In response to the Sask. Party’s introduction of a placeholder pre-election budget that presents no recovery plan for the people of Saskatchewan, NDP Leader Ryan Meili called on the Premier to present a real recovery plan that puts people first.

“This is not a plan,” said Meili. “This budget shows that Premier Moe has no idea how to bring about a recovery that works for people. There’s nothing here for seniors, nothing for childcare, no money for safely reopening and resourcing schools for a pandemic, falling per-student funding for students, and no commitment to hiring Saskatchewan workers and Saskatchewan companies to build our infrastructure.”

Finance Critic Trent Wotherspoon is also focused on what’s missing from the budget – specifically, the fact that for the first time, the Sask. Party omitted most of the standard economic and fiscal forecasts and projections, raising serious concerns about transparency, and cuts and sell-offs to come.

“This is an unprecedented economic time, people deserve straight talk, accurate information, and a real plan,” said Wotherspoon. “Instead, the Sask. Party is hiding much of the budget, once again. 

“It’s no coincidence that this is the shortest budget this government has presented. Not only is there no plan for a recovery, but no projections beyond the current year. We know what that means: if given the chance, next year it’ll be knives for public services, and our cherished Crowns on the auction block.”

“We’ve heard loud and clear from Saskatchewan people what’s needed right now, and that’s what we’re pushing for: a recovery plan that puts people first,” said Meili. “Our plan does exactly that, committing to the best home care system in Canada, affordable, accessible early learning and child care, a $15/hour minimum wage, and SaskFirst procurement that hires our workers and our companies to build our roads, our schools and our hospitals.”