Government sets out plans for 2007

If the provincial government's latest throne speech is any indication, increasing the opportunities available to Aboriginal people in Saskatchewan will be a priority during the coming year.
The speech, presented by Lieutenant Governor Dr. Gordon Barnhart on Oct. 26, divides the government's priorities into four areas, described by the government as the four cornerstones guiding its agenda. Those cornerstones include working to ensure the province is a good place for young people to live, work and build strong futures; improving public health care; taking a leadership role in environmental protection and building a green economy; and ensuring families benefit from the province's strong economy.
A number of the government initiatives planned to meets these objectives deal specifically with improving the lives of the province's Aboriginal population, including expanding partnerships with Aboriginal people to improve education and training opportunities available to them, expanding the Aboriginal workforce within the health sector, improving roadway access to First Nation communities and partnering with the Aboriginal community to host a national summit on Aboriginal economic development. The throne speech also promises government will examine the impact of the legislation that exempts employers in the north from having to pay overtime to their employees
Other throne speech highlights include expansion of the province's literacy program, a continued freeze on university tuition, further development of agroforestry and working to improve viability of the forestry industry.
The government has also promised to continue its efforts to develop a province-wide anti-racism strategy, to provide funding for the creation of more cultural and recreational facilities, and to make 2007 a year-long celebration of the arts and music.
The government also used the throne speech to announce the creation of Family Day, a new statutory holiday that will be celebrated each February.