The Sask. Party’s mismanaged bypass went from costing Saskatchewan people $400 million to $2 billion. And much like the price tag, the number of concerns around the project that the Sask. Party put in the hands of a foreign conglomerate has ballooned.
For example:
As for major deficiencies? Well, the Sask. Party can’t quite decide whether there were or weren’t any.
(Spoiler alert: there were. But we don’t know how many, or how much they cost to repair because the Sask. Party won’t say.)
This week, current Highways Minister Lori Carr said twice in the Legislature, “there are no major deficiencies on this bypass.”
This is puzzling, when a Freedom of Information request revealed a list of major deficiencies in an email from an official in highways, with the details redacted. And Former Highways Minister David Marit admitted there were major deficiencies, listing a breached aquifer on Wascana Creek as an example.
Does the Sask. Party think that redacting information makes it go away? That would explain a lot about their approach to transparency.
Stories are changing, information is being withheld, and redacted information is being treated as redacted reality — but taxpayers are still on the hook for the huge cost.
With $2 billion of public money on the line with this project, you’d think the Sask. Party government could be straight with the people who have to pay the bill.
Poor working conditions, favouritism, $300K travel nurse pay at issue
REGINA - Today, the Official Opposition released a letter signed by 49 emergency room nurses in Saskatoon. The letter slams the Sask. Party government for failing to support Saskatchewan nurses and curb the province’s reliance on expensive out-of-province travel nurses.
REGINA - Today, Official Opposition Critic for First Nations and Métis Relations Betty Nippi-Albright hosted a Day of Action with Indigenous leaders from Nekaneet First Nation, Yellow Quill First Nation, Waterhen Lake First Nation, Onion Lake Cree Nation, Carry The Kettle First Nation, Key First Nation and the residential school support team from Yorkton Tribal Council. Together, they continue to draw attention to the Sask. Party government’s disregard for the Duty to Consult process.
MOOSE JAW - Today, the Official Opposition stood with Taylor Enns, president of the Moose Jaw Firefighters Association, and Brayden Dutchak, the son of a cancer survivor. Together, they called on the Sask. Party government to reopen Saskatchewan’s only hyperbaric chamber.
Records show former Sask. Party Finance Minister lobbied for Calgary surgery scheme on behalf of a major Sask. Party donor
REGINA - Today, the Official Opposition grilled the Premier and his Minister of Health after the Minister misled the public, claiming that he had not been lobbied by a former Sask. Party MLA when Saskatchewan's official lobbyist logs show the exact opposite.