SECOND 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. 51 NO. 50A TUESDAY, APRIL 21, 2009, 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 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 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 2771 April 21, 2009 [The Assembly met at 13:30.] And so this is always a highlight I think for all members of the Legislative Assembly every year. There are always two [Prayers] constants at the medal presentations, Mr. Speaker. Members will know that the first is the pride that the rest of us feel in ROUTINE PROCEEDINGS being blessed with fellow citizens such as these today, and the second constant is the modesty of the recipients who would INTRODUCTION OF GUESTS rather defer to others as they are recognized by their province. The Speaker: — I recognize the Provincial Secretary. So on behalf of a grateful province of Saskatchewan and the Government of Saskatchewan, we want to say to them, thank Hon. Mr. Elhard: — Mr. Speaker, I would request leave for an you very, very much for all of your service. And we want to extended introduction. encourage you in continued volunteering, as we know you will do in your respective communities. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Speaker: — The Provincial Secretary has asked for leave for an extended introduction. Is leave granted? Hon. Members: — Hear, hear! Some Hon. Members: — Agreed. The Speaker: — I recognize the Leader of Her Majesty’s Loyal Opposition. The Speaker: — Agreed. I recognize the Provincial Secretary. Mr. Calvert: — Mr. Speaker, I’m very pleased to join with the Hon. Mr. Elhard: — Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As you know, Provincial Secretary and the Premier in offering congratulations Mr. Speaker, the Government of Saskatchewan established the from the official opposition to those who have been honoured Saskatchewan Volunteer Medal on the occasion of our today receiving Saskatchewan’s Volunteer Medal. province’s 90th anniversary. This medal is bestowed on those who have been recognized in their communities for their Mr. Speaker, during the ceremony this morning, I somehow got outstanding contributions of volunteer service or exceptional thinking about my grandmother who used to use the word community involvement. volunteer in a context that I was not very familiar with, and it’s not very often used in this context. But she used to talk about Mr. Speaker, Saskatchewan has one of the highest rates of these little flowers that would pop up in the garden that were volunteerism in Canada. Each volunteer reaches outside his or sort of self-seeded from the years before. And she used to call her personal sphere of activities to help others and to make them her volunteers because they just popped up, and they did daily life in our province better for everyone. some beautiful things to her garden. Volunteers in Saskatchewan just have a way of doing that. Since its establishment in 1995, 120 exceptional individuals have been presented with this award, including the eight When the medal was created, it was to recognize citizens who received the award earlier today. Mr. Speaker, I Saskatchewan’s volunteer community which, as the Premier’s would ask all members to please join the Premier and myself in indicated, is larger than any other in the nation of Canada. But congratulating these eight recipients as they are introduced to as with every community, it’s made up of individuals, and their Legislative Assembly. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. today we have honoured eight of Saskatchewan’s volunteer community — eight of our very best who join a very exclusive Hon. Members: — Hear, hear! group of men and women who have been so honoured. The Speaker: — I recognize the Premier. I’ve had opportunity on other occasions to do this, and I want to do it again today, and that’s to share with our volunteer medal Hon. Mr. Wall: — Thank you. Thank you very much, Mr. recipients this Eastern proverb which in translation reads: Speaker. I want to join with the Provincial Secretary and I know all members of the House — and the Leader of the Opposition I fell asleep and I dreamed that life was happiness. will be saying a few words as well — in welcoming these very, I awoke and I found that life was service. very special guests here to their Legislative Assembly, as well I served and found that service was happiness. as the members of their family and their networks or friends who have joined them in support of the medal presentation Much continued happiness in your service. By the way, this is earlier this day, and also of course have supported them so that not a retirement ceremony. This is a milestone and we celebrate they can volunteer in the way they have in their respective it with you. communities right across the province. Hon. Members: — Hear, hear! Mr. Speaker, this idea for a volunteer medal, I think, originated in 1995. And it is absolutely meet and right that we would take The Speaker: — I recognize the member from Saskatoon some time to honour those who give of themselves so selflessly Greystone. because they represent so many others right across this province — the greatest amount of volunteerism in the country, right Hon. Mr. Norris: — Mr. Speaker, it’s my privilege to here in Saskatchewan. introduce Mr. Robin Bellamy from the constituency of Saskatoon Greystone, who today received the Saskatchewan 2772 Saskatchewan Hansard April 21, 2009 Volunteer Medal. Melville-Saltcoats. Hon. Members: — Hear, hear! Hon. Mr. Bjornerud: — Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, it’s my privilege to introduce Courtney Vaudner from The Speaker: — I recognize the member from Regina the constituency of Melville-Saltcoats, who today received the Elphinstone-Centre. Saskatchewan Volunteer Medal. Mr. McCall: — Mr. Speaker, it is my privilege to introduce Hon. Members: — Hear, hear! Mrs. Beth Ell from the constituency of Regina Elphinstone-Centre, who today received the Saskatchewan The Speaker: — I recognize the Premier. Volunteer Medal. Hon. Mr. Wall: — I request leave to make an extended Hon. Members: — Hear, hear! introduction, Mr. Speaker. The Speaker: — I recognize the member from Indian The Speaker: — The Premier has asked for leave for an Head-Milestone. extended introduction. Is leave granted? Hon. Mr. McMorris: — Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Some Hon. Members: — Agreed. Speaker, it’s my privilege to introduce Mr. John Ford from the constituency of Indian Head-Milestone, who today received the The Speaker: — Agreed. I recognize the Premier. Saskatchewan Volunteer Medal. Hon. Mr. Wall: — Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and thanks to my Hon. Members: — Hear, hear! colleagues for the chance to make an extended and a very important introduction to all members of the Legislative The Speaker: — I recognize the member from Prince Albert Assembly. I am going to speak deliberately to hopefully Carlton. achieve the correct pronunciations of our guests that have joined us in your gallery, but also perhaps to give the Hon. Mr. Hickie: — Mr. Speaker, it is my privilege to opportunity for the translator who’s with them to provide them introduce Mr. Ajay Krishan from the constituency of Prince a bit of a translation. Albert Carlton, who today received the Saskatchewan Volunteer Medal. Mr. Speaker, it is a great pleasure to introduce to you today and through you today to all members of the Legislative Assembly, Hon. Members: — Hear, hear! His Excellency Nguyen Van Cuong. His Excellency is chairman of the Hung Yen province in Vietnam. This is not The Speaker: — I recognize the member from Wood River. only the chairman’s first visit to our great province, but it is his first visit to our nation, to Canada.