Understanding the relationship between Saskatchewan, India and Canada, particularly within the framework of current global affairs and the complex history, is no easy task.
Normally I’d do the legwork on something like this ahead of time, then try to format it into one piece (or two, or three). This often results in gaps in what I publish, which isn’t ideal when trying to maintain a subscriber base.
So this time I’m going to take you with me as I do the research.
This is a long read, because it has to be.
Normally I’m a self-deprecating about how much I write, but this time I’m asking you to take as much time as you need to read this, because it’s really important. It is stunning and mind-boggling and all the words I can think of to describe how sick it is that Saskatchewan newsrooms have not even bothered to look at this.
The red flags are everywhere.
This has the potential to become an international story and full-blown disgrace for Saskatchewan, including its economy.
Anyone who tells you otherwise stands to make money off India, period.
Separating the province (population 1.2-million), from the country (population 40-million), then examining each in relation to India (1.4-billion), seemed like a good place to start.
Let’s begin with a primer on Saskatchewan’s official relationship with India.
It doesn’t exist.
Foreign affairs has always been and will be, for as long as the Canada we know and love remains intact, the federal government’s jurisdiction.
You’d be forgiven, however, if you’ve been convinced otherwise by Scott Moe, Jeremy Harrison, Dave Marit or other Cabinet Ministers jet-setting on your dime. If they’re to be believed, they’ve been personally negotiating contracts between Saskatchewan’s business community and India’s Prime Minister, the increasingly volatile Narendra Modi.
It’s obvious why Scott Moe would be enamored with a leader like Modi, who was elected in 2014.
Moe’s obsession with India began right after he was elected everyone’s third choice for Sask Party leader in 2018. In late 2019, Moe took the bizarre step of announcing the provincial government was partnering with former Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s “global affairs firm”, to the tune of $240,000
The assignment was clear from the outset.
“Harper and Associates will provide guidance, advice and support to the provincial government on increasing and diversifying Saskatchewan’s exports, enhancing access to foreign markets… attracting investment to the province… strategies and planning for international missions… targeting specific geographic regions of importance for the province, specifically key Asian markets.” - Premier Announces Strategic Partnership With Harper And Associates, Government of Saskatchewan news release, November 14, 2019
Meaning for the last six years, Stephen Harper has been acting as some kind of broker of the relationship between India and Saskatchewan, legitimately or not.
In Canada’s best interests… or not.
"India's economy and population are booming and Saskatchewan has what India needs to support that growth…The mark of success of this would be measured over time.” - Scott Moe, CBC.ca, Nov 22, 2018
Well guess what?
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