After 10 weeks of back and forth debate, the spring session of the Saskatchewan Legislature wrapped up last week.
With the session wrapped up, Premier Scott Moe says that a highlight for him was the Government’s focus on healthcare.
“Particularly in the area of healthcare, addictions and good discussion with respect to how we can move forward on suicide prevention in this province.” Moe said.
“I also think we have a very solid course chartered with respect to where we are going in healthcare in the months ahead.” Moe added.
Eight-million dollars was invested into mental health and addictions initiatives.
Other highlights included investments into addressing wait times for surgeries and work to train, hire, and recruit more health care workers.
Sask. NDP Leader Ryan Meili also focused on the state of healthcare in the province.
“The impacts now in terms of wait lists and the one that really worries me – the impact on healthcare providers talking about leaving their profession.” Meili said.
Meili also says he feels the opposition did a good job of focusing on affordability for residents in the province, something that it still an issue.
“This government didn’t come up with any measures that would address that,” Meili said. “Even though they’re bringing in record revenues, even though resource companies are bringing in windfall profits, they weren’t ready to help, and so we pushed on that and will continue to.”
Meili added that the province finally raising the minimum wage was another win for the Sask. NDP Party.
Two-billion dollars going towards new initiatives such a plan to increase minimum wage to 15-dollars an hour by October of 2024.
A number of economic actions were highlighted during the session, which included trade missions to the United Arab Emirates, India and the United Kingdom, a partnership with Alberta, Ontario and New Brunswick on a strategic plan for Small Modular Reactor deployment, and providing 3-million dollars to the 2022 Grey Cup Festival in Regina.
Saskatchewan also highlighted its commitment to the people of Ukraine, with over 100 families having been supported with settlement services in the province.
The fall session of the Legislative Assembly starts on October 25.