Saskatchewan NDP Caucus

NDP Slams Cut-and-Paste Budget as Prelude to Cuts Budget

In Question Period today, the Saskatchewan NDP slammed the Sask. Party budget as a cut-and-paste job written before the pandemic that wasn’t updated to address the needs of Saskatchewan people today. NDP Leader Ryan Meili said the budget has nothing to offer seniors, and no new money for education or healthcare delivery, beyond what was planned for in February.

“Saskatchewan people are looking for a recovery plan. The Sask. Party had three months to come up with one, but they chose to come back with a cut-and-paste rehash of the budget they tried to present in March,” said NDP Leader Ryan Meili. “It’s shocking, frankly, that their budget has nothing to offer those who care for our kids and our seniors, when those people have been the most impacted by the pandemic.”

Saskatchewan needs a recovery plan, Sask. Party budget shows they have none: NDP

In response to the Sask. Party’s introduction of a placeholder pre-election budget that presents no recovery plan for the people of Saskatchewan, NDP Leader Ryan Meili called on the Premier to present a real recovery plan that puts people first.

“This is not a plan,” said Meili. “This budget shows that Premier Moe has no idea how to bring about a recovery that works for people. There’s nothing here for seniors, nothing for childcare, no money for safely reopening and resourcing schools for a pandemic, falling per-student funding for students, and no commitment to hiring Saskatchewan workers and Saskatchewan companies to build our infrastructure.”

Statement from NDP Leader Ryan Meili on challenging racism in Saskatchewan

Like many, I was shocked and disappointed when I saw a social media post making the rounds that was derogatory and racist to Chinese people, and even more so when I learned it was from a staffer in the Premier’s office.  It is distressing that this post was made at a time when Asian communities across Canada and here in Saskatchewan are raising concerns about rising racism and racist violence in the wake of COVID-19.

NDP calls for independent investigation of province’s Long-Term Care system

With a growing chorus of voices emerging to challenge Premier Scott Moe’s claim that all is well in Saskatchewan’s Long-Term Care system, the Saskatchewan NDP is calling for the province to request an independent investigation by the Provincial Ombudsman, who has investigated Long-term Care previously, to get a complete picture of the situation.

“The Premier and Sask. Party want to ignore the deplorable realities of long-term care that are denying too many seniors the care they deserve,” said NDP Health Critic Vicki Mowat. “But long-term care workers, families and seniors are all raising the alarm. We need an independent investigation of the long-standing issues plaguing our Long-Term Care system, and we’re calling on the government to ask the Ombudsman to initiate that investigation.”

NDP calls for investments in people, not cuts, as key to Saskatchewan’s recovery

On the steps of the Saskatchewan Legislature, NDP Leader Ryan Meili and NDP Finance Critic Trent Wotherspoon released A People-First Recovery, a post-COVID-19 recovery plan that focuses on building a healthy society, powered by a strong and diversified economy. 

“We’ve been through a lot in the last few months. We’ve shown what Saskatchewan people are made of when we fight the COVID crisis together,” Meili said. “Now it’s time for the government to step up with a full recovery plan. The focus has to be on investing in people, because the Sask. Party’s tired old playbook of cuts will only hurt people and slow our recovery.”

Now’s the time to commit to smaller class size: NDP

The Saskatchewan NDP is calling on the provincial government to commit the resources needed to support kids through a safe reopening and commit to limiting class size and ensuring adequate supports for students to learn safely. The provincial government has announced that schools will reopen in September but has provided no details on funding or safety measures to protect students and teachers. 

“Parents have been working so hard to keep our kids learning with schools closed, and I know that we’re all ready to get back to normal,” said NDP Education critic Carla Beck. “But the ‘new normal’ for Saskatchewan schools can’t look like the ‘old normal’ of 50 kids to a classroom and three to a school bus seat. The Sask. Party has underfunded our schools for years, leaving kids and teachers struggling in crowded and complex classrooms. In order to ensure that we reopen safely, now’s the time to commit to smaller class sizes and adequate supports for our kids.”