Rapid responses

Yesterday's provincial budget would seem to have provided an ideal opportunity for the NDP's leadership contestants to stake out their territory. So it's interesting to note that only two of them seem to have made statements that got picked up by the media in the budget's aftermath.

Deb Higgins focused her critique on the Wall government's reliance on commodity revenues to support huge spending increases:

The budget includes a 12 percent increase in spending compared to last year making the budget worth $10.25 billion. Moose Jaw Wakamow MLA Deb Higgins says (it's) out of sync.

"(It's) a huge increase in spending and some have referred to it as run away spending and some unrealistic expectations on the revenue side that could lead to disaster down the road. When you look at the provincial budget... one in every five dollars comes from potash, so when you're putting all your eggs in one basket like that it does raise a number of concerns especially when we know how volatile the commodities can be."

Meanwhile, Ryan Meili commented on the health spending in the budget by noting that a genuine focus on health involves attention to issues going beyond a reactive health-care system:

Ryan Meili, a doctor and NDP-leadership hopeful, said to get health-care costs in check, the government should be investing in the province’s most vulnerable by addressing poverty, housing and nutrition.

“One of the best ways to control (health budgets) is to invest in things that really make people healthy.”

So what of the budget in substance? While I agree generally with Higgins' and Meili's comments, the line of the day goes to Wheatsheaf:

The Saskatchewan Party decided to avoid real changes - which is likely a good thing.