Released on July 6, 2001
Premier Lorne Calvert looks back on his first legislative session aspremier 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