May 17^th, 2012

While other provinces and countries struggle with huge deficits and growing debt, Saskatchewan is a different story. Our budget is balanced, there are thousands of new jobs and our population is at a record high and continues to grow. More people than ever before are choosing Saskatchewan as the place they want to live, work and raise their families. We call this the Saskatchewan Advantage. It was created by your hard work and we took action during the spring session of the Legislature to protect that advantage.

The highlight of the spring session was the introduction and passage of Canada’s only balanced provincial budget. The 2012-13 Keeping the Saskatchewan Advantage budget is balanced on both a general revenue and summary financial basis, invests a further $70 million into the Growth and Financial Security Fund , posts a small surplus and contained sustainable spending that allowed us to keep most of the promises we made during the 2011 election, including:

• Introducing a new “Saskatchewan Advantage Scholarship” that will provide up to $2,000 over four years to new high school graduates to reduce the cost of post-secondary education in Saskatchewan;
• Expanding the Active Families Benefit and the PST exemption on clothing to include all children under 18;
• 500 new childcare spaces;
• A new $10,000 tax credit for first-time homebuyers;
• Launching the STARS emergency medical helicopter service;
• Forgiving up to $120,000 in student loans for new doctors and up to $20,000 for new nurses and nurse practitioners who practice in rural and remote communities;
• Increasing benefits under the Saskatchewan Assured Income for Disability (SAID) program by $2,760 a year for couples and $2,400 a year for individuals;
• Increasing the Seniors Income Plan (SIP) benefit by $600 a year; and
• Providing the first year of the government’s four-year commitment of $2.2 billion to repair and maintain Saskatchewan highways.

This balanced budget is a key part of keeping the Saskatchewan Advantage created by your hard work. Over the last year, Saskatchewan employers have created more than 13,000 new jobs, our population is growing at its fastest pace in 60 years and many economic forecasters are predicting we will lead the country in economic growth both this year and next.

So what’s next?

As spring turns to summer and the spring session of the legislature comes to an end, the Premier has given MLAs a job to do between now and the fall. He has charged the 49 men and women you elected to represent you on November 7, 2011, with an important task: go into our communities and consult with the public, stakeholders and elected bodies on how they would like to see how our province grow. Long-term planning is key – together we will continue to build a strong province.

Maintaining long-term growth and the benefits that come from that growth is important in realizing your Saskatchewan Party’s vision of a debt-free province with a population of more than 1.1 million people. That’s where you come in. We know where we want to go – we need you to tell us how to get there.

In the coming weeks, MLAs will reach out to constituents to start the “information-gathering” process. What we hear from you will form the strong foundation on which we will build Saskatchewan’s future – together. We will keep the Saskatchewan Advantage – and keep our province moving forward.

MLA Report for May 2, 2012

Saskatchewan has a proud history when it comes to our role in the Commonwealth. From a capital city named after Queen Victoria to King George VI and Queen Elizabeth visit in 1939 to The Princess Royal visit in 2007, we have long enjoyed a special relationship with the Crown. Evidence of that special relationship will be seen again later this month, when Their Royal Highnesses, The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall, come to Saskatchewan. The royal couple will be visiting Regina on May 22^nd and 23^rd to celebrate Her Majesty The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee with the people of Saskatchewan. On May 23^rd, they will visit the Legislative Building to celebrate its 100^th anniversary, then tour the First Nations University of Canada, and finish the day by attending a performance by the Regina Symphony Orchestra. To keep up with the latest royal updates you can download the Crown in Canada iPhone application at www.CanadianCrown.gc.ca. If you have a Blackberry or Android smartphone, you can access that content at m.canadiancrown.gc.ca.  You can also follow the latest updates on the 2012 Royal Tour Facebook page “The Crown in Canada” and on Twitter @TheCrownCa.

There was more good economic news this week about the Saskatchewan Advantage. Statistics Canada reported our economic growth in 2011 was at its fastest in almost 15 years, at 4.8 per cent. That’s the best performance since StatsCan began recording this statistic in 1997; and currently second highest in the nation. The Saskatchewan economy is strong and growing and our government will continue to take action to ensure it stays that way.

With growth come challenges such as finding affordable housing.

Our government is working on many fronts to increase rental housing in Saskatchewan. The new Corporate Income Tax Rebate will deal with one of the concerns regarding the current corporate income tax structure, which has been identified as a barrier to the development of new rental housing in our province. The rebate will help add 10,000 new rental units to the province by the end of 2016 at a cost of $34 million for the first five years. Corporations eligible for this rebate will receive the two per cent small business tax rate instead of the 12 per cent general Corporate Income Tax rate. This is a real step forward to providing quality rental housing across the province. Applications for registering eligible new residential rental housing are available by visiting the Saskatchewan Housing Corporation website at http://www.socialservices.gov.sk.ca/housing, calling toll-free 1-800-667-7567 or contacting the SHC office in Regina at 306-787-4177.

The Corporate Income Tax Rebate is only one of the tools our government is using to address the issue of affordable housing.   The Minister Responsible for Saskatchewan Housing Corporation, June Draude, recently travelled to Newfoundland to participate in the Canadian Housing Renewal Association’s 44th Annual Congress on Housing and Homelessness.  This event brings together decision makers and policy experts from across Canada to discuss and find solutions for common housing issues.   It is through meaningful discussion with those on the front lines and with stakeholder that we find innovative solution that makes housing accessible to everyone. While our government has made significant progress ensuring everyone benefits from the Saskatchewan Advantage, there is still more work to do.

MLA Report for April 19^th, 2012

Our government is moving forward on another commitment to improve healthcare in Saskatchewan. Last week, Moose Jaw received some long awaited news from the Five Hills Health Region on the site of the new hospital. The Health Region has purchased 30 acres of land on Diefenbaker Drive; this location is close to highway #1 and #2 which will allow for good traffic flow, future growth and parking. This new hospital will incorporate the LEAN principles of design and be a patient-centered facility. The funding for this hospital will fall under the new model where the province funds 80 per cent and the local communities will be responsible for 20 per cent, this is a significant change from the old model where local communities were responsible to pay 35 per cent.

Our government has made improving healthcare throughout Saskatchewan a priority which is further reflected in our commitment to reduce wait times for surgery. The Victoria Hospital Department of Orthopaedics in Prince Albert has introduced a “pooled referral” process that gives patients the option of seeing the next available specialist who is qualified to treat their condition, rather than waiting for a particular specialist. This process will work to reduce the bottle-neck in the wait-times for particular specialist and improve over all wait time outcomes. This “pooled referral” system is being implemented in other health care areas, and is one more way our government is working towards our commitment of providing all patients the opportunity to have surgery within three months by 2014.

As our province grows, so do the challenges for our transportation infrastructure.   Heavy truck traffic is one of those challenges.  One way our government is addressing that challenge is by providing $700,000 in funding to 11 shortline railways through the Shortline Railway Sustainability Program.  This will provide funding to improve provincially-regulated shortline railways, and can be used for projects such as track maintenance, railway tie replacements and bridge repairs.  This is an alternative means of transportation for grain producers and other shippers to get their products to market, and in turn reduces heavy truck traffic on our highways.  Work on these railways began in 2008; up to $5.8 million will be invested in these railways by the end of this fiscal year.  This is an important element in our ever growing transportation sector.  

Another signal that Saskatchewan is the place to be is the announcement of a major investment by Canada’s largest privately owned transportation and logistics service. Consolidated Fastfrate is preparing to build a cross dock facility that will be 10,000 sq ft. and be co-located with the Canadian Pacific’s intermodal rail yard. Construction is scheduled to start this spring at the Global Transportation Hub, just west of Regina.

There’s more good news to report this week about Saskatchewan’s economy. According to Statistics Canada, our merchandise exports continue to increase. In February 2012, we had $2.62 billion in exports, a 22.2 per cent increase from the year before. The growth in our exports shows that the world wants what Saskatchewan has to offer, and is a good indication of what our future holds. This type of growth is one of the reasons Saskatchewan is expected to lead the country in economic growth, it also reflects the high level of confidence investors have in what the future holds for our province.

Report from the Legislature – April 11, 2012

It has been a few weeks since the Keeping the Saskatchewan Advantage 2012-13 provincial budget was delivered and we remain the only province in Canada to have a truly balanced budget. At the time of this writing, five other provinces and the federal government have all tabled budgets – and the one thing they have in common is that they are all deficit budgets. Because of the action our government has taken that is not the case in Saskatchewan. We will continue to manage the province’s finances in a fiscally responsible way that invests in the programs and services that are important to you.

I am pleased to report that the latest employment numbers paint a very positive picture for the fastest growing segment of our population. According to the most recent Statistics Canada report, off-reserve aboriginal employment was up by 4,700 in March, a gain of 13.7 per cent, for 10 consecutive months of year-over-year increases. The good news doesn’t stop there though. More young people of aboriginal descent are working. Aboriginal youth employment was up by 800, or 9.2 per cent, compared to the same month last year. That’s five months of back-to-back increases.

In terms of unemployment, the number of people without a job is also decreasing. In fact, Saskatchewan currently has the lowest unemployment rate in the country at 4.8 per cent down from 5.0 last month and 5.2 a year ago. It is evident that people have confidence in our economy and businesses are expanding. That’s the Saskatchewan Advantage.

Saskatchewan was also recently ranked by the Fraser Institute’s 2011 Global Petroleum Survey as the top jurisdiction in Canada for oil and gas investment. The oil and gas sector is one of Saskatchewan’s leading industries, accounting for $12.2 billion in sales in 2011 and an estimated $4.5 billion in investment in exploration and development. This means that there were an estimated 33,200 jobs in the upstream oil and gas industry in 2011, a 9.0 per cent increase from 2010. This is another great example of our strong and growing economy.

When I am asked by people why growth is so important I answer them this way: it is through growth that we can provide the services that make Saskatchewan the best place in Canada to live. Recently, your SaskParty government partnered with the Saskatoon Downtown Youth Center (EGADZ) to begin construction on two new homes that will help keep at-risk mothers and their newborn babies stay together in Saskatoon. Last week, we announced that in partnership with Habitat for Humanity we were providing funding for a home in Regina. We increased funding to the Saskatchewan Cancer Agency, to improve access to cancer care and services throughout Saskatchewan. In Regina, we have provided funding to begin planning for a new student housing project at the University of Regina. This is made possible in part due to the economic strength and growth of our province – growth the credit for which goes to you – the people of Saskatchewan. Together, we are making our province the best place in Canada to work, live and raise family.

MLA Report

Last week our government brought down the only balanced budget in Canada. The theme of this year’s budget is Keeping the Saskatchewan Advantage. One of the ways it does that is providing responsible fiscal management within a framework of sustainable spending on services and initiatives important to Saskatchewan people and keeping the promises we made in last fall’s election, an advantage created by the hard work of all of us. This is a budget with a vision to make Saskatchewan the best place in Canada to live, to work, to start a business, to get an education, to raise a family and to build a life. This is a big vision but we are well on the way. Our government has identified four goals that will set the direction for the province, there are Sustainable growth and opportunities for Saskatchewan people, improve our quality of life, making life more affordable, and delivering responsive government.

This budget supports these goals by keeping our budget balanced, keeping our spending sustainable, keeping our economy strong and growing, and keeping the promises we made in the recent election campaign. The best indicator of future behavior is past behavior which is why, even before the budget was announced, we put in place the necessary changes to expand the Active Families Benefits and the PST exemption on children’s clothing. This was a promise we made in our election platform and we delivered on it.

Our government knows to keep the Saskatchewan Advantage we must keep our economy strong. This means being fiscally responsible with a balanced budget and setting aside for a rainy day. This budget does just that. We have also limited overall government spending to less than five per cent while providing the services we all need. The Growth and Financial Security Fund will grow to $978.9 million over the next four years to provide for those unexpected events we know all too well.

The economic growth we seek is so families can enjoy a quality of life second to none, but this growth comes with some challenges. One of these challenges is the need for safe and dependable child care spaces. This budget provides funding for 500 new child care spaces, this will go a long way to provide child care, but we know there is more to do.

This budget also provides funding to deliver on the election promise to help students build their future right here in Saskatchewan, through the Saskatchewan Advantage Scholarship. This scholarship will provide all new high school graduates with up to $2,000 over four years to be applied to tuition fees at any Saskatchewan post-secondary institution or recognized training course. This is another way we are ensuring everyone benefits from Saskatchewan’s growth.

When our government came to office we learned that the Seniors Income Plan had not been increased in 16 years, this was not acceptable. We doubled this benefit for low-income seniors by the end of our first term, but there is still more to do. This is why we promised to increases this plan by $50 a month this year, with a further increase of $10 a month in each of the next three years. By the end of 2014, this will increase to $270 per month; triple what the SIP benefit was when we formed government in 2007. Another promise made, and kept.

The last few years have been transformational for Saskatchewan. We have gone from being a have-not province to being a driver of the Canadian economy. Our population is at an all-time record high of 1,065,000. Thousands of people including both those who moved away and newcomers are choosing Saskatchewan as the place they want to live, work and raise their families. The credit for the work that’s made all that possible belongs to you, the people of Saskatchewan. You are responsible for creating the Saskatchewan Advantage.

It is our government’s job to take action on your behalf to ensure we keep that advantage. We enjoy a quality of life rarely seen in these uncertain economic times, and it is our responsibility to ensure everyone shares in the benefits of the historic growth this province has seen.

The 2012-2013 budget is balanced. It ensures spending on government services remains affordable and sustainable. This budget takes measures to ensure Saskatchewan families enjoy a high quality of life, by keeping the promises we made during the recent provincial election while providing sound fiscal management and sustainable spending. In short, it keeps our economy strong and growing.

A strong and growing economy is one in which a government lives within its means. In the 2012-2013 budget, overall government spending is up less than 5 per cent, which keeps a key promise we made during the election. Even when you take into account the Crown corporations, there is a $15 million surplus and a further commitment to the Growth and Financial Security Fund of $70 million; money which can be used to deal with emergencies and unforeseen expenses, such as natural disasters.

Our government recognizes that to keep our strong advantage, we need to ensure our spending is sustainable. We are calling on third parties such as health authorities, post-secondary institutions and school divisions to look for efficiencies that do not impact the services provided. As well, the Film Employment Tax Credit will be wound down, eventually saving taxpayers $8 million a year, and we will no longer fund Enterprise Regions. We also looked at what is charged to Saskatchewan people under programs such as the Seniors’ and Children’s Drug Plan to ensure such programs are sustainable.

Our government feels by making these small changes we can maintain the high quality of life Saskatchewan families enjoy and ensure all people benefit from our strong and growing economy. We can keep our promises to further increase benefits and programs for seniors and those with disabilities, implement the new Saskatchewan First-time Homebuyers tax credit, expand the Active Families Benefit and PST exemption on children’s clothing and establish the Saskatchewan Advantage Scholarship Program for new high school graduates. We are putting in place a new rental housing construction initiative program which provides a 10-year rebate of Corporate Income Tax equal to 10 per cent of the expected rental income from new multi-unit residential rental projects. Municipalities will receive $237 million in Municipal Revenue Sharing, an increase of $20.6 million over last year, which will allow them to provide important services for their citizens. Overall, municipalities will receive $349 million or 15 per cent more provincial funding than the year before.

Healthcare is not only always the largest component of the provincial budget; it is arguably one of the most important. We understand how important your family’s health is. In the 2012-2013 Keeping the Saskatchewan Advantage Budget, funding for health authorities increases by almost $100 million and there’s a further $60.5 million commitment to the Saskatchewan Surgical Initiative to perform 8,000 more surgeries and continue reducing wait times. The Saskatchewan Cancer Agency will receive an increase of $16.9 to allow thousands of new patient referrals , chemotherapy treatments and mammograms. Under the Keeping the Saskatchewan Advantage Budget, the colorectal screening program will go province-wide to improve early detection and survival rates and there is a further $5.5 million for the STARS air ambulance.

To keep the economy strong and growing, you need to ensure the necessary infrastructure is in place. The Keeping the Saskatchewan Advantage budget makes a further investment of $778 million to begin construction on seven previously announced Long-Term Care Centres, start 21 approved major school projects and inject a further $581 million into highways.

The Keeping the Saskatchewan Advantage budget provides funding that will maintain and improve the quality and provide assistance for those in need. But it balances those important demands with responsibility: the responsibility to live within our means, balance the budget and ensure programs and sustainable in the long run. These are many current examples of governments around the world not living up to those responsibilities – we will not make that mistake.

We will keep the budget balanced and keep government spending sustainable.

We will keep the Saskatchewan Advantage.

MLA Report

There were a couple of big announcements at the annual SARM convention in Regina.   We announced that we are partnering with the federal government to provide $1.8 million to help producers and rural municipalities (RMs) control beavers, rats, wild boars and gophers. These animals can be a significant economic liability for our farmers and ranchers and this funding will help them mitigate the damage they cause.

Imagine a line of grain bags stretching from Moose Jaw to Regina.   That’s the equivalent of what Saskatchewan farmers recycled in the first year of the Grain Bag Recycling Pilot Project.   We announced at the SARM Convention that we are partnering with the federal government to provide another $210,000 to extend this pilot project for another two years.

And, last but definitely not least, Canada’s currently longest-serving provincial Minister of Agriculture announced at SARM that he is stepping down from his position.   Bob Bjornerud told delegates that he asked the Premier to leave Cabinet in the next shuffle, expected this summer.  Bob Bjornerud was first elected in 1995 and has served the province as Agriculture Minister since the 2007 election.   He has been a strong voice for Saskatchewan producers and will be missed

There was some really great news this week for Saskatchewan’s farm and ranch families.   For the first time ever, Saskatchewan’s agri-food exports topped $10 billion.   That beats out Ontario as the top agri-food exporting province in Canada.  In 2011, the top exports were canola, canola oil and non-durum wheat.  We have worked to expand market opportunities throughout the world, including places like India and China.   The top five markets for Saskatchewan agriculture products are the U.S., China, Japan, Mexico and India.   This accomplishment is thanks to the work of our farmers and ranchers, who are vital to the Saskatchewan Advantage we all enjoy.

Our government was proud this week to announce a service that will benefit youth who have nowhere else to turn. We took part in the official opening of Saskatchewan’s first emergency shelter for youth. The co-ed facility called Downtown Browne’s Emergency Youth Shelter is located in Regina. It will provide a temporary home for 15 youth between the ages of 16 and 18. Shelter is just the tip of the iceberg in terms of services the shelter will offer. The kids will also be able to access programs that will help them either get a job or go back to school. Saskatchewan is enjoying a period of unprecedented economic growth which allows us to use that prosperity to invest in services for society’s most vulnerable citizens.

MLA Report

It is often said a society is measured by how it treats its most vulnerable citizens. With that in mind, our government is continuing to take action to better meet the needs of people with intellectual disabilities. Starting April 1, 2012, we are changing the way we fund day programs from the old cost-per-space model developed in the 1970s to one that is based on the actual needs of each individual. This will also allow us to devote more resources to support people that have more complex needs. Implementation will cost approximately $6.3 million in 2012-13 which includes $4.6 million for regular day programs and $1.7 million for day programs with clients that have complex needs. The total annualized cost of the new standard will be up to $7 million when all complex needs designations are complete in 2013-14. A further $560,000 will be used to expand funding standards in current and new residential programs that support individuals with complex needs and increase to $2 million by 2014. Through these and other programs, we are working to ensure that Saskatchewan is the best place to live in Canada for people with intellectual disabilities.

Congratulations to Vaughn C. Schofield in her appointment as Saskatchewan’s 21^st Lieutenant Governor. Ms. Schofield’s appointment was announced by the Prime Minister on March 6. She has an extensive record of community service as a member of the Canadian Forces Liaison Council, St. John Ambulance (Saskatchewan), The Hospitals of Regina Foundation, the MacKenzie Art Gallery, The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Program, Regina and Regina Beach Chamber of Commerce. Ms. Schofield is also the Honorary Lieutenant-Colonel of 16 Saskatchewan Service Battalion, where she provides leadership and support to the unit and to the Canadian Forces Reserve, in particular to those who have returned from Afghanistan. I would also like to thank outgoing Lieutenant Governor Gordon Barhardt. Dr. Barnhardt served our province well as the Queen’s representative over the last four years. The date for the installment of the new Lieutenant Governor has yet to be announced.

Saskatchewan’s farm and ranch families continue to make valuable contributions to our province.   As a government, we are continually looking for ways to improve programs and services to address the needs of producers.   The Saskatchewan Crop Insurance Corporation has launched AgConnect, a new web-based application which allows AgriStability customers to submit and manage their program information online.  This process will help reduce the timelines for processing applications, therefore improving service for customers.  Through AgConnect, you can download and submit program forms and supporting documentation.  AgriStability participants will receive an AgConnect activation letter by the middle of March.  For more information on AgConnect or AgriStability, producers can contact their local SCIC office, call 1-866-270-8450 or visit www.saskcropinsurance.com.

While our government remains committed to essential services legislation that keeps you and your family safe, we take issue with part of the recent Court of Queen’s Bench ruling that found certain part of the legislation unconstitutional. In his ruling, the judge found that the right to strike is constitutionally protected, which breaks new Canadian legal ground. If upheld, it will have much broader implications for the entire country. It is also important to remember that the court upheld the principle of essential services and The Saskatchewan Federation of Labour has indicated they are willing to discuss this issue and we hope to work with them as we amend the legislation.

MLA Report

Spring is often referred to as the season of renewal. That phrase has special significance for our government as the spring session of the legislature gets underway. In the coming weeks, we will have the opportunity to renew and honour the trust that you placed in us last fall.

The 2012-13 budget will be balanced and contain sustainable government programming.   It will keep our campaign promises, including a scholarship to help high school graduates cover the costs of post-secondary education, a tax credit for first time homebuyers, and expansions to the both the PST exemption on children’s clothing and the active families benefit. Our finances remain strong compared to other provinces and countries, but we need to continue to control government spending to make sure it stays that way. That is why we are working to limit overall government spending increases to under five per cent. During the last election, we saw a clear difference between the spending spree with taxpayers’ dollar the NDP wanted, and the cautious spending the SaskParty promised; through careful planning we will not only keep that promise; we will also keep the Saskatchewan Advantage.

In other recent economic news, we have all seen the struggles in Europe; not only for workers but also for investors. That is one of the reasons behind a trip to Ireland and England by Premier Wall and Immigration Minister Rob Norris promoting Saskatchewan jobs and business opportunities. The Premier will be meeting with representatives of large multinationals based in the UK to promote the advantage of doing business in Saskatchewan’s growing economy. When in London he will also deliver a keynote address to a luncheon hosted by the Canada-U.K. Chamber of Commerce promoting Saskatchewan as an excellent investment opportunity. We are not only looking for investors, but also skilled labour to bridge the shortage we are experiencing in many sectors. Minister Norris is traveling to Ireland with a delegation of 27 Saskatchewan employers, taking part in the Working Abroad Expo in Dublin and Cork. The Saskatchewan pavilion has more than 275 skilled jobs that are available immediately for workers. Our economy is strong, but we still have plenty of room to grow.

One area that has always played an important part in Saskatchewan’s economy is our agricultural industry. In honour of this, March has been proclaimed Rural Woman’s month in Saskatchewan. Women have always played a significant role on their families’ farms; through their hard work, cooperation, and the leadership. Rural Woman’s Month will be observed in conjunctions with other events held by women’s groups throughout the province.

As our province grows, we are always looking for the best way to prepare our youth for the future. Improving student achievement is a priority for our government and mathematics plays a large role in accomplishing this important goal. Since the New Year, newly elected MLAs and former educators, Russ Marchuk and Gene Makowsky have travelled across the province to host eight regional consultations to hear from our front line educators, including both classroom teachers and school administrators, about the effective instruction of the renewed math curriculum. Our government is now calling on parents to submit their views, please go to the Ministry of Education website at www.education.gov.sk.ca and click on the feature titled “Math Feedback” to give your input. The link for math feedback will be operational beginning February 27th and available throughout the month of March.

Surgical wait times are down again, as our government continues making progress towards its goal of no one waiting more than 3 months for surgery by 2014. New statistics updated to the end of last December show the number of patients waiting more than 18 months is down 89 per cent from where it was in 2007. The number of people waiting more than 12 months is down 76 per cent. Over the last five years, our government has instituted several new initiatives that have played a role in this reduction, including; using private surgical clinics within the public system; to recruiting more doctors and nurses; and expanding training opportunities for medical students.

During the recent campaign, one of the promises we made was to continue to manage the province’s finances in such way that our economy remains strong and growing. I am happy to report today that this year’s budget remains balanced despite historic flooding last year. Due to the strength of the Saskatchewan economy and our current prosperity, our government was able to provide assistance to the many Saskatchewan families affected by flooding. In spite of that, we will finish this year with a balanced budget, further reduce the provincial debt and retain a balance of more than $700 million the provincial savings account.

It’s not often that an announcement half-way around the world affects Saskatchewan directly – unless you control close to 20 per cent of the global resource involved. The federal government announced recently that it had signed a $3 billion deal which will see China buy Canadian uranium. That directly affects our province; due to the fact all of the uranium production in Canada comes from Saskatchewan mines. Uranium mining pumps hundreds of millions of dollars into the Saskatchewan economy each year through expansion, salaries, taxes and royalties.

Saskatchewan Watershed Authority is looking for average to below average runoff, which means a low risk of flooding. However, in some areas, with a high carryover of water there could still be flood issues. Significant late winter or spring storms could increase risk of flooding. That being said, this is the first forecast issued for 2012, and SWA will continue to monitor the spring melt. If we do have flooding issues the province will provide assistance through PDAP.

Our government remains committed to ensuring Saskatchewan families are safe and secure in the event of job action by important service-providers such as nurses or snow-plow operators. In light of the recent court ruling on our Essential Services law, which upheld the need for such legislation, we will work with the organized labour to find the right balance that protects you and your family. To that end, we have asked the Saskatchewan Federation of Labour for written input which we hope to receive by the start of the spring session of the Legislature.

We have made it easier than ever to plan your summer vacation at a Provincial Park. This year we have expanded the 14-night maximum stay during peak season to more parks, and made all camp sites open for either walk-up or reservation. Beginning at 8 a.m. CST on March 12, 2012, reservations can be made in real-time for 24 parks through www.saskparks.net or by calling 1-855-737-7275.