Children’s Advocate report highlights Sask. Party failings

The Saskatchewan Advocate for Children and Youth’s annual report shows that the Sask. Party is continuing to fail on many fronts when it comes to providing the best for Saskatchewan children.

“The Sask. Party has said they support closing the education funding gap for on-reserve students, but once again those are empty words that show no real action,” said NDP Social Services Critic Trent Wotherspoon. “Aside from our calls to action, the Children’s Advocate called on the Sask. Party to work with the First Nations on improved funding from the federal government, and it’s long past time for the Sask. Party to put aside their bluster and get to work on ensuring fairness for on-reserve students.”

In the report, the Advocate highlighted key areas where Saskatchewan children are not getting the care or attention they need. One of his main concerns is the “unacceptable” graduation rates of the province’s Indigenous population: 43 per cent among Indigenous youth compared to 85 per cent among non-Indigenous youth.

Another area the Advocate did not see meaningful progress in is with the growing number of children in the province’s care. There are 750 more children in care than there were five years ago and the majority of these children are Indigenous. Sixty-five per cent of the children who were critically injured while in the province’s care were First Nations or Metis.

“Despite it being the very first call to action from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s report, the Sask. Party has failed to take any meaningful action on their commitment to reduce the number of Aboriginal children in care,” Wotherspoon said. “The Sask. Party needs to step up and finally fulfill its promises to Indigenous communities and peoples because too many children are getting left behind.”

Latest posts

CARLA BECK'S TEAM STANDS WITH UNIVERSITY STUDENTS TO RAISE ALARMS ON SKY-HIGH TUITION COSTS IN SASKATCHEWAN

Undergraduate Students In Saskatchewan Are Paying The Second-Highest Tuition Canada
REGINA – Today, as a new post-secondary school year begins, Carla Beck's team is standing alongside students to call out the extreme cost of tuition in Saskatchewan after 20 years of this Sask. Party mismanagement and failure to fund post-secondary.

SCOTT MOE HIDES STATE OF SCHOOLS FROM PRINCE ALBERT FAMILIES

Carla Beck’s Team Calls On Local MLAs To Stand Up To Premier, Education Minister & Demand Answers

PRINCE ALBERT— As Scott Moe and his Education Minister stand behind a decision to completely withhold information on the state of Saskatchewan schools, Carla Beck’s team is calling out Sask. Party MLAs in Prince Albert to demand transparency for the families they were elected to represent.

160 BLANK PAGES: IGNORANT SASK. PARTY HIDES INFORMATION ON STATE OF CRUMBLING SCHOOLS

Wednesday Marks First Day Of School For Many Saskatchewan Students

SASKATOON — Saskatchewan families and school divisions deserve answers about the condition of their schools, but the Sask. Party government has once again chosen secrecy over transparency, returning 160 blank pages in response to a Freedom of Information request seeking information about the state of school buildings across Saskatchewan.

EVEN AFTER GETTING CAUGHT WASTING TENS OF BILLIONS WITH NO OVERSIGHT, SCOTT MOE PLOWS AHEAD WITH COAL CATSTROPHE

Sask. Party Awards Contracts To Two Out-Of-Province Companies Even In Face Of Massive Costs For Consumers, Widespread Pushback
REGINA – Despite an avalanche of public outrage against Scott Moe and Jeremy Harrison's coal catastrophe, the Sask. Party government is pressing ahead. While every independent report, and their own appointed Rate Review Panel, have made clear that their coal plan is the most expensive and highest risk option, Scott Moe and Jeremy Harrison are ploughing ahead.

NDP Caucus Office