Saskatchewan NDP Caucus

Sask NDP Caucus launches radio campaign to boost northern vaccine rates

LA RONGE – Today, the MLAs for Athabasca and Cumberland, Buckley Belanger and Doyle Vermette, launched a radio campaign to address vaccine hesitancy and boost COVID-19 vaccination rates in the North. While first dose vaccination rates are stalling across the province, Belanger and Vermette are particularly concerned about uptake in their regions.

“The Sask Party government has been missing-in-action in the North. They’ve just completely written us off,” said Belanger. “A lot of folks up here are extremely dependent on community. The way this virus works, we know that folks in the North are especially vulnerable. This government should have prioritized a strategy to get shots into arms in these communities, but they have clearly chosen otherwise.”

Sask. Party’s cuts to education means kids pay price; fewer jobs in Saskatoon

SASKATOON - NDP Leader Ryan Meili and Education Critic Carla Beck blasted the Sask. Party’s cuts to our kids’ classrooms that have now hit the largest school division in the province. Saskatoon Public schools face an $8 million shortfall, forcing staggering reductions to the services our kids need coming out of a pandemic.

“The Premier campaigned on two main promises: balancing the budget and not cutting services,” said Meili. “He lied about both. How can the Premier justify borrowing money and not giving a dime to schools? Kids will return this fall after already sacrificing a year and a half of quality classroom time to COVID-19. How is this acceptable?”

Meili Calls on Sask. Party to follow other provinces and provide Last Mile vaccine incentives

SASKATOON - A week after NDP Leader Ryan Meili called for incentives to address Saskatchewan’s slow first dose numbers, Manitoba Premier Brian Pallister is going ahead with a lottery and Alberta Premier Jason Kenney announced a lottery over the weekend. Meili called on the Sask. Party government to revisit their position against providing an incentive program in Saskatchewan.

“Premier Scott Moe’s failed leadership didn’t move quickly enough to protect Saskatchewan families and businesses from the second and third waves of COVID-19,” said Meili. “Now as we are looking forward to re-opening our province, it’s crucial that our vaccine roll-out does not suffer the same fate.”

Sask. Party’s cuts to education resulting in cuts to services across the province

REGINA – Today, Carla Beck, Official Opposition Education Critic, denounced the very real consequences students and families are facing due to the Sask. Party government’s cuts to education. School boards across Saskatchewan are continuing to take drastic steps and make cuts to staff and services in the lead up to budgets being submitted to the Minister on June 30th.

Statement by Official Opposition Justice Critic Nicole Sarauer on the conversion of the Lloydminster Provincial Court to a circuit court location.

The Statement reads as follows:

This decision is highly disappointing and will have very real consequences for the residents of Lloydminster and surrounding areas. It will inevitably lead to greater waits and costs for residents of the area accessing the justice system.

Saskatchewan New Democrats call for Truth and Reconciliation for the Île-à-la-Crosse and Timber Bay residential schools

REGINA -  NDP Leader Ryan Meili and Betty Nippi-Albright, Critic for Truth and Reconciliation & First Nations and Métis Relations, called on Premier Scott Moe to apologize and take ownership - on behalf of Saskatchewan - for the damage caused to  First Nations and Métis people at the  Île-à-la-Crosse and Timber Bay residential schools.

 “It is long past time that both orders of government fully take responsibility for their respective roles in the abuse, neglect, loss of language and culture, and violence that many First Nations and Métis people were subjected to in these institutions,” said Nippi Albright. “The legacy of the residential schools lives with us to this day. Only by acknowledging and confronting the wrong that was done to Indigenous people and communities can we work to real truth and reconciliation.”