Saskatchewan NDP Caucus

Meili calls for direct financial aid for Saskatchewan people

With many people facing lay-offs or reduced income as the end of the month approaches, NDP Leader Ryan Meili is calling on Scott Moe to provide direct, immediate financial aid to Saskatchewan people. Rather than creating various categories of people who will be eligible for financial aid, the province needs to prioritize speed with a far-reaching aid package. 

“The plans released to date leave too many falling through the cracks. To keep our economy afloat and to ensure people are able to cover their basic needs, we need the province to take quick action,” said Meili. “We are calling on Scott Moe to provide immediate direct support for people in Saskatchewan.”

NDP calls for emergency measures to support small businesses and self-employed individuals

Today NDP Finance Critic Trent Wotherspoon called on the provincial government to rapidly expand support for small businesses and self-employed individuals affected by COVID-19 to assist them in doing what’s necessary to limit the spread.

“Small businesses are the heart of our communities and key drivers of our economy. These local leaders are faced with incredible hardship with this unprecedented situation,” said Wotherspoon. “We need to urgently act to support entrepreneurs and local businesses to ensure that they and their employees can get through this terribly difficult time and so that they are in a position to rebuild when we come through this, not permanently shuttered.”

Meili calls for action on child care to prevent spread of COVID-19, support child care workers

The Saskatchewan NDP is calling on the government to make clear their plan for child care closures, and how child care workers will receive financial support as centres close. 

“Many other provinces have already moved to close child care centres,” said NDP Leader Ryan Meili. “Today, we are calling on the province to work with leaders in the sector to put forward a clear plan to close child care centres in Saskatchewan, and to provide a plan for how to ensure that people working on the frontlines of the response to COVID-19 are able to access safe child care.”

Now is the time for action, financial aid, economic stimulus: NDP

In response to the Sask. Party’s introduction of outdated estimates in place of a 2020-21 budget, NDP Leader Ryan Meili called the Sask. Party’s gesture a failed response to the arrival of COVID-19, and called on Scott Moe to take urgent action to support Saskatchewan people’s health and economic wellbeing.

“People in Saskatchewan were already struggling to make ends meet before COVID-19 upended our lives and our economy,” said Meili. “Today federal measures were announced today that will reduce some of the pressure. Now we as a province need to step up immediately with matching measures to flatten the curve, support the delivery of health services, and get Saskatchewan people and businesses the support they need to weather this difficult moment.”