Vol. 105 No. 49
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2014
Box 40, 122 Main Street, Biggar, Saskatchewan S0K 0M0
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20 pages
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www.biggarindependent.ca
Budget remains on track despite drop in oil price Saskatchewan remains on track to post a balanced budget in 2014-15. The Mid-Year Report released Thursday projects a yearend surplus of $70.9 million. “While the price of oil has fallen in recent weeks, it remained high for the first few months of the fiscal year, so overall, resource revenues are still projected to be ahead of budget this year,” Finance Minister Ken Krawetz said. “However, it now looks like we will start the 2015-16 Budget year with a lower oil price, which means our government will need to carefully manage spending.” Krawetz said the Saskatchewan economy remains strong despite the impact of falling oil prices
Santa, I’m right here! . . . Okay, maybe she wasn’t waving at Santa, but her parents certainly were in the audience at the annual Biggar Carol Festival, Tuesday at the Majestic Theatre. Kids took over on government revenues. “Right now, Saskatchewan has the strongest job growth and lowest unemployment rate in Canada,” Krawetz said. “Most of the new jobs are not in the resource sector. They are in other areas, which shows the importance of a strong,
diversified economy.” Total revenue for 2014-15 is now projected at $14.199 billion, up $126.4 million from budget. Projected revenue from non-renewable resources is up $59.5 million from budget. Higher potash revenue and Crown land
the stage at the noon hour performance, putting the full-house in the Christmas spirit. Check out biggarindependent.ca this Friday for video of the performance! (Independent Photo by Kevin Brautigam)
sales more than offset the projected revenue decrease in oil. Net income from Crown Corporations and other Government Business Enterprises including the insurance sector is up $183.8 million from budget, while revenue
from taxation, personal income tax, corporate income tax and tobacco is $145.3 million lower than expected at budget. Total expense for 2014-15 is now projected at $14.129 billion, up $126.9 million from budget. Much of this increase,
about $107 million, is attributable to projected costs related to disaster assistance for those affected by recent flooding. “Our government will continue working hard to keep Saskatchewan’s economy and its finances strong,” Krawetz said.
RCMP investigate farmyard invasion At approximately 10:45 p.m. on November 24, Unity RCMP were contacted by a Denzil area farmer who advised he had discovered three trucks in his yard. The farmer went over to confront the occupants of the vehicles and the vehicles fled the farmyard. During the course of the vehicles fleeing the yard, the farmer’s foot was driven over by one of the vehicles. Minutes later the vehicles were reported driving erratically in Macklin, and were then sighted near the hamlet of Evesham which is east of Macklin along Highway 14. At approximately the same time there was a report of a quad being stolen from a farmyard
near Highway 14 near Evesham. Unity RCMP members located the vehicles near the hamlet of Evesham and attempted to stop the vehicles. The drivers of the vehicles briefly stopped their vehicles before taking off with their lights off on Highway 14 eastbound at a high-rate of speed before heading in separate directions that posed a risk to other traffic on the highway. Battleford Police Dog Service and the surrounding detachments were notified, with Battlefords Rural members locating the suspect vehicles as they entered the Red Pheasant Cree Nation. The vehicles fled the Battlefords
members attempts to stop them. One of the trucks was abandoned and recovered on the Red Pheasant Cree Nation minutes later. The vehicle was determined to have been stolen from a farmyard in the Unity district along Highway 14, west of Unity. A Remington Model 750 .270-calibre hunting rifle was in the vehicle when it was stolen. The firearm was not in the vehicle when it was recovered. A 2012 white Chevrolet SLT 1500 was stolen and recovered west of Unity. The recovered 2012 SLT had bullet holes in the windshield believed to have been from the stolen hunting rifle. …see RCMP, cont. pg 16
Blustery festival . . . Hearty souls take a ride during the annual Festival of Lights, Friday. The weather put attendance down from previous years, but those who attended could take in late night shopping, games, treats, rides - all the things that put the spirit of the holiday in our community. Log on to the biggarindependent.ca this Friday for more pictures! (Independent Photo by Kevin Brautigam)