Brian Crossman: Good News 2020, Follow-up for 2026

I wrote one of my very first columns six years ago when I was six years younger and about the same level of smarts as I am today. (Will I ever learn?) Anywho, with all the not-so-great news lately, (and there is a lot) it might be time to re-focus on what a great province we live in. (That would be Saskatchewan) To all the haters in the rest of Canada, say and think whatever you want, jokes about seeing dogs running away for three days, we’ve heard them all.

Getting back to the not-so-good news, it seems as if the world is on fire these days. Literally in the Middle east, again. Trade disputes with the USA and others while unexpected, are not all that surprising. The cost of literally EVERYTHING continues to climb, outpacing wages and making life difficult for the average Canadian. The past ten-plus years of Liberal rule by Justin Trudeau have placed Canada in a piss-poor position economically, philosophically and with our allies. Mark Carney has been in charge for a bit and appears to be trying to right the listing ship he was left with but using the same tired policies does not bode well. I’m not so sure I want to rename our country, “Canada, a Division of Brookfield Asset Management.” The crime and drug problems continue to escalate throughout the entire country. Health care across the country is deteriorating for many different reasons, despite taxpayers pumping in more money than we can imagine. Canada’s debt currently sits at $1.34 trillion and we add $237.8 million each and every day. It can be disheartening because the fix is pretty easy. CUT wasteful spending, CUT red tape for revenue-making energy projects and for God’s sake CUT the size of government. (twenty-five percent of the working population is employed by a government entity in one form or another.) How about more private sector projects? Enough of this negative shit, lets talk about the positives.

The Good News

Well for starters, the pandemic has been over for a while. (For now, at least.) Hopefully we can avoid another one, but you never know. Wash your hands, eat right, take your vitamins and do whatever you need to do that makes you feel safe. Despite the nearly daily ass-kicking from outside sources, we are still resilient. Saskatchewan continues to be a great place to do business, and there is a lot of international interest and trade missions which make Saskatchewan an attractive place to invest in. We are positioned well for the future.

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  0095 Fast Trucking nearly 70 years good at it
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  0092 Turnbull projects big and small
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  0046 City of Estevan This is Estevan Teaser
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The Great News

Now onto our beloved Saskatchewan. Yes, a large part of the province is flat. (“Flat out great that is!”) Once again, I am here to declare that there is good news for Saskatchewan in 2026 and beyond. The list is long and I am sure I will miss several, so please feel free to correct me, so long as it is pro-Saskatchewan.

Number one is always agriculture. The old phrase “Saskatchewan feeds the world” still holds true. The farmers in this province are the best in the world, and many of them have travelled the world teaching and mentoring other countries how to do things right. Along the way these men and women have learned a thing or two as well. The ag export from Sask was 18.5 billion last year and growing every year. You want to hear from the expert? Check out “Quick Dick McDick” on YouTube, and pretty much any social media thingy. Dickson will square you away on all things farming and Saskatchewan and make you laugh your ass off while doing it. Go to one of his live shows if you don’t believe me. Best. Time. Ever.

 

Hub City Lithium, now EMP Metals, drilling west of Stoughton on Aug. 13, 2024 Photo by Brian ZinchukThe Best News

In recent years we have seen more exciting developments in the Saskatchewan story. Oil and gas continue to be a huge factor. (Especially in light of recent events in the middle east) CO2, water and polymer flooding along with multi-lateral drilling proves that Saskatchewan continues to be a proving ground for new ideas and technology. The lithium projects continue to be developed, along with the helium exploration both with very promising results. More amazing news is Maxpower Mining drilling for natural “white” hydrogen currently drilling their second well as I write this. Buffalo Potash is currently developing a new method of solution mining potash which could change the way it has been mined up to this point. (We already produce 31% of the world’s potash) To top it off, 6.8 billion tonnes of alumina (aluminum oxide) has been identified near Tisdale (“Opportunity Grows Here” is the town motto) by Canadian Energy Metals. This project is known as Thor, possibly the coolest name for a project ever.

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  0102 Lori Carr Coal Extended
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  0097 Eagle Sky Ventures LTD
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  0095 Fast Trucking nearly 70 years good at it
• 0092 Turnbull projects big and small
  0092 Turnbull projects big and small
• 0046 City of Estevan This is Estevan Teaser
  0046 City of Estevan This is Estevan Teaser
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  0077 Caprice Resources Stand Up For Free Speech
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One More Thing

While we continue to use coal and natural gas to generate electricity, (a good thing) Saskatchewan is well into planning the “Small Modular Reactors” and potentially a CANDU or similar reactor to make vast amounts of power for the future of Saskatchewan and our neighbors. It only makes sense when we are ranked third on the planet for uranium deposits. (New mines being built as we speak) Not too shabby. Nuclear power, despite what the detractors and those guys at Chernobyl might say, it is proven technology, safe and clean. It’s not like power consumption is in decline any time soon.

Saskatchewan vs the rest of Canada (Time for Some Fun)

Ya’ll joke all you like about stubble-jumpers, Pilsner and Bunny-hugs, but we all have our crosses to bear.

Alberta mainly consists of oil, gas and hardworking people from Saskatchewan. Lots of rednecks and righands (again mostly from Saskatchewan.) They call Saskatchewan flat but just take a drive from Saskatchewan to Calgary sometime. Say anything bad about Alberta, next thing you know, they are threatening separation. (They do have cash though, so be nice to them…)

British Columbia? They are too busy hugging trees, smoking dope and eating granola to care. Lots of nice scenery, beautiful mountains and good skiing through. British Columbians are like vegans, the first thing they want to tell you they are from BC.

Manitoba? Really? Hell, even Manitobans admit they wish they were from Saskatchewan. (I have family there, and I’m pretty sure they said that once.) They do have a shitload of lakes if you like fishing though.

Ontario knows who we are because of all the Saskatchewan transplants they received in the 70’S but still don’t give a shit. “Trana” is also know as the centre of the known universe, exclusively by Torontonians. Nobody else anywhere cares. But fear not, the Leafs will suck for many years to come. (Blue Jays are cool though)

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  0099 Mryglod Steel 1080p
• 0097 Eagle Sky Ventures LTD
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  0095 Fast Trucking nearly 70 years good at it
• 0092 Turnbull projects big and small
  0092 Turnbull projects big and small
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  0046 City of Estevan This is Estevan Teaser
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  0077 Caprice Resources Stand Up For Free Speech
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Quebec often confuses Saskatchewan with Sasquatch, that large furry creature that was captured on a very grainy and potentially fake film in 1967 (In California no less) There are a few Quebecers that know Saskatchewan to be that long boring part of their drive to the Rockies. They barely notice it. And they mostly speak French. (I’m told people from France can’t make out what the people from Quebec are even saying) “Mon Dieu.” They do seem to like threatening to separate from Canada on a fairly regular basis, most likely to keep the equalization payments coming…….

Nova Scotia appreciates the financial help they receive, and generally  but they are pretty busy building ships, making tires and fishing. (We do appreciate the seafood part) Lots of coal-mining history, with southeast Saskatchewan can relate too. Generally, a pretty nice bunch of people.

New Brunswick is the poorest Province in Canada which is good for Western Canda as we get many hard-working NB expatriates coming out here to make a living. Like all the Atlantic provinces they used to big a huge force in the fishing industry. Not so much anymore due to overfishing, mostly by the Spanish trawlers stealing it. Again, good hard-working people that get along well with everybody.

Prince Edward Island is an undoubtedly a beautiful place that I was fortunate enough to visit as a teenager. With a total population of under 183,000 (Regina alone has a population over 250,000) they are too small to “roast“ properly. They are very nice people. Apparenty they sell us potatoes and lobster, so thanks for that. In return, Western Canada gives them 666 million dollars a year. Your welcome PEI. (Not real fond of the “666” thing, can we change that so it’s a friendlier number?)

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• 0100 Turnbull Project Manager
  0100 Turnbull Project Manager
• 0099 Mryglod Steel 1080p
  0099 Mryglod Steel 1080p
• 0097 Eagle Sky Ventures LTD
  0097 Eagle Sky Ventures LTD
• 0095 Fast Trucking nearly 70 years good at it
  0095 Fast Trucking nearly 70 years good at it
• 0092 Turnbull projects big and small
  0092 Turnbull projects big and small
• 0046 City of Estevan This is Estevan Teaser
  0046 City of Estevan This is Estevan Teaser
• 0077 Caprice Resources Stand Up For Free Speech
  0077 Caprice Resources Stand Up For Free Speech
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Then there is Newfoundland/Labrador. They used to fish and coalmine a lot, but now it’s tourism. They are also one of the widest but least populous provinces. (Like Saskatchewan, but we are easier to draw.) Other important notes is they love their “Screech” and export workers to Alberta and Saskatchewan. Note: If you are not from there, you “come from away.”  They are nice, generous, hardworking people, if you can understand what the f— they are saying. Apparently they created some big badass dog at some point in history as well.

Then there are the Territories, (Yukon, Northwest Territories and Nunavut) all three are stunningly beautiful which makes it a very desirable place to live. Lots of wildlife, mining and Auroa Borealis. Cons: more mosquitoes, horse flies and no-see-ums than you can imagine, mixed with long dark winters. Pros: Midnight sun in the summer, good hunting and not very many people, but the ones who live there are among the most tenacious anywhere.

(Before you all start with the angry commentary, this all in good old-fashioned fun)

Well, there you have it. If you are blessed enough to be from Saskatchewan, you get it. We have so much already with all the resources I listed earlier. But here is the most important piece of the puzzle. We have the right people in this province. Most are born and raised here, many are from other parts of the country, (my wife Val was born and raised in British Columbia) and we have attracted some high-end talent from around the world in the form of engineers, doctors, scientists and more. I have said this before and I’ll say it again. We got this!

Brian Crossman is a partner with Independent Well Servicing based in Estevan. He wants you to remember, there are really only two types of people, “The ones from Saskatchewan and the ones that wish they were!” Thanks for listening! (Remember: “Saskatchewan, hard to spell, easy to draw.”)

 

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  0105 SaskEnergy Commitment to Safety
• 0102 Lori Carr Coal Extended
  0102 Lori Carr Coal Extended
• 0100 Turnbull Project Manager
  0100 Turnbull Project Manager
• 0099 Mryglod Steel 1080p
  0099 Mryglod Steel 1080p
• 0097 Eagle Sky Ventures LTD
  0097 Eagle Sky Ventures LTD
• 0095 Fast Trucking nearly 70 years good at it
  0095 Fast Trucking nearly 70 years good at it
• 0092 Turnbull projects big and small
  0092 Turnbull projects big and small
• 0046 City of Estevan This is Estevan Teaser
  0046 City of Estevan This is Estevan Teaser
• 0077 Caprice Resources Stand Up For Free Speech
  0077 Caprice Resources Stand Up For Free Speech
• 0061 SIMSA 2024 For Sask Buy Sask
  0061 SIMSA 2024 For Sask Buy Sask
• 0051 JML Hiring Pumpjack assembly
  0051 JML Hiring Pumpjack assembly
• 0049 Scotsburn Dental soft guitar
  0049 Scotsburn Dental soft guitar
• 0041 DEEP Since 2018 now we are going to build
  0041 DEEP Since 2018 now we are going to build
• 0032 IWS Summer hiring rock trailer music
• 0022 Grimes winter hiring
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  9002 Pipeline Online 30 sec EBEX
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