SHAUNAVON, Sask. – It’s hot and windy, but southwestern Saskatchewan
looks like parkland on this July day. In the distance, the Cypress
Hills are green. Fields full of hay bales are not uncommon.
The provincial government kicked off its second Dialogue with
Saskatchewan, also known as the ‘listening’ tour, in this region July
18.
Criticized for not travelling through the drought-affected area last
year, premier Lorne Calvert and several caucus members spent three days
in and around Moose Jaw, Swift Current, Assiniboia and Maple Creek. But
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this year, the area has received at least average precipitation, if not
more.
This year, the drought is to the north, in central and northern
Saskatchewan.
In Shaunavon, agriculture minister Clay Serby and learning minister Jim
Melenchuk were greeted by investors who want to build an ethanol plant
next spring. They toured the Cypress Hills Abilities Centre and the
T-Rex Discovery Centre in Eastend.
Calvert participated in a ceremony at the Cypress Wind Project
construction site, greeted customers at the Co-op grocery store in
Maple Creek and stopped for ice cream in Tompkins.
There wasn’t much talk of drought on this tour. A day earlier, in
Herbert, a woman told Calvert he had to do something about the
truckloads of hay heading west to Alberta.
The premier is expected to face the worst of the drought this week when
he visits the northwest, and next week in the northeast.
Meanwhile, Saskatchewan Party leader Elwin Hermanson has already toured
the drought areas.
On July 22, he proposed six steps the province could take to address
the situation: establishing a $10 million water infrastructure
investment program to be cost-shared 50-50 with Ottawa; allow a full
writeoff of crops adjusted at five bushels per acre or less; increase
the number of crop insurance adjusters in drought areas; eliminate
drought years in calculation of yield averages; waive the establishment
clause so producers in drought areas receive full benefits; and, open
up crown land for grazing.
