NDP candidates were in front of the legislature Thursday to put pressure on the Sask. Party to come clean on their hidden deficit – a deficit exacerbated by Sask. Party waste including a suspicious multi-million-dollar land payment.
Drawing attention to Brad Wall’s apparent overpayment on a sketchy land deal, and the deep deficit he’s put the province in, the candidates jokingly proposed selling back the expensive land bought at the Global Transportation Hub (GTH) – suggesting that it could go for $300 for each jar of pricey GTH dirt.
In reality, Brad Wall ordered that the property, which was appraised at $30,000 to $35,000 per acre, be bought from businessmen for $103,000. The government bought all other properties in the area for just a fraction of that price.
“We’re having a bit of fun today – but we’re actually drawing attention to an issue of deep concern for Saskatchewan families,” said the NDP’s candidate for Regina Walsh Acres, Terry Bell. “We’ve been on the doorsteps, and we’re listening to family after family ask why there was millions to hand over to businessmen in a sketchy land deal, but front-line health care workers are being cut. They ask why Mr. Wall can spend a mint on things like private consultants and travel scouts, but can’t afford to put enough educational assistants in our children’s classrooms.