Debates and Proceedings of the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan

I recognize the Minister of Government Relations.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. To you and through you, I’d like to welcome a few guests in your gallery, seated in your gallery, Mr. Speaker, with Métis Nation-Saskatchewan. We have Minister Brennan Merasty, Minister Darcy Lepowick, CEO [chief executive officer] Richard Quintal, and Minister Friesen, I believe. That’s correct? Yes. Thank you. That was a good guess because they forgot to tell me who was here. Also seated with them is our former MLA [Member of the Legislative Assembly] Paul Merriman as well is here, Mr. Speaker. The Métis people have made rich and lasting contributions to our province, Mr. Speaker, through history, culture, and the development of our province as a whole. Mr. Speaker, as one of the province’s founding peoples, the Métis have helped shape Saskatchewan into what it is today. Mr. Speaker, through their unique cultural traditions, ongoing contributions to community building, arts, language, and economic growth, their resilience, knowledge, and cultural vibrancy continue to strengthen Saskatchewan today. So to you and through you, Mr. Speaker, I ask all members to welcome members from Métis Nation-Saskatchewan to their legislature.

I recognize the member from Cumberland.

Well thank you, Mr. Speaker. I too want to join with the minister in welcoming the leadership here from Métis Nation-Saskatchewan. I’ve got to know a few of them over some time. As well my seatmate here, I believe, used to teach one of the new ministers there. So she keeps her seatmate in line just as much as she did as a teacher of Minister Brennan Merasty. I also want to welcome Marg Friesen and Darcy Lepowick, who I had the honour and opportunity to meet with early last week in issues facing his community as well. And I thank these folks for the leadership that they provide to their constituents, bringing in the importance of culture and language into the province of Saskatchewan — and such a rich culture and language here in Saskatchewan — as well, the leadership from the staff of Richard Quintal and Autumn Laing-LaRose. I welcome them to this, their provincial legislature on behalf of the official opposition. And I ask all members to join me in welcoming them to this, their provincial legislature. Thank you so much.

I recognize the member from Weyburn-Bengough.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. To you and through you, I’d like to introduce four board members from WeyStrong, a Weyburn non-profit organization that I’ll have more to say about in a member statement. So, Mr. Speaker, up in your gallery in the back row we have president Lisa Vick, secretary Deana Peterson, treasurer Peggy Henderson, and member at large Krystal Browatzke. These four women, and their fellow board members that couldn’t be here, are making a significant impact in their community. And I would ask all members to join me in thanking them for their amazing efforts and to also welcome them to this, their Legislative Assembly.

I recognize the member from Regina Pasqua.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in the east gallery there are my immediate family members and extended family members. Mr. Pritam Singh Sidhu is the father-in-law of my daughter. He always remained with me while door knocking, while delivering any leaflets. And even by making . . . [inaudible] . . . he was always with me, stood with me. He’s my right arm. And with him is Mr. Patinder Singh Brar. He and his wife came to Canada as visitors to . . . marry their son. And along with Dial Singh, he is my brother’s brother-in-law. And then my brother’s daughter-in-law, Raman Deep Brar; and Charneet Brar, wife of Patinder; and Harbans Kaur, wife of Dial Singh; and my daughter Kuldeep. And Charanjit, my wife — we’re married more than 50 years together and will remain as such. So I would like to introduce them, and I would like to request you to join me to welcome them to their Legislative Assembly.

I recognize the Minister of Advanced Education.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. My voice is a little raspy for some obvious reasons yesterday, but I’ll make it through. Today we have the pleasure of introducing, and no stranger to this legislature, a community leader in Saskatoon and a philanthropist throughout the province. Curtis Kimpton joins us here today. Curtis has won national awards with the Kinsmen Foundation. He’s an honorary colonel with the Canadian Armed Forces. Members on both sides of the House will have seen him at the Remembrance Day services in Saskatoon. He’s also with Advocis, the financial planners advocacy group, and he’s in town today doing some of that. It won’t be long before TeleMiracle is around, and Curtis takes great pride in showing behind-the-scenes operations to members on both sides of the House. He’s a very busy man. But he also is my co-campaign manager from the last election, so I hope he doesn’t get too busy doing other things because we’ll need to win Saskatoon Willowgrove again. Mr. Speaker, through you to all colleagues, thank Curtis for coming to his legislature today and all that he does each and every day in our province.

I recognize the member from Saskatoon Southeast.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to rise and join my colleague across from me here to recognize Mr. Curtis Kimpton to his Legislative Assembly today. I had the pleasure of meeting Curtis about a year ago actually at the Saskatoon Community Foundation, their annual gathering, where I learned about the incredible work and connection that he has to the community, all of the different phenomenal community-based organizations that he is involved with, and his passion for improving the lives of everybody in Saskatoon and across Saskatchewan. I’d like to ask all members in joining me to welcome Curtis Kimpton to his Legislative Assembly.

I recognize the member from Yorkton.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to welcome a personal friend of mine and someone who also lives in my constituency, Darcy Lepowick. He’s here on behalf of Métis Nation of Saskatchewan, but I’ve known him for quite a few years now, from before either of us started into this political field. I also worked with his wife who works with YTC Justice [Yorkton Tribal Council Justice] in Yorkton. And what some of you might not know is that Darcy runs the best elk farm in the area. And if you ever want the best tallow, this is the guy to go to for that. So please help me in welcoming Darcy Lepowick to his Legislative Assembly.

I recognize the member from Regina Elphinstone-Centre.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to join with the member from Weyburn-Bengough and also welcome, on behalf of the official opposition, the women that are here on behalf of WeyStrong today. I’m looking forward to hearing more about this organization; I understand it’s an organization that exists in Weyburn. One of the organizers, Lisa Vick, I understand had a diagnosis of breast cancer, saw a need in the community for additional supports for women with that diagnosis. And I want to thank these women who are here today, as well as those that they’re representing who couldn’t make it, for the work they’re doing to provide supports in that community. And I look forward to hearing more about their good work in the member statement that I understand is coming later today. So I’d ask all members to join me in welcoming this crew from WeyStrong. Thank you.

I recognize the Minister of Agriculture.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. If I may, in your gallery I’d like to reintroduce Deana Peterson. She married a local Alida boy, and we worked together in the oil and gas industry for several years before she dragged him to her home community of Weyburn. So I will forgive her, but I’d like to welcome her to her Legislative Assembly.

I recognize the member from Saskatoon Silverspring.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It’s a pleasure and honour to rise here today. I would like to point out in your gallery Mr. Paul Merriman, the former MLA for Saskatoon Silverspring. Served in this legislature since 2011 in the riding of Saskatoon Sutherland. Served in many roles on the other side as a minister of Health and minister of Public Safety. I just wanted to say it’s not an easy job to undertake life in politics. Mr. Merriman served well in this House and in this Assembly and worked tirelessly for the people of this province. And so I ask all members of this Assembly to thank him and welcome him to his Legislative Assembly. Thank you very much.

I recognize the member from Saskatoon Stonebridge.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It gives me great pleasure to introduce to everyone — he almost needs no introduction — Rashid Ahmed and his family: Virdah, Michelle, and Minel. Over the last year or so he’s generously invited me and so many others, potentially from both sides of the aisle, into their home and has shown great kindness towards so many in our province and in Saskatoon in particular. His work with Multifaith Saskatoon, he is the president, trying to bring harmony and mutual respect throughout different faith organizations, focusing on how all faiths share goals in peace and unity. His work with the Muslim community in Saskatoon, with Egadz, Salvation Army for clothing drives, serving food through Meals on Wheels, and blood drives, is so admirable. And it gives me great pleasure on behalf of the official opposition to welcome him and his family into this their Legislative Assembly.

I recognize the member from Saskatoon University-Sutherland.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I join the member from Saskatoon Stonebridge to welcome Rashid Ahmed and Virdah to your legislature. And Rashid is a friend of mine for the last 15 years. In Saskatoon if you go to 100 community events, you’ll find him at more than 90 events. He’s very active in various communities. And in his religion, Ahmadiyya Jama’at, their motto is love for all, hate for none. And he is a true example of that motto. He loves for all and hates for none. I ask all the members to join me to welcome Rashid and Virdah to their legislature. And while I’m on my feet, Mr. Speaker, I also want to join the member from Regina Pasqua to welcome his extended family to their legislature. Welcome. Thank you.

I recognize the member from Regina Pasqua.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I rise here today to present a petition in the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan to implement rent control amount. We, the undersigned residents of the province of Saskatchewan, wish to bring to your attention the following: that Saskatchewan tenants are currently experiencing the highest levels of rent increase in the country; the rent in Saskatchewan has risen by 4 per cent in the last year alone, far outpacing wage growth and putting more pressure on families, seniors, students, and low-income residents; that without rent control, landlords can implement unchecked rent hikes, making housing increasingly unaffordable and unstable; that with rent control, residents can budget more effectively, potentially putting them in a position to save for a down payment on their first home; that provinces such as British Columbia, Manitoba, Ontario, and Prince Edward Island have already implemented rent control measures to protect tenants and maintain housing affordability. We, in the prayer that reads as follows, respectfully request that the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan call on the Government of Saskatchewan to adopt fair and effective rent control legislation that limits annual rent increases, ensuring housing stability and protect tenants from being priced out of their homes. This petition has been signed by the residents of Regina. I do so present. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I recognize the member from Regina Northeast.

Merci, monsieur le Président. [Translation: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.] I rise to present a petition to the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan to immediately reimburse Regina taxpayers for the Costco deal. The undersigned residents wish to bring to your attention that the city of Regina had to offer a $6.78 million incentive package to keep Costco at the original proposed location in Regina because the province attempted to outbid them. This comes at a time where that additional $6.78 million cost will hit taxpayers in the same year that they were hit with the largest tax increase in over a decade. With that, I will read the prayer: We, in the prayer reads as follows, respectfully request that the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan call on the Government of Saskatchewan to immediately reimburse Regina taxpayers for this Costco deal. The undersigned residents live in Regina. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I recognize the member from Regina Wascana Plains.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise to present a petition calling on the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan to address the child care crisis. These residents of the province of Saskatchewan wish to bring attention to the following: that renewing a $10‑a-day child care deal is necessary for children, their families, and child care providers; that the $10‑a-day child care deal serves as a critical infrastructure vital to our economy; that the creation of an equitable funding formula and a recruitment and retention program are necessary to address the crisis in our child care system; that educators deserve a salary grid and a pension and benefit program that recognizes experience and education; and that child care centres impacted by the delay in getting a federal-provincial deal and the existing equitable funding formula require emergency funding to contribute current operations. The prayer reads as follows: We respectfully request the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan call on the Government of Saskatchewan to immediately collaborate with child care stakeholders to address the challenges of funding and the recruitment and retention of early child care educators, and immediately sign the $10‑a-day child care deal. Mr. Speaker, the signatories today rise in Regina. I do so present.

I recognize the member from Saskatoon Riversdale.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise today to present a petition calling for the Government of Saskatchewan to fix the crisis in health care. The undersigned residents would like to bring to our attention the following: that in the past five years the health care closures across rural Saskatchewan disrupted services for a total of 8,613 days; that 3,953 of those days were disruptions to Saskatchewan emergency rooms; that for the first time, an emergency room in one of our major cities was shut down due to staff shortages; and that it is unacceptable that women in this province are being forced to travel out of province for routine breast cancer diagnostic care. With that, I’ll read the prayer: We, in the prayer that follows, respectfully request the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan to call on the Government of Saskatchewan to immediately address the short-staffing crisis in health care and work with health care workers on solutions to improve patient care. The signatories to this petition reside in Saskatoon. I do so submit.

I recognize the member from Saskatoon Westview.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise in the Legislative Assembly today to present the following petition calling on the Government of Saskatchewan to step up for Indigenous students. The undersigned residents of the province of Saskatchewan wish to bring to your attention the following: that Jordan’s principle was established to ensure that First Nations children have equitable access to the services, including supports in schools; the recent loss of this federal funding leaves a significant gap in Saskatchewan classrooms, especially for Indigenous students who rely on inclusive education supports; cuts to Jordan’s principle funding have led to the layoff of 80 educational assistants from Saskatoon public schools; and the 2025‑2026 provincial budget further reduces education funding, budgeting less than what was actually spent the previous year. And with that, Mr. Speaker, I will read the prayer: We, in the prayer that reads as follows, respectfully request that the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan stand up for Saskatchewan and advocate for the restoration of federal Jordan’s principle funding to support Indigenous students in schools; commit to sustainable, predictable, and equitable provincial funding for inclusive education across Saskatchewan; and ensure education support workers have the resources and staffing they need to keep classrooms safe and support every student’s learning journey. Mr. Speaker, the signatories to this petition reside in Meadow Lake, Lloydminster, and Melfort. I do so present, thank you.

I recognize the member from Moosomin-Montmartre.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. What a weekend for football in Saskatchewan. On Saturday, the University of Saskatchewan Huskies fought their way to a 22 to 11 Mitchell Bowl victory, earning their place in the Vanier Cup coming up this weekend in Regina. Their grit and their refusal to quit showed the country what Saskatchewan pride is all about. And the next day, Mr. Speaker, on Sunday, the Saskatchewan Roughriders and their fans marched into Winnipeg and defeated the Montreal Alouettes 25 to 17 to bring the Grey Cup home to Saskatchewan where it belongs. Mr. Speaker, I was there in Winnipeg last night, along with thousands of the best fans of the world, for that incredible game as Saskatchewan turned Bomber territory into a sea of green. And it was so exciting to be there as the Riders once again proved that when we come together, we can take on anyone anywhere. Football is more than a game. It’s community, perseverance, and pride in where we come from. Now I can’t help but point out the Riders never managed to win a Grey Cup when the NDP [New Democratic Party] members opposite were in charge of the province. But since this government took office, Mr. Speaker, Rider nation has hoisted the cup not once, not twice, but three times. It seems that either on or off the field, Saskatchewan wins when the right team is leading the charge. I want to ask the entire Assembly to join me in congratulating both the Huskies and the Riders, their coaches, and every fan, every member of Rider nation, and everyone involved in making this happen. Let’s celebrate this amazing Grey Cup victory. Thank you.

I recognize the member from Regina Mount Royal.

Mr. Speaker, what a team, what a night. Our Saskatchewan Roughriders are Grey Cup champions — our fifth championship — with a thrilling 25‑17 victory over the Montreal Alouettes in the 112th Grey Cup. But this celebration extends far beyond the final score. Across Saskatchewan families, friends, and neighbours gathered together to cheer on the green and white, demonstrating once again how our Riders unite our province with hope and pride. From our largest cities to our smallest towns, farms, and on First Nations, Rider nation stood together. Our team showed heart and grit all night in that game. The defence forced key turnovers and veteran QB [quarterback] Trevor Harris ran the offence with poise. Harris threw for 302 yards and set a Grey Cup record for the best completion percentage, at 85.2 at 39 years old, a very well-deserved MVP [most valuable player]. And A.J. Ouellette ran roughshod over their D [defence]. This win is sweet, Mr. Speaker. The prairies erupted with joy, green confetti rained down, fireworks lit up the sky, and thousands poured onto the Green Mile in a sea of green and white. Congratulations to our Roughriders, champs once again, and Rider nation legends forever. Welcome home to the Grey Cup.

I recognize the member from Weyburn-Bengough.

WeyStrong is a non-profit organization based out of Weyburn that was created to address the critical gap in support for women living with cancer in the city of Weyburn and surrounding communities. The WeyStrong community has grown very quickly and came together with their first retreat in 2024. Following the first retreat, the organization has been busy with a variety of activities, including educating the public about the mobile breast cancer screening program, hosting its first Bunco fundraiser, hosting a Chuck-a-Puck fundraiser at the Weyburn Redwings game, a summer fun raffle, and a guest presentation at the Ceylon United Church Ladies Night, handing out treat bags at the Weyburn car show, and applying for and receiving a $3,000 cheque from the Weyburn Credit Union Community Fund, which will be used to purchase an additional IV [intravenous] start cart for the oncology unit at the Weyburn General Hospital. Last month WeyStrong hosted its second cancer support retreat in Weyburn, this time with 42 women participating from Weyburn and area. The retreat was open to any woman who has ever received a cancer diagnosis, regardless of age, background, or type of cancer. This year’s retreat included a nutrition session, a genetic counselling session, a peaceful sound bath therapy session, a stretching and breath work exercise including mini massages, and a meaningful art session. Thanks to the incredibly generous community and the individual sponsors and donors, the entire retreat was provided free of charge to all attendees. I’d like to congratulate the workers on their great job with WeyStrong. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I recognize the member from Saskatoon Westview.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, this past summer I had the opportunity to volunteer in the Saskatoon and District Labour Council Summer Snack Program. The Summer Snack Program was created in 1988 by two local teachers who understood that children need access to nutritious lunches during the summer months as well as during the school year. Working with the Saskatoon and District Labour Council, they have been able to bridge that gap during the summer holidays. Through this program, staff and volunteers provide lunches to six core neighbourhoods in Saskatoon parks and other locations. The program provides fruit, vegetables, cheese, milk, yogourt, juice, and sandwiches. I, along with several of my colleagues, took shifts over one week in August, volunteering in neighbourhoods on the west side of Saskatoon, including in Archibald McDonald Park in the community of Massey Place, which is in my constituency of Saskatoon Westview. Mr. Speaker, we noticed that many adults also gathered to partake in the program, highlighting a situation of growing food insecurity in our province. Mr. Speaker, I ask all members of the Saskatchewan Legislative Assembly to join me today in thanking the Saskatoon and District Labour Council for their successful and essential Summer Snack Program. Thank you.

I recognize the member from Batoche.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Good afternoon, fellow members of the legislature, special guests, and representatives from the Métis Nation government in Saskatchewan. As a democratically elected politician, Louis Riel was a dedicated leader and nation builder. Elected multiple times, he was never able to assume his seat in Ottawa, but we are here today to acknowledge his contributions. He declared a provisional government of Saskatchewan at Batoche. It was there that he made his last stand. We recognize the contribution of his vision, his beliefs, and his steadfast fight for the rights and recognition of Métis in our province and country that continues to this day. His struggle to have his vision realized does not go unnoticed today by people across Canada. We pay our respects to his role politically, his dedication to all Métis, and his want for a country that gave equal representation to all. Thank you, President McCallum, for you and your leaders’ presence in our Chambers today. We acknowledge this, Louis Riel Day, and hope to move forward in partnership with Métis citizens in Saskatchewan.

I recognize the member from Saskatoon Stonebridge.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today we celebrate an extraordinary citizen of Saskatoon Stonebridge, Rashid Ahmed. Rashid became a proud Canadian in December of 2017, and since then has worked tirelessly to give back to the place he now calls home. Professionally, Rashid is an accomplished human resources leader, known for his integrity, motivation, and interpersonal skills. His record is inspiring: recipient of the Vera Pezer Award for Student Enhancement and volunteerism, nominee for the Outstanding Student Award from the Edwards Business Students’ Society, and nominee for the Innovation Award at the Ministry of Highways. He also helped establish the Edwards International Students’ Society at the U of S [University of Saskatchewan]. Behind all these accomplishments lies a story of love, patience, and faith. For years Rashid and wife, Virdah, were separated by borders and circumstances. “I kept praying that my wife would be here soon,” he once said. After years apart, enduring political barriers and the challenges of a pandemic, that prayer was answered. Virdah and daughter Michelle arrived safely in Saskatoon, reuniting a family that had waited too long to be together. Today Rashid continues to serve his community with strength, empathy, and gratitude. His story reminds us that perseverance and love can indeed overcome any distance, and his faith guides his selfless care and kindness to everyone, a faith commitment that should guide us all — love for all, hatred for none. Please join me in recognizing Rashid Ahmed.

I recognize the member from Carrot River Valley.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, for this opportunity to build upon what my colleague from Batoche has touched. In keeping with Louis Riel’s spirit and drive, Métis people have demonstrated determination and drive to achieve the dream they set out to accomplish. It’s clear the Métis contribution to our country and our province is today undeniable. The leadership of the Métis Nation-Saskatchewan has demonstrated a clear path forward, a strong commitment to self-determination, its citizens, and their well-being. As a result, the national auditors at MNP found the Métis Nation-Saskatchewan has increased its citizenship to more than 30,000 and is producing an estimated $209 million in economic activity and is supporting over 1,500 jobs. Métis Nation-Saskatchewan provides important and meaningful programs and services to its citizens. Métis citizens should be proud of the impacts made in building a strong economy, strong communities, and strong families. Thank you.

I recognize the Deputy Leader of the Opposition.

Mr. Speaker, after 18 years of this tired and out-of-touch government, Saskatchewan people are at a breaking point. People can’t keep up with the cost of living. Rent in this province has increased every month for 40 consecutive months. Almost every month Saskatchewan leads the nation in rent increases, 24 per cent higher over the last two years. Why is the Sask Party doing nothing to help people with the cost of living and the cost of rent?

I recognize the Deputy Premier.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the opposition has been advocating for rent controls for some time now. We’ve debated that on the floor of this Assembly before. Our government believes that in virtually every case across the country, around the world, when rent controls are put in place the opposite happens. What happens is investment dries up, less housing starts are made, and the opposite of what’s tried to be attempted happens, Mr. Speaker. There’s a number . . . On the affordability measures, Mr. Speaker, we’ve debated that too. I’d be happy to have more questions on that. Mr. Speaker, this past weekend the Premier had an opportunity to meet with the Prime Minister. I understand the meeting went well, Mr. Speaker. This morning, I guess it was, the Premier also joined a virtual meeting of all the premiers and the Prime Minister. And then he jumped on a plane to go to Washington. Tariffs are having a huge impact I think on CPI [consumer price index] and affordability. We not only have the best football team in the country, Mr. Speaker, we have the best premier in the country.

I recognize the Deputy Leader of the Opposition.

Mr. Speaker, that answer was all over the place. This government is failing to deliver when it comes to cost of living. And they’re failing when it comes to delivering big game-changing projects to create good jobs. The Prime Minister released the latest round of major nation-building projects for approval, and there was nothing for Saskatchewan. This government has refused to release their list of what they’re asking for. Why has the Sask Party failed to get results on these major projects that matter for our province?

I recognize the Deputy Premier.

Mr. Speaker, the member opposite is right. The answer was all over the place because the question was all over the place. It was on rent control. It was on affordability. It was on major projects. It was all over the place, Mr. Speaker. Now that she’s narrowed it down, Mr. Speaker, happy to talk about major projects. The Premier answered this question in the House last week I believe it was, Mr. Speaker, where he talked about the major projects that our government supports are all the ones that have a regulatory touch from the federal government. They’re projects that have . . . for example, port access, projects that are going to open opportunities for Europe markets, Asian markets. And the member says that no projects are going ahead in the province, Mr. Speaker. We’re not totally reliant on the federal government. We have a history of private investment in this province. Right now, what about the Louis Dreyfus expansion of the canola processing complex in Yorkton? The Cargill one in Yorkton? Mr. Speaker, the list goes on.

I recognize the Deputy Leader of the Opposition.

We don’t know which projects they’re bringing forward to the federal government, Mr. Speaker, because they won’t release that list. Mr. Speaker, the devastation across northern Saskatchewan this summer was unlike anything we’ve ever seen. The Sask Party has failed the people impacted by the wildfires time and time again. Now we have proof, in the form of bills, that this government is charging wildfire victims tens of thousands of dollars in PST [provincial sales tax] per household to rebuild their homes and get their lives back. As one Denare Beach resident said, “They’re profiting off our ashes and memories.” How does this government justify profiting off of the pain of wildfire victims?

I recognize the Minister of Policing, Corrections, and Public Safety.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. And of course the forest fire season was an unprecedented season this summer, and so too were the supports that this government put in place for the victims of those forest fires, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we increased the per diem amounts for the evacuees. We established the recovery task team that’s put over $20 million into the recovery efforts primarily focusing on the people of Denare Beach, making sure that everyone who suffered a loss in that community not only had an unprecedented time of cleanup — all of those lots have now been cleaned up and restored to a construction-ready phase — but we also included supports for those families to make sure that everybody has a roof over their head as we approach the winter. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I recognize the member from Cumberland.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Nothing says supporting wildfire victims like sending them a 10‑ to 20‑ to 30‑thousand-dollar bill for PST. Shame on this minister. I can’t believe this. First they fail to protect northern communities, then they fail to support the evacuees. Water bombers grounded, chaos at every turn, where luckily someone was not killed. And now the government is looking to take millions of dollars out of the pockets of my constituents who lost their homes. Can the Premier tell us the exact dollar figure he will charge the people of the North as they begin to rebuild their lives?

I recognize the Minister of Policing, Corrections, and Public Safety.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. And I thank the member opposite for the question because it gives me an opportunity to correct the record on something that he’s been saying repeatedly. He talks about grounded airplanes. Yes, there were water bombers that were under repair, Mr. Speaker, over the summer. But he fails to recognize the fact that we called in an unprecedented number of replacement bombers to help fight those forest fires, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the comments that are being made, constantly requiring correction of the record. We have implemented unprecedented supports for the people who have suffered tragic loss. And we will not exploit those people, Mr. Speaker, as they experienced that tragedy. Thank you.

I recognize the member from Cumberland.

Well, Mr. Speaker, I guess I wouldn’t know what the exact term of sending a 10‑ to 20‑ to 30‑thousand-dollar bill would be, but maybe the minister said it in his response to my first question there. Mr. Speaker, I’ve got the proof of this government’s cruelty here today. Harley Vliegenthart, one of the heroic volunteer firefighters who tried to defend Denare Beach without any help from this government, told me his PST bill is more than $28,000. Nathan Pitka and his family lived in East Trout Lake for 50 years. He provided a PST bill for $25,000. Nathan asked yesterday, “Why would the government profit off of such a tragedy that cost people so much?” That’s a great question. So my question to the minister: why?

I recognize the Minister of Policing, Corrections, and Public Safety.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. And as I indicated in my previous answer, we have unprecedented supports set out for the support of the individuals who have suffered from the forest fires, Mr. Speaker. And, Mr. Speaker . . . [Interjections]

I’m just going to ask . . . And actually when I was standing, you’re making comments on . . . So I would just ask that both sides listen to the questions and to the answers. Minister.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. The supports that we put in place through the recovery task team are there specifically for the individuals who did not have insurance coverage, Mr. Speaker. When we replace properties that were damaged due to forest fires, of course the insurance that is in place for those individuals kicks in first, and then as I said, unprecedented supports — $20 million of support from this government supporting those families. We will continue to support those families and the communities that suffered losses as a result of these tragic fires.

I recognize the member from Cumberland.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I want the people of the North to know that when I asked that question, that minister had nothing to do but smile at me from across this floor. Mr. Speaker, I am joined today in this legislature by Donna and Jean Champagne, who lost their home in Denare Beach in the fires. They are in Moose Jaw now and wondering if they will ever return home. The mismanagement of the wildfire crisis by this Sask Party government was the final straw. They don’t know if it’s worth going back. They’re looking for a commitment that this government will support a proper rebuild and proper access to the critical services like health care. Will the Minister of Public Safety sit down with the Champagnes to hear directly from them after question period today, yes or no?

I recognize the Minister of Policing, Corrections, and Public Safety.

Absolutely, Mr. Speaker. I’m happy to sit down and speak with anyone who’s prepared to talk about their experience, and I welcome these individuals to their Legislative Assembly, Mr. Speaker. Would be happy to meet with them after question period to hear what they have to say. Thank you.

I recognize the member from Regina Walsh Acres.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, CUPE [Canadian Union of Public Employees] 5430 represents more than 14,000 front-line health care workers in Saskatchewan, and today they confirmed what we have been saying all along. Front-line health care workers were not consulted about the dangerous new emergency room policy imposed by the Sask Party government that will see just one registered nurse on site. That’s one RN [registered nurse] to care for patients, perform tests, to consult with physicians, and so much more. Frankly this is not health care, and it’s going to get someone killed. Can the minister tell this House how many front-line health care workers he consulted on this policy change? Is the answer zero?

I recognize the Minister of Health.

Well, Mr. Speaker, this policy has been in place since 2011, so I can’t speak to consultation that occurred back in 2010 or 2011. But I would point the member back to the policy that, as I said in this House last week, Mr. Speaker, has been in place since 2011.

I recognize the member from Regina Walsh Acres.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The minister clearly has dug in his heels. He claims the memo issued on October 25th is nothing new. But the front-line health care workers that we’ve talked to say it is, and they didn’t have a clue that it was coming. So will the minister table in this House today the memo sent out by the Saskatchewan Health Authority and let the people of Saskatchewan decide for themselves?

I recognize the Minister of Health.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I feel the need again to remind the members opposite that this policy has been in place for 14 years, Mr. Speaker, since 2011. The focus of myself and this government continues on ensuring that we’re putting patients first and ensuring that care is available to them when and where they need it as close to home as possible, Mr. Speaker. That is why we’ve introduced innovations such as the point-of-care testing, the virtual physician program, to reduce service disruptions and to ensure that people in rural Saskatchewan have the best possible access to health care.

I recognize the member from Regina Walsh Acres.

Mr. Speaker, he says there’s nothing new here to see, but he won’t actually table the memo that came out on October 25th. Now CUPE 5430 president, Bashir Jalloh, said that the dangerous new Sask Party policy “creates the illusion of access to care while putting patients at risk.” The Premier’s Health minister wants to give Saskatchewan people the illusion that he’s fixing the health care crisis rather than actually fixing health care. Is this the Premier’s vision of rural health care in this province?

I recognize the Minister of Health.

I can tell you, Mr. Speaker, the Premier’s vision and the vision of myself and this government is a health care system where we are using innovations to improve care for people whether they live in urban Saskatchewan or rural Saskatchewan. A vision, Mr. Speaker, that the members opposite now have voted against at every single opportunity: voted against the virtual physician program, voted against point-of-care testing, voted time and time again against the most ambitious health human resources action plan in the country. That’s what we’re working on.

I recognize the member from Regina Elphinstone-Centre.

Mr. Speaker, only this government would say, one overworked nurse is the best we can do, and then call it innovation. I’m sorry. Mr. Speaker, rural ERs [emergency room] are shutting down at an alarming rate under the Sask Party’s watch, but the loss of emergency care in rural Saskatchewan is just part of wider failures underseen by this government. Because whether you’re in Kipling, Macoun, Moose Jaw, or Regina, it is getting harder than ever to find a family doctor. In two weeks, here in Regina, the Gardens Community Health Clinic will be forced to close due to lack of doctors. They’ve had two family physician positions posted for more than 11 months, Mr. Speaker. But after 18 years of the Sask Party government running down our health care system, this clinic could not find or keep any family doctors. Friday I challenged that Health minister to come up with a plan by today for those 5,000 Regina residents who will find themselves without access to a family doctor in just 13 days. So to the minister: what is the plan?

I recognize the Minister of Health.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I feel the need to emphasize that the Gardens Community Health Centre in Regina is an independent physician-run clinic not operated by the Saskatchewan Health Authority. Decisions around hiring or closures, Mr. Speaker, that lies with that — again — independently run clinic. Mr. Speaker, the member opposite always asks about the plan, and in lieu of actually bringing a plan forward. I have to always point her and other members opposite back to the health human resources action plan, the most ambitious in the country. When it comes to recruiting physicians, we have one of the most competitive compensation structures for physicians in English-speaking Canada. We’re proud of that. We’re recruiting right across the world, Mr. Speaker. And we’re going to continue to do so.

I recognize the member from Regina Elphinstone-Centre.

No plan, Mr. Speaker — nothing for these 5,000 Regina residents who will find themselves without a family doctor — from that minister who, I might add, campaigned in 2024 on finding a family doctor for every single Saskatchewan resident by 2028. He ran on that platform. So much for the most ambitious health human resources plan in Saskatchewan. Apparently it’s the most fictitious, Mr. Speaker. Just five years ago, just five years ago the Sask Party called Gardens the future of . . . This isn’t just any private clinic, opposite to what the minister says. They called it the future of primary care in Saskatchewan. They poured over $20 million into this clinic, building capacity there. And now this minister stands and says, we’ve tried nothing and we’re all out of ideas. Now they quietly watch as it just shuts down. So when we ask this Health minister, what is his plan for these 5,000 people who will find themselves without access to primary care, is his best answer really absolutely nothing?

I recognize the Minister of Health.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We’re proud of the packages that are available to physicians, whether they be family physicians or specialists anywhere in the province, Mr. Speaker. I’ll reiterate again: we have some of the most competitive physician compensation in English-speaking Canada today. That’s why when we go on recruitment missions to the United Kingdom and Ireland and other countries around the world, Mr. Speaker, there are people interested and looking seriously at coming to Saskatchewan. We’ve enhanced this with our last agreement with the Saskatchewan Medical Association, specifically through the Innovation Fund to support fee-for-service clinics around the province, Mr. Speaker. But, Mr. Speaker, I’ll also point to the announcement that I was able to make earlier this morning, announcing the first independent nurse practitioner contract, right here in Saskatchewan, we signed with 19 nurse practitioners. Because again, Mr. Speaker, primary care is not just provided by family physicians. It can also be provided by nurse practitioners and many other professionals. We’re proud of this, Mr. Speaker. We’re going to continue working on this to make sure that everybody has access to a primary care provider by 2028.

I recognize the member from Saskatoon University-Sutherland.

Mr. Speaker, this government won’t take accountability on health care just like they won’t take accountability for cutting the critical tuition program offered to Ukrainian students to build a life in Saskatchewan. That’s what we can expect after 18 years of Sask Party government, Mr. Speaker. These Ukrainian students are fleeing their war-torn country. They are choosing to attend post-secondary schools in Saskatchewan. Will this minister reverse his decision to cut Ukrainian tuition programs, or admit he’s responsible for the elimination of this program?

I recognize the Minister of Advanced Education.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I respect the right of the opposition to bring up questions as long as they’re within form in this House, but I am very disappointed that they are using this venue to scare Ukrainian students. There have been no cuts, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, make no mistake about it: members in this House know, or should know, that nobody has done more for displaced Ukrainians across the world than this government, this country, and this province. It was this Premier, this minister now of CIC [Crown Investments Corporation of Saskatchewan] who was minister of Economic Development that arranged for more flights from Ukraine to Saskatchewan than anywhere else in the world, Mr. Speaker. There were members on this side, there were members on your side of the House that welcomed these Ukrainian people to the province. Back in 2023 my predecessor, Gord Wyant, the Minister of Advanced Education at the time announced a program that was leading the country, Mr. Speaker, and we continue to have that program in place today.

I recognize the member from Saskatoon University-Sutherland.

Until March. Mr. Speaker, students enrolled in the program received letters stating that provincial funding would cease after the current winter semester. That minister could reverse this cut and support these students today. He’s the minister responsible. Ivan Teteria, a student affected by these cuts said, and I quote, “I came here to build a bright future, but I don’t know what my future holds if this program is not saved.” Do the right thing. Will that minister reverse the cuts today?

I recognize the Minister of Advanced Education.

Mr. Speaker, again I’m disappointed in the opposition and their theatrics, appearing before my constituency office, heightening things that have no basis in fact. Earlier today I talked to a member of SURAC, the Saskatchewan-Ukraine relations advisory committee. That committee was started under Premier Romanow. It was resurrected and certainly heightened in 2008 by Premier Wall and Ken Krawetz and others, Mr. Speaker. This is a group that will be joining the Ukrainian Canadian Congress and Ukrainians from across Saskatchewan in recognizing Holodomor tomorrow. I know why these questions are coming today. I know what’s happening tomorrow. You bet I’m the minister. I will take responsibility. I will have discussions with SURAC. I will have discussions with the Ukrainian Canadian Congress. And we will ensure that all Ukrainians, and especially Ukrainian students, are treated very, very well.

I recognize the member from Saskatoon University-Sutherland.

Mr. Speaker, that minister has the power to fund tuition relief for Ukrainian students attending post-secondary schools in Saskatchewan. Ivan has called the Minister of Advanced Education for a reason. Ukrainians have already suffered so much as a result of Russia’s illegal invasion of their country. These students are just asking to be treated the same as refugees who pay domestic tuition. Why won’t that minister do the right thing and reverse the cuts today?

I recognize the Minister of Advanced Education.

Well again, Mr. Speaker, his questions aren’t based in fact, and there is no cuts that are taking place. The Canada-Ukraine authorization for emergency travel program, the CUAET program, came to place in 2023. It’s a three-year program currently . . . federal program. And the Minister of Career Training and myself are in touch with the federal administrators of that program. But beyond that, I’ve instructed my ministry officials and we’ll be looking at possible continuations of the program. And certainly again there is no need for any of the three dozen or so students in Saskatchewan to fear anything other than the theatrics of the NDP opposite.

I recognize the member from Saskatoon Riversdale.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We’ve seen the first signs of winter and with that, thousands of people are purchasing winter tires in an affordability crisis. To make matters worse, Tire Stewardship of Saskatchewan is hiking the fee charged on every tire because of this decision — on every tire by 30 per cent — which this government signed off on. All of this was brought on by stripping Shercom of the tire recycling contract and handing it to an out-of-province company charging much more. Can the minister tell this House how much in total this change will cost Saskatchewan drivers?

I recognize the Minister of Environment.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Tire Stewardship of Saskatchewan is an industry-led board. They are tasked with keeping tires out of landfill at the request of many municipalities across Saskatchewan. They are tasked with the responsibility to see tires recycled in the province of Saskatchewan, Mr. Speaker. They are also tasked with the handling of all of the fees and jurisdiction with that. All of these questions should be handled by the Tire Stewardship of Saskatchewan. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I recognize the Minister of Health.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I stand today to move the second reading of Bill 36, The Change of Name Amendment Act, 2025 . Saskatchewan is introducing this legislation to remove common barriers that citizens face when applying for a legal name change, while also better aligning Saskatchewan’s legislation with other jurisdictions. Saskatchewan’s population is growing and becoming more diverse. These amendments reflect changes in naming conventions and traditions. The legislation will remove the limit on the number of surnames allowed, which is currently set at two. Mr. Speaker, in order to better protect privacy and in some cases personal safety, this amendment will also remove the requirement to provide proof that the spouse of a person requesting a change of name has been notified. Finally the amendment will enhance information sharing with law enforcement agencies to streamline administrative processes once a change of name has been registered. Changes to the Act also lay a foundation for upcoming changes to related regulations, including a recent Throne Speech commitment to prevent those convicted of serious crimes from legally changing their name. I’d like to note, Mr. Speaker, that these amendments support proposed changes coming in The Vital Statistics Amendment Act , which has also been introduced in this House. Consultations have taken place with other vital statistics officers across Canada, as well as law enforcement and other agencies that rely on the provision of proper identification while working with the public. We are confident that these changes not only better align Saskatchewan legislation with other jurisdictions, but will result in improvements for citizens and the public agencies that serve the people of Saskatchewan. Mr. Speaker, I am now pleased to move the second reading of Bill 36, The Change of Name Amendment Act, 2025 . Thank you.

It’s been moved that Bill No. 36, The Change of Name Amendment Act, 2025 be now read a second time. Is the Assembly ready for the question? I recognize the member from Regina South Albert.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. My thanks to the minister for his introductory remarks on Bill No. 36, The Change of Name Amendment Act . Having heard a number of these changes are being made in the spirit of aligning Saskatchewan with other jurisdictions as well as working closely with different agencies, whether that be law enforcement or other, the House can be assured that our critic will undertake the work of consulting with stakeholders to make sure some of these notifications, especially those involving police, are done safely and responsibly for all parties involved. The change, I believe, in this bill, particularly pertaining to being unable to change a spouse’s name without their written consent or the lack of notification for your spouse if you’re changing your name, is also something that of course we’ll be looking at to ensure the safety of all people in Saskatchewan, Mr. Speaker. In addition to that, of course we’ll be looking at some of the motivations behind the changes the minister referenced. I’m curious of course about how many temporary residents were attempting to change their names and why. But of course as our province continues to become a more diverse place, Mr. Speaker, welcoming greater diversity and the freedom to respect people’s cultural and religious naming practices is, I think, a welcome change to modernize this legislation. As I said, Mr. Speaker, I know the critic will undertake the consultations necessary for this bill. And with that I’m happy to leave the work to them and will move to adjourn debate on Bill No. 36.

The member has moved to adjourn debate. Is it the pleasure of the Assembly to adopt the motion?

Agreed.

Carried.

I recognize the Minister of Health.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I stand today to move the second reading of Bill 37, The Vital Statistics Amendment Act, 2025 . Saskatchewan is introducing this legislation to remove common barriers for citizens and create efficiencies for the administration of vital statistics in the province. I’d like to note, Mr. Speaker, that this amendment is being moved in conjunction with changes to The Change of Name Act, 1995 , which supports the amendments made in The Vital Statistics Act, 2009 . As I previously mentioned, Saskatchewan’s population is growing and becoming more diverse. These amendments reflect changes in naming conventions and traditions. They will allow, for example, the option to register a single name, or mononym, provided the name holds cultural or religious significance. Amendments to The Vital Statistics Act, 2009 give the registrar additional discretion to issue certificates and make necessary amendments without requiring a court order, a tedious requirement that creates unnecessary hardship for residents. Mr. Speaker, this amendment is supported by the Government of Saskatchewan, police, and other public agencies as well as vital statistics agencies across Canada. The amended Act also better aligns Saskatchewan vital statistics legislation with other jurisdictions. Mr. Speaker, I am now pleased to move the second reading of Bill 37, The Vital Statistics Amendment Act, 2025 . Thank you.

It has been moved that Bill No. 37, The Vital Statistics Amendment Act, 2025 be now read a second time. Is the Assembly ready for the question? I recognize the member from Regina South Albert.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. My thanks again to the minister for his comments on Bill No. 37, The Vital Statistics Amendment Act . Having just heard the comments and taken a brief look at the legislation, one of the points of interest in this is obviously that the minister can appoint a registrar of vital statistics — in keeping with other health registrars, of course. One of the parts that jumped out to me in looking at this was the ability of the registrar to make minor amendments to names, including spelling, if satisfied that the individual does go by that name and there’s no bad intentions. An interesting piece of casework through my office, Mr. Speaker, in which a constituent of mine, a great woman and well into her 70s, had her name incorrectly listed on her health card through no fault of her own. And boy, was that a three-and-a-half-month process for this wonderful constituent of mine, Mr. Speaker, to work through the government agencies to try and prove to them that it was in fact her health card that had been issued that was incorrect, not the name that she’d gone by for well over 70 years of life, Mr. Speaker. I recognize it’s a slightly different situation, but ensuring that government agencies can work quickly and nimbly with members of the public to make necessary changes, including minor amendments to names, I think, is a good thing, Mr. Speaker. People want clear and responsive public services from their government. Another couple of things I know the critic will be looking into in terms of this piece of legislation is what, I think, are some of the changes that allow for the disclosure of information to public agencies in regards to records covered by this piece of legislation, unless there’s a belief that it’s for profit or gain. Of course looking into how exactly that’s defined and clarified in the legislation, I think, will be important, as well as the ability to amend marriage records to protect the privacy of vulnerable persons at the registrar’s discretion. All important, Mr. Speaker, especially given this province’s egregious rates of IPV [intimate partner violence]. Some other small changes that we saw made through this legislation — around requesting records of uninsured health services in regards to, say, live births and stillbirths, and allowing parentage to be updated on birth certificates for up to a year — are all changes that I think this legislation is seeking to undertake, as well as some ability for other individuals such as funeral directors to issue statements of death, or the children or siblings of the deceased to request even minor documentation, Mr. Speaker. It’s good to modernize naming regulations, again in keeping with our increasingly diverse province, Mr. Speaker. And the critic will certainly be looking at some of the changes made in regards to the abilities of law enforcement both to keep people safe and also to search records in non-criminal investigations. With that, Mr. Speaker, I’m quite confident the critic will do a much deeper dive into this legislation in her consultation with stakeholders, and I’m happy to move to adjourn debate on Bill No. 37.

The member has moved to adjourn debate. Is it the pleasure of the Assembly to adopt the motion?

Agreed.

Carried.

I recognize the Minister of Education.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am pleased to rise and give second reading to Bill 38, The Building Schools Faster Act , 2025. The new Act will define the requirements for municipalities to acquire and to service land for new schools throughout the province. Purchasing additional land is often necessary as we’re often building larger schools, requiring more land than what is often available through a municipal reserve under The Planning and Development Act, 2007 . The new Act will establish municipal responsibility to acquire sufficient serviced land for the purpose of constructing new schools in new development areas. A cost contribution formula will be defined in regulations, allowing the Government of Saskatchewan and municipalities to share the costs of land in a predictable and consistent manner. The new Act also establishes the authority to set land acquisition time frames and enforcement mechanisms for municipalities. In conjunction with the new Act, amendments to The Planning and Development Act, 2007 are being introduced to provide municipalities the tools to fund and acquire school sites. Providing mechanisms for municipalities to fund the purchase of land through levies or a municipal reserve, for example, is necessary as this new Act requires municipalities to pay for a portion of the land. A consequential amendment to The Education Act, 1995 will also be required in conjunction with the new Act and regulations which will be brought forward after Royal Assent. A defined-cost contribution from the province will be developed in the regulations. Defined-cost contribution allows the ministries of Education and SaskBuilds and Procurement to advance projects consistently and also more effectively. This will reduce lengthy negotiations and allow parties to plan and budget for education infrastructure. Mr. Speaker, I now move second reading of Bill No. 38, the building schools faster amendment Act.

It’s been moved that Bill No. 38, The Building Schools Faster Act be now read a second time. Is the Assembly ready for the question? I recognize the member from Regina South Albert.

Thank you. Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Very interested in this piece of legislation and was interested to see it when it was introduced in the Assembly, The Building Schools Faster Act . You know, Mr. Speaker, I don’t want to be too cynical, but I saw the title of this bill and I thought, oh gosh, good, Government of Saskatchewan legislating themselves into building some schools faster. Because I remember, I think about École Harbour Landing in the great state of Regina Pasqua, Mr. Speaker, which I believe has been . . . or Harbour Landing West. Forgive me. The new school has been announced, I think, four or five times over the past eight years, Mr. Speaker. I was, I believe, still a young and impressionable, much gentler, kinder school board trustee at that point when the school was first announced. And here we are, eight short years later, and I believe we’re just breaking ground now on the Harbour Landing West school here in Regina, a school that is of course deeply needed by the community. Because of course members ought to remember that École Harbour Landing was over capacity the day that it opened the doors. This was something that had been identified of course by all school board proponents at that point. But I recognize this legislation does only apply to new schools, Mr. Speaker, but it does give me the opportunity to recognize that we do need to pay attention to all the schools here in Saskatchewan. I think about McVeety in my own constituency, Mr. Speaker. This is a school that has never quite made it onto the major capital list, and I had a plucky constituent of mine who actually took it all the way. She FOI’d [freedom of information] the government. I think she ended up taking them to court because she was so frustrated. She couldn’t figure out why McVeety was never making it to a rebuild list. And that’s of course because the state of schools in this province is not good, Mr. Speaker. We’ve been coasting on the depreciation of these essential assets for far too long and they’re in dire straits, Mr. Speaker. I think about McVeety. I think about Campbell undergoing a major renovation next year — 1,600 kids. Thirty per cent of the school will be unusable for next year. That’s going to be a significant challenge, Mr. Speaker. You bet we need to be building new schools. We need to be building them faster, Mr. Speaker. And we need a better plan when it comes to preventative maintenance and a better plan when it comes to major capital here in Saskatchewan. I paid close attention to the minister’s comments. I’m quite interested in what some of the mechanisms in this will look like around the obligations on municipalities to pay for some of these land acquisitions, what that looks like. Of course always nervous when the Government of Saskatchewan says, well we’re going to introduce the legislation, but the details will be in the regulations after the fact, especially when it comes to things around how those dollars are going to move around, the fee structure, who’s going to have to pay for what. To me, Mr. Speaker, it strikes me that those are important conversations to have beforehand, to have as part of the discussion of this legislation, not just in the regulations after this bill has received Royal Assent. I think we’ll have a lot of opportunities to scrutinize this bill, Mr. Speaker. I know the SSBAs [Saskatchewan School Boards Association] are in town this week, and I’m sure we’ll all have great conversations with the leaders in education present in Regina from across the province today. I know the critic will be having great conversations — the critics — with municipalities and with school divisions as well. And look forward to hearing more hopefully from the government on some of these more specific mechanisms and changes that they’re going to be making, and hopefully be able to hear some of those proposed changes before the bill receives Royal Assent. With that, Mr. Speaker, I will move to adjourn debate on Bill No. 38.

The member has moved to adjourn debate. Is it the pleasure of the Assembly to adopt the motion?

Agreed.

Carried.

I recognize the Minister of Education.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am pleased once again to rise to give second reading to Bill 39, The Building Schools Faster Consequential Amendment Act, 2025 . This new Act will make a consequential amendment to The Education Act, 1995, resulting from the enactment of The Building Schools Faster Act — The Building Schools Faster Act which will establish municipal responsibility to acquire sufficient serviced land for the purposes of constructing new schools in new development areas. The amendments to The Education Act, 1995 clarifies land acquisition provisions for schools in new development areas will fall under The Building Schools Faster Act . Mr. Speaker, with that I now move second reading of Bill 39, The Building Schools Faster Consequential Amendment Act, 2025 bilingual.

The minister has moved that Bill No. 39, The Building Schools Faster Consequential Amendment Act, 2025 be now read a second time. Is the Assembly ready for the question? I recognize the member from Regina South Albert.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. A couple comments I’d like to put on the record in regards to Bill 39, The Building Schools Faster Consequential Amendment Act . I think I heard the minister say that the only changes that are going to be made are going to be moving some things out of The Education Act and into The Building Schools Faster Act , Mr. Speaker. And I think I heard that. I was glad to hear that, Mr. Speaker. I again get nervous any time the government talks about opening up The Education Act . Of course there’s some changes that need to be made in that piece of legislation, all pieces of legislation. But certainly optimistic that the only changes that will be made pertain to building schools faster and the tools necessary to the government to do it. I believe in the main bill, Bill 38, there’s some changes to allow the minister to order municipalities to acquire land, with the consequence if they don’t, that the government can withhold revenues equal to the value of market land for up to 60 days’ notice. Of course these are going to be some significant changes, and I recognize there’s going to be collaboration needed between municipalities and school divisions to present the minister with contribution agreements for those costs, timelines, land needs. But again, this is going to be tricky work, balancing all those relationships between key partners with the important goal of getting more schools built in the communities where we desperately need them here in Saskatchewan. So with that, I know as I’ve said with all bills today, Mr. Speaker, the critic will be doing the great work of consulting with stakeholders, and we look forward to additional debate on this piece of legislation as it comes before the House for scrutiny. With that I’m happy to move to adjourn debate on Bill No. 39, The Building Schools Faster Consequential Amendment Act .

The member has moved to adjourn debate. Is it the pleasure of the Assembly to adopt the motion?

Agreed.

Carried.

[The Assembly resumed the adjourned debate on the proposed motion by the Hon. Warren Kaeding that be now read a second time.]

I recognize the member from Saskatoon Southeast.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to go on the record with some remarks about Bill No. 24, The Saskatchewan Internal Trade Promotion Act . I was happy to see this government come forward with something that is, frankly, long overdue. This is an important time where we are in a trade war and, you know, consulting or, you know, going up against a number of other countries when it comes to tariffs and trade-related disputes, and really working to get Saskatchewan goods to market as soon as possible. So frankly, I think that this is well overdue. You know, we want to remove barriers and we want to make sure that we’re doing everything that we can to improve the economy here in Saskatchewan. As I said, I’m happy to see that the minister is taking tariffs seriously and that this is something that is being moved along, but how come the Premier and the Minister of Finance haven’t seemed to take this as seriously? We’re glad that Canadian interprovincial trade is being prioritized. But I want us to also take a moment to talk about the bill that my colleagues on this side have put forward, Bill No. 605. One thing that makes this very different than Bill No. 24 is the consultation and work that was done around labour standards. This is extremely important. We need to make sure that we’re not just looking out for the economy, but that we’re looking out for everybody in Saskatchewan — every employee — by ensuring that we are meeting labour standards, we’re meeting employment standards , we’re meeting occupational health and safety standards. And that really begins in consultation with everybody in Saskatchewan, including labour unions, including the average worker to make sure that we’re not sacrificing their working standards just to push a bill through. And we trust that these labour standards will not be sacrificed and that the well-being of Saskatchewan workers will be protected. I’m, like I said, very glad that this is finally a priority, and I’m optimistic that the government will continue to consult with appropriate stakeholders. I know on our side we most definitely will. We will certainly have conversations about protecting workers, advancing labour rights, protecting labour rights, and protecting workers across the province. And with that I move to adjourn debate on Bill No. 24.

The member has moved to adjourn debate. Is it the pleasure of the Assembly to adopt the motion?

Agreed.

Carried.

[The Assembly resumed the adjourned debate on the proposed motion by the Hon. Jim Reiter that be now read a second time.]

I recognize the member from Regina Mount Royal.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It’s a pleasure. I’ll be fairly brief here today entering in to debate with respect to Bill No. 25, The Income Tax (Miscellaneous) Amendment Act, 2025 . Mr. Speaker, what’s being brought forward here is real straightforward. Mr. Speaker, I’ve had a briefing by officials on this matter. It pertains to the fertility treatment tax credit, the FTTC. That legislation was already brought forward and passed in this Assembly. The change that’s being brought forward here is technical in nature to make sure that it’s clear in legislation and cited in legislation that Revenue Canada is authorized to make payment for the refundable tax credit. And so this is making clear that this is something that Saskatchewan families can pursue here this year — they’ll be able to file on their taxes this year, Mr. Speaker. So there was a bit of an oversight or miscommunication, I understand, on this front as the legislation was put together in the first place, and this legislation is now needed to be very clear that that refundable tax credit is able to be payable by the federal government. And of course this is something important to the people of the province, something that we’re supportive of, making sure that families are supported where they have challenges with fertility and they’re supported in that treatment. By passing this legislation this will ensure that families are able to mark that on when they file their taxes and that that’ll be payable in this upcoming tax year. I just want to give a shout-out on this front to my colleague from Regina University — or actually now Regina South Albert, then Regina University — who for a long time brought petitions and a real movement and people into this legislature and brought their voices forward in calling for fertility treatment to be supported within the province. And she did a very strong job of that, a very effective job of that obviously, Mr. Speaker, because finally the government got on board and has passed legislation to this effect and brought forward a program. So certainly we will, you know, work with the government in an efficient way to move this legislation forward, to make sure that families are able to receive the tax credit that they deserve. That’s all I have to say on this point, Mr. Speaker. We’ll look forward to committee and making sure that we ensure that families that have gone through fertility treatments are able to utilize that tax credit in the upcoming tax year.

The question before the Assembly is a motion by the member that Bill No. 25, The Income Tax (Miscellaneous) Amendment Act, 2025 be now read a second time. Is it the pleasure of the Assembly to adopt the motion?

Agreed.

Carried.

Second reading of this bill.

To which committee shall this bill be committed? I recognize the Minister of Remote and Rural Health.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, to the Standing Committee on Crown and Central Agencies.

This bill stands committed to the Standing Committee on Central Agencies.

[The Assembly resumed the adjourned debate on the proposed motion by the Hon. Tim McLeod that be now read a second time.]

I recognize the member from Regina Douglas Park.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It’s my honour to rise today and enter into the debate on Bill No. 26, The Miscellaneous Statutes Repeal Act, 2025 . Now this piece of legislation removes from the books several — almost I think over a few hundred actually — pieces of legislation that are outdated, Mr. Speaker. I’m looking forward to having the opportunity to ask questions of the minister and his officials at committee. And in order to facilitate that work, I am prepared to allow this bill to move on to its next stage.

The question before the Assembly is the motion by the minister that Bill No. 26, The Miscellaneous Statutes Repeal Act, 2025 be now read a second time. Is it the pleasure of the Assembly to adopt the motion?

Agreed.

Carried.

Second reading of this bill.

To which committee shall this bill be committed? I recognize the Minister of Remote and Rural Health.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, to the Standing Committee on Intergovernmental Affairs and Justice.

This bill stands committed to the Standing Committee on Intergovernmental Affairs and Justice.

[The Assembly resumed the adjourned debate on the proposed motion by the Hon. Tim McLeod that be now read a second time.]

I recognize the member from Regina Douglas Park.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It’s my honour to rise today and enter into the debate on Bill No. 27, The Statute Law Amendment Act, 2025 . Mr. Speaker, I understand that this bill makes many housekeeping amendments to pieces of legislation. Looking forward to having the opportunity to ask questions of the minister and his officials at committee. In order to facilitate that work, I’m now prepared to allow this bill to move on to its next stage.

The question before the Assembly is the motion by the minister that Bill No. 27, The Statute Law Amendment Act, 2025 be now read a second time. Is it the pleasure of the Assembly to adopt the motion?

Agreed.

Carried.

Second reading of this bill.

To which committee shall this bill be committed? I recognize the Minister of Remote and Rural Health.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, to the Standing Committee on Intergovernmental Affairs and Justice.

This bill stands committed to the Standing Committee on Intergovernmental Affairs and Justice.

[The Assembly resumed the adjourned debate on the proposed motion by the Hon. Everett Hindley that be now read a second time.]

I recognize the member from Regina Rochdale.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’m pleased to rise today to enter into debate regarding The Public Libraries Amendment Act, 2025 . This Act establishes that Lloydminster is one city in the library system and not half a city. They are leaving the Lakeland’s regional library system and moving to a municipal one in co-operation with Alberta. The other key point in this amendment Act is to replace the words “Aboriginal” with “Indigenous” as we move forward. We support libraries of course. We know what happened in 2017 when the government tried to defund libraries. The backlash was not very good. Saskatchewan libraries had to close temporarily last spring because of a mental health crisis in Saskatoon with some of the issues at their main library branch, and we want to have more respect for our librarians and the positions that they’re in. I also note that in consulting with many librarians across the province this past summer, we found that all the representatives regarded this change of bringing Lloydminster under one umbrella was very well received and they supported that as well. We have some concerns about the support and the trust between the sector and the ministry, and we hope that that moves forward in a more positive way in the future. We have some concerns about the consultation process, some of the timelines, some of the weighting of the input in some of those decisions. And with that, Mr. Speaker, I recommend that this bill can move to its next stage to committee, and I conclude my remarks.

The question before the Assembly is the motion by the minister that Bill No. 28, The Public Libraries Amendment Act, 2025 , be now read a second time. Is it the pleasure of the Assembly to adopt the motion?

Agreed.

Carried.

Second reading of this bill.

To which committee shall this bill be committed? I recognize the Deputy Government House Leader.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, to the Standing Committee on Human Services.

This bill stands committed to the Standing Committee on Human Services.

[The Assembly resumed the adjourned debate on the proposed motion by the Hon. Alana Ross that be now read a second time.]

I recognize the member from Saskatoon Southeast.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I have to say, what a privilege to have remarks on the record today about Bill No. 29, The Tailgating Act , the day after the 112th Grey Cup when the Saskatchewan Roughriders took home the cup. What an honour it is to talk about this bill honestly. You know, my colleague provided a member statement today about the Saskatchewan Roughriders and the historic game last night. And he said a couple of things that really stuck out to me and that is, you know, the Roughriders, they unite the province. And it’s so important that we have that sense of community across Saskatchewan and that there is this shared sense of community when it comes to getting behind the Roughriders. I don’t think I know a single person in Saskatchewan who isn’t a fan of the Roughriders. And so really, what an important day it is to be talking about Bill No. 29. I’ll be honest — it’s hard to be critical of this bill today as we’re still coming off of this historic high and celebration. The only concern really that comes to mind for me is that we need to make sure that this isn’t our only priority. We need to make sure that while we continue to celebrate, while we continue to stand united behind our football team, behind the Roughriders, that we also remember where our priorities are and we remember all of the very important other things that we need to be working on to unite the province. There’s things like cost of living, financial anxiety, health care, education — these are things that we hear across the board. And although I will admit I have never been tailgating, it sounds like an awful lot of fun. And I’m looking forward to joining my colleagues in tailgating at some point down the road, while also ensuring, as I said, that we continue to prioritize some of those very valuable things that are important to everybody across Saskatchewan. And with that, I will move to adjourn debate on Bill No. 29, The Tailgating Act .

The member has moved to adjourn debate. Is it the pleasure of the Assembly to adopt the motion?

Agreed.

Carried.

[The Assembly resumed the adjourned debate on the proposed motion by the Hon. Alana Ross that be now read a second time.]

I recognize the member from Saskatoon University-Sutherland.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’m pleased to enter the debate on Bill No. 30, The Inter-jurisdictional Support Orders Amendment Act, 2025 . As a party, we support international co-operation on this important topic. Kids are our future. We need to support kids in this province, in this country, and internationally. It’s really tough for families to look after their kids in this economy, even before you factor in the difficulties of international barriers. There are so many people in this province going to the food banks, and more than 40 per cent among them are the kids. Saskatchewan has the highest proportion of child food bank users in the country. I’m an agriculture scientist, Mr. Speaker. We have so much to offer. And we always say that we are here to feed the world and we export our products and food to so many countries, but somehow the kids in this province go hungry to bed. They go hungry to the schools. We can do better. We can do much, much better. With that, Mr. Speaker, I move to adjourn the debate on Bill No. 30. Thank you.

The member has moved to adjourn debate. Is it the pleasure of the Assembly to adopt the motion?

Agreed.

Carried.

[The Assembly resumed the adjourned debate on the proposed motion by the Hon. Tim McLeod that be now read a second time.]

I recognize the member from Saskatoon University-Sutherland.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’m now pleased to enter the debate on Bill No. 31, The Defamation Act . And this Act is extremely important because defamation is happening on the internet. There is so much misinformation and disinformation on the internet and some people using it wrongly. But many terminology in this Act is vague and needs to be cleared up. Because I’m coming from a country where sometimes the bills are passed with good intentions, then the ruling party using those bills against the political opponents, to silence the dissent, against the people who are . . . like journalists who are reporting power abuse or who are exposing the corruption. So we want to make sure that all the terminology in this bill is pretty clear. And with that, Mr. Speaker, I will move to adjourn the debate on Bill No. 31.

The member has moved to adjourn debate. Is it the pleasure of the Assembly to adopt the motion?

Agreed.

Carried.

[The Assembly resumed the adjourned debate on the proposed motion by the Hon. Tim McLeod that be now read a second time.]

I recognize the member from Saskatoon University-Sutherland.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And now I enter the debate on Bill No. 32, The Defamation Consequential Amendments Act, 2025 . This is a similar bill I talked to before. This Act is required and we need it. But again some terminology in that Act is very vague. It’s not clear. And our shadow minister is talking to the stakeholders to make sure that the wordings are clear. And with that, Mr. Speaker, I move to adjourn the debate on Bill No. 32. Thank you.

The member has moved to adjourn debate. Is it the pleasure of the Assembly to adopt the motion?

Agreed.

Carried.

[The Assembly resumed the adjourned debate on the proposed motion by the Hon. Tim McLeod that be now read a second time.]

I recognize the member from Saskatoon Southeast.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to go on the record with some comments about Bill No. 33, The Credit Union Amendment Act . I love credit unions. And I have certainly, you know, been involved with credit unions, and frankly also seen family members use credit unions, my grandparents included for their entire life. I really admire that. And I think that speaks to the incredible way that credit unions are connected to their community. I think it’s very valuable and I think that there is a lot of value. And I also see the way that credit unions contribute to their local communities, to community-based organizations. And I think that that really says a tremendous amount about the way that credit unions can unite communities and can bring people together. So you know, as we continue to consult with stakeholders and continue to look into the details of these amendments, you know, we’ll be having conversations with credit unions, with credit union members, and with anyone really affected by these amendments. It’s really important that we protect credit unions, that we protect credit union members, and that we make sure anyone can withdraw from their membership, but also that the credit union remains to have a say as well. And with that I will move to adjourn debate on Bill No. 33, The Credit Union Amendment Act .

The member has moved to adjourn debate. Is it the pleasure of the Assembly to adopt the motion?

Agreed.

Carried.

[The Assembly resumed the adjourned debate on the proposed motion by the Hon. Tim McLeod that be now read a second time.]

I recognize the member from Saskatoon Chief Mistawasis.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It’s my privilege to rise today to make some comments regarding Bill No. 34, The Cyberstalking and Coercive Control Act , which of course is An Act to amend The Victims of Interpersonal Violence Act . It’s a pretty straightforward legal change that we are removing a word and acting two subclauses to the definition of “interpersonal violence,” which are keeping up with the time, that not only that there has to be a factual, coercive use . . . or a use of coercion, controlling behaviour, but that it constitutes or resembles that, and then adding in cyberstalking and online harassment. These are important things. I’m sure that the people involved have bumped their heads against the fact that without those, they weren’t able to progress in certain regards. But what’s important to me and to us on this side is to have a chance to talk about IPV and the fact that the government across for 18 years have allowed the situation where we are in a place of the highest level of IPV. The province’s 2025 Domestic Violence Death Review Report found we were among the highest rates of domestic violence, domestic homicide in Canada. These amendments in Bill 34 aren’t going to address that, but it is important that we put that in our focus. It’s technical language. We all know about IPV. We all knew about it way back before it even had a name such as that. There was a point decades ago — I permit myself — where we knew it happened. It didn’t have a name and we didn’t talk about it. It was just something we looked the other way. As we’ve advanced through the decades it does have a name. We do have a place for it. We need to give it every possible support for the understanding and the education around what it is and what it is we can do about it. I know working in various schools in Saskatoon where there were women’s shelters in the areas, we would see the incredible disruption to children’s lives. They would come into the shelter. They would be there for three weeks or maybe three months, and then off they went again as they were fleeing their partner’s violence. I think I’ve had two occasions to speak about the first phone call that I received after being elected. She respectfully waited two days to phone me, a constituent named Joan McDonald, to tell me about her daughter who was killed in southeast Saskatchewan by her partner, and the work, the advocacy that Joan was doing. Joan was instrumental. She met with us and the member from Southeast. There’s been a petition that’s been repeatedly brought forth in the Chamber. And what is so amazing about this story in particular is Joan wants us to be educated. And her focus is to promote a bill — forthcoming, we hope — that would have education about interpersonal violence, domestic violence be a condition of employment at all levels of employment, from working on the fryer at McDonald’s to being the CEO of a company. There would be a mandatory education regarding interpersonal violence, domestic violence. Education — surprise, surprise; I always circle back to that — is primordial to everything that we’re trying to solve. It always seems to go back to education, which again is why the collateral damage of Bill 137 and not allowing third parties into the classrooms . . . I was a classroom teacher. I taught this stuff and I loved it when I had someone with more knowledge than me coming in and being able to do that. So the detrimental effect of 137 in this regard is worthy of note again. Joan’s petition, we hope, will, as I say . . . And so doing a little fixing and legalese to it is a great idea. Addressing cyberstalking, yes. We live in 2025. Everything happens on our phones, including the nefarious things. And with that, I move to adjourn the debate on Bill 134.

The member has moved to adjourn debate. Is it the pleasure of the Assembly to adopt the motion?

Agreed.