Just last week, the Sask Party made headlines by announcing it has applied to intervene in Newfoundland’s equalization challenge. The argument is Saskatchewan is not getting its fair share of the program. History shows us that inaction on the part of the Sask Party has actually cost the province billions of dollars.
In the 2004 and 2006 federal elections, then Conservative leader Stephen Harper pledged to exclude non-renewable revenues from the equalization formula. In a November 16, 2005 exchange with Prime Minister Paul Martin in the House of Commons, Harper said the existing system was “costing Saskatchewan over $750-million in lost revenue.”
Former Prime Minister Harper failed to live up to his word. The NDP provincial government under Lorne Calvert launched a legal challenge to get a better deal. The case was initially supported by the Saskatchewan Party, while in Opposition, but the legal proceedings were scrapped by Brad Wall shortly after he became premier.
“Had the Sask Party not caved in to Stephen Harper in 2008, our province would have been much better off, said Progressive Conservative Party of Saskatchewan Leader Rose Buscholl. “We have lost out on two decades of equalization funding because the Sask Party folded like a cheap suit. Now we are expected to believe it is serious about fighting for a better deal?”
Buscholl says the situation points to a lack of leadership on key files, and an attempt to pull the wool over the eyes of voters.
“This is fairly recent history,” said Buscholl. “Weak, ill-informed Sask Party leadership has already cost Saskatchewan billions of dollars. I see nothing to suggest the situation has changed. In fact, it has worsened. Taxpayers shouldn’t be encouraged by this latest stunt. They should be outraged.”
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Further information may be obtained by contacting Leader Rose Buscholl at 306-716-0706 or the PC Party office at 306-565-5580