Premier of Saskatchewan

Premier of Saskatchewan
Post	Premier of Saskatchewan
Body	Saskatchewan
Incumbent	Scott Moe
Incumbentsince	2018-02-02
Style	The Honourable
Reports to	Lieutenant Governor of Saskatchewan
Seat	Regina, Saskatchewan
Nominator	political party leader
Appointer	Lieutenant Governor of Saskatchewan
Termlength	At the Lieutenant Governor's pleasure
Formation	1905
Inaugural	Thomas Walter Scott

Premier of Saskatchewan is the head of government of the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. The premier leads the provincial executive, represents Saskatchewan in intergovernmental affairs with Canada and other jurisdictions, and shapes public policy within the province. The office holders have included leaders from parties such as the Saskatchewan Party, the New Democratic Party and the historic Liberal Party.

Role and responsibilities

The premier serves as the chief minister of Saskatchewan and is responsible for organizing the provincial cabinet, directing the implementation of statutes passed by the Legislative Assembly, and representing the province before the Parliament of Canada, the Council of the Federation, and international partners. Duties include advising the Lieutenant Governor of Saskatchewan on appointments such as heads of Crown corporations like Saskatchewan Power Corporation and judicial nominations to the Court of Appeal for Saskatchewan. The premier often engages with leaders such as the Prime Minister of Canada, premiers of provinces including Alberta, Manitoba, and British Columbia, and municipal leaders in Regina and Saskatoon.

Selection and appointment

A premier is typically the leader of the party that commands the confidence of the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan following a provincial election called under the authority of the Lieutenant Governor of Saskatchewan. Party leadership is determined through internal processes of parties such as the Saskatchewan Party leadership conventions, the NDP leadership elections, or the historic mechanisms of the Liberal Party. Once a party leader demonstrates support in the legislature, the Lieutenant Governor of Saskatchewan formally appoints that person as premier. Vacancies have arisen through resignations, leadership reviews, and electoral defeats, as seen in transitions involving figures like Brad Wall, Roy Romanow, and Allan Blakeney.

Powers and functions

The premier selects ministers to form the cabinet and assigns portfolios managing Crown agencies such as Saskatchewan Health Authority and SaskTel. The premier directs provincial strategy on issues involving provincial statutes like the Saskatchewan Employment Act and participates in fiscal negotiations over transfers from the Government of Canada including the Canada Health Transfer and Canada Social Transfer. The office exerts influence over policy areas including natural resources in regions such as the Athabasca Basin and sectors represented by entities like Cameco, as well as negotiations affecting Indigenous relations with groups such as the Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations and treaty bodies rooted in the Numbered Treaties.

Relationship with the Legislative Assembly and Cabinet

The premier must maintain the confidence of the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan to govern, answering questions during sessions and participating in debates alongside members from caucuses like the Saskatchewan New Democratic Party and opposition parties such as the Green Party of Saskatchewan. Cabinet collective responsibility is exercised through instruments such as orders-in-council and legislative initiatives debated in the Assembly chamber at the Legislative Building in Regina. The premier coordinates with the Speaker of the Assembly, ministers including the Minister of Health (Saskatchewan), the Minister of Finance (Saskatchewan), and committee chairs overseeing portfolios like finance, agriculture, and justice.

History and notable premiers

Since the province's creation in 1905, premiers have included founders and reformers whose tenures intersected with events like the Great Depression, World Wars, and constitutional debates involving the Constitution Act, 1867 and later constitutional accords. Early leaders such as Thomas Walter Scott and Walter Scott (Thomas Walter Scott) guided provincial establishment; reformist premiers like Tommy Douglas of the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation implemented pioneering health policies that influenced the national Medicare model; and leaders such as Allan Blakeney and Roy Romanow advanced Crown corporation and social policy. Recent notable premiers include Brad Wall, who led economic development tied to energy sectors and trade with partners like the United States, and Scott Moe, whose administration has engaged with issues such as resource royalties and federal-provincial relations.

Office and residence

The premier's official seat is in Regina, with executive functions carried out from offices in the Legislative Building. There is no official government-provided residence analogous to Rideau Hall for the premier; former premiers have used private residences in Regina or Saskatoon and maintain staff in executive offices and constituency offices across provincial ridings such as Saskatoon Meewasin or Regina Wascana Plains. The premier's office liaises with provincial agencies including Saskatchewan Public Service Commission and communications teams that interact with media organizations based in cities like Regina Leader-Post and Saskatoon StarPhoenix.

List of premiers and chronological succession

The list of premiers begins with Thomas Walter Scott (1905) and proceeds through leaders including Walter Scott, James G. Gardiner, John Bracken, Tommy Douglas, Woodrow Lloyd, Ross Thatcher, Allan Blakeney, Grant Devine, Roy Romanow, Lorne Calvert, Brad Wall, and the incumbent Scott Moe. Succession typically follows provincial elections, party leadership changes, or resignation; notable succession events involve leadership conventions, confidence votes in the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan, and transitions documented in provincial archives and biographies of figures such as Tommy Douglas and Brad Wall.

Category:Politics of Saskatchewan Category:Premiers in Canada