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. 2B TUESDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2020, 19:00 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 ADDRESS IN REPLY Belanger ....................................................................................................................................................................................... 43 Wilson .......................................................................................................................................................................................... 45 Hindley ......................................................................................................................................................................................... 48 Marit ............................................................................................................................................................................................ 51 Dennis .......................................................................................................................................................................................... 53 Ritchie .......................................................................................................................................................................................... 56 Cheveldayoff ................................................................................................................................................................................ 58 Hargrave ...................................................................................................................................................................................... 62 Nerlien ......................................................................................................................................................................................... 65 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF SASKATCHEWAN 43 December 1, 2020 [The Assembly resumed at 19:00.] the federal government gave them for COVID-19, they are now going back to the people that are on assistance saying, well hold EVENING SITTING it; you got CERB money; we want our money back that you now need for housing and for food and for shelter because we quite SPECIAL ORDER frankly need more money, Mr. Speaker. ADDRESS IN REPLY And that’s the crying shame about how this particular government handled the pandemic. They had no game plan. They The Speaker: — Resume debate on the Throne Speech. I were not to be found anywhere. And they provided zero recognize the member from Athabasca. leadership. Mr. Belanger: — Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Again Now as we broke for supper, I was about to explain my own I’m very pleased to take my place this evening to begin my personal experience with COVID-19, Mr. Speaker. Because of response to the Speech from the Throne. in-home transmission, my wife and my grandson and I all tested positive for COVID-19. And of course when we found out the And as I left just before 5 o’clock here, Mr. Speaker, I spoke positive results — my results came several days later — we, of about the personal experience around COVID-19 and some of the course, were quite stunned by the announcement. We had no idea challenges. And I want to reiterate to the listeners that are out where we could possibly get COVID-19 from. It just didn’t make there that this government, the Sask Party government, got $440 any sense. And there was obviously something that we had to million, almost half a billion dollars from the federal government think about and talk about because it really is a traumatic to help battle COVID, Mr. Speaker. And the question that we experience. You hear all the horror stories and you see all the have on this side of the Assembly is, where did that money go? deaths that are attributed to COVID-19. We are talking a lot about some of the challenges around So I think one of the things . There’s three particular COVID-19 and some of the other resulting issues that society in challenges that we went through as a family. First is that Saskatchewan as a whole faced, whether it’s youth suicide or obviously you want to make sure that you are isolated and that whether it’s the drug issue in many northern communities, the you are not presenting any danger to anybody else. And that mental health challenges that people are speaking about right includes my elderly mother, my aunts, and of course, some of my across the province, Mr. Speaker. Some of those challenges were other family members. not addressed. So the question I have for the Saskatchewan Party government this evening is, you received $444 million from the So we knew we had to keep away from everyone because of the federal government for the COVID-19 pandemic planning. What positive test. And as a result of that . We had another did you do with that money? granddaughter of mine that was a resident of our home and she tested negative, so we had to remove her from the home. And we We would like to know. And as we have said before the couldn’t put her anywhere else because obviously she may have Assembly broke for supper, Mr. Speaker, we saw the had the COVID-19 virus, and if she went to a different home, Saskatchewan Party take that money from the federal then she would be a risk to the residents of that home. government, put it one pocket, and gave us a pittance out of the other pocket to help battle COVID-19 and some of the other So with the help of our Métis Nation area director, who has really challenges that I spoke to and alluded to earlier, Mr. Speaker. stepped up to the plate on many occasions, they book a bunch of Their priorities have always been off base with the Saskatchewan hotel rooms where people that are forced to isolate can actually people, and Mr. Speaker, that is something that people in stay. So these rooms are open. So as a result of the dynamics of Saskatchewan obviously know. Now today, Mr. Speaker, as we our family, where one member tested negative and the other three listen to some of the Sask Party’s rhetoric across the way and inhabitants tested positive, we had to remove my granddaughter they speak . as we mentioned, carbon tax. from the home. She moved into a hotel room, and