Confidence in Sask. breeds jobs, investment
By Alan Thomarat, Regina Leader Post
Well now we've had time to digest a couple of budgets, two down and many municipal budgets to come before we can understand how much is left in our wallets. Just listening to the rumblings, maybe grumbling, to the east and the west of us has been interesting, too.
Hey, Saskatchewan, I think you're being watched. Premier McGuinty, from mighty Ontario, upon learning that many of us are descending upon the centre of the universe to tell the story about the new land of jobs and growth that's been leading the nation in so many ways, remarked that Saskatchewan is not competition for Ontario. Rather, he's more concerned about New York, Ohio, Michigan, Illinois - Well, I'm more inclined to feel that in the war for talent, that is easily going to last for 15 to 20 years, the most effective war-room strategy will pay attention to all threats, the obvious traditional competing jurisdictions and the up-andcomers that understand it is a war.
And Tuesday past, the Calgary Chamber of Commerce drew a line in the sand in the middle of their current provincial election campaign. The message to Wildrose and Progressive Conservative candidates alike was to catch up to Saskatchewan, stop giving up competitive advantage and lower the small business tax rate to match the actions of the Saskatchewan government. Yes, competitive tax environments can move labour and capital. Cash knows no boundaries and investors are taking our province seriously.
So let's go east again to friendly Manitoba. Only days after Minister Ken Krawetz tabled his government's 2012-13 budget document, Winnipeg Sun columnist Tom Brodbeck, clearly expressing frustration, pointed out to his readers that the "Saskatchewan budget is kicking Manitoba butt."
On so many levels, the two governments' differing ideologies are taking their respective provinces in opposite directions. One approach involves intervention in industries, rent control, spend and tax and spend again, while the counterculture says step back, give back, identify where government should be, know the issues, determine the priorities and deal with them accordingly. It seems as time moves on, the momentum in economic activity and investment is clearly favouring the latter approach.
Brodbeck scans the budgets like this:
. "For example, Saskatchewan once had the highest income taxes in Western Canada - Not anymore."
. "A two-income family of five in Manitoba with a household income of $75,000 paid $4,165 in income taxes. That same family in Saskatchewan paid only $1,470."
. "Saskatchewan cut its provincial sales tax to five per cent from seven per cent - resisted the urge to bring in lopsided, pro-union legislation like - here a decade ago. And Saskatchewan doesn't have outdated regulatory schemes like rent control (like in Manitoba)."
. "And no, the feds didn't help them out. Saskatchewan generates 86 per cent of its own revenue ... In Manitoba ... we rely on Ottawa to pay 40 per cent of our provincial government bills."
So the story about kicking Manitoba butt closes ironically with a quip first coined by a Bomber kicker, Troy something or other. As Brodbeck posits: "I'd say we could learn a lot from our banjo-pickin' cousins to the west. At least when it comes to managing taxpayer dollars."
As we find the new confidence is becoming more and more entrenched, investors are more determined to make new commitments, more construction builds more homes, new communities and creates more lasting jobs, we must still be mindful of how hard it is to climb to the top, we must watch our backs as much as others are watching us now and now is not the time to take our foot off the gas.
So where did all this come from? As I write this for you this week, I'm boarding a plane with Team Saskatchewan for the National Job Fair in Toronto. We are all truly committed to an agenda with ministers and the premier that drives growth and addresses the labour needs in Saskatchewan. We will build the homes and the communities that foster the environment that helps drive the mining sector, research and development and the many thriving parts of this economy.
Oh by the way, in Toronto, they can't miss us. We're the Green Team. Go Saskatchewan.
We don't just drive tractors, we drive growth!
Hey, Saskatchewan, I think you're being watched. Premier McGuinty, from mighty Ontario, upon learning that many of us are descending upon the centre of the universe to tell the story about the new land of jobs and growth that's been leading the nation in so many ways, remarked that Saskatchewan is not competition for Ontario. Rather, he's more concerned about New York, Ohio, Michigan, Illinois - Well, I'm more inclined to feel that in the war for talent, that is easily going to last for 15 to 20 years, the most effective war-room strategy will pay attention to all threats, the obvious traditional competing jurisdictions and the up-andcomers that understand it is a war.
And Tuesday past, the Calgary Chamber of Commerce drew a line in the sand in the middle of their current provincial election campaign. The message to Wildrose and Progressive Conservative candidates alike was to catch up to Saskatchewan, stop giving up competitive advantage and lower the small business tax rate to match the actions of the Saskatchewan government. Yes, competitive tax environments can move labour and capital. Cash knows no boundaries and investors are taking our province seriously.
So let's go east again to friendly Manitoba. Only days after Minister Ken Krawetz tabled his government's 2012-13 budget document, Winnipeg Sun columnist Tom Brodbeck, clearly expressing frustration, pointed out to his readers that the "Saskatchewan budget is kicking Manitoba butt."
On so many levels, the two governments' differing ideologies are taking their respective provinces in opposite directions. One approach involves intervention in industries, rent control, spend and tax and spend again, while the counterculture says step back, give back, identify where government should be, know the issues, determine the priorities and deal with them accordingly. It seems as time moves on, the momentum in economic activity and investment is clearly favouring the latter approach.
Brodbeck scans the budgets like this:
. "For example, Saskatchewan once had the highest income taxes in Western Canada - Not anymore."
. "A two-income family of five in Manitoba with a household income of $75,000 paid $4,165 in income taxes. That same family in Saskatchewan paid only $1,470."
. "Saskatchewan cut its provincial sales tax to five per cent from seven per cent - resisted the urge to bring in lopsided, pro-union legislation like - here a decade ago. And Saskatchewan doesn't have outdated regulatory schemes like rent control (like in Manitoba)."
. "And no, the feds didn't help them out. Saskatchewan generates 86 per cent of its own revenue ... In Manitoba ... we rely on Ottawa to pay 40 per cent of our provincial government bills."
So the story about kicking Manitoba butt closes ironically with a quip first coined by a Bomber kicker, Troy something or other. As Brodbeck posits: "I'd say we could learn a lot from our banjo-pickin' cousins to the west. At least when it comes to managing taxpayer dollars."
As we find the new confidence is becoming more and more entrenched, investors are more determined to make new commitments, more construction builds more homes, new communities and creates more lasting jobs, we must still be mindful of how hard it is to climb to the top, we must watch our backs as much as others are watching us now and now is not the time to take our foot off the gas.
So where did all this come from? As I write this for you this week, I'm boarding a plane with Team Saskatchewan for the National Job Fair in Toronto. We are all truly committed to an agenda with ministers and the premier that drives growth and addresses the labour needs in Saskatchewan. We will build the homes and the communities that foster the environment that helps drive the mining sector, research and development and the many thriving parts of this economy.
Oh by the way, in Toronto, they can't miss us. We're the Green Team. Go Saskatchewan.
We don't just drive tractors, we drive growth!
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