Premier should release Q1 financial report, Sask. NDP says
The New Democrats want the Saskatchewan Party government to hurry up and release a first-quarter financial report.
However, the government says it's not needed this year.
The report is a snapshot of the province's finances after the first three months of the fiscal year, which began April 1.
Last year, the Q1 report came out Aug. 31, but this year it has yet to be released, something acting NDP leader Trent Wotherspoon says is unacceptable.
He has released a letter he sent to Premier Brad Wall accusing the government of concealing the true state of the province's finances.
Finance Minister Kevin Doherty confirmed there won't be a first-quarter report, but said that's because the budget came out late this year due to the spring election.
It wasn't passed until June 30, which is exactly the end of the first quarter, he said.
In that sense, the budget was effectively a first-quarter report and the numbers it contained are up to date, he said.
He added that there will be a mid-year report released in November.
When the spring budget was released, a deficit of $434 million was projected.
The NDP says when all the borrowing the government is doing is factored in, the deficit is more like $1 billion.
"Saskatchewan people deserve honesty, openness and transparency," Wotherspoon said in his letter.
