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The Saskatchewan government has authorized itself to borrow up to $6 billion if, in part, “the general revenue fund is or will be insufficient to meet the charges and expenses lawfully authorized to be defrayed from it.”

Basically, the province is giving itself permission to spend up to $6 billion now, so that the dollars are available if ever needed.

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NDP Finance critic Cathy Sproule says the Aug. 1 Order In Council authorizing the debt is “confirmation that this government is spending out of control, the debt is exploding.”

She added it is telling the people of the province that the Saskatchewan Party government is “not able to manage with the money they’re bringing in.”

“It’s all fine to say you’ve got a balanced budget, but if you are borrowing money as part of that it means that we’re getting further into debt,” she said.

Despite posting consecutive deficits, the province is spending $1.6 billion on capital projects this year and adding $2.3 billion in debt. By the end of this budget year, overall public debt is expected to reach record levels nearing $20 billion.