Throne Speech Debate (27 November 2024)

From Hansard (27 November 2024)

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Throne Speech Debate

Megan Patterson: — Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I want to start by acknowledging that we are situated on Treaty 4 territory. And I want to congratulate you on the distinguished election of the position of Speaker. I would also like to congratulate one of my favourites, the member from Lumsden-Morse, on his election to Deputy Speaker. I trust that you will both strive to maintain a respectful, honourable Assembly that we can all be proud to work in.

It is an incredible honour to be standing here this evening to address the Assembly for the first time as the MLA [Member of the Legislative Assembly] for Moose Jaw Wakamow. Moose Jaw Wakamow is a beautiful area of the city to grow up in. The house that I grew up in was built by my grandfather and overlooks the valley. My brother and I would spend countless hours playing and exploring the valley.

I am truly humbled and grateful to be elected by the constituents of Moose Jaw Wakamow to represent them here. I may be a little biased on this, but I think Moose Jaw Wakamow may just be the best riding in the province and I couldn’t be prouder to represent it. It includes the beautiful Wakamow Valley urban park; the Events Centre, home to the Moose Jaw Warriors, champions of the Western Hockey League. It includes the Moose Jaw air forces base; the historic downtown; the Temple Gardens mineral spa; Mac the Moose, the largest moose in the world. It includes the Moose Jaw Centre for Arts & Culture, which includes the historic Mae Wilson Theatre and the museum of art.

And it also includes the kindest, most generous people. It includes community-based organizations and volunteers working to improve the lives of children, newcomers, seniors, and those requiring supportive living, young and old. Wakamow truly is, in my mind, quite representative of the diversity across this province — all in one place.

It represents urban areas and rural areas, farmers and ranchers. It includes a thriving tourism market, the Al Capone tunnel tours, many unique and successful small and large businesses ranging from spas to trucking companies. It also includes a new power plant and it includes constituents of all income levels. Moose Jaw Wakamow also contains the beautiful Crescent Park, in which our beautiful historic public library and art museum are situated.

Moose Jaw Wakamow now also contains Homebase, an integrated youth services hub developed by youth for youth.

In the coming weeks and months I look forward to meeting with as many stakeholders as I can so that I can represent them well on the floor of this Assembly. I grew up in a political family. My late grandfather, Albert Horner, was a Member of Parliament for The Battlefords from 1958 to 1968, and at this time there were four Horners in parliament — all related — and the Senate. The former MLA from Moosomin is also a Horner, as is the current Minister of Finance in Alberta. There may be some truth to the saying that politics is in your blood.

I met my future husband volunteering on a campaign in Toronto while working there after I graduated with my commerce degree from the University of Saskatchewan. Truth be told, Mr. Speaker, when I graduated from university with my degree in 2000, the NDP [New Democratic Party] were in power and the best opportunities were outside this province.

After my husband and I had our first son in Ottawa, we decided to move back to Saskatchewan. You see, Mr. Speaker, at that time in 2013 the Sask Party were in power and starting their second term. Saskatchewan was no longer a have-not province and was a major contributor to Confederation. Saskatchewan was no longer the province to be from, but the province to be in. I am proud to be elected to a government who put Saskatchewan back on the map and made it one of the best places in the country to live, work, and raise a family.

When I initially came back to Saskatchewan I worked at SaskPower, where I attained my M.B.A. [Master of Business Administration], my Canadian securities course, and learned about the distribution transmission systems, energy efficiency, and renewables. Later I was thrilled to have an opportunity to eventually come back to Moose Jaw, the town where I grew up in, to work as an instructor in the School of Business at Sask Polytech. I loved working there, getting to know incredible students, and becoming a part of their journey.

My favourite class to teach was leadership. In this class we had sections on communication and professionalism. If the Speakers ever think that we need a class or just like a little reminder on professionalism, I can surely get a colleague to come do a Lunch and Learn here. At this point I should warn the Assembly that as an instructor, if I felt the energy in the room was low, I would introduce a stretch break. And if I see eyelids getting heavy here, I might do the same.

Next, Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the people who have made today possible. Firstly, I want to thank my parents, George and Colleen Patterson, who have been incredible role models to me. My dad went back to school as a mature student to receive his law degree. It wasn’t easy to go back to university later in life. He had a young family, he had to move to another city, and he had to take out loans to complete his degree. But he did it and as a result he had a successful career as a Queen’s Bench lawyer in Moose Jaw.

My mother also completed her education degree after getting married, with young children, and working full-time. When my dad was away at law school, she was the sole caregiver, working full-time, managing the house, and hauling us all over the city to activities.

My mother taught in Moose Jaw for 30 years in elementary and high schools. She was one of those teachers that you never forget. Many students have told her that they wouldn’t have got through high school if it wasn’t for her. My extended family is full of educators so I have the utmost respect and gratitude to those who work in education. Both of my parents were extensively involved in the community and still are. My parents taught me to strive, to work hard, and to value community.

When I was in university I sustained a traumatic injury as a result of a motor vehicle accident. When I woke up from a coma that I was in for two weeks, I couldn’t move the right side of my body. I couldn’t see, I couldn’t breathe, and I couldn’t speak.

The years following my injury, I learned a lot. I learned the importance of family, of staying positive, of keeping a sense of humour, of believing in oneself, having faith for the future, and keeping things in perspective. My parents were incredible supports to me after my injury and somehow found the right balance of supporting me yet encouraging me to extend myself and take risks. I had many failures, tears, and disappointing days, but those days made me who I am today.

Some phrases from my family that resonated with me were, “When the going gets tough, the tough get going” from my dad, and “Whatever doesn’t kill you makes you stronger” from my brother. Their support is steady and unwavering. My mother literally researched every tracheostomy in the world to find me the only one I could wear and breathe consistently with. It is from Germany, and it is the same model I still wear today 20 years later. And it still only comes in blue.

My recovery took many years but gave me important perspective that will help me serve the people of this province. I am keenly aware of how quickly life can change and that you shouldn’t take anything for granted. I believe in the power of the human spirit, body, and mind to overcome its circumstances and exceed expectations, especially with the right supports. I want to have a positive impact in my life. I want to inspire and enable people to reach their potential and have the quality of life that they aspire for.

I know first-hand the importance of health care and rehabilitation services and the impact these critical services have on people in the challenging times of their life. I want to thank the many doctors, specialists, occupational therapists, speech therapists, respiratory therapists, physiotherapists who helped me through my journey. I also had many teachers, instructors, and professors who supported me through my recovery and educational journey. I also want to thank my first employer out of university for supporting me after I received my tracheostomy.

I didn’t receive my tracheostomy until four and a half years after my injury. At that point I was living in Toronto and working, and I only had between 10 and 15 per cent of my airway left. This tracheostomy changed my life. I will never forget the day the doctor came in to see me after my surgery and asked me to cover the tube and say something. I said, what do you want me to say? And I will never forget that that was my voice, because it was so clear after struggling for so many years with my speech and breathing. This little tube allows me to breathe and speak, although it did take me a few years to adapt and find the right model.

This organization I worked for, it was the model of how organizations should support employees with disabilities. They put me in different roles as I recovered so that I could learn, develop, and be successful. Near the end of my career, as a result of their support I was awarded a North American top-performer award for a reinvention that I led with a national retailer. My experience with this company is my inspiration for wanting to improve how organizations in Saskatchewan support and enable persons with disabilities to be their best because when they are, we all win.

My M.B.A. thesis, Improving Workplace Accessibility For Persons With Disabilities In Saskatchewan, was a motivation to launch DiscoverABILITY, a local cable show, to increase awareness on the different types of disabilities and the supportive agencies that are available in Saskatchewan.

Next, Mr. Speaker, I would like to focus on thanking those incredible people who believed in me and helped me become their representative from Moose Jaw Wakamow. I would like to first of course thank the constituents, the constituents who went out and voted, those people who opened their doors to me and talked to me, shared their concerns. And I got to know them. I got to know a lot of people during the campaign. It was really special.

I want to thank Lee Guse, who was one of my earliest supporters and he is also the president of my constituency association. I would like to thank Mike Bachiu, who is my financial agent, who I have known since high school. Our team knocked over 15,000 doors throughout the campaign. I want to thank Dana Watson, a friend I’ve known for over 30 years who knocked thousands of those doors, for her support and friendship.

I want to thank Vidit Soni, a former star Sask Polytech student of mine who now — I’m going to brag — works at Graham Construction, which is the seventh-largest construction company in Saskatchewan, which started in Moose Jaw. He drove down numerous times throughout the campaign to support our family.

I want to thank Peter Branetzki, who I met at the Premier’s barbecue in Moose Jaw, who became a volunteer and quick friend. Mr. Speaker, I also want to thank Warren Michelson, the retired member from Moose Jaw North who mentored me from the beginning and knocked on countless doors. I would also like to thank Dana Skoropad, former MLA from Arm River, for bringing his energy to the campaign in the final days when we really needed it.

Mr. Speaker, there are dozens of people who supported, volunteered, and donated to my campaign and I don’t want to miss any names. I’ll simply say thank you to everyone who touched it. I also want to thank the Sask Party for their support and responsiveness. Mr. Speaker, I would also like to extend a heartfelt thanks to the current member from Moose Jaw North, who has been an incredible support and encouragement to me. I also want to thank the current member from Lumsden-Morse for his incredible support as well.

Next, Mr. Speaker, most importantly, I want to thank my husband, Sean Osmar. He supported me throughout the election by door knocking and doing more at home with our boys. Sean worked right here in the legislature for five years and is actually more politically inclined than I am. He is the yin to my yang and, although we drive each other crazy sometimes, I couldn’t be more blessed. He is very calm and laid back. He couldn’t be more supportive in every way or a better father to our three boys, although he has drawn the line at three boys and two dogs. As far as I’m concerned, we are the perfect fit and I hope he thinks so too.

I also want to thank my sons, Mr. Speaker: Kane who is 12, and John and George who are nine. They are identical twins. Kane is wonderfully unique. He is an avid reader, very intelligent, and has a large vocabulary. He is a talented piano player, takes tae kwon do, and is thrilled to have recently joined the army cadets. He is his own person and I admire his confidence to walk his own path. He is very sweet and I will always be his number one support and admirer.

Although the twins are identical, they are slightly different. They are both outgoing, smart, and athletic. George is the talker of the two and John is a little bit more sensitive and meticulous. The connection they have, Mr. Speaker, is absolutely incredible. The love that they share for each other and their brother is heartwarming. Both John and George play hockey. George is an accomplished speed skater and John loves judo. They are both in the local Moose Jaw pipe band, play baseball, and also play the piano.

They all helped me during the campaign, and their support means the world to me as it’s difficult to pursue a career as demanding as politics without the full support of your family.

Now more focused on the job at hand, Mr. Speaker, there are almost 30 per cent of residents in the province who have disabilities. Often people with disabilities are vulnerable and/or struggle with mental health challenges. This can make them more susceptible to addictions. Mr. Speaker, I am proud to represent the government who introduced the Saskatchewan assured income for disabilities program, SAID, in 2007. And the government introduced The Accessible Saskatchewan Act.

This government will continue to support persons with disabilities by increasing the allowable income earned while receiving SAID by $1,000. This government, Mr. Speaker, will also increase the disability tax credit for persons with disabilities and their caregivers by 25 per cent. I want to inspire and enable all people in this province to reach their potential, Mr. Speaker, including those with disabilities. I want everyone in this great province of Saskatchewan to have the opportunity to lead the lives they aspire for and work for.

Saskatchewan people voted for a strong economy and a bright future, and they voted for a government that will change with a growing, dynamic province. There are now 1.2 million people living in Saskatchewan, more people than ever before. This growth requires investments in the services that we all rely on.

Mr. Speaker, as highlighted in the Throne Speech, this government will better support patients by expanding urgent care centres, work to accelerate the hiring of health care professionals, and work directly with primary health care providers. I’m happy that an urgent care centre will also be added to Moose Jaw, Mr. Speaker. This government will set a goal that every person in Saskatchewan will have access to a primary health care provider by the end of 2028.

Our children are our future of this province, and this government will do more to support children in classrooms by expanding its specialized support classroom model. Our government will focus on improving reading levels of children in kindergarten to grade 3 so that they can seamlessly transition from learning to read, to reading to enhance their learning and improve their outcomes. This government will increase funding for school divisions to help them meet the pressures of a growing student enrolment and the challenges of classroom complexity. These investments, Mr. Speaker, can only be made through a strong economy.

Mr. Speaker, this government will continue to deliver on the 2030 growth plans that generate employment opportunities and ensure our economy stays strong. Saskatchewan has already achieved and exceeded many of the growth plan goals, including increasing total export value and increasing manufacturing value by 50 per cent when compared to 2018. We’ve increased agri-food exports to 20 billion a year and increased the annual value of potash sales to $9 billion.

Many of the growth plan’s goals are on track to be achieved, including increasing agriculture value-added revenue to $10 billion, attracting 16 billion in private capital investment, and doubling the forestry sales to 2.2 billion.

Mr. Speaker, this government will also ensure that these measures produce results, and have committed to ensuring that Saskatchewan people will be able to (1) find a primary health care provider, (2) access surgery in a timely manner, (3) access mental health and addictions recovery supports when they are needed, and (4) feel safe where they live.

Many Saskatchewan people are also struggling with the high cost of living and this is why this government will introduce multiple cost-of-living measures to reduce the pressures on families. Mr. Speaker, this government will introduce the largest personal income tax reduction in Saskatchewan since 2008, allowing a family of four to pay no income tax until they reach a combined income of $72,425.

This government will be raising the personal, spousal, and child exemption by $500 a year as well over the next five years. This, along with the other affordability measures you heard in the Throne Speech, will keep Saskatchewan the most affordable place to live in Canada and the Saskatchewan people more money in their pocket.

This government, Mr. Speaker, will keep our economy strong and help build vibrant economies by increasing revenue sharing with municipalities to over $340 million a year. Moose Jaw received $7.9 million in 2024, which is an increase of 180 per cent versus 2007.

This government, Mr. Speaker, will keep our communities safe by continuing our efforts to add 500 more police officers and 500 more addictions recovery spaces. Moose Jaw received $952,000 in funding for eight additional police officers to keep our cities safe.

Only by delivering on our 2030 growth plans and continuing to support small businesses by keeping the tax rate at 1 per cent will this government be able to make additional investments in the services that we all rely on.

I look forward to working in a respectful Assembly with the members sitting beside me and the members opposite, because we all have the same goal of making Saskatchewan an even better place to work, live, and raise a family.

This is why I will be supporting the Throne Speech, moved by the member from Kindersley-Biggar that was seconded by the member from Sask Rivers. And I will not be supporting the opposition’s amendment. God bless Saskatchewan. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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