Opposition criticizes Sask. Party travel as Premier Moe goes on government's 7th trip to India

The Saskatchewan NDP is taking aim at the provincial government's travel junkets as Premier Scott Moe heads off on his third trip to India sincebeing sworn into the office in 2018.

"Premier Moe is flying away from his problems and taxpayers are footing the bill," said Aleana Young, the Opposition NDP's tradeand export development critic, during a news conference on Tuesday.

Moe is travelling to India to bolster commercial relationships, according to a news release issued Tuesday.

The premier will attend the Raisina Dialogue, an annual conference in New Delhi focused on global issues. Moe will speak during the conference about Saskatchewan's agricultural practices and "reliable supply chain,"according to therelease.

It's not clear how much this trip will cost, but the Opposition says the trip is unnecessary.

"It's a five, maybe six-figure trip to a country that the premier has already been to three times. That this government has been to seventimes," said Young.

"A government who just got back from a lavish million dollar week in Dubai and can't seem to keep their feet on the ground long enough to actually focus on the work of governing this province."

Moe's first trip to India, in November 2018, cost $56,905.51.He alsotravelled there nearly a year ago, from Feb. 24, 2023 to March 5, 2023. According to public disclosure documents posted by the province, that trip cost $56,905.51.

The 2023 trip started just a day after SaskatchewanAgriculture Minister David Marit returned from a trip that took him to India and Dubai at a cost of $32,323.

Maritpreviously travelled to India in February 2020, at the cost of $27,743.74.

Jeremy Harrison,Saskatchewan's minister of trade and export development, has also taken two trips to India. The first, in November 2019, cost $24,794.89, and the second, in April2022, cost $31,059.47.

Sask. Party MLAshave now taken seventrips to India since Moe became premier in 2018. The six trips where expenses are available totalled $232,341,10.

Young says Saskatchewan's decision to establish trade offices in countries across the globe, including in New Delhi, India, in 2021, was supposed to make junkets like these unnecessary.

"Another five-figure trip to India sends the wrong message when there are so many problems here in Saskatchewan that deserve the attention of this premier in this government," Young said.

She referenced theongoing contract dispute between the province and the Saskatchewan Teachers' Federation as an example of an issue needing Moe's attention.

Government officials point to Saskatchewan's important trade relationship with India as a reason for Moe's travel.

Saskatchewan's agriculture and food exports to India in 2023 were valued at $700 million, with products such aslentils, potash, wood pulp, peas and non-durum wheat topping the list.

Saskatchewanwas responsible for $1.3 billion (26 per cent) of Canada'sexports to India in 2023.

Young said there is no doubt that India is and will continue to be an important trade partner for the province, but maintainedthere are better ways to get value for money than sending the premier.