Only one party in Saskatchewan is offering credible solutions to the affordability crisis
REGINA - Today, Official Opposition Finance Critic Trent Wotherspoon and Opposition Critic for Jobs and the Economy Aleana Young, responding to landmark gas prices now over two dollars a litre, called on the Sask. Party to follow other governments acting on affordability with an immediate cost-of-living rebate to Saskatchewan people.
“The premier dismissed rising gas prices as just ‘a few extra cents’. For many drivers, they’ve seen the cost of filling their tank almost double in the last year,” said Young. “Instead of jet-setting, the Sask. Party needs to start listening to workers, families, farmers, municipalities and small businesses here at home.”
This spring, the Saskatchewan NDP proposed a windfall profits surcharge - an extra one per cent on the resource surcharge when oil and potash prices hit a highly profitable threshold. Since then, other governments have acted. Alberta, Newfoundland and Labrador, Ontario, and New Brunswick have all acted to provide affordability relief to taxpayers. June 2, the United Kingdom announced a windfall tax on oil and gas profits to help with soaring energy bills. In the U.S, the White House is floating a similar proposal.
“The price of gas and groceries is going up and the Sask. Party has done nothing,” said Wotherspoon. “Innovation at all levels of government is required to battle the greatest affordability crisis in a generation.”
The Saskatchewan NDP calls on the government to implement a windfall resource surcharge, scrap the upcoming PST increase, and immediately rebate $125 million to Saskatchewan people to help with the rising cost of living.
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