In the weeks since releasing their budget, it is becoming clear the Sask. Party have forgotten who they are supposed to be working for. They used their budget to give big tax giveaways to corporations and the wealthy and well-connected, while handing Saskatchewan families over a billion dollars in tax hikes and massive funding cuts to everything from the big cities to small town classrooms.
“The Sask. Party is acting like Robin Hood in reverse. They’re hooking up their friends while they make Saskatchewan families pay the price for Sask. Party mismanagement, scandal, and waste,” said NDP Education Critic Carla Beck. “The Sask. Party cut corporate taxes by $60 million dollars per year. That’s not enough to attract any new businesses to Saskatchewan but it would go a long way to reversing their cuts to education which have cut classroom supports, bussing for kindergarten kids, and even programs to help children with autism.”
“The Sask. Party promised transparency but, instead, they’re hurting Saskatchewan families and helping the wealthy and well-connected,” said NDP Ethics and Democracy Critic David Forbes. “It’s pretty clear why they refuse to support our bill to get big money out of politics and why they’ve refused to close the loopholes they put in their lobbyist act.”
Finally brought into effect last summer, the Lobbyist Act is supposed to show who is influencing the government but the Sask. Party’s law allows lobbyists to not report if they spend less than 100 hours per year lobbying, if the government asks them for input, or even if they are lobbying to change laws or policies that affect their interests. This is on top of Saskatchewan election financing laws, which place no limits on donations from individuals, corporations, or out-of-province donors.
“While others are moving to improve government transparency and put democracy back in the hands of the voters, the Sask. Party has refused to clean up the laws that leave the door wide open to the idea of paying for influence – even from outside Saskatchewan,” said Forbes. “When we see a budget that so obviously helps big corporations and the wealthy, while it so drastically hurts everyone else, it’s easy to understand why the people of Saskatchewan are wondering who the Sask. Party are working for.”
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.