operating in
Saskatchewan today, our province is supplying 35 per cent of global demand.
Our ability to meet that demand will
grow when BHP’s Jansen mine is fully operational.
Our government would like to
congratulate Canpotex on their work to expand capacity at the Neptune Terminal
at the Port of Vancouver.
More Saskatchewan potash will soon be
shipped to the world directly from Canada, enhancing our already strong
reputation as a reliable supplier.
Today, the three largest potash
producers in the world are Russia, Belarus and Saskatchewan.
But if you want to buy affordable,
reliable and ethically produced potash, there is only one choice:
Strong, steady Saskatchewan.
Having started production less than five
months ago, plans are already in place to more than double El Dorado’s copper
and zinc production at McIlvenna Bay.
Canadian Energy Metals’ Thor Project
near Tisdale estimates the deposit there represents one-third of the world’s
known supply of alumina.
There have been significant new
investments in Saskatchewan’s lithium industry, in our copper industry and in
rare earth elements.
Saskatchewan is the second-largest oil
producing jurisdiction in Canada and our oil companies are working to increase
production, once again providing an affordable, reliable and ethically produced
supply option at a critical time when much of the world’s oil supply has been
disrupted by international conflict.
Because while the world is uncertain,
Saskatchewan isn’t.
Saskatchewan has what the world needs
and that’s why we trade with over 160 countries around the globe.
The value of Saskatchewan exports in
2007 was $19 billion.
Today, the value of our exports is
nearing $50 billion, and Saskatchewan’s GDP reached a record high of over
$85 billion in 2025.
While there are those who would close
Saskatchewan’s trade offices and reduce our international engagement at the
very moment we need to be expanding and diversifying our export markets, our
government will continue to work closely with Saskatchewan exporters to
increase our trade opportunities around the world, which in turn creates new
jobs here at home.
AFFORDABILITY
While the current trade disputes are
increasing the cost of living for everyone, Saskatchewan continues to be the
most affordable place to live in Canada.
We have the lowest average residential
rental costs in the country, we have the second-lowest overall utility costs,
and we have significantly reduced personal income tax so that a family of four
now pays no provincial income tax on their first $65,000 of income — the
highest tax-free threshold in Canada.
Taken together, our combined utilities,
taxes and housing costs make Saskatchewan the most affordable place for
families anywhere in Canada.
During this session, our government will
further reduce personal income taxes in the 2027 Budget — delivering on the
third year of our four-year plan to make life more affordable for everyone in
Saskatchewan.
Our government continues to help
post-secondary graduates build their futures in Saskatchewan by enhancing the
Graduate Retention Program, increasing the maximum benefit to $24,000.
Since its inception, this program has
provided more than $925 million in tuition tax credits to over 93,500
graduates, encouraging more young people to live, work and raise a family in
Saskatchewan.
By improving affordability and
supporting career opportunities, we are helping employers attract and retain
the skilled workers they need.
[14:15]
During this session, my government will
protect families by introducing legislation that will make it easier to enforce
against delinquent maintenance orders.
Parents and individuals who receive
child or spousal support payments rely on those payments to pay their bills.
Changes to The Enforcement of
Maintenance Orders Act will make it easier to collect unpaid support.
A strong and steady Saskatchewan means
standing with workers and employers when global uncertainty threatens
Saskatchewan jobs and communities.
Since October 2025, our government has
engaged with more than 90 employers and industry associations to identify
impacts of the trade uncertainty caused by US tariffs.
This engagement has helped target
supports where they are needed.
Saskatchewan will receive
$15.6 million over three years through the federal-provincial Workforce
Tariff Response.
This funding will help thousands of
Saskatchewan workers with targeted support for the steel and softwood lumber
sectors.
Support will be available for other
sectors such as manufacturing, construction, agriculture, mining,
transportation, wholesale trade and affected supply chains.
Through SaskJobs and training partners,
our government will help workers gain new skills and transition to new
opportunities, while working with employers to protect jobs and maintain
workforce stability.
Our government believes in training
Saskatchewan people for Saskatchewan jobs and is investing nearly
$125 million in workforce development and career training.
This support will prepare the workforce
of tomorrow while helping people gain skills and experience, and provide help
to those who need it to get back to work and build lasting careers.
HEALTH CARE
Our government is making it easier to
have one of those lasting careers in health care.
Saskatchewan’s Health Human Resource
Action Plan is the most ambitious recruitment and retention plan in Canada, and
it’s working.
Since 2022, more than 7,500 doctors,
nurses and other health care professionals have joined our provincial health
care system.
More than 1,000 medical, specialist,
nursing and allied health training seats have been added at our post-secondary
institutions.
The 2026‑27 Budget added 20 more
medical training seats and 10 more residency seats.
All 162 medical residency seats and all
128 medical training seats are now filled, with 88 per cent of the students in
the training seats coming from Saskatchewan.
There are also 15 more Occupational
Therapist training seats, for a total of 40 and 15 more Speech-Language
Pathology training seats, also for a total of 40.
Our government released the Patients
First Health Care Plan earlier this year — 50 action items to improve access
and outcomes for Saskatchewan patients, so that everyone can receive the right
care, in the right place, at the right time.
Since the launch of this plan, our
government has improved access to primary care for thousands of residents
through 54 Nurse Practitioner Primary Care contracts, with more coming this
fall.
Those 54 Nurse Practitioners will
improve access to health care by serving as primary care providers for more
than 43,000 patients.
We are on track to meet our target of
450,000 surgeries over four years, with more than 100,000 surgeries and
procedures performed in 2025‑26.
A record high number of surgeries were
performed in the first quarter of 2026‑27, building on this steady
progress.
The Regina Urgent Care Centre celebrated
its second anniversary this summer and has now seen over 80,000 patients since
its opening day.
Construction of the Saskatoon Urgent
Care Centre is nearing completion and early plans for the Prince Albert Urgent
Care Centre are underway.
We are seeing continued progress on the
Yorkton Hospital and Regina Specialized Long-Term Care Centre projects.
Construction of the Weyburn Hospital is
now complete and it is expected to open in the coming days.
Construction of the Prince Albert
Victoria Hospital is now over 50 per cent complete.
The Regina Breast Health Centre
celebrated its one-year anniversary and has already received more than 2,200
referrals.
Capacity at the Regina Neonatal
Intensive Care Centre has increased from 25 to 28 beds.
In Saskatoon, our government is
fulfilling our commitment to open 186 additional acute care beds across four
hospitals and construction has started at the Saskatoon Cancer Patient Lodge.
This year, our government supported the
launch of another mobile mammography unit.
That unit will increase access to breast
cancer screening closer to home with an estimated 7,000 additional screenings
annually across 42 Saskatchewan communities.
Women who are 40 years of age and older
are now eligible for the BreastCheck screening program which will benefit more
than 76,000 patients.
Our government has eliminated more than
240 outdated and restrictive clinical policies.
Licensed practical nurses, registered
psychiatric nurses and registered nurses will now be able to work at their full
legislated scope of practice.
During this session, we will introduce
legislation to expand the scope of practice for several more health care
professions so they can safely work to the top of their trained skills,
providing greater access to care for patients.
During this session, our government will
announce next steps in the implementation of the Patients First Health Care
Plan to further improve access to diagnostics, surgeries and primary care, and
ensure everyone in Saskatchewan can receive the right care, in the right place,
at the right time.
Our government remains committed to
improving the quality of life for seniors, including those living in personal
care homes.
That is why we significantly increased
the Personal Care Home Benefit.
This session, we will introduce The
Safer Homes for Seniors Act, to provide greater oversight, transparency and
accountability in personal care homes.
Our government has heard from many
Saskatchewan residents who believe there needs to be more safeguards placed on
the use of MAID — Medical Assistance in Dying.
During this session, we will introduce The
Medical Assistance in Dying Additional Safeguards Act to prohibit the use
of MAID for certain individuals, including persons under the age of 18 and
persons whose sole underlying medical condition is a mental illness.
Our government has already taken
significant action to remove illicit and poisonous drugs from our communities.
During this session, we will introduce The
Opioid Damages Act to pursue the recovery of health care costs from
manufacturers, wholesalers and consultants for opioid-related wrongdoing.
COMMUNITY SAFETY
Our government believes that mental
health and addictions treatment are an important part of our health care
system.
Illicit drugs in our communities affect
everyone — our families, our friends, our neighbours.
When it comes to addictions, it’s been
said that we need to meet people where they are.
While that’s true, it’s even more
important to make sure we don’t leave them there.
That is why our government committed to
500 new addictions treatment spaces to be operational by March of next year.
Today, 412 are complete and operating,
including 32 in Estevan at a facility previously closed in 1996 and reopened by
our government in 2020.
In addition to the original 500 recovery
spaces and the 500 new addiction treatment spaces, our government will open an
additional 250 addiction treatment spaces, raising the total number to 1,250.
These facilities offer a safe place for
individuals on their road to recovery by providing counselling and connection
to community.
Complex needs facilities are planned for
North Battleford and Prince Albert, giving individuals a safe place to
stabilize, while protecting and supporting those with addictions who are
potentially a danger to themselves or others.
The Compassionate Intervention Act, introduced and passed last session,
will support individuals with extreme addictions who are not capable of seeking
help despite serious health or safety concerns.
Saskatchewan residents should feel safe
on their streets, in their communities and in their neighbourhoods.
To help get drugs off our streets and
drug dealers out of our communities, our government has made substantial
investments in policing across the province.
This year’s budget included significant
support for the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and First Nations policing in
Saskatchewan to strengthen frontline policing capacity and enhance community
safety throughout our province.
Through the establishment of municipal
police grants, our government is funding 160 positions within policing programs
across the province.
These include support for the Internet
Child Exploitation Unit, Police and Crisis Teams, Combined Traffic Services
Saskatchewan and the Saskatchewan Trafficking Response Team.
Our government also provided funding
under the Safer Communities and Neighbourhoods initiative.
One hundred officers across the province
will be working to make communities stronger and safer.
To further strengthen rural community
safety, our government has introduced the Small Town and Rural (STAR) Police
Services Grant Program.
This grant program will ensure
additional police services in Saskatchewan are now financially supported by the
provincial government.
Small town and rural police services
that are supported by these grants this year include Dalmeny, Luseland, and the
Rural Municipalities of Corman Park, Vanscoy and Wilton.
The Saskatchewan Marshals Service has
been operating for over a year and is seeing success.
From June 2025 to June 2026, 187 warrant
apprehensions were made, with over 100 fugitives arrested in Prince Albert and
area just this year.
Having the Saskatchewan Marshals Service
engage in these arrests allows other police services to do their important
front-line work to keep our communities safe.
During this session, my government will
also introduce The Protection of Economic Infrastructure Act, to ensure
that our critical infrastructure and transport routes cannot be disrupted by
occupations or other illegal activities.
To make sure our first responders are
safe while doing their jobs, my government will introduce The Mandatory
Testing and Disclosure Act.
If a first responder or a victim of
crime reasonably believes they have come in contact with an individual and are
at risk of exposure from Hepatitis B or C, or HIV, they can apply to the court
to have mandatory testing of the source individual.
Saskatchewan is not immune from those
who seek to prey on vulnerable people.
Human trafficking exists here too.
Hotels, motels, and vacation rental
properties are common locations for this activity.
To help combat human trafficking, our
government will amend The Protection from Human Trafficking Act to
require the hospitality industry and ridesharing platforms to report to the
police when there is reasonable suspicion to believe that another person is
subject to human trafficking.
The use of Artificial Intelligence (AI)
is growing and while there are many positive uses, there are also those who are
using it for deceptive and fraudulent purposes.
The Prevention of Deceptive AI Act will prohibit the misuse of
AI-generated voices and images involving elections, consumer transactions and
the protection of privacy.
Impaired driving remains a problem in
Saskatchewan and is a leading cause of road collisions and fatalities.
Working with organizations like MADD
Canada and the Saskatchewan Association of Chiefs of Police, our government has
already taken numerous steps to reduce impaired driving through enhanced
enforcement and stronger penalties.
[14:30]
Further amendments to The Traffic
Safety Act will enhance existing administrative penalties for impaired
driving infractions and suspend, cancel or refuse to issue a driver’s license
to persons convicted of certain drug-related offences.
Following the tragic death of 11‑year-old
Henry Losco from carbon monoxide poisoning in his family’s Regina apartment in
December 2025, Henry’s parents advocated for stronger protections so no other
family would suffer a similar loss.
Five days from now, on November 1, 2026,
Henry’s Law comes into effect, requiring carbon monoxide detectors in every
suite of every multi-unit building in Saskatchewan.
Saskatchewan has experienced both severe
fires and floods in the last several years.
To meet the challenges that residents
face from these disasters, our government has amended the Provincial Disaster
Assistance Program to expand eligibility for individuals, small businesses and
other eligible claimants.
These changes will increase assistance
to those affected and provide support to communities for mitigation and
resiliency.
Our government is responding to the
recommendations of the independent review of the 2025 wildfire season with new
initiatives including the Community Wildfire Resilience Team Pilot Program to
strengthen wildfire preparedness through better trained and equipped
volunteers, and expansion of the Resilient Communities Through FireSmart
Program to help more communities follow FireSmart principles.
Further, the Saskatchewan Public Safety
Agency has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Prince Albert Grand
Council and Meadow Lake Tribal Council.
This MOU formalizes an ongoing
partnership and establishes a framework for First Nations leadership and
knowledge to help inform wildfire planning and strategy in Saskatchewan.
AGRICULTURE
Severe weather conditions also affect
our agricultural producers.
Our government is focused on practical
actions that strengthen our agricultural sector, provide steady support through
changing conditions and position Saskatchewan producers for long-term success.
Our government continues to strengthen
the business risk management programs available to Saskatchewan producers, like
Crop Insurance and the AgriStability Program.
This year’s enhancements to
AgriStability give producers steady, reliable support when challenges arise.
Those changes include expanding access
through late participation, increasing interim payments, including costs
associated with renting or leasing of pasture land for grazing as allowable
expenses and adjusting the feed inventory pricing for livestock producers.
The result is stronger risk management
support and greater financial stability.
Excessive elk populations have resulted
in significant crop damage in many parts of our province.
To help control the elk population and
reduce crop damage, producers who have experienced significant damage will be
issued up to eight depredation tags that can be used from January to March
2027.
Protecting Saskatchewan farmland and
farmland ownership are priorities for our government.
That is why we are conducting a
comprehensive review of The Saskatchewan Farm Security Act to ensure it
continues to meet the needs of Saskatchewan’s agriculture sector.
Input from producers, stakeholders and
the public will help identify opportunities to strengthen the legislation and
ensure it remains effective and relevant into the future.
Our government understands that
agricultural research is essential to maintaining Saskatchewan’s world-leading
reputation as a trusted supplier of high-quality agriculture products.
Through a Memorandum of Understanding
with the Government of Canada, Saskatchewan will continue working with federal,
industry and research partners to continue the important research underway at
the Scott and Indian Head Research Farms.
Our government is actively engaged in
supporting the research, knowledge and innovation producers need to meet future
challenges, capture new opportunities and keep Saskatchewan agriculture strong.
EDUCATION
Our schools are often the heart of our
communities.
They are used not only for teaching
students, but also for recitals and concerts, and community events.
Our government has announced or
completed over 100 new schools or major renovations since 2007.
These include 17 new schools completed
in Regina with six more underway, and 12 schools completed in Saskatoon with
another 10 in progress.
There are currently a total of 24 new
schools and four major renovations happening across the province.
We are also investing in existing
schools through the Minor Capital and Preventative Maintenance and Renewal
Programs.
To help our schools have safe, fun
places for children to play, our government continues to provide support
through the new School Playground Equipment Grant.
Last year, the first year of the
program, 94 projects received funding.
Qualifying projects can receive matching
funding up to $50,000.
Our government wants all our students to
get their best start right here in Saskatchewan schools.
Last year’s budget saw a historic
$3.6 billion invested into education, including $2.5 billion in
operating funding for the current school year.
Over the past three years, our
government has steadily increased school operating funding by approximately 20
per cent.
Our government continues to invest in
improving student outcomes in Kindergarten to Grade 3 literacy, ensuring our
children learn to read in early grades so they can read to learn later on.
This fall, new provincial literacy
screeners have been launched which will provide an accurate point-in-time
assessment of our youngest learners and ensure they receive the support and
resources they need to succeed as early as possible.
This work will complement the
Saskatchewan Student Assessment by providing parents, caregivers and educators
with a snapshot of student performance, identifying areas of strength and
opportunities for improvement.
It will also help ensure targeted
supports are provided where and when they are needed.
Ensuring every student has the
opportunity to succeed remains a priority for our government.
That is why work continues with
teachers, educational support workers, support groups and families to enhance
classroom supports for students with additional needs.
Our government continues to roll out the
Specialized Support Model across the province.
This fall, $16.3 million has
supported the launch of 50 new spaces, for a total of 108 across all 27 school
divisions — on track to meet the goal of 200 spaces by 2028.
Our government delivered on its
commitment to families by negotiating and signing a five-year childcare
agreement that is significantly stronger than the previous agreement.
We are proud of the childcare sector in
Saskatchewan and committed to its long-term sustainability through strong and
steady support for childcare providers and parents.
COMMUNITIES AND FAMILIES
While schools are important community
hubs, so are local community rinks.
Our government doubled the Community
Rink Affordability Grant from $2,500 to $5,000 per ice surface last year.
This program will once again be open to
applications this winter to help local rinks with operating costs and
equipment.
To make sure more children can take part
in sports and artistic activities, the Active Families Benefit was doubled from
$150 to $300 per child.
For children with disabilities, the
amount doubled from $200 to $400 per child.
We also made more families eligible for
the Active Families Benefit by doubling the household income threshold for
eligibility from $60,000 to $120,000.
Over 69,000 families are expected to
qualify. Every Saskatchewan family is unique.
For children who are adopted, some seek
out their birth information while others do not.
For those who want to know more,
amendments to The Adoption Act will help foster connections with family
and culture.
These changes will establish a
post-adoption information sharing network that will expand access to
information, including requesting that information both interprovincially and
internationally.
It will also strengthen Indigenous
rights and interests through expanded information sharing.
All of us in Saskatchewan are indebted
to the military service men and women who have fought for our freedom, starting
in 1917 during the First World War — a conflict where a very young Canada came
into her own and showed the world that we are a strong and independent nation.
This year marks the 100th anniversary of
the Royal Canadian Legion.
For a century, the legion has been
supporting our veterans and ensuring that we remember their service and
sacrifice.
Just a few days ago, Canadians were
tragically reminded of that service and sacrifice when fire swept through CFB
Wainwright, injuring many Canadian Forces members and taking the lives of four,
including Private Shaun Farrell from Prince Albert.
Their service and sacrifice will never
be forgotten.
Our government is proud to support local
Saskatchewan veterans with the Veterans Service Club Support Program.
This year, 64 veterans clubs received a
total of $1.45 million in funding to help with facility upgrades and
events.
CONCLUSION
In today’s uncertain world, Saskatchewan
faces many challenges that are beyond our control.
By focusing on what we can control —
building our economy, protecting our sovereignty, expanding our export markets,
keeping life affordable and providing high quality services to Saskatchewan
people — we will keep Saskatchewan strong and steady, no matter what is
happening beyond our borders.
With all that is happening in the world
today, and with all the advantages we enjoy right here in our great province,
there is no place in the world I would rather call home.
Because Saskatchewan is strong.
Saskatchewan is steady.
And Saskatchewan is ready.
I leave you now to your deliberations,
confident that all Members of this Assembly will provide the best possible
representation for your constituents, and secure in the knowledge that each of
us is truly blessed to live in this strong, steady Saskatchewan.
God bless Saskatchewan.
God bless Canada.
God
save the King.
Speaker Goudy: — I would like to invite our
legislative chaplain, Fred Hill, pastor Philip Houston, and chaplain Sharlene
Holliday to come forwards.
[14:45]
Fred
Hill: — As the Speaker
mentioned, I have the honour to be the chaplain to the elected officials in the
room. And as I thought about them over the last couple of weeks, this bold
piece of scripture came to mind. It says there is no greater love than to lay
down one’s life for one’s friend.
There’s
several other places in scripture where the scriptures are summarized this way.
It says, love God. Love your neighbour as you love yourself. But there was a
listener who challenged Jesus on his statement, and he asked this hard
question: Who is my neighbour? And the answer became this famous parable of the
good Samaritan. And if these texts had been written here, it would probably
involve a car sliding off an icy highway in the middle of a February storm.
But
the story itself is universal. I can’t limit who my neighbour might be. My
neighbour is anyone that needs mercy in the moment. And there are so many
people in need of love and mercy today. Some of them are really easy to see.
Some of them, you have to get to know them first before you can tell what their
needs are. And the point of the text and the point of the parable are, become
the neighbour. Be the neighbour that knows your neighbour.
We
lay down our lives for those in need, not because of any particular faith
background but because we are all called to show mercy. And similar messages
exist in all of the other faith texts as well. Laying down my life is not about
my physical death; it’s about laying down my ego. I am not so important that my
needs supersede the needs of my brother or my sister or even my quote unquote
enemy.
This
is part of our culture in Saskatchewan, but it’s also an opportunity for
especially those of you today who are going to serve in this session of the
Legislative Assembly. So we are inviting each of you to see others as more
important than yourselves. And we honour you as you begin this new session of serving
and supporting every neighbour that calls Saskatchewan home. Because there is
no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friend.
Let’s
pray for the province and for our MLAs [Member of the Legislative Assembly].
I’ve invited Phil Houston, who’s been a pastor for 23 years in Saskatchewan
except for a bit of an exile in Alberta for a couple years. Phil’s wife is from
Swift Current. They’ve got three wonderful kids. And Phil has been pastoring in
Melfort for the past 14 years.
Phil,
will you pray for our province please.
Phil
Houston: — Would you
all bow with me please.
Heavenly
Father, may your name be kept holy in Saskatchewan. May your kingdom be the one
we work to build here in these halls and in this province. May your will be
done in our lives individually and in this province as it is in heaven.
Father,
you have given us so much. Please continue to bless the people of Saskatchewan
and enable us to be as generous and as graciously loving as you are. Lord
Jesus, thank you for dying for us. You laid down your life for us. Help us to
live that same exemplary life of loving sacrifice. Holy Spirit, please lead
this province according to your will. Deliver us from the evil that seeks to
devour us.
Heavenly
Father, we pray that you would bless and keep Saskatchewan. Make your face
shine upon us and be gracious to us. Turn your face towards us and give us
peace. For yours is the kingdom. Yours is the power and the glory, forever and
ever. Amen.
Fred
Hill: — Amen. I’ve also
invited a friend, Sharlene Holliday. She’s a retired educator with over 30
years with the Saskatchewan education system, Catholic education system. She
has served as a teacher, administrator, and mentor with a passion for French
immersion. She is also currently the chaplain for the Regina Thunder, who will
be competing for a national title in a couple of weeks, so our eyes are on
them.
Sharlene
is going to pray in French as we honour Canada’s other official language and
the cultures that it represents. Sharlene, will you pray for our MLAs please.
Sharlene Holliday: — Seigneur notre dieu, nous nous
tournons vers toi aujourd’hui avec foi et reconnaissance. Nous te confions les
députés de l’Assemblée législative de la Saskatchewan. Accorde-leur la sagesse
dans leurs décisions, le courage dans les moments difficiles, et l’humilité
dans leur service.
Que leurs paroles soient guidées par la
vérité, leurs actions par la justice, et leurs choix par l’amour du prochain.
Aide-les à reconnaître la dignité de chaque personne, particulièrement les plus
vulnérables de notre province. Que leurs différences deviennent des occasions
de dialogue, de respect et de collaboration pour le bien commun.
Seigneur Jésus-Christ, toi qui nous as
montré que le véritable leadership est un acte d’amour et de service, inspire
chacun de nos élus à servir avec intégrité, compassion, et espérance. Nous te
le demandons au nom de Jésus-Christ, notre seigneur. Amen.
[Translation: Lord our God, we turn to
you today with faith and gratitude. We lift up to you the members of the
Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan. Grant them wisdom in their decisions,
courage in difficult moments, and humility in their service.
May their words be guided by truth,
their actions by justice, and their choices by love for their neighbours. Help
them recognize the dignity of every person, especially the most vulnerable in
our province. May their differences become opportunities for dialogue, respect,
and collaboration for the common good.
Lord Jesus Christ, you who have shown us
that true leadership is an act of love and service, inspire each of our elected
representatives to serve with integrity, compassion, and hope. We ask this in
the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.]
Speaker
Goudy: — Thank you for
taking time to be with us here today, and thank you for those blessings.
[At
14:51 Her Honour retired from the Chamber.]
Speaker Goudy: — What a great-looking bunch.
I’ll
begin with our traditional prayer:
Present us, O Lord, in all our doings with thy most
gracious favour and further us with thy continual help, that in all of our
works begun, continued, and ended in thee, we may glorify thy holy name and
finally by thy mercy attain everlasting life.
Please
be seated. I recognize the Premier.
INTRODUCTION
OF BILLS
Pro
Forma Bill
Hon. Scott Moe: — Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would move
that a bill respecting the administration of oaths of office be now introduced
and read for the first time.
Speaker Goudy: — It has been moved by the Hon.
Premier that the said bill be now introduced and read the first time. 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.
TABLING
THE SPEECH FROM THE THRONE
Speaker Goudy: — I wish to inform the Assembly that
in order to prevent mistakes, I’ve obtained a copy of the speech of Her Honour
the Lieutenant Governor, which is now laid on the Table.
I recognize the
Premier.
MOTIONS
Consideration
of Speech from the Throne
Hon. Scott Moe: — Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I move:
That the speech of Her Honour the Lieutenant Governor be
taken into consideration on Wednesday, October the 28th, 2026.
Speaker Goudy: — It has been moved by the Premier:
That the speech of Her Honour the Lieutenant Governor be
taken into consideration on Wednesday, October 28th, 2026.
Is
it the pleasure of the Assembly to adopt the motion?
Some Hon. Members: — Agreed.
Speaker Goudy: — Carried.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Introduction
of Pages
Speaker Goudy: — I wish to inform the Assembly that
the Pages for this session, sitting here in the front, will be Tahera Hussain,
Kaleela Sangwais-Thomson, Usama Chowdhury, Chidinma Anosike, Aleena Alam, and
Jessana-Lee Caswell-Wilson. Thank you for serving.
I
recognize the Premier.
Hon. Scott Moe: — Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I move that
this House now do adjourn.
Speaker Goudy: — Before putting the question on the
adjournment motion, I have a few announcements to make. First I’d like to thank
all the guests and the public for joining us today. Really you are the reason
why we serve in this place.
I
want to thank the members of the judiciary, from the court. The judicial branch
of government, so very important to our province. The Court of Appeal, the
Court of King’s Bench, and the Provincial Court for attending us here with your
presence today. Thank you for that and your service every day.
Thank
you to Fred Hill, pastor Phil Houston, and Sharlene Holliday for your part in
the ceremony. I’d like to welcome also Matt Rapley and Janae Malcolm, brother
and sister, up in our gallery. They’re both seated in the west gallery, and I
would be calling on them a little bit later to perform for us.
Thanks
to Miles Newman for playing the Vice-Regal Salute this afternoon. And I’d like
to especially thank as well the members of our various Saskatchewan-based
regular and reserve force units providing us with the guard of honour earlier
this afternoon outside. It was a little chilly as well, but we appreciate all
their service.
And
then also the ladies, be friendly to our tea ladies. They come back year after
year.
I’d
like to invite everyone to join Their Honours, the Premier, the Leader of the
Opposition, the members of the Legislative Assembly at the Speaker’s tea, which
will take place immediately following this Chamber ceremony. The tea will be
located in two locations: in room 218 on the west wing, and the library in the
reading room on the east wing.
So
it has been moved by the Premier that this House do now adjourn. Is it the
pleasure of the Assembly to adopt the motion?
Some Hon. Members: — Agreed.
Speaker Goudy: — Carried.
At
this time I’d ask Matt and Janae to sing a specific song. While we’re waiting
for them, just a show of hands, how many people heard them sing out in the
rotunda? Should we make that a regular thing? That was nice.
[Matt
Rapley and Janae Malcolm sang.]
[15:00]
Speaker Goudy: — I like to say, don’t the three of us
sound good together. You know, being the Speaker, you get just a little bit of
a say on what goes on on this day. And you might have seen a theme a little bit
on part of it. And that song was a choice of mine because this province has meant
so very much to me. And you know, sometimes we are down and out and you can’t
succeed on your own. And I have noticed about this province that they are
always there for you. And that is what this building is about. That is what
Premier has said a number of times. We’re here to serve.
And
very close to home this month, my daughter had a baby, so I’m a grandpa now.
I’m married to a grandma. But the thing is, my daughter couldn’t have had the
baby naturally. And without this province I wouldn’t have a daughter named
Mary, and I wouldn’t have a little baby, August, a little grandson. But because
of you, because of all of us together, we can get through a lot of things
together.
What
we heard was, you know, strong and steady and ready. And you know, it’s kind of
neat to know that this group is here together to serve the people of this
province. And that is encouraging. And that is the work that these 61 members
. . . And as we’ve said before, it’s all about you, the people of the
province. That’s why they come into this place and work hard here in this
Chamber and at home.
And
so I just want to thank them all personally, and I want to thank you. You
employ our kids, you pay the bills, you pay the taxes that we take and we apply
to serve the people of this province. So thank you all for being here today.
With
that, I would ask that the members and the guests observe the following orders
when departing from the Chamber. We’ll have the Speaker’s party; the Premier
and the Provincial Secretary; Leader of the Opposition; judges from the Court
of Appeal, King’s Bench, and Provincial Court; members of cabinet and their
spouses; other members of the Legislative Assembly and their spouses; and all
remaining guests.
This
house stands adjourned until tomorrow, Wednesday, October the 28th at 1:30 p.m.
Thank
you all for being here today. Enjoy your time of visiting together.
[The
Assembly adjourned at 15:05.]
Published
under the authority of the Hon. Todd Goudy, Speaker
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