Moose Jaw Mayor comments of trip to Ottawa

Moose Jaw Mayor James Murdock recently returned from a trip to Ottawa, where he spent a couple of days advocating for renewed federal investment in municipal infrastructure. 

Murdock was part of a delegation that included six other Saskatchewan mayors, Minister of Government Relations Eric Schmalz, Minister of Advanced Education Ken Cheveldayoff, and representatives from the Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities (SARM) and the Saskatchewan Urban Municipalities Association (SUMA). 

He said the group had the opportunity to meet with Minister of Housing and Infrastructure Gregor Robertson, Minister responsible for Prairies Economic Development Canada Eleanor Olszewski, senior aides to the Minister of Finance and the Secretary of State for Rural Development, who is Saskatchewan’s lone Liberal MP, Buckley Belanger. 

“Knowledgeable people were at the table on both sides. We just wanted the federal government in Ottawa to recognize the presence of Saskatchewan and to communicate that, for far too long, we feel the province has been forgotten or neglected,” Murdock said. 

Part of the discussion revolved around the province’s recent announcement of a cost-sharing program in which the provincial government would cover one-third of the cost of municipal infrastructure projects. 

The province and municipal leaders are now looking for the federal government to join the partnership. 

“They made the commitment that, for infrastructure investments, there would be a one-third commitment from the province. We’re looking for a one-third commitment from the federal government, and then, of course, municipalities would contribute as well,” Murdock said. 

Murdock said that while the delegation didn’t expect to come home with any cheques in hand, he felt their message was heard and hopes the trip will strengthen relationships between the federal, provincial and municipal governments moving forward. 

“They had a keen ear to hear our words and, in turn, were giving us a lot of dialogue and information back,” he said.