The Canada Day celebrations in our city were a welcome event as they gave people a chance to reconnect with their community and neighbours. It was wonderful to see people gather in celebration of shared history, our Canadian identity, and a country we are proud to call home. Thank you to the women and men who fought for and preserved these freedoms. Congratulations to all the organizers and volunteers for their work to make these celebrations a success.
On June 29, I was honoured to be part of the National Indigenous Peoples Day held in Prince Albert. The Opening Ceremony, dancing and music helped to bring awareness to the diverse culture, heritage, knowledge and voices of our First Nations, Métis, and Inuit People.
Our shared history did not begin with the formation of Saskatchewan or even this country. Our province is a land synonymous with Indigenous culture and is part of our heritage. An event like National Indigenous Peoples Day helps build relationships as we continue our shared journey.
Congratulations to all the graduating students of 2022! The over five hundred graduating students in Prince Albert can be very proud of your efforts as you remained focused on education during the pandemic. Our government is keen to see our graduates stay in Saskatchewan to help build our province for the future. The Graduate Retention Program is the most aggressive youth program in Canada, providing up to $20,000 in tax credits to post-secondary graduates who remain in Saskatchewan after graduation to start their careers. To date, more than 75,000 graduates have claimed these credits. You can find more information at Saskatchewan.ca.
Thank you to all the teachers and staff for the incredible work, commitment, and dedication offered to our students throughout the 2021-22 school year. With more than 190,000 students enrolled in Saskatchewan provincially funded schools, our educators and support staff demonstrated their strong commitment to serving students. I wish you a great summer.
With the arrival of a humanitarian flight in Regina on July 4, more than 1,000 Ukrainian people have arrived in Saskatchewan since the Russian invasion began. Thanks to generous support from people like you, our new neighbours are settling into communities across the province. Saskatchewan has a proud Ukrainian community and has welcomed their fellow Ukrainians with open arms. It has been heartwarming to see so many groups and individuals working to assist these newcomers through donations and fundraising events. Information about available programs and services will continue to be available to Ukrainian newcomers on an ongoing basis. A toll-free number, 1-833-613-0485, is also available to help displaced Ukrainians access information when they arrive in Saskatchewan. Inquiries can also be sent to ukrainesupport@gov.sk.ca.
I encourage you to nominate your neighbour, friend, coworkers or relative who has made a significant contribution to society for the Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Medal. The medal was created to celebrate the 70th anniversary of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II’s accession to the throne. A total of 7,000 medals will be awarded at ceremonies throughout the province during the Platinum Jubilee year.
Nominations are open until October 31, 2022. You can email your nominations to our office or drop them off in person. Nominees must be living in Saskatchewan or have a link to Saskatchewan at the time of the presentation, have contributed to Canada, Saskatchewan, or a particular region or community, and was alive on February 6, 2022, the 70th anniversary of Her Majesty’s accession to the throne.
If you have questions, comments, concerns or require assistance with provincial government programs or services, I encourage you to contact my constituency office at #7, 598 15th Street East; we can be reached at 306-763-7677 or email at: panorthcote.mla@sasktel.net.
