Legislative Reports of children and youth in its care have argued that it focused too will be implemented. There will much on the past and provided be new laws introduced to ban little vision for improving the texting and hand-held cell phone lives of Saskatchewan people in usage while driving, new ticket the year ahead. They noted the sales legislation to protect those lack of programs to address the wishing to attend events and rising cost of living, to provide concerts, as well as preventing new job skills and opportunities members of a profession from for Saskatchewan’s Employment escaping disciplinary proceedings Insurance recipients, or affordable by resigning. housing. The Opposition has also criticized the Government on their Saskatchewan In regards to agriculture, the lack of support for grain, beef and Federal Agri-Stability Program hog farmers. will be assumed by Saskatchewan he Third session of the Twenty and moved to Melville. First Sixth Legislature began with New Presiding Officer T Nation and Métis peoples were the Speech from the Throne by included with a commitment from Wayne Elhard was appointed Lieutenant Governor Gordon the Government to meet their Deputy Chair of the Committees Barnhart. The Throne Speech, legal obligations under the duty of the Whole Assembly on October entitled Moving Forward, focused to consult, a greater engagement 22nd. Mr. Elhard was first elected on continued debt reduction, in economic prosperity and hon- to the legislature in the June 1999 improving health, education, ouring the request by the Métis by-election, giving him the distinc- vulnerable people, introducing Nation of Saskatchewan to desig- tion of being the first-ever elected new laws, agricultural programs, nate 2010 as the Year of the Métis Saskatchewan Party MLA. He was First Nations and Métis relations, in Saskatchewan. Upcoming plans re-elected in the general elections environment, energy initiatives, for Tourism, Parks, Culture and of 1999, 2003 and 2007. As part municipal affairs, provincial Sport include a new culture policy of the first Saskatchewan Party cultural policy and immigration. and show casing Saskatchewan Cabinet, Mr. Elhard held three The Throne Speech focused at the 2010 Winter Olympics in separate portfolios. He is cur- on healthcare which included a Vancouver. rently a member of the Standing goal to reduce surgical wait times Committee on Intergovernmental to no longer than three months. Attention was given to the Affairs and Justice and Chairman The Government committed Environment and Energy needs of the Global Transportation Hub to continued efforts to recruit of the province as they will being developed west of Regina. nurses and physicians along play a key role in the province’s with a plan to improve long- regulatory framework, emission- By-Election term care for seniors, a change reduction technologies, carbon to the needle exchange program capture, water management plan On September 21st there were and the reduction of tobacco and alternative energy options by-elections in two constituen- use. Plans to review The Child with an emphasis on increased cies; Regina Douglas Park and and Family Services Act and The wind power. Saskatoon Riversdale. Both seats Adoption Act were highlighted, were won by Members of the as well as a new electronic case The Opposition painted a New Democratic Party. Dwain management system, to provide different perspective on the Lingenfelter, Leader of the better monitoring and protection Speech from the Throne. They Opposition, will represent the CANADIAN PARLIAMENTARY REVIEW/WINTER 2009 37 Regina Douglas Park constitu- public consultations in Toronto ency and Danielle Chartier, the through the fall. Saskatoon Riversdale constitu- ency which was formerly held by The Standing Committee on NDP leaders Roy Romanow and General Government considered Lorne Calvert. The new Members Bill 173, An Act to Amend the were sworn in days before being Mining Act, and Bill 191, An Act officially seated on October 21, with respect to land use planning and 2009. protection in the Far North. The bills were referred to the Committee Committee Activities Ontario after second and first reading re- spectively, and were considered During the month of October, the concurrently during the summer Standing Committee on Crown n Monday, September 14, recess. The Committee held and Central Agencies held public O2009, the fall session of the public hearings in Toronto, Sioux hearings in Regina, Saskatoon Ontario Legislative Assembly Lookout, Thunder Bay, Chapleau and La Ronge on Saskatchewan’s commenced with the Speaker rec- and Timmins. Clause-by-clause growing energy needs. The ognizing the Member for Niagara consideration of Bill 173 took place Committee heard from 32 pre- West-Glanbrook, Tim Hudak, as on September 14, 16, 23, 28 and senters and received 24 writ- the Leader of Her Majesty’s Loy- 30. A time allocation motion was ten submissions. Individuals, al Opposition. Mr. Hudak was passed in the House on October social justice and environmental elected as leader of the Ontario 6 and clause-by-clause considera- groups, industry, representative Progressive Conservative party on tion was completed on October 7. organizations, political parties, June 30, during the summer recess. Clause-by-clause consideration of communities, a research institu- As a result of the resignation Bill 191 took place on October 19 tion and First Nations gave their of Liberal MPP Michael Bryant and 21. Both bills were reported as perspective on energy needs. The on June 7, a by-election was held amended. Committee has agreed to table an in the riding of St. Paul’s on interim report by December 2009. September 17. The successful can- The Standing Committee on In the New Year, the Committee didate was Eric Hoskins (Liberal), Justice Policy considered Bill 183, will continue its inquiry and travel the co-founder and president of An Act to revise and modernize the to Lloydminster, Prince Albert, War Child Canada. The newest law related to apprenticeship training Saskatoon, Yorkton, Estevan and member of the Legislature as- and trades qualifications and to es- Regina. A final report is expected sumed his seat on September 30. tablish the Ontario College of Trades. to be tabled during the spring The Bill provides for the establish- before the Assembly adjourns for Committee Activities ment of the Ontario College of the summer. Trades and revises the framework The Select Committee on Mental for apprenticeship training and In June, the Standing Health and Addictions was struck certification. The Committee held Committee on Human Services pursuant to an Order of the public hearings on September 17 continued public hearings on Bill House dated February 24, 2009. and 24. After clause-by-clause 80 – The Construction Industry The Committee is mandated to consideration on October 2, the Labour Relations Amendment Act, report its observations and rec- bill was time-allocated for one 2009. The proposed legislation ommendations with respect to a further day of clause-by-clause changes how labour relations comprehensive Ontario mental consideration on October 8. The in the construction industry are health and addictions strategy. Committee reported the bill back governed. The Bill was debated In August, the Committee con- to the House on October 8 with for over twenty-two hours before ducted meetings and site visits certain amendments. it was reinstated. The Committee in Moose Factory, Sioux Lookout continues its review of the Bill. and Sandy Lake. The Committee Pursuant to its permanent then travelled for public consul- mandate, the Standing Committee Stacey Ursulescu tations to Ottawa, Sudbury and on Government Agencies con- tinued to conduct reviews of, and Committee Researcher Thunder Bay in September. The Committee continued to hold to consider intended appoint- ments to, Ontario Government 38 CANADIAN PARLIAMENTARY REVIEW/WINTER 2009 agencies, boards and commis- Legislative Library’s collection to finalize a water management sions. As well, the Committee stored immediately below was agreement with Nalcor Energy. presented three agency reports damaged. Coincidentally, this fire to the House. In its report on the occurred almost exactly 100 years The House also passed a Ontario Infrastructure Projects after the devastating fire of 1909, Resolution, in compliance with Corporation (Infrastructure which destroyed the West Wing of section 7 of the Child and Youth Ontario), the Committee covered the Legislative Building, includ- Advocate Act, to continue the topics such as: enhanced public ing the Library and its valuable suspension of the Advocate which disclosure; infrastructure and eco- collections which were then lo- was effected by the Lieutenant nomic development; innovative cated there. Governor in Council when the building design and infrastruc- House was not in session. ture projects; and the manage- Trevor Day Cabinet Changes, By-elections ment of the Darlington nuclear Committee Clerk procurement project. Trevor Taylor, Minister of The Committee’s report Transportation and Works, re- on The Ontario Educational signed from Cabinet on September th Communications Authority (TVO) 24 and from the House of nd dealt with subjects such as: TVO’s Assembly on October 2 citing coverage of Ontario politics and personal reasons. Paul Oram, government, including the busi- Minister of Health, resigned his th ness of the Legislative Assembly; seat on October 7 to return to production of new cost-effective private life. regional-based