Question Period (3 December 2024)

From Hansard (3 December 2024)

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Provincial Auditor’s Report and Reporting of Social Services’ Spending

Meara Conway: — Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It’s been almost exactly one year since we started asking this out-of-touch government tough questions about the Sunrise Motel. That’s the motel where Gary Grewal, the former Sask Party member for Regina Northeast, jacked up his rates more than 50 per cent once the public started picking up the tab. The Conflict of Interest Commissioner investigated and ruled that Grewal broke the law.

Today the auditor released a report and found the Sask Party government still doesn’t have measures in place to protect the public and get good value for money. When is the Sask Party government going to clean up its act so that taxpayers won’t be ripped off on inflated hotels once again?

Hon. Terry Jenson: — Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The auditor’s report did come out earlier today, and in that report there were four recommendations. And the Ministry of Social Services is committed to ensuring that all four of those recommendations in the auditor’s report is looked after. One of those recommendations has actually been completed, Mr. Speaker. The other three are partially completed, and we’re going to keep working towards that until they are completed. Thank you.

Meara Conway: — Thank you, Mr. Speaker. One of the auditor’s findings today is that the Sask Party government doesn’t report out spending on hotels for Social Services’ clients in public accounts. Back when I asked about this, the Sask Party government laughed. They guffawed and accused me of not understanding the rules.

Well the auditor’s report today is clear. The Sask Party government’s rules just aren’t good enough. Will the minister commit today to reporting these kinds of expenditures through public accounts?

Hon. Terry Jenson: — Thank you, Mr. Speaker. That indeed is one of the recommendations that’s in the report, and that’s one of the recommendations that has been partially completed. That work will continue. It involves another ministry in order to be able to compile all that information quickly and properly, and we’re just waiting to get some proper advice on how that will happen.

So again, it’s one of those recommendations that’s been made by the auditor, and we’re committed to ensuring that those recommendations are completed.

Meara Conway: — I’m certainly glad to hear the minister’s commitment that they’ll change how they report that out, Mr. Speaker, but let’s review what’s happened here.

Because of failed Sask Party housing policies, reliance on hotels shot up. Mr. Grewal, despite having never really rented to government clients before, stepped in and benefited from government contracts, and while doing so he inflated his rates more than any other hotel across Saskatchewan. He refused to follow the commissioner’s direction. Not only did he break the law, but taxpayers ended up paying almost $1 million, Mr. Speaker.

Saskatchewan people expect some answers and they expect some accountability. Does the Sask Party government agree?

Hon. Terry Jenson: — Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The member would well know that that individual is now a private citizen, and we’re focused on the auditor’s recommendations moving forward. And we’re working on the three that are partially finished, and we’ve also completed one other. So that’s where our focus is on now, is moving forward and not looking backward.

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