Vanese M. Ferguson

The Canadian Taxpayers Federation says it has won the first round of its legal battle to stop the Canada Revenue Agency from enforcing unapproved tax hikes. The CTF says the Federal Court dismissed the Attorney General’s motion to strike the case.

Devin Drover, CTF General Counsel says, “”This case is about a basic constitutional principle: No taxation without representation. Unelected bureaucrats shouldn’t be able to raise taxes without a vote in Parliament.

He also suggests that if the CRA gets away with it once, it can do it again.

CUPE is praising a decision by the Saskatchewan Court of Appeal which ruled that a legal challenge to Bill 137, known as the Parent’s Bill of Rights or the pronoun law, can proceed. 

Saskatchewan’s highest court says courts can decide whether the legislation is unconstitutional. This after the Saskatchewan government pushed the bill through by enacting the notwithstanding clause. 

SaskPower is working to recoup almost $35,000 in losses. The details were outlined in a recent report on public losses for crown corporations. 

In one instance, over the course of almost a year, an employee of the crown owned power company used a corporate procurement card and fuel card for personal purchases to the tune of more than $23,760. A promissory note was signed, and the former employee has begun making payments. Repayments will continue to be monitored. 

The 8th annual Field of STARS event that took place Tuesday night at Ag in Motion raised a record breaking $600,000.

In a news release STARS says since launching operations in Saskatchewan in 2012, the agriculture sector has been a steadfast supporter of STARS and since the event began in 2018 the gala has raised more than $3.5 million.

All rainfall and severe thunderstorm warnings have come to an end Sunday morning in Saskatchewan. In terms of rainfall amount from Saturday, unofficial amounts as provided by weatherstats.ca indicates Biggar saw 56.3 millimetres of rain, Lucky Lake at 50.2 millimetres, while Kindersley, which was also under a rainfal warning recorded 32.5 millimetres as of 6 a.m. Sunday morning. Saskatoon saw 26.3 millimetres with amounts tapering off as you go eastward like Watrous with 10.6 and Humboldt at 10 millimetres. Regina saw 21.

Premier Scott Moe posted on social media that Saskatchewan has lost a true community builder. Referring to him as a proud son of Carrot River and one of Saskatoon’s most generous philanthropists, Moe says Joseph Remai has passed away.

There was some good news in the provincial wildfire briefing provided by the Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency on Sunday. Bryan Chartrand Executive Director, Land Operations for the SPSA says 24 millimetres of rain was recorded in La Ronge which registered significant losses due to the “Pisew” fire.  There was 22 millimetres of rain which fell on the “Shoe” fire which is almost 500,000 hectares in size and is 11 kilometres from the Resort Village of Candle Lake.

The need for donations has risen exponentially after the number of evacuees from Saskatchewan’s north doubled on the weekend.

Fred Reibin with the Saskatoon Community Foundation says there were 1,400 evacuees on Friday and as of late last night that number had risen to 2,800.

In addition, a great number of children are among those evacuated from wildfires in northern Saskatchewan. Reibin says he knows Metis Nation-Saskatchewan and CUMFI are taking actual donations, but he says they are coordinating monetary donations.

Saskatchewan’s Lieutenant Governor met with King Charles III at Buckingham Palace Wednesday.

Lieutenant Governor Bernadette McIntyre who was accompanied by her husband Richar McIntyre, presented the King with gifts described as representative of Saskatchewan.

The first week of April is Global Asbestos Awareness Week and Saskatchewan has the first mandatory Asbestos registry in the country, often referred to as Howard’s Law.

Howard Willems who was dying of mesothelioma pushed for the creation of the registry of public sector buildings that contain asbestos. That came to fruition in 2013, a year after Willem’s died at age 59.