Oil slump means break from tradition in Saskatchewan budget: finance minister

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REGINA — Saskatchewan’s finance minister is sporting brown leather shoes that he says represent the provincial budget’s break from tradition.

Ken Krawetz says he usually wears black shoes, but his wife bought him the new pair for the budget’s release on Wednesday.

He says the government is facing a loss in oil revenue of around $700 million, so a balanced budget requires changes in how the province spends money.

Premier Brad Wall has said this budget is the most challenging his government has had to put together.

Krawetz agrees with that and adds he expects it to be his last budget since he isn’t going to seek re-election.

NDP finance critic Trent Wotherspoon presented a pair of shoes to the media that he says symbolize the government’s vanity.

The Opposition cut out the soles on a pair of black, shiny second-hand shoes to represent what Wotherspoon says is a lack of substance in government policies.