REGINA - New Democratic Party Education Critic Carla Beck criticized the government for fudging the budget numbers and hiding what amounts to a cut to the classroom in Budget 2021.
“Saskatchewan classrooms were overcrowded and under-funded before COVID-19 and the Sask. Party’s failure to contain the pandemic when they had the chance has put our kids in an even tougher spot,” said Beck. “That the Sask. Party government would choose this year - of all years - to cut funding to our classrooms is a shocking betrayal of Saskatchewan kids, families and educators.”
In yesterday’s Education Budget release, the government states: “Saskatchewan's 27 school divisions will receive $1.96 billion in school operating funding for the 2021-22 school year, an increase of $19.2 million. This includes fully funding the 2.0 per cent salary increase as part of the Teachers' Collective Bargaining Agreement”.
What the government fails to acknowledge is that the fairly bargained commitment to teachers amounts to $23 million. Meaning that in actuality the school operating funding for 2021-22 cuts funding by $3.8 million. In a release in response to the provincial budget yesterday, the Saskatchewan School Boards Association states: “It’s important to note though that other inflationary costs are not covered in the increase and therefore school divisions may have difficult decisions to make.”
“This kind of smokescreen by the government and the Minister of Education does a disservice to the school communities and teachers who have worked so hard this past year to give our kids the best education possible in trying times,” said Beck. “The government must immediately reverse this decision and institute a true funding increase, over and above the new contract that the government had to be dragged into signing.”
-30-
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.