Report from the Legislature
November 19 to 25 was Manufacturing Week in Saskatchewan, a week dedicated to recognizing the province’s nearly 2,000 manufacturers for their significant contributions to our economy. Their hard work and dedication help create opportunities for people who call our province home, employing more than 31,000 Saskatchewan workers. Manufacturing businesses create sustainable products that are exported around the world.
Saskatchewan continues to receive good news on its economy. Investment in building construction was up 18.5 per cent from September 2023 over August 2023. Numbers were also up 7.6 per cent in September 2023 compared to September 2022. These changes place our province third and second highest among the provinces. Investment in building construction is an indicator of growth for Saskatchewan's economy, showing that businesses and families are choosing our great province to live, work and build a family.
Our government continues to work to build and protect our economy. Recently, our government responded to the federal government's proposed Clean Electricity Regulations. The proposed regulations impose a net-zero electricity grid across Canada by 2035, which will leave Saskatchewan families paying more than double to keep the power on.
We call on the federal government to recognize our government’s plan to achieve net zero by 2050 while maintaining an energy mix that ensures reliable baseload power and affordable rates for generations to come. Our government will not risk the affordability and reliability of Saskatchewan's power grid to attempt the impossible based on an arbitrary federal emissions target and timeline.
Our growing economy allows our government to continue to invest in our youth. Our government recently announced Holocaust education will be a compulsory component of the renewed Social Studies 10 curriculum – a provincial graduation requirement. The renewed curriculum will be introduced to high school students for the 2025-26 school year. It is important for our youth to learn about the atrocities committed during the Holocaust to reduce hate and discrimination within Saskatchewan and beyond. Our government will work with the Jewish community for their input into the content as well as involve teachers and other content experts in the process of the curriculum renewal and implementation.
Our government continues to invest in programs and services that matter to the people of Saskatchewan. A Child Support Service will be launched to assist parents experiencing separation and divorce and to calculate initial child support without having to go through a family court process that can be costly and complex. This will reduce some of the financial burden and allow parents to focus on the well-being of their children.
Our government also continues to ensure that families and friends can access support in difficult situations. Family Service Saskatchewan has been recently selected to provide a new provincial suicide loss program. The program will support the immediate psychological needs of people affected by the loss of someone who died by suicide or survived with significant injury or trauma. The Rapid Access Counselling for Suicide Loss Program will be available in early 2024.
International Holodomor Day, recognized on the fourth Saturday of November and, this year landing on November 25, there was a special service held at the Legislative Building to commemorate Holodomor. Our government was joined by the local Ukrainian community to commemorate the millions who died during the 1932-33 famine in Ukraine. We join our Saskatchewan citizens of Ukrainian heritage to remember this dark time and honour those lost. A memorial candle was lit to represent unity with those around the world marking the Holodomor genocide.
As we continue to move forward with the Fall session, your questions and concerns help me represent your best interests in the legislature. I look forward to hearing from you! Feel free to 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.
