Provincial cabinet ministers were fielding a lot of questions from the North during the bear pit session at the SUMA convention in Regina.
There were flooding concerns from Cumberland house and questions about how the provinces growth strategy could better serve the north. La Ronge mayor, Thomas Sierzycki suggested a targeted approach.
“As you are aware the north presents major opportunities and major challenges, therefore has your government considered creating an implementing an enhanced northern strategy under that plan?”
The mayor of Ille-a-la-Crosse posed a similar question saying a new study from the University of Saskatchewan supports a call for an economic strategy tailored to the issues facing northern Saskatchewan.
Premier Brad Wall responded, saying his government’s growth strategy includes every region of the province including the north.
“We wouldn’t rule anything out, but my political history and the history of the province would lead me to be a bit cautious about a completely separate approach for any region of the province, including the north.”
A couple of resolutions from the North were also on the SUMA agenda. One from Air Ronge, called on SUMA to lobby the province for a reliable power grid to the north and the installation of back-up power generators in communities that currently don’t have back up power.
That resolution passed.
The other one, from the community of La Loche was withdrawn before it was voted on.
It called for mandatory training for all people wanting to run for municipal office.
About a thousand delegates from all over the province attended the four day convention which wrapped up this afternoon with the Bear pit session.