Drugs, intergovernmental relations and wildfires dominate Sask. fall while sitting
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Saskatchewan’s fall meeting ended with victorious Premier Scott Moe promoting his government’s economic record and plans to tackle the drug crisis.
At the seven-week meeting, the provincial government introduced legislation extension of power Its existing Safe Communities and Neighborhoods (SCAN) units provide those affected by drug trafficking the opportunity to file civil lawsuits and pursue its long-promised law enforcement. apply involuntary treatment For people with addiction.
On Friday, Moe also touted his government’s commitment to hire more police officers for municipal forces, the RCMP and the Saskatchewan Marshals Service.
While Moe celebrated his government’s decision-making, he also made it clear that he believes the province needs to do more to address community safety.
As the fall meeting of the provincial legislature ends, CBC Saskatchewan’s provincial affairs reporter Alexander Kwon summarizes what the province’s leaders accomplished.
Provincial ministers have repeatedly called the government’s 2023 action plan for mental health and addictions “ambitious.” On Friday, Moe acknowledged that the province’s currently planned expansion of treatment beds may not be enough.
“Our original target was 150 (treatment beds). I don’t think 500 will be enough,” Mo said. “I think we will need more than 500 recovery beds to give everyone an opportunity to enter that recovery journey.”
Moe also spent much time highlighting the changing relationship between his government and Ottawa.
To say that Moe and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau did not get along would be an understatement. Moe’s government frequently fought the federal government in court and the media over legislation and policy decisions.
“Over the last 10 years, our relationship with the federal government has been quite different,” Moe said.
Now, with Premier Mark Carney at the helm, Moe said relations with the province are better than ever.
Moe made three public visits to Washington in 2025, as trade relations between Canada and the United States became increasingly strained.
Prime Minister’s most recent visit November was coordinated directly With the federal government, much of what Moe said would have been practically unimaginable under Trudeau’s government.
Moe said the province is “fully engaged” with the federal government’s efforts.
“We’re in a situation where if the prime minister wins those negotiations and gets Canada to a good place, it’s good for Saskatchewan,” Moe told the media.
This meeting has not been good news for the provincial government.
Moe and Tim MacLeod, Saskatchewan’s minister of corrections, police and public safety, have faced repeated criticism for the province’s response to this summer’s wildfire season.
More than 200 houses were destroyed in this northern village Denarre Beach in June.
During the fall meeting, Moe stood up and made an emotional apology to the village residents, admitting that he should have visited the community sooner.
Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe stood in the legislature and apologized to Denare Beach residents who had waited four months to visit the fire-ravaged community, where more than 200 homes burned in early June.
Although that apology was accepted by some residents, it did not stop them from expressing their displeasure at the support given by the government and its general response to the wildfire season.
The government has launched a third-party review into the response to the fire, but it is a far cry from the public inquiry that the Denarre Beach Village Council and the NDP have called for.
Some residents of Denarre have called on McLeod to resign, but the Minister of Public Safety has said he will not do so.
NDP pushes issues, but legislation doomed
The NDP spent much of the session introducing private members’ bills, which are on the verge of failure due to government opposition.
It also involves a push rent controlA wildfire strategy bill and with the review of any future legislation despite section,
The NDP’s efforts were not without success. The demand for answers on wildfire response has been received positively by the people of Denar Beach.
Jared Clark called on the province to proactively report hospital closures when Health Minister Jeremy Cockerill announced a new policy to do so.
NDP Leader Carla Beck missed a large portion of the meeting due to illness, but will be available next week for the annual year-end interview with the media.
