The Hour of the Big Stories.

Saskatchewan may be done with public health orders, but the COVID-19 pandemic has left us with about 35,000 people waiting for surgeries or other procedures, and there's a lot of catching up to be done. Our provincial budget included a record-high $6.8 billion in health spending, and an additional $62M in federal funding is earmarked to help clear the backlog. Health Minister Paul Merriman joins Gormley to tell us about the current surgical backlog, and how the Province is addressing the issue.

SaskPower is pumping the brakes on the installation of smart meters in the province because of a shortage of one key component - microchips. Some farmers and rural customers had been notified that they would get a smart meter this spring, but due to the ongoing global supply chain issues, residents will be waiting longer for their smart meter install. Director of Customer Care & Billing with SaskPower, Sheldon Smith, joins John with more information on how many people are impacted by the delay and when they might finally get their smart meters.

According to a survey done by the Canadian Hub for Applied and Social Research at the University of Saskatchewan, Canadians are becoming divided, some even saying they don't talk to certain friends or family anymore over issues like COVID and politics. Jason Disano, director of the Canadian Hub for Applied and Social Research at the U of S joins Gormley to discuss the findings from the phone survey and the issues that are dividing people. Are there certain topics you just don’t discuss with family and close friends? Call 1-877-332-8255 and let us know!

Will Canada's increased defense spending actually make us more safe? According to David Pugliese, who writes about national defense in the Ottawa Citizen, that's not necessarily the case given Ottawa's reputation for wasting tax dollars earmarked for defense. With NATO pushing Canada and other members to meet their commitments of 2% GDP in defense spending, and the Trudeau Liberals vowing to meet or even exceed that target, Pugliese joins Gormley to discuss how Canada can ensure those funds are not wasted like previous defense projects.

Open session

The Legislative Secretary Responsible for Saskatchewan Ukraine Relations, Terry Dennis, is leading a small delegation to Germany April 10-13. Working with the Embassy of Canada in Berlin, the delegation will meet with displaced Ukrainians and refugee-serving organizations to determine additional supports Saskatchewan can provide to those fleeing the war in Ukraine. Dennis joins Gormley to discuss the delegation's trip to Germany and the supports Saskatchewan will be providing Ukraine.

There are more than 4,000 charities and non-profits active around Saskatchewan, and we're featuring some of the great people doing great work in this province during our new segment called "The Best of Saskatchewan." In this week's feature, we're catching up with Lecina Hicke, CEO of the St. Paul's Hospital Foundation, who's going to share the details of a new, state-of-the-art Robotic Surgical System and associated program based out of St. Paul's Hospital. The announcement came this morning along with support from a generous local donor family, and Hicke joins Gormley to tell us more about the announcement and what it means for the hospital and healthcare in our province.

Wild pigs are becoming a serious issue in Saskatchewan, with populations booming and damage piling up. The Saskatchewan Government recently announced new steps to curb growth of the wild hog population, but some Ruth Aschim recently led the first and only scientific survey of wild pig expansion in the country, which was published in Nature Scientific Reports, and she joins Gormley to discuss the problem, and what can - and should - be done in response.

Last week, we told you about the collapse of Epic Alliance, the Saskatoon real estate company responsible for more than 500 homes in Saskatoon and North Battleford. The collapse of Epic left about $10M missing, and investors are hoping to track down their funds. Lawyer Mike Russell is representing 120 investors who requested a special investigator look into Epic Alliance, and Russell joins Gormley to tell us more about the case that's sent shockwaves through Saskatchewan's real estate sector.