By Lisa Schick

Former riders frustrated

Former STC rider frustrated over refusal of federal money

Feb 7, 2019 | 5:13 PM

Some former STC riders are looking on in frustration after finding out the provincial government turned down about $2 million from the federal government for a public bus system last year.

The offer was made in October in response to Greyhound ending its services in Western Canada.

Cindy Hanson used to use the STC’s service and is a part of “Save STC”.

She thinks the province’s decision is short-sighted and dishonest.

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“The federal government is stepping up on this one and our government, for ideological reasons, is saying they don’t need it – and it’s wrong.”

Minister Joe Hargrave is responsible for the Crown Investments Corporation – which is now dealing with anything related to the STC. He said the federal government’s offer didn’t have many details, and Saskatchewan’s share of the $10 million pot wouldn’t have been enough anyway.

A few private bus companies have moved into the market since the STC shut down, but Hanson said those don’t work.

“Last week I went in a van that, you know, the window wouldn’t shut on it and it was –30 C outside.”

Speaking to reporters, Hargrave said the federal representative was asked about using the offered money to help struggling private companies, but the federal government wasn’t interested in that.

Hanson isn’t interested in that idea either, saying public money shouldn’t be used for private business.

“We need public goods and services that are accountable to the public, private is not accountable to the public, it’s accountable to itself.”

Hanson believes the province should have taken the money and used it to create a new public transportation system.

In a Thursday afternoon media release, the Saskatchewan NDP criticized the provincial government’s rejection.

Sheri Benson, MP for Saskatoon West, posed the following question: “Finally, the government has acknowledged the urgency of the situation, but why did they make their offer conditional on provincial contributions when the provincial government has made it clear that people are not the priority?”

The release states Benson has requested a federal response nine times from the Liberals in the House of Commons, in addition to writing letters to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

“The federal government needs to work with the people of Saskatchewan to come up with a real solution to our transportation crisis,” Benson said in the release. “We must not let the history of BC’s Highway of Tears repeat itself in our province.”