Page 14 - julY 14 , 2016 - martensville messenger
OPINIONS
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Boyd Behind
GTH Woes
It ’ s always rather amusing how political partisans find any excuse possible to justify the lousy performance of their preferred ministers .
Consider the former NDP government in the old Spudco days that managed to find every excuse in the world to justify the $ 36-million-plus loss and how it was handled . Leading up to the debacle , the former NDP government had been forthright in insisting that this was a private-public enterprise . Well , the truth of the matter is , the NDP government was never the least bit honest about this . It was only through a civil case and the ensuing court documents that we finally saw that then Economic Development Minister Eldon Lautermich had been telling individuals , including those bidding on the building of the potato storage sheds , something quite different .
That inspired then Premier Lorne Calvert to conduct an internal investigation that concluded Lautermilch and the government had not been forthright . Even after all that , Lautermilch was still not dropped from cabinet . Sure , he was relieved from his economic development duties , but he stayed in Calvert ' s cabinet ( at full cabinet minister ’ s salary ) in a lesser capacity .
That ’ s not exactly how it works in the real world . You fail to do your job , you cost your company money and at the very least you get demoted .
Heck , there ’ s even a high likelihood you get fired or you are asked to resign . That standard also applies in government . Certainly , that was the standard applied to former NDP SaskPower president Jack Messer after the Channel Lake inquiry and to former SaskPower president Robert Watson after the Smart Meters fiasco . But ministers do not seem to bear the consequences for their actions . Like Lautermilch , they remain in cabinet . Essentially , they are rewarded even when they don ’ t to their jobs .
Again , it doesn ’ t work that way in the real world . If you forget to put seed in the drill , you don ’ t get a whole bunch of supporters apologizing or justifying the job you did . More likely , you have your neighbours drive past your farm and snicker a bit . And that ’ s probably not as bad as the added costs and loss of income you must bear .
Whether you like Economy Minister Bill Boyd or not , it ’ s tough to apologize for the job he ’ s done in the wake of Provincial Auditor Judy Ferguson ' s report on the Global Transportation Hub . In her report to determine whether the purchase of land for Regina ’ s inland port reflected “ fair value ", Ferguson determined taxpayers wound up " buying land at significantly higher price ” because government did not act “ in a financially
Provincial Politics with Murray Mandryk
responsible manner ” when it wound up paying $ 103,000 an acre for 204 acres . Other landowners under the threat of expropriation settled for less than $ 30,000 an acre . Some are now suing as a result .
Notwithstanding claims by Premier Brad Wall that Boyd and his government had to pay that much because land was skyrocketing prices , Ferguson said other appraisals actually weren ’ t even used in determining the price paid . The real problem was that Boyd and the government did not have “ clear land acquisition strategies ” and certainly did have “ proper documentation " for their actions . The Auditor determined that there was a " unique board governance and the active involvement of the GTH chair / minister " that simply made decision-making difficult .
Really , what she is saying is that Boyd made all the decisions without any proper oversight from the politically appointed GTH CEO , its board or anyone . As a result it is Bill Boyd who must be held to account . And notwithstanding his years in politics and politics and other contributions , his handling of the GTH was a mess that follows costly Smart Meters and carbon capture . In the real world , there are consequences for a record like this .
Hundreds of Applications Already Approved for First Home Plan
Summer marks the start of a new chapter in the lives of recent graduates . Our government understands the importance of encouraging these grads to stay and start a career in Saskatchewan . The Graduate Retention Program ( GRP ) – First Home Plan is part of our plan to do just that .
The plan helps recent postsecondary graduates who have the income to qualify for a mortgage but may be unable to save for a down payment . Eligible grads can borrow up to $ 10,000 of unused GRP tax credits as an interest-free loan to put toward the down payment on their first home .
The first application for the First Home Plan was received 17 minutes after the initiative launched earlier this spring . More than $ 2.3 million has been approved in support of 251 successful applications . You can learn more about the program at saskatchewan . ca / GRP .
Government Removes Barriers on Homebased Food Business
The Government of Saskatchewan has amended The Food Safety Regulations to remove barriers in order to allow home-processed foods to be sold directly to
MLA Report From Nancy Heppner
consumers and retailers . The amendments will be the first in Canada to specifically address the operation of homebased food businesses .
Effective August 1 , 2016 , home-based food processors in Saskatchewan can prepare low-risk foods in their own homes for direct sale more broadly to the public or for re-sale by retail stores . Currently , this occurs only through venues such as farmers ’ markets , bake sales and fall suppers .
Low-risk foods are nonperishable foods that would normally not require refrigeration such as breads , biscuits , cookies , pastries , fruit pies , jams , jellies and candies . Meat or dairy products are considered higher risk and are not included in the items allowed for sale by home food processors .
Province Releases New Public Emergency Alerting App and Website
In an emergency situation , every second counts . SaskAlert , the Government of Saskatchewan ’ s emergency public alerting program , is designed to protect people and property by connecting you with customizable , real-time information about emergencies as they unfold
Letter to the Editor
ABOVE : MLA Nancy Hepner
Alerts may be issued for tornadoes , plow winds , blizzards , wildfires , hazardous material spills , train derailments , drinking water advisories , evacuations , or local emergency declarations .
The SaskAlert app will put crucial emergency information directly into residents ’ hands . Once the app is installed , iPhone and android smartphone users will be alerted to emergencies via a tone and notification on the home screen . Alerts provide instructions for you to stay safe , and advise you once the incident is over . Close to one-third of communities in the province have signed up to use SaskAlert to issue emergency alerts on behalf of their residents . The Government of Saskatchewan is inviting all communities to participate in this free and vital service and all residents to download the app today . You can learn more at SaskAlert . ca .
The Martensville Messenger welcomes letters to the editor for publication . Letters must be signed and a phone number and / or email address included so
the writer ’ s identity can be verified . ALL letters are the opinion of the writer and NOT the Martensville Messenger . We reserve the right to edit letters for length , clarity or compliance with the current standards of public taste . Submit your letter to ssealey @ martensvillemessenger . ca or jottenbreit @ martensvillemessenger . ca or drop by the Martensville Messenger office at Bay # 7 - 301 Centennial Drive North .
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