Saskatchewan.

• Author: Woods, Margaret
• Position: Legislative Reports

The Assembly completed its spring session on schedule on May 17. The adjournment brought to a close the first session of the House under the sitting calendar adopted last October.

The session saw the introduction of 72 public bills and the passage of 67 of them. In addition, two Private Bills were considered and enacted. Last fall's changes to the standing orders implemented an elaborate process specifying deadlines by which bills and estimates had to be introduced along with minimal periods of consideration in order for them to be brought to a final vote before the spring adjournment. The process necessitated the compilation of complex statistics which in the end were not availed to as the bills and estimates were permitted to proceed through all stages by agreement of all members.

Cabinet shuffle

Shortly after the House adjourned for the summer, Premier Lorne Calvert announced a significant reorganization of his cabinet. The shuffle included the reassignments of veteran ministers and the appointment of five new ministers, three of whom will be joining cabinet for the first time. The shuffle was prompted in part by the decision of a number of ministers and backbench members to not seek reelection.

Leading the changes was the appointment of Pat Atkinson as the new Finance minister. Maynard Sonntag assumed the Industry and Resources portfolio in addition to his current duties at First Nations and Metis Relations. Buckley Belanger moved to Highways and Transportation while Warren McCall took on Advanced Education and Employment. The reorganization also included the reassignment of secondary duties amongst several members of the cabinet.

The three new members of cabinets are Ron Harper as Minister of Corrections and Public Safety, Lon Borgerson with the Regional Economic and Co-operative Development portfolio and Sandra Morin at Culture, Youth and Recreation. Judy Junor and Kevin Yates returned to cabinet and were respectfully assigned the Crown Investments Corporation and Community Resources responsibilities. Minister Yates will also serve as Government House Leader.

The May cabinet shuffle necessitated changes to the chairmanship and membership of several committees. As a result, a series of committee meetings were held in early July to elect Glenn Hagel as the chair of the Crown and Central Agencies Committee, Doreen Hamilton as the chair of the Economy Committee, Eldon Lautermilch as the chair of the Human Services Committee and Andrew...