Sask. NDP raising questions about procurement in pipeline MOU

Saskatchewan’s NDP has been looking at a news release from the government in Ontario and wondering what it means for Saskatchewan, while Premier Scott Moe’s office urged further reading.

In mid-July, Saskatchewan joined the governments of Ontario and Alberta in a memorandum of understanding to look into building new energy and trade infrastructure for pipelines and rail service to get more products to market.

The Sask. NDP looked at the news release from Ontario at that time, and pointed out it specifically says new pipelines and rail projects will be built with “Ontario steel”.

In the next paragraph, Premier Scott Moe is quoted praising the deal and what it will do to safeguard jobs and energy security in Canada.

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On Friday, the NDP’s jobs and economy critic Aleana Young wondered what was going on.

“Did Scott Moe not read that press release? Because if he didn’t, we’re looking at the sloppiest, most careless government in Canada,” said Young.

She said if the Saskatchewan government agreed to a deal giving away work that should have gone to steelworkers in Regina it “defies belief”.

And if the news release was wrong, Young said Premier Scott Moe needed to ask for a correction and apology from Ontario Premier Doug Ford.

When asked about the deal, Moe’s office pointed away from the news release and to the text of the MOU where it talks about launching a feasibility study:

“Within the feasibility study, the parties will work to encourage industry to explore ways to maximize the economic benefit to Canada through the use of Canadian supply chains, including steel and components from signatories.”

The signatories to the MOU are Ontario, Alberta and Saskatchewan.

The premier’s office called the NDP dishonest, but did not respond to follow-up questions about concerns around the Ontario news release or whether Moe’s office would ask for it to be changed.

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