REGINA - NDP Health Critic Vicki Mowat called on the Sask. Party government to do the right thing and take responsibility for its failed COVID-19 strategy instead of its continued approach that seeks to minimize and deflect the real harm being done to Saskatchewan families and businesses.
This pattern was continued yesterday when Minister of Health Paul Merriman was asked if it was a mistake to relax restrictions just before Easter. He responded:
“We made that decision with what we had at that moment and we were confident with the compliance in that. The variant throws everybody in the country and around the world a bit of a curveball. It does change things up.”
“The Health Minister is rewriting history. The fact is that the SHA warned against loosening public health measures, with the variants being a major concern. This was not new news,” said Mowat. “The government’s mixed messages and half-measures have failed to prevent the severe second and now third waves of COVID-19 in Saskatchewan - and Saskatchewan families are paying the price.”
Mowat noted that Saskatchewan New Democrats have called for several measures ignored by the Sask. Party government in their COVID-19 strategy and in Budget 2021, including:
"The Premier and the Health Minister knew what the modelling looked like when they made the cynical decision to reduce restrictions on March 9, and they knew the variants were on the rise,” said Mowat. “What we are seeing today is a direct result of the failure of this government to learn lessons - because they won’t admit to their mistakes in the first place.”
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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.