REGINA - Today, Official Opposition Leader Ryan Meili was joined in the Saskatchewan legislature by Dallas Oberik, a Regina resident waiting on a hip replacement surgery. Nearly 11,000 people have been added to the surgical waitlist under Premier Moe, with tens of thousands uncertain of when they may be able to access a procedure.
“Medical professionals were pleading with this government back in the summer to take action to avoid massive pressures on our health care system, to avoid this very situation,” said Meili. “We were in trouble even before the pandemic hit. The waitlist for surgeries has been skyrocketing since Premier Moe took office back in 2018. His choice to ignore reasonable medical recommendations has now exacerbated the problem for many Saskatchewan families.”
There is a record 35,000 people on the surgical waitlist. Since the Premier took office back in 2018, the waitlist for surgeries has increased by nearly 11,000 people, a more than 50% increase under his watch. This situation has only worsened throughout the pandemic, as critical health care staff have needed to be redeployed. SHA CEO Scott Livingstone said this week that he wouldn’t even speculate when surgeries would resume.
One of the thousands affected by this Sask. Party government’s decision is Dallas Oberik. Dallas has spent nearly three years on the hip replacement waitlist. Now, due to this government’s failure to act, there is no end in sight for Dallas’ chronic pain and she has waited so long for a new hip that she is now being told that by the time she can finally access a surgery, she may as well have both hips replaced.
“It was their choice to play politics, pandering to a small minority, rather than listening to the medical professionals like Dr. Shahab and the Saskatchewan Health Authority,” said Meili. “The Premier claims it wouldn’t be fair to impose more restrictions. How is ignoring recommendations fair to Dallas, and the thousands of families affected by this Sask. Party government’s politics? These are the stories this Premier and the Sask. Party government ignored when they decided to take the summer off.”
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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.