The NDP is calling on the Sask. Party to reverse its damaging approach to the economy, which is hurting Saskatchewan worker’s average weekly wages as shown in today’s Statistics Canada report.
“The government could fix the broken procurement model, improve the minimum wage, or ramp up renewable power and energy efficient retrofits,” said NDP Finance Critic Trent Wotherspoon. “Instead what we’ve seen from the Sask. Party is hurtful policies such as scrapping the film tax credit and hiking the PST on construction labour.”
The report showed Saskatchewan had the lowest year-over-year change in average weekly earnings in 2018. According to the report, Saskatchewan was well below the national average of two per cent and significantly behind nearby provinces like Manitoba (3.2 per cent) and British Columbia (1.9 per cent).
“The Sask. Party had the opportunity to address this problem with their budget last week, but they sat on their hands and did nothing while Saskatchewan worker’s earnings flatlined,” said Wotherspoon. “It boggles the mind that the Sask. Party government can claim they have a balanced budget when our economy is hurting and households are struggling with flat earnings, job loss and hikes to their cost of living because of choices by this government – like the $800 more in PST the average family is paying annually.”
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.