Saskatchewan.

• Author: Ursulescu, Stacey
• Position: Legislative Reports

Budget

The Third session of the Twenty-Eighth Legislature resumed on March 4, 2019. On March 20, 2019, the Minister of Finance, Donna Harpauer, presented the province's budget for 2019-20. The budget, entitled "The Right Balance," announced funding in government programs such as mental health, autism for children under six, home care, education, and intersection safety. The government said the "budget achieves the right balance by investing to help meet the needs of a growing population and economy, while ensuring debt is managed responsibly."

The opposition called the budget off-balance and criticised the government for increasing debt. The opposition Finance critic, Trent Wotherspoon, moved an amendment to the budget debate motion on March 21, 2019. The amendment stated that the opposition "... disagrees with the government for tabling a budget that piles on debt, fails to invest in classrooms, and does nothing to reverse the damage to people and our economy caused by the increase and expansion of the PST."

On March 28, 2019, the amendment was defeated and the budget motion was passed in the Assembly. Under the Rules and Procedures of the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan, the estimates were automatically committed to their respective...