NDP leader needs to polish Beck-onomics plan

If Opposition boss wants to run Sask., she must offer a detailed, viable vision

Saskatchewan NDP Leader Carla Beck released her first election economic policy Monday — although, it was less economic policy than it was Opposition critique of the Sask. Party government.

The issue being critiqued is the decade-old problem of aging governments sloppily spending tax dollars on outof-province solutions because homegrown solutions failed to germinate on the barren prairie far from markets.

Whether it's the contract with a private Calgary company for hip and knee replacements, or the recent controversy over moving the contract for tire recycling from a successful Saskatoon business to a California company: “Premier Scott Moe is selling out Saskatchewan,” Beck said at a news conference Monday.

If she becomes premier, such silliness will end because an NDP government would “prioritize” hiring Saskatchewan workers, growing Saskatchewan businesses and giving them first dibs on any government contracts spending public dollars.

“That's our `hire Saskatchewan plan,' ” Beck said. “I'm not here to fight for jobs in Alberta or Ontario or the U.S.”

Great. But how? How would an NDP government grow the economy to prevent this problem from reoccurring? Prioritize? Does that mean out-of-province firms would still be hired if that's the best or only alternative?

Of course, tax dollars should stay here to help people put food on tables, and her examples from this Sask. Party government are varying levels of outrageous.

But how would the NDP do this? Where's the meat?

Call it Beck-onomics — the latest Opposition leader to offer a catchy pre-election promise to do better without explaining how.

Beck isn't wrong that the Sask. Party has wandered way off track from since former premier Brad Wall's direction of not picking “winners and losers” — especially out-ofprovince ones.

But has any provincial government remained true to that? Are we seeing a detailed NDP plan? Does the NDP have a track record?

It's worth noting the previous NDP government was similarly infamous for its inand out-of-province bungled investments that cost tens of millions of dollars.

Beck should have offered more — especially since the NDP'S Achilles heel has always been voters' concern the party can't create jobs or grow business.

Before an election, it's the job of the government-inwaiting to show how the economy is floundering and offer alternatives to do significantly better. It wasn't a great week for Beck on either front.

Her less-than-polished economic plank Monday ran headlong into the premier's spending estimates — the detailed examination of the 2024-25 executive council budget spending that's, essentially, a chance for the premier and Opposition leader to go head-to-head on anything and everything.

Moe hammered Beck for the brevity of her promise, calling it an 11-word plan, referring to the NDP'S perfunctory post: Hire Saskatchewan Workers, Grow Saskatchewan Companies, Build Made-in-saskatchewan Products.

It's similar to federal Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre's “axe the tax” or every other Opposition leader who refuses to be burdened by explanation or detail.

The estimates debate then morphed into Beck gamely noting some negative Saskatchewan numbers and Moe countering with government numbers suggesting the government is doing well on jobs, population, retail growth, exports. Oppositions don't often win such statistics wars. Voters care little, if at all.

Admittedly, Beck did considerably better when estimates moved into wheelhouse areas of social services, health care and education where she seemed to sting Moe on the unpopularity of Education Minister Jeremy Cockrill and his handling of the teachers' strike.

Most expect Beck to deliver huge NDP gains, especially in cities. But winning the entire province requires a solid economic alternative. She's nowhere close to offering that.