Regina Wascana Plains September 13th Newsletter

Highest Economic Growth in Canada

One important issue that we heard during our summer consultations was the need to maintain the economic strength and growth of our province.  Through this we can continue to invest in the services that you need and deserve. I will continue door knocking in various parts of the constituency in September and October to listen to your ideas on how we can improve on the Saskatchewan Advantage.

Throughout the summer, our economy continued to set records, such as the strongest employment growth and the lowest unemployment in Canada.  Employment rose to 564,100 people which is a 4 per cent increase over last year.  July also saw the lowest youth unemployment rate among the provinces, at less than half the national average.

If you are looking for a job, Saskatchewan is the place to be.  In July, 60 per cent of jobs posted on Saskjobs.ca were full time positions. This is a 14.7 per cent increase over the same month last year.  The number of jobs available in July was 17,249, spread over 327 communities across Saskatchewan.  This is an increase of 8.6 per cent over 2012.

Surgical Times Improving

Providing quality and timely surgery is another area in which we are working to provide the services you need and deserve.  We are well on the way to ensuring you and your loved ones’ surgeries are performed within three months of a physician’s referral by April 2014.  The latest update from the Saskatchewan Surgical Initiative (SKSI) shows that wait times for surgeries continue to decrease.

The numbers show that 79 per cent of patients are having their surgeries within three month of their referrals and 91 per cent are having their surgeries within six months.  This was an ambitious target when we set it and through the hard work of the SKSI we are on our way to realizing it.  Our government is investing $70.5 million this year to improve access to surgeries which will provide for about 89,000 surgeries throughout Saskatchewan, an increase of 7,000 from last year.

NOMINATE AN OUTSTANDING VOLUNTEER

If you know an outstanding volunteer or someone who exemplifies exceptional community involvement, then please take the time between now and October 18 to nominate that individual for the Saskatchewan Volunteer Medal.

Any Canadian citizen who is a current or former long-term resident of Saskatchewan is eligible for nomination.  Nominations are not accepted for sitting members of Parliament, the Legislature or judiciary.  Groups or organizations cannot be nominated and posthumous nominations are not accepted.

The medal is presented by the Lieutenant Governor during an annual ceremony.

Since its inception in 1995, 156 people have received the Saskatchewan Volunteer Medal.  Additional information, nomination forms and a list of previous recipients can be found online at www.ops.gov.sk.ca/svm or call toll-free 1-877-427-5505.

RIDERS, DELAET TO SPORT THINKSASK.CA

Economy Minister Bill Boyd announced a new look for the team for the remaining 2013 regular season.  The Riders will sport a new logo on their chests – thinksask.ca.

“Saskatchewan is enjoying unprecedented growth – and although it’s tempting to let that speak for itself, we can’t take that success for granted,” Boyd said.  “We need to continue to promote the province to build on our success.  The Riders are an integral part of Saskatchewan with fans from coast to coast, and we are extremely pleased they have agreed to partner with us on this project.”

Weyburn native, Graham DeLaet  who has vaulted to the upper echelon of the PGA Tour recently is also sporting the thinksask.ca logo on his golf shirt.

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.