Sask $840K contract with Stephen Harper firm prompts NDP inquiry

The Saskatchewan NDP is asking just what benefit the provincial government is getting from a contract with a consulting firm led by former prime minister Stephen Harper.In a news release, the NDP showed Calgary-based consulting firm Harper and Associates had billed the province for $240,000 this past year and $840,000 since 2019.The opposition raised the issue the same day Harper was in Regina for the Food Fuel Fertilizer Global Summit in Regina by the Saskatchewan Chamber of Commerce. Harper had a round table discussion with Premier Scott Moe Monday morning, moderated by Saskatchewan Minister of Trade and Export Development Jeremy Harrison.Read more: Moe says Saskatchewan tells a better sustainability story than OttawaOpposition Economy and Jobs Critic Aleana Young brought up the Harper contract during Question Period."For 11 consecutive months the value of merchandise exports in Saskatchewan has fallen year over year. Job growth is anemic, corporate profits are falling, and shortly government tax revenues will be falling too," Young said.“My question to the minister, why didn’t he bring up that fact this morning in his fireside chat with the Premier and former prime minister Harper?”Harrison said he was "happy" to talk about the Saskatchewan economy and its $78 billion of GDP, of which exports accounted for $50 billion. The 6% increase in GDP was second-best in Canada.“Part of the discussion today at the Food, Fuel and Fertilizer summit put on by the Saskatchewan Chamber of Commerce was about how we keep that momentum going, how we continue to grow our exports," Harrison said."The final year of the NDP government, which was probably their best year, exports [were] $16 billion."Young countered, "Let’s talk about those StatsCan numbers because you know they show ag down, forestry down, mining down, oil and gas down, construction down, transportation down."The MLA complained that an NDP Freedom of Information request on the regarding the contract with Harper's firm yielded little disclosure.“It came back redacted. Almost every detail withheld of the actual description of work that the taxpayers of Saskatchewan are paying Harper and Associates to do. How does the minister justify this total lack of transparency?” Young asked.Harrison said the provincial approach was "showing real results" as "direct engagement with leaders around the world has resulted in literally hundreds of millions of dollars of opportunities for our companies to do business which results in terms of thousands of jobs here."Young told reporters after Question Period her party was right to ask what the contract was for.“This is a question of transparency when it comes to spending taxpayer dollars. This is a government that’s been playing pretty fast and loose when it comes to Saskatchewan peoples’ money, to reward their friends and insiders. It’s completely reasonable to ask what the deliverables are of this contract and as you know we couldn’t get it, we FOI’d it and it came back unsurprisingly redacted.”Harrison was not available to answer questions from media, but the Sask Party government issued a statement."The Government of Saskatchewan supported the Saskatchewan Chamber with development of the program for this year's Food, Fuel and Fertilizer Global Summit. Other sponsors of this year’s event include Cameco, Mosaic, and BHP," the statement read."Harper & Associates provides advice to the Government of Saskatchewan on energy, resources, and agriculture among other industries in key global markets. The annual cost for the contract with Harper and Associates is approximately $240,000."Although details were redacted in response to the NDP request, the "description of work" did include four headings, including "Senior Level Trade Advice and Advocacy", "Advice on International Strategy and Operations", "Trade Intelligence and Advocacy", and "Investment Attraction."