Paul Martin’s Business Update – October 29th, 2014

Calls for Bill Boyd to resign from Cabinet over the Smart Meter deal suggest the Opposition needs remedial course in governance practises.

The age old parliamentary tradition of a minister falling on the sword for underlings’ misdoings has been watered down as governance practises have evolved.

At one time Cabinet ministers chaired the boards of our Crown Corporations. A governance review moved them to Deputy Chair. Another update took them off boards altogether. Evolution and modernization designed to separate the actions of the corporation from the ultimate watchdogs - the Legislature.

In the case of Bill Boyd and SaskPower, this is particularly evident. Boyd was the one who ordered an end to smart meter installation and launched the investigation as overseer. And he could do that because governance has evolved. Today, the layers of separation look like this: Crown management reporting to a board. Next there’s CIC and its board and management. Then Cabinet, and then the Assembly. Five levels where an order can be given.

Boyd wasn’t the problem. He was distant enough to be the prosecutor, not the defendant.