With 2010 now stored neatly into the history books and an exciting 2011 facing the province, the Sask. Party's Estevan MLA Doreen Eagles agreed to field a series of questions posed to her by The Mercury allowing her to do a little reflective musing on the year gone by and to look at what may be in store for Estevan and area and the province in 2011.
Question: It was a wet spring last year along with more wet weather in the summer. It now appears as if the spring of 2011 might also be a wet one with more flooding potential. What is the provincial government doing to prepare for this possibility?
Answer: I'm not aware personally of any additional programs, but our government is aware there is the possibility of a wet spring with a high moisture content already in place from last fall. Our programs that addressed deductibles for insurance claimants helped, I'm sure. Financial assistance for individuals was increased as it was for businesses. Relocation benefits were no longer subtracted from these claims either. I'm sure there are discussions going on as to what more might be done because we all know another wet spring concerns us all.
Q: Looking back on 2010, where do you think you could have done better? What could have gone better for the Sask. Party?
A: As an MLA, the agricultural relief program dealing with that excess water did cause a little confusion. I know I got more calls about that than any other issue in 2010. It could have been explained better.
As a party, housing continues to be a problem in this area, as it is in a lot of areas since the province is growing rapidly. We're booming and therefore the calls for more infrastructure assistance is going to continue.
Then of course there is the twinning of Highway 39 (and Highway 6 south of Regina). No one wants that highway twinned more than I do, but at a cost of $1,000,000 per kilometre, it would mean tying up about half of the total highways budget for the year. But the minister (Jim Reiter) has assured me that as soon as twinning of Highway 11 north of Saskatoon is completed, Estevan's highway is on the priority list.
Q: Along with three others?
A: Yes, there are three highway projects that are probably going to be on that priority list so I've challenged him to look at all the candidates for a twinning project and then take a good look at our situation with our highway being a main international trade corridor. That also means potential federal involvement in the project.
Q: We've asked about where you think things could have gone better. What about the highlights?
A: The potash decision for sure. Our government, our premier, provided a compelling case for rejection and presented it to the federal government and others. What was it he was named newsmaker of the year by some news agencies and Politician of the Year by another. (More on the rejected potash deal later).
Another highlight was our population growth, up another 17,000 last year; an all time high for Saskatchewan. That, along with the lowest unemployment rate in Canada and our continued economic growth have to be highlights.
On a constituency level, it was good to see the Energy Training Institute project get underway and to see Spectra Place nearing completion. It also looks like a carbon capture project has a good chance of moving forward now with the announcement associated with Unit 3 at Boundary. We'll have to wait for the feds to give a clear indication.
Q: Truck bypass around Estevan. What can you promise in 2011?
A: I can promise everyone that I'm discussing it with the minister this week. In fact. I'm going there today actually. I want to get it settled. We've met with Estevan Mayor St. Onge and others who are directly involved. As you know we thought the bypass was pretty much settled over a year ago and then the west end exit problem emerged. The concerns were valid so that meant engineering people had to go back to work on it.
Q: Back to the BHP Billiton offer for SaskPotash. That was a pretty interesting situation, care to comment further?
A: We were against the takeover but this province is still open to foreign investment. It's just that this was a strategic case with more than 30 per cent of the world's potash business centred in this province, that made it a different situation. But you can see by the way the economy is still moving that we're moving forward with foreign investments and local investments.
Q: Any health care delivery reforms lurking in the background of the government and Sask. Party heading into 2011?
A: You know our budget process is underway, but I don't hear any rumblings about changes, like appointed boards versus elected boards, if that's what you're getting at.
Q: Education funding. Can this government complete the promise it made two years ago to take on the funding for K to 12 education? And how will the funds be delivered with strings or with the one big envelope and let the school divisions decide how to spend it?
A: The property tax part of the education funding formula will be completed this year as promised. How it will be attached, I don't know.
Q: Is there an increase in minimum wage pending for the province of Saskatchewan?
A: There are no discussions or even rumours circulating around this question. Right now Saskatchewan has the second highest minimum wage in Western Canada at $9.25 per hour. B.C. has it at $8, Alberta is at $8.80 and Manitoba is $9.50.
Q: What about municipal revenue sharing and the needs for growing communities?
A: Well, I could say simply that if we (government) get more, we'll give out more. That would mean more resource revenues for instance.
Q: Crown corporation debt has to grow since all the profits have been taken from them. How is the government going to handle that?
A: Crown corporations are not any further in debt than they were before. The previous NDP government did the books the same way only they didn't spend nearly as much money on infrastructure. They took the money from the Crowns, but what did they do with it? They mis-spent it. They lost millions and millions on bad investments. We're using the Crown money on infrastructure, technology and communication upgrades.
Q: The social services file has come into the spotlight recently with problems connected to social workers, foster parenting and the like. Have any of these situations been identified to any great extent in the Estevan Constituency?
A: Not a whole lot but the issue of housing, as it relates to social services and social needs, is certainly a local issue. Affordable or low cost housing is a problem. We've opened 700 more low cost units across the province, helped 2,900 low income families and 145 units for other social housing needs. Some people with disabilities have been identified as needing assistance in this constituency for sure. I know across the province we had a waiting list of 440 disabled people who required assistance at the start of the year and we reduced that list by 70 per cent. When it comes to social services in Estevan and area, it's mainly about low income/affordable housing requirements.
Mercury: Thank you for your time and responses.
Eagles: And thank you, now I'm off to Regina, maybe I can get a few more answers for you (laughs).
