The Saskatchewan NDP pointed out today that the Sask. Party’s largest corporate donor stands to bring in $2.2 million dollars each year renting out office space in Wascana Park while leasing that land for a dollar a year. Reiterating his party’s stance that the proposed project should not go ahead as conceived, NDP Leader Ryan Meili called on the government to at least put the sweetheart deal on hold until the provincial auditor releases her report.
“This government has steamrolled over concerns and rewritten the rules, ensuring that this project proposal has not received the proper scrutiny,” said Meili. “The process the government has followed has been to take over control of the Wascana Centre Authority, fire the architects that didn’t agree with them, and change the rules that don’t allow them to move forward. These actions represent a significant and damaging betrayal of the public trust.”
With a proposed 73,351 square feet available for Brandt to lease out, and conservatively estimating a per-square-foot lease rate of $30, the company can expect to bring in $2.2 million annually at full occupancy.
“The Sask. Party gave this company a licence to print money while talking about ‘tough choices’ to justify cutting supports in kids’ classrooms,” said NDP Critic for the Provincial Capital Commission Nicole Sarauer. “This deal cannot go ahead as conceived, and certainly should not be approved until the auditor has had a chance to review it.”
Poor working conditions, favouritism, $300K travel nurse pay at issue
REGINA - Today, the Official Opposition released a letter signed by 49 emergency room nurses in Saskatoon. The letter slams the Sask. Party government for failing to support Saskatchewan nurses and curb the province’s reliance on expensive out-of-province travel nurses.
REGINA - Today, Official Opposition Critic for First Nations and Métis Relations Betty Nippi-Albright hosted a Day of Action with Indigenous leaders from Nekaneet First Nation, Yellow Quill First Nation, Waterhen Lake First Nation, Onion Lake Cree Nation, Carry The Kettle First Nation, Key First Nation and the residential school support team from Yorkton Tribal Council. Together, they continue to draw attention to the Sask. Party government’s disregard for the Duty to Consult process.
MOOSE JAW - Today, the Official Opposition stood with Taylor Enns, president of the Moose Jaw Firefighters Association, and Brayden Dutchak, the son of a cancer survivor. Together, they called on the Sask. Party government to reopen Saskatchewan’s only hyperbaric chamber.
Records show former Sask. Party Finance Minister lobbied for Calgary surgery scheme on behalf of a major Sask. Party donor
REGINA - Today, the Official Opposition grilled the Premier and his Minister of Health after the Minister misled the public, claiming that he had not been lobbied by a former Sask. Party MLA when Saskatchewan's official lobbyist logs show the exact opposite.