Saskatchewan agriculture minister Mark Wartman is refusing to back down for saying in the legislature that putting more provincial dollars into the Canadian Agricultural Income Stabilization program would be like throwing money away.
“I think (farmers would) like to throw that minister away,” opposition leader Brad Wall said during question period Nov. 17.
He repeatedly took Wartman to task for his words, but the minister refused to apologize to farmers. Wartman said he made the comment because if the province had spent the amount first estimated by Ottawa “that it would be akin to throwing the money away.”
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Fair deal
The first estimates last spring of the province’s share were between $250 and $360 million. More recent numbers put the cost between $30 and $160 million.
Wartman said the program has to be more fair and his priority is to work for a just deal.
Although the province revealed last week it would take in nearly $900 million more revenue than expected this year, it will not use any of that money to fund CAIS. The government is standing by its decision to spend $99 million for the program this year.
The Agricultural Producers Association of Saskatchewan also criticized Wartman and called for an apology.
