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'More detailed than most': U of R political scientist breaks down Sask. throne speech

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The provincial government’s speech from the throne on Wednesday included more detail than most other throne speeches, according to a Saskatchewan political scientist.

Jim Farney, a political science professor at the University of Regina, said the speech included so many initiatives it’s hard to grasp

“This one [throne speech] was actually more detailed than most, but there are so many initiatives it is hard to understand the specifics of any one of them,” Farney said in an interview with CTV Morning Live Regina.

According to the speech, the provincial government is focusing on increasing Saskatchewan’s autonomy, policing and growing the healthcare sector, among other initiatives.

Part of the plan to increase autonomy will be the introduction of the Saskatchewan First Act, which is said to clearly define the province’s position of exclusive jurisdiction over its natural resources and economic future.

Farney said he does not think the initiative will be successful.

“There are two pieces there, one is this provincial legislation and the other is an amendment to the Federal Saskatchewan Act. That is essentially a province’s constitution,” Farney said.

Farney said in both of those cases natural resources are already provincial jurisdiction under Section 35.

“Where we’ve gotten into debates with the federal government is how that fits together with environmental regulation and the courts have found that environmental regulation trumps our resource jurisdiction,” he said.

Farney said there may be more in the fine details that can be done, but in the broad brush strokes of the throne speech, the plan to increase autonomy is mostly a symbolic political stance in his view.

POLICING

When asked about policing, Farney said there are some interesting partnerships to note.

“There are some really interesting partnerships with First Nations and ongoing work with the Prince Albert Tribal Council on policing, there’s Marshall Service and it’s not quite clear what that is,” he said.

The province said the Saskatchewan Marshalls Service will be established in Prince Albert and is set to support provincial RCMP and other police forces in Saskatchewan to enhance law enforcement.

COLIN THATCHER APPEARANCE

Farney noted that with the focus on policing and plan to be tough on crime it was interesting to see convicted killer Colin Thatcher in attendance by means of invitation.

“There was this really bizarre juxtaposition that Colin Thatcher was there as an invited guest. So it’s law-and-order but maybe not quite law-and-order,” he said.

Farney said however, that not too much can be made out of Thatcher’s invitation until more details can be read.

The 84-year-old Thatcher who spent 22 years in prison after being convicted of first-degree murder for the beating and shooting death of his ex wife in Regina in 1983, was invited to the speech by Saskatchewan Party MLA Lyle Stewart.

When asked if inviting the former energy minister under Premier Grant Devine would damage the Sask Party’s reputation, Farney said that should become clear in the next couple of days.

“I think we’ll see in the next 24 to 48 hours and couple of media sessions,” Farney said. “It damages the party if the people of Saskatchewan decide this is a piece of hypocrisy they’re not willing to stand for. If they decide it’s something that a single MLA did involving someone who committed a crime a long time ago, it really does depend on what sort of story the population hears and sees.”

Farney believes the invitation of Thatcher is something that the Legislature deserves an apology for.

When asked, Stewart said he invited Thatcher because he was a long-time MLA and minister as well as a constituent and long-time friend of his.

OPPOSITION RESPONSE

Saskatchewan NDP leader Carla Beck said Wednesday’s throne speech was just ‘recycled promises’.

Beck also called Saskatchewan’s pursuit of greater autonomy a distraction.

Farney believes the NDP will continue to question what the province is doing for affordability.

“I think the line that they’ve been taking all summer and she [Beck] was signaling in interviews leading up to the speech is asking what the government is actually doing for affordability and cost of living and how are they concretely helping ordinary working people.”

Farney said he thinks there is a lot in the speech that the province will sell as good economic growth, but said there is very little that will be directly visible immediately.

With files from The Canadian Press.

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