Highlights from the Saskatchewan throne speech

REGINA – Highlights from the Saskatchewan throne speech:

— Amend the Saskatchewan Employment Act to include essential services law, which was upheld earlier this year by the Court of Appeal.

— Change legislation so that inspection reports of licensed personal care homes are made public.

— Create a program so seniors with complex issues can get house calls from physicians, nurse practitioners and other health-care providers.

— Implement “hot spotting” pilot programs in Saskatoon and Regina to help high-risk, high-use patients who repeatedly show up in emergency rooms.

— Spend $5 million over four years through SaskTel to increase bandwidth and improve Internet access and speed at schools.

— Act on recommendations from anti-bullying public consultations and on recommendations from an all-party traffic safety committee.

— Introduce legislation to create a lobbyist registry.

— Create 1,000 new training seats in 2014, including 300 new apprenticeship spots and 700 new spots for the Adult Basic Education program.

— Build nine so-called “joint-use” schools through public-private partnerships to allow public and Catholic schools to share some facilities.

— Develop a manufacturing centre of excellence to focus on innovation as well as to provide First Nations and Metis people with skills training.