“They’ve driven healthcare into the ground, they waste public money all day every day and yet Scott Moe thinks these twelve deserve a raise — unbelievable,” said Nathaniel Teed, Saskatchewan NDP Labour Shadow Minister. “Saskatchewan workers are literally going into debt just to put turkey on the table this Christmas. But squandering Scott Moe is making sure his loyalists eat very well this holiday season.”
Yesterday, Premier Moe announced major changes to his Cabinet; appointing five new Ministers and creating eight new Legislative Secretary positions.
All five of the incoming Ministers and seven of the incoming Legislative Secretaries will receive a pay increase this year. This represents over three hundred thousand dollars going directly to Sask. Party MLAs.
“Scott Moe gave twelve of his Sask. Party MLAs a raise yesterday,” said Teed. “Meanwhile he is fighting with healthcare workers who haven’t had a raise in three years. He is rewarding his friends instead of hardworking Saskatchewan people.”
Late last month, the government announced that it would be running a $427-million deficit instead of its projected $12-million surplus. Scott Moe’s Finance Minister has also suggested that the province’s finances could get worse by the end of the fiscal year.
“Scott Moe added almost a billion dollars to our provincial debt this year and somehow found enough money in the budget to give twelve loyal backbenchers a raise,” said Teed.
“In Scott Moe’s Saskatchewan, rural hospitals close, underfunded schools send kids home early, homelessness grows exponentially, and Sask. Party MLAs get a pay increase for work they haven’t done,” added Teed.
“This Sask. Party government has spent 18 years digging us into a hole, and they have no idea how to get us out.”