SASKATOON - NDP Leader Ryan Meili and Education Critic Carla Beck blasted the Sask. Party’s cuts to our kids’ classrooms that have now hit the largest school division in the province. Saskatoon Public schools face an $8 million shortfall, forcing staggering reductions to the services our kids need coming out of a pandemic.
“The Premier campaigned on two main promises: balancing the budget and not cutting services,” said Meili. “He lied about both. How can the Premier justify borrowing money and not giving a dime to schools? Kids will return this fall after already sacrificing a year and a half of quality classroom time to COVID-19. How is this acceptable?”
In their media release, Saskatoon Public Schools squarely places the blame on the Sask. Party government for the major reductions in Budget 2021/22:
“This shortfall is the result of chronic underfunding from the provincial government (. . . ) if we look at per-student funding adjusted for inflation, we’re receiving $344 less per student today than we received in 2016-17.”
In addition to a 10% across-the-board cut to school budgets, the division is facing a reduction of nearly 67 full-time equivalent positions (FTE), including:
“The Sask. Party’s cuts keep coming at the worst possible time,” said Beck. “This devastating news comes on the heels of Regina Catholic School Board cutting bussing for 1,000 students; Saskatchewan Rivers Schools Division eliminating 25 teaching positions and Prairie Valley announcing they would be eliminating 36 jobs - all because of this government’s underfunding. Only the Sask Party would be shameless enough to pretend cutting dozens of jobs from the classroom won't hurt our kids."
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.