Make the
Prince Albert pulp mill #125 on the list of Saskatchewan Party promises during the 2007 provincial election.
The mill was shut down by Weyerhaeuser in 2006, putting about 700 people out of work. Domtar, which merged with Weyerhaeuser’s fine paper operations, finalized its acquisition of the plant in March.
The former NDP government reached a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Domtar before the November 7 election but following its defeat the incoming Saskatchewan Party scrapped the arrangement on Nov. 30.
During the election Prince Albert Carlton Saskatchewan Party MLA and Corrections, Public Safety and Policing Minister Darryl Hickie was handing out little cards on doorsteps proclaiming: “A vote for Darryl is a vote for the mill open & people working.”
After the election
Hickie back-peddled and Premier Brad Wall defended him saying it wasn’t a campaign promise and that what he meant to say was that he’d try hard to do that. On several occasions Wall has insulted
Domtar by calling the MOU “fiction”.
Company vice-president Michel Rathier said they “had worked in good faith over the last 14 months on a very complex project and now we see this project being canned.”
The issue has since dominated question period, with the NDP calling for Hickie’s resignation.
In
Learn more about candidates running in the Prince Albert area (P.A. Daily Herald, Nov. 3, 2007) Hickie was asked, ‘What is your greatest hope for the PA Carlton riding and for the province?’
He responded saying, “I can assure you that reopening the Mill is a top priority for me and our Party. As Brad Wall said, when he spoke at the opening of my Committee Rooms two weeks ago, “we will move heaven and earth to open the Mill”.”
Communications, Energy and Paperworkers (CEP) Local 1120 president Ron Rucks said he spoke briefly with Wall when he was in Prince Albert on Friday, Dec. 14 and the premier said the mill issue was “a priority, but they’re not going to be chasing Domtar. They’re waiting for Domtar to come to them.” [
2008 reopening P.A. mill’s 'only shot': union president (StarPhoenix, Dec. 17, 2007)]
Wall and Hickie don’t appear to have any respect or interest in honouring their Party’s
Code of Ethics which state:
“The Party and its Members should pursue their activities with a commitment to basic values and principles of ethical behaviour central to which are integrity, honesty, respect, humility, responsibility, fairness and compassion.”
Sec. III
“Members shall use care to avoid disseminating false information and shall not knowingly do so.”
Sec. IV(6)
2007 Election Promises Made: 125
Kept: 1
Broken: 0
Pending: 124
