A glossy six-page brochure with a smiling Premier Scott Moe on the front landed in every household recently.
Reading the brochure and viewing the Saskatchewan Party government list of accomplishments — at least things it takes credit for — left the impression we will see an election this spring.
The election is supposed to be in October but April marks four years of this government and the third term.
A snap election after the budget would catch the opposition with its election organizing pants around the ankles. An unprepared New Democratic Party would not fare well at the polls.
Among the Saskatchewan Party list of credits are $9 billion to rebuild highways, removing 112,000 residents from provincial tax rolls, population growth, 60 per cent increase in exports, and 83,000 new jobs.
The brochure lists the Saskatchewan Party’s ambitious growth plan goals for 2020-2030.
The previous government plan aimed for 100,000 new jobs, falling short when 83,000 jobs were created. Had the province not lost 13,000 construction jobs in the last five years, that goal would have almost been met.
But the province has no real control over job creation in construction or any other private sector, other than to develop an environment friendly to business.
The public sector added 15,900 jobs in the last five years, still falling short of the goal.
Similarly, the province has little control over increased exports. Saskatchewan is a resource producing region growing grains, mining oil, potash, uranium, and selling in a global market with global prices.
When the global economy purrs smoothly, demand for resource based products grows Saskatchewan exports. In a global slowdown the landlocked resources from here are first to lose market share.
The Saskatchewan Government has no control over the weather or the global price of oil, potash or uranium.
Yet when things go well, all governments take credit for the growth.
Population growth can be credited to two factors: aggressive provincial immigration policy and better economic times.
The brochure contrasts the supposed Saskatchewan Party Government achievements with failure of past NDP governments.
Hopefully, the Saskatchewan Party is paying for the brochure and the onslaught of anti-NDP commercials labelling NDP leader Ryan Meili as not one of us.
The commercial twists a Meili comment on the need for some sort of carbon tax into all out support for the federal carbon tax.
The commercial goes on to suggest Meili called a rally against the federal carbon tax racist when he actually pointed out some of the participants used the rally to promote racism.
Apparently voters will be assailed with lots of half-truths in the coming election, whether it is in April or October.
Ron Walter can be reached at ronjoy@sasktel.net
The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the position of this publication.
