I Think They Have Lost Their Minds

Here in Saskatchewan it wasn't First Nations unemployment, the lack of adequate housing, sky rocketing rental costs, or the economic disparity many of us see in this new "boom economy" that was the hot button issue. The thing that captured the hearts and minds of delegates at the governing party's Convention was lowering the drinking age from 19 to 18.

I have to ask myself, what person, over the age of 19 or 20, think this is a good idea?

I figure two groups.

First the slightly older guys whose friends are not yet 19 think it would make it a lot easier to get them drunk if they could all go to the bar.

And secondly, bar owners who see lowering the drinking age to 18, as a cash grab. Great for business. Cooler sales shoot through the roof.

The Sask Party Government loves small business so will most likely back this initiative. We have heard the "What is good for business is good for Saskatchewan." mantra all too often

Tourism Saskatchewan will most likely jump on the bandwagon too selling this initiative as a way to increase tourism. Lets' attract under aged American drinkers to small Saskatchewan border town bars. Yet another  wayto stimulate the rural Saskatchewan economy.

Saskaboom

Ten ways to recognize a booming economy, the Saskatchewan way

1. Unless you are on a four-lane highway if there is any pavement at all, it is crumbling. 
2. The Provincial Recreation Areas offer almost nothing in services and are maintained, if that is the word, in an appalling state.
3. Small towns are getting more and more run down, and smaller every year. Abandoned houses prevail.
4. The infrastructure is breaking down everywhere.
5. The government’s twisted logic boasts about the fact that it raised the minimum income at which its citizens had to pay taxes thus taking 114,000 people off the tax rolls altogether.
6. With rents increasing as much as 75% Low-income workers and students can’t afford housing and first time home buyers can afford to get into the market.
7. A significant number of students take six and seven years to get a four-year degree because they can’t afford to go to university full time even thought they live at home. 
8. Thirty Seven percent of your First Nations people live below the poverty line and 20% percent of children under six, live below the poverty line, the worst level in the country. 
9. People can’t afford to travel so with no comparator, they actually think Saskatchewan is booming.
10. Still too small for Ikea to even consider coming here

What Me Worry

What does the Premier of Saskatchewan

have to worry about

The most important issue in the election campaign for Brad Wall yesterday was to help out the province’s tourism industry by moving the school year start to after the Labour Day weekend. The industry evidently lobbied Wall and, what business wants here in Saskatchewan, business gets.

Apparently, no consultation with teachers or school boards was necessary. If it is good for business, it must be good for Saskatchewan.

All the while, the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives reminds us that:

•  115,000 people are living below the poverty line here in Wall’s backyard. That is about 12% of the population. 
• Aboriginal people fare far worse, with 37% living in poverty. 
•  Saskatchewan also shares the dubious distinction with British Columbia of having the worst early childhood poverty rate in the country, with close to 20% of children under six years of age living in poverty. 
• It’s also no secret that the province has an acute affordable housing crisis, with low vacancy rates and lack of regulation allowing rents to sky rocket by as much as 75% percent in some regions.  
• Saskatchewan currently has the third greatest after-tax income inequality in the country. 

Don’t expect anything from Wall to address those pressing issues. The premier and his cronies figure, if those people would just get off their rear ends and find jobs they'd be all right.

Next thing, we’ll be talking about will probably be daylight saving time. 

Reduce the Risks of Working Alone

Early this summer, on the night of June 30th to be exact a Yorkton gas station attendant, working alone was murdered, for what was most likely, no more than a couple of hundred dollars. The victim, Jim Weibe was working alone. Not long after, police arrested 20 year old Kyle Furness and have charged him with first degree murder.

Weibe joins a growing list of people who met their ends while working alone, overnight for shitty pay, in gas stations and convenience stores across North America. They are basically sitting ducks waiting for the next lowlife to crawl out from under some rock.

Weibe’s friend Aaron Nagy is trying to do something about that. He has started an on-line petition and a Facebook site in an effort to convince the government to bring in legislation which would protect people in Weibe’s situation. He says, no one should be working alone. I agree with him, no one should be working alone, particularly in the middle of the night.

Nagy is on the right track but, I can tell you, he has an uphill battle. I would be amazed if this business friendly Saskatchewan Party Government gives the issue much more than lip service.

The issue of people working alone extends far beyond gas station attendants.

In 2001 after SaskTel employee John Davies was shot and died while trying to restore telephone service to the Star Blanket Reserve I looked very closely at the issue and wrote a Health and Safety report entitled Reducing the Risks of Working Alone.

I gave a few seminars on the subject trying to raise awareness of the risks and we talked to the government of the day, but from my perspective, not a great deal has changed in the last 11 years.

Information available to employees who are concerned about working alone in Saskatchewan are grossly inadequate and guidelines for employers lack strong legislation to back them up. Surprisingly even the Alberta guide on the issue does a better job.

It is time to fix this issue. Let’s get at it.

Brad Should Think About the Kids

Sorry Brad. Wrong again

I am getting a little fed up at the Regina Leader Post's editorial view of the teachers job action. This "Teachers should be thinking about the kids" attitude is puzzling. What ever happened to "The Government should be thinking of the kids"?

The Wall government has themselves in a bit of a jam these days. They have only themselves to blame.

First, Wall thought he was pretty smart when he had his people sidle up to the nurses in 2008 and slip them a 35% increase in wages. The move by Brad and the nurses threw a wrench into the works and undermined any efforts to build real collective action against the Government's hold the line bargaining. He out smarted most of the union side negotiators who thought they could wrestle something close to the same money for their members. They couldn't but, by the time they realized that, all the wind went out of the common front's sails.

Labour might not have won that round but, to their credit they have long memories.

The second thing that undermined Wall's bargaining position was his own love of the spotlight and his unchecked boosterism.

Wall is a born salesman. He should be selling vinyl siding. He even convinced the Globe & Mail that he was Prime Ministerial material.

Brad Wall has spent the last year telling all of us here in flat city and beyond, that now that the evil, job killing, small business hating, socialist leaning NDP have been dispatched, Saskatchewan is booming.

• Things have never been better. 
• People are flocking back from Alberta. 
• We are encouraging immigrants from Ontario
• Jobs, Jobs Jobs
• Saskatchewan is the place to be

The Sask Party is running the show so, Sis Saskaboom bitta bah, let the good times roll.

Not so fast Brad.

During the tough times Saskatchewan workers, particularly Saskatchewan government workers were pressed to take less. The government, a generally labour friendly government, convinced workers to take less that they deserved because "the money just isn't there." Labour grudgingly took one for the team to try and keep things on an even keel.

The assumption was always, "Ok, we'll take the hit when times are tough on the expectation that employers will be fair when times are good."

Sorry folks. Duped again.

So now the consummate showman is in a jam. How can he continue to say;

• You are asking for too much 
• We can't afford it.
• That teachers and health care workers don't deserve even half of what his government gave to nurses.

after he and his cronies have made so much out of the Saskaboom?

I for one am happy to sit this one out and watch Brad squirm.

Some Other Time Brad

With time spent traveling to Central Canada and then contracting a bad cold I have been neglecting this blog but I am back, if only at half steam.
Here have been so many issues missed over the last few weeks. Harper and his crew never stop offering opportunities to rant.
While in Quebec I was quite interested in the debate over Federal funding for a new arena in Quebec City as a part of a bid to get Les Nordiques back. Even Harper waded in for a while seeming to support the idea of injecting Federal cash into the project contradicting several of his Quebec ministers. In Quebec it was seen clearly as a vote buying scheme in an effort to garner support much needed by the Reform/Conservative/Alliance bunch. They have taken a big hit in Quebec over the gun registry issue. They are practical people in Quebec. The sentiment seemed to be. “OK, give us the money but we aren’t going to vote for you anyway.”
Now I see that Hamilton wants a bit of Federal cash to refurbish Ivor Wynne Stadium in advance of the Pan American Games. Why not jump on the vote buying bandwagon too, after all?
All this action puts the likelihood of the much hyped Regina stadium project going ahead into doubt. Both Regina mayor Pat Fiacco and Premier Brad Wall see the stadium as a legacy project. Their legacy project.
They are starting to panic.
Wall had a meeting with that motley crew of Saskatchewan Conservative MPs this week and came away with very little. I am not sure how they sounded while they were in the meeting but after the discussions ended a few of the MPs had comments none of which should encourage Saskatchewan Stadium fans. My own MP Tom “A Team” Lukiwski’s comments were incomprehensible. According to media reports he suggested that the Regina bid would have a better chance of success securing funds under a kind of public-private-partnership which of course is what Saskatchewan has already applied to the Feds under. Then he said “We have been facilitating that process for Saskatchewan rather that advocating one way or another. P3 is not a perfect fit, but it has a lot of commonalities in it.”
Now in fairness, no one ever said that Lukiwski was very bright but, his comments make no sense. I sometimes wonder if these Conservatives have been sent on some kind of Ottawa double speak course or, perhaps they are all so afraid of contradicting Little Stevie that they just mumble gibberish when asked a question. The theory being that if they say anything to offend Harper, they will find themselves sitting in the backbenches beside some Independent.
I think Brad is out of luck. Harper was recently quoted as saying, in Saskatoon of all places.
“In terms of financing major sports facilities, there are demands here, there are demands in Quebec City, I am aware of demands elsewhere. In terms of financing these things going forward, we’re going to have to respect the precedents we have had in the past and be sure any treatment we’re prepared to make to one city we’re prepared to make to all,” said Harper.
That sounds to me like “Perhaps some other time Brad.”
Harper needs votes in Quebec and in Hamilton and it appears that he isn’t going to cough up in those cities. Why should he bother when Saskatchewan voters will support him no matter how many promises he breaks in this Province?
And Brad Wall? Brad still clings to the hope that his “special relationship” with Harper will benefit the province at some point. It is kind of cute that Brad can hang onto that small town naivety in politics but I am afraid he heading for a rude awakening.

Move Over Helena Guergis

The question many people here on the prairies are asking themselves, well here on the middle of the prairies anyway, is who the hell is Serge LeClerc? It is also the question that Premier Brad Wall must be wishing he’d asked himself some time ago.

LeClerc was the kind of guy the political religious right dream about. The former drug kingpin, gang leader and self proclaimed most dangerous criminal in Canada, who found God and right wing politics was like a dream come true to Brad. In fact LeClerc says that Brad Wall asked him to run for the Saskatchewan Party after a vision of LeClerc being sworn in came to him in a dream. That all must seem like a bit of a nightmare at this point.

In retrospect it seems like the MLA has been unravelling for a while now. He was recently was accused of giving the Leader of the Opposition the finger in the Saskatchewan legislature and the NDP leader has also claimed that LeClerc threatened him.

Now the CBC has a tape on which someone who apparently sounds very much like LeClerc talks about personal drug use and engaging in sex with another man.

LeClerc has been vociferous in his denials calling the leaked material to be a smear job saying that he does not use drugs anymore saying “If I had been doing drugs, cocaine especially, 13 months ago, I’d be 110 pounds and I’d be a babbling idiot.” Really? For a former drug kingpin he really doesn’t know much about recreational drug use or perhaps he is just another babbling idiot.

He also was quick to say that he has never engaged in “illicit homosexual sex” which helped to confuse matters even more. That comment of course, made one wonder, either LeClerc thinks that sex between two, or more, consenting men or women for that matter is illegal or he might be saying that any sex he may have had with another male was between consenting adults.

Since his initial comment he has tried to clarify matters by saying that he does not have sexual relations with men.

If there is nothing to all this it would seem that it would be simple to offer up his computer so his hard drive can be scrutinized but as luck would have it, Serge claims he doesn't have his personal laptop any more. No word on where the one he was issued as a MLA is.

We may never see Serge LeClerc back in the legislature. He is now saying that he had decided, before the potential scandal broke, not to seek re-election and that he had discussed his decision not to re-offer with the premier. The Premier must have forgotten that conversation since he apparently signed LeClerc’s nomination papers March 30. LeClerc is now saying that he may go in sick leave rather that face the music. No surprise that he would take this very modern way out rather than staring the opposition down across the legislature. The NDP have made it very clear they do not want him over on their side of the house.

Serge LeClerc is a bit of an enigma. He is a shameless self promoter with about five websites all talking his former life of crime in a rather boastful manner. He sounds proud of his work as a criminal. Somehow most of what he says rings hollow to me. There is no shame when he talks about his former life and to me at least, his boastful tone doesn’t seem quite right for someone who has turned his life around after finding religion.

What we really do need now is for someone with at least some moderate research skills, a modest budget and some time, a rare thing in the Saskatchewan newspapers community, to find out how much of the Serge LeClerc story is actually true and how much of it is just the ramblings of a petty criminal who found an easier way to fund his meal ticket.

So, move over Helena Guergis, Serge is taking over.

Scratch one up for Wiley Coyote

I was encouraged to see that Saskatchewan Agricultural Minister, Bob Bjornerud has canceled the coyote bounty program, even he did it a bit begrudgingly. When announcing the cancellation Bjornerud had to admit that the Saskatchewan Party had received a great deal of criticism about their plan.

Well, chalk one up for the bloggers, the activists, the naturalists and the wild life experts.

The program, which stipulated that in order to collect the bounty the hunters had to cut off, and submit all for paws, before being paid. That struck me as a more than a bit barbaric and it also raised the speculation that those out shooting coyotes for beer money probably can't tell their left from their right so the government had to make it all four paws..

The announcement also make me think that books like little Red Riding Hood and Peter and the Wolf kept the Agriculture Minister up nights when he was younger. Obviously those books left some permanent scars. Bjornerud is afraid of coyotes. Suggesting that canceling the program might put children at risk he said, “I have grandchildren” and it would be tragic if someone’s children or grandchildren were mauled or killed by coyotes.

Of course other than grandchildren, the coyotes eat quite a few gophers and other pests. The way I see it the more coyotes eat, the fewer gophers and the less poison the farmers put into the soil.

The next time you see Bob. Give him a hug and tell him everything will be all right.

They Just Don't Get It.

The Saskatchewan Party just can't figure out why people are offended at their use of a photo of an aircraft being flown into the Twin Towers in New York.

Saskatchewan’s Environment Minister is using an image of the 9/11 attacks was used to advertise a Saskatchewan Party fundraiser in her riding.

The poster promotes the “2nd Annual Spring Fundraising Dinner” in Nancy Heppner’s Martensville riding and promises a pig roast as well as a speech from Chief Richard Picciotto, the highest-ranking firefighter to be pulled from the rubble of New York’s World Trade Center.

What the Chief's insights have to do with Saskatchewan is a mystery to us all. Hepburn Saskatchewan is, after all, some distance from the events of September 11th.

A photo that forms the poster’s backdrop shows the World Trade Centre exploding into flames. The New York Times photograph was taken right after the hijackers flew the iarcraft into the building’s upper floors.

Shame on Heppner and shame on the Saskatchewan party for trying to capitalize on this tragedy to raise politcal funds in this cheap manner.

Pay Attention Boys and Girls

Ok all you Saskatchewan boys and girls.
This weekend taught us all a good lesson.
Numeracy is important.
I hope you were paying attention.
Now if our finance minister learned that lesson too, we'd all be better off.
.

Another Step Backward

The Government of Saskatchewan, not the most enlightened group, has just put a bounty on coyotes. Yup, now farm kids can earn Christmas shopping money killing coyotes and cutting off their paws. All four paws have to be presented before the bounty will be paid. I assume the government must think that cutting off just one paw, like the right front paw, or something like that was just too complicated for these rural folk.

This new initiative was recently announced by Agricultural Minister Bob Bjornerud. He calls it the Saskatchewan Coyote Control Program. The program will pay $20.00 per coyote and some Rural Municipalities are adding another $10.00 or so to the bounty.

This all raises the image of guys driving around in their pickups, with a rifle, a case of beer and a bag of coyote paws in the back, looking for more Christmas money.

As one would expect wildlife and environmental groups are up in arms but, in the eyes of these farmers and ranchers, environmentalists are mostly pinko city folk, so nothing for this Saskatchewan Party Government to worry about. That same bunch who wanted to keep the long gun registry in place.

So Merry Christmas rural Saskatchewan.

Government Ethics. An Oxymoron?

For years most of us have marveled at how business leaders learned that they can can seemingly divest themselves of responsibility when it comes to losses, lawsuits, union contracts, or monies owed to creditors by simply splitting their company into small subsidiaries. That way the small entity is wholy responsible for the problem and the parent company is insulated from any fallout which may occur during tough times. It is a kind of shell game business loves. The average person knows it is a scam but, ya know, we don't write the law.

In the last day or so an interesting story has hit the news in Saskatchewan. Big Sky, a hog producer, has filed for court protection from its creditors. Big Sky apparently owes several thousand dollars to farmers who provided the company with pig feed and it is reported, to other small companies doing work around the plant.

The farmers, quite justifiably are incensed. One guy is owed $47,000 for nine semi trailers full of barley he delivered and Big Sky won't pay up.

Here is the hook. The Saskatchewan Government owns 64% of Big Sky. So the Saskatchewan Government is shirking its responsibility in this matter and is stiffing its own citizans. Good work.

Saskatchewan Agriculture Minister Bob Bjornerud apparently told the media that the government has no obligation what so ever in this matter. Give your head a shake Bob, I think perhaps a course in ethics 101 is in order.

Brad Wall, a true believer in the old, bread and circuses principle, is on the front page of the Leader Post this morning, posing with the Saskatchewan Roughrider flag and a couple of Riders football players in front of the legislature and the Big Sky story doesn't appear until page B7. So, it is working.

Now if the Riders lose the Western Final this Sunday, Brad may have to pay up. If they win, the Farmers might have to wait a while for their money.

Saskatchewan Specialty Wine Stores

Here in Saskatchewan we are all watching a campaign by the Saskatchewan Government Employees Union to urge us all to speak out against the privatization of Saskatchewan Government liquor stores.

To be honest, I am not sure where I am on the issue. I have mixed feelings. A couple of years ago I'd have voted for privatization but selection in the Saskatchewan stores have improved dramatically and I am all for paying the staff a good wage. I suspect many private stores are sweatshops and we certainly don't want to go the route most American states have gone.

Generally these campaigns warn us about becoming like Alberta where liquor stores were moved into the private sector years ago. I never quite understood that argument since most of us take advantage of Alberta's cheaper prices, great wine selection and better choices when it comes to single malt scotches, every time we make the drive west. Sure, there some run down hole in the wall stores in Alberta but, I don't shop there.

Meanwhile the Saskatchewan Government has approved the establishment of two private specialty wine stores. One in Regina and the other in Saskatoon. I was just told the other day that the contract for the Regina store at least, has been given to someone living in Alberta. Now, to be honest, I am not surprised. The government in power is mostly run by small town and rural rubes who don't know much beyond running a dairy Queen much less a specialty wine store.

I'm willing to bet that no one on the Saskatchewan Party pork barrel list can tell a white Zinfandel from a Gewurztraminer so they thought the best thing to do was to consult their buddies in Alberta. A bad move. A specialty wine store is a sure winner and I'm willing to bet that someone here in Saskatchewan with a few bucks to invest knows his way around a vineyard.