The Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities will be holding their annual convention in Regina in two weeks, and the association’s president, Ray Orb, is looking forward to it.  

“I know there’s a lot of information sharing at those meetings, but the attraction, I know for me from attending these conventions for a number of years, is listening to the premier, it’s listening to the leader of the opposition, too,” Orb told Discover Weyburn.  

The show, which runs from March 13th to 15th at Evraz Place in Regina, will see the Leader of the Opposition, Carla Beck, address the convention on the opening day, with Premier Scott Moe addressing the convention on the 14th. After Moe speaks, the provincial cabinet will then take part in the bear pit session, where the attendees get to ask questions of the ministers.  

“Our members get to chat with these ministers before the bear pit, which is also a highlight,” Orb added. “They get to ask the questions directly of the ministers, get more information.” 

The agenda for the convention will also include the presentation of the Saskatchewan Municipal Awards, presentations from Merle Massie, Lorri Matthewson, Municipal Hail Insurance, and the president of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities, Scott Pearce. Attendees will also get the chance to take in sessions about social media and more. 

Resolutions brought forward by the various rural municipalities throughout Saskatchewan will be discussed during the second day of the convention. Some of the proposed resolutions this year include calling for more nurse practitioners in rural communities, inviting the Agricultural Producers Association of Saskatchewan to present at all SARM conventions, and calling for a wolf reduction program in parts of Saskatchewan.  

“We’ll more than fill up Evraz for the convention, as always, and hoping for some weather that’s conducive to travel, and looking forward to the discussion,” Orb concluded.