Saskatchewan Minute: Binding Arbitration, Tourism Uptick and a Chamber Wish List

Saskatchewan Minute - Your weekly one-minute summary of Saskatchewan politics.

This Week In Saskatchewan:

• Even though the Legislature is out for the summer, there will be a meeting of the Standing Committee on House Services today at 11:00 am. The Committee will be dealing with the harassment accusations made by Speaker Weekes against Minister Harrison. Speaker Randy Weekes has scheduled this meeting to address the allegations of former Government House Leader Jeremy Harrison bringing a gun into the Legislature.
  
  
• The Saskatchewan Teachers’ Federation (STF) is ending the province-wide work-to-rule sanction as they opt for binding arbitration on wages and the class complexity-accountability framework. The STF expressed a preference for a negotiated agreement but sees binding arbitration as fair. The decision comes after extensive member consultations, with around three-quarters of teachers supporting binding arbitration. Education Minister Jeremy Cockrill welcomed the move, highlighting the predictability it brings for students and teachers while finalizing a new collective agreement. Now, an arbitrator will be appointed, and both sides will present their cases in a hearing.
  
  
• The Saskatchewan Chamber of Commerce is outlining its expectations from political parties in the upcoming provincial election through its 'Fueling Momentum 2024' policy outlook, derived from consultations and research with the business community. Proposals include cuts to corporate and sales taxes in order to remain competitive with other jurisdictions, finding new markets for Saskatchewan goods, building up local supply chain capacity, lowering the minimum age for workers to 13, and continued provincial support for small modular reactors.

Last Week In Saskatchewan:

• Rainfall has persisted, causing challenges for some farmers in northeast and east-central Saskatchewan this spring, yet 98% of crops have already been planted. Excess moisture has led some producers to leave some acres unplanted this year, as highlighted in the Province's crop report. However, colder temperatures during seeding have caused delays, particularly affecting spring wheat and oilseed crops. Overall, many crops are in good to excellent condition, showing promising progress compared to previous years.
  
  
• The University of Saskatchewan's Be What the World Needs Campaign has raised over $428 million out of its $500 million goal, benefiting four main areas - student funding, research, scholarships and bursaries, and visionary spaces. Funds will be directed towards creating endowed research chairs, supporting graduate and undergraduate research, providing scholarships and bursaries for Indigenous students, enhancing student success programs, and improving campus facilities like libraries and classrooms. The campaign received support from thousands of alumni, corporations, individuals, and foundations.
  
  
• Tourism in Saskatchewan saw a significant uptick, with travel spending reaching nearly $2.85 billion in 2023, according to Statistics Canada. Domestic travel, particularly overnight visits, surged by 21%, marking the highest increase among all provinces. The numbers were also bolstered by an increase in US travelers arriving by car and more air arrivals following the reintroduction of a flight route between Minneapolis and Saskatoon - there was a 46% rise in air arrivals in 2023. Additionally, hunting and fishing licence sales rose by 26%. Looking ahead, Saskatchewan's tourism industry is poised for continued growth, with projections expecting annual travel spending to reach approximately $3.57 billion by 2028.