By Ashley Wiebe

Legal battle begins between Alberta and Saskatchewan license plates

Dec 15, 2017 | 3:42 PM

MAPLE CREEK, SK — The issue over the Alberta license plate ban in Saskatchewan goes deeper than the red letters and numbers on Alberta plates, but it isn’t black and white either.

“There’s more important things to worry about than license plates in our provinces right now,” said one Maple Creek resident, an unemployed construction worker.

“We’re initiating a trade challenge which will have real consequences for the Government of Saskatchewan,” said economic development and trade minister Deron Bilous on Thursday.

“We were a little taken a back by this because we, just two days ago, we had a very productive meeting, I thought,” said Saskatchewan’s economy minister Steven Bonk.

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Last week, the province of Saskatchewan announced it would ban vehicles with Alberta license plates on any future government road and construction projects.

“We do have specific concerns from contractors in Saskatchewan,” said Bonk. “So we do have concerns directly from them, but we don’t want to bring their company names forward at this time.”

Bilous has said the license plate ban is a violation of an agreement which calls for a barrier-free inter-provincial market. But government officials aren’t afraid of what’s down the road.

“Going to court is going to cost them money and when the courts rule in favour of Alberta, they’re going to be paying a fee and they’re going to explain that to their tax payers,” Bilous added.

The Saskatchewan government has given a few reasons for the license plate ban, one being that Alberta already has similar rules in place, which does not exist.

Officials have also brought up the fact that Albertans don’t have a sales tax.

Former premiere Brad Wall had also suggested it was because Alberta changed the rules around craft beer.

No matter the reason, residents in Maple Creek aren’t amused.

“I think they should both get their s— together,” said one woman, outside the post office.

“I think maybe they’re playing politics,” one man said.

Even with Bonk noting the specific concerns they have from contractors, not everyone in the Alberta legislature is buying it.

“It seems fabricated for some reason and I don’t know why,” Brian Mason said on Thursday.