The new session of the legislature opened Tuesday in Regina with the speech from the throne.
The speech, delivered by Lt. Gov. Vaughn Solomon Schofield, did not feature any surprises. It sounded very much like a Saskatchewan Party election speech, with plenty of references to their campaign slogan “Keep Saskatchewan Strong.”
The priorities outlined in the throne speech were also in keeping with the government’s election promises.
Among the commitments outlined Tuesday were:
• Major investments in infrastructure projects: hospitals, schools, long-term care facilities and the Regina Bypass. Construction for Saskatchewan Hospital North Battleford is currently under way;
• An increase in highways repair and maintenance funding amounting to $70 million over three years;
• Introduction of a new “patent box” tax incentive — billed as “the first of its kind in North America” — designed to create jobs and investments through commercialization of patents and intellectual property within Saskatchewan;
• Change to regulations to allow home-based food businesses to sell products produced in the home directly to consumers and retailers;
• Expansion of the “two-for-one” model for MRI scans to also include CT scans;
• Expansion of the remote technology health care pilot project in Pelican Narrows to other northern communities;
• Amendments to the Saskatchewan Employment Act so those caring for family members in the final stages of life are eligible for 28 weeks of leave per year;
• Changes to the Graduate Retention Program to allow recipients to use up to $10,000 of their GRP benefits toward down payment on their first home in Saskatchewan.
• Reduction of heath region administration costs of $7.5 million and re-directing savings toward front-line seniors’ care;
• Allow seniors with household incomes under $70,000 to defer the education portion of their property taxes, beginning in 2017.
• A commitment to extend SaskPower’s net metering program for solar power by two years.
In a news release, Premier Brad Wall said the first bill of the new session will be an amendment to remove the Saskatchewan Liquor and Gaming Authority from the Crown Corporations Public Ownership Act.
“This will allow our government to move forward on our campaign commitment to convert 40 government-owned liquor stores to private stores, create 12 new private stores and offer consumers more choice, more convenience and more competitive prices,” Wall said.
This pledge impacts the liquor store in Battleford that is one of the 40 government-owned stores being converted. The proposed changes were announced last fall, well before the election.
An all-party legislative committee will also be tasked with ways to increase the rate of organ donations in Saskatchewan.
“This is certainly not a partisan issue, so it makes sense to have the Human Services Committee, made up of both government and opposition members, look at best practices in other jurisdictions and report back with their findings and recommendations,” said Wall in a statement.
Debate on the throne speech is expected to last until around the time the provincial budget is brought down June 1. There was mention in the speech on what Saskatchewan residents can expect in that budget.
“In two weeks, my government will present a budget that will keep Saskatchewan strong by keeping our provincial finances strong and by ensuring that the budget returns to balance by 2017,” the throne speech states.
“The upcoming budget will also mark the beginning of a government-wide exercise of transformational change to ensure the sustainability of high quality public services delivered in the most effective, efficient way possible.”
