Budget balanced and sustainable: Weekes enviable position, but “our resource and agriculture MLA Randy sector is cyclical, and We e k e s s a i d there can be downturns the March 21 in the future, and budget will we have to keep our keep provincial spending and our s p e n d i n g programs under control sustainable, yet so we can weather increase funding any future storms. to priority Hopefully over the next a r e a s l i k e Randy Weekes few years, given the municipalities, projection of resource health care, education, and revenue, we’ll be paying highways. down more debt.” “The overall budget is This year’s budget was a keeping the ‘Saskatchewan bit of an anomaly, Weekes Advantage’, and that’s very described, with provinicial important,” Weekes said, coffers affected by resource March 28. “What that means expansion. Potash company is a balanced budget. It’s the income isn’t yet what it first, and maybe the only should be due to startup costs. balanced budget that any Those resources, however, province and even the federal will see profits soon, Weekes government, will bring down explained. in Canada. So that’s very “We have everything important.” the world needs as far as Critics will always find resources.” fault, but keeping the By comparison with other province’s house in order provinces, Saskatchewan is was important. in a good position. Ontario’s “But we had to make some budget, released last week, tough choices, and [yet] we was a bleak and painful came in with a balanced belt-tightening financial plan budget, and kept our election that mirrors other stalled promises. world economies. “The job of the opposition is “The one local thing that to poke holes in everything, is important to point out, and that’s fine, but we also the long-term care home for should keep in mind what Biggar has been approved in the NDP promised in the the budget - it’s going ahead election campaign. Even and will be going to tender,” though they got rid of their he said. Timelines are still leader, they have kept their foggy, but Weekes estimates policies, and on their Web that the Diamond Lodge site, all the promises they replacement will soon go to made during the campaign tender. are totally unsustainable Interim NDP leader, they would have racked up John Nilson accused the huge debt and deficits if they government of pulling the have formed government.” rug out from under the We e k e s a d d e d t h a t film industry. Nilson said Saskatchewan is in an there are “a number of areas by Kevin Brautigam of The Independent
In your face . . . St. Gabriel School kids have a lot of fun as Face2Face Ministries brought their energetic show to the Lenten season. With Easter ‘round the corner, the show was a welcome reminder of a resurrection and a
fulfilment of a scripture - a beautiful promise. Please see Page 12-13 for more on this, the central tenet of Christian faith. (Independent Photo by Kevin Brautigam)
where they could have left money for films, and one of the things they could have done is look at some of the initiatives around agriculture and and look at some of the things they’ve done for municipalities.” “Is he suggesting that we take money out of municipalities to offset some of these cutbacks?” Weekes asks. “Or is he suggesting we take money out of agriculture to offset some of these things? I think we have our priorities right, and he’s got his wrong.” They met with film reps, deferring the elimination of the tax credit (really a grant, not a tax credit, Weekes points out) until this year’s projects - in planning before
Weekes explained. “How many of these companies are Saskatchewan companies very few, and they pay their taxes elsewhere.” The argument in favour of keeping the tax credit/grant is that every other province has a similar process in place.
Rat Pack Cool . . . Looking so very Bogart and Sinatra, a fedora-wearing Kurt Sampson, left, and a grooving Ross Lynde of the a cappella group, Cadence, hit the Majestic Theatre stage for the penultimate concert of the Biggar and District Arts Council performance series for the 2011-12 season. Energetic and gloriously harmonious, the quartet (Carl Berger and Aaron Jenson, not pictured) had people laughing and tapping their toes. (Independent Photo by Kevin Brautigam)
the budget came down - can go ahead. The government is also looking at alternative funding means. “What we’re considering changing it to is a ‘nonrefundable’ tax credit. So, when these companies actually make a profit, then they get their tax credit back,”
“Well, that doesn’t make it right. Every other province and the federal government are running deficits, so we have to use some common sense and do things that encourage the film industry here, but also, we have a responsibility to protect the taxpayer dollar.”
Council of Canadians seeks to overturn Saskatoon-Rosetown-Biggar election results The Council of Canadians announced last Tuesday that it is supporting applications under the Canada Elections Act by individual Canadians seeking to overturn federal election results in Saskatoon-RosetownBiggar. The Council is looking at overturning the results in six other federal ridings: Don Valley East, ElmwoodTranscona, NipissingTamiskaming, Vancouver Island North, Winnipeg South Centre and Yukon. The legal actions to annul results are based on evidence of irregularities, fraud and other activities which affected the outcome of the elections. “ I t ’s a s a d d a y f o r Canadian democracy that we have to take this action,” said Garry Neil, Executive Director of the Council of Canadians. “In response to the survey we launched earlier
this month, hundreds of Canadians reported about widespread dirty tricks. We believe the evidence demonstrates that the voter suppression campaign affected the outcome in at least the seven ridings in which we are supporting applications.” “In the week before the election I received
a recorded telephone message stating that, due to higher than anticipated voter turnout, my polling location had changed,” said Peggy Walsh Craig, an applicant from the riding of Nipissing-Tamiskaming. “When I first got that call I was confused and thought …see Council Overturn, pg 16
Town and Country Fair committee meet The Town and Country Fa i r C o m m i t t e e m e t at noon on Thursday, March 22 to adopt new committee members Sherry Thompson, Melanie Peiffer, George Ekman, Dakota Ekman, and Edith McComb. The new members set the fair date for the weekend of June 1, and decided on committee member duties
at the meeting. Any groups or businesses that would like to participate by either organizing an activity or in sponsorship should contact Sherry Thompson at 948-4141 (cell) or Melanie Peiffer, 228-7067, before April 30. Cheques can be dropped off at E-Kay Enterprises before this date or Sherry can pick them up.