After Finance Minister Donna Haupauer spent nearly $8,000 on a private plane to attend a chamber of commerce luncheon, the Offical Opposition calls the Government ‘out of touch.’

Harpauer took a chartered plane with Good Spirit Air Service on March 25, travelling 400 kilometres from Regina to North Battleford, with the flight costing $7,872.60.

Sask. NDP Leader Carla Beck said the trip came two days after she tabled a provincial budget containing 32 new taxes and fees.

“This was two days after a budget where the Finance Minister raised fees and taxes 32 times on the people of Saskatchewan. A time of record 40-year inflationary pressures that people are feeling. People have cancelled and changed their summer plans at a time where they would really like to be out and getting around.”

Beck said a car ride could have easily replaced the flight.

“$8,000 for what could have been a maximum of $200 for a tank of gas, and this could have been done as a car trip. This is completely out of step for the reality of most people in this province and is again an indication of a government that is out of touch and incredibly entitled and lost of the plot on the reality that people are facing in this province.”

She noted that $8,000 represents the four-months worth of wages for someone working minimum wage in the province.

“Perhaps this lavish spending and being out of touch is the reason why this Finance Minister hasn’t balanced a budget, and it’s also perhaps the reason who see a Government that is so obviously out of touch with the realities of people in this province.”