Saskatchewan Minute: Issue 117

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

📅 This Week In Saskatchewan: 📅

• Conservative MP Cathay Wagantall says she will resign her seat in the House of Commons at the end of the summer, with her time in office ending August 31st. Wagantall has represented the riding of Yorkton-Melville since 2015 and had previously said she would stay on until the next election, but she offered no reason for the change of plans in a statement posted to social media. She said she supports Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre and believes he will be the next prime minister. Wagantall described her time in office as sobering because of the hardships imposed by what she called the "unethical, regressive overreach of the Carney-Trudeau government". Her departure will trigger a by-election in the heavily Conservative rural riding.
  
  
• Premier Scott Moe is proposing more treatment beds and tougher enforcement after April saw 415 reported overdose events in Regina and 680 in Saskatoon, while the Opposition argues the plan misses the real need. Moe said his recovery bed target has grown from 150 to 500, with 355 spaces already available across hospitals, detox centres and supportive living facilities under the Action Plan for Mental Health and Addictions, and he suggested the target may have to be raised again given the recent numbers. Shadow Minister for Mental Health and Addictions Leroy Laliberte agreed that 500 beds will not accommodate roughly 1,000 overdoses in the two cities, but said the focus should be on hiring more healthcare workers rather than police. Laliberte criticized the recent closing of Saskatoon's Prairie Harm Reduction, arguing the program provided the aftercare that people need once they leave treatment. Moe countered by citing a Saskatoon complex needs facility where he said more than 90% of people held for a 24-hour period leave self-referring to addiction services. Overdose numbers appear to be easing, with the Saskatoon fire department reporting about 540 events in May, 140 fewer than the previous month.
  
  
• Also on the health file, the Government of Saskatchewan has issued a request for proposals to bring virtual primary care to residents who do not have a regular family physician, nurse practitioner or primary care team. Health Minister Jeremy Cockrill said the move is about putting patients first and ensuring the right care is available in the right place at the right time, with eligible patients gaining access to licensed doctors and nurse practitioners through secure phone and video appointments from home. The pilot is a joint initiative of the Ministry of Health, eHealth Saskatchewan and the Saskatchewan Health Authority, tied to Premier Scott Moe's commitment that every resident have a regular primary care provider by the end of 2028. Multiple vendors will be selected to serve parts of the province beginning in the fall, and the vendor with the strongest results may later be offered a long-term provincial agreement. The Government says virtual care can improve access and reduce unnecessary emergency department visits, though no figures were provided on the program's cost. The request for proposals is posted through SaskTenders and remains open from June 16th to July 24th.
  
  
• Premier Scott Moe says the Province is committed to doing better after an independent review criticized the Government's handling of the destructive 2025 wildfire season. The review, conducted by accounting firm MNP and released publicly on Friday, found that the Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency was not fully prepared for a fire season of the scale and complexity seen in 2025 and recommended a full review of the agency's structure. Moe called 2025 the most significant fire season in the province's history, with devastating losses of homes in communities such as Denare Beach, East Trout Lake and Creighton. He pointed to the new FireSmart Grant Program, which provides up to $40,000 to communities that obtain a FireSmart designation, with the northern community of Wadin Bay the first recipient. The Premier declined to say whether anyone should resign over the findings, but said there needs to be an improvement in the level of service and that staffing changes would not necessarily be made by elected officials. Forest Saskatchewan warned that wildfire management still operates in silos and that prevention and early suppression must extend beyond protecting communities, urging urgent action before the next fire season.
  
  
• Premier Scott Moe has also signed a memorandum of understanding with Poland to advance collaboration on nuclear energy, including workforce development, research and the nuclear supply chain. Moe said Saskatchewan is proud to partner with Poland to strengthen energy security, and the Government said the agreement also opens the door to future exchanges and educational and professional partnerships. The Government noted that Saskatchewan's exports to Poland have grown by 3,500% in recent years, rising from $2.2 million in 2021 to $79 million last year. The Poland signing follows a similar agreement with Czechia and capped a four-country trade mission that also took the delegation to Belgium and France, where Moe pointed to opportunities in uranium, manufacturing and a possible link between the Port of Antwerp and the Port of Churchill.

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