It has been nearly a week since the Sask. Party introduced their budget that hiked taxes on Saskatchewan families and small businesses while handing over millions in tax giveaways to large corporations and the province’s wealthy and well-connected.
Here’s a sample of what they're saying about the Sask. Party’s budget:
On cuts to cities:
“This is a budget that comes like a thief in the night.”
-Former Sask. Party Candidate and Regina Ward 2 Councillor Bob Hawkins
“This is a transfer of a tax burden from one level of government to another because they can,”
-Former Conservative Candidate and Saskatoon Ward 5 Councillor. Randy Donauer
“It came out of nowhere. Many municipalities have already set their budgets and that's why there's some angst and concern and anger from this council.”
“This is out of the blue. It’s a total blindside.”
-Moose Jaw City Manager Matt Noble
“Just to pass along what’s been dumped on our plate would need a 10 per cent increase in taxes.”
“Well, outrage is putting it lightly, we were absolutely blindsided by this budget.”
-North Battleford Mayor Ryan Bater
On Sask. Party tax increases:
“Sales have already been down this year over last year, and I expect we’re going to see sales down further.”
- Flip Eatery co-owner Timothy Martin
“This is probably the highest, the biggest tax hike that we’ve seen among Saskatchewan’s history”
-CFIB Vice President Marilyn Braun-Pollon
"It's going to have a huge impact on affordability,"
-Christiane Guérette, CEO of the Saskatoon & Region Home Builders' Association
“I wish they did not propose an increase because there will be more pressure on family finances."
On selling-off STC:
"For them to slap this out there with no notice, no talk about it, it's just a major blow."
"I think there are a lot of cancer patients worried about what this will mean for them. We do know we have a lot of people from Prince Albert, Yorkton-Melville who have used the STC bus service to come into Regina and Saskatoon.”
-Donna Pasiechnik, Canadian Cancer Society
On cuts to post-secondary education:
“It’s really like the government lives in an alternate reality. They don’t understand the struggles that people are faced with.”
-University of Regina Student’s Union President Jermain McKenzie
On cuts to public libraries:
“It was a huge disappointment that libraries were not forewarned or consulted with given the severity of the budget cuts.”
-Saskatchewan Library Trustees Association Executive Director Nancy Kennedy
“This is going to have a disproportionate impact on rural communities in the province”
-Lakelands Library Director Eleanor Crumblehume
On making cuts to the most vulnerable:
“If we’re going to make cuts towards the most vulnerable people in the province, we think it adds insult to injury to be looking at corporate tax cuts and tax cuts to the wealthy,”
-Peter Gilmer, Regina Anti-Poverty Ministry
“After hurting the poorest of the poor in our province, this government brought in a tax cut for corporations.”
-Saskatoon Star Phoenix Columnist Jordon Cooper
The Sask. Party’s tax hikes and deep cuts, all while still running a massive deficit and adding billions to the debt, make it clear that they have forgotten who they are supposed to be working for.
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.