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CHRISTINE
TELL MLA – Provincial Update – September 16, 2008
Christine
Tell MLA invites you to visit her constituency office at 2318B Assiniboine
Ave.
SHARING
THE BENEFITS Providing
financial support for disaster relief and healthcare, or taking steps to
ensure vibrant rural communities, are examples of how your Saskatchewan
Party government is making sure everyone shares in the benefits of growth.
In this time of unprecedented prosperity, it is important no one gets left
behind. I have met many of you this summer at the door and at various
events to find out what your priorities are. If I missed you, please fill
out the form below and send it to me at the constituency office. You can
also provide that input online, by visiting http://gov.sk.ca
and clicking on “Sharing the Benefits.” With your help, we will
chart a course for the future that ensures Saskatchewan will continue to
grow.
Sharing
the Benefits Christine
Tell, your Saskatchewan Party MLA invites you to have your say… Name:
______________________ Address:
_____________________ ____________________________
____________________________
Phone: ______________________
¨ Roads Water/sewer
improvements
¨ Education
¨ Environment
¨ Health
¨ Pay down the debt
¨ Other:
__________________ Notes
on your priorities:___________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
MLA
Christine Tell meeting with a constituent.
New
West Gains Steam As Saskatchewan And Alberta Forge Closer Ties Premiers
Sign Protocol Of Co-operation At Joint Cabinet Meeting The
first-ever joint Cabinet Meeting of Saskatchewan and Alberta took place last
week in Lloydminster. Closer ties on energy, the environment, trade,
education, health care and transportation are the result of the historic
cabinet meeting held in Canada’s border city. The
Lloydminster meeting concluded with Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall and
Alberta Premier Ed Stelmach signing a protocol of co-operation committing
their governments to working more closely together. “Alberta
and Saskatchewan are two pistons that are helping to drive the Canadian
economy,” said Stelmach. “We have a lot in common, including robust
energy sectors, a strong commitment to environmental responsibility and an
understanding that by forging stronger ties our provinces will be best
positioned for continued success.” Saskatchewan
Premier Brad Wall said closer ties will help the New West prosper. “Saskatchewan
and Alberta will continue to take our own unique paths,” Wall said.
“Still, there are great opportunities to co-operate - to the benefit of
our respective citizens, to the benefit of the New West and to the benefit
of all Canadians.” The
protocol is broken down into three distinct sections: better services for
citizens, building more competitive economies, and delivering greater
efficiency and value. Under those sections the provinces will work for
greater co-operation on a variety of topics including energy, health,
education, transportation and trade. Both Premiers stressed the importance
of ensuring that a continued strong energy sector is complemented by
meaningful and real action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The
provinces have agreed to: -
explore
joint opportunities to advance carbon capture and storage technology and
development; -
work
to improve internal trade and investment through regional or sector specific
agreements; -
take
collaborative steps to reduce the achievement gap between aboriginal and
non-aboriginal students; -
examine
co-operative opportunities for health delivery benefits for residents in
both provinces, and; -
ensure
that both provincial and federal transportation regulations don’t
unnecessarily impede the competitiveness of industries in both provinces. A
Saskatchewan-Alberta steering committee, co-chaired by the provinces’
Cabinet Secretaries, will ensure the intent of the Protocol is fulfilled and
will recommend future agreements to the Premiers. Huge
Jump In Jobs – Saskatchewan Now #1 In Canada In Employment Growth Rate The
number of people working in Saskatchewan jumped by 15,100 from August 2007
to August 2008, according to the latest Labour Force Survey released by
Statistics Canada. That’s an increase of 3 per cent - the highest growth
rate in the country and over double the national average of 1.3 per cent. Enterprise
and Innovation Minister Lyle Stewart said it’s one more sign Saskatchewan
is continuing its economic momentum. He noted that of the 15,100 new
workers, 11,200, or nearly three-quarters, were women. There are also over
9,000 positions still listed on www.saskjobs.ca. Statistics
Canada recently reported that workers in the province are also earning more.
The average earnings of a payroll employee were $752.72 per week in June
2008. This is an increase of 3.7 per cent compared to June 2007, and well
above the national average of 2.5 per cent. The Conference Board of Canada
forecasts that Saskatchewan will lead the nation with 4.2 per cent economic
growth this year.
Christine Tell MLA going over constituent concerns with Marie Gibson, Constituency Assistant Fall
Activities – Children’s Fitness Tax Credit Information Many
of you have registered your children in a variety of fall activities. Some
of your fees may be eligible for a non-refundable federal tax credit up to
$500. A
program must be: -
for
a child under the age of 16; -
a
minimum of eight weeks duration with a minimum of one session per week; -
supervised; -
substantially
all of the activities must include a significant amount of physical activity
that contributes to cardio-respiratory endurance plus one or more of:
muscular strength, muscular endurance, flexibility or balance; and - should encourage children to strive towards at least 30 minutes of sustained moderate to vigorous physical activity per session for children under 10, and 60 minutes of sustained moderate to vigorous physical activity for children 10 and over. This information is found in more detail at http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/whtsnw/fitness-eng.html Your Saskatchewan Party government has also passed The Active Families Benefit Act which will benefit you for the 2009 tax year. The Act comes into effect January 1, 2009. You can read the Act at http://www.legassembly.sk.ca/bills/PDFs/Bill-33.pdf
NOMINATIONS
OPEN FOR VOLUNTEER MEDAL
Saskatchewan
residents have until October 18 to nominate individuals for the Saskatchewan
Volunteer Medal. The Volunteer Medal recognizes individuals who have
provided outstanding volunteer service or exceptional community involvement. "We
are deeply blessed to live in a province that is renowned for its
outstanding volunteers," Lieutenant Governor Dr. Gordon Barnhart said.
"The Saskatchewan Volunteer Medal enables us to publicly honour our
most generous and committed citizens, who give so much to so many." Any
Canadian citizen who is a current or former long term resident of
Saskatchewan is eligible for nomination. Nominations cannot be accepted for
sitting members of Parliament or the Legislature, or members of the
judiciary who currently hold office. Groups or organizations cannot be
nominated. Posthumous nominations are not accepted. Since
the Medal's inception in 1995, 112 recipients have received the Saskatchewan
Volunteer Medal. A list of recipients, information and nomination forms can
be found online at www.ops.gov.sk.ca or
call toll-free 1-877-427-5505 Staying
in Touch I
appreciate the many opportunities to make a positive difference in our
constituency. Your phone calls, letters and emails make a big difference in
keeping me informed on the issues that matter to you. If
you would like to recognize anyone or have your event mentioned in this
newsletter, please don’t hesitate to contact me. _______________________________________________________________________________ This
newsletter is produced with the assistance of the Saskatchewan Party Caucus
Office. |
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