REGINA — As the calendar flips to Oct. 1, provincial political leaders have been continuing to focus on the major issues facing the province with the Legislature set to return in three weeks.
Sept. 30 was the national Truth and Reconciliation Day, and politicians marked the occasion in various ways. Just one day before, Premier Scott Moe was in Île-à-la-Crosse where he signed the agreement for the province to pay $40.2 million in restitution to former students of the Île-à-la-Crosse School and their families. Premier Moe also issued the province’s apology for what had transpired there.
During that signing, Moe pointed to it as another step towards reconciliation.
“This is part of recognizing our past and now we need to continue to take steps to building that stronger future. That stronger future working alongside one another so that our province wherever you might live and whether you be Indigenous, Métis or otherwise that we are working towards more opportunity and a stronger future for our children and ultimately for our grandchildren.”
When asked what more could be expected from the government in terms of reconciliation efforts, Moe spoke about the “importance of economic reconciliation,”pointing to what he described as the “strongest and most secure gaming agreement in the nation of Canada,” the work of the Indigenous Finance Corporation, and efforts towards direct ownership in the forestry industry.
“We're about 35 per cent Indigenous-owned companies as well as about 35 per cent Indigenous employment in that industry,” Moe said.
Moe also commended the federal government for “taking the initiatives that they have," but added "it's incumbent on us to approach it in the very spirit that we are discussing here today on ensuring that it is to everyone's advantage, not to one area of Canada versus another, not to one area of Saskatchewan versus another, but it's to everyone's advantage.
"And that is very much what we are focused on in our reconciliation path as we move forward, is how do we, yes, acknowledge some of the past that we have in this province of Canada, and ensure that we are taking responsibility for it, and it isn't all good, but moving forward together and trying to work together to provide what and take advantage of what some of these opportunities are in our province and our nation, and our communities most important.”
In a statement, Monday, NDP Athabasca MLA Leroy Laliberte said they “welcome this apology from the provincial government – it's something that matters greatly to the survivors of the Île-à-la-Crosse School Residential School, and it's something that Saskatchewan New Democrats have been calling for since 2021. The provincial government needs to ensure that it works in true partnership with the survivors and meets all of its obligations under the terms of today's settlement.”
On National Truth and Reconciliation Day Sept. 30, flags at the Legislature and provincial government buildings were flown at half-mast.
In a statement, Opposition Leader Carla Beck said “today, and every day, we join Indigenous communities across Saskatchewan and Canada in the spirit of truth and reconciliation."
“Together, we remember the children who never returned home, honour the survivors, and recommit ourselves to the difficult work of healing and justice. That work requires real action. It means truly listening to Indigenous people and respecting the Duty to Consult. It means working hand-in-hand with Indigenous governments and communities as true partners. We must also continue to pursue the Calls to Action of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.“
"Truth and Reconciliation Day calls on us to learn, reflect and take meaningful steps together toward reconciliation," said Minister Responsible for First Nations, Métis and Northern Affairs Eric Schmalz in a statement that day. "I encourage residents to take part in community events, listen and learn from residential school Survivors and find ways to support our province's healing journey together."
Other major issues
Schmalz’s statement comes the same week that he and Minister of Advanced Education Ken Cheveldayoff, as well as several Saskatchewan municipal leaders, were due to meet federal leaders in Ottawa to lobby for renewal of a cost-shared infrastructure program with the federal government. Those meetings were set for Oct. 1 and 2.
"We are making the case that Ottawa return to the successful cost-share models that support the stability and economic growth of our municipalities," Schmalz said. “The bottom line is that investments into community-building projects are investments in a strong and stable nation.”
Premier Moe himself has spoken out in the past year calling for the feds to commit to renewing the cost-sharing that the province has seen before under the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program. The province has cited the need for continued investment in items such as roads, culverts, bridges, waterworks and recreation centres.
Representatives from the cities of Regina, Saskatoon, Moose Jaw, Prince Albert, Swift Current, North Battleford and Yorkton as well as leaders of the Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities and Saskatchewan Urban Municipalities Association are also on the trip, according to the province
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Back home, the NDP focused on a number of other issues this week. On Monday, NDP Trade and Export Development critic Kim Breckner was critical of delays to One Sky Forestry’s oriented strand board mill in Prince Albert.
“This project could be a game-changer for Prince Albert and we need to get it over the line,” said Breckner in a statement.
“For more than 18 years the Sask. Party has been telling the people of Prince Albert ‘a vote for the Sask. Party is a vote for the mill.’ It’s been nothing but a pack of lies. Scott Moe has one of the worst job creation records in Canada, export numbers are crashing and working people are pushing themselves to the limit and still falling farther and farther behind.”
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The NDP also continued to hammer the Sask Party on health-care issues, on the heels of their latest launch of province-wide "big bold change" consultations this past week.
In Saskatoon on Wednesday, their Associate Health Critic Keith Jorgenson called for an apology and independent investigation after the latest communications mix-up involving Saskatchewan Health Authority, who had informed a media outlet in Swift Current that the emergency room in Herbert was still open when in fact it was closed. They provided a correction four days later. That came just after the NDP had raised concerns about closures at the Herbert ER since Aug. 7.
“Either the SHA lied, or the Sask. Party plants within are really that incompetent and out-of-touch with life outside the Legislature in Regina,” said Jorgenson in a statement. “Whatever the case, the people of southeastern Saskatchewan deserve an apology and answers."
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The stepped-up NDP focus on the health issue comes as Rural and Remote Health Minister Lori Carr had resumed her health tour of the province.
On Tuesday, Carr was in Moose Jaw where, according to the province’s news release, she met health care providers, community leaders and seniors' groups.
"I look forward to engaging with Moose Jaw residents and learning more about their needs and experiences with the health system," Carr said in a statement. "Our government's priority is making sure people of all ages have access to high-quality health care, close to home."
Carr’s visit to Moose Jaw came just a week after she was in Banff for a meeting of provincial and territorial ministers of Mental Health and Addictions.
In a news release, the government noted Moose Jaw had seen an additional 21 health-care professionals hired under the rural and remote recruitment incentive, and also pointed to expanded free rapid access counselling to children and youth and their caregivers. They also pointed to provincial funding for integrated youth services at HOMEBASE.
Carr’s appearance in Moose Jaw raised particular eyebrows from the NDP’s Jared Clarke, who had been in Moose Jaw recently to highlight a shortage of doctors.
“Moose Jaw is set to lose 10 doctors by November, according to local media reports,” said Clarke in a statement.
“Does Minister Lori Carr have a plan to fix this and bring these ten doctors back? Can we expect anything to improve with the same old government making the same old mistakes? Moose Jaw is an amazing city, but the Sask. Party has taken it for granted. Everyone in Moose Jaw deserves access to a family doctor, now and into the future.”
