Province Législature Session Type de discours Date du discours Locuteur Fonction du locuteur Parti politique Saskatchewan 23e 2e Discours sur le budget 20 mars 1997 Janice MacKinnon Ministre des finances Saskatchewan New Democratic Party Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, there are many special guests who have joined us today and I welcome them all. There are five very special people in my life here today that I would like to personally acknowledge, and I would ask each of them to stand. First is my husband, Peter MacKinnon, who is acting vice-president, academic, at the University of Saskatchewan. Beside him is my son Alan MacKinnon and his friend, Tricia Mutlow, who are students at Walter Murray Collegiate. Next to them is my son William MacKinnon, who is enrolled at Aden Bowman. And next to him is a long-time family friend, Bill Kinloch. I'd like to thank each of you for your ongoing trust and support. I'd also like to thank the government caucus for its tremendous support and counsel as we developed this budget. During this budget, they were asked to maintain confidentiality for more than six weeks. They said it couldn't be done; I said, nobody else could do it. Mr. Speaker, this is the finest caucus in all of Canada. Mr. Speaker, I'm very pleased today to present a budget that invests in people, a budget about creating more growth and jobs, a budget about reaping the benefits of sacrifices past. Mr. Speaker, Saskatchewan people have come a long way together. Five short years ago, we confronted a financial crisis, a large deficit, a growing debt, rising interest payments gobbling up dollars that could've been invested in people. To overcome this crisis, Saskatchewan people turned to their traditions - traditions of cooperation, compassion, and community. Everyone pulled together to restore the province's finances. Together we started paying down the mortgage on our children's future. Today we will plainly see the benefits of our work together. Today I am presenting another balanced budget. Hon. Ms. MacKinnon: - Our fourth balanced budget in a row, and three more to come - right into the next century. No other province will surpass that record. Hon. Ms. MacKinnon: - Today our debt is falling and we are spending less on interest payments. This frees up money to invest in people. Mr. Speaker, balanced budgets, fiscal stability, declining debt these are the foundations of a strong economy and a healthy society . Fiscal stability and predictability attract new investment, growth, and jobs. In 1996 investors and business people were active in every sector and comer of the province. Resource exploration set a new high. Business investment was up 18 per cent. Manufacturing shipments up 10 per cent the highest increase in all of Canada. Retail sales up 8 per cent – triple the Canadian average. Housing starts up more than 40 per cent. Our population is growing again, rising to the highest level in eight years. Best of all, Saskatchewan families are showing renewed confidence, hope, and optimism. Now is the time to invest in people, to build an even better future. As we build that future, let us remember the lessons of the past. The 1980s taught us spending today and paying tomorrow is wrong. It shackles our children with debt they do not deserve. This government remains committed to living within our means, to spending responsibly, to the discipline of paying our bills, not leaving them to burden our children. That is how we earned our financial freedom. That is how we will keep it. Mr. Speaker, while we have to remember the lessons of the past, we cannot return to it. Governments can no longer be all things to all people. Today people want governments to focus on their priorities, to reflect their values. They want more than short-term, short-sighted, quick-fix schemes. They want governments to make sound, long-term investments. But most important, people want governments to do all they can to live up to their commitments. Broken promises mean broken dreams and the loss of trust and faith. Five years ago, we made a commitment to restore the province's finances and we promised to do it with fairness and balance, reducing the debt, strengthening our social programs, cutting taxes - all three together, in balance, with fairness. That's what this budget is all about. Keeping our promises, Mr. Speaker -that's what this government is all about. Mr. Speaker, now is the time to build on our strong fiscal and economic foundations. Now is the time to spur our economy to greater success, to greater heights. Mr. Speaker, the spirit of cooperation has long been a defining feature of a strong and growing Saskatchewan. To build on that heritage, I'm pleased to announce increased funding for our new, refocused department of economic and cooperative development. Through our expanded cooperatives directorate within the department, we will promote growth and jobs today and into the future. We are building on our strengths, working with Saskatchewan people to create jobs right in their own communities. We will keep working with our regional economic development authorities to promote growth and jobs locally. We will keep working with industry to build on our record as an exporting province, where one in three jobs is export related. We will keep working with farm groups to strengthen and expand agriculture, the foundation of our economy. Mr. Speaker, stability and predictability are just as important to a farmer near Unity as to a shopkeeper in Moose Jaw. We all know the risks of farming - too much or too little rain; an early frost. These can push a farm family to the brink financially. That's why we worked with our partners in agriculture to ensure income stability and security for farm families. Last year we paid down $150 million in crop insurance debt. Hon. Ms. MacKinnon: - Today we have a new, sustainable crop insurance program with lower premiums and better protection for farmers. Mr. Speaker, new products and better crops give farm families more options. That's why we're working with farmers to develop the products of the future, everything from specialized crops and health food supplements to animal vaccines. Saskatchewan farmers are also leading the way in expanding and diversifying to capture new market opportunities. Canada's western provinces are emerging as major suppliers to the growing world market for pork. Mr. Speaker, we're teaming up with Saskatchewan farmers to pull ahead of the competition. I am pleased to announce a new initiative to promote our hog industry and other livestock operations. Effective midnight tonight, a new education and health tax rebate will be introduced to encourage investment in livestock production. With this tax incentive and our comprehensive hog strategy, we expect Saskatchewan's hog production to triple by 2005. This means hundreds of new jobs and opportunities in rural Saskatchewan. We've been using targeted tax incentives since 1992 to create growth and jobs. We strengthened our small businesses by reducing their income taxes by 20 per cent. We attracted new call centres by removing the sales tax on 1-800 numbers. We improved the tax treatment for Saskatchewan-based truckers. We also introduced a number of tax incentives for manufacturing and processing. This growing sector continues to create thousands of new jobs. This budget builds on our momentum, with one more reason for manufacturers and processors to expand, one more reason for them to create jobs today and even more jobs tomorrow. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to announce the manufacturing and processing investment tax credit will be extended to include used equipment. Our manufacturers and processors can now receive a tax credit on new equipment and used equipment they bring into the province to expand their operations. Mr. Speaker, manufacturers and processors, farmers, miners, and loggers, all rely on our roads to get resources and products to the world market. Our roads are also the vital link between our communities, farms, schools, hospitals, and businesses. Our roads bring thousands of tourists to every comer of Saskatchewan, bringing jobs and opportunities for our youth, students, and business people. But our roads and highways are under heavy pressure. Federal deregulation of railways, rail line abandonment, the loss of the Crow benefit - all this is taking its toll. Mr. Speaker, we have to act and we have to act now. That's why I am announcing today the first phase of our long-term plan to work with communities on a modem transportation network. I'm pleased to announce that over the next 10 years we will invest $2.5 billion in Saskatchewan's roads and highways. This investment starts with $200 million in 1997-98. That's an 18 per cent increase over last year's budget. Increased funding, a strategic plan for tomorrow - that's a solid, long-term commitment to our essential roads and highways. We're also joining the one-year extension of the federal-provincial infrastructure program, and we're directing the entire federal and provincial share to municipal projects. With the municipal share, that's $35 million this year to build stronger communities and create jobs. Much of this funding will be directed to roads. Mr. Speaker, these short-term, one-time federal commitments are welcome, but what we really need are long-term permanent programs, especially for roads. Sadly we're the only country in the western world without a national transportation program. We're ready to work with the federal government and the other provinces to build a modem, comprehensive, national transportation system for the 21st century. Today Saskatchewan has put its investment for roads and highways on the table; now we're calling on the federal government to match our contribution. Mr. Speaker, infrastructure means more than just roads and highways. This year government departments and Crown corporations will invest $640 million to build and upgrade our state of the art telecommunication system, our power and energy grid, our hospitals, health centres, and schools. Provincial parks are also an important part of our heritage and quality of life. This budget further invests in Saskatchewan people and tourism by improving camping and recreational facilities in parks right across the province. Roads, parks, thriving modem communities - Mr. Speaker, we're putting a new face on Saskatchewan, on our way to the new century. That's how you build for the future. That's how you invest in people for prosperity and jobs. Mr. Speaker, ask Saskatchewan people what they cherish about our province and they will tell you: fresh, clean air; wide open spaces; friendly and helpful people; a great place to raise children; a place we're proud to call home. . Our social programs are at the heart of our quality of life. They're the envy of the world. Saskatchewan has a long and proud tradition of , compassion and social innovation. These traditions served us well in the past and they put us in the vanguard of the future. But society is only as strong as its weakest link. Our world continues to face a real and looming problem - the widening gap between rich and poor nations and between rich and poor people. In this environment, more and more people feel no hope, no chance, and nothing left to lose. This sets the stage for crime and social unrest. That's why we must work continually to ensure that every person, rich or poor, has access to health care; that every child, rich or poor, can get a quality education; and that a social safety net is in place to catch those who have fallen on hard times and need help getting back on their feet. That is why this budget secures our universal health care, strengthens our world-class education system, and broadens our social safety net. Mr. Speaker, building for tomorrow means investing in our children. We all want our children to enjoy healthy and happy lives. Canada is a wealthy nation. No parent should have to worry that their children want for food, warm clothing, or a safe home. That's what makes child poverty a sad and unnecessary blight on our country. We must change this. That is why our province is leading the fight against child poverty. Mr. Speaker, a good job is still the best way to lift families out of poverty and off social assistance. Jobs will always be our top priority. But today the Canadian system hurts working-poor parents. It claws back the modest benefits they need to care properly for their children. That's why we championed a national plan to help parents better provide for their children, and keep working. We promoted the concept of a national child benefit at federal-provincial meetings right across this country. Such a plan would be the first new national social program in 30 years. Last month the federal government announced its intentions for a national child benefit program, and that's a promising start. But the plan won't begin until July 1998, and there is no national commitment to adequate long-term funding. Needy children deserve help today. And for our part, this budget backs words with action. Our internationally acclaimed action plan for children is already blazing the trail to a better future for thousands of Saskatchewan young people. Thanks to this plan, more school children enjoy hot meals, more teen parents stay in school, and more recreational programs keep children oft' the street. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to announce that our action plan for children will provide $13 million more in benefits and services for Saskatchewan children this year. Now thousands more children and families will see a real improvement in their day-to-day lives. More children will receive the textbooks, notebooks, erasers, and pencils they need for school without cutting into the family budget for food and housing. More children will begin their day with nutritious meals. And when their parents go to work, more children will be cared for. We'll build new and improved child care centres in our inner cities, in our rural areas, and in the North. These measures give us the strong bridge we need until the long-term national plan is in place. And we will never let up until that plan is firmly established, a plan that can improve the future of children and families from coast to coast. Mr. Speaker, thousands of Saskatchewan people have made helping others their way of life. They work in women's shelters, homes for the disabled, and child care centres. For too long, they've laboured for low wages. After a lifetime of work, many don't even have the dignity of a small pension. These people have invested their lives in helping others. This budget invests in them. Today I am pleased to announce $10 million over three years for these front line care workers. That's to give them better wages and pensions. This investment includes $500,000 this year to improve the wages of our child care workers. Step by step, we're making lives better and making our communities safer. We're also working with others to build a province-wide 911 system to bring emergency services right to the doorstep of every Saskatchewan family. We're increasing funding for more RCMP officers in rural Saskatchewan. But our plan is not only to respond to crime. This budget advances innovative options to reduce crime. Restorative justice, community service, sentencing circles - these forward-looking initiatives bring our communities and our cultures together to build a safer and better Saskatchewan. Mr. Speaker, the mark of a great society is how well it treats its most vulnerable citizens. Our social safety net must always be there to protect people, but it should never become a trap. Real pride and hope come with self-respect and self-sufficiency. This budget takes significant steps to improve the lives of needy children, youth, and families. But most important, Mr. Speaker, it gives them real hope for the future. This budget also prepares our children to live and work in the new knowledge-based economy. New technologies and globalization are changing our world, creating thousands of exciting challenges and opportunities. Our schools must give our children a head start. Good teachers and a strong curriculum will always be essential, but the tools of the future, like access to the Internet, are becoming increasingly important. Our school boards and schools lead the way in using these new technologies. Programs like distance education bring students high quality instruction no matter where they live. We can build on this strong foundation by investing in our children. Therefore I am pleased to announce that operating grants for schools will increase to $363 million in 1997-98 and to $369 million in 1998-99. That's a $22 million increase over last year. Our children also need a learning environment that is safe and healthy. Therefore I am pleased to announce that this budget provides $17 million to build and renovate Saskatchewan schools. That's a 40 per cent increase over last year. Mr. Speaker, we're investing in Saskatchewan students to keep them at the head of the class. Active learning minds must never be blocked by the lack of money or privilege. In Canada the doors to a higher education have always been open, but federal cuts to post-secondary operating funding are undermining this system. Mr. Speaker, we in Saskatchewan are living up to our responsibilities. Our two universities are working hard to cut administration and duplication so that every available dollar can be spent in classrooms improving our students' education. They are now putting in place ideas nom the MacKay report. Already they've planned a new fibre optic link between campuses to share lecture and research information. Mr. Speaker, they're doing their part, and we will do ours. I'm pleased to announce $3 million in special funding this year. This funding will support their initiatives to share resources and will bring new technology like multimedia into their classrooms and libraries. In addition, we are more than doubling our ongoing capital grants this year. In total, we're providing $14 million to help our universities upgrade scientific and research equipment, to modernize labs and classrooms, to equip our students to excel in the new high-tech economy. Thousands of students today are frustrated by the federal cuts which they know are driving up tuitions. We share their frustration, and we're doing something about it. This budget replaces, dollar for dollar, federal cuts to our universities. Mr. Speaker, I'm pleased to announce operating funding for our universities will be $163 million in both 1997-98 and 1998-99. This funding will allow OUI universities to reconsider their recent tuition announcements. This is a substantial investment to help keep the doors of higher education open to Saskatchewan people. Mr. Speaker, learning today is a lifelong experience. An explosion in information and technology is creating exciting new jobs and opportunities. Our young people will need to be trained and retrained throughout their careers to get and keep these jobs. Just when we need to do more, the federal government is shutting down thousands of training spaces at SIAST (Saskatchewan Institute of Applied Science and Technology) and our regional colleges. More than one in four training opportunities will be lost as a result of these federal cuts. Apprenticeship programs alone will lose 70 per cent of their funding. That's why we're building our own made-in-Saskatchewan training system. Mr. Speaker, our young people are eager and ambitious. We must give them the training and skills they need to get ahead. Over the next three years, we will deliver more training to more young people for more jobs than ever in the history of this province. We're completely restoring funding for apprenticeship and adult basic education. We're building on the strengths of SIAST and our regional colleges. We're expanding our successful JobStart and Future Skills programs. In total, this budget provides $117 million this year to prepare Saskatchewan men and women for jobs today and tomorrow. That's investing in people. Mr. Speaker, this year Saskatchewan commemorates one of its finest achievements. Thirty-five years ago this province gave Canada medicare so that everyone, rich or poor, rural or urban, young or old, would receive the best health care available regardless of the size of his or her bank account. Hon. Ms. MacKinnon: - Today universal health care is under attack. The federal government says it supports the basic principles of public health care, yet it cuts billions of dollars from Canada's social programs. These cuts threaten to push our great country into a two-tiered health system. Mr. Speaker, what a sad and backward step. Saskatchewan people know the danger of a two-tiered system. Many remember when families had to choose between medical help and food or clothing, when hospital and medical costs could mean financial ruin. Mr. Speaker, as long as we are here, we promise those days will never come back. Saskatchewan people want one strong, publicly funded system available to all. That's why we are replacing every single federal dollar cut from health. On top of that, this budget makes a further major investment in health care. I am pleased to announce that we are providing health districts with an additional $51 million this year. This funding will bring advanced technology and better services to Saskatchewan people. More seniors will now enjoy the independence of living in their own homes. That's because round-the-clock home care will be just a call away. More people will have easier access to an MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) unit with one in Saskatoon and one in Regina. More people will receive faster, better emergency services, especially in rural Saskatchewan. Mr. Speaker, one out of every $3 this government spends will be invested in health. This investment builds a stable and secure health system for today and develops the new services families will need for tomorrow. Imagine the day when the parent of a sick child can receive the immediate advice of a specialist in Saskatoon or Regina, or even Toronto, regardless of where they live in Saskatchewan. That's the vision behind Telemedicine - an exciting new project to establish video links between health professionals and patients. Imagine the day when medical care can be provided closer to home for families right across Saskatchewan. That's the vision behind our plan to include advanced clinical nurses in our new health teams. These are just two examples of how we will be building our modem universal health system for today and tomorrow - a caring, compassionate, stable, and secure health system; a health system that will always be there when people need it. That's what the men and women of this province who pioneered medicare would have expected. That's what Saskatchewan people and families deserve. Mr. Speaker, a healthy society, a growing economy, sound finances - these are Saskatchewan's ingredients for success now and into the new century. We promised a balanced approach. We promised a balance between debt reduction, enhanced social programs, and tax cuts. We're keeping our promise to reduce the provincial debt. In 1993, Saskatchewan's debt was equal to more than 70 per cent of .all the goods and services produced in the province. Today it has been reduced to 49 per cent. By the year 2001, the total debt load will be cut to 36 per cent. Our annual interest bill will be $200 million less than in 1995. That's money we can put to work to strengthen social programs or reduce taxes. We're also keeping our promise to protect the cornerstones of our quality of life - health, social services, education. We're replacing 100 per cent of the federal cuts to these vital, social programs. But we're not stopping there. We set out a plan to preserve and enhance our quality of life right into the next century. We're also keeping our promise to lower taxes. In 1995, we reduced personal income taxes and we did it with fairness. We made sure that every single Saskatchewan taxpayer benefited from this tax cut. But there was compassion as well as fairness. More than 6,000 lower income earners no longer pay income tax because of this measure. The way we apply the education and health tax is further confirmation of the fairness of our tax system. We do not apply the sales tax to family essentials items like children's clothing, electricity, and home heating fuel. Other provinces tax these items. And Mr. Speaker, I'd like to remind everyone that under the federal government's harmonized tax scheme, these family essentials would be taxed. We do not tax them because we believe they are a necessary part of the family budget. We also believe that other family expenses such as certain medical devices should not be taxed - items like glucose monitors, cholesterol testers, medical supports, and braces. Therefore, I'm pleased to announce an extension of the sales tax exemption for medical equipment. Effective midnight tonight these and similar medical devices will no longer be taxed. But we promised to do even more when we could afford to. We believe that when a tax cut is given, it has to be sustainable through the future. Mr. Speaker, the province's finances are sound. Our economy is strong and growing. Today we can introduce a further responsible, sustainable tax cut - a tax cut that will benefit families right across the province; a tax cut that puts $180 million back into Saskatchewan pocketbooks and cash registers each and every year; a tax cut that business people told us would do more than any other single measure to create jobs. Mr. Speaker, I'm very pleased today to announce a reduction in Saskatchewan's sales tax. Effective midnight tonight, the education and health tax will be reduced from 9 per cent to 7 per cent. This is the tax cut Saskatchewan people have worked so hard for. As of midnight tonight, the people of Saskatchewan will pay less in sales tax than any other province with such a tax. Mr. Speaker, this tax cut proves that discipline and sound financial management pays off, but today's budget shows something more. It shows this government's determination to keep our commitments and to take a balanced approach. It shows we can pay down debt, we can create prosperity and jobs, we can cut taxes. We can do all of these things and still enhance and strengthen the social programs that make Saskatchewan the best place in the whole world in which to live. Mr. Speaker, all the strategic investments and benefits I've announced today were made possible by Saskatchewan people - by their determination, their hard work, their sacrifice and discipline. Today's benefits are the rewards of sound, careful management of the public purse. And today we are renewing our commitment to the people of Saskatchewan - our promise to invest wisely and to safeguard our ability to choose our own future. William Jennings Bryan once wrote: Destiny is a matter of choice; it is not a thing to be waited for, it is a thing to be achieved. Today we stand on the threshold of a new century filled with confidence and optimism. We've made our choices - growth and jobs, roads and infrastructure, social programs, lower taxes. We are achieving our destiny with balance, fairness, and responsible financial management. That's how to invest in people. That's how to build a modem, prosperous, and cooperative society. That's how to work together to build a better today and an even better tomorrow on our way to the 21st century. Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the Premier: That this Assembly do now resolve itself into the Committee of Finance.