Head office jobs, or a lack of them in Saskatchewan, were a hot topic at the legislature Tuesday.Ìý
The concern stemmed from the merger of PotashCorp with Agrium, to become Nutrien. Controversy has erupted over the location of that company’s top executives not in Saskatoon, but in Calgary – despite a head office tax incentive to keep those jobs in the province.
Opposition leader Ryan Meili grilled Premier Scott Moe on the issue in Question Period Nov. 20. The exchange was recorded in Hansard.
Mr. Meili: — … And now Nutrien has a tax incentive for head office jobs. Or maybe I should say job, since it appears there’s only one — a head office they’re required to have here by legislation. And we’re not allowed to know just how much we’re paying them to have that one position here.
This is all getting a bit rich, Mr. Speaker. When will the Premier practise some transparency? When will he level with Saskatchewan people? How much are we paying as a tax credit to Nutrien so they can have head office jobs in Calgary?
The Speaker: — I recognize the Premier.
Hon. Mr. Moe: — Mr. Speaker, with respect to Nutrien and their operations here in the province of Saskatchewan, it’s over 4,000 jobs, Mr. Speaker, as they have over 4,000 employees in the province of Saskatchewan. They have moved a number of employees into the province as they have increased operations, both on the mining side, as well as moving jobs into the province on the retail side, Mr. Speaker, moving Nutrien Ag Solutions into the city of Regina, up about 30 per cent in their jobs in the city of Saskatoon, Mr. Speaker.
This is an industry that is important to the core of the source wealth of our province, Mr. Speaker. And it’s an industry that — through the head office tax credit that we have had and through the incentives that we have had in the industry, Mr. Speaker — has experienced some $20 billion worth of investment over the last decade. Mr. Speaker, this is an industry where Saskatchewan is truly a global leader.
Notwithstanding all of that, Mr. Speaker, we share the concerns. And I’ve been in touch with Nutrien, as I said, regarding the head office presence and the presence of executives in this province, Mr. Speaker, with respect to the legislation that is there. Mr. Speaker, we expect that legislation to be abided by. And we look forward to meeting with the board Chair at our earliest opportunity, Mr. Speaker, to get an update on what our head office operations are here in the province and what they will be.
The Speaker: — I recognize the Leader of the Opposition.
Mr. Meili: — Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Once again the question was, how much are we paying in that tax incentive to have head office jobs here? And the answer is not available, it appears. Is the Premier really saying that the people of Saskatchewan don’t have the right to know how much of our money we’re giving to this company for head office jobs that don’t even appear to be here?
The Speaker: — I recognize the Premier.
Hon. Mr. Moe: — Mr. Speaker, we are not going to discuss the tax returns of Saskatchewan-based companies on the floor of the legislature or in the public domain, Mr. Speaker…
What we will discuss, Mr. Speaker, are the jobs in the industry, the potash industry most notably but all of the industries that we have here in the province of Saskatchewan. Again this is an industry that has experienced unprecedented investment, Mr. Speaker, in expanding the operation of the production opportunities for existing mines here in the province…
Immediately following that debate, Meili and Moe dueled again on the issue of Francophone services.
This was in the wake of Premier Doug Ford’s controversial move to eliminate the office of the French language commissioner in Ontario. Meili was concerned about something similar happening in Saskatchewan.Ìý
Mr. Meili: — ... Mr. Speaker, this fall the office of Francophone affairs was moved from Executive Council where portfolios with intergovernmental importance tend to be housed, only to be buried in Parks, Culture and Sport, a move seen as insulting by francophone leaders and as moving the needs of the Fransaskois further away from the attention of this government. This move echoes the decision of Doug Ford to eliminate Ontario’s French language commissioner and is part of a troubling trend of this Premier of cozying up to Ford for photo ops but advancing a similar agenda.
… Mr. Speaker, what other pieces of Ford’s agenda will we see replicated here? What does the Premier have to say to the francophones of Saskatchewan about his decision to bury their representation in another ministry.
The Speaker: — I recognize the Premier.
Hon. Mr. Moe: — Mr. Speaker, difficult to know where to even start with that, essentially what is a member’s statement, Mr. Speaker. Let me start with this: this province’s commitment to all of the people in the province, Mr. Speaker, whether that be the Fransaskois community, whether that be any of the individuals — rural, urban, and First Nations community in this province, Mr. Speaker. It will always be this government that engages and stands up for the beliefs and for the things that are important to the people of the province of Saskatchewan, Mr. Speaker…
Meili continued to press the issue.
Mr. Meili: —Why the decision to move the Francophone affairs from Executive Council over to be buried in Parks, Culture and Sport — a decision that has sent a very strong message that this is not an important file for this government?
At this point, Hon. Gene Makowsky, minister of Parks, Culture and Sport, stood to respond.
Hon. Mr. Makowsky: — Well, Mr. Speaker, on this side of the Assembly we’re very proud of the Ministry of Parks, Culture and Sport. They do good work in our province, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, it’s just not accurate that it was buried. This, I think, aligns well with what we do in Parks, Culture — Culture — and Sport. This approach is taken similarly right across Canada, Mr. Speaker. The mandate doesn’t change; staffing levels don’t change; the budget doesn’t change with Francophone affairs, Mr. Speaker. So it’s status quo going forward, Mr. Speaker. If there are concerns on behalf of the folks in Francophone affairs, we’ll certainly meet with them and sit down with them and hopefully alleviate any concerns they may have.
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