Saskatchewan legislature’s spring session to begin April 6

The spring session of Saskatchewan’s Legislative Assembly is expected to begin April 6.

In a media release Thursday, the Saskatchewan government said Premier Scott Moe had written to the Speaker asking for that as a start date. The 2021-22 provincial budget is to be tabled that day.

“The new budget will be the main focus of the spring sitting,” Moe said in the release. “It will be a budget designed to see Saskatchewan through the rest of the (COVID-19) pandemic and then into a strong economic recovery as we get more of our population vaccinated and life returns to normal.

“The budget will make important investments in health, education, infrastructure and our economic recovery, while at the same time continuing to work toward our commitment to balance the budget by 2024.”

The spring session is slated to last eight weeks.

The Saskatchewan NDP pointed out the start date is several weeks later than normal and said that means less chances for public scrutiny of the government’s actions during COVID-19.

“Bringing MLAs back to work nearly a month late does a disservice to all the people of this province,” NDP House Leader Vicki Mowat said in a media release. “They are trying to use this terrible pandemic to ram through legislation with little debate, and at the same time avoid as many questions as possible on the failing COVID-19 response.

“Saskatchewan deserves better.”

The NDP also noted if the government doesn’t introduce a budget before April, Finance Minister Donna Harpauer should release the third-quarter financial report before that.