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Filmmaker and educator Brenda Shenher nominated in Wood River

Award-winning film costume designer, educator and journalist Brenda Shenher was confirmed Saturday as the New Democrat candidate in the Wood River constituency. 

“I’m thrilled to welcome Brenda to the team,” said NDP Leader Cam Broten. “She’s passionate about Saskatchewan, and as a successful film-industry worker, she knows first-hand how the Sask. Party’s short-sighted decision to scrap the film employment credit and decimate the film industry did real damage. They hurt our economic diversity, lost jobs and investment, and forced the workers and families that paid the mortgage with those great jobs to pay for the Sask. Party’s stubbornness.

“I believe Saskatchewan is just scratching the surface of our incredible potential. It's time to give every child the education and opportunity to reach their full potential, and give young people more thriving industries to build their careers in, right here at home. From the film industry to green technologies and research and development, we need to be doing so much more to build a stronger Saskatchewan.” 

Broten’s ER pledge: waits measured in minutes, not hours

Cam Broten is prioritizing shorter emergency room (ER) wait times – waits that can be measured in minutes, not hours, the provincial NDP Leader said Thursday. 

Delivering a platform commitment in Regina, Broten outlined a promise to meet emergency and urgent 15-minute and 30-minute benchmarks by the end of 2018, and pledged a one-hour maximum wait for all other less urgent cases by the end of 2019.

“Saskatchewan is the birthplace of Medicare, and has been a leader in delivering excellent, caring public health care for generations,” said Broten. “But we’re seeing Saskatchewan lag further and further behind. Patients have become less and less of a priority. Our emergency rooms aren’t even meeting Canadian standards for wait times

Broten pledges to cut $59M per year in private consultants

Sask. Party increased spending on consultants by 303 per cent

The Sask. Party has dramatically ramped up s­­pending on private, external advisors – and NDP Leader Cam Broten is promising to cut that wasteful spending so he can redirect $59 million per year to the priorities of Saskatchewan families.

Under the Sask. Party, spending on consultants has increased by 303 per cent, now $129 million per year, up from $32 million. That’s according to the government’s own responses to questions tabled in the legislature.

“Despite record resource wealth, the Sask. Party let everyday families down – but they bent over backwards to line the pockets of external consultants – I will put a stop to that,” said Broten. “I will roll back the ridiculous increases in consultant spending, and devote those tens of millions of dollars to the things that really matter – like health care, seniors care and education. Because in good times and tough times, Saskatchewan families will always be my priority.”

Glenn Wright is the NDP’s candidate in Rosetown-Elrose

Glenn Wright, an engineer in the resource industry and agricultural producer, was nominated Sunday to be the NDP’s candidate for Rosetown-Elrose in the next provincial election.

“I’m thrilled to have Glenn on our team,” said NDP Leader Cam Broten. “He’s passionate about Saskatchewan, and wants to strengthen and stabilize our economy to ensure it delivers real benefits for hard-working people. It’s shocking that after years of resource boom, the Sask. Party has nosedived into deficit this fast. The fact is, they spent, but they didn’t invest. They blew millions on the smart meters fiasco, huge increases in private consultants and the toxic Lean program. Now, facing debt and deficit, the first place they’ve gone to make deep cuts is our hospitals and schools. 

“Glenn is a great choice for an MLA because of his priorities – family, hard-work and strong Saskatchewan values like helping your neighbors, leaving a clean environment for our kids and caring for vulnerable people who need our help.”

NDP candidates turn up the heat on Sask. Party’s wasted money

NDP candidates were in front of the legislature Thursday to put pressure on the Sask. Party to come clean on their hidden deficit – a deficit exacerbated by Sask. Party waste including a suspicious multi-million-dollar land payment.

Drawing attention to Brad Wall’s apparent overpayment on a sketchy land deal, and the deep deficit he’s put the province in, the candidates jokingly proposed selling back the expensive land bought at the Global Transportation Hub (GTH) – suggesting that it could go for $300 for each jar of pricey GTH dirt.

In reality, Brad Wall ordered that the property, which was appraised at $30,000 to $35,000 per acre, be bought from businessmen for $103,000. The government bought all other properties in the area for just a fraction of that price.

“We’re having a bit of fun today – but we’re actually drawing attention to an issue of deep concern for Saskatchewan families,” said the NDP’s candidate for Regina Walsh Acres, Terry Bell. “We’ve been on the doorsteps, and we’re listening to family after family ask why there was millions to hand over to businessmen in a sketchy land deal, but front-line health care workers are being cut. They ask why Mr. Wall can spend a mint on things like private consultants and travel scouts, but can’t afford to put enough educational assistants in our children’s classrooms.

NDP Leader Cam Broten nominated at big celebration

Cam Broten, Leader of Saskatchewan’s New Democrats, was formally nominated in the constituency of Saskatoon Westview on Saturday at a large celebration in Saskatoon.

Broten, who is running for premier, addressed the crowd to accept the nomination after being introduced by his wife, Ruth Eliason. He said the NDP is focused on three things heading into the election.

“Cutting the Sask. Party’s waste. Putting money in middle-class families’ pockets. And fixing and investing in things we count on – like health care and our kids’ classrooms.”

Greg Olson nominated for the NDP in Yorkton

Greg Olson, a technical analyst for SaskTel, has been nominated to run for the NDP in Yorkton in the upcoming provincial election.

“Greg believes that Saskatchewan and Saskatchewan people should come first,” said NDP Leader Cam Broten. “Instead of flying billions of dollars away in bad deals, we should be using that money here. To create jobs and make our economy more stable for the long-term, and to invest in the things we count on – like our emergency rooms.

NDP releases ad focused on seniors care

The Sask. Party’s health policies definitely benefit consultants, private corporations and senior managers – while seniors wait far too long for help in understaffed care homes. That misplaced priority is the focus of the newest commercial from the NDP.

Released Monday on TV and online, the ad is a sequel to one focused on health care wait times already on the air.

“The feedback from Saskatchewan families on that commercial has been overwhelming,” said New Democrat campaign manager Frank Quennell. “The truth of it hits close to home for all of us – people have been calling and sending messages about their own family’s experience in the emergency room.

“Now we’re talking about our province’s seniors, because they deserve so much better. We’ve seen the Sask. Party chip away at staffing levels and at care standards, and plow ahead with the Lean program in seniors care homes. That was during a boom. Now that they’re running a deficit and targeting health care with their cuts, families are very worried about what comes next for their loved ones in care.”

Small business owner Barb Genert nominated in Cypress Hills

Barb Genert – the owner and operator of Sunny’s Auto Body in Maple Creek – has been chosen by New Democrats in the Cypress Hills constituency to be their candidate in the next provincial election.

“Barb is a spectacular candidate, and I’m so pleased to have her on the team,” said NDP Leader Cam Broten, who attended Genert’s nomination meeting. “As a successful small business owner, Barb is already a builder and a leader in her community. But she knows there’s more we can do to deliver a more diverse, more stable economy, and deliver more benefits to everyday families.