Legislative Report, 13 April 2005

AN INTERESTING WEEK…

It’s amazing how much the NDP seems to accomplish over the span of one week. In a nutshell, here is what’s happened:

• Despite pointing out when the budget was released that it contained NO tax increases, the NDP managed to hit the oil and gas sector with a tax hike. This is the same sector that helped Saskatchewan gain ‘have’ status, the same sector that puts $1.4 billion dollars into our economy and helps us afford the services we value – health, education and social services. And now the NDP turns around and pokes them with a tax hike. Just when they seem to be getting something right, they revert to their old ways of chasing investment and jobs out of the province.

   

• The NDP is getting sued. Not once, but twice! But it gets better – NDP Health Minister John Nilson says his goal is to get sued.

   

• This week the Saskatchewan Hoteliers Association launched a lawsuit against the NDP government stating that the Tobacco Control Act is a law that infringes on their rights as hoteliers, especially when smoking is allowed in First Nations Casinos. Nilson says he welcomes the suit because it’s all about education.

   

• The second suit involves the City of Swift Current suing the NDP government and SaskPower for what it says are discriminatory and predatory practices designed to run its electrical utility, the Swift Current Light and Power Company, into the ground The Minister in charge of SaskPower at the time was none other than Eldon Lautermilch – the same minister who brought us the rotten fruits of SPUDCO. These lawsuits affect us all. Any money paid out by the NDP in claims won through lawsuits, comes from the pockets of the people of this province.

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