The spring session of the Saskatchewan Legislature started Monday, and it was a busy start.

In addition to the two new leaders in the chamber, Scott Moe as the new premier and leader of the Saskatchewan Party, and Ryan Meili as the new leader of the NDP, a new speaker was elected.

Mark Docherty, who is the MLA for Regina Coronation Park, was elected to the role, replacing Corey Tochor.

Weyburn-Big Muddy MLA Dustin Duncan explained he is expecting a busy session, as it tends to be in the spring.

“The budget, the lead-up to the budget, and then after the budget is released, I think, will probably take a lot of the focus this spring,” he told Discover Weyburn.

Another source of conversation for the legislature over the coming weeks will be the carbon tax, and the possibility of the federal government imposing one on Saskatchewan. Duncan said the province is willing to go to court to prevent a carbon tax from being imposed on the province, pointing out the plans already in place from the Saskatchewan Party to handle carbon emissions in the province.

Duncan also explained the money the federal government says it will withhold from Saskatchewan, $62 million, was to be paid out over the course of five years, while the cost of a carbon tax on the residents of the province would amount to $4 billion over the same time frame.

The provincial budget is to be delivered on April 10th.