Sask. Party cuts target programs and services for seniors

As the consequences of the Sask. Party’s near decade of wasting the economic boom continue to roll out in the form of cold-hearted cuts to the province’s most vulnerable, the seniors served by Saskatoon Council on Aging learned today that they are the most recent to be forced to pay for the Sask. Party’s waste and mismanagement.

The CEO of the Saskatoon Health Region said that cutting one third of this important service’s budget was not reflective of the good work the group did, but rather it “highlights the very difficult choices that we must make in the coming weeks related to our immediate budget issues."

“Prevention programs that help seniors live healthier lives, stay in their homes longer, and reduce their use of the health care system are not the reason the Sask. Party has run such deep deficits,” said NDP Critic for Seniors and Health Danielle Chartier. “The Sask. Party government tries to deny their involvement in this, but we know that the tough decisions that health regions have to make are a direct result of the Sask. Party’s mismanagement. It’s unconscionable that the government is picking the pockets of seniors to make up for the money they blew.”

This cut to seniors comes at the same time that the region announced they would be laying off staff. With hospitals over capacity, health care staff run off their feet trying to care for patients in long term care, and people waiting hours in the emergency rooms, the announced reductions in staffing exacerbate the crisis in health care. The need for programs and services to help seniors will grow – not decrease.

“If doing the right thing isn’t reason enough for the Sask. Party, we know that prevention and community-based programming for seniors is cost-effective and that it helps to keep seniors out of the emergency room,” said Chartier. “Cutting the funding to a seniors program is not only not the solution to any problems, it could actually make many problems worse.”

Latest posts

POTENTIAL HEALTHCARE WORKER STRIKE ENTIRELY THE FAULT OF SCOTT MOE, JEREMY COCKRILL

Carla Beck’s Team Demands A Fair Deal For Frontline Workers After Four Years Without A Contract
REGINA – Carla Beck’s team is laying the potential of a fall strike involving thousands of healthcare workers squarely at the feet of Scott Moe and his ignorant Health Minister — who seems to cause strikes everywhere he goes — and demanding immediate action to get to the bargaining table and deliver a fair deal.

CARLA BECK DEMANDS PUBLIC CONSULTATION ON SHERWOOD DATA CENTRE AS HEAD OF RM ADMITS THE ‘GENERAL PUBLIC WAS NOT AWARE OF WHAT WAS GOING ON’

Thousands Have Demanded Transparency About Controversial Project, Sask. Party Has Put Up Barriers At Every Turn

REGINA – Carla Beck’s team is demanding Scott Moe and the Sask. Party come out of hiding and commit to a proper public consultation on a contentious data centre in the Rural Municipality of Sherwood after a handpicked official admits nothing of the sort has occurred so far.

SASK. PARTY MOOSE JAW MLAS OFFER MIXED MESSAGES ON CONTENTIOUS DATA CENTRE, CONTINUE TO IGNORE THOUSANDS OF CONSTITUENTS

MLA Megan Patterson Literally Cut A Ribbon With Project’s Proponents One Year Ago
MOOSE JAW – One Sask. Party Moose Jaw MLA says a highly contentious data centre in the Valley View area is dead.

CARLA BECK’S TEAM CALLS ON PREMIERS AT SUMMER MEETING TO STAND FOR PUBLIC HEALTHCARE

Danielle Smith, Scott Moe Openly Vouching For Two-Tier, American-Style Model
REGINA – As Canada’s Premiers gather for a summer meeting in Prince Edward Island, Carla Beck’s team is calling out Scott Moe and Danielle Smith for vouching to privatize healthcare — and calling on other Premiers to take a stand for public healthcare.

NDP Caucus Office