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Bernadette McIntyre Announced as the 24th Lieutenant Governor of Saskatchewan, Regina and Saskatoon councils look to adress homelessness, and the NDP put forward motions last week related to high northern food prices and former MLA Gary Grewal.

December 09, 2024

December 9, 2024 | Advertise with us

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Good morning!

Here’s The SKoop for Monday, December 9:

  • Bernadette McIntyre named the next Lieutenant Governor of Saskatchewan,

  • Regina, Saskatoon councils try to address homelessness, and

  • NDP put forward motions on high food prices in the north, former MLA Grewal.

Today’s Top Stories

Bernadette McIntyre named the 24th Lieutenant Governor of Saskatchewan

Bernadette McIntyre. (Government of Saskatchewan)

The Governor General has named Bernadette McIntyre as the next Lieutenant Governor of Saskatchewan. She is the 24th person to serve in this role.

The Lieutenant Governor presides over the swearing-in of the Premier, the Chief Justice of Saskatchewan, and cabinet ministers. The Lieutenant Governor summons, prorogues, and dissolves the Saskatchewan Legislative Assembly, delivers the Speech from the Throne and gives Royal Assent to acts of the Legislative Assembly.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said, “Congratulations to Bernadette McIntyre on her appointment as the 24th Lieutenant Governor of Saskatchewan. Her leadership and spirit of volunteerism represent the very best of what Canadians do to build a more prosperous and welcoming country. I am confident she will continue to serve Saskatchewanians and Canadians with distinction in her new role.”

Premier Scott Moe said in a statement, "Bernadette McIntyre has enriched our province by her substantial contributions in several areas, including sport, tourism, business, and corporate governance. She has been a tireless volunteer for numerous groups and special events."

McIntyre was the Chief Executive Officer at Wascana Centre Authority, held senior positions with SGI, and served on dozens of boards of directors and planning committees. Organizations that have benefitted from her leadership include Access Communications, the Regina Airport Authority, SaskSport, the Canadian Curling Association, the Sandra Schmirler Foundation, and the 2013 and 2022 Grey Cup Festivals. She holds degrees from the University of Regina in Economics and Business Administration and has been inducted into the Saskatchewan Sports Hall of Fame.

Moe thanked outgoing Lieutenant Governor Russ Mirasty, "On behalf of the people of Saskatchewan I would like to thank Their Honours for their outstanding service," Moe said. "Everywhere they travelled throughout Saskatchewan, their genuine warmth and kindness touched the people they met. I wish them all the best in their future endeavours."

McIntyre’s start date has yet to be confirmed, but it is expected soon. She will serve in the role for five years.

Learn more about the great work the Saskatchewan Heavy Construction Association and its members are doing at saskheavy.ca.

Regina, Saskatoon city councils look to address homelessness

A homeless encampment in Saskatoon. (Reddit)

Homelessness is a top concern for many residents and the two largest cities are looking to address it. Regina’s newly-elected city council has endorsed a direct offer from the federal government for an injection of funding to address homelessness encampments.

Federal housing minister Sean Fraser said his ministry went directly to the cities because the Government of Saskatchewan had not responded to a letter asking to co-ordinate on this program back in September. “We will no longer wait for them to muster the political will to act as winter gets closer and lives are put at risk,” he said in a statement issued in mid-October. Regina accepted the $3.5 million in funding to address chronic homelessness.

Regina plans to put a total of $1.45 million towards the existing temporary emergency shelter at the Nest, which is operated by Regina Treaty/Status Indian Services. Another $1.4 million would go to the Regina Street Team and $569,000 to the YWCA to supplement shelter beds. An additional $100,000 would be used in 2026 to fund an encampment response, part of which includes adding a full-time employee to coordinate under the community and well-being branch.

Mayor Chad Bachynski said, “From our perspective, we’re really looking to take advantage of what we have in front of us. Get it and get it on the books, in the right people’s hands, so we can really take advantage and support those programs. That’s our focus right now.”

In Saskatoon, Mayor Cynthia Block is preparing to pull together a ‘Mayor’s task force on homelessness,’ something she promised during the campaign. Block said, “To me, that’s [homelessness] the first order of business. That does not take away from the extraordinary work of many people in our city trying to get ahead of the homelessness crisis. It's not unlike every other city in Canada that, you know, where cities are on the front lines, but we don't have all the tools to solve it. It's the biggest reason why I think we need a task force, but not to study it.”

She continued by saying the task force would be decided by council, “It was mentioned several times that we must figure out how to ensure people have roofs over their heads always, but especially as it gets colder, it's concerning, and we need to move urgently to make sure that we are making sure that people have a safe place to be in the cold every time of the year.”

Last month, Saskatoon city council has greenlit $200,000 for a $1.2 million capital project aimed at helping homeless people survive the cold this winter. Saskatoon's homeless population is on pace to more than double in one year, according to data from the Saskatoon Fire Department.

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NDP emergency motions to investigate northern food prices, summon former MLA Grewal fail

NDP leader Carla Beck. (CKOM News)

The opposition NDP focused on high food prices in the far north and former MLA Gary Grewal in the legislature last week. The party put forward two emergency motions to discuss the issues, however they were blocked by the members of the Saskatchewan Party government.

The first motion was related to former MLA Gary Grewal. Grewal was found to violate the conflict-of-interest rules when his hotels began taking social services clients and charging apparently inflated rates. The conflict of interest commissioner left any penalty for Grewal breaking the rules up to the MLAs in the assembly.

Premier Scott Moe said, “This individual didn’t run for our party, he’s not running for our party, he’s a private citizen now and I don’t know the last time, under any government, that a private citizen has been summoned to appear before, whether it be a committee or it be the legislature itself.”

NDP leader Carla Beck said, “Essentially the message we heard from the government today, was that an MLA can break the law and as long they don’t run again there is no penalty. We should hold ourselves to a higher standard than that, there should be a penalty.” As for the penalty, Beck said they are obtaining legal advice.

The opposition also focused during this sitting on high food prices in the North and multiple reports of scurvy. Cumberland MLA Jordan McPhail has taken to his feet multiple times to raise the issue. A motion to strike an all-party committee to investigate high northern food prices was blocked by the government last week.

Premier Moe has introduced an affordability plan of his own. Saying a federal election is needed, Moe told reporters, “The tax that we’re seeing on the gas that we drive, the carbon tax that’s going to be increasing this spring, is that really the right time for that?”

Beck said, “They have to, at least, be willing to acknowledge the problem, and at least be willing to do something as reasonable to meet in a committee to figure out what we can do to ensure that people have access to good food in the north, reasonable food prices.” Beck said her party’s motion on northern food prices would have done just what the premier suggested, “get to the bottom of food prices in the north, look into solutions for what – frankly – is unacceptable in 2024, that is 27 people experiencing symptoms of scurvy.”

The NDP brought the motions forward in committee last week, but they were not voted on as the committee was adjourned.

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