Sask. Party should shoulder the blame

The Sask. Party government tries to lay the blame for all its financial problems on a drop in resource revenue. But the real culprit is its own wasteful spending and megaproject bungling.

Take the Global Transportation Hub. The Sask. Party government spent $13 million of taxpayers’ money buying land for the hub — and then wasted another $11 million just to settle legal disputes with landowners.

The GTH is floundering. It has struggled to attract investors. Since 2011, land sales to private buyers have been less than half of what was projected. It carries a $24-million loan that it hasn’t made a payment on in two years. Interest charges alone are over $500,000 a year. It owes $7 million more on its line of credit.

On top of all this mismanagement, there is the money wasted in the now-infamous GTH land deal, which put millions of taxpayer dollars into the pockets of Sask. Party donors. There’s also the cost of the RCMP investigation, and the money and resources that will be needed for a public inquiry, which has not been agreed to yet by Sask. Party leadership, but which we badly need to meet basic standards for government transparency and accountability.

At a time when government is cutting services to school kids and seniors, and eliminating services like the STC, the GTH is a glaring example of the incompetence and mismanagement that is going to be the shameful legacy of the Sask. Party and its departing leader.

Sid Wonitowy, Yorkton