Privacy Commissioner Report Finds No Reason for Withholding Information
Today the Saskatchewan NDP called on the Sask. Party to stop hiding the cost of fixing Saskatchewan's crumbling schools, pointing to the latest Privacy Commissioner Report, which found no reason for withholding the information.
On October 1st, 2019 the NDP requested the cost of needed repairs and the average Facility Condition Index (FCI) for each school division from the Ministry of Education. The government released the FCI but withheld the Ministry’s numbers for how much it would cost to get each division’s schools in order.
After repeated attempts by the government to block the release of the information, the Privacy Commissioner released a report on Sept. 4th 2020 stating that the Government had no valid reason for withholding this information from the public and made the recommendation that it be released in its entirety. The government has yet to do so.
“With the added costs to school divisions of accommodating COVID-19 requirements the Sask Party must be transparent in the real costs our province is facing,” said NDP Education Critic Carla Beck. “Enough of this shell game. School divisions, parents and teachers deserve to know what we’re up against. Kids deserve schools that aren’t falling apart.”
What is known is that the province suffers a massive infrastructure deficit with $1.3 billion being required to fix Saskatchewan’s crumbling schools. The Sask Party’s refusal to provide a breakdown means that there is no clear picture of which school divisions, communities or constituencies are getting repairs and which ones are being left behind.
“I have to ask why the government has tried so hard to hide this information? Why they repeatedly denied requests for this data,” said Beck. “How come they don’t want people to know which schools in this province need the most repairs?”
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.