Opposition leader Cam Broten made known his concerns about the grain transportation backlog in a conference call from Regina Wednesday.
The call with provincial media was in advance of the return of the legislature this week, as the current session resumes for its spring sitting.
"This is really frustrating for producers in the province and for all rural and urban communities that rely on the shipment of grain to port," said Broten, adding it was especially frustrating for farmers "who've done everything they could do, working with Mother Nature to have a record crop, and then to have the crop sit in the bin and then not receive the type of payment that they need to pay their bills."
Broten acknowledged the frustrations from farmers and blasted the province for failing to respond to the issue soon enough.
"This government has been late to get into the game and take a strong stand on this," said Broten. He said they had raised such things as joint running rights and non-performance penalties to the rail companies, but said the response from the government was "there may not be answers to this problem, it's complicated."
"That is not the kind of approach that we need to solve this crisis for producers," said Broten.
He also described as "weak" the province's response in dealing with the federal government on the crisis, and on that latter point Broten had tough words about federal minister of agriculture Gerry Ritz, MP for Battlefords-Lloydminster.
"Minister Ritz has been horrible in addressing this," said Broten.
"The other day he said he's loathe to regulate and to step in. Well this is about Saskatchewan producers, this is about supporting the economy, and for the federal ag minister to take that sort of approach is offensive, I think, to producers and it shows how poor of a read the federal Conservatives have on what's needed when it comes to agriculture in Saskatchewan."
He said it is the government's role to legislate and regulate rail, and to make sure companies "aren't held hostage by a couple of companies, and that's what's happening right now." He also expressed concern the backlog could have implications for the following growing seasons.
"This needs to be solved quickly with some real determination."
Another issue he discussed was the proposed deal between the government and the Saskatchewan Indian Gaming Authority where the government would sell to SIGA both Casino Regina and Casino Moose Jaw - a deal that fell apart when the NDP refused to support it.
Broten called it a "secret backroom deal" and blasted it as "rushed," adding it "raised a ton of flags of concern."
He told reporters he heard complaints from First Nations leaders at a recent FSIN assembly about the deal, specifically as it related to community development corporations. Anopen and transparent process is needed, said Broten.
"What Mr. Wall was asking me to do was violate the oath I took as an MLA to follow the laws that are passed, to do due diligence and to ensure that Saskatchewan's interests are protected," said Broten, adding "it's almost comical that Mr. Wall would somehow try to pin this on the NDP."
Beyond that, Broten made clear his plans to focus on priorities of the NDP caucus in the session.
He said the focus will be on how ordinary people are doing and making sure families benefit.
"It can't simply be about the province doing well," said Broten. "It has to be about people in Saskatchewan doing well and people getting ahead."
Among the priorities Broten identified are: health care, especially in relation to senior care; education and making sure classrooms have the right resources; and also addressing the concerns from families about an increased cost of living.
On health care, Broten said he still hears "far too many stories of a quality of care that isn't good enough."
He blames it on decisions the government has made with "staffing levels being decreased and minimum standards being eliminated."
As for cost of living concerns, Broten pointed to many families feeling the pinch.
"We know that families are being asked to pay extra on so many fronts," said Broten. He pointed to municipal taxes and Crown utilities as examples, but also said the premier's recent musings at the February SUMA convention in Regina about raising the education property tax "not to pay for education, but to pay for bridges and overpasses."
Broten said he is outraged at the idea of using the education property tax to fund items outside of education. "It's not something I could support or would support, especially since we know there are huge pressures in the classroom."
In the conference call the NDP leader pledged to continue to hold the government to account, but said the government still has an approach of having "its head in the sand" on issues such as health care.
Broten said his hope is the government "will start listening. They have a bit of a pattern here where they'll pretend to listen to what people are saying on any number of topics, but people get the sense that their agenda is already determined and they're not listening to what people are saying. And it's our job to hold people to account."
