Legislative Report
3 December 2020

Recently our government delivered the Throne Speech, which will serve as a guide for our province as we continue to navigate through this global pandemic. We are fulfilling our promises to Saskatchewan people and acting on our commitment to make life more affordable, to support active children, and help our businesses thrive.

Making Life Affordable

Our government committed to implementing a 10 per cent rebate for all SaskPower customers beginning December 1st. During these unprecedented times, we understand how valuable this can be for families and businesses.

Our government is focused on helping those living with diabetes, who face challenges in managing this disease every day. As promised, our government will cover the cost of insulin pumps for those under the age of 25. We will also cover the cost of a new technology, continuous glucose monitoring, that will allow families some normalcy as an aid in monitoring their child’s well-being. We have heard from the many parents and caregivers who stay up all hours of the night to ensure their child’s glucose numbers are manageable.

Making life affordable for seniors is a priority for our government. By eliminating the charge for inter-facility transfers and reducing the maximum cost of other calls by over 50 per cent, we are investing in the long-term well-being of our seniors. We are adding more staff to long-term care homes and increasing the Seniors Income Plan benefit. Our seniors deserve a life of dignity and respect and we want to support them in these uncertain times.

Our government has made major strides toward supporting those diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). In fact, funding support is 24 times higher today than it was in 2007. Beginning in 2021, children under the age of 12 who have been diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder will receive $6,000 a year to cover the cost of individualized therapeutic supports. We have engaged and listened to families and organizations from the ASD community and are grateful on their direction, which has led us to this investment. We will continue to consult with these communities to ensure the best services are being delivered.

Our government is investing in active families by reinstating the Active Family Benefit. This funding will help cover the cost of sport, art and cultural activities. In addition to this, over the next four years, we will be adding 750 new childcare spaces. Every child in this province deserves the opportunity to play and learn, so ensuring they have access to an array of teams and activities is essential.

We are re-investing in our commitment to Veteran Service Clubs across Saskatchewan. Traditionally, these clubs are a hub of activity, supporting their communities and hosting their Veteran members. We are pleased to better support our Veterans with an investment of $1.5 million a year to assist clubs in staying open for generations to come.

New Ministerial Roles and Legislation for Saskatchewan

To continue our focus on the well-being of our province, we now have a dedicated Minister responsible for Mental Health and Addictions. This appointment speaks to our commitment to support those who may be struggling with mental health and addictions challenges.

Our government will introduce initiatives that support our Pillars of Life Suicide Prevention Plan. One example of this support is a program to train a mental health first responder for every one of the province’s 744 schools. To be a strong province, our communities and families must be strong too. We must lift each other through the hard times and lend a hand when in need. We are committed to strengthening mental health and addictions services in Saskatchewan.

Our government has also recently created the Ministry of SaskBuilds and Procurement. The economic recovery from this pandemic cannot happen unless our Saskatchewan workers are working, and building. To manage infrastructure and assets more effectively, this Ministry will oversee and develop an implementation of standardized government procurement processes and informational technology infrastructure.

This fall, our Premier named MLA Lyle Stewart as his legislative secretary to examine ways Saskatchewan can exercise and strengthen its autonomy within the federation. We have already named a Chief of Firearms Officer to manage programs within Saskatchewan and serve as Saskatchewan’s voice instead of an appointment from Ottawa. This is another step toward ensuring Saskatchewan’s voice is heard at every level of government. We will continue to fight what we believe to be an unconstitutional carbon tax that negatively impacts Saskatchewan industries and families.

Addressing the challenges of COVID-19 is the top priority of this government. We will continue to listen to the direction of our Chief Medical Health Officer, Dr. Shahab, and urge everyone to wear your masks, reduce your social circles, and abide by public health orders. Though our Throne Speech included many investments, commitments and initiatives that will help our economy recover from the impact of COVID-19, we will not reach our desired destination unless we all continue to do our part.