The two Northwest-area cabinet ministers in the Brad Wall government were once again on the hot seat in Question Period last week.
Both Cut Knife-Turtleford MLA Larry Doke and Battlefords MLA Herb Cox were fielding questions on issues related to their provincial ministries.
While the questions were directed at two different areas of government – Government Relations, and Advanced Education – the lines of questioning both had a familiar theme as the NDP focused on the impacts of the provincial budget and government cuts.
On Nov. 21, it was Doke who faced questions from Prince Albert-Northcote MLA Nicole Rancourt on the issue of funding for municipalities. That exchange was recorded in Hansard.
Ms. Rancourt: — Mr. Speaker, across the province Saskatchewan people were hit this year with the hike to their property tax bills. The Sask Party knew the property assessments were coming. They knew before their budget came through. Communities like Estevan contributed a lot during the boom, but are now feeling the pain from the economic downturn, and the Sask Party isn’t making that any easier. In fact they cut their funding and raised the percentage of their house and property that is taxable from 70 to 80 per cent. Now the people of Estevan are forced to pay even more taxes, and they’re based on the value of their home at the peak of the oil boom. Mr. Speaker, since the government continues to refuse to provide any assistance to these communities, will they at least consider moving to a one- or two-year assessment cycle, like other provinces have, to help lessen the impact on communities like Estevan?
The Speaker: —I recognize the Minister of Government Relations.
Hon. Mr. Doke: —Thank you, Mr. Speaker. When we first formed government, we committed to reducing the EPT [education property tax] so that education funding would be 60 per cent from the GRF [General Revenue Fund] and 40 per cent from the EPT. We actually went beyond that and the split was 65 per cent GRF and 35 per cent EPT. We have returned EPT funding to a level to meet our campaign commitment of a 60/40 split. I would also add that residents of Saskatchewan have saved $1.3 billion in property tax.
The Speaker: —I recognize the member from Prince Albert Northcote.
Ms. Rancourt: —Mr. Speaker, across the province people are struggling to make ends meet, and the Sask Party’s tax hikes are making it worse. Municipalities are doing their best but they’re struggling after the cuts and the PST [provincial sales tax] hike too. Last night I had the opportunity to meet with Estevan’s mayor and council. They had to make the difficult decision to close their arena because they can’t afford to fix it enough to keep it open. Mr. Speaker, they’re trying to help the people in their community with the Sask Party tax hike, and they’re trying to plan for the future. But when they asked, the government told them they would not know the status of their grants-in-lieu until the next premier is selected in January. Mr. Speaker, when will the minister pay attention? Cities, towns, villages, all of Saskatchewan’s municipalities are trying to deal with the Sask Party cuts and start their budget process for next year. So why can’t the minister provide them certainty now and commit to no more cuts?
The Speaker: —I recognize the Minister . . . Whoa. I recognize the Minister of Government Relations.
Hon. Mr. Doke: —Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I really don’t know where to start with that, or whether there was a question there. I’m not sure. But as I said, we’ve moved back to a 60/40 split on the EPT and the GRF. And as I said when I met with city mayors, we are reviewing the grants-in-lieu and we will have answers for them shortly. So, Mr. Speaker, we do care about the municipalities, even Prince Albert for that matter. We include all municipalities. Thank you.
On Nov. 23, Saskatoon Fairview MLA Vicki Mowat fired away at minister Cox on the issue of funding to post-secondary education. That exchange also was recorded in Hansard.
Ms. Mowat: —Mr. Speaker, let me start with a quote: “This deficit budget is the direct result of the 5.6% reduction in funding received from the provincial government’s budget released in March 2017.” That is a direct quote from the University of Saskatchewan’s most recent annual report. Mr. Speaker, the University of Saskatchewan has been forced to cut services and even run a deficit this year because the province slashed funding by $18 million. Mr. Speaker, how can any government who has any consideration for the future cut advanced education so deeply?
The Speaker: —I recognize the Minister of Advanced Education.
Hon. Mr. Cox: —Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And I’m very pleased to be able to rise today and highlight some of the things that we are doing, this government is doing for post-secondary education in this province. The 2015-16 university fiscal year information from Stats Canada indicated the following, Mr. Speaker. The U of S [University of Saskatchewan] receives 63 per cent of their operating revenue from the province, and that’s the fifth highest in the group of 15 comparable universities in Canada, that’s medical doctoral universities. U of R [University of Regina], 55 per cent of their funding comes from our provincial government. As far as tuitions go, Mr. Speaker, the U of S tuition revenue is comprised of 23 per cent of their operating revenue, seventh among those universities. And I think it’s also important to note here, Mr. Speaker, that of those four universities that were ahead of the U of S, three of them are in the province of Quebec. And that’s a pretty convenient fact. Thank you.
The Speaker: —I recognize the member from Saskatoon Fairview.
Ms. Mowat: —Mr. Speaker, the minister’s response does not acknowledge many of the facts that I identified in my question, so I’d like to ask again. How can any government who has any consideration for the future cut advanced education so deeply? We’ll give them another chance, Mr. Speaker.
The Speaker: —I recognize the Minister of Advanced Education.
Hon. Mr. Cox: —Mr. Speaker, I think as the member opposite knows that we’ve had serious declines in our revenue and our budget, and that has led to some constraints that we’ve had to adopt. And we’d like to thank our universities and all post-secondary educations for the efforts that they have taken. However, Mr. Speaker, we continue to support our post-secondary institutions in this province and we’ll continue to do that. And I’d just like to point out, Mr. Speaker, that prior to our decade in government, 2006 Stats Canada report illustrated, from 1990 through to 2007 under the NDP’s 16 years of government, tuition fees ballooned by 227 per cent, Mr. Speaker. Between ’91 and 2007, the average tuition at SIAST [Saskatchewan Institute of Applied Science and Technology] increased by a whopping 320 per cent, Mr. Speaker. We’ll take no lessons from the members opposite.
The Speaker: —I recognize the member from Saskatoon Fairview.
Ms. Mowat:— Mr. Speaker, the fact is they’re making students, the next generation, start their lives while paying the price for Sask Party mismanagement. The University of Saskatchewan’s annual report also says that the Sask Party’s cuts will mean the U of S will “. . . no longer maintain the same quantity and quality of services.” Mr. Speaker, they’ve already had to put the planned school of architecture on hold. The med school is constantly under threat, and who knows what’s next. Mr. Speaker, can the Minister of Advanced Education commit to providing long-term, predictable funding to our universities and other educational institutions? And will the minister ensure that they won’t look to students to cover these funding cuts with even more tuition fee increases next year?
The Speaker: —I recognize the Minister of Advanced Education.
Hon. Mr. Cox: —Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Once again I’m pleased to rise and be able to highlight some of the things that this government is doing for our post-secondary institutions. In 2017-18 alone, Mr. Speaker, we are providing the U of S with $329 million in operating funding. That’s almost $120 million more than was available to them from the previous government in ’07-08, and that’s a 57 per cent increase in funding. [10:45] Over our last decade of growth, our government’s provided U of S with over $3 billion in funding, Mr. Speaker. I think that’s a very solid record. And when you compare those last 10 years of operating funding under the NDP and our record over the last 10 years, our government . . . [inaudible] . . . provide the U of S with $1.4 billion more or 90 per cent in operating funding, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.
