REGINA - Today, Saskatchewan’s first emergency sitting in 24 years ended with Scott Moe and the Sask. Party government ramming through their controversial pronoun policing policy that violates the Charter of Rights and Freedoms and the Saskatchewan Human Rights Code.
“The fact that Scott Moe declared the first emergency sitting in 24 years to essentially police what kids call each other on the playground says a whole lot about his priorities,” said Beck. “I think it’s mind boggling that the Premier would prioritize this over fixing our hospitals or addressing the rising cost of gas and groceries. Governments of all stripes should focus on getting the basics right.”
While the Premier and his Minister of Education still have yet to provide specifics about any consultations they undertook while formulating their controversial pronoun policing policy, the Sask. Party government’s legal team stated under oath that the policy was composed in nine days and informed by 18 letters, seven of which were from parents.
The Premier’s repeated claim that the pronoun policing policy has widespread popular support has also been disputed this morning by new polling from the independent market research firm Insightrix.
When asked which issues would have the most impact on their vote if an election were held today, respondents said that the rising cost of living was the number one concern, with 58% saying it is one of their top three issues. Healthcare came in at a close second with 53%. The pronoun issue was a distant eighth place with 14%. Only 18% of Sask. Party supporters identified pronouns as their top priority.
The Official Opposition brought the genuine concerns of parents to the floor of the Legislature throughout the emergency sitting. On the first day, Beck and Education Critic Matt Love questioned the government on why they ignored a 200-parent petition simply asking that the hole in the roof of Monique Rousseau school be fixed in time for the school year.
The Saskatchewan NDP team also raised parent concerns over the lack of mental health supports in schools, the closure of one of Regina’s most loved care homes, staffing shortages and overcapacity issues at hospitals across the province, barriers to breast cancer screening, the botched rollout of 10-dollar-a-day childcare, and the SHA’s move to replace real emergency room doctors with virtual physicians in yet another community.
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