SaskParty leadership candidates talk northern issues with larongeNOW

On the topic of alcohol, Beaudry-Mellor said the best way to find solutions is by listening to northern communities. She said she would support the work done by the La Ronge council, who are looking into the possibility of restricting alcohol sales.

Beaudry-Mellor recently attended the Women of Business Excellence Awards and noticed many of the winners came from dry or alcohol-free communities.

“It really just struck me as quite remarkable,” she said. “If communities wanted to set those regulations … I would certainly help them do that.”

Beaudry-Mellor said she would like to address mental health by focusing on positive stories, and pushing for economic development. Economic growth would not only create jobs, she said, it would also create a better mental atmosphere throughout the North. Women and girls especially could fare better with more economic opportunities.

“We also need to invest in infrastructure. I drove the highway to Pinehouse in the pouring rain and it’s a clay road, so I thought to myself, ‘no wonder there’s isolationism,’” Beaudry-Mellor said.

When it comes to job creation in northern Saskatchewan, the former Minister for Social Services and the Status of Women said she would like to see schools graduating students with journeymen’s certificates, enabling them to move into trades after high school. She also suggested looking at communities like Ile-a-la-Crosse, where a recently opened fish processing plant is harvesting natural resources and creating value-added manufacturing right in the North.

Beaudry-Mellor said she felt Saskatchewan could be better connected through internet access. There have been a few strides in the right direction over the last decade, she said, but many northern business owners would benefit from a faster connection.

On the consolidation of NORTEP, the provincial northern teacher education program which was defunded by the province last year, Beaudry-Mellor said she’s not going to go back on the decision. She said her platform is focused on “smart social investment” by investing into other education opportunities tailored to the North.

Ken Cheveldayoff focused on safety, business investment

Ken Cheveldayoff, former cabinet minister and government house leader, said drug- and alcohol-reductions are major concerns for him. The way forward, he said, all starts with education and strong role models in the communities.

“It’s a real priority for me,” he said. “I’m concerned about marijuana, about alcohol, about drugs and about crime in our province.”

If elected as leader, Cheveldayoff said he plans to forge new partnerships to address mental health issues in the North.

“What I’m proposing is a partnership with the Alberta Adolescent Recovery Centre,” he said. “Many people from Saskatchewan go there for treatment, and I want to formalize that partnership so we can bring their expertise to our province.”

There has been good work happening in this area, he added, and the stigma around mental health is waning. Even still, Cheveldayoff emphasized how the province needs to do a better job of managing workloads for front-line employees, improving funding for mental health initiatives and ensuring real experts lead the discussions.

Cheveldayoff said he would consider restoring funding to NORTEP, though stopped short of making it a promise.

“I’d commit to taking another look at it,” Cheveldayoff said. “We made some decisions in this last budget that were very difficult. I think we have to take a step back and realize there are some better decisions that we could have made.”

He said all of the recent provincial decisions would be up for review if he is elected leader, and emphasized the importance of northern education.

Cheveldayoff said he would promote job creation by balancing the provincial budget, encouraging investment in Saskatchewan, and ensure the private sector and the province’s 43,000 small businesses are able to create employment opportunity.

“As a government, we’ve got to create an atmosphere where they can thrive, and that’s what I’m going to be focused on,” he said.

Alanna Koch wants to listen to local leaders

Saskatchewan’s former top public servant Alanna Koch said alcohol is a major issue in the North, but any restrictions on alcohol access – and marijuana access after legalization – will ultimately be a decision for local governments and leaders.

“The community needs to determine what’s best for them in their area,” she said. “We’d consult with the town and community leaders as to how they want that handled.”

If she’s elected leader, Koch said she would strongly support mental health and addictions initiatives designed to promote awareness, increase resource levels, and improve treatment options and accessibility.

Koch said the province can improve efficiency by effectively coordinating health, education, justice and social services, as well as working with municipalities and community partners. Strong consultation and collaborative work between local leaders and all levels of government are the best ways to address mental health and addictions in the North, she said.

“I know municipalities know better what to do with everyday issues impacting their towns and their areas,” she said. “That’s why I would need to consult with local leaders to make sure we’re approaching things in the right way.”

Koch said the cuts to NORTEP should not be seen as the province abandoning the initiative. Teacher education is still a priority for the province, she added, but it is now delivered using a different model. Although acknowledging not everyone is happy with the changes, Koch said she’s heard quite a bit of positive feedback about the new approach, which saw the program taken over by Northlands College.

“We need to make sure we’re preparing people for their careers,” she said. “I think the changes to NORTEP doesn’t mean that the government isn’t committed to teacher education in the North. We are; it’s just a different delivery model.”

Koch said she would spur job creation in the North by supporting the mining and forestry sectors, diversifying the economy, investing in training and education initiatives and ensuring economic strength. The recent closures of Cameco’s Key Lake and McArthur River uranium mines have led to temporary job losses in the North, she added, but Cameco has said the closures are temporary and the provincial economy appears to be gradually regaining momentum.

“It would appear that we’ve come through some more difficult times, and we’re seeing some improvements,” she said. “We need a stronger economy focused on growth and prosperity.”

Scott Moe focused on economic growth

Former Environment Minister Scott Moe said the province has an opportunity to work with local leaders on a safe and effective alcohol sales model. The province is responsible for sales and distribution of alcohol in many communities, he noted, so it’s important to consult with northern community leaders on the social impacts of alcohol and any potential restrictions.

“The collaborative discussion that the province could have through the minister’s office or our provincial representatives is always welcome,” he said.

When it comes to mental health and addictions in the North, Moe said the province needs to ensure adequate funding. Saskatchewan is below the national average for mental health funding, he said, which needs to improve if progress is to be made. The province also needs to listen to local representatives and help enact their recommendations on a community-by-community basis.

“We need to continue to act on our 10-year plan, and we need to ensure it’s funded adequately,” he said.

Moe said it’s important to provide training and employment opportunities in the North, though he said restoring NORTEP’s provincial funding was not likely. The program may have been amalgamated into Northlands College, he said, but they have “a proven track record” and education in the North remains a priority for the province.

“The goal was to ensure we could provide as many opportunities as possible,” he said. “We’re committed to that as we move forward.”

As leader, Moe said he would promote job creation in the North by working to add value to the province’s export economy, particularly in the lumber and mining sectors.

“We export product to some 150 countries all around the world,” he said. “How we’ve been able to grow over the last decade here in Saskatchewan is by growing that export wealth.”

By improving trade and increasing the value of exports, Moe said the provincial economy will grow and new jobs will become available. Long-term growth and training opportunities will allow northern residents to work in the communities where they live, he added.

Moe said he plans to restructure the Ministry of the Economy, if elected, in order to add a new minister solely focused on export, trade and investment attraction.

Gord Wyant plans to invest in the future

Former Justice Minister Gord Wyant said it’s important for the province to address the widespread issue of alcohol abuse in the northern part of Saskatchewan, by supporting and funding recommendations from the Northern Alcohol Strategy wherever possible. People like well-known advocate Harold Johnson have been doing excellent work on the issue and local governments are taking the matter seriously, he said, so the best thing the province can do is listen to their recommendations and provide resources.

Alcohol reduction should be seen as an investment, according to Wyant, as “leaving the problem unaddressed costs taxpayers much more in the long term.”

“It would be a very good investment to make,” he said. “Whether it’s justice or health or social services, those ministries are significantly impacted.”

Mental health, particularly among northern youth, was another area where Wyant said he would invest if elected, calling it “one of the most serious issues plaguing our province.”

“If you don’t deal with it when they’re a youth, the problems are exacerbated as adults,” he said.

With the future of northern youth in mind, Wyant said he was also committed to teacher education in the North. NORTEP had its funding cut by the province last year, but Wyant said he’d like to see that change. During a recent visit to La Ronge, he said the topic was raised by local leaders more than once.

“I want to review northern teacher education,” he said. “We need to make sure we are providing the training opportunities for teachers in the north.”

While NORTEP may not be restored in its previous state, Wyant emphasized his commitment to investing in teacher education and ensuring career opportunities are available throughout the North.

Wyant said he’d like to see executive government restructured in order to ensure the North is not left behind. There is no provincial ministry responsible for the North, he said, so he would like to see a new body or sub-ministry created specifically to ensure effective and timely delivery of services in the region.

“We’re not going to do that without having some clear consultation with the leaders in the North,” he said.

Bryan.eneas@jpbg.ca

Taylor.macpherson@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @BryanEneas, @TaylorMacP

by Bryan Eneas and Taylor MacPherson

SaskParty leadership candidates talk northern issues with larongeNOW

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