‘We need to come to the best decisions’
Scott Moe has a lot on his plate.
Saskatchewan’s 15th premier must deliver a budget, address concerns lingering a year after the government’s last budget and rebuild a party divided by a fivemonth leadership race — plus he’ll be continuing the battle with the federal government over its plan to impose a nationwide carbon tax.
Three days after being sworn in and naming his first cabinet, the Rosthern- Shellbrook MLA stopped in Saskatoon on his way back to Regina to discuss these and other issues with the StarPhoenix’s Alex MacPherson.
Q We know your first budget as premier is going to be tough. How do you make favourable impressions in the next few months when, potentially, there is more anger and backlash coming ?
A We can’t divulge certain information from the budget prior to the budget being released. We’re just not able to do that.
But we do need to communicate with people and with stakeholders and with industries and service groups so that we fully understand the impacts of the decisions that we may or may not be considering in the provincial budget are, so that we can make the most fulsome decision we can. That’s one thing that I’ve heard about the last five months. I heard about it prior to that, and I hear about it today. And that takes effort … At the end of the day we still do have challenges ahead of us but we need to continue with the engagement.
Q Can you commit to delivering a budget before the end of March?
A Probably not the end of March but we will be committing very shortly to a budget date.
Q The proposed 3.5 per cent civil servant wage rollback outlined in the last budget didn’t work. What makes you confident your plan to save $70 million by reducing the civil service by five per cent through attrition will succeed?
A We need to put the wheels in motion to ensure that plan does work across the Crown corporations and as well in executive government. (We need to) ensure we put some parameters in place that will realize these savings so that we’re able to book them. Salaries are the largest line item in the budget of the Government of Saskatchewan so it is incumbent on us to continually have the conversation around them.
Q But you’re confident the five per cent reduction over two years is achievable? A Yes, we are.
Q You pledged on the campaign trail to restore $22 million cut from education and add another $8 million to pay for 400 educational assistants. Do you have plans in place to address long-term concerns about education funding shortfalls?
A Our commitment is with respect to adding 400 educational assistants and other professionals that are required to provide just those supports in those primary grades, so those children … have every opportunity to ensure that they’re as close to grade level as possible. We’ve heard that loud and clear, and it was a consistent message. We’ve had some questions since then: Will this investment be available in the upcoming budget? The answer is yes, we’re going to move on this funding. I’m confident that our selection of (Gord) Wyant as Minister of Education and Deputy Premier will be very quick to open up that dialogue and continue with it through the next while. I’m also very confident that the sector will realize our commitment to move on this in very short order.
Q Can you commit to putting all education property tax revenue back into the education system?
A The fact of the matter is our investment in education is so much larger than what we actually collect with respect to education property tax, that the two are somewhat disjointed or disconnected. What we need to do is ensure we have that collaborative dialogue with our education sector to ensure we’re providing the support that is required to give our children every opportunity to succeed with their education.
Q Can you make commitments beyond this budget cycle? Can you say you’re not going to cut education funding beyond this next budget?
A It’s challenging to make any specific commitments beyond any budget cycle. Although we do four-year forecasting for our budgets, much can change in our revenue lines and our expense lines. I would say this: We need to ensure that we can invest in those services, education being one of them, first and foremost, into the future.
Q How realistic is it that you’re going to be able to come out of a battle with Ottawa over the carbon tax and come out with a deal that you think is better for Saskatchewan?
A If you actually want to make an impact on climate change, you need to have the fulsome carbon conversation about where the carbon is coming from and where it is going. If you just want to create a revenue line for a government at any level, then a carbon tax becomes a legitimate option. We do not want to do that. If we want to have a true discussion about whether Canada can meet its Paris Accord commitments, of a reduction by 30 per cent, we need to have a very collaborative conversation with our industries about our carbon cycles, about what our industries have done over the last decade or two — what they’re doing today to restrict their footprint. We in Saskatchewan have a lot to offer to this.
Q Are you saying the federal government’s approach is too simplistic?
A It’s internal-looking; it’s simplistic and it will put Canada and Saskatchewan at a competitive disadvantage.
Q Gord Wyant gave up his Liberal membership on the campaign trail, yet many caucus members are card-carrying Conservatives. What does that say about the coalition that founded the party — is that no longer the Sask. Party?
A I’m proud of the inclusiveness of our Saskatchewan Party. Some may say I lean further to the right of the political spectrum, but our party is a large-tent party and there is room for people in all corners of that tent in our party. That same diversity is indicative of the people of the province of Saskatchewan. We need to come to the best decisions on behalf of the people of the province, not on behalf of some ideological, political idea that one or two individuals may have.
Q Online and elsewhere people have raised concerns about your driving record. Does that damage your credibility given ongoing efforts to curb drunk driving in Saskatchewan?
A Those are part of who Scott Moe is today. That can’t be changed. But what can be changed are the decisions Scott Moe partakes in, in his capacity as a person or his capacity now as premier of the province of Saskatchewan.