July 3, 2020 Hansard
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FOURTH SESSION - TWENTY-EIGHTH LEGISLATURE of the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan ____________ DEBATES and PROCEEDINGS ____________ (HANSARD) Published under the authority of The Hon. Mark Docherty Speaker N.S. VOL. 61 NO. 50A FRIDAY, JULY 3, 2020, 10:00 MEMBERS OF THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF SASKATCHEWAN 4th Session — 28th Legislature Speaker — Hon. Mark Docherty Premier — Hon. Scott Moe Leader of the Opposition — Ryan Meili Beaudry-Mellor, Hon. Tina — Regina University (SP) Makowsky, Hon. Gene — Regina Gardiner Park (SP) Beck, Carla — Regina Lakeview (NDP) Marit, Hon. David — Wood River (SP) Belanger, Buckley — Athabasca (NDP) McCall, Warren — Regina Elphinstone-Centre (NDP) Bonk, Steven — Moosomin (SP) McMorris, Don — Indian Head-Milestone (SP) Bradshaw, Fred — Carrot River Valley (SP) Meili, Ryan — Saskatoon Meewasin (NDP) Brkich, Greg — Arm River (SP) Merriman, Hon. Paul — Saskatoon Silverspring-Sutherland (SP) Buckingham, David — Saskatoon Westview (SP) Michelson, Warren — Moose Jaw North (SP) Carr, Hon. Lori — Estevan (SP) Moe, Hon. Scott — Rosthern-Shellbrook (SP) Chartier, Danielle — Saskatoon Riversdale (NDP) Morgan, Hon. Don — Saskatoon Southeast (SP) Cheveldayoff, Hon. Ken — Saskatoon Willowgrove (SP) Mowat, Vicki — Saskatoon Fairview (NDP) Cox, Herb — The Battlefords (SP) Nerlien, Hugh — Kelvington-Wadena (SP) D’Autremont, Dan — Cannington (SP) Olauson, Eric — Saskatoon University (SP) Dennis, Terry — Canora-Pelly (SP) Ottenbreit, Hon. Greg — Yorkton (SP) Docherty, Hon. Mark — Regina Coronation Park (SP) Pedersen, Yens — Regina Northeast (NDP) Doke, Larry — Cut Knife-Turtleford (SP) Rancourt, Nicole — Prince Albert Northcote (NDP) Duncan, Hon. Dustin — Weyburn-Big Muddy (SP) Reiter, Hon. Jim — Rosetown-Elrose (SP) Eyre, Hon. Bronwyn — Saskatoon Stonebridge-Dakota (SP) Ross, Laura — Regina Rochdale (SP) Fiaz, Muhammad — Regina Pasqua (SP) Sarauer, Nicole — Regina Douglas Park (NDP) Forbes, David — Saskatoon Centre (NDP) Sproule, Cathy — Saskatoon Nutana (NDP) Francis, Ken — Kindersley (SP) Steele, Doug — Cypress Hills (SP) Goudy, Hon. Todd — Melfort (SP) Stewart, Lyle — Lumsden-Morse (SP) Hargrave, Hon. Joe — Prince Albert Carlton (SP) Tell, Hon. Christine — Regina Wascana Plains (SP) Harpauer, Hon. Donna — Humboldt-Watrous (SP) Vermette, Doyle — Cumberland (NDP) Harrison, Hon. Jeremy — Meadow Lake (SP) Weekes, Randy — Biggar-Sask Valley (SP) Hart, Glen — Last Mountain-Touchwood (SP) Wilson, Nadine — Saskatchewan Rivers (SP) Heppner, Nancy — Martensville-Warman (SP) Wotherspoon, Trent — Regina Rosemont (NDP) Hindley, Everett — Swift Current (SP) Wyant, Hon. Gordon — Saskatoon Northwest (SP) Kaeding, Hon. Warren — Melville-Saltcoats (SP) Young, Colleen — Lloydminster (SP) Kirsch, Delbert — Batoche (SP) Lambert, Lisa — Saskatoon Churchill-Wildwood (SP) Vacant — Regina Walsh Acres Lawrence, Greg — Moose Jaw Wakamow (SP) Vacant — Saskatoon Eastview Party Standings: Saskatchewan Party (SP) — 46; New Democratic Party (NDP) — 13; Vacant — 2 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 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF SASKATCHEWAN 7079 July 3, 2020 [The Assembly met at 10:00.] Management of Provincial Economy and Preparedness for COVID-19 Outbreak [Prayers] Mr. Meili: — Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today is the last day of The Speaker: — Why is the Government House Leader on his a session the Premier didn’t want to have. And on the first day of feet? the session, the Premier tabled a budget that he never wanted to show the people of Saskatchewan. So it makes sense that the Hon. Mr. Harrison: — Thank you, Mr. Speaker. To ask for budget we got doesn’t really show us anything. It was cut and leave to make a motion regarding the number of members in the pasted from an already out-of-date pre-pandemic plan. Chamber. What the people of this province need is a plan for today and a The Speaker: — The Government House Leader has requested vision for the future. This budget has neither. The Premier is leave to move a motion regarding the number of members in the hiding crucial information. He’s hiding his real plan for cuts and Chamber. Is leave granted? sell-offs at a time when we need the government to step up and to invest in people. Will the Premier show his true plans before Some Hon. Members: — Agreed. we go to the polls this fall? The Speaker: — Leave has been granted. The Speaker: — I recognize the Premier. The Government House Leader may move his motion. Hon. Mr. Moe: — Mr. Speaker, again I’ll say for . I don’t know how many times in this Assembly, Mr. Speaker, MOTIONS Saskatchewan is the first jurisdiction in the nation of Canada, including the federal government, to introduce — and pass now Sessional Order Revision as of yesterday — a budget. Mr. Speaker, that is a budget that we’re very proud to say has a 5 per cent increase in health care Hon. Mr. Harrison: — Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I move: funding, Mr. Speaker, most pertinent to the COVID crisis that we are dealing with today. That is an important increase, Mr. That notwithstanding section 3(c) of the sessional order Speaker, so that we can not only deal with the COVID crisis adopted on June 15, 2020, the maximum number of itself, but ensure that our health care system is operating members in the Chamber at any given time on July 3, 2020 alongside these next number of months. shall be 25, inclusive of the Speaker; and the members present will include no more than 17 government members Mr. Speaker, this budget has, as I said, a 2.4 per cent increase in and no more than 7 opposition members at any given time. education, ensuring that we have the funding in place to ensure that the next generation of this province has every opportunity to I so move. succeed, every opportunity to be all that they can be. In that funding, Mr. Speaker, includes funding for a number of new The Speaker: — The Government House Leader has moved: schools in this province, bringing the school build up to a total of 57 by this government over the course of the last 12 years. That notwithstanding section 3(c) of the sessional order adopted on June 15, 2020, the maximum number of Mr. Speaker, we’re very proud of introducing this budget that members in the Chamber at any given time on July 3, 2020 supports strong communities in this province. It supports strong shall be 25, inclusive of the Speaker; and the members families in this province, Mr. Speaker, and it most importantly present will include no more than 17 government members supports the economic recovery of Saskatchewan in the months and no more than 7 opposition members at any given time. ahead. Is the Assembly ready for the question? The Speaker: — I recognize the Leader of the Opposition. Some Hon. Members: — Question. Mr. Meili: — Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Hiding has become something of a theme with this government. They’ve hid The Speaker: — Pleasure of the Assembly to adopt the motion? standard fiscal forecasting. They’ve hidden their true plans for a future budget. Despite advice from the Privacy Commissioner, Some Hon. Members: — Agreed. public health experts, and a promise from the chief medical health officer, they’ve chosen to continue to limit the publicly The Speaker: — Carried. available information on COVID-19. ROUTINE PROCEEDINGS And yesterday in estimates, Mr. Speaker, yesterday in estimates, the Premier was very careful to avoid acknowledging that he QUESTION PERIOD spent the start of this year planning a snap spring election stunt when he should have been planning for a pandemic, Mr. Speaker. The Speaker: — I recognize the Leader of the Opposition. And this had consequences. School boards were put in the impossible position of choosing to make space available to Elections Saskatchewan for the Premier’s snap spring election or 7080 Saskatchewan Hansard July 3, 2020 to the Saskatchewan Health Authority for COVID-19. on his political ambitions and not on the health of the province? I tabled those documents during Premier’s estimates yesterday, The Speaker: — I recognize the Premier. Mr. Speaker. Will the Premier stand in this House and will he let us know, does he regret that he had the wrong priorities, that he Hon. Mr. Moe: — I’m not sure what school board officials were spent the start of this year focusing on planning for an election talking about back earlier this year, but I can tell you what this which distracted from our response to planning for a pandemic? government was talking about, Mr. Speaker, at the outset of this pandemic. And I tabled our day-by-day response, Mr. Speaker, The Speaker: — I recognize the Premier. during estimates yesterday. Hon. Mr. Moe: — Mr. Speaker, let me clarify exactly what has But the first focus that we had, along with Dr. Shahab and the happened in this Assembly, in this building, in this province over people in his office, was to ensure that we had the appropriate the course of the last, let’s say five, five and a half months. First restrictions in to curb the spread of the COVID-19. And thanks of all I haven’t been at home. I’ve been here, Mr. Speaker. I’ve to the people of this province, we have been able to do that. We been in my office. I’ve been in meetings with the Minister of then provided the resources that were necessary to support Health, who has also been here. families, to support people, to support businesses across this province with our small-business grant, Mr. Speaker, with our The Minister of Rural and Remote Health, the Minister of self-isolation program, with the partnerships that we have and the Finance, a number of ministers on this side have been here in multiple programs that are available for small businesses and Regina, away from their homes in many cases, ensuring that we large businesses in this province.