The Province’s Financial Priorities
Economy on autopilot, ineptitude, hubris, tens of billions of dollars in debt/profits, complacency, abysmal, interest payments on debt, financial and taxation priorities, flaccid.
This paper is the third in a series of papers that serves as the official political platform for my candidacy as Mayor of Saskatoon in the November, 2024 civic election.
Executive Summary
If the people of the Province of Saskatchewan own the non-renewable resource of potash; why is the Saskatchewan Party government not concerned with the public interest?
Allow me to iterate: It appears that the Saskatchewan Party government cannot be bothered with getting an adequate return, royalties and tax payments, from the potash industry.
This is very concerning when considering the fact that multinational corporations, not only get to export huge profits to shareholders abroad and much to the detriment of the people of the province, but in addition, with what appears to be no less than the blessing of the Saskatchewan Party government. Why is this?
Therefore, we must consider the Saskatchewan Party governments financial priorities; including the total provincial debt, interest payments on that debt, where the current provincial property tax levy plays into the grand scheme of things, the raising of revenues through taxation (corporation, individual income and provincial sales taxes), ability to plan budgets and the most significant source of foregone revenues from the potash industry, among other things.
Political decisions made yesterday, have real world consequences today.
Introduction
[1] The Saskatchewan Party (“Sask. Party”) government cannot be trusted to do the right thing when it comes to the public interest.
[2] In fact, you never hear the Sask. Party government complaining or worrying about running deficits, saving money for the future, paying down the provincial debt or anything to do with getting a fair deal, share from the potash industry and for the people of Saskatchewan. And, if there was any doubt about this accusation; all doubt will be removed upon a thorough consideration of the Sask. Party’s financial priorities.
[3] In the upcoming 2024 provincial election and municipal elections; the Sask. Party government will find itself trying to make some very tough, “in good faith”, arguments about their abysmal record while in office. But, based off of the abysmal record of the Sask. Party government and since 2018; this leads to a rather intriguing question:
Can the Province of Saskatchewan really afford 4 more years of a Saskatchewan Party government?
[4] The short answer is the same as the long answer: No, for the reasons that follow; the Province of Saskatchewan cannot afford another four (4) years of a Sask. Party government.
[5] In fact, consider that while in office and since February, 2018; the Sask. Party government, under the leadership of Scott Moe has:
1) increased the provinces total (gross) debt by nearly $13.9 billions dollars to more than $31.5 billion dollars. (1)
2) willfully failed to collect more than $10 billion dollars, from the potash industry in 2022, in taxes and royalties, owed to the people of Saskatchewan alone. (2) And,
3) only been able to deliver one balanced budget in 2022, which was due to international events beyond the provinces control. (3)
[6] One thing that can be said about the Sask. Party government is that they are NOT fiscally conservative. Nor does it appear that the Sask. Party is worried about the prospects of campaigning around on a lackluster, mediocre record while forming the provincial government.
[7] Perhaps this is due to complacency; the current Sask. Party government does not fear the prospects of being voted out of office? No, this is an unsatisfactory explanation; it has to be more than just a cozy complacency.
Sask. Party Hubris
[8] “Hubris”, excessive pride. This is exactly what it is when talking about the Sask. Party.
[9] In the Sask. Party’s hubris; they believe there is nothing to worry about in the upcoming provincial election.
[10] In fact, it does not matter how little the Sask. Party government has accomplished while in office because the average voter in Saskatchewan believes that there is no good alternative to the tired, worn-out, flaccid Sask. Party. And, as a result; the Sask. Party does not have to fear for their political bacon, as they will do just fine in the upcoming provincial election, despite having an abysmal record while forming the provincial government.
[11] Nevertheless, perhaps it is time to take an in-depth look at the Sask. Party’s financial priorities while forming government. But first, we should consider an ongoing and egregious waste of public monies spent on interest payments for servicing some of the provincial debt.
Interest Payments on Debt Obligations
[12] In 2024, the Sask. Party government will be spending nearly $2 million dollars a day on interest payments for the provincial debt: “This year, the provincial government will be spending $728 million on interest payments on the debt.” (4)
[13] In 2016, the Province of Saskatchewan’s debt was $7.9 billion dollars; by the end of this year, the total provincial Taxpayer-Supported Debt (TSD) will be $21.1 billion. Over the same period, the Province of Saskatchewan has wasted more than $4.5 billion dollars of taxpayers’ money, on interest payments servicing the provincial TSD. (5) “Gross debt” for the province, sits at around $31.5 billion dollars. Money wasted on interest payments cannot be used for improving the lives of residents of Saskatchewan. This money is gone. And, where does the provincial property tax levy play into the grand scheme of things?
Property Tax Levy
[14] Cities throughout Saskatchewan are bound by provincial legislation to bill and collect education property taxes (provincial property tax levy). The Cities do not keep these funds for providing services; the funds are remitted to the province, which become apart of the provincial general revenue fund.
[15] In 2023, the Sask. Party government had total property tax levy revenues of $780 million dollars, which was $20-something million dollars lower than what the province budgeted. (6)
[16] In the grand scheme of things; the provincial property tax levy is an insignificant, trivial sum of money for the province. However, this downloading of provincial responsibility has deleterious effects on the cities, which are simply expected to help shoulder the burden for the provincial responsibility of education: “Although the property tax is appropriate for funding municipal services, it is not a good tax for funding provincial services such as education.” (7)
[17] If cities did not have to deal with a provincial property tax levy; cities would have sufficient revenues to operate and provide services for city residents without city councils trying to find new and ever increasingly bizarre sources of revenue, in fact: “…it has been suggested that, if provincial governments abandoned the property tax, municipalities would have sufficient revenues to meet expenditure needs and would not have to ask for additional tax tools.” (8)
The Bare Minimum: An Economy on Autopilot
[18] The provincial property tax levy is another example of the ineffective leadership of the Sask. Party; in fact, it appears that the provincial government is trying to do the absolute bare minimum, while forming government and in an attempt at making it look like the province is proactively doing anything worthy of note. Essentially, the Province of Saskatchewan’s economy is on autopilot and receives a bare minimum of control; concern or attention from the Sask. Party government.
[19] Make no mistake, the Sask. Party government has more than enough resources and financial options to fully meet the demands of adequately funding social programs and education throughout the province, in addition to lowering the provincial debt. But, it appears that the Sask. Party government believes in a “c’est la vie” kind of approach when it comes to leading the province, or at least this is what the provincial government wants the people of Saskatchewan to believe.
[20] The Sask. Party is emasculated; they are inept, complacent and flaccid: The Sask. Party is the equivalent of a limp, ill-willed gesture of a handshake. The kind of greeting, with a certain disdain towards the plebeian electorate, constituents receive from elected Sask. Party Members of the Legislative Assembly.
Saskatchewan Taxation Revenue
[21] In 2023, the Province of Saskatchewan had total tax revenues of $9.81 billion dollars; this includes: personal/individual income tax, provincial sales tax, corporate income tax, property tax levy and other.
[22] The bulk of tax revenues, for the Province of Saskatchewan, come from three (3) primary own sources:
- $3.15 billion dollars through individual/Personal Income Tax (“PIT”)
- $2.72 billion dollars through Provincial Sales Tax (“PST”)
- $1.99 billion dollars through Corporation Income Tax (“CIT”)
And one (1) significant non-renewable resource:
- $2.404 billion dollars through Potash Royalties and Production Tax (“PRPT”)
[23] The Province of Saskatchewan’s economy, although on autopilot, it is healthy; in fact, there is no doubt about the vitality and resiliency of the provinces economy when considering the PIT and PST, collected by the province in 2023, totaled $5.87 billion dollars in tax revenue.
Provincial Corporate Income Tax Rate
[24] In Saskatchewan, the corporate income tax rate is 12 per cent. In 2023, this 12 per cent corporate income tax rate brought in revenues of $1.99 billion dollars for the Province of Saskatchewan. (9)
[25] If the corporate income tax rate was 15 per cent instead of 12 per cent, the same as the federal corporate income tax rate; for 2023, the province of Saskatchewan would have brought in an additional $500 million dollars for a total of $2.49 billion dollars in corporate tax revenues for the Province of Saskatchewan.
[26] The provinces, throughout Canada, seem to have a reluctance to want to collect a fair share of tax revenues from corporations. What represents a fair share of tax revenue from corporations is of a highly subjective nature. And, undoubtedly, the Sask. Party stooges, beholden to corporate interests, will baulk at the prospects of offending corporate private interests by suggesting any increase in corporate taxation rates over doing the very job they were elected to do by advocating for the public interest.
Did You Know?
[27] Did you know that increased tax revenues, for the Province of Saskatchewan, comes from YOU – the average taxpayer. And, no, increased tax revenues do not come from a from a certain, “insulated”, industry; which would require the Sask. Party to materialize a backbone. Therefore, we must consider the go to option for increasing tax revenues by the Sask. Party government.
Increasing Consumption Tax
[28] In 2017, the Sask. Party government increased tax revenues by increasing the PST from 5 to 6 per cent and adding it to more things, such as: “purchasing children’s clothing or fast food, coupled with cutting or freezing benefits for the most disadvantaged members of society, have been regarded as the primary way to make a correction”. (10) In addition, the PST was expanded to include building materials and labour for the construction industry. (11)
[29] As a result, the Sask. Party government was able to add $900 million dollars to provincial tax coffers. Technically, the potash industries taxes were adjusted but this minor adjustment only nets the province an additional $100 million dollars a year for a combined total of $1 billion dollars. (12)
Could the Sask. Party Government do more?
[30] Without a doubt, the answer is in the affirmative; the Sask. Party government could and should have done more for the people and the Province of Saskatchewan. But, the Sask. Party just does not care, nor could they be bothered with accomplishing anything significant while in provincial office. And, this says nothing about the primary focus of this policy papers thesis of the most significant source of foregone revenues from one particular industry that is mollycoddled and insulated from effective taxation by the Sask. Party.
Sask. Party Taxation Priorities
[31] For whatever reason, the Sask. Party government refuses to: “…increase revenue from multinational corporations earning windfall profits in an industry that is most profitably pursued in Saskatchewan…” (13)
Does Saskatchewan have a Spending or Revenue Problem?
[32] It may seem like a contradiction but the question of whether the province of Saskatchewan has a spending or revenue problem is a relevant question that must be considered.
[33] No, the Province of Saskatchewan does not have a spending problem; in fact, Saskatchewan has something the rest of the provinces, in confederation, wish they had.
[34] Saskatchewan was blessed with having 50 per cent of the world’s potash reserves, which, as a resource, is collectively owned by the people of the province.
Testicular Fortitude
[35] The problem is that the Sask. Party government is weak, flaccid and does not have the testicular fortitude necessary to stand up to and collect a fair share of potash royalties and taxes from the potash industry. And, although the province has offered no good or legitimate reason, whatsoever, why the Sask. Party government continuously fails to collect a fair share of potash royalties and taxes, except maybe for the Sask. Party being emasculated.
[36] In the upcoming 2024 provincial election; the Sask. Party government must answer for their failure to prioritize the interests of the public over corporate private interests when the provincial government leaves massive sums of money, on the table and in the hands of a few multinational corporations that export record profits, to shareholders abroad and out of the Province of Saskatchewan. In this case, the theory of trickle-down economics does not work for Saskatchewan.
The Potash Industry in Saskatchewan
[37] It is interesting to consider the fact that between 1989 and 2010; with the privatization of the Potash Corporation of Saskatchewan (PCS). The Province of Saskatchewan, at a bare minimum, lost out on at least $18 to $36 billion dollars in revenues from the potash industry according to former Member of Parliament and economist Erin Weir. (14)
[38] To be fair to the current provincial government; the loses sustained from 1989 to 2006 were not as a direct result of the Sask. Party government. Only the loses sustained from 2007 onward can properly be claimed to be as a direct result of the Sask. Party government action or inaction.
[39] In 1989, under the Grant Devine government; the Province of Saskatchewan sold the Potash Corporation of Saskatchewan for $630 million dollars, which Erin Weir said: “…was the worst fiscal decision in the province’s history and has been aggravated by subsequent royalty giveaways to private potash companies.” (15) And, if leaving billions of dollars, on the table and in the hands of a few multinational corporations, was not bad enough. Then all we need to do is consider the Sask. Party governments ability to competently plan the provincial budget.
Sask. Party Ability to Plan for Budgets
[40] When it comes to planning the provincial budget; there are only one of two possible reasons why the Sask. Party government cannot plan a budget. Allow me to elaborate:
(1) the Sask. Party government is truly inept; they cannot plan a budget for shit. Or,
(2) the Sask. Party government is purposely low-balling budgetary estimates for the potash industries benefit and at the expense of the province.
In either case, this is very concerning because it looks like the provincial government is purposely trying to insulate the potash industry, from taxation, by underbudgeting for potash revenues or the Sask. Party government truly does not know what they are doing – ineptitude.
[41] In fact, according to the Sask. Party governments own admissions:
“In 2023, non-renewable resources revenue is $4.60 billion, an increase of $1.68 billion, or 57.6 per cent, over 2022 and a $1.69 billion, or 58.2 per cent, increase when compared to budget. There is a year-over-year and actual-to-budget increase in all non-renewable resources revenue categories with the most significant increases in potash, resource surcharge and oil and natural gas.” (16)
[42] Consider that in 2023; the Sask. Party government budgeted for non-renewable resource revenues, from the potash industry, of $1.452 billion dollars. But, the hapless provincial government “lucked out” and saw potash revenues of $2.404 billion dollars, which is an actual increase of $952 million dollars over provincial budget estimates.
Regarding the Potash Industry
[43] Regarding the Potash Industry in Saskatchewan; there is not much that needs or can be said about successive provincial government leavings billions of dollars in royalty and tax revenues, on the table and in the hands of a few multinational corporations, that has not already been said. One thing that can be said is corporate welfare must stop.
Resource Rich but Revenue Poor: The Province of Saskatchewan
[44] In fact, former Members of Parliament Erin Weir and the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan Eric Cline; in addition to policy and economics experts, Duanjie Chen and Jack Mintz, among many others, have opined how the Province of Saskatchewan is getting a raw deal from the potash industry. And, although Saskatchewan is resource rich, it is, nevertheless, revenue poor by choice of the Sask. Party government.
Squandered: Canada’s Potash Legacy
[45] In 2024, Eric Cline authored his critique of the potash industry: “Squandered: Canada’s Potash Legacy”. Cline’s book details the intimate relationship between successive provincial governments of Saskatchewan and the potash industry; whereas Cline authoritatively states:
“Billions of dollars of forgone revenue has resulted in tax unfairness, program underfunding and malfunction, and a growing and worrying divide between the affluent and the very poor. Analysts from across the political spectrum have identified this revenue problem, as well as a straightforward solution. Unfortunately, the Saskatchewan government has declined to review the situation and instead seems to rely upon the advice of the industry itself. The province now faces the game-changing issue of how to tax appropriately the small number of multinational conglomerates that now own these potash mines. Whether or not the province obtains reasonable value for its potash will determine whether Saskatchewan will be a place of opportunity for all of its citizens or continue on a path of wealth for a few and extreme poverty for many.”
[46] The Sask. Party government’s current approach to potash royalty and taxation is flawed and costing the Province of Saskatchewan billions of dollars in revenues while the province runs ballooning deficits: “The fact of rising profits without exponentially increasing the government’s revenue from the companies’ own reports. It’s not unreasonable to state the province has been leaving hundreds of millions of dollars per year – and, in some cases, billions per year – on the table.” (17)
[47] In Saskatchewan, the current royalty and tax system should be reviewed and: “The systems of collecting royalties and taxes for potash should take fluctuations of price, up or down, into account and should inherently take profit level into account.” (18)
[48] In fact, due to international factors beyond the Sask. Party’s control recently; the potash industry has been able to export tens of billions of dollars in profits to shareholders abroad: “where the profit is made not as a result of risk, investment, or innovation but simply from a higher market price, such profits should belong to the owner of the resource and not simply be kept by the mining industry.” (19)
[49] There is no legitimate reason, whatsoever, why the Sask. Party government did not effectively review the potash royalty and tax scheme, in 2018, when Scott Moe was entrusted with becoming the Premier of Saskatchewan or any time previously and since the Sask. Party came to power in 2007: “The unmet needs of Saskatchewan people are relevant when considering questions about resource ownership: whether purely private ownership best serves the public interest, what a reasonable rate of profit should be, and how a royalty and taxation system should operate.” (20)
A Sask. Party Stooges Take on Reviewing Potash Royalty and Taxation
[50] During a budget debate at the provincial legislature on March 25, 2024; Sask. Party stooge and fear monger Warren Kaeding stated: “Nutrien and Mosaic — could jump ship if taxes are increased on revenues. He pointed to other countries that are major potash producers as possible landing spots like Russia, China and Belarus.” (21) It is extremely doubtful either Nutrien or Mosaic would “jump ship” as Sask. Party stooge Kaeding claims considering they are making record profits hand over fist.
[51] According to Stooge Kaeding: “Stable, predictable royalty and taxation structure” is what keeps potash companies in Saskatchewan. (22) This is a very interesting characterization to justify any potential review of potash royalty and tax rates by the Sask. Party government.
[52] Stooge Kaeding went on to say: “I know a shiver went down the spines of our potash partners when Eric Cline and Erin Weir started suggesting that maybe we need to charge more royalties.” (23) What benefits does the Province of Saskatchewan really get from and by letting multinational corporations export record profits to shareholders abroad?
[53] Stooge Kaeding is mistaken; Saskatchewan does not need Nutrien or Mosaic and maybe that is what is necessary for the Province of Saskatchewan? Bringing back public ownership of the potash industry and under the direct control of a successor to the Potash Corporation of Saskatchewan and for everyone throughout Saskatchewan’s benefit.
[54] In fact, Saskatchewan has already proven the province can operate a potash corporation without needing any input from private business, which does nothing but exponentially profit off an industry that most profitably operates in the Province of Saskatchewan but at the people of the provinces expense.
Prima Facie Example of Government Priorities
[55] This is a prima facie example of the Sask. Party government’s taxation priorities.
Sask. Party Justification for Growing Provincial Debt
[56] It is concerning that the Sask. Party government has taken the pragmatic approach of not only justifying, but in addition, rationalizing how the province’s growing debt is not such a big deal: “Saskatchewan’s net-debt to GDP ratio remains favorable compared to other provinces, with a modest rise to 13.3 per cent in 2024”. (24) This is irrefutable proof of the Province of Saskatchewan’s economy being on autopilot; the Sask. Party’s c’est la vie approach to running the province.
[57] On May 1, 2024; the Sask. Party government boasted: “The total dollar value of the province’s 2023 GDP is $77.9 billion, which is a record high. The biggest driver of our economic growth was the construction industry, which grew by 13.6 per cent ($711.4 million).” (25)
Province Kneecaps Construction Industry and then Claims Credit for Growth
[58] According to Sask. Party Ministerial Stooge Jeremy Harrison, the province gets to claim: “…record growth doesn’t just happen. It’s a reflection of a policy environment that has fostered and incentivized record investment and record exports. This translates to record job growth and opportunities for Saskatchewan residents.” (26)
[59] This is another interesting characterization considering the Sask. Party government saw fit to increase tax revenues through imposing and expanding for the PST to include construction labour and materials: “Saskatchewan’s PST was added to all new residential construction, for both labour and materials, back in 2017.” (27) Notwithstanding calls for removing the PST from the construction industry by the Saskatoon & Region Home Builders’ Association.
[60] On September 25th, 2023; Sask. Party Finance Minister Donna Harpauer: “was quick to dismiss even the remote possibility of eliminating the construction PST any time soon.” (28) The Sask. Party government refuses to exempt PST from construction labour and materials; in addition to the province actually having the audacity to take credit for growth in the construction industry despite the fact that the provincial government attempted to kneecap the construction industry with the imposition of PST on labour and materials.
[61] The construction industry delivers strong economic growth; despite the province refusing to exempt the construction industry from PST. Someone should tell Sask. Party Stooge Jeremy Harrison, that sure is some interesting policy environment though.
Running for City Council or Provincial Politics?
[62] Before moving onto summarizing and concluding this paper; perhaps it is necessary to address a glaring fact that has become evident throughout the course of the previous three (3) papers, written in support of a candidate running for city council.
[63] Yes, a candidate, for city council, can and should be running on a platform of fundamental change by implicating the provincial government where it is necessary to inform the electorate of the current state of unsavoury affairs that exist and hinder the way cities operate.
[64] The source of the City of Saskatoon’s problems are as a direct result of the Sask. Party governments complacency, hubris and ineptitude. And, in the upcoming provincial and municipal elections in October and November, 2024; the voters in Saskatoon and, by function, throughout Saskatchewan need to be well informed on all things that come within the purview of municipal and provincial inter-governmental affairs (including how one cannot exist without the other) in order to make a well informed and educated decision about who to vote for in the upcoming municipal election. Your vote matters; your vote will affect the future outcome for the City of Saskatoon.
Summary Conclusion
[65] Based off of definitive facts; what do we really know about the Sask. Party governments financial priorities?
[66] Without a doubt; we know that the Sask. Party government:
1) increased the provinces total debt by nearly $13.9 billions dollars to more than $31.5 billion dollars.
2) willfully failed to collect more than $10 billion dollars, from the potash industry in 2022, in taxes and royalties, owed to the people of Saskatchewan.
3) has only been able to deliver one balanced budget in 2022, which was due to international events beyond the provinces control.
4) will be spending nearly $2 million dollars a day on interest payments for the provincial debt in 2024.
5) has wasted more than $4.5 billion dollars of taxpayers’ money, on interest payments servicing the provincial Taxpayer Supported Debt since 2016.
6) had total property tax levy revenues of $780 million dollars, which was $20-something million dollars lower than what the province budgeted.
7) had total tax revenues of $9.81 billion dollars, in 2023, from personal/individual income tax, provincial sales tax, corporate income tax, property tax levy and other.
8) had total Potash Royalties and Production Tax revenues of $2.404 billion dollars.
9) had total corporate income tax revenues of $1.99 billion dollars.
10) increased tax revenues by increasing the PST from 5 to 6 per cent and adding it to more things, which resulted in adding $900 million dollars to provincial tax coffers.
11) the potash industries taxes were adjusted but this minor adjustment only nets the province an additional $100 million dollars a year.
12) between increased PST and minor adjustment to potash industry; the province brings in $1 billion dollars more in tax revenues yearly.
13) refuses to increase royalty and tax revenue for potash from multinational corporations earning windfall profits in an industry that is most profitably pursued in Saskatchewan.
14) is truly inept; they cannot plan a budget for shit, consider in 2023,
15) non-renewable resources revenue is $4.60 billion, an increase of $1.68 billion, or 57.6 per cent, over 2022 and a $1.69 billion, or 58.2 per cent, increase when compared to budget.
16) budgeted for non-renewable resource revenues, from the potash industry, of $1.452 billion dollars.
17) “lucked out” and saw potash revenues of $2.404 billion dollars, which is an actual increase of $952 million dollars over budget estimates.
18) has been leaving hundreds of millions of dollars per year – and, in some cases, billions per year in royalty and tax revenues – on the table and in the hands of a few multinational corporations.
19) stooge Warren Kaeding stated, on March 25: “Nutrien and Mosaic — could jump ship if taxes are increased on revenues.”
20) according to stooge Kaeding: “a shiver went down the spines of our potash partners when Eric Cline and Erin Weir started suggesting that maybe we need to charge more royalties.”
21) net-debt to GDP ratio remains favorable compared to other provinces, with a modest rise to 13.3 per cent in 2024.
22) values the province’s 2023 GDP is $77.9 billion, which is a record high. The biggest driver of provincial economic growth was the construction industry, which grew by 13.6 per cent ($711.4 million).
23) in May, 2024, ministerial stooge Jeremy Harrison claims: “record growth doesn’t just happen. It’s a reflection of a policy environment that has fostered and incentivized record investment and record exports.” Interesting policy environment.
24) refuses to exempt PST from construction labour and materials. And, finally,
25) claims credit for growth in the construction industry despite the province having attempted to kneecap the construction industry with the imposition of PST on labour and materials.
Conclusion
[67] The Sask. Party governments got to go; the province has no standing to try and dictate how the cities should operate. Especially when considering the fact that the province does not have their own affairs in order.
[68] Then, how can a government be trusted with dictating how cities should operate when the same cannot be said about the province? The answer is simple: The Sask. Party government cannot be trusted to do anything in the public interest when considering their dubious track record since February, 2018.
[69] Ineffective provincial leadership mandates decisive action be taken by a competent Mayor and City Council. Do the residents of Saskatoon want more of the same from ineffective city council’s that offer no real solutions, or do the residents of Saskatoon want fundamental change?
[70] When voting for Saskatoon City Council in the November, 2024 election – vote for fundamental change.
[71] The City of Saskatoon deserves and demands better.
Mike Harder
References
(1) Saskatchewan NDP Caucus. News. “Moe on track to double Saskatchewan’s debt in just six years”. Posted by: Landen Kleisinger. Published on: March 25, 2024. Retrieved from: https://www.ndpcaucus.sk.ca/moe_on_track_to_double_saskatchewan_s_debt_in_just_six_years
(2) Johnson Shoyama Graduate School of Public Policy. Policy Paper. “Saskatchewan’s Forgone Potash Windfall: Collecting a Fair Public Return”. Author: Erin Weir. Date published: December 6, 2023. Retrieved from:
https://www.schoolofpublicpolicy.sk.ca/research-ideas/publications-and-policy-insight/policy-brief/saskatchewan-forgone-potash-windfall.php
(3) Canadian Taxpayers Federation. Newsroom. “Taxpayers: No Moe increasing debt”. Authored by: Gage Haubrich. Published on: March 18, 2024. Retrieved from: https://www.taxpayer.com/newsroom/taxpayers-no-moe-increasing-debt
(4) Canadian Taxpayers Federation. Newsroom. “A Tale of Two Government Debts”. Authored by: Gage Haubrich. Published on: May 2, 2024. Retrieved from: https://www.taxpayer.com/newsroom/a-tale-of-two-government-debts
(5) Ibid.
(6) Government of Saskatchewan. News and Media. “Government of Saskatchewan Public Accounts 2022-23 volume 1”. Summary Financial Statements. Financial Statement Discussion and Analysis. Revenue (taxation revenue) at page 20. Retrieved from:
https://www.saskatchewan.ca/-/media/news-release-backgrounders/2023/jun/2022-23-government-of-saskatchewan-public-accounts-volume-1.pdf
(7) Institute on Municipal Finance and Governance Perspectives. “Property Taxes in Canada: Current Issues and Future Prospects”. Authors: Harry Kitchen, Enid Slack, and Tomas Hachard. Published on: November 20, 2019. ISBN 978-0-7727-1019-2. Retrieved from:
https://tspace.library.utoronto.ca/handle/1807/98034
(8) Ibid.
(9) Supra, reference 6.
(10) Author: Eric Cline. Published on: March 19, 2024. “Squandered: Canada’s Potash Legacy”. Regina: University of Regina Press. ISBN: 9780889779716. Page, 128.
(11) Canadian Taxpayers Federation. Newsroom. “Saskatchewan needs to remove provincial sales tax from construction”. Authored by: Gage Haubich. Published on: September 15, 2023. Retrieved from:
https://www.taxpayer.com/newsroom/saskatchewan-needs-to-removal-provincial-sales-tax-from-construction
(12) Supra, reference 10.
(13) Supra, reference 10 at page 126.
(14) Author: Erin Weir. Published on: September 2, 2010. “Privatizing potash was a costly mistake”. News. Rabble.ca Retrieved from:
https://rabble.ca/economy/privatizing-potash-was-costly-mistake/
(15) Ibid.
(16) Supra, reference 6 at page 22.
(17) Supra, reference 10 at page 126.
(18) Supra, reference 10 at page 106.
(19) Supra, reference 10 at page 83.
(20) Supra, reference 10 at page 134.
(21) Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. CBC News. “Sask. is taking a smaller cut from growing potash profits, and this former minister is calling for change”. Author: Liam O’Connor. Published on: Apr 01, 2024. Retrieved from:
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saskatchewan/saskatchewan-potash-royalty-system-needs-change-says-former-minister-1.7160154
(22) Ibid.
(23) Ibid.
(24) The Conference Board of Canada. Canadian Economics. “Revenue Volatility, Expenditure Caution, and Resource Uncertainty: Our Analysis of the Saskatchewan Budget 2024”. Published on: March 21, 2024. Authored by: CBoC Economics Team. Retrieved from:
https://www.conferenceboard.ca/insights/analysis-saskatchewan-budget-2024/
(25) Government of Saskatchewan. News and Media. “Saskatchewan GDP Reaches Record High”. Published on: May 1, 2024. Retrieved from:
https://www.saskatchewan.ca/government/news-and-media/2024/may/01/saskatchewan-gdp-reaches-record-high
(26) Ibid.
(27) AM 980 CJME (news talk sports). “Home builders call on province to eliminate PST from residential construction”. Authored by: Lara Fominoff. Published on: September 19, 2023. Retrieved from:
https://www.cjme.com/2023/09/19/home-builders-call-on-province-to-eliminate-pst-from-residential-construction/
(28) Regina Leader-Post. Opinion. “Murray Mandryk: Sask. Party stubbornly balks at axing construction PST”. Published on: Sep 25, 2023. Retrieved from: https://leaderpost.com/opinion/columnists/murray-mandryk-sask-party-stubbornly-balks-at-axing-construction-pst