December 7, 2020 Hansard Evening
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FIRST SESSION — TWENTY-NINTH LEGISLATURE of the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan ____________ DEBATES AND PROCEEDINGS ____________ (HANSARD) Published under the authority of The Hon. Randy Weekes Speaker N.S. VOL. 62 NO. 5B MONDAY, DECEMBER 7, 2020, 19:90 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF SASKATCHEWAN 1st Session — 29th Legislature Lieutenant Governor — His Honour the Honourable Russ Mirasty, S.O.M., M.S.M. Speaker — Hon. Randy Weekes Premier — Hon. Scott Moe Leader of the Opposition — Ryan Meili Beck, Carla — Regina Lakeview (NDP) Love, Matt — Saskatoon Eastview (NDP) Belanger, Buckley — Athabasca (NDP) Makowsky, Hon. Gene — Regina Gardiner Park (SP) Bonk, Steven — Moosomin (SP) Marit, Hon. David — Wood River (SP) Bowes, Jennifer — Saskatoon University (NDP) McLeod, Tim — Moose Jaw North (SP) Bradshaw, Fred — Carrot River Valley (SP) McMorris, Hon. Don — Indian Head-Milestone (SP) Buckingham, David — Saskatoon Westview (SP) Meili, Ryan — Saskatoon Meewasin (NDP) Carr, Hon. Lori — Estevan (SP) Merriman, Hon. Paul — Saskatoon Silverspring-Sutherland (SP) Cheveldayoff, Ken — Saskatoon Willowgrove (SP) Meyers, Derek — Regina Walsh Acres (SP) Cockrill, Jeremy — The Battlefords (SP) Moe, Hon. Scott — Rosthern-Shellbrook (SP) Conway, Meara — Regina Elphinstone-Centre (NDP) Morgan, Hon. Don — Saskatoon Southeast (SP) Dennis, Terry — Canora-Pelly (SP) Mowat, Vicki — Saskatoon Fairview (NDP) Docherty, Mark — Regina Coronation Park (SP) Nerlien, Hugh — Kelvington-Wadena (SP) Domotor, Ryan — Cut Knife-Turtleford (SP) Nippi-Albright, Betty — Saskatoon Centre (NDP) Duncan, Hon. Dustin — Weyburn-Big Muddy (SP) Ottenbreit, Greg — Yorkton (SP) Eyre, Hon. Bronwyn — Saskatoon Stonebridge-Dakota (SP) Reiter, Hon. Jim — Rosetown-Elrose (SP) Fiaz, Muhammad — Regina Pasqua (SP) Ritchie, Erika — Saskatoon Nutana (NDP) Francis, Ken — Kindersley (SP) Ross, Alana — Prince Albert Northcote (SP) Friesen, Marv — Saskatoon Riversdale (SP) Ross, Hon. Laura — Regina Rochdale (SP) Goudy, Todd — Melfort (SP) Sarauer, Nicole — Regina Douglas Park (NDP) Grewal, Gary — Regina Northeast (SP) Skoropad, Dana — Arm River (SP) Hargrave, Hon. Joe — Prince Albert Carlton (SP) Steele, Doug — Cypress Hills (SP) Harpauer, Hon. Donna — Humboldt-Watrous (SP) Stewart, Hon. Lyle — Lumsden-Morse (SP) Harrison, Daryl — Cannington (SP) Tell, Hon. Christine — Regina Wascana Plains (SP) Harrison, Hon. Jeremy — Meadow Lake (SP) Vermette, Doyle — Cumberland (NDP) Hindley, Hon. Everett — Swift Current (SP) Weekes, Hon. Randy — Biggar-Sask Valley (SP) Jenson, Terry — Martensville-Warman (SP) Wilson, Nadine — Saskatchewan Rivers (SP) Kaeding, Hon. Warren — Melville-Saltcoats (SP) Wotherspoon, Trent — Regina Rosemont (NDP) Keisig, Travis — Last Mountain-Touchwood (SP) Wyant, Hon. Gordon — Saskatoon Northwest (SP) Kirsch, Delbert — Batoche (SP) Young, Aleana — Regina University (NDP) Lambert, Lisa — Saskatoon Churchill-Wildwood (SP) Young, Colleen — Lloydminster (SP) Lawrence, Greg — Moose Jaw Wakamow (SP) Party Standings: Saskatchewan Party (SP) — 48; New Democratic Party (NDP) — 13 Clerks-at-the-Table Clerk — Gregory A. Putz Law Clerk & Parliamentary Counsel — Kenneth S. Ring, Q.C. Hansard on the internet Principal Clerk — Iris Lang Hansard and other documents of the Clerk Assistant — Kathy Burianyk Legislative Assembly are available within hours after each sitting. Sergeant-at-Arms — Terry Quinn https://www.legassembly.sk.ca/Calendar CONTENTS EVENING SITTING SPECIAL ORDER ADJOURNED DEBATES ADDRESS IN REPLY Tell ............................................................................................................................................................................................. 153 Bowes ......................................................................................................................................................................................... 155 Cockrill ...................................................................................................................................................................................... 158 Carr ............................................................................................................................................................................................ 161 Ottenbreit .................................................................................................................................................................................. 164 Mowat ........................................................................................................................................................................................ 170 Bradshaw ................................................................................................................................................................................... 173 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF SASKATCHEWAN 153 December 7, 2020 [The Assembly resumed at 19:00] We understand the impact this pandemic has had on small business. That is why we have introduced programs such as the EVENING SITTING Saskatchewan small-business emergency payment, which has provided $32 million to small and medium-sized businesses SPECIAL ORDER affected by the pandemic. ADJOURNED DEBATES Front-line health care workers are working tirelessly caring for our seniors. We have introduced the temporary wage supplement ADDRESS IN REPLY program that will provide $400 a month for two months to workers in long-term care facilities, personal care homes, [The Assembly resumed the adjourned debate on the address in integrated health facilities, and to home care workers providing reply which was moved by Mr. Francis, seconded by Mr. Friesen, this very valuable care to seniors in their own homes. and the proposed amendment to the main motion moved by Ms. Sarauer.] All of Saskatchewan has come together to fight the pandemic and to support each other. As we look ahead, our government will The Speaker: — I recognize the Minister of Corrections, continue to address the health and economic impact of Policing and Public Safety. COVID-19 while also preparing for the distribution of a safe and effective vaccine. Hon. Ms. Tell: — Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’m honoured to stand here today and provide a response to the Speech from the Mr. Speaker, I’d like to divert a bit from my written words Throne. And of course I’m very thrilled about being in here and . tonight with all my fabulous colleagues. First, I will be supporting the motion put forward by the member for Kindersley An Hon. Member: — I can’t wait. and seconded by the member for Saskatoon Riversdale. Hon. Ms. Tell: — I can’t wait. I have to tell a bit of a story and I would like to say thank you, of course, and starting out to my that is back, way back in 2004. I was at a dinner for . and it family, friends, and election team who helped us win the election was a political dinner, but I, as president of the police association, for MLA [Member of the Legislative Assembly] for Regina I went to all political dinners. And quite frankly at that point in Wascana Plains. It is indeed a humbling experience and privilege time I was not political at all. to be elected to serve as their representative and to earn their votes for a fourth term. I would also like to extend a thank you to So I went to this dinner. It was after a long, long day. I was very, my constituency assistant, Jackie Burchi, and to my ministerial very tired. I’ve had enough. I want to go home. And the guest office staff, Brayden Fox, Shelley Reinhardt, and Aaron Hill. I speaker of the night came to the podium and began what would also would like to thank Kara Slobodzian, who has just recently turn out to be somewhat pivotal in my life. And . [inaudible left my office, for her work, thank her for her work over the year. interjection] . What’s up? It’s not you, Dustin. It’s not you, Dustin. Mr. Speaker, this Throne Speech spoke about a number of topics which I believe are important to the citizens of our province. This And it was our former Premier Brad Wall, leader of the includes our continued efforts to address the COVID-19 opposition at the time. pandemic, but also our government’s commitment to building a strong Saskatchewan by supporting the economic recovery now And I’m sitting there and I’m kind of slouched over. I just want under way while ensuring life remains affordable for everyone in this to be over with. And he was talking, and I started sitting up our province. This recent election highlighted the choice that taller, moved around in my chair, turned my chair around so I Saskatchewan residents have made, which is to continue on the could actually look at him and began to listen intently. path that our government has laid out. I would like to take this opportunity to thank Elections Saskatchewan and the thousands What happened that particular night? Now I was one, I was one of election workers who allowed us to vote safely in a fair and that was going to leave this province when I was able to retire. impartial election. I’d had enough. I felt that the best days that Saskatchewan had seen were far behind it and there was no opportunity, never be an Mr. Speaker, our government is committed to combatting the opportunity, to be anything more than we were at that particular spread of COVID-19, and we have introduced a number of health point in time. orders when necessary and have been clear that more will be added if required. We have invested in more PPE [personal So anyway, I sat up taller, started paying attention to what this protective