(Submitted photo/The Saskatchewan Party)

By Derek Craddock

LEGISLATURE

Two local MLAs address the Throne Speech, COVID-19 and investment in Prince Albert

Oct 29, 2021 | 5:34 PM

Two of Prince Albert’s MLAs say they’re looking forward to the future following the Throne Speech and the start of the new session of the legislature.

During the Throne Speech, which was delivered on Wednesday, the Sask. Party government said it plans to move forward with the economy by investing in healthcare, mental health and addictions, policing and education.

“When you look at the economic growth that we’re projecting in our province and the growth in our investment in our province is truly quite amazing. It gives us promise for the future,” said MLA for Prince Albert Northcote Alana Ross.

The province focused much of the Throne Speech on economic recovery and investment, something that Prince Albert Carlton MLA Joe Hargrave said will greatly benefit the city of Prince Albert and surrounding areas.

“We know that we have to have a strong economy coming out of COVID that we need things going and we have $10 billion in investment lined up that are going to come into our province, $1 billion of which is coming into Prince Albert.”

Court proceedings

'The impact of this trauma will echo for generations': court case surrounding La Ronge woman's death reaches conclusion

11h ago

Going Global

P.A.'s Zablocki named to Team Canada for U18 Women's World Championships

12h ago

Election 2024

Birch Hills staff won't share election decision

12h ago

Hargrave and Ross touched on the recent timber allotments for the future restart of the Prince Albert pulp mill and the new OSB plant to be built in the area.

“The forestry industry hasn’t been as active as we would have liked it to be for this area so those are wonderful announcements for Prince Albert,” Ross said.

On the topic of policing, the Throne Speech detailed 60 new positions across the province as well as the creation of the Saskatchewan Trafficking Response Team to pursue people who transport drugs and weapons into the province. The team will include 30 RCMP officers, six municipal police officers and two criminal analysts.

The Throne Speech also touched on Truth and Reconciliation and how the government can work to rebuild relations with First Nations communities.

“We have provided funding to help find and work towards investigating the undocumented graves and burials at the former residential schools,” Ross said.

“We also are developing the Saskatchewan Indigenous Investment Corporation. Helping to finance Indigenous communities who are interested in investing in resource and development projects.”

While there appeared to be many positives from the Throne Speech, the opposition pointed out very little of it was focused on the current COVID-19 situation in Saskatchewan.

NDP Leader Ryan Meili called the Throne Speech “tone deaf,” alleging it ignores the real problems surrounding the province’s healthcare system.

On the first day of the legislature session, Meili pressed the government and Premier Scott Moe to release all of the recommendations chief medical health officer Dr. Saqib Shahab has made to the government.

Moe did not commit to either releasing or not releasing the recommendations that Shahab has made to the province about health orders, contending that Shahab’s advice is only part of the decision-making process.

When asked about the opposition’s questions regarding the Throne Speech and COVID, Ross and Hargrave said COVID is still a priority for the government.

“We’ve worked hard at responding, we work with the council of Dr. Shahab, 85 per cent of the people in our province have gone out and got vaccinated,” Ross said.

“COVID is not done, we have to keep working hard on that and we have to be very diligent but we also have to bear in mind that we need that string economy going forward, we need the jobs, we need all that going forward,” Hargrave added.

“We’re sure not tone deaf when it comes to COVID. We’ve responded well.”

While the Speech from the Throne was delivered in the legislature, the traditional ceremony outside the chamber doors was cancelled as hundreds had gathered outside protesting the government’s rules on proof of vaccination.

Those protests included comments from Saskatchewan Rivers MLA and former Sask. Party member Nadine Wilson.

–With files from 650 CKOM

—

derek.craddock@pattisonmedia.com

Twitter: @PA_Craddock