Moe government holding up expedited Provincial Auditor Investigation
REGINA - Today, Sask. Party MLAs voted against a special investigation by the Provincial Auditor into the Ministry of Social Services’ use of hotels, meaning that there won’t be any report released until after the next provincial election.
The vote came in response to a motion from MLA Aleana Young. Young moved that the Public Accounts Committee ask the Provincial Auditor to do a special investigation so the public has answers before polls open.
“Families who have never struggled before are picking up groceries, looking at the price and putting them back on the shelf because of high prices. They deserve to know that their hard-earned tax-dollars are being spent responsibly. They deserve answers,” said Young.
Today’s vote means that the Auditor will not report her findings until the usual December date next year, unless Sask. Party members reconsider their position. The provincial election must be called by October 2024.
The Provincial Auditor told the Committee yesterday that her office has the resources to do a special investigation and could likely deliver findings before the election, but only if asked to do a special investigation.
“Scott Moe and his MLAs are the only ones holding up this investigation,” said Young. “Sunlight is the best disinfectant. If Premier Moe, Minister Makowsky and MLA Grewal have nothing to hide, they should want to clear the air before the next election.”
Social Services Minister Gene Makowsky has admitted that, from 2022 to 2023, his ministry paid MLA Grewal’s Sunrise Motel $172,000. Makowsky has yet to say how much his ministry paid out to the hotel since Grewal was elected in 2020.
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