In response to yesterday’s war of words between the provincial government and the Saskatchewan Teachers Federation (STF), NDP Education Critic and Deputy Leader Carla Beck renewed her call for the province to fully restore education funding to 2016 levels, and called for predictable, stable funding for our classrooms going forward.
“Both the Premier and the Deputy Premier ran on promises to invest in education, and as a result, teachers played kingmaker through their organized participation in the leadership race,” said NDP Deputy Leader and Education Critic Carla Beck. “Moe and Wyant’s failure to follow through on those commitments shows the cynicism with which they approached their relationship with teachers.”
“The honeymoon is over for our province’s teachers. It’s clear that this government neither knows nor cares how to do the work that needs to be done in the education sector,” said Beck.
Saskatchewan schools have seen a $74 million funding shortfall over the last two years. An arbitrator recently handed teachers a wage settlement that leaves them falling behind the rising cost of living.
“The arbitrator has spoken bluntly about the deteriorated relationship and its impact on the quality of our kids’ education, but yesterday Mr. Wyant dismissed those concerns and misrepresented what happened at the bargaining table to the media,” said Beck. “The blatant disrespect this former leadership candidate has shown for the teachers whose support he ran on is mind-boggling. Wyant’s misrepresentation of the bargaining process shows he’s more concerned with toeing the Sask. Party line than with doing what’s right for teachers and students. He’s now as much of a pawn of the Sask. Party as teachers were in the leadership race.”
“Investing in education is both the right thing to do and the smart thing to do,” said NDP Leader Ryan Meili. “This government’s harmful cuts to education show that Sask. Party decisions are driven more by ideology than what they have repeatedly been told by parents, teachers, and students about what is happening.”
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.