The Editor,When I read Taren Trew's letter in the July 7 issue of the Mercury, I felt compelled to respond to the false statements it contained.Firstly, I would like to point out that Doreen Eagles does sit as the cabinet table and has full partnership in cabinet meetings at the caucus representative to cabinet. Not only does Doreen provide excellent representation for the people of Estevan, she also provides excellent leadership in both caucus and cabinet.Ms. Trew's statement about the Wall government taking Estevan for granted is also false. In two and a half years, the Sask Party has done more for the people in this area and the people of Saskatchewan than the NDP did in 16 years. Since 2007, the provincial government has invested $35 million in the Estevan Constituency, including $7 million for the Energy Training Institute, $2.3 million to rehabilitate the Highway 39 bridge and $8.2 million on highways in 2008 and 2009 and a projected $9.8 million this year. Taxes are down. The Wall government has reduced the provincial debt by almost half. This was all done under balanced budgets.What did the NDP do? They closed 52 rural hospitals, shut down the Plains Hospital, cancelled GRIP, let highways crumble, clawed hundreds of millions back from municipalities and lost more than a billion dollars through bad investments.This all happened when Dwain Lingenfelter was at the cabinet table or was deputy premier. How is that for leadership?It is truly a shame that the NDP are in such dire straits that they resort to tactics like Ms. Trew's puerile comments to bolster a failing party. I'm sure the residents of the Estevan Constituency understand the great work their MLA, Doreen Eagles, is doing for them and will gladly return her to office in the 2011 election.Bernie Bjorndalen,President, Saskatchewan Party Estevan Constituency AssociationEstevan, Sask.
