The second session of the 28th Saskatchewan Legislature drew to a close last month. As the parties step away from the Legislative Assembly to focus on their constituents and prepare for the autumn, some MLAs are reflecting on their successes and failures during three months in 2018.
鈥淥verall, it went quite well,鈥� said Yorkton MLA Greg Ottenbreit.
Ottenbreit, the Minister of Rural and Remote Health with the governing Sask Party, is pleased with his organization鈥檚 work so far this year.
鈥淸We鈥檙e] standing up for Saskatchewan鈥檚 interests,鈥� he said.
For Ottenbreit, Saskatchewan鈥檚 interests include balancing the budget and, of course, resisting the proposed federally-mandated carbon tax.
鈥淲e鈥檙e going to continue on with our fight,鈥� he said.
This session represented a moment of transition for the Sask Party. They chose Scott Moe as their new party leader and Premier after Brad Wall stepped down. Ottenbreit complimented Moe on his work so far.
鈥淚 was very impressed with Moe鈥檚 performance,鈥� he said. 鈥淗e represented us well.鈥�
Moe wasn鈥檛 the only new party leader at the Legislature this session. Ryan Meili won the NDP party leader election in March.
鈥淚t鈥檚 been a pretty exciting session,鈥� he said.
For Meili and the NDP, success was defined by pointing out shortcomings in the Sask Party鈥檚 approach while offering an different vision to Saskatchewanians.
鈥淲e continue to point out the cuts to education,鈥� Meili said.
Meili was critical of the Sask Party鈥檚 resistance to the carbon tax. Meili claims that if the provincial government refuses to negotiate with the federal government, a carbon tax will be imposed. Ottenbreit disagrees.
鈥淲e criticized Meili for waving the white flag to Ottawa,鈥� Ottenbreit said.
Ottenbreit highlighted his party鈥檚 alternative to the carbon tax: the Prairie Resilience plan. The program focuses on rewarding sustainable harvesting and on pulling carbon from the atmosphere.
鈥淲e think it鈥檚 a more positive approach than simply taxing people,鈥� he said.
Meili called the plan flawed.
鈥淚t doesn鈥檛 meet requirements and it leaves money on the table,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t puts us in a pretty vulnerable position.鈥�
Ottenbreit acknowledged missed opportunities during this past session, particularly in regards to mental health services and changes to the grants-in-lieu program.
鈥淵orkton was impacted harder than other communities [by those changes],鈥� he said.
Ottenbreit and Meili plan to spend their summer meeting constituents and planning for the fall.
鈥淸Time to] catch up with the constituency,鈥� Ottenbreit said. 鈥淭here鈥檚 always a lot of events to attend.鈥�
