Minutes: March 18, 2004
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No. 1 VOTES and PROCEEDINGS OF THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY PROVINCE OF SASKATCHEWAN FIRST SESSION – TWENTY-FIFTH LEGISLATURE Thursday, March 18, 2004 10:00 a.m. This being the first day of the meeting of the First Session of the Twenty-Fifth Legislature of the Province of Saskatchewan for the despatch of business, pursuant to a Proclamation of Her Honour the Honourable Lynda M. Haverstock, Lieutenant Governor of the province, dated the 17th day of March, 2004, Jan Baker, Chief Electoral Officer, delivered to Gwenn Ronyk, Clerk of the Legislative Assembly, a Roll containing a list of names of such Members as had been returned to serve in this Legislature, as follows: Regina, Saskatchewan November 28, 2003 To: Gwenn Ronyk Clerk of the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan This is to certify that by reason of the dissolution of the Twenty-Fourth Legislative Assembly of the Province of Saskatchewan and by virtue of the writ of election dated the eighth day of October last, and addressed to the hereinafter mentioned persons as returning officers for the provincial constituencies set opposite their respective names for the election of Members to represent the said provincial constituencies in the Legislative Assembly; those persons named hereinbelow have been duly elected to represent the provincial constituency set opposite their respective names as appear by the returns of the said writs deposited on record in my office, viz: PROVINCIAL CONSTITUENCY MEMBER ELECTED RETURNING OFFICER Arm River-Watrous Gregory P. Brkich Evelyn Edwards Athabasca Buckley Belanger Robert Desjarlais Batoche Delbert Kirsch Norbert Hirschkorn Biggar Randy Weekes Violet Kyliuk Cannington Dan D’Autremont Cheryl Zander Canora-Pelly Ken Krawetz Lois Person 2 Thursday, March 18, 2004 Carrot River Valley Allan Kerpan Bonnie Haveroen Cumberland Joan Beatty Cec Williams Cut Knife-Turtleford Michael Chisholm Judy Jamieson Cypress Hills Wayne Elhard Hazel Benison Estevan Doreen Eagles Frank Elberg Humboldt Donna Harpauer Irene Henderson Indian Head-Milestone Don McMorris Michelle Ecarnot Kelvington-Wadena June Draude Carol Lowndes Kindersley Jason E. Dearborn Dorothy Arthurs Last Mountain-Touchwood Glen Hart Lilliane Sabiston Lloydminster Milt Wakefield Kathleen Hauer Martensville Ben Heppner Darlene Buyck Meadow Lake Maynard Sonntag David Bridger Melfort Rod Gantefoer Harry Broudy Melville-Saltcoats Bob Bjornerud Kathy Adams Moose Jaw North Glenn Hagel Dale McBain Moose Jaw Wakamow Debra Higgins Connie Zinn Moosomin Don Toth Dexter Samida Prince Albert Carlton Myron Kowalsky Patricia Leson Prince Albert Northcote Eldon Lautermilch Nicole Rancourt Regina Coronation Park Kim D. Trew Linda Kydd Regina Dewdney Kevin Yates Lynn Scott Regina Douglas Park Harry Van Mulligen Shirley Sebastian Regina Elphinstone-Centre Warren McCall Shelley M. Sayer Regina Lakeview John T. Nilson Kathleen Bissell Regina Northeast Ron Harper Laura Bellamy Regina Qu'Appelle Valley Mark Wartman Donna Bannman Regina Rosemont Joanne Crofford Jody Tetlock Regina South Andrew Thomson Sandra Benson Regina Walsh Acres Sandra Morin Paul Wilson Regina Wascana Plains Doreen E. Hamilton Jeannette Martin Rosetown-Elrose Elwin Hermanson Brenda Kemppainen Rosthern-Shellbrook Denis Allchurch Raymond Ewanchuk Saskatchewan Rivers Lon Borgerson Anne King Saskatoon Centre David Forbes Stephanie Sydiaha Saskatoon Eastview Judy Junor Harry Pitzel Saskatoon Fairview Andy Iwanchuk Danita Hingston Saskatoon Greystone Peter Prebble Eileen Ritter Saskatoon Massey Place Eric Cline Shirley McDade Saskatoon Meewasin Frank Quennell Ivy Hubble Saskatoon Northwest Ted Merriman Darlene Britton Saskatoon Nutana Pat Atkinson Thelma Cvek Saskatoon Riversdale Lorne Calvert Kay Burkhart Saskatoon Silver Springs Ken Cheveldayoff Eleanore Macdonald Saskatoon Southeast Don Morgan Connie Nelson Saskatoon Sutherland Graham Addley Celia Noga Swift Current Brad Wall James Roberts The Battlefords Len Taylor Gail Morgan Thunder Creek Lyle Stewart Marlene Paproski Weyburn-Big Muddy Brenda Bakken Wanda Lee Edwards Wood River D.F. (Yogi) Huyghebaert Emile Gobeil Yorkton Clay Serby Shirley Dereniski The Members, having previously taken the Oath and having subscribed the Roll containing the Oath, took their seats in the Assembly at 10:00 a.m. The Clerk of the Legislative Assembly informed the Assembly that she had received a communication from the Private Secretary to Her Honour the Lieutenant Governor stating that Her Honour would open the Session at 10:00 a.m. today, Thursday, the Eighteenth day of March, 2004. Thursday, March 18, 2004 3 10:01 a.m. Her Honour the Lieutenant Governor entered the Chamber and took her seat upon the Throne. The Hon. Ms. Joan Beatty, Provincial Secretary, then said: I am commanded by Her Honour, the Lieutenant Governor, to inform you that she does not see fit to declare the causes of the summoning of the present Legislature until later today, when the Legislative Assembly shall have elected a Speaker according to law. Her Honour the Lieutenant Governor then retired from the Chamber. 10:03 a.m. ELECTION OF SPEAKER Pursuant to the provisions of Rules 27, 28, and 29 inclusive, the Assembly proceeded to the election of a Speaker. The Clerk informed the Assembly that the following Members declared their intention to stand as candidates for election to the Office of Speaker: Ms. Doreen Hamilton, Member for the Constituency of Regina Wascana Plains (Sessional Paper No. 43) Mr. Myron Kowalsky, Member for the Constituency of Prince Albert Carlton (Sessional Paper No. 44) Members then proceeded to cast their ballots. The Clerk, being satisfied that the voting procedure had been completed, proceeded with the counting of the ballots. At 10:28 a.m. the sitting was recessed during the counting of the ballots. At 10:39 a.m. the sitting resumed and the Clerk informed the Assembly that Mr. Kowalsky, Member for the Constituency of Prince Albert Carlton, had been duly elected to the Office of the Speaker. The Clerk having declared Mr. Myron Kowalsky, duly elected, he was conducted to the chair where, standing on the dais, he addressed the Assembly as follows: I wish to express my grateful thanks and humble acknowledgement of the high honour the Assembly has conferred on me. While I leave the floor of this Assembly to take the Speaker's chair, I leave behind all political partisan biases in order that I may discharge with impartiality to all and to the best of my ability the various and important duties pertaining to the high office of Speaker. It will be my aim and duty to uphold the principles and traditions of the Assembly and secure for each Member the right to express his or her opinions within the limits necessary to preserve decorum; to recognize the rights and privileges of the Honourable Members, the political groups and the Assembly itself; to facilitate the transaction of the public business in an orderly manner; and, above all, to seek to be fair and impartial in the decisions you entrust to me. 4 Thursday, March 18, 2004 Thereupon The Speaker took the chair, and the mace was laid on the Table. The Assembly recessed from 10:49 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. 2:01 p.m. Her Honour the Lieutenant Governor re-entered the Chamber and took her seat upon the Throne. The Speaker then addressed Her Honour to the following effect: MAY IT PLEASE YOUR HONOUR: The Legislative Assembly has elected me to the Office of Speaker. If, in the performance of my duties, I should at any time fall into error I pray that the fault may be imputed to me and not to the Assembly, whose servant I am. On behalf of the Assembly and its Members it is my duty to claim all their traditional rights and privileges, especially that they may have freedom of speech in their debates, access to your person at all reasonable times, and that their proceedings may receive from you the most favourable consideration. The Hon. Ms. Beatty, Provincial Secretary, then said: I am commanded by Her Honour the Lieutenant Governor to declare to you that she freely confides in the duty and attachment of the Assembly to Her Majesty’s person and Government. Her Honour is confident that the Assembly’s proceedings will be conducted with wisdom and prudence and grants the Assembly’s claim to its traditional rights and privileges. I am commanded also to assure you that the Assembly shall have ready access to Her Honour upon all reasonable occasions and that their proceedings, as well as your words and actions, will constantly receive from her the most favourable construction. SPEECH FROM THE THRONE Her Honour the Lieutenant Governor was then pleased to open the Session with the following Speech: Mr. Speaker, Members of the Legislature, Honoured Guests, Citizens: Welcome to the opening session of the 25th Legislature of the Province of Saskatchewan. Following the democratic choices of the people of Saskatchewan, this Legislature begins its work at a unique time in our history. Today, we stand on the eve of Saskatchewan’s second century. We are now just months away from the celebration of our Centennial. It will be a year in which we celebrate the long remarkable history of Aboriginal peoples in our province. It will be a year in which we will remember the immigrant pioneers who came from every corner of the globe and made this a multicultural and richly diverse place. It will be a year in which we celebrate the accomplishments of our people over the past ten decades, and all that they have contributed to the uniqueness and quality of life that is ours in Saskatchewan. Thursday, March 18, 2004 5 This Legislature will guide us into that new century. As we look to the future, our government recognizes many challenges that confront us today. Working with our citizens, our government intends to take on these challenges and make this province ready for our future. The changes necessary to take us into the future must begin today.