The MLA’s are getting back into their seats at the legislature, as the house resumes sitting.
First up, a budget. The provincial government is expected to introduce its budget on Wednesday, March 22nd, With revenues higher, and awash in new federal health dollars it will be interesting to see how the Sask Party Government decides to allocate this money.
A provincial election is expected in 2024, so this budget will be part of the ramp-up. Municipal elections are planned for the fall of 2024 as well, so there could be a conflict with how close the dates are. That means the provincial election could come in the spring of 2024, but no decision on this has been made yet.
The Sask Party Government will start this session down one seat, after MLA Mark Docherty from Regina-Coronation Park announced he is stepping down. In the next few weeks, you can expect the provincial government to set a by election to have that seat filled before August 10th.
On Friday, the opposition NDP talked about their plans to hold the Sask Party Government accountable in the coming sitting. Leader Carla Beck says she and her colleagues have travelled the province in recent weeks, and they are hearing people want better access to health care, more job creation and a lower cost of living.
“Since Scott Moe took office, the Sask. Party Government has been last in Canada in job creation, on economic growth, and second last in the country on wage growth,” says Beck.
‘They’ve left our healthcare system in shambles and on top of all of that, they’ve made life even more expensive for Saskatchewan people with more taxes and higher power bills.”
