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I'm Not The PM's Messenger, Saskatchewan Premier Says

CBC  |  Posted: Updated: 05/17/2012 2:29 pm

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Rekindling his fight with federal NDP leader Tom Mulcair, Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall says he's not Prime Minister Stephen Harper's "messenger."


"Nonsense," Wall told CBC News Wednesday. "I'm hired to be a messenger for Saskatchewan, for our economy, for our interests."


It's Wall latest response to Mulcair's comments about western Canada, resource exports and the impact on eastern Canada's manufacturing base.


Earlier this month, Wall hit the roof after Mulcair argued that a reliance on resource exports is contributing to a high Canadian dollar, which in turn is causing a loss of manufacturing jobs.


Mulcair said it's a classic example of the "Dutch disease" — a term used to describe the hollowing out of manufacturing jobs in the Netherlands after oil was discovered in the early 1960s.


Saskatchewan has enjoyed a boom in the production of oil, potash and other minerals and Wall has argued that all of Canada benefits.


In recent days, Wall has repeatedly spoken out against Mulcair, while his Saskatchewan Party has demanded that provincial NDP MLAs condemn their federal leader.


The latest development was an article in the National Post newspaper which quoted Mulcair dismissing criticisms by western premiers, saying they're Harper's "messengers."


Wall, a devoted Twitter user, fired back early Wednesday.


"I may have tweeted out a few things on that line this morning," Wall said.


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Rekindling his fight with federal NDP leader Tom Mulcair, Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall says he's not Prime Minister Stephen Harper's "messenger." "Nonsense," Wall told CBC N...
Rekindling his fight with federal NDP leader Tom Mulcair, Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall says he's not Prime Minister Stephen Harper's "messenger." "Nonsense," Wall told CBC N...
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omgjp
6 Fans
08:24 PM on 05/19/2012
During my time working at Cosmicpad Music Studios, Ross was writing music for Wapos Bay, a claymation television series that takes a humorous look at aboriginal life featuring positive role models for children. In my opinion my Dad’s greatest work as a film producer and writer is Rabbit Fall which got me excited and interested in Native Canadian stories and culture with a supernatural thriller twist. He’s also done great work promoting aboriginal fashion designers. Whether you think Corner Gas is funny or not, the Sask Party’s decision to eliminate the Saskatchewan Film Employment Tax Credit is about Saskatchewan storytellers. This will kill the film industry in Saskatchewan and silence the storytellers’ voice.

The Sask Party knows that this is losing jobs and economic stimulus for Saskatchewan. The NDP supports it and so they oppose it; the motive is ideological.

“Like” the Facebook page:
http://www.facebook.com/SaveTheSFETC
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pinnsy
85 Fans
04:03 PM on 05/18/2012
well Premier Wall the litmus test will be wether you choose the Norwegian fund model or the Alberta heritage fund model for Saskatchewan non renewable resource funds. The obvious fund is ----
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IranianDude
117 Fans
11:06 PM on 05/17/2012
You're not his messenger. You're his submissive geisha.
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NTodd
Aude Sapere
297 Fans
03:40 AM on 05/17/2012
"I'm hired to be a messenger for Saskatchewan, for our economy, for our interests."
No Mr. Premier, you were "hired" to be a messenger for Alberta construction, mining, and oil interests via your little sweetheart side deal with the colonial masters who fund the SaskParty. You sell access and legislative action to whatever out-of-province donor writes the biggest cheques. You and Harper work for the same bosses and everybody knows it.
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
tnanimation
342 Fans
01:55 AM on 05/17/2012
Not his messenger, just his obedient little oil soaked lap dog.
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
Jack Hope
Occasionally quoted by Mainstream Media
145 Fans
 
01:14 AM on 05/17/2012
I think it's interesting that Allison Redford, Premier of the province that is arguably the most 'threatened' by all this Dutch Disease talk, has been the most mild of in her criticism.

I wonder why that is?

Regardless of whether or not Canada is developing Dutch Disease, we cannot wreck the economy of the rest of the country in order to grow the oil sands, nor vice versa.

A national economy that wrecks one region to profit another is not an economy worth having. It's time to seriously talk about we're going to manage these issues. Unfortunately, some people (I'm looking at you Brad Wall and Christy Clark) are not ready to do that.
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BlackRabbit
174 Fans
06:02 PM on 05/17/2012
From now on I shall oppose any attempt by Ontario ti grow its economy and exports on the grounds that it will increase the value of the loonie and thus wreck the economy of Western Canada.

Really, what blather. Economic success in any part of Canada is a success for all of Canada.
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MikeSkCDN
29 Fans
12:50 AM on 05/17/2012
Brad Wall inherited a resource boom which he nor the previous NDP government had nothing to do with. He is running a province which is sitting on vast amounts of natural resources, anyone could govern in this current climate and have the same level of success as him. He has no right to lecture anyone.
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EnGarde
19 Fans
12:55 AM on 05/17/2012
You're not from Saskatchewan, are you. If you were, you'd never, ever say that.
As a politician, the man is impressive in every way, and I'm from Alberta. Guys like Brad Wall don't come along and actually run for leadership very often.
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MikeSkCDN
29 Fans
01:25 AM on 05/17/2012
Yes actually I am from Saskatchewan (Regina) and still live here, and I can tell you that every word of what I wrote is accurate and anyone with any understanding of economics knows it to be true.
Brad Wall is nothing but a career politician/political operative who was lucky enough not have his named destroyed via his time in the Devine govt, and also was lucky that Elwin Hermanson was completely unfit to lead a serious provincial party. He was further helped by the fact that Sask NDP had been in power 16 yrs and the public was ready for a change of govt (You probably don't understand that sentiment being from Alberta) and then to boot came in while commodity prices (specifically potash and oil) were at an all time high allowing him to bask in the glory.
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NTodd
Aude Sapere
297 Fans
03:42 AM on 05/17/2012
Yeah, Brad's very impressive TO ALBERTANS. After all, he works for you.
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headstrong
173 Fans
08:57 PM on 05/16/2012
After all the faux "outrage" expressed, I know Mulcair hit a nerve. The truth hurts!
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EnGarde
19 Fans
12:50 AM on 05/17/2012
Mulcair is very wrong and offbase, and so are you. If anything, by virtue of being raised in Toronto, but spending subsequent years out West, Harper understands all of the provinces of Canada, and works not just for the East, but for the West as well (finally!), rather than the Western leaders 'serving' him; unlike Mulcair, who appears to be serving only his base. He'll have a tough time getting elected as a Prime Minister of Canada without votes from B.C., Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba. That was just a lousy thing to say, and is a huge case of foot in mouth.
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
Jack Hope
Occasionally quoted by Mainstream Media
145 Fans
 
01:06 AM on 05/17/2012
What complete nonsense.
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
Mike vdB
Get involved, always question, don't just exist.
106 Fans
09:08 AM on 05/17/2012
The NDP has a chance in a small number of ridings in the three prairie provinces (including Alberta - Ms. Duncan, NDP MP for Edmonton-Strathcona). BC does not always typically vote in the same bloc as their western counterparts (depending on the area of the province) and that could be the game changer. While I doubt Mr. Muclair's statements were helpful, I don't think he could do any worse than Ms. Clark with a bad case of foot in mouth. That being said, I don't think I would ever want to see an federal NDP majority govt in my lifetime because I lived through the Mike Harcourt and Glen Clark eras in BC and they weren't pretty either. Too far left for me.
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
Whistlejackett
Hey stop doing that
971 Fans
 
08:33 PM on 05/16/2012
Hey Brad...if not then stand up for our environment, you know, all the stuff you aren't talking about.
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Huffrob
1 Fans
07:46 PM on 05/16/2012
If Premier Wall is the messenger for Saskatchewan, what message does he send to the world with his recent gutting of the local film tax program? While he attempts to save face at home in a war of words with Mulcair, his health minister says money saved on film will be used for colorectal cancer treatments and his agricultural minister says it will go to farmers. No one is buying the petty politics and the majority of tax payers polled say they support the industry having a refundable tax credit. This time, we can surely blame the messenger.
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Nykea Marie
1 Fans
06:32 PM on 05/16/2012
Brad Wall does not have most Saskatchawanians interests at heart. Many of us have been speaking out about the elimination of the tax credit for months, and polls show that a majority of citizens want the credit back. Listen to your people and your own rhetoric, Bradley. We will not let short-sighted politicians ruin an entire industry.
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therainisgone
MT
336 Fans
05:58 PM on 05/16/2012
no brad you are not his messenger --

you have visions dancing in your head of being his SUCCESSOR
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
tnanimation
342 Fans
01:59 AM on 05/17/2012
I agree. Mr. Wall will be a great leader of the Conservative (Reform) party after Harper gets through with positively destroying it by 2015. Backbenches are warming up for them right now.
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Skatcheewan
7 Fans
05:41 PM on 05/16/2012
Brad Wall is not my messenger and does NOT have the best interests of Saskatchewan in mind. He's losing Saskatchewan investment, he's losing his popularity here and has lied to the public on a number of occasions.
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
All Seeing Guy
Center of the storm
440 Fans
05:18 PM on 05/16/2012
Of course not. You're a sycophant, one step below messenger.
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Saskawatcher
1 Fans
05:13 PM on 05/16/2012
it's not that Brad Wall is the PM's messenger, it's that there is absolutely no light between the policies of the Sask Party and the CPC, so of course Wall is going to say exactly what Harper would say. Any sense that the PM is writing Walls lines is just coincidence.
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