Saskatchewan NDP Caucus

Worst in the country: NDP calls for government to lift childcare out of the 1980s

The NDP is calling Saskatchewan’s childcare access and affordability the worst in the country, as many Saskatchewan families today are struggling to find and afford space for their children.

“The income cut-off to be eligible for subsidies in Saskatchewan hasn’t been raised since 1982, and the subsidy itself hasn’t been raised since 2006,” said NDP Leader Ryan Meili. “With $3 million less in this budget for early years learning, it seems the government only wants to spend on the province’s future when the federal government forces them to.”

NDP pushes government to fix our worst-in-Canada minimum wage formula

With Saskatchewan’s minimum wage once again the lowest in the country, after Nova Scotia hiked its by 55 cents today to $11.55 per hour, the NDP is calling on government MLAs to vote in favour of their bill to phase in a $15/hour minimum wage.

“At a time when Saskatchewan already has the lowest year-over-year change in average weekly earnings, we need to be focused on upstream solutions that will lower poverty, make life more affordable for families and boost local businesses,” said NDP Leader Ryan Meili. “Raising the minimum wage would achieve all three.”

NDP stand against unbalanced budget

The Saskatchewan NDP is calling out the Sask. Party’s budget, which includes ballooning debt and shrinking per-student funding for education.

“This is a budget that piles on record debt, that leaves a deficit in our classrooms and that does nothing to help families or our economy struggling with the damage caused by the Sask. Party’s doubling of the PST,” said NDP Leader Ryan Meili. “It’s clear this government is trying to balance the books off the backs of Saskatchewan people – that is completely off-balance with Saskatchewan values.”

NDP calls on Sask. Party to boost economic growth

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.”

Former principal and concerned community members join NDP in calling on government to reverse closure of Cornwall Alternative

A former principal and concerned community members who were shocked and saddened by the Sask. Party government decision to terminate Cornwall Alternative School are speaking out. Ten people joined NDP MLAs at the Legislature today to call for the decision to break a three-year funding agreement and close the school to be reversed.

“The need for specialized supports for students in this province is paramount, and with this surprise closure, it shows a government that is moving backwards,” said NDP Education Critic Carla Beck. “This is a cut that completely flies in the face of the government’s so-called balanced budget. How can a budget be balanced when at-risk students are being displaced from their school?”

Failure to invest in education a betrayal of our future, says NDP

From kindergarten through to post-secondary, the NDP is calling out the Sask. Party’s failure to properly fund education in their 2019 budget as a betrayal of teachers, students and Saskatchewan’s future prosperity.

“If you want your economy to do badly in ten years, cut funding to schools and universities -- it’s as simple as that,” said NDP Leader Ryan Meili. “That this government made such a big show of fiscal responsibility this year while leaving schools, colleges and universities dangerously underfunded and falling behind is incredibly short-sighted.”