Customer Reviews

Minding the Public Purse: The Fiscal Crisis, Political Trade-Offs, and Canada's Future

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It is the details in Janice MacKinnon's book that are spellbinding. How Saskatchewan could not meet is debt. obligations. How the previous government's Department of Social Services shredded all of its Departmental documents, so that nothing was left. The "discovery of cameras and other surveillance equipment used to spy on welfare recipients" (page 69). The financial problems with health care, and the massive firings in the civil service. We had heard the rumors, but MacKinnon's book gives us the details in black and white.

I was working for New Careers Corp. at the time the head office was moved to Kamsack. I remember how shocked everyone was. But it was only from reading MacKinnon's book that I found would that Minister Martin argued against the move. With expenses of a million for a building, and $200,000 telephone and transportation costs, it is no wonder that Janice MacKinnon moved the New Careers office back to Regina when She became Minister.

I highly recommend this book.

This is a great book. Not only was Janice McKinnon a leader during some of the hardest days in Saskatchewan's history, she is a great historian and story teller.

I was impressed with her non-partisan look at the Blakeney and Devine governments. She protrayed their intentions and results fairly and balanced. Her look at her own political career was enjoyable as well as she documented the struggles and tensions within the Romanow government and the challenges that she had to make in her own department. If you are a fan of Canadian history, you will want to read this amazing and fun book to read.