Sask. legislature getting more parent- and baby-friendly

With its marble pillars and sharp-cornered molding, the Saskatchewan legislative building isn’t the most baby-friendly place — but some changes have been made to fix that, in procedure at least.

The changes were spearheaded by NDP MLA Nicole Sarauer. She said she hopes this makes younger women and men think of the legislature as a more approachable workplace.

“Also to encourage more younger women to see this as a viable career option for them, that they don’t necessarily have to wait until after they have kids who’ve grown to be able to do this sort of work,” Sarauer said.

The changes include amending rules to allow infants in the legislature; they will no longer be considered “strangers.”

Maternity, paternity and adoption leave have been added to the exemptions which allow MLAs to be absent from the legislature during session without incurring a financial penalty.

Broad requirements have been put in to allow accommodations for MLAs in the Chamber who might have specific needs. Sarauer pointed out dietary needs, such as requirements to eat at specific times.

Central Services has committed to installing baby change tables in washrooms on one floor of the legislative building, and to make a high chair available to the public in the cafeteria.

And Sarauer said they are working to allow caregivers for infants to get security clearance to the building without having to deal with acquiring a visitor’s pass.

Sarauer laughed and said “your guess is as good as mine” when asked why these changes were only taking place now, in 2019, especially as Saskatchewan elected its first female MLA 100 years earlier.

Sarauer thinks the changes only required someone to push for them.

“Once it was pushed, frankly, government and opposition MLAs were very willing to work on this issue and work together in achieving some changes quite quickly,” she said.

This issue is especially important for Sarauer as she’s pregnant, due in the summer.

She said she’s not planning to miss much of session when it comes back in the fall, but she wanted to make sure the changes would help anyone who comes after her who might not be so lucky to have a due date during the summer break.

“This, now, allows us to have some flexibility to be able to do what we need to do in that first year of a child’s life,” Sarauer said.