The NDP as noted has itself been involved with what is in effect privatisation. Perhaps the NDP should be promising not to privatize not just the Sask. Party.
The article shows that some Sask. Party MPs seem not to know what they are talking about. That is probably no bar to being elected unfortunately.
Wall quickly denies any change in policy
Angela Hall, With files from Murray Mandryk
The Leader-Post
Saturday, September 08, 2007
Leader Brad Wall moved quickly Friday to allay concerns created by one of his senior MLAs that a Saskatchewan Party government would wind down Crown-owned subsidiaries that compete with the private sector.
Wall said Cannington MLA Dan D'Autremont simply made a mistake in his remarks about a Sask. Party resolution to review government competition with the private sector.
In comments aired Friday on CBC Radio, D'Autremont said a Sask. Party government might consider stopping SaskTel's home security business SecurTek from competing with other companies by transferring its employees elsewhere.
"The correct policy, it's pretty basic," Wall said, adding D'Autremont engaged in a "hypothetical rambling." "Crowns are not going to be privatized and (subsidiaries) are not going to be wound down."
Wall, who emphasized the same point last month with the release of an NDP campaign depicting the Sask. Party as a wolf in sheep's clothing, noted his party does have a resolution that a Sask. Party government would review government competition with the private sector through departments, agencies and Crown corporations.
But such a review doesn't contradict his commitment that Crowns won't be privatized in whole or in part, or wound down in any way, Wall said.
However, an NDP cabinet minister said the lack of clarity on the issue speaks to a hidden agenda.
"It's somewhat artful to suggest that they would not privatize Crown corporations but in the same breath state that they would move employees out of Crown-owned enterprises so they could not effectively provide services. Privatization by any other name, it still smells the same to us," said Government Relations Minister Harry Van Mulligen, noting the existing Sask. Party policy resolution is still entitled "stopping provincial government competition with private sector businesses."
D'Autremont agreed with Wall on Friday and admitted that he was wrong, but still seemed confused over what the Saskatchewan Party policy was and when it was changed.
Initially, the veteran Sask. Party MLA told the Leader-Post he was wrong because he had been out of the country and didn't know the policy on ending competition with the private sector in areas like SecurTek has been changed "two or three weeks ago."
However, later Friday D'Autremont again contacted the Leader-Post and said he was wrong for a second time. Since February 2005, the Sask. Party policy is only to "review" competition and that policy wasn't recently changed, D'Autremont said.
Provincial Liberal Leader David Karwacki chastised the Sask. Party for a "lack of thought" on its pre-election claims so far. Mixed messages on the Crowns only lead to "false debate" about privatization instead of worthwhile discussion about the businesses, he said.
"The NDP says (those in the Sask. Party) have a hidden agenda. I say they have no agenda. They don't know what they're doing," Karwacki said.
Uncertainty over the Sask. Party's position on the future of Crown corporations became a dominant issue in the 2003 election campaign. While the Saskatchewan Party said four years ago it had no plans to sell off the major Crowns, then-leader Elwin Hermanson renewed controversy when he said the party "would be crazy" not to listen to offers that would benefit the province.
Political scientist Ken Rasmussen said it will likely be the last time a Sask. Party MLA speculates about altering Crown entities during the leadup to this election, which is expected to be called sometime this fall or possibly as late as next spring.
Rasmussen said any government reviews the Crowns, pointing to the recent decision under the NDP to sell off Crown Investment Corporation's stake in the Regina heavy oil upgrader, but the Sask. Party is expected to be "virtuous" about Crowns given the sensitivity of the subject.
"It's difficult just to muse now about public policy in the media on this issue," he said. "I suspect everybody will be speaking from a script."
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© The Leader-Post (Regina) 2007
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