Delegates discuss health system advocacy, negotiations and physician compensation, helping guide the SMA’s work on behalf of Saskatchewan physicians. 

Delegates discuss health system advocacy, negotiations and physician compensation, helping guide the SMA’s work on behalf of Saskatchewan physicians. 

Physicians from across Saskatchewan came together in Regina for the Saskatchewan Medical Association’s (SMA) 2026 Fall Representative Assembly (RA), bringing their perspectives and experiences to discussions that will help guide the association’s work in the months ahead. 

Held October 30–31, the assembly brought together 63 delegates and 150 attendees in total, including health system leaders. 

As the SMA’s representative decision-making body, the RA gives physicians an opportunity to raise issues affecting their practices and patients, debate priorities and help shape the association’s policy and advocacy direction. 

A central theme throughout the assembly was the importance of physician leadership in health system planning and decision-making. 

“One of those [priorities] is how important it is to make sure that physician voices are heard early in the development process for all things that are going to involve patient care or how the system actually operates, ” explains SMA President, Dr. Carla Holinaty.

That call for early involvement was reflected in discussions about the province’s Patients First Plan, unveiled in March 2026 to improve access to care. Some delegates expressed concerns that Patients First did not give enough emphasis to physicians’ role in system development. Dr. Holinaty said SMA members want that role reflected more clearly in the next version of the plan. 

“We heard from the Ministry that they are planning on updating their Patients First Plan for the spring of 2027 and we’re looking forward to ongoing engagement with officials in that office to make sure the voice of physicians is loud in clear in the next version of the plan.”  

Delegates heard concrete examples of how physician leadership is driving change and improving patient care as part of the Innovation Fund, a $10-million initiative introduced by the SMA and the Government of Saskatchewan. Twenty-seven medical clinics across the province have received support to better meet the needs of their patients and communities. Their projects are helping clinics add team members, improve care and strengthen team-based care.  

Preparing for Negotiations: A Call for Physician Leadership 

With the expiration of the MCRC Agreement in March of 2026, the Fall RA was an opportunity for delegates to hear an update on some of the SMA’s key work involved in pre-negotiation preparations.  

Marcel Nobert (CEO)along with Mark Ceaser (Director, Economics, Clinical Informatics and Research) co-presented a negotiations update in which they highlighted how the SMA is reviewing agreements and developments in other provinces, identifying the issues, pressures and opportunities that may be important in negotiations, and ensuring that when negotiations begin, the SMA is supported by strong evidence and ready to move forward with confidence.  

Nobert noted that this evidence includes input from 250 physicians across 15 section discussions, with more meetings planned. He also encouraged physicians to help shape negotiations by applying to the Negotiations Committee. Applications are currently open.  

“Our goal is to make sure when we do go to the table, we want to know what physicians need, we want to have the right evidence behind us, and we want to be in the strongest position possible,” he stressed. 

“The SMA is the voice of Saskatchewan physicians, and we need to keep hearing from you as we move through this process.” 

Future of the Fee for Payment Schedule Addressed

Echoing this, Nobert urged physicians to continue to share their voices and experiences to help progress the work around the Fee-for Service Payment Schedule.  

The RA was an opportunity for delegates to explore how a healthy fee-for-service model can improve access to quality care, enable team-based care and compensate physicians fairly, in alignment with shared government priorities- important themes which Nobert raised in his presentation on the topic. 

Nobert emphasized the importance of bringing together physician experiences and health system data to inform the work ahead. 

“Something we’ve learned is that different parts of the system hold different pieces of the puzzle.” 

“You physicians bring lived experiences. You know what’s happening in your clinics, hospitals, operating rooms and communities. And our health system holds information – data – that can help explain broader patterns, trends and outcomes.” 

“To make good decisions about the future, including a modernized Fee-for-Service schedule, we need both. 

Physician perspectives will remain essential as the SMA continues its work on this important issue. 

Keynote Address Inspires Physicians to serve as Leaders in Truth and Reconciliation  

The Fall RA came at a historic moment as the SMA considers how to better support Saskatchewan physicians in advancing health-related Truth and Reconciliation Commission Calls to Action.  The keynote address by Cadmus Delorme reminded delegates of the SMA’s vital Equity, Diversity and Inclusion work in this area and how reconciliation is essential to patient care.

The founder of OneHoop Advisory Services, Chancellor of the University of Regina and former chief of the Cowessess First Nation explained that understanding the history of Indigenous health care is key to understanding the present. He urged delegates to reflect on how they care for Indigenous patients, emphasizing emotional intelligence, cultural safety and a holistic approach to Indigenous health as essential health care skills. Deepening that understanding, he said, is the heart of healthcare. 

“Medicine can treat the illness,” he explained, “But relationship, trust and respect heal the person.” 

System Leaders Share Updates, Delegates Vote on Resolutions  

The SMA’s RA, held twice a year, gives physicians from across Saskatchewan a unique opportunity to connect and network, and to engage directly with decision makers, including politicians.

This Fall RA continued that tradition. Delegates asked questions of the Honourable Jeremy Cockrill (Minister of Health) and the Honourable Lori Carr (Minister of Mental Health and Addictions, Seniors and Rural and Remote Care), along with key members of their staff.

Other system leaders also took part. The College of Medicine, the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Saskatchewan, and the Saskatchewan Health Authority each presented updates on their work and took questions from the floor. 

Resolutions Help Guide SMA Priorities 
 
One of the most important functions of the Representative Assembly is the consideration of resolutions brought forward by physician delegates. 
 
Through debate and voting, delegates identify issues requiring attention and help establish the policy direction and priorities of the SMA.
 
The resolutions process gives physicians a direct role in shaping their association’s work, ensuring that decisions and advocacy continue to reflect the experiences, concerns and priorities of members across Saskatchewan. 
 
Alongside the discussions and presentations throughout the Fall RA, these decisions help inform the SMA’s work in the months ahead.

Physicians are encouraged to share their voice and help shape the future of the profession by attending the Spring RA, which takes place May 7th and 8th, 2027, at the Sheraton Hotel in Saskatoon.

 

Missed the RA? Check the Member Portal for the meeting minutes.