New protections for seniors announced today by Saskatchewan New Democrats would finally ensure that, after years of Sask. Party cuts, seniors get the care they deserve.
“Our loved ones deserve quality, dignified care, but Scott Moe’s cuts have led to overwhelmed facilities and overrun frontline staff,” said New Democratic candidate for Saskatoon Fairview Vicki Mowat. “Underfunding long-term care is bad at the best of times – during a pandemic, it’s downright dangerous, putting residents and workers at risk.”
In 2011, the Sask. Party scrapped the standards that were in place for long-term care. New Democrats would ensure facilities establish minimum standards for ‘direct care’ hours with each resident. This will be made possible by the party’s previous commitment to hire hundreds more doctors, nurses and continuing care assistants.
“The nurses at my father’s long-term care facility did the best they could, but they were constantly understaffed and overstressed,” said Brenda Cromwell, a Saskatoon resident. “Seniors like my father deserve better. This commitment from the NDP will not only keep our loved ones safe and healthy, it will ensure they receive the respect and dignified care they deserve.”
The Sask. Party’s cuts haven’t just made long-term care worse, they’ve made it more expensive, too. They’ve raised fees for half of all residents, some by more than $600 per month. The Sask. Party’s own reports show a system that is chronically understaffed, and families say they are worried about the health and safety of their loved ones. Scott Moe’s approach to long-term care is out of step with the concerns of resident families, workers on the frontlines and care home operators, who have all called for the reintroduction of minimum care standards.
REGINA—The Saskatchewan New Democrats set the rules and timing for a leadership contest at Provincial Council on February 26th. The new leader will be elected at a leadership convention in Regina in late June, 2022.
All Saskatchewan New Democratic Party members in good standing will be eligible to vote online or by mail-in ballot.
REGINA—Saskatchewan New Democrats unanimously approved a solidarity motion with the people of Ukraine, as well as all Saskatchewan people with friends and family in the region at Provincial Council on February 26, 2022.
Standing with New Democratic Party candidate Melissa Patterson in Moose Jaw Wakamow today, NDP Leader Ryan Meili called on voters in his hometown to reject Scott Moe’s plan for dangerous cuts during a pandemic.