In the wake of the new Saskatchewan Hospital in North Battleford needing a new roof only months after opening, the NDP is calling for a full facility audit.
“Saskatchewan taxpayers are on the hook for this $400 million P3 and will be on the hook for paying millions of dollars more to SNC Lavalin in yearly maintenance bills. How is it that the roof of this brand-new building already needs to be replaced, and what other infrastructure issues may exist?” asked NDP SaskBuilds Critic Cathy Sproule.
The NDP is calling on the Sask. Party government to reverse its decision to move essential Child and Family Programs staff out of St. Thomas Wesley United Church and relocate them downtown. The important services provided by these staff are vital to the community, and to move them against the community’s wishes is short-sighted.
“The church members, community, and all who benefit from the programs provided at St. Thomas Wesley have spoken out against this move, but the government hasn’t listened,” said NDP Social Services Critic Nicole Rancourt. “St. Thomas Wesley is an ideal location. It’s close to other services, such as the Friendship Inn, White Buffalo Youth Lodge and Station 20 West, and it’s close to the community it seeks to serve. To move Child and Family Programs out of the community is a step in the wrong direction when it comes to making essential services accessible. Especially after this government’s harmful cut to the Rental Housing Supplement, this will only further hurt our most vulnerable.”
“We are deeply disappointed and concerned that we are once again seeing building flaws at the P3 Saskatchewan Hospital in North Battleford. We certainly hope the impact to staff, patients and their families is minimal.
“The fact of the matter is that the Sask. Party tied Saskatchewan people into this risky and costly P3 contract with an out of province conglomerate and the process has come with a fair share of delays.
With the appointment of Justice Neil Robertson to the Court of Queen’s Bench, the NDP is calling for his initial report into issues with the Northern Village of Pinehouse to be made public.
“For years the people of Pinehouse have been trying to get the provincial government to shine a light on and help deal with important concerns they have with town council – how they have handled freedom of information requests as well as glaring financial irregularities,” said NDP Ethics and Democracy Critic David Forbes. “Justice Robertson was in charge of the inquiry into the matters with Pinehouse council and we thank him for his good work, but his appointment will only further delay getting to the bottom of this.”
New reports from Moody’s and Statistics Canada are showing how the Sask. Party’s hike to PST on construction labour has caused a significant downturn in that industry, leading the NDP to renew its call to scrap the hike.
“The construction industry was dealt a blow by the Sask. Party government and has endured significant downfall and job loss,” said NDP Finance Critic Trent Wotherspoon. “They hit the brakes on an industry that was already slowing, and the damage is definitely showing with more and more Saskatchewan people and companies looking for work.”
Throughout this spring’s legislative session, the NDP Opposition has brought a strong and consistent focus on putting people first, from standing up for students, teachers and parents against the cuts to education, to calling out Sask. Party cuts to social programs that hurt the most vulnerable, to pushing for action on mental health and addictions, emergency wait times, and climate change.
“This session has been about putting people first, whether it was our successful stand with students and teachers to save Cornwall Alternative School, or getting Nicole Sarauer’s bill passed to provide paid leave for victims of domestic and sexual violence,” said NDP Leader Ryan Meili. “While Moe and the Sask. Party were pointing fingers to distract from the ways their policies have made life harder for people, we brought forward bold ideas to tackle climate change while creating thousands of jobs with Renew Saskatchewan, and elevated the voices and concerns of Saskatchewan people by raising questions shared with us by members of the public.”