Premier Moe addresses delegates during 2022 SUMA convention

The premier of Saskatchewan spoke to Saskatchewan Urban Municipalities Association (SUMA) members on the first day of the SUMA convention in Regina.

Scott Moe touched on a number of topics during his speech, which lasted over half an hour, including the recently announced provincial budget and impacts caused by the Russian war on Ukraine.

One of the largest points Moe touched on during his time onstage was an announcement that a small delegation from Saskatchewan will be travelling to Germany.

Moe said the delegation, which will be led Canora-Pelly MLA Terry Dennis, who serves as the legislative secretary responsible for Saskatchewan-Ukraine relations, will meet with displaced Ukrainians and refugee-serving organizations to determine additional supports that the Saskatchewan government can provide to those fleeing the war.

“They will lead a number of Saskatchewan immigration officials who will be on the ground to augment and expand the efforts that Canada is making — in particular in Berlin,” Moe said at the SUMA convention.

“We are putting people literally on the ground to open up those pathways for those Ukrainians that may want to find their way to Saskatchewan for a short period of time or for an extended period of time understanding that they want to go home sooner. We want to do what we can, whether it’s temporary or for a more permanent period of time.”

Moe said the group will be in Berlin from April 10 to 13.

“We’ll start with them being here for a few weeks and then we’ll work through this for as long as we need to,” added Moe.

Moe also shared his thoughts on the federal budget, which is set to be presented this Thursday.

He said he would like to see some long-term funding for health-care transfers and see Ottawa switch responsibility for the carbon tax to be provincially administered, saying those would be his two biggest asks in the upcoming budget.

“We can then move forward with the provincial offset program and the provincial carbon credit program to really allow and encourage companies to continue to invest in sustainable production of our products which are already very sustainable.”

He added that he would also like to see the government encourage other provinces to move forward with production of fuel, fertilizer and food and to make those products available around the globe.

Moe said the Russian war on Ukraine has caused concerns on this front among European countries after conversations he had with representatives during his recent trade mission.

“This was a paramount concern in particular in the European Union where they are very reliant on Russia for their energy, including Germany where 60-some per cent of their natural gas comes from Russia,” the premier said.

“The energy security is paramount and the food security questions will come in the months ahead.”