FIRST 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. 50 NO. 6A TUESDAY, DECEMBER 18, 2007, 1:30 p.m. MEMBERS OF THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF SASKATCHEWAN Speaker — Hon. Don Toth Premier — Hon. Brad Wall Leader of the Opposition — Lorne Calvert Name of Member Political Affiliation Constituency Allchurch, Denis SP Rosthern-Shellbrook Atkinson, Pat NDP Saskatoon Nutana Beatty, Joan NDP Cumberland 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 Calvert, Lorne NDP Saskatoon Riversdale Cheveldayoff, Hon. Ken SP Saskatoon Silver Springs Chisholm, Michael SP Cut Knife-Turtleford D’Autremont, Hon. Dan SP Cannington Draude, Hon. June SP Kelvington-Wadena Duncan, Dustin SP Weyburn-Big Muddy Eagles, Doreen SP Estevan Elhard, Hon. 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, Jeremy SP Meadow Lake Hart, Glen SP Last Mountain-Touchwood Heppner, Hon. Nancy SP Martensville Hickie, Hon. Darryl SP Prince Albert Carlton Higgins, Deb NDP Moose Jaw Wakamow Hutchinson, Hon. Bill SP Regina South Huyghebaert, 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 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, Jim SP Rosetown-Elrose Ross, Laura SP Regina Qu’Appelle Valley Schriemer, Joceline SP Saskatoon Sutherland Stewart, Hon. 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 Van Mulligen, Harry NDP Regina Douglas Park 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 129 December 18, 2007 [The Assembly met at 13:30.] guests seated in your gallery. On your far left, Mr. Speaker, is Ashley Rosom . And Ashley is my cousin and a resident of [Prayers] Regina and she attends the U of R [University of Regina] and studies kinesiology. Beside Ashley is Dave Rosom, her father, ROUTINE PROCEEDINGS who is my uncle. And Dave has been kind enough to open his comfortable home to me during my early days here in Regina, INTRODUCTION OF GUESTS so I thank them for that. The Speaker: — I recognize the Premier. Beside Dave is Chris Broten, my dad. Beside Chris is Stuart Noble, my brother-in-law, my sister Julianne Broten-Noble, and Hon. Mr. Wall: — Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It is a pleasure for a childhood friend of my sister, Myfanwy Van Vliet. Julianne me today to introduce to you and through you to all members of and Stuart live in Belfast, Northern Ireland, which is also this Assembly His Excellency, William Fisher, the High Stuart’s home. They’re back for the holidays so it was a Commissioner of Australia to Canada. We want to welcome pleasant surprise that they were able to be here today. Julianne him here to the Legislative Assembly today. He has had a is no stranger to the legislature and the work of government. number of meetings throughout today, including a meeting with One year during university she worked in this legislature for the myself where we were able to discuss a number of mutual past member for Saskatoon Massey Place, and she currently interests between the province of Saskatchewan and Australia works in Stormont, which is the Northern Ireland parliament as a nation, including agriculture, including our interest in buildings, as a civil servant. pursuing clean coal technology, shared by Australia and some specific states, in fact, there. Her husband Stuart works for an NGO [non-government organization] called CARE [Christian Action Research and As well as we were able to discuss for some time the fact that Education] that operates throughout Europe dealing with between our two countries, — and specifically Saskatchewan governments and politicians. So he too is no stranger to I’m thinking of in this regard — we supply 60 per cent of the legislative buildings. I would ask all members to join me in world’s uranium. We talked a little bit about just the tonnage of welcoming them today. greenhouse gases that might be displaced by that uranium from our respective areas of the world. So I wanted to say to the High Hon. Members: — Hear, hear! Commissioner, we welcome him here. We are grateful for his return visit again to the province. We look forward to a The Speaker: — I recognize the member for Regina continued relationship between the province of Saskatchewan, Elphinstone-Centre. Canada, and Australia. And I ask all members to welcome him to the Legislative Assembly today. Mr. McCall: — Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It’s my pleasure to introduce to you and through you a number of individuals Hon. Members: — Hear, hear! seated in the east gallery and two individuals seated on the floor of the legislature. These are members of the Regina Queen City The Speaker: — I recognize the Leader of Her Majesty’s Good Samaritans — the Good Sams. We’re joined today by Loyal Opposition. president and first lady, Stan and Elaine Iles. If you could please give us a wave. There we go. And we’re also joined by Mr. Calvert: — Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I want to join with past president and also past first lady, George and Gina Berar, the Premier and welcome the High Commissioner again to the seated on the floor here. They’re the advance guard, Mr. province and to this legislature. It’s very good to see you back. Speaker. In addition to the very long ties that we’ve had of course with the people of Australia through the British Commonwealth and Hon. Members: — Hear, hear! the trading relationship that has developed between our two nations, we have seen in the last several years, Mr. Speaker, a Mr. McCall: — Mr. Speaker, the Good Sam club is a group of renewed interest between the provinces of Canada and some of recreational vehicle owners that are active in camping the states of Australia, developing new relationships that I think throughout North America. They’re able to meet and camp with are going to be very, very profitable. And if I may say to the people from all walks of life, all ethnic groups, and all age High Commissioner that Australia has profited also from the groups. We thereby extend their knowledge of the world around export, at least temporary export, of many of our young people us and other people’s opinions. who have chosen to spend a year or so in Australia. Being the father of one of those, I thank you on her behalf for the great They do a tremendous amount of volunteer work such as being Australian hospitality. camp hosts at campgrounds, working to clean campgrounds, preparing and painting camp buildings, doing highway cleanup, Hon. Members: — Hear, hear! helping people that are having vehicle or other trouble on the road — being good Samaritans of course, Mr. Speaker — The Speaker: — I recognize the member for Saskatoon Massey hosting meals at campgrounds for tour groups passing through, Place. entertaining at seniors homes, helping out at Christmastime with gifts for charity groups, in general being a good Samaritan. Mr. Broten: — Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to introduce to you and through you to members of the legislature some I think they may, as well, Mr. Speaker, pass out the odd wheat 130 Saskatchewan Hansard December 18, 2007 sheaf pin. Is that true? The wheat sheaf pin’s still very popular? The Speaker: — I recognize the member from Saskatoon Very good. I’d ask all members to join me in welcoming the Nutana. Good Sams to their legislature. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Business Owner Assists Runners in Need Hon. Members: — Hear, hear! Ms. Atkinson: — Saskatoon Nutana, my constituency office, is The Speaker: — I recognize the member from P.A. [Prince located in the unique Broadway business district which offers a Albert] Northcote. variety of services and shops. Mr. Furber: — Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to, if I could, One of those businesses is Brainsport, the running shoe, owned introduce to you and through you to all the members of the by Brian Michasiw. Brainsport supports customers’ footwear, House two friends of mine, Jennifer Soloway and Lindsay provides clothing, supplies, and organized running groups. Adams, who are in the gallery today. They’re great friends of Brian Michasiw also serves needs well beyond his customers on mine and even better friends of the province. Welcome. Broadway. From donors he collects used running shoes for athletes who cannot afford proper footwear for their sport. Hon. Members: — Hear, hear! Brian checks for the best used running shoes to distribute to runners in need, both here and abroad. STATEMENTS BY MEMBERS Mr. Speaker, Brian and Jason Warick, a Saskatoon journalist The Speaker: — I recognize the member from Prince Albert and marathon runner getting ready for the Olympics, have taken Carlton. eight hockey bags full of used shoes to a Kenyan training camp for high-level African middle-distance runners.