Summer is usually a prime time for the politicians to get out of the capital and meet the people.
So it was Tuesday for Premier Brad Wall, who was in the Battlefords meeting party supporters and local residents at the Battlefords Saskatchewan Party summer barbeque.
The event on the grounds of the Western Development Museum gave the premier an opportunity to meet one-on-one with party supporters as well as community and business leaders, including Mayor Ian Hamilton of North Battleford and Mayor Derek Mahon of Battleford.
"It's summer. We try to travel around a little bit and say hello to folks and meet with different groups," said Wall.
The premier's day began in Saskatoon and involved a trip to Rosthern for a meeting with the town and RM councils there before making his way to the Battlefords.
His first stop was in Battleford at the unveiling of a commemorative book about the 100-year anniversary of Saskatchewan Hospital. That event took place at the Saskatchewan Baseball Hall of Fame in Battleford in advance of a major hospital reunion happening on the weekend. The hall's president and CEO, Jane Shury, has been active in the reunion efforts and was there for the book launch.
While there Wall reiterated the government's commitment to building a new Saskatchewan Hospital, saying "we're going to get this thing right" and that "we're going to make sure we have just the optimum kind of facility."
Later in the day, both Wall and Battlefords MLA Herb Cox met with project manager Bill Ironstand and the staff at Saskatchewan Indian Institute of Technologies in North Battleford.
SIIT's Battlefords Industrial Career Centre, focused on employment and training in the skilled trades, is located there. Wall had an opportunity to find out more about what SIIT was doing locally to prepare First Nations people for jobs.
"They have a great track record of providing the training but with the view always to what comes after the training, which is a job," said Wall. He adds funding increased to SIIT by 48 per cent during the Sask. Party's time in government.
While Saskatchewan's unemployment rate remains the lowest in Canada - with recent figures announced by Advanced Education Minister Don Morgan on July 5 putting unemployment at 3.7 per cent - the premier acknowledged the aboriginal unemployment rate is higher.
"We've got to reduce the gap," said Wall. "One of the most important institutions in terms of helping this province reduce that gap with employment is SIIT."
The final event for both Wall and Cox was the barbecue, a Sask. Party event attended by other area MLAs, including Rosthern-Shellbrook's Scott Moe and Biggar's Randy Weekes, who serves as minister for Rural and Remote Health.
While getting feedback from local residents was a major part of the premier's visit, recent events on the federal scene served as a backdrop.
News came Monday that 86 per cent of Sask. Party members had voted in favour of abolishing the Senate, on the heels of the Senate expenses scandal that enveloped Senators Pamela Wallin and Mike Duffy - both of whom now sit outside the Conservative caucus - as well as Liberal Senator Mac Harb.
Wall recently came out in favour of abolishing the Senate and said there was public support for that position in speaking to the Regional Optimist.
"It's unelected, it's unaccountable, it's unnecessary, it's 100 million dollars we can spend somewhere else."
He pointed to the fact that provinces don't have upper chambers. "The provinces are, as they say, unicameral - we have a lower house, one house and things work well."
While the premier admitted his first preference was for "triple-E" senate reform - equal-elected-effective - he said "it's never going to happen."
Wall said reforming the Senate is "impossible." As for abolishing the Senate, Wall said it was "very difficult, but maybe marginally more likely than reform."
Wall talked about an upcoming Supreme Court reference with the court asked to rule on what would be required to make changes to the Senate.
If they rule it requires approval of "seven provinces representing 50 per cent of the people." Wall says he believes it could mean abolishing the Senate is more likely, given Ontario's previous statements of support for the idea.
Also a major concern has been the train derailment and explosion at Lac-Megantic, Que. that killed 15 people and left another 60 missing.
That disaster has prompted recent debate in the media, including from Regional Optimist columnist Brian Zinchuk, on whether building more pipelines is preferable to transporting oil by rail.
The premier said he was hesitant to comment "because we don't know the details."
"The most important focus for all of us is the tragedy, the loss of life," said Wall. "We have a community rocked by a terrible accident and that's what we should be focused on."
Wall did say, "it's true that well before accidents occurred in terms of the rail shipment of energy, people understood that the most efficient way is pipelining the oil. That's always been the case, but that's probably for another day," he said.
The premier also said the government has offered help to the government of Quebec, and adds six people had already been helping Alberta at their emergency centres.
Wall also reflected on the recent sitting of the legislature, including the "week of the Battlefords" in question period in April.
During that week, opposition NDP critics engaged in a co-ordinated week-long effort to question government ministers on issues impacting the Battlefords including Sask. Hospital, the Maple Leaf Foods plant closure, and others.
Wall said it was "interesting to watch that" and added that when he was in opposition the NDP government "never seemed to talk about North Battleford, even though the MLA was from here, as much as they have rediscovered the constituency in opposition."
He said there was "a real lack of progress in terms of provincial involvement in the constituency" under the NDP, and pointed not only to the Sask. Hospital file but also his government's investment in highways infrastructure and housing in the constituency.
Wall also credited the work of Herb Cox since being elected as MLA in 2011. "He is there every day. I'm sure some ministers are tired of seeing him, but he is there advocating for Battlefords issues and I think it shows."
Wall added the government's investment in the riding since Cox was elected "says a lot more than any question by the NDP in Question Period."
