No timeline yet on when Sask. Legislature could return

Despite both the province and opposition NDP continuing to say they both want the legislative process to reconvene, there is still no timeline on when that may be.

During Thursday’s COVID-19 briefing, Premier Scott Moe said that the discussion to return to the legislature is separate from discussions about re-opening the economy.

“I would say that the option that we have put forward is the most comprehensive opportunity for budgetary legislative scrutiny of any option that has been put forward in this nation by any province or territory since the emergency measures have come into effect,” Moe said.

He said the province’s number one priority at this time is to respond to the pandemic.

“Both from a healthcare delivery perspective and what we are providing to the people of this province to ensure that we can not only manage COVID but other healthcare delivery services that we need to continue to offer to people of this province.”

Moe said the Sask. Party’s house leader, Jeremy Harrison, has offered the NDP house leader, Cathy Sproule, a scenario that could have them reconvene.

“This is why we have house leaders. It’s to do this work on the structure of what an introduction and passage of the budget would look like given the unprecedented circumstances that we are operating in.”

But earlier in the day, NDP leader Ryan Meili said he hadn’t heard anything about the offer from the Sask. Party.

“The Sask. Party is writing themselves blank cheques behind closed doors. They’ve announced more than seven billion dollars in spending without telling anyone where that spending is going or who’s going to do the work,” Meili said. “NDP MLAs are ready to get to work inside the legislative building. If the government is ready to work, we are too.”

Moe said he wants to have the budget receive legislative scrutiny, saying the scenario they have offered gives the opposition more time to scrutinize the budget, using Alberta as an example saying they passed their budget in one day.

“This is a budget that this government is proud of, this is a budget that we want to continue to communicate and to work with the people of this province because of what it is doing. It is investing in their family, their community and investing in the advancement and re-opening of the continued strength of the Saskatchewan economy,” Moe said.

Meili said Alberta Premier Jason Kenney has committed to the government sitting for at least 30 days this summer, something Moe has not done. Meili said earlier in the year, Moe committed to a budget and a full review process.

“Since then he’s refused to even think about the legislature. Then he said there’s no need for a budget and now indicates a preference for a budget as though that wasn’t in his power to decide. He’s ducked offers for bipartisan support and requests to meet and has still given us zero indication of a plan,” Meili said.

“If it was up to Scott Moe, if it was up to Jeremy Harrison, they would have done nothing this entire summer, they would have kept the legislature entirely closed.”

The full budget was originally set to be released on March 18th, but due to COVID-19 only spending estimates were released. On April 17, the province provided a financial update as a result of the pandemic, saying revenue could drop between $1.3B and $3.3B.