More support for municipal infrastructure and faster Internet service were among the promises outlined in the Throne Speech that reopened the Saskatchewan legislature on Wednesday.
“While there are certainly some challenges ahead with the falling oil prices, this session will focus on keeping Saskatchewan strong,” said Premier Brad Wall.
Among Wall’s new promises:
• An options paper and public consultation process on private liquor retailing in Saskatchewan;
• A new growth tax incentive for manufacturers who create new jobs, including new head office jobs, in Saskatchewan;
• Continued promotion of Saskatchewan to international markets;
• Continued reduction of interprovincial trade barriers;
• Increases in the number of adult basic education seats and apprenticeship training seats;
• Reintroduction of the Saskatchewan Infra-structure Growth Initiative to assist municipal infrastructure development and expansion of the program to First Nations;
• Legislation to better protect patients’ privacy and medical records;
• Legislation to help reduce wait times for organ transplants;
• Legislation to increase the scope of services that can be provided by pharmacists;
• Upgrades to internet access and speed at regional colleges throughout the province;
• Improvements to high speed internet and cell phone service in hundreds of Saskatchewan communities;
• Legislative changes to help police officers and the justice system better protect victims of domestic violence;
• Expansion of the HUB crime reduction model;
• A comprehensive review of child welfare legislation that will lead to improvements in laws that protect children;
• Development of a Poverty Reduction Strategy that builds on the government’s significant efforts to reduce poverty;
• Increased penalties for those who commit hunting violations; and
• A special licence plate for the loved ones of Canadian Armed Forces personnel who died in service.
Wall said the provincial government will carefully manage the province’s finances while continuing to make important investments.
“We know there is more work to be done, which is why we continue to fix highways, build new schools and hospitals and invest in programs that make life more affordable for all Saskatchewan people,” Wall said.
For the opposition NDP, the Throne Speech was much ado about nothing.
“The government’s agenda for the next year is quite disappointing for families,” said NDP Leader Cam Broten. “Saskatchewan people keep asking me how it is that this government keeps struggling to deliver adequate health care, seniors care and education and why it keeps forcing families to pay extra.
“That’s why I wanted to see a commitment to improve the backlogged, filthy and short-staffed hospitals. I wanted to see action on the cost of living. I wanted to see a plan to fix the seniors care crisis. Families deserve to benefit so much more from what’s going on in Saskatchewan, and for them, this Throne Speech offers very little.”
While the NDP said it welcomes the government’s reversal on its poverty strategy position, the opposition’s other budgetary requests went largely unmet, the party said.
Those requests included smaller class sizes, reduced specialist wait times and improvements to hospitals and seniors’ care homes.
