Saskatchewan NDP Caucus

NDP gives government deadline for response to budget proposal

Today, Saskatchewan NDP Leader Ryan Meili released a public letter from NDP House Leader Cathy Sproule and called on the government to respond to repeated requests from the opposition for a full budget and the reconvening of the Legislature.

“The Sask. Party and Scott Moe have been writing themselves blank cheques behind closed doors,” said Meili. “Meanwhile, they’re closing hospitals in rural Saskatchewan, even as they start opening up other parts of the province. They’re promising billions of dollars in spending, without telling us how they’ll make sure it goes to Saskatchewan workers and companies.

NDP calls for a plan to ensure health care workers have PPE

As Canada recognizes National Nursing Week and as healthcare workers continue to raise concerns about an insufficient supply of protective equipment, NDP Leader Ryan Meili called for the province to provide a plan to ensure that every worker has the protective equipment they need.

“We hear from so many frontline workers that they are still lacking the equipment they need to keep themselves safe at work,” said Meili. “Particularly in our long-term care centres, too many people don’t have what they need. Over and over again, we’ve been told that there is no shortage of equipment, so why are frontline workers still saying they don’t have what they need?”

NDP calls for government to alleviate prescription costs

With people only able to purchase a month’s worth of prescription medication at a time due to COVID-19, the NDP is calling for the government to provide relief to seniors and low-income people by ensuring government drug plans will cover the additional cost.

“The pandemic is revealing the challenges too many face when filling needed prescriptions,” said NDP Health critic Vicki Mowat. “People in this province shouldn’t be making decisions about whether they can afford to take their medication because of extra dispensing fees. It’s time the government puts people first and makes sure that those who can least afford additional costs are taken care of.”

“Democracy demands it”: Meili calls on Moe to meet on a plan to resume legislative work

Today, NDP Leader Ryan Meili called directly on Premier Moe to meet and negotiate a resumption of legislative business and the introduction of a full budget.

“This spring, Scott Moe was planning to break his own fixed election law, when he ought to have been focused on preparing our pandemic response,” said Meili. “Now it seems that he is attempting to avoid presenting a full budget before sending Saskatchewan people to the polls this fall.”

NDP calls for phase two delay, clarity and support for small business owners

Today NDP Leader Ryan Meili joined with three Saskatchewan salon and barbershop proprietors to raise concerns about the lack of consultation with, and lack of proper guidelines for, businesses allowed to open on May 19th. Meili repeated his call for a delay in phase two of the plan, as case numbers continue to climb, and testing remains below the government’s stated goal of 1,500 per day.

“We’re now just over a week from the start of phase two, but business owners have more questions than answers about how to open safely,” said NDP Leader Ryan Meili. “The province has failed to consult with those affected. They need to step up, listen to local business owners like those joining us today, and provide the guidelines and protections that are needed to ensure a successful and safe reopening of Saskatchewan businesses.”

NDP calls for investment in municipalities for Saskatchewan’s economic recovery

Today, Trent Wotherspoon, NDP Critic for Municipal Relations and Finance, called on the provincial and federal governments to provide additional funding as grants to help compensate for serious revenue losses and interest free loans to support property tax deferrals to municipalities impacted by COVID-19. The NDP is also calling for the provincial government to invest in Saskatchewan’s economic recovery by removing the PST from construction labour for municipal projects. 

“Mayors and councillors across our province are stepping up in so many ways to ensure people have the essential services they need as we all deal with the economic fallout from this pandemic,” Wotherspoon said. “But with facilities like rinks and swimming pools closed, and with far fewer people taking public transit, these local leaders are facing massive revenue shortfalls that they simply cannot respond to adequately on their own. The province needs to work with the federal government to support our cities, towns, villages and rural municipalities.”