As the province lays out conditions for school closures to arrest the spread of COVID-19, the Saskatchewan NDP is calling on the government to commit to supports for school workers who need to self-isolate while schools remain open, and supports for families and staff in the event of closure.
NDP Leader Ryan Meili outlines public health protection measures to slow the spread of COVID-19
NDP Leader Ryan Meili called on the government to quickly introduce a series of public health protection measures to flatten the curve of COVID-19, protect Saskatchewan people, and limit the strains on our healthcare system.
NDP call for concrete action to address domestic violence in Saskatchewan
The NDP is calling on the Sask. Party to act to help women fleeing interpersonal violence by finally proclaiming Clare’s Law into force, and by committing funding to the YWCA’s Centre for Women and Families in Regina.
“The government has technically passed Clare’s Law, which allows police to warn partners of someone's violent or abusive past, but they haven’t yet proclaimed it into force,” said NDP Deputy Leader and Justice Critic Nicole Sarauer. “The Minister for the Status of Women rejects the notion this government ‘hasn’t done enough,’ but they haven’t even done the things they’ve been taking credit for doing. They’re letting down far too many women throughout the province who are trying to escape interpersonal violence.”
NDP, parents of son who died by suicide after being turned away from mental health centre call for fixes to mental health system
NDP Leader Ryan Meili and Mental Health and Addictions Critic Danielle Chartier were joined by Carey Rigby-Wilcox and her husband Rich Wilcox at the Legislature today as they shared their son Steven’s tragic story and advocated for change.
“What happened with Steven, Carey and Rich is something that no parent or no one facing a mental health crisis should have to go through,” Chartier said. “It points to the glaring holes that the province has in its mental health system and how the government’s lack of action is letting people down.”
“Take the time to get it right:” Meili calls for clarity and accuracy in 2020 budget
In light of the global economic impact of COVID-19, NDP Leader Ryan Meili called for clarity and transparency from the provincial government when it comes to the fiscal picture they’ll present in the 2020 budget, including pushing back budget day to allow time to update the fiscal assumptions, and ensuring full debate on the budget in the legislature.
“Our economy has already been rocked by the fast-spreading COVID-19 virus, and the consequences for Saskatchewan people have barely begun to be felt,” said Meili. When every $1 decrease in the price of a barrel of oil removes $15 million from our budget, it’s only reasonable that the government should revisit their assumptions to ensure we’re facing these challenges honestly.”
Hospital woes continue in North Battleford, NDP calls for public hospital in PA
Meili calls on Sask. Party not to repeat hospital-build failures following flood of sewage, boil-water advisory, and credit downgrade
The Saskatchewan Hospital in North Battleford is currently on a boil-water advisory and sewage has flooded the basement, according to an internal memo obtained by the Saskatchewan NDP.
“This new facility has been an unmitigated disaster because of the Sask. Party’s embrace of a P3 model that rewarded shoddy construction by out-of-province companies,” said NDP Leader Ryan Meili. “The walls, roof, and plumbing have all needed to be redone. There has been extensive flooding leading to mould damage. Staff and residents have been left drinking poisoned water. And now the basement has been inundated with raw sewage and patients are unable to use the water to bathe. What is the Sask. Party doing to address these failures, and how can we expect that their promised PA hospital rebuild will turn out any better?”