NDP drops First Nations revenue-sharing pledge

Saskatchewan's New Democrats no longer think it's a good idea to share resource revenues with First Nationssomething that was a key promise in the election campaign.

NDP finance critic Trent Wotherspoon told reporters Monday that the party no longer supports sharing revenues from resources suchas potash and oil, saying voters did not like the idea.

Then-NDP leader Dwain Lingenfelter made the promise during a campaign stop on Red Pheasant First Nation ThursdayOct. 13.

He said that if his party won the Nov. 7 election, the government would negotiate a resource-revenue sharing arrangement with First Nations.

Lingenfelter, who ended up losing his seat in the Nov. 7 election that re-electedthe Saskatchewan Partygovernment, didn't specify a dollar figure.

The Sask. Party immediately leapt on the promise, saying it could cost the treasury more than $1.5 billion over four years.

However, several First Nation leaders said they supported the idea.