Archives for June 2010

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Wall Government Fails Sun Country Health Region
Posted: June 30, 2010
NDP Health critic Judy Junor today questioned the Wall government’s judgment in hiring, and now defending, the Vice-president of Finance and Corporate Services of the Sun Country Health Region. Junor said media reports out of Moosomin and Carlyle indicate that Hal Schmidt was fired by a hospital b
Wall’s Cabinet Shuffle Highlights Incompetence
Posted: June 29, 2010
NDP Leader Dwain Lingenfelter said the Wall Government’s cabinet shuffle today only highlights the incompetence of cabinet ministers. Lingenfelter charged that Wall’s cabinet shuffle fails to address the Wall Government’s financial mismanagement, fails to make good on its broken promises in health
Junor Makes Second Stop on Rural Healthcare Tour
Posted: June 25, 2010
Residents of Wawota concerned about long-term bed closures   NDP Health critic Judy Junor made the second stop on her tour of communities affected by the Wall government’s cuts to healthcare in Wawota yesterday. Junor met with and heard the concerns of families who are feelin
NDP Urges Wall Government to Adopt Summary Financial Reporting
Posted: June 24, 2010
Mismanagement and deception highlight importance of change   In light of the Wall government’s continued financial mismanagement and deception, NDP Finance critic Trent Wotherspoon today urged the Wall government to budget on a summary financial basis. Wotherspoon said the change is nece
Public Accounts Confirms Damaging Financial Management
Posted: June 24, 2010
With the release of the 2009-10 Public Accounts Vol. 1 today, NDP Finance critic Trent Wotherspoon characterized it as the final word on a dismal year of financial management and harmful impacts on Saskatchewan families and businesses. Wotherspoon noted that the document reveals a massive increase
Wall Appoints Sask Party Insider as CEO of Crown Investments Corporation
Posted: June 23, 2010
Crowns at further risk of privatization, profit stripping, increased debt   NDP critic for Crown Investments Corporation (CIC) Kevin Yates said today that the appointment of a senior Sask Party insider to President and CEO of CIC is political patronage of the highest level and puts Saska
NDP Presses for Immediate Disaster Assistance Payouts
Posted: June 23, 2010
NDP Leader Dwain Lingenfelter called on the Wall Government today to provide immediate advance payments from the Provincial Disaster Assistance Program (PDAP) to those affected by heavy flooding throughout the province, which has resulted in significant damage to property. Lingenfelter said that p
Public Health Programs at Risk in Saskatoon Health Region
Posted: June 23, 2010
The Wall government’s financial mismanagement has led to cuts in public health services in the Saskatoon Health Region (SHR) said NDP Health critic Judy Junor today. Junor said that public health professionals in the region are telling her that those services are being reduced and that many preven
Wall Gov’t Fails to Understand Cost Implications of ‘Truth in Sentencing’ Act
Posted: June 22, 2010
NDP House Leader Kevin Yates blasted the Wall Government today for failing to understand the true cost implications of supporting the federal government’s Truth in Sentencing Act. Yates argued that the Wall Government publicly supported and pushed for the Truth in Sentencing Act to pass before kno
NDP Says Producers and Communities Deserve Immediate and Adequate Response to Flooding Crisis
Posted: June 22, 2010
With heavy rain and continued moisture damaging already-seeded crops or preventing producers from getting onto their fields this spring at all, NDP Leader and Agriculture critic Dwain Lingenfelter continued to press for immediate and adequate assistance from the provincial and federal governments.
NDP Says Questions Remain over SCN Sell-Off
Posted: June 21, 2010
With today’s announcement that the Saskatchewan Communications Network (SCN) has been sold to Bluepoint Investment Corporation, a private investment firm with no broadcasting experience, NDP Tourism, Parks, Culture and Sport critic Danielle Chartier continued to question the move. She reiterated t
NDP Celebrates National Aboriginal Day
Posted: June 21, 2010
NDP Leader Dwain Lingenfelter and First Nations and Métis critic Warren McCall joined hundreds of people today in celebrating National Aboriginal Day. Lingenfelter said people across Saskatchewan are coming together to honour and celebrate the achievements and contributions of Canada’s Aboriginal
It’s Time to Make Tenant Insurance More Accessible
Posted: June 21, 2010
NDP Social Services Critic David Forbes along with representatives of the Insurance Brokers’ Association of Saskatchewan (IBAS) and Quint Development Corporation today called for a dialogue between the insurance industry, community-based organizations and the provincial government on how to make t
Wall Government Slow to Respond to Flood Crisis
Posted: June 18, 2010
Producers, Small Businesses and Municipalities Affected NDP Leader and Agriculture critic Dwain Lingenfelter said today that the Wall Government’s slow reaction to the flooding crisis in rural Saskatchewan is hurting producers, small businesses and municipalities. He said heavy rainfall and exc
Rising Rents Point to Need for Debate on Rent Control
Posted: June 17, 2010
NDP Social Services Critic David Forbes, today said that a recent rental market report from Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC), which indicates that rents continue to rise dramatically despite the vacancy rate edging upwards, points to the need for a debate on some form of rent control
NDP Outlines Changes Needed in Upcoming Cabinet Shuffle
Posted: June 17, 2010
With a shuffle of the provincial cabinet likely to happen within the next two weeks, NDP Leader Dwain Lingenfelter said while the majority of Wall’s ministers have underperformed or have been downright incompetent, he singled out a few that deserve to be relegated to the back benches. Health Mi
Wall Delaying Assistance to Producers Affected by Flood Crisis
Posted: June 16, 2010
Offers only “hope” that federal government will contribute assistance   NDP Leader and Agriculture critic Dwain Lingenfelter said today that the Wall government’s slow reaction to the flooding crisis in rural Saskatchewan continues to hurt producers unable to seed or reap the ben
Wall Government Lax on Privacy Issues
Posted: June 16, 2010
NDP Justice critic Frank Quennell criticized the Wall Government today for failing to protect Saskatchewan people’s privacy. Quennell cited recent privacy breaches by arm’s length government agencies as a rising cause for concern, and said that in an age of information sharing and electronic stora
Wall Government Cuts Force Reduction of Police Patrols in Wascana Centre
Posted: June 15, 2010
NDP critic for Tourism, Parks, Culture and Sport Danielle Chartier said the Wall government’s fiscal mismanagement is jeopardizing the safety of those who will use and enjoy Wascana Centre this summer. Chartier pointed to the elimination of a $600,000 transfer to Wascana Centre Authority which has
NDP Decries Wall Government Mosquito Control as ‘Too Little, Too Late’
Posted: June 15, 2010
After taking the short-sighted step of cutting funding for mosquito control programs earlier this spring, the Wall government has flip-flopped for the second time in less than a week, now realizing its decision was unworkable. NDP critic for Tourism, Parks, Culture and Sport Danielle Chartier char
NDP Criticizes Wall's 'Fee-for-Access' Political Fundraiser
Posted: June 14, 2010
NDP Employment critic and MLA for Saskatoon Massey Place Cam Broten today characterized the Sask Party’s decision to grant privileged access to Brad Wall and members of his cabinet for $6,000 as inappropriate influence peddling. With only certain individuals or businesses capable of paying the lar
Wall Government Failing Children in Foster Care
Posted: June 12, 2010
NDP Social Services critic David Forbes said that it is clear the Wall government has made no commitment to address the serious problems within the Ministry of Social Services and is joining in the call for an inquiry into the tragic death of a 22-month old baby who died while in foster care near
Producers Abandoned by the Wall Government
Posted: June 11, 2010
NDP Leader and Agriculture critic Dwain Lingenfelter criticized the Wall Government for cutting $100 million from the Agriculture budget and for failing to have a plan to provide emergency assistance to struggling producers. At the time the budget was read the NDP opposition warned of the ramifica
Wall Government Fails to Put Patients First
Posted: June 10, 2010
NDP Health critic Judy Junor said given recent events in the Saskatoon Health Region, unanswered questions remain regarding the proposed Children’s Hospital and healthcare services for the upcoming year. She noted that the panel charged with recommending a site for the Children’s Hospital has chos
Wall Government Forces School Divisions to Cut Educational Assistants
Posted: June 10, 2010
NDP Education Critic Pat Atkinson criticized the Wall government today for forcing school divisions to cut the number of educational assistants (EAs) in Saskatchewan. The Ministry of Education’s Enhancing Opportunities document, which was released earlier this spring, outlined the Wall government’
Leader Residents Declare Lack of Healthcare Services a Crisis
Posted: June 10, 2010
NDP Health critic Judy Junor attended a community meeting in the town of Leader yesterday, the first of many meetings to come on the state of rural healthcare in Saskatchewan, and said according to over a hundred residents who came to voice their concerns, the situation there is nothing less than
Lingenfelter Calls for $100 Per Acre Payment for Unseeded Acres, Flooded and Unestablished Crops
Posted: June 10, 2010
NDP Leader and Agriculture critic Dwain Lingenfelter today called on the Wall and Harper governments for compensation of $100 per acre for Saskatchewan farmers unable to seed their crops due to this spring’s record rainfall. “Estimates are that as much as five million acres of Saskatchewan farm
Wall Government Sucks Life Out of Mosquito Control Program and it Comes Back to Bite Them
Posted: June 9, 2010
After sucking the funding out of the mosquito control program as a harmful budget cut, the Wall government today had to admit their decision was a bad one, NDP House Leader Kevin Yates said. “Specialists warned of the dangers of cutting mosquito control programs and now Saskatchewan people are suf
Lingenfelter Meets with Farmers, RMs, Businesses Affected by Wet Weather
Posted: June 9, 2010
NDP Leader and Agriculture critic Dwain Lingenfelter traveled to areas of east central Saskatchewan today to meet with local producers, officials, and business people and to tour areas of the province currently affected by heavy flooding. He said calls to his office regarding the devastating situa
NDP Kicks Off Rural Healthcare Outreach
Posted: June 8, 2010
NDP Health critic Judy Junor will be in the town of Leader today as hundreds of residents are expected to gather to express concerns about the state of healthcare in their community. Junor, accompanied by NDP Leader Dwain Lingenfelter, will kick off a province-wide outreach tour of rural and remot
Wall Government Fails to Protect Your Privacy
Posted: June 8, 2010
NDP House Leader Kevin Yates blasted the Wall Government today for failing to protect the private information of Saskatchewan people. Yates criticized the Wall Government for neglecting to make public its policy on privacy breaches and the consequence of employees who inappropriately access system
Wall Government Scraps Saskatchewan Savings Bonds
Posted: June 4, 2010
NDP Finance critic Trent Wotherspoon blasted the Wall government today for quietly scrapping the Saskatchewan Savings Bond program. Saskatchewan Savings Bonds were introduced in 1992 to help deal with the fiscal mess left behind by the Devine Conservative government. Wotherspoon questioned why the
Wall Government Excludes Majority of Producers from AgriRecovery Program
Posted: June 4, 2010
NDP Leader and Agriculture critic Dwain Lingenfelter condemned the Wall Government today for excluding the majority of livestock producers from being eligible to apply for financial assistance from the joint federal-provincial AgriRecovery Program during times of extreme drought. “Livestock pro
Wall Government’s Track Record on Jobs Proves They Cannot Be Trusted
Posted: June 4, 2010
NDP Employment Critic Cam Broten pointed today to the Wall Government’s track record on jobs as further proof that the Wall Government’s incompetence is a threat to our province’s future. Data released from Statistics Canada this morning shows that the number of unemployed people in Saskatc
Auditor’s Report Confirms Wall Government’s Financial Mismanagement
Posted: June 3, 2010
NDP Finance critic Trent Wotherspoon said the latest report by the Provincial Auditor confirms the Wall government’s dismal record of financial management in allocating taxpayer dollars and echoes the concerns of New Democrats regarding the increasing practice of contracting out information techno
Wall Gov't Hand-Picked Candidate Heavily Subsidized by the Saskatchewan Taxpayer
Posted: June 3, 2010
NDP SaskPower critic Warren McCall said the Wall government has confirmed that its hand-picked candidate in the constituency of Regina Northeast, Kevin Doherty, was paid more than $49,000 in moving expenses and offered a salary of $210,000 as a SaskPower executive to entice him to move back to Sas
NDP Plans Outreach to Address Rural Doctor Shortage
Posted: June 2, 2010
NDP Health critic Judy Junor outlined today steps the Opposition New Democrats will take in coming months to find solutions to the physician shortage plaguing rural Saskatchewan. Junor said unfulfilled promises and underfunding health regions on the part of the Wall government have left doctor vac
Wall Government Privatizing Your Health Care
Posted: June 1, 2010
NDP Health critic Judy Junor blasted the Wall Government today for signaling that public dollars would pay for third-party operated CT scans. Junor criticized the Wall Government for handing over the control of Saskatchewan’s publicly funded health care system to the private sector. “The Wall G
Wall's Deception Hits All-Time Low
Posted: June 1, 2010
NDP Finance critic Trent Wotherspoon took issue today with a host of inaccurate and misleading statistics contained in a recent Sask Party brochure. Wotherspoon said the brochure’s claims regarding the provincial debt, taxes, and healthcare were particularly egregious. “This recent brochure is
The Wall Government Hurts Community Based Organizations
Posted: June 1, 2010
NDP Regina Elphinstone Centre MLA Warren McCall condemned the Wall Government’s decision to end the practice of leasing Central Vehicle Agency (CVA) vehicles to community-based organizations (CBOs). McCall questioned Minister Tell’s motives for the cut since the program operated on a cost-recovery


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Deb Higgins
Moose Jaw Wakamow
...

In September of 2005, the Saskatchewan Party promised to take action to reduce the cost of gas at the pumps, yet they have done nothing.

"They’re looking at, for lack of a better word, some surgical tourism. People coming up to British Columbia, spending some time in British Columbia, being able to get the procedure."

- Minister of Health, Don McMorris

Wall Government's budget: a deficit of honesty...
December 11, 2009
It's hard to figure which of Wall's notions was more idiotically comical - that he now seems to think he's the first Saskatchewan politician to ever be criticized for such financial jiggery-pokery or that he could possibly feel hard-done-by by the media? ...Governments that dig deep financial holes and then try to cover them up will always be criticized. So Wall - who used to do the criticizing - now feels unfairly treated because...? -Murray Mandryk, The Leader-Post