News coming from the provincial government will be sparse over the next month as rules around government communications during the election have come into effect.
The Election Act, 1996, prohibits certain news coming from the government following the writ dropping: Raynelle Wilson, Deputy Minister of Executive Council, explains why.
"Following the issuance of a writ, it is important that the Government of Saskatchewan and members of the public service remain impartial and comply with limits set under The Election Act,1996," Deputy Minister of Executive Council Raynelle Wilson said. "To ensure transparency and preserve public confidence in the impartiality of government, we will enact these communications restrictions upon issuance of the writ."
The Act imposes limits onto government ministries, boards, Crown corporations, and other agencies on what publications may be issued following a writ being dropped, up to and including the final day of polling.
In general, the act states that no government ministry will publish information with respect to the activities of the ministry during the general election.
This is in effect to prevent the currently acting government from having an unfair advantage over any opposition parties.
The communications restrictions in place do not apply in a few different instances, including:
- Any information that is required to be published in the public interest due to an emergency or public safety concern;
- advertisements by the Saskatchewan Pension Plan which are related to its competitive business interests;
- advertisements by any Crown corporation which are related to their own competitive business interests; and
- advertisements by a government ministry respecting employment or the procurement of its supplies in the ordinary course of its business.
Any news releases to the media will be sparse and only concerning very important matters. Any necessary releases will be done in the name of the minister and only consist of statements made by the minister.
Ministries or officials will only be providing technical or factual information when they act as spokespersons for the government. Spokespersons will not be participating in any debate of programs, policy rationale, or defence of programs.
As the legislative assembly is dissolved for the election, some members of the executive council - including the Premier and Ministers - may appear in an official capacity as they keep their ministerial responsibilities during the election.
With the Act, the communications restrictions apply only to public servants and not to the officials who remain in office as ministers. Those ministers have no restriction on direct participation in any media event, ceremony, presentation, official opening of a private project, or ceremony conducted by another level of government.