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'This is yet another example of our current government piecing away our Crown corporations, regardless of whether or not they are profitable.'
Regina (23 March 2010) - Despite the Saskatchewan Party government's promise to keep Crown corporations safe, it is going ahead with another significant sale of assets – this time at SaskTel.
SaskTel has announced the divestiture of HospNet, also know as Hospitality Network, which rents TVs and phones to hospital and nursing home patients across the country, and of AgDealer, a trader-type magazine and website for agricultural equipment.
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SaskTel also plans to sell Saskatoon Square, a commercial building it owns in Saskatoon, but to remain as a rent-paying commercial tenant of the new owner.
“The sales process, which could take several months, will begin following the selection of the company or companies to provide brokerage services,” SaskTel says in a statement.
The Saskatchewan Government and General Employees' Union (SGEU/NUPGE) says the asset sales are a betrayal of a promise that the right-wing Saskatchewan Party government of Premier Brad Wall made to voters during the last election campaign.
"In alignment with the Saskatchewan First policy which was first adopted in 2008, the government is forcing our Crowns to sell off their non-core investments," the union notes.
"This is yet another example of our current government piecing away our Crown corporations, regardless of whether or not they are profitable," it adds.
"The current government has lead the people of this province to believe that growth of the Crowns will keep them safe, while using backdoor tactics to ensure SaskTel and our other Crown corporations do not remain profitable."
NUPGE
The National Union of Public and General Employees (NUPGE) is one of Canada's largest labour organizations with over 340,000 members. Our mission is to improve the lives of working families and to build a stronger Canada by ensuring our common wealth is used for the common good. NUPGE