As we mark National Seniors Day, Saskatchewan seniors and their families are asking why the Sask. Party have been targeting them by cutting supports, hiking rents in long term care, and selling off public seniors’ housing.
“During the last election, the Sask. Party made a lot of promises to seniors but, instead of making life more affordable, they’ve actually made it harder and harder for the people who built our province to make ends meet,” said NDP Seniors Critic Danielle Chartier. “Seniors are right to be upset when they see the Sask. Party attacking them with callous cuts, unfair tax hikes and desperate sell-offs all because of the Sask. Party’s own mismanagement, scandal, and waste.”
Some Sask. Party cuts and sell-offs that hurt seniors include:
- The elimination of the Saskatchewan Hearing Aid Plan that provided accessible hearing services and affordable hearing aids to Saskatchewan seniors;
- The sell-off of low income seniors’ housing in over 30 communities;
- The elimination of a provincial support for seniors living with disabilities;
- Changes to the Seniors Drug Plan that removed access to affordable medication for over 6,000 hardworking, middle-class seniors and raised the costs for those who remain eligible for the plan; and
- The sell-off of STC, a vital Crown Corporation that seniors across the province relied on to access medical appointments or visit their loved ones.
“Beyond the cuts, the Sask. Party have even fought against our call to bring in minimum care standards or a Bill of Rights for seniors living in long-term care,” said Chartier. “The fact they’re refusing to take even the smallest steps toward protecting our seniors or being held accountable for their record shows just how shameful their attacks have been.”