Premier Scott Moe speaks to some health care personnel at the Melfort Wellness Centre during his travels in the area. (Mat Barrett/northeastNOW Staff)

By Mat Barrett

Moe in Melfort

Premier Moe makes stop in Melfort, tours Wellness Centre

Feb 18, 2020 | 2:03 PM

The premier of Saskatchewan is out and about in the province for a couple weeks before budget time gets into the home stretch.

Scott Moe was in the Melfort area on Tuesday, Feb. 18 touring around some local places including the Wellness Centre.

“Just want to get out into some of the areas that we aren’t always in when we’re in session,” Moe said. “Melfort being one of those areas.”

Tuesday was also the first time Moe was able to see the Wellness Centre after it opened in December of 2017. He said he’s very impressed with the facility.

“Anytime you’re able to bring all of your health services together, close to your primary care facility, that’s a positive,” Moe told northeastNOW. “And you see this starting to happen, or be looked at in the planning in some other communities across the province as well.”

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He added the model Melfort used comes up in planning and conversation as other community leaders start to think long-term about health care in their areas.

Moe said attended the Melfort Hospital many years ago, but that was for a hockey injury with one of his children.

While talking about health care in the Melfort area, one major topic is whether a CT scanner is coming to the Melfort Hospital soon. It’s something that was promised by the provincial government, and a concern local political figures have pushed for in recent years. Moe said he continues to think about it.

“We’re going through our budget deliberations here right now, as most certainly part of that conversation,” he said. “And we’re very aware that we have a commitment that we need to fulfill.”

“We’re in discussions and we’ll have to wait until budget day for confirmation.” –_{Premier Scott Moe on a CT Scanner coming to Melfort}

Many items are on the budget, but the first priority is keeping it balanced, Moe said.

“It’s our goal to balance the budget again this year, and we will balance the budget again this year,” he said. “But we’re also looking at the infrastructure needs across the province as well. Whether that be schools, health care facilities, whether that be the partnerships we have with our municipalities on building our community infrastructure.”

He said over the last few years, they have been able to build dozens of new schools as well as a handful of new health care facilities, arguably the biggest being the Jim Pattison Children’s Hospital in Saskatoon. However, Moe said they need to do more in those areas.

The provincial election is also coming up later in 2020, and it’s somewhat of a different position for Moe as an incumbent candidate.

Through his travels in Melfort, Moe and Melfort MLA Todd Goudy stopped by Melfort Mustangs morning skate as well.

Moe heads to Yorkton later today.

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mat.barrett@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @matbarrett6