On the steps of the Saskatchewan Legislature, NDP Leader Ryan Meili and NDP Finance Critic Trent Wotherspoon released A People-First Recovery, a post-COVID-19 recovery plan that focuses on building a healthy society, powered by a strong and diversified economy.
Raising concern that kids and their caregivers have so far been neglected in the Sask. Party’s Reopen Saskatchewan plans, the Saskatchewan NDP joined concerned Regina parents in calling for a comprehensive plan for safely relaxing restrictions keeping Saskatchewan kids at home.
The Saskatchewan NDP is calling on the province to introduce a plan for the safe reopening of schools this fall, including hiring additional teachers and EAs to ensure that no Saskatchewan family has to see their kids return to unsafe, overcrowded classrooms this fall.
Today, with another month of business lease payments coming due, NDP Finance Critic Trent Wotherspoon called on the provincial government to act quickly to ease restrictions on the province’s Saskatchewan Small Business Emergency payment program that leave many struggling businesses unable to access needed support. Specifically, Wotherspoon questioned the government’s refusal to support businesses that are allowed to reopen but are still facing a massive drop in revenues, on top of their earlier refusal to support businesses that hadn’t been forced to close in March but had seen a major loss in revenue.
After news of an oil spill at the Co-op Refinery in Regina, NDP Leader Ryan Meili issued the following statement calling on the Premier to act in protection of public safety:
NDP Leader Ryan Meili and Seniors’ Critic Danielle Chartier today urged the Premier to listen to the experience of Dianne Morgan, who has stepped forward to share her parents’ experience with Saskatchewan’s Long-term Care system, instead of doubling down on defending his government’s non-legislated and unenforceable guidelines in long-term care homes.
With conditions in long-term care homes under scrutiny across Canada, NDP Health Critic Vicki Mowat and Seniors’ Critic Danielle Chartier called today for the release of the CEO Tour report, and for the reestablishment of minimum care standards and staffing ratios, which the Sask. Party scrapped in 2011.
Stefan Rumpel was nominated as the Saskatchewan New Democrat candidate for Swift Current this evening. Rumpel was unanimously acclaimed by local NDP members in a virtual nominating meeting, as the Saskatchewan NDP continued to nominate new candidates for the 2020 Provincial Election according to physical distancing protocols.
In response to yesterday’s Sask. Party government announcement that three of the 12 recently shuttered rural ERs will remain closed indefinitely due to “pre-existing service disruptions,” the Saskatchewan NDP is joining rural healthcare advocates in calling on the provincial government to act quickly to address funding shortfalls and staffing shortages so that Saskatchewan people can access the healthcare they need.