Decorum and campaign promises at the heart of Throne Speech

To open up the new session on Monday afternoon, the Speech from the Throne was read out in the Saskatchewan legislature, talking about the government’s plans to fulfill campaign promises, address what it heard on the doorstep during the election, and improve decorum in the Assembly.

The speech was read out on behalf of the government by the lieutenant governor, the first for the new government in an assembly where the opposition has nearly doubled in size.

The speech addressed decorum in the assembly, echoing sentiments from the new speaker, Todd Goudy, earlier in the day when he was elected to that position.

The speech said that debate and disagreement in the assembly should be driven by what is best for the people.

“It should never be driven by malice toward those on the other side or any individual who may service here or anywhere in the province,” read the speech.

Premier Scott Moe said when speaking to the media, that he hopes to see raucous debate in the assembly still, but for members to disagree on policy without being disagreeable as people.

“What we should expect is respect for one another that are serving that assembly,” said Moe.

The premier said it’s incumbent on him to begin having conversations with his team about these things.

“Controlling what we can control as individuals and controlling what we can as a team, and how we present in that house, and how we will be critical of policy at times, also maybe be complimentary of policy at times, but always be respectful of all of the other members that are in that assembly or the people that are doing work on their behalf,” said Moe.

Moe said he had told his caucus not to text the speaker. Allegations were floated in the spring of bullying and harassment in relation to texts to the speaker from the then-Government House Leader Jeremy Harrison.

From the doorstep

Moe has acknowledged several times since the provincial election that many people voted for change away from his party, but he’s said his government will also represent those people and bring that change.

In the speech, there are a number of promises Moe said are meant to address the concerns his MLAs and then-candidates, heard on the doorsteps.

His government plans to open new urgent care centres in Prince Albert, North Battleford, and Moose Jaw, as well as additional urgent care centres in Regina and Saskatoon.

The first urgent care centre in Regina is open but still isn’t operating 24-7 as the original promise was to be. Moe said even with it not being fully opened, it’s still doing a lot of work.

“Every individual that is seen in the urgent care center here in Regina, is an individual that was not seen in any urgent care center previously,” said Moe.

The government is also promising to have 450,000 surgeries performed over the next four years, and reduced wait times.

It’s also promising to hire more health-care professionals and, by the end of 2028, have every person in the province have access to a primary health provider.

The speech said not enough has been done in the education space to support children in their classrooms, so the Moe government is also promising to expand the Specialized Support Classroom program to 200 more schools from the eight it’s in now.

“That’s hiring educational assistants, that’s hiring support staff in our in our schools,” said Moe.

“I toured the specialized support classroom in North Battleford, which was working very well, attuned to the needs that that particular school had assessed as being the priority.”

The government also promised to increase funding to school divisions and to add more staff to deal with enrollment and classroom complexity pressures. It’s also planning to focus on improving reading levels for kids in Kindergarten to Grade 3 and to provide funding for 12,000 more new child-care spaces.

From the campaign

Much of what was outlined in the Throne Speech was promises the Sask Party had made during the election campaign, including the series of tax cuts and changes which will be part of the first bill introduced by the government.

The tax changes include raising the personal income exemption – which is expected to be in place as early as January – raising the spousal and child exemptions, and increasing or creating a number of tax credits like the low-income tax credit, home renovation tax credit, and the graduate retention program.

The speech also said the government will fulfill its campaign promise to make changes and allow police to do things like shut down nuisance properties and arrest people for disruptive behaviour in public.

From the Opposition

The Opposition Sask. NDP appeared unimpressed by the Throne Speech.

While the premier said his government would address concerns from the public with some of its priorities in the speech, the NDP said otherwise.

“Claiming to have heard voters’ concerns while refusing to change course makes it clear that this is the same old Sask. Party government. People are tired of the same old song and dance from these guys. They want better than this,” said leader Carla Beck in a news release.

The NDP criticized the government for not planning to put in place any affordability measures until next year.

Though the throne speech included plans for more urgent care centres and plans to bring in more primary care providers, the NDP said the government wasn’t offering any changes to its prior health-care plan.

When he answered questions about the Throne Speech, Premier Scott Moe didn’t give any details on how the efforts to bring in more health-care workers would differ in the coming months or years.