REGINA — Here are some highlights from the Saskatchewan legislature from its sitting day on Wednesday, May 4.
Question period focuses again on GDP, health care
During Question Period on Wednesday, Opposition leader Ryan Meili resumed his attack on the government’s economic record and declining GDP numbers, noting this was the third year in a row the economy contracted and that it had declined in five of the last seven years.
“Much of that, Mr. Speaker, just isn’t the case,” Premier Scott Moe responded, who again pointed to the “significant drought” as responsible for the numbers in 2021, noting the importance of agriculture. Had production been the same as the year previous, it would have been a three and a half per cent growth, Moe noted.
“The leader of the opposition is running down Saskatchewan, and in this case specifically running down rural Saskatchewan, the agriculture industry.”
The focus then turned to health care, with Meili pointing to emergency rooms “bursting at the seams.” He pointed to 68 patients in the emergency rooms in Saskatoon who were admitted but didn’t have a bed in a ward, and accused the premier of spin.
“Nothing says ‘I don’t care’ like pretending things are fine in the middle of a crisis,” said Meili.
Many of the questions revolving around shortages seen in Martensville and Warman. Meili pointed to doctors from Martensville and Warren who had joined them in the gallery that day, saying those communities were under “incredible pressure.”
Health Minister Paul Merriman said he had met the doctors last Friday and said it was decided he would go back to his officials and discuss what they could do. He pledged to work with the SHA to complement the doctors, was working with the communities and said he would be happy to meet again after Question Period with them.
Opposition Health Critic Vicki Mowat also proceeded to roast the government for a shortage of doctors in Warman and Martensville. She called the situation “dire” and demanded Martensville and Warman be removed from the list of communities excluded from return of service agreements.
Premier Moe responded they were looking at ways they could be innovative in recruiting health care professionals and acknowledged that with the growth rate in those communities there was “uniqueness” with what they were working through in that particular area. He pledged to sit down with the Warman and Martensville doctors after Question Period to examine what options they had.
Abortion raised again
The abortion issue was raised again Wednesday by the NDP's deputy leader Nicole Sarauer, who ripped the premier for not responding Tuesday in the legislature or to the media on whether he would affirm the government’s commitment to reproductive rights. It was minister of Parks, Culture and Sport Laura Ross who stood to speak on the issue in the legislature Tuesday.
This time, Moe did stand up in the legislature to say that abortion was covered by the Canada Health Act, was tested and upheld under the Charter of Rights, and the province of Saskatchewan “is going to continue to follow the letter of the law in Canada under the Canada Health Act.”
Opposition critic Jennifer Bowes then accused the government of actively working to restrict access, noting in Regina abortions are available up to 18 weeks but in Saskatoon it was up to 12 weeks and only by referral.
Minister Ross responded by saying she rejected the premise of that question, adding “I hope the opposition will stop trying to score cheap political points off the backs of women in this province.”
When Bowes later accused the government of “handwringing and stalling” regarding her own private members bill on buffer zones around facilities that provided abortion care, Ross emphatically responded that “the opposition needs to stop scaring women into thinking they won’t be able to access service. Enough is enough.”
Premier Moe to head to UAE next week
The province announced Wednesday Moe will be heading on a trade mission next week. Moe will be travelling to the United Arab Emirates from May 7 to 11.
This is Moe’s first visit to the UAE and he will visit Dubai and Abu Dhabi, where meetings are planned with government and industry representatives. According to the province’s news release, the focus of the trip will be on Saskatchewan’s world class natural resource agriculture and agri-value sectors, and to reinforce the value of Saskatchewan’s stable and reliable supply chain. The trade mission will also emphasize the importance of the Saskatchewan United Arab Emirates office located in Dubai, that opened in January.
“As a major trading hub to the Middle East and North Africa for Saskatchewan exports, the UAE is a critically important trading partner for our province and we look forward to making this relationship stronger than ever,” said Moe in a statement Wednesday. “As a producer of some of the most sustainable agriculture, energy and mining products anywhere in the world, Saskatchewan has a lot to offer.”
