Regina, SK – The Progressive Conservative Party (PC) of Saskatchewan is calling for a new plan of action in light of the Provincial Auditor’s recent report dealing with foreign farmland ownership. During the recent provincial election, the Progressive Conservative Party was the only party to express concern with the current handling of foreign farmland ownership. While this was one of the main concerns for the PC Party, the Sask Party, Leader Scott Moe, and the then Agriculture Minister David Merit scoffed at the idea, stating it wasn’t a concern or an election issue. Apparently, they were wrong. Despite what the new Ag Minister Harrison says. “It is like he didn’t even read the report” said Rose Buscholl Leader of the Progressive Conservative Party if Saskatchewan.
The Provincial Auditor mentioned in her report that the Farmland Security Board needs to do a better job when enforcing the sale and purchase of farmland in Saskatchewan, pointing out that the sale of farmland to foreign entities drives up the prices making it unaffordable for Canadian and Saskatchewan residents to buy land. She highlighted lax rules around statutory declarations: “Not requesting statutory declarations as required by procedures increases the risk the Board does not use sufficient information to determine whether farmland transactions comply with the Act. This increases the risk of not identifying foreign individuals of corporations owning Saskatchewan farmland,” she wrote in her recent report.
“Selling off Saskatchewan farmland to the highest bidder is not in the best interest of Canadians especially Saskatchewan residents and farmers,” said Buscholl. “It’s time to put some teeth back into the legislation, and the Sask Party needs to start following the rules instead of making them up as they go along.”
During the election the Progressive Conservative Party of Saskatchewan held a news conference highlighting this very concerning issue and released a plan to more forward.
“It is crucial that the Farm Land Security Board be restructured and moved under the purview of the Ministry of Justice rather than Ministry of Agriculture, and then follow the plan we laid out.” Buscholl said. “At the end of the day we need to protect our farmland,” said Buscholl. “We only have so much of it and when it is gone it’s gone. Not only does lax enforcement surrounding rules on purchases put Saskatchewan farmland at risk, but it also puts a way of life at risk. A way of life that is part of our Saskatchewan identity.”
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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