REGINA: The Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF) is calling on the provincial government to make public the concessions they made to the Saskatchewan Government Employees Union (SGEU) in agreeing to a new three-year contract.

Both union and government officials have indicated that a deal has been struck that exceeds the strict zero, one and one wage mandate announced in Budget 2004.

"The government made a commitment to the taxpayers of this province to hold public sector wages to zero, one and one increases over the next three years," said CTF Saskatchewan director David MacLean. "Taxpayers have the right to know how and why they have broken this commitment."

"For once the taxpayers of Saskatchewan had a commitment from their government to control rising expenditures, and now the government has shredded their promise to keep rising public sector salaries in check," said MacLean. "The people actually picking up the tab have a right to know the details of the deal at the same time as union members, so that we all can judge for ourselves. Government secrecy on a major policy reversal is completely unacceptable. Taxpayers deserve transparency."

The CTF is Canada's largest taxpayer advocacy organization with over 65,000 supporters. Established in 1990, it is a federally incorporated not-for-profit, non-partisan, citizens' group dedicated to lower taxes, less waste, and accountable government.