On Tuesday March 9^th the SaskParty government telegraphed what could be the first of many cuts to Saskatchewan health care that will appear in the provincial budget scheduled for Wednesday March 24^th.

During Question Period in the Legislature, Health Minister Don McMorris indicated that chiropractic services could be deinsured by the Brad Wall government which if it happens would likely mean a)higher individual costs for people who use the services of a Chiropractor b) higher costs to the health care system as a whole as people who would normally seek pain relief from a chiropractor will now seek remedies from hospital emergency rooms c) increased waiting times for doctors in their offices and at the hospital as more people seek pain relief from their family doctors, and d) increased costs to employee health plans as the increased costs are passed on to the insurance companies serving those who benefit from such plans.

The Questions, raised by NDP Health Critic Judy Junor (Saskatoon Eastview) suggested that the government of Premier Brad Wall is transferring to seniors, farm families, low income workers, and ordinary Saskatchewan residents who rely on chiropractic services to relieve pain the costs of the government’s financial mismanagement during the past year.

The president of the province’s chiropractors association, Dr. Shane Taylor of Regina said chiropractors across the province have been anticipating this move for a couple of weeks and have already collected 15,000 signatures on petitions asking the Wall government to maintain their funding of chiropractic services.

To make matter worse, in the Legislature, Junor pointed out that the SaskParty government had earlier this year negotiated and reached agreement on a new payment schedule with chiropractors which would have continued the insured services and had, in fact, gone so far as to draft a media release confirming that an agreement had been reached. Just before an announcement was made the SaskParty government backed out of the deal and are now saying chiropractors and their patients must wait until budget day to find out if their agreement will be funded or not.

Health Minister McMorris, in the Legislature said there are numerous health services for which Saskatchewan residents have to pay out of pocket and therefore deinsuring the services of a chiropractic visit would not be setting a precedent. He also indicated that it is not unusual for a government to negotiate a contract and then wait to see if it can be funded.

In his exact words, McMorris said: “We also supply a number of services that aren’t dictated to us through the Canada Health Act. Some are subsidized. Some are covered completely, and chiropractic services would fall under that category, so would ambulance services, so would long-term care, so would home care. Many of these services are subsidized by government. They aren’t dictated by the Canada Health Act. We have to look at all of those services and decide whether we should cover them or not.”

What is disturbing about this is that the same process if followed for other health related services such as those provided by ambulance operators across the province, who also provide a “co-pay” service negotiated by operators and the government would also result in a loss of services and increased costs to Saskatchewan people. McMorris has left the door open for the government to withdraw from negotiated agreements and push more costs onto Saskatchewan most vulnerable residents.

In addition to this concern, other health care cuts which could find their way into the March 24^th budget include the Seniors Drug Plan and the services provided by Home Care workers throughout Saskatchewan.

The Minister of Finance will likely argue that all this is necessary because the sales of potash are down, but we can’t let him and the Premier forget that it was their mismanagement of these revenues that put the province into a deficit position in the first place, and in spite of this the province’s revenues from all other sources are higher than ever before. Governments do have to make choices and when the Premier says he has to make tough choices look carefully and what his other choices are when he abandons seniors and hard working Saskatchewan residents with cuts to health care services.

Comments on the closing of the fall session of the Saskatchewan Legislative Assembly December 3, 2009

After sitting through the fall session I am more concerned than ever about the future ability of our provincial government to manage tax payer’s money, plan and support what should be a growing economy, and protect vulnerable people from the affects of both community growth, and government spending cuts.

This was a session that pointed out clearly the Wall Government’s mismanagement of the province’s financial resources and highlighted the fact that Brad Wall inherited a provincial treasury worth $2.3 billion and in just two years took Saskatchewan to a $1 billion deficit.

For the provincial treasury, it’s been “boom to bust” in just two short years. How did Saskatchewan get in this predicament? Two words come to mind, mismanagement and incompetence.

While there was virtually no substantive legislation introduced for debate and certainly not much of that was passed, there was an acknowledgement that the Wall government was going to have to break a lot of its election promises because of their financial mismanagement.

Let’s not forget the budget introduced in March ’09 called for 20% of provincial revenues to come from Potash sales. This was forecast to be $1.8 billion, but the return for the province turned out to be just slightly more than $100 million. Regardless of the failure of the government to budget properly, other revenues (such as the PST) continued to roll in and the government continued to spend (it planned to spend 32% more in 2009/10 than in 2008/09) as if it had no revenue challenges. Now, in the last few months of the year, the Wall government is trying to correct its mistakes, and as a result they are going to break promises, cut services and programs, and put off capital spending for a period of time that nobody can adequately predict.

For example, it now appears that municipalities will not get the revenue sharing funding they were promised meaning that local property tax will have to increase. It appears that school boards will not get the funding they were promised which will likely lead to rural school closures, a reduction in classroom programs, and perhaps no support for increased teachers salaries which are due to be put into place for 2010. It appears that the continuation of education property tax relief will not be forthcoming meaning that homeowners expecting a reduction in their education portion of property tax will not see this, and therefore they will be facing what is really a property tax increase.

And, let’s not forget that the Children’s Hospital will not proceed as planned, and 13 long-term care homes for seniors in rural Saskatchewan, including one planned for Meadow Lake will also not proceed as planned. Other projects such as the replacement of Saskatchewan Hospital will only proc3eed as “funds become available” and as such are considered in jeopardy given that funds will likely not become available for some years to come.

A University of Saskatchewan Economics Profession, Eric Howe, known for his conservative views was quoted in late November saying: “If you look just three years ago, the provincial government in Saskatchewan had revenue of about eight billion dollars and nonetheless had a surplus of nearly one billion dollars. Now, in 2009 even with the low values of potash revenues the Saskatchewan provincial government has a revenue of ten billion dollars … and is running the second largest deficit in the history of the province … I don’t accept at all that there is a problem here, in terms of there not being enough money.”

In reality, expenditures in Saskatchewan are up for the 2009/10 fiscal year by 32%. At a time when revenues actually increased year over year, despite the potash blunder, spending increased at a much greater rate than revenues and the Wall government finds that it has had to run a deficit, skim more money out of the province’s savings account and its Crown Corporations, and cut or defer capital spending programs all over the province. It is this type of mismanagement and incompetence that did in the Devine Conservative government in 1991.
All in all, this was a disastrous session for the Wall government and the people of Saskatchewan. Thanks to questioning from the opposition New Democrats it was clearly established that before year end the Wall government will make $293 million worth of cuts to programs, services and infrastructure. This will affect thousands of families who will now pay the price for Wall’s reckless budgeting and out of control spending.

This is also just the tip of the iceberg as this government must now go into meetings to devise next year’s budget. They have already identified a spending problem that will continue into next year, they have identified a lot of expensive projects that they have deferred into next year, and they don’t have any idea of what revenue will be available to them. This situation is unprecedented. It can only mean more broken promises, more cuts, and even fewer services and programs for Saskatchewan people.

I have continually raised the issue of the availability and affordability of housing in The Battlefords since the Legislature started sitting on October 21^st. What follows are 1) a statement I made on October 28th, and 2) a listing of petitions I have tabled with the Assembly on a daily basis. All excerpts are from Hansard, the official printed transcript of the proceedings of the Legislative Assembly.

Statement

October 28, 2009

The Speaker: — I recognize the member from The Battlefords.

Affordable Housing Needed in The Battlefords

Mr. Taylor: — Thank you, Mr. Speaker. One of the most pressing issues in The Battlefords continues to be the lack of affordable housing. And I again, through the Legislative Assembly, ask that the Saskatchewan Party government devote more time, energy, and investment towards this pressing need.

As members will see through this session, I will be presenting petitions signed mostly by residents of Killdeer Apartments in North Battleford, who this summer were provided notice of a 40 per cent rent increase to take effect on February the first. Mr. Speaker, these people, seniors on fixed income and young people in low- to moderate-income jobs, can’t afford the increase in rent because there is no virtually no affordable rental accommodation in the community. They have no place to go and no place to turn. The provincial government has told us frequently that there will be provincial assistance to increase the number of affordable rental units in The Battlefords, but nothing is happening and as a result, seniors are thinking about or actually taking steps to move out of the community. Students are planning to attend North West Regional College and are choosing not to enrol. Immigrants recently attracted to the community are bunking up in multiples too large to benefit them or our community. And young people seeking their first job are choosing to settle elsewhere.

Mr. Speaker, the people of The Battlefords deserve better. They deserve better treatment from their landlord. They deserve better treatment and more access to additional affordable accommodation and they deserve a better response from the provincial government. On their behalf I ask the Minister Responsible for Housing to act and act quickly. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Petitions

October 22, 2009

I recognize the member from The Battlefords.

Mr. Taylor: — Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’m pleased to rise to present a petition in support of affordable rents and housing for The Battlefords, Mr. Speaker. The petitioners note that residents of some Battlefords area apartments have been given notice of rent increases of 40 per cent and that the vacancy rate for rental accommodation in The Battlefords is very low. Mr. Speaker, the prayer reads as follows:

Wherefore your petitioners humbly pray that your honourable Legislative Assembly may be pleased to call upon the Government of Saskatchewan to develop an affordable housing program that will result in a greater number of quality and affordable rental units to be made available to a greater number of people throughout The Battlefords and that will implement a process of rent review or rent control to better protect tenants in a non-competitive housing environment.

Mr. Speaker, the petitioners are all from streets in various parts of North Battleford.

October 26, 2009

The Speaker: — I recognize the member for The Battlefords.

Mr. Taylor: — Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’m pleased today to rise and present a petition to the Assembly, Mr. Speaker. It’s from residents of The Battlefords who note that area apartments have been given notice of rent increases of about 40 per cent. Most of the residents feel this is outrageous and suggest it’s time to bring back rent controls. Mr. Speaker, the prayer reads as follows:

Wherefore your petitioners humbly pray that the Legislative Assembly may be pleased to call upon the Government of Saskatchewan to develop an affordable housing program that will result in a greater number of quality and affordable rental units to be made available to a greater number of people throughout The Battlefords, and that will implement a process of rent review or rent control to better protect tenants in a non-competitive housing environment.

Mr. Speaker, the signatures are all from residents of The Battlefords. I so present.

October 27, 2009

The Speaker: — I recognize the member from The Battlefords.

Mr. Taylor: — Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’m pleased today to rise and present a petition in support of affordable housing in The Battlefords. Mr. Speaker, it is signed by residents of North Battleford, many of whom have faced rent increases of 40 per cent with no alternative housing opportunities. The prayer reads:

Wherefore your petitioners humbly pray that your Legislative Assembly may be pleased to call upon the Government of Saskatchewan to develop an affordable housing program that will result in a greater number of quality and affordable rental units to be made available to a greater number of people throughout The Battlefords and that will implement a process of rent review or rent control to better protect tenants in a non-competitive housing environment.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

October 28, 2009

The Speaker: — I recognize the member from The Battlefords.

Mr. Taylor: — Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I’m pleased today to rise and present a petition in support of affordable housing in The Battlefords. Mr. Speaker, the residents note that the vacancy rate for rental accommodation in The Battlefords is very low and the cost of rental accommodation is increasing at an alarming rate. The prayer, Mr. Speaker:

The petitioners humbly pray that the Legislative Assembly may be pleased to call upon the government of Saskatchewan to develop an affordable housing program that will result in a greater number of quality and affordable rental units to be made available to a greater number of people throughout The Battlefords, and that will implement a process of rent review or rent control to better protect tenants in a non-competitive housing environment.

Mr. Speaker, the petition is signed by residents of North Battleford and Yorkton, Mr. Speaker.

October 29, 2009

The Speaker: — I recognize the member from The Battlefords.

Mr. Taylor: — Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I’m pleased today to rise to present a petition in support of affordable rents and housing in The Battlefords. Mr. Speaker, the petitioners note the rapidly rising increases in rental rates and the lack of supply of housing units. Mr. Speaker, the petitioners pray:

That the honourable Legislative Assembly call upon the Government of Saskatchewan to develop an affordable housing program that will result in a greater number of quality and affordable rental units to be made available to a greater number of people throughout The Battlefords, and that will implement a process of rent review or rent control to better protect tenants in a non-competitive housing environment.

Mr. Speaker, the petition is signed by residents of Saskatchewan.

November 2, 2009

The Speaker: — I recognize the member from The Battlefords.

Mr. Taylor: — Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise today to present a petition in support of affordable rents and housing in The Battlefords, where the residents note that rents have been rising at outrageous levels, and that the vacancy rate in The Battlefords is very low.

The petitioners humbly pray that the Legislative Assembly may be pleased to call upon the Government of Saskatchewan to develop an affordable housing program that will result in a greater number of quality and affordable rental units to be made available to a greater number of people throughout The Battlefords, and that will implement a process of rent review or rent control to better protect tenants in a non-competitive housing environment.

Mr. Speaker, the petition is signed by residents of The Battlefords. I thank you for the opportunity, Mr. Speaker.

November 3, 2009

The Speaker: — I recognize the member from The Battlefords.

Mr. Taylor: — Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I?m pleased to rise today to present a petition in support of affordable rents and housing for The Battlefords. The petitioners note that rent increases of about 40 per cent have been received by residents of The Battlefords and that the vacancy rate for rental accommodation is very low:

The petitioners pray that your Legislative Assembly may be pleased to call upon the Government of Saskatchewan to develop an affordable housing program that will result in a greater number of quality and affordable rental units to be made available to a greater number of people throughout The Battlefords, and that will implement a process of rent review or rent control to better protect tenants in a non-competitive housing environment.

Mr. Speaker, the petition is signed by residents of the city of North Battleford and the town of Battleford. I so present.

November 4, 2009

The Speaker: — I recognize the member from The Battlefords.

Mr. Taylor: — Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am pleased today to present a petition in support of affordable rents and housing for The Battlefords from residents who have been given notice of rent increases of about 40 per cent, and who note that the vacancy rate for rental accommodation in The Battlefords is very low. The prayer reads as follows:

Wherefore your petitioners humbly pray that your Legislative Assembly may be pleased to call upon the Government of Saskatchewan to develop an affordable housing program that will result in a greater number of quality and affordable rental units to be made available to a greater number of people throughout The Battlefords, and that will implement a process of rent review or rent control to better protect tenants in a non-competitive housing environment.

Mr. Speaker, the petition is signed by residents of the city of North Battleford.

November 5, 2009

The Speaker: — I recognize the member from The Battlefords.

Mr. Taylor: — Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’m pleased today to rise and present a petition in support of affordable rents and housing for The Battlefords residents who have faced notices of rent increases of 40 per cent and who face an accommodation rate that’s very low. The prayer reads as follows:

Wherefore your petitioners humbly pray that your honourable Legislative Assembly may be pleased to call upon the Government of Saskatchewan to develop an affordable housing program that will result in a greater number of quality and affordable rental units to be made available to a greater number of people throughout The Battlefords and that will implement a process of rent review or rent control to better protect tenants in a non-competitive housing environment.

Mr. Speaker, the petitioners are all residents of Killdeer Apartments in the city of North Battleford.

November 9, 2009

The Speaker: — I recognize the member from The Battlefords.

Mr. Taylor: — Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise today to present a petition in support of affordable rents and housing in The Battlefords. Mr. Speaker, the residents who have signed the petition note that rent increases of 40 per cent are outrageous and the vacancy rate for rental accommodations is very low. The prayer reads as follows:

Wherefore your petitioners humbly pray that your honourable Legislative Assembly may be pleased to call upon the Government of Saskatchewan to develop an affordable housing program that will result in a greater number of quality and affordable rental units to be made available to a greater number of people throughout The Battlefords and that will implement a process of rent review or rent control to better protect tenants in a non-competitive housing environment.

Mr. Speaker, the petition is signed by residents of North Battleford, Cochin, Delmas, and Glenbush. I so present, Mr. Speaker.

November 10, 2009

The Speaker: — I recognize the member from The Battlefords.

Mr. Taylor: — Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’m pleased today to rise and present a petition in support of affordable rents and housing in The Battlefords. The residents of course note some have received an increase of almost 40 per cent in rent, and there’s very little accommodation in The Battlefords for renters, Mr. Speaker. The prayer reads as follows:

Wherefore your petitioners humbly pray that the honourable Legislative Assembly may be pleased to call upon the Government of Saskatchewan to develop an affordable housing program that will result in a greater number of quality and affordable rental units to be made available to a greater number of people throughout The Battlefords and that will implement a process of rent review or rent control to better protect tenants in a non-competitive housing environment.

Mr. Speaker, the signatures on the petition are all from residents of the city of North Battleford.

November 16, 2009

The Speaker: — I recognize the member from The Battlefords.

Mr. Taylor: — Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’m pleased today to rise in support of a petition or to present a petition in support of affordable rents and housing in The Battlefords. Mr. Speaker:

The petitioners humbly pray that the honourable Legislative Assembly may be pleased to call upon the Government of Saskatchewan to develop an affordable housing program that will result in a greater number of quality and affordable rental units to be made available to a greater number of people throughout The Battlefords, and that will implement a process of rent review or rent control to better protect tenants in a non-competitive housing environment.

Mr. Speaker, the petitioners are all from the city of North Battleford, the majority of whom reside in Killdeer Apartments. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

November 17, 2009

The Speaker: — I recognize the member from The Battlefords.

Mr. Taylor: — Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’m pleased today to rise and present a petition in support of affordable rents and housing for The Battlefords. The petition notes that residents of some Battlefords area apartments have been given notice of rent increases of about 40 per cent, which most feel are outrageous. The prayer reads as follows:

Wherefore your petitioners humbly pray that your honourable Legislative Assembly may be pleased to call upon the Government of Saskatchewan to develop an affordable housing program that will result in a greater number of quality and affordable rental units to be made available to a greater number of people throughout The Battlefords and that will implement a process of rent review or rent control to better protect tenants in a non-competitive housing environment.

Mr. Speaker, the petition is signed by residents of The Battlefords and Cut Knife, Saskatchewan. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

November 18, 2009

The Speaker: — I recognize the member from The Battlefords.

Mr. Taylor: — Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’m pleased today to rise to present a petition in support of affordable rents and housing in The Battlefords, Mr. Speaker.

The petitioners note that the vacancy rate for rental accommodation in The Battlefords is very low, but the cost of rental accommodation is increasing at an alarming rate. The prayer reads as follows:

Wherefore your petitioners humbly pray that your honourable Legislative Assembly may be pleased to call upon the Government of Saskatchewan to develop an affordable housing program that will result in a greater number of quality and affordable rental units to be made available to a greater number of people throughout The Battlefords and that will implement a process of rent review or rent control to better protect tenants in a non-competitive housing environment.

Mr. Speaker, the petitioners are all residents of Killdeer Apartments in the city of North Battleford. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

November 19, 2009

The Speaker: — I recognize the member from The Battlefords.

Mr. Taylor: — Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’m pleased today to rise and present a petition in support of affordable rents and housing for The Battlefords. The petitioners note that some Battleford area apartments have been given rent increase notices of 40 per cent and also note that rental accommodation in The Battlefords is diminishing or decreasing. Mr. Speaker, the petition prayer reads as follows:

Wherefore your petitioners humbly pray that your honourable Legislative Assembly may be pleased to call upon the Government of Saskatchewan to develop an affordable housing program that will result in a greater number of quality and affordable rental units to be made available to a greater number of people throughout The Battlefords and that will implement a process of rent review or rent control to better protect tenants in a non-competitive housing environment.

Mr. Speaker, the petitions are signed by residents of North Battleford and the town of Leoville. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

November 23, 2009

The Speaker: — I recognize the member from The Battlefords.

Mr. Taylor: — Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’m pleased today to rise and present a petition in support of affordable housing and rents for The Battlefords. Mr. Speaker, the prayer reads as follows:

Wherefore your petitioners humbly pray that your honourable Legislative Assembly may be pleased to call upon the Government of Saskatchewan to develop an affordable housing program that will result in a greater number of quality and affordable rental units to be made available to a greater number of people throughout The Battlefords, and that will implement a process of rent review or rent control to better protect tenants in a non-competitive housing environment.

Mr. Speaker, the petition is signed by residents of The Battlefords. I so present.

November 24, 2009

The Speaker: — I recognize the member from The Battlefords.

Mr. Taylor: — Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’m pleased today to rise and present a petition in support of affordable rents and housing for The Battlefords. The residents note that some apartments have been given notice of rent increases of about 40 per cent which most feel are outrageous. The prayer reads as follows:

Wherefore your petitioners humbly pray that your Legislative Assembly may be pleased to call upon the Government of Saskatchewan to develop an affordable housing program that will result in a greater number of quality and affordable rental units to be made available to a greater number of people throughout The Battlefords, and that will implement a process of rent review or rent control to better protect tenants in a non-competitive housing environment.

Mr. Speaker, the petition is signed by residents of North Battleford, supported by residents of Cut Knife and Wilkie. I so present, Mr. Speaker.

November 25, 2009

The Speaker: — I recognize the member from The Battlefords.

Mr. Taylor: — Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’m pleased today to rise and present a petition in support of affordable rents and housing for The Battlefords.

The residents note that some apartments have been given notice of rent increases of 40 per cent, and they note that vacancy rate for rental accommodation is very low. The prayer reads:

Wherefore your petitioners humbly pray that your honourable Legislative Assembly may be pleased to call upon the Government of Saskatchewan to develop an affordable housing program that will result in a greater number of quality and affordable rental units to be made available to a greater number of people throughout The Battlefords, and that will implement a process of rent review or rent control to better protect tenants in a non-competitive housing environment.

Mr. Speaker, the petition is signed by residents of the city of North Battleford. I so present.

November 26, 2009

The Speaker: — I recognize the member from The Battlefords.

Mr. Taylor: — Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I’m pleased today to rise, presenting a petition in support of affordable rents and housing for The Battlefords, Mr. Speaker. The prayer reads as follows:

Wherefore your petitioners humbly pray that your honourable Legislative Assembly may be pleased to call upon the Government of Saskatchewan to develop an affordable housing program that will result in a greater number of quality and affordable rental units to be made available to a greater number of people throughout The Battlefords and that will implement a process of rent review or rent control to better protect tenants in a non-competitive housing environment.

Mr. Speaker, the petition is signed by residents of the city of North Battleford, the town of Battleford, and the village of Scott, Saskatchewan. I so present, Mr. Speaker.

November 30, 2009

The Speaker: — I recognize the member from The Battlefords.

Mr. Taylor: — Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I rise today to present a petition in support of affordable rents and housing for The Battlefords. The prayer reads as follows:

Wherefore your petitioners humbly pray that your honourable Legislative Assembly may be pleased to call upon the Government of Saskatchewan to develop an affordable housing program that will result in a greater number of quality and affordable rental units to be made available to a greater number of people throughout The Battlefords and that will implement a process of rent review or rent control to better protect tenants in a non-competitive housing environment.

Mr. Speaker, the petition is signed by residents of the city of North Battleford. I so present.

December 1, 2009

Mr. Taylor: — Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’m pleased today to rise and present a petition in support of affordable rents and housing for The Battlefords. The petitioners note that the vacancy rate for rental accommodation in The Battlefords is very low but the cost of rental accommodation in The Battlefords is increasing at an alarming rate. The prayer reads as follows:

Wherefore your petitioners humbly pray that your honourable Legislative Assembly may be pleased to call upon the Government of Saskatchewan to develop an affordable housing program that will result in a greater number of quality and affordable rental units to be made available to a greater number of people throughout The Battlefords and that will implement a process of rent review or rent control to better protect tenants in a non-competitive housing environment.

Mr. Speaker, these petitions are signed by residents of North Battleford and Saskatoon. I so present, Mr. Speaker.

December 2, 2009

The Speaker: — I recognize the member from The Battlefords.

Mr. Taylor: — Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I’m pleased today to rise to present a petition in support of affordable rents and housing for The Battlefords. The petitioners note that the vacancy rate for rental accommodation in The Battlefords is very low, but the cost of rental accommodation is increasing at an alarming rate. The prayer reads as follows:

Wherefore your petitioners humbly pray that your honourable Legislative Assembly may be pleased to call upon the Government of Saskatchewan to develop an affordable housing program that will result in a greater number of quality and affordable rental units to be made available to a greater number of people throughout The Battlefords and that will implement a process of rent review and rent control to better protect tenants in a non-competitive housing environment.

Mr. Speaker, the petition is signed by residents of the city of North Battleford. I so present.

Hansard

Saskatchewan Legislative Assembly

December 2, 2009

Education Funding

Mr. Taylor: — On November 19th, I along with the MLAs [Member of the Legislative Assembly] from Rosthern-Shellbrook and Biggar met in North Battleford with Light of Christ Catholic School Division. The board told us emphatically that their administrative priority for 2010 is sustainable and predictable funding. At the same time, the board indicated that they need a finalized new funding model as promised by the Saskatchewan Party that addresses the existing inequity in per student funding.

For the benefit of members and the public, Light of Christ receives provincial funding of $7,900 per student compared to the provincial average of $8,700 and the provincial high of $16,900 per student. The board Chair made it clear, and I agree with him, education is too important to have to ride the highs and lows of the economy. Education funding cannot be dependent on potash prices.

This week, the Minister of Education admitted his government’s mismanagement of provincial finances will have a negative effect on the delivery of their promise to continue education property tax relief, and they will likely not be able to put in place a new funding model for school boards until 2011 or 2012. Boards of education and students in divisions with the lowest per capita funding arrangements will find this totally unfortunate and unacceptable.

If he needs more information, I call on the minister to talk with the members from Rosthern-Shellbrook and Biggar and act quickly to establish a program of equitable, sustainable, and predictable education funding.

Hansard

November 30, 2009

 The Speaker: — I recognize the member from The Battlefords.

New Saskatchewan Hospital Requested

Mr. Taylor: — Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Because of the Sask Party’s mismanagement of Saskatchewan’s finances, Saskatchewan people are seeing the financing of health projects being set aside. While this is happening, the Minister of Health needs to keep a few important things in mind.

A couple of weeks ago I reported to the Legislative Assembly that a rally was held in North Battleford, a rally that was called Shovels Here, New Beginnings, a rally that brought together community leaders, mental health advocates and families, and ordinary people who wanted to raise awareness about the need to get construction started on a new Saskatchewan hospital.

I’ve now received petitions and letters signed by hundreds of residents of the province of Saskatchewan that I would like to deliver to the Minister of Health and the Saskatchewan Party Government of Saskatchewan. The petitions are not in the proper legislative format but state that the petitioners believe that mental health matters, that a new mental health facility is a critical component in the continuum of provincial mental health services. And the petitioners believe that the government of Saskatchewan should proceed with building a new Saskatchewan hospital in North Battleford.

Mr. Speaker, today I will be turning these petitions and letters over to the Minister of Health so that he and his colleagues in government can see that people right across this great province want him to act — want him to act quickly — to get started on this promised and much-needed project. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Saskatchewan Legislative Assembly

Monday, November 23, 2009

Len Taylor, MLA

The Battlefords

Hon. Don McMorris

Minister of Health

The Speaker: — I recognize the member from The Battlefords.

Saskatchewan Hospital in North Battleford

Mr. Taylor: — Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Saskatchewan Party government has made promises and commitments to the people of Saskatchewan, and one of those promises was to build a new mental hospital in North Battleford. Two years after the Saskatchewan Party came to government, the people of North Battleford, the Saskatchewan and Canadian mental health associations, the members of the hospital family council, and the people of Saskatchewan who care about vulnerable people in our care, are still waiting for a new mental hospital.

Through the government’s own mismanagement and incompetence they are running a $1 billion deficit and we are seeing 95 million cut from the children’s hospital in Saskatoon, 32 million cut from the health sciences centre, and no action on the Moose Jaw Union Hospital. To the minister: when will construction begin on the Saskatchewan Hospital at North Battleford?

The Speaker: — I recognize the Minister of Health.

Hon. Mr. McMorris: — Mr. Speaker, the North Battleford provincial hospital is like many other facilities in the province. That facility is 100 years old. It’s been through many administrations and really should have been replaced many years ago — many, many years ago.

Our government has asked the Prairie North Health Region, along with the Ministry of Health — along with Corrections and Public Safety because it’s a multi-use facility — to look at what needs to be done there. There’s some scoping going on there, Mr. Speaker. Some plans are being developed as to what that facility should look like as we move forward, Mr. Speaker. But you can see by the line of questioning — and I’m sure there may be more to come — about the deterioration of our infrastructure in Saskatchewan, it has been left in a terrible shape, Mr. Speaker. As money becomes available, we will get the projects done.

Comment: (by Len Taylor)

It is now quite clear that the Saskatchewan Party government will not be funding a new Saskatchewan Hospital at North Battleford before the next scheduled provincial election in 2011.

The key words in the answer from Minister McMorris to the question are “as money becomes available”.

The question was asked in the context of the Saskatchewan Party’s bungling and mismanagement of provincial finances. The Saskatchewan Party government’s budget for 2009/10 now shows a $1 billion deficit, and $300 million in spending cuts. Health projects expected to be funded in 2009/10 have now been cut or deferred. These projects include the Saskatchewan Children’s Hospital (Saskatoon), the Health Sciences building (University of Saskatchewan), the day surgery centre (Regina), and 13 long-term care homes for seniors in rural Saskatchewan (including Meadow Lake). If none of these announced and previously funded projects are not now going to happen in 2009/10, one can only expect that they will be first to be funded “as money becomes available”, and projects not yet announced such as replacement of Saskatchewan Hospital, or even the replacement of Battlefords District Care Centre, can’t possibly be funded until 2011/12 or even later.

It is therefore, in my opinion, highly unlikely that funding will be available for the replacement of Sask. Hospital in the near future.

This didn’t need to happen. If the Saskatchewan Party had managed the budget process better prior to announcing its budget in March 2009, this would not have happened. The government is now scrambling to make the best of a bad situation, and by deferring health projects already on the books they are making it more difficult to fund other projects, some of which could be a higher priority than those currently underway. The Saskatchewan Party’s mismanagement of the province’s financial resources has put new, much needed health facilities in significant jeopardy.

And, let’s not forget that funding (up to $40 million) was available to the Saskatchewan Party immediately following the November 2007 election. It was left over along with $1.3 billion that the NDP left in the province’s savings account (The Fiscal Stabilization Fund) after that election.

The Saskatchewan Party has an obligation to produce a five year capital plan for health projects so that communities and the people most affected will have some real idea of what the health capital priorities are for Minister McMorris, the Ministry of Health, and the Saskatchewan Party government.

There are now nagging concerns that if the Saskatchewan Party continues to mismanage the financial resources of the province that necessary funding for valuable and essential projects like the replacement of the Saskatchewan Hospital may never “become available.”

Lest We Forget

Mr. Taylor: — Thank you, Mr. Speaker. November 11th for the past 90 years in Canada has been, and I hope always will be, a time of remembrance. The words we heard last week repeated in communities right across Saskatchewan, “lest we forget,” must remain meaningful.

But members of the Royal Canadian Legion have always told us, in words and in deeds, that we as individuals and as a society need to do more than just remember. We need to understand, we need to teach, and we need to learn.

Although armed conflict is closer to today’s young people than it has been at any time since the Second World War, there are still far too many young people who admit that they don’t know what to think about during the two-minute silence on November 11th. This year, at Remembrance Day services across Canada, the Legion has challenged provincial and territorial educators and governments to put an increased emphasis on Canadian history and to include Canada’s military history in our classrooms.

At a time when Canada’s young people are participating in Canada’s military in a much more dramatic way than ever before, maybe it’s time that we here in Saskatchewan took up the Legion’s challenge to help more people in a more formal way to understand and to learn so that we have more to remember in a more meaningful way.

Lest we forget, Mr. Speaker, lest we forget.

As spoken in the Legislative Assembly

Tuesday, November 3, 2009

The Speaker: — I recognize the member from The Battlefords.

Our Children Are Precious

Mr. Taylor: — Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Our children are precious. We need to do all that we can to keep them safe. I want all members of the Legislative Assembly to know that I was very much moved by the September visit to Saskatchewan of Rodney Stafford of Woodstock, Ontario. Rodney is the father of Victoria Stafford, a sparkling eight-year-old girl who earlier this year went missing and later was found to have been abducted and murdered. Rodney, in this time of tremendous grief, was cycling across Canada to raise awareness of child safety and the plight of missing children.

Every citizen and community leader needs to take to heart the message of Rodney Stafford and Child Find, the organization helping him with his Kilometres for Kids campaign. What Rodney Stafford is telling us is that his tragedy could happen to anyone. As parents, teachers, neighbours, friends, we need to keep our eyes open. We need to talk to our kids. We need to look out for them. We need to rely on each other to keep our kids safe.

As community leaders, we should make the issue of child safety a priority, and we should in all ways support Child Find Saskatchewan as they work to provide preventative education and awareness programs to decrease the number of children who go missing every year in our province. As the organization says, together we can work towards the goal of bringing our missing children home. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker: — I recognize the member from The Battlefords.

Mr. Taylor: — Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. It’s a pleasure for me to rise today and join my colleagues and other members of the Legislative Assembly in speaking to the Speech from the Throne and the amendment that has been placed in front of the Assembly, Mr. Speaker.

Before I make comments specific to the Speech from the Throne, Mr. Speaker, I’d like to make some other comments relating to other matters in front of the Assembly, Mr. Speaker.

In particular, I’m interested in joining with my colleagues in welcoming the two new members to the legislature in this session, Mr. Speaker. Two by-elections were held in September. Those two by-elections were won by representatives of the official opposition, Mr. Speaker. And I want to welcome the new member from Saskatoon Riversdale and the new member from Regina Douglas Park.

Mr. Speaker, these two members are going to add to the dynamic, the incredible dynamic that is this Assembly, Mr. Speaker. And I look forward to working with both members — one the new Leader of the New Democratic Party, the official opposition, and the second a new member who has distinguished herself in the Saskatoon community and who I have no doubt will distinguish herself in this Assembly on behalf of her constituents for the entire province.

Also, Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the people of The Battlefords constituency for continuing to support me, Mr. Speaker, in the last election. The fact that I was returned for another term, Mr. Speaker, gave me great confidence in being able to continue the work that I had begun previously. And, Mr. Speaker, over the course of the last two years since the election in 2007, I’ve been overwhelmed to receive representations from throughout The Battlefords about issues that are important to my community, Mr. Speaker. A number of those issues I will raise shortly in my comments related to the Speech from the Throne itself.

Mr. Speaker, on this day I also want to congratulate the people of Saskatchewan who allowed their names to stand for election yesterday in this province, election to municipal government across the province. And, Mr. Speaker, in particular, although I value the work that has been done by municipal leaders right across the province of Saskatchewan, and I remind members that indeed I served on the city council in the city of North Battleford for a term, Mr. Speaker, I want to thank all those who let their names stand and I look forward to working with those who have been elected for the next municipal term.

But in particular, Mr. Speaker, I want to thank those elected in The Battlefords constituency. First in the town of Battleford, returned by acclamation, the mayor, Chris Odishaw. But in the council of the town of Battleford, Mr. Derek Mahon, Mr. Garth Walls, Ms. Donna Lavin, Mr. Cam Duncan, Mr. Bill Halewich were all returned incumbents, Mr. Speaker. All returned to their seats, joined by a new member, Ms. Susan McLean-Tady, Mr. Speaker, an individual who has worked for the town of Battleford, who knows the town of Battleford very, very well, will be joining them on that council. And I congratulate all of them and look forward to working with them during their term in office.

In the city of North Battleford, Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the people who allowed their name to stand and congratulate those who were elected, Mr. Speaker.

A very tight race for mayor in the city of North Battleford. Last night the numbers came in; only 15 votes separated the first and the second candidates on the ballot. But declared elected, Mr. Speaker, former councillor, Mr. Ian Hamilton as the new mayor in the city of North Battleford, also joined by incumbent Don Buglas, Ray Fox, and Grace Lang.

The city of North Battleford has three new councillors, Mr. Speaker: Rhonda Seidel, Ron Crush, and Trent Houk. Mr. Speaker, this will be a dynamic council in the city of North Battleford. I congratulate them all and I look forward to working with those members of the council, city of North Battleford and the town of Battleford.

I also, while I’m talking about municipal leaders, Mr. Speaker, do want to send a congratulation out to our former colleague here in the legislature, Mr. Glenn Hagel, who was elected with more than 60 per cent of the votes in the city of Moose Jaw.

Mr. Speaker, I’ve been watching the Moose Jaw election for a number of reasons — not only because a former colleague was in that race, but also because the city of Moose Jaw and the city of North Battleford share a number of issues in common, not the least of which is financing and bringing into being a new recreation and cultural facility for the community. And I know that Mr. Hagel from the mayor’s chair will manage issues in the city of Moose Jaw with a very capable hand.

And one other piece of news I want to bring to the attention of the members of the Legislative Assembly, Mr. Speaker, that I read in The StarPhoenix this morning. I wasn’t aware of this, but I’m extremely pleased to hear that the Canadian Institute of Health Information, an organization we refer to as CIHI, Mr. Speaker, the Canadian Institute of Health Information has just named John Wright, former deputy minister of Health in the province of Saskatchewan, an individual let go from the Health department by the Sask Party opposite, is now the new head of the CIHI. Mr. Speaker, a national body that is critical to the development of the electronic medical record in Canada and guaranteeing the rights of individuals in the health system to privacy but to sharing of information for medical purposes.

Mr. Speaker, my congratulations to John Wright, who is now being recognized on the national stage for his past contributions to health and recognized for his ability to be a leader nationally in the health field, Mr. Speaker. My congratulations to my former deputy minister of Health, Mr. John Wright.

Mr. Speaker, two other thank yous that I want to express. Number one: I know a lot of the people of The Battlefords who contact my office talk with my constituency assistant, Colleen Smith, before they have a chance to talk to me. Primarily, Mr. Speaker, because she’s always there and I, Mr. Speaker, am sometimes here, sometimes at meetings in other places around the province, Mr. Speaker. I want to thank Colleen Smith for the tremendous job that she has done and will continue to do in representing me and, more importantly, representing the interests of my constituents to me when I’m not there, Mr. Speaker. She does a tremendous job.

And of course, Mr. Speaker, I also want to pay tribute to and thank my spouse, Cheryl Cook-Taylor, who has contributed greatly to my ability to represent the people of The Battlefords here in the Legislative Assembly. Mr. Speaker, my thanks and love to my wonderful wife.

Mr. Speaker, I want to turn my attention now to just letting the members of the Assembly know what the issues are in The Battlefords that I see. Because, Mr. Speaker, the Throne Speech is intended to provide a vision to the people of Saskatchewan, the vision of the government for the year ahead.

Mr. Speaker, the idea of the Throne Speech, the history going back many years, is to assure the public that the government understands the issues of the province and has a plan, an idea — more importantly, a vision — of how to address those issues and give the people of the province an opportunity to prepare themselves to work in concert with the government in addressing those issues. So, Mr. Speaker, Throne Speech: general in nature, but always addressing vision, Mr. Speaker.

So I want to talk about the needs of the city of North Battleford, the town of Battleford, and the constituents of The Battlefords — and more importantly, Mr. Speaker, the challenges that they  face, given the circumstances that exist in the province today. Because, Mr. Speaker, in direct relation to the vision outlined in the Throne Speech, I’m asking members to think, are the needs being addressed by vision outlined by the province of Saskatchewan?

Mr. Speaker, I mentioned in the House yesterday that the primary issue in The Battlefords is indeed affordable housing. Mr. Speaker, this is an issue that is best presented by the fact that there are virtually no alternative accommodations in The Battlefords. We have a shortage of rental units, Mr. Speaker.

This shortage of rental units is compounded by a number of factors. Number one, the growing economy is bringing people into the community for education and, Mr. Speaker, for employment. And the lack of rental accommodations, Mr. Speaker, particularly for immigrants and for young people moving into the community for their first job, number one, they can’t find places. But number two of course, Mr. Speaker, they can’t afford a place that becomes available, if any become available, because of course the rents are increasing.

Now I don’t begrudge a landlord or an owner of a property getting a return on their investment, Mr. Speaker. But it has to be tied to, in my belief, the economy of the region. And the latest increase in rents, Mr. Speaker, is in a property that’s primarily, the residents of that property are primarily seniors or low- to middle-income individuals.

Mr. Speaker, the property has recently been purchased by residents who live in the city of Calgary. And all of a sudden, the North Battleford economy is seeing the rents in this building being increased commensurate with the economy in Calgary, Mr. Speaker. The building was purchased on the basis of highly leveraged circumstances. And as a result, the new landlord wants a rate of return very similar to what is available in a larger, even more active economy.

So seniors on fixed income, low-income people in basically low-wage jobs, Mr. Speaker, are being asked to contribute 40 per cent more in rent. And that date of application, Mr. Speaker, will take effect on February 1st, essentially the coldest day of the year.

Mr. Speaker, without some appeal procedure or some appeal provision, a number of these people are going to have to find a way to justify spending money on rent versus spending money on groceries, or perhaps — even for the seniors, Mr. Speaker — prescription drugs. Mr. Speaker, they’ll have to make decisions because they can’t move. And others, Mr. Speaker, who are fortunate enough to be able to move, Mr. Speaker, are finding that the quality of the accommodation that is otherwise available is not up to the standards that they feel they deserve after having lived in a quality building for, in some cases, 10, 15, and 18 years. So, Mr. Speaker, that’s just one example.

But we have a community that’s in growth. We have young people moving to the community. We have a large senior population on fixed income. And, Mr. Speaker, we have a large number of First Nations communities in the area, Mr. Speaker, and quite a number of people, young First Nations people moving into the community to take employment — often their first jobs, Mr. Speaker — and there are virtually no rental units available, Mr. Speaker. So I simply state that housing is a critical issue in The Battlefords . . . needs to be addressed in terms of the challenges of our growing economy, Mr. Speaker.

And I look at the Throne Speech, Mr. Speaker. What’s the vision for housing? Well the Throne Speech response to housing is, we’ve done a little bit, and there’s a little bit under way. The only paragraph in the Throne Speech, Mr. Speaker — no identification of where this government, the Sask Party government, intends to go with housing. I’ll have more to say on that in a couple of minutes, Mr. Speaker, when I get to the lack of vision, when I get to some comments on the lack of vision in the speech itself.

Other issues, Mr. Speaker. It’s no surprise to members in here that I believe that the province needs to have immediate action on the construction of a new hospital, a new mental health facility. Saskatchewan Hospital, North Battleford has been on the agenda of government now for a couple of years, Mr. Speaker. The commitments were there previously during the election campaign in 2003, 2007, Mr. Speaker. The Saskatchewan Party government made their commitments and promises to replacing Saskatchewan Hospital. Two years later, Mr. Speaker, we’re still not there. So, Mr. Speaker, second issue in The Battlefords. I’ll address that in a little more detail in a few minutes.

We do have some highway issues, Mr. Speaker, that people have been raising. The government talks a little bit about the infrastructure needs, etc., but the town of Battleford, Mr. Speaker, has been struggling with the Department of Highways opposite on the program about urban connectors and the issue relating to the ability of traffic to move through the town of Battleford on a provincial highway, Mr. Speaker, and the lack of response over the last two years to this issue, an important issue for the people.

It’s not so much money, Mr. Speaker. It’s about the attitude and the ability of the department to get this issue resolved so that the town of Battleford can continue the growth that has begun there, Mr. Speaker. The Department of Highways has not demonstrated the ready-for-growth attitude that the government has been cheerleading over, Mr. Speaker, for the last two years.

And also, Mr. Speaker, I don’t need to remind members of the casualties, the tragedies that have occurred on Highway 4 North, going north of The Battlefords, Mr. Speaker. We’ve lost a number of young people over the course of the last few years, Mr. Speaker, to accidents. Municipal leaders throughout the whole region from The Battlefords north to the town of Glaslyn, Mr. Speaker, have been calling for additional investment in that highway. All has to do with safety, Mr. Speaker. They’ve gone so far as to call for a twinning of that highway, Mr. Speaker. But to this date there’s still been no concrete resolution. Municipal leaders want to see that, the safety of that road dealt with by the Minister of Highways.

Mr. Speaker, we had a meeting the other day with representatives from the Canadian Federation of Independent Business, Mr. Speaker. One of the issues that CFIB raised was a shortage of qualified labour. There isn’t a week in The Battlefords, Mr. Speaker, that an employer somewhere in the community doesn’t mention to me the difficulties that our community has in growing the workforce because of the lack of qualified labour, Mr. Speaker. And indeed the government needs to put additional efforts into ensuring that where business needs employees, Mr. Speaker, that we’ve got the province, the government, supporting them.

That is one of the other big issues in The Battlefords because, Mr. Speaker, west side of the province, lots of resource activity taking place, ideally positioned on the Yellowhead highway, Mr. Speaker — The Battlefords certainly needs to experience the capacity to grow. But at the same time, Mr. Speaker, that growth presents challenges and we need the support of the provincial government to meet those challenges.

And lastly, Mr. Speaker, like other . . . Well not lastly. I have two other points. Second last, Mr. Speaker, we are looking for continued efforts to fund recreation and cultural opportunities.

The people of The Battlefords are very pleased that the province was able to contribute $7 million to our multi-purpose facility. Mr. Speaker, this is a project that our new council is going to deal with and bring to fruition but of course, Mr. Speaker, since the province provided funding to that building, of course the costs have escalated somewhat and the community has to deal with raising money to complete the financing of that project. Mr. Speaker, we will meet that challenge but we also have another challenge, Mr. Speaker, and that’s funding of other municipal projects while this one is under way.

And in particular, Mr. Speaker, the Minister of the Environment will know that a couple of weeks ago I sent a letter to her talking about the needs of Saskatchewan municipal golf courses, Mr. Speaker, to improve their irrigation systems, to make these golf courses more environmentally friendly, Mr. Speaker, to reduce their environmental footprint.

Mr. Speaker, we have an opportunity to improve irrigation systems in municipal golf courses across the province, reducing chemical use, reducing water wastage, Mr. Speaker, and protecting the fragile environments that exist around some of our golf courses.

Mr. Speaker, an issue in The Battlefords that I know is also going to be an issue in other communities, Mr. Speaker, is the whole issue of funding a new environmental approach to golf course irrigation management, Mr. Speaker. And I hope the government will be able to address that issue soon.

And lastly, Mr. Speaker, to the government, another issue that’s emerging is our Citizens on Patrol program. The Citizens on Patrol exist in other communities as well, Mr. Speaker. With the loss of FleetNet and some other things that have been taking place, the communication systems between local police officials, the RCMP [Royal Canadian Mounted Police] in our community, and the citizens who have volunteered to be the eyes on the ground, Mr. Speaker, the communication system has deteriorated to the point where it’s virtually non-existent. Mr. Speaker, I’ve called on the government to try to address this issue.

Those are significant issues in The Battlefords, Mr. Speaker. I wanted members to understand that as the province grows, as our communities grow, there is a need for the province to address and pay attention to the challenges that affect us. Mr. Speaker, that’s sort of the theme towards my conclusion. I’m not at the conclusion yet, Mr. Speaker, but the theme towards my conclusion is the ability of this government to manage the challenges that we are facing in the province, Mr. Speaker.

My conclusion will of course be that this government is failing to manage those challenges. Great at cheerleading the optimism that’s in the province, Mr. Speaker, because there is some, but there are serious challenges, Mr. Speaker, that can’t be fixed by cheerleading. They can only be fixed by addressing them face to face, face on, Mr. Speaker.

And I look at the Throne Speech, Mr. Speaker, that talks about moving forward. And of course as other members of the Assembly have already pointed out, this Throne Speech is less about moving forward and more about looking back — and again I use the word cheerleading, Mr. Speaker — cheerleading what has already taken place, but failing to think about what this means and what it could mean to the citizens of Saskatchewan over the course of the coming year.

And that was my opening comment, Mr. Speaker. A Throne Speech is about what confidence can we have in the government for the coming year — are they going to address our issues? By and large, Mr. Speaker, the Throne Speech sets that out. This one fails miserably in that department.

Well, Mr. Speaker, let’s just jump back briefly. I don’t want to use too much of the time of the House, Mr. Speaker, but I just want to jump back briefly and take a look at what this government has done since they were elected in 2007, since they’re very good on cheerleading, Mr. Speaker. I want to look at the throne speeches for the last two years, Mr. Speaker, before this one.

And we recall that in 2007, after the election in 2007, the Saskatchewan Party came to government. The Throne Speech was called “Securing the Future,” Mr. Speaker. And I quote from that Throne Speech, Mr. Speaker, 2007. This was the vision that the government set out right after the election. The vision is, “. . . [We] will have a growth agenda . . . [It] will be built on a foundation of sound financial management.” How long did that last, Mr. Speaker? Sound, sound financial management . . .

An Hon. Member: — And we’re starting to see it, Len. Growth agenda — 360 students more.

Mr. Taylor: — Mr. Speaker, we have no trouble with a growth agenda. The Deputy Premier yells, growth agenda. We’re getting there. Mr. Speaker, the NDP was there, Mr. Speaker, in 2007 in November. You look at all the charts, Mr. Speaker. The province was growing before the Sask Party got elected, Mr. Speaker, and growing at a considerable pace, I might add. However, Mr. Speaker . . .

[Interjections]

The Speaker: — Order. Order. We’re well aware of the fact that we all have differences of opinion. We also have the right to respect the right of an individual to speak. I recognize the member from The Battlefords.

Mr. Taylor: — Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The point of the quote from the Throne Speech was, “. . . built on a foundation of sound financial management.” No sooner, Mr. Speaker, did this Saskatchewan Party government take the seats opposite than they started to try to creatively . . . I think the Minister of Enterprise talked about creative accounting over there. Well, Mr. Speaker, we took a $2 billion surplus and dropped it to 800 million. The money is gone. We don’t know where it is.

Mr. Speaker, they built a budget — 20 per cent of that money was going to come from potash revenue, Mr. Speaker. They didn’t get the potash revenue. We’re cutting back in this province now on commitments, particularly commitments to health care, Mr. Speaker. And where is this foundation of sound financial management that was the promise of the Throne Speech, the vision of the members opposite, in 2007?

Mr. Speaker, they talked about a labour shortage. In The Battlefords, I mentioned earlier, two years later the labour shortage is still there. Is there any evidence, Mr. Speaker, that this government has a vision of dealing with that this year? No, Mr. Speaker. But in 2007 that was a commitment.

Mr. Speaker, the Throne Speech in 2007 focused on forestry, and Enterprise Saskatchewan was going to deal with the forestry sector. Well, Mr. Speaker, that didn’t last very long either. No sooner did they say, we’re going to manage the forestry sector better, than we got to a point today, two years later, we have virtually no forestry sector left, Mr. Speaker.

And of course the conclusion there talked about, growth will produce a higher quality of life for the people of Saskatchewan. Well, Mr. Speaker, they forgot to say that in two years time, a higher quality of life — unless you’re a senior on fixed income, unless you’re a student going to college or university, unless you’re unemployed, unless you live in the North, unless you are a person of First Nations ancestry, Mr. Speaker, unless you are a recent immigrant to this province. Higher quality of life — we all demand it;, we all deserve it, Mr. Speaker — vision of the members opposite in 2007.

Let’s go to 2008, Mr. Speaker, and this was the interesting year — 2008. The Throne Speech was referred to. “A Stronger Saskatchewan. A Better Life,” that was the title, Mr. Speaker. And it also said in the Throne Speech the year will be “characterized by fiscal prudence,” Mr. Speaker — fiscal prudence. Here we go.

The year that they put all their eggs in the potash basket, Mr. Speaker. And the Minister of Energy yesterday tried to explain why they made their mistakes, Mr. Speaker, and he had a pretty good explanation. But it contradicts what the Premier says in the Throne Speech, that it was process. Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Energy indicated it wasn’t process. It’s the way that, the attitude about how you do things, Mr. Speaker. Potash, 20 per cent, not there. We’ve had some difficulties as a result. How do we manage the challenge in front of us, Mr. Speaker? They have failed in managing the challenges.

But more importantly, Mr. Speaker, what were the words of joy that came out of that second Throne Speech in 2008, Mr. Speaker? Saskatchewan used to be next year country. This year is this year country, Mr. Speaker. That’s what the Throne Speech said.

So, Mr. Speaker, what came about as a result of this so-called it’s not next year country; it’s happening this year, Mr. Speaker? Well where have we come from now, Mr. Speaker?

The children’s hospital is next year. The surgical centre is next year. The Saskatchewan Hospital in North Battleford may be next year. Affordable housing in the province, next year. Cattle and hog production support, Mr. Speaker, next year, Mr. Speaker.

The members opposite in 2008, a full two Throne Speeches ago, Mr. Speaker, talked about Saskatchewan being this year country. All we got, Mr. Speaker, was a flawed fiscal approach and now we’ve got cutbacks and are paying the penalty.

Mr. Speaker, is this the government to meet the challenges faced by our economy and the challenges faced by individuals living in our economy? Mr. Speaker, I argue that no, it isn’t. Saskatchewan as far as their plans are concerned, Mr. Speaker, Saskatchewan from a Saskatchewan Party perspective is still next year country.

And this year, Mr. Speaker, this year’s Throne Speech, we sat here and listened carefully. We looked at the title, “Moving Forward.” We all get excited, Mr. Speaker, because we all want to move forward. But, Mr. Speaker, as colleagues here have indicated, there was more looking back in this vision then there was looking forward. And there’s no vision, Mr. Speaker, there’s no vision at all in looking back. We need to know what we’ve done to move forward, but we have to use what we’ve done to plan, to make the plan for going forward. So, Mr. Speaker, what’s lacking in here?

Let’s go back to my desires of the people in The Battlefords, Mr. Speaker. There’s nothing in this Throne Speech for housing. There’s nothing in this Throne Speech for forestry which is part of the economy of the North and of The Battlefords, Mr. Speaker. Nothing in here for cattle and hog producers which surround the economy of The Battlefords, Mr. Speaker. Nothing in here to deal with the labour shortage in the province, Mr. Speaker. All issues that are critical to the quality of life and the future of the economy in The Battlefords, Mr. Speaker, these are very, very important.

And, Mr. Speaker, I urge the government opposite not to postpone for very long if they want to manage wait-lists and the surgical health care needs of the people of Saskatchewan, not to postpone very long the surgical day centre here in Regina. It will assist people in The Battlefords, Mr. Speaker, to get their surgeries done.

And once that’s finished, Mr. Speaker, let’s remember the commitment that the New Democrats made — not just one surgical day centre in the province, Mr. Speaker, but two: one in Regina and one in Saskatoon over time as resources permitted. Mr. Speaker, this will go a long, long way to ensuring that Saskatchewan will benefit.Now, Mr. Speaker, I know that my time has elapsed. Mr. Speaker, I want to stress finally and in conclusion that when . . . Oh, I forgot one other thing, Mr. Speaker. I can’t, I would be remiss if I forgot this. We had a very nice meeting with those representing small business in Saskatchewan, the other day as I mentioned, Mr. Speaker, a very good meeting. And I would argue that 85 per cent of the business people in The Battlefords constituency, that which I represent, would be considered small business, Mr. Speaker. They talked to me not only about the inability to attract qualified labour, but they also talked about other things that governments can be doing to assist small business.

Well let’s just take a look at what was also happening in Saskatchewan a week ago, what was happening a week ago when the Throne Speech was brought forward, Mr. Speaker. The Throne Speech was delivered during Small Business Week in Saskatchewan — Small Business Week in Saskatchewan — and yet while Small Business Week in Saskatchewan is on the minds of many people, it was not on the minds of the Premier or the government of the Sask Party, Mr. Speaker, because not a mention in the Throne Speech about small business. Not a mention.

So in addition to no mention about housing or cattle and hogs or agriculture or forestry or other things that are critical to the future — the next year of people adapting to this changing economy, Mr. Speaker, not a mention — certainly no reference whatsoever to a plan or what the future might bring.

So Mr. Speaker, when it comes to, did this government lay out a plan that we as Saskatchewan residents can follow? No, Mr. Speaker, they did not. They did not give us a plan so that we can manage our lives in concert with the direction that the government wants to take.

Mr. Speaker, therefore some of the things that I’ve argued, I can argue very strongly, Mr. Speaker, that this government over the last two years has failed students. They’ve failed seniors. They’ve failed cattle and hog producers. They’ve failed forestry workers. They’ve failed the forestry industry in northern Saskatchewan. They’re failing northerners. They’re failing immigrants. Mr. Speaker, they’re failing small-business people in the province of Saskatchewan.

And I know I’ve missed somebody in that list, Mr. Speaker. I’m sure they’ve failed more. But that’s the list that I know of from The Battlefords, Mr. Speaker. Did this Throne Speech, Mr. Speaker, provide the people of Saskatchewan with a plan? No. I can therefore argue, Mr. Speaker, that this Throne Speech failed the people of Saskatchewan fully, Mr. Speaker.

I guess it’s easy to understand why, Mr. Speaker, this Throne Speech — the third year of the Saskatchewan Party government, one year before the next year-long election campaign which will probably begin with the Throne Speech next year, Mr. Speaker; the third Throne Speech, the third opportunity to plan for the people of Saskatchewan, Mr. Speaker — therefore a Throne Speech that had a lot of input from the Premier, Mr. Speaker. I’m not at all surprised because when we look at the Premier’s resumé, Mr. Speaker, we know that his resumé is full of a lot of cheerleading, Mr. Speaker. There’s virtually no evidence on the Premier’s resumé of success, Mr. Speaker, virtually no recognition of success on the Premier’s resumé.

So, Mr. Speaker, I shouldn’t be surprised one little bit that over the course of the last three Throne Speeches, the delivery of this government to meet the people of Saskatchewan, that if there’s been failure before, there’ll be failure after. Mr. Speaker, the Premier hasn’t learned anything from his time outside of this place, Mr. Speaker. Therefore it’s easy to understand why this Throne Speech and the plans, and lack of plans of this government, are failing and will continue to fail the people of Saskatchewan.

Mr. Speaker, I thank you for the opportunity to speak to the Assembly today. I wish to inform you that I will not be supporting the motion to support the Throne Speech, but I will be supporting the motion to support the amendment which recognizes the failure of this government to meet the challenges of the people of Saskatchewan in these challenging times. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker: — I recognize the member from The Battlefords.

Affordable Housing Needed in The Battlefords

Mr. Taylor: — Thank you, Mr. Speaker. One of the most pressing issues in The Battlefords continues to be the lack of affordable housing. And I again, through the Legislative Assembly, ask that the Saskatchewan Party government devote more time, energy, and investment towards this pressing need.

As members will see through this session, I will be presenting petitions signed mostly by residents of Killdeer Apartments in North Battleford, who this summer were provided notice of a 40 per cent rent increase to take effect on February the first. Mr. Speaker, these people, seniors on fixed income and young people in low- to moderate-income jobs, can’t afford the increase in rent because there is no virtually no affordable rental accommodation in the community. They have no place to go and no place to turn. The provincial government has told us frequently that there will be provincial assistance to increase the number of affordable rental units in The Battlefords, but nothing is happening and as a result, seniors are thinking about or actually taking steps to move out of the community. Students are planning to attend North West Regional College and are choosing not to enroll. Immigrants recently attracted to the community are bunking up in multiples too large to benefit them or our community. And young people seeking their first job are choosing to settle elsewhere.

Mr. Speaker, the people of The Battlefords deserve better. They deserve better treatment from their landlord. They deserve better treatment and more access to additional affordable accommodation and they deserve a better response from the provincial government. On their behalf I ask the Minister Responsible for Housing to act and act quickly.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.