Released on November 26, 1999
Premier Roy Romanow, Deputy Premier and House Leader Dwain Lingenfelter,together with Education Minister and Leader of the Liberal Party Jim Melenchuk
made the following statements in a news conference today regarding the opening
of the legislature.
Premier Roy Romanow:
We're here today to speak about three matters.
First, I'd like to report to the people of Saskatchewan that all ten of
Canada's provinces and the three territories met in a telephone conference
yesterday chaired by Premier Bouchard.
Premiers and territorial leaders want to discuss with Ottawa the question of
restoring federal transfers for health, education and income support, and
equalization.
And I'm very pleased to report they have joined together unanimously to
underline their concern about the farm income crisis, and to urge Prime
Minister Chretien to convene a First Ministers' meeting so that the matter can
also be discussed.
Premier Bouchard wrote to the Prime Minister yesterday. I've circulated his
letter.
I want my fellow Premiers to know I appreciate their support.
And I want to urge the Prime Minister today to take up our proposal, and to
convene a First Ministers' meeting as soon a possible to discuss these matters
and to act on them.
I would strongly urge a meeting in good time before Christmas.
Second, I am pleased to announce that the Legislature will reconvene the week
of December 6th, and that an emergency debate will be held regarding the farm
income crisis -- in order to support and underline our message.
The government will put an emergency motion to the House.
And farm and rural leaders will be invited to join us on the floor of the
Legislature to spell out the issue, in terms I am confident Ottawa will hear.
Third, I want to report that the government will be outlining our key
priorities for the coming year in a Speech from the Throne.
We'll outline our goals and objectives, built around five key themes:
Fighting for farm families.
Helping all families make ends meet.
Building a better future for our young people.
Protecting our health care system.
And renewing and opening up government.
I think the people of Saskatchewan will be very pleased with the priorities
we'll be outlining.
We've been listening carefully, and working very closely with our coalition
partners.
The priorities spelled out in the Speech from the Throne are the people's
agenda.
I'll now invite Deputy Premier Lingenfelter to say a few words about the farm
income issue, and I'll ask Minister of Education and Liberal leader Jim
Melenchuk to say a few words about the Speech from the Throne.
Deputy Premier Dwain Lingenfelter:
I just want to add that I think we have some reason to hope we are making
progress in getting the federal government to understand that they need to
better address the farm income crisis.
Minister Vanclief was in Regina last week. I thought his statements showed some
sign that he understood the issue and is prepared to work on it.
Therefore it is important we keep working.
To that end, the provincial and territorial premiers and leaders gave us some
crucial support this week.
And I believe that a special sitting of the Legislature next week will help
keep the momentum going.
The Premiers are making the point – this is an important issue that needs to be
addressed.
All parties in the Legislature will make the point – this needs to be addressed.
Farm and rural leaders will make the point, on the floor of the Legislature –
this needs to be addressed.
We told the federal government in Ottawa that we're not going to be going away
on this issue. We're going to keep the pressure on. And I'm confident we'll
eventually succeed.
Education Minister and Leader of the Liberal Party Jim Melenchuk:
I'd just like to say a few brief words about the Speech from the Throne.
I will not be going to go into any detail on the content, because the proper
place to spell out the detail is in the Legislature on the first day of session.
But I do want to say that the agenda outlined in the Speech from the Throne is
the fruit of a great deal of work by our coalition government in the past month
and a half.
We've been listening carefully to the people of Saskatchewan.
They've told us what they support in the Liberal platform. And in the NDP
platform.
We are putting together the best ideas from both coalition partners.
The result is an ambitious and progressive agenda:
It's about fighting for our farm families.
It's about helping families make ends meet.
It's about a better future for our kids, by improving education.
It's about protecting our health system.
It's about a new approach to government.
It's about balance and common sense.
It's about setting out a roadmap that starts to address many of the key
issues the public tell us they want addressed.
On December 6th we'll outline our approach.
In the weeks to come, we'll be closely consulting the people of Saskatchewan on
the details of our plan – and we'll be listening carefully.
In March, we'll introduce a budget that implements our commitments this year.
And I believe the people of Saskatchewan will conclude we're on the right track.
- 30 -
For more information, contact:
Anna Arneson
Media Services
Regina
Phone: (306) 787-0850