The Annual Report for SaskPower was released today and makes it clear that the Sask. Party’s mismanagement, scandal, and waste are hurting SaskPower and costing Saskatchewan people
“SaskPower belongs to all Saskatchewan people and has served us well, but the Sask. Party has been hurting our public power company and making all of us as rate payers – from Saskatchewan families to business owners – pay the price with repeated rate hikes,” said NDP SaskPower Critic Cathy Sproule. “Since coming to power, the Sask. Party has hiked rates by 40 per cent. That means that the average family’s power bill has gone up by about $500 a year, just to pay for the Sask. Party’s with their mismanagement, scandal, and waste.”
Mismanagement: Despite federal rules to cap coal-generated emissions that were announced in 2012 and come into effect in 2019 as well as the Sask. Party’s own stated target of achieving 50 per cent renewable energy by 2030, the Sask. Party have yet to provide any details of any realistic plan to address either target.
Scandal: When it came time for the land deal at the heart of the Sask. Party’s scandal, the GTH was only able to afford paying the Sask. Party supporter because of a separate sale of land from the GTH to SaskPower for $25 million - almost exactly the same price. Since the SaskPower has still not used the land for anything and, at the time, one Sask. Party Minister was responsible for both the GTH and SaskPower, many questions remain about who was served by this purchase.
Waste: The Sask. Party’s $1.5 billion carbon capture boondoggle has forced higher power rates on Saskatchewan families and small businesses - four power rate increases in just two years. Still, despite ongoing and costly problems, the Sask. Party is stubbornly sticking with CCS and won’t commit to not expanding it to other units at Boundary Dam.
“The Sask. Party’s lack of viable plan to reach their supposed renewable energy goals, their scheme to implicate SaskPower in their GTH scandal, and their costly, job-killing carbon capture tax are driving SaskPower into the ground and driving the costs to Saskatchewan rate payers, sky high,” Sproule said.
Poor working conditions, favouritism, $300K travel nurse pay at issue
REGINA - Today, the Official Opposition released a letter signed by 49 emergency room nurses in Saskatoon. The letter slams the Sask. Party government for failing to support Saskatchewan nurses and curb the province’s reliance on expensive out-of-province travel nurses.
REGINA - Today, Official Opposition Critic for First Nations and Métis Relations Betty Nippi-Albright hosted a Day of Action with Indigenous leaders from Nekaneet First Nation, Yellow Quill First Nation, Waterhen Lake First Nation, Onion Lake Cree Nation, Carry The Kettle First Nation, Key First Nation and the residential school support team from Yorkton Tribal Council. Together, they continue to draw attention to the Sask. Party government’s disregard for the Duty to Consult process.
MOOSE JAW - Today, the Official Opposition stood with Taylor Enns, president of the Moose Jaw Firefighters Association, and Brayden Dutchak, the son of a cancer survivor. Together, they called on the Sask. Party government to reopen Saskatchewan’s only hyperbaric chamber.
Records show former Sask. Party Finance Minister lobbied for Calgary surgery scheme on behalf of a major Sask. Party donor
REGINA - Today, the Official Opposition grilled the Premier and his Minister of Health after the Minister misled the public, claiming that he had not been lobbied by a former Sask. Party MLA when Saskatchewan's official lobbyist logs show the exact opposite.