March 14, 2024 | Advertise with us

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Good morning. March 14 is a wonderful day for many reasons: it’s Pi Day (3.14), and two all-time greats share today as a birthday. Albert Einstein was born on this day in 1879 in Ulm, Germany, and Stephen Curry was born today in 1988. So in honour of today, eat some pie, look at a large clock tower and ponder relativity, and shoot some hoops!

Here’s The SKoop for today:

• Don McMorris addresses SARM delegates,

• Carla Beck stands against carbon tax in speech at SARM, and

• Saskatoon’s arena budget will be delayed.

P.S. Please share The SKoop with your networks. At the bottom of this email you will see a new referral section - share The SKoop and gain points towards winning prizes like gift cards and a pair of AirPods. Thanks!

SARM Convention hears from McMorris

With the provincial budget a week away, Minister of Government Relations Don McMorris didn’t want to give any hints about what rural municipalities can expect at their annual convention, however, he did highlight multiple projects currently underway.

At the annual convention for the Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities (SARM), McMorris spoke to delegates about the targeted sector support of a $1.5M revenue-sharing program aimed at municipalities connecting and working cooperatively. 17 projects have already been approved for over $850,000 with nine of those projects going to rural municipalities.

McMorris also waded into the education debate. “There has been some inkling and people talking about maybe we should start allowing school divisions to increase education property tax, and we don’t think as a government that is a good thing. I guarantee we will be back into tax revolt after tax revolt.”

SARM’s convention continues today and it’s a big agenda: Premier Scott Moe will address delegates at 1:00PM, followed by a bear pit session with cabinet ministers.

(SaskToday)

Sponsored by the Saskatchewan Heavy Construction Association

Beck makes pitch to rural leaders

Opposition NDP leader Carla Beck took the stage at the annual SARM convention in Regina on Wednesday. She clarified her position on the carbon tax, spoke to collaboration between urban and rural centers, and spoke about challenges facing education and healthcare.

Speaking to delegates, Beck said, “I absolutely stand against Ottawa’s carbon tax. I’ve made that clear here, in the legislature, in Ottawa, yes I have picked up the phone, and I also made it clear in the leadership when I ran to be the leader of the Saskatchewan NDP.”

She added, “The longer that they’ve (Saskatchewan Party) been in power, the more they can take those who elected them for granted.”

(CJWW600)

Sponsored by Insurance Brokers Association of Saskatchewan

Saskatoon councilors get revised arena budget timeline

Developers bidding on the downtown arena project in Saskatoon originally had until the end of the month to submit a proposal, but the city has extended the deadline by one month.

Council has previously directed that a funding strategy to build a new arena and convention center downtown cannot rely on property tax hikes. Previous reports have suggested the city could instead look to things like ticket surcharges and a tax on hotel stays to raise the money.

The city recently released the conceptual design of the new downtown arena and outgoing Mayor Charlie Clark said, “We need to think big about the future.”

(Saskatoon Star Phoenix)

Sponsored by Johnson Shoyama Graduate School of Public Policy

More news and info

• Trudeau calls out “short-term" thinker” politicians as seven premiers urge him to drop planned carbon tax increase (CBC News)

• Register now for the Saskatchewan Public Affairs Forum on April 9th in Regina, hosted by the Saskatchewan chapter of Public Affairs Association of Canada!*

• Sask. small businesses looking for tax, cost relief in upcoming budget (Regina Leader-Post)

• A bill that could ban TikTok just passed the US House of Representatives

_{*Sponsored content from Public Affairs Association of Canada - Saskatchewan Chapter.}

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