Saskatchewan NDP Caucus

NDP joins concerned family member of long-term care residents in calling for legislated minimum care standards

NDP Leader Ryan Meili and Seniors’ Critic Danielle Chartier today urged the Premier to listen to the experience of Dianne Morgan, who has stepped forward to share her parents’ experience with Saskatchewan’s Long-term Care system, instead of doubling down on defending his government’s non-legislated and unenforceable guidelines in long-term care homes. 

Dianne’s parents both suffered from inadequate care as residents in a care facility in Regina as recently as last year. She described her mother’s experience as horrible, with four residents to a room and nothing but a curtain on the washroom door, and residents waiting over an hour for call bells to be answered because there were never enough staff. Dianne raised concerns about her mother’s dramatic 50 lb. weight loss and bedsores. 

NDP calls for minimum care standards for long-term care homes, release of CEO Tour report

With conditions in long-term care homes under scrutiny across Canada, NDP Health Critic Vicki Mowat and Seniors’ Critic Danielle Chartier called today for the release of the CEO Tour report, and for the reestablishment of minimum care standards and staffing ratios, which the Sask. Party scrapped in 2011. 

“The situation in Ontario and Quebec shone a light on deplorable conditions in seniors’ care homes. We know that Saskatchewan has followed Ontario’s playbook of scrapping legislated care standards and expanding for-profit care, and has seen many of the same problems Ontario has,” said Chartier. “While we are thankful this pandemic has not yet entered our long-term care homes, that does not mean similar conditions don’t exist or that our system could manage if it does. Now is the time to dedicate the resources needed to ensure seniors get the care they need — this means re-establishing minimum care standards and ensuring funding is adequate to meet those standards.” 

“Pre-existing service disruptions” widespread for years, NDP calls for action on rural healthcare access

In response to yesterday’s Sask. Party government announcement that three of the 12 recently shuttered rural ERs will remain closed indefinitely due to “pre-existing service disruptions,” the Saskatchewan NDP is joining rural healthcare advocates in calling on the provincial government to act quickly to address funding shortfalls and staffing shortages so that Saskatchewan people can access the healthcare they need.

“According to data we obtained through Freedom of Information, 11 of these facilities have faced years of service disruptions — no wonder residents worry that the current closures could become permanent,” said NDP Health Critic Vicki Mowat. “Especially with experts warning us to prepare for a possible second wave of COVID-19, now is the time to fix these long-standing issues and address the gaps in rural healthcare in our province.”

NDP Leader Ryan Meili statement on the re-opening of the Legislature

“After weeks of pressure from the NDP Opposition, the public and the media, today we won an important victory for democracy. 

“We look forward to returning to the Legislature to push for an economic recovery plan that puts people first. And we’ll continue to push for accountability and answers to the government’s handling of COVID-19 and its economic fall-out.

Joint Release: Legislative Assembly to meet June 15 to July 3

Government House Leader Jeremy Harrison and Opposition House Leader Cathy Sproule today announced that they have agreed to a modified arrangement for the Legislative Assembly to meet starting in June.

The Assembly will meet for 14 days from June 15 to July 3 with sittings from Monday to Friday each week.  There will be no sitting on Canada Day, July 1.  Only 10 government members and five opposition members will be in the Assembly at any time in order to ensure safe physical distancing.

NDP slams fresh “blank cheque” special warrant, calls for full budget debate

With the Sask. Party government writing itself yet another blank cheque in the form of a $56,000,000 special warrant, the Saskatchewan NDP is calling for the government to reopen the Legislature with sufficient time to properly scrutinize and pass a budget.

“Yet again, Scott Moe and the Sask. Party are writing themselves blank cheques behind closed doors” said NDP Finance Critic Trent Wotherspoon. “Meanwhile, Saskatchewan people wait in vain for the government to present a comprehensive plan to guide the recovery from COVID-19.”