Report from the Legislature
October 5, 2023
Our government was extremely dismayed by the decision of the court blocking implementation of the Parental Inclusion and Consent policy – a policy which has the strong support of a majority of Saskatchewan residents; in particular, parents. The default position should never be to keep a child’s information from their parents. It is in the best interest of children to ensure parents are included in their children’s education, in their classrooms and in all important decisions involving their children.
That is why our government will take action to ensure the rights of Saskatchewan parents are protected and that this policy is implemented. Our government has recalled the Legislature for October 10, 2023, and will use the notwithstanding clause of the Canadian constitution to pass legislation to protect parental rights.
As harvest wraps up across our province, Saskatchewan recognizes Agriculture Month in October. Agriculture is a cornerstone of our province, and this month is an opportunity to thank the dedicated farmers, ranchers and agribusinesses who produce high quality, sustainable food. For a full list of Agriculture Month events or to learn how you can take part, please visit www.farmfoodcaresk.org.
Saskatchewan’s population continues to grow at its fastest pace in more than a century. The latest quarterly population estimates from Statistics Canada show the number of people living in our province grew by 8,567 in the second quarter of 2023, and by 30,685 over the past year. The annual increase is the largest increase we have seen in a single year in more than a century! Our government will continue to protect all we have built to ensure future generations can benefit from a strong and growing economy that creates opportunities and improves the quality of life for all.
Wages have increased for early childhood educators (ECEs) as well, recognizing their key role in growing and nurturing future generations of Saskatchewan citizens. Effective October 1, more than 90 per cent of the province’s ECEs saw an average increase of 8 per cent compared to September 2022. This increase is possible through a $7 million joint investment from the Governments of Saskatchewan and Canada through the Early Childhood Educator Wage Enhancement grant.
As Saskatchewan’s population and economy continue to grow, our government continues to invest in strengthening our health care workforce. We continue to prioritize the four-point Health Human Resources Action Plan to recruit, train, incentivize and retain health care workers to our province. As part of that plan, increased funding for the Saskatchewan International Physician Practice Assessment (SIPPA) program continues to support internationally-trained physicians as they begin their practice in Saskatchewan.
This summer, 16 new doctors completed the SIPPA program and began practicing in rural and remote communities across the province. Along with SIPPA, other initiatives, such as the quadrupling of the Rural Physician Incentive Program, expanding medical residency seats at the University of Saskatchewan, and expanding post-graduate medical residency training sites across the province, continue to bring more physicians to our province and expand the capacity of our health care system.
To further build and strengthen our province’s health care system, our government invested $1.3 million to create a Physician’s Assistant (PA) position. This fall, for the first time, 12 PA positions will be advertised across the province. PAs are health professionals who practice under the supervision of a licensed physician, with duties such as conducting patient examinations, prescribing medications, and ordering and interpreting tests. These new PAs will help address the demand for timely and high-quality health services across the province.
With cooler weather upon us, flu season is not far behind. Saskatchewan residents can now begin booking appointments to receive this year’s flu vaccine. Flu shots will be administered at public health clinics and local pharmacies starting October 10, 2023; for more information, please visit www.4flu.ca.
Our government continues to work towards building a stronger Saskatchewan. If you have questions or concerns, please reach out to my Constituency office at 306-692-8884 or mjnorthmla@sasktel.net.
The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the position of this publication.
