Saskatchewan NDP Caucus

NDP pushes for transparency and accountability in the face of school-repair stonewalling

In response to the Minister of Education’s continued refusal to release a breakdown of the cost of fixing Saskatchewan’s crumbling schools, NDP Education Critic Carla Beck wrote to the Minister today with two demands of the Sask. Party government: to comply with the Information and Privacy Commissioner’s recommendation and release the basic information that had been requested, and to finally grant the Information and Privacy Commissioner the power to compel public bodies to release documents.

Statement from NDP Leader Ryan Meili on World Suicide Prevention Day

“As we mark World Suicide Prevention Day, I think of people like Samwel Uko, who died needlessly after being turned away from the ER.

“I think of Tristen Durocher and the Walking With Our Angels group – a group the Sask. Party preferred to take to court instead of engaging in conversations about the far too many First Nations children who have been lost to suicide.

NDP calls for strategy to deal with rising number of overdose deaths

With overdose deaths spiking in Saskatchewan under the Sask. Party’s failed approach, the NDP is calling for a strategy for community safety and dedicated action to address the increase of opioids and crystal meth addictions in Saskatchewan.  

“We’ve seen the devastating toll that addiction takes on communities and families, but without a clear and comprehensive strategy, this crisis will continue to rage,” said NDP Mental Health and Addictions Critic Danielle Chartier. “A strategy starts with providing improved access to naloxone kits, eliminating the wait times for detox and between detox and treatment, and introducing dedicated mental health and addictions emergency rooms, so patients with mental health and addictions issues receive timely care instead of getting triaged to the bottom and waiting longer for treatment. When someone struggling with addiction asks for help, that help needs to be there immediately, not several weeks later.”

Child psychiatrists and psychiatric beds “desperately needed”: NDP

The NDP is calling on the government to address the lack of child psychiatrists and psychiatric beds in Prince Albert, citing a significant negative impact on families in the north and the rest of the province.  

“The people of Prince Albert and the north have been let down by a government that hasn’t put the proper supports in place,” said NDP Mental Health and Addictions Critic Danielle Chartier. “The services provided by child psychiatrists are desperately needed, but the government’s response has been just more austerity, which means more cuts and claw backs for the services families rely on.”

Meili to Moe: Where’s the Plan for Federal Back-To-School Funding?

Today, on the day many schools were originally set re-open in Saskatchewan, NDP Leader Ryan Meili called on Scott Moe to provide Saskatchewan families, educators and school divisions with a clear plan for the $75 million in federal funding for schools re-opening.

“Last week, the federal government bailed out the Sask. Party’s failed back-to-school plan,” said Meili. “Premier Scott Moe and Education Minister Gord Wyant have let families down again and again with the worst plan in Canada. Now, with a week until the delayed return to school, we still have no idea how the government plans to spend the emergency money from Ottawa. Saskatchewan people deserve to know how the federal funding will be used to improve safety in our schools.”