The Government of Saskatchewan released an assorted series of goals in the throne speech on May 17, which closely resembled the assertions in the Saskatchewan Party’s electoral campaign.
The announcements in the speech included an amendment to remove the Saskatchewan Liquor and Gaming Authority from the Crown Corporations Public Ownership Act, so that the government can convert 40 government-owned liquor stores into private businesses, and create 12 new private liquor stores.
Objectives outlined in the speech include an increase in funding to highways and infrastructure; a new “patent box” tax incentive that commercializes patents and intellectual property in the province; new regulations to allow home-based food businesses to sell products produced in the home directly to customers and retailers, and an expansion of the “two-for-one” model for MRI scans to include CT scans.
Other objectives include a remote health-care technology pilot project in Pelican Narrows for northern communities; an amendment to the Saskatchewan Employment Act to extend the time available for those caring for a family member in the final stages of life; a reduction of health region administration costs by $7.5 million per year and a two-year extension of SaskPower’s net metering program for solar power.
The government also announced there will be an all-party legislative committee formed, to look at ways to increase the rate of organ donation in Saskatchewan.
“I think the speech was pretty good. We basically stuck to what we said we were going to do in our election campaign,” said Carr. “The speech wasn’t long, because we didn’t make a lot of promises we weren’t going to be able to keep.”
Carr emphasized the need for a strong economic base for the province to move forward, adding that the places the government plans to put money in the coming year are important and well chosen.
“I was very happy to see funding that’s going to happen for highways over the next little while. They added $70 million to the budget specifically for maintenance and repairs, and that’s going to be split over a three-year timeframe,” said Carr, who added that there will be $30 million of the $70 million invested this year.
Carr said she was pleased with the $2.9 billion that’s going toward infrastructure in general, adding that such an allotment is “a big step forward, and is important, because as our province grows, we have to have those things in place, to keep our people safe.”
Carr noted she was proud to have the privilege of being the seconder of the speech. “You’re chosen by the premier and the cabinet, so it was pretty awesome to be asked to do that.”
Trent Wotherspoon, leader of the NPD opposition, had a more critical take of the speech, saying that it was an example of the government not doing a whole lot, putting their priorities out of order and delaying a budget.
“The speech itself was light. There wasn’t much to it. It represents small thinking and is a rather shortsighted piecemeal document,” said Wotherspoon. “The Sask. Party shined a little light on their new shiny copper dome, but no light on finances or on the budget or the GTH land scandal.”
Wotherspoon insisted the government should be working to diversify the Saskatchewan economy, to create more jobs. He noted that job losses and precarious employment options have impacted many families across the province, and that he doesn’t believe the government is doing enough to deal with such an issue.
Wotherspoon noted that the province needs to retain jobs instead of outsourcing them, and added he wanted to see more of a commitment to education spending, as well.
He said,“We’re a province of big ideas and opportunity, but we have a government that’s taking their majority for granted and not getting to work on things that matter to Saskatchewan people.”
