Donna Harpauer says the price for the March 25 flight from Regina to North Battleford, Sask., and back was steep, but that’s the cost of doing business. “I think being in other communities to present the budget is important and there’s a cost to doing that,” he said Tuesday. Ms Harpauer said she took the flight with her chief of staff because she would be too tired to drive the 400 kilometers back to Regina and then head to her Humboldt constituency. He said he spent about two hours at the luncheon, hosted by the North Battleford Chamber of Commerce, where he dined on chicken at the Porta Bella restaurant. She said it was disappointing that people focused on the individual trip and not her total travel expenses. “I think the media should generally say, ‘Her trip is low, but this trip was high,’” Ms. Harpauer said, adding that news coverage of the flight has misled the public. He said last year he spent $11,000 on travel. “I am not a frequent visitor. I don’t spend a lot on travel,” Ms. Harpauer said. The cost of her flight to North Battleford is about 16 per cent of the $48,000 spent by nine other ministers and the premier on charter flights in the province since April 2019, public expenditure forms on the government’s website show. Ms Harpauer said the price of the trip to North Battleford, chartered by Good Spirit Air Service, must have been reasonable because it is not the only company the government is looking at. Earlier this week, the Saskatchewan Party government said it has entered into three permanent supply agreements with airlines: Kreos, Transwest and Miccar Aerial, also called Good Spirit Air Service. However, the government website lists all interprovincial charter flights as of March 2020 as with Good Spirit Air. Documents provided by the Department of Procurement say the government has a standing offer with Good Spirit Air worth $300,000. It was first signed in September 2018 and extended until September this year. NDP Opposition Leader Carla Beck said the Saskatchewan Party government is out of touch and entitled. He called on the government to provide relief for residents facing increased living costs by raising royalty rates when natural resource companies make big profits. He also said the government should stop collecting provincial fuel tax. Ms. Harpauer said there are also things she can’t afford. “There’s always something you can’t afford,” Ms. Harpauer said. “I’d like a bigger house.” The Morning Update and Afternoon Update newsletters are written by Globe editors, giving you a concise summary of the day’s most important headlines. Sign up today.
