REGINA — The Saskatchewan Party members of a legislature committee have rejected a bid by the Opposition NDP to expand the auditor’s probe into problems with the province’s wildfire fighting aircraft.
The rejection came after NDP member Hugh Gordon asked the legislature’s all-party public accounts committee to approve a broader investigation by auditor Tara Clemett.
The four members of the governing Saskatchewan Party on the committee did not speak to the motion before voting it down as a bloc four to two.
Saskatchewan Party committee member Sean Wilson declined to comment to reporters on the rejection except to point to a previous statement from Premier Scott Moe’s office that says the province is committed to a robust wildfire response.
The NDP motion urged the auditor to investigate why four water bombers were grounded during the worst of the wildfire season that scorched a northern village and left 10,000 people out of their homes.
It also asked for a review into how four new firefighting planes were purchased amid allegations the province did not fairly award the contract and spent $100 million more than it should — but the auditor has already promised to look into that.
“It is now our job … to ensure that those government policies and programs and systems and actions are done responsibly …. and that we all ensure that we’re getting fair value for public funds and taxpayer dollars,” he said.
“I think all of us here at this table want to ensure that what happened this summer doesn’t happen again.”
Moe’s office said in a statement Monday the government welcomes the auditor’s review of the aircraft purchase.
The NDP is seeking answers after almost half of the province’s water bombers were grounded in June, when fires destroyed half the village of Denare Beach near the Manitoba boundary.
Also that month, provincial ombudsman Sharon Pratchler said the government failed to provide immediate food, shelter and basic information to evacuees. Pratchler’s office is reviewing the province’s response to those issues.
Clemett’s office said last week it, too, may look into the Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency’s overall emergency preparedness.
Clemett is also looking into the purchase of the planes as part of its regular review process. Earlier this year, the province approved the purchase of four Conair planes for $187 million to replace its aging fleet.
The audit comes amid a court fight over the process.
B.C.-based Coulson Aircrane Ltd. is seeking to get the purchase put on hold. It has filed documents in Saskatchewan’s Court of King’s Bench alleging the province could have saved $100 million if it had purchased planes from Coulson rather than its competitor Conair.
Coulson president Britton Coulson has accused the government of failing to hold a competitive contest for the contract, while Conair calls the allegations “false or misleading” and a misrepresentation of the value of their aircraft.
Moe’s office has said it relied on advice from an independent non-profit research company in procuring the planes. It said specifications were designed to ensure the planes met the Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency’s needs.
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