By Derek Cornet

Sixties Scoop apology, northern education highlighted in Throne Speech

Oct 24, 2018 | 5:00 PM

The fall legislative session began with a promise by Premier Scott Moe to apologize to those impacted by the Sixties Scoop.

It was announced earlier today in the throne speech, which outlines provincial government’s goals, direction and initiatives in the coming months. The speech said the government is working closely with the Sixties Scoop Indigenous Society of Saskatchewan to prepare for the apology. Cumberland NDP MLA Doyle Vermette, however, is skeptical of the announcement, noting he’s heard it once before.

“The previous premier said he was going to do that too, and now we have another premier saying they’re going to do the apology,” he said. “Let’s hope they are consulting with those individuals of the Sixties Scoop. Let’s hope they reach out to them to make sure what exactly they’re looking for from the province.”

The provincial government also mentioned how much money is being investing in northern Saskatchewan school divisions. It stated in the last decade, funding has jumped by 25 per cent, adding more First Nations and Métis students are attending and graduating from post-secondary institutions as well. Vermette also noted the province isn’t doing enough to support educational outcomes in the North.

With the Northern Lights School Division still searching for 10 teachers, he blamed the closure of NORTEP in 2017 for creating the challenging situation. Vermette said 94 per cent of the teachers trained through the institution formerly based in La Ronge stayed in northern Saskatchewan and became local role models.

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“Now we see school divisions struggling to find teachers, and Scott Moe at the time was the minister of post-secondary when those discussions [happened],” he said. “I would like to know, and people need to ask him, what role did [he] play in that.”

The federal government’s carbon tax was also noted in the speech and how the SaskParty remains in opposition of it. With the carbon tax being applied in the province starting next year, Vermette said the province missed an opportunity to come up with a “Made in Saskatchewan” plan.

“I think they have done an injustice to Saskatchewan people and they’re going to pay a price for that,” he said.

derek.cornet@jpbg.ca

Twitter: @saskjourno