Legislative Report
October 27, 2022

Fall Sitting of Legislature Begins

The Speech from the Throne officially launched the Fall Sitting of the Legislature and has charted a course that ensures sustainable growth that works for everyone. That plan was constructed from your feedback over the summer months, focusing on health care, the economy, affordability, and defining future opportunities.

Saskatchewan has seen record levels of new investment. This allows us to lead the country in economic growth, resulting in a growing population that is on track to reach 1.2 million people this year. Due to our strong economy and stronger tax revenues from higher resource prices, our government will balance the provincial budget this year - four years ahead of schedule.

Our government believes that the people of Saskatchewan own the province's natural resources and should directly benefit when those resource prices are high. This is why we released the four-point affordability plan. This plan will deliver a $500 cheque through the Saskatchewan affordability tax credit to everyone aged 18 or over. We will continue to exempt fitness and gym memberships and other activities from the provincial sales tax while extending the reduction of the small business tax rate. Our government will also pay up to $1 billion in operating debt, saving nearly $50 million yearly in interest costs.

Revenues from our strong economy will be invested into our four-point Health Human Resource Action Plan. This Action Plan directly connects to Saskatchewan's Growth Plan while building on numerous initiatives and incentives already in place to recruit, train, incentivize and retain healthcare workers throughout Saskatchewan. The early steps of this plan create more permanent full-time positions in rural and northern communities leading to better retention and stabilizing of health care services. We have also received over 400 international applications from healthcare professionals wanting to make Saskatchewan their home.

This fiscal year we have set an aggressive target of 97,000 surgeries which would be the highest number of surgeries ever performed in one year. To meet this goal, we are increasing the surgical capacity in Regina, Saskatoon and regional hospitals throughout the province. To reach this target, we will work with public hospitals and establish new partnerships with publicly funded private surgical providers. We will also invest in mental health and addiction services, long-term care homes, hospitals and urgent care centres to ensure help is there when you need it.

Our white paper released this month, titled Drawing the Line: Defending Saskatchewan's Economic Autonomy, speaks to our government's intentions. In 1930, Saskatchewan secured constitutional authority over natural resources. In recent years, the current federal government has encroached on those rights, disguised as environmental concerns. Continued interference could cost Saskatchewan $111 billion by 2035. Our government will stand firm to protect our economy and the jobs that Saskatchewan families need.

We are also joining with other provinces to let the federal government know that we will not use police funding to support the confiscation of legal firearms. Saskatchewan, Alberta, Manitoba, New Brunswick, and Yukon governments are all calling on the federal government to halt their plans to use police resources to take over 100,000 legally purchased firearms across Canada. Provinces opposed to the program are saying the misuse of firearms by criminals is where the focus needs to be.

In this session, we will introduce the Saskatchewan First Act. This legislation will clearly define our constitutional rights that Saskatchewan alone has exclusive jurisdiction over our natural resources and economic future. We believe the people of Saskatchewan know the best steps to take to defend and grow our economy, jobs and resources from the overreach by the federal government. This act will give Saskatchewan similar authority over immigration that the Province of Quebec has guaranteed.

By safeguarding our economy for the benefit of the people of Saskatchewan, we will be able to invest in education, highway infrastructure, expanding renewable energy generation, and programs to keep you and your community safe. 

There are many reasons to be optimistic about our future as a province. We have more people, more jobs and more investment than ever before. The world is now seeing this incredible potential at a time when other regions are fighting back against a recession. Businesses want to invest, families want to live here, and our world-class resource sector will facilitate growth that works for everyone.