“Grossly inadequate”: NDP slams first quarter financial report, commits to improving fiscal transparency in government

Today, NDP finance critic Trent Wotherspoon rejected the government’s first-quarter report as a “grossly inadequate” smokescreen and committed to new measures to improve financial transparency.

“This is the standard Sask. Party playbook: rosy numbers just before an election, and then deep cuts and Crown sell-offs after,” said Wotherspoon. “These numbers should have been presented as a part of the budget, and because they weren’t, we are not able to demand answers about the Sask. Party’s plans for austerity. They also haven’t been checked by the Auditor, who is responsible for externally reviewing these numbers. Especially with so many people out of work and looking for their government to invest in their wellbeing and create jobs, this update falls far short of what Saskatchewan people expect and deserve.”

Wotherspoon emphasized that today’s Sask. Party public relations exercise only strengthened the NDP’s case for recalling the Legislature in September to provide oversight. He committed that an NDP government would improve transparency for the province’s finances.

“We need to legislate minimum transparency standards that would force future governments to provide four years of fiscal projections in every budget. As well, we need to make sure that no government will ever be able to do what the Sask. Party did in the lead up to the last campaign and is trying to do now: mislead the public about the state of our finances just before an election, only to deliver deep cuts and sell-offs afterwards.

“We will legislate a requirement that the independent Provincial Auditor sign off on a report showing the true state of our finances in the lead-up to each election, so that, contrary to the Sask. Party playbook, Saskatchewan people can have the full picture before they decide who they are going to trust with leading our province.”

Quebec and Ontario both have such legislation, requiring the provincial auditor to publish a pre-election report on the fiscal and economic projections of the government in the lead-up to a provincial election.

Latest posts

BECK SAYS BETTER ECONOMIC STRATEGY NEEDED AS INDICATORS SHOW LAGGING JOBS, INVESTMENT AND MORE UNDER MOE

Saskatchewan Lost 6,100 Jobs While Nationally 88,000 Jobs Were Created

REGINA — Carla Beck says a growing list of economic indicators show Saskatchewan's economy is losing momentum and highlights the urgent need for a new economic development strategy focused on diversification, investment, innovation, and affordability.

REGINA POLICE REPORT NEARLY 14 OVERDOSES A DAY IN REGINA

Frontline Services Continue To Face Rising Overdoses In Saskatchewan’s Largest Cities

REGINA – Carla Beck’s team is raising alarm bells following newly released data from Regina Police Service (RPS), which shows there were 415 overdoses in Regina in April. This represents a sharp increase from the 242 overdoses that were reported in March.

FRONTLINE WORKERS SAY FREQUENTLY BROKEN ELEVATORS JEOPARDIZING PATIENT CARE AT ROYAL UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL

Revelations About Major Patient Care Concern Come Days After Photos Of Mould Growing In Hospital ICU Surfaced

SASKATOON — Leaked notices and testimony from frontline workers provided to Carla Beck’s team indicates elevators at Royal University Hospital in Saskatoon are frequently broken or stall when in use, forcing medical professionals to perform lifesaving procedures under dangerous conditions.

MOE’S MARSHAL SERVICE HAS ONLY TRAINED TWO NEW POLICE OFFICERS IN SASKATCHEWAN

Scott Moe Cuts RCMP Recruitment Funding Only To Steal Officers From The RCMP

REGINA – Carla Beck’s team is calling on Scott Moe and Community Safety Minister Michael Weger to explain why only two new police officers have been trained while the rest have been poached from other police forces.

NDP Caucus Office