REGINA -- Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe faced questions this week about when this year’s budget will be presented, and now the official opposition is calling on the government to introduce a full 2020-21 budget.
In an open letter Friday, the Saskatchewan NDP called on the government to release a budget that includes projected revenues, expenditures, deficit, debt and economic indicators.
“The Sask. Party and Scott Moe have been writing themselves blank cheques behind closed doors,” said Saskatchewan NDP Leader Ryan Meili.
“Meanwhile, they’re closing hospitals in rural Saskatchewan, even as they start opening up other parts of the province. They’re promising billions of dollars in spending, without telling us how they’ll make sure it goes to Saskatchewan workers and companies.
The letter, from NDP House Leader Cathy Sproule to Government House Leader Jeremy Harrison, asks for 28 days of consideration and question period following the presentation of the budget.
A statement from Scott Moe’s office confirmed the house leaders met, as recently as Thursday, to discuss the NDP’s proposal for a resumption of legislative business.
“As the Premier indicated on Wednesday, it is our government’s preference to resume legislative business under an amenable agreement on a modified schedule,” the statement said.
The NDP have asked the province to respond to their proposal by the end of day Tuesday. The government said it plans to meet this deadline, but they do not want to “politicize” these deliberations through public negotiations.
“While the Leader of the Opposition seems fixated on returning to politics as usual, our government will remain focused on providing a comprehensive response to the COVID-19 pandemic, including negotiating a reasonable resumption of legislative business in good faith.”
On Wednesday, Moe said the province’s preference is to present a full budget before a fall election, but it is contingent on house leaders agreeing to a “modified sitting arrangement” so the budget can be presented in the house.
The 2020-21 budget was scheduled to be released in March, but due to economic instability caused by COVID-19 the province instead released a scaled back budget showing only spending forecasts.
