Sask. gov’t brings out a ‘balanced’ shoe for ’19-20 budget

Saskatchewan Finance Minister Donna Harpauer’s new shoes for budget day paint a positive picture of the budget to come: They’re black, with small buckles in the front and a slight wedge heel in the back.

“I feel that we have tightened our belts, we’re back in the black, we have a slight surplus, and it will be a nice steady balance going forward. It’s the right balance to go the extra mile,” Harpauer told the media Monday.

Harpauer joked that there was talk of bedazzling a pair of sneakers, but she vetoed that idea.

This is Harpauer’s second budget as finance minister, and she said the process was similar to last year. The last budget was meant to keep the province on track, and she’s sticking with that this year as well.

Harpauer said she’s confident in this budget, and she’ll be proud to present it.

As for what Saskatchewan people can expect to see, Harpauer believes the people want to see that the government has kept its promise to balance the budget, but she also hinted there are a few other things in the documents that people could be happy with as well.

NDP remains skeptical

While the Sask. Party was shoe-shopping, the NDP was digging in its toolbox. Finance critic Trent Wotherspoon brought a level to the legislative building ahead of budget day.

NDP finance critic Trent Wotherspoon holds a level, saying the NDP will be asking the Sask. Party to level with the Saskatchewan people about the “so-called balance” of the budget. March 18, 2019 (Lisa Schick/980 CJME)

“We’re going to be scrutinizing line by line of this budget and we’re going to make sure that the Sask. Party’s being on the level with Saskatchewan people when they’re talking about their so-called balance,” said Wotherspoon.

Wotherspoon is skeptical of the balanced budget claims. He explained he doesn’t think a budget is balanced if it’s adding on debt to Crown corporations, or is not putting enough money into Saskatchewan priorities — things he identified as education, mental health care, and programs to boost employment.

He also said he thinks the yearly budget is a P.R. exercise for this government.

“This is a government that’s had a terrible history, no credibility, when it comes to laying forward a budget that they’re actually able to fulfil — all sorts of claims of balance year after year that have resulted in deficit after deficit,” Wotherspoon said.

The provincial budget will be released Wednesday afternoon, and 980 CJME and 650 CKOM will have live coverage from the rotunda at the legislature starting at 2:30 p.m.