Moose Jaw MLAs split on throne speech

Moose Jaw's MLAs, like their party affiliation, were split Monday on Premier Brad Wall's first throne speech.
A strong agenda for growth and security is how rookie Saskatchewan Party MLA Warren Michelson of Moose Jaw North described the document.
"We met the people, listened to them and now we're taking action," he said.
New Democratic Party MLA Deb Higgins of Moose Jaw Wakamow said the speech is a watered-down version of the Saskatchewan Party's election campaign promises.
"All of a sudden they are soft-shoeing the language," she said. "They lost their definiteness and absolutes."
Instead of targeting 800 more nurses the speech just refers to goals, she said.
The Saskatchewan Party was strong on a campaign promise to stop rural school closures but now has decided to review the entire Education Act, Higgins, the former Learning minister, pointed out.
Her take on the Enterprise Saskatchewan plan for business is "wait and see" until the legislation is tabled. Few details on how it will work were available.
Proposed labour legislation, in particular the essential services back-to-work plans "might be something to cause the sparks to fly," Higgins noted.
A bothersome aspect of the Saskatchewan Party's labour law is that no consultations have been held with the stakeholders, she said
Higgins said the Opposition has many questions to ask in the session.
Michelson said the labour law will be fair to employers and employees alike.
"Our labour legislation has to be competitive with other provinces," he said.
"(This throne speech has a growth agenda where the) government will provide the atmosphere for growth and investment," Michelson said.
"The government will not be putting up the money."
The speech is very businesslike, short and to the point, said Enterprise Saskatchewan minister Lyle Stewart of the Thunder Creek riding near Moose Jaw
But the government is busy with plans for the economy, health care, youth retention, municipal and education funding, First Nations and the environment, he added.
Enterprise Saskatchewan will be headed by a central panel of stakeholders from business to labour and education sectors, selected from nominations by sectors.
They will recommend to cabinet on the direction to take and can hold cabinet accountable, Stewart said.
"This is the first time this has ever been done - with a cabinet held accountable like this."
The government's role is to remove barriers to business and competition and "not to risk taxpayers' money on business ventures," the new minister said.
"This government will not be investing taxpayers' money in mature industries.
"(The Saskatchewan government's) investment in business in the past has not worked, with few exceptions."