Ryan Meili to bring tax fairness to Saskatchewan

• Health care where and when you need it;
• Safer schools and smaller class sizes;
• Fixing long-term care and expanding home care to help seniors stay at home.

“Under Scott Moe and the Sask. Party, life is getting harder. Even before the pandemic hit, people were feeling stretched and stressed,” said Meili. “They want to tell you there are no options – that we have to settle for four more years of austerity, which means deep cuts to health care and education. That’s not right. It’s time for a tax plan that puts people first – not the Sask. Party’s old boys’ club.”

Based on estimates for the Parliamentary Budget Office, the Saskatchewan NDP’s proposal defines family net wealth as the total financial and non-financial assets, and subtracts their liabilities.

Meili also committed that the New Democrats would not raise taxes on everyday families.

Economist Angella MacEwan endorsed this new measure: “Ryan Meili and the Saskatchewan New Democratic Party are taking an important and timely measure to shift the tax burden onto those most able to afford it. As provincial economies recover from the impact of COVID-19, it is essential that working families are able to rely on functioning public services that meet their needs."

Under Scott Moe’s leadership, the Sask. Party has not balanced a single budget. The last time the Sask. Party faced financial pressures, they made deep cuts while increasing the PST on Saskatchewan families by more than $700 per year. Despite this massive tax increase on everyone in the province, the Sask. Party still managed to blow the rainy-day fund on their failed pet projects:

• Regina Bypass: $1,980,000,000;
• GTH: $46,008,000 in debt, and growing;
• The failed Carbon Capture Storage boondoggle: $1,500,000,000.

 “The choices made by the Sask. Party have left us much more vulnerable to moments like this. They squandered the boom and tripled the debt – and left everyday families to pay the price,” said Meili. “We don’t have to settle for Scott Moe’s cuts. We can do better – and ask the wealthiest amongst us to help ensure every family has access to the health care they need, when they need it.”