After a busy spring session that saw major changes to labour legislation, the provincial legislature came to a quiet close on May 16.
The provincial NDP's new leader Cam Broten was generally pleased with the legislature's spring session, which was his first as party leader of the official Opposition.
During a conference call on May 16, Broten said a particular win for the NDP was the passing of Howard's Law, a private member's bill Broten sponsored, that makes it mandatory to report asbestos in public buildings. He said it showed that both parties could support good ideas when they are introduced.
Estevan MLA Doreen Eagles agreed that law was one that made sense, and after the Sask. Party made some amendments to the bill, felt it was a necessary one to pass.
Broten also blasted the governing Sask. Party over Bill 85, an omnibus labour legislation that he said "revamped" 100 years of labour law in one quick motion. He said there should have been more debate on the bill, which he thought could have waited to be passed in the fall after greater discussion.
"Over the last few weeks, we've been saying this does not need to be rammed through in the spring sitting. We can take the time as a province to look at this properly and examine what unintended consequences may be there," said Broten. "We offered to fix aspects of the legislation where there may be deficiencies in a co-operative way. Unfortunately, that olive branch that we extended, and others in the province extended, wasn't accepted."
Eagles, however, didn't feel the legislation was pushed through at all.
"The bill was introduced last fall in session. When a bill is introduced in the fall, it is passed in the spring," said Eagles. "The NDP had all winter to consult. When that piece of legislation was before the committee, they didn't even use the allotted time in committee for it."
She noted the bill never went to a vote in the house.
"They had one member there (at committee), the labour critic and not one other member bothered to show up. Mr. Broten didn't ask any questions in the house on that bill all spring. For him to come back now and say they didn't have time and stuff, that's not really true."
As for what consequences Broten felt may come from the new labour legislation, he said a lot of the issues could stem from the rights and benefits that workers have.
"There's a question mark around overtime. There's a question mark around the weekend. These are concerns that affect people in their family situations," Broten said. "In the labour legislation that we have, there has not been the right examination and discussion about how occupational health and safety will be affected."
It was on the environment that Broten accused the Sask. Party of saying one thing and doing another, following Premier Brad Wall's appearance in Pittsburgh where he promoted the carbon capture and sequestration project to our American neighbours.
"When the premier goes to the States and promotes our environmental record as a province, the problem is he came back to Saskatchewan just a few days after and then promptly cut the programs in the budget to address climate change by our environmental protections by 73 per cent over two years. There's a real disconnect there between what's being said and then what the budget actually shows in how this government is taking this issue seriously."
Broten said the NDP is in favour of a comprehensive plan, which includes carbon capture, but also must include more discussion into the use of more renewables as well as conservation.
Eagles said far too many of Broten's criticisms of the Sask. Party aren't based in reality, suggesting the NDP should hold her governing party accountable with facts.
"This is a disturbing throwback to the days of Dwain Lingenfelter and his 1,100 phoney NDP memberships. Get your facts straight. There's a new leader but it's the same old NDP," said Eagles, adding that greenhouse gas emissions rose under the NDP. "We'll put our record for the environment up against the NDP's any day of the year."
When it came to flood prevention measures, Broten noted the province, through the Provincial Disaster Assistance Program, is behind in paying out about $80 million to flood victims in years past, not taking into consideration any issues from this year.
Roche Percee is one local community still waiting for their PDAP claim to arrive after flooding in the spring of 2011.
"The fact that there are still families waiting for their PDAP payments from previous years and municipalities as well, that is a concern for us. We've been calling for the program to be more responsive to the needs of communities," said Broten.
"There are some outstanding issues, but everyone, I think, who has had their issues settled has been paid," said Eagles. "It's when there are appeals or they're working together and the proper paperwork hasn't been completed. I'm not going to say 100 per cent of the outstanding ones are that, but a lot of them are."
She said Jim Reiter, minister responsible for PDAP, is working closely with the Village of Roche Percee, and that she attended a meeting with Reiter, the mayor and Souris-Moose Mountain MP Ed Komarnicki.
She said she received a letter from PDAP's deputy minister Al Hilton saying he is in touch with Roche Percee's mayor.
Eagles said the Sask. Party has increased the number of people working at PDAP and has increased the maximum claim to $240,000, while reducing the 20 per cent deductible to five per cent.
"I'll put the Sask. Party's record with PDAP up against the NDP's any day of the week," she said.
