Sask. Party begins fifth term as majority with a smaller caucus full of new faces

A newly elected Saskatchewan Party government got back to work on Thursday, with returning and new government members meeting for the first time.

One of the first orders of business for the government about to begin its fifth term as a majority was plans for the upcoming fall sitting at the Saskatchewan Legislature.

This term it will be a much smaller Sask. Party caucus with 34 seats and the possibility of one more that is still to be decided. After the 2020 election the Sask. Party held 48 seats, meaning a decrease of at least 13.

Around half of the MLAs will also be new to the job. Premier designate Scott Moe posted photos online Thursday and said once again Saskatchewan people voted for a strong economy and bright future while many others voted for change.

Moe promised to deliver both, one of his longtime colleagues Jim Reiter, admitted there are some mixed feelings after losing so many people to resignations or the result of the NDP winning all but two seats in Regina and Saskatoon.

“Obviously a bit of mixed feelings because we lost some really good people, but this is our fifth majority government. We’ve got a bunch of new people that are full of enthusiasm and talented and they excited and we are all excited to get back to work,” Reiter said.

NDP Leader Carla Beck also arrived at her office with a suitcase in tow following the 28 day campaign.

Beck said the party is excited to be a much larger opposition than years past.

“I think there is still a lot of adrenaline from the campaign but we are excited to take on the work that’s in front of us now as a much larger opposition. There’s still a bit of an adjustment to post campaign life I think,” Beck said.

The newly re-elected government tabled its first report Thursday, the annual disclosure of salaries paid to civil servants and Crown corporation employees. Crown executives were among the highest paid in 2023.

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Retiring SaskTel president Doug Burnett topped the list at nearly $600,000, which included holiday pay owing. His replacement earned $494,000.

The presidents of Saskatchewan Government Insurance (SGI) and SaskPower were in a similar pay range, while the heads of SaskEnergy and the Crown Investment Corporation made slightly less.

There will be a brief fall sitting of the legislature which will allow the Sask. Party government to begin implementing some of its campaign promises. That could include Scott Moe’s pledge of a school changeroom policy that he said would be the party’s first order of business.