Legislative Report

19 October 2005

Families throughout the province are gearing up to face higher energy prices. Even though we know these higher prices are not regional but international, it really doesn’t change the fact that many of us just don’t know how we’re going to pay them.

Many people who have called me are concerned about this issue and are both worried and mad. They are worried about how they’ll stretch their family budget and they are worried for their mother who lives alone on a pension. Any anger I hear is not directed toward the oil industry so much as the government for we know that while we pay more, the government earns more. According to our calculations, higher oil and gas revenues will generate an extra $720 million in provincial revenues. When we have asked the Finance Minister just how large the win fall is and what plans the government has to assist Saskatchewan families to cope through the winter, we hear nothing.

The Saskatchewan Party believes there needs to be an intelligent discussion about the various choices based on facts. Let’s have that debate, and let’s have the facts, and let’s answer the questions, the people of Saskatchewan have.

Past Legislative Reports