Joe Hargrave. (file photo/paNOW Staff)

By Nigel Maxwell

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Oct 22, 2020 | 2:05 PM

NDP leader Ryan Meili has made no fewer than five stops in Prince Albert in the last month during the provincial election campaign, his most recent including a very pointed attack on Sask. Party P.A. Carlton incumbent Joe Hargrave for presiding over the closure of STC. However, Hargave is brushing aside the notion that Meili’s regular exposure could make things more politically challenging for his re-election bid.

Hargrave told paNOW he was glad to see Meili making so many visits to this part of the province.

“Between elections, since he has been leader, you don’t see him up here that much,” Hargrave said, adding he believes Meili’s motivation has less to do with fighting for the potential battleground of Prince Albert and the north, and more to do with protecting the NDP’s current P.A. Northcote seat held by Nicole Rancourt.

“We’ve got a great candidate in Alana Ross and her team is out working hard and he knows it,” Hargrave said.

In terms of making his own campaign announcements, Hargrave said he prefers to work on the doorsteps, and pledges to continue working until 7:59 p.m. on Oct. 26.

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“Up until then you’ll see me out at the doors, you’re gonna see my team out at the doors, trying to get people out to vote,” he said.

STC

If elected the NDP have committed to restarting the Saskatchewan Transportation Company (STC). The service was shut down by the government in 2017.

“I guess you can promise anything you want,” Hargrave said in response.

The former minister in charge of STC explained it was a tough decision to wind STC down, but added the Crown Corporation was heavily subsidized.

“It was $17.5 million a year we were losing on average and when the rides went from $6 a subsidy, all the way up to $94 over the last 15 years, it was just out of line,” he said.

The NDP has budgeted $41.2 million over four years to operate the restored transit service. Meili has not provided details on which routes would reopen first or what kinds of vehicles – for example buses or vans – the new service would use.

In response, Hargrave said Meili’s math doesn’t add up and questioned how the NDP plans to start a company with $10 million, when it was losing nearly twice that at the time it was concluded. He said the service provided routes for less than half the province.

“Ryan Meili that number is wrong. Cost your stuff out properly… don’t trust those numbers because that’s not reality,” Hargrave said.

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nigel.maxwell@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @nigelmaxwell