SASKATOON - Official Opposition Critic for Seniors Matt Love raised concerns that the Sask. Party government didn’t act swiftly in response to Extendicare’s abysmal COVID-19 response in Saskatchewan due to a cozy relationship with Extendicare’s PR firm.
“Families in Saskatchewan are outraged at the tragic scale of death at Extendicare Parkside and calling for real change, including the end to for-profit care that is failing our seniors,” said Love. “But the Sask. Party has refused to act. We may now know why.”
The latest CBC story on Extendicare in Saskatchewan contains a PDF that lists “Sarah Del Giallo” as the author. Del Giallo is a Senior Consultant, Corporate Affairs & Communications at the lobbying and public relations firm Enterprise Canada. Enterprise Canada donated $1,200 to the Sask. Party in 2019. Enterprise Canada also employs former United Conservative Party of Alberta president Erika Barootes as their Vice President for Western Canada. Barootes campaigned for the Sask Party in Saskatoon Eastview during the last election campaign.
“Extendicare and the Sask. Party government repeatedly passed the buck throughout the course of the outbreak at Extendicare Parkside,” said Love. “While families were grieving and worrying for their loved ones, the Sask. Party was working to protect their friends and insiders and Extendicare was bringing in extra PR staff instead of extra healthcare staff. That’s not right, and Saskatchewan people deserve better.”
Melissa Lantsman, a former spokesperson for Ontario Premier Doug Ford and now Enterprise Canada’s Vice President for National Public Affairs has also lobbied for Extendicare during the pandemic and is now the Conservative Party of Canada candidate for the next federal election in the electoral district of Thornhill.
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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.