LEGISLATIVE SESSION A SUCCESS

Released on July 6, 2001

Premier Lorne Calvert looks back on his first legislative session as

premier as one that has moved Saskatchewan in a positive direction of hope

and optimism.



"We began this session with a very well-received budget," Calvert said.

"It was a budget that continued to cut taxes for every Saskatchewan family

and every small business. When fully implemented, tax reform will save the

average dual-income family $868, a single-income family $1,974."



The budget also made major investments in education, health care, highways

and technology. The government also created hundreds of jobs - new water

inspectors, new highways workers, new child care employees. Private

companies partnered with the government to create even more jobs - 130 news

jobs at an oriented strand board (OSB) plant in Hudson Bay, 60 new jobs at

the Nexans power-cable manufacturing plant in Weyburn, a $20 million deal

at Hitachi Canada's plant in Saskatoon and 600 jobs at the Staples Call

Centre in Regina.



"We unveiled a five-year plan called Partnership for Prosperity," Calvert

said. "10,000 Saskatchewan people were surveyed to come up with ideas on

creating more opportunities for business and working people."



Creating those opportunities will provide a better future for our children.



"Our children are often called our most precious resource," Calvert said.

"To that end, my government brought in legislation to extend parental

leave, allowing parents to spend more time with their children. We also

introduced legislation to protect children caught up in the child sex trade

- ground-breaking legislation that leads the way in Canada. Our government

also increased the number of pre-kindergarten spaces by 80 per cent -

something that will give the province's children a better start."



The premier recognizes with accomplishments come challenges, but a

responsible government meets those challenges head-on and learns from those

experiences.



"Water concerns in North Battleford led me to call an inquiry so we can

learn from this and hopefully make sure it never happens again," Calvert

said. "We allowed both sides to bargain in the CUPE dispute and that led

to a settlement - we learned from the nurses strike of 1999. Our

government will continue to learn, to listen to the people and continue to

move the province in a positive, progressive direction."



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For more information, contact:



James Millar

Media Services

Regina

Phone: (306) 787-6349