When the population of Saskatchewan hit 1 million
During a nationwide recession, Saskatchewan was in a near-boom
In 1983, Saskatchewan's population hit seven digits and the government wasn't going to let the occasion go unnoticed.
In December of that year, Premier Grant Devine posed for photos with a couple who had moved from Winnipeg to Regina for the available jobs around the time the province crossed the 1-million person threshold (at an unstated, but earlier point in the year).
And the premier was keen to point out the reasons why the couple, and so many others, had made the choice to head to Saskatchewan.
"We have people coming in, we have stores opening, we have new jobs, we have almost a boom during a recession," a smiling Devine said.
A good year for Saskatchewan
Reporter Paul Workman provided viewers with The National with further details on Saskatchewan's success in a year that had been a tough slog for many Canadians.
"Saskatchewan came through this recession better than any other province," Workman reported on Dec. 15, 1983, noting it was predicted the province would lead the country in economic growth the following year.
Stavros Constantinou of the Conference Board of Canada said the uptick in Saskatchewan's population showed the province was in good economic times.
"You can see the drop in the number of people leaving Saskatchewan to go to Alberta and vice-versa," said Constantinou.