In their latest Speech from the Throne, the Sask. Party ignored the realities being faced by Saskatchewan families today. Instead of reversing the heartless cuts to education and health care, ending the unfair tax hikes, or reinstating the STC which was scrapped as part of their desperate sell-offs, the Sask. Party simply repeated old and failed campaign promises, cherry picked statistics and chased headlines.
“It’s easy to look good when oil is at $100 per barrel but now that times are tougher, the Sask. Party are failing Saskatchewan people,” NDP Leader Nicole Sarauer said. “This Speech from the Throne is the definition of unambitious and shows that the Sask. Party still seems more interested in serving the Premier’s legacy than the people of Saskatchewan.”
In recent years, the Sask. Party allowed the province’s debt to grow to $16 billion, and are letting it double in just five years. This growing debt comes at the same time as the Sask. Party has brought in significant cuts to health care, our kids’ classrooms, and to supports for seniors and Saskatchewan’s most vulnerable.
“Despite all of the backtracking, and bravado, the Sask. Party are refusing to back down on their heartless cuts and unfair tax hike that are hurting Saskatchewan people and they are still handing tens of millions of dollars to the wealthy and well-connected,” said Sarauer. “Small businesses across the province are still reeling from the Sask. Party’s increase and expansion of the PST and the elimination of their compensation for collecting it. Their new promise to change small-business taxes does not make up for these attacks against our job creators.”
The Speech from the Throne also highlighted a number of changes that could have been avoided if the Sask. Party had listened to Saskatchewan people prior to their last budget.
“From Bill 40 to organ donation, the Sask. Party wasted resources and time by refusing to listen to Saskatchewan people and experts,” said Sarauer. “Every single Sask. Party MLA voted for their budget. Now, as they start to admit they were wrong, they need to own up to the full cost of focusing on those failed initiatives, instead of helping Saskatchewan people.”
Despite finding room to play politics with our children’s education, the Sask. Party offered nothing in their Speech from the Throne to help the Saskatchewan people looking for work – twice as many as when they started – or to support Northern Saskatchewan and Indigenous communities.
“While the number of jobs in other provinces is going up, in Saskatchewan, it’s the number of people being forced to rely on Employment Insurance that is rising,” Sarauer said. “At the end of the day, this speech is full of bluster and spin and gives Saskatchewan people no reason to have more trust or faith in the Sask. Party. Saskatchewan people deserve better from their government.”
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.