Delegates at the Saskatchewan Urban Municipalities Association convention in Saskatoon passed two resolutions Tuesday afternoon that could directly impact the north.
One resolution calls on municipal leaders to pressure the federal government to call a national inquiry or roundtable into missing and murdered Aboriginal women.
Although the resolution was put forward by the City of North Battleford, La Ronge Mayor Thomas Sierzycki says he has also heard a lot on the issue from concerned local residents and believes a national inquiry is the best way to move forward.
“I think as a northern mayor, I’ve heard loud and clear from residents because it’s something very important to our community and we’ll be supporting it 110 per cent and hoping that we get continued access and actual movement on an issue that is very important to our northern people,” he says.
The other resolution calls on the province to fully implement the Northern Highway Strategy.
Sierzycki says properly maintained roads are vital for economic growth in the northern part of the province and he fully supports the resolution.
“Northern roads are one of those things that are no matter how much money you put in, there always seems to be something else that needs to happen with roads. It’s our vital link to many communities across the north and without proper roads, infrastructure, you’re not going to have the economic spin off that we’re hoping in the north.”
The SUMA convention continues on Wednesday morning with a bear pit session with the provincial cabinet.