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NDP’s Beck slams SaskParty autonomy tour, rate increases

Beck responded to latest annual reports for SaskPower, SaskEnergy.
Carla Beck July 6
NDP leader Carla Beck, with Aleana Young behind her, speaks to reporters Wednesday, July 6.

REGINA —It was Opposition leader Carla Beck’s turn to slam the Sask. Party government over the latest round of annual report filings.

The previous day it was MLA Aleana Young who criticized the government over the SGI annual report as well as the autonomy meetings held in ridings, which she dubbed a “taxpayer funded sedition tour.”

Young joined Beck at the media availability Wednesday, in which Beck had more to say about those meetings.

Beck accused Premier Scott Moe of spending “taxpayer dollars to send a former politician and Western separatist out on an invitation-only separatism tour. We’re not seeing any published dates, no times and no transparency.” 

Beck was referring to Allan Kerpan, the former MLA and MP who most recently had been involved with the Maverick Party.

The NDP leader also noted people had asked to be included in those meetings, but were turned away because they were not on the list. 

“That simply is not good governance, it’s political games. And it’s this divisive American-style politics that people have grown so tired of.”

Beck also pointed to the reports of former Premier Brad Wall advising the truckers convoy, and accused Moe and the Sask. Party of relying heavily on “sowing fear and sowing division to distract from the failings of their own government.”

The opposition leader made the point that the priority ought to be on addressing affordability issues.

“It’s clear that Scott Moe doesn’t know or doesn’t care what Saskatchewan people are going through right now. It’s his job to stand up for the interests of all Saskatchewan people and not just those that he’s meeting with behind closed doors.”

During their media availability the opposition called on the government to scrap a proposed eight per cent utility rate hike to address the affordability issues. 

Opposition critic Young said SaskPower was again turning a profit while “the government turns around and asks households and small businesses and asks farmers for an additional eight per cent in power rates in the next year. Quite simply, we think this is unacceptable and that all our Crown corporations should be doing what they can during this generational affordability crisis to make like more affordable for Saskatchewan people.”

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