The Saskatchewan government quietly announced $750 million in spending last week in a way the opposition NDP objects to.NDP finance critic Trent Wotherspoon believes the government was trying to avoid the democratic process and sidestep accountability. "At the end of the day, taxpayers deserve nothing less than honesty, transparency, value for money and good management. They're not getting any of that right now," Wotherspoon said on Feburary 22.The provincial government published 13 special warrants as orders in council on February 14. These allow the finance minister to allocate money when the legislature is not in session. The funding is supposed to be used for the current fiscal year, ending March 31.Funding items include $8.995 million for SaskBuilds and Procurement$16 million for Education$450.1 million for Health$1.824 million for Parks, Culture, and Sport$17.688 million for Government Relations$23.4 million for Highways$22.75 million for Social Services$8.968 million for Corrections, Policing, and Public Safety$1.664 million for Justice$86.321 million for Agriculture$5 million for the Saskatchewan Research Council$20.285 million for Environment$1,605,498 for the Saskatchewan Aboriginal Courtworker ProgramAn additional $50,000 was also designated for Saskatchewan Literacy Network.Wotherspoon said the details in the warrants lack the details usually present in such announcements."When you look at the scope of what we have here, it's unprecedented and speaks to gross mismanagement of this budget. Many of those costs should be anticipated, but regardless of that, there should be much greater detail," he said. The provincial government defended the spending in a statement to the CBC, saying special warrants are ultimately reviewed by the legislature at the next available sitting."The Government of Saskatchewan provided a mid-year update on November 27, 2023, and will table third quarter financials on Budget Day, as has been past practice," the statement read.Premier Moe is in India to represent commercial interests of the province, but a series of trips abroad has also prompted criticism from the NDP."Premier Moe is flying away from his problems and taxpayers are footing the bill," said Aleana Young, the opposition NDP's trade and export development critic, during a news conference February 21.The premier spoke at the Raisina Dialogue, an annual conference in New Delhi focused on global issues to talk about Saskatchewan products and supply chain issues.
The Saskatchewan government quietly announced $750 million in spending last week in a way the opposition NDP objects to.NDP finance critic Trent Wotherspoon believes the government was trying to avoid the democratic process and sidestep accountability. "At the end of the day, taxpayers deserve nothing less than honesty, transparency, value for money and good management. They're not getting any of that right now," Wotherspoon said on Feburary 22.The provincial government published 13 special warrants as orders in council on February 14. These allow the finance minister to allocate money when the legislature is not in session. The funding is supposed to be used for the current fiscal year, ending March 31.Funding items include $8.995 million for SaskBuilds and Procurement$16 million for Education$450.1 million for Health$1.824 million for Parks, Culture, and Sport$17.688 million for Government Relations$23.4 million for Highways$22.75 million for Social Services$8.968 million for Corrections, Policing, and Public Safety$1.664 million for Justice$86.321 million for Agriculture$5 million for the Saskatchewan Research Council$20.285 million for Environment$1,605,498 for the Saskatchewan Aboriginal Courtworker ProgramAn additional $50,000 was also designated for Saskatchewan Literacy Network.Wotherspoon said the details in the warrants lack the details usually present in such announcements."When you look at the scope of what we have here, it's unprecedented and speaks to gross mismanagement of this budget. Many of those costs should be anticipated, but regardless of that, there should be much greater detail," he said. The provincial government defended the spending in a statement to the CBC, saying special warrants are ultimately reviewed by the legislature at the next available sitting."The Government of Saskatchewan provided a mid-year update on November 27, 2023, and will table third quarter financials on Budget Day, as has been past practice," the statement read.Premier Moe is in India to represent commercial interests of the province, but a series of trips abroad has also prompted criticism from the NDP."Premier Moe is flying away from his problems and taxpayers are footing the bill," said Aleana Young, the opposition NDP's trade and export development critic, during a news conference February 21.The premier spoke at the Raisina Dialogue, an annual conference in New Delhi focused on global issues to talk about Saskatchewan products and supply chain issues.
