SASKATCHEWAN SEEKS CLARITY ON EQUALIZATION

Premier Lorne Calvert has instructed his finance minister to seek clarity from his federal counterpart at the upcoming Federal/Provincial/Territorial (FPT) Ministers of Finance meeting in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario from June 26th - 28th on the question of whether the federal government will live up to its commitment regarding equalization.

"Saskatchewan people have waited long enough for a fair deal on equalization," Calvert said. "I want to see a signal that the federal government is going to follow through on the promise it made to change the equalization formula."

The federal Conservative government has promised to exclude non-renewable natural resources from the equalization formula.

Calvert says he's looking forward to a report from Finance Minister Andrew Thomson after next week's FPT meeting and when the Premier returns from a trade mission to France.

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Jay Branch Media Services Saskatoon Cell: (306) 539-3994