With a heavy heart, government presses on with today’s provincial budget

Finance minister has the premier’s ‘admiration’ after Humboldt tragedy

After 15 people died on the Humboldt Broncos bus Friday, Premier Scott Moe says he spoke briefly with Donna Harpauer about delaying the planned release date — Tuesday — of Saskatchewan’s 2018-19 budget.

“She wouldn’t hear of it,” says Moe.

Harpauer is the minister of finance, but that job is largely second to her job as MLA for Humboldt — a tight-knit community coping with the tragic deaths.

“When we’re faced with an incident you can never plan for, never quite understand and never fully heal, such as we are, I think it’s also important for us on behalf of the individuals to work our way through that process as families, as communities, as a province and as a nation and continue to continue on, to persevere. Which is tough, but also necessary,” Moe said Monday.

The premier, who was sporting a shirt Monday honouring the Broncos beneath his suit coat, says there will be “admiration from myself and other colleagues as she delivers a budget under the most difficult circumstances” and that she is one of the strongest individuals he has ever met.

He says the province has been well-prepared for the budget for “some time” — it was originally planned to be out in March.

“My offering to Minister Harpauer, and Donna as a friend, has been just to be there for her,” Moe said, adding he has spoken with her and “I consider Donna part of our family.”

Normally a budget’s release is met with a fair deal of pomp and circumstance.

This year’s budget marks Moe’s first as premier, but is believed to be a fairly boring document: no major spending is expected as the province aims to continue digging itself out of a deficit in the ballpark of $595 million. It’s expected there will be a level of restraint on spending and a look to spur investment through tax credits or grants.

But with Saskatchewan collectively grieving, these are not ordinary circumstances.

Hockey sticks are standing outside office doors to honour the dead and outside the doors to the Legislative Building itself, where flags fly at half-mast. The premier directed that flags at all provincial government buildings fly at half-mast for 15 days in memory of the 15 lives lost. A condolence book and tribute in the rotunda was placed steps away from where journalists normally spar with politicians over issues of the day. The tradition of the finance minister putting on new shoes as a way to metaphorically telegraph what is coming in the budget was cancelled.

Saskatchewan’s Legislative Assembly cancelled question period Monday and Tuesday. In place of the regular verbal jabs, rival politicians hugged on Monday. Harpauer was the lone absentee during Monday ’s proceedings. She remained at home with her constituents. Her colleagues spent more than two hours offering their condolences in speeches during proceedings.

NDP Leader Ryan Meili told reporters there was a sense of unity within the building and elsewhere.

“To see people from across Canada and around the world paying attention and sending their thoughts and prayers, that means a lot,” he said.