For immediate release: October 16, 2024
RESPECTED POLLSTER PUTS SASKATCHEWAN NDP, SASK PARTY NECK AND NECK
SASKATCHEWAN PEOPLE MOST CONCERNED WITH STATE OF HEALTHCARE
SASKATOON - Today, Janet Brown Opinion Research released new polling showing the Saskatchewan NDP is gaining ground on Scott Moe and the Sask. Party and the No. 1 issue on the minds of voters is the state of healthcare in the province.
Brown, a respected pollster with a record of producing accurate results, came the closest to predicting the outcome of the 2019 and 2023 Alberta provincial elections.
According to Brown, support for Carla Beck’s Saskatchewan NDP has surged 12 points to 40 per cent from October 2020 to October 2024. Over the same period, support for the Sask. Party has cratered 16 points to 45 per cent. Brown's margin of error is 3.5 per cent, putting the two major parties near a statistical dead heat. Brown’s poll also found one-in-five Saskatchewan voters remain undecided.
Healthcare is by far the biggest concern for Saskatchewan residents, with nearly half of respondents worried about it and 27 per cent saying it’s top of mind.
Sixty-one percent of Saskatchewan residents rate the Sask. Party’s handling of healthcare as poor or very poor. Only five per cent of respondents said the Sask. Party is doing a very good job on managing healthcare.
According to the Canadian Institute of Health Information, Saskatchewan is last place in Canada for surgical wait times and last place for healthcare worker retention.
Carla Beck has a plan to get healthcare out of last place, starting by retaining thousands of frontline healthcare staff that will leave if Scott Moe and the Sask. Party remain in charge. Beck has also committed to hiring 800 more healthcare workers to work in healthcare areas of greatest need. In contrast, Scott Moe’s election-campaign platform plans for deep cuts to healthcare despite the current crisis.
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