Licence plate fracas heats up
The clock is ticking for Saskatchewan to roll back its new rules for Alberta contractors, or “there will be consequences.”
Alberta Trade Minister Deron Bilous issued that warning Thursday morning.
He wouldn’t expand on what the consequences might be: “Talk to me in six days.”
Then Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall waded into the fray — a parting shot of sorts during his final days in office before he retires Jan. 27.
Wall charged that the Alberta government started this with what he called “the beer wars,” in which Saskatchewan took Alberta to court when this province decided to increase the price of all beer sold in the province by $1.25 a litre. The NDP government then offered grants to small Alberta brewers.
Wall also accused Alberta Premier Rachel Notley of stymying a cross-Canada free-trade deal at the 2016 premier’s meeting. Notley was having none of it. “That’s explanation No. 4 for this ridiculous piece of public policy in under 12 hours. I look forward to what the next explanation will be,” she said Thursday afternoon.
Thursday’s sniping was the latest in an ongoing licence plate fracas between the two provinces.
The battle erupted Wednesday when Saskatchewan’s Highways and Infrastructure Minister Dave Marit announced all Alberta contractors working on highway sites in his province would require Saskatchewan licence plates.
Marit said he was “levelling the playing field” because Albertans don’t have to pay a provincial sales tax. He also said he’d heard rumours that Saskatchewan contractors were being barred from Alberta sites because they didn’t have Wild Rose Country plates.
Bilous said Wednesday there was no such rule or direction requiring Saskatchewan contractors to get Alberta plates. He confirmed that again Thursday, saying he reached out to road builders and heavy construction associations to make sure.
He said it was “ridiculous” for Saskatchewan to try and punish Alberta workers because this province doesn’t have a PST.
Bilous is adamant the change is
They know they have no leg to stand on. It’s foolish for Saskatchewan to be picking a fight they know they can’t win.
a clear contravention of the New West Partnership agreement between British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba.
“They know they have no leg to stand on. It’s foolish for Saskatchewan to be picking a fight they know they can’t win with Alberta,” he said. “If this is about politics, then I would not only tell them to smarten up, but to grow up.”