REGINA - Official Opposition Leader Ryan Meili and Critic for Seniors Matt Love - standing outside Extendicare Parkside in Regina - called on Premier Scott Moe to accept all findings of the Ombudsman's investigation report: Caring in Crisis: An investigation into the response to the COVID-19 outbreak at Extendicare Parkside. Further, Meili and Love called on the Premier, former Health Minister Jim Reiter and current Health Minister Paul Merriman to apologize to those who lost loved ones at Extendicare Parkside.
“Both the government and ECI share the blame for the outbreak that took so many lives. This for-profit relationship has failed our seniors, their families and the hard-working staff at Extendicare Parkside,” said Love. “But the Ombudsman also makes it clear that the problems in long-term care go far beyond this one horrific outbreak when she calls on the government to ‘make meaningful and lasting systemic and structural improvements to Saskatchewan’s long-term care system.’ The Saskatchewan NDP believes that should include the end to for-profit care in Saskatchewan.”
Through the course of the outbreak at Extendicare Parkside, 194 of 198 residents contracted COVID-19, as well as 132 staff at the facility. 20% of residents lost their lives. Amongst the most damning findings of the Ombudsman include:
“I want to thank Mary McFadyen for her work on behalf of Saskatchewan families. Her investigation report confirms that the 46 deaths at Extendicare Parkside were the result of the Sask. Party’s chronic failure to care for Saskatchewan seniors,” said Meili. “Scott Moe, Jim Reiter and Paul Merriman all made decisions that cost far too many people their lives. The legacy of this tragedy must be legislated minimum standards of care, a commitment to high quality publicly-funded and administered long-term care, and a full public inquiry into the government’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic.”
Poor working conditions, favouritism, $300K travel nurse pay at issue
REGINA - Today, the Official Opposition released a letter signed by 49 emergency room nurses in Saskatoon. The letter slams the Sask. Party government for failing to support Saskatchewan nurses and curb the province’s reliance on expensive out-of-province travel nurses.
REGINA - Today, Official Opposition Critic for First Nations and Métis Relations Betty Nippi-Albright hosted a Day of Action with Indigenous leaders from Nekaneet First Nation, Yellow Quill First Nation, Waterhen Lake First Nation, Onion Lake Cree Nation, Carry The Kettle First Nation, Key First Nation and the residential school support team from Yorkton Tribal Council. Together, they continue to draw attention to the Sask. Party government’s disregard for the Duty to Consult process.
MOOSE JAW - Today, the Official Opposition stood with Taylor Enns, president of the Moose Jaw Firefighters Association, and Brayden Dutchak, the son of a cancer survivor. Together, they called on the Sask. Party government to reopen Saskatchewan’s only hyperbaric chamber.
Records show former Sask. Party Finance Minister lobbied for Calgary surgery scheme on behalf of a major Sask. Party donor
REGINA - Today, the Official Opposition grilled the Premier and his Minister of Health after the Minister misled the public, claiming that he had not been lobbied by a former Sask. Party MLA when Saskatchewan's official lobbyist logs show the exact opposite.