Saskatchewan fall legislative sitting ends with barbs after civility promise

Saskatchewan's fall legislative sitting ended Tuesday with political barbs traded across the aisle after Premier Scott Moe promised a better tone two weeks ago.

The swipes began when Opposition NDP Leader Carla Beck told the assembly Moe should offer immediate affordability relief, including suspending the 15-cent-a-litre gas tax and scrapping the provincial sales tax on ready-to-eat grocery items and children's clothing.

In reply, Moe said there is no sales tax on groceries and that Beck should go speak to federal NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh.

"What we see unfortunately from members opposite, Mr. Speaker, decade after decade, leader after leader is the same old questions, the same old tactics and the same old NDP," Moe said.

The remarks drew ire from Opposition members, with one saying the Saskatchewan Party deserves a lump of coal for Christmas.

"The premier knows full well we don't support the carbon tax, but what he doesn't seem to understand is how much families in this province are struggling," Beck said.

The jostling continued.

Upon questioning for not removing the PST from children's clothing, Crown Investments Minister Jeremy Harrison told the house that New Democrats don't know how to grow the economy.

He also urged heckling Opposition member Nathaniel Teed to get up and speak.

"I'd encourage the member for Saskatoon-Meewasin to get up and ask the next question if he has so much to say from his chair," Harrison said.

"What we are committed to — and what this session really has been focused on — is affordability."

Civility promised

In late November, Moe had promised better civility in the assembly and that government members would not send the Speaker harassing text messages. Earlier this year, former Speaker Randy Weekes accused government members of bullying him.

Moe told reporters Tuesday he's leaving it up to others to judge whether the tone has changed.

"We are not the Opposition. We are the government of Saskatchewan," Moe said.

"We should conduct ourselves accordingly, and I would hope throughout this abbreviated session this fall that the people of Saskatchewan can be proud of the individuals."

Beck told reporters her party will remain tough on issues of affordability, health care, education, crime and homelessness.

"Decorum is important, but that doesn't mean that we should put on kid gloves when it comes to the very real issues that are facing Saskatchewan people," she said.

The Opposition introduced six emergency motions in the assembly this sitting, including ones that urged the province to suspend the fuel tax, remove the PST, launch a committee to fix health care and investigate high food prices in the province's remote north.

Each motion failed after they were rejected by government members.

"We believe Saskatchewan people do need some affordability relief," Beck said.

"We will continue to push for the things that Saskatchewan people tell us are most important to them."

Government highlights its actions

Moe said the province has introduced its own affordability measures and is also prepared to strike a task force with nurses and doctors to address health-care issues.

His government passed legislation last week that provides broad income tax relief, saving an average family of four more than $3,400 over four years. Another bill keeps the carbon levy off home heating.

Saskatchewan has not remitted carbon levies to the federal government in the past year, arguing it should be exempt after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced a carve-out for heating oil.

The federal government has said it reached a deal with Saskatchewan over the issue by securing 50 per cent of what was owed until the dispute is resolved.

"This session was largely about setting the foundation for both enacting our platform but providing the change that Saskatchewan people have asked for, and we feel that we have done that," Moe said.

The legislative sitting is to resume in the spring with the provincial budget.