Wall confirms meetings about partial sale of Saskatchewan Government Insurance
Premier says 'of course' minister responsible for SGI in talks with private sector
Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall said "of course" the minister responsible for Saskatchewan Government Insurance has been in meetings about a potential partial sale of the Crown corporation.
Wall was responding to comments from NDP interim leader Trent Wotherspoon during question period on Wednesday.
Wotherspoon accused the government of scheming to sell off Crown corporations, and said Joe Hargrave, the minister responsible for SGI, has been meeting with different parties in order to make the deal.
"So of course the Minister of SGI has been having meetings about that" <a href="https://twitter.com/PremierBradWall">@PremierBradWall</a> says about possible partnership for the Crown
—@SLangeneggerCBC"We campaigned on not privatizing the Crowns and we're not going to," Wall told reporters afterwards, but added the government is open to striking private partnerships.
"If it's about strengthening that Crown corporation, that head office, maybe creating jobs in the province."
As of Wednesday morning, Hargrave's office said no offers for SGI had been made.
'Government looking for cash'
Wotherspoon said Wall is breaking a campaign promise made in the last election not to privatize the Crowns corporations.
"It's a bald-faced lie when you see Bill 40 and the actions of this government with STC now through to SGI and SaskTel," he said.
"This is a government looking for cash."
Under Bill 40, the government is allowed to sell up to 49 per cent of a Crown corporation. Such a sale, Wall said, does not mean privatization because the majority of the shares would remain with taxpayers.