Premier Brad Wall is standing by some recent comments he made regarding northern employment.
At the recent Premier’s Dinner in Prince Albert, Wall said Cameco was the best “program” for First Nations and Metis people.
He said the uranium giant has done a lot to reduce the overall employment gap and is superior to any social program.
Wall’s comments were picked up by some local citizens and groups who felt his comments reflected a simplistic view of the hurdles facing northerners.
However, in a letter to the editor of the Prince Albert Daily Herald today, Wall says many social programs have resulted in a lot of wasted time and money while delivering no solid benefits to Aboriginal employment.
He says his government is going to continue on its present path of replacing government programs with high-paying jobs.