We live in difficult times, here in Saskatchewan, and whenever we realize that our own government breaks the law then we don't know whom to believe anymore. We must understand that the truth is not an absolute entity, instead, the truth is nothing else but the sharing of our perceptions as we reflect to our living experiences. I knew by a long time that the health care system was corrupted. And you know why? Because our leaders were misappropriating public funds(1). But my perception was not shared by anybody else, so since my perception of people misappropriating money is not shared by other people then my perception is not the truth for other people. Whenever in the Spring of 1997 I wrote to Stevie Cameron and provided her with some information regarding the Saskatchewan health care environment, she stated that "the picture you paint of what is occurring in the Saskatchewan health care system is a harrowing one, and if I were still working as full-time investigative journalist I would be keen to assist you in your investigations(2)." At that time, the fact that the health care system was corrupted was not shared by many people and therefore it was not true that the health care system was corrupted. Today, the perception that the health care system is corrupted is shared by many people, and therefore it is true that the health care system is corrupted. I sound very repetitive, but it is in the repetition of our thoughts that we make sense of our world and of our truths. Therefore, take my KISS (Keep It Simple and Stupid) approach as an opportunity to reflect, pause on our own experiences and learn.

Premier Roy Romanow has been hailed as a great leader of national stature who was able to put the house in order and have a new prosperous beginning for all the people of Saskatchewan. This has been the perception of the people of Saskatchewan until 1998, that is we have perceived him as a great leader superior to his predecessor Grant Devine(3). Then, in the Fall of 1999 we had the elections and Premier Romanow's party didn't get the majority of the votes. That is, the electorate had been reflecting on his leadership and voted him down. The electorate didn't trust him anymore. In 1998 I started to write political and educational articles in Ensign and I began to realize that Premier Romanow was not sincere in his governmental leadership and therefore I labelled him as a magician(4). However, Premier Romanow has still a strong following with the CUPE people and they perceive him as the protector and saviour of Medicare(5). Few days ago, I found out that the last inflation-adjusted after-tax personal incomes per capita of Canadians are still almost 5 per cent below the levels recorded at the beginning of the decade(6). Therefore, I felt that this government has been cheating the people of Saskatchewan when they have been trumpeting a steady economic growth since they took office in 1991. I am asking the question: is Premier Romanow a Magician, or a Saviour or a Cheater? The truth is nothing else but shared perceptions and I made up my mind. You may have different perceptions but I just want to remind you that Premier Romanow has stated not long ago that

• people are working in one of the most progressive labour climates in North America... That's the Saskatchewan we've built together -- now let's keep on building(7)! However, it is a fact that SaskPower employees were locked out and that the government passed an unconstitutional law against Saskatchewan nurses.
• Second, we can be proud of the progress we've made in renewing health care. I can say, without fear of contradiction, that our health-care system continues to be the model for our nation... Let's keep on building! However, we know that health care has become a gambling casino and one of the worst system in Canada.
• The future lies in our children, and in their schools and this government stands behind our children and their schools!... Let's keep on building! However, many of our children are so poor that they are at risk of getting an education, and the quality of our schools and universities are deteriorating.
• We've already committed $2.5-billion over 10 years into highways, the economic and cultural lifelines of rural Saskatchewan... Let's keep on building! However, the reality is that this government is planning to turn rural paved highways to gravel roads.
• Fifth, we have taken important steps in building safe, secure communities. Lately, we've been hearing a lot about Young Offenders. Well, we're committed to dealing firmly with the small handful of young people who repeatedly offend, or who commit violent crimes... Let's keep on building! However, Saskatchewan has the highest juvenile crime rate in North America.
• I'm so proud of the progress we're making towards eliminating poverty in this province... Getting people into jobs, not throwing them into the streets... Let's keep building! However, we have the highest infant mortality rate of any other province and we have the highest concentration of teenage prostitutes in Canada walking the streets of Saskatoon and Regina.

Premier Romanow, it is enough of your Let's keep building!

References and Endnotes

Articles by Mario deSantis published by Ensign

1. NEED OF TRANSFORMATIONAL CHANGES IN SASKATCHEWAN: Healthcare Reform and New Economic Policies, Part 3. Is the Saskatchewan Association of Health Organizations (SAHO) above the Law? By Mario deSantis, October 29, 1998 http://www.ftlcomm.com/ensign/desantis16/desantis16LawSAHO.html

2. Stevie Cameron is a veteran, award winning, Canadian, investigative journalist. And, her instant best seller On the Take: Crime Corruption and Greed in the Mulroney Years released in October, 1994 has made her famous to all and infamous to many for this meticulous 548 page expose' of the past prime minister and his government. More recently, she has written the book Blue Trust : The Lawyer, the Author, the Wife, and Her Money http://www3.sk.sympatico.ca/desam/paper-letter-Stevie-Apr01-97.htm

3. Saskatchewan Bureaucracy: The Need of Better Decision Making Processes, by Mario deSantis, October 27, 1999 http://www.ftlcomm.com/ensign/desantisArticles/desantis77/decisionmaking.html

4. Premier Romanow's Latest Magics: Shuffling Numbers & Mysterious Bank Account, by Mario deSantis, May 15, 1999. http://www.ftlcomm.com/ensign/desantisArticles/desantis52/premiermagic.html

5. CUPE wants Romanow to lead medicare crusade, by James Parker, The StarPhoenix, May 10, 2000, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan

6. CANADA'S STANDARD OF LIVING: WHY DO WE LAG BEHIND THE U.S.? Productivity is only part of the problem, Marc Lévesque, Ruth Getter, May 26, 1999, Toronto Dominion Bank http://www.tdbank.ca/tdeconomics/market_analysis/current/ml0526.htm

7. Premier Romanow's Speech to the 1998 Provincial NDP Convention This is an old site: http://www3.sk.sympatico.ca/saskndp/speech98.html