How Did The Brad Wall Government Blow The Boom And The Surplus In Just Two Years?
Just two short years ago, the Right wing Saskatchewan Party government inherited a booming economy and more than $2.3 Billion dollars in the bank from the former administration.
Last week, Premier Wall headed out of town and left his hapless Finance Minister to tell Saskatchewan taxpayers that the provincial government has managed to bring in a $1.05 Billion dollar operating deficit and has nearly blown the entire surplus.
By tabling last week’s Mid-Year Financial Report, the Saskatchewan Party revealed that the budget they brought down last March no longer exists and an entirely new budget is now being implemented half way through the fiscal year. Finance Minister Gantefore also tabled a set of Supplementary Estimates which clearly constitute a whole new set of budget estimates and priorities.
In other words, Brad Wall's crew have thrown out their failed spring provincial budget and have implemented a completely new one.
Since the fall session of the Saskatchewan Legislature is scheduled to end in two weeks time, the Official Opposition is asking that the session be extended for at least two weeks in order that the Legislature may give proper scrutiny to this new budget.
The province is dealing with an entirely new set of spending figures and priorities. The Legislature should be extended so that the public can see exactly what the Saskatchewan Party is doing with our money.
It would be to the Saskatchewan Party's advantage to ensure that the public is comfortable with what they are doing with the budget. If they decide to operate behind closed doors, away from public scrutiny, then they may find their days in power will be short lived. Ghosts of Grant Devine are starting to sneak back into the halls of the Saskatchewan Legislature again.
-New Democratic Opposition News Release
-Regina Leader-Post
Last week, Premier Wall headed out of town and left his hapless Finance Minister to tell Saskatchewan taxpayers that the provincial government has managed to bring in a $1.05 Billion dollar operating deficit and has nearly blown the entire surplus.
By tabling last week’s Mid-Year Financial Report, the Saskatchewan Party revealed that the budget they brought down last March no longer exists and an entirely new budget is now being implemented half way through the fiscal year. Finance Minister Gantefore also tabled a set of Supplementary Estimates which clearly constitute a whole new set of budget estimates and priorities.
In other words, Brad Wall's crew have thrown out their failed spring provincial budget and have implemented a completely new one.
Since the fall session of the Saskatchewan Legislature is scheduled to end in two weeks time, the Official Opposition is asking that the session be extended for at least two weeks in order that the Legislature may give proper scrutiny to this new budget.
The province is dealing with an entirely new set of spending figures and priorities. The Legislature should be extended so that the public can see exactly what the Saskatchewan Party is doing with our money.
It would be to the Saskatchewan Party's advantage to ensure that the public is comfortable with what they are doing with the budget. If they decide to operate behind closed doors, away from public scrutiny, then they may find their days in power will be short lived. Ghosts of Grant Devine are starting to sneak back into the halls of the Saskatchewan Legislature again.
-New Democratic Opposition News Release
-Regina Leader-Post
