SaskEnergy, a monopolistic utility crown corporation, has jumped to the opportunity to assist the government in increasing the 9% economy's share of the energy and mines sector and has applied to the Saskatchewan Rate Review panel for unprecedented rate hikes for both gas prices and delivery charges(2). We commend SaskEnergy for their foresight in their revenue management policies, however we remind the top brass of SaskEnergy that this kind of marketing strategy would be more appropriate within a quasi private market.

As our SaskEnergy is intelligently increasing the economic share of the energy and mines primary sector by increasing gas and delivery rates, so we have a parallel push by some politicians to saving money in the health care sector. Chris Axworthy, Minister of Justice, has announced his candidacy for the leadership of the NDP party, and has promised that if he becomes premier he will do away with the health care districts(3). Brian Rourke is afraid that the dissolution of the districts will entail the losing of his chair and assets from the Saskatchewan Association of Health Organizations (SAHO) and therefore he has stated that the proposal to scrap the health districts is 'misguided(4).'

 Rourke says Axworthy's idea won't save money since management is only a fraction of health budgets. Rourke has a lot of expertise in saving money, in fact he is very well known for his economic strategies to spin off our constructive economy by digging holes in the grounds. Rourke's holes in the grounds include a strong leadership contribution to the Stargarden healthcare payroll project(5), the implementation of the Saskatchewan Health Information Network (SHIN)(6), the closing of the Plains Health Centre in Regina(7), and the further Sap-ping of health care payroll(8).

We thank Chris Axworthy for his critical thinking in providing a new alternative for saving money in healthcare, however we advise him that one of the first priority in health care is the booting out of our health care hoodlums(9).

Endnotes

1. The firing of the entireSaskatchewan Research Council's Board, by Mario deSantis, October 9, 2000 http://www.ftlcomm.com/ensign/desantisArticles/2000_200/desantis235/SRC_Gov-Oct-00.html

2. Kaboom! Gas rates blast off: Homeowners likely to see bills rise by $17 per month, by Colleen Silverthon, The StarPhoenix, October 7, 2000, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan

3. Axworthy makes leadership bid: Justice minister vows to axe health districts if elected premier, by James Parker, The StarPhoenix, October 7, 2000, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan

4. Official says health district plan 'misguided', CBC Saskatchewan http://sask.cbc.ca/ Web Posted | Oct 7 2000 11:12 AM EDT

5. Letter dated April 28, 1997 from Mario deSantis directed to all Chairpersons and Chief Executive Officers of Saskatchewan District Health Boards. Re: Computerization of Health Care Payroll and Economic Policies. http://www3.sk.sympatico.ca/desam/paper-letterToChairsCEOs-Apr28-97.htm

6. Associate Minister of Health Judy Junor: defending the SHIN flop at the Legislature, by Mario deSantis, April 14, 2000 http://www.ftlcomm.com/ensign/desantisArticles/2000/desantis160/judyjunor.html

7. The closure of the Plains Health Centre: The $50 million overrun and the gimmick of savings money in health care, by Mario deSantis, December 19, 1999 http://www.ftlcomm.com/ensign/desantisArticles/desantis94/plainsclosure.html

8. Healthcare Payroll and SAHO's Big Brains, by Mario deSantis, November 20, 1999 http://www.ftlcomm.com/ensign/desantisArticles/desantis85/SAHO-Payr-Nov20-99.htm

9. The two primary needs of health reform: independence of the districts & booting out the hoodlums, by Mario deSantis, April 7, 2000, http://www.ftlcomm.com/ensign/desantisArticles/2000/desantis157/SAHO_Hoodlums.html