We're supposed to have economic clout in southeast Saskatchewan, but we lack the power of people. By that I mean we just don't seem to have enough population to grab the attention of our provincial and federal administrations.
We have maybe 100,000 people we could claim as residents of southeast Saskatchewan, and even at that, I believe we're pulling a long bow. Each person though, owns three vehicles.
So while millions and yes, billions of dollars are flowing from our resource sectors ... very little is being retained or returned. We see it in our infrastructure, our highways, our social services, education and health communities.
Our friends in government keep thanking us for being their engines of economic growth but that's where it starts and ends.
Make no mistake, we are well aware of the provincial and federal contributions to our remarkable Spectra Place, but that was three years ago and the contributions represented about two per cent of the total this part of the country sent to them to keep them operating in fine style.
We get crappy highways and no social housing and they get Bev 'Limo' Oda, an international development minister with a fine sense of style.
Limo Bev wasn't even turfed by Stevie Wonder, that Harper boy for her miscreant ways. She only paid up after she was caught, which was a pretty clear signal to Stevie as to what kind of character she had.
I mean, c'mon man! A $3,000 limousine bill for two days in London, $16 glasses of OJ and an upgrade from a five-star hotel? Limo Bev apparently feels she is entitled to $650 a night hotel rooms while on the road and over $1,000 a month for limousine rides in her first year and a half in cabinet.
I have news for ya Stevie ... she's not that valuable. She might be worth that much if she could score 30 goals and log 24 minutes of ice time. She's a fourth line checker at best. We also heard she racked up $6,000 in limo rides while attending the Juno Awards in Halifax last year. What is it with this woman and limos? Will someone please teach her how to drive or call a cab! She's breaking the bank. She's our Greek economy writ small. She's our red carpet queen without credentials.
Oh, and by the way, while we're paying tens of thousands of dollars extra for our International Development queen bee, Canada's international aid is being cut by $337 million.
Somehow that makes sense to Stevie Wonder, that Harper boy. Go figure ... actually don't go figure, it'll only hurt.
So while we struggle for economic and social recognition out here in what is still obviously the boondocks to the rest of Canada and Saskatchewan, the political crew is playing fast and loose with our cash.
OK, I know the resource dollars aren't really ours to keep. That big project out there at Boundary Dam and elsewhere is for the good of all humanity. In the meantime, the humanity here that is actually making it happen, is having a hard time finding a place to sleep. So they drive to Regina every night after work, using our crappy highways, and wondering why they ever left home. It was probably for that fat paycheque they now have to squander on gas and overpriced housing.
And don't get me started on social services, policing, education and health services. I mean for heaven's sake ... it's now 2012. We were told that a CT scanner was in our immediate future in 1992 as our then new hospital was going up on the outskirts of the city. What happened there? Oh yes, amalgamation to better serve everyone.
Right!
Sorry, no more space for further ranting. I'm all ranted out.
