The Opposition NDP has introduced a Sask jobs plan, saying a series of out-of-province contracts prove the government has failed.Leader of the Opposition Carla Beck announced the plan Monday.“Saskatchewan people, we know work hard for their money. Saskatchewan people rightly expect that their tax dollars stay in their community, that they go towards hiring Saskatchewan businesses, and Saskatchewan workers and building made in Saskatchewan products,” Beck said at a news conference at the legislature.The Hire Saskatchewan Plan would have the provincial government prioritize growing Saskatchewan businesses, hiring Saskatchewan workers, and building more made-in-Saskatchewan products when public dollars are being spent.The NDP have criticized the government for out-of-province outsourcing in numerous sectors, includingA Calgary-based Sask. Party donor receiving sole-source contracts to perform knee and hip surgeries and mammograms Out-of-province travel nurses costing taxpayers approximately $70 million this year aloneA French company being hired to build the most expensive road in Saskatchewan history, the Regina bypassA Newport Beach, California tire recycling company receiving a contract that used to belong to a local Saskatoon business.“Premier Scott Moe is selling out Saskatchewan," Beck said.In the legislature, however, Minister for SaskBuilds Joe Hargrave said that "over 82% — 82% — of the contracts have been awarded to Saskatchewan-based companies. Mr. Speaker, in fact when there’s a Saskatchewan bidder, Saskatchewan companies secure the contracts approximately 90% of the time in these competitions."Premier Scott Moe told reporters on Monday the province could not be protectionist in all circumstances."There’s a Canada free trade agreement, for example. We are part of the New West Partnership that provides for some level of involvement across borders, and we benefit from that as much as at times it might seem challenging," he said."Saskatchewan is very much is not only connected to our other provinces, other states and provinces across North America, but we are globally connected as well as we export to over 163 countries around the world and in each of these countries we’re also looking at and attracting investments."Moe pointed to other companies that were not strictly Saskatchewan-based but had invested heavily in the province. BHP headed its potash operations in the province. Mosaic, the potash company that sponsors the football stadium in Regina, is an American company."We see uranium companies, some based from Saskatchewan, some attracting investment from outside Saskatchewan. So we are not only nationally and international connected, but we’re connected worldwide through our exports and through our trade investment offices."Moe dismissed the Opposition's comments, saying the "words that the NDP is speaking, really, are not relevant to what the general direction of Saskatchewan procurement is and the general direction of the strength we have in a broader economy.”
The Opposition NDP has introduced a Sask jobs plan, saying a series of out-of-province contracts prove the government has failed.Leader of the Opposition Carla Beck announced the plan Monday.“Saskatchewan people, we know work hard for their money. Saskatchewan people rightly expect that their tax dollars stay in their community, that they go towards hiring Saskatchewan businesses, and Saskatchewan workers and building made in Saskatchewan products,” Beck said at a news conference at the legislature.The Hire Saskatchewan Plan would have the provincial government prioritize growing Saskatchewan businesses, hiring Saskatchewan workers, and building more made-in-Saskatchewan products when public dollars are being spent.The NDP have criticized the government for out-of-province outsourcing in numerous sectors, includingA Calgary-based Sask. Party donor receiving sole-source contracts to perform knee and hip surgeries and mammograms Out-of-province travel nurses costing taxpayers approximately $70 million this year aloneA French company being hired to build the most expensive road in Saskatchewan history, the Regina bypassA Newport Beach, California tire recycling company receiving a contract that used to belong to a local Saskatoon business.“Premier Scott Moe is selling out Saskatchewan," Beck said.In the legislature, however, Minister for SaskBuilds Joe Hargrave said that "over 82% — 82% — of the contracts have been awarded to Saskatchewan-based companies. Mr. Speaker, in fact when there’s a Saskatchewan bidder, Saskatchewan companies secure the contracts approximately 90% of the time in these competitions."Premier Scott Moe told reporters on Monday the province could not be protectionist in all circumstances."There’s a Canada free trade agreement, for example. We are part of the New West Partnership that provides for some level of involvement across borders, and we benefit from that as much as at times it might seem challenging," he said."Saskatchewan is very much is not only connected to our other provinces, other states and provinces across North America, but we are globally connected as well as we export to over 163 countries around the world and in each of these countries we’re also looking at and attracting investments."Moe pointed to other companies that were not strictly Saskatchewan-based but had invested heavily in the province. BHP headed its potash operations in the province. Mosaic, the potash company that sponsors the football stadium in Regina, is an American company."We see uranium companies, some based from Saskatchewan, some attracting investment from outside Saskatchewan. So we are not only nationally and international connected, but we’re connected worldwide through our exports and through our trade investment offices."Moe dismissed the Opposition's comments, saying the "words that the NDP is speaking, really, are not relevant to what the general direction of Saskatchewan procurement is and the general direction of the strength we have in a broader economy.”
