Honourable Janice MacKinnon says: Saskatchewan is the Star of the Nineties

Nipawin - December 4, 2000 - by: Mario deSantis

business is
as usual
While our financial analysts refer to quarterly earnings of our corporate businesses to value

the assets of our corporations, our Honourable Janice MacKinnon takes a bolder step and

every month she issues a News Release to tell our business community that business is as

usual. This is in sharp contrast to the more enriching economic directions that business must

not be as usual and that our vision must be one of long term social and economic sustainability.

Saskatchewan led Canada
With the assistance of her spin doctors, Janice MacKinnon has been writing off the increasing

number of disenfranchised people and has recently stated:

The province's unemployment rate of 4.5 per cent in November was

considerably lower than the national rate of 6.5 per cent. ...The

performance of our economy is a testament to the diversification

efforts of our businesses and our people ...Saskatchewan led

Canada in economic growth per person over the last decade,

leading to the Globe and Mail naming Saskatchewan the Star of

the Nineties⁽¹⁾

social
conditions
I am going to give you, Honourable MacKinnon, one set of my perceived numbers. And I

understand that my numbers are just one perception of our reality, but then which is better,

the reality of a spin doctored Star of the Nineties or the reality pictured by a more intelligent

common sense. Again, it is my contention that education⁽²⁾ and common sense⁽³⁾ are the

best ingredients to picture our realities and strive for a better vision of our social conditions,

rather than to use selective skills and deception to follow the Star of the Nineties.

minus
2,100
One set of my perceived numbers: the Labour Force was 512,3000 in October 2000 and it

was 510,800 in November 2000, that is a difference of minus 1,500; Employment was

484,200 in October 2000 and it was 484,800 in November 2000, that is a difference of plus

600; Unemployment was 28,100 in October 2000 and it was 26,000 in November 2000, that

is a difference of minus 2,100.

have left
the province
One kind of reasoning would follow the understanding that since in the month of November

unemployment decreased by 2,100 people, then out of these 2,100 people, 1,500 people left

the Labour Force and 600 people found jobs. The mobility of the Labour Force is the highest

among young people and therefore there is a strong indication that most of those 1,500 people

who left the Labour Force have left the province as well.

population down 1.9%
I am developing the understanding that Saskatchewan is being undermined by three

phenomena, the first phenomenon that our Labour Force is becoming on the average older,

the second phenomenon that our ever growing young aboriginal population is increasing

the ranks of our unregistered unemployed⁽⁴⁾, and the third phenomenon that last year our

Saskatchewan population shrank dramatically by 1.9 percent⁽⁵⁾.

trumpeting of our economic growth
These three phenomena of a shrinking older Labour Force, of an increasing number of young

aboriginal unregistered unemployed, and of a shrinking population at large while the aboriginal

population grows at an unprecedented rate, are our bleak realities. And I am appalled by the

continuous trumpeting of our economic growth by Honourable MacKinnon. Instead to rely

on the education of our people and on our own resources, MacKinnon continues to mislead

us by invoking the senseless appreciation of outside organizations.

credibility problem
Last February, MacKinnon supported the continuous economic growth of the province by

stating that in accordance to the United Nations, Saskatchewan was the best place to live in

the world⁽⁶⁾, and today, realizing that the United Nations has its own credibility problem,

MacKinnon supports our economic growth saying that the Globe and Mail named

Saskatchewan the Star of the Nineties. And, contrary to what the Globe and Mail writes,

I am going to say that Janice MacKinnon is our Star of Deception as she has stated that

Saskatchewan was the only province to reduce the child poverty rate⁽⁷⁾ and as she continues

to spin doctor the reality of a world for the few and privileged⁽⁸⁾.

opinions
I am very appreciative of other people's opinions and therefore, by copy of this article to the

department of Economic Development and to the Globe and Mail, I kindly ask to be provided

with the relevant documentation supporting the naming of Saskatchewan as the Star of the

Nineties.

challenge
We will continue to challenge the present paradigm of economic deception, and we will

continue to share our common sense and opinions and thus try to make democratic

changes, one small step at a time, all the times.

-----------References/endnotes:

List of relevant political and economics articles http://www.ftlcomm.com/ensign

1.
-
NOVEMBER JOB STATS POSITIVE FOR SASKATCHEWAN, News Release, December 1, 2000, Government of Saskatchewan, Economic and Co-operative Development - 783

2.
-
The greatest challenge for Saskatchewan: Education and Learning for our troubled children, by Mario deSantis, March 5, 2000

3.
-
The common sense of university professors Richard Gray and Michael Freeman, by Mario deSantis, July 26, 2000

4.
-
-
-
-
-
-
Saskatchewan Registered Indians. People registered under the Indian Act living on and off reserve was 74,095 in 1996 (Statistics Canada, Census 1996) and it increased to 90,797 in 2000 (Appendix 1-2000 Covered Population, Saskatchewan Health). The registered Indian population grew by 23% in a span of 4 (four) years. Also, today in year 2000, 27% of the registered Indian population is under 10, while the corresponding percentage for all the population-including registered Indians-is 15%. http://www.statcan.ca:80/english/Pgdb/People/Population/demo37.htm http://www.gov.sk.ca/health/covpop2000/CovPopBook2000.pdf

5.
-
Saskatchewan population. The Saskatchewan population was 1,041,256 in July 1999, and it was 1,021,762 in July 2000 (Covered Population, Saskatchewan Health)

6.
-
Honourable Janice MacKinnon: debating the economic underdevelopment of Saskatchewan, by Mario deSantis, February 9, 2000

7.
-
A message to Honourable Janice MacKinnon: Saskatchewan didn't reduce its child poverty rate between 1989 and 1997, by Mario deSantis, November 21, 2000

8.
A World for the Few and Privileged in Saskatchewan, by Mario deSantis, February 18, 2000


Nipawin - December 4, 2000 - by: Mario deSantis

business is as usual	While our financial analysts refer to quarterly earnings of our corporate businesses to value
	the assets of our corporations, our Honourable Janice MacKinnon takes a bolder step and
	every month she issues a News Release to tell our business community that business is as
	usual. This is in sharp contrast to the more enriching economic directions that business must
	not be as usual and that our vision must be one of long term social and economic sustainability.

Saskatchewan led Canada	With the assistance of her spin doctors, Janice MacKinnon has been writing off the increasing
	number of disenfranchised people and has recently stated:
	The province's unemployment rate of 4.5 per cent in November was
	considerably lower than the national rate of 6.5 per cent. ...The
	performance of our economy is a testament to the diversification
	efforts of our businesses and our people ...Saskatchewan led
	Canada in economic growth per person over the last decade,
	leading to the Globe and Mail naming Saskatchewan the Star of
	*the Nineties*⁽¹⁾

social conditions	I am going to give you, Honourable MacKinnon, one set of my perceived numbers. And I
	understand that my numbers are just one perception of our reality, but then which is better,
	the reality of a spin doctored Star of the Nineties or the reality pictured by a more intelligent
	common sense. Again, it is my contention that education⁽²⁾ and common sense⁽³⁾ are the
	best ingredients to picture our realities and strive for a better vision of our social conditions,
	rather than to use selective skills and deception to follow the Star of the Nineties.

minus 2,100	One set of my perceived numbers: the Labour Force was 512,3000 in October 2000 and it
	was 510,800 in November 2000, that is a difference of minus 1,500; Employment was
	484,200 in October 2000 and it was 484,800 in November 2000, that is a difference of plus
	600; Unemployment was 28,100 in October 2000 and it was 26,000 in November 2000, that
	is a difference of minus 2,100.

have left the province	One kind of reasoning would follow the understanding that since in the month of November
	unemployment decreased by 2,100 people, then out of these 2,100 people, 1,500 people left
	the Labour Force and 600 people found jobs. The mobility of the Labour Force is the highest
	among young people and therefore there is a strong indication that most of those 1,500 people
	who left the Labour Force have left the province as well.

population down 1.9%	I am developing the understanding that Saskatchewan is being undermined by three
	phenomena, the first phenomenon that our Labour Force is becoming on the average older,
	the second phenomenon that our ever growing young aboriginal population is increasing
	the ranks of our unregistered unemployed⁽⁴⁾, and the third phenomenon that last year our
	Saskatchewan population shrank dramatically by 1.9 percent⁽⁵⁾.

trumpeting of our economic growth	These three phenomena of a shrinking older Labour Force, of an increasing number of young
	aboriginal unregistered unemployed, and of a shrinking population at large while the aboriginal
	population grows at an unprecedented rate, are our bleak realities. And I am appalled by the
	continuous trumpeting of our economic growth by Honourable MacKinnon. Instead to rely
	on the education of our people and on our own resources, MacKinnon continues to mislead
	us by invoking the senseless appreciation of outside organizations.

credibility problem	Last February, MacKinnon supported the continuous economic growth of the province by
	stating that in accordance to the United Nations, Saskatchewan was the best place to live in
	the world⁽⁶⁾, and today, realizing that the United Nations has its own credibility problem,
	MacKinnon supports our economic growth saying that the Globe and Mail named
	Saskatchewan the Star of the Nineties. And, contrary to what the Globe and Mail writes,
	I am going to say that Janice MacKinnon is our Star of Deception as she has stated that
	Saskatchewan was the only province to reduce the child poverty rate⁽⁷⁾ and as she continues
	to spin doctor the reality of a world for the few and privileged⁽⁸⁾.

opinions	I am very appreciative of other people's opinions and therefore, by copy of this article to the
	department of Economic Development and to the Globe and Mail, I kindly ask to be provided
	with the relevant documentation supporting the naming of Saskatchewan as the Star of the
	Nineties.

challenge	We will continue to challenge the present paradigm of economic deception, and we will
	continue to share our common sense and opinions and thus try to make democratic
	changes, one small step at a time, all the times.

-----------References/endnotes:

	List of relevant political and economics articles http://www.ftlcomm.com/ensign
1. -	NOVEMBER JOB STATS POSITIVE FOR SASKATCHEWAN, News Release, December 1, 2000, Government of Saskatchewan, Economic and Co-operative Development - 783

2. -	The greatest challenge for Saskatchewan: Education and Learning for our troubled children, by Mario deSantis, March 5, 2000

3. -	The common sense of university professors Richard Gray and Michael Freeman, by Mario deSantis, July 26, 2000

4. - - - - - -	Saskatchewan Registered Indians. People registered under the Indian Act living on and off reserve was 74,095 in 1996 (Statistics Canada, Census 1996) and it increased to 90,797 in 2000 (Appendix 1-2000 Covered Population, Saskatchewan Health). The registered Indian population grew by 23% in a span of 4 (four) years. Also, today in year 2000, 27% of the registered Indian population is under 10, while the corresponding percentage for all the population-including registered Indians-is 15%. http://www.statcan.ca:80/english/Pgdb/People/Population/demo37.htm http://www.gov.sk.ca/health/covpop2000/CovPopBook2000.pdf

5. -	Saskatchewan population. The Saskatchewan population was 1,041,256 in July 1999, and it was 1,021,762 in July 2000 (Covered Population, Saskatchewan Health)

6. -	Honourable Janice MacKinnon: debating the economic underdevelopment of Saskatchewan, by Mario deSantis, February 9, 2000

7. -	A message to Honourable Janice MacKinnon: Saskatchewan didn't reduce its child poverty rate between 1989 and 1997, by Mario deSantis, November 21, 2000

8.	A World for the Few and Privileged in Saskatchewan, by Mario deSantis, February 18, 2000