One of the big messages from Premier Scott Moe ahead of the fall sitting of the Legislature beginning on Wednesday is that Saskatchewan produces food and energy more sustainably than anyone else, so the goal is to unlock that vast potential.

Moe says the Speech from the Throne will touch on what’s ahead, including working with the federal government on a Canada-Saskatchewan Immigration Accord, similar to what Quebec has. He explains that right now, Saskatchewan has a provincial cap of 6,000 immigrants a year, and then 3,000 come through the federal government. Moe would like that to all be under provincial jurisdiction, along with another 4,000 immigrants for a total of 13,000 a year. He notes that Saskatchewan has a growing economy, but there is a shortage of skilled labour.

Moe says there will also be legislation introduced this session to make sure Saskatchewan has exclusive jurisdiction over the development of its natural resources, saying the Sask Party government will draw a jurisdictional line and will do what is necessary to defend that line based on Canada’s existing constitutional powers.

The Premier suggests there is a lesson to be learned from what has happened in Europe. He says European governments were focusing on renewable energy, and shut down their nuclear plants, but then began buying their natural gas, coal and oil from Russia.  However, after the attack on Ukraine there was no backup plan for a more ethical source, and renewable energy isn’t at the point of providing baseline power. The Premier says we need to continue moving forward with renewable energy, but for the foreseeable future we will be relying on oil and gas.

The Speech from the Throne will also touch on opening up another international office in Europe in a country that is part of the European Union, to promote what this province has to offer.