Today, NDP Leader Dwain Lingenfelter called for fundamental changes to the province’s disaster relief program, saying that the Wall government had to deliver a much faster and more comprehensive effort to get relief money into the hands of Saskatchewan people who are in desperate need of help.

"An unprecedented disaster such as we are seeing this summer calls for a fundamentally new approach," said Lingenfelter. "Only a fully revamped disaster relief program has a chance of meeting the needs of the families, communities and businesses affected by the flooding."

"I’ve toured the flooded areas and talked to many residents who are still waiting for disaster assistance and for damage assessments to be finalized. There can be no clearer sign than this that the current program is not working, and that the Wall government is failing the people of Saskatchewan. They are simply taking far too long to get relief money into the hands of these victims." Lingenfelter charged.

"In some cases, we hear from business owners who are being told they must pay up front for repairs with no definite assurance of the amount of assistance they will receive from the government. They could be left with crippling debts, having made repairs government officials encouraged them to undertake," said Lingenfelter.

Lingenfelter also noted that some homeowners have been offered payments of only $10,000 for their flood-damaged houses. "In some cases, such payments will cover only a fraction of the damage to the home, let alone paying for a new place to live. How does the Wall government expect people to put their lives back together with such limited help?"

"The needs of the families, businesses and local governments whose property has been damaged or destroyed must be at the centre of the government’s plan. Right now, that’s not the case. It’s time for the Wall government to focus its attention on what matters most," said Lingenfelter.

"If the Provincial Disaster Assistance Program is to be effective for the thousands of families and businesses hit by this summer’s severe weather, the Wall government must eliminate the $160-thousand limit for disaster assistance, because many families and businesses are facing losses well above this outdated limit. The program should also be changed to provide 100% coverage of losses rather than the current 80%. Finally, damage assessments should be based on the current replacement value of homes, businesses or other property," Lingenfelter suggested.

"Community leaders from Yorkton, Maple Creek, North Battleford, Saskatoon and areas throughout Saskatchewan are in desperate need of assistance. We have seen nothing but resilience and determination from Saskatchewan people but it’s time the Wall government quit stalling and come forward with a much more comprehensive plan to get relief cheques immediately into the hands of those that need help most" Lingenfelter concluded.

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According to Statistics Canada, under the Wall government, Saskatchewan had the highest cost of living increase in all of Canada?

"We do not have a gang or a violence issue in our provincial correctional system."

- Corrections Minister Darryl Hickie

Wall Government's broken promises of growth and prosperity...
May 6, 2010
"Today we find out that the economy of Saskatchewan didn't grow last year; in fact it shrank by 6.9 per cent. There's 6.9 per cent less production across the province in 2009 than there was in 2008. And in fact the GDP of the province is now the same size as it was in 2005. We've gone backwards five years, and we are further behind than we were when Brad became premier by about five per cent." -NDP Leader Dwain Lingenfelter, Southwest Booster