SASKATCHEWAN NDP DEMANDS IMMEDIATE IMPROVEMENT TO SASK. PARTY WILDFIRE RESPONSE AS OMBUDSMAN DETAILS ‘UNPRECEDENTED’ FAILURES TO HELP PEOPLE

Independent Legislative Office Has Received More Complaints And Concerns From Desperate Evacuees Than It Can Count

REGINA – The Saskatchewan NDP is echoing calls from the provincial Ombudsman and Public Interest Disclosure Commissioner for immediate improvements to supports for thousands of wildfire evacuees after she identified “unprecedented” failures to provide people with shelter, food and critical information.

The Ombudsman, Sharon Pratchler, has committed to a formal investigation into the Sask. Party’s failure in the future, but issued Tuesday 14 calls to action to immediately improve the situation for so many forced from their homes.

“What the Ombudsman has revealed this morning reinforces so much of what I have been hearing from my constituents since this wildfire crisis began nearly two weeks ago,” said Jordan McPhail, Saskatchewan NDP Cumberland MLA.

“People being bounced around from agency to agency, with no clear information. Phone numbers that don’t work, emails that never receive a response.

“More than a week for basic information or support. People sleeping in their cars and in tents because they weren’t provided proper shelter.

“People who have spent thousands of dollars and haven’t been given a dollar in financial aid. Some stacking on mountains of debt.

“People being given vouchers for grocery stores that are 300 kilometres away.

“At every turn, pure chaos and callous failure. Anger. Frustration. Hopelessness. And a Sask. Party Government that doesn’t seem to care.”

Pratchler told reporters that it was “unprecedented” to be receiving calls from people in crisis unable to find food or proper shelter.

Nicole Sarauer, Saskatchewan NDP Shadow Minister for Corrections, Policing and Public Safety, said she hopes the crisis response improves immediately.

“I couldn’t believe when the Ombudsman said some evacuees don’t even know where their other family members have been sent and whether they were safe,” Sarauer said.

“This is an unprecedented failure by the Sask. Party Government. I can’t imagine the stress, the anxiety and the heartbreak people are going through.

“Today, we are demanding Premier Scott Moe and Minister Tim McLeod come forward with an immediate plan to better respond to this crisis. There can be no further delay. No further failure. It’s time to show these evacuees some basic human decency.”

McPhail added, “To my constituents, to the people of the beautiful North, I want you to know that our entire team is in your corner.

“We won’t stop fighting for you — so you can get the help you need. So you can get home.

“We will recover. We will rebuild what has been lost. The North will endure.”

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