THRONE SPEECH 2019
1.4 million people and 100,000 more jobs in Saskatchewan by 2030 are two of the goals outlined in the provincial government’s 2019 Speech from the Throne, entitled A New Decade of Growth.
Lieutenant Governor Russ Mirasty delivered today’s Throne Speech, marking the start of the 2019-20 legislative session.
As the Speech notes, “Over the past 12 years, Saskatchewan has enjoyed a remarkable period of strong and sustained growth – growth our province has not seen since the 1920s. Ten weeks from today, Saskatchewan will enter the 2020s. My government’s goal is to ensure Saskatchewan’s strong growth continues, that all Saskatchewan people continue to benefit from that growth and that the 2020s will be a new decade of growth for our province.”
Premier Scott Moe said he will be releasing the new Saskatchewan Plan for Growth during the fall legislative session.
“The new Growth Plan will outline our government’s growth goals for the new decade and the actions we will be taking to achieve those goals,” Moe said. “A growing province creates challenges, but we are all better off meeting those challenges than suffering the effects of decline as we have in some previous decades.”
Today’s Throne Speech also outlined a number of measures the government will be taking during the upcoming legislative session, including:
• Creating a fund of up to $10 million to assist Estevan, Coronach and surrounding areas transition to new economic development opportunities for workers affected by the federally-mandated phase out of coal-fired electricity by 2030;
• Introducing and funding a plan to reduce surgical wait times;
• Introducing legislation for the regulation of vaping and vaping products;
• Taking measures to improve the safety and well-being of First Nations children and reduce the number of children that need to come under the province’s care;
• Opening the new Regina Bypass;
• Introducing tougher penalties for cell phone usage while driving;
• Continuing the constitutional challenge to the federal carbon tax in the Supreme Court;
• Continuing to explore the potential for small modular reactors to produce emissions-free electricity using Saskatchewan uranium;
• Implementing Clare’s Law, which allows police to disclose information that could help protect potential victims of interpersonal violence;
• Introducing a new Fisheries Act to provide greater protection against invasive aquatic species;
• Amending The Lobbyists Act to address recommendations made by the Registrar of Lobbyists in his recent annual reports;
• Strengthening the enforcement of maintenance orders for child support payments; and
• Amending The Saskatchewan Employment Act to increase parental leave by eight weeks to ensure that employees who are entitled to the new shared parental Employment Insurance benefit have job protection while using the new leave benefit and to extend employment leave to individuals who are running for election to a First Nations Band Council.
The government plans to introduce about 30 pieces of legislation during the fall sitting and will table a budget during the spring sitting that is expected to make significant investments in infrastructure.
“Our government will continue to plan for a growing province by keeping our economy strong, investing in important government services and ensuring everyone in Saskatchewan continues to enjoy the benefits of growth,” Moe said.
