Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe and MLA Doug Steele pay visit to Leader

By Joan Janzen

The residents of Leader welcomed Premier Scott Moe and MLA Doug Steele to their town on Friday, July 22nd. The Premier and Mr. Steele were visiting some of the municipalities in the Cypress Hills Constituency. The town of Leader was fortunate to be chosen as one of the stops along the way.

Aaron Wenzel, mayor of Leader, said there were 25 people present at a round table discussion. The communities involved included the Town of Leader, RM of Happyland, Town of Cabri, RM of Miry Creek, RM and Village of Fox Valley, Village of Richmound, and the Town of Burstall.

The meeting presented an opportunity for these municipal leaders to bring up concerns and discuss issues they are facing. Many topics were covered, but primary subjects received most of the Premier’s attention. These included the low water levels on the west end of the lake at the Diefenbaker Dam, poor cell phone coverage and limited high-speed internet in the rural areas, and healthcare concerns.

School division concerns included funding and dispersal of funds, while municipalities noted the challenges in maintaining and replacing ageing infrastructure with little to no government funding. Management of water levels in the South Saskatchewan River was another valid concern. Also discussed was the importance of short line rail lines to the area communities.

“We toured the rail line with Aaron Wenzel,” Doug Steele said. “They’re doing wonderful things there, and there’s room for growth.” The Premier, Mr. Steele, along with the mayor and council members, enjoyed a tasty lunch at Scott’s Fine Foods.

“We want to maintain the businesses in our communities and enhance services,” Steele said. “In my mind, there’s no better place to live than rural Saskatchewan. It’s so important to have good internet services; it’s part of the growth in our community.” He noted that Leader is scheduled to receive high-speed internet within the next year and a half, with better services provided in the rural areas as much as possible.

“We also discussed the interruptions in health care. We even talked about police services because criminals have no boundaries. That’s the type of discussion we had,” he explained.

Also discussed was the condition of Highway 21, which is vitally important for moving commodities. “These are quality conversations when we sit down with transparency,” Steele said. “We really appreciate the input from the folks who were there. They were so respectful, and it was such great dialogue.”

Mayor Wenzel agreed, saying, “Overall, it was a good meeting with the Premier.”

L-R: MLA Doug Steele, Premier Scott Moe, Scott Wenzel, owner of Scott’s Fine Foods, and Mayor Aaron Wenzel, enjoyed lunch at Scott’s Fine Foods in Leader. SUBMITTED PHOTO.