Saskatchewan NDP Leader Carla Beck unveiled her plan to boost job creation in the province and retool one of the largest Crown corporations.
A retooling of the province’s procurement Crown corporation would put Saskatchewan businesses and employees first — which isn’t happening under the current government, NDP Opposition Leader Carla Beck says.
During her latest campaign stop before the looming provincial election, Beck on Tuesday committed to getting Saskatchewan away from what the NDP insists is the second-worst job creation rate among provinces in Canada.
Part of that would happen by putting local companies first in line for any public contracts, like building and maintaining public infrastructure, she said.
“Saskatchewan is the best. It doesn’t matter if you’re talking about the stuff we produce or the people we have doing it. That was clear when I was growing up on the farm and I continue to see it every day,” Beck said at a news conference on the shop floor of a Saskatoon steel company.
“It’s about time we put Saskatchewan workers, companies and products first. I want to bet big on this province and get us out of second-last place on job creation. It’s time for a change.”
Unveiling what the NDP calls its Hire Saskatchewan Plan, she said an NDP-led government would revamp the SaskBuilds Crown corporation.
Beck said bidders for public projects would be selected based on value and benefit, not just on offering the lowest price.
Employment and job numbers have been a point of dispute between the Sask. Party and the Opposition.
Earlier this summer, after a report from Statistics Canada, the provincial government noted that Saskatchewan had the lowest unemployment rate among the provinces and the second-highest year-over-year jobs growth.
The NDP, however, insists that based on percentages, every other province besides one has created jobs at a higher rate than Saskatchewan, and Saskatchewan’s full-time employment and total employment have increased at a rate that is second-worst among provinces since Scott Moe became premier.
Among a flurry of announcements this month, Beck has been focusing this week on the business sector. On Monday in Regina, she announced her intention to introduce a start-up loan program that would give some entrepreneurs access to up to $40,000 to start and build their businesses in the province.
“Under Scott Moe and the Sask. Party, business confidence is at an all-time low,” she said.
“We have so much opportunity here in Saskatchewan and we want new entrepreneurs to see that potential and invest here in Saskatchewan. With this new program, we’ll build our economy by investing in Saskatchewan’s next generation of business leaders.”
The provincial government this week, meanwhile, has been touting Saskatchewan’s economy and population, releasing what is described as a progress report on its 2019 growth plan.
The province noted that with more than 1.23 million residents, Saskatchewan is on pace to reach its target of 1.4 million by 2030. The government also claimed success in recent months in agriculture, energy and resources, low inflation rates, off-reserve Indigenous employment, and GDP.
Daniel Westlake, a political studies professor at the University of Saskatchewan, said recently that it’s not surprising the NDP has been focusing on economic and affordability issues.
“(The NDP) want to get out ahead of any challenges that the Saskatchewan Party might throw at them, specifically on fiscal issues,” Westlake said.
“We’re also seeing this across Canada, where every party is trying to speak to affordability questions one way or another.”
— With Canadian Press files
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