Legislative Reports • Eric Olauson, MLA for Saskatoon University Saskatchewan • Colleen Young, MLA for Lloydminster. Resignation of Speaker On the fifth ballot, the members elected Mr. Docherty to serve as Speaker. Mr. Hart will remain in the Deputy On January 5, 2018, Corey Tochor resigned as Speaker role. Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan. In the absence of a Speaker, The Legislative Assembly Act, New Leaders of Political Parties 2007 assigns the duties of the Speaker to the Deputy Speaker. Consequently, the Deputy Speaker, Glen The Saskatchewan Party held their leadership Hart, assumed interim responsibility for the duties convention on January 27, 2018. Party members chose of Speaker including the role of Chair of the Board of Scott Moe as the leader of the Saskatchewan Party over Internal Economy until the Assembly elected a new five other candidates, on the fifth and final ballot. Mr. Speaker. Moe was sworn into office as Premier of Saskatchewan on February 2, 2018 at a ceremony at Government Election of Speaker House by outgoing Lieutenant Governor, Vaughn Solomon Schofield. The first item of business on the resumption of the second session of the twenty-eighth legislature The Saskatchewan New Democratic Party held their was the election of Speaker. The election took place leadership convention on March 3, 2018 and selected on March 12, 2018. The election set a record for the a new Leader of the Opposition. Ryan Meili was number of candidates and for the first time a Member selected to lead the party with a victory over Trent of the Opposition was a candidate. There were seven Wotherspoon. candidates: New Cabinet • Danielle Chartier, MLA for Saskatoon Riversdale • Mark Docherty, MLA for Regina Coronation Park On February 2, 2018, Premier Moe announced the • Glen Hart, MLA for Last Mountain-Touchwood appointment of his first Cabinet. The new cabinet • Delbert Kirsch, MLA for Batoche included 17 cabinet posts. Gordon Wyant was • Warren Michelson, MLA for Moose Jaw North appointed as Deputy Premier. CANADIAN PARLIAMENTARY REVIEW/SUMMER 2018 41 One MLA is entered cabinet for the first time: and Minister Responsible for SaskTel; • Greg Ottenbreit, Minister of Rural and Remote • Warren Kaeding, Minister of Government Health; Relations, and Minister of First Nations, Metis and • Jim Reiter, Minister of Health; Northern Affairs. • Lyle Stewart, Minister of Agriculture, and Minister Responsible for Saskatchewan Crop Insurance. Four MLAs are re-entering cabinet: By-elections • Tina Beaudry-Mellor, Minister of Advanced Education, Minister Responsible for Innovation On March 1, 2018, three by-elections were held Saskatchewan, and Minister Responsible for the in the province. In the constituency of Kindersley, Status of Women; Ken Francis, the Saskatchewan Party candidate, was • Ken Cheveldayoff, Minister of Central Services, elected to replace retired member Bill Boyd. Everett Minister Responsible for the Public Service Hindley, the Saskatchewan Party candidate, was Commission, and Minister Responsible for the elected to replace former Premier Brad Wall in the Provincial Capital Commission; constituency of Swift Current; and Todd Goudy, the • Jeremy Harrison, Minister of Export and Trade Saskatchewan Party candidate in Melfort, was elected Development, and Minister of Immigration and to fill the vacancy left by the passing ofKevin Phillips. Careers Training; • Gordon Wyant, Minister of Education. Resignation of a Member Two ministers changed portfolios: On March 12, 2018, Kevin Doherty, MLA for Regina Northeast, announced his retirement from politics in • Bronwyn Eyre, Minister of Energy and Resources, order to pursue an opportunity in the private sector. Minister Responsible for SaskWater, and Minister Responsible for SaskEnergy; As a result of the by-election and the resignation of • Christine Tell, Minister of Corrections Mr. Doherty, the composition of the Assembly is now and Policing, and Minister Responsible for 48 Saskatchewan Party members, 12 NDP members, Saskatchewan Gaming Corporation. and one vacancy. Ten other cabinet ministers retained their current Lieutenant Governor portfolios: On January 22, 2018, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau • Dustin Duncan, Minister of Environment, Minister announced the appointment of W. Thomas Molloy as Responsible for the Water Security Agency, and Lieutenant Governor of Saskatchewan. Mr. Molloy is Minister Responsible for SaskPower; a lawyer, treaty negotiator, and former Chancellor of • Joe Hargrave, Minister of Crown Investments the University of Saskatchewan. He is a recipient of Corporation and Minister responsible for the Order of Canada and the Saskatchewan Order of Saskatchewan Government Insurance; Merit. • Donna Harpauer, Minister of Finance; • Gene Makowsky, Minister of Parks, Culture and He was installed as Saskatchewan’s twenty-second Sport, Minister Responsible for the Saskatchewan Lieutenant Governor on March 21, 2018 in a ceremony Liquor and Gaming Authority, and Minister conducted in the Legislative Chamber. Responsible for Tourism Saskatchewan; • David Marit, Minister of Highways and Conclusion of Session Infrastructure, Minister Responsible for SaskBuilds, and Minister Responsible for Priority The second session of the twenty-eighth Legislature Saskatchewan; began on March 12, 2018. Premier Moe announced that • Paul Merriman, Minister of Social Services; the budget would be delayed and introduced on April • Don Morgan, Minister of Justice and Attorney 10, 2018. This has pushed back the completion of the General, Minister Responsible for Labour Relations spring sitting period to May 31, 2018. and Workplace Safety, Minister Responsible Robert Park for Workers’ Compensation Board, Minister Responsible for the Global Transportation Hub, Committee Clerk 42 CANADIAN PARLIAMENTARY REVIEW/SUMMER 2018 Newfoundland and Labrador Ontario The House reconvened for the continuation of Prorogation the Second Session of the 48th General Assembly on February 26 in accordance with the provisions of the The Ontario Legislature prorogued on March 16, Parliamentary Calendar. 2018 and began its Third Session of the 41st Parliament on March 19, 2018. Elizabeth Dowdeswell, Lieutenant The review of the Standing Orders continues. Governor of Ontario, delivered the Speech from the Toward the end of the 2017-2018 sitting, the House Throne to open the new session. approved a provisional amendment providing for a response to Petitions, of not more than 90 seconds Budget in duration, which may be given on the day of the presentation of the Petition or the following day. On March 28, 2018, Finance Minister Charles Sousa presented Ontario’s 2018 Budget. The Minister’s The House prorogued on March 12 and convened Budget speech highlighted proposed investments in for the Throne Speech opening the Third Session of the health care, child care, home care and mental health. 48th General Assembly on March 13. Membership Changes The House will make some changes to the estimates procedure this year in that they will refer all estimates A vacancy occurred in the membership of the to Standing Committees. Traditionally three Heads House following the resignation of MPP Eric Hoskins, of Expenditure have been referred to the Committee effective February 26, 2018. Mr. Hoskins was the MPP of Supply. The House also adopted a change to the for the electoral district of St. Paul’s and served as the Standing Orders to permit ministers to appoint other Minister of Health and Long-Term Care. ministers, if need be, to represent them at meetings of the committees examining their departmental MPP Victor Fedeli was recognized as Leader of the estimates. Official Opposition following MPP Patrick Brown’s resignation of the position on January 25, 2018. Mr. The House passed a Resolution on March 28 Brown has been sitting as an Independent Member unanimously supporting Government’s modernization since February 16, 2018. of harassment policy and urging it to make the necessary changes to legislation to ensure all workers Condolences are protected from harassment in the workplace. The House expressed its condolences on the passing The Budget was brought down on March 29 after of former Members Norman Jamison, Member for the which the House adjourned for the Easter break to electoral district of Norfolk from September 6, 1990 reconvene on April 16. to June 7, 1995 and Gerry Martiniuk, Member for the electoral district of Cambridge from June 8, 1995 to Elizabeth Murphy September 7, 2011. Clerk Assistant CANADIAN PARLIAMENTARY REVIEW/SUMMER 2018 43 Reports by Parliamentary Officers Standing Committee on Justice Policy The House received a number of reports from its In February, the Standing Committee on Justice Parliamentary Officers: Policy began consideration of Bill 175, An Act to implement measures with respect to policing, coroners and The Environmental Commissioner of Ontario, forensic laboratories and to enact, amend or repeal certain Dianne Saxe, tabled the 2017 Greenhouse Gas other statutes and revoke a regulation. The bill’s primary Progress Report titled Ontario’s Climate Act: From Plan objective was to review how police services should be to Progress. provided in Ontario, detailing relevant oversight and discipline measures. The Integrity Commissioner, J. David Wake, tabled a report concerning the review of expense claims under The Committee held two days of public hearings on the Cabinet Ministers’ and Opposition Leaders’ Expenses the bill. Presentations and written submissions were Review and Accountability