Another Sask Crown Bites the Dust
The Saskatchewan Party Government is winding down our broadcast Crown Corporation, as more proof of its commitment to destroy the Crowns despite assurances it will not.
Following the release of the 2010 provincial budget in Saskatchewan, the government announced yesterday it will wind down Saskatchewan Communications Network (SCN). The broadcaster is can currently be seen in 90% of Saskatchewan households and audiences throughout Canada.
The government stated Wednesday, “Outstanding contracts with film producers will be brought to a conclusion…A team will explore potential buyers for the broadcast assets.” Some of the services formerly completed by SCN will be transferred to SaskTel beginning in the spring of this year.
With a commitment to the Saskatchewan people, nearly 70% of SCN’s 2009 broadcasting budget stayed in the province to support local productions. SCN supports our provincial film and television industry by investing in local content and encouraging viewers to create content for broadcasting. SCN connects the people of Saskatchewan with educational broadcasting from non-violent, commercial-free children’s programming to televised K-12 and post-secondary education courses. It also provides professional development and work place training for businesses, agencies, and community-based organizations.
For rural and remote schools and businesses in Saskatchewan, SCN provides satellite powered internet services. However large or small an organization, the destruction of SCN is yet another example of our current government’s policy of piecing away our Crown Corporations.
The people of this province have been told by the Saskatchewan Party Government that our Crown Corporations are safe, yet they have already begun to sell off pieces and dismantle these organizations. The gradual privatization of this province will continue until private businesses control all of the business and agencies we built and own.
- Save Our Saskatchewan Crowns
