The end of my summer has been busy and exciting with events all around the constituency!
It was my pleasure to attend the Rural Municipality of Prince Albert’s grand opening for their new municipal centre at the junction of Highways 2 and 11. The RM council received $500,000 from the Municipal Economic Enhancement Program (MEEP) that was made available during the pandemic by the Government of Saskatchewan. This new municipal centre is a symbol of progress and prosperity for our area.
I was honoured to be asked to take part in the Grand Entry for the PA Grand Council Gathering of Nations. The three-day event featured hand games, card tournaments, talent shows, jigging contests, traditional teachings and foods. The ingenuity and wisdom of Indigenous people is a blessing, a benefit to each one of us and unites us in responsibility – not only for this land but for ourselves as individuals, our families, and our communities.
I was pleased to attend the grand opening for the Rose Garden Hospice. The hospice features 10 spacious bedrooms and bathrooms, a cozy living room, large kitchen, and a meditation room. This facility will provide a significant service to PA and area.
The Rose Garden Hospice is a great example of our community coming together to bring a dream to reality. I would like to thank the Daschuk family for the vision you had to honour your wife and mother, Rose; Fred Trach for donating the 10-acre parcel of land the new facility sits on; and all the volunteers and donors involved.
I was also pleased to attend the PA Ukrainian Independence Day celebration, the Ovarian Cancer Canada Walk of Hope in Saskatoon, the St. Alban’s Cathedral special awareness and remembrance event for World Suicide Prevention Day, and to present the Council of the Federation Literacy Award to the PA Literacy Network. Thanks to all these groups for involving me in your events!
Your Saskatchewan Party government continues to invest in safer, stronger communities across Saskatchewan. Our government is investing over $686,000 in YWCA Prince Albert to fund residential services in the community and surrounding area.
The Youth Residential Support Services program provides safe, supervised housing for at-risk youth involved in the justice system. Here, youth also gain access to education, training, and employment opportunities, giving them the best chance to successfully reintegrate back into their communities.
The Enhanced Residential Services programs at Our House and Central Avenue provide safe shelter and support services to women and their children experiencing interpersonal violence and abuse. Since 2021, this program has received investments totalling nearly $1.67 million.
Thank you to the YWCA staff and management for helping to improve the lives and outcomes of at-risk youth and victims of interpersonal violence and abuse.
These investments are possible thanks to a strong and growing provincial economy. September 17 to 23 is National Forestry Week, a week dedicated to highlighting the important role of the forestry sector in the provincial economy and environment. Did you know that of the 8,000 jobs Saskatchewan’s forestry sector supports, 27 per cent are Indigenous? More than half of our province is forested, and the forestry sector continues to drive growth, especially in Northern Saskatchewan.
As I prepare for the fall session of the Legislature, I look forward to hearing your thoughts, questions and concerns. These conversations inform government policy and help me continue to represent your best interests in the Legislature. You can contact my office at 306-763-7677 or panorthcote.mla@sasktel.net. Or you are always welcome to stop by the office at #7, 598 15th Street East here in PA.
