According to the latest figures from Statistics Canada, 2017 started with close to 9000 fewer Saskatchewan people working a full-time job than just a month earlier. Compared to this time last year, the unemployment rate has risen to 7.1 per cent compared to 6.1 per cent and, despite more Saskatchewan people struggling to make ends meet with part-time jobs, there are 6,200 more Saskatchewan people looking for work than in January 2016.
“The numbers we’re seeing today show the tough reality that many families throughout the province are already facing. When you consider the Premier’s threats just days ago of more cuts and putting hundreds more mortgage-paying jobs at risk by floating the idea of selling-off the Crowns, this situation is all the more serious” said NDP Jobs, Skills, and Training Critic Warren McCall. “What the Premier and the Sask. Party have to realize and take responsibility for is that it was their mismanagement, scandal, and waste that led us all to this reality.”
While the majority of major cities across the country saw a decrease in their unemployment rate, Saskatoon’s rose to 7.6 per cent. Saskatoon’s year-over-year increase in the unemployment rate was second only to Calgary. Recently released Employment Insurance numbers underscore the difficulty for people in Saskatoon to find work with the number of people receiving EI jumping from 3,450 in 2015 to 5,300 in 2016.
“These job numbers are more proof that the Sask. Party needs to stop their callous cuts and threats of desperate sell-offs and start helping Saskatchewan people get back to work,” McCall said. “The people of the province should not have to pay for the Sask. Party’s mismanagement and failure to diversify and strengthen our economy and workforce even during the boom years.”
Another example of the Sask. Party’s failure to create jobs is shown clearly by a 3 per cent jump in the Aboriginal unemployment rate to 15.3 per cent from 12.3 percent last year. This number is worse for those living on reserve.
“The Sask. Party likes to talk about all they are doing but the facts speak much louder than their empty words,” said McCall.
Other sectors that saw significant year over year job losses:
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.