Faced with a struggling economy, the Sask. Party government chose to raise taxes on the middle class and cut services instead of investing in the people of Saskatchewan, despite warnings that such moves would only deepen the downturn. New data from Statistics Canada bears out those warnings, with Saskatchewan posting the slowest GDP growth outside of Atlantic Canada in 2017 and half the growth rate of our neighbours to the west.
“Governments are rightly judged by the decisions they make when times are tough,” said NDP Leader Ryan Meili. “And by that measure, this government has failed Saskatchewan people. They cut precisely the things that would restore us to strength — they hurt people in the process, and prolonged the pain of this economic downturn.”
The latest Statistics Canada data show that Alberta’s GDP growth was twice that of Saskatchewan’s. On top of that, BMO capital markets predict that Saskatchewan will have even lower economic growth in each of the next two years. BMO also reports that 2018 will see a decrease in jobs compared to the year before, and that we will again trail every province outside of the Maritimes.
“The Sask. Party’s austerity approach of hiking the PST on restaurant meals, construction labour and used cars was wrong,” Meili said. “That approach only hurts the economy and makes life more expensive for Saskatchewan families.”
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.