HANSARD) Published Under the Authority of the Honourable Don Toth Speaker
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THIRD SESSION - TWENTY-SIXTH LEGISLATURE of the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan ____________ DEBATES and PROCEEDINGS ____________ (HANSARD) Published under the authority of The Honourable Don Toth Speaker N.S. VOL. 52 NO. 14A MONDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 2009, 1:30 p.m. MEMBERS OF THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF SASKATCHEWAN Speaker — Hon. Don Toth Premier — Hon. Brad Wall Leader of the Opposition — Dwain Lingenfelter Name of Member Political Affiliation Constituency Allchurch, Denis SP Rosthern-Shellbrook Atkinson, Pat NDP Saskatoon Nutana Belanger, Buckley NDP Athabasca Bjornerud, Hon. Bob SP Melville-Saltcoats Boyd, Hon. Bill SP Kindersley Bradshaw, Fred SP Carrot River Valley Brkich, Greg SP Arm River-Watrous Broten, Cam NDP Saskatoon Massey Place Chartier, Danielle NDP Saskatoon Riversdale Cheveldayoff, Hon. Ken SP Saskatoon Silver Springs Chisholm, Michael SP Cut Knife-Turtleford D’Autremont, Dan SP Cannington Draude, Hon. June SP Kelvington-Wadena Duncan, Hon. Dustin SP Weyburn-Big Muddy Eagles, Doreen SP Estevan Elhard, Wayne SP Cypress Hills Forbes, David NDP Saskatoon Centre Furber, Darcy NDP Prince Albert Northcote Gantefoer, Hon. Rod SP Melfort Harpauer, Hon. Donna SP Humboldt Harper, Ron NDP Regina Northeast Harrison, Hon. Jeremy SP Meadow Lake Hart, Glen SP Last Mountain-Touchwood Heppner, Hon. Nancy SP Martensville Hickie, Darryl SP Prince Albert Carlton Higgins, Deb NDP Moose Jaw Wakamow Hutchinson, Hon. Bill SP Regina South Huyghebaert, Hon. D.F. (Yogi) SP Wood River Iwanchuk, Andy NDP Saskatoon Fairview Junor, Judy NDP Saskatoon Eastview Kirsch, Delbert SP Batoche Krawetz, Hon. Ken SP Canora-Pelly LeClerc, Serge SP Saskatoon Northwest Lingenfelter, Dwain NDP Regina Douglas Park McCall, Warren NDP Regina Elphinstone-Centre McMillan, Tim SP Lloydminster McMorris, Hon. Don SP Indian Head-Milestone Michelson, Warren SP Moose Jaw North Morgan, Hon. Don SP Saskatoon Southeast Morin, Sandra NDP Regina Walsh Acres Nilson, John NDP Regina Lakeview Norris, Hon. Rob SP Saskatoon Greystone Ottenbreit, Greg SP Yorkton Quennell, Frank NDP Saskatoon Meewasin Reiter, Hon. Jim SP Rosetown-Elrose Ross, Laura SP Regina Qu’Appelle Valley Schriemer, Joceline SP Saskatoon Sutherland Stewart, Lyle SP Thunder Creek Taylor, Len NDP The Battlefords Tell, Hon. Christine SP Regina Wascana Plains Toth, Hon. Don SP Moosomin Trew, Kim NDP Regina Coronation Park Vermette, Doyle NDP Cumberland Wall, Hon. Brad SP Swift Current Weekes, Randy SP Biggar Wilson, Nadine SP Saskatchewan Rivers Wotherspoon, Trent NDP Regina Rosemont Yates, Kevin NDP Regina Dewdney LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF SASKATCHEWAN 3573 November 16, 2009 [The Assembly met at 13:30.] And as in duty bound, your petitioners will ever pray. [Prayers] And, Mr. Speaker, these folks come from Canora, Yorkton, Saltcoats. Thank you very much. ROUTINE PROCEEDINGS The Speaker: — I recognize the member from Cumberland. INTRODUCTION OF GUESTS Mr. Vermette: — Mr. Speaker, I rise today to present a petition The Speaker: — I recognize the Minister of Agriculture, the in support of a new long-term care facility in La Ronge. The member from Melville-Saltcoats. prayer reads as follows: Hon. Mr. Bjornerud: — Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Wherefore your petitioners humbly pray that your Speaker, in the west gallery I’d like to introduce the members to honourable Legislative Assembly may be pleased to cause Chad MacPherson, general manager of the stock growers; and the government to immediately invest in the planning and Dave Marit, president of SARM [Saskatchewan Association of construction of new long-term care beds in La Ronge. Rural Municipalities]. And I want to ask everyone to welcome them to their legislature. And as in duty bound, your petitioners will ever pray. The Speaker: — I recognize the member from Regina Walsh It is signed by the good people of La Ronge and area. I so Acres. present. Ms. Morin: — Thank you, Mr. Speaker. To you and through The Speaker: — I recognize the member from Saskatoon you and all the members in the legislature, I’d like to introduce Massey Place. a delegation that’s seated in the west gallery. They are the individuals that work at Red Cross, through the Red Cross and Mr. Broten: — Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I stand today to through the Red Cross RespectEd program. And perhaps they present a petition in support of fairness for Saskatchewan could stand as I call their names. students through the necessary expansion of the graduate retention program. And the prayer reads: We have with us today Mr. Norm Jakubowski, Richard Kies, Rebecca Benko, Dee Friday, Amanda Ulrich, Diane Francoeur, Wherefore your petitioners humbly pray that your and Brad Hebert. These individuals are here today, of course, to honourable Legislative Assembly may be pleased to cause kick off Anti-Bullying Week, national Anti-Bullying Week. the government to immediately expand the graduate And these individuals do a tremendous amount of work within retention program to include master’s and Ph.D. graduates. the province on various fronts, and one of them of course is an anti-bullying strategy and campaign. And as in duty bound, your petitioners will ever pray. And I’d like all members of the legislature to welcome them Mr. Speaker, individuals who signed this petition are from here today to the legislature, as they are here to hear a communities all over Saskatchewan. I so present. member’s statement being read in the future. Thank you. The Speaker: — I recognize the member from Regina Walsh PRESENTING PETITIONS Acres. The Speaker: — I recognize the member from Saskatoon Ms. Morin: — Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I rise Centre. today to present yet another petition on behalf of rural residents of Saskatchewan who question why the Sask Party government Mr. Forbes: — Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Today I is leaving them behind with respect to providing safe and rise to present a petition in support of wage equity for CBO affordable water, and who have yet not had any commitment of [community-based organization] workers. And we know, Mr. assistance. And the prayer reads as follows: Speaker, that workers in community-based organizations, CBOs, in Saskatchewan have traditionally been underpaid. And Wherefore your petitioners humbly pray that your many continue to earn poverty-level wages, and these low honourable Legislative Assembly may be pleased to cause wages impact workers and result in high staff turnover. And the the government to financially assist the town of Duck subsequent lack of caregiver continuity has a negative impact Lake residents for the good of their health and safety due on the quality of care clients receive. Mr. Speaker, I’d like to to the exorbitant water rates being forced on them by a read the prayer: government agency, and that this government fulfills its commitment to rural Saskatchewan. Wherefore your petitioners humbly pray that your honourable Assembly may be pleased to cause the As in duty bound, your petitioners will ever pray. development and implementation of a multi-year funding plan that ensures CBO workers achieve wage equity with And, Mr. Speaker, these petitions are signed by the good employees who perform work of equal value in residents of Duck Lake. I so present. government departments. 3574 Saskatchewan Hansard November 16, 2009 The Speaker: — I recognize the member from Saskatoon STATEMENTS BY MEMBERS Fairview. The Speaker: — I recognize the member from Prince Albert Mr. Iwanchuk: — Mr. Speaker, I rise today to present a Carlton. petition in support of maintaining quality health care services. Mr. Speaker, we all hope that the Saskatchewan government Northern Drug and Gang Enforcement Unit commits to adequate funding and the installation of good faith for the provincial bargaining process, Mr. Speaker. And the Mr. Hickie: — Mr. Speaker, in mid-September of this year, our petition reads as follows: government announced the northern drug and gang enforcement unit. For years now communities in the North have identified a Wherefore your petitioners humbly pray that your need to establish a dedicated enforcement unit to work with honourable Legislative Assembly may be pleased to cause partners to address the problems of illegal drug use and gang the government to commit to maintaining quality health activities. care services and job security for all public health care providers. According to the 2007 police-reported crime data, the amount of crime rate in the northern administrative district was about And as in duty bound, your petitioners will ever pray. six times higher than the corresponding provincial rate, and overall crime rate was more than four times higher. And the petitions are signed by residents of Outlook, Beechy, Delisle, Milden, Cudworth, Wakaw, and Rosetown. I so After years of being ignored by the previous administration, our present. government responded to these concerns from northern communities by providing funding to the RCMP [Royal The Speaker: — I recognize the member from The Battlefords. Canadian Mounted Police] and the Prince Albert Police Service to create this enforcement unit. Provincial funding to support Mr. Taylor: — Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’m pleased today to this initiative totals $380,000 in the 2009-10 year and will rise in support of a petition or to present a petition in support of increase to $760,000 in the ’10-11 year. affordable rents and housing in The Battlefords. Mr. Speaker: Mr. Speaker, although this unit has only been operational for a The petitioners humbly pray that the honourable month now, we are already hearing about the great work being Legislative Assembly may be pleased to call upon the done by them in the northern communities. On October 19th, Government of Saskatchewan to develop an affordable the unit assisted RCMP in La Loche with the arrest of a housing program that will result in a greater number of 41-year-old man. Members seized marijuana, cash, and rifles. quality and affordable rental units to be made available to Then on October 27th, officers made another arrest in Buffalo a greater number of people throughout The Battlefords, Narrows where, after searching a home, officers discovered and that will implement a process of rent review or rent cocaine and cash.