Eldon Lautermilch remains in the Saskatchewan cabinet this week even after offering to resign for mistakes made during the province’s ill-fated potato venture.
Saskatchewan premier Lorne Calvert did not accept the resignation. Instead, he shuffled his cabinet Feb. 17 and moved Lautermilch from industry and resources to intergovernmental and aboriginal affairs. Lautermilch remains government house leader.
“Mr. Lautermilch’s contributions as a cabinet minister have been and remain significant,” Calvert told reporters. “He is one of the strongest and most able voices at the cabinet table.”
Calvert said other ministers, and ultimately the entire cabinet, were also responsible for misleading the public and for the fact that the venture cost taxpayers $23 million. Several of those ministers are no longer in government.
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When the province announced it would build potato storage sheds in the irrigation district near Lucky Lake, it said there was a private partner involved. The company, Con-Force Investments, only invested $51 in each of three sheds. They cost $8.4 million.
Calvert said an independent third party will now analyze all potential investments by the Crown Investments Corp. before a decision is made.
The cabinet shuffle was made necessary when former justice minister Chris Axworthy resigned his seat earlier this month.
Eric Cline leaves finance to take on both justice and industry and resources.
Jim Melenchuk moves from learning to finance, while Judy Junor returns to cabinet to take on the learning portfolio.
Government relations minister Ron Osika takes on additional responsibilities for Saskatchewan Property Management Corp.
The premier also announced that byelections will be held March 17 in Axworthy’s former seat, Saskatoon Fairview, and in Battleford Cut Knife. The MLA in that riding, Rudi Peters, died of cancer last fall.
