REGINA - The NDP were back on the attack this week as they set their sights on costs of the Linkin information management system.
At a media availability at the Legislature Tuesday morning, Opposition Critic for Social Services Meara Conway called on the provincial auditor to conduct a special investigation into cost overruns of the Linkin system. That request was put in to the auditor’s office that morning.
The NDP noted that when the system was brought in during 2009, the original price tag was $15 million over three years. The total project cost is now estimated at $75.65 million, according to official government numbers the NDP has cited.
“Today, we’re here to get answers,” said Conway. “How is it that the Sask Party government spent more, recklessly more, for significantly less, and then seeing no objective improvements in this area of their mandate.”
It is not only the cost overruns that the NDP have expressed concerns about. Conway also pointed out the program was meant to be implemented across the Ministry of Social Services to meet the needs of the Child and Family Services, Income Assistance, and Community Living divisions. But it is only being used by the Child and Family Services division.
“To say the government is not getting bang for the public’s buck would be an understatement,” said Conway. “This project raises serious concerns not only about the Saskatchewan Party's fiscal chops but about their priorities.”
Conway also pointed to the ongoing cost of living concerns, and to the upcoming power and rate hikes.
“No affordability relief to date, $60 million squandered while people fall through the cracks of the Sask Party's broken SIS program, more people are homeless or struggling to get by each month than ever before, while the Sask Party has tripled Saskatchewan debt and failed to balance a budget since 2015,” said Conway.
The NDP also took aim at Finance Minister Donna Harpauer during the news conference. This is fresh on the heels of last week's revelations that Harpauer took a chartered flight to North Battleford, costing almost $8,000, for a Battlefords Chamber of Commerce post-budget luncheon appearance in March.
Conway mentioned Harpauer's "$8,000 flight to North Battleford for lunch" and also singled out Harpauer’s own involvement in the Linkin program when she was Social Services minister.
“Linkin is an information management system announced by Donna Harpauer in 2009,” said Conway.
Conway singled out Harpauer again when she noted the program was not accompanied by any objective improvement in child protection "despite Donna Harpauer’s promise that it would, quote, ‘help ensure the health and safety of all children and youth in the ministry’s care’, and quote, ‘provide the province’s child welfare workers with the technology they need to best service children and youth.’”
So far, the NDP have not yet heard back from the auditor’s office about whether they will conduct an investigation. Conway said to reporters that the auditor’s office has tools they do not have as an opposition “to see how the project ballooned in the way that it did.”
