REGINA - Today, Official Opposition Leader Ryan Meili was joined by Stephanie Brad, a Saskatchewan mother of four waiting for the rescheduling of a bladder removal operation, to call on the Sask. Party government to take responsibility for their preventable and tragic mishandling of the pandemic’s fourth wave.
“This government needs to answer why they chose to ignore the modeling, drag their feet and ignore the experts all summer,” said Meili. “Instead of racing to drop restrictions and hitting the golf course, the Premier and Minister of Health should have been doing everything possible to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 and ensure our healthcare system had the capacity it needed to provide urgent care to people like Stephanie.”
Stephanie Brad’s condition has left her living with unbearable chronic pain that requires prescription painkillers to manage. Stephanie’s medical condition has also created financial hardships on her husband and four children, while her eldest daughter has been required to act as a caregiver and homemaker rather than enjoying the life of a normal 18-year-old. Despite her surgery being deemed essential, Stephanie’s scheduled October surgery was cancelled due to the healthcare system crisis caused by the government’s failed containment of the fourth wave. This is the second of her scheduled surgeries to be cancelled, the first one having been cancelled in April 2020.
“The actions of the government cancelling surgeries has left me in limbo not knowing when I will get better,” said Brad. “My kids don’t get to spend the quality time they need with their mom because I spend most of my days laying in bed in pain. ‘Mom is too sick’ is a daily part of their lives and this could all be solved by having my surgery”.
Since this surgery was cancelled, Stephanie has required several visits to the ER. With no new surgery date in sight, Stephanie’s chronic pain and spasms show no sign of letting up.
“People deserve so much better from their government,” said Meili. “With the surgery backlog growing, health care staff burning out, and experts warning of the threat of a fifth wave, people like Stephanie are counting on the Sask. Party government to learn from their mistakes, take some responsibility and provide the leadership that has been lacking since the onset of the pandemic.”
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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.