Saskatchewan Party: Energy industry donations top $142,000 in 2008; $1.178 million since 1998

The Saskatchewan Party hauled in at least $142,036.05 in donations from the energy industry in 2008, the political party’s annual financial statement submitted with the chief electoral officer shows. The report was posted on the Elections Saskatchewan website May 1.

The amount represents 17.3 per cent of the total corporate contributions ($821,502.00) the party raised last year. The party received no donations from trade unions.

In contrast the Saskatchewan NDP brought in $62,834.00 in corporate contributions in 2008. Only $13,292.00 of that was from the energy sector. The party received $31,985.60 from trade unions.

The NDP raised more from individuals than the Saskatchewan Party: $686.521.89 to $542,940.00.

Bob Mason, the Saskatchewan Party’s executive director, told CBC News that approximately 60 per cent of the money it raised last year was from corporations. [Coffers filling nicely for Sask’s two biggest political parties (CBC News, May 1, 2009)]

If there was ever a political party beholden to a specific group it’s the Saskatchewan Party.

The $142,000-plus is the largest non-election year total in energy sector money the party has received since its inception in 1997. Of the 69 companies that donated it appears at least 47 were from Alberta (46 Calgary, 1 Edmonton). Leading the way was Calgary-based Penn West Petroleum Ltd. with $17,339.80.

The second highest, and making its first appearance as a contributor above the $250.00 disclosure limit, was Oilsands Quest Inc. with $6,839.14. The Calgary-based company is developing Saskatchewan’s first global-scale oilsands discovery. The company’s Axe Lake discovery is located in northwest Saskatchewan on the Saskatchewan-Alberta border.

Baytex Energy Ltd. and Canadian Hydro Developers, Inc. each contributed $5,000.00 while Talisman Energy Inc. rounded out the top five with $3,339.80.

Oilsands Quest made the news last spring when controversy erupted over a $400-a-plate fundraising dinner the Saskatchewan Party held in Calgary on May 21, 2008, where Premier Brad Wall spoke to about 750 people. It was billed as “Calgary Appreciation Night.” [Prairie premier wows Calgary crowd (Calgary Herald, May 23, 2008)]

According to The StarPhoenix, seven cabinet ministers joined Wall for the dinner. Reporter James Wood noted that while the Saskatchewan Party paid the premier’s travel expenses, “the government picked up the tab for the ministers’ travel as each had arranged meetings in Alberta to coincide with the event.”

One of the lucky seven to make the trip was Energy and Resources Minister Bill Boyd. Wood reported that one of Boyd’s meetings “included a discussion of the core sample assessment process with Oilsands Quest.”

First Nations and Metis Relations Minister June Draude and Enterprise and Innovation Minister Lyle Stewart met with the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers.

Crown Corporations Minister Ken Cheveldayoff and Government Services Minister Dan D’Autremont met with various businesses, primarily energy companies. [Cabinet’s Alta. trip criticized (Leader-Post, May 23, 2008)]

In March 2009, Wall confirmed that the party would not hold a leader’s dinner in Alberta this year, but said it would “continue to raise funds outside of Saskatchewan and did not rule out holding an out-of-province fundraising dinner again.” [Sask. Party axes Alta. Fundraiser (StarPhoenix, Mar. 7, 2009)]

The Saskatchewan Party has raked in at least $1,178,709.78 in corporate donations from the energy sector since 1998.

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Saskatchewan Party energy industry donations by year since 1998:

2008 – $142,036.05
2007 – $254,119.83
2006 – $57,204.15
2005 – $60,198.33
2004 – $74,984.29
2003 – $263,944.53
2002 – $86,707.80
2001 – $89,349.80
2000 – $27,500.00
1999 – $88,500.00
1998 – $34,165.00
Grand Total: $1,178,709.78

Top five contributors since 1998:

EnCana Corporation, Calgary, AB – $99,282.74
Nexen Inc., Calgary, AB – $81,510.17
TransCanada PipeLines Limited, Calgary – AB, $49,898.41
Cameco Corporation, Saskatoon, SK – $45,808.10
Upton Resources Inc., Calgary, AB – $37,703.20

The following is a list of energy sector companies that have donated to the Saskatchewan Party since 1998. Only those businesses that have donated more than the $250.00 disclosure limit in any given year have been included:

101101266 Saskatchewan Ltd., Fort Qu’Appelle, SK, $500.00

101108359 Saskatchewan Ltd., Regina, SK, $1,200.00

49 North Resource Fund Inc., Saskatoon, SK, $1,340.80

936173 Alberta Ltd. (Harvard Oil & Gas Inc.), Calgary, AB, $1,400.00

A & S Oilfield Operating Ltd., Estevan, SK, $500.00

Alberta Energy Company Ltd. (EnCana Corporation), Calgary, AB, $32,780.00

Aldon Oils Ltd., Weyburn, SK, $1,200.00

Allaro Resources Ltd., Calgary, AB, $596.84

Alliance Pipeline Ltd., Calgary, AB, $2,339.80

AltaGas Services Ltd. (AltaGas Income Trust), Calgary, AB, $5,336.16

AltaLink, L.P., Calgary, AB, $3,266.80

AMEC Americas Ltd., Calgary, AB, $1,340.80

Amoco Canada Petroleum Company (BP Canada Energy Company), Calgary, AB, $3,750.00

Anadarko Canada Corporation, Calgary, AB, $567.93

AREVA Resources Canada Inc., Saskatoon, SK, $2,716.58

AREVA/COGEMA Resources, Saskatoon, SK, $2,398.95

Arista Energy Limited (TriStar Oil & Gas Ltd.), Calgary, AB, $400.00

Armada Resources Ltd., Alameda, SK, $500.00

Arsenal Energy Inc., Calgary, AB, $1,775.52

ATCO Group, Calgary, AB, $935.92

ATCO Ltd., Calgary, AB, $1,875.00

Badger Enterprises Inc., Shaunavon, SK, $1,000.00

Barrington Petroleum Ltd. (Petrobank Energy and Resources Ltd.), Calgary, AB, $375.00

Baytex Energy Ltd. (Baytex Energy Trust), Calgary, AB, $8,500.00

BEC International Corporation, Saskatoon, SK, $1,000.00

Bellport Resources Ltd., Calgary, AB, $400.00

Best Pacific Resources Ltd., Calgary, AB, $387.50

Big Sky Drilling Inc. (Ensign Energy Services Inc.), Oxbow, SK, $2,500.00

Bonavista Petroleum Ltd. (Bonavista Energy Trust), Calgary, AB, $2,339.80

Bonterra Energy Corp., Calgary, AB, $3,911.16

BP Canada Energy Company, Calgary, AB, $1,500.00

Bulldog Energy Inc., Calgary, AB, $7,260.04

Burlington Resources Canada Ltd. (ConocoPhillips), Calgary, AB, $2,561.64

Calfrac Well Services Ltd., Calgary, AB, $2,339.80

Cameco Corporation, Saskatoon, SK, $45,808.10

Canadian Association of Oilwell Drilling Contractors, Calgary, AB, $929.00

Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers, Calgary, AB, $14,369.92

Canadian Energy Pipeline Association, Calgary, AB, $4,031.36

Canadian Energy Services L.P., Calgary, AB, $335.00

Canadian Green Fuels Inc., Regina, SK, $2,673.79

Canadian Hydro Developers, Inc., Calgary, AB, $5,000.00

Canadian Occidental Petroleum Ltd. (Nexen Inc.), Calgary, AB, $15,000.00

Canadian Renewable Fuels Association, Ottawa, ON, $1,340.80

Caprice Resources Ltd, Weyburn, SK, $2,517.40

Caravan Oil & Gas Ltd. (Ketch Energy Ltd.), Calgary, AB, $500.00

Carson Welding & Maintenance Ltd., Lampman, SK, $5,880.60

Carving Oil & Gas Ltd., Alberta, $3,600.00

Centipede Energy Ltd., Calgary, AB, $20,300.00

Centipede Holdings Ltd. (Harvard Energy), Calgary, AB, $20,100.00

Centipede Resources (Harvard Energy), Calgary, AB, $14,700.00

Century Oilfield Services Inc., Calgary, AB, $2,339.80

Churchill Energy Inc. , Calgary, AB, $1,260.04

Clan Oil Inc., Estevan, SK, $1,000.00

Cliff Nankivell Trucking Ltd., Kisbey, SK, $500.00

C O G Energy, Alberta, $4,000.00

Cogema Resources Inc. (Areva/Cogema Resources), Saskatoon, SK, $18,147.60

Connacher Oil and Gas Limited, Calgary, AB, $4,089.80

Cree-Way Gas Ltd., Saskatoon, SK, $7,623.20

Crescent Point Resources Ltd. (Crescent Point Energy Trust), Calgary, AB, $4,462.76

D & G Lemon Fuel Sales, Swift Current, SK, $300.00

D & G Polyethylene Products Ltd., Neilburg, SK, $400.00

Danoil Energy Partnership (Penn West Energy Trust), Calgary, AB, $750.00

Dean's Pump Service Ltd., Frobisher,SK, $500.00

Devon Canada (Devon Energy Corporation), Calgary, AB, $329.14

Diamond Energy Services Inc., Swift Current, SK, $4,580.46

Diamond Sage Well Services, Swift Current, SK, $1,532.05

Diamond Service Rigs S.C. Ltd. (Diamond Energy Services Inc.), Swift Current, SK, $800.00

Diamond Tree Resources Ltd. (Crocotta Energy Inc.), Calgary, AB, $658.28

D.L.M. Oilfield Supervision Ltd., Carievale, SK, $2,637.28

Eagle Drilling Services Ltd., Carlyle, SK, $1,512.40

EDCO Oil & Gas Ltd., Calgary, AB, $329.14

Enbridge Inc., Calgary, AB, $4,000.00

Enbridge Pipelines Inc., Calgary, AB, $18,307.88

EnCana Corporation, Calgary, AB, $99,282.74

EnerMark Inc. (Enerplus Resources Fund), Calgary, AB, $2,339.80

Enform, Calgary, AB, $403.36

ENMAX Corporation, Calgary, AB, $4,481.13

Ensign Drilling Inc. (Ensign Energy Services Inc.), Calgary, AB, $7,214.80

Ensign Resource Service Group Inc. (Ensign Energy Services Inc.), Calgary, AB, $596.84

Entech Industries Ltd., Calgary, AB, $1,500.00

Enterra Energy Corp. (Enterra Energy Trust), Calgary, AB, $26,500.00

Enterra Energy Trust, Calgary, AB, $2,016.80

EPCOR, Edmonton, AB, $1,056.52

Erickson Enterprises Ltd., Abbey, SK, $500.00

Esprit Exploration Ltd. (Pengrowth Energy Trust), Calgary, AB, $325.00

Estevan Coal (1996) Corp., Estevan, SK, $5,000.00

Fast Trucking Service Ltd., Carnduff, SK, $6,829.92

Fillmore Petroleums Ltd. (MBC Ventures Inc.), Regina, SK, $312.82

First Avenue Partners, Saskatoon, SK, $1,508.40

FirstEnergy Capital Corp., Calgary, AB, $7,013.22

Flatland Exploration Ltd. (Bulldog Energy Inc.), Regina, SK, $2,312.00

Foothills Pipe Lines Ltd. (TransCanada Pipelines Limited), Calgary, AB, $2,780.00

Founders Energy Ltd. (Provident Energy Trust), Calgary, AB, $375.00

Frank R. Lee Investments Ltd., Regina, SK, $12,977.76

Ganze-Reece Operations Ltd. (Reece Energy Exploration Corp.), Medicine Hat, AB, $1,000.00

Gasland Properties Ltd., Edmonton, AB, $2,179.52

Gem Oil Inc., Manitoba, $1,000.00

Gold River Oil & Gas Ltd, Calgary, AB, $1,200.00

Greenslade Consulting Group Ltd., Shaunavon, SK, $2,100.00

Greg Cousins Construction Ltd., Carnduff, SK, $500.00

Grizzly Well Servicing Inc., Edmonton, AB, $695.00

Harvard Energy, Calgary, AB, $1,971.32

Harvard International Resources Limited, Calgary, AB, $1,100.00

Herc Oil Corp. (Zargon Energy Trust), Regina, SK, $1,000.00

Hitachi Canadian Industries Ltd., Saskatoon, SK, $1,655.20

HTC Purenergy , Regina, SK, $2,382.09

Husky Energy Inc., Calgary, AB, $7,479.80

Husky Group of Companies, Calgary, AB, $1,000.00

Husky Oil Operations Ltd., Calgary, AB, $3,016.80

I.D. Oilfield Rentals Ltd., Estevan, SK, $800.00

Imperial Oil Limited, Calgary, AB, $19,000.00

Industrial Electric (Weyburn) Ltd., Weyburn, SK, $1,150.00

Interprovincial Pipeline Ltd. (Enbridge Pipelines), Fort Simpson, NT, $2,000.00

JED Oil Inc., Didsbury, AB, $16,841.56

Jerry Mainil Ltd., Weyburn, SK, $7,461.72

Jolliet Energy Resources Inc., Calgary, AB, $4,000.00

Kelly Lafrentz Trucking Ltd., Estevan, SK, $500.00

Kelly Panteluk Construction Ltd., Estevan, SK, $1,000.00

Keystone Energy Inc., Regina, SK, $5,978.20

Keystone Royalty Corp., Regina, SK, $5,259.88

Kiora Resources Inc., Regina, SK, $11,758.00

Kobylak Construction Inc., Saskatoon, SK, $3,000.00

K-Town Holdings Ltd., Calgary, AB, $2,671.56

KW Petroleum Services Ltd., Saskatoon, SK, $313.82

Laredo Well Services Ltd., Weyburn, SK, $4,394.04

Lex Minerals Inc., Regina, SK, $3,208.58

Lloydminster Maintenance Ltd., Lloydminster, SK, $500.00

LMD Wellsite Consulting Ltd., Kyle, SK, $550.00

Lockwell Servicing Ltd., Kindersley, SK, $10,000.00

Lone Mountain Resources Ltd., Calgary, AB, $1,250.00

Long View Resources Corp., Emerald Park, SK, $2,084.10

Los Altares Resources Ltd., Calgary, AB, $403.36

Lowmac Oilfield Services Ltd., Alberta, $1,500.00

Luscar Ltd., Edmonton, AB, $27,249.80

Luscar Ltd., Boundary Dam Mine/Bienfait Mine, Estevan, SK, $5,000.00

Magin Energy Inc. (NCE Resources Group), Calgary, AB, $6,500.00

Marble Point Energy Ltd. (Canadian Phoenix Resources Corp.), Calgary, AB, $2,339.80

Marjohn Minerals Ltd., Calgary, AB, $1,500.00

MBC Ventures Inc., Regina, SK, $4,548.66

MC3 Resources Inc., Indian Head, SK, $1,000.00

McCallum Fuels Ltd., Rosetown, SK, $500.00

Meota Resources Corp. (Provident Energy Trust), Calgary, AB, $1,000.00

Midwest General Contractors Ltd. (Midwest Management (1987) Ltd.), Acheson, AB, $423.42

Millennium Directional Service, Calgary, AB, $1,230.00

Millsap Fuel Distributors Ltd., Kenaston, SK, $600.00

MLTC Resource Development Inc., Meadow Lake, SK, $1,755.28

Moose Jaw Husky (Husky Energy Inc.), Moose Jaw, SK, $2,500.00

Murphy Oil Company Ltd. (Murphy Oil Corporation), Calgary, AB, $500.00

NAL Resources Management Limited (NAL Oil & Gas Trust), Calgary, AB, $5,089.80

Navigo Energy Inc., Calgary, AB, $1,316.56

Nexen Canada Ltd. (Nexen Inc.), Calgary, AB, $2,790.79

Nexen Inc., Calgary, AB, $81,510.17

Northern Resource Trucking Limited Partnership, Saskatoon, SK, $6,469.28

Novitas Energy Ltd., Calgary, AB, $298.42

Oilsands Quest Inc., Calgary, AB, $6,839.14

PanCanadian Energy Corporation (EnCana Corporation), Calgary, AB, $7,500.00

PanTerra Resource Corp., Calgary, AB, $967.96

Panther Drilling Corporation, Weyburn, SK, $301.96

Panther Industries Inc., Davidson, SK, $500.00

Parkland Industries LP (Parkland Income Fund), Red Deer, AB, $1,753.96

Pemoco Ltd., Calgary, AB, $1,403.88

Pengrowth Corporation (Pengrowth Energy Trust), Calgary, AB, $2,339.80

Pengrowth Management Ltd. (Pengrowth Energy Trust), Calgary, AB, $5,167.36

Penn West Petroleum Ltd. (Penn West Energy Trust), Calgary, AB, $26,378.42

Petrobank Energy and Resources Ltd., Calgary, AB, $10,000.00

Petro-Canada, Calgary, AB, $871.32

Petroleum Industry Training Service (Enform), Calgary, AB, $298.42

Petroleum Services Association of Canada, Calgary, AB, $2,339.80

Pilgrim Energy Inc., Regina, SK, $900.00

Prairie Mines & Royalty Ltd. (Royal Utilities Income Fund), Edmonton, AB, $6,374.06

Prairie Mud & Chemical Services Ltd., Estevan, SK, $3,500.00

Precision Drilling Corporation, Calgary, AB, $10,404.16

Provident Energy Trust, Calgary, AB, $4,813.48

Pursuit Resources Corp. (EnerMark Income Fund), Calgary, AB, $500.00

Ravens Cross Energy Ltd., Kindersley, SK, $1,000.00

RC Consultants Ltd., Swift Current, SK, $956.77

Reba Oil & Gas (Alberta) Limited, Lloydminster, AB, $500.00

Red Hawk Well Servicing Inc., Oxbow, SK, $1,000.00

Robin Hood Petroleum Ltd., Estevan, SK, $400.00

Rockwell Services Partnership, Nisku, AB, $329.14

Sabre Energy Ltd., Calgary, AB, $7,050.00

Sherritt International Corporation, Toronto, ON, $25,000.00

Sierra Energy Inc., Calgary, AB, $10,667.64

Silver Bay Resources Ltd., Calgary, AB, $4,733.98

Skylift Services Inc., Estevan, SK, $500.00

Small Explorers and Producers Association of Canada, Calgary, AB, $962.06

Spearing Service Ltd. (Mullen Group Income Fund), Oxbow, SK, $3,000.00

StandardLand Company Inc., Calgary, AB, $1,250.00

Steady Oil Production Ltd., Kindersley, SK, $500.00

Stoney Enterprises Ltd., Blaine Lake, SK, $300.00

Stream-Flo Industries Ltd., Edmonton, AB, $3,602.82

Suncor Energy Inc., Calgary, AB, $3,816.56

Supreme Oilfield Construction Ltd., Estevan, SK, $1,000.00

SynOil Fluids Inc., Calgary, AB, $1,000.00

T & T Management Inc., Saskatoon, SK, $300.00

Talisman Energy Inc., Calgary, AB, $21,339.80

Three Star Trucking, Alida, SK, $1,500.00

Titan Exploration Ltd., Calgary, AB, $500.00

Tournament Energy Ltd. (Chamaelo Exploration Ltd.), Calgary, AB, $2,448.80

TransAlta Corporation, Calgary, AB, $27,395.50

TransCanada PipeLines Limited, Calgary, AB, $49,898.41

Trican Well Service Ltd., Calgary, AB, $2,339.80

Tri-City Surveys Ltd. (Meridian Surveys Ltd.), Saskatoon, SK, $482.00

Trinity Energy Ltd., Calgary, AB, $365.00

TriStar Oil & Gas Ltd., Calgary, AB, $2,339.80

Tristone Capital Inc., Calgary, AB, $2,339.80

True Energy Inc., Calgary, AB, $2,179.52

Tundra Oil & Gas Limited, Winnipeg, MB, $8,000.00

Tundra Oil and Gas Limited (Sask) Ltd., Regina, SK, $2,000.00

United Safety Ltd., Airdrie, AB, $500.00

Upper Lake Oil & Gas Ltd. (Monterey Exploration Ltd.), Calgary, AB, $1,169.90

Upton Resources Inc. (StarPoint Energy Ltd.), Calgary, AB, $37,703.20

Uranium City Resources Inc., Kirkland Lake, ON, $2,500.00

UTS Energy Corporation, Calgary, AB, $2,016.80

V & S Investments Inc., Kelvington, SK, $300.00

Valleyview Petroleums Ltd., Weyburn, SK, $12,339.12

Venture Well Servicing Ltd., Estevan, SK, $1,400.00

Viking Energy Royalty Trust (Harvest Energy Trust), Calgary, AB, $596.84

Viking Management Ltd. (Harvest Energy Trust), Calgary, AB, $320.00

Viking Surplus Oilfield Equipment Ltd., Estevan, SK, $800.00

Villanova Energy Corp., Regina, SK, $7,962.76

VPC Supervision Ltd., Estevan, SK, $500.00

Wascana Energy Inc. (Nexen Inc.), Regina, SK, $1,032.00

Waterflood Service and Sales Ltd., Estevan, SK, $984.00

Watson Land Services Ltd., Estevan, SK, $500.00

WaveForm Energy Ltd. (Second Wave Petroleum Ltd.), Calgary, AB, $346.60

W D M Resources Ltd., Alberta, $898.42

Wedona Energy Inc., Emerald Park, SK, $1,754.74

Western Canadian Consulting Inc., Calgary, AB, $1,250.00

Western Lakota Energy Services Inc., Calgary, AB, $5,000.00

WestFire Energy Ltd., Calgary, AB, $2,339.80

Wilf's Oilfield Services Ltd., Swift Current, SK, $500.00

Wrangler Tanker Service Ltd., Coleville, SK, $550.00

Grand Total: $1,178,709.78