Saskatchewan Finance Minister Rod Gantefoer told a business audience in Swift Current that some of the tough decisions in their provincial budget are a signal that agencies across the province need to tighten their budgets too.
"It was a challenging budget in that there had to be some difficult decisions made, but by in large it's a budget that's appropriate for the time," Gantefoer said of the provincial budget which calls for decreased provincial spending year over year. "We think that that was a very strong signal to the business community that we're going to be prudent and responsible and balanced in our approach."
Gantefoer made his comments at the Swift Current and District Chamber of Commerce hosted Saskatchewan Budget breakfast at the Sky Centre on Thursday morning.
"The whole budget made reductions that were difficult. I mean it wasn't easy to make the decision to no longer subsidize the chiropractic fees for example. We made sure that, for the low income people that are the most vulnerable, that they will continue to be covered. But for the rest of us, chiropractic fees are no longer being subsidized, and that was a difficult decision because it affects a good number of people. So if you're going to live within your means, it means you are going to have to make decisions that aren't easy or fun to make. And certainly we've had to do that."
"So if you're going to live within your means, it means you are going to have to make decisions that aren't easy or fun to make. And certainly we've had to do that." - Rod Gantefoer, Saskatchewan Finance Minister
He said the budget sends a very strong signal to the business community that government is going to be prudent, responsible and balanced in their approach, and thy are leading the way by working towards a leaner government network.
"We think that the size of government has become too large in relationship to the rest of the economy, so over the next four years we've set an objective of 15 per cent reduction in the size of the public service. That's going to be done through attrition. In any given year, somewhere between six and eight per cent of people leave the government's employment, either through retirement or moving on to new opportunities. We'll manage that so we don't fill about four per cent a year, and we will make sure we manage the positions that are being filled across government."
Gantefoer highlighted that the attrition measures will not affect necessary front-line workers, so there will not be a vacancy, for example, for a highway snowplow operator in January.
"It's going to be a challenge for sure over time, but we're making that commitment now for the next four years."
