Sask. Party must accept responsibility, not punish workers: NDP

This morning, New Democrats stood their ground in defence of Saskatchewan families and workers. NDP Caucus Chair and Ethics and Democracy Critic, along with NDP House Leader Warren McCall, shut down a meeting where the Sask. Party was attempting to pass their latest plan to attack Saskatchewan families and workers with even deeper cuts. 

“We will accept a pay-cut for us. What we won’t accept is Sask. Party Ministers dodging their own responsibility and punishing Saskatchewan people for Sask. Party mismanagement, scandal, and waste,” said Forbes. “We will not rubber stamp a government scheme that would include even more cuts across our schools, hospitals, and the workers who provide the services Saskatchewan families rely on.”

Forbes and McCall made it clear that they and their NDP colleagues would still make good on their commitment to cut their salaries immediately but refused to support the Sask. Party’s plans to punish workers. 

In addition to the pay cut for all MLAs, the NDP has demanded that:

• Sask. Party Cabinet Ministers – those who created the financial mess - take an additional 20 per cent cut to their Ministerial bonuses;
• the government initiate the process to ensure that there are five fewer MLAs for the next general election; and
• the Sask. Party commit to not using these pay cuts as an excuse to go after Saskatchewan workers with job and pay cuts.

When Sask. Party members of a parliamentary committee – the Board of Internal Economy (BOIE) –  made it clear they would not consider the NDP’s demands, Forbes and McCall refused to enter the meeting. The Sask. Party hold the majority of votes on the committee so the only way for the NDP to block their plans and protect public workers was to not attend.

“The Sask. Party is playing games and trying to pretend they are taking the same hit as everyone else,” said Forbes. “A 3.5 per cent cut for an MLA or a Premier who has been accepting tens of thousands of dollars every year in top up from his party’s wealthy out of province donors, is very different than a pay cut or jobs loss for a single mother, a senior, or a family struggling to get by. It’s wrong for the Sask. Party to play coy while attacking Saskatchewan people like this and we are not going to stand for it.”