New SP Gov't Speech from the Throne

With the delivery of the Speech from the Throne by Lieutenant Governor Dr. Gordon L. Barnhart on December 10, our new government kicked off its first session of the Legislature. The Throne Speech outlined how our government will focus on both growth and security, and outlined our plans for the coming session.

As Premier Brad Wall noted, while our new government is committed to a growth agenda that will ensure our great province lives up to its full potential, growth is not an end in itself. A growing economy and a growing population are necessary to secure Saskatchewan’s future and will mean better, safer and more secure lives for all Saskatchewan people.

The priorities of our government outlined in the Speech from the Throne include:

1. stronger balanced budget legislation known as The Saskatchewan Growth and Financial Security Act;
2. tuition rebates for post-secondary education students who stay in Saskatchewan following graduation;
3. the creation of Enterprise Saskatchewan - a new partnership to ensure sustained economic growth;
4. changes to ensure balanced labour legislation;
5. increased funding to post-secondary institutions;
6. increased property tax relief;
7. a commitment to train and hire more doctors and nurses;
8. a new Active Families Benefit to assist families with the cost of cultural, artistic and sports activities;
9. more police officers;
10. more addictions treatment beds;
11. a commitment to meeting greenhouse gas emission reduction targets; and
12. mandatory instruction in First Nations Treaty history in the K-12 curriculum.

You can read the entire Throne Speech on-line and watch streaming video of the speech through the Government of Saskatchewan website.

Promises Kept

This week also saw the Saskatchewan Party government fulfill some more of the promises that were made during the recent provincial election.

Increased Accountability and Financial Security

As outlined in this week’s Speech from the Throne, one of the cornerstones of our new government is a commitment to growth and security. As a result, sound financial management will be the foundation of our government and our growth agenda. We are strongly committed to balanced budgets and economic growth and have introduced a piece of legislation, The Saskatchewan Growth and Financial Security Act, which will ensure this happens.

This act mandates balanced budgets, ensures annual surpluses go to paying down debt and investing in economic growth initiatives, and mandates the tabling of four-year financial plans with every budget so the people of Saskatchewan have an accurate idea of where the province is headed. As a result of this Act, Saskatchewan people can expect increased accountability and a secure financial future.

Making Safer Communities By Cracking Down On Repeat Drunk Drivers

In the provincial election, we made a commitment to ensure safer communities and one of the ways we intend to do that is by cracking down on repeat drunk drivers. This week our government announced that it is getting tough on repeat drunk drivers by asking Saskatchewan’s Crown Prosecutors to strongly consider taking away the vehicles of repeat drunk drivers.

Our government is keenly aware that drunk drivers on our streets and highways put the lives of Saskatchewan people and families in jeopardy. It is time to say enough is enough when it comes to repeat drunk drivers and that is why we are proceeding with this initiative.

Last month, our government fulfilled two other promises that we made during the election campaign.

Set Election Dates

First, we made good on our commitment to introduce set election dates in the promise of Saskatchewan. In the days after the election, Premier Brad Wall announced that the date of the next provincial election will be November 7, 2011. Our government will soon introduce legislation to make this happen.

Eliminating the PST on Used Light Vehicles

Our government also fulfilled its commitment to remove the PST from the sale of used cars in Saskatchewan. People buying used light vehicles will not have to pay the PST where tax has previously been paid in full, and dealers will no longer have to collect the tax. For more information on this initiative, please check this Press Release.

Past Legislative Reports