Sask. repeals law allowing it to sell up to 49% of a Crown corporation - Action News
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Saskatchewan

Sask. repeals law allowing it to sell up to 49% of a Crown corporation

The government is making good on its pledge to withdraw a controversial law which would have allowed it to sell up to 49 per cent of a Crown corporation.

Premier promised to ditch controversial measure after public backlash

Premier Brad Wall says he heard Saskatchewan people when they said they were not on board with selling even a portion of a Crown corporation. (Matthew Howard/CBC)

The Saskatchewan government is making good on its pledge to withdraw a controversial law which would have allowed it to sell up to 49 per cent of a Crown corporation.

Premier Brad Wall promised to scrap the controversial measure on the eve of the fall sitting of the Legislature, in a post to social media.

Wall said Saskatchewan people had told him loud and clear that they did not like the change.

The unpopular Bill 40 was just introduced just over a year ago to define what it means to "privatize".

The new definition would have allowed a government to sell up to 49per cent of a Crown corporation without it being considered privatization.

A new law to repeal that provision of the previous one was introduced on Tuesday afternoon.

The Opposition has said this change does not go far enough.

It wants the government to reinstate the provincial bus company, which was scrappedin the spring budget.

The premier has said some legal adviceto government suggested Bill 40 was required to wind downa Crown corporation.

Wall said that option, which would be far rarer than sellinga portion of a government-owned company, should continue to be open to future governments.