After touting the need for “transformational change” this spring, the Sask. Party government continues to create uncertainty for health regions, health care workers and communities by apparently reneging on its commitment to name a health commissioner to lead that change.
“First, the Sask. Party wasted millions and millions of precious healthcare dollars on failed projects and costly consultants like Lean, all the while short-changing regions,” said NDP Health Critic Danielle Chartier. “Now, they want to talk about making major changes in time for the next budget – really just a few months away. A health commissioner was supposed to be tasked with consulting people around the province and leading that change, but the government remains silent on this. It is absolutely unacceptable.”
Chartier said the government’s appointment of a commissioner to tackle this work is taking too long, especially with budget decisions just around the corner. At the beginning of June, Health Minister Dustin Duncan said he hoped the commissioner would be named within a few weeks.
“Delaying this process and shrouding it in secrecy is the wrong way to handle these new challenges that were created by the Sask. Party’s mismanagement of nearly a decade of record resource revenues,” Chartier said. “People of this province deserve to be properly consulted before the government pushes ahead with its own self-serving agenda. Why are they dragging their feet on this commitment?”
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.