Indicating that the proposed Brandt project in the park should not be allowed to go forward, the Saskatchewan NDP is calling on the Saskatchewan government and Provincial Capital Commission to commit to the following steps to ensure the integrity of developments in Wascana Park, including the future home for CNIB:
Defending universal medicare, NDP calls on Sask. Party to end costly private MRI experiment
Health Ministry officials have refused to clarify whether or not Saskatchewan’s private MRI experiment will continue past April, in violation of the Canada Health Act’s restrictions around for-profit healthcare. In response, NDP Leader Ryan Meili is standing in defense of universal medicare by calling on the Minister of Health to commit that Saskatchewan will abide by the Canada Health Act.
“The Sask. Party’s failed experiment with American-style, two-tier healthcare has done nothing but let people down,” said NDP Leader Ryan Meili. “The province has had two years to come into compliance with the Canada Health Act’s protections for our universal healthcare system, but last week the Health Minister couldn’t say whether or not he would. More people are waiting longer for MRIs so this government can let their wealthy friends jump the queue, and now they’re putting federal health transfers at risk.”
New building permits and jobs numbers show Sask. Party PST on construction labour is letting people down
New numbers from Statistics Canada today show that the value of building permits has plunged 57% year over year and that Saskatchewan had the greatest drop in the value of building permits of all the provinces.
Friday’s jobs numbers also show that there were 6,300 fewer construction jobs in January compared to last year, and a drop of 6,800 construction jobs compared to 2018.
Statement from Provincial Capital Commission Critic Nicole Sarauer on the conditional approval of the Brandt development in Wascana Park
“This process has been deeply flawed from the start, and a simple fact remains: one of the Sask. Party’s largest donors should not be allowed to build a for-profit commercial office building in Wascana Park.
“The Sask. Party can’t have it both ways: either proposed developments must comply with the Wascana Centre Master Plan, or this project goes ahead in its current form. If the Provincial Capital Commission takes the need for public consultations seriously and ensures that any development is fully compliant with the five pillars of the Wascana Centre Master Plan, then that means we’re back to the design phase. That design of a new home for CNIB should be informed by meaningful public consultations to ensure that any development in the park enhances this beautiful public space, instead of opening up for commercial uses and private profit.
NDP Leader Ryan Meili calls on Premier to recall Legislature, impose binding arbitration, and end refinery lockout
“Today I am calling on the Premier to recall the Legislative Assembly in order to introduce legislation that would end the lockout at the Co-op Refinery and impose a fair and neutral binding arbitration process upon Federated Co-op and Unifor Local 594. If the Premier is willing to introduce fair and balanced legislation, New Democrats would work to pass this legislation in one day.
“This dispute needs to end, and it has become clear that a resolution will not be found at the bargaining table or through mediation. This lockout has taken a huge toll on our economy and on people in our province.
Statement from NDP Health Critic Vicki Mowat on Saskatchewan people’s data being breached
“People should be able to trust that their health records are secure -- that's eHealth's most important responsibility, and today’s admission shows that this government has failed to provide that security. We are also extremely disappointed that this government was not straightforward when the initial breach occurred.
“The news that the recent data breach led to public health files being taken is cause for great concern. Even more concerning is that eHealth doesn’t know what those files contained or how much of Saskatchewan people’s health data has been compromised.