Legislative Report (24 August 2023)

Blaine McLeod MLA Lumsden-Morse

Legislative Report
August 24, 2023

New Parental Inclusion & Consent Policies for Schools

In response to concerns raised by parents, Minister of Education Dustin Duncan recently announced new parental inclusion and consent policies for Saskatchewan schools. As of August 22, 2023:

  1. Schools must seek parent/guardian permission when changing the preferred name and pronouns used by students under the age of 16 in the school. For students 16 and over, parent/guardian consent is not required;
  2. Parents/guardians must be informed about the sexual health education curriculum and have the option to decline their children's participation; and,
  3. Boards of education must immediately pause involvement with any third-party organization, such as ARC Foundation and the SOGI 1 2 3 Program, connected to sexual health education as the ministry undertakes review of educational resources to ensure alignment with curriculum outcomes. Only teachers, not outside third-parties, will be able to present sexual education materials in the classroom. This directive does not include professionals employed by government ministries or the Saskatchewan Health Authority.

Parent/guardian involvement is critical in every student’s education. While all of Saskatchewan’s school divisions had policies in place dealing with these matters, it was important to standardize these policies and ensure consistency of parental inclusion. Saskatchewan schools will continue to ensure safe learning environments where all students feel included, protected and respected is growth that works for everyone.

Strong Economic Trends Continue

Throughout the summer, we have continued to receive great news about Saskatchewan’s economy. This June, the province’s wholesale trade had increased by 70.5 per cent compared to June 2022, with a total value of $7.2 billion. Our province ranked fourth in Canada in year-over-year wholesale trade growth. As of July, housing starts are also up by 50.7 per cent compared to July 2022, ranking us second among the provinces.

Supporting and Promoting Saskatchewan Agriculture

Our strong and robust economy allows us to invest in the programs and services that mean the most to Saskatchewan people. As many parts of Saskatchewan continue to experience below normal levels of moisture, our government is committed to supporting the industries most impacted by drought, like agriculture.

The Water Security Agency (WSA) recently announced an investment of $700,000 to fund water management projects for agriculture producers and local governments. Applicants can receive up to $95,000 per project based on a cost-sharing approach.

The WSA is also launching a new $500,000 pilot program to assist rural municipalities and irrigation districts with the cost of replacing aging infrastructure, like culverts and bridges. To be eligible, culverts or bridges must cross WSA canals or other conveyance while maintaining current flow rates.

Although it is very dry this year, we know a major rainfall event can change that and flooding can occur quickly and unexpectedly here in Saskatchewan. That’s why the WSA is also investing another $500,000 in the Flood Damage Reduction Program to help communities implement proactive flood damage prevention and reduction measures. Applications for the FDRP are open until October 1, 2023 and project work must be completed by March 31, 2024. To learn more about these programs and others offered by the WSA, please visit wsask.ca.

Our government is committed to not only supporting agriculture producers in challenging times, but also promoting agricultural products to the province’s global trading partners. David Marit, the Minister of Agriculture, recently had the opportunity to promote Saskatchewan’s agriculture sector at the Tri-National Agriculture Accord, held in Saskatoon August 14-16. Delegations from across North America, including Canada, the United States and Mexico, gathered to work together collaboratively on agricultural trade and development issues. Industry participants saw Saskatchewan agriculture in action, with visits to the Crop Development Centre Kernen Research Farm to learn about the site’s ecological studies, grazing studies, crop breeding, crop production and crop and weed management research, and the Wanuskewin Heritage Park to learn about the restoration of grasslands and the return of bison.

2023-24 Hunters and Trappers Guide Now Available

Summer is winding down and hunting season is just around the corner, so now is the time to plan and prepare. The Saskatchewan Hunters and Trappers Guide can be found at Saskatchewan.ca/hunting or at Ministry of Environment field offices with front counter service, license issuers, conservation field offices and some provincial parks.

Our government continues to work towards growth that works for everyone here in Saskatchewan. I look forward to hearing from you, whether you have questions, comments or concerns; these conversations help us create plans for the future. You can reach my office at the link provided on this page.

Constituency Map
The map of constituency.

Constituency Office

200-99 Diefenbaker Drive
Moose Jaw, SK, S6J 0C2
Phone: 306-693-1001
Email: LumsdenmorseMLA@outlook.com
Office Hours:  Monday-Thursday 9am-3pm

blainemcleod2023
blainemcleod2023