The Husky oil spill has highlighted the Sask. Party’s inability or unwillingness to properly regulate and inspect pipelines throughout the province.
“We have seen with the Husky oil spill that self-regulation, along with a lack of proper inspections, is doing nothing to prevent spills from occurring,” said Environment Critic Cathy Sproule. “This government needs to do a much better job of getting in front of the issue before it’s too late.”
According to government documents, out of 102,400 kilometres of pipeline in Saskatchewan, only 78 pipeline inspections were conducted in 2015-16. That works out to one inspection for approximately every 1,313 kilometres of pipeline. During the same year, over 2,000 inspections were performed by the Alberta government.
“With a record like that, it’s no wonder the Premier and the government has been so quiet on this issue,” Sproule said.
She added that the Husky oil spill isn’t the only case where government has the wrong approach to protecting the environment.
While the government brags about new highway signs, the statistics show that the Sask. Party is failing miserably when it comes protecting the Saskatchewan environment from invasive species.
At this time last year, Alberta had completed 12,200 inspections, while by September of last year, Manitoba had inspected 3,764 boats. According to a Freedom of Information Request obtained by the Saskatchewan NDP, so far this year, the Sask. Party government has only performed 507 inspections.
Sproule said that simply putting up signs won’t fix the problem.
“This government and Environment Minister love talking a big game when it comes to zebra and quagga mussels – in fact, that’s all they talk about when it comes to protecting the water we drink or spend time in in the summer,” said Sproule. “Time and time again we have seen the government fail to properly plan or create a sustainable and healthy future for the people of the province, but to see them fail on this front is both disappointing and discouraging.”
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.