Speaker Goudy: — I’d like to table a report from the Provincial Auditor of Saskatchewan in accordance with the provisions of section 14.1 of The Provincial Auditor Act. The Provincial Auditor has submitted her 2024 report volume 2.

STATEMENT BY THE SPEAKER

Ruling on a Point of Order

Speaker Goudy: — So just ruling on the point of order from yesterday there. Yesterday on Monday, December 2nd, 2024 the Deputy Government House Leader rose on a point of order alleging that during presenting petitions the member for Saskatoon Chief Mistawasis and the member from Regina University both presented petitions on the subject of gas tax, in contravention of rule 16(3)(d). The Opposition House Leader responded by asserting that the prayers of the two petitions differed significantly from one another and requested that they be reviewed.

And so looking into the matter, rule 16(3)(d) stipulates that “no more than one petition on a subject may be presented during the period” for presentation of petitions. Upon review of the Hansard, it is evident that the member from Saskatoon Chief Mistawasis and the member from Regina University both referenced the gas tax while representing their respective petitions. However only one of these references was made within the prayer of the petition and was central to the petition’s purpose. The other was made within the petition’s preamble as part of a wider explanation of the petitioners’ motivations for bringing forth the subsequent prayer.

So indeed, closer examination reveals that the prayers of the two petitions are substantially different from one another. One calls broadly on the Government of Saskatchewan to meaningfully address the affordability crisis in Saskatchewan, while the other calls specifically for the government to suspend the collection of the provincial fuel tax from gasoline and diesel for a period of six months.

While the subjects of these two petitions may have broad areas of overlap, they differ greatly in scope and purpose. And for this reason I find the point of order not well taken.

I recognize the Minister of Education.

ROUTINE PROCEEDINGS

INTRODUCTION OF GUESTS

Hon. Everett Hindley: — Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And I’d like to take this opportunity to do a couple of introductions here in the Chamber here today. First of all, Mr. Speaker, in the west gallery I have a group from Swift Current that’s visiting here today, a school group from Maverick School. We are joined by 11 grade 12 students, as well as accompanied by Krista Erickson and Scott Hunter. If you could give us a wave there, folks.

And always great to have a group coming from Swift Current. I think the last chance they were here was about this time last year, I believe last December. And if I’m not mistaken I believe it was — unfortunately for me — it was on the last sitting day of the session and we didn’t get a chance to meet afterwards. There was a vote in the Chamber. But looking forward to having the opportunity to meet here today. So I’d ask all members to welcome the group from Maverick School in the great city of Swift Current.

And while I’m on my feet, Mr. Speaker, just a couple of other brief introductions. One, I see there’s a number of delegates here, representatives from the Saskatchewan School Boards Association who are here today. Their three-day conference has just wrapped up here this morning. Had a chance to meet some of these folks last night. I think I’m going to be pretty busy over the next few weeks and months getting to meet school board representatives right across this province. We’ve had significant turnover as well with, I think, roughly 40 per cent new school board members in Saskatchewan. So a new minister and a lot of new faces around school boards, and I’d like to recognize and welcome them to their Assembly.

In addition to that, Mr. Speaker, I also had a great meeting this morning with the Saskatchewan Teachers’ Federation and the president, Samantha Becotte, who is here today in the Speaker’s gallery as well as Bobbi Taillefer, executive director of the STF [Saskatchewan Teachers’ Federation].

We started off our meeting today touching on some very significant issues, Mr. Speaker, in this province: number one, Bobbi’s pending retirement in about three months’ time from her position at the STF; number two, talking about dogs and for Bobbi and I our shared passion I would say for dogs. And then after that we got into the meat and potatoes of education. And I just want to say thank you to them for the very good conversation here today. Looking forward to continuing that, building that relationship for the open and honest dialogue that we had today and I know we will continue to have as you represent just an amazing group of teachers right across this province.

So on behalf of the government, I welcome the delegates from the SSBA [Saskatchewan School Boards Association] and from the STF to their Legislative Assembly, Mr. Speaker.

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

Matt Love: — Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I request leave for an extended introduction.

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

Some Hon. Members: — Agreed.

Matt Love: — Thank you, Mr. Speaker. To you and through you, I’d like to join the Minister of Education opposite in welcoming all of these good folks to the Assembly today. We’ve got students, trustees, educators. We have a lot of folks with a vested interest in what happens in our classrooms, and it’s great to have such a broad spectrum of those people here with us today to watch proceedings in their Legislative Assembly.

I want to take a quick minute to thank all of those trustees who are here with us in town for the SSBA fall assembly that’s taking place right now. I had a chance to visit with many of them last night at the gathering at the Delta hotel. It’s wonderful to see so many new faces there. As the minister pointed out, there certainly is a lot of newness happening in the world of education in Saskatchewan, and it was good to connect with trustees old and new last night. I want to thank them for their dedication and to their elected service to this province; such an important job to ensure that our local boards have a local voice and autonomy to make good local decisions. I want to thank them all for being here today and for their service to students and families in this province.

I’d also like to join with the minister in welcoming some folks from the Saskatchewan Teachers’ Federation. We’re joined today by president Samantha Becotte, by executive director Bobbi Taillefer, and Lynn Redl-Huntington, member of the executive. I want to thank them for being here. They’re in the building today, Mr. Speaker, to talk about education. And I’d like to take a minute to thank them for all of the ways that they’ve advocated for better funding in our classrooms, for a return to per-student funding to back where it was several years ago. And we’ve seen a decline over the last number of years from first in the country to last.

I want to thank them for their advocacy on that front as well as their advocacy in finding real solutions for crowded and complex classrooms and for violence in the classroom. Those are issues that were front and centre in this most recent election campaign. And I want to thank them for the way that the federation engaged in non-partisan activity to really promote what’s best for our children and youth when they attend school. That’s certainly a vision that we share, to ensure that our kids get the support that they need when they attend school. That’s an investment in today. That’s an investment in our future.

I want to thank them for being here in the building today and again for all those who have a vested interest in education who have joined us in the Assembly today. I ask all members to join me in welcoming them to their legislature.

Speaker Goudy: — I recognize the Minister of Government Relations.

Hon. Eric Schmalz: — Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I request leave for an extended introduction.

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

Some Hon. Members: — Agreed.

Hon. Eric Schmalz: — Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This morning several of the members of the government and I, along with the Premier, had the opportunity to attend the unveiling of a bison mount in the room 218 gathering place there in the legislature. Several of the individuals are gathered here today along with us in the legislature.

I’d like to introduce them if I could: Elder Larry Oakes; Elder Alum Francis; Keegan Kitzul with the Saskatchewan Bison Association; Merek Wigness with the Saskatchewan Bison Association; Kurt Wigness; Travis Graham, Sask Bison Association; Maria Andrino, Canadian Bison Association; Murray Feist; and Kallie Wood, CEO [chief executive officer] of the National Circle for Indigenous Agriculture & Food.

Mr. Speaker, we had a moment to participate in a pipe ceremony, a moment of reflection. And I wanted to welcome them wholeheartedly to their legislature, and I ask that all members of the legislature join me in doing so. Thank you very much.

Speaker Goudy: — I recognize the member from Athabasca.

Leroy Laliberte: — Thank you, Mr. Speaker. To you and through you I would like to welcome, and I have to say I feel deeply honoured and privileged to have a couple of visitors here with us today.

Up on the Speaker’s gallery I have my Uncle Rick. Rick Laliberte is the mayor of Sipishik/Beauval and also have his wife Valerie with him today. And Rick was also a Member of Parliament for the area where I grew up, Desnethé-Missinippi-Churchill River.

And in the east gallery I would like to welcome back, and you know, I am deeply honoured to have one of my mentors here. This is Buckley, Buckley Belanger, and he was an MLA [Member of the Legislative Assembly] for Athabasca for 26 years. So I just, Mr. Speaker, I just want to say again, and like you can see I have some shoes to fill definitely, representing my area but I feel really blessed to have them here with us today.

So with that again I will ask all members to join me in welcoming Rick, Valerie, and Buckley to the Legislative Assembly. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Speaker Goudy: — I recognize the Minister of Finance.

Hon. Jim Reiter: — Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to join with the member opposite in welcoming Buckley Belanger to his Legislative Assembly, Mr. Speaker. It’s good to see Buckley again. For many years he was on the other side of the House. I have fond memories of many vigorous discussions that we had on the floor of this Assembly, Mr. Speaker, and it’s great to see him. And I’d ask all members to please welcome him to his Legislative Assembly. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Speaker Goudy: — I recognize the Minister of Agriculture.

Hon. Daryl Harrison: — Thank you, Mr. Speaker. To you and through you, I’d like to welcome, all the way from Argyle No. 1 municipality, John Ryckman, the reeve. I would ask all members to please welcome him to his Legislative Assembly.

Speaker Goudy: — I recognize the member from Cumberland.

Jordan McPhail: — Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to ask leave for an extended introduction.

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

Some Hon. Members: — Agreed.

Jordan McPhail: — Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In the east gallery today we are joined by a couple of members, constituents of mine: Lisa Linnick, born and raised in Creighton, Saskatchewan where she currently lives with her husband, Paul; attended the Creighton Community School; mother of two sons, Evan and Mark, who also attended the Creighton Community School. Lisa received her Bachelor of Science in pharmacy from the University of Saskatchewan. Lisa is currently retired, having served the surrounding communities as a pharmacist for 30 years.

Lisa has been recently elected as the new trustee for the Creighton School Division. She was selected to serve as the board chairperson at the November board meeting. Her goals for the division are to build a collaborative relationship with local stakeholders, municipal and provincial governments. And her guiding principle follows the vision statement, which is, “Each student who enters our doors shall leave with the abundant respect for self and others and the capability to meet the challenges of tomorrow.”

Steve Lytwyn was born and raised in Flin Flon, Manitoba where he currently lives with his wife, Kelly. Steve and Kelly have three amazing children: Alli, Hanna, and Scott. Steve was appointed the director of education for the Creighton School Division on January 1st, 2024. Steve serves as the deputy mayor for the city of Flin Flon, and as a border community, they are a member of both Manitoba and Saskatchewan local governments. His goals are to ensure that Creighton School Division is inclusive, diverse, equitable, and accessible for all staff and students while striving for excellence in education.

[13:45]

And while I’m on my feet, I also want to join the member from Athabasca in welcoming former MP [Member of Parliament] Rick Laliberte; his wife, Val; and one of my good buddies, the former MLA for Athabasca for many years — as I like to call him, Uncle Buck. He’s always been a strong supporter, a great mentor, and we’re so blessed to have so many great northern leaders here.

And also while I’m on my feet, Mr. Speaker, I do want to say welcome to Elder Oakes, the leaders and the members of the bison association to their Legislative Assembly. And I ask that all members join me in welcoming all of these great folks to their provincial legislature.

Speaker Goudy: — I recognize the member from Moosomin-Montmartre.

Kevin Weedmark: — Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to introduce the grade 7 and 8 classes from Chief Kahkewistahaw Community School on Kahkewistahaw First Nation. They’re in the west gallery this afternoon. With them are teachers Melanie Louison, Emma Hayden, Ryan Hall, Shayna Alexson, and Jordyn Jones.

And I’ve had the opportunity to visit Chief Kahkewistahaw School on a few occasions and meet some of the teachers and students. And it’s a beautiful facility with amazing teachers and wonderful students. And had a lot of conversations with the former principal, Chief Taypotat, who always tells me how proud he is of the school.

So I’d like to welcome the students here today to their Legislative Assembly, and I look forward to meeting with them later. And I’d invite all the members of the House to welcome them to their Legislative Assembly today.

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

Trent Wotherspoon: — Request leave for extended introduction.

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

Some Hon. Members: — Agreed.

Trent Wotherspoon: — Thank you, Mr. Speaker. First I just want to welcome Reverend Doug Armbruster that’s joined us here today. Pastor Doug has been a leader in all the communities that he’s lived. I’m very lucky that he’s moved to Regina, and I’m very proud to serve as his MLA.

He is the lead pastor at Calvary Baptist church here in Regina. He lived before in Raymore. He was a school board member with Horizon School Division. I think back in the day he maybe drew the short straw and somehow ended up coaching volleyball with my dad, I believe, out there. He was the principal at the time. I don’t think Craik was much of a volleyball coach, but thank goodness for Doug.

I just want to thank Doug for all of his contributions to his community and our province, and ask all members to join with me in doing so.

While on my feet, in the Speaker’s gallery I want to introduce my good friend Monty Harjinder Singh Sanserwal who owns a local business, immigration business in our community. He’s a lawyer, an immigration lawyer. He grew up in India in Haryana. He had close connection to agriculture there as well.

He’s got a beautiful family here, beautiful children. They build our community in every way. They’re active members in the Sikh community but the full, broader community as well. It was a pleasure to connect with him and his family last week for example at the rodeo at Agribition, and I know he was connecting back to some of his childhood experiences as well in doing so.

But this is someone who works to build his community and his province, works closely with the University of Regina as well on international students and many other fronts. So I ask all members to join with me in welcoming Harjinder Singh Sanserwal to his Assembly.

And just a short shout-out to my good buddy Buckley Belanger. He looks good up there, Mr. Speaker — better at a distance, of course. And it’s a pleasure to have him back in the Assembly. He’s an elected leader once again. He’s always been a leader in the community. I miss his leadership here in our caucus, but I know his communities in the North continue to benefit because of his leadership. It’s a pleasure to have him here, Mr. Speaker. And of course he’s also an avid Montreal Canadiens fan, Mr. Speaker, so to my good friend Buckley I just say, go Bruins.

Speaker Goudy: — I recognize the member from Dakota-Arm River.

Barret Kropf: — Request leave for extended introduction.

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

Some Hon. Members: — Agreed.

Barret Kropf: — Mr. Speaker, I’d like to introduce you and my good friend. He’s no stranger to the education scene here in Regina and across Saskatchewan. He is known to everyone in his network in the most admonishing terms. I’d like to welcome coach Ryan Hall to his Legislative Assembly.

Ryan and his wife, Jody, are retired teachers who continue to give back to the education of students in Saskatchewan. Coach Hall is a bit of a football guru. He’s a championship player, coach, mentor, author, and a broadcaster. I appreciate his servant heart, and he continues to teach well past his retirement and is currently doing a brilliant job at Chief Kahkewistahaw Community School in leading students towards excellence. I ask all of us to welcome him to his legislature.

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

Noor Burki: — Thank you, Mr. Speaker. To you and through you, I’ll have to join member from Rosemont to welcome Harjinder Singh to his Assembly. He’d been a young lawyer and been actively involved in community in different legal issues, been involved as a leader, a young activist. And anywhere we can see any cricket game or something, he’s always there. We are very proud of his services and for the community. We are very proud of that; keep it up, the same thing. And I will request all members in this Assembly to join me to welcome him to his Assembly.

Speaker Goudy: — I recognize the member from Martensville-Blairmore.

Hon. Jamie Martens: — Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would request leave for an extended introduction, please.

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

Some Hon. Members: — Agreed.

Hon. Jamie Martens: — Thank you, Mr. Speaker. To you and through you, Mr. Speaker, I would like to introduce the members of Prairie Spirit School Division. The Prairie Spirit School Division, the fifth largest in Saskatchewan, services the vibrant communities surrounding Saskatoon, including the cities of Warman, Martensville, and as well as the Rosthern-Shellbrook constituency, the constituency of our Premier.

With a diverse and growing population, Prairie Spirit is dedicated to fostering excellence in education and creating bright futures for students across the division. This year marks a historic and exciting new chapter for the board of trustees.

We have Kate Kading — you can give a wave, Kate; thank you — now in her second term, being named the first-ever female Chair, bringing visionary leadership and unwavering dedication to the division. Thank you, Kate. We have Kim MacLean. Kim is re-elected and takes on the role of Vice-Chair, contributing to a wealth of strategic insight from her distinguished navy background.

We have Christa-Ann Willems — thank you, Christa — also re-elected, embarks on her second term, continuing with her commitment to building strong school communities in Prairie Spirit families. Mike Richards — thank you, Mike — a seasoned executive whose leadership and passion for innovation will help drive the division forward. We have Shelby Poggemiller — thanks, Shelby. She’s a nurse in Saskatoon and is newly elected. We also have Cindy Friesen as well — thank you, Cindy — a geoscientist, also newly elected.

Honourable mention is extended to the rest of the dedicated board as well. And I also would like to say hi to Doug Armbruster from the Horizon School Division.

So I invite all of you to join me in welcoming them to their legislature. Thank you.

Speaker Goudy: — I recognize the member from Regina South Albert.

Aleana Young: — Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I promise I will be brief. To you and through you to all members, I just want to join in of course in recognizing all the amazing trustees, municipal leaders, past leaders, and maybe future leaders who are here with us.

And I want to give two special shout-outs in particular. I want to give a shout-out in particular to Mike up in the west gallery there, who not only is a newly elected trustee and somebody who I know our politics don’t always align, but we share a deep passion for the cut and thrust of politics and belief in the importance of democracy and locally elected governments. Newly elected as a trustee and of course no stranger to this Assembly as the proud CEO of Shercom Industries and advocate for business for Saskatchewan manufacturing and of course for the workers and families who make up industries right here in Saskatchewan and across Canada.

And while I’m on my feet, Mr. Speaker, I would be a very bad daughter indeed if I did not recognize, sitting in the east gallery, my dear old dad, Don Young. A frequent flyer in the Assembly. A wonderful father, great grandpa. Sadly not a reliable election volunteer in the 2024 campaign because he abandoned me, his first-born child, to head north. I don’t think he’d previously been north of Kelvington, but went up to Cumberland to knock doors for the new member from Cumberland, who I can’t name but treated my dad, Don, with such warmth and hospitality.

So with that, Mr. Speaker, I’ll sit down, but I’d like to ask all members to join me in recognizing these two great gentlemen in this, their Legislative Assembly.

Speaker Goudy: — I recognize the member from Canora-Pelly.

Sean Wilson: — Mr. Speaker, to you and through you I would like to introduce the former member of Canora-Pelly for 20 years, Mr. Ken Krawetz, who’s just sitting back here. I can tell you with 100 per cent sincerity I have not been nervous in this House since I started. But right now I can sense eyes on me and I am terrified. So thank you and . . . I am. So thank you.

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

Trent Wotherspoon: — Thanks, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to join with the member from Canora to welcome the young guy that’s seated at the back of the Chamber here — Ken Krawetz, former Deputy Premier, long-serving Education and Finance minister. He never needed a microphone in this place, I can tell you that, Mr. Speaker. But I know he’s taken seriously serving his province and our community as well.

Now Ken Krawetz is an avid Toronto Maple Leafs fan, and to Ken I say, go Bruins.

Speaker Goudy: — All right, and one final . . . I just wanted to say, lots of friends up in the gallery from the SSBA, different trustees, and many students from the schools. And just remind all of us our agreement that the decorum would be fit for a classroom. And so later on you’ll see the question period, if you stick around, and how well we are behaved in this place. So we’ll move on to presenting petitions.

PRESENTING PETITIONS

Speaker Goudy: — I recognize the member from Regina Northeast.

Jacqueline Roy: — Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to present a petition to the Government of Saskatchewan to open up vacant Sask Housing units for occupancy.

The undersigned residents of the province of Saskatchewan would like to bring to our attention that, as both the Provincial Auditor and the Saskatchewan Urban Municipalities Association have observed, approximately 3,000 Sask Housing units are currently vacant across Saskatchewan, including about 129 in Prince Albert, 280 in Saskatoon, and 700 right here in Regina; that some of these units require renovation, but the Sask Party government has cut the maintenance and renovation budget by approximately 40 per cent over the last decade; and that the province’s expenditures on emergency hotels have risen year over year.

Mr. Speaker, the undersigned are from Regina and the undersigned are from Saskatoon. I’ll read the prayer:

We, in the prayer read as follows, respectfully request that the Legislative Assembly call upon the Government of Saskatchewan to renovate Sask Housing units that require renovation, make units available and affordable, and ensure that all the currently vacant Sask Housing units are occupied.

I do so submit, Mr. Speaker.

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

Nicole Sarauer: — Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise today to present a petition calling for universal access to birth control. Those who have signed this petition wish to bring to our attention the following: that Saskatchewan has some of the highest rates of adolescent pregnancy in the country; that cost is one of the biggest barriers to accessing contraceptive birth control in Saskatchewan, especially among adolescents; and that having consistent and affordable access to contraceptive options is essential for promoting bodily autonomy, preventing unwanted pregnancy, and saving money on sexual and reproductive health care.

I’d like to read the prayer:

We, in the prayer that reads as follows, respectfully request that Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan call on the Government of Saskatchewan to adopt a policy making no-cost prescription contraceptive available to all Saskatchewan people.

Those who have signed this petition come from Saskatoon. I do so present.

Speaker Goudy: — I recognize the member from Athabasca.

[14:00]

Leroy Laliberte: — Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise today to present a petition calling for duty-to-consult legislation. Those who have signed wish to bring to your attention the following: Saskatchewan needs legislation to ensure the provincial duty-to-consult is fulfilled and carried out in honour of the Crown. The Sask Party government has voted against duty-to-consult legislation, and the Sask Party government did not follow its own guidelines on consulting inherent and treaty rights holders while drafting the current duty-to-consult policy.

I’d like to 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 enshrine duty-to-consult into law and enact a meaningful duty-to-consult legislation.

This petition was signed by people in Rose Valley and Yellow Quill. I do so present.

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

Keith Jorgenson: — Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. It’s my pleasure as Seniors critic to rise to present a petition to the Legislative Assembly calling on home supports for older adults.

It says, we the undersigned residents of the province of Saskatchewan wish to bring attention to the following: that evidence shows that older adults in Saskatchewan want to age in their homes and their communities; that providing such supports for older adults in their homes comes at a significantly lower cost than providing institutional care; and that other jurisdictions have successfully implemented home support programs that reduce the strain on long-term care and provide important outcomes for older adults.

We, in the prayer that reads as follows, respectfully request that the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan call on the Government of Saskatchewan to work with older adults, stakeholders, municipalities, to design home support programs that will allow seniors to age with dignity and autonomy in their homes in their communities.

I wish to present this petition. It’s signed by members of Saskatoon.

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

Noor Burki: — Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We, the undersigned residents of the province of Saskatchewan wish to bring to your attention the following: Saskatchewan people are struggling to keep up with increased costs of shelter, food, and basic necessities, as wages have not kept up with the rate of inflation; that more than one-third of people of Saskatchewan are struggling with the cost of living; that the Saskatchewan Party government could not provide immediate cost-of-living relief to Saskatchewan families by suspending the provincial gas tax; that Saskatchewan NDP [New Democratic Party], the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, among others, have been calling for immediate gas relief for not only months but years; that other jurisdictions have suspended or reduced their provincial fuel tax to make life more affordable for the residents of their province.

We, in the prayer that reads as follows, respectfully request the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan to call on the Government of Saskatchewan to suspend the collection of the fuel tax for a period of six months to help families that are struggling with the high cost of living.

The signatories of this petition reside in Regina and Melville. I do so present.

STATEMENTS BY MEMBERS

Speaker Goudy: — I recognize the member from Dakota-Arm River.

Projects and Businesses in the Flourishing Community of Outlook

Barret Kropf: — Mr. Speaker, over a year ago our government invested just over $2.4 million into the Outlook raw water and water treatment plant upgrades, an important and now completed project that is enhancing the lives of residents and businesses in Outlook and surrounding area.

Former mayor Maureen Weiterman stated the water project positions this region as an attractive place to start a business, build a career, and raise a family. The new Outlook mayor, Ryan Husband, and I couldn’t agree more with you, Maureen, because it has allowed a new commercial industrial subdivision to be developed on the east side of town, a location which Bree Campbell has expanded her business, Dynamic Auto body, with a brand new building now able to serve a broader portion of the region and creating new jobs in the community. Bree is not just a business leader, but also gives back to our province by serving as a re-elected councillor on the RM [rural municipality] of Rudy.

Another business that excels in the flourishing community of Outlook is AG Foods. Blake Taylor is a community leader that serves as the Chair on the community’s Riverview Golf Course. Blake also deeply cares about the safety of his community. It’s why he has created the Fuel the Fire Hall & Fill the Food Bank initiative that will see his company, AG Foods, match food donations as part of the program and provide upwards of $5,000 towards the fundraising for a new fire hall.

Blake Taylor and Bree Campbell, I thank you. You and the many other humble, hard-working individuals who reside in Dakota-Arm River, you are leaders who pursue excellence, build our economy, and give us a stable and bright future for our province.

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

International Day of Persons with Disabilities

Brittney Senger: — Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise to recognize today as International Day of Persons with Disabilities. This day has been recognized internationally through the United Nations since 1992. This year’s theme is Amplifying the Leadership of Persons with Disabilities for an Inclusive and Sustainable Future. It is important because persons living with disabilities require space and opportunity to shape their own lives. As we develop policies that create a more inclusive society, let’s ensure that we allow space for all voices at the table.

Mr. Speaker, an estimated 1.3 billion people experience significant disability. This represents 16 per cent of the world’s population, or one in six of us. Unfortunately many people with disabilities face discrimination, stigma, poverty, and exclusion from equal opportunities. That is why we must work together to ensure that those with seen and unseen disabilities have equitable access to opportunities and are involved in the development of policies that affect them.

Mr. Speaker, with this year’s theme of Amplifying the Leadership of Persons with Disabilities for an Inclusive and Sustainable Future, I hope to see this government take real action to improve the lives of persons with disabilities.

I ask that all members join me in recognizing International Day of Persons with Disabilities.

Speaker Goudy: — I recognize the member from Moose Jaw Wakamow.

Megan Patterson: — Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today is the International Day of Persons with Disabilities. Mr. Speaker, this is a day to increase awareness and understanding. This is a day to promote accessibility, inclusion, and the rights of individuals with disabilities.

This government is taking action to improve accessibility of our buildings, programs, and services. Today we have released the province’s first accessibility plan. This demonstrates an all-government approach. It supports the removal and prevention of barriers that people with disabilities may face.

Mr. Speaker, over the next three years, this government will work to improve the knowledge and awareness of accessibility to support a diverse and inclusive workforce; improve the accessibility of government buildings, provincial parks, and digital content; and provide leadership on accessibility and inclusion in the province.

As we take this important step forward, we are not just improving accessibility. We are creating a province where everyone can thrive. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Speaker Goudy: — I recognize the member from Cumberland.

Lac La Ronge Woman Hailed for Heroic River Rescue

Jordan McPhail: — Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It was a cold day in Sucker River, Saskatchewan. A friend of mine that I have known since high school had gotten up for the day as she normally would, went to work in her usual way, and started the day as she normally would.

A short while into her shift, a child came into the store with fear in his eyes, asking for help for another friend who had fallen through the ice. Without a moment’s hesitation, without formal training, Elaine Ratt sprung to action to save the boy from a certain drowning or a bout with hypothermia. She made her way to the water and started to cross the very ice that the boy had fallen through to start her rescue of the boy, also putting at risk her opportunity to see her family again.

As she got close to the boy, she fell through the ice herself in water, as she described, up to her neck. This story does have a happy ending, Mr. Speaker, as Elaine and the young boy both made it to shore and made it back to their families’ warmth.

I would like all members to join me as I say thank you to Elaine for her bravery, her sacrifice, and courage in putting the lives of her community above the safety of her own. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Speaker Goudy: — I recognize the member from Prince Albert Carlton.

Parkland Ambulance Care Celebrates 50th Anniversary

Kevin Kasun: — Thank you, Mr. Speaker. On Friday the Premier and the Minister Responsible for Parks, Culture and Sport had the opportunity to attend the Parkland Ambulance Care’s 50th anniversary gala.

For half a century, Parkland Ambulance Care has been ensuring that Saskatchewan residents have access to consistent and timely EMS [emergency medical services] services within the community of Prince Albert and its surrounding rural northeast communities. Through their dedicated organization, they have played a vital role in enhancing and stabilizing EMS services. This milestone is a testament to their unwavering commitment to the well-being of Saskatchewan residents.

Mr. Speaker, Parkland Ambulance has evolved and grown from two ambulances on day one to today’s fleet of 11 ambulances, 2 rover vehicles, a mobile response unit, and over 60 employees working from two facilities. This expanded scope of services has enabled communities throughout Parkland Ambulance’s service area to benefit from reliable ambulance service.

Our government is committed to supporting this momentum and growth. Over the last two budgets, we have provided funding for an additional 17 full-time equivalent paramedic positions to support Parkland Ambulance in staffing additional ambulances in Prince Albert.

Mr. Speaker, I ask that all members join me in congratulating Parkland Ambulance on this milestone and extending our thanks to the paramedics, dispatchers, and support staff. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Camponi Housing Corporation Celebrates 50th Anniversary

April ChiefCalf: — Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I would like to recognize Camponi Housing Corporation, a non-profit corporation which provides affordable housing to Métis and First Nations residents in Saskatoon.

With the weather growing colder and colder, we must remember how important access to housing is to each and every one of us. On December 13th of this year, Camponi Housing will be hosting a celebration event in honour of their 50th anniversary.

Originally called the Sasknative Housing Corporation, Camponi Housing was formed in 1974 by Ron Camponi and Clarence Trotchie. They wished to provide housing to Indigenous peoples who had relocated from rural communities to the city. In addition to providing housing to Indigenous residents, the founding members of Sasknative Housing also worked towards breaking the cycle of poverty and addictions, offering training opportunities, and assisting Indigenous residents with accessing social services.

Today Camponi Housing Corporation owns 400 rental units in the city, several of which are located in the constituency of Saskatoon Westview. They are currently building additional units that will provide housing for larger families as well as accessible housing for people with limitations to their mobility.

Mr. Speaker, please join me in congratulating Camponi Housing Corporation on their 50 years of providing safe, affordable housing to Indigenous residents in Saskatoon. Thank you.

Speaker Goudy: — I recognize the member from Lumsden-Morse.

Bison Head Installed in Legislative Building

Blaine McLeod: — Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Visitors to the legislature will notice an exciting and magnificent new addition in room 218. In conjunction with the Saskatchewan Bison Association and the National Circle for Indigenous Agriculture, a bison head has been installed in this important meeting room. This is dedicated to the people of Saskatchewan on behalf of the ranchers, First Nations, parks, universities, and conservation groups who raise bison.

Mr. Speaker, the bison — tatanka in Lakota and paskwâwi-mostos in Plains Cree — is an important symbol for Indigenous groups across the plains. The bison epitomizes life, abundance, and self-sacrifice. This symbol will stand as a reminder that government should work for others, for the people. To imitate the bison is one of the most highly respected ways of behaving, Mr. Speaker. To be generous and give what you have to others in need is indeed an honourable way of living.

On behalf of this government, we are proud to welcome guests from the bison association and the National Circle for Indigenous Agriculture & Food. Thank you to Murray Feist, Merek Wigness, and Kallie Wood for their words during the ceremony earlier today. And thank you to all dignitaries who joined us for this ceremony. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

QUESTION PERIOD

Speaker Goudy: — I recognize the Deputy Leader of the Opposition.

Health Care Staffing and Care for Cancer Patients

Vicki Mowat: — Mr. Speaker, this out-of-touch Sask Party government is failing to deliver cost-of-living relief, and they’re failing to deliver health care when and where people need it. The longest waits for knee and hip surgeries, the longest emergency department waits, and continued closures across Saskatchewan, leaving people waiting even longer. The latest of these closures, Mr. Speaker, interventional radiology here in Regina due to a doctor shortage.

[14:15]

What does the Premier have to say to the countless people going without the care they need due to doctor shortages?

Speaker Goudy: — I recognize the Minister of Health.

Hon. Jeremy Cockrill: — Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we understand that health care is important to the people of this province. That’s why in last week’s Throne Speech we outlined a couple of very important goals that this government has: a goal to have every person in this province be able to access a primary care provider over the next four years, and increase the volume of surgeries that will be done in this province to ensure that people have a reasonable waiting time to get an important operation done.

When it comes to attracting health human resources, whether that be general practitioner physicians or nurses or specialists, as the member pointed out, Mr. Speaker, we continue to look at new incentives and new ways to attract these people to come and practise here in Saskatchewan and keep the students studying in those programs right here in this province.

Speaker Goudy: — I recognize the Deputy Leader of the Opposition.

Vicki Mowat: — Mr. Speaker, these are critical medical services that are needed right now in this city. Mr. Speaker, we received memos on the closures to interventional radiology at the Regina General and Regina Pasqua. The memos show that the central line placements, including PICC [peripherally inserted central catheter] and port lines were unavailable throughout September until October 3rd due to doctor shortages, leaving many patients without the care they need and deserve.

One of those patients is here today, Mr. Speaker, Lynn Robertson. Lynn has been waiting well over a month for a PICC line here in Regina. Can the Premier explain why patients like Lynn are still waiting for access to basic health care in Regina?

Speaker Goudy: — I recognize the Minister of Health.

Hon. Jeremy Cockrill: — Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and thank you to the member opposite for the question. And thank you and welcome to Lynn who’s joined us in the legislature today. Thank you for bringing these important issues to our attention.

Mr. Speaker, I can tell you that between the Ministry of Health and the Saskatchewan Health Authority, recruitment of specialists — especially interventional radiologists right here in Regina — continues to be a priority. We’re working closely with the Saskatchewan Health Authority to find long-term placements for these important positions. In the interim, we are working with the Saskatchewan Medical Association to find locum coverage. Again, Mr. Speaker, we know how important it is for people in this province — Lynn and many others — to have timely access to the care that they need as close to home as possible. Thank you.

Speaker Goudy: — I recognize the Deputy Leader of the Opposition.

Vicki Mowat: — Mr. Speaker, Lynn is here because she’s been waiting well over a month for a PICC line. She was diagnosed with cancer for a third time and underwent a double mastectomy in September. As someone who has gone through many rounds of chemotherapy, she knows that having a PICC line will ensure that she receives her cancer treatments without issue.

She advocated for herself as hard as she could, but she’s been forced to undergo two difficult and painful chemo treatments without a PICC line. To the minister: when can patients like Lynn expect to receive care here in Regina?

Speaker Goudy: — I recognize the Minister of Health.

Hon. Jeremy Cockrill: — Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And you know, I mentioned this last week in regards to epilepsy but, Mr. Speaker, the same is true when it comes to Saskatchewan residents battling cancer. Every one of our families has been touched by this, and so Lynn, I understand that it’s a challenging time to be going through treatment.

This is exactly why I talked about, Mr. Speaker, in my previous answers about the intense recruitment efforts that we’re undertaking with the Saskatchewan Health Authority, with the Saskatchewan Medical Association. These are priority positions we’re working to fill as quickly as possible, Mr. Speaker, so that people in this province can have timely access to care. Thank you.

Speaker Goudy: — I recognize the member from Regina Rochdale.

Joan Pratchler: — Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Lynn is my constituent. She was willing to travel for a PICC line. She went all the way to Yorkton, but the procedure was unsuccessful due to the limited equipment to which Yorkton hospital has access. She was referred back to Regina to wait again, but this time she was informed that she’d be waiting well into the new year. How can the minister continue to defend his recruitment and retention plan when patients can’t receive basic care here in our capital city?

Speaker Goudy: — I recognize the Minister of Health.

Hon. Jeremy Cockrill: — Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I can tell you that the reason that we do focus on recruitment and retention is exactly for situations like this, so that we can improve care in this province, make sure that that care can be accessible whether you live in Regina or whether you live in a rural community, Mr. Speaker.

I think back to the announcement that we made last week, Mr. Speaker, the hiring of nine new physicians into the Saskatchewan Cancer Agency both in Saskatoon and here in the capital city, Mr. Speaker. It’s these types of efforts that will benefit all of us, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.

Speaker Goudy: — I recognize the member from Regina Rochdale.

Joan Pratchler: — Mr. Speaker, Lynn and her family have gone through enough. She’s been through three separate cancer diagnoses. She’s been through countless chemotherapy and radiation treatments, biopsies, and surgeries. A quote from Lynn: “In the midst of a cancer diagnosis and chemotherapy treatments, it is appalling to me that I have had to work so hard to advocate for myself for a PICC line or a port insertion without any hope that this will happen.”

Will the minister meet with Lynn today and ensure that she and other patients like her have timely access to basic care?

Speaker Goudy: — I recognize the Minister of Health.

Hon. Jeremy Cockrill: — Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d be happy to meet with Lynn this afternoon after question period. Thank you.

Provincial Auditor’s Report and Reporting of Social Services’ Spending

Speaker Goudy: — I recognize the member from Regina Elphinstone-Centre.

Meara Conway: — Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It’s been almost exactly one year since we started asking this out-of-touch government tough questions about the Sunrise Motel. That’s the motel where Gary Grewal, the former Sask Party member for Regina Northeast, jacked up his rates more than 50 per cent once the public started picking up the tab. The Conflict of Interest Commissioner investigated and ruled that Grewal broke the law.

Today the auditor released a report and found the Sask Party government still doesn’t have measures in place to protect the public and get good value for money. When is the Sask Party government going to clean up its act so that taxpayers won’t be ripped off on inflated hotels once again?

Speaker Goudy: — I recognize the Minister of Social Services.

Hon. Terry Jenson: — Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The auditor’s report did come out earlier today, and in that report there were four recommendations. And the Ministry of Social Services is committed to ensuring that all four of those recommendations in the auditor’s report is looked after. One of those recommendations has actually been completed, Mr. Speaker. The other three are partially completed, and we’re going to keep working towards that until they are completed. Thank you.

Speaker Goudy: — I recognize the member from Regina Elphinstone-Centre.

Meara Conway: — Thank you, Mr. Speaker. One of the auditor’s findings today is that the Sask Party government doesn’t report out spending on hotels for Social Services’ clients in public accounts. Back when I asked about this, the Sask Party government laughed. They guffawed and accused me of not understanding the rules.

Well the auditor’s report today is clear. The Sask Party government’s rules just aren’t good enough. Will the minister commit today to reporting these kinds of expenditures through public accounts?

Speaker Goudy: — I recognize the Minister of Social Services.

Hon. Terry Jenson: — Thank you, Mr. Speaker. That indeed is one of the recommendations that’s in the report, and that’s one of the recommendations that has been partially completed. That work will continue. It involves another ministry in order to be able to compile all that information quickly and properly, and we’re just waiting to get some proper advice on how that will happen.

So again, it’s one of those recommendations that’s been made by the auditor, and we’re committed to ensuring that those recommendations are completed.

Speaker Goudy: — I recognize the member from Regina Elphinstone-Centre.

Meara Conway: — I’m certainly glad to hear the minister’s commitment that they’ll change how they report that out, Mr. Speaker, but let’s review what’s happened here.

Because of failed Sask Party housing policies, reliance on hotels shot up. Mr. Grewal, despite having never really rented to government clients before, stepped in and benefited from government contracts, and while doing so he inflated his rates more than any other hotel across Saskatchewan. He refused to follow the commissioner’s direction. Not only did he break the law, but taxpayers ended up paying almost $1 million, Mr. Speaker.

Saskatchewan people expect some answers and they expect some accountability. Does the Sask Party government agree?

Speaker Goudy: — I recognize the Minister of Social Services.

Hon. Terry Jenson: — Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The member would well know that that individual is now a private citizen, and we’re focused on the auditor’s recommendations moving forward. And we’re working on the three that are partially finished, and we’ve also completed one other. So that’s where our focus is on now, is moving forward and not looking backward.

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

Provincial Auditor’s Report and Foreign Ownership of Farm Land

Trent Wotherspoon: — Mr. Speaker, the Provincial Auditor also flagged the Sask Party government’s failure to make sure foreign entities can’t buy farm land in Saskatchewan. She found they didn’t have enough protections in place to stop foreign entities from illegally purchasing land. The Sask Party government only asked for a declaration in half of the high-risk out-of-province transactions she reviewed.

Now we’ve been calling for statutory ownership declarations on all transactions for years. Simple question for the minister: is 50 per cent good enough for that Sask Party government?

Speaker Goudy: — I recognize the Minister of Agriculture.

Hon. Daryl Harrison: — Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We thank the auditor and welcome the recommendations put forward in the report. As indicated in the report, the audit did not find any confirmed instances of unauthorized foreign ownership. The audit also found the board’s existing procedures were appropriate, effective, and fulfilled the board’s legislative mandate. There is always more room for improvement, and the board will continue to focus on process improvement. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Trent Wotherspoon: — Mr. Speaker, Saskatchewan people expect that if there are laws that they will be followed, and when those laws are broken there will be consequences. All over rural Saskatchewan, people are concerned that foreign entities are illegally buying up Saskatchewan farm land. And now the auditor is flagging that when they’re dealing with the lawbreakers, the Sask Party government “does not have escalation procedures for staff to take further action (e.g., fines, penalties).”

When will we see some real consequences, some real teeth to stop the illegal purchase, foreign purchase of farm land in Saskatchewan?

Speaker Goudy: — I recognize the Minister of Agriculture.

Hon. Daryl Harrison: — Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As indicated in the report, the audit did not find any, any confirmed instances of unauthorized foreign ownership. The report also said there are effective measures in place to monitor this.

The board has already discussed many of the recommendations made by the auditor. The majority of the recommendations are items where a process that were being used . . . however procedural documents are now being created and reviewed by the board and implemented. Many of the recommendations suggested by the auditor have already been prioritized, and the implementation of many of these recommendations has already begun. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Trent Wotherspoon: — You know, everyone in Saskatchewan agrees foreign entities outside our country shouldn’t be controlling Saskatchewan farm land or breaking our laws. Letting this run rampant is bad for producers and it’s bad for our province. We’ve been calling for action on this for years. That Sask Party government’s approach has been kid gloves and to look the other way.

When will we see real action from this Sask Party government to crack down on the illegal purchase, foreign purchase, foreign ownership in our province?

Speaker Goudy: — I recognize the Minister of Agriculture.

Hon. Daryl Harrison: — Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As indicated in the report, the audit did not find any confirmed instances of unauthorized foreign ownership. Our Farm Land Security Board is effective in managing our farm land sales. We will continue to support the board as they do excellent work, and we are committed to continuous improvement, particularly as it relates to documentation of board decisions and processes. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

[14:30]

Funding for Education and Specialized Support Initiative

Matt Love: — Mr. Speaker, we’ve seen where this government’s funding priorities lie, and we know for sure it’s not with our schools. From 2012 until now, we’ve gone from first in the country for per-student funding to dead last. Classrooms are overcrowded, teachers are overworked, and that Sask Party government still refuses to take action. Year after year, Mr. Speaker, they put our children’s education last.

What is that minister going to do to get Saskatchewan out of last place in education funding?

Speaker Goudy: — I recognize the Minister of Education.

Hon. Everett Hindley: — Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This government has made a record investment in this year’s budget into the education sector, an increase of $180 million or nearly 9 per cent more funding in this year’s budget. And some of the things that we’re going to continue to do to build upon that investment into education was outlined in the Throne Speech last week, Mr. Speaker.

One, a greater focus and a renewed focus on K to 3 [kindergarten to grade 3] reading across our schools, right across Saskatchewan, to make sure that we’re giving students the building blocks they need to be able to have a successful academic career.

Number two, Mr. Speaker, an expansion of the specialized support classrooms initiative, which is currently being piloted in eight school divisions across the province with significant amounts of success in helping to, number one, hire more teachers as well as more EAs [educational assistant] to provide these additional supports to deal with and to be able to help students that do have some additional complexities in the classroom, to help them be able to better learn. And we’ll continue to make an expansion to that particular program right across Saskatchewan. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Matt Love: — Mr. Speaker, the minister is acting as if our school boards are getting all the resources they need to meet the needs of our students. But do you know who disagrees with that, Mr. Speaker? His own member from Batoche. In her role as Chair for the Sask Rivers School Division, she saw first-hand that funding for school boards is simply not sustainable. That’s why she wrote, “We have to find it in our budget, so what does that mean? Cuts somewhere.”

To the minister: was the member for Batoche mistaken, or are school boards being forced to make cuts?

Speaker Goudy: — I recognize the Minister of Education.

Hon. Everett Hindley: — Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I did not say in any of my answers, either today or previously, that we’ve addressed all the challenges in education. We know that there are those challenges, which is why I, as the Minister of Education, in talking to representatives — for example, whether it’s with the Saskatchewan Teachers’ Federation this morning or with the Saskatchewan School Boards Association last night at the banquet — being able to consult with those individuals and consult with teachers and educational assistants but also with parents and families right across this province to ensure that we are providing as much support as we can to students right across Saskatchewan.

Mr. Speaker, I would refer to a quote yesterday from Mark Haarmann from the Regina Public Schools association. It was on CBC [Canadian Broadcasting Corporation]. And he said, in reference to the specialized support classrooms, he talks about, and I quote, “these being a game changer because what happens now is that students have a safe place to go.” And the suspensions at Arcola School have plummeted, which is one of the schools where this pilot has been laid out, Mr. Speaker.

That is some of the work that is happening already, Mr. Speaker. And we’re going to continue to work with school divisions, educators, and stakeholders across the education system and make sure that we’re helping support them.

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

Matt Love: — I appreciate hearing these commitments from the minister, Mr. Speaker, but the fact is that these are the same tired and out-of-touch talking lines that we’ve been hearing in this province for more than a decade while they’ve driven our province to last place in the country in per-student funding.

Investment in education is an investment in the future. Our education system is being pushed past its breaking point. Today it’s teachers and students paying the price. Tomorrow it’s all of us.

Why won’t this minister invest in kids, invest in our future? Why won’t he commit to getting education funding out of last place in the entire country?

Speaker Goudy: — I recognize the Education minister.

Hon. Everett Hindley: — Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The specialized support classrooms initiative, that is a new initiative. Those are new dollars. They’re new positions. In Living Sky School Division, it’s an additional teacher and an additional EA; in Light of Christ, two more teachers, two more EAs; Prince Albert Catholic, two more teachers; Saskatchewan Rivers, 1.5 teachers and 2.0 EAs being added there. And there’s further numbers on that list, Mr. Speaker.

And that is why we’ve said in the Throne Speech, over the next four years we’re going to be expanding that initiative from the current 8 to 200 of these specialized support classrooms across the province, Mr. Speaker. And that is a significant investment, and it is working very well. And we’ve allowed school divisions to be able to implement this program, Mr. Speaker.

From the Light of Christ School Division, the director of education, Cory Rideout, says, and I quote: “This program has quickly become a staple . . .” This is the new program, Mr. Speaker, “. . . has quickly become a staple at St. Mary School and has had a major positive impact on staff, students, and families of the entire school community.”

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Speaker Goudy: — I recognize the member from Regina Northeast.

Jacqueline Roy: — Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Children in Saskatchewan are being denied their fundamental right, their fundamental right to a public education. When will these new initiatives, which are one extra person or two extra people, really fulfill this need, Mr. Speaker? That is not a significant investment that touches the entire province.

The Sask Party government funds education at the lowest rate in all of Canada still. This is hard on all students of course, but it’s especially hard on students with special needs. Without those proper supports, the students, they don’t get the education, yes, but they also don’t get the very life that they deserve, Mr. Speaker.

Will the minister please explain to Saskatchewan parents why, why does he continue to fail their children?

Speaker Goudy: — I recognize the Minister of Education.

Hon. Everett Hindley: — Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The specialized support classrooms initiative, which we launched early this year and as we’ve indicated in the Throne Speech, we’ll be expanding to a larger number of schools right across this province, Mr. Speaker, this provides some additional learning spaces with highly trained staff.

And the ultimate goal of these specialized support classrooms, Mr. Speaker, and of the staff is to be able to provide the necessary tools for the students to be able to return to the classroom, and to work very closely with those individual students.

And again, as I’ve indicated earlier, we’re having some positive feedback, some positive results being reported back to us by the school divisions and by teachers, Mr. Speaker. We’re going to continue to engage with those in the education sector to make sure that we continue to implement this initiative and provide more supports for students right across our province, Mr. Speaker.

Speaker Goudy: — I recognize the member from Regina Northeast.

Jacqueline Roy: — Mr. Speaker, thank you. This government’s solution as always is more cuts, and as much as side government would like to take us away from this fact, increasing this program — without a report as well — for a fraction of the money that does need to be invested is just addressing the tip of the iceberg.

Mr. Speaker, when will we see real action from side government on this matter?

Speaker Goudy: — I recognize the Minister of Education.

Hon. Everett Hindley: — Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We were proud to be able to announce this initiative and this program earlier this calendar year and work very closely with school divisions on implementing that as quickly as possible.

As we’ve indicated, Mr. Speaker, in the Throne Speech, over the next four years we are going to be, as quickly as possible and as much as capacity allows, expand that program to 200 more across the province. And we will be working closely with those in the education sector. We’ll be having those consultations and having these meetings with school divisions, finding out where there is the greatest need, Mr. Speaker, in the education system.

And also talking to the teachers, school boards about which schools are best suited to be able to have that expansion perhaps as quickly as possible. They might be in a better position, they might have staff that they’re available to hire fairly quickly so they can have these specialized support classrooms properly staffed, Mr. Speaker.

So we’ll do that in direct consultation with the education sector and continue to implement this program and expand it province-wide.

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

Addressing Interpersonal Violence

Nicole Sarauer: — Mr. Speaker, Saskatchewan has the highest rate of intimate partner violence in Canada. And things aren’t getting better; they’re getting much worse. Intimate partner violence increased 15 per cent last year and family violence increased 20 per cent. And yet the Throne Speech made no mention of this very serious issue that affects so many people in this province.

When will we see a real plan from the Sask Party government to address intimate partner violence in Saskatchewan?

Speaker Goudy: — I recognize the Minister of the Status of Women.

Hon. Alana Ross: — Thank you, Mr. Speaker. There is no place for any form of violence in Saskatchewan as I have said before. The 2024‑25 provincial budget dedicates $31.7 million to a range of initiatives across government to support and reduce interpersonal violence and sexual violence.

Saskatchewan was one of the first provinces to sign on to the national action plan to end gender-based violence with the federal government. This agreement will provide the province with $20.3 million in new federal dollars over four years to match Saskatchewan’s existing investments. These additional funds will allow Saskatchewan to expand and enhance our existing programs and services with a special focus on prevention. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

INTRODUCTION OF BILLS

Bill No. 2 — The SaskEnergy (Carbon Tax Fairness for Families) Amendment Act, 2024

Speaker Goudy: — I recognize the Minister Responsible for SaskEnergy.

Hon. Jeremy Harrison: — Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I move that Bill No. 2, The SaskEnergy (Carbon Tax Fairness for Families) Amendment Act, 2024 be now introduced and read a first time.

Speaker Goudy: — It’s been moved by the Minister Responsible for SaskEnergy that Bill No. 2, The SaskEnergy (Carbon Tax Fairness for Families) Amendment Act, 2024 be now introduced and read for 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.

Speaker Goudy: — When shall the bill be read the second time? I recognize the Minister Responsible for SaskEnergy.

Hon. Jeremy Harrison: — Next sitting.

Speaker Goudy: — Next sitting.

ORDERS OF THE DAY

SPECIAL ORDER

ADJOURNED DEBATES

ADDRESS IN REPLY

[The Assembly resumed the adjourned debate on the address in reply which was moved by Kim Gartner, seconded by the Hon. Eric Schmalz, and the proposed amendment to the main motion moved by Jared Clarke.]

Speaker Goudy: — I recognize the member from Moosomin-Montmartre.

Kevin Weedmark: — Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. And, Mr. Speaker, it’s with great humility and a sense of responsibility that I rise today to address this Chamber.

And first of all, Mr. Speaker, let me congratulate you on your new role as Speaker of this Assembly. I know that you’re a person of unquestionable integrity, and I know that you and the Deputy Speaker will both fill your roles very well in this Legislative Assembly.

And let me congratulate all the members of this House on their elections. I know that every single one of us is here because we want this province to keep moving forward to live up to its full potential. Despite our different experiences and different perspectives, each and every one of us wants this province to be the best that it can be, each and every one of us made sacrifices and worked incredibly hard to become members in this Chamber, and each and every one of us is going to work hard for the next four years to represent our constituents to be best of our abilities.

I look forward to working with all of you over the next four years. I’ve enjoyed meeting my colleagues on this side of the House. They all seem to be full of energy, enthusiasm, and drive to keep moving this province forward. Everyone has their own story of why they first sought elected office. For some, it was a lifelong dream. For some, politics has always been a passion. And for me, it’s another way to serve my community.

I spent a lot of time serving my community with our local chamber of commerce or local economic development committee or housing authority and Community Builders Alliance. And between those roles and my business, I was very busy. But when our former MLA decided to make the transition to federal politics, a few people suggested that I should run. And after talking it over with several people, I decided to dedicate the next four years of my life to this new role.

Part of the reason I agreed to run is I’ve seen the difference this government’s policies have made for my region. If you were to look at my community 17 years ago, at my riding, it’s changed so much. It’s incredible. In that time we’ve seen incredible commercial development in my community along the Trans-Canada Highway — new hotels and restaurants, new car dealerships and implement dealerships.

[14:45]

And in town dozens of new senior units thanks to local investment, something that will be easier to do going forward thanks to the commitment to a small-business investment tax credit in the Throne Speech. We have a newly expanded airport in our region with a new 5,000‑foot runway thanks to this government, allowing the Saskatchewan air ambulance to serve this region.

I chaired the event in February 2023 when this government and Nutrien each agreed to cover part of the cost of the airport expansion. And along with local business and local governments, that became a reality. And I’m proud to say that I was there when the first air ambulance landings came to Moosomin, which is a service that local doctors say is actually saving lives. It’s literally saving lives right now.

Right now in my home community we have a 90‑spot daycare under development thanks to this government. We have a large new grocery store under construction, two apartment buildings under construction, a sixplex under construction, several family homes under construction, a new water treatment plant under construction, thanks to this government, that will accommodate further growth up to 4,600 people.

Our medical services now include oncology. People can receive chemotherapy in Moosomin. As I like to tell people, it’s the smallest community that’s part of the community oncology program in Saskatchewan but not the least busy, which shows the potential of expanding programs to small communities.

We have a medical residency program and family medicine based in Moosomin but with residency spots also in Humboldt and Weyburn. Thanks to investments in health care and a proactive community, we now have nine full-time physicians, four part-time physicians, and two medical residents serving the region for Moosomin. And that compares to two doctors when I first went to Moosomin.

And we have people from all over Canada and all over the world coming to make our region home, coming to build our communities and build our province. There’s no comparison between my community today and what it was 17 years ago, between my whole riding today and what it was 17 years ago. And that’s one reason I agreed to run.

And the measures in this Throne Speech will keep moving this province in the right direction, Mr. Speaker. It will keep moving this province forward. It’s a new start, building our province on a solid foundation. And part of the reason I agreed to run is I saw how responsive this government can be. This government was there for my communities when they had needs because of the growth of the region.

And last year, Mr. Speaker, a young Ukrainian student named Viktoriia came to me with an issue. She’s here in Canada under the CUAET, the Canada-Ukraine authorization for emergency travel. And because of the way the federal government had created the rules around that program, she was facing paying international student fees to attend university in Saskatchewan, much higher than the fees paid by students she was graduating alongside in Wawota.

I brought that issue to the attention of this government, and two weeks to the day later there was an announcement in this building that that problem had been solved. And myself and Viktoriia and the mayor of Wawota sat in the Speaker’s gallery that day as the solution was announced. And I’ve seen that time and time again with this government: problem raised, problem solved. And I agreed to run because I want to be a part of that.

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank all those who worked so hard to get me here. I want to thank my campaign Chair, Murray Gray, who has since won his election as mayor of Moosomin. Murray did a lot of hard work and had a lot of good advice throughout the campaign. And I thank Tyler Thorn who handled the finances for the campaign and did an amazing job. He came to campaign events right across the riding, and he could tell anyone in a split second exactly what the tax implications were for a donation of any size.

I want to thank the volunteers across the riding. There’s too many to thank them all by name, but people like Murray and Charlene Easton, Kristjan Hebert, Dan Taylor, Tyler Thomlinson, Graham Stewart. Graham was the first to get one of our large 4‑by‑8 signs up on a very windy day down in Vibank and somehow it survived the windstorm the next day.

I want to thank Stan, Tim, Mike, Chris, Ben, Larry, Neil, Leo, Lane, Lorelei, Ashley, Doug, Dwayne, Sharon, Darrell, Rod, Mark, Rob, and so many others who helped so much.

I want to thank Steven Bonk, the former Moosomin MLA, for his contribution and his service to the riding in the province over the last eight years. He made a lot of friends and helped a lot of people in every community in the riding as MLA, and I want to thank him for his help, support, and advice during the campaign. And I wish him well as he moves on to federal politics.

I also want to thank my friend Don Toth who served as Moosomin MLA for 30 years and who I respect deeply. I spoke to Don at length before deciding to run for office. He provided a lot of great advice and insight. And everyone knows Don is someone who somehow never missed an event no matter what the event was. Even if it was a birthday or an anniversary, if he was invited he made it there. Despite the size of the riding, he would always, always be there. He was a founding member of the Saskatchewan Party and he was Speaker of this House. And I was honoured when he volunteered to speak at our campaign kickoff event, and I thank him for all of his help.

I want to thank my neighbouring MLAs, the member for Cannington to the south and for Melville-Saltcoats to the north. I’ve known both of them for years and during the campaign I can’t tell you how many times I called the two of them asking a million and one questions about how to run a campaign. And I thank both of them for always having answers to all my questions. Sometimes they had two opposite answers but they always had answers.

I want to thank my parents for everything they instilled in me. Both of them left this world far too early. My father died when I was still in high school and my mother lost her battle with cancer at age 65 just as she was starting to enjoy her retirement. I like to keep busy and I like to plan things out just like she did. As she was in hospice care at the end of her life she kept busy planning out all the details of the memorial services that we were planning for Regina and for Victoria, even down to planning which ballroom in the Hotel Saskatchewan she wanted us to hold the event in and what appetizers she wanted served.

I want to thank my two daughters, Kristen and Emily, for their support. When they were growing up I tried to impress upon them that they could be anything they want in life and I’m so proud of everything they’ve done.

Kristen earned her bachelor’s degree at the University of Saskatchewan and her Juris Doctor degree at the University of British Columbia and is starting on her law career. As a lawyer she’s representing and advocating for people with disabilities and making a difference for them. And I’m so proud of Kristen and everything she’s done.

Emily graduated with her business degree from the Edwards School of Business at the University of Saskatchewan and then earned her Master of Professional Accounting degree and is starting on her career as a chartered professional accountant, and she’s a manager with an accounting firm here in the province. She and her partner Deepesh are both runners, and Emily completed her first half-marathon in August. I’m very proud of both my daughters and I really appreciate the support they offered when I told them that I was embarking on this new path.

But my deepest and my most heartfelt thanks goes out to my wife, Kara. Kara and I have lived together, worked together, have socialized together, have done everything together for decades. We’re never far apart and spending some time apart because I’m in Regina has been the biggest adjustment for both of us. I’ve been with Kara for decades but every day I’m with her still feels like a first date. And while being apart is the toughest part of this role so far, I never would have agreed to run for this position without Kara’s agreement and support and I could never do it without her. So thank you, Kara. Thank you for your patience, your sacrifice, and your love.

Mr. Speaker, I’m deeply appreciative of the citizens of Moosomin-Montmartre who have entrusted me with this responsibility. My riding is a diverse and dynamic one, home to people from all walks of life who represent the very heart of Saskatchewan. Some are miners who work every day a kilometre under the surface mining the potash that helps farmers feed the world. Some are farmers who wake before dawn and are sometimes harvesting or seeding late into the night to work the land that sustains us all. Some are educators who nurture the minds of future generations. Some are health care workers, tradespeople, small-business owners, public servants, and parents, each contributing to the fabric of our community.

Mr. Speaker, I love Saskatchewan. I love urban Saskatchewan and I love rural Saskatchewan. I grew up in Regina not very far from here, went to school and university in Regina. And when I graduated from university the very first job offer came from the newspaper in Moosomin, so I thought I’d go out to Moosomin and work for a couple of years and maybe go back and get my master’s after that.

But after a couple of years I was offered the job of editor of the paper, so I thought I’d stay a little bit longer and put off the master’s a little bit. And then 22 years ago I had the opportunity to buy the newspaper, so I decided I’d be staying a little bit longer still and put the master’s off a little bit longer. And now I’ve somehow found myself another job, so technically, Mr. Speaker, I’m still saving for college. And one day I’ll go back and get that master’s.

But, Mr. Speaker, I fell in love with rural Saskatchewan. I fell in love with the people and the lifestyle and with the get-it-done attitude. Mr. Speaker, the business I own we believe to be the oldest Saskatchewan-owned business. The first issue came out October 2nd, 1884, 21 years before Saskatchewan became a province. So in October we celebrated our 140th anniversary as a business. And we’re very fortunate, Mr. Speaker, to have a supportive community and an amazing staff so that after 140 years our business is still growing.

And part of the reason I have a growing business in an industry that many, many people find challenging is that we think of it as a community service first and a business second. We focus on serving the community to the best of our ability. And amazingly in the media industry, Mr. Speaker, when you do that the readers or the viewers or the listeners follow and the advertisers follow that. And so we’ve been a success.

And with that experience I think I understand a little bit about business and what makes business work and what makes the province work: keeping priorities straight and focusing on the long term, not the short-term ups and downs, and focusing on serving the people.

And, Mr. Speaker, while I’d never considered entering politics until people started approaching me this summer, my career prepared me for this because I’d been listening to people, trying to understand their problems and trying to find solutions, for my entire career. And I got to meet a lot of politicians along the way who I learned from. A few members of this House from both sides have been in the newspaper office in Moosomin for interviews, including the Premier and the three previous premiers, along with federal leaders and prime ministers. And I’ve learned something from all of them.

Mr. Speaker, I have a deep respect for the value of this institution and the importance of democracy. I’ve been very fortunate in my life and I’ve had the opportunity, among many other things, to travel to parts of the world where being able to simply vote for the candidate of your choice is not a right that people enjoy, places where there is no representative government. I travelled with the Canadian International Development Agency through Vietnam, through the whole country from tea-growing areas in the hills north of Hanoi to isolated villages in the Mekong Delta accessible only by water.

I had the opportunity to talk to a lot of people in that country, and I have an understanding of what it means to live in a country where the relationship between the people and their government couldn’t be more different than the relationship between the people and their government here. That experience left me with an appreciation for the people of Vietnam — I met some amazing people there — but also more of an appreciation for the system of government we enjoy here and an appreciation for our democracy.

I spent some time, Mr. Speaker, in Afghanistan, where there was an effort to bring democracy to that country. And to this day the loudest laugh I have ever heard in my life is when I said to my insurance agent, I’m going to Afghanistan; I’d like to increase my coverage. He let me know that was not going to be happening.

But it was an amazing experience. I’d been in other dangerous places. I’ve been in Mindanao in the southern Philippines when there was an ongoing insurrection by the MNLF [Moro National Liberation Front], but nothing prepared me for Afghanistan. I was in minefields, covered head to toe in Kevlar. I was based in Kabul and travelled to villages and up to Mazar-i-Sharif in the north. I was at voter registration drives there where security was always tight because there were forces that did not want democracy to take root there. Election workers were killed to bring some of the basic rights that we enjoy here to that country. They were willing to put their lives on the line for democracy, and some of them lost their lives in that effort.

And when the Taliban took their country three years ago, I spent six months of my life working to bring my interpreter, Qasem, and his family from Afghanistan. Qasem had protected my life in Afghanistan, and I had to do everything possible to protect his. The effort consumed a lot of my time for six months, and there was no guarantee it would work. But after a lot of hard work, the family made it safely to Canada and I met with Qasem, his wife, and his three children when they arrived in Canada. And that again, that experience again taught me how important democracy is. Qasem wanted to be in Canada not only for his and his family’s safety, but to give his children — to give his daughter — the chance to live in a democratic country and have a brighter future.

And I was honoured to be, just a few weeks ago, I was honoured to be at the 30 Birds Foundation fundraising gala in Saskatoon and meet some of the incredible young women from Afghanistan who have come to Saskatchewan through that program and who have hope for their future now that they have a new beginning, a new life living in this province. It was great to hear their stories of where they came from and where they hope to go in their lives in Saskatchewan and how deeply they appreciate what we have here.

Mr. Speaker, I never take our democracy for granted because I know people who have risked their lives, and I do mean literally risked their lives, to be able to live in a democratic country, and I will never take that for granted.

Mr. Speaker, I’m proud to represent a lot of progressive, growing communities, communities that are looking toward the future and investing in their future. This government has been there for them, and the Throne Speech lays out how it will be there for them going forward. It lays out a new beginning built on the success of the past.

The Throne Speech points out that Saskatchewan is on track to meet its population growth targets and its manufacturing, sales, and export targets. And I see that in my riding, with people coming in to work in our industries and start their own businesses, with manufacturing and resource industries growing and developing and bringing value to our province.

[15:00]

Mr. Speaker, many people remember a time under the previous government when people seemed to be our number one export. Now we’re bringing people in from across the country and around the world, and rather than exporting our young people we’re bringing people in and exporting more products than ever. And I’m proud to see so many people coming into my riding from other parts of the country and the world.

I’m proud to represent the growing community of new Canadians from Ukraine in my riding. I was able to bring two individuals from Ukraine, Olha and her daughter Zlata, hiring Olha to work in our business when she was displaced and had fled to Poland. She’s now building her future in Saskatchewan, and her daughter Zlata, when she’s not at skating or in an art class after school, comes into the office and brightens up the day of everyone at the newspaper office there. And we turned one office in that building into an art room for Zlata where she makes the most amazing creations out of paper. She made all the decorations for our Christmas tree out of brightly coloured paper, and last week she made me an origami crane. And since I’m always wearing a tie now, the origami crane has a tie around its neck too.

I’m proud to represent the Honduran community; the growing South Asian community; the growing Korean community; and the large, vibrant, and growing Filipino community in our riding. We have hundreds of Filipino Canadians in Moosomin alone. And we have many new Canadians in our communities who are building their family’s future in Saskatchewan, who are building new businesses, building our communities.

I think of GL Apparel, owned by Gina and Leo Ilustrisimo, part of the vibrant Filipino community, which is a large and growing business serving the area. I think of Mario Z Construction, owned by a member of our vibrant Honduran community, Mario Zavala. I think of the Ukrainian buffet restaurant owned by Roman and Marina Chernykh from Ukraine. I think of Self-Made Air Solutions owned by Rigo Hernandez from Cuba. Just some of the people who have come from around the world and are building their future in my riding and helping build the future of Saskatchewan.

So rather than exporting people, we are attracting people from around the world and we are exporting more than ever. My riding is an export powerhouse with potash, mining, oil and gas, and of course agriculture. In my riding is the world’s largest potash mine at Rocanville, and it’s home to a booming manufacturing industry.

In my riding, IJACK manufactures lift systems for the oil industry. The company just opened a 24,000‑square-foot facility a few years ago and now is building a 26,000‑square-foot addition. I’m proud to represent people like Dan and Olga McCarthy who started IJACK from scratch just a few years ago to build a more efficient lift system for the oil industry. And now their company is headquartered in Moosomin. Their research and development is done in Moosomin. The engineering’s done in Moosomin. The products are manufactured in Moosomin. But the company now has sales offices in Calgary, Leduc, Williston, and Dallas and ships products across North America and across South America, and soon to the Middle East and Asia.

Vale Industries at Indian Head is expanding its product line and expanding from agricultural products to other industries. When I toured Vale Industries a few weeks ago, they were preparing a shipment of equipment manufactured in Indian Head, Saskatchewan being exported to a mine in Papua New Guinea. So we’re bringing in people, we’re building our industries, and we’re building our communities.

That kind of economic development and growth requires investment in services. And the thriving economy left the community of Moosomin with a shortage of daycare spaces, and thanks to this government we have a new 90‑spot daycare under development. And the Throne Speech includes a commitment to 12,000 more daycare spaces, which will make a difference for so many families in so many communities.

I’m proud to represent, Mr. Speaker, I’m proud to represent people across the riding — the young business owners trying to build their future, the health care workers who are trying to make a difference, the farmers who live with such uncertainty every day, the miners and oil workers who help power the economy of our province and quite frankly the economy of our country.

I’m proud to represent the First Nations in my riding. I’ve always learned so much when I’ve been fortunate enough to visit one of our First Nations. For many years I had a painting on the wall of my home; it was painted by Maurice Louison, showing a scene from his childhood at Kahkewistahaw First Nation. It’s a beautiful painting, a nighttime scene, a winter scene showing himself and his brother sledding down a hill.

And the painting had a lot of meaning for me because Maurice explained every detail in it to me. There are notes on the back of the frame where he made little notes explaining some of the things in the picture, including that one dog, his dog, only understood commands in English and his grandma’s dog only understood commands in Cree. And as he explained everything in that painting to me and what each meant to him, including what he called Taypotat Hill in the background, I felt honoured to get a little insight into his life.

That painting hung on my wall for a few decades, but as much as I loved it, I no longer have it. On one of my visits to Kahkewistahaw, I gave the painting to the First Nation, presenting it to Chief Evan Taypotat. I thought a better place for that painting would be in the Governance Centre where it hangs today, where young people from Kahkewistahaw, like those who have joined us earlier today, can appreciate it and learn from it.

Everywhere I go in Moosomin-Montmartre, I run into hard-working, down-to-earth people who make me so proud to be their representative. And as their representative I’m so pleased to see the measures announced in the Throne Speech in areas such as health care, education, affordability, and building our communities — vitally important issues in our province and issues I heard a lot about on the doorsteps.

In health, the Throne Speech commits our government to shortened surgical wait times through 450,000 surgeries over the next four years; continuing to increase the number of doctors, nurses, and other health care professionals; and vitally, to work to ensure that everyone in Saskatchewan has access to a primary health care provider by the end of 2028.

In education, the Throne Speech includes a commitment to expand the specialized support classroom pilot to 200 more schools throughout the province, to focus on improving reading levels, increase funding to school divisions, and add more teachers and support staff to meet the pressures of growing student enrolment and the challenges of classroom complexity.

The Throne Speech includes measures that will help to keep Saskatchewan the most affordable place to live in Canada, including the largest personal income tax reduction since 2008, increasing the low-income tax credit by 20 per cent, and removing the carbon tax on home heating for another year, which has made such a difference for so many families and has kept the overall inflation rate in Saskatchewan so low.

The Throne Speech includes measures to help build our province and build our communities. It includes a commitment to a school playground equipment fund. And, Mr. Speaker, when I was travelling through our riding for the last few months, it seemed like every community has a school playground fundraising project on the go, and I know that that program is going to make a difference for a lot of those communities, putting them over the line, helping them get those playgrounds built.

There are measures to help businesses build our provinces, such as the extension of the 1 per cent small-business tax rate, the small-business investment tax incentive, and the youth entrepreneur bursary program. I spoke to many business owners during the campaign who are excited about these measures.

And I think of businesses across the region that are investing in and building our communities. I understand the sacrifices of people who start a new business. And in our rural communities, every new business not only helps build the local economy, but improves people’s lives in their communities by adding a new service that makes the community a better place to live. And it’s exciting to see some of the new homegrown businesses that are building our communities in Moosomin-Montmartre.

One business I think of is Third Avenue on Main started by Tia Cederstrand. She was a young employee in a jewellery store. She had the skills but not the funds to take over the business when the owners wanted to retire. Other business owners stepped in and invested alongside her to help her take on that business. And the new owner has expanded the business to include a florist shop, and some of the flowers in that florist shop come not from overseas or from the lower mainland. They come from the Half Diamond Flower Farm, another new business, just a few miles down the road, commercially growing flowers in Saskatchewan.

And down the road from there, you’ll find Skout Brewing Company, a new local brewing company that just opened this year. The owner moved to Saskatchewan from Ontario to open his business and Skout’s become a new community meeting place, and it creates its product from hops grown just a few miles away at the JGL Shepherd Farms. It’s the first commercial hop farm in Saskatchewan, and it produces hops for that brewery and also other breweries across the province. And Justin Shepherd wanted to prove that hops can be grown in Saskatchewan, and like so many innovators, he has succeeded.

All around my riding are new businesses like The Gallery Coffee House in Indian Head and The Garden Club in Wolseley, brand new businesses started by young people, very young people, taking a risk to live their dream. And, Mr. Speaker, the two businesses I just mentioned, both have incredible baking. And one of the downsides of knowing every business owner with a coffee shop or bakery between Regina and Moosomin is that it’s very tempting to buy treats for my staff and my friends every time I’m going back and forth between the city and my home.

And these new businesses of course don’t just benefit the business owners. They build on each other and support each other. They build their communities. They hire people. They pay taxes that support local services. Every new business is a building block in the future of our communities and the future of our province. Every one of these new businesses will benefit from the commitment to the continuation of the 1 per cent small-business tax rate included in the Throne Speech. And all those young business owners taking a risk on their dreams are the reason for the youth entrepreneurship bursary of $5,000 to be delivered to the Saskatchewan chambers of commerce.

And I’m proud to say that I’m already seeing that commitment being leveraged to create something greater. In Moosomin-Montmartre there are already discussions on how to build programs that will complement that $5,000 bursary — plans for a business mentorship program, a youth entrepreneurship plan, a session on entrepreneurship for students in the local high schools explaining all the benefits of starting your own business and the supports that are there to help. And I’m very proud to say, Mr. Speaker, that leading those discussions are some of our very talented young people, people like Victor, who was in the House here the other day, a lot of people in their early‑20s who are committed to try to help others step into business.

Engaging our young people is so important, Mr. Speaker, and there are measures in the Throne Speech that will benefit them and help them stay in this province and help build this province, such as the increase to the graduate retention program. I was so fortunate over the years to have many brilliant, talented young people in my business, brilliant kids who came out of the education system in Saskatchewan and were able to put their skills to work and do an incredible job.

So I’ve seen young people step up to the plate when you put your trust in them, and I’ve seen how they can absolutely excel, given the right conditions. I saw it every single day in my business.

A year ago, Stan Hunt’s Residential School memorial was here in Regina on display at the RCMP [Royal Canadian Mounted Police] Heritage Centre on its way to the Canadian Museum of History in Gatineau, and I sent a young reporter and photographer, 18 years old at the time, to cover the event. She took some absolutely beautiful photos. And now Stan Hunt’s amazing work is on display at the Canadian Museum of History, and so is one of Ashley’s photos of that day, the photo of a star blanket being placed over Mr. Hunt’s shoulders. The museum was so impressed with the way that photo captured the moment and captured the emotion of that day that they asked me if they could include the photo in the museum exhibit.

That same young reporter this summer spoke to Bill Thorn, whose wife is living with Alzheimer’s. Phyllis Thorn lives in Cobblestone House in Moosomin, which is a new 42‑bed facility built with local investment. That facility has made a tremendous difference in our community and in people’s lives, and provides tremendous care to Bill’s wife, Phyllis. And the Throne Speech includes a commitment to a small-business investment tax incentive because people invest in projects like this to build their communities and make life better, and that’ll be recognized through that new program.

Ashley Bochek’s interview with Bill about the impacts of Alzheimer’s on family members became a beautiful in-depth two-page article. I sat in on that interview and it was very emotional for Bill. He was in tears. We wrote the story because Moosomin was hosting its first-ever Walk for Alzheimer’s back in the spring. The local fundraising target was $5,000, but this story, this article, was so exceptional that one person read the article, said after reading it he was so moved that he donated $100,000 to the effort because of that article. And so in its first year, Moosomin’s Alzheimer’s walk raised $140,000.

And I mention those two examples not because those are exceptions, because that is what I saw every day, the difference young people can make, the contributions they can make when we give them the right tools.

Mr. Speaker, empowering, equipping, and trusting our young people to be the best they can be was part of the formula for success in my business. And measures like the youth entrepreneurship bursary, and then changes to the graduate retention program, both part of the Throne Speech, are part of equipping and empowering our young people. And those measures are not only an investment in their future, they’re an investment in the future of this province.

Mr. Speaker, when I look at this province, I see such promise. I see such potential. This is an amazing province full of amazing people. And the measures in the Throne Speech will allow it to keep developing, keep growing, keep becoming the best that it can be. It’s a new start on building this province into what it can become.

[15:15]

Saskatchewan is an incredible province, rich in history, diversity, and potential. I’m proud to be here to serve and to play my part in moving our province forward. I’m proud of Saskatchewan, Mr. Speaker. I’m proud of this government and what it’s done for Saskatchewan, and I’m proud of the plans it’s laid out for the future in the Throne Speech. And I’m proud to say, I will be supporting the motion put forward by the member for Kindersley-Biggar, seconded by the member for Saskatchewan Rivers, and I will not be supporting the amendment. Thank you very much.

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

Trent Wotherspoon: — Well thank you, Mr. Speaker. You know, I thought we had him, Mr. Speaker. I thought that member from Moosomin was going to support the amendment there, Mr. Speaker.

But it’s a pleasure to enter into Throne Speech debate once again, Mr. Speaker, a tremendous honour to do so just after this election. And in so doing on Treaty 4 territory and the homeland of the Métis and the Saskatchewan legislature, I want to welcome and say thank you to you, Mr. Speaker, for the service that you will provide this legislature over the next number of years, the guidance that you’ll provide, Mr. Speaker. As well I want to say thank you to the Deputy Speaker. He’s just standing back there. Thank you to the Deputy Speaker as well.

These are important roles to this institution and to making sure that we can have the constructive, thoughtful debate that’s in the interests of all the people of this province. So, Mr. Speaker, you look good in that hat, you look good in that Chair, and you know, we’re thankful for your service.

I want to say thank you as well to all those that make this place work. I think of our Clerk and our Clerks’ Table and all those working in this Assembly. I think of the Sergeant-at-Arms and their team. I think of the security team and the cafeteria team and those in the library, the cleaners, Mr. Speaker. We have an awesome group of people that make this legislature work, and I want to say thank you to all of them.

I want to say, give a warm welcome and a good word to every single one of the new MLAs that have been elected on both sides of the Assembly, Mr. Speaker. I’ve been listening to the speeches on both sides, and what a thoughtful group of people. And we know how hard all of you have worked as candidates, and you’ve earned your spot in this Assembly. That’s decided by the people in our ridings. And I want to wish you well with that responsibility and that duty, and I look forward to working with you.

And sometimes — to the members opposite — well you know, we’ll have a chance to work together on a lot of files. We’re going to get to know each other on a human level, and we’re going to treat each other with decency. But we’ll also have some strong differences at times, and there’ll be hot debate in this legislature. But I know our focus will be on building this province that we all love. So I welcome every single one of you and I thank you for stepping up.

On that front I want to recognize all the candidates that stepped up here for all the parties, Mr. Speaker, and including those that I ran against in Regina Mount Royal. But I want to recognize all the candidates with a special focus on those that stepped up for the Saskatchewan New Democratic Party in this election. What an awesome bunch, Mr. Speaker.

And for all the candidates, regardless of party, that’s quite the effort that they bring to bear, and it’s a service. There’s some sacrifice involved in it, a whole lot of hard work, an incredible growth experience I’ve always found, Mr. Speaker, as a human, as a person, as a candidate. And I want to thank every one of those candidates for having the courage and the commitment to step up and work to make a difference for the people that they were seeking to represent and for this incredible province, Mr. Speaker.

But I want to give some special love to this awesome team that sits beside me and behind me, Mr. Speaker. What a good-looking bunch, Mr. Speaker, and what a force. I’m thrilled to see a caucus of 27 MLAs — returning members that are incredible people and incredible MLAs, Mr. Speaker, like the member for Douglas Park because she asked me to make sure that I really gave her a special shout-out, and all the members that are here.

And to the new MLAs: you know what? Thank you so very much for what you’ve taken on and for the hope that you offer to the people you represent and to all the people of this province. And thank you for what you’ve committed to in this work. We’re going to work together with the interests of all of our province in mind. We each represent ridings and people who brought us here and those are who we represent. But we will always be focused, as the official opposition, on making sure we’re serving everyone in this province and building in every corner of this province to build that future filled with the kind of hope and potential and opportunity that everyone deserves, Mr. Speaker.

And I want to give a special shout-out to my leader, Mr. Speaker, who led the way, who has been doing so for years, who was doing so for years before she ever entered this legislature, committed and working to make her province a better place. And watching her go at this project has been awesome, Mr. Speaker. And she gives a whole lot of hope to the people of this province, and she gives hope to me as her colleague and her friend about what we can accomplish together, Mr. Speaker.

I want to say thank you to my family, to Stephanie and William and our extended family. Certainly I’m pretty lucky. You know, we have healthy families that care about this process as well, who come out and knock doors and support and help, and I just want to say thank you to all of them. I think of some of my nephews who, you know, at one point — and I haven’t been around here very long, Mr. Speaker — but at one point were just little guys out there helping, coming along in a stroller and now are voting and pounding signs and dropping leaflets and, you know, that’s a pretty cool thing.

And I want to say thank you to Stephanie of course. She’s an awesome schoolteacher who works her butt off day in, day out for the students in her school, who works incredibly hard to support the family as well, who is independently minded and can put me in my place any day of the week, Mr. Speaker. She’s sometimes wrong, never uncertain, Mr. Speaker, but she is an incredible leader in her own right and works incredibly hard in her career.

To William: you know, we know how important our families are in all of this. I find it to be a really special time to be going at these processes with a 10‑year-old because they’re so inquisitive and so engaged and so interested in what this is all about in here as well, Mr. Speaker.

And you know, he’s my partner in the community and ready to seek adventure in the field. You know, I love the outdoors, Mr. Speaker, and on a moment’s notice he’s ready to race out of a community event on a Sunday and get out onto a Saskatchewan lake or to be hiking the valley or to be going after a hunt. He’s a super adventurous, thoughtful young guy that I’m so very, very proud of, Mr. Speaker. And so I’m thankful for that.

I want to thank all those that . . . I want to thank Jannet Shanks in my constituency office. And this is somebody that’s served the people of this province for many years, Mr. Speaker. I’m pretty damned lucky to be working with her, Mr. Speaker. And I want to say thank you as well to all of those that work in our caucus office, Mr. Speaker, even Mitch Bonokoski. And these are people that work tirelessly and give their heart and soul to the projects as well.

And on that front I want to thank Cheryl Stecyk, who has given to her province and our team for decades, Mr. Speaker. And as she retires, I just ask this entire Chamber to say thank you to Cheryl Stecyk.

There’s someone seated behind the bar, Mr. Speaker — he’s got a new haircut; he’s looking sharp — and that’s none other than the former member for Elphinstone-Centre, one of my brothers in this work for a long period of time and a mentor and a guide most of the time, mostly giving good advice, but somebody that’s also served as our chief of staff. And that’s Warren McCall. And he stepped in and came in and took on that project for the last couple years. And to Warren, I too want to say thank you.

And most importantly, Mr. Speaker, I just want to say thanks so much to the people that have entrusted me to represent them once again. I will never take this duty lightly or for granted, Mr. Speaker.

The boundaries of the riding I represent changed substantially in this election, about a 30 per cent change to the boundaries. In that I lost part of the riding. The community, the neighbourhood of Rosemont largely has been pulled out of the riding, Mr. Speaker. So everything east of Campbell Street has been pulled out. And these have been awesome people that I’ve been really lucky to work with and serve for a long time. In many ways they’re the people that brought me to the dance, Mr. Speaker. And I’ll always be there to continue to work with them, Mr. Speaker, along with their new incredible MLA — they’ve certainly traded up — the member for Elphinstone-Centre, Mr. Speaker.

But my boundaries have changed, and it was wonderful opportunities to go out and build those relationships and reconnect with old friends on so many fronts, all through the west side of Regina, Mr. Speaker.

So to all the good people of McNab, all the people of Mount Royal, all the people of Westerra and Dieppe, all the people of Prairie View and Normanview West, Mr. Speaker, those in Fairways West and in Greenside Terrace and Westhill and Edgewater, I just want to say it was a real privilege once again to spend that time on doorsteps and in the conversation about the future of our community and our province, Mr. Speaker.

I want to thank them for speaking up and sharing their concerns and their hopes and their dreams, Mr. Speaker. And together with this team, I’ll be doing everything I can to deliver that better future that every one of them deserves and that every one of them are working towards, Mr. Speaker.

These are people that work so hard, Mr. Speaker, to build and provide for their families, that build community, that give back, hard-working and caring people, community minded, Mr. Speaker. So many that serve in selfless ways and that volunteer, Mr. Speaker, whether that be as coaches or on teams or their involvement through churches or their school community councils, Mr. Speaker, or the community associations, which are so vibrant throughout the neighbourhoods and communities that I represent, Mr. Speaker. It’s a real honour to work with them.

I also want to give recognition to those that are also elected locally, Mr. Speaker, on the city side. You know, I’d give a shout-out to the new mayor, Chad Bachynski, and wish him and his council well. But locally, you know, I represent and work with Jason Mancinelli and Shanon Zachidniak. That’s where the boundaries overlap for the riding that I represent. And it’s always a pleasure to work with these two people and I want to thank them for their service. And they’ve recently been elected as well.

And I want to recognize and thank all those candidates there. Once again some really good local candidates that stepped up to run for city council and for school board, Mr. Speaker, and I want to recognize them.

On the school board side, Mr. Speaker, I want to give a special shout-out to Lacey Weekes and Sarah Cummings Truszkowski, and then all the Catholic school board members, Mr. Speaker, because they don’t have areas that they represent; they represent the entire community. But these are vital partners in building a stronger community and a better future in our province, and I want to say thank you to them.

And to Sarah and to Lacey I would just maybe say that there was some really negative forces, hateful forces, Mr. Speaker, that were at play in this last election. And I just want to say to them, exceptional job in rising to the occasion, leading with integrity, and believing in a Saskatchewan that’s inclusive and fair and safe for all, Mr. Speaker.

The schools in the riding. Ruth M. Buck, Mr. Speaker. We’ve got McLurg. The member for Douglas Park would want me to give a shout-out to St. Josaphat, St. Joan of Arc, as well as St. Francis, Mr. Speaker. These are amazing elementary schools.

[15:30]

I should identify Dieppe, Mr. Speaker. It’s an awesome school except for one thing, Mr. Speaker. The doors are closed, and it hasn’t been in service for now just over a decade. It was closed at a time of significant underfunding by this Sask Party government, Mr. Speaker. And that’s an important school, not just to Dieppe but also Westerra, Mr. Speaker, and to children and families on the west side of Regina.

And this is why education funding matters on so many fronts. We need to make sure we’ve got the schools in place serving communities like Dieppe, which should be reopened and serving the community, which is why we need adequate funding. And then I can get into all the other aspects of why we need adequate funding as well, Mr. Speaker.

The high schools that are primarily utilized by the good folks I represent are Martin Collegiate, O’Neill, and Riffel. None of them now lie directly within the boundaries of the riding, but it’s a privilege to work with all of them, Mr. Speaker.

The riding of Regina Mount Royal, I think, boasts the most incredible parks you’ll find in Saskatchewan. We have the Devonian Pathway that connects to Wascana Park, of course, which is an incredible gem and connects all the way out through Regina Mount Royal. And we’re talking about A.E. Wilson Park. Members opposite that are from out of town or anything, if you ever are looking for a place to go for a bike ride or a walk or, you know, a little bit of a light jog, what an awesome park, A.E. Wilson. And that boasts Prairie Island as well as Boreal Island, Mr. Speaker. Just some of the special places you can find within our community just on the west side of Regina, Mr. Speaker.

We’ve got two cricket pitches and, very proudly, it’s the home to the RCMP training academy as well as “F” Division of course, Mr. Speaker, but this is an institution that’s very important to this riding and to our community. It’s also very important to our province and our country, Mr. Speaker. And you can be sure, Mr. Speaker, I will always stand up to make sure that the training centre, the training academy is located right there, Mr. Speaker, in our riding here in Regina and supporting our entire country in doing so. And I want to thank all of those, all of those that are through the RCMP that take on that very important work as well.

Mr. Speaker, I represent a lot of hard-working families, as I say, but also some incredible seniors, as we all do, many that live independently and that certainly need broader home supports, Mr. Speaker, and better options around more affordable quality seniors’ care when that’s needed. But we really have to do a better job of being able to extend home supports and a broader range of supports for those seniors that are living within their homes, Mr. Speaker, that make sure they can live there with safety and dignity. And there’s some basic supports that could be provided that would really make a difference and would also alleviate a whole lot of pressure off our senior care system as well if we manage it in a holistic way, Mr. Speaker.

I want to give a special shout-out to the very good folks, the seniors at Regina Village and at Trinity Manor, Mr. Speaker, and Mutchmor Lodge and many of the smaller personal care homes as well. I had a riot with these seniors through the election. I’ve gotten to know many of them over the years, Mr. Speaker. In a place like Trinity you have many seniors that have come from all over the province, of course, and you get to learn their life’s path and their life’s contributions. And to all of the seniors that I represent, I want to just thank them for their trust and to let them know that, together with our team, that we’re committed to, you know, making sure that they’re a priority as well in this province of ours.

Mr. Speaker, some of the issues . . . I haven’t watched the clock here. I suspect I’ve been up for about two minutes so I’ve got about 18 more. As far as some of the issues, Mr. Speaker, I guess that first and foremost — and this is something that’s emerged a bit more, of course, post the election — but it would be wrong for us not to identify, you know, what looms with respect to the question and instability and potential devastating impacts of tariffs that the incoming president of the United States has spoken of.

I know that what we believe on this front is that of course this would be devastating for Saskatchewan and our industries. I think of our agricultural sector and livestock producers. We just came over today from meeting with APAS [Agricultural Producers Association of Saskatchewan], the agricultural producers of Saskatchewan, and had a real heavy focus about this. And we understand the integration of this trade in this industry which is the reality on so many other industries as well.

And I guess our message on this — and it came from our leader on this front and again reiterated here today — is that there’s moments in our province and our country where you simply need to have all hands on deck, where you need to be prepared to focus on the best interests of our province and our country and work together as much as we can in a united and effective way to address the challenge and to be successful, Mr. Speaker.

Well certainly with respect to these tariffs, this is that moment. And you know, my commitment as an MLA, the commitment we heard from our leader — and I hope and suspect it’ll be the approach of government — is that we work in a united way on this front, making sure that we’re effectively able to make the case to the United States and able to make the case as part of that team Canada effort representing this incredible province of Saskatchewan, Mr. Speaker, that we bring our solid case forward and that we work together. All industries, Mr. Speaker, every corner of this province, that we simply come together and make sure that we secure a position, a changed position of that incoming president that protects the interests of this incredible province, Mr. Speaker. So that’s our commitment on that front.

With respect to some of the other issues, Mr. Speaker, for the good people I represent and issues that we will be driving in this legislature, Mr. Speaker, it’s the cost of living. You think of how hard people are working and we see it, the desperation, Mr. Speaker, for so many that are dealing with the costs and sometimes with mounting debt in face of that as well, Mr. Speaker. We really have to do all we can to provide some cost-of-living relief.

It’s part of why we’ve been so focused on recognizing that challenge for a number of years and calling for urgent relief and doing so now in this new legislature, because delaying meaningful support or slow-walking that support just doesn’t cut it for the hard-working people I represent or the people I know in ridings right across this province.

And you know, we’ve pointed out that, you know, in face of a once-in-a-generation cost-of-living challenge, we’ve had a government that, worse than being asleep at the switch, has piled on and made things worse, piled on with historic tax hikes and cost increases at a time where families desperately need some relief. It’s hurt families in their households. It’s also hurt our economy as well, Mr. Speaker. So together with this leader and this team, we’re going to keep pressing and keep fighting to deliver the cost-of-living relief that Saskatchewan people need and deserve.

Mr. Speaker, health is very important to everyone in this province, critically important to so many of the rural members. I could identify where we’ve had hospitals that are closed in their ridings, where services aren’t being provided. And I know they’re going to, I hope, speak to those pressures and those challenges, but I know this team will right here. We’re going to represent the interests of health care and health for those we represent in our ridings, but everyone in this corner and all the rural corners of this province, Mr. Speaker, and northern Saskatchewan as well.

Access to ERs [emergency room], Mr. Speaker, that respond in a timely way where you’re not waiting hours upon hours at a time where you desperately need care and support. This speaks to the challenge where we have over 200,000 people without a family doctor or primary care, Mr. Speaker. This doesn’t cut it. It leaves families far too vulnerable.

Or the reality that I know we hear often as MLAs where we have those that are in terrible pain, Mr. Speaker — terrible pain — and that are living some really tough circumstances as they wait for surgeries, yet those dates continue to get punted down the line as we’ve now got the longest surgical wait lists in Canada, Mr. Speaker.

Or if you look at the need for services like mammograms, Mr. Speaker, or diagnostics that are critical, you know, this current government just hasn’t gotten it done on this front, Mr. Speaker. And the gaps in expectation and service and what people need are many. We’re going to continue to push on this front to propose solutions and to make sure that we build back up this health care system that is so vital to everyone in this province, Mr. Speaker.

I want to identify as well around mental health and addictions, Mr. Speaker. We just have to go beyond the rhetoric, Mr. Speaker. We have to go beyond the empty words, and we have to go beyond the empty facilities, Mr. Speaker. People need care when they need it. It’s not good enough that someone dealing with mental health challenges or addiction reach out at a time where they need help and that that help isn’t there for them, Mr. Speaker, and that it’s off a number of months, Mr. Speaker, and not available.

Mr. Speaker, there’s a window of opportunity to extend that service and that care and those supports, Mr. Speaker. And the consequences of not having those supports are just so tragic, Mr. Speaker, some of the most awful losses that families endure across this province, Mr. Speaker. And we have to get beyond the rhetoric. We have to, you know, get about delivering for the people of this province.

I think of the facility down in Lumsden, Mr. Speaker, where, you know, it’s one thing to issue press release after press release and send the balloons in the air, Mr. Speaker, to take the interviews, but then it’s something else to actually get ’er done. And this is a government that’s been sending millions and millions of dollars to an out-of-province corporation on this front and have been touting this facility, Mr. Speaker, at a time where people are dying in Saskatchewan as they seek services and treatment, Mr. Speaker, only to find out that that place has been sitting empty — empty, Mr. Speaker. Millions of dollars flowing out of this province and that place is sitting empty.

Now we need to go beyond the empty rhetoric on this front, Mr. Speaker, and we need to deliver for people. We need to find the solutions and we need to make that happen. And certainly that’s a commitment on our end, Mr. Speaker, and we’re ready to work with government on this front at any, any point.

We need action on crime, Mr. Speaker, across this province. And we need to do a better job of supporting the most vulnerable amongst us. We should always be judged as a society and certainly a budget should be judged or a Throne Speech should be judged as to how it responds to the most vulnerable among us. This government hasn’t responded in an adequate way for many, many years, and very unfortunately, has actually taken measures and made choices that make things much worse for people. And we see it in our communities, Mr. Speaker. Families see it as well in the challenges that they face.

They made a choice, Mr. Speaker, in their changes to the SIS [Saskatchewan income support] program, Mr. Speaker, to income support that displaced thousands of people across this province, pushing them into a more precarious situation, Mr. Speaker, putting them into a spot with very tragic consequences for them and their family, which is wrong at a basic decency level and humanity, Mr. Speaker, and one that now comes at a greater community cost, Mr. Speaker, and a greater cost to all of us, Mr. Speaker.

And, Mr. Speaker, we will work tirelessly as a team to ensure accountability and work to stop the spotlight and then to stop the mismanagement, the waste, and corruption, Mr. Speaker.

I’m mindful of the clock, Mr. Speaker, so I will move on a little bit. I’m entrusted with the responsibility of serving as the Finance shadow minister, Mr. Speaker, as well as the deputy shadow minister for Agriculture along with our incredible leader. And I just want to touch on a little bit of the agricultural piece. Of course the tariffs loom large. We have to resolve it. We need to make sure we secure a win for Saskatchewan and Canada and work in a united front there, Mr. Speaker.

[15:45]

We very simply need to fix some of the business risk management programs for the livestock sector and make sure they have the equity and support and backstop that they need and deserve. We’ve pressed for a long period of time. It’s, you know, well past time for a program like livestock price insurance to receive federal and provincial contributions to the premiums. Mr. Speaker, it’s a matter of equity and it’s also a matter of making sure this vital industry, the best beef in the world, that that industry and those producers are supported.

Mr. Speaker, with respect to meat pricing, we need to ensure fairness and we need to crack down and lead the way to address the anti-competitive behaviours within the meat packing industry and the entire supply chain to get value for the producers of this province, Mr. Speaker, as well as for consumers, Mr. Speaker. And in so doing, it gives us the opportunity to really build out meat processing in this province as well, which creates really good rural jobs, Mr. Speaker, opportunity and value for producers as well as value for consumers, Mr. Speaker.

On the ag front and many others, of course we’ll continue to oppose the federal carbon tax, Mr. Speaker, which is just wrong, Mr. Speaker, and needs to be scrapped. And that’s a clear position that we’ve taken and we’ll continue to press publicly against that federal carbon tax and for the need for it to be scrapped, Mr. Speaker.

And when we look at producers, what we see in so many cases are some of the best environmental stewards in this province who care deeply about the land that they own and that they manage, Mr. Speaker. We need to get again beyond the rhetoric because that’s not cutting it and it’s not paying the bills. We need to get around to building the offset or the compensation that producers deserve for their role as environmental stewards.

I think specifically of the livestock sector, Mr. Speaker, and their role in managing grass and wetland and native prairie and sequestering carbon, Mr. Speaker. These are vital roles that they’re fulfilling. They’re taking a hit on too many fronts. They need to be supported and compensated for that vital work.

With respect to illegal foreign acquisition of farm land, this is a file that we’ve pushed for a long period of time, Mr. Speaker. It was brought to light again today in the auditor’s report, just demonstrating the very lax response of this current government. We’ve been pushing for many, many years that the government recognize this problem, that they step up to this challenge, Mr. Speaker. The approach of the Sask Party government has been to look the other way or to, you know, have kid gloves, Mr. Speaker.

And it doesn’t cut it because having our laws broken or breached, Mr. Speaker, and to have land being acquired by foreign entities, Mr. Speaker, simply isn’t in the interests of agriculture, not in the interests of agricultural producers, and not in the interests of the people of this province which is why we’ve been pushing for a long period of time for this government to ensure the Farm Land Security Board has the measures, that it has the teeth, that it has the resources to enforce this matter, Mr. Speaker. You know, tools like ensuring a statutory declaration of ownership, Mr. Speaker, something that was highlighted in the auditor’s report here today as well.

We’ll always work to make sure that our rail system is performing for producers and exporters, Mr. Speaker. Again too often we see the kid gloves with the duopoly. We see the laissez-faire approach of this government, Mr. Speaker, fail producers across this province at critical times. And exporters in this province will always expect our government . . . and we’ll always take a leadership role on this front. And we need to make sure that we’re leading that conversation with the federal government and with the CTA [Canadian Transportation Agency], and with respect to the grains Act, and with respect to shortlines and producer cars, and other needed reforms, Mr. Speaker.

And with respect to one final item that I’ll touch on in agriculture here today, we also have a government that’s been missing in action at a time where the Bunge merger of Viterra is underway. This is a government that’s been missing in action, and we’re talking about something that has potentially significant impact for this province, Mr. Speaker. And we’ve had instead of leadership from this government in doing an economic assessment and leading the way and being public with their voice, it’s been the producers of this province who have done the heavy lifting, Mr. Speaker.

So I want to say thank you to Sask Wheat, SaskBarley, the agricultural producers of Saskatchewan, all those that have connected to this work through the U of S [University of Saskatchewan] and the economists for doing this work, Mr. Speaker, work that the former minister of Agriculture couldn’t find the time or the voice for, Mr. Speaker. But this merger continues to advance, and decisions are being made by governments around the world. The EU [European Union] has given it a thumbs-up, Mr. Speaker. But the EU doesn’t represent the best interests of Saskatchewan, and it’s incumbent on this government to make sure the best interests of this province and our country are at the forefront, Mr. Speaker.

And when you look at the serious hit to producers’ incomes, almost a billion dollars annually, Mr. Speaker, if you look at the reduced competition as a result of this massive takeover by Bunge, if you look at the impacts on rail performance in ports, Mr. Speaker, if you look at the questions and risk around jobs right across this province and in canola crush as well, if you look at the impacts on canola crush opportunities in this province, we certainly, you know, expect our provincial government to be able to stand up and use their voice and speak out against a merger that simply isn’t in the interests of our province, Mr. Speaker.

With that being said, my colleagues have been very patient with me. I think I might have gone 30 seconds past my allocated time, Mr. Speaker. What I want to say to everyone in this Assembly once again, all MLAs, all those new ones that are elected, welcome to this legislature. I wish you well in fulfilling that responsibility. I can’t wait to work with all of you, and I hope that’s going to be real constructive most of the times.

To the crew on this side of the Assembly that have stepped up and inspired us all, and I can’t wait to get at building this awesome province with all of you and together with our leader. Mr. Speaker, we’re all in pursuit of building that better, fairer future for all, Mr. Speaker.

And with that being said, I won’t be supporting the motion but I’ll be supporting the amendment put forward by my good buddy and leader, the MLA for Walsh Acres. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Speaker Goudy: — Sorry to call you, but I think you know, actually what . . . just the reference to corruption, I just ask you to withdraw and apologize on that one.

Trent Wotherspoon: — Yeah, I’ll withdraw and apologize.

Speaker Goudy: — Thank you. I recognize the member from Athabasca.

Leroy Laliberte: — Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I want to say thank you first of all to my colleague from Regina Mount Royal, you know, for his heartfelt speech. You know, everything that he does is heartfelt when it comes to the Legislative Assembly. And so, you know, a lot of people have been saying over the past couple of weeks that there’s a possibility that we would be twins, and I do appreciate that.

So firstly I just want to say thank you to my Uncle Rick and Aunt Val for sticking around for me to have the opportunity to do my speech. So I know they have a long ways to travel, and they’ve got to travel all the way to Beauval, so I just want to say thank you for sticking around. I’ll make sure that, you know, I do this quick . . . [inaudible interjection] . . . Thanks. Okay, I’ll make them stick around longer though, okay.

All right. So with that, Mr. Speaker, firstly I want to congratulate you on the election as Speaker for this Legislative Assembly, a role so crucial for debate and business and that will occur and most impact the Saskatchewan people. As I come from a Cree and Michif family in a northern community called Beauval/Sipishik, I want to briefly share with you the term we would use to call the Speaker in our Cree language. We say okimâw nâpêw, and the meaning of that is “leading man.” With great respect I wish you well in your new role. And I also wanted to extend my congratulations and well wishes for the newly elected Deputy Speaker as well.

To all my hon. colleagues in this House, both returning and newly elected members, I congratulate you all on your successful campaigns and echo the sentiment shared with our Hon. Leader of the Official Opposition. We were sitting in here and being sworn in, you know, just over a week ago, and one of the things that she had said, and I quote:

You can be proud of the faith and the trust your neighbours, your constituents have placed in each one of you, that the people of Saskatchewan have placed in our team, and we will never forget that we work for them.

I wish each of my colleagues success in their roles and what they take on in representing their constituencies, Mr. Speaker.

I also want to take time to acknowledge former member, Mr. Jim Lemaigre, who served as the MLA for Athabasca from the time of his by-election in 2022 up until 2024. He is a member of the Clearwater River Dene Nation, a Nation who I have good ties to and respect very much. Although he was a member of the government caucus, the people of Athabasca constituency put their trust in him for a time, and I recognize this presence that he had had in this Chamber. I wish nothing but good for Mr. Lemaigre in his future endeavours.

okimâw nâpêw — Mr. Speaker — it is in my immense honour that I stand in the House as a member, proudly and humbly representing the people of the Athabasca constituency, which include the communities of sîpîsisihk, Beauval, Sakamayack, where I come from.

I want to say, also representing Bear Creek; Buffalo Narrows; Dillon; the Buffalo River Dene Nation; Canoe Lake Cree First Nation; Black Lake Denesuline First Nation; Black Point; Clearwater River Dene Nation; Cole Bay; Camsell Portage; Dore Lake; Fond du Lac Denesuline First Nation; Green Lake; Ile-a-la-Crosse, also known as sâkitawâk; Jans Bay; La Loche; La Plonge; Michel Village; Patuanak and the English River First Nation; Pinehouse; St. George’s Hill; Stony Rapids; Turnor Lake; and the Birch Narrows Dene Nation; and also that’s of Uranium City.

I acknowledge all of these communities today in the House, perhaps some being spoken for the first time here at the Assembly, as they are each unique to the northern region and offer a special history and future for our province. It is the time that I was able to visit throughout the North, and I’ve done that for many years. I’ve visited with a lot of friends and family throughout not only Athabasca but in other regions throughout the country as I did community outreach and worked with so many different communities throughout our beautiful country.

I was able to do a lot of visiting, and I was grateful not only for the support that I was offered over the campaign, but the hospitality and generosity that I was greeted. And it reminded me how proud I was to be a northerner. No matter where I visited and who I visited with, the people of Athabasca constituency were kind enough to sit down and hear out my reasons for running for this role.

And even if they weren’t supporting, they still fed me. Every time I went some place, Mr. Speaker, they offered me moose meat and bannock and . . . [inaudible] . . . all of these different things, you know, and fish. That was one of the things that, I sat and I ate so much fish and it brought back so many memories. So I was really happy to be able to sit down and visit with all of these kohkoms and mosôms from all over.

Our northerners are usually . . . they’re famously known for that, for their kindness. We offer our neighbours food to eat. We have coffee. We drink tea. Despite our differences in opinion, we hear each other out. And when somebody from the community needs support, others from the community are quick to jump and help where it’s needed. And that’s something we’re known for in northern Saskatchewan, is that when somebody needs the help, we’re there to support them.

And it’s for that reason, Mr. Speaker, I am proud to stand in the legislature representing communities who continue hospitality and generosity offered to this province, and they offer so much.

[16:00]

I do however, Mr. Speaker, want to foreshadow in my first address to this House the focus that I will have as being an advocate and an elected MLA for Athabasca. As I mentioned before, the North offers much to this province in terms of beauty — people, natural resources, economic prosperity, culture, knowledge, and so much more. And it was perfectly . . . The video that they showed last night when we were at the gala and talking about northern Saskatchewan when it came to education, it was so important for people to see that. And so I’m really proud.

As I mentioned, you know, the North offers so much cultural knowledge and so much more. But in the short time I was able to reconnect and visit with many strong communities, I seen just how impacted our people are from the unique challenges each of the communities I represent are faced with. In some conversations I had, I was hurt in hearing how much some folks were struggling. And this is something that we’re all familiar with throughout the province, is that we see a lot of people that are struggling.

When my hon. colleagues, the Leader of the Official Opposition, the member of Regina Walsh Acres, were touring northwestern Saskatchewan communities with me this past September, we had — oh, and we also had my friend from Saskatoon Centre join us in this tour — we had the pleasure of visiting Twin Lakes Community School in Buffalo Narrows. We met with administration, some staff, the community members picking up their kids for the weekend, and it was concerning to say the least, Hon. Speaker, as to the conditions that they’re dealing with in order to educate their kids.

One side of the school was without water during the time that we had visited, not to the fault of the school or the community, but because the school is aging. The Twin Lakes Community School was built in 1972, meaning that the year it had turned 52 years old, it’s not just in dire need of repairs, but I am of the opinion that a newly built facility is needed in order to best service the children in the community.

And Ile-a-la-Crosse, sâkitawâk, Mr. Speaker. Again during this tour taking place in September before the drop of the writ, the Leader of the Official Opposition, the hon. member of Regina Walsh Acres, and I had visited the survivors of Ile-a-la-Crosse residential school. We’re advocating for recognition from the government, and started speaking about their experiences at the school. People that are advocating recognition, the government, and there’s been a lot of people that have been advocating with the group.

And you know, I want to say that I’m very proud of the people of Ile-a-la-Crosse, the Elders and the survivors — not only in Ile-a-la-Crosse but there’s survivors that live throughout the country — for their resiliency, and it really does show. The system, you know, that they were faced with . . . And in 2008 those survivors were able to hear an apology from their federal government for the treatment that they had gone through.

Today, Mr. Speaker, the survivors of the Ile-a-la-Crosse residential school, who underwent similar circumstances to those survivors in an Indian residential school system, continue to fight for their stories to be heard, experiences recognized, and for an apology to be made to them. Many of the survivors of this school, Mr. Speaker, are aging. And slowly many of them are sadly passing, never hearing the provincial government acknowledge these stories and experience that they had had.

Mr. Speaker, it’s unjust. And I hope that in the four years that the House meets, that Ile-a-la-Crosse residential school survivors will be able to have those stories and experiences recognized, apologized to, and properly compensated for, because it’s something for us to be able to move in the right direction of reconciliation. I unfortunately wasn’t able to visit the far North, but I’ve been to the far North before. I’ve worked with all of the communities in northern Saskatchewan, Mr. Speaker. But I do want to acknowledge that region again today. They are faced with sometimes very difficult circumstances, especially not being able to have access to the same luxuries that are enjoyed here in the South.

In the last Legislative Assembly, I was happy to hear that Northlands College would be collaborating with Fond du Lac Denesuline First Nation to expand educational opportunities in the North, especially for the folks of the far North region. I hope that accessibility of the educational opportunities continue as I believe in post-secondary education are the tools to success. I too, Mr. Speaker, was a strong believer in NORTEP [northern teacher education program] and NORPAC [Northern Professional Access College] in La Ronge. And I know that my colleague would definitely agree with me, and so would my Uncle Rick, and Val, who is also a teacher and served as a teacher all over northern Saskatchewan.

And you know, although it existed in our neighbouring constituency of Cumberland, many constituents of mine utilized those programs and succeeded in them because of the educational opportunities for the North, for our northern people. I hope that these kinds of post-secondary opportunities can continue to exist in the North without the programs being taken away from the northern communities.

Lastly, Hon. Speaker, I want to give my recognition to the first address in the Legislative Assembly to all of the hard-working educators, both past and present — education assistants, to the staff, to the school support staff, the administration staff, and to help run day-to-day operations and provide the supports to children to be successful in their educational journeys.

In the North, as I am sure is the same with many other constituencies throughout the province, schools serve as hubs for communities to come together and the effort to provide safe teaching and learning space for our children. I want to thank those educators, those EAs, support staff, administrative staff, the trustees that help, space in our schools for our northern kids.

I was fortunate to meet with some of the professionals during the Northern Lights School Division 113 convention week in Prince Albert. This was in October. I got to hear some of the concerns, the frustrations, the difficulties that many educators and staff faced while trying to continue to do best in educating our kids. I want to reaffirm my support for them over the course of my time here at the Legislative Assembly, and I know you will find good allies on this side of the House. We’ll be there to support you, ensure that appropriate and adequate funding for education will be spoken about — something that’s really important.

In the time I will serve the northwestern communities as a Member of the Legislative Assembly, I want all my honourable colleagues to know that I will work hard to ensure good results for the people of my constituency, as has been, you know, in the House before, because we had had some great representation in Athabasca and also those of our federal riding, Desnethé-Missinippi-Churchill River.

I’m really fortunate today to have a mentor of mine join us today, a couple of mentors of mine. Of course we have my Uncle Rick, who was a Member of Parliament for the Desnethé-Missinippi-Churchill River. The late Fred Thompson was a representative. He was from Buffalo Narrows.

And then we had Uncle Buck that showed up today, and he sat in the seat of Athabasca and represented and advocated for our people for 26 years — 26 years, right. And that’s amazing. And so I have a lot of respect for these men. They guided me through a lot and they encouraged me. And as the older people do, they usually encourage the younger folks to pursue this type of work. Because one of the things I have always wanted to do, Mr. Speaker, was to represent my own.

So although this side of the House is not an elected government, I hope northerners will see that I have the best interests at heart. Because northerners deserve all the success. To the constituency that I have the great honour of serving and representing, to the people of Athabasca constituency: I hope to do you justice in this place and represent you, the people of Athabasca, well. And I want you to be proud to call me your MLA.

Thank you again to the people of Athabasca constituency for loaning me the support and allowing me to serve you, because it was something . . . I was always the guy in the background. They call me the oskâpêw, the helper. I was one of those guys that was in the background and believe it or not, I worked with a lot of campaigns, not only in this province but throughout our country. And so I was given a lot of opportunity to meet a lot of amazing people that sat in representation throughout this country, Mr. Speaker.

I want to thank my beautiful wife, Diana, my three children, Teorie, Parker, Adler. I want to say, you know, thank you very much for allowing me to run for office. It was a conversation that I’d had with my family, because after 25 years on the road, I got off the road and I started working for a Nation, Flying Dust First Nation, where I am also a member. And I got off the road and worked with them in mental health and addictions. I worked as a community wellness manager, overseeing all the prevention and everything else. And so I’d had the opportunity to get to know my people there as well.

And I’d asked my wife. I said, is this something that I need to take on? And she said, absolutely, because you know, as long as I’ve known you, she said, you’ve always wanted to represent your own. And I would’ve been a hypocrite. But I’ve travelled all over the country and told a lot of kids if you have a dream, then you need to live it. You push for it. You push for it. And this has been one of my dreams, Mr. Speaker.

I want to express my gratitude to my wife and my children because without them I wouldn’t be standing here today. And we need to thank our families every day. One of the things that I was taught as a nêhiýaw person in the North is that every day we wake up in the morning, we give thanks, Mr. Speaker — give thanks for today; give thanks for our friends and our families. And I do that on a daily . . . I tell my wife and my kids I love them very much.

I want to express my gratitude to some people in my life that aren’t here on earth anymore but deserve their names to be said in this speech, as I would not be here if it wasn’t for them. I want to thank my late mom, Marlene, my dad, Joseph, a.k.a. they also known him as Dudep. He was also an educator himself. And they passed away. It’s going to be 40 years on January 5th since I lost my parents, but their names need to be mentioned here. I want to thank my parents for always being good neighbours and good community members to Beauval. I tell you, when we lost them in that community, the community and the whole North was impacted by that. We felt it. And I want to make them proud.

I want to thank obviously my community of Beauval/Sipishik. It’s the beautiful valley. If you guys have never had the opportunity to go and visit it, you make sure you get up there and you’ll see what kind people we have in my community. And I tell you, they’ll feed you. That’s just what they do.

I want to acknowledge my late grandfather. In Cree we say mosôm. I want to acknowledge my mosôm, napewits they called him, Marcel McKay. He was originally from Buffalo Narrows. He was a cousin of Fred Thompson.

[16:15]

And you know, he really pushed when it came to the elections. He would hop in his truck and he would drive people to the polls himself. I lost my mosôm a couple of years ago. But he really cared about the democratic process and he really cared about the people to get out there and vote. He always spoke about that.

I want to say thank you to my other mosôm. They called him Jules, Jules Laliberte. You know, I have a lot of resiliency that runs in my veins, Mr. Speaker, and I want to give thanks to those people that have paved the way for myself and for my Uncle Rick and for our family.

I want to say thank you to my kohkoms, who are my grandmothers: my kohkom Isabelle McKay Aubichon and also to my little kohkom that I lost a few months ago at 97 years old. Josephine Laliberte was also a Bouvier but also a survivor of the school in Ile-a-la-Crosse. So I want to, you know, I want to be able to advocate on their memory as well because we seek reconciliation and it’s something that we need to do before we can move forward. And so this is something that I’ll be meeting with my colleagues.

And of course we have to work as colleagues in this Assembly. I know that we’re going to be having debates and everything else like that, Mr. Speaker, but it’s important for us to be able to work for the betterment of all people of this beautiful province that we call home. That’s something that’s really important.

So to my home community of Beauval, the place that I grew up in, you know, I want to say thank you to the friends and family and the people that are still here, the people that have gone now, Mr. Speaker, because over the past few years a lot of mentors of mine, Elders, mosôms and kohkoms, community members, people all over northern Saskatchewan that took me under their wing, Mr. Speaker, that mentored me, that had taken care of me while I was going through a tough time in my life, but also as going through a healing journey, you know.

And I know we had a bit of a conversation with some of the members that I met here on my side and even on the other that we, you know, we knew a lot of people, the same people throughout the North. And I want to say thank you to all of those people that had taken me under their wing. It was something that was really important, and it means a lot to me because again, with those individuals, I wouldn’t be here today.

To my young nêhiýaw brothers and sisters, and I know that this is recorded . . . I just want to say if you have a dream, this has been a dream of mine, to be able to represent my own. And I’m going to do it well.

So with that I want to say thank you to all of the volunteers, all of the people of the Athabasca constituency. There was a lot of people that went and helped me through my campaign. There was a lot of driving.

I want to say thank you to my right-hand man, Mr. Regan Ratt-Misponas because if it wasn’t for Regan Ratt-Misponas, I tell you, he took on such a powerful role. And that young man is such a powerful advocate and he’s a powerful team member. And I know a lot of you know him here. And so I want to say thank you to him.

I want to say thank you to my mother-in-law, Denise Cameron, because one, she puts up with her son-in-law quite a bit because I like to tease her. But she’s done so much and been through so much and supports me and my wife. And I want to say thank you for doing so much for me, Diana, and the kids.

I want to say thank you in memory to my late father-in-law, who was an RCMP member. His name was Howard Cameron, out of Beardy’s and Okemasis First Nation. I want to say thank you in memory to my sister-in-law, who lost her life in the line of duty serving her country, serving this province: Constable Robin Cameron.

I also like to, in memory of my nistaw. I have a lot of nistaws actually but this one here we lost a few years, just a couple years after we had lost Robin. Darwin Cameron, I want to say in his memory . . . I told him one day. He said, so what is it that you’re going to be doing one day? And I said, I’m going to be standing in the Legislative Assembly and speaking on behalf of my people in northern Saskatchewan. And so this is what I’m doing.

So with that, I want to say thank you to everybody here, Mr. Speaker, okimâw nâpêw. I want to say that I appreciate everybody in this House. I have a respect for everybody. I was always taught to respect and I’m sure that I’ll get it in return. And I just want to say I feel deeply honoured, deeply privileged, Mr. Speaker, to be able to serve with everybody in the Assembly.

And I want to say thank you again to have my Uncle Rick and Aunt Val here. It’s nice to have people from home be here today. And I’m looking forward to what the next few years is going to be. I’m really excited about that, Mr. Speaker.

So with that, again I want to say thank you to my wife, my beautiful babies at home — actually one in university. That was hard; that’ll be another conversation. But I just want to say thank you to my colleagues, thank you to my friends, thank you to my brothers, my sisters. We are going to do well by the people in which we represent. I want to say têniki, merci, miyo kisikan’si, Mr. Speaker. I appreciate you. Thank you so much.

So with that, I will be supporting the amendment made by my colleague from Regina Walsh Acres and I will not be supporting the motion made by the government. Thank you so much, Mr. Speaker.

Speaker Goudy: — I recognize the member from Humboldt-Watrous.

Racquel Hilbert: — Before I begin, I wish to congratulate all the newly elected MLAs and all the returning MLAs. I’d like to congratulate you, Mr. Speaker, for your new role as Speaker. And I have faith in you. I’d also like to congratulate the member from Lumsden-Morse as Deputy Speaker. We are blessed that each of you put your name forward.

The Humboldt and Watrous constituency is a vibrant area with business, schools, clinics, hospitals, and mental health services. Businesses are ag; crop input suppliers; industries such as manufacturing, engineering, design, research and development just to list a few. First and foremost they are reliant on the people who work hard to build and maintain our province. They voted and spoke loudly. They don’t want to slide into decline.

People are the foundation in the Humboldt and Watrous constituency, and I want to take a moment to introduce the Humboldt and Watrous constituency. It sits on a layer of black gold — not the oil kind but a layer of arable soil. Saskatchewan without this resource and the hard-working people and families, we would not be the province that we are today. The people that came to this area from all over the world to build a province, to build a nation, this is the foundation that all is built on.

The spinoff from this foundation in industry is incalculable. It is entwined in all of our lives from livestock to manufacturing, transportation to public services. The research, manufacturing, design sector has the ability to see a need, develop a solution.

This is why we are part of the Iron Triangle: PAMI [Prairie Agricultural Machinery Institute]; CIM [Commercial Industrial Manufacturing]; Highline Manufacturing, which is now under the blanket of Bourgault Industries; Prairie Steel; Rite Way Manufacturing. We’re close to Schulte Industries, Mollenbeck Industries, Michel’s Industries, and Koenders just to list a few. We have the Livestock and Forage Centre of Excellence and the prairie swine research centre.

I want to take a moment to introduce the prairie swine research centre. The centre is a not-for-profit swine research facility with an affiliation to the University of Saskatchewan. It has served the needs of the Saskatchewan pork industry since 1991.

The centre focuses on nutrition, engineering, and behaviour to ensure that Saskatchewan’s pork producers remain competitively and economically able to contribute to long-term sustainability of the pork industry. Their research, knowledge, transfer programs deliver relevant science-based information, examining product efficiencies, sustainability which includes animal, environmental, and environmental economic sustainability and worker well-being while developing the next generation of swine industry professionals.

During the past 15 years, investment into this research program has averaged a return of $4.10 per pig per year in industry and $5.60 per pig per year over the past five years. This represents an animal value of 5.8 million from the centre’s research program to the Saskatchewan pork industry.

We have dairy industry and feedlots. Hard-working people have invested in this area with value-added meat processing and using local crops for livestock feed. It is all connected. We feed our families, we feed our children and our communities with the spirit of hard work and dedication.

Our area sits on a layer of liquid gold — water. No one really thinks of how valuable this renewable natural resource is, but think of where the province would be and what it would look like without water in the equation while you keep the rest. It would be bleak. We have some of the largest and best aquifers in the province, and this is reflected in the prosperity and the health of our communities and province.

Recently the Dellwood Brook dam has received 2.5 million of capital investment for a bridge replacement, update to the stoplog handling system for safety, and a spillway gate rehabilitation.

We have red gold — potash. In 1958 the first mine at Patience Lake started production, and three more to follow. The hard-working people and families and their ability to solve problem after problem, which resulted in a safe and thriving potash industry with four mines in the Humboldt and Watrous constituency alone. The product is mined, turned into end product here for value-added.

The mining promotes growth, jobs, families, and support services for people in the area. The economic spinoff from this industry is invaluable. It supports local businesses like tire shops and restaurants, grocery stores and convenience stores. We have supportive living facilities and long-term care homes. And there’s more work to do.

I want to introduce Partners community services. It is one of our most important and valuable sources for support in the Humboldt and district. It is a community-based service. They are the backbone of support, safe and healthy communities. They provide essential services, helping people thrive in their local environments, unlike large-scale institutions. These services are deeply rooted within the communities that they serve, allowing for more personalized care to take into account the unique needs and strengths of each community.

Through investment from Health, Education, Justice, and Social Services, Partners Family Services provides a wraparound support for individuals, families, and communities through integrated support systems and services that address the need on a continuum of care.

Programs such as the Humboldt Early Years Family Resource Centre works collaboratively with the Triple-P parenting program and mental health counselling to support young families and foster wellness within the entire family unit. Interpersonal violence program is deeply integrated within the home parenting supports and clinical counselling services to decrease family violence while building capacity and resiliency within the family unit.

The newest Partners Family Services is called Homebase. It is an integrated youth service providing vital services for young people, bringing together health care, mental health, addictions services, education, employment, culture, community supports together to serve the youth in one location.

[16:30]

Partners Family Services works to recognize that no one program works on its own. It is a multi-sector collaboration which is vital to achieving healthy communities through deeply connected and integrated programming. These services foster connection, build trust, create a sense of belonging, and ultimately build hope for a brighter future.

We have yellow gold. We have a thriving canola industry that uses locally grown canola seed. It’s crushed and processed within the Humboldt and Watrous constituency, turned into canola oil for feed and industry use, and to help put renewable energies into fuels — the fuels that run farming, mining, transportation, and services that touch every industry in the province. We have some of the most sustainable and environmentally sound practices in the world.

We have brown gold — cereal and pulse crops. Nearby we have Pound-Maker. It turns grain into ethanol by using the by-product to feed cattle in the feed lot. We contribute to the gross domestic product and feed the world. Today they are a fully integrated 26,000 head feed lot and produce 14 million litres of ethanol.

Mr. Speaker, the people of Humboldt and Watrous constituency have a heart of gold. They are hard-working members, resilient people that are the keystones to the constituency. The great province of Saskatchewan is built and supported by people like them — the trailblazers, problem solvers, caregivers, learners, builders, educators. They’re the people of fortitude and essential to making this place home.

People make my constituency better every day. I’m proud of my constituency. I’m proud of my constituents. I know many people, and during this journey I met many more. Those who know me know I’m a hard worker and committed to this constituency. This is a constituency to thrive in, not just survive in. They have voted for a strong economy and a bright future and there is more work to do.

I understand that some constituents face challenges. Our plan for a bright future will work to alleviate some challenges. We will continue to accelerate hiring of health care professionals by investing 3.5 million into breast cancer care and 1 million for ovarian cancer research. This year’s budget will deliver a record spending of 7.1 billion to strengthen the health care system and taking bold action to further attract and keep health care professionals in the growing province. The total capital investment for the Humbolt and Watrous constituency for the 2023‑2024 year is 2.5 million. The Watrous hospital received 1.8 million to build an EMS building to further support the Watrous district.

Additionally, our government has a focus on improving reading levels, kindergarten to grade 3, as it’s an indicator for future success. Hiring more teachers and education support staff — people are our most valuable resource. Increasing education pilot projects to 200 more schools. Saskatchewan’s 27 school divisions will receive a record 2.2 billion in operating funds for the 2024‑2025 school year.

This increase includes 35 million to support enrolment growth for the 2024 year; 8.6 million to increase classroom supports; 66.6 million to fund teacher collaboration bargaining agreements; 29.8 million to address inflationary pressures, including fuel and non-teacher salaries; 40 million in annualization funding for the 2023 year to support classroom and enrolment growth.

We will see increases to rink grant funds. This builds and supports community connectedness, community identity, and shared experience.

Local constituents have the heart of gold. This interconnectedness of Saskatchewan and the Humboldt-Watrous constituency can be defined in degrees. In the world it is theorized that we are six degrees from separation, and that’s all that separates us from one another. We are six or less social connections away from one person on this planet through a chain of connections. The connections include family, friends, professional relationships, connections by chance like getting stuck in a snowdrift and someone friendly from Saskatchewan, some good old Saskatchewan boys, to push you out. To find out that you have a common connection, the only way to find out this is to engage in conversation.

If there are six degrees in the world, I would say that Saskatchewan has three degrees, and the Prairie provinces, four. It’s not uncommon to hear hometown slang like Vi-Co, bunnyhug, toque, dugout, klicks. And when you hear it, you know. You are not surprised that they once lived in Saskatchewan or that you have a common connection. All you need to do is engage in conversation and ask. Our problems don’t feel so big when we’re connected, and we’re not alone to face any challenges put our way.

I believe the Humboldt and Watrous constituency doesn’t have six degrees of separation; it has two degrees of connectedness. We know almost everyone, at least every second person. That’s why it’s paramount that we act towards one another with kindness, compassion, and empathy, that we are fair in business, and that we are cognizant when we see an opportunity to exploit or capitalize on business that we do not enrich ourselves.

To see a situation from the outside looking in, there is about 1.3 million people in Saskatchewan, and there is about 14,250 people in the Humboldt and Watrous constituency. The winters are cold and long, but coffee row is longer — and uneventful. Nothing travels faster than a rumour and bad publicity. They say there’s no bad publicity, but I disagree. The fabric of Humboldt and Watrous constituency is so tight, it’s waterproof. Even newcomers are quickly woven into the tapestry. With social media and being in the public eye, I feel like the connectivity in Humboldt and Watrous communities, the place where I was born and raised, is probably just one degree.

I’m humbled to be their servant, and I understand the responsibility put on my shoulders, to work with respect that it deserves. But I don’t do it alone. I’m supported by my amazing husband, family, my team — David, Jessica, Justin, Nancy, Dylan, Sherwin, Poppy, and all my friends. We have a common goal with family at the heart. I do admit, I won the husband jackpot when I married David. He is the love of my life and my best friend.

As a new MLA I’m thankful to the caucus and caucus staff, including Angela Currie, as they work to guide me in this next chapter. I’m thankful for the opportunity to work with Patrick Bundrock, Dylan Pollon, and Deanne Marshall.

I want to thank the former Ministry of Highways for using those fuel taxes to help build roadways and roadway improvements within the Humboldt and Watrous constituency — Highway 2, Highway 5, and Highway 15. Total capital investment for Humboldt and Watrous was 26.9 million.

To break this apart, Highway 5 received 1.7 to repave east of Saskatoon, 6.8 million for passing lanes and widening as well as grade line improvements, 650,000 for repaving east of Saskatoon, an additional 13.8 million for an additional passing lane and widening and grade line improvements. The province also invested 544,000 to access realignment and channelization. For Highway 16, 670,000 for total capital investment was spent for resurfacing east of Colonsay. $206,000 was spent on the total capital investment on Highway 20 for an emergency culvert replacement north of Humboldt.

You might ask, why is this important? It’s important because highways are the arteries for our constituency, connecting families, connecting communities, supporting trade, supporting export, which in turn supports our public services — those public services supporting people in this province.

I want to take a moment to introduce Sagehill community futures development. They have been growing small businesses since 1985. They help rural entrepreneurs build small businesses and help these owners achieve their dreams by providing loans, advice, training, supports. They have seven volunteer board members. And the current federal government, supported by the NDP, have made cuts and withdrawn financial resources, and the province has stepped up to honour the existing contract till December 31st of 2024.

Sagehill offers training programs to help owners make good, informed business decisions. They offer business loans, programming for human resources, bookkeeping, business registration, and implementing marketing strategies. It works to identify areas of improvement and modifications to business plans when necessary. It’s a bridge between employment insurance and small-business ownership. There may be income support during the start-up period if a person is eligible for EI [employment insurance].

Provincial self-improvement program creates jobs and small businesses across the province. These small businesses account for 25 per cent of Saskatchewan’s gross domestic product while employing 31 per cent of Saskatchewan’s workforce. Sagehill is a vital resource for the province providing advice to government structure, grant writing, and strategic planning for municipalities.

I’d also like to take a moment and introduce Carlton Trail. They provide exceptional service and support the communities that they serve, which include Humboldt, Wynyard, Watrous, and Punnichy; additional classes in One Arrow, Wakaw, and Kawacatoose as well as others. They have received 2.4 million for training programs and services, and they work closely with First Nation communities in the region as well as industry and business to work towards development goals.

They recently reached their 50th anniversary of education and programming. They offer post-secondary programming with a focus on health care, business, ag, trade, customized training, as well as English as a second language for newcomers, upgrading, and adult education. They are the link between education and employment. They maintain a close relationship with schools in the region and they manage the BHP scholarship program, which provides scholarships to many. Their work does not go unnoticed. They are educating and training our workforce, creating the leaders of tomorrow for a province of tomorrow. We are all interconnected. What happens in one constituency affects another.

I would like to thank the Ministry of Social Services for increasing the allowable earnings for the SAID [Saskatchewan assured income for disability] program. I support increasing senior benefits for those in the golden years. I support implementing the renovation home tax grant as people build their dreams.

More specifically, I’d like to thank Donna Harpauer. She was committed to this constituency for 25 consecutive years and served as the longest sitting female cabinet minister in Canada. Her CA [constituency assistant], Susan Dunne, was a keystone in our constituency office for just as long as we had Donna.

[16:45]

It is my intention to serve and live with grace, behave with dignity inside and outside the legislature. We can’t control others, but we can control ourselves, on both sides of the Chamber. It’s vital that both sides maintain decorum and a willingness to communicate with respect.

I'll list a few values that I learned through my years of service for people. Never speak poorly of people; it always comes back. Seek to understand those who differ from yourself and even those who offend you. Look for the root of their disagreement in order to solve it. Be kind and act with grace.

We have shining components in education, health care, and social services. We have dedicated professionals who are world-class, and they call the Humboldt and Watrous constituency home. I’m proud to call many of them my friends and family.

We have work to do, and this party, this government, is ready for work. We have a government that’s responsible and reliable. We have a balance of new members and not-so-new members who share a vision of growth and development. Together we call Saskatchewan home.

I’m inspired by the theme, “A New Beginning.” Priorities like health care, supports for children in classrooms, and affordability measures are key messages in the Throne. I’m pleased to support the motion put forward by the member of Kindersley-Biggar and seconded by the motion from Saskatchewan Rivers. I will not be supporting the amendment. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Nicole Sarauer: — Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It’s my honour to rise this afternoon and enter into the debate on the Throne Speech once again after an election.

First of all, before I get started, I want to and need to congratulate yourself, Mr. Speaker, as well as the Deputy Speaker on your appointments — very important roles that the two of you serve in. As you know very well, Mr. Speaker, you represent an area of the province that’s near and dear to my heart. I try and spend as much free time there as I possibly can, and we’ve always had the opportunity to engage with each other, I think, respectfully, and I know we will continue to do that. We may not always agree, but I know we’ll be able to conduct our business that we need to do with an utmost amount of respect for the two roles that we have, and as well as the role that the Deputy Speaker has as well. I cannot think of two better people to fill those roles, so congratulations.

To all of the new members, I understand . . . I could be wrong. I believe there are 31 new members. I believe there are more new members than there are returning members this time around. Congratulations to every single one of you. It’s no easy feat to participate in an election. It takes a lot of work and a lot of sacrifice, both within yourself as well as your friends and your family. So just a heartfelt congratulations to every single one of you, no matter which colour flag you flew during the campaign.

Know that only so many people get to have the honour of being in this Chamber. It’s something that we all should not take lightly and something we should remember, that we have a very important role and are very lucky to be chosen by the people of our constituencies to represent them in this Chamber.

To all of the new members on my side of the Chamber, Mr. Speaker, I’m so excited to get to work with all of them. It’s so reinvigorating to have so much fresh blood, Mr. Speaker, in our caucus. Every single one of these members comes to this Chamber with a wealth of experience and a wealth of wisdom, Mr. Speaker, and I know that they will all serve their constituents and the entirety of the people of the province so very well, Mr. Speaker. I’m so excited to see what we’re all going to be able to do together.

And I very much look forward to getting to know not just the new members on this side, but the new members in the entirety of the Chamber, Mr. Speaker. We end up spending a lot of time together — all of us, Mr. Speaker — whether it’s within the Chamber or at various events, sometimes more time than we get to spend with our families. So I do hope that we all take the opportunity and the time to get to know each other a little bit better on a human level, Mr. Speaker, which helps us, I think, in being able to work behind the scenes to get the work that we need to get done on behalf of the people of the province and to move our dialogue in a constructive way, Mr. Speaker.

I have a lot of thank yous to give. I’m going to first start by thanking of course my family, my husband, Jared. He’s very busy in his own right with his own profession. We try really hard as a couple to support each other in our busy goals professionally, Mr. Speaker. And I’m very grateful to him and the sacrifices I know that he’s made so that I can do the work that I’m doing here.

And to my two children. Just to update the House, Olivia is now five. She was the first infant in this Chamber way back in 2019, Mr. Speaker. She’s now in kindergarten. It’s crazy how time flies, Mr. Speaker. And then Ronan, my youngest, who’s now three. Actually if you walk out of this Chamber and walk around to the opposition side, you’ll see the photos that were taken of the Legislative Assembly as it was made up during a very unique time in this Assembly, during COVID, when we were all spaced out and we had some government members on this side. The Speaker wisely thought it appropriate to make sure that we took some photographic evidence of that time. You’ll see me in that photo holding what looks like a little blob, Mr. Speaker. That was my son, Ronan. At the time, he was about four weeks old.

So both of them have not been strangers to this Assembly, but happily they haven’t had to spend too much time in here, happily on their part for sure that they haven’t had to spend too much time in this Chamber. And they’re both very energetic, very fun-loving. Ronan, in particular, very cuddly, and I love them to bits. And I know that they make sacrifices as well so that I can do this work.

There was often, during the campaign, missed suppers — almost every day, I would say — missed suppers with them but they are actually at an age where they’re kind of starting to understand what an election is, which is a different experience for us. And their dad, when he picked them up from daycare, would often go driving around the city to find mommy’s signs around the city. Now those often weren’t my signs because I don’t have signs in ridings outside of Douglas Park, to be very clear. But they would like to point out the orange signs and count how many. It was really sweet to see them start to kind of grasp the life that we all lead.

Now I also want to thank everybody that was involved in my campaign. It’s such a humbling honour, not only to be able to represent the people of Douglas Park and to have the people of Douglas Park choose me to represent them, but also to have so many volunteers come out and sacrifice time away from their families for an election campaign, Mr. Speaker. So a heartfelt thank you to all of the volunteers in all of the campaigns, frankly, but mine in particular. I would be remiss if I didn’t thank them. And then our staff in our office. We had Judy, we had Evelyn, and then Aiden and Jonah who were very involved. I’m so grateful for them, their wisdom, and their time.

As has been spoken by members already, we shared some office space, had a bit of a regional focus, so I had the pleasure of sharing a campaign office with the new member for Regina University and the member for Regina Wascana Plains. I’m very proud to have gotten to spend so much time with them and see them flourish during the writ period and the campaign, Mr. Speaker. And what little we could do to try to help them get across the line, we were very happy to do so.

But I know very much that they both worked so, so hard in their own right, and I’m very proud of how hard they worked and how dedicated they are to their constituencies and to the people of their province. So it was fun actually to be able to have a campaign with those two. We had a lot of joyful moments, some hard moments, but overall it was a really enjoyable experience. And I’m so happy that I get now the opportunity to work with both of them for the next four years.

I also want to thank the person who holds down the fort in my constituency office, Aiden McMartin, who’s now been working with me for a few years. He’s an incredible person. I very much enjoy his wisdom, and the way he treats constituents, Mr. Speaker, is second to none. He has his heart on his sleeve and he leads with empathy, and for that I am so very grateful. His taste of music is a little suspect, I would say, but aside from that he’s an incredible person and I’m very lucky to have him in my life.

To all the staff that work for us, in particular those in our caucus, a heartfelt thank you. As has been mentioned, there’s a few folks who have left us, who are retiring out, and we have a few more folks who are coming in. We are always so lucky to have such a dedicated staff team who work tirelessly on behalf of the people of the province, who care about making Saskatchewan a better place, and for that — and also making us look more competent — I could not be more grateful, and I think we could not say thank you enough, Mr. Speaker.

I also want to thank everybody who keeps this legislature running. There are so many people who are involved behind the scenes, be it in Hansard or the Pages or the Clerks-at-the-Table or those in member services or those in the cafeteria. It’s so amazing to see how so many people come together to work, to keep this building running, and we wouldn’t be able to do what we do here in this Chamber without every single one of them. So I definitely think we should always take the time and the opportunity to thank them for the work that they do, Mr. Speaker.

And I would be remiss if I didn’t acknowledge the incredible hard work and passion, and give a heartfelt thank you to the Leader of the Opposition, my leader, the member from Lakeview, who led a very strong campaign, Mr. Speaker. Her first time running through a campaign as leader, but you’d hardly know it if you watched her either in media or in debate. She was truly, truly incredible. I think she showed the people of the province what she can do and what we can do as a team, Mr. Speaker. And I think the numbers that we came back into this House with we owe to the hard work that she did, Mr. Speaker. We’re very excited to see where she continues to go. We know that we’re very hopeful that very soon she will be able to show the province what she can do as premier of this province, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, I also want to again thank the people of Regina Douglas Park for once again trusting in me to represent them in this Chamber. It’s not something that I take lightly. It’s something that I consider very much an honour, and I’m always surprised and humbled and honoured to be given that very important duty. It’s a responsibility that weighs heavy on my shoulders every single day, Mr. Speaker, and I know that I could never live up to what they deserve, Mr. Speaker, but I try in my conduct each and every day.

I also want to thank those who ran against me in the campaign, who also ran in Regina Douglas Park — Ken Grey for the Sask Party and Victor Lau for the Green Party, Mr. Speaker. Like I said already it’s not easy to run in a campaign and it takes a lot of work and a lot of sacrifice and a lot of courage to put your name forward, so to them and their staff and their volunteers, thank you so much. I am very grateful.

Mr. Speaker, it’s such an honour to have people be willing to share their stories with you, their tragedies and their joys. And we heard a lot of those on the doorstep this campaign, and I know we will continue to hear more as we move forward, and I know we have over the course of the last several years, eight of which I have been willing to serve, willing and honoured to serve as member of Regina Douglas Park, Mr. Speaker.

There was a message that was heard all across the province, Mr. Speaker. While as has been mentioned, yes, we did not quite get into government this time, Mr. Speaker, we heard loud and clear a lot of frustration from the people of this province, a lot of people who felt like they weren’t being listened to and who have felt ignored over the past several years in particular.

Mr. Speaker, I see my time. You cut me off so that I can speak again this evening. I’m looking forward to it.

Speaker Goudy: — Thank you. It now being 5 o’clock, this Assembly stands recessed until 7 p.m.

[The Assembly recessed from 17:00 until 19:00.]

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

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