As this stretch of autumn continues to give us glorious weather, we are inclined and inspired to spend time in reflection.
I recently spent time with family hiking the Kristi Lake Nature Trail, a fabulous example of a treasure in my Saskatchewan Rivers constituency. In just an hour, we were able to explore the four different ecosystems in the Boreal Forest on this interpretive hiking Trail. It was a perfect day.
In our region, producers are harvesting a bumper crop, with reports of even 100 bushels per acre. Not so long ago, 40 bushels per acre was considered a great crop. This years bounty has truly been a blessing.
With Thanksgiving approaching we are reminded of all the blessings God has given us. We are thankful for families, our traditions and our Saskatchewan way of life.
This time of year we tend to equate food with fellowship and love of family, demonstrated by the many annual Fowl Suppers that will soon pop up throughout the province. I encourage everyone to take time to enjoy one of these, where friends and neighbours get together to nourish body and soul before the onset of a prairie winter.
These are the times where we realize that strength of community is founded on a culture of caring for each other. It is a privilege and a blessing to be able to celebrate and rest, assured that we have worked hard to secure our future.
Just as we work hard in our personal lives and in our communities to prepare for the future, we expect the same from our leaders. Sadly the confidence we used to have in our leadership has been shaken in recent years at all levels of government and even in many of the boards and institutions so vital to the systems our society relies on.
Despite that, the resilience of Saskatchewan people means we have not lost hope. Instead, people all over the province are working hard to hold their elected officials to account, making clear what the priorities are on many issues, and what direction they want government to take.
We have a strong expectation for our leaders to demonstrate integrity and transparency in their governing. Regrettably, these traits are in short supply. It is our responsibility to set the tone and remove those from leadership that have broken our trust. In Saskatchewan, we the people have the final say.
As we embrace the change of one season to another, my hope is that the values of compassion, unity and resilience upon which we have built this amazing province will be strengthened. We need all voices and fresh ideas to bring wisdom to the healing and advancement of our province. In unity, we can rebuild or where necessary, even re-invent the systems that once served us so well in our province.
Nadine Wilson is the Saskatchewan United Party MLA for Saskatchewan Rivers.
