They're Sayin' What We're All Thinkin'

I am, or at least I'm trying to be, the biggest NDP apologist of all time. But still, I have to agree with the editorial in the PA Daily Herald:

After all is said and done, the fact that the premier of Saskatchewan let his 14-year-old daughter drive on a back road is a non-story. In fact, as pointed out in a column Saturday, even those individuals politically pre-disposed to lob criticism at Wall acknowledge that the premier only did what just about everybody in rural Saskatchewan does: let a kid drive a vehicle. Oh sure, by the letter of the law, what Premier Brad Wall did was wrong - but in reality, many people do it, and there's little evidence of any harm being done through this practice: no blood, no foul and all that.
(PA Daily Herald, March 18/08)

When I first read this, I thought, you've got to be kidding me. This is the best we can do? Which was closely followed by, If we're trying to alienate the rural voters further, this is definitely the way to do it.

Everyone in Saskatchewan who's grown up on a farm or in a rural area, or knows someone who has, has driven underage. Yes, like it says in the Herald, that's breaking the letter of the law. But this tradition is based less on a coming-of-age ritual and more on practicality: all members of farm families work, and if that means you have to drive the truck at 13, then that's what happens. And more importantly, no one cares.

What really surprises me is the amount of traction this received in the media. But I think Wall managed to turn it around quite nicely and get some good press: he was contrite, showed respect for the office of Premier, and secured the province's urban/rural wedge a little tighter.

We have to remember that the gloves are off in opposition, and that the NDP is free to make whatever attacks they'd like on the government, no matter how silly. But this one smacked of something the Sask Party would have said when they sat on these benches, and that stinks. We're better than that. At least, we used to be.

In His Back Pocket

In this breaking story, we learn that Wall is as useless as a third tit when it comes to speaking out against Ottawa. But I suppose it's kind of difficult to do that when the federal Conservatives graciously provided half the Sask Party's legislative staff after the election.

The comments came after the Saskatchewan Party government refused to allow debate in the legislature Monday on an emergency motion on equalization. The motion - which was originally unanimously passed in the assembly in March 2005 - called for fair treatment from Ottawa on equalization.

Calvert suggested something has intervened to change the mind of the SaskParty.

"They were willing to stand up against Liberals, but when it comes to standing up against Conservatives, not a chance. They'll sooner sell out the people of Saskatchewan than stand up against this Conservative prime minister," said Calvert.

"They have decided they're just going to roll over and take instruction from Ottawa."
(CNews - Canadian Press, March 17, 2008)

After rolling over, Wall sat up, begged, and played dead. Then he brought Harper his newspaper and slippers before curling up at his feet.

Dion, for his part, showed up shortly thereafter with Harper's pipe, bowl, and fiddlers three.

Campfire Permit Fee Removed

In the tradition of exemplary and totally unbiased reporting on behalf of the LP, we're told the Saskatchewan Party is keeping its promise of removing the much-maligned $3 campfire fee in Saskatchewan's provincial parks:

During the fall election campaign, Premier Brad Wall repeatedly promised that if elected a Saskatchewan Party government would eliminate what he called the "wiener roast tax."

The $3 per day fee to purchase firewood in Saskatchewan parks was put in place in 2004.

The government said the removal of the fee will save park visitors a combined total of about $375,000 a year.
(Leader-Post, March 17, 2008)

However:

• The article should tell us that the $375,000 saved by park visitors will be coming out of the GRF.
• An addition of $158,400 to the GRF would then leave us with a net loss of roughly $217,000. Isn't this a problem in such a stark fiscal period?
  
• There's no mention if the annual impact of $650,000 is to the plus or minus.

I suppose this is all well and good: no one really liked that stupid campfire fee in the first place. And all cutesie Sask Party nicknames aside, if the NDP were trying to upset the people who use provincial parks, mission accomplished.

Another promise kept. Congratulations, Mr. Wall and Ms. Tell. We're going to be seeing a lot more of these announcements the Sask Party. But watch carefully: the promises, like this one, will be the ones that are easy to keep. The harder ones -- the ones with more impact on Saskatchewan's people -- will be swept under the carpet or blamed on either the opposition or outside forces.

We saw it happen with Harper, and we'll see it happen with his lapdog, too.

Edit: added link to article