(Submitted photo/Todd Goudy)

By Cam Lee

Goudy discusses spring session

Melfort MLA sheds light on issues, challenges as legislative session starts

Mar 7, 2024 | 10:36 AM

The MLA for the Melfort constituency is excited to be back in the Legislature for the spring session.

Todd Goudy, who has represented the Saskatchewan Party as an MLA since a by-election in 2018, has weighed in on several issues and topics affecting the northeast.

Among those issues is the ongoing dispute between teachers and the provincial government. Teachers remain without a contract and have been taking job action, including several days of strikes, as they look to make classroom size and complexity part of contract negotiations. The province has refused to consider the idea thus far.

“As a parent, you know, our biggest allies outside of family and close friends in the community are the teachers in the lives of our kids,” Goudy told northeastNOW “We aren’t arguing the fact that they are speaking up about classroom size and complexity, that that isn’t an issue.”

Goudy said he hopes that the teachers hear that they are appreciated and that they are important.

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“When you look at the role of education in workforce development – they play a vital role.”

The government does hear them, according to Goudy, and the difference in opinion is where the classroom size and complexity issues are negotiated. He said the best place for students and teachers is in the classroom, and to move forward on the issue both sides need to return to the bargaining table.

Goudy said the local school board trustees are more understanding of the complexities each community is dealing with and their work of school boards, trustees, school divisions, and administrators is also appreciated.

The provincial budget is coming up later this month, and Goudy said there’s not much to be said yet except it will be focused on building for a stable future and that he’s looking forward to what will come of it.

Goudy said he is also anticipating local growth in communities like Melfort and others in the northeast. He added the government has also been having discussions with local municipalities about infrastructure.

The recent snowfall was important to the Melfort constituency as well, said Goudy.

“We certainly need moisture,” Goudy said. “When the farmers do well, northeast Saskatchewan – the Melfort area specifically – we do well. I’ve heard many people say agriculture is the backbone of Saskatchewan and we’re pretty thankful for the moisture we’ve gotten lately.”

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Cam.lee@pattisonmedia.com

On X: @northeastNOW_SK