Hansard: October 21, 2015
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FOURTH SESSION - TWENTY-SEVENTH LEGISLATURE of the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan ____________ DEBATES and PROCEEDINGS ____________ (HANSARD) Published under the authority of The Hon. Dan D’Autremont Speaker N.S. VOL. 57 NO. 71A WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 21, 2015, 13:30 MEMBERS OF THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF SASKATCHEWAN Speaker — Hon. Dan D’Autremont Premier — Hon. Brad Wall Leader of the Opposition — Cam Broten Name of Member Political Affiliation Constituency Belanger, Buckley NDP Athabasca Bjornerud, 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 Campeau, Hon. Jennifer SP Saskatoon Fairview Chartier, Danielle NDP Saskatoon Riversdale Cheveldayoff, Hon. Ken SP Saskatoon Silver Springs Cox, Hon. Herb SP The Battlefords D’Autremont, Hon. Dan SP Cannington Docherty, Hon. Mark SP Regina Coronation Park Doherty, Hon. Kevin SP Regina Northeast Doke, Larry SP Cut Knife-Turtleford Draude, June SP Kelvington-Wadena Duncan, Hon. Dustin SP Weyburn-Big Muddy Eagles, Doreen SP Estevan Elhard, Wayne SP Cypress Hills Forbes, David NDP Saskatoon Centre Harpauer, Hon. Donna SP Humboldt Harrison, Hon. Jeremy SP Meadow Lake Hart, Glen SP Last Mountain-Touchwood Heppner, Hon. Nancy SP Martensville Hutchinson, Bill SP Regina South Huyghebaert, D.F. (Yogi) SP Wood River Jurgens, Victoria SP Prince Albert Northcote Kirsch, Delbert SP Batoche Krawetz, Ken SP Canora-Pelly Lawrence, Greg SP Moose Jaw Wakamow Makowsky, Gene SP Regina Dewdney Marchuk, Russ SP Regina Douglas Park McCall, Warren NDP Regina Elphinstone-Centre McMorris, Hon. Don SP Indian Head-Milestone Merriman, Paul SP Saskatoon Sutherland Michelson, Warren SP Moose Jaw North Moe, Hon. Scott SP Rosthern-Shellbrook Morgan, Hon. Don SP Saskatoon Southeast Nilson, John NDP Regina Lakeview Norris, Rob SP Saskatoon Greystone Ottenbreit, Hon. Greg SP Yorkton Parent, Roger SP Saskatoon Meewasin Phillips, Kevin SP Melfort Reiter, Hon. Jim SP Rosetown-Elrose Ross, Laura SP Regina Qu’Appelle Valley Sproule, Cathy NDP Saskatoon Nutana Steinley, Warren SP Regina Walsh Acres Stewart, Hon. Lyle SP Thunder Creek Tell, Hon. Christine SP Regina Wascana Plains Tochor, Corey SP Saskatoon Eastview Toth, Don SP Moosomin Vermette, Doyle NDP Cumberland Wall, Hon. Brad SP Swift Current Weekes, Randy SP Biggar Wilson, Hon. Nadine SP Saskatchewan Rivers Wotherspoon, Trent NDP Regina Rosemont Wyant, Hon. Gordon SP Saskatoon Northwest Young, Colleen SP Lloydminster Vacant Prince Albert Carlton LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF SASKATCHEWAN 7401 October 21, 2015 [The Assembly met at 13:30.] with the minister opposite and welcome these leaders in industry, these leaders in our economy to their Assembly here [Prayers] today. Certainly I’d want to thank them for their leadership within our province every day on behalf of industry groups and ROUTINE PROCEEDINGS very key players and employers in this province, a very important role that you fulfill. And I also want to thank you for INTRODUCTION OF GUESTS the input you’ll have provided to this bill, and I guess we’ll see what the bill looks like here today. The Speaker: — I recognize the Minister of Justice and Attorney General. Certainly it’s critically important that we receive best value for taxpayers, and we certainly need to make sure we have a level Hon. Mr. Wyant: — Thank you, Mr. Speaker. If I could have playing field for Saskatchewan companies to participate in leave for an extended introduction. those very important projects. So I am pleased to join with the minister and welcome these leaders here today. Thank you. The Speaker: — The minister has requested leave for an extended introduction. Is leave granted? The Speaker: — I recognize the Minister of Highways. Some Hon. Members: — Agreed. Hon. Ms. Heppner: — Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to join with the Minister Responsible for SaskBuilds and Priority The Speaker: — Carried. The minister may proceed. Saskatchewan, welcoming these guests here today, particularly — and I don’t want to point anybody out in particular, but I will Hon. Mr. Wyant: — Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, — to Shantel and Carmen who joined me this morning at a it’s my great pleasure to welcome several individuals who are construction wrap-up event to celebrate a fabulous construction with us today in your gallery from some of Saskatchewan’s season in the province of Saskatchewan. largest industry associations. They’re here today to celebrate the introduction of legislation that will help transform the way And I want to thank all the road builders, consulting engineers, governments and Crowns procure services to ensure a level and Highways staff for their great work, and a special thank you playing field for Saskatchewan businesses. to Sean Wilson. Against his better judgment, he let me operate one of his paving machines earlier this summer. So I cannot Best value-based procurement is a national and international guarantee the quality of work in the Blaine Lake area; I think I best practice, and our government is very pleased to be moving did an okay job. forward with another important step to ensure procurement is leading edge in Saskatchewan. But I just want to ask all of my colleagues to welcome them here today and to thank them for all of their very hard work. With us today, Mr. Speaker, in your gallery, we have Shantel Lipp, the president of the Saskatchewan Heavy Construction The Speaker: — I recognize the member for Regina Lakeview. Association — please give us a wave — thanks, Shantel; Carmen Duncan, Chair of the board of the Saskatchewan Heavy Mr. Nilson: — Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to introduce to Construction Association; as well as Sean Wilson, also from the you and through you to all members of the legislature, 25 grade SHCA [Saskatchewan Heavy Construction Association]. 7 and 8 students from Lakeview Elementary School in Regina Lakeview. They’re sitting in the east gallery. They’re We have Beverly MacLeod, executive director of the accompanied by their teacher, Mrs. Rochelle Anderson, as well Association of Consulting Engineering Companies of as teacher interns Janay Welburne and Mike Foraie. I ask all Saskatchewan; Mark Cooper, president of the Saskatchewan members to welcome them here to the legislature. Construction Association; Keith Moen, executive director of the North Saskatoon Business Association; and Carol Morsky from PRESENTING PETITIONS Merit Contractors Association; as well as Melissa Fiacco from the Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters. The Speaker: — I recognize the member for Saskatoon Centre. Mr. Speaker, we also have in your gallery today, Greg Lusk and Mr. Forbes: — Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I rise Colleen Huber from Priority Saskatchewan. today to present a petition in support of GSAs [gender and sexuality alliance] in Saskatchewan schools. We know that this Mr. Speaker, I do want to take the opportunity to thank these government is not doing enough to create safe spaces in our individuals for their commitment and their support in moving schools for sexually diverse students or students bullied because our procurement transformation plan forward. We couldn’t do of their sexual identity or sexual orientation, and that this work without them, Mr. Speaker. So, Mr. Speaker, to my gender- and sexually diverse students are four times more likely colleagues in the legislature, we welcome these guests to their than their heterosexual peers to attempt suicide, and that gender legislature. and sexual alliances offer opportunities for gender- and sexually diverse students to assert their needs and have their voices The Speaker: — I recognize the member for Regina Rosemont. heard. And we know that these alliances offer opportunities to improve attendance, retention rates, generate meaningful Mr. Wotherspoon: — Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to join relationships at schools, and reduce homophobic and 7402 Saskatchewan Hansard October 21, 2015 transphobic bullying. I’d like to read the prayer, Mr. Speaker: Mr. Speaker, this petition is signed by citizens of Regina. I so submit. We, in the prayer that reads as follows, respectfully request that the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan call on this The Speaker: — I recognize the Opposition House Leader. government to take immediate and meaningful action to pass The Respect for Diversity — Student Bill of Rights Act Mr. McCall: — Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I rise to and enshrine in legislation the right of Saskatchewan present a petition from citizens concerned with the high cost of students to form GSAs within their schools in order to post-secondary education in the province of Saskatchewan. foster caring, accepting, inclusive environments and They point out that as recently as 2014, there’s a report by deliver equal opportunities for all students to reach their Statistics Canada indicating Saskatchewan is the province with full potential. the highest increase in tuition, having increased that year by 4 per cent in the province for undergraduate students and over 5 And as in duty bound, your petitioners will ever pray. per cent for graduate students. Mr. Speaker, the people signing this petition today come from They also point out that the average Canadian student in 2014 the city of Moose Jaw. Thank you very much. graduated with debt of over $27,000, not including credit card and other private debt. Mr. Speaker, in the prayer that reads as The Speaker: — I recognize the member for Athabasca. follows: Mr. Belanger: — Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I’m These petitioners respectfully request that the Legislative proud once again to present petitions to improve cell service for Assembly of Saskatchewan take the following action: to northern Saskatchewan. And the prayer reads as follows, Mr. cause the provincial government to immediately increase Speaker: the funding for post-secondary education in this province, with a legislative provision that this increase in funding be To cause the provincial government to improve cell service used to lower tuition fees.