“This is the second time this week we’ve seen Cabinet Ministers’ immediate family members get friends-and-family treatment from this government. Charting the future of education in this province is important work that should be kept far away from such blatantly political appointments. 

“For such a large committee, it’s also remarkable how much is missing. Chambers of Commerce are very well represented, but no one who currently works in a classroom. There’s no representation from the Saskatchewan Health Authority, the Human Rights Commission, or the Children’s Advocate. No LGBTQ organizations or anyone from the tech sector or many of the other growing sectors of our economy.

“The glacial pace at which the government is moving here is also remarkable. Cabinet set terms for this committee almost three years ago, and the Ministry is only now naming the people who will comprise it. Making sure that kids in our province have modern, updated curriculum to prepare them for the jobs of the future should be a top priority for the government.

“Finally, and most importantly, the work of this committee won’t amount to anything if this government continues to underfund our classrooms. To ensure our future prosperity and meet the needs of the next generation, we should be building a state-of-the-art education system that is properly funded to meet the needs of teachers, students and parents. Unfortunately, all we’ve seen so far from this government is underfunding, distraction and inaction.”