Sask. NDP planning to hold Moe accountable in spring legislative sitting

With the spring sitting of the Legislative Assembly to begin Monday, Saskatchewan NDP is looking ahead to what it will press Scott Moe’s Saskatchewan Party government on.

NDP Leader Carla Beck says there are three main categories the party intends to press Sask. Party members on: The current status of health care, the outrageous cost of living, and the need for good-paying jobs.

“These are the issues that are keeping Saskatchewan people up at night and these are the issues my party will be laser-focused on addressing in the upcoming session,” Beck said.

“After 16 years, Saskatchewan people simply expect accountability and they deserve results. Since Scott Moe took office, the Sask. Party government has been last in Canada in job creation, last in Canada on economic growth and second-last in the country on wage growth.”

Beck touts the NDP will also be reaching out to more people, noting that 2023 will be its biggest year yet.

Aleana Young, the NDP’s jobs and economy critic, said listening to people is something the Sask. Party isn’t doing.

“Everybody says the Sask. Party government just isn’t listening and this arrogant bunch are making important financial decisions about the future of the province in a vacuum,” Young explained. “These guys aren’t even showing up.

“They’re making these choices (and) these decisions without people who have actual skin in the game,” she added. “Local voices deserve a seat at that table. How are you supposed to deliver for people in this province if you don’t give a damn about showing up?”

Young says there are plenty examples of the Sask. Party not listening to people.

“The Sask. Chamber (of Commerce) had a fantastic event a couple weeks ago on food, fuel and fertilizer and not a single cabinet minister showed up,” she said. “On Tuesday in Saskatoon was one of the largest gathering of Indigenous business owners in the history of the province at Prairieland Park. Not a single cabinet minister showed up.”

Other issues the NDP wants to focus on include eliminating the PST on construction labour, retaining health-care workers and and making Saskatchewan competitive.

The New Democrats hope by focusing on these major issues, they’ll be able to get some traction as they begin to build up for the next election.

The NDP says it’ll continue to press the Sask. Party on issues like that until the next election happens in 2024.