By Alice McFarlane

Forum brings forward the issues that matter to rural communities

Oct 20, 2020 | 12:01 PM

MELFORT, Sask. – Rural issues were the focus of an event hosted by the Agriculture Producers’ Association of Saskatchewan (APAS), Access Communications and Saskatchewan Farm Stewardship Association.

Candidates from the Saskatchewan Party, New Democrats and Liberals recorded responses to several questions as part of Growing Agriculture: 2020 Saskatchewan Provincial Election Forum.

The 90-minute program covered several topics ranging from each party’s vision for agriculture, support for young farmers, business risk management programs and water management.

An issue getting a lot of attention during the campaign is rural internet and cellphone service which many have said has been worse since the pandemic began.

NDP candidate Yens Pedersen said access to high-speed internet in 2020 is not a luxury. It is a necessity.

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“Farms aren’t competitive when we don’t invest in Crown corporations. Sask. Party is taking rural communities for granted. They failed to invest in our Crown corporations, and they have put them at risk of being sold off,” Peterson said. “SaskTel and SaskPower were built by farmers, by rural communities for rural communities because private companies weren’t providing that service.”

Petersen said the Sask. Party’s record shows they would like nothing better than to sell them off. He said the Saskatchewan NDP believes everyone in Saskatchewan deserves access to quality cell service and high-speed internet no matter where they live.

“We have a plan. We’ve announced Reconnect Saskatchewan where we will invest, through our Crown corporations, making sure rural residents have access to high speed internet and wireless no mater what corner of the province you live in.”

Interim Liberal Leader Robert Rudachyk said the issue of rural connectivity affects him personally as he lives in a rural area.

“I noticed since the COVID outbreak and the shutdowns in March it has gotten progressively worse. It’s also become far more expensive to have internet in your home,” Rudachyk said. “Our party would like to see internet service considered to be an essential service.”

Rudachyk said the province already has a large cellular network. He said more money could be invested in SaskTel to build a province wide cellular/internet service at a basic level and at the high-speed capacity that is needed by most farms and businesses at a reasonable cost.

“Then we don’t have to be investing in expensive modems, we don’t have to be investing in expensive data plans. It’s all part of the service that we should already own. Why is the revenue for SaskTel being funnelled into general revenue to help cover the Sask. Party’s mismanagement when it could be used to invest in the future and build the network we need?”

Saskatchewan Party candidate and Minister of Agriculture David Marit said telecommunication is vital for rural Saskatchewan. He said the work done by SaskTel to increase connectivity has been vital to the growth of the province. He said SaskTel has invested over $300 million in 2020-2021.

“And a commitment of $1.4 billion over the next five years to improve and enhance rural broadband, internet, wireless. It’s all important for us to grow the economy,” Marit said. “This year we announced another $70 million for 74 new macro towers. Those are vital for rural communities not only for service but for safety as well.”

Marit said as new technology develops it is important for farmers and ranchers to have service so they can conduct day to day business.

“They are trading globally, and time is of the essence for producers to do their business and improve their profit margins as they do business around the world,” Marit said.

APAS Vice President and Tisdale area farmer Ian Boxall was part of the forum’s panel. He said he was looking forward to the election.

“We have an opportunity to cast a ballot for the party we believe will do the best job for producers,” Boxall said. “They need to understand that agriculture can play a huge role in helping this province along and that’s what i would like to tell all of the candidate and all the parties as we head to the polls.”

Growing Agriculture: 2020 Saskatchewan Provincial Election Forum will air until Oct. 25 on AccessNow TV community channels as well as online at realagriculture.com. For more information, go to apas.ca/growingagriculture.

The forum was also sponsored by Saskatchewan Egg Producers, Saskatchewan Pork Development Board, Saskatchewan Wheat Development Commission and Saskatchewan Irrigation Projects Association.

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alice.mcfarlane@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @AliceMcF