REGINA - The opposition New Democrats are firing back at comments from Premier Scott Moe about the March 19 return date for the Legislative session to resume.
The NDP had been critical of the government for what they called a two and a half week delay to the start of the session compared to previous years. At a news conference in Saskatoon Wednesday, Moe said the timing was normal for years following a provincial election. “If you look back it's actually the norm,” Moe said.
Thursday morning, the NDP responded with a news release providing information going back to 2008. Those showed the spring sitting start day normally scheduled for between March 2 to 8, with budget day taking place 16 days later.
The only exceptions were 2008 when the start day was March 10 and the budget day March 19; 2016 when the start day was May 17 and budget was June 1 due to a provincial election that spring; 2018 when the sitting started on March 12 and the budget on April 10 (Scott Moe had just won the party leadership a month and a half earlier); and the COVID-19 year of 2021 when the spring sitting and the budget were delivered on April 6.
Another exception was the 2020 provincial budget which was originally scheduled for March 18, but was delayed at the very last minute to June 15 due to the emerging COVID-19 outbreak.
In their news release the NDP accused Moe of lying, and the Sask Party of not wanting to show up for work.
“After 17 years in government and big losses in the last election, the same old Sask. Party wants to do the bare minimum. They’re tired and just not focused on the future of our province,” the NDP release stated. “The Saskatchewan NDP continues to call on the Sask. Party government to reopen the Legislature immediately and get back to work.”
In the meantime, the Sask Party has been focusing on efforts outside the legislature. They have been continuing trade missions to other countries, with Premier Moe going to Washington D.C. and Mexico, with Agriculture Minister Daryl Harrison heading to India and the United Arab Emirates and with Trade and Export Development Minister Warren Kaeding heading to Vietnam and Singapore.
The NDP has continued to call for an early sitting of the Legislature in response to the threats of a trade war with the United States. In speaking to reporters Wednesday, NDP leader Carla Beck said it was producers and industry people who wanted to see the Legislature back in action, saying that was the best way to mount a response.
“That is what we're hearing from those producers. That's what we're hearing from industry, from people at the grocery store. They're frankly very surprised that we're not already sitting, let alone the fact that now it seems we're going to actually be sitting for two and a half weeks less than would normally be the case.”
