Business support, reconciliation work, environment some of highlights of ‘Power Hour’

Support for business

In response to a question on what the province is doing to ensure Saskatchewan businesses get their product to market to remain competitive, Cox said the new budget will have some incentives to help businesses.

He said as part of the province’s growth plan through to 2030 it will increase agricultural exports.

“We know we are facing some headwinds from far down East, but we are going to continue to do the things we can to keep Saskatchewan businesses strong,” he said.

MP Falk blamed the federal government for hurting business and investment with implementing some forcible policies such as the carbon tax.

She was also concerned about U.S. businessman Warren Buffett’s investment company Berkshire Hathaway’s decision to pull out from a major investment project in Quebec. It was reported the decision was related to a perception of a current “political context” in Canada, relating to the ongoing rail blockades issue. She wants to see more investors choose Canada to do business.

“I believe for the federal government there is a lot of work that can be done… that the federal government can do,” Falk said.

First Nation role

When looking at the federal and provincial decision-making process, Semaganis spoke up that First Nations leaders should have “a place at the table” too.

“All levels of government have to work together,” he said. “Of some of the uncertainties Canada faces today, the biggest uncertainty is in their relationship with the the First Nation.”

He said First Nations leaders would like the prime minister to meet them to discuss the problems First Nation communities face.

“How can we have a future together when we won’t only even address the day-to-day issues we face,” Semaganis said. “Certainly the government of Canada doesn’t want to address the past issues it has with First Nations. That’s the great difficulty….I hope the premiers and the prime minister of Canada will meet with the First Nations leaders to address all these issues because they are all our problem… When we signed Treaty it was an acknowledgement that there is a new way of life coming, that we have to have respect, that we have to have a good neighbour policy.”

MP Rosemarie Falk among region’s representatives taking part in Chamber’s Power Hour today. pic.twitter.com/Fjn8FAicqg

— Angela Brown (@OCoureurDesBois) March 6, 2020

Aguilar-Antiman discussed economic development work, one of the other topics addressed in the questions submitted in the event.

“Economic development is the way of the future,” Aguilar-Antiman said. “First Nations are ready to partner. So businesses that are here, we are ready to partner. We need to build capacity at the community level and we need to work together.”

Partnerships

The issue of forming partnerships also was addressed in the event.

North Battleford Mayor Ryan Bater discussed the new Battlefords Regional Community Coalition – a partnership made up of the city and town mayors and currently five area First Nation leaders – as part of the Sacichawasihc Relationship Agreement.

He said the mandate of the partnership was to address socio-economic issues and economic development, and “to align our local governments together for a unified voice,” he said. “Our next step is to engage the senior levels of government… (and) align all four orders of government that are present in this area – Indigenous, federal, provincial and municipal – so we can start to address our challenges in a coordinated way.”

Bater said the partnership is “very exciting” and the parties are meeting on a regular basis.

“We need to work together more in an actual meaningful way,” he said. “There is a lot to come still.”

Aguilar-Antiman took the opportunity to say the reason her First Nation didn’t sign on was because they already have nation-to-nation relations and treaties.

She said the First Nation can work with other chiefs directly and “go to knock on their door” to have conversations.

“The two mayors as well are well aware if we are going to work with them we’ll go and meet with them,” she said.

Aguilar-Antiman said while her First Nation didn’t sign the agreement she does think it is a good idea that everyone is talking in the partnership.

“We have work to do, and we need to talk about it. I’m grateful that they still invite us to the table,” she said, while adding that for her First Nation they didn’t feel the agreement was needed to be able to meet and work together.

Power Hour participants, left to right, North Battleford Mayor Ryan Bater, Little Pine Cree Nation Chief Wayne Semaganis, MP Rosemarie Falk and MLA Herb Cox, Mosquito Grizzly Bear’s Head Lean Man First Nation Chief Tanya Aguilar-Antiman and Town of Battleford Mayor Ames Leslie, with the chamber’s Melanie Roberts acting as emcee. (Angela Brown/battlefordsNOW Staff)

Environment

The issue of the environment was also addressed during the question session.

Falk said there needs to be better communication of some of the work being done to improve the environment and reduce the carbon footprint.

“I think industry for the most part does a really good job [in the effort],” she said. “The messaging needs to be better. When we look at the carbon capture – what our farmers are doing, how much carbon they are storing in the soil – the messaging has to be on point.”

Mental health

The issue of mental health was also on the table during the event. Battleford Mayor Ames Leslie commented on the success of the Better Together campaign to help bring older and younger generations together and encourage conversation, a step towards positive mental health. He said the project initiated by local youth Allysa Woodrow has taken off in neighbouring communities, across the nation and internationally. The mayor said people need to talk about mental health.

“We need to learn to talk,” he said.

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angela.brown@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @battlefordsNOW

by Angela Brown

Business support, reconciliation work, environment some of highlights of ‘Power Hour’

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