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Thursday, March 14, 2019
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SNC-Lavalin % SAVE 25 controversy takes back seat at Sask. Hospital opening
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30-year contract at SHNB By John Cairns Staff Reporter
While the controversies surrounding SNC-Lavalin have dominated the news out of Ottawa, there was barely a mention of the company’s involvement with the Saskatchewan Hospital during the grand
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opening of the new facility last Friday. The only mention came from Andy Trewick, chief operating officer of Graham Construction. Graham is one of the partners in Access Prairies Partnership, the P3 consortium awarded the 33-year design-buildfinance-maintain contract for the facility. Trewick acknowledged there had been some challenges along the way during the construction, including their original partner Carillion going into liquidation. “I’m pleased for the province of Saskatchewan that the private-public partnership model protected the province from these issues,” said Trewick. He also voiced optimism about the future maintenance of the facility. “Looking ahead to our operations and maintenance partner SNC-Lavalin, we are excited to continue collaborating and leveraging our collective expertise to operate and maintain Saskatchewan Hospital North Battleford facility for years to come
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and for you all.” SNC-Lavalin was selected by Graham Capital Partners LP to take over as facilities manager of Saskatchewan Hospital in January. The contract runs for 30 years. Since that announcement, SNC-Lavalin has been embroiled in a scandal centred on charges of fraud and bribery in connection to dealings in Libya. Last month, the provincial NDP pointed to the SNCLavalin involvement in Sask. Hospital as they called for a moratorium on all further dealings with the company. The party also pointed to SNC-Lavalin political contributions to the Sask. Party in making their call for campaign finance reform. “When we look at the history between the Sask. Party and SNC-Lavalin over the past decade, with nearly $10,000 in publicly disclosed donations going one way and three quarters of a billion dollars ($765,846,640) in contracts going the other, it’s Continued on Page 6
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Tuesday, Skate Battlefords hosted the 2019 Saskatchewan Stars on Ice Road Show featuring young talent from across the province and performances from local skaters. Above, local skater Nova Hansen performs. For more photos, visit our website for a photo gallery. The local CanSkate club’s finale is March 24 at the Civic Center. Photo by Averil Hall
New inspector named By John Cairns Staff Reporter
A new inspector has been announced for Battlefords RCMP detachment. Tom Beck is currently staff sergeant with the RCMP in the Victoria, B.C. area. The news of Beck’s appointment to the Battlefords was shared by S/Sgt. Darcy Woolfitt at Monday’s North Battleford city council meeting. Mayor Ryan Bater noted Beck also has experience in regional hubs in
rural British Columbia, including Prince George and elsewhere. More recently Beck has been stationed with West Shore RCMP detachment. According to the RCMP website, that detachment serves Colwood, Highlands, Langford, Metchosin, View Royal, Songhees First Nation, and Esquimalt First Nation. Woolfitt said the new inspector was identified through a selection and promotion process within the RCMP.
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“I think his experience will pay dividends for us as well,” said Woolfitt. It is not yet known when Beck will arrive in the Battlefords, but Woolfitt said he hopes it will be before the summer hits. Beck fills the role left vacant after Insp. John Sutherland transferred from Battlefords detachment to Saskatoon last year. Woolfitt has been acting as commanding officer for the Battlefords detachment in the meantime.
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