Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe says he doesn’t often agree with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, but they agree on banning Russian crude oil imports.
The Canadian government announced a ban on imports on Feb. 28, as a sanction on Russia for its invasion of Ukraine.
Moe told delegates at the Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities (SARM) convention that it was the right thing to do, while calling for an import ban on oil from other countries.
“We have the third-largest oil reserve of anywhere on Earth. We are, today in this province and in this nation, producing some of the cleanest energy you can find anywhere on this Earth,” he told delegates in Regina.
“It doesn’t make sense for us to be looking abroad, and it’s time for us to get serious in this nation and on this continent about energy security.”
Moe also hinted at areas of increased spending in the upcoming provincial budget.
He said there will be significant investments made in healthcare.
“You’ll see a major commitment to reduce the wait times that we have, the surgical wait times,” Moe said, adding that operating hours will be expanded.
“We’re hiring private surgical providers to augment the services of the public system so that we can catch up from some of the backlog that we’ve acquired over the course of the last couple of years. We do this in laboratory services, and we’ve done this with our surgical initiative before and we’re doing it again.”
Moe said funds will be also be spent on new long-term care facilities.
He also promised SARM delegates money for municipal infrastructure.
The province announced Wednesday that $262 million will be invested in the municipal revenue sharing program.
He said the funding provides local decision-makers the flexibility to address issues important to municipalities.
“A stronger economy also means that we can continue to invest alongside you in municipal infrastructure through programs that we have.”
Moe also called on the federal government to designate rail service as an essential service.
Grain shippers and fertilizer producers are sounding the alarm about the impact a strike at CP Rail could have on producers and the economy.
Teamsters Canada Rail Conference is currently in a position to issue a 72-hour strike notice to CP Rail, but has not yet done so.
Moe said the feds need to prepare legislation in the event of a labour dispute.
“We’ve had far too many real interruptions over the course of the last number of years, and we are without a doubt reliant on that rail service,” he said.
“So, I am calling on the federal government to prepare for back to work legislation should they need it.”
Moe said he signed a petition to be delivered to the federal government and asked delegates to sign it as well before it is sent.
SARM president Ray Orb said he sympathized with CP workers, but described the timing as simply not good.
“We understand what the workers are asking for. Just right now, it’s unrealistic,” Orb said.
Saskatchewan NDP agriculture critic Trent Wotherspoon said the onus is on CP Rail to negotiate, given it’s a member of a duopoly “in a largely non-competitive market.”
“Specifically, we’re calling on CP to get a fair deal that’s fair for the workers and ensures the safety of that incredibly important rail system,” he said.
Wotherspoon said the Opposition doesn’t support the petition and a solution should be reached at the bargaining table.
The union and CP Rail did not respond to requests for comment by deadline.
On Wednesday the federal Minister of Labour, Seamus O’Regan Jr., said the CPR and the Teamsters Canada Rail Conference have been negotiating their collective agreement but have been unable to reach an agreement.
“Today, the employer gave notice of their intention to lock out employees as of March 20,” O’Regan said.
“Our government respects and has faith in the collective bargaining process, because we know that the best deals are the ones reached by the parties at the bargaining table.”
O’Regan said he and Minister of Transport Omar Alghabra understand the “impacts of a potential work stoppage” and continue to monitor the situation.
“The government strongly encourages both parties to consider making the compromises necessary to reach a deal that is fair for workers and the employer.”
“Canadians have worked together throughout the pandemic to find solutions to our collective challenges. They expect the same from such actors in our national economy.”
— with files from Ryan Kessler and Kelly Skjerven
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