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Reinvigorated NDP roasts government on first day back

John Cairns’ Leg Watch
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The legislature returned to action March 6 with the swearing-in of a new member of the assembly, who was presented to the Speaker by Opposition leader Trent Wotherspoon.

Mr. Wotherspoon: — I have the honour to present to you Mr. Ryan Meili, member for the constituency of Saskatoon Meewasin, who has taken the oath, signed the roll and now claims the right to take his seat.

Meili won the byelection the previous Thursday with 53 per cent of the vote, bolstering the contingent of NDP MLAs to 11. In his opening remarks he thanked his campaign team and added the results sent a message. 

Mr. Meili: — … It’s clear, Mr. Speaker, that the people of Meewasin used this election to send a message. It’s a message of concern but also one of hope. They believe we can do better and so do I.

I look forward to learning from my fellow NDP MLAs [Member of the Legislative Assembly] and joining them in the hard work ahead in service of the people of Meewasin and all of Saskatchewan.

Meili’s remarks were brief, prompting Speaker Corey Tochor to say “that was the shortest maiden speech ever.”

The opposition New Democrats had a noticeable spring in their step as they began roasting Premier Brad Wall and the government during Question Period, with the exchange recorded in Hansard.

Mr. Wotherspoon: — Mr. Speaker, we heard a pretty clear message from the people of Meewasin last week, and we’ve been hearing that from people all across our province. The people of Saskatchewan are sick and tired of the Sask. Party’s mismanagement, their scandal, and their waste.

And, Mr. Speaker, while the House hasn’t been sitting, the Sask. Party hasn’t missed an opportunity at the Public Accounts Committee to avoid accountability, shut down debate, and hide the truth from Saskatchewan people with their GTH [Global Transportation Hub] land scandal. The two witnesses they did allow weren’t there at the beginning of the scandal and they were on vacation at the end of it. One didn’t sign the documents himself because he was apparently running around a beach looking for a fax machine.

Mr. Speaker, why are they still blocking the witnesses that actually knew what went down in the GTH land scandal? What does the Premier have to hide?

The Speaker: — I recognize the Premier.

Hon. Mr. Wall: — Thank you very much. Thanks very much, Mr. Speaker. I want to thank the interim leader of the NDP for the question. I want to welcome as well the brand new member for Saskatoon Meewasin, who may well be the future of that party and the future leader of the NDP.

Mr. Speaker, I would just say with respect to the questions that have been asked, the people that the member’s referring to in terms of potential witness to the committee were also available to the auditor to be interviewed, were interviewed, Mr. Speaker, by the auditor. The auditor has reported, Mr. Speaker. She’s noted that the government made some mistakes on the GTH. We’ve acknowledged that. We have accepted the recommendations and are moving on it.

I would also note, Mr. Speaker, that according to press reports the RCMP [Royal Canadian Mounted Police] are looking into this matter. Mr. Speaker, I want to be clear that we will co-operate with the RCMP on this matter.

I note that the Provincial Auditor has said there wouldn’t be much of a need or much of a purpose, a construct for a forensic audit pending that review by the RCMP. So, Mr. Speaker, we want to see that work done. We’ll co-operate, Mr. Speaker, as I know members opposite would expect us to and, Mr. Speaker, we look forward frankly to the conclusion of that review.

The Speaker: — I recognize the Leader of the Opposition.

Mr. Wotherspoon: — Mr. Speaker, what a bunch of utter nonsense from that Premier, and the people of Saskatchewan just aren’t buying those lines.

You know, the Sask. Party still wants us all to believe that there is just some sort of miscommunication between ministries. Come on. We know that the DM [deputy minister] of Highways and the CEO [chief executive officer] of the GTH were communicating regularly. They met in person. They had emailed and they worked together on projects. And cabinet, cabinet itself sitting here today, met over and over again. But the Sask. Party wants us to believe that no one spoke about this massive deal. It’s just not believable, Mr. Speaker.

I guess, to the Premier: remembering that the auditor herself said there were more questions that exist here, and knowing that millions of hard-earned dollars have been wasted, will he finally direct his caucus members to invite people who are actually responsible for the scandal to committee to testify? Or will he just keep hiding from the facts and hoping that it goes away?

The Speaker: — I recognize the Premier.

Hon. Mr. Wall: — Mr. Speaker, were the government hiding from anything, we wouldn’t have directed the Provincial Auditor to do a full review of the matter and then to make that review public and moreover, Mr. Speaker, to ensure that the auditor had access to any cabinet document that the auditor’s team felt they needed.

… Mr. Speaker, I would also point out that since we last met here in this place, there has been a purchaser come forward with a further advance of dollars on land bought at the GTH. Mr. Speaker, we’re now at $3 million — well they’re murmuring — $3 million paid for land at a $7.6 million total purchase price of 30 acres. So divide that out, Mr. Speaker. What does that mean that taxpayers got for that acreage, per acre of land? $256,000 per acre for the taxpayers on the land. Mr. Speaker, even using the purchase price and the servicing cost, taxpayers are making money on GTH land sold to that proponent right now.

Wotherspoon then went after the government for not releasing third quarter financial numbers.

Mr. Wotherspoon: — … Will the Premier come clean, reveal the true state of our finances to Saskatchewan people, take responsibility for his historic mismanagement of our finances instead of forcing Saskatchewan people to pay the price?

The Speaker: — I recognize the Premier.

Hon. Mr. Wall: — Well, Mr. Speaker, may I just say to the interim leader of the NDP that the management of the province’s finances on this side of the House has resulted in the first-ever AAA credit rating this province has ever received. The financial management on this side of the House has resulted in a 30 per cent payoff of the operating debt inherited from members opposite. The financial management of this side of the House has led to $6 billion in cumulative tax relief for Saskatchewan families, farmers, and businesses, creating the Saskatchewan advantage. The financial management on this side of the House has resulted in $8 billion in more infrastructure investment in this province than in their last eight years in office, Mr. Speaker. That’s the record.

The financial management on this side of the House has meant 754 more teachers in the province, 3,000 more nurses of every designation, 650 more doctors . . . well 649 maybe, Mr. Speaker. That is the result, Mr. Speaker, of the financial management on this side of the House… 

The Speaker: — I recognize the Leader of the Opposition.

Mr. Wotherspoon: — It seems the Premier’s approach is just to crank up the volume as the red ink rolls in and the promises are broken, but Saskatchewan people are going to hold him to account…

Later, opposition critic Cathy Sproule also demanded a third quarter update.

Ms. Sproule: — Don’t they think they’ve done enough damage? Their projected deficit just keeps going higher and higher — 200, 400, 800, $1.2 billion — and it’s still rising. Every week, Mr. Speaker, it’s a new number. It’s a good thing the budget’s coming out soon or who knows how high the deficit would get.

Minister of finance Kevin Doherty made clear in his responses during Question Period that all the numbers, including the third quarter update, would come with the budget release on March 22.

Other important news to come out of Question Period Monday was word the province would not be pursuing a sale of SaskTel. Premier Wall responded to opposition house leader Warren McCall on the issue.

Hon. Mr. Wall: — … What has become abundantly clear to members on this side of the House, what has become abundantly clear to me — yes, and including what we heard in the Meewasin by-election but not limited to that — is that the people of the province aren’t interested in it. They’re not interested in a referendum. They oppose the sale of SaskTel, Mr. Speaker. That is what we campaigned on.

So, Mr. Speaker, I will just confirm for members of the House that notwithstanding if there ever is an offer to purchase SaskTel, we’re not going to take it forward. It’s not for sale.

Finally, the newly-elected member for Saskatoon Meewasin had a chance to pose his first question as an MLA to education minister Don Morgan, and it was on the state of infrastructure at schools in the province.

Mr. Meili -- … Crumbling infrastructure makes it harder for students and teachers already trying to get by with growing class sizes and limited resources. So why, Mr. Speaker, does the Education minister think it’s acceptable for students and teachers to pay the price for this government’s mismanagement?

The Speaker: — I recognize the Minister of Education.

Hon. Mr. Morgan: — Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to take this opportunity to welcome the new member to the Chamber. He is filling the shoes of Roger Parent, one of the finest MLAs we’ve had, and I’d like to remind him that they’re very big shoes to fill and would like to urge him to stay on task. Mr. Speaker, I want to encourage him and wish him all the best in his leadership aspirations. I’m not as presumptuous as some people to call him the future leader but the potential future leader, and want to wish him well at that.

Mr. Speaker, the member opposite raises issues with funding of schools. Mr. Speaker, I can tell you this: that under the NDP, the amount of money they provided for preventative maintenance and repairs: zero. Mr. Speaker, under this government over the last four years, $97 million which went for roofs and other such cares and repairs.

Mr. Speaker, they talk about things that are four, five, and six years out. We will look after things as they come along, and we’ve increased it each and every year from their zero.