It was a particularly eventful final day of the spring sitting of the legislature on Thursday, May 31.
It was a last chance for Premier Scott Moe and opposition leader Ryan Meili to tangle in Question Period before MLAs headed back home for the summer recess. It was also one last chance to speak on particularly noteworthy issues that flared up just that week, including word the feds would offer to purchase the Trans Mountain pipeline project for $4.5 billion.
The leaders’ exchange, as recorded in Hansard, began with comments on breaking news of importance to the steel industry in Saskatchewan.
Mr. Meili: —This morning we have learned about troubling developments south of the border that have the potential to do serious damage right here in Regina. The Trump administration has announced that it will be imposing tariffs on Canadian steel at midnight tonight.
The United States is a very important customer for our steel exports, and these tariffs would have a serious negative impact on the Saskatchewan economy. We’ve been strongly urging the federal government to take action that would protect jobs of Saskatchewan steelworkers. Is the premier engaged on this file, and what’s his plan to address the damage these tariffs could do to Saskatchewan?
The Speaker: —I recognize the Premier.
Hon. Mr. Moe: —I thank the member opposite for what is a very important question on behalf of the people of the province of Saskatchewan, and that is the announcement with the imposition of a steel tariff by the United States on … industry here in the province of Saskatchewan.
We’re disappointed by this decision, obviously. I spoke with the prime minister yesterday on this topic precisely. I’ll be heading to Washington next week to engage on all trade topics, but in particular as well, the topic of steel and the steel tariff …. And we’ll continue to advocate, advocate for the trade agreements that we need and require here to be successful in our economy … trade agreements surrounding all of our export products including our steel products. And we’ll continue to advocate for those projects that use Saskatchewan steel, such as Keystone, such as Trans Mountain, such as projects that utilize Saskatchewan resources that are sustainable, sustainably produced as anywhere in the world.
The Speaker: —I recognize the Leader of the Opposition.
Mr. Meili: —At the start of this spring session — the premier’s first in his new role, my first as leader of the Opposition — I asked the premier if there was any common ground on which we could work together. Now although of course there were plenty of disagreements along the way, we did find a few patches of common ground here and there.
We were very glad to see the government finally agree to a full repeal of Bill 40, a bill that opened us up to seeing our Crown corporations privatized. And we were glad to hear the government will be moving forward with a domestic violence strategy and a sexual assault strategy. We were glad to hear yesterday that the Sask. Party’s changed its position and will be updating our parental leave laws to bring them in line with federal changes. And we were glad to hear that the premier has seen the light and now supports universal pharmacare in Canada. So my question for the premier is, what’s next? What other common cause do you see us finding common ground on in the coming months?
The Speaker: —I recognize the Premier.
Hon. Mr. Moe: —With respect to the opportunity that we’ve had to come to agreement on a number of issue — most notably the strategies around domestic violence, as well as sexual assault, the changes that were made to Bill 40 — it seems to be a little bit of one party moving one direction. So I would ask the members opposite to come over and join us on a number of policy issues that are important to the people of the province …. We can continue to align on these issues, and ones that we already do with the New Democrats,bas the resource revenue sharing in the province of Saskatchewan being for all people in the province of Saskatchewan.
But I would ask the members opposite to join us in advocating for the Kinder Morgan Trans Mountain pipeline, in this house, outside this house, and across the province to ensure that we can put that Canadian-Saskatchewan steel into that project, and continue to have the opportunities for not just our steel producers here in the province but the advancement of our economy as well.
And I’d ask the members opposite — all of the members opposite — to come over and stand with Saskatchewan people to ensure that we will not have the imposition of a federal carbon tax on our industries, job, and families across this province as we can do much better with that, with the plan put forward by the minister of the Environment, the plan for a prairie resilience, a plan that will actually have results, on behalf of the people of the nation of Canada.
The opposition leader also returned to another familiar topic of debate during the spring session: the activities of Bill Boyd.
Mr. Meili: —… yesterday we learned that after Bill Boyd left cabinet, he made a phone call to one William Wang, a high-level civil servant in the Ministry of the Economy, just before Mr. Boyd travelled to China to promote his irrigation-immigration investment scheme. Now it’s clear that Mr. Boyd and Mr. Wang have grown to know each other quite well during Mr. Boyd’s time as minister of the Economy. They travelled to China together, along with one Laurie Pushor, on several occasions.
But if Mr. Boyd and his business associates were using their connections in the civil service to advance Mr. Boyd’s own business agenda in China as a private citizen, that would be a very serious conflict of interest. Yesterday the minister said he’s asked his deputy minister to investigate. Will the Premier commit to investigating all of Mr. Boyd’s activities in China and to making the details of this investigation public?
The Speaker: —I recognize the premier.
Hon. Mr. Moe: —… My answer today is exactly the same as the answer yesterday, that the minister of Trade and Export, has advised his deputy minister to review these concerns. These are very troubling for the Government of Saskatchewan. And I would say that the public service has very strong conflict-of-interest guidelines, and we expect that those guidelines will be adhered to.
The Speaker: —I recognize the Leader of the Opposition.
Mr. Meili: —… Saskatchewan people deserve better than an internal investigation that doesn’t report back to the public. So I repeat my question, which we didn’t get a clear answer on: will the premier commit to investigating all of Bill Boyd’s dealings in China, and will he commit to making the results of that investigation public so that we all know exactly what happened?
The Speaker: —I recognize the premier.
Hon. Mr. Moe: —As I said, the minister of Export and Trade has asked his deputy minister to review this file. There are public service standards that need to be met and will be met, in this case and any other case in the public service.
And the fact of the matter is when it comes to MLAs in this assembly, we all report to the Conflict of Interest Commissioner as we have. We all report any of our interests to the Conflict of Interest Commissioner. In this particular case, I’ve said the minister of Trade and Export has advised that his deputy minister will review this file. This is a very troubling incident for the Government of Saskatchewan and we will deal with it appropriately.
Other MLAs joined in the debate during question period on various topics. The final question, posed to the premier, came from Athabaska MLA Buckley Belanger.
Mr. Belanger: —This is a government that had a billion-dollar tax increase to the people of Saskatchewan last year. And today now, we see that jobs are down. Oil production, while increasing in Alberta, flatlined in Saskatchewan. Wholesale trade, increasing in the Western provinces, decreasing in Saskatchewan. Retail sales, same thing. Building permits down, new construction down. The continued agricultural transportation crisis.
There’s no doubt Saskatchewan’s economy is lagging behind with the Sask. Party government in control. I don’t want spin and bluster from the minister. I want answers. What are you doing about the jobs that we’re losing? What are you doing about the steel tariffs and Saskatchewan’s flatlining economy? Can you do your job so people stop losing theirs? The buck stops here.
The Speaker: —I recognize the premier.
Hon. Mr. Moe: —There they are. There’s all the questions that we were waiting for the other day in estimates, right there, from the northern member, the critic for the Ministry of Highways.
No questions in estimates the other day on education. No questions about our $30 million investment in the classrooms across the province. No questions… about the investment over the last 10 years in our advanced education system. No question on one of the largest challenges we have in this province right now, the imposition of a federal carbon tax.
I’ll be off to Washington next week to advocate on behalf of the people of this province and the strong economy in this province. And members on this house are heading back to their constituencies, because they appreciate the opportunity to serve as the people’s government in the province of Saskatchewan. And we will continue to engage and represent them, throughout this summer and into the future.
The Speaker: — And there you have it. Order.
