Saskatchewan Minute: Issue 89

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

📅 This Week In Saskatchewan: 📅

• Saskatchewan has introduced the Compassionate Intervention Act, a major shift that would allow police, family members and health professionals to place people with severe addictions into involuntary treatment. The proposal, unveiled on the final day of the fall sitting, follows public appeals from families who say the current voluntary system leaves them powerless when loved ones lose capacity to seek help. The Province says the new secure treatment centres will not be jails, although details around locations, staffing and the number of required beds remain unfinished. Ministers argue the bill will protect people whose substance use poses serious risk, while critics note the lack of evidence supporting forced treatment and warn of increased post-release poisoning risks. The Opposition supports the concept only as a last resort and says the immediate need is more accessible treatment beds. The legislation cannot pass before spring, giving the Province time for further consultation.
  
  
• Following the government’s move toward involuntary treatment, Saskatchewan has also introduced the Response to Illicit Drugs Act, adding new tools to target dealers alongside the proposed Compassionate Intervention framework. The bill would let residents and the Province sue traffickers for harms tied to Schedule I drugs and void government appointments or agreements when someone is convicted of serious drug offences. Ministers say the aim is to impose consequences on those profiting from fentanyl and meth while expanding treatment capacity and police resources. Critics caution the approach may sweep vulnerable users into litigation rather than focusing on high-level distributors, repeating concerns raised when the Province raised trafficking fines to $1 million.
  
  
• More than $1 billion in additional spending has been approved by the Province, including $813 million for SaskPower transmission upgrades and $194 million tied to removing the federal carbon tax from home heating. The NDP criticized the move as lacking transparency, arguing the government is covering financial shortfalls at SaskPower and shifting the cost onto taxpayers without sufficient scrutiny. Crown Investments Minister Jeremy Harrison countered that Ministers do not typically appear for votes on statutory budget items and said the funding supports essential infrastructure that connects the province’s northern and southern power grids. He added that no decision has been made on whether the additional costs will affect electricity rates. The spending comes as Saskatchewan’s projected deficit has grown to $427 million, with SaskPower revenues falling short of expectations.
  
  
• Former Regina Mayor Sandra Masters has been appointed as the provincial government’s new Deputy Chief of Staff for communications, joining Premier Scott Moe’s senior team effective December 1st. An Order-in-Council confirms she will serve as the primary communications lead for both the Premier and the Government of Saskatchewan, earning $170,652 annually. The Premier’s Office highlighted her experience in municipal leadership and community engagement as assets in her new role. Masters, who served one term as Regina’s mayor before losing the 2024 election, arrives as the Saskatchewan Party works to rebuild support in Regina and Saskatoon after winning only one urban seat in the last election. Moe has publicly acknowledged setbacks in the party’s urban outreach and accepted responsibility for the poor results.
  
  
• Parents in Saskatoon and the Saskatchewan NDP are criticizing the provincial government over a shortage of educational assistants (EAs), which has forced some students with complex needs, including autism, onto shortened school days. Some moms highlighted the impact on their children and families, noting that without consistent one-on-one support, teachers cannot meet students’ needs. Saskatoon Public Schools said modified schedules are sometimes necessary for safety and medical support and emphasized ongoing recruitment of EAs amid high demand. Earlier layoffs of 80 EAs were linked to reduced federal Jordan’s Principle funding, which the NDP says the Province should replace to maintain full school days. Education Minister Everett Hindley argued the cuts were federal, not provincial, and noted increased provincial funding for classroom support and school operations. 

🚨 This Week’s Action Item: 🚨

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