Finance minister deems request for info prior to debate unusual
Saskatchewan’s finance minister says a request for information her office received about the province’s heritage fund three days before the subject came up during a Saskatchewan Party leadership debate in Weyburn was unusual.
Reached by phone, Donna Harpauer this week confirmed that her staff received the request from Executive Council — the ministry responsible for supporting the premier — late on Nov. 27. Her office responded with information about the natural resource royalty investment vehicle.
Harpauer said she and her staff did not think the request was odd until two weeks later, when the Sask. Party launched an investigation into whether debate questions had been leaked after receiving a letter of complaint informed by a similar request signed by three leadership candidates.
Executive council spokeswoman Kathy Young said in an email that the information was not requested “for any candidate, nor was any information passed along to any candidate.” She said it was normal business, which involves anticipating questions the government may face.
“Since I have become finance minister, I have not received one question from the media or the public on the heritage fund,” said Harpauer, who supports Scott Moe’s leadership bid, adding that she has not received briefing material on the fund since taking over the file in August.
Postmedia News learned about the request for information about the fund after Tina BeaudryMellor, Scott Moe and Gord Wyant submitted their letter to the party. Their complaint was based, in part, on a similar request for information originating in Executive Council. That request involved an email sent to the health minister’s office on Nov. 29. The email asked for information about nurse practitioners, which was the subject of a question during the Nov. 30 debate in Weyburn.
The party subsequently said it did not find direct evidence of a leak.
Party officials have refused to release the report prepared by its leadership election oversight committee, while conceding the closely held document is “more substantive” than what was made public.
Alanna Koch’s campaign admitted asking Executive Council to compile the information on nurse practitioners, but denied having advance knowledge of any debate question — a conclusion the party agreed with in a public statement after its probe wrapped up.
An undated memo sent to government employees on Sept. 13 said ministry staff, including members of Executive Council, should feel free to supply the party’s leadership campaigns with information related to the government’s record should they ask for it.
However, sources close to three leadership campaigns said previously they had no idea Executive Council could be used as a resource during the campaign. The Sask. Party subsequently confirmed it did not have a copy of the memo or share it with any leadership candidate.
A heritage fund, more commonly known as a sovereign wealth fund, is a large investment vehicle funded by royalties on natural resource extraction. A report commissioned by the government in 2013 recommended establishing one, but the government has not followed through.
One day after releasing the 201718 budget, which aimed to halve a $1.2 billion deficit, former Finance Minister Kevin Doherty said the province would only look at establishing such a fund if oil prices recover to $75 per barrel and debts are paid off.