Saskatchewan NDP Caucus

NDP fights for Crowns as Sask. Party sell-off continues

Despite the public’s outrage at the slow sell-off of our province’s valuable Crowns, the Sask. Party government is pushing ahead with the sale of two publicly owned gas plants to a private, out-of-province company for $31.3 million.

“Saskatchewan’s publicly owned Crown Corporations were built by Saskatchewan people, for Saskatchewan people. They’re a proud pillar of our economy, delivering vital public services at affordable rates. But the Sask. Party has shown through their actions that we simply can’t trust them with our Crowns,” said NDP SaskEnergy Critic Nicole Rancourt. “Again and again, they’ve failed to be transparent about how they’re managing our Crowns. They sold off STC just a few months after telling voters it was safe. They won’t tell us how much they got for our STC assets, and now they’re selling off SaskEnergy assets.”

Saskatchewan’s economy falling further behind, NDP calls for action

While our neighbouring western provinces are creating more jobs and expanding economic activity, two recent reports highlight just how far Saskatchewan is falling behind with Scott Moe’s Sask. Party at the helm. Scotiabank released their economic outlook for 2018-19 on Friday, and it showed fewer people being hired in Saskatchewan, with provincial employment down 0.3 per cent year over year. It also showed that inflation in Saskatchewan leads the country aside from B.C., likely the lingering result of last year’s PST hike.

“The Sask. Party is doing nothing to bolster the economy and address the alarming economic indicators we’re seeing. People can’t find work and have nowhere to turn,” said NDP Jobs Critic Vicki Mowat. “Provinces such as Alberta have responded proactively to a struggling job market and created jobs and training programs to improve the economy. The Sask. Party strategy seems to be to keep repeating ‘this is fine’ in the hopes it eventually is.”

“The honeymoon is over”: NDP stands up for teachers, Sask. Party leadership won’t

In response to yesterday’s war of words between the provincial government and the Saskatchewan Teachers Federation (STF), NDP Education Critic and Deputy Leader Carla Beck renewed her call for the province to fully restore education funding to 2016 levels, and called for predictable, stable funding for our classrooms going forward.

“Both the Premier and the Deputy Premier ran on promises to invest in education, and as a result, teachers played kingmaker through their organized participation in the leadership race,” said NDP Deputy Leader and Education Critic Carla Beck. “Moe and Wyant’s failure to follow through on those commitments shows the cynicism with which they approached their relationship with teachers.”

NDP Calls Out Sask. Party’s Lack of Respect for Teachers

After an arbitration board ruled today on a three-year contract that would freeze teacher wages for two years followed by a one per cent increase in the third year, Saskatchewan NDP leader Ryan Meili called out the Sask. Party government’s continued poor treatment of our province’s teachers.

“This contract settlement is just further evidence of this government’s lack of commitment to education and lack of respect for the men and women who teach our children,” Meili said. “The government tried to cut teachers’ wages and the only thing that stopped them was the arbitrator’s decision.”

Rising Unemployment Shows That Premier Moe Isn’t Working For Saskatchewan: NDP

The number of Saskatchewan people out of work continues to climb, according to Statistics Canada figures released today.

The August labour report shows that Saskatchewan’s unemployment rate has climbed to 7.4% from 7.1% one month ago and 6.9% a year ago. The number of unemployed people in Saskatchewan now sits at 46,100, having climbed by 3,500 since August 2017 and by 16,300 over the past decade of Sask. Party government.

NDP calls for return to public control of Wascana Park

After widespread public outcry, including the City of Regina’s city council vote last week in favour of restricting further commercial development in Wascana Park, the Saskatchewan NDP is calling on the Sask. Party government to:

• Re-establish a fair balance with the University of Regina and the City of Regina by undoing the Sask. Party’s unilateral changes to the Provincial Capital Commission Act that gave the province a majority of the seats on the board,
• Work with a newly balanced board to end future commercial development in the park,
• Make the needed public investments to maintain the park and its buildings.