Premier Scott Moe was in Moose Jaw on Saturday morning, addressing supporters within the campaign headquarters on Main Street.
During his visit he covered a wide variety of topics including affordability, economic and population growth, and the retention of Saskatchewan’s graduates and youth.
His speech opened with the Premier speaking about cost of living and affordability within the province.
“We are focused laser focused; I would say, on keeping life more affordable for you by lowering your personal income taxes. You will get to earn and keep more of your money before you pay any provincial income tax at all.”
“In fact, today a family of four in Saskatchewan already pays less income tax than they did under the NDP in 2007, with the proposed changes that we put forward this past week, that same family of four will be able to earn just over $72,000 before they pay a nickel of provincial income tax that's prepaid.”
He noted that that limit is nearly three times higher than before the SaskParty took office. Explaining that seniors and families of four would save approximately $3100 and $3400, respectively, over the next four years as a result.
“We want you to have to keep more of your hard-earned money right in your pocket as opposed to sending it off to government. We think you know how to spend your money quite fine, and we want you to keep as much as possible. The NDP on the other hand, they don't think you know what you're doing with your own money.
Moe discussed the record population growth that Saskatchewan experienced since taking office.
“We also have record population growth with more than a quarter million people that have moved to your community and mine in Saskatchewan are now making their home in this great province. That's a quarter million people more than when we took office just over 16 years ago after so many years of Saskatchewan decline loss and closure under the NDP.”
He expressed concerns of stagnation and decline should the NDP form government in the province.
“My greatest fear of an NDP government is decline and loss, and that's what we had under them for 16 years... We had population stagnation. We had people that wouldn't invest here for fear that they would nationalize their industry.”
“We had people that were leaving Saskatchewan versus where we have been for the last 17 years, where we have a graduate retention program, a program that the NDP would scrap, has attracted and kept 85,000 students, career people, kids in our community.”
Moe touted the successes of the graduate retention program, which in recent weeks has expanded by 20 per cent, reporting a total of $800 million in tuition tax credits being provided since its inception.
The Premier brought attention to investments brought to the Moose Jaw area – in both the public and private sectors. He highlighted the continued growth in the potash industry, specifically the expansions to the K+S Potash mines north of the city and the Simpson Seeds lentil processing facility as examples of successes in bringing private investment and job growth to the city.
He expressed the need for continued private investment, which in turn, helps fund public sector improvements, while taking aim at the NDP’s current platform.
“None of that happens under the NDP and in turn, without the strength of that growing, vibrant economy, the government doesn't have the investment capacity to build a Wigmore hospital, and it doesn't have the investment capacity to replace the schools in this community.”
“So that is an example of the big things that the NDP will not focus on, didn't focus on and their plan with a $3 billion hole in it with no plan to pay for that and at least not a plan that they will be straight with and talked about in front of Saskatchewan.”
The construction of the Great Plains Power Station, as well as the joint-use elementary school on South Hill were among the public sector investments he drew attention to.
He closed by thanking the community for its support.
“Thank you for all you are doing in your community. All you are doing to ensure that the Saskatchewan economy is strong and that our Saskatchewan future is so very bright for that next generation, for our children and our grandchildren and for all those that are coming (to the province). Thank you for having us here today.”
