With a strong economy and significant population growth in the past few years, it would be unlikely to see a major shift in direction from the Government of Saskatchewan. The recent Throne Speech, which sets the direction the government will take in the upcoming year, was focused on looking at what has worked in recent years, and continuing to keep Saskatchewan on a roll in the economy and growth.
Yorkton MLA Greg Ottenbreit recently discussed some of the highlights of the speech with The News Review.
The plan for the government for the next year is to continue to deliver on the promises that still need to be kept, Ottenbreit says, and to keep going in the new direction the province has been for the past several years.
On the financial front, some of the changes that will be going into effect are promises that had to be delayed due to unforeseen circumstances.
"We had to bump it back a year, but the educational property tax cuts will come into effect this year and the full one percentage of the PST for municipalities will come into effect this year. Something that is coming into effect that is delivering on a promise that we made," Ottenbreit notes.
He also says that the education tax reform will be a huge benefit to farmers, and notes that the government has implemented other programs in order to help with agriculture in the province.
Health was a major focus of the throne speech, with some major initiatives which will see new programs for the province. Ottenbreit says the province is exceeding its goals for nurse recruitment, and has three new projects to bring greater health to Saskatchewan people. One the introduction of the STARS program, which stands for Shock Trauma Air Rescue Service. Another is clinical trials for what is known as the "Liberation Treatment" for MS sufferers, which will begin this spring, and there will also be a $200 million commitment to new children's hospital in Saskatoon.
The STARS program is inspired by a similar air rescue service in Alberta. The program supplements the existing ambulance service, to provide an air ambulance service to more remote areas of the province. The plan is to work with Alberta in order get the program off the ground, and the two provinces will be able to supplement each other in some areas. As industry, including mining and heavy construction, grows in more remote areas, Ottenbreit says it underlines the need for an effective air ambulance for when things go bad.
With the MS treatments causing a stir in the medical community, Ottenbreit says that if it has a chance to work, the province has a duty to test it in a clinical trial.
"Saskatchewan has been a leader in healthcare in the past, and we have been sitting back and waiting for someone to do something about MS. When we look at the impact MS has in our province, per capita we are probably the highest for MS sufferers in Canada.
With that problem right on our doorstep, I believe it is our responsibility to address that. If we have the opportunity to try to go down that road to try to help MS sufferers in the province, I think it's our responsibility to do that," Ottenbreit says.
The children's hospital which is planned for Saskatoon is something Ottenbreit sees as making a major difference in the lives of kids, and something which is overdue.
"We're one of the only provinces in Canada that doesn't have a children-specific hospital, and in my own experience in the past and the need for children's healthcare is a high priority," Ottenbreit says.
When asked why the province doesn't split the funds allocated to the children's hospital, Ottenbreit says that plan wouldn't effectively address children's health. A hospital with specializes in the unique needs of sick kids would provide a greater benefit, as it focuses on a need that is currently unfulfilled in the province, and can provide care to kids throughout.
With the growth experienced in Saskatchewan, affordable housing begins to be a more serious issue. Ottenbreit notes that the Government is committed to affordable housing projects, and has committed to building another 1,000 affordable homes in the coming year.
Also related to health is athletics, and a new Saskatchewan Program for Athletic Excellence was also announced, to help athletes in the province live and train. The program will provide a maximum of $6,000 annually in addition to current programs. The program helps athletes and with support for sport it also emphasizes the importance of healthy living.
"The athletes in the province were really under funded... The athletes set really good examples, and are good mentors for our young people."
On the environmental front, there will be an increase in funding for the EnerGuide program from the province as well.
"The government of Canada has decided to suspend their eco energy program, but we are committed to continue," Ottenbreit says.
That is not the only environmental initiative from the province, as there is a plan to double wind power generation capacity by 2015, to 400 megawatts. There is also a proposal for hydro-electric power in the north, from the Aboriginal communities in the area.
With the impending potash decision, the throne speech also dedicated some time to reinforcing the government's position on the proposed merger between BHP and PCS. Ottenbreit notes that the former BHP chair Don Argus warned against Australia becoming just a "branch office just like Canada," so it's important to keep the resources under Canadian control.
Finally, elections in the province will now also require ID in order to vote. Ottenbreit says some in the opposition believe that program will make it more difficult for low income people to vote, but he emphasizes that the government will do everything possible to ensure everyone in the province can get an ID for minimal cost. Ottenbreit says that since ID is needed for so many other aspects of modern life, it only makes sense that we need it to vote.
"As much as the NDP is pushing back on this, a lot of people that we have talked to go to vote with their ID thinking they need it, and they are surprised that they don't," Ottenbreit notes.
Brad Wall gave the Throne Speech under the theme of travelling down a new road, and Ottenbreit believes that the direction the province takes will be firmly set on that path.
