NDP's Wotherspoon would focus on education, crowns

A former teacher that spent much of his time supporting youth transitioning out of the criminal justice system and keeping kids in school is running for the leader of the Saskatchewan New Democrats.

“I’m running to fight back to build a province that works for everyone,” said Trent Wotherspoon, the MLA for Regina Rosemont. “We have a government that’s dismantling the things that give people in our province strength: our crowns, our classrooms, supports for people and the most vulnerable, so it’s time to rally and to work to win the next election.”

Wotherspoon was in Nipawin Dec. 10 along with competitor Ryan Meili to participate in a debate hosted by the Carrot River Valley New Democrats.

If selected as leader, Wotherspoon would focus on delivering universal mental health and addiction services to all within Saskatchewan, develop a $15 per day universal childcare system, reverse education cuts and enhance the education system, protecting crown corporations by requiring a referendum before they are sold or shut down, and building a strong and inclusive economy.

“Many of these priorities pay for themselves. They’re investments,” Wotherspoon said. “When you think of mental health and addiction services, every dollar we put into mental health and addiction services saves $7 in healthcare costs, so it’s a fiscally responsible thing to do.”

The same principle applies to early childhood education, the candidate said.

He would also raise income taxes by two per cent for any income earned above $250,000, as well as create an independent accountability commission that would examine the cost overruns with the GTH land deal and the Regina bypass.

If elected as premier, Wotherspoon said he’d lean on the people of the region for the ideas and expertise needed to build a strong local economy.

“I’d work together as partners, with open ears and work to support the local economy, work to support value-added agriculture throughout the region, work to invest back into classrooms, classrooms that have been attacked and cut by this government.”

He’d also work to make sure the rail system actually works for producers and return power to the North East School Division that was taken away by the Saskatchewan Party government.

Wotherspoon said to win the next election, New Democrats will have to listen to all regions of the province and lay out a vision.

“Over the course of the last year, we’ve embarked on a very significant outreach program,” he said. “We need to continue to build and listen all across this province, but we’ve been finding momentum as well.”