Tough budget focus of Sask. spring sitting - Action News
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Saskatchewan

Tough budget focus of Sask. spring sitting

The spring sitting of the Saskatchewan Legislature begins tomorrow with a new MLA taking his seat and all eyes looking ahead to what's expected to be one of this government's toughest budgets.

Government faces billion-dollar deficit this year, new budget to come March 22

The government has floated a number of trial balloons leading up to the budget. (Cory Herperger/CBC)

The spring sitting of the Saskatchewan Legislature begins tomorrow with a new MLA taking his seat and all eyes looking ahead to what's expected to be one of this government's toughest budgets.

"There'll be a number of issues debated, but none so important as the budget," said Premier Brad Wall last week in Saskatoon.

"We'll have to ask ourselves the question, 'Can we get it all to balance this year?'"Wall said.

"Or do we lay out a short-term, clear plan to get it to balance so that we can maintain a strong economy, good public service and priority of getting the budget back to balance?"

Premier Brad Wall says there will be no more important business debated during the spring sitting than the budget. (Adam Hunter/CBC)

The Opposition will also be focused on finances, as interim NDP leader Trent Wotherspoon told reporters on Friday in Regina.

"We have a government that's mismanaging in ways that Saskatchewan people can't imagine and that are threatening what we value," he said, rattling off,"jobs for Saskatchewan people; not supporting our classrooms; attacking health care; trying to sell off our Crown corporations."

Opposition finance critic Cathy Sproule and interim NDP leader Trent Wotherspoon say they will continue to fight against cuts to health and education. (Don Somers/CBC)

The government has floated a number of trial balloons leading up to the budget, including unpaid days off for government employees, cuts to revenue sharing for municipalities and layoffs to deal with the deficit.

The premier has also said the government will unveil its plans for education reform on budget day.

The budget will be tabled on March22.