By Mario deSantis, January 30, 2000

For the last few months there has been a lot of talking and lobbying for assisting farmers who have been experiencing the highest drop in their income since the depression. Our provincial politicians have been claiming that the current state of the agricultural industry is the responsibility of the federal government, and in the meantime they have been squandering money into healthcare capital projects. I have not been discussing this matter publicly since I don't have a deep understanding of the historical background of the farm crisis. However, when last Wednesday night I was watching the CBC News(1) and heard Dwain Lingenfelter, Minister of Agriculture, speaking out against attending the Saskatoon's Farm Rally organized by the "Pro-West" group, I became irritated. Dwain Lingenfelter stated that he was advised not to attend the rally by different organizations including the Saskatchewan Women's Agricultural Network, the Saskatchewan Wheat Pool and the Saskatchewan Chamber of Commerce(2). However,  CBC News contacted these groups and they denied advising Lingenfelter against attending the rally. Marvin Shauf, vice-president of the Saskatchewan Wheat Pool, has stated "Saskatchewan Wheat Pool has not told the minister not to attend this rally." Also, Larry Hiles, representative of the Chamber of Commerce, has said "I don't believe that it's our place to tell him where he should or shouldn't go."

This lying by Dwain Lingenfelter is not something new for me. In 1996, our Honourable Lingenfelter was Minister of Economic Development, and I remember contacting his office when I was marketing payroll and accounting services for the healthcare industry. At that time, I expressed my concerns about the monopolistic behaviour of the Saskatchewan Association of Health Organizations (SAHO) and I was assured that the health districts were agencies independent from the government and SAHO(3). Well, we know how independent these districts have been from the government and SAHO(4), and we also know how many millions of dollars have been thrown into the toilet for healthcare payroll(5). Again, nothing is new about the pathological lying of our governmental politicians.

Some days ago, I read an article by Murray Mandryk(6) mentioning how Dwain Lingenfelter was getting prepared for the next political challenges by going to the gym and run for so many miles every day. I must say that Murray Mandryk was wrong, Dwain Lingenfelter is not running so many miles per day for getting prepared for the next political challenges, he is just trying to get away "from not walking his talking."

Endnotes

1. Agriculture Minister defends decision to not attend farm rally, CBC Saskatchewan http://sask.cbc.ca/ Web Posted | Jan 26 2000 8:21 PM EST

2. Agriculture minister warned to stay away from farm rally, by Dan Zakreski, The StarPhoenix, January 27, 2000, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan

3. Letter dated July 26, 1996 from Mario deSantis to Chris Dotson, Ministerial Assistant with the Office of the Honourable Dwain Lingenfelter, Minister of Economic Development. http://www3.sk.sympatico.ca/desam/paper-letter-LingSAHO-Jul26-95.htm

4. Technological changes in Saskatchewan health care: an abysmal disaster, by Mario deSantis, May 27, 1999

5. SAHO Payroll Policies: Saving Money out of Ongoing Catastrophes, by Mario deSantis, February 9, 1999

6. Murray Mandryk is the political columnist for The Leader-Post, Regina, Saskatchewan.