麻豆视频

Leader of the Official Opposition Ryan Meili penned a letter directed at Premier Scott Moe, asking to begin negotiations around resuming legislative business, including the presentation of a full budget.

鈥淭his spring, Scott Moe was planning to break his own fixed election law, when he ought to have been focused on preparing our pandemic response,鈥� said Meili.

鈥淣ow it seems that he is attempting to avoid presenting a full budget before sending Saskatchewan people to the polls this fall,鈥� he added.

Meili said Saskatchewan people have real questions about health care readiness, support for families and businesses, access to childcare and unprecedented job losses. He added there are real concerns about the outbreak in La Loche and in northern Saskatchewan.

鈥淭he Sask. Party needs to answer those questions,鈥� said Meili.

Meili additionally called on Moe to provide an updated timeline for when a complete budget will be presented. He noted almost every province in Canada has come up with a plan to resume legislative business on some level.

鈥淪cott Moe shouldn鈥檛 expect a blank cheque, even during a pandemic,鈥� said Meili.

鈥淯nfortunately, it seems he does. The premier needs to be willing to answer questions right now, like where and how they鈥檙e planning to spend an extra $2.5 billion. The people of Saskatchewan deserve to know where that money is going, to know it鈥檚 going to the right places and the most important projects, not just projects that benefit Sask. Party friends and donors,鈥� he added.

Moe later said in a press conference there have been discussions between house leaders about resuming the legislature for a number of days.

鈥淢y understanding is they met last week with intentions of meeting again to discuss how the legislative oversight can occur,鈥� said Moe.

Moe added he was surprised to see the letter come from the leader of the Official Opposition.

鈥淭his is work that traditionally in this province has always been undertaken by the respective house leaders where you have opposition house leader and a government house leader that will work together,鈥� said Moe.

鈥淚 think it鈥檚 critical that work continues to happen,鈥� he added.

Moe also said whether a full budget with revenues would be presented going forward would have to be through negotiation with house leaders.

鈥淚 give no specific parameters as to when or should that occur in the very near future,鈥� said Moe.

To date, all that has been tabled is spending estimates which were presented on March 18 before the dissolving of the legislature due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Moe said the estimates help the province with having something to go off of in terms of issuing special warrants.

Moe said whether or not there is an opportunity for legislative business to resume should not distract from the effort the government and public is making as they continue to address the COVID-19 pandemic.