Premier Scott Moe looks back at 2023 and ahead to 2024

An election year looms for Premier Scott Moe as 2023 turns to 2024.

The past 12 months have been marked by ongoing battles with the federal government and a controversial fight on the home front.

But as he looks back on the year, the premier said he’s reminded of a couple of highlights.

“I think this year we saw the strength of the investment opportunities that are available in Saskatchewan. We saw the largest mining company in the world move forward with not just Phase 1 but Phase 2 of what will be the largest potash mine in the world,” Moe explained from his legislative office.

“We see a uranium mine that’s finding its way through to construction decisions again. Saskatchewan (is) the second-largest exporting region of uranium in the world, which is significant, I think, coming out of COP28 where we have 24 countries committing to tripling their nuclear footprint, and so Saskatchewan very much is going to play a role in powering the future for not just our province but the world.”

Moe acknowledged that 2023 hasn’t brought good news for every industry that powers our province, but said he still remains optimistic about the direction Saskatchewan is going.

“Agriculture had a tough year, but most certainly showing the strength and resilience that agriculture can show. We’re going to need a little bit of a different regulatory direction, from likely a different federal government, in order for our oil industry to achieve our targets in our plan for growth and we’re convinced that we will get there,” the premier said.

“It is taking a little bit longer than we had hoped, but very much I think what we saw in Saskatchewan is that the investment environment is very strong. (There are) canola crush plants as well – and that will create jobs and create opportunity into the future, which really I think does open us up some laneway to have, in the new year, even some ever-more serious discussions on how we are innovating and delivering things like health care and how we are innovating in in the education space as well.”

Moe said there’s a lot of work still ahead, but touted the strong investment Saskatchewan saw in 2023.

“Building on the foundations of the strength that we have and our education sector, health-care sector, our community, the strength that we have in our communities is going to be, I think, paramount as we look ahead,” the premier said. “But as we look back (at) this last year, the investments that have been landed in this province are simply nothing short of unprecedented.”

The year was marked by the Saskatchewan Party government opposing much of what the federal government is doing, and Moe said that likely won’t change in the new year.

“We do have one of the most sustainable oil-producing regions of the world, and in that space we’ve seen the federal government move forward with carbon tax, then move forward with the clean electricity regulations, clean fuel standards and now a methane cap and an actual cap and trade,” Moe said.

“There’s no other oil-producing region, to my knowledge, in the world that is working under the pressures of that type of proposed regulatory package. And so as we look ahead, we are going to do all we can to defend our ability to produce some of the most sustainable oil that you can find on Earth right here in Saskatchewan, create wealth for those families and in those communities where we are producing oil, and we’re going to use the Saskatchewan First Act to ensure that that is the case.”

And where does the passing of the controversial pronoun policy, the Parents’ Bill of Rights, fit into the year?

“I think it was a necessary reaction on behalf of what we heard from Saskatchewan parents and teachers and others through our MLAs that represent the majority of the seats across the province,” Moe said.

“It was government’s intent to standardize what was already largely an existing policy across the school divisions in the province at the request of parents and educators that have reached out to MLAs. We saw during that a conversation around 18 letters that were written to the Ministry of Education which we would add, I think, to the broader consultation that MLAs had with parents and constituents across the province.”

The beginning of the year may be marked the province’s teachers imposing sanctions in the union’s ongoing collective bargaining. The union is calling for class size and complexity to be included in those negotiations.

Moe said he doesn’t believe the government and teachers are as opposed as some may think.

“At the end of the day, I think we all are striving for the same thing, which is an inclusive support of positive learning environment for our children – all of our children, regardless of what classroom they may be in and what community they may be in across the province. And I think that’s important for us to remember,” the premier said.

“We’re actively working with school divisions right now on some programs and we would invite the teachers to be part of those discussions on how we’re addressing, and in a positive way, some of the class complexity issues that in fairness have been raised by the teachers’ union and others. But the bargaining table is not the place for that discussion.”

Even though there may be some tumultuous times ahead in 2024, as a provincial election year, Moe said he remains hopeful for what can be achieved.

“I hope that we’re able to continue along with the vibrant investment that we see landing in this province. Ultimately, that is providing success and opportunity for Saskatchewan residents that are here today for a better career, and those that are coming or may choose to stay here in the province as well,” Moe said.

“We have some challenges to discuss around the collective bargaining agreement and education (and) how we are innovating in our health-care sector, so we need to continue to innovate in all of those spaces to provide better outcomes.”

As for the election, planned for the fall of 2024, polls suggest the Saskatchewan Party could lose seats to the NDP, especially in the larger urban centres.

“Most certainly we’re going to continue to listen to people and we will wait and see with respect to momentum for the NDP,” the premier said.

“The next election is to listen to the people of this province, whether they live in urban Saskatchewan or whether they live in rural Saskatchewan, and to deliver on, essentially, what they expect governments to be delivering on like health and education.”

– With files from 980 CJME’s Lisa Schick