The long-term cost of the Sask. Party’s plan to sell off our Crown Corporations is clear to everyone. But now, it is becoming obvious – especially at SaskPower - that the Sask. Party’s desperate and irresponsible focus on these sell-offs has some very serious costs as well.
“Instead of focusing on ensuring our Crowns are running as efficiently, effectively, and safely as possible and thinking in the long-term best interest of Saskatchewan people, the Sask. Party have been focused on putting our Crowns like SaskTel or SaskPower on the chopping block,” said NDP SaskPower Critic Cathy Sproule. “From getting SaskPower involved in the Sask. Party GTH Scandal to covering up their failure to control greenhouse gas emissions, and all the way to standing by while power meters fail and fires are started on people’s homes, the Sask. Party is focused on their partisan goals ahead of the best interests of our Crown Corporations and Saskatchewan people.”
Over the last week, as a result of power meter failures, five Saskatchewan families had to call the fire department to their homes and SaskPower received more than 20 other calls but the Sask. Party has yet to discuss a plan to address this growing problem. SaskPower’s annual report release last week, showed that the Sask. Party is also doing too little to support the long-term health and safety of Saskatchewan people. Conspicuously missing from the report were the records for either preventable outages or the GHG emissions from our power plants.
“The Sask. Party made a commitment to reduce emissions and move to 50 per cent renewable by 2030 but, instead of acting on a credible plan, they’ve just stopped reporting on the facts,” said Sproule. “They may say that’s long-term but right now, people’s houses are catching on fire and the Sask. Party is refusing to step up with a solution to this growing problem.”
Sproule pointed out that the Sask. Party’s focus at Sask. Power has so far been to cover up facts and continue the push to sell it off, along with our other crowns like SaskTel.
“The Sask. Party are quick to hold press conferences and take credit for just about any good thing that happens, regardless of how much control they had over it,” said Sproule. “But, when it comes to addressing important challenges and dealing with their own mismanagement, scandal and waste, they are nowhere to be found except to point fingers and deflect blame.
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.