On Monday, Scott Moe and the Saskatchewan Party outlined the government’s priorities in the 2024 Throne speech.
The speech kicked off the fall sitting of the legislative assembly following October’s election.
During the speech, Moe addressed affordability, health care, education, and safer communities.
The Throne Speech, however, did not make mention of Indigenous people or northern Saskatchewan.
This was a concern for Athabasca NDP MLA Leroy Laliberte who also serves as the First Nations and Metis Relations Shadow Minister.
“Well, to be honest, it was quite upsetting especially for for us northerners, that the north wasn’t mentioned whatsoever,” Laliberte told MBC News. “There was no, no new money, investing in the north for education or health care. It was the same old Sask party, the same old, mentions.”
Laliberte was hoping to see money allocated to the north for what he says is a lack of services.
“The SaskParty has been in in government now for 17 years and, it seems that that everything has just kinda stayed the same,” he said. “So it’s my responsibility as the MLA for Athabasca to advocate on the north’s behalf to hold them accountable.”
Northern Saskatchewan constituencies will see fresh faces represent them at the legislative assembly. Laliberte and fellow NDP MLA for the Cumberland constituency Jordan McPhail were elected to their first terms in October.
Laliberte says he wants to focus on relationship building in his new role.
Well it’s my responsibility to develop the relationships that we haven’t had, and sitting as a a shadow shadow minister for First Nations and Metis relations, I plan developing those relationships,” he said. “Obviously advocating again for our people in the north to give us a voice here at the legislature… and we’re gonna hold the government accountable for the things that they’re not doing.”