“After nearly a decade of riding the economic boom and wasting every opportunity to plan for Saskatchewan’s future, it’s alarming that the Sask. Party is still refusing to accept responsibility, take this situation seriously and implement a plan to diversify the economy and get Saskatchewan people back to work,” said NDP Leader Trent Wotherspoon. “The Sask. Party is trying to spin their way out of the reality being faced by thousands of Saskatchewan families every day. They know the truth, and these numbers and the stories we’re hearing across this province don’t lie.”
Wotherspoon said that the loss of 4,200 private sector jobs year-over-year is a clear sign that the province’s economy isn’t doing as well as the Sask. Party claims, and proof that Sask. Party’s refusal to diversify our economy is hurting Saskatchewan people and the economy.
“The growing number of job losses in the private sector is troubling. It really speaks to the Sask. Party’s lack of plan to create jobs, and their failure to put Saskatchewan companies first by sending big provincial contracts for everything from the Regina bypass to school maintenance out of province,” Wotherspoon said. “They refuse to take responsibility for their own failures and mismanagement. We’ve consistently seen it while they are missing in action on the devastating oil spill in the North Saskatchewan River and we see it here with spin over action on jobs.”
Now at 6.3 per cent, Saskatchewan has seen the second highest increase in the unemployment rate in the country over the last year. In fact, the growth of the unemployment rate in Saskatchewan is 11 times worse than the national average.
“It’s also hard to watch as the unemployment rate among First Nations continues to rise. It’s now an alarming 24.7 per cent and we know it’s worse on reserve,” said Wotherspoon. “Instead of working to get people back to work, the Sask. Party have only ensured that it will get worse by cutting training, education and economic development programs in their recent budget.”
Other troubling realities revealed in today’s job numbers include:
- 900 jobs lost in the oil, gas, and mining sectors in the last month alone
- 5,600 jobs lost in the construction and housing sectors year over year
- 3,500 jobs lost in Manufacturing, Transportation and Warehousing year over year