Saskatchewan NDP Caucus

NDP calls for comprehensive child welfare reform

The Sask. Party government has failed to make significant progress to address the Saskatchewan Child Advocate’s concerns regarding Indigenous children in the province’s care. Today, the NDP is calling on the government to follow through and stop ignoring the growing issue.

“Over the last several years, the Sask. Party has dropped the ball on addressing the needs of Indigenous children,” said NDP Deputy Leader Carla Beck. “Instead of making the changes that are needed to protect vulnerable children in care, they have failed to deliver on the comprehensive reform they promised back in 2010. Despite record revenues over the last decade, the Sask. Party has consistently made life harder for people living in poverty.”

NDP calls on Don Morgan to fix Saskatoon Legal Aid or resign

In light of comments made July 19 by a provincial court judge about the systemic shortage of Legal Aid lawyers in the Saskatoon Legal Aid office, NDP Justice Critic Nicole Sarauer is calling on Justice Minister Don Morgan to provide the resources needed to fix the problem, or resign.

“These comments from the bench speak to the seriousness of the resourcing problems at the Saskatoon Legal Aid office,” said Sarauer. “The Sask. Party government’s Minister of Justice is responsible for making sure Legal Aid has the resources it needs to advocate for vulnerable people. It’s clear from these comments that he is failing.”

Overcapacity issues leaving mental health patients behind

Overcapacity issues continue to plague the healthcare system and it’s making life harder for those trying to get proper mental health support.

“We have been constantly raising concerns about beds at the Irene and Leslie Dube Centre for Mental Health not being available because it is consistently overcapacity, but these concerns have not been taken seriously by the Sask. Party,” said NDP Health Critic Danielle Chartier. “Having patients with mental health challenges languish in emergency rooms or having multiple overnight stays in temporary ‘pods’ is not helpful, nor is it acceptable.”

Statement by Deputy Leader and SGI Critic Carla Beck in response to the proposed meeting to coordinate training standards for tractor trailer operators

“The NDP want to encourage the government to work collaboratively with our neighbouring provinces to ensure adequate training and testing of operators in an effort to keep Saskatchewan highways as safe as possible.”

“We also encourage the province to look at best practices and work collaboratively with industry stakeholders.”

“Our truck drivers are an important part of a healthy economy. We need to ensure that they have the right training and tools to do the job.”

NDP calls for Rental Housing Supplement cut to be scrapped

With the cancellation of the Saskatchewan Rental Housing Supplement looming, the NDP is calling on the Sask. Party to reverse its heartless cut of the program that has helped so many vulnerable people throughout the province.

“Low income families and people with disabilities depend greatly on this supplement. They can’t afford to have this option taken off the table,” said NDP Leader Ryan Meili. “This is the kind of short-term thinking that hurts people today and costs us all more in the long run.”

NDP highlights safety concerns raised about the Sask. Party’s Regina Bypass

Today, NDP Highways and Infrastructure Critic Buckley Belanger met with concerned Balgonie resident Jesse Edwards to discuss the safety, design and quality control of the Regina Bypass. One glaring issue is the hole in the Tower Road bridge overpass just east of Regina. There is also significant erosion taking place underneath that same overpass.

“The Regina Bypass is nothing short of a $2 billion disaster,” said Belanger. “We have overpasses that aren’t constructed to handle tractor trailers and farming equipment. We have overpasses that are literally crumbling as cars drive over them. The Sask. Party government wasted taxpayer dollars on what has now become a safety issue.”