Sask. Gov't accused of changing utility promise

REGINA - - The Saskatchewan opposition is accusing the government of trying to wiggle out of a key election promise on utility rates, even though the government promised to get an independent analyst to make a final assessment.

The premier promised during the election that Saskatchewan residents would have the lowest package of utility rates in the country, but Lorne Calvert says he never meant for his promise to factor in subsidies given by other provinces.

The question arose when the Opposition released a list showing Regina fourth behind Edmonton, Winnipeg and Kelowna on the combined price of electricity, gas, telephone and auto insurance.

But the government shot back that if the Alberta government gives a rebate for home heating bills, it won't count in the total.

Calvert says that if he didn't specifically mention that on the day he announced the promise, that's because including rebates doesn't make any sense to him.

"What I cannot, and would not, do is ask our utility Crowns to compete against the Treasury of Alberta," he said.

The Saskatchewan Party's Rod Gantefoer says to ignore rebates doesn't make any sense.

"Clearly, the fact that the Alberta government has decided to rebate the homeowner in Alberta some portion of their energy bill ends up decreasing the net they pay for that utility," he said, "and so it clearly should be factored in."

The government says it will hire an independent analyst who can tell Saskatchewan residents how their bills compare to those across the country by the spring.

The Opposition says that person, not the government, should set the rules for how to compare utility rates.