We must save SaskTel
In September 2007 Premier Brad Wall stated, “crowns are not going to be privatized and (subsidiaries) are not going to be wound down.”
In May 2008, SaskTel contracted out some installation service to jump.ca. In March 2008, the province announced its “Saskatchewan First” policy for crowns. This means crowns can’t participate in any out-of-province business. In March 2009, email and conference services were outsourced.
In October 2009, Navigata internet services was sold. In November 2010, Directwest subsidiary sold AgDealer. In December 2010 the Saskatoon Square building was sold. In January 2011, the Hospitality Network Canada assets were sold.
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Wall attempts to make people think he cares about SaskTel’s survival and how he would never privatize it without their approval. He claims they are doing an assessment to see what the future looks like and how best to protect SaskTel from a competitor taking it over.
When you cut off the arms and legs of a corporation, how difficult will it be to word a plebiscite that will stress how weak it is and infer that it should be sold before it loses more value.
If it is sold, who will facilitate service to the small and decreasing populations of the north and rural areas of this province? Private business needs potential profit to invest.
I hope people will rise to the occasion and stop the bleeding of revenue we so badly need.
Boyd Denny
Saskatoon, Sask.
