I would like to thank the Heritage Community Association, End Poverty Regina, Regina Anti-Poverty Ministry, and Poverty Free Saskatchewan for raising their collective voices today regarding the Sask. Party’s cut to the Rental Housing Supplement. This is a mean-spirited and short-sighted cut that targets those living on the tightest of margins, and I join these community leaders in calling for the Sask. Party to scrap their cut to the rental housing supplement.
Meili and Steelworkers call for pipeline expiry dates to create jobs and protect public safety
Today NDP Leader Ryan Meili and United Steelworkers Local 5890 President Mike Day called on the Sask. Party government to improve pipeline safety and create jobs by introducing expiry dates for pipelines.
“The tariffs Donald Trump is imposing on Canadian steel will have serious negative impacts on steel manufacturing jobs here in Saskatchewan,” said Meili. “We have more than 100,000 kilometers of pipelines and flowlines in Saskatchewan, and many are old and should be replaced. We saw with the Husky oil spill last year how costly spills can be, and it’s time for the provincial government to introduce expiry dates on pipelines to protect Saskatchewan water and land while also creating jobs. It's all well and good for Scott Moe to go to Ottawa and Washington, but he needs to show leadership and help workers in Saskatchewan.”
NDP calls on federal government to drop legal case against former STC workers
Today, NDP Labour Critic Nicole Rancourt joined former STC employees in Saskatoon to call for the federal government to drop its lawsuit against former STC workers.
“The Sask. Party never should have shut down the STC, but it’s unacceptable for the federal government to be suing the former employees in federal court with an aim to take money out of their pockets,” said Rancourt. “The Sask. Party broke the law when they fired STC employees and those workers deserve the severance they were awarded.”
Reality check: Trump supporter who “wouldn’t waiver” is strange choice for Moe’s “new ally”
Last night, Premier Scott Moe didn’t just congratulate Ontario PC Leader Doug Ford on his election win, he said “tonight, Saskatchewan has a new ally.”
But in the wake of Donald Trump’s new tariffs – which have the potential to impact hundreds of steel jobs in Saskatchewan – Moe’s choice in allies raises more questions than answers.
Saskatchewan dead last again in job growth
For the second month in a row, numbers released by Statistics Canada show the Sask. Party government’s failure to create jobs has led to Saskatchewan having the worst job growth in Canada. In May 2018, 7,300 fewer people were working in Saskatchewan than in May 2017.
“These numbers show a startling trend that has been ongoing for years under the Sask. Party’s failed leadership,” said NDP Jobs Critic Vicki Mowat. “It’s disappointing to see our economy suffering and our workers struggling to find and keep employment. When you see job numbers like these, you can understand why people are leaving Saskatchewan for better opportunities in other provinces.”
Auditor’s report highlights how the Sask. Party is failing the province’s most vulnerable
The Provincial Auditor released volume one of its 2018 report today, and it shows the damaging effect that the Sask. Party’s cuts and clawbacks have had on Saskatchewan students with special needs as well as those dealing with mental health issues.
“We’re always grateful for the good work that the Auditor and her team does, but it’s disappointing to see in this report just how badly the Sask. Party is failing the most vulnerable people in our province,” said NDP Deputy Leader Carla Beck. “And this comes in light of the most recent budget from the Sask. Party, which saw a funding cut to the rental housing supplement and the failure to fully restore funding to school divisions.”