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A large three-page mailer with the premier’s face on it arrived at many people’s home recently. It sported the Saskatchewan Party’s green-and-yellow colour scheme and read “A New Decade of Growth 2020-2030” on the front.
However, when the mailer is opened, the first page is a series of graphics bashing the NDP followed by information about what the Sask. Party has done differently.
For Ken Grey, it’s not the flyer itself that is the problem; it’s the fact it was sent out by the Saskatchewan Party Caucus and therefore was paid for with taxpayer funds.
Grey is the leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of Saskatchewan.
“I think that government communications money should be specifically and singularly used to promote existing programs. I have no problem with that, but I do have a problem with them using it for politicking,” said Grey.
Each caucus gets an amount of money from the government and it’s used, in part, for advertising.
Grey said with this particular flyer, there isn’t any benefit to anyone but the Sask. Party.
“I’m no big fan of the NDP, I’m not here to defend them, but as a taxpayer I look at that document, and I’m going, ‘This is just political propaganda,’ ” said Grey.
And he said he found it particularly “galling” because it appears there could be an election called in a matter of weeks.
The Sask. Party caucus wouldn’t say how much was spent on the flyers, saying it releases its total spending at the end of the year. For the 2018-19 fiscal year, the party spent $224,941 on advertising.
Grey said money spent on things like that flyer could have been spent instead to hire another teacher or another nurse.
In a bid to have something done about what he sees as a problem, Grey sent a letter to Mark Docherty, in his capacity as the chair of the board of internal economy. Grey said in the letter that the recent mailer from the Sask. Party “skirts the boundaries of being partisan.”
The letter asked the committee to consider tightening the rules around government promotion so as to eliminate the risk of taxpayers paying for political advertising.
As of Friday, Grey said he hadn’t received a response.
Jeremy Harrison is the government house leader and spoke for the party caucus. He said there are very clear rules as to what caucus funds can be used for, and the party follows that very closely.
Harrison said he doesn’t see anything wrong with the mailer that went out.
“There is a very legitimate purpose in drawing contrast and bringing contrast to voters’ attention, and differences in party positions and caucus views on different issues. I think that’s entirely legitimate,” said Harrison.
When asked whether the rules need to be changed, Harrison said they’re in line with other places in the country.
“Our rules are very much in line and consistent with other jurisdictions and even more stringent than some, including the Government of Canada,” said Harrison.
EDITOR’S NOTE: This is an amended version of the story, correcting Grey’s role with the party.
