In a true Canadian way, I’ll start this week’s message with an apology. Sorry, but this one’s going to be short and sweet. Due to a hectic schedule I’m not going to be very long-winded this time around. 

But you’ve been forewarned that this would be the case from time to time. And I’m taking holidays for a few days towards the end of this week and the start of next, so you won’t see or hear from me for a couple of weeks, actually. 

With that long preamble in place, I just wanted to say how out of touch a proposed policy that the provincial NDP is recommending to the government. What that recommendation is, is once royalties get over a certain value ($90 per barrel of oil and $700 for potash) that the government should then dole out a $105 stipend to every Saskatchewan resident. 

What a brilliant idea… NOT!  

If we did that, then maybe we should ask them to save that $105 to support these companies paying the additional royalties when the commodity price drops well below these thresholds, as it always does in its typical cyclical pattern. 

That’s just what people who have no idea of business – and the costs involved to start up and then successfully run them – would say. They think that it’s just like taking candy from a baby. It’s nothing but positive cashflow (for them, paycheques) and swimming in cash. 

As business owners know, nothing could be further from the truth. Running a business is hard, and making and keeping a business viable is even harder. 

If it was easy, then everyone would do it, wouldn’t we? 

Thankfully, I’m pretty sure that this one will be shot down by our provincial government. 

Until next time, be safe, be smart, be considerate, be well, but most of all, be kind. 

Keith Moen 

Executive Director