Saskatchewan rural municipalities have a collective wish for the new century – to be formally recognized as an order of government.
Delegates to the recent Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities mid-term convention agreed to a motion put forward by the board of directors asking for such a designation.
“To recognize local government as an order of government is something that I think a lot of people take for granted, but we are not recognized constitutionally or in provincial legislation,” said SARM president Sinclair Harrison. “We’ve been on probation for 90 years.”
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Municipalities are often in negotiation with the federal and provincial governments and First Nations on governance issues. Harrison said Ottawa is willing to negotiate only when it’s convenient.
“When it’s not convenient they say, ‘no, you’re not an order of government, you’re a creature of the provincial government.’ “
Harrison said the board rarely submits resolutions because it wants the membership to drive the organization, but this was one of two put forward at the convention.
The other supported a recent call by the provincial auditor to use one set of books for budgeting and reporting. It was passed.
Meanwhile, in his speech to delegates, Harrison said the board would encourage Ottawa to establish another federal-provincial-municipal infrastructure program. He called for a universal fund to help subsidize rural telephone access as competition begins in the local market.
And, he told delegates a lawyer will be available to them on a part-time basis for one year beginning Jan. 1. Mike Morris of Regina has been advising SARM for a number of years. Harrison said his knowledge of rural municipal issues would be an asset to individual RMs that need legal advice.
