With the Sask. Legislature resuming this coming week, NDP opposition leader Cam Broten intends to continue to focus on familiar themes.
Broten pointed to the record prosperity over the last decade in the province, and he says families are wondering “where did all the money go?” based on the feedback he has heard during the recent break in the session.
“Families are wondering why don’t we have the best schools in the country? Why don’t we have the best emergency rooms? Why don’t we have seniors’ care and care homes that provide dignity to our loved ones?” said Broten.
“And so there’s this disconnect between what the priorities are for families and what this government has been working on and where they have been spending their dollars. And many of the bad choices they’ve made are a real concern.”
Broten pledged to focus on those issues in health care, senior care and education during the spring sitting.
He also pledges to continue to focus on issues such as the John Black and Associates LEAN contract, which Broten accused the government of “plowing ahead” with as opposed to “actually putting resources on the front lines where they are needed.”
“It was this government that removed the minimum care standards and we now have such a chronic short staffing situation where health-care workers just can’t give the care that they want to provide because the right resources aren’t going to the right places.”
Broten is also critical of the government for its “total fascination with misplaced dollars and pet projects.” He pointed to the SmartMeter mess, as well as the increase in “high-priced consultants,” and also misplaced priorities for travel to places such as Ghana, Africa and the use of limousines by SaskParty ministers.
He also mentioned the spending of money on a “premier’s library” in Regina, modelled after U.S. presidential libraries.
“When you see this track record, it’s indicative of a government that isn’t focused on the fundamentals, in our emergency rooms and in our care homes. But instead, it’s fascinated with these projects that aren’t delivering for people, especially at this time of record revenues.”
One story that made the rounds was of the recent trip of the head of Creative Saskatchewan to the Oscars in Los Angeles for more than $3,000. While it was defended as essential travel, Broten slammed the trip.
“The government is talking about cuts to the important services that people need and want, and then in the meantime they’re flying down to the Oscars. It doesn’t add up. And this is after this government killed the Film Employment Tax Credit and essentially decimated the film industry here in the province.”
With respect to the budget to be delivered by Finance Minister Ken Krawetz later in March, Broten will be watching closely.
Broten said that despite the recent oil price slump, there is still revenue available. He pointed out that in 2007 there was just under $8 billion in revenues available and that has since gone up to $14 billion.
“It’s important to look at that overall picture. There’s still more revenue than ever available, but the right choices need to be made. And that’s not what this government is doing, and it’s certainly not acceptable to be expecting municipalities and families to be picking up the tab for its poor decisions.”
