More than 18,000 letters are being sent to seniors eligible for the Seniors Income Plan (SIP).  9,000 of those letters are going to seniors now eligible for SIP because of changes made by your SaskParty government.

Our government has significantly increased SIP benefits, the first such increase in 16 years.  Benefits have more than doubled to a maximum of $190 per month for single seniors and $155 per month per person for couples.

Seniors who qualify for SIP also receive:

• One free eye exam per year
• Free chiropractic services
• Reduced deductible on prescription drugs
• Home care subsidy
• Supplementary health benefits for those in special care homes
• Loans on some low-cost devices through the Saskatchewan Abilities Council

For more information, seniors are encouraged to contact the Seniors Income Plan toll free at 1-800-667-7161.

November 4, 2008

The government's 2008 A Stronger Saskatchewan, A Better Life Throne Speech was passed in the Saskatchewan Legislature by a vote of 36 to 19.  Government MLAs supported the Throne Speech while Opposition MLAs voted against the historic address outlining our government's plan to give Saskatchewan people the largest-ever single year tax cut, continue to reduce the debt, invest in infrastructure and set aside a $2 billion fiscal insurance policy.

"The NDP chose politics over people," said Meadow Lake MLA Jeremy Harrison.  "This Throne Speech puts the priorities of Saskatchewan people first, outlining our government's direction for the next year and including many measures that will have a positive impact on the lives of Saskatchewan people."

This year's Throne Speech outlines a number of historic commitments, including:

• the largest single-year tax cut in Saskatchewan history;
• a further $1 billion commitment to debt reduction.
• an increase to $1.5 billion in our historic commitment to infrastructure renewal
• the largest increase in the Seniors Income Plan for low income seniors in Saskatchewan history;
• a new Low Income Tax Credit to assist low income individuals and families; and
• improvements to the Graduate Retention Program designed to keep more young people in Saskatchewan and attract more young people to Saskatchewan

"Our government is working to continue Saskatchewan's strong economic momentum and to make sure everyone shares in the benefits of our growing economy," said Harrison.  "A strong Saskatchewan means a better life ... for everyone."

For the complete Throne Speech, click here.

Deputy Premier and Education Minister Ken Krawetz, along three other Canadians, has been awarded the order of Kniaz (King) Yaroslav the Wise by Ukrainian President Victor Yushchenko.

"I am deeply honoured to be receiving this prestigious award from the President of Ukraine, the homeland of my grandparents," Krawetz said. "I will wear this award with pride and will continue to work at establishing meaningful partnerships and strong ties with the people of Ukraine."

The award recognizes Krawetz’s efforts to build better relations between Canada and Ukraine, along with his active participation in the International Remembrance Flame and raising awareness for the 75th Anniversary of the Holodomor.

Last May, Minister Krawetz introduced legislation recognizing those who died in the Ukrainian Famine and Genocide (Holodomor) of 1932-33 on the fourth Saturday in November each year.

Ottenbreit No Stranger to issue of Environmental Stewardship   Premier Brad Wall has appointed Yorkton MLA Greg Ottenbreit as Legislative Secretary to the Environment Minister on Recycling.  His appointment takes effect immediately.   With more than 30 years of experience in the recycling and waste management industry, Ottenbreit has the depth of knowledge to tackle this challenge head-on. "Greg's experience in this industry and a commitment to building a better Saskatchewan will serve him well as Legislative Secretary on Recycling," said Environment Minister Nancy Heppner.

Ottenbreit began working in the recycling and waste management industry in 1970.  For more than three decades, he has been a tireless advocate for responsible environmental stewardship.  Ottenbreit served as the President of the Waste Advisory Council of Saskatchewan and was involved with the Saskatchewan Waste Reduction Council.   He was instrumental in the development of the residential/commercial recycling system in the Yorkton-area. As Vice Chair of the Yorkton Solid Waste Management Commission, Ottenbreit was involved in developing a plan with the goal of zero waste to the Yorkton landfill by 2026.

"Environmental stewardship is something I take very seriously.  If we want to build a safe, sustainable future for our kids, it is important we take the necessary steps," said Ottenbreit.  "I look forward to working with Minister Heppner on this important portfolio."

Prior to his appointment as Legislative Secretary on Recycling, Ottenbreit was the Legislative Secretary to the Minister of Social Services on Community Based Organizations (CBOs).   Due to the recommendations contained in his report on CBOs, our government is taking action on initiatives such as entering long-term funding agreements with community-based organizations, ensuring low-income individuals and families can keep tax refunds created by last fall's historic tax cuts and partnering with the United Way of Saskatoon and Area to bring 211 phone service to Saskatchewan.

Historic fall sitting of the legislature benefits ALL Saskatchewan people

Saskatchewan people will benefit from historic tax cuts, record debt reduction, an increased investment in infrastructure and a $2 billion fiscal insurance policy passed during the fall sitting of the Saskatchewan legislature.

"Our government was able to share the benefits of our growing economy with every single person in Saskatchewan through lower taxes and remove 80,000 low-income people from the tax rolls altogether," Premier Brad Wall said.

Launch of Active Families Benefit program keeps another campaign promise 

The Active Families Benefit program allows parents and guardians to claim a fully refundable tax credit for children aged 6 to 14 enrolled in eligible activities.

"In conjunction with the historic tax cuts recently announced by our government, the Active Families Benefit is another piece of welcome news for Saskatchewan families," said Tourism, Parks, Culture and Sports Minister Christine Tell. "Assisting with these costs will reduce barriers, promote access and encourage children to participate in activities that are vital to healthy, active living."

A wide range of cultural, recreational and sport activities qualify for the program, such as theatre and dance classes, music lessons, swimming lessons and minor league sports.

Details include:

• Cultural, recreational and sport activities are eligible.
• The program will take effect January 1, 2009.
• More information can be found at www.tpcs.gov.sk.ca/afb or by calling 1-866-951-8828 M-F 8am-5pm.

Together with the tax reductions announced by Premier Brad Wall in October, a working family with two children in eligible activities will see their income tax reduced by $1,620 in 2009.

Premier Brad Wall pens column on lack of leadership in Ottawa

In a column published in the Friday, December 5, 2008 edition of the National Post, Premier Brad Wall calls on Canada's political leaders to "rise to the occasion" now that we have "stepped back from the precipice."

Premier Wall took a leadership role on the national stage last week, as the coalition formed by the Liberals and NDP, supported by the Bloc Quebecois, threatened to topple Stephen Harper's Conservative government.

"The way forward will not be found down the path of political instability. It will not be found through a power grab by an ill-considered coalition," wrote Premier Wall.  "Nor will it be found by those whose primary motivation is to destroy their political opponents."

Premier Wall continued, "These things can only be achieved if our national leaders listen to what Canadians are telling them -- that both the government and the opposition must put down their talking points, understand that Canadians deserve better and start acting accordingly."

To read the complete column, click here.

The most agressive youth retention program in Canada continues to make headlines across the country.

The latest to take notice of Saskatchewan's improved Graduate Retention Program?  A newspaper in Prince Edward Island.

An editorial published in the Guardian says: "The province should take note of Saskatchewan's recent pitch to attract university and college grads from across the country. It's a strategy that could work well for Saskatchewan ... The Saskatchewan gesture illustrates what some provinces are doing to not only stem the brain drain from their own turf, but to aggressively reverse it."

Under the Graduate Retention Program, post-secondary graduates from across Canada and beyond can access up to $20,000 in tuition rebates.

To read the article in the Guardian, click here.

November 4, 2008

In keeping with Parliamentary tradition, Premier Wall concludes debate on the historic Speech from the Throne that opened the 2nd Session of the Twenty-Sixth Legislature of the Province of Saskatchewan.

The A Stronger Saskatchewan, A Better Life Throne Speech outlined our government's plan to use the unbudgeted $3.1 billion surplus to give all Saskatchewan people the largest-ever single year tax cut, reduce the provincial debt by a record $2.6 billion, or nearly 40 per cent and increase our historic investment in infrastructure to $1.5 billion.

Click here or on the picture to watch the Premier's speech.

The 2008 A Stronger Saskatchewan, A Better Life Speech from the Throne includes several historic initiatives, including:

• the largest income tax reduction in Saskatchewan history;
• the largest commitment to debt reduction in Saskatchewan;
• the largest commitment to infrastructure in Saskatchewan history;
• the largest increase in the Seniors Income Plan for low income seniors in Saskatchewan history;
• a new Low Income Tax Credit to assist low income individuals and families; and
• improvements to the Graduate Retention Program designed to keep more young people in Saskatchewan and attract more young people to Saskatchewan

For the complete Throne Speech, click here.

September 30, 2008

Premier promotes Sask on national TV

For the interview as it aired on CTV Newsnet, click here.

September 11, 2008

Reaction to the $18.3 million funding announcement for CBOs

"If I was a kid I would give you a high-five,
or do a somersault."
   -Provincial Crisis 
    Coalition 
    spokesperson 
    Rita Field

Strong economic momentum continues

From June 2007 to
June 2008...

Wholesale trade in Saskatchewan went up 53.7%.

Retail sales growth in Saskatchewan went up 13.5%.

2001-2007
Under the NDP, Saskatchewan had the worst job creation record in Canada.

June 2008
Under the SaskParty, there were 521,100 people employed in Saskatchewan in June, the highest recorded for any month in the province's history.

July 30, 2008

2001-2007
Under the NDP, Saskatchewan had the worst job creation record in Canada.

June 2008
Under the SaskParty, there were 521,100 people employed in Saskatchewan in June, the highest recorded for any month in the province's history.

New Democrats refuse to defend Saskatchewan.

Your Saskatchewan Party government has consistently defended our province's interests by voicing its objection to greenhouse gas emission (GHG) reduction schemes that would have a negative impact on Saskatchewan's economy and threaten our new "have" province status.

There are two proposed initiatives: the federal Liberals' "Green Shift" plan and the cap & trade system proposed by several other provinces.  Both would cost Saskatchewan hundreds of millions of dollars without substantially reducing GHG emissions, if at all.

Saskatchewan New Democrats have yet to take a position on either the Liberal "Green Shift" or cap & trade plans.

"I think it is important the people of Saskatchewan know where the NDP stand on this important issue," said Environment Minister Nancy Heppner.  "Lorne Calvert was content to let Saskatchewan be a "have-not" province in the past.  His silence on these plans implies support.  Both of these plans would transfer hard-earned money from Saskatchewan to other jurisdictions. Is Calvert content to have Saskatchewan return to "have-not" status through either of these wealth-transfer schemes?"

Heppner argues that technology offers made-in-Saskatchewan solutions that will result in real GHG reductions.

"The SaskPower clean coal/carbon capture demonstration project at the Boundary Dam is expected to reduce SaskPower's greenhouse gas emissions by about one million tonnes per year.  It would be one of the first and largest clean coal/carbon capture demonstration projects in the world.."

May 20, 2008

Six months ago, our new government was sworn in. In the Throne Speech last December, we charted a new direction that reflects Saskatchewan values: growth and opportunity, security and compassion, and keeping our word. We have delivered this new direction to the people of Saskatchewan.

Our government is not only keeping its promises, we are committed to sustaining the economic momentum and ensuring all people share in the prosperity.  More young people will be starting their careers AND their families in Saskatchewan. 

• We made an unprecedented $1 billion investment in infrastructure in our "Ready for Growth" budget.
• We committed to keeping royalty rates unchanged, prompting record-breaking activity in oil rights land sales.
• $16.3 million for the revitalization of St. Mary?s Community School in Saskatoon?s Pleasant Hill neighborhood.
• $500,000 for school lunch and anti-hunger programs in community schools

We kept more than 60 campaign promises, including:

• $4 million for the Cancer Agency to pay for Avastin, and an extra 10.7 million for cancer care.
• The most aggressive youth retention plan in Canada ? our tuition rebate program.
• Signed an agreement with nurses on recruitment and retention issues.
• Increased the education property tax rebate for homeowners and farmers.
• $5 million for community-based organizations such as food banks for employment and life-skills training.

For a complete list of the promises kept, click here.

While we have made a good start, there is still much to be done.  Let's leave a legacy for our children and grandchildren.

May 15, 2008

Several SaskParty MLAs stood in the House today and delivered passionate member statements celebrating the accomplishments of the spring session.

Moose Jaw North MLA Warren Michelson talked about Growth and Opportunity.  Click here.

Saskatoon Sutherland MLA Jocelyn Schriemer was up next on Security and Compassion.   Click here.

Regina Qu'Appelle Valley MLA Laura Ross led off on keeping Promises.  Click here.

Lloydminster MLA Tim McMillan was on clean-up, finishing off that list of Promises.  Click here.

NDP stuck in reverse on labour issues

Wood River MLA Yogi Huyghebaert's member statement from Monday, May 5, 2008:

"Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Well, Mr. Speaker, shortly after the last election the editor of the NDP's newsletter The Commonwealth wrote a scathing article outlining the NDP government's numerous failures that led to its defeat in the 2007 election."

Here's what he said about NDP labour policy and I quote: "Rather than create a new labour policy of its own . . . The government instead chose to reach back into the 1990s." He also called this approach an unmitigated disaster.

So what has the NDP learned from all this? Absolutely nothing. They're still out of step with Saskatchewan people on labour policy. A huge majority of Saskatchewan people, including union members, support essential services legislation. The NDP oppose it. A huge majority of Saskatchewan people, including union members, support secret ballots in the workplace. The NDP oppose it.

Mr. Speaker, our Labour minister has called on the NDP to support this legislation, but I hope they don't. I hope they cling to that same old lack of vision and failed ideology that lost them the last election. I hope they continue to oppose this balanced, progressive legislation and continue to demonstrate that they are completely out of touch with Saskatchewan people. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The NDP refuse to release the letter that would tell the people of Saskatchewan if former caucus chief of staff Jim Fodey was fired or not. 

At stake: Fodey's $131,000 severance package.  

Wood River MLA Yogi Huyghebaert is demanding answers:

"Well, Mr. Speaker, the cover-up continues. Now the NDP is refusing to release the letter it sent authorizing a $131,000 severance payment to former NDP chief of staff, Jim Fodey. What are they hiding?

If they've been telling the truth about Mr. Fodey's departure, what are they hiding?

If Mr. Fodey is truly entitled to this $131,000 severance payment, then what are they hiding?

Mr. Speaker, the NDP covered up the truth about their caucus fraud scandal 16 years ago, and they're still doing it today.

The NDP claim to be concerned about openness and accountability. They claim to be concerned about the government changing the approval process for contracts over $50,000, yet they flat out refuse to release the letter authorizing this huge severance payment to an NDP staff member who supposedly resigned.

Typical NDP, say one thing and do another.

Mr. Speaker, the NDP has turned a $6,000 fraud scandal and cover-up into a $131,000 bill to Saskatchewan taxpayers. At the very least, they owe Saskatchewan people an honest explanation. They owe Saskatchewan people the truth.

Will the Leader of the Opposition show that he actually still is the leader of the party, do the right thing, and release the letter? If not, what are they hiding?"

“That’s the first time I’ve ever had a report card from a guy who was sent to detention for four years.”

That was the response from the Saskatchewan Party’s Energy and Resources Minister Bill Boyd after NDP Leader Lorne Calvert handed out a report card on the new government’s first 100 days in office.

Boyd said the new Saskatchewan Party government has already fulfilled 15 of its major election promises and has had many other significant accomplishments in its first 100 days, including:
- Removal of the PST on used cars
- Fixed election dates
- Full coverage of the life-extending cancer drug Avastin
- Essential Services legislation
- New partnership with SUN on retention and recruitment of nurses
- $15 cap on prescriptions for children
- Creation of Enterprise Saskatchewan
- Acquired $240 million in federal funding for a new clean coal project

The Saskatchewan Party today released a list of its accomplishments for the first 100 days in office (attached).

“We have 16 years of NDP mismanagement to deal with, so we’re just getting started,” Boyd said.  “The important thing is – Saskatchewan people and our government are looking to the future with confidence and optimism.  It’s too bad the NDP is stuck in the past.”

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For further information:
Steve Rennick
Director of Communications
Government Caucus
539-6385

First 100 Days.pdf (1KB)

(REGINA) - A news release issued today by the NDP Opposition MLA Sandra Morin falsely states that Saskatchewan Environment Minister Nancy Heppner will be attending the Solar Cities Conference in Adelaide, Australia, which has a registration fee of $950.  The Minister and her official have never been registered for this conference and are not attending.

Minister Heppner is in Australia attending the Australia Canada Premier’s Summit Conference on behalf of Premier Wall, promoting Saskatchewan technology, assisting representatives from the University of Regina, and holding meetings with Australian Ministers including Minister for Environment and Conservation Gail Gago and Minister for Mineral Resource Development Paul Holloway.

The Minister will hold a news conference upon her return from Australia to discuss details of the trip.

The original invitation to attend the Australia Canada Premier’s Summit Conference was sent before the election to former Premier Lorne Calvert.  The Canadian delegation is headed up by Manitoba NDP Premier Gary Doer.

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For more information: 
Steve Rennick
Director of Communications
Government Caucus
787-4300

(REGINA) - Autism Spectrum Disorder is a brain disorder that affects development.  It can dramatically impact a person’s ability to communicate, relate to others, and interact with his or her surroundings.   ASD probably received its highest profile in the 1988 movie Rain Man, a powerful film about the relationship between two brothers, one of them suffering from the disorder.

·         In Canada, 1 in 165 children are diagnosed with ASD.

·         ASD is the most common childhood disorder; more prevalent than pediatric aids, cancer, and diabetes combined.

·         The cause of ASD is unknown, but genetics play a role.

On Saturday, February 9, 2008, Regina Wascana Plains MLA Christine Tell is volunteering alongside dozens of others at the Victoria Avenue East Safeway Store between 2:00 and 4:00 pm to raise autism awareness.   Between 10:00 am and 4:00 pm, Safeway holds its annual Charity Checkout Day.  This year the grocery giant is teaming up locally with the Autism Resource Centre.  Customers will be asked to make a small donation to support ARC’s worthwhile initiatives.

“I am happy to give my support to this cause,” said Tell.  “Autism is such an increasing phenomenon among our kids today, and we need to rally whatever support we can to provide assistance.  The ARC group is doing such fantastic work in this area to give help to people diagnosed with Autism and to their families.”

For more than 30 years, the Autism Resource Centre has been supporting families facing the challenges of ASD.  Training for parents, a parent support group, workshops for local agencies, and seasonal programming, including the ARC Summer Program, the ARC Adventure Camp, and ARC Preschool Adventures,  are just a few of the vital services the Autism Resource Centre provides. 

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CONTACT:
Steve Rennick
Director of Communications
Government Caucus Office
(306) 787-4300

(REGINA)  - Estevan MLA Doreen Eagles today congratulated Spectra Credit Union on being named one of Canada’s Top 25 Small and Medium Employers. 

Spectra Credit Union has their administration office in Estevan, with service branches serving nine other communities in south-east Saskatchewan.  This is the third consecutive year that Spectra Credit Union has been recognized as being one of the top small and medium employers in Canada.
 
“Spectra Credit Union continues to be recognized as a top employer, not only by its employees here in Saskatchewan, but nationally as well,” Eagles said.  “I would like to congratulate Spectra Credit Union on this prestigious designation and look forward to their continued growth and success.”

2008 is the fourth year of the Best Small and Medium Employers (BSME) in Canada study, which supplements the Globe and Mail Report on Business Magazine’s 50 Best employers study.  A distinctive feature of these studies is that the results are based on the opinions of the employees of the companies involved.

The list of BSME employers is compiled by Queen’s University School of Business and is based on methods developed with Hewitt Associates, the world’s largest human resources outsourcing and consulting firm.  This year, over 150 employers registered to participate in the study, of which 70 qualified to be considered for Best Employer status.  The top 25 employers are then profiled in the Globe and Mail. 

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For more information:  Doreen Eagles (306-787-4300)

(REGINA)  Weyburn – Big Muddy MLA Dustin Duncan today said the NDP party should be paying for a byelection in the Cumberland constituency now that MLA Joan Beatty is quitting provincial politics and running for the federal Liberal party in an upcoming byelection.

“Literally a few weeks after the people of the Cumberland constituency re-elected her, Joan Beatty is jumping ship from the sinking NDP and heading to another party,” Duncan said.  “Some media are even reporting that Beatty was having discussions with the federal Liberals last summer, long before the provincial election was called.”

“I can see why more people want to leave the Saskatchewan NDP, but I think there are many more questions that need to be answered such as:  Did Beatty’s executive know about the potential of her running federally for another party?  How can Saskatchewan taxpayers be expected to pay for a byelection so close to a general election?  Why did Beatty run for the NDP in the first place if she was going to jump ship in a few weeks?

Duncan added that its unfair that the people of Cumberland are left just a few weeks after a general election with no MLA to represent them. 

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For more information:  Dustin Duncan (306-787-4300)

REGINA—Saskatchewan Premier-designate Brad Wall today announced that Friday, November 23rd will be Green Day in Saskatchewan in honour of the Saskatchewan Roughriders' quest for the Grey Cup.

"I am asking everyone in Saskatchewan to wear green this Friday to show their support for our Riders," Wall said.

"Wear green to work, wear green to school, wear green when you go to work out - wear green no matter what you're doing on Friday."

"Saskatchewan has the greatest football fans in the country and on Friday we can show our Rider pride across the province and to the rest of the country.

"We want the whole Rider Nation to wear green."

Wall added that he looks forward to a great football game on Sunday and the Riders bringing home the Grey Cup for all Saskatchewan people to enjoy.

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For more information, Kathy Young, Regina, 787-0425.

REGINA—Saskatchewan Premier-designate Brad Wall and Manitoba Premier Gary Doer agreed today on a neighbourly bet to be settled by the outcome of this weekend’s Grey Cup match-up between the Saskatchewan Roughriders and the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.

The premier of the province with the losing team has agreed to join the premier of the province with the winning team on the Saskatchewan-Manitoba border.

There, the premiers will exchange jerseys and unveil a sign on the TransCanada highway that will read “Welcome to the Home of the 2007 Grey Cup Champions”.

Wall said the new sign will welcome Bomber fans to Saskatchewan on their drive to Regina for the Labour Day classic.  He added that he was glad to hear that in addition to the Grey Cup, Doer is also attending the Vanier Cup, Friday night in Toronto.

“I’m cheering for the University of Manitoba Bisons so that Premier Doer gets to see at least one of his teams win this weekend,” Wall said.

This is the first time in the history of the Canadian Football League that the Riders and the Bombers have met in the Grey Cup.

“We couldn’t have asked for a more fitting Grey Cup,” said Doer.

“Manitoba and Saskatchewan have the greatest football fans in the country and our friendly rivalry will make this weekend’s game one of the best. I look forward to being welcomed into Manitoba with a new sign.”

Wall said despite their differing views on football and politics, the two Premiers will be meeting on Saturday in Toronto and he looks forward to a strong working relationship with Premier Doer.

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For more information, Kathy Young, Regina, 306-787-0425.

REGINA—Ken Krawetz, head of the Saskatchewan Party's transition team and the MLA for Canora Pelly, today welcomed news that official counts in three constituencies with close races have confirmed Saskatchewan Party victories.

"While not large margins, these are still decisive victories—all more than 30 votes," Krawetz said. "And in all three cases, the margin of victory increased."

"Given this, my hope is that these members will be allowed to be sworn in as soon as possible and begin working for the people who elected them."

In the constituency of Meadow Lake, the Saskatchewan Party's Jeremy Harrison won by 37 votes.  In Prince Albert Carlton, Darryl Hickie increased his margin of victory to 61 votes. In Moose Jaw North, the Saskatchewan Party's Warren Michelson won by 33 votes. 

"The people of Saskatchewan voted for change, and these results confirm we will be heading into the legislature in a few weeks with a strong majority," Krawetz said.

The official count includes all mail-in ballots, hospital ballots, and votes cast by inmates. Now that the official count has been concluded, the Writs of Election can be returned. That in turn, clears the way for newly-elected MLAs to be sworn in.

The swearing-in ceremony for Premier-designate Brad Wall and his new cabinet ministers will take place at Government House tomorrow at 6:00 p.m. All MLAs will be sworn in at the Legislative Building on a date to be announced in the near future.

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For more information, Kathy Young, Regina, 306-787-0425.

REGINA—Premier-designate Brad Wall today announced that Dan Perrins has been appointed Special Advisor to the Government of Saskatchewan and will also join the Johnson-Shoyama Graduate School of Public Policy as an Executive-in-Residence, an appointment confirmed by the University of Regina and the University of Saskatchewan this past week.

"I'm delighted that our new government and Saskatchewan's two universities are able to secure the on-going services of Mr. Perrins in public sector policy and management," Wall said. "In his new role as Executive-in-Residence, Mr. Perrins will work with both universities and with the government he has so ably served for the last 35 years."

Perrins will take up his post as Executive-in-Residence February 1, 2008.  In the meantime, he will continue as Special Advisor to the Government of Saskatchewan and assist Garnet Garven, the new Deputy Minister to the Premier during the transition of government. Housed at the University of Regina, the Johnson-Shoyama Graduate School and the Saskatchewan Institute of Public Policy are associated with both universities.  Perrins' expertise will benefit faculty and students in both locations.

"The University of Regina is excited to have someone of Dan Perrins' calibre to work with and advise our faculty," said Dr. Jim Tomkins, President of the University of Regina.

"This is an excellent decision by the incoming Government of Saskatchewan to support the appointment of Dan Perrins at our two universities," said Dr. Peter MacKinnon, President of the University of Saskatchewan.

As Executive-in-Residence, Perrins will contribute to teaching, advise on curriculum enhancement, take part in student consultations, and participate in the development of training, educational and other developmental initiatives between the government and the Johnson-Shoyama Graduate School of Public Policy. He may also participate in research and take on special projects.

"Public policy and management are about practice as well as theory," said Dr. Ken Rasmussen, Director of the Johnson-Shoyama School. "Having a veteran public servant like Dan Perrins available to our faculty and students while he maintains a link to the Saskatchewan public service will help us bridge the two.  The executive-in-residence model, often used in graduate schools of business, is an excellent way to ground the academic experience in practical reality."

Perrins joined the Government of Saskatchewan in 1972 as a front-line social worker and has worked his way up through a number of increasingly senior social policy and program management positions in Health, Social Services, Education and Post-Secondary Education and Skills Training, culminating in being appointed Head of the Public Service - Deputy Minister to the Premier—in 2001. Perrins holds degrees from both universities and has taught as a sessional lecturer at the University of Regina.  Perrins also received the Lieutenant Governor's Medal of the Institute of Public Administration of Canada in September 2003 for his leadership, achievement and significant contributions in the field of public administration in Saskatchewan.

"Mr. Perrins is well positioned to share his experience with others by advising current public servants and by helping to develop the next generation of public policy professionals," Wall said.

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For more information, Kathy Young, Regina, 787-0425.

REGINA—Saskatchewan's Premier-designate, Brad Wall, today announced individuals filling senior staff positions in the new Sask Party government.

Fredrick (Rick) D. Mantey is the Deputy Cabinet Secretary and Clerk of the Executive Council.  Mantey has worked with the corporate, public and not-for-profit sectors in support of government relations, board development, governance and stakeholder relations in senior positions within the governments of Manitoba and Ontario.  Past positions held include Special Assistant to the Premier of Manitoba, Executive Assistant to the Minister without Portfolio (WCB Reform) and Special Advisor to the Cabinet Secretary.

Terri Harris will be the Deputy Chief of Staff and Director of Operations of Executive Council under Chief of Staff, Reg Downs.

Kathy Young will serve as the Executive Director of Communications heading up Media Relations, Interactive Communications and the Premier's Correspondence Unit.

Former Director of Communications, Ian Hanna, will become the Communications Advisor to the Premier.

Terry Gudmundson will become the Executive Director of House Business.

"The people of Saskatchewan have given the Saskatchewan Party government their trust to run an open and accountable government that fulfills its promises," Wall said.  "And I am very pleased to have such qualified and capable individuals to help me accomplish these goals."

"It is an honour to have been elected by the people of Saskatchewan and we take this responsibility very seriously.  This will continue to be reflected in the individuals chosen and work undertaken by these people over the course of the next four years."

Premier-designate Wall will be sworn in along with the rest of the Saskatchewan Party government cabinet on Wednesday, November 21st.

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For more information, Saskatchewan Party Caucus, Regina, 787-4300.

REGINA—Saskatchewan’s Premier designate, Brad Wall, today welcomed news that the Potash Corporation of Saskatchewan (PCS) will invest $1.8 billion to expand mine and mill operations at Rocanville, Saskatchewan.

“I would like to express my sincere best wishes and congratulations to Chief Executive Officer Bill Doyle, his management team and each and every worker at PCS on this exciting new announcement,” Wall said.

“This is truly a great day for the Potash Corporation, and all of Saskatchewan can be proud.”

Wall noted that that the Potash Corporation is also working on plans to boost output at other mines, including Patience Lake and Cory.

“I’ll be interested in finding out what the province can do to facilitate this further expansion, a move that will create more well-paying jobs and increase revenues for the people of Saskatchewan,” Wall said.

“It will be the intention of our government to work with all sectors of the economy to explore and develop further opportunities for sustainable growth and new employment opportunities.”

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For more information, Saskatchewan Party Caucus, Regina, 787-4300.

REGINA-Premier-elect Brad Wall today announced that Garnet Garven will become his new Deputy Minister to the Premier and Cabinet Secretary when the Saskatchewan Party government takes office on November 21, 2007.

Garven joins the Premier’s Office from the University of Regina, where he has been Dean of Business for the past 12 years.  Garven has served three times as President of the Institute of Public Administration of Canada in Saskatchewan and has worked as a management consultant to more than 80 organizations, including four provincial governments.  Garven also served as Chair and Chief Executive Officer of the Saskatchewan Workers’ Compensation Board for eight years.

“As my Deputy Minister, Mr. Garven will be asked to provide the leadership within the public service to carry out our new government’s mandate for positive change,” Wall said.  “I know that he is up to this important task and I am pleased to have him as part of my team.”

Garven joins Saskatchewan Party MLA Ken Krawetz, Wall’s Chief of Staff Reg Downs and Doug Emsley, Chief of Transition and Special Advisor to the Premier as senior members of the Saskatchewan Party transition team. Click here for biographies of of members of the transition team.

"Over the next few weeks I will be making additional appointments and announcements which will support our new Saskatchewan Party government," Wall said. 

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For further information, Saskatchewan Party Caucus, Regina, 787-4300.

Premier-elect Brad Wall today announced that the Saskatchewan Party government will make the elimination of the Provincial Sales Tax (PST) on the sale of used cars and trucks retroactive until November 8th.

“Saskatchewan people are telling us they want to stop paying the unpopular NDP PST on used cars and trucks right now,” Wall said.  “So, we are asking car dealers to continue collecting the PST as usual until the NDP double tax on used cars can be eliminated.  The government will directly rebate customers that have purchased vehicles during the transition period.”

The Saskatchewan Party government is working with the Saskatchewan Automobile Dealers Association (SADA) on the final implementation details.

“I’ve said before that taxing the same car over and over every time it is sold just doesn’t make sense,” Wall said.  “A Saskatchewan Party government is committed to fairness and common sense in our tax system – and we’re proving it by no longer making people pay the NDP ‘tax that keeps on taking’ on used vehicles.”

Eliminating the PST on used vehicles will save a used car buyer $250 on a $5,000 car or $500 on a $10,000 car.

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For more information, Saskatchewan Party Caucus, Regina, 787-4300.

REGINA--Premier-elect Brad Wall today fulfilled his first election commitment by announcing the date of the next provincial election – November 7, 2011.

Wall said his new Saskatchewan Party government will introduce legislation to set the provincial election date as the first Monday in November every four years.

“Four years from now, the first Monday just happens to fall on November 7 – exactly four years to the day from the last election,” Wall said.  “And besides, I kind of like elections on November 7.”

Wall said his new government will also fulfill his commitment to restrict government advertising in the four months prior to the start of the election campaign and eliminate government advertising completely in the month prior to the election campaign, except in the case of an emergency or public safety concern.

“Voters are tired of seeing governments use taxpayers’ dollars to run feel good ads before an election to try to boost the government’s image,” Wall said.  “We need to place restrictions on that kind of advertising, and set election dates will allow us to do just that.”

Wall said an election could still be held earlier if a government loses a confidence vote in the Assembly.  In that circumstance, the following election will be held in the first Monday in November, four years later.

“So many people have told me they are tired of governments of all stripes playing games with election timing,” Wall said.  “This is a common sense step we can take to remove the politics from the election call and ensure fairness for everyone.”

Saskatchewan will become the sixth province to introduce a set election date, joining BC, Ontario, Newfoundland, Prince Edward Island and New Brunswick.  The federal government has also adopted a fixed election date.

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For further information: Saskatchewan Party Caucus, Regina, 787-4300.

SASKATOON-Saskatchewan Party Leader Brad Wall today said he is extremely disappointed that the federal government has reached a deal to allow Nova Scotia to exempt all of its oil revenues from equalization payments, while there is no similar deal for Saskatchewan.

“This is just plain wrong,” Wall said.  “In order for Confederation to work properly, all provinces must be treated equally, and that’s not happening.”

Wall said if oil revenues are exempted for Atlantic provinces, the same deal must be extended to Saskatchewan.

“All we ask for is the same treatment as other provinces are receiving,” Wall said.  “We simply can’t accept a situation where the federal government is picking favorites among the provinces.”

Wall said the Nova Scotia deal also shows that Lorne Calvert has not been able to deliver for the people of Saskatchewan.

“It’s just one more reason that it’s time for a change of government in Saskatchewan,” Wall said.  “Over the next four weeks, I will be asking voters for a mandate to demand and negotiate a fair deal for the people of Saskatchewan.

“Clearly, other provinces have been able to get a better deal from the federal government.  Why hasn’t Lorne Calvert?”

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For further information: Saskatchewan Party Caucus, Regina 787-4300

REGINA—Saskatchewan Party Health Critic Don McMorris today condemned the leadership of the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) in Saskatchewan for distributing a pamphlet to hospitals and nursing homes that is full of lies and distortions about the Saskatchewan Party’s policies.

“We’re very disappointed to see that CUPE leadership is doing the NDP’s bidding,” McMorris said.  “We are seeing a deliberate effort to scare and intimidate seniors and hospital patients by painting a distorted picture of what the Saskatchewan Party stands for,” McMorris said.

“Lorne Calvert hasn’t even dropped the writ yet and already more smear tactics have started. I can’t imagine how bad it’s going to get when the campaign actually starts.”

McMorris said contrary to the pamphlet’s ridiculous claims, a Saskatchewan Party government would not: Introduce ‘Alberta-style bills for car insurance and utilities’; Eliminate the minimum wage; Do away with the “Family Day” holiday; Sell Crowns; Get rid of three weeks of vacation; or, any of the other outrageous claims in the brochure.

“No one is disputing the right of unions or other agencies to speak out and make their views known to the electorate—that’s part of our democratic process,” McMorris said.  “But, for a union to distribute this pack of lies in a deliberate attempt to scare vulnerable people truly goes beyond what’s acceptable.”

“Further, I doubt that all CUPE members would be in favour of their union dues being used for a political smear campaign.  CUPE donated over $29,000 to individual NDP candidates in 2003, so I expect it’s the same this time around – with the added cost of printing 20,000 pamphlets and distributing these pamphlets in places like nursing homes.”

“We want the leadership of CUPE, Lorne Calvert, the NDP Party of Saskatchewan to condemn these pamphlets, withdraw them immediately from hospitals and nursing homes, and apologize to the voters.”

McMorris urged CUPE members who want to know more about the Saskatchewan Party and their policies to go to the web site.

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For more information, Saskatchewan Party Caucus Office, Regina, 787-4300.

“Cancer surgery data will be available on this Web site through the Surgical Patient Registry in the near future.”
(NDP launch of the Saskatchewan Surgical Care Network web site, January 14, 2003)
 

REGINA—Saskatchewan Party Health Critic Don McMorris today said five years after the Calvert NDP promised to provide cancer surgery data on the Saskatchewan Surgical Care Network web site, there’s no information available.

“Five years is more than enough time to determine what data needs to be collected, collect the data, start measuring the results, and sharing those results with the public,” McMorris said.  “It’s ironic that it’s ‘Right to Know’ Week in Saskatchewan, and once again, the Calvert NDP are keeping people in the dark.  Other provinces such as Manitoba publish the results for anyone to see.”

McMorris pointed to the Government of Manitoba’s Wait Time Information posted on the Manitoba Health web site.  Information provided includes median wait times for radiation therapy for cancer specific sites such as breast, bowel, lung, prostate, etc.; diagnostic services like MRIs, Bone Density Scans and CT/CAT Scans; heart, eye, knee and hip surgeries; and more.  In addition, the median wait time for cancer patients in Manitoba to receive radiation therapy is less than one week.

“The NDP health Minister says he doesn’t want to disclose targets because the NDP might not reach them,” McMorris said.  “That’s just ridiculous.  The NDP won’t disclose the targets because they know they’d receive a failing grade.”

McMorris pointed to the case of Lloyd Siemens of Swift Current, whose doctor believed in early August that Lloyd was experiencing a reoccurrence of pancreatic cancer.  Three urgent requests to see an oncologist were made – except Lloyd was pushed back to October because of lack of resources in Saskatchewan.  Lloyd’s son, Keith Siemens, a chemo nurse practicing in Grand Prairie, Alberta – intervened on behalf of his father and got Lloyd an appointment with an oncologist in Medicine Hat three days after the request was made.  As a result, Lloyd is currently undergoing cancer treatment before he would have even seen an oncologist in Saskatchewan.

“For every Lloyd Siemens case, our office receives many, many calls from cancer patients in similar situations,” McMorris said.  “This has to be fixed now.  And sharing information with cancer patients and their families is at least a start.”

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For more information: Saskatchewan Party Caucus Office, Regina, 787-4300

REGINA—Saskatchewan Party Health Critic Don McMorris said the release of two further nursing vacancy audits by the Saskatchewan Union of Nurses (SUN) provides further evidence of the Calvert NDP’s complete failure to introduce a comprehensive recruitment and retention program for health care professionals.

“SUN has talked to its members and is reporting 112 vacant positions at Royal University Hospital alone, with a further 71 vacancies identified in the Prince Albert Parkland Health Region,” McMorris said.

“Despite the glowing feel-good advertising from the NDP, this situation is getting worse, not better, and it won’t be long before there are more bed closures, surgery cancellations and a further deterioration in access to health care in the birthplace of Medicare.”

Hospital/Region                               Vacancies                            Percentage increase
Regina Qu’Appelle                                256                                              79%
PA-Parkland                                          71                                             140%
Royal University                                   112                                              47%
TOTAL                                                439 
Source: Saskatchewan Union of Nurses

Equally troubling according to McMorris is news that hearings on more than 170 work situations reports at Royal University Hospital concerning staffing levels and their impact on nurse and patient safety have been cancelled until 2008.

“Last December, Statistics Canada released a new report that found 22 percent of Saskatchewan nurses were more likely to say their mental health had made it difficult to handle their workload, well above the national average of 18 per cent,” McMorris said.

“The Calvert NDP has known for years that job stress was taking an increasing toll on nurses, yet they have failed to take decisive action in this area.”

The Saskatchewan Party has released its plan for a comprehensive and aggressive health care human resource plan that would, among other things, add 800 RNs to improve the quality of patient care, add 300 registered nurse training seats and bring the number of physician training seats to 100—a number comparable to Manitoba.

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For more information, Saskatchewan Party Caucus, Regina, 787-4300.

REGINA—Saskatchewan Party Leader Brad Wall today said that if elected, his new government will create 1,000 more electrified campsites and invest an additional $20 million in Saskatchewan’s provincial and regional parks over the next four years.
 
“Saskatchewan’s parks are one of our greatest assets,” Wall said. “Like many other Saskatchewan families, every summer my family loves to camp in Saskatchewan’s provincial parks.  I know from personal experience – and from hearing from many, many other campers – that there aren’t enough campsites to accommodate everyone who wants to visit our parks.  We simply need more campsites.”
 
“This new investment will allow for the addition of 1,000 new electrified campsites in provincial parks, which is an increase of about 40 per cent. We would also direct some of these additional funds to much needed infrastructure improvements.”
 
The Saskatchewan Party plan would provide an additional $2.5 million to improve programming at parks, hire more summer students, and increase security during long weekends. A Saskatchewan Party government would also be open to reviewing opportunities for new parks, including wilderness facilities to accommodate back-country camping. This will be done in consultation with communities and stakeholders.
 
To keep camping rates affordable, the free park entry program for seniors will be extended for another four years and the NDP government’s much maligned ‘wiener roast tax’ would be eliminated.
 
“I’m also announcing that a Saskatchewan Party government would raise camping fees by two dollars for out-of-province visitors, a measure that will generate an extra $156,000 in revenue over the next four years,” Wall said. “With the elimination of the wiener roast tax, out-of-province campers would still receive excellent value competitive with other jurisdictions.”

The announcement also includes a plan to triple funding for regional parks in the province, an investment of $2.4 million over four years.

To view a copy of the Saskatchewan Party Plan to Build Pride in Our Parks, click here.

 “This investment is also an important part of our plan to enhance tourism, since our parks are the second largest tourist attraction in Saskatchewan,” Wall said.
 
Earlier this week, Wall announced a Saskatchewan Party government would double the amount of money for Tourism Saskatchewan from $8 to $16 million per year. 
 

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For more information, Saskatchewan Party Caucus, Regina, 787-4300.

“Mr. Speaker, I guess it wasn’t good enough for the Premier to lay off 600 nurses, destroy the collective bargaining process, and turn them into criminals; he now wants to lay off more nurses. While other provinces are begging for them, paying them more, this government is treating them like dirt, laying them off, and in doing so, permanently undermining quality care for Saskatchewan people." (Opposition MLA Glen McPherson, Hansard, April 12, 1999)

REGINA—Saskatchewan Party Health Critic Don McMorris today said the Calvert NDP’s failure to listen to health care professionals years ago, and their failure to introduce a comprehensive retention and recruitment package, is to blame for a 79 per cent increase in registered nursing vacancies in the Regina Qu’Appelle Health Region in one year. 

McMorris said that for over ten years, the NDP have ignored the warnings from nurses, doctors and other health care professionals about the health care crisis in this province.  The Calvert NDP’s inaction means Saskatchewan people now face the longest waiting lists in Canada, hospital closures and continued deterioration in access to health care.

“One year ago, the headlines read ‘Taylor refutes nursing crisis allegation,’” McMorris said.  “Now that we’re gearing up to a possible fall election, the health minister is finally admitting there’s a problem—but as usual, the NDP response is too little and far too late.”

“While the NDP in Saskatchewan were legislating nurses back to work, cutting RN training positions, and laying off hundreds of nurses – Manitoba was putting together a recruitment and retention program for health care professionals.  Today Manitoba has 2,000 more nurses than Saskatchewan – and twice the specialists.”

“The NDP Health Minister was supposed to be talking about recruitment and retention of nurses today, but he cancelled his news conference.  I guess he doesn’t want to answer questions about why the Calvert NDP have failed so miserably.”

Earlier this month, the Saskatchewan Party introduced a comprehensive and aggressive health care professional human resource plan that would, among other initiatives, add 800 RNs to improve patient care; 300 registered nurse training seats; bring the number of physician training seats to 100 (which is comparable to Manitoba); and, fund 60 additional doctor residency positions in Saskatchewan hospitals.

“The Saskatchewan Party has introduced a plan that will actually lead to positive changes and better health care for Saskatchewan families.”

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For more information: Saskatchewan Party Caucus Office, Regina, 787-4300

REGINA - Saskatchewan Party Leader Brad Wall today promised to double the province’s current $8 million tourism budget, providing an extra $32 million over the next four years to support this vital sector. 

“The tourism sector generates over $1.5 billion annually,” Wall said. “This sector is responsible for 21,000 direct and 60,000 indirect tourism-related jobs, and is an important sector where so much more could be done.”

Wall said the additional dollars would be used for a variety of initiatives including:

•  Capital investment in ecological, paleontological, museum and heritage facilities;
•  Enhanced and consistent highway signage promoting tourism attractions in Saskatchewan;
•  Additional marketing activities;
•  Strategic partnerships with regional and municipal tourism organizations;
•  Increased northern and eco-tourism;
•  Support for First Nations tourism initiatives;
•  Working with the federal government to facilitate development of ecological and heritage attractions; and,
•  Support for event hosting.

For a copy of the Saskatchewan Party Tourism Plan, click here.

“My own direct business experience in Saskatchewan’s tourism sector highlighted for me just how much potential there is for development of this industry,” Wall said.

“We need a government that is prepared to promote tourism and recognize this industry as the economic engine it can be.”

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For more information, Saskatchewan Party Caucus, Regina, 787-4300.

“(NDP) Minister Pat Atkinson said Tuesday that the severance package given to a former NDP caucus employee who resigned in the wake of a controversy over a 15-year-old fraud case in the caucus will be made public.”
- Regina Leader-Post, May 9, 2007

“That will be a discussion that will happen in caucus, but as has been indicated in the past, they will certainly release whatever they deem to be appropriate at the time.”
- NDP Caucus Chief of Staff Lee Schultz (discussing the Fodey severance payment),
- Newstalk Radio, September 18, 2007

REGINA - The NDP has still not revealed how much severance it plans to pay to former NDP Caucus Chief of Staff Jim Fodey, despite assurances from NDP Minister Pat Atkinson that the severance deal will be made public. 

Fodey resigned last spring over his role in the 1992 NDP fraud scandal and cover-up.  The NDP fraud scandal is currently under investigation by the RCMP.

At the time of his resignation, the NDP said Fodey was entitled to severance and that his severance payment would be made public.  Now, the NDP Caucus Chief of Staff who replaced Fodey will only say “caucus will release whatever they deem to be appropriate at the time.”

Saskatchewan Party MLA Don McMorris said the NDP may be waiting until after the election to write Fodey a big taxpayer-funded severance cheque.

“The NDP remembers the tremendous anger over their decision to pay a $275,000 severance to Murdoch Carriere,” McMorris said.  “That’s why they may be waiting until after the election to give Fodey his severance.”

The Saskatchewan Party maintains Fodey is not entitled to any severance because he resigned over the fraud scandal.  The rules of the Legislative Assembly state that severance is paid to any caucus employee who is dismissed without cause – not those who resign or are fired with cause.

“So it looks like the NDP is not only breaking the rules, they may be hiding it until after the election,” McMorris said. 

“First Murdoch Carriere and now this.  It’s time to take the government chequebook away from Lorne Calvert and the NDP.”

NDP MLA Glenn Hagel also resigned from cabinet in the wake of the NDP fraud scandal, but plans to run in the upcoming election, even while the RCMP investigation is continuing. 

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For further information: Saskatchewan Party Caucus, Regina, 787-4300

REGINA—Saskatchewan Party Justice Critic Don Morgan has written Saskatchewan’s Justice Minister today, asking that an RCMP Commercial Crime investigation into allegations of fraud in the Saskatchewan New Democratic Party Caucus Office be sent out-of-province for review by prosecutors.

“Once the RCMP investigation is complete, I think a referral to an out of province prosecutor is the only prudent course of action available to Saskatchewan Justice,” Morgan said.

“The RCMP have already said that’s the typical course of action in politically sensitive cases, so I am requesting that Saskatchewan Justice follow this precedent.  Giving such a highly politicized case to a Crown Prosecutor from Saskatchewan would place that person in a highly uncomfortable position.  So, the Calvert NDP should do the right thing and send it out of province.”

Click here to read the letter sent to Minister Quennell.

The fraud case came to light in the spring and involves a former NDP caucus employee who vanished mysteriously in 1992. However, before she left, Anne Lord wrote a letter to then caucus Chair Glenn Hagel and then Caucus Chief of Staff Jim Fodey, confessing to defrauding taxpayers of roughly $6,000 by inflating the value of expense cheques.  The total of taxpayers’ dollars missing has varied from $6,000 to over $20,000 based on subsequent audits.

When the case finally came to public attention 15 years later, Hagel told reporters the confession letter and the results of an audit had been sent to police, who decided not to press charges.

Police Chief Cal Johnston had a different version of events. They said the confession letter wasn’t forwarded to them until two years later in September of 1994.  Mr. Hagel resigned from his job as Government House Leader in May of this year. NDP Chief of Staff Jim Fodey resigned in April.

“The people of Saskatchewan need to know that this entire matter is being dealt with and that there is no political interference or appearance of political interference in the decision concerning whether charges should be laid,” Morgan said.  “The best course of action at this stage is to refer the good work that has been done by the RCMP’s Commercial Crime section to an out-of-province prosecutor.”

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For more information, Saskatchewan Party Caucus Office, Regina, 787-4300.

Despite signing a $100 million deal with the Calvert NDP government, Domtar President Raymond Royer continues to raise serious doubts about when and if the Prince Albert pulp mill will ever re-open.

In a speech in New York yesterday, Royer said: “What we have agreed in the understanding is that we would consider re-opening that mill if this mill can be a first quartile mill at the Canadian dollar near parity with the US dollar, but there are many things that need to happen before we get there.”

Saskatchewan Party Leader Brad Wall said that’s a far cry from the Calvert NDP’s claim that its $100 million taxpayer-funded deal with Domtar should result in the mill being re-opened by late summer or early fall next year.

“Last Friday, we heard Domtar’s Vice-President Mr. Rathier saying the NDP timetable was unrealistic and giving people ‘false hope,’” Wall said.  “Then a few hours later, the NDP issued a news release changing his statement.

“Now, we hear the President of Domtar saying all that they have is an understanding to ‘consider re-opening’ the mill, and only if many, many other conditions are met.”

Wall said it is now painfully obvious that last week’s announcement in Prince Albert was a desperate attempt by the Calvert NDP to buy votes with an agreement that is little more than smoke and mirrors.

“I believe the people of Prince Albert and area are seeing right through this cynical maneuver by the NDP,” Wall said. 

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For further information: Saskatchewan Party Caucus, Regina, 787-4300

LA LOCHE-Saskatchewan Party Leader Brad Wall was in northern Saskatchewan today touring the constituency of Athabasca speaking with concerned residents and stakeholders.

While in the Athabasca constituency, Wall made stops in the communities of Beauval, Buffalo Narrows, Turnor Lake and La Loche. Wall met with the Mayors as well as local First Nation leaders and citizens.

“People living in northern Saskatchewan experience unique needs, especially in the form of infrastructure and roads,” Wall said. “Northern Saskatchewan is home to a large amount of the province’s resources, yet this area continually experiences an infrastructure deficit.”

“We need to make sure there is a plan in place to grow the northern economy and to facilitate the necessary infrastructure improvements,” Wall said.

Wall said the NDP’s current ‘let it burn’ policy is also a concern of many northern residents.

“The NDP said they were going to revisit this policy after what happened in Stony Rapids last year, but nothing has been done yet,” Wall said.

During the spring sitting of the Legislature, Wall said the Official Opposition Saskatchewan Party asked the NDP Minister of the Environment to release the internal review.

“We asked the NDP to publicly release their internal review, so northern people affected by this policy could have some input,” Wall said. “To date, nothing has been released.”

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For more information contact the Saskatchewan Party Caucus 787-4300.

REGINA – Saskatchewan Party health critic Don McMorris today said the NDP’s health care ads about waiting lists aren’t true for many people in Saskatchewan.  McMorris pointed to the case of Joyce Manz of Holdfast who waited a year before being put on the surgical wait list in August of 2006.  Her surgery date continues to be pushed back.

“Every week our office is contacted by people who are in pain, who require surgery and have been waiting far longer than the six months touted in the NDP ads,” McMorris said.  “Let’s not forget that it’s taking many patients well over a year to get in to see a specialist in the first place.  Many of these people, like Joyce, have had to resort to morphine to manage their pain.  And that’s another problem in itself.”

“I’m in constant pain. I’m on morphine. And now I am told my surgery won’t be for another six months if I am lucky,” said Joyce Manz.  “It really makes me angry when I see the NDP ads telling people that the majority of surgeries are done in six months. I know that’s not true. And I know I am not the only one waiting.”

Manz said she was told she would get her surgery in April, then June, then in September or October and now in February of 2008. “It’s very frustrating. My quality of life is poor and I have to rely on other people to help me. I feel like a victim of the system.”

McMorris said that the severe shortage of doctors, specialists and nurses in the province are adding to the wait times and the situation won’t improve until we simply have more doctors performing more surgeries.

McMorris noted that Manitoba has about twice the number of specialists and 2,000 more nurses to staff operating rooms and provide the recovery care because the Manitoba government started addressing this situation many years ago.

“It’s about time the Calvert NDP stopped spending millions of taxpayers’ money trying to convince people they’re doing a good job.  Why don’t they just spend the money addressing wait lists and priorities of Saskatchewan people,” McMorris said.

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For further information: Saskatchewan Party Caucus, Regina, 787-4300

REGINA—Saskatchewan Party Leader Brad Wall says Lorne Calvert has inflicted a cruel hoax on the people of Prince Albert.

Just one day after Lorne Calvert told the people of Prince Albert and area that the pulp mill is targeted for re-opening by late summer or early fall of 2008, a senior official with Domtar said they are at least a year away from saying “when and if the mill can re-open.”

“We do not see people going back to work by next summer,” Domtar’s Vice-President of Corporate Communications Michel Rathier told CBC Radio.

“The work that is at hand that we will have to pursue and complete will bring us, those initiatives will bring us early fall,” Rathier said.  “After that, we will be in a better position to assess when and if the pulp mill can re-open.”

Wall said that’s a far cry for what Lorne Calvert was telling the people of Prince Albert on Wednesday.

“The people of Prince Albert are seeing they have been played by Lorne Calvert and the NDP,” Wall said.  “This is one of the most cynical, cold-hearted political ploys I have ever seen – the NDP raising false hopes with the hundreds of families in Prince Albert and area who were hurt by the Weyerhaeuser shutdown.

“This is how desperate the NDP has become.  It’s absolutely inexcusable.”

Wall said a Saskatchewan Party government would set aside the NDP’s Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Domtar and would to negotiate a deal that does not involve taxpayers’ money and does not leave the province on the hook for the environmental cleanup.

Yesterday, it was revealed that the government has committed to pay for 72.5 per cent of the environmental cleanup costs as part of the MOU – something Calvert neglected to mention during his announcement Wednesday.

NDP MLA Eldon Lautermilch said he would not speculate on how much the environmental clean-up costs would be.

“The NDP got in a mad rush to sign this MOU, they put taxpayers on the hook for three-quarters of the environmental costs, and now they can’t even tell us how much that might be,” Wall said.  “Why should Saskatchewan taxpayers be forced to pay for the environmental clean-up that Weyerhaeuser left behind?

“The only reason is – the NDP was so desperate to sign a deal they were prepared to agree to just about anything.”

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For further information: Saskatchewan Party Caucus, Regina, 787-4300.

SASKATOON - Saskatchewan Party Leader Brad Wall today said the desperate Calvert NDP is risking millions of taxpayers’ dollars to raise false expectations in Prince Albert just like it did before the last election with the Broe ethanol deal.

“Just before the last election, the NDP said they had struck a deal with Broe to build three huge ethanol plants in Saskatchewan,” Wall said.  “They even had a big sod turning ceremony out by Belle Plaine, where the first plant was to be built.

“It turned out to be nothing but NDP smoke and mirrors.  The deal fell apart and the plants were never built.

“And now the NDP is preparing to risk $100 million taxpayers’ dollars, including a $30 million grant, to produce the sequel: Pulp Fiction.  This is the ultimate cruelty to the people of Prince Albert by this NDP government.”

Wall said the long list of conditions tied to yesterday’s announcement in Prince Albert raise serious doubts about if and when the pulp mill will re-open.

The NDP government’s own news release lists many conditions which still have to be met, including:
- an independent third party to finance, build and operate a chip plant;
- completion of engineering and feasibility studies;
- development of a new operational design for the mill;
- consultations with First Nations and Metis people;
- approval by Domtar’s Board of Directors and various regulatory agencies.

“Frankly, I was shocked by the admission that the NDP is risking $100 million taxpayers’ dollars and they still haven’t done a feasibility study,” Wall said.  “This really looks like the Calvert NDP was just desperate to announce anything before the election is called.

“I have been asked whether the Saskatchewan Party would have done this deal.  The answer is no.  Look at the record: $800 million lost at the Meadow Lake pulp mill, the SPUDCO debacle, the Broe fiasco.  When is the NDP going to learn that this kind of direct intervention in the economy does not work?

“I firmly believe there is opportunity for the forestry sector and this particular facility without the government risking millions of taxpayers’ dollars.”

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For further information: Saskatchewan Party Caucus, Regina, 787-4300

"This government must be spending millions of dollars on self-serving advertising.  It's just in my judgment, Mr. Speaker, the wrong kind of priority." (Lorne Calvert, Hansard, June 7, 1988)
 
REGINA—Saskatchewan Party Leader Brad Wall today chastised the Calvert NDP government for spending millions of taxpayers' dollars to "pat themselves on the back" in the months prior to an election and said a Saskatchewan Party government would introduce a law to restrict government advertising in the run-up to an election.

"You can't turn on a television or radio or drive a past a billboard without seeing an NDP government ad, paid for by Saskatchewan taxpayers," Wall said.
 
Wall noted the current health and education ads are costing taxpayers $1.3 million and there are further ad costs the NDP is refusing to disclose.

"$1.3 million would pay for a lot of new nurses and health services, instead of ads to tell us what a 'great job' the government is doing," Wall said.  "If the NDP wants to run these kinds of image ads, they should be spending party money, not taxpayers' money."
 
Wall called on the Calvert government to release a complete accounting of how much the NDP is spending on government advertising.

Wall said if the Saskatchewan Party forms the next government, it will introduce legislation to restrict the amount and type of advertising a government can do in the four months preceding an election. 

"This legislation will go hand-in-hand with our fixed election date legislation, because it can only work if everyone knows when the election is going to be," Wall said. 

Under the Saskatchewan Party legislation:

• government advertising will be prohibited in the month leading up to the election campaign, except in the case of an emergency or compelling public safety concern;
• government could not increase the amount it spends on advertising in the four months leading up to an election and will have to provide complete public disclosure of the amount it is spending on advertising during that period;
• advertising would have to be non-partisan and intended only to inform the public about programs and services for the public benefit of Saskatchewan people or public safety issues; and
• advertising intended primarily to promote the province could only be directed to audiences outside Saskatchewan. 

"First, we need fixed election dates so the government stops playing games," Wall said.  "Next, we need to limit government advertising before an election and make government accountable and transparent with taxpayers on how their money is being spent.  And that's clearly not happening under the Calvert NDP government."

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For immediate release: Saskatchewan Party Caucus, Regina, 787-4300

SASKATOON—Saskatchewan Party Leader Brad Wall today announced a $275 million comprehensive human resource plan to deal with the nursing crisis and the severe shortage of doctors and other health care professionals in the province.

In their first term of government, the Saskatchewan Party’s plan would add 800 registered nurses (RNs), (filling 600 nursing vacancies that currently exist plus adding another 200 RNs) to improve patient care and improve the nurse to patient ratio.  The plan also adds 300 registered nurse training seats and brings the number of physician training seats to 100 (which is comparable to Manitoba) during their first term in government.  The plan will also fund 60 additional doctor residency positions in Saskatchewan hospitals and support and improve the current bursary program for the recruitment and retention of local health care professionals.

“For over ten years the NDP have ignored warnings from nurses, doctors and other health care professionals about the health care crisis in this province,” Wall said.  “The result is some of the longest waiting lists in Canada, hospital closures, nurses and doctors moving away in disgust, and a deteriorated health care system.  It’s time to change the direction of health care in Saskatchewan – and this initiative would be a Sask Party government’s first step.”

Click here to read more about the NDP's record on health care.

“The Calvert NDP have been big on promises for health care, but haven’t delivered on those promises,” Wall said.  “NDP cuts to training seats in the 90’s have created a severe skills shortage that has left Saskatchewan worse off than other provinces. Aggressive corrective action combined with a long-term plan to protect Saskatchewan’s health care system from collapsing is needed.  And that’s what a Saskatchewan Party government will deliver.” 

Wall said a Saskatchewan Party government will examine all areas of specialization from doctors to medical laboratory technologists and radiologists to determine the current shortages, effectiveness of recruitment efforts, retention issues, and future training requirements.  It would also increase the use of nurse practitioners and establish a bridging program to make it easier for LPNs to become RNs. 

The Saskatchewan Party’s plan will also track and publicly report vacancies of RNs, RPNs (Registered Psychiatric Nurses) and LPNs from year-to-year to measure progress; establish Patient Exit Surveys; and, commit to a Premier’s Council on Health Care Work Place Issues.

Click here for more background information on the Saskatchewan Party's plan.

“A Saskatchewan Party government will offer new hope for patients by aggressively attacking waiting lists and improving patient care, as well as new hope for hard-working health care workers by restoring balance in the workplace,” Wall said.

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For more information, Saskatchewan Party Caucus, Regina, 787-4300. 

REGINA – Saskatchewan Party Leader Brad Wall today announced a Saskatchewan Party government would provide municipalities up to $300 million in five-year, interest-free loans to develop new residential, commercial and industrial lots for sale.

Wall said a shortage of lots is contributing to a housing shortage in many Saskatchewan cities.

“I have consulted with mayors and municipal officials who have indicated that the up-front costs of lot development make it difficult to keep up with the current increase in demand,” Wall said.

Wall said new lots are expensive to develop and access to financing is a major barrier for municipalities.  A single residential lot in an area with existing infrastructure costs about $25,000 to develop, while a residential lot in an area without existing infrastructure costs about $40,000 to develop.

The new Saskatchewan Infrastructure Growth Initiative would provide municipalities with up to $300 million in loans over four years.  The loans will have a five-year term, during which time municipalities will not be required to pay interest.  The new program could result in the development of 12,000 new residential lots, or a combination of new residential, industrial and commercial lots.

“I will be contacting the Saskatchewan Urban Municipalities Association and requesting  their assistance in implementing this initiative, should we form government,” Wall said.

“Working with municipalities to help with new lot development is part of the long term solution to the current housing shortage. And it’s cost effective, since government is responsible for paying only the interest on the loans.”

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For further information: Saskatchewan Party Caucus, Regina, 787-4300

REGINA—Saskatchewan Party Health Critic Don McMorris today said another hospital is again cancelling emergency and outpatient services because of a lack of physicians.  The Canora hospital sent out a public service announcement outlining the details of the interruption.

“Hospital closures and suspended emergency services are a reality all across Saskatchewan,” McMorris said.  “Not just Regina, like the NDP are trying to spin.” 

“There have been reduced emergency services or hospital closures in the majority of health regions - including communities such as Spiritwood, Big River, Shellbrook, Preeceville, Canora, Kamsack, Arcola, Bengough, Coronach, Broadview, Central Butte, Vanguard, Maidstone, and more, over the past year.  And, this means more pressure on hospitals in Regina and Saskatoon.”

McMorris said no one should be blaming the doctors or RNs for lack of medical services.  The blame lies solely at the feet of the Calvert NDP and their refusal to acknowledge any crisis until they have to.

“For well over 10 years, health care professionals have been telling the NDP of the problems down the road that would lead to a serious health care crisis – and when do they start listening?  The last few months prior to an election.  It’s completely irresponsible.”

“Not only does this cause a problem for doctors and nurses trying to provide health care services to Saskatchewan people, it’s confusing and scary for families, seniors, and others who don’t know if medical services will be there for them when they need them.”
 
McMorris added that instead of spending taxpayers’ money on self-serving ads to get re-elected, the NDP should be concentrating on solving the health care crisis they have created by closing hospitals and cutting training seats for more than a decade.

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For more information, Saskatchewan Party Caucus, Regina, 787-4300.

REGINA—Saskatchewan Party Leader Brad Wall today said he wants Lorne Calvert to explain why his government is mum on the health care crisis outlined in a recent internal memo stating that the health care system is near collapse.

“We’ve got Regina hospitals cancelling surgeries considered urgent, a severe shortage of doctors, nurses and other health care professionals all over the province, and the NDP won’t tell the public what the provincial government is doing to address the crisis,” Wall said.

“I find it unbelievable that on the same day an internal memo describes our health care system as nearing collapse, the NDP have former Health Minister Pat Atkinson talking about laundry services.  What about the patients whose surgeries have been cancelled?  Where is the leadership from the Calvert NDP?” 

Wall said the Calvert NDP have ignored problems in the health care system for years. He compared that approach with how the Manitoba government dealt with nursing shortages.

“In 1999, while the Manitoba government was setting up a recruitment and retention fund and a plan to solve their nursing shortage, the Calvert NDP were forcing nurses to go on strike because the NDP refused to listen to them,” Wall said.  “What’s been the outcome?  Manitoba has over 11,000 registered nurses right now and Saskatchewan has about 8,800.  Between 2000 and 2005, Manitoba increased the number of registered nurses by 12.2%, while Saskatchewan increased the number of RNs by .1%.  That’s the difference between a government that listens and one that doesn’t.”

“A year ago, the NDP Health Minister denied there was any crisis in health care.  The headline in the paper was, ‘Taylor refutes nursing crisis allegation’.  Now there are reports of our health care system being near collapse.  Does the NDP still think there’s no crisis?  This is what we get after 16 years of NDP mismanagement of our health care system?”

Wall called on the Calvert NDP to stop hiding from the people of the province and outline what steps are being taken to handle the crisis other than telling doctors to boot patients out of their hospital beds. 

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For more information: 787-4300

REGINA - Saskatchewan Party Leader Brad Wall has wrapped up his summer tour and says people are telling him that they are tired of the old-style politics and blatant vote buying by the Calvert NDP government.

“Everywhere I go, people are saying if the NDP had done its job over the past four years, they wouldn’t have to go on a desperate, last-minute spree of trying to buy votes with taxpayers’ money” Wall said.  “I give Saskatchewan people credit for seeing through the 1970’s-style political tactics of Mr. Calvert and the NDP.”

Wall noted that the NDP has already significantly overspent its own budget for the Building Communities Fund.  The fund had a $60 million budget to the end of 2007-08, but the NDP government has already spent over $83 million – most of it in the past two months.

Wall said Saskatchewan people want a plan for securing the province’s future that lasts beyond election day.  He listed a number of concerns he heard from people throughout Saskatchewan, including:

- the need for a long term plan for infrastructure;
- the lack  of resources for municipalities to develop residential and commercial lots;
- crumbling highways, especially in the northwest;
- high property taxes, which result in Saskatchewan being uncompetitive with other jurisdictions;
- the shortage of doctors and nurses, which continues to result in lengthy surgical waiting lists and temporary hospital closures; and
- a shortage of long-term care spaces for seniors.

“There is a concern that this NDP government has no long-term plan to sustain the economic momentum we have,” Wall said.  “People are worried that given the NDP’s terrible track record on the economy, a return to economic stagnation is possible if there is not a new and effective plan for the economy.”

Wall said the Saskatchewan Party will be outlining its plans for addressing these concerns in the coming weeks. 

“The Saskatchewan Party will be putting forward our new ideas and a plan for the future that is a sharp contrast to the failing record of the tired, old NDP,” Wall said.

During his tour, Wall visited Broadview, Rocanville, Yorkton, Melfort, Kincaid, Prince Albert, Birch Hills, Smeaton, Nipawin, Candle Lake, Carrot River, Tisdale, Christopher Lake, Waskesiu, Saskatoon, North Battleford, Meadow Lake, Pierceland, Paradise Hill and Lloydminster.

“By far the most common question I heard was – ‘when’s the election?’”, Wall said.  “Saskatchewan people are tired of this NDP government and are looking for positive change.”

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For more information, Saskatchewan Party Caucus, Regina, 787-4300

LLOYDMINSTER-Saskatchewan Party Leader Brad Wall today met with the group Concerned Citizens For Senior Care, who have been raising concerns about the Calvert NDP government’s handling of long-term care in Saskatchewan.

Wall was in Lloydminster today as part of his annual summer tour.

“This issue is not new to the Saskatchewan Party,” Wall said. “Lloydminster MLA Milt Wakefield asked questions on behalf of these seniors during the spring sitting of the Legislature, and still this NDP government has done nothing to solve the problem.”

Wall was disappointed when he learned that this group of seniors had to resort to protesting in Lloydminster earlier this year to get the NDP government’s attention.

Wall said long-term care and assisted living needs to be part of an overall strategy in improving health care in the province.

While in Lloydminster and area, Wall also met with officials from the Lloydminster Sexual Assault and Information Centre and met with local residents.

“I always enjoy visiting the Border City and its people as they offer great input and suggestions that the Saskatchewan Party values.”

Earlier in the day, Wall met with the RM of Beaver River where they discussed local infrastructure needs such as the poor condition of Highway 55.

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For more information, Saskatchewan Party Caucus, 787-4300.

MEADOW LAKE-Brad Wall, the Saskatchewan Party Leader made a stop in Meadow Lake today as part of his annual summer tour.

While in Meadow Lake, Wall met with the Meadow Lake Tribal Council where they discussed the province's duty to properly consult and accommodate First Nations, the importance of traditional territories and governance agreements.

Wall met with officials and stakeholders from numerous segments of the forestry industry and went on a tour of Tolko’s OSB plant.

“The Saskatchewan Party’s Economy Committee has been holding meetings throughout the province trying to find solutions to this challenge,” Wall said.

Wall said Saskatchewan Party representatives will be holding an open forestry meeting in Meadow Lake in the near future.

Wall said the input stemming from the forestry meetings to date has been valuable.

“As a direct result of our meetings, we learned from stakeholders involved in the industry of important aspects like taking a proper inventory of the forest assets of this province.”

Wall concluded the day by meeting with local residents.

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For more information: Saskatchewan Party Caucus, Regina, 787-4300.

NORTH BATTLEFORD-Saskatchewan Party Leader Brad Wall today toured the Battlefords listening to concerned residents and civic officials.

During his stop in the Battlefords, Wall met with Mike Saunders- President of the Saskatchewan Association of Fire Chiefs, the Chamber of Commerce, elected officials from both Battleford and North Battleford including the Mayors and many local residents.

Wall said officials from both North Battleford and Battleford agreed that the region has much potential in terms of economic development but that more infrastructure is required.

“Residents and officials are citing the need for a long-term plan for infrastructure in the province. This region sees a lot of traffic as it is a hub for economic activity in the northwest. There needs to be a plan in place to ensure that highways and all infrastructure meets the needs of this region,” Wall said.

“The Battlefords is a vital part to the economy of Saskatchewan, as it is the gateway to the northwest and has many tourism opportunities.”

Wall said the Battlefords is home to many historical buildings and is part of Saskatchewan’s unique heritage.

“The Battlefords is an exciting region with incredible historic appeal,” Wall said.

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For more information, Saskatchewan Party Caucus, 787-4300

SASKATOON—Despite continued high resource prices and a red hot economy, today’s Labour Force Survey numbers from Statistics Canada show the continuation of a worrisome trend. The rate of job growth in the Saskatchewan economy is starting to dwindle at a time of unprecedented opportunity.

“Yes, we’ve seen some impressive growth over the last few months, but now the year-over-year numbers are beginning to drop off,” Saskatchewan Party Leader Brad Wall said.

“I think a very legitimate question to ask at this stage is whether this current tired, old NDP government has the imagination and the new ideas that are required to sustain and cement the economic growth we have been seeing in Saskatchewan.”

“I think clearly the answer is no.”

Unadjusted employment numbers show an increase of 0.8 per cent. That’s the third worst performance in Canada, both in real and percentage terms.

Growth in Unadjusted Employment-Saskatchewan
Source: Statistics Canada Labour Survey, August 10, 2007 

Unadjusted Employment Growth by Province- July 2006, July 2007
Source: Statistics Canada Labour Survey, August 10, 2007 

“Every other economy in western Canada is producing significantly more jobs than Saskatchewan,” Wall said.

“It’s time for a new plan from a new government that is focussed on growing our economy.”

“I look forward to the upcoming election campaign, when we will be able to present those new ideas.”

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For more information, Saskatchewan Party Caucus Office, Regina, 787-4300.

SASKATOON-Saskatchewan Party Leader Brad Wall today challenged Premier Lorne Calvert to stand up for Saskatchewan and ensure that any discussions surrounding national greenhouse gas emissions do not negatively impact Saskatchewan.

Wall said that if proposed federal caps on emissions do become law, then any fines or penalties levied within the province on those emissions should stay in Saskatchewan to help fund leading environmental research and innovation.

“Monies from any fees or penalties need to stay in our province to further fund environmental research, development and related technology advancement,” Wall said. “Mr. Calvert has to stand up for Saskatchewan and ensure that this money is not shipped out of our province.”

Wall said Saskatchewan’s economy relies heavily on mining and on oil production and that reality needs to be communicated clearly to Ottawa and provinces like Ontario.

Wall said Ontario is talking about a national system of carbon tax credits, which would mean provinces rich in fossil fuels could be penalized for greenhouse gas emissions with the revenue created from penalties and credits leaving Saskatchewan.

“We can’t let this happen. I want Premier Calvert to take a pro-active stance and address this problem.”

Wall said Saskatchewan leads the nation with research underway at the Petroleum Technology Research Centre, the International Test Centre for CO2 Sequestration and other environmental initiatives being done at the CLS Synchrotron at the University of Saskatchewan in Saskatoon.

“We have the capacity to lead the nation with respect to environmental research.” Wall said. 

“Premier Calvert is ill-informed if he believes any sort of national caps on greenhouse gas emissions will not impact negatively on Saskatchewan,” Wall said. “Since the NDP government has been in office, greenhouse gas emissions have shot up 62 per cent in this province.”

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For more information, Saskatchewan Party Caucus, 787-4300.

SASKATCHEWAN RIVERS - Saskatchewan Party Leader Brad Wall was touring the Saskatchewan Rivers area today and heard from residents that the Calvert NDP is failing the region in many areas.

“From the discussions I’m having with local residents and stakeholders, people are concerned about many things including, the condition of their highways and the state of forestry,” Wall said.

“The NDP have had 16 years to come up with a long-term, sustainable plan for the province that includes highways, health care, industry and more.  And they’re only starting to listen recently because there’s an election coming,” Wall said.

“It’s too little, too late for many communities, and frankly people are tired of this style of NDP politics.”

Recently, the Opposition Saskatchewan Party held open forums in communities in the area to discuss ways to restore the forestry sector.

Wall said the Saskatchewan Party incorporates public input into Saskatchewan Party policy.

“That’s why we hold these meetings and why I go on tour – to meet the people that are on the front lines. They know best how to change something that isn’t working,” Wall said.

During his visit to Saskatchewan Rivers, Wall also met with officials from the RM of Lakeland, Waskesiu Community Group and with Chief Lionel Bird and band councilors from Montreal Lake First Nation.

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For more information, Saskatchewan Party Caucus, 787-4300.

NIPAWIN-Saskatchewan Party Leader Brad Wall made stops in Nipawin, Tisdale, Smeaton and the Carrot River Valley today as part of his annual summer tour.

While in Nipawin, Wall met with the local Chamber of Commerce, Mayor and City Council, as well as talking with citizens while touring the town and visiting the local coffee shops.

“Hearing what people have to say is very valuable to me, and it’s the reason we do this tour every year,” Wall said.

“I think it’s important for people of Saskatchewan to have an avenue to discuss their concerns and also to offer solutions.”

Wall’s first meeting of the day included a group of concerned parents over the closure of the Smeaton school.

Wall said they discussed the Saskatchewan Party’s Schools of Opportunity proposal, which gives communities near new economic development a chance to receive interim funding to keep the school open.

“Smeaton is very close to an area known to have diamonds. We are concerned that the NDP government may have jumped the gun and not given Smeaton’s school a second look when considering the possible economic implications,” Wall said.

Wall concluded the day by stopping in Tisdale to meet with the Mayor and City Council and local residents.

As part of his tour of the region, Wall also met with the Mayor and City Council and local residents of Carrot River.

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For more information contact Saskatchewan Party Caucus 787-4300. 

PRINCE ALBERT- Saskatchewan Party Leader Brad Wall today said under a Saskatchewan Party government, Prince Albert would serve as a vital gateway to Northern Saskatchewan commanding infrastructure improvements like an expanded airport.

Wall said if a Saskatchewan Party government were elected, long overdue improvements at the Prince Albert airport would become a priority for his government.

"A Saskatchewan Party government would lobby the federal government to work with the local airport authority in making the necessary improvements like an extended runway and a new a terminal," Wall said.

"For years, stakeholders in Prince Albert have been calling for a new terminal and other upgrades. It’s time for all levels of government to come together and find ways to make these airport improvements happen."

Wall said the Saskatchewan Party believes in order to grow the province’s economy, investment in infrastructure is key.

"An expanded airport in Prince Albert would help not only the immediate city, but would also help in growing the province’s economy as a whole."

Wall said under the current NDP government, Prince Albert has been taken for granted.

"This city, and this region, have so much to offer. From forestry to mining and tourism, we in the Saskatchewan Party see a bright future for Prince Albert," Wall said.

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For more information, Saskatchewan Party Caucus, 787-4300.

SASKATOON-Saskatchewan Party Leader Brad Wall today challenged Premier Lorne Calvert to endorse legislation now before the House of Commons that would have made it easier for Crown prosecutors to have Peter Whitmore labeled as a dangerous offender.

“Had Bill C-27 been law, it would have been up to Mr. Whitmore to prove why he should not be declared a dangerous offender and the people of this province could be assured that everything possible had been done to keep Mr. Whitmore behind bars indefinitely,”
Wall said.

“In spite of several previous convictions, this dangerous predator was free to prey on children again.  The Whitmore case highlights the serious problems our judicial system has when it comes to protecting the public from repeat sex offenders.” 

Whitmore was charged one year ago following the abductions of a 10-year-old Saskatchewan boy and a 14-year-old Winnipeg boy. The investigation prompted Saskatchewan’s first ever Amber Alert.

The provisions in Bill C-27 state those convicted of a third violent crime or sex offence would have to prove why they should not be classified as a dangerous offender and subject to the possibility of unlimited incarceration.  Currently, the Crown has to prove why a criminal should be designated a dangerous offender.   

Wall has written to the federal Justice Minister and all opposition Justice critics in support of the bill. Wall has also wrote to the federal Justice Minister earlier this year and last year in the wake of the Whitmore case calling for tougher sentences for those who prey on our children.  The federal opposition parties currently oppose the bill.

“The Whitmore case highlights the serious problems our judicial system has when it comes to protecting the public from repeat sex offenders,” Wall said. “In fact, this kind of legislation may well have prevented Whitmore from committing these horrific crimes last summer.”

“Members of Mr. Calvert’s party have spoken out against the bill, but I challenge the Premier to endorse these changes that offer a practical solution to the problems highlighted by the Whitmore case and urge him to lobby his federal counterparts to do likewise,” Wall said.

“This is a tool our judges and prosecutors need, and I call on the Premier to contact his federal NDP counterparts to get behind this bill.”

Read the letters from Brad Wall to various officials by clicking on one of the options below:

Premier Lorne Calvert

Federal Justice Minister Robert Nicholson

Opposition Justice Critics

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For more information, Saskatchewan Party Caucus, Regina, 787-4300

MELFORT - Saskatchewan Party Leader Brad Wall continued his summer tour by meeting with representatives in Melfort today.  Wall met with the local city council and city representatives, as well as local people at the Melfort Mall on Main Street.

“Part of the reason for this tour is to get out and talk to people and listen to the concerns they have,” Wall said.  “It’s also a great opportunity to discuss potential solutions and share ideas we all have for the future.”

Wall said one of the topics discussed was the need for medical equipment, including medical imaging equipment at Melfort’s hospital.

“Melfort is no different than any other city in Saskatchewan. People want access to top quality health care and that’s what we would like to see happen here.”

Wall also heard about the need to improve highways in the region.

“The NDP government said it was going to fix the highways and still we see little action.  Highway 368 still needs to be upgraded and extended.”

Other topics discussed included revenue sharing, capital infrastructure and the Tri Nations Power project.

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For more information, Saskatchewan Party Caucus, Regina, 787-4300.

“Saskatchewan has been very aggressive and successful in using the dangerous offender provisions,” Quennell said.
                               - Justice Minister Frank Quennell, Regina Leader Post, August 4, 2006
 
 
REGINA—Saskatchewan Party Leader Brad Wall said he was shocked by media reports this morning suggesting convicted pedophile Peter Whitmore has struck a plea bargain with Saskatchewan Justice where the Crown agrees to drop attempts to have Whitmore declared a dangerous offender.
 
“This man is about to enter a guilty plea to a kidnapping and sexual assault involving two young boys, plus he has a criminal record involving abduction and sexual offences dating back to 1993,” Wall said. “If Peter Whitmore is not a dangerous offender, no one is.”
 
Whitmore was charged one year ago following the abductions of a 10-year-old Saskatchewan boy and a 14-year-old Winnipeg boy. The investigation prompted Saskatchewan’s first-ever Amber Alert.
 
At the time of the incident, Saskatchewan’s Justice Minister Frank Quennell said there was no agreement binding the Crown and Whitmore would be prosecuted to the extent that was appropriate to protect the public.
 
“Mr. Quennell has fallen far short of his own words,” Wall said. “Saskatchewan people want this predator prosecuted as a dangerous offender and locked up for life.”

According to media reports, Whitmore will receive a life sentence and could apply for parole in just seven years. Wall said even if Whitmore is denied parole, the victims and their families may have to live through this nightmare again every two years at Whitmore’s parole hearing.

“And coincidently, this news is made public on the same day Statistics Canada once again confirms Saskatchewan has the highest crime rate among all provinces—for the ninth year in a row,” Wall said.
 
“Saskatchewan people have the right to feel safe and secure no matter where they live in this province.”

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For more information, Saskatchewan Party Caucus, Regina, 787-4300.

REGINA—Saskatchewan Party Leader Brad Wall begins his annual summer tour this week. He’ll travel to more than 20 different communities over the next five weeks to hear from the people of Saskatchewan.

“This year, as we approach a provincial election, it’s even more important to find out what’s on peoples’ minds,” Wall said.

On Wednesday, Wall will be at the Conference Centre in Fort San for meetings arranged by Last Mountain Touchwood MLA Glen Hart. He’ll travel from Fort San to Broadview for a meeting with a group concerned about dialysis treatment in that community.

On Thursday, Wall will be in Yorkton for meetings with the Mayor and other community officials.

Next week, Wall visits Saskatoon, Melfort and the Kelvington-Wadena Constituency. That will be followed by visits in upcoming weeks to Prince Albert, Carrot River Valley, Nipawin, Tisdale, North Battleford, Lloydminster and Meadow Lake.

“Over the next few weeks, I hope to hear from many different people about how we can make our great province even better,” Wall said.

“It’s time to make prosperity a permanent fixture in Saskatchewan, and give each and every person a share in that prosperity.”

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For more information, Saskatchewan Party Caucus, Regina, 787-4300.

PRINCE ALBERT—The Saskatchewan Party begins a series of fact finding meetings on the forestry sector this week. The Party’s Forestry Critic, Batoche MLA Delbert Kirsch, said the meetings are a chance to hear from communities, those working in the forestry sector, First Nations and other interested people about their hopes and concerns.

“The forestry is a vital and often overlooked part of our economy, and the way we manage this important resource for future generations will determine the long term prosperity of many people,” Kirsch said.

“Key to this future is the important role to be played by First Nations who must be involved in every step of the deliberations.”

Kirsch will be joined at these meetings by Lyle Stewart, the MLA for Thunder Creek, Randy Weekes, the MLA from Biggar, Ken Cheveldayoff, the MLA for Saskatoon Silver Springs and Glen Hart, the MLA for Last Mountain-Touchwood. These MLAs are all members of the Saskatchewan Party Caucus Standing Committee on the Economy. Several candidates nominated to run on behalf of the Saskatchewan Party in various other constituencies are also expected to attend some of these meetings

The Saskatchewan Party’s Forestry Fact Finding Meetings will be held at the following times and locations:

• July 10—Big River, Community Hall, 7 pm;
• July 11—Prince Albert, South Hill Inn 10 am;
• July 11—Carrot River, Elks Hall, 7 pm;
• July 12—Hudson Bay, Princess Hall, 7 pm.

A meeting in Meadow Lake will be held in the near future.

Kirsch said the comments gathered during this fact finding tour will be assembled into a report for the Saskatchewan Party Caucus. That report will be used as a guide for the development of future policy.

“Saskatchewan’s forestry sector has seen some hard times, as the industry has world wide,” Kirsch said.  “However, there will come a time when this rich, renewable resource will be back in high demand, and now is the time when we have to start getting ready for that day.”

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For more information, Saskatchewan Party Caucus, Regina, 787-4300.

REGINA—Saskatchewan Party MLA Elwin Hermanson said the tired and out-of-touch Calvert NDP are now blaming the media for their problems.

Hermanson pointed to a fundraising letter sent out by the NDP Party and signed by Allan Blakeney that takes shots at the media for not giving the NDP credit for their accomplishments and for leading the public to believe Saskatchewan people want a change in government.  Click here to read the letter.

“First, the NDP letter dated June 2007 is from a man who hasn’t been the NDP leader for 20 years,” Hermanson said.  “Then, it basically says that Saskatchewan people don’t really want a change in government, instead that’s a myth that comes from ‘an ideological message being driven by right wing forces which includes the media’.” 

“How ridiculous!  This is just more proof that this NDP government is completely out-of-touch with the people of this province.  This government is busy blaming everyone but themselves.  Why don’t the NDP just admit they’ve run out of ideas and haven’t been listening to Saskatchewan people for a long time?”

“It’s no myth that Saskatchewan people want an election.  They’ve seen the polls.  The NDP know people in this province want a change of government, so they should stop living in denial and get on with it.”

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For more information, Saskatchewan Party Caucus, Regina, 787-4300.

“The annual bus tour is something I look forward to every year,” Calvert said.  “Visiting Saskatchewan people in their hometowns allows us to gain a unique perspective from the province’s residents about how their government is serving them, and how we can improve.”
Government News Release, June 8, 2005

REGINA—The Premier’s summer tour is no more. There will be no chance for the people of Saskatchewan to present their issues first hand to a tired, old and increasingly disengaged NDP government. That’s because the Premier’s summer tour, an annual event for the past six years, isn’t going to happen.

“One can only assume the Premier and his advisors realized the event would be a public relations disaster as discontent with the NDP reaches a peak in the months before an election,” Saskatchewan Party MLA Dan D’Autremont said.

“This year as we approach an election, the Premier seems to be running and hiding from the people, as if he’s afraid to go out and actually meet real people across Saskatchewan and talk to them.”

As has happened in the past several years, Saskatchewan Party Leader Brad Wall will be conducting a summer tour.  It’s set to begin the week of July 16, and includes visits to more than 20 communities.

“Lorne Calvert once said you can’t run a province by sitting behind your desk at the Legislature,” D’Autremont said.

“I guess when most people are angry and fed-up with your out-of-touch government, the NDP has decided to stay in the marble palace.”

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For more information, Saskatchewan Party Caucus, Regina, 787-4300.

REGINA—Saskatchewan Party MLA Dan D’Autremont said the NDP is once again playing games with civil service compensation in advance of an expected provincial election.

“The Public Service Act states that government employees who are not in a union should receive the same wage increase as those covered by the collective agreement and normally that wage increase comes into effect in July,” D’Autremont said.

“Now just before an anticipated provincial election, Lorne Calvert and the NDP decide it’s ‘in the public interest’ to change the payment date until after the next election and give each out-of-scope government worker $1,000.”

D’Autremont said this cabinet decision, pushed through at the end of June without any public fanfare or announcement, is reminiscent of what happened just before the last provincial election. Under the Joint Job Evaluation (JJE) process, many civil servants were re-classified and immediately became eligible for substantial pay increases.  That agreement was signed five days before the writ was dropped for the last provincial election.

“Then the fear tactics began as NDP supporters travelled far and wide saying these pay increases would be rolled back, if the Saskatchewan Party should form government,” D’Autremont said.

“Of course, the irony was that it was the NDP that actually began demanding the money back when the whole system collapsed after the Labour Relations Board described the JJE process as ‘hurriedly put together, lack(ing) coherency and structured in a most undesirable manner.’” 

D’Autremont said Saskatchewan has hard working public servants who bargain in good faith and deserve to be treated with greater respect.

“I think the NDP are trying to start a new tradition of giving all government workers $1,000 just before an election,” D’Autremont said.

“The NDP shouldn’t be allowed to monkey around with pay and benefits packages as they try to gain some kind of political advantage.”

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For more information, Saskatchewan Party Caucus, Regina, 787-4300.

REGINA-Saskatchewan Party Leader Brad Wall today said a Saskatchewan Party government would work to reduce inter-provincial trade barriers through negotiations with BC, Alberta and other provinces, but would not sign the Trade, Investment and Labour Mobility Agreement (TILMA) in its present form.

Wall was responding to the recent release of a report by an all-party legislative committee examining TILMA.

“The Saskatchewan Party strongly supports the reduction of inter-provincial trade barriers as a means to grow Saskatchewan’s economy and create new jobs,” Wall said.  “It is very unfortunate that Saskatchewan’s NDP government did not take part in the original TILMA negotiations with BC and Alberta.

“As a result, the Saskatchewan Party would not sign TILMA in its present form since our province had no part in negotiating its terms.”

Wall said the Opposition’s own research and the TILMA hearings raised specific concerns about three areas which are not clearly addressed in the current TILMA agreement:

1. The protection of Crown Corporations;
2. The exemption of provincial new growth tax incentives; and
3. The potential loss of new growth tax incentives at the municipal level.

Wall said he was also concerned about the lack of formal input from Saskatchewan cities, who are awaiting a TILMA assessment report scheduled for the end of this year.

“Our Enterprise Saskatchewan plan for the economy involves direct input from stakeholders including the municipal sector,” Wall said.  “How could we enter into a major trade and investment agreement without their formal input and assessment? 

“Our goal would be to negotiate trade agreements with BC, Alberta and other provinces that reduce trade barriers while protecting these three important areas,” Wall said.  “We know that Alberta and BC officials have indicated that having Saskatchewan sign on without any revisiting of the agreement would not make sense for those two provinces either.”

Wall said he prefers other modes of western economic cooperation including Saskatchewan’s involvement in the Pacific North West Economic Region (PNWER) and he has already indicated that a Saskatchewan Party government would hold joint cabinet meetings with other western provinces to explore opportunities to cooperate in areas such as health care equipment and pharmaceutical purchases.

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For further information: Saskatchewan Party Caucus, Regina, 787-4300

SASKATOON— Saskatchewan Party Health Critic Don McMorris today said the NDP’s ‘crisis management’ approach to health care is the reason several surgeries have been cancelled recently at the Royal University Hospital (RUH) in Saskatoon.

“This government waits until there is an absolute crisis before they address a situation,”  McMorris said.  “Even before the potential Health Sciences Association of Saskatchewan (HSAS) strike, many patients have had important surgeries cancelled and it’s completely unacceptable.”

McMorris pointed to the case of Ethel Wiens of Waldheim, who has been waiting for cardiac by-pass surgery for a week-and-a-half at RUH.  Ethel’s surgery has been cancelled twice because of the lack of ICU beds, but isn’t well enough to go home.

Wiens’ daughter, Linda Siemens, said that her mother isn’t the only one whose surgery has been cancelled.

“My mother’s surgeon has had to cancel six out of nine surgeries he was supposed to perform in the last two weeks because of the lack of ICU beds,” Siemens said.  “And that’s only one surgeon, so I assume there are more.  My mom’s by-pass surgery was cancelled twice and it’s very, very hard on her and the rest of our family.”

Siemens stressed that the doctors and nurses caring for her mother are wonderful and are working very hard, but their hands are tied.

“I just wish the government would fix these problems before they get even worse” Siemens added.  “I don’t want other families to suffer either.”

Martensville MLA Nancy Heppner said that Saskatchewan families shouldn’t have to go through this kind of stress on top of their health care problems.

“This isn’t the fault of our doctors and nurses,” Heppner said.  “The blame falls squarely at the feet of a government that has run out of ideas and doesn’t do anything until there’s a huge crisis.”

“Health Minister Len Taylor said recently that cardiac surgeries in Saskatchewan are right on target.  How much worse does it have to get before the rhetoric stops and the problems are fixed?”

Heppner added that if HSAS strikes as planned this Thursday, many more surgeries will have to be cancelled.

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For further information: Saskatchewan Party Caucus, Regina, 787-4300.

SASKATOON— Brad Wall today said Community Based Organizations (CBOs) would play a pivotal role in a new direction for social services should a Saskatchewan Party government be elected. 
 
“CBOs do more for Saskatchewan people than any government of any political stripe – whether it’s employment skills training, on-the-job support, literacy training or life skills programs,” Wall said. “Governments have to start recognizing this fact through longer term funding.”
 
Wall said the key to solving Saskatchewan’s growing labour shortage while leading in the fight against poverty, addictions and illiteracy is providing long-term, stable, and predictable baseline funding to support the valuable work being done by these groups.
 
“The right kind of social spending is not a cost of government, but rather an investment in people, and like any investment, it must find its measure in the long term, not a single fiscal year,” Wall said.
 
“The many community-based organizations that I have met with across the province have expressed frustration with the amount of time they spend searching for funding each year, which is time that could be better used providing services and delivering programs to people in need.”
 
To that end, Wall promised a Saskatchewan Party government would invest an additional $20 million over four years directly in skills training programs operated by CBOs, such as life learning initiatives at Saskatchewan’s food banks.
 
“The flip side of this, of course, is the need for a higher level of accountability for taxpayers’ dollars,” Wall said. “We are willing to look at additional resources that may be required for the provincial auditor to help ensure accountability.”
 
Wall said this new approach to funding, accountability, and innovation in service delivery would be the subject of a CBO summit, facilitated by a Saskatchewan Party government.
 
“If a Saskatchewan Party government is elected, I will instruct my Minister of Social Services to hold such a summit within the first six months of taking office,” Wall said.

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For more information, Saskatchewan Party Caucus Office, Regina, 787-4300.

REGINA— Saskatchewan Party Health Critic Don McMorris today said the cancellation of emergency medical services at the Maidstone Hospital because of a shortage of doctors is just the tip of the iceberg.

“This isn’t just a problem in Maidstone and the surrounding area,” McMorris said.  “As the weeks pass, more and more rural facilities will not be able to offer emergency medical services, or may have to close their doors.” 

The Prairie Health Region issued a public notice that “due to a shortage of doctors” emergency services are not available after clinic hours.  Individuals requiring emergency health care services in the Maidstone community will have to travel to Lloydminster, Turtleford, North Battleford or Meadow Lake. Click here to read the public notice.

“The irony is the NDP recently expanded the Maidstone Hospital into a multi-purpose health facility,” McMorris said.  “The government press release at the time indicated ‘the local community now has a clearer vision of how their health care needs will be met in the years ahead.’  It’s clear the NDP government’s idea of meeting health care needs is very different than the people of Saskatchewan’s.”

“Where’s the clear vision from this NDP government?  After sixteen years of warnings about the lack of doctors and nurses, you’d think the NDP could come up with new ideas for the recruitment and retention of doctors and nurses.  Instead, it’s the same old vision for health care and Saskatchewan people are stuck worrying about whether there is emergency care when they need it.”  

MLA for the Cut-Knife-Turtleford constituency, Mike Chisholm, said the cancellation is especially concerning since it’s tourist season and people from out-of-province are visiting Saskatchewan during the summer.   

“Car accidents and other accidents don’t just happen during typical clinic hours,” Chisholm said.  “I’m worried that the lack of emergency services severely compromises health care in certain areas of the province.  On-again, off-again emergency services creates a dangerous situation and sends the message to people in this province that they can’t rely on our health care system.”

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For further information: Saskatchewan Party Caucus, Regina, 787-4300.

REGINA—Saskatchewan Party First Nations and Métis Relations Critic June Draude today said it is important that Saskatchewan residents join in National Aboriginal Day celebrations across the province.

“National Aboriginal Day provides everyone with the opportunity to learn more about our Aboriginal peoples, celebrate their contributions and respect cultural differences in our beautiful province,” Draude said.  “I would encourage as many people as possible to join in today’s celebrations.”

Draude said the Saskatchewan Party recently met with Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations’ Chief Lawrence Joseph and the FSIN Executive to discuss the party’s policies for First Nations people that would be implemented should the party form the next provincial government.  The FSIN represents 74 First Nations in the province.

“The Saskatchewan Party believes that our First Nations people must be full partners in determining the path for economic and social growth in Saskatchewan,” Draude said.

The Saskatchewan Party’s commitments to the FSIN include:

• Regular meetings between a Saskatchewan Party cabinet and the FSIN executive to encourage an open, honest, and respectful dialogue on issues affecting First Nations people;
• A permanent seat for First Nations at Enterprise Saskatchewan, the new model for economic development proposed by Saskatchewan Party Leader Brad Wall;
• Ensuring that if proposed legislation has an impact on First Nations jurisdiction, that open and complete discussions will take place before the legislation is introduced in the Legislative Assembly;
• Revisiting and redrafting in consultation with the FSIN the guidelines set out by the provincial government regarding the duty to consult and accommodate with respect to the development and use of traditional lands; and,
• Mandatory treaty education in all Saskatchewan schools.

“The Saskatchewan Party is committed to working together with First Nations people to ensure that they play an active role in the future of our province,” Draude said.  “Such a relationship is important for all Saskatchewan people – when First Nations people succeed, the entire province benefits.  And that must happen if Saskatchewan is to reach its full potential.”

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For more information, Saskatchewan Party Caucus, Regina, 787-4300.

REGINA—Saskatchewan Party Learning Critic Rod Gantefoer today said trustees need new tools to give communities the opportunity to keep their schools open.
 
“Because of the NDP’s failure to take leadership on this important issue, closure decisions have been made without communities receiving all of the information they need, exploring all other options and taking sufficient time to have a meaningful discussion about alternatives,”  Gantefoer said.
 
“These communities need to have discussions about complimentary uses for school buildings, whether as libraries, seniors’ centres, town offices and medical centres. Trustees also need an enhanced set of standards and criteria for school closures, tools that are not yet available and will be provided.”
 
Gantefoer said he understands that keeping schools slated for closure open will cost money, and promised those funds will be paid-out retroactively, should the Saskatchewan Party form government.
“There needs to be a mechanism available to offer transitional funds to school boards who want to explore other options, and that’s what I’m offering today,” Gantefoer said.
 
“These funds will allow schools to remain open so they can be assessed under new school closure criteria that will be introduced by a Saskatchewan Party government.”
 
“For many of these schools, the final decision may remain the same, however at least boards will have taken the time and given this issue the proper consideration,” Gantefoer said.
 
“Our children deserve nothing less." 

Click here for more information on the Saskatchewan Party's proposal.

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For more information, Saskatchewan Party Caucus Office Regina, 787-4300.

SASKATOON—Saskatchewan Party MLA Ted Merriman today announced he is not seeking re-election in the constituency of Saskatoon Northwest. 

“This was an extremely difficult decision for me to make, mainly because of some health issues that have cropped up in my family,” Merriman said.  “I had been very much looking forward to fighting the next election and joining Brad Wall in the first Saskatchewan Party government.”

Merriman said he did not wish to elaborate on the specific health issues.

“I ask that you respect my family’s privacy,” Merriman said.  “This is something I simply do not want to talk about, except to say that some things are more important than politics, and being there for your family in times of need is one of those things.”

Merriman was elected to the Legislative Assembly in November of 2003 and serves as the critic for Community Resources and Employment. He has been an outspoken advocate on behalf of children and young people in need – something he said will continue after he leaves office.

“I look forward to continuing to work on with projects like Care and Share, Big Brothers and Teen Challenge,” Merriman said. “I’m particularly interested in helping finish Teen Challenge’s work on 110 new long-term treatment beds for men and women struggling to overcome drug addition — an accomplishment the NDP’s Project Hope can’t even come close to matching.”

Saskatchewan Party Leader Brad Wall thanked Merriman for his invaluable service to the party and the people of Saskatoon Northwest.

“Ted Merriman has been a strong voice in the Legislature and he will continue to be a strong voice within the Saskatchewan Party,” Wall said.  “I have been inspired by Ted’s passion and energy to help young people from troubled backgrounds and with addictions problems, and by how Ted sees the tremendous potential in every person, regardless of their current situation.”

Merriman will remain as MLA for Saskatoon Northwest until the election and will work to ensure the election of the next Saskatchewan Party candidate.

“Brad Wall is going to make a great Premier and I want to ensure that the people of Saskatoon Northwest are part of the new government with a new Saskatchewan Party MLA,” Merriman said.

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For further information: Saskatchewan Party Caucus, Regina, 787-4300

SWIFT CURRENT—Saskatchewan Party Leader Brad Wall has written a letter to Premier Lorne Calvert, supporting in principle today’s decision to launch a legal challenge against the federal government on the basis that it is violating the constitution by failing to deliver a fair equalization deal to for the people of Saskatchewan.

Read the letter here. 

“The Saskatchewan Party put forward the idea at a meeting on equalization in Regina February 18, 2005,” Wall said. Read the Saskatchewan Party's Proposal for Equalization Reform from 2005 here.

“At that time, the Saskatchewan Party put forward a ten point plan including consideration of a court challenge under Section 36(2) of the Constitution Act, should negotiations on a fair agreement for Saskatchewan fail.”

Wall is also calling on Premier Calvert to release copies of any legal opinions obtained by the government regarding a possible court challenge.

“The people of Saskatchewan must be assured that any challenge based on the Constitution Act has a reasonable expectation of success,” Wall said.

“To that end, the legal opinions must be available to members of the public who are following this important issue so there can be an open and informed public debate.”

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For more information, Saskatchewan Party Caucus, 787-4300.

“Navigata is expected to be cash-flow positive in mid-2004”

                                                           - 2002 SaskTel Annual Report

“It’s projected to be profitable this year.”
                                                           - Maynard Sonntag, April 22, 2004

“We anticipated that Navigata would be income positive during this year. I think it is fair to say that we’re concerned that it may not be now.”
      
                                                           - Maynard Sonntag, December 2, 2005

REGINA—Documents released yesterday show the highest paid crown employee in Saskatchewan actually works in B.C. and oversees what used to be known as Navigata, a division of SaskTel that at last count had cost the taxpayers $72 million.

“Our crown assets should be managed by the best people available and that means you have to pay competitive salaries,” Saskatchewan Party SaskTel critic Ken Krawetz said.

“However, because Navigata is no longer a separate entity, we have no idea whether it’s making money or continuing to lose money.”

In 2006, Jim Pitt earned $313,034 as president of SaskTel’s expansion division. The division was created when Navigata was folded into SaskTel. Since that change, SaskTel has no longer had to provide separate figures on Navigata’s losses or possible profits.

“In 2004, this was a company that had 13 business plans in a five month period, a company that had no strategic direction,” Krawetz said.

“Now it’s being managed by the highest paid crown corporation employee in Saskatchewan, and we don’t know whether there has been any kind of a turn-around.”

“The President of SaskTel says Mr. Pitt has done a ‘good job of turning that business around’, and taxpayers should be able to find out exactly what that means,” Krawetz said.

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For more information, Saskatchewan Party Caucus, Regina, 787-4300.

REGINA—Saskatchewan Party Leader Brad Wall has returned from a visit to Boston, Washington D.C., and New York convinced that our province must do more to position itself as a world energy leader and make sure the world hears our story.

“Everywhere I went, people were familiar with oil sand development and petroleum reserves in Alberta,” Wall said.

“And almost everywhere I went, I was met with raised eyebrows and surprise when I spoke of Saskatchewan’s tremendous reserves of uranium and the huge potential of our oil sands.”

“We’ve just got to do a better job of getting our story out.”

Wall’s trip began in Boston, where he learned about the cutting-edge research and development that is being done in the area of uranium refinement, nuclear science and medicine at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Nuclear Research Centre.

After a stop in Washington D.C. and a visit to the Canadian Embassy, Wall went to New York for further meetings with officials from the Canadian Consulate and the New York Mercantile Exchange.

“Just last month the exchange began trading in uranium futures contracts, a move that will bring transparency and predictability to world uranium markets,” Wall said. “This could be a tremendous benefit to current and future uranium produced in Saskatchewan.”

Wall also met with Michael Wilson, Canada’s Ambassador to the United States and Pamela Wallin, former Canadian Consul General (New York).  With them, Wall discussed options for raising Saskatchewan’s profile through the U.S. Embassy and through consular offices across the United States.

“These are questions that should have been asked long ago, instead of wondering whether Saskatchewan should be joining the World Energy Council,” Wall said.

“Saskatchewan has what the world wants. We should be doing much more to tell our story.”

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For more information, Saskatchewan Party Caucus, Regina, 787-4300.

REGINA—Don McMorris, the Saskatchewan Party MLA for Indian Head Milestone, is calling on the Federal and Provincial governments to sign a new interim water agreement for Echo and Pasqua Lakes as soon as possible.

“The current two-year agreement with the Muscowpetung and Pasqua First Nations and the federal government has expired and if something isn’t done quickly, the water levels on the lakes will continue dropping significantly,” McMorris said.

“And that’s going to hurt the many people who live and do business on and near these lakes.”

Water levels on the lake are controlled by a weir at the east end of Echo Lake, built by the federal government. Due to a disagreement with First Nations, the weir is not being used to control water flowing out of the lake.

The First Nations are looking for compensation for land that is flooded every year.
First Nations leaders have stated publicly that they understand the frustration of local cottage owners and recreational users. However, without pressure, they say the federal government is unlikely to negotiate with First Nations.

McMorris is calling on the provincial government to step up and play a more significant role in finding a solution to the compensation issue.

“In Alberta, local watershed authorities have helped reach a settlement with First Nations, and I’m calling on Saskatchewan’s Environment Minister John Nilson to assure the province plays a bigger role going forward.”

“Everyone wants this problem settled in a way that is satisfactory to all sides. In the meantime, let’s save the current recreational season with an interim agreement that will get us through the next few months.”

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For more information, Saskatchewan Party Caucus, Regina, 787-4300.

“Advanced Education and Employment Minister Pat Atkinson said Tuesday [May 8] that the severance package given to a former NDP caucus employee who resigned in the wake of a controversy over a 15-year-old fraud case in the caucus will be made public.”
                                                         - Regina Leader Post – May 9, 2007

REGINA— A month has passed since NDP Cabinet Minister Pat Atkinson promised to disclose the details of Jim Fodey’s severance and the NDP are still refusing to discuss the topic.  Fodey is the former NDP Caucus Chief of Staff who resigned amidst the NDP caucus fraud scandal.

During the recent legislative session, both Atkinson and NDP Caucus Chair Kim Trew announced that Fodey would be receiving a severance, even though he tendered his resignation and Board of Internal Economy rules state that severance is only payable to employees who are let go without cause.  Both NDP MLAs also committed that the details of the severance would be made available to the public.

“It’s been a month since Pat Atkinson made her promise and the NDP are still mum on what Fodey has received,” Saskatchewan Party MLA Ken Krawetz said.  “The bigger issue remains: why is he getting a severance at all if he resigned?  I think it’s because Fodey is the scapegoat for NDP MLAs who knew fraud was committed and didn’t want it to become public.”
 
Krawetz was also critical of the way Lorne Calvert dodged questions about his knowledge of the NDP Caucus fraud.

“Before the Privacy Commissioner was handed the file, the Premier wouldn’t answer any questions,” Krawetz said.  “After it was handed over, Calvert said he’d speak only to the Privacy Commissioner.  Now that there’s an RCMP criminal investigation, Calvert won’t be talking about this issue until probably long after an election.” 

“We have a former NDP MLA who told the police that it was the intention of NDP caucus to cover up fraud; an RCMP criminal investigation into the NDP caucus; Glenn Hagel leaving cabinet because of the criminal investigation; and the former NDP chief-of-staff taking the fall by resigning and being promised a severance.  Unfortunately, it is going to be a long time before the people of this province find out exactly what happened.  The least the NDP can do is disclose information about Fodey’s severance.”

“Lorne Calvert’s solution to every problem is to write a big, fat severance cheque on the taxpayers’ account and hope it goes away,” Krawetz said, in reference to the NDP’s decision earlier this year to pay a $275,000 settlement to Murdoch Carriere, a former government official who was fired for harassment and convicted of assault.

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For further information: Saskatchewan Party Caucus, Regina, 787-4300.

SASKATOON—Attempts by the Saskatchewan Party to force public disclosure of the legal opinion that lead to a $275,000 payment to Murdoch Carriere, the senior government official fired for harassment and convicted of assault, have hit a brick wall.

In a letter dated May 31st, Environment Minister John Nilson rejected an application from the Saskatchewan Party under the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act for the legal opinion that caused the payment. The letter stated these documents are exempt under the Act because they contain “information that is subject to solicitor-client privilege”.

“The cover-up continues,” Saskatchewan Party Environmental Critic Nancy Heppner said. “It appears you can change a few faces and promise a new vibrancy, but the new Calvert cabinet is just like the old one when it comes to avoiding public scrutiny and accountability,” Heppner said.

Heppner was also critical of the decision to wait until after the spring session of the Legislative Assembly before making this decision to keep the information hidden.

“The application under the act was made by the Saskatchewan Party March 24th,” Heppner said.  “It shouldn’t take two months to decide you’re not going to cooperate.”

“I just find it very hard to believe that any lawyer would be able to convince the Premier and cabinet that they should pay out a settlement equivalent to over three times Mr. Carriere’s salary—far more than what a court would probably have awarded,” Heppner said.

“The NDP said they paid $275,000 to a man convicted of assault and fired for harassment because a lawyer told them they would lose the case. Unfortunately, given the NDP’s track record, it’s impossible to take them at their word.”

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For more information, Saskatchewan Party Caucus, Regina, 787-4300.

SASKATOON-Saskatchewan Party Leader Brad Wall today said Lorne Calvert is sending some confusing signals about the province’s economic future with his latest cabinet shuffle and a bizarre fundraising letter that actually attacks debt reduction.

“My first observation is that this cabinet is larger than the previous one,” Wall said.  “In March, the NDP brought down a budget that increased spending by nine percent—something the Saskatchewan Party and others described as unsustainable.”

“The spending spree continued yesterday with this larger cabinet, which appears to be designed to solve Lorne Calvert’s internal party problems—not to plot out a viable strategy to assure the continued growth of our economy.”

Wall also wondered about the NDP’s commitment to sound fiscal management and debt reduction with new Finance Minister Pat Atkinson at the helm.

“I question Atkinson’s commitment to keeping spending in line and making sure our budget is balanced,” Wall said.

“The last NDP budget showed a deficit of over $700 million and saw the fiscal stabilization fund drained to the tune of $510 million—trends I don’t see reversing under Pat Atkinson.”

Wall also released a copy of an NDP fundraising letter signed by Lorne Calvert and dated April of 2007.  In that letter, Calvert accuses the Saskatchewan Party of wanting to impose a “regime of tax cuts and debt reduction.” Read the letter here.

“This is how far off the rails the NDP has gone—Lorne Calvert is actually attacking debt reduction,” Wall said. “Since when did debt reduction and responsible fiscal management become issues that were out-of-step with the values of Saskatchewan people?”

“No one will ever mistake Lorne Calvert and Pat Atkinson for Roy Romanow and Janice MacKinnon.”

“The next few months heading into a provincial election should be a time when the people of Saskatchewan hear about how their politicians plan to keep Saskatchewan growing and make our province a better place for our young people.”

“They don’t want to see the continued growth in government and lack of commitment to debt reduction now being demonstrated by Lorne Calvert and the NDP.”

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For more information, Saskatchewan Party Caucus, Regina, 787-4300.

REGINA—Saskatchewan Party Leader Brad Wall today said recently signed agreements between British Columbia and Alberta hold real potential for better, more efficient health care delivery.

Wall said these agreements show the value of working more closely with other western provinces—cooperation that in this case was fostered by joint meetings between the B.C. and Alberta cabinets.

“Just this month, a joint deal was finalized on procurement of medical devices and pharmaceuticals, a deal that could lower the cost of things like blood glucose test strips for diabetics and allow for the joint purchase of vaccines,” Wall said.

“In the face of skyrocketing costs for cutting-edge cancer drugs like Avastin, I find it exciting to think about working together to get more of these drugs into the hands of Saskatchewan families. That would improve the quality of life for these patients.”

Wall said the current B.C.-Alberta cabinet meetings occur annually. Since the cabinets started holding joint meetings five years ago, 24 agreements have been signed covering health care, regional colleges, infrastructure and procurement.

“A Saskatchewan Party government would move immediately to begin participating in these meetings,” Wall said. “A Saskatchewan Party government would also be open to meetings with the Manitoba cabinet.”

Other agreements signed this month include a memorandum of understanding on collaboration to provide timely access to radiation therapy for cancer patients. The cancer boards in B.C. and Alberta will now work together on research, planning and dealing together with surges in demand for radiation therapy.

“Saskatchewan should be a part of these exciting new initiatives,” Wall said.  “I have met with officials from other provinces and I know that Saskatchewan would be welcomed to join this process.”

“It’s part of our outward-looking vision for Saskatchewan’s role in the New West and Canada.”

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For more information, Saskatchewan Party Caucus, Regina, 787-4300.

“Meet the new boss, same as the old boss.”

                       - The Who, “Won’t Get Fooled Again"

REGINA - Saskatchewan Party Leader Brad Wall said Saskatchewan residents will not be impressed by Lorne Calvert’s attempt to slap a new coat of paint on his old, rusty NDP government.

Wall was responding to Calvert’s latest attempt to re-invent his government by shuffling his cabinet.

“This NDP government has lost touch with the real values and priorities of Saskatchewan people and another cabinet shuffle is not going to change that,” Wall said.

Wall said the NDP is like a company with an inferior product that keeps offering a ‘new, improved’ version every six months.

“After the NDP finished last in the Weyburn-Big Muddy by-election, Lorne Calvert said he was going to start listening.  It didn’t happen,” Wall said.

“Then, the NDP had its worst showing in nearly 70 years in the Martensville by-election and Lorne Calvert said he was going to start listening.  Instead, the NDP spent the entire legislative session defending harassment and fraud.

“Now, Lorne Calvert has had several of his MLAs announce they are quitting his government, and his response is this cabinet shuffle.  It’s not going to change anything.  The only way Saskatchewan people are going to see positive change is through an election.”

Wall called on Calvert to commit to a provincial election this fall.

“There is absolutely no good reason for Mr. Calvert to drag this tired, old government into its fifth year.  Saskatchewan people deserve a firm commitment that the election will be held this fall.”

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For further information: Saskatchewan Party Caucus, Regina, 787-4300.

REGINA—The NDP’s Minister of Community Resources, Buckley Belanger, allowed members of the Legislature’s Standing Committee on Human Services to vote an extra $1 million to the Four Directions residential facility for at-risk children without mentioning he was in possession of a disturbing report that outlined serious problems with safety, programming, staffing and the building.

“Buckley Belanger appeared before the Committee on March 20, a month after receiving this report, and he didn’t even bother to mention these problems when I questioned him,” Saskatchewan Party Community Resources Critic Ted Merriman said.

“Based on the Minister’s complete lack of candor, we voted to spend $ 1 million on a facility that was shut down a month later.”

“We deserved to hear the whole story, we needed to hear the whole story, and once again, the NDP failed to deliver the whole story.”

The report in question is dated February 2007. It states that Four Directions was not meeting core safety standards, lacked a recreation program, was operating out of a building that could not meet program needs, and was being staffed by people who too frequently were using physical force to restrain children—a situation the Children’s Advocate later said posed a risk of suffocation and potential injury.

“Committees of the Legislative Assembly are required to perform a crucial oversight role that can protect lives and guarantee public dollars are being spent in the best way possible,” Merriman said.

“We just can’t do our job if we don’t get the complete story from Ministers appearing before us. Buckley Belanger failed to tell the whole truth when he testified before the committee, something that happens all too often with this minister and this NDP government.”

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For more information, Saskatchewan Party Caucus, 787-4300.

"[Pat] Lorje advised police that it was the intention of Caucus to conceal the fact that Lord had committed fraud."

-Regina Police Report, September 20, 1994

"Calvert said he wants the conflict of interest commissioner, lawyer Gerald Gerrand, to delineate the circumstances of the case and answer the who-knew-what-when questions that continue to exist."   

- Canadian Press Newswire, April 30, 2007

REGINA--The Saskatchewan Party today said now that Conflict of Interest Commissioner Gerald Gerrand has suspended his investigation into the NDP fraud scandal, it's time for Lorne Calvert and others in his government to start answering important questions about who knew what and when they knew it.

"Mr. Calvert promised to provide answers to the Commissioner who was to report in mid-June," Saskatchewan Party Deputy Leader Ken Krawetz said.

"Now that inquiry has been halted, but the Premier still has a moral obligation to give timely information to the people of Saskatchewan about his role in this matter."

Krawetz said while the RCMP will continue investigating whether there was any criminal wrong-doing, there are some equally important questions that will not be dealt with by police.

"It's important to remember what former NDP MLA Pat Lorje told police in 1994; there were some members of caucus who wanted to continue covering up the fraud, while others wanted the matter referred to police," Krawetz said.

"Lorne Calvert still hasn't told us which group he was in. Neither has Glenn Hagel or any other member of the NDP caucus at that time."

Krawetz also called on Calvert to release details of the NDP's severance settlement with former Chief of Staff Jim Fodey, who resigned in the wake of the NDP fraud scandal.

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For more information, Saskatchewan Party Caucus, Regina, 787-4300.

"Justice should not only be done, but should manifestly and undoubtedly be seen to be done."

- United Kingdom Lord Chief Justice Gordon Hewart, Rex v. Sussex Justices, 1924

SASKATOON--Saskatchewan Party Justice critic Don Morgan today said court documents obtained contain allegations that call into question Justice Minister Frank Quennell's statement that no cases heard by former Judge Terry Bekolay had been compromised in any way.

Morgan said he is prohibited from providing any further detail due to a court-imposed publication ban, but his review of the court documents suggest there are still many unanswered questions about Bekolay's conduct while on the bench.

"There are serious allegations contained in these documents and there has been no public process to clear the air," Morgan said.  "It's not sufficient for the Justice Minister to say everything is fine.  It appears from a review of the documents that these allegations must be reviewed further.  We have growing concerns that the public is losing confidence in the Justice system because of situations like this."

The Saskatchewan Judicial Council had ordered an inquiry into Bekolay's conduct, but that inquiry was cancelled after Bekolay resigned last Friday.  Morgan said there needs to be a mechanism that allows the inquiry to continue in cases where a judge's conduct may have compromised trials.

"One of the fundamental principles of our justice system is that 'justice must not only be done; it must be seen to be done,'" Morgan said.  "That principle is clearly being violated by the complete lack of any public process in this case."

Morgan called on Quennell to release any Department of Justice legal opinions he has to back up his statement that no court cases had been compromised by Bekolay's conduct.

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For further information: Saskatchewan Party Caucus, Regina, 787-4300.

SASKATOON--Saskatchewan Party Leader Brad Wall today said it's time for Saskatchewan to go beyond simply mining and exporting uranium and become a world leader in other aspects of the uranium cycle.

Speaking to the Saskatoon Chamber of Commerce, Wall said a Saskatchewan Party government would immediately develop and implement a uranium value-added plan for research and development, uranium refinement and possible nuclear power production in Saskatchewan.

"It's time for a full and open discussion of all of the potential of uranium and the nuclear option in Saskatchewan," Wall said.  "At a time when Saskatchewan and the world need new sustainable energy sources, nuclear energy could provide a low-cost solution that will meet this demand and reduce our carbon footprint for future generations."

Wall said the Saskatchewan Party's vision for uranium development is a sharp contrast from the NDP's lack of vision in this area.

"When I asked Lorne Calvert about his vision for the uranium industry, it's clear it doesn't go much beyond mining," Wall said.  "Saskatchewan is the largest producer of uranium in the world, yet the NDP government is content to simply ship it away and let others do the refining and enrichment, produce the energy, and create the highly-skilled, high-paying jobs that we need here in Saskatchewan."

Wall said he would like to see the University of Saskatchewan become a leader in nuclear science.

"The University of Saskatchewan could become a nuclear centre of excellence, leading in areas like nuclear engineering, nuclear physics, nuclear medicine and fusion research," Wall said.

Wall said a Saskatchewan Party government would look at new growth tax incentives for companies that develop new uranium value-added opportunities in Saskatchewan.  Wall noted that the province could be leading in the areas of refining and enrichment as well as in research into recycling and storage.

Next month, Wall will travel to Boston where he will meet with officials at the Nuclear Research Centre at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) to discuss further nuclear industry opportunities and the potential of small reactor technology for Saskatchewan.  He will take a similar message of the potential for Saskatchewan to be a continental energy centre to meetings in New York and Washington.

"Small reactor technology is coming on fast and may present an opportunity for our province to develop our oil sands in an environmentally responsible way as the new technology produces much-needed steam as well as energy," Wall said.  "With all of our renewable and non-renewable energy resources, Saskatchewan can be a big part of the solution for North American energy independence."  

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For further information: Saskatchewan Party Caucus, Regina, 787-4300.

REGINA--Saskatchewan Party Leader Brad Wall said the spring legislative session which ends today has been a complete disaster for Lorne Calvert's NDP government.

"Day after day, we watched this tired, old NDP government, consumed by scandal, lurching aimlessly from crisis to crisis, and drifting further and further away from the real priorities of Saskatchewan people," Wall said. 

The session began with the NDP paying $275,000 taxpayers' dollars to Murdoch Carriere, who was fired for harassment and convicted of assault.  It ended with an RCMP investigation, the resignation of NDP Minister Glenn Hagel and the NDP about to award another big taxpayer-funded severance payoff to their former Chief of Staff, who resigned over his role in the NDP fraud scandal and cover-up.

"It really shows the NDP does not share the same values as Saskatchewan people, who do not want to see their hard-earned tax dollars being used to reward people who harass women and cover up fraud," Wall said.

Wall said the NDP scandals completed derailed any sort of agenda the Calvert government may have had for the session.

"For example, at the start of the session, Mr. Calvert promised 'significant steps to advance our green agenda,'" Wall said.  "We're still waiting."

"We're still waiting for the NDP to address the nursing shortage and hospital closures.  We're still waiting for the NDP to show some leadership on school closures.  This NDP government has been completely consumed by its own internal problems and Saskatchewan people are suffering because of it."

Wall said in the coming weeks, the Saskatchewan Party will be announcing more of its alternatives to the failing policies of the Calvert NDP government.

"The vast majority of Saskatchewan people now believe that it's time for a change from this tired, old NDP government.  It's now up to the Saskatchewan Party to present our plan for positive change.  Most of our plan will be released during the election campaign, but we will also start to make some announcements prior to the election being called."

A provincial election is expected this fall, although Calvert has refused to rule out delaying until 2008.

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For further information: Saskatchewan Party Caucus, Regina, 787-4300

REGINA -- NDP Finance Minister Andrew Thomson's decision to call it quits is a huge blow to the Calvert NDP government, according to Saskatchewan Party MLA Don McMorris.

"Lorne Calvert has already lost his top Saskatoon minister with the retirement of Eric Cline and now, he's lost his top Regina minister in Andrew Thomson," McMorris said.  "This is now the sixth NDP MLA heading for the exits and I expect there are more to come."

Thomson's announcement comes amid dropping poll numbers and growing scandals for the NDP.

"The ironic thing is that Thomson and Cline are two of the NDP Ministers who have managed to pretty much stay clear of scandal and controversy throughout their careers," McMorris said.  "Meanwhile, the ones who have had big problems, like Lautermilch, Belanger and Hagel, are hanging in there with Lorne Calvert."

McMorris congratulated Thomson for his years of public service, particularly his time as Finance Minister.

"Mr. Thomson's greatest accomplishment was implementing business tax reform, which is something the Saskatchewan Party had been calling for since the last election," McMorris said.  "This has certainly been a step in the right direction for our economy."

Thomson's announcement comes just one week after a similar announcement last Friday by long-time NDP MLA Doreen Hamilton.

"'Farewell Fridays' are becoming a regular event for the NDP," McMorris said.  "I wonder how many more we are going to see before the next election."

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For further information: Saskatchewan Party Caucus, Regina, 787-4300

REGINA--Saskatchewan Party MLA Denis Allchurch said today's announcement that NDP Minister Eldon Lautermilch has failed to reach an agreement with Domtar on the re-opening of the Prince Albert mill was inevitable, given the Minister's inept handling of this matter. Allchurch said unfortunately, the people of his own region will suffer for the minister's incompetence.

"This is a devastating blow to the people who lost their jobs, people who own homes in Prince Albert, people who run businesses that depend on the forestry sector -- it's a blow for the entire industry in Saskatchewan," Allchurch said.

"Maybe no one would have been able to reach an agreement with Domtar, but I do know Minister Lautermilch failed to handle this matter correctly."

Allchurch pointed to several examples:

• In March of this year, Lautermilch told a breakfast audience in Prince Albert that a deal had been reached with Domtar management to re-open the mill. Several government officials expressed concern about the way this information became public, and lobbied the media to stop running stories. Later, the Minister described the stories as "patently false".
• In November of 2005, a Calgary consultant representing Chinese investors said he was "flabbergasted" and "disgusted" at the way he was treated by Lautermilch and the NDP during talks on the possible purchase of the P.A. mill. Clarence Ekstrand said he tried to get answers from the government about cogeneration possibilities and said it was an "absolute joke" that he never received a response.
• Last month, Lautermilch defended the decision to keeping the former head of the Forestry Secretariat, Tom Waller, on the payroll-even though a new CEO had been found. Over $300,000 was paid to Waller's consulting firm for 11 months of work.

"This is not an impressive record," Allchurch said.

"I think it's time for the Premier to step in and get this thing fixed so those hurt by this closure can get back on their feet again."

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For more information, Saskatchewan Party Caucus, Regina, 787-4300.

REGINA -- The Saskatchewan Party today repeated its call for NDP Minister Glenn Hagel's resignation and said Hagel and Lorne Calvert need to explain their party's actions in the 1992 cover-up of fraud in the NDP Caucus Office.

"It's now been almost a full day since the Regina Chief of Police told reporters that Glenn Hagel's story wasn't true, and Hagel and Calvert are nowhere to be found," Saskatchewan Party MLA Ken Krawetz said.  "It is now clear that the NDP withheld vital information from the police in 1992 and that Glenn Hagel lied about it last week both inside and outside the House."

Listen to Regina Police Chief Cal Johnston's full news conference on-line here.

The Saskatchewan Party released a list of 21 separate occasions that Hagel told reporters or the Legislature that the NDP Caucus immediately turned over Ann Davey's confession letter and subsequent auditor's report to the police.  Regina Police Chief Cal Johnston said this information was never provided to the police during the 1992 investigation, and that police were told the auditors had found no money missing.

Click here to read all the occasions that Hagel said the NDP had turned over the confession and audit to the Regina City Police.

Krawetz said Hagel needs to explain his actions and Calvert needs to demand Hagel's immediate resignation. 

"These events call into question the very integrity of this NDP government and whether we can believe anything they say," Krawetz said.  "Lorne Calvert should be taking action now to fire this Minister instead of hiding."

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For more information: Ian Hanna, Saskatchewan Party Caucus, Regina, 530-3177

?"What I can tell you is that when the information became available, it was taken to the police immediately and that led subsequently to the special audit which was also given to the police."
- Glenn Hagel, April 25, 2007

"Our files show something different."
    - Regina Police Chief Cal Johnston, April 27, 2007

REGINA - Saskatchewan Party MLA Ken Krawetz is demanding the immediate resignation of NDP Cabinet Minister Glenn Hagel.  The demand comes after startling revelations by Regina Police Chief Cal Johnston concerning a 1992 police investigation into taxpayers' money missing from the NDP Caucus Office.

 "For days, Mr. Hagel has been telling Saskatchewan people that the NDP went immediately to police as soon as they discovered money had been taken," Krawetz said.  "Hagel said the NDP immediately turned over a confession letter and subsequent audit report to the police."

"However, Regina's Police Chief said that's not what happened.  The audit and confession letter were not turned over to police until two years later, and police were initially told that the audit uncovered no missing money."

Krawetz said the cover-up 15 years ago and the complete misrepresentation of the facts by Hagel in recent days requires his immediate resignation.

"First Mr. Hagel withheld information from the police and then he lied about it," Krawetz said.  "This is absolutely unacceptable from a minister of the Crown and he must step down."

Krawetz said if Hagel does not resign, Lorne Calvert must fire him immediately.

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For more information: Ian Hanna, Saskatchewan Party Caucus, 530-3177

REGINA--Saskatchewan Party MLA Donna Harpauer is questioning why provincial Crown Corporations have bought nearly 600 tickets to Al Gore's speech this Monday in Regina, which is sponsored by SaskTel.

"It's not the role of the Crowns to be putting on this kind of event, and it's not the role of the Crowns to be buying hundreds of tickets to this event," Harpauer said.  "At a time that we still don't have cell phone coverage in many areas of Saskatchewan, why is SaskTel paying Al Gore $125,000?"

"No one disputes that we have to have an open, meaningful debate about environmental issues in our province, but having the Crowns pay thousands of dollars to buy a staged photo op for Lorne Calvert doesn't accomplish anything."

Harpauer also noted that tickets sales do not seem to be going as well as Lorne Calvert said they were.  Last week, Calvert said about three-quarters, or 3,800, of the 5,100 available tickets had already been sold.  Now, a spokesperson for the event is admitting only about 3,000 tickets have been sold.

"And about 20 per cent of those have been bought by the Crowns," Harpauer said.  "It's just one more example of the misplaced priorities of Lorne Calvert and his tired, old NDP government."

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For further information: Saskatchewan Party Caucus, Regina, 787-4300.

SASKATOON-Saskatchewan Party MLA Ken Cheveldayoff said today that he is happy with the announcement of the location for a children's hospital in the city of Saskatoon, but stressed the announcement is long overdue and lacks any substantial details.

"Saskatchewan families have been expressing the need for this facility for a long time," Cheveldayoff said. "The Saskatchewan Party has been calling for a children?s hospital for 8 years, but we're still not there. Today's announcement is a start, but it lacks any real plan or funding commitments."

Cheveldayoff said today's announcement amounts to a promise with little else.

"A $1 million announcement for a $100-$200 million project that will only start construction in 2010 is little more than a promise from a government on its last legs."

"Saskatchewan residents will still be waiting eight more years for a children's hospital to open its doors in Saskatoon."

Cheveldayoff congratulated Brynn Boback-Lane and the Children's Health and Hospital Foundation for their tireless efforts in calling for a children's hospital and educating the public about the benefits of having such a facility in our province.

Cheveldayoff maintained that a dedicated children's hospital would be a priority for a Saskatchewan Party government.

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For more information, Sask Party Caucus, 787-4300.

REGINA-Saskatchewan Party Leader Brad Wall today said Saskatchewan people are showing their outrage at the fact that the NDP government paid convicted harasser Murdoch Carriere $275,000 plus a large pension top-up.  In addition to phone calls and e-mails and letters, the Saskatchewan Party's postcard campaign has already generated nearly 6,000 responses.

"There are areas of the province that haven't even received their postcards yet and we've already received nearly 6,000 responses," Wall said. "We are now averaging between 800 and 1,000 responses each day.  It's a clear message that Lorne Calvert should be listening and responding to the concerns of the public."

Comments to Lorne Calvert include:

• Why didn't you fight this in court like you should have?;
• This sends the wrong message to all women in the workplace;
• If a member of your family was harassed, would you want the person responsible to be rewarded?;
• Carriere should have been fired with not benefits like anyone else would have been.  It shows that anything goes, as long as the employee is an NDP supporter.;
• How could this harasser been allowed to keep doing this for well over ten years?;
• And, I have voted NDP all of my voting life, but I will no longer support a political party that rewards wrong-doing.

"Instead of repeating that he'd pay Murdoch Carriere out again, the Premier should be listening to Saskatchewan people who say it was wrong to pay a harasser in the first place.  He owes Murdoch Carriere's victims and the people of this province answers."

Wall again urged the Premier to stop hiding the truth about the Murdoch Carriere scandal and allow the details to be examined by an all-party Legislative committee.

"This NDP government continues to hide behind their secret legal opinions and haven't answered any important questions.  It's clear the government is either hiding the truth or hiding behind the truth.  Either way, it's inexcusable."

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For more information, Saskatchewan Party Caucus, Regina, 787-4300.

REGINA-Saskatchewan Party Agriculture Critic, Bob Bjornerud, today called on the NDP government to address the disparity between crop insurance programs in Saskatchewan and Manitoba.

A comparison between the two provinces shows that Saskatchewan farmers are paying much higher premiums for both Hard Red Spring Wheat and Canola, than Manitoba farmers. For 80% coverage, premiums for Hard Red Spring Wheat in Manitoba are $4.85 per acre, while in Saskatchewan premiums are $8.24. 

"Saskatchewan farmers pay 70% higher premiums for Hard Red Spring Wheat while getting $20 less in dollar coverage per acre," Bjornerud said.  

"The NDP have gutted agriculture programs in this province for years and year.  As a result, Manitoba farmers are better off by not paying as high of premiums and receiving much better coverage in the event of a disaster."

Bjornerud also compared Canola premiums and payouts.  In Manitoba, premiums are $11.11 per acre for $224.19 payout per acre, while Saskatchewan premiums are $12.51 for only $147.90 payout per acre.

"Again with Canola, Saskatchewan farmers are paying more in premiums for over $75 less payour per acre,"  Bjornerud said.

"How does this government expect Saskatchewan farmers to be competitive when our neighbours are paying lower premiums for much better coverage than in this province?"

"It's time this NDP government started standing up for rural Saskatchewan instead of doing whatever it can to gut rural areas.  Enough is enough."

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For more information, Saskatchewan Party Caucus, Regina, 787-4300.

REGINA-Saskatchewan Party Leader Brad Wall today called on the Calvert government to allow the details of the Murdoch Carriere scandal to be reviewed by an all-party committee of the Crown and Central Agencies Standing Committee.

A letter written by one of Murdoch Carriere's harassment victims supports an independent inquiry or process that will "get to the truth because people deserve to hear it."

The victim's letter also states that such an inquiry is necessary "to make sure this doesn't happen again to other women in this province."

Click here to read a copy of the letter.

"The NDP are telling a completely different version than what we are hearing from individuals directly involved with the situation," Wall said.  "The letter from victims tells us that former Environment Minister Buckley Belanger and Murdoch Carriere were close friends.  The NDP deny it.  The victims support an inquiry into this mess so the truth can be brought to light.  The NDP won't allow it."

Wall added it's clear this government wants to hide the details such as:

• Who ignored harassment complaints years ago;
• All legal opinions and settlements in this case;
• Why Murdoch Carriere wasn't disciplined and later fired with cause when the harassment didn't stop; 
• Why Premier Calvert didn't act upon a letter written by the victims in March of 2003; 
• Why the NDP government paid Murdoch Carriere $275,000 plus a three-year top-up in his government pension so Carriere receives a 35-year government pension after only 32 years of work; and, much more.

"The NDP government owes it to the women harassed by Murdoch Carriere and the people of this province to allow an inquiry to get to the truth.  Nothing short is acceptable."

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For more information, Saskatchewan Party Caucus, Regina, 787-4300.

REGINA-Saskatchewan Party MLA, Glen Hart, today asked the Minister of Environment John Nilson to release the findings of an internal review relating to the Department's handling of northern forest fires that plagued Saskatchewan last year.

"Families in the Northern part of this province want to know how this NDP government plans to deal with the upcoming forest fire season," Hart said. "They deserve an answer to that question."

Hart said there were many problems with the way the NDP government dealt with fires in the northern section of the province last year.

"The community of Stony Rapids came very, very close to losing their town and their brand new hospital. If it weren't for the hard work of the citizens of that town, I don't know if it would still be standing today."

Hart said part of the problem lies with the NDP government's current northern 'let it burn' policy, which allows fires to burn if they are greater than 20 kms from a community.

"This government needs to tell the people of Saskatchewan whether or not this policy is helping or harming them. That is what I'm asking the NDP government here today," Hart said.

"This is the time of year where the NDP government needs to plan and be ready. They should be doing everything in their power to ensure Saskatchewan families don't have to deal with another difficult fire season."

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For more information, Saskatchewan Party Caucus: 306-787-4300

SASKATOON--Saskatchewan Party Leader Brad Wall today called on the government to release the Conference Board of Canada economic impact  study  on the Trade, Investment and Labour Mobility Agreement (TILMA), so the people of this province can make an informed decision about whether to join the agreement.

"By its own admission, the NDP has conducted an 'exhaustive internal examination' of TIMLA, including commissioning the economic impact study by the Conference Board of Canada," Wall said.

"When I asked the Premier yesterday to release that study, he ignored the question. I think the people of this province deserve better than that."

Wall wondered why Lorne Calvert and the NDP don't share the confidence now being felt by the people of this province about future economic growth.

"Saskatchewan is in a position to lead the new west because we?re the lowest cost jurisdiction," Wall said.

"I think we're better positioned to compete in the west with fewer trade barriers and restrictions than either B.C. or Alberta. I can't understand why the NDP doesn?t share that confidence about the future." 

Wall noted that a similar Conference Board of Canada study for B.C. predicted the agreement would create 78,000 new jobs in B.C. alone, along with a potential increase of $5 billion in real GDP.

"What is the Conference Board of Canada saying about the potential of this deal for our province?" Wall said.

"The people of Saskatchewan have a right to know since they paid for the study."

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For more information, Saskatchewan Party Caucus, Regina, 787-4300.

REGINA--A reckless and unsustainable NDP budget that increases the debt, increases the deficit and is not balanced passed by one vote in the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan this week. The Saskatchewan Party says this is bad news right now for the people of this province, and bad news for future governments who will now face limited options as they try to clean up the mess Lorne Calvert has created. 
 
"This budget is nothing more than a desperate attempt to buy a few votes and try to cling to power," Saskatchewan Party Finance Critic Ken Cheveldayoff said. 
 
"There is no vision and no long-term growth agenda. Revenues are going up by under two per cent and spending will jump by more than nine per cent. As media commentators have said this can't go on for very long without causing a train wreck." 
 
Cheveldayoff said the NDP budget includes tax credits for students that even the secretary of the Saskatchewan Young New Democrats admits likely won't convince students to stay in the province. It also includes a seniors' drug plan that won't be income tested meaning that costs could mushroom uncontrollably. 
 
"The Saskatchewan Party believes strongly that the poorest, most vulnerable seniors in our province should receive help to pay for prescriptions drugs," Cheveldayoff said. 
 
"The NDP program in the budget does not focus help on those who need it the most and is simply a program designed  by the NDP to garner some votes. It's pure politics." 
 
Cheveldayoff said the budget also fails to address the major concerns of people living in rural Saskatchewan. 
 
"As doctor and nursing shortages continue to force temporary closures of health care facilities across the province, the budget creates only a handful of new training seats for medical professionals," Cheveldayoff said. 
 
"And there's not one thin dime in additional support for trustees and parents, grappling with the tough decisions surrounding whether or not they can afford to keep schools open."

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For more information, Saskatchewan Party Caucus, Regina, 787-4300.

REGINA--Saskatchewan Party Agriculture Critic Bob Bjornerud today questioned the NDP on why the budget directs no money to disaster assistance for farm families.

"Farmers in the southwest have been plagued with two consecutive droughts, and it looks like those living in the northeast are once again facing the prospects of flooding," Bjornerud said.

"These people deserve more than empty words and vague promises about upcoming payments if an agreement can be reached with the federal government. These people need answers, and they need them now."

Bjornerud said the NDP will use its majority today to pass the budget, a document that offers precious little to rural Saskatchewan.

In addition to being vague on the prospect of direct disaster assistance to farmers, Bjornerud said the budget also does nothing to assist school trustees as they ponder difficult decisions regarding possible school closures.

"Hundreds of people came to Regina last week asking for help to keep these schools open, but their pleas were ignored by the NDP," Bjornerud said.

"There's not one thin dime in extra support for rural schools in this budget, despite the suggestions brought forward by the Saskatchewan Party for dollars to back Schools of Opportunity and Schools of Necessity."

Bjornerud said the resources taken from rural Saskatchewan are funneling record revenues into NDP coffers.

"However, the NDP appears unwilling to reinvest in schools and farms," Bjornerud said.

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For more information, Saskatchewan Party Caucus, Regina, 787-4300.

REGINA-Saskatchewan Party Learning critic, Rod Gantefoer today said the NDP government is too busy rushing to close schools rather than find solutions and listen to the communities and people affected.

“Today, we have people from Save Our Schools rallying at the Legislature wanting to know why this NDP government is not answering their questions on closures,” Gantefoer said. “It’s obvious education is not a priority for Calvert’s NDP government.”

Gantefoer addressed the group on the steps of the Legislature saying the NDP has failed rural Saskatchewan and does not understand the full impact a school closure has on a community.

During Tuesday’s Question Period, Gantefoer asked the Minister of Learning why the process for closing schools is so expedient. Gantefoer says all options must be considered before a school is closed.

“We need to take into account such things like making schools a multi-use community facility and studying the true viability of a school to the community. Most of the time, schools are much more then a place to educate kids during the day,” Gantefoer said.

Gantefoer cited the 2001 ‘Role of the School’ report. The report calls on schools to adopt a “community school” philosophy that encourages families, neighbours, businesses, churches and other organizations to become involved in school events and make use of the building.

“This NDP government is acting so quickly, they are not even following their own report,” Gantefoer said.

Gantefoer also condemned the NDP government for not understanding that many community councils have only just started up, and have not yet had a chance to voice their concerns.

“What’s the point of having community councils if this NDP government won’t listen to them, or closes the school before they get up and running,” Gantefoer said.

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For more information: Saskatchewan Party Caucus, 787-4300.

REGINA—Saskatchewan Party Finance Critic Ken Cheveldayoff said the people of Saskatchewan must now deal with the bitter aftertaste of a pre-election spending spree by the Calvert NDP.

“This budget is reckless and irresponsible,” Cheveldayoff said.

“The Calvert NDP has spent the last six months trying to buy votes, and now the bill has come due.”

Cheveldayoff said instead of taking advantage of an unprecedented economic boom and preparing the province for the next generation, the NDP spent its mountain of windfall money on growing government and increasing debt.

“That’s Lorne Calvert’s legacy after six years in power,” Cheveldayoff said.

“Spending is up by $2 billion or over 32 per cent, there are 1,459 new government positions during a period when the population fell by more than 10,000 people, and spending in the Premier’s office is up by 17 per cent.”

“That’s not much of a legacy,” Cheveldayoff said.

Cheveldayoff also condemned the lack of progress towards increasing the number of training seats for nurses and doctors.

“If you turn to page 88 of the budget document, you find the number of nursing education positions will increase by only 18 in the next year,” Cheveldayoff said.

“At this rate, it will take almost 20 years to train enough nurses to fill the nursing vacancies that exist today.”

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For more information, Saskatchewan Party Caucus, Regina, 787-4300.

Saskatchewan Party K-12 Learning critic Rod Gantefoer today expressed his disappointment with the Calvert NDP government’s decision to break its promise to the people of Saskatchewan with regard to long-term education property tax relief.

“As you can see from the quotes from Lorne Calvert and other NDP Ministers, the promise he made is clear, unequivocal and does not include mention tying property tax relief to federal equalization payments,” Gantefoer said.

Lorne Calvert to the 2003 SARM Convention:
“Our priority in tax reform for government over the next several years must be the matter of funding education.”

“The status quo is not on.”

Lorne Calvert on the day he released the NDP 2003 election platform, October 17, 2003:

“It is a platform that provides the room to receive the recommendations of the Boughen Commission on the funding of education.”

Learning Minister Andrew Thomson, November 12, 2004 News Release on school division amalgamation:
“These changes are necessary as we move forward to provide long-term, sustainable property tax relief.” 

Government Relations Minister Len Taylor, Regina Leader-Post editorial, January 6, 2006:
Now Government Relations Minister Len Taylor is telling rural residents a more permanent fix won’t come until 2007.

“It is disingenuous at best for the Premier to now say to Saskatchewan that he cannot keep this promise without federal equalization money when that was never a condition of his original promise,” Gantefoer said.

Gantefoer noted that the NDP has been promising education property tax relief since August 31, 1944, when then-Premier Tommy Douglas said: “We are pledged to do away with the education tax as soon as we get new sources of revenue to take the place of the revenue now realized from that tax.  When we develop new sources of revenue sufficient to supplant revenue now raised from the tax, we shall do away with the tax because we consider it regressive legislation.”

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For immediate release: Saskatchewan Party Caucus, Regina, 787-4300.

REGINA--Saskatchewan Party Leader Brad Wall today said the Calvert NDP government is so desperate to deflect attention away from the growing Murdoch Carriere harassment scandal, that it has now resorted to leaking its own budget.  Carriere is the former Environment Department manager who received a $275,000 payoff from the Calvert NDP government after being fired for harassment and convicted of assault.

“It used to be that the Minister of Finance would be fired for a major budget leak, but that won’t happen,” Wall said.  “In this case, Mr. Calvert would have to resign himself, as he would have authorized the leak to try to change the subject from the Carriere scandal.”

Wall said the leaked budget measures amount to another desperate attempt by the NDP to try to buy votes with taxpayers’ own money. He fears the NDP’s recent pre-election spending spree is not sustainable.

“Affordable prescriptions are a priority for our party, but extremely costly programs without targeting low-income citizens are simply unsustainable, especially with high inflation for prescription drugs,” Wall said.  “While we need to do more to help low-income seniors and those who need very expensive prescriptions like cancer drugs, I don’t know why taxpayers should be paying for prescription drugs for well-to-do individuals who are served by the current drug plan.”

With regard to a $20,000 tax exemption for post-secondary students, Wall said students have told him that they would prefer a rebate on their tuition costs as an incentive to stay in Saskatchewan after graduation.

“The NDP plan will work out to about $1200 a year per student, or about $100 a month.  $100 a month is not going to reverse the NDP record of population loss and keep someone in Saskatchewan if the right opportunities are not here.  Saskatchewan needs a growth agenda and that’s what the Saskatchewan Party is offering.”

Wall said he is very disappointed that the budget will apparently not contain any form of property tax relief or a plan to deal with education funding.  He said it is also disappointing that the NDP is failing to offer a plan to deal with the debt of the province.

“In the last number of months we have seen this NDP government embark on an unprecedented spending spree with taxpayer dollars.  And now, even former NDP Finance Minister Janice MacKinnon says the leaked budget is unsustainable and could drive the province into 1980’s style deficit budgeting,” Wall said.  “The NDP may already have us there come Thursday.”

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For further information: Saskatchewan Party Caucus, Regina, 787-4300

Mr. Krawetz: Was the Premier ever briefed by any government official on the Murdoch Carriere harassment investigation and the subsequent disciplinary action prior to April 1, 2003?
 
Hon. Mr. Calvert:   Mr. Speaker, appropriately, no.

- Page 857, Hansard, March 15, 2007

REGINA—Saskatchewan Party Leader Brad Wall today said Lorne Calvert has not been telling the truth to Saskatchewan people for four years by maintaining he was unaware of the Murdoch Carriere harassment case prior to the story being leaked to the media on April 1, 2003. 

“For four years, Lorne Calvert denied knowing about the Carriere investigation prior to the report becoming public,” Wall said. “He thought his story was safe because the government had put a gag order on the women victims.  Suddenly, Mr. Calvert realized he was about to get caught in a lie and he changed his tune.”
 
Wall said once again, this tired, old NDP government only tells the truth when it gets caught.

“How can the people of Saskatchewan believe anything they hear from Lorne Calvert and the NDP?” Wall said.

Wall said it’s time Saskatchewan people were given the real story about why the NDP government paid $275,000 to a man who was fired for harassment and convicted of assault.

“The only way that is going to happen is if they release their secret legal opinion, release the settlement with the nine women victims, and provide a full explanation why they paid $275,000 to a convicted criminal,” Wall said.
 
“What message does it send to the people of Saskatchewan that the highest elected official in this province would lie to them on an important issue of principle and make a mockery out of the democratic process and the Legislative Assembly?”

Wall said the Saskatchewan Party Caucus will be considering the matter over the weekend to determine the appropriate response to this matter. 

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For more information, Saskatchewan Party Caucus, Regina, 787-4300.

REGINA—Saskatchewan Party MLA and First Nations and Métis Relations Critic June Draude was bestowed with the title Honourary Elder at a special ceremony on the Yellow Quill Saulteaux First Nation yesterday.

“Our caucus members are extremely proud of all the hard work June has done in her role as the critic for First Nations and Métis Relations in building relationships with Aboriginal leaders and communities,” Saskatchewan Party Leader Brad Wall said.

“We are also proud that her hard work, her thirst to learn and understand, as well as her dedication to these communities has been recognized by the Yellow Quill Saulteaux First Nation with such an extraordinary honour.”

Draude received a plaque from the Yellow Quill Saulteaux First Nation that bestows “the highest honour and respect to Elder June Draude MLA as an Honourary Elder with all the rights and privileges that this title holds.”

According to the First Nation, “An Honoured Elder is an Elder who is not from the Yellow Quill Community.  This individual is held in the highest regard with the utmost respect. This person can contribute to the community with the high standards of expertise in their field or his/her line of work.  He or she can be called on by the community, and may be used as a consultant if required.  In turn, the Yellow Quill First Nation will respect and honour this person, and bestow the title ‘Honoured Elder’.”

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For more information, Saskatchewan Party Caucus, Regina, 787-4300.

SASKATOON—Saskatchewan Party Leader Brad Wall today called on Premier Lorne Calvert to begin showing leadership on the crucial issue of school closures. Wall said it is time for the NDP government to slow down the rush to close schools without fully exploring issues like bussing distances, schools of opportunity and complementary uses for school facilities.
 
 “Good schools and quality educational services are the economic future of Saskatchewan, yet there are no common standards for the information that must be gathered and the alternatives discussed before a school is closed,” Wall said.
 
“We need to make sure communities get all the information they need, explore other options and have sufficient time to reflect and have a meaningful discussion on the implications of these decisions.”
 
Wall made the comments in an address yesterday before the Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities annual meeting in Saskatoon.
 
He said important questions need to be fully considered before a final decision is made.
 
“A Saskatchewan Party government would give communities a chance to gather important demographic information like what is the potential for economic development in the area, and what are the expected number of school-aged children in the next five or ten years,” Wall said.
 
“Let’s give time for discussions about complimentary uses for school buildings, whether it be as libraries, seniors centres, town offices or medical offices.”
 
Wall also noted that provincial education funding seems to favour long bus rides versus classrooms as bussing receives higher percentage of provincial funding.
 
Wall said it’s time to build a vision for rural Saskatchewan that is based on something more than a belief in the inevitable decline and depopulation.
 
“In the United States, 18 of the 25 largest metropolitan areas saw more people leave than move in—the Census Bureau is calling it the ‘Green Acres Effect’ as residents flee the city in record numbers for a better quality of life,” Wall said.
 
“Let’s have the vision to tap into that desire in Canada so we can create a vibrant and economically successful rural economy.”

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 For more information, Saskatchewan Party Caucus, Regina, 787-4300

SASKATOON - Lorne Calvert’s first five years in office saw Saskatchewan’s population drop by 10,776 to just 968,157.  The 2006 Census count was released today by Statistics Canada and shows Saskatchewan’s population at its lowest level since the 1976 census

Saskatchewan Party Leader Brad Wall said the population drop is a clear sign that the tired, old NDP government is on the wrong track.

“The NDP have historically been unable to provide the kind of economic leadership that is worthy of the potential of Saskatchewan," Wall said.   “The momentum in some areas of Saskatchewan is happening because of strong resource prices and the NDP implementing parts of the Saskatchewan Party growth agenda, but we simply cannot leave the future potential of Saskatchewan in the hands of a party that has presided for decades over its depopulation.”

In contrast, Alberta’s population grew by 315,000 and Manitoba grew by 28,000 people over the same five-year period. 

“At the very least we should be beating Manitoba,” Wall said.  “Saskatchewan may well be the most naturally-resourced blessed province in confederation, yet the NDP have never been able to build on the potential, to keep young people here and bring families home.”

Wall said the population loss hurts the people who remain in Saskatchewan, because it means a smaller tax base and lower transfer payments from the federal government.  Many federal transfer programs base their funding on the census count.

“I know that the NDP have said that there is more here for the rest of us when people leave, but the fact is, there is less,” Wall said.  “We need a new government with a growth agenda and that’s what the Saskatchewan Party is offering.”

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For further information: Saskatchewan Party Caucus, Regina, 787-4300

Saskatchewan Party Leader Brad Wall today announced some changes in Opposition critic responsibilities.

Newly-elected Martensville MLA Nancy Heppner becomes the new Environment critic.  Heppner takes over the Environment portfolio from Last Mountain-Touchwood MLA Glen Hart, who becomes Labour and Workers? Compensation Board critic. 

Saskatchewan Party Deputy Leader Ken Krawetz becomes SaskTel critic.  Weyburn-Big Muddy MLA Dustin Duncan becomes Immigration critic, in addition to his duties as MLA responsible for Youth Opportunities.

All other Saskatchewan Party MLAs maintain their existing duties. To download a complete list of critic duties, click here.

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For further information: Saskatchewan Party Caucus, Regina, 787-4300

“Cline said the government has contemplated joining the organization in the past but so far hasn’t thought it was worth the $25,000 membership fee”

      Regina Leader Post
      December 6, 2006

“We don’t need the Leader of the Opposition to plan our itinerary for us.”

      Eric Cline, Hansard,  December 5, 2006
      Pg. 677

REGINA—Saskatchewan Party Leader Brad Wall today applauded the NDP for adopting yet another one of the Saskatchewan Party’s ideas—becoming a member of the Energy Council.

“I really must say I’m quite surprised by this decision—particularly since the announcement is being made by Industry and Resources Minister Eric Cline,” Wall said.

“Mr. Cline almost pulled a muscle ridiculing me when I made the suggestion in the Assembly this past winter. Now he’s apparently accepted the idea.”

Read the December 8, 2006 news release that dealt with this issue here.

Wall said accepting and implementing the Saskatchewan Party’s ideas is at least something the tired, out-of-touch NDP government is getting quite good at.

“The problem is Saskatchewan needs a full growth agenda so we can deliver on the enormous potential of this province, and we’re not going to get that until this province has a Saskatchewan Party Government,” Wall said.

Other ideas introduced by the Saskatchewan Party and eventually adopted by the NDP include:

• Reduction of corporate capital, small business and provincial taxes;
• Strategic partnerships with post secondary institutions;
• Ending mandatory retirement;
• Increasing training seats for medical professionals;
• Increasing basic food allowance for those on social assistance.

“I hope the Mr. Calvert adopts one more Saskatchewan Party recommendation—call an election,” Wall said.

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For more information, Saskatchewan Party Caucus, Regina, 787-4300.

REGINA—The total cost to taxpayers for the NDP’s mishandling of the Murdoch Carriere case is now nearly half a million taxpayers’ dollars.

Today, Saskatchewan Party MLA Ken Krawetz received a response to a series of questions he asked about the amounts paid out by the NDP government.  The following is a summary of the answers Krawetz received:

Out-of court settlement payment to Carriere:               $275,000
Amount paid to Carriere while suspended with pay:         $31,826
Severance paid to former Deputy Minister Terry Scott,
who was asked to resign over his handling of the case:  $184,290
Mediation services                                                        $ 1,950
Total                                                                                                $493,066

Read a copy of the letter Krawetz received from the NDP government detailing this information by clicking here.

Krawetz noted that the NDP government did not provide the cost of in-house legal fees, and also that the government indicated it will incur a cost related to the increased value of Carriere’s pension, but did not reveal how much.

Krawetz said the most important question remains unanswered.

“The NDP still won’t tell us why they paid Murdoch Carriere $275,000 after he was fired for harassment and convicted of assault,” Krawetz said.  “Why does Murdoch Carriere deserve anything?  That’s the question this tired, old government still needs to answer.”

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For further information: Saskatchewan Party Caucus, Regina, 787-4300

SASKATOON—Saskatchewan Party Leader Brad Wall today said last night’s resounding victory by Nancy Heppner in the Martensville by-election confirms that Saskatchewan people have had enough of the tired, worn-out NDP government.

“Saskatchewan people are fed up with this tired, old government and the voters of Martensville delivered a resounding message by electing Nancy Heppner with 77 per cent of the vote,” Wall said.  “People want a new government with new ideas and a clear vision for this province and that’s not what the NDP is offering.”

The NDP finished a distant second with a mere 10 per cent of the vote, their worst showing in any Saskatchewan constituency since 1944.

“This campaign began with the NDP wasting $1.5 million taxpayers’ dollars on its exclamation mark ad campaign and it ended with the NDP giving away $275,000 to a man who was fired for harassment and convicted of assault,” Wall said.  “Clearly, this NDP government does not share the same values as Saskatchewan people and that is reflected in the NDP’s dismal showing in Martensville.”

Wall said the by-election win will give the Saskatchewan Party momentum heading into the legislative session which begins tomorrow and that Nancy Heppner will give the Saskatchewan Party and the people of Martensville constituency another strong voice in the Legislature.

Wall officially introduced the newest Saskatchewan Party MLA, Nancy Heppner, to the rest of caucus in Saskatoon.

“I know Nancy Heppner will serve the people of the Martensville constituency with integrity and dedication, just like her father did.  She’ll be a great asset to our caucus.”

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For more information, Ian Hanna, 530-3177.

“Questions of why decisions were made, the public portrayal of those decisions and political considerations have not been clearly addressed.”

- Premier Lorne Calvert commenting on his government’s handling of  SPUDCO, February 17, 2003

REGINA—Saskatchewan Party Deputy Leader Ken Krawetz today said the answers given earlier this week by NDP Environment Minister Nilson don’t begin to answer numerous questions surrounding the Murdoch Carriere harassment case.

“Saskatchewan people are outraged over this $275,000 payout to a man who was fired and convicted of assault,” Krawetz said.  “It’s just further proof that this tired, old NDP government doesn’t share the same sense of right and wrong as most Saskatchewan people.”

Krawetz has written to Premier Lorne Calvert asking for details about Carriere’s settlement, what other legal costs are involved, and several other aspects of the payout including the severance paid to the former Deputy Minister who resigned over this issue.  To read a copy of the letter, click here.

“First, we need to find out the real number taxpayers are paying,” Krawetz said.  “And you can bet the real total is much, much higher than $275,000.

“The NDP government must be held accountable for their decisions and be open and honest about the true costs of the bungling of the Carriere case,” Krawetz said.  “Hundreds of thousands of taxpayer dollars have been spent unnecessarily because the NDP didn’t properly deal with this issue years ago.

“There’s absolutely no excuse why taxpayers should be on the hook today.”

Krawetz also questioned the fact that the person convicted of assault gets handed $275,000, while the nine women who were brave enough to come forward received just $135,000 – an average of just $15,000 each.

“The NDP still has to answer the most fundamental question,” Krawetz said.  “This man was fired for harassment and convicted of assault. Why did they pay him anything?  What kind of message does that send to women in today’s workplace?”

Krawetz added the Saskatchewan Party will continue to question the Calvert NDP government during the upcoming legislative session if it continues to refuse to provide answers.

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For more information, Saskatchewan Party Caucus, Regina, 787-4300.

“Rather than place a premium on fostering a safe workplace where female employees are valued, the government is signaling that a boys' club atmosphere prevails in the department. Rather than enforce the rules, it conveys the impression that Carriere's touted political connections are covering up for him, to the detriment of women who dare to complain.  In addition to providing assurance that Carriere will remain off the job pending a police investigation, the government needs to explain the department's handling of this mess and the silence from the minister on a situation that's been simmering for a long time.”

- Star Phoenix Editorial, April 2, 2003
 
REGINA—Saskatchewan Party Deputy Leader Ken Krawetz says the only reason Saskatchewan taxpayers are on the hook for $275,000 in the harassment case of a former long-time government supervisor is because of sheer NDP incompetence.

“The case of Murdoch Carriere was handled so poorly by the NDP that taxpayers are now on the hook for $275,000,” Krawetz said.  “Where is the fairness in this situation? NDP incompetence has cost the taxpayers significantly, while the man who harassed women in the workplace gets paid out.”

In 2003, six women came forward to complain about Carriere. An independent consultant was hired, and confirmed this had, in fact, happened. Carriere was suspended without pay, but then demoted with no change in salary.

Buckley Belanger, who was then Minister of the Environment, took no steps to resolve the matter.  Only after several media reports, the pressure of the Saskatchewan Party in the legislature, and considerable public outcry did Joanne Crofford step in and fire Carriere.

“Now we’re paying this man $275,000 to settle a law suit,” Krawetz said. “It’s unconscionable that this harassment was allowed to go on for so long under the watch of this NDP government.”

“And now taxpayers have to foot the bill for Minister Belanger, who has time and time again demonstrated his complete incompetence.”

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For more information, Saskatchewan Party Caucus, Regina, 787-4300.

REGINA—Saskatchewan Party MLA Dan D’Autremont, vice-chair of the Legislature’s Crown and Central Agencies Committee, is frustrated that the committee’s chair, NDP MLA Sandra Morin, has not replied to a letter he wrote on December 30th to complain about the NDP’s repeated stalling on the scheduling of new hearings for the committee.
 
“Last Friday, Saskatchewan’s Auditor told the Public Accounts Committee he was concerned the lack of hearings increased the risks that the government was not being accountable to the public of Saskatchewan,” D’Autremont said.
 
“I think it’s time the NDP stopped hiding behind procedural delays and allowed this important committee to do its work.”
 
In his letter to Morin, D’Autremont challenged her decision to unilaterally cancel upcoming hearings without explanation. So far, there has been no reply.
 
D’Autremont said Morin has cancelled hearings scheduled for December 20 and 21, February 8 and February 26 to March 2. He says the cancellations came without explanation or a proposal for alternate dates.
 
“This smacks of a government trying to hide from the public and hide from public accountability,” D’Autremont said.
 
“The last time we asked questions on Victoria Park Capital, all we got was anger and bluster from the Minister Responsible for Investment Saskatchewan.”
 
“The people of Saskatchewan deserve answers and the NDP can’t keep thwarting the process designed to provide the public with those answers.”  

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For more information, Saskatchewan Party Caucus, Regina, 787-4300.

SASKATOON—Saskatchewan Party Finance Critic Ken Cheveldayoff said today’s Third Quarter Financial Report shows total revenues are about $200 million higher than forecast, yet Saskatchewan people are still facing serious problems with the services being provided.

“Ironically, on the same day the surplus is announced, the Preeceville Hospital once again suspends emergency room services because it doesn’t have enough doctors,” Cheveldayoff said.

“Once again, the Saskatchewan Party has to ask why the NDP is better off, while the people of this province still suffer.”

Cheveldayoff points out that despite these higher revenues, the NDP still has serious problems with recruiting doctors and nurses. The NDP has created the longest waiting lists in Canada, along with the worst nurse retention rate in the country. Many municipalities are facing tax increases this year, and highways are in a deplorable state.

“Premier Lorne Calvert likes to talk about his laser-like focus on the needs of the Saskatchewan family,” Cheveldayoff said.

“But when the average Saskatchewan person hears these numbers, they’re going to wonder why services provided by this government aren’t any better.”

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For more information, Saskatchewan Party Caucus, Regina,  787-4300.

SASKATOON-A recent media report shows the NDP government did not due proper due diligence and continued to do business with a known fraudster.

William Kurk is currently facing fraud charges for an incident involving the Highways Department. During this time, the NDP government also granted him and his business partner (L.W. Construction) a contract with Saskatchewan Housing Corporation.

“This is completely mindboggling,” Weekes said. “How can this NDP government not do its homework and make sure the public purse is protected.”

Weekes said the NDP government needs to put in place better measures to protect the public.

“If you have a known fraudster out there and you have been burned by him once, doesn’t it make sense to do everything you can to make sure you are not burned again?”

During the fall sitting of Legislature, the Opposition submitted a written question asking whether or not the Minister Responsible for Saskatchewan Housing Corporation had entered into a contract with L.W. Construction.

The NDP government answered, “No.”

A Memorandum of Understanding obtained by the Saskatchewan Party dated April 13, 2006 shows Saskatchewan Housing Corporation did in fact enter into a contract with L.W. Construction.

“The answer to our written question tells you something about this NDP government,” Weekes said. “Either they are incompetent, hiding something, or just don’t care about what happens with taxpayers’ money.”

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For more information, Saskatchewan Party Caucus, 306-787-4300.

SASKATOON—Saskatchewan Party Leader Brad Wall today wrote two federal party leaders urging them to stop attacking the energy sector, and instead, emphasize the importance of the sustainable development of Saskatchewan’s resources.
 
The letters follow recent comments by federal political parties on this issue.  Click here to read the letters.

“I will be asking each federal leader to commit to work with our province on sustainable development of both our oil sands and conventional oil and gas resources,” Wall said.  “Recent comments from at least two of the leaders, Mssrs. Dion and Layton, amount to attacks on this industry.”
 
“Where is Lorne Calvert as his federal NDP leader talks about a moratorium on new oil sands development? Where is David Karwacki as his federal Liberal leader insults oil patch workers and allows a federal Liberal critic to say he’ll put a stop to or nationalize Alberta’s oil sands?” Wall asked.  “Their silence has been deafening.”
 
Wall noted recent comments by federal Liberal leader Stéphane Dion who, during a speech in Edmonton, chastised the men and women working in the oil industry for “living too fast for the easy money in the north”.
 
“This kind of stereotyping of energy workers demonstrates an appalling lack of understanding and concern for energy workers and entrepreneurs,” Wall said. “Electricians, welders, service workers, small business people in this sector work as hard as or harder than any politician.  Frankly they deserve an apology from Mr. Dion.”
 
In his letter to the federal NDP leader, Wall highlighted Jack Layton’s recent comments calling for a moratorium on all future oil sands development.   Wall said if this kind of thinking prevails in Ottawa, he is worried that Saskatchewan’s oil sands opportunity could be lost before the province even has a chance to succeed.
 
“Some early estimates put the Saskatchewan oil sands reserves alone at 60 billion barrels.  We believe Saskatchewan’s abundant energy resources must be developed in a sustainable and environmentally responsible way. To accomplish this will require a vision and leadership from Saskatchewan, and assistance from the federal government, and the cooperation of other western provinces,” Wall said. "I have expressed exactly that to Mr. Layton, Mr. Dion and have offered the same message to Prime Minister Stephen Harper."
 
“Why is this tired, old NDP government so silent on this issue?

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For more information, Saskatchewan Party Caucus, Regina, 787-4300.

REGINA—Saskatchewan Party Health Critic Don McMorris today said the NDP’s desperate attempt to solve the nursing shortage it created over many years has collapsed.

“I said right from the start that shuffling nurses from one place to another would do nothing to solve the problem and would merely create difficulties in other areas,”  McMorris said.  “Plus, this plan did nothing to fill the roughly six hundred nursing vacancies created by the NDP’s mismanagement of the health care system over the past 15 years.”

The NDP program, announced in October, offered additional cash to nurses willing to work in northern or remote locations, or willing to work in hard-to-fill nursing positions.

“Saskatchewan has the worst nurse retention record in Canada and we have to fix those problems before things will get better,” McMorris said.

“Maybe now that the program has been halted, the NDP will sit down with the Saskatchewan Union of Nurses and listen to their ideas for addressing the shortage.” 

At the Saskatchewan Party’s convention this past weekend, SUN President Rosalee Longmoore said the health care system is in crisis because of a “decade of denial and neglect”.

“It’s time for the NDP to admit failure and start over from the beginning,” McMorris said.

“There’s no point in continuing with policies that are failing to deliver results. What we need is a comprehensive nursing strategy that is properly funded and can fix the problem.”

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For more information, Saskatchewan Party Caucus, Regina, 787-4300.

REGINA—Saskatchewan Party Leader Brad Wall today expressed disbelief that a senior NDP cabinet minister would provide an expensive prize package knowing that a radio station in Vancouver was going to run a contest that is demeaning to Saskatchewan.

“If this is the NDP’s idea of promoting Saskatchewan, they should stay home,” Wall said.

 “According to media reports, officials in Mr. Cline’s department appeared to be fully aware of what the radio station was planning to do. This is incredibly poor judgment on the part of a senior cabinet minister.”

The prize package, including return airfare for two people, two tickets to the Juno Awards and two nights at a Saskatoon hotel, was given by Cline to CKNW in Vancouver.

Contest entries on the station’s website paint an insulting picture of Saskatchewan people as backward and redneck.

“It’s sad that in 2007 there are still broadcasters who think that gratuitous attacks against your neighbours, delivered in a phony accent, constitute entertainment. It’s even sadder that the NDP government didn’t make sure the contest actually did the thing it was supposed to do—promote Saskatchewan,” Wall said

Wall said the surest sign of a tired, old government is when they try to do a simple thing like promote a great place like Saskatchewan and they can’t even get that right.

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For more information, Saskatchewan Party Caucus, Regina, 787-4300.

SASKATOON—Saskatoon Southeast MLA Don Morgan today condemned the NDP for continuing to run Saskatchewan! TV commercials on Saskatoon stations during the Martensville by-election. The ads are part of a $1.5 million taxpayer-funded advertising campaign announced in January, at the start of an election year.

“Most of the editorial and public comment on this advertising campaign has been in agreement—these ads are nothing more than thinly-veiled propaganda for the NDP,” Morgan said.

“Yet this tired, old, desperate government continues to use taxpayers’ dollars as it attempts to gain every advantage possible while clinging to power.”

“Other parties don’t have access to that money, and there are strict spending limits on what can be spent on advertising,” Morgan said.

“The NDP is once again bending the rules to the breaking point in an effort to get any possible advantage. It has to stop.”

Morgan said while the NDP may not be breaking the letter of the law, they are certainly acting in a manner that violates the spirit of election spending limits in this province.  He also questioned the timing of the ads, noting that they starting running during the Super Bowl, just one day before the Martensville by-election was called.

Since the ads are being broadcast in Saskatoon, they are not technically speaking in the Martensville constituency.

“Yet when a ‘Wide Open Future’ print ad was published in the recent Carrot River by-election, there was an apology and the NDP dropped the ad agency,” Morgan said.

“Anyone who can look at a map can see this is a deliberate attempt by the NDP to skirt around the regulations.” 

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For more information, Saskatchewan Party Caucus, Regina, 787-4300

"Nothing has been privatized. A contract has been made to contract-out the management of certain assets to a private entity."
                          - Minister Responsible for Investment Saskatchewan Eric Cline, 
                            Regina Leader Post, January 12, 2007, B4

REPORTER:  “Just to clarify that, it’s a form of privatization, would you not admit?”

CLINE: “Yes. I believe, I don’t have any problem with that.”

                           - Eric Cline during exchange with reporter
                            January 11, 2007, Saskatchewan Legislature

REGINA—The Saskatchewan Party’s Crown Investment Corporation Critic Donna Harpauer today said the people of Saskatchewan still are not getting straight answers from the Calvert NDP government on Victoria Park Capital.

Victoria Park Capital is a private firm that manages roughly $400 million in assets for Investment Saskatchewan.

“I was told this firm was supposed to be arms length with investment from the Calvert government with decisions made by the private sector, not government,” Harpauer said.  “Now, we learn that nothing could be further from the truth. This entire exercise was a pointless NDP charade.”

Harpauer was commenting on recent media reports featuring an Investment Saskatchewan employee discussing controversial provisions in the agreement with Victoria Park Capital.  According to those reports, the Calvert NDP can over-ride any investment decision the Victoria Park Capital makes and can also force the firm to make investments that the firm disagrees with.

“That’s not arms length or even close,” Harpauer said.  “Apparently, this provision was put into the agreement with Victoria Park Capital because some members of the Calvert NDP didn’t want to surrender control of investment decisions – and their miserable track record when it comes to making investment decisions is well documented.”

“In the long run, all we have now is less accountability over how public money is spent, with the NDP still having the final say. It’s time for the NDP to stop hiding behind mock outrage and to start answering some serious questions.”

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For more information, Saskatchewan Party Caucus, Regina, 787-4300.

REGINA—Saskatchewan Party Leader Brad Wall today said he hopes this weekend’s Youth Summit in Saskatoon comes up with specific steps the government can take to keep young people in Saskatchewan and that the government will consider these proposals.
 
“So far, all we’ve received from this tired, old NDP government is another advertising campaign which has more to do with its own political needs than attracting young people back to the province,” Wall said.

Wall said he would like to see the government introduce tax incentives specifically aimed at keeping young people in and attracting them to Saskatchewan. 

Wall said he hopes the summit explores ideas like a tuition rebate for post-secondary graduates, similar to that being offered to students in Manitoba. All post-secondary graduates who live in the province or move into Manitoba will be eligible for tax rebates equivalent to 60 per cent of their total tuition fees, if they are willing to spend six years living and working in that province.

“I’ve asked Dustin Duncan, our critic for youth opportunities to consult widely with young people, and increasingly we’re hearing that we need to remind young people—especially students—about the opportunities available in Saskatchewan when they graduate,” Wall said.

“One way to make sure we’re doing this is to have a youth opportunity office on the campuses of our post secondary institutions. Those offices would be working every day to make sure Saskatchewan opportunities are front-and-centre as students consider their options.”

Wall said he also hopes that entrepreneurship and self-employment are highlighted and given consideration at the summit. 

“These are powerful tools for keeping young people in Saskatchewan, and they also create new wealth and growth,” Wall said. “Another idea might be to offer some sort of income tax holiday for young people who start their career in Saskatchewan.”

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For further information, Saskatchewan Party Caucus, Regina, 787-4300.

REGINA—Saskatchewan Party MLA Ken Krawetz today said people are getting increasingly frustrated with the NDP government’s continued hospital closures within his Canora-Pelly constituency.  Krawetz was responding to news that the Kamsack and Preeceville hospitals are facing temporary closures and reduced ER services for the second and third time in the last few months.

“In the past when one of these hospitals closed temporarily, a number of patients had to be moved into other area hospitals where they could be under a physician’s care,” Krawetz said.  “Then when the hospitals open again, those patients have to be moved back again.”

“The Calvert NDP government is putting patients and their families through extremely stressful situations and that’s unacceptable.”

Both hospitals are facing temporary closures and reduced services due to a lack of doctors.  In Kamsack, the hospital has reduced its evening and night services from January 29 to February 2.  During those hours, there will be no emergency or outpatient services.  Down the road in Preeceville, there will be no emergency or outpatient services from January 31 to February 3.  Also closed between those dates is the Preeceville Medical Clinic.

Read related news releases: January 18, 2007, November 8, 2006

“This isn’t only putting pressure on other local communities, it also means that when there is an emergency, in many cases, those patients are rerouted into Yorkton, which means longer waiting lists for the people of Yorkton in the ER,” Krawetz said.

Krawetz said the continued closures are a clear sign that the tired, old NDP government has done a poor job of recruiting and retaining physicians.

“A recent graduate survey by the University of Saskatchewan’s College of Medicine states that in the year 2000, only 35 per cent of doctors practicing in the province were graduates of the college,” Krawetz said.  “We also know that Saskatchewan trains a lot fewer physicians than neighbouring Manitoba.  We train 60 per year, while Manitoba has just over 100 training seats.”

In the last few months, a number of other rural communities have experienced temporary closures including: Spiritwood, Broadview, Canora, Big River, Arcola, Bengough, Coronach, Shellbrook, Central Butte, and Vanguard.

Krawetz said he is concerned the already compromised state of health care in rural Saskatchewan will continue to deteriorate if more doctors are not recruited and retained.

“It is clear that what the NDP government has been doing for the last 16 years hasn’t worked and now the people of rural Saskatchewan are paying the price with continued hospital closures.”

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For more information, Saskatchewan Party Caucus, Regina, 787-4300.

REGINA—Saskatchewan Party SGI Critic Dan D’Autremont said today’s rebates announced by Saskatchewan Government Insurance have little to do with car insurance and everything to do with politics.

“Isn’t it interesting that the rebate program is designed to provide people with a rebate in mid-April and a refund for rate re-balancing this fall?” D’Autremont said.

“This tired, desperate NDP government is afraid to go to the voters, so it has decided to cover both possible election windows. This is cynical.”

D’Autremont said the $100 million surplus earned by the Auto Fund in 2006 also means consumers were being charged too much for their vehicle insurance.

“So you gouge your customers for several years, then provide rebates strategically timed to maximize the political benefit to the NDP,” D’Autremont said.

“This time, I don’t think the NDP will be able to buy people with their own money.”

D’Autremont did applaud the management and staff at SGI for providing rebates to drivers automatically.

“Gone are the days when no effort was made to inform motorists that rebates were available and gone are the days when you were charged a $20 fee for getting your insurance switched to the lower rate,” D’Autremont said.

“This is a considerable improvement to the previous system, and I’m glad someone listened to our complaints.”

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For more information, Saskatchewan Party Caucus, Regina, 787-4300.

“This government must be spending millions of dollars on self-serving advertising. It’s just in my judgment, Mr. Speaker, the wrong kind of priority.”

      - Lorne Calvert, Hansard
        June 7, 1988

SASKATOON—Saskatchewan Party Leader Brad Wall today said the latest “exclamation point” ads running in this province, including TV advertising bought for the Super Bowl, are just the latest example of self-serving election advertising that the NDP has forced taxpayers to pay for.

“At the end of the game, either the Bears or the Colts will have won,” Wall said.

“However, even before the kickoff, the taxpayers of Saskatchewan have lost.”

Wall said the people of this province don’t need government ads to tell them they live in a great place. He said promotional advertising outside of the province is appropriate, but not this latest campaign.

“Let’s remember that the NDP spent $8 million on the Future is Wide Open campaign, $75,000 on an equalization campaign two years ago, $268,000 on the Raise a Flag for Fairness campaign, $400,000 on budget advertising last year—including air time for NDP Finance Minister Andrew Thomson to talk about ‘his budget’—$300,000 on the Imagine campaign, and now $1.5 million on Saskatchewan!” Wall said.

Read more here.

“This is just the kind of self serving advertising Lorne Calvert criticized when he was in Opposition and he should stop wasting our money.” 

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For more information, Saskatchewan Party Caucus, Regina, 787-4300.

REGINA—Saskatchewan Party K-12 Education Critic Rod Gantefoer has today written the NDP Learning Minister with a proposal to offer several new tools to local school boards who are struggling with difficult and emotional decisions regarding school closures.

Under the Saskatchewan Party plan, specific money would be set aside for what would be called Schools of Necessity and Schools of Opportunity.

“Schools of Necessity could be eligible for extra money from the province if children were being forced to spend more than a set time on the bus,” Gantefoer said. “Extra money would help keep the school operating and provide technical assistance for the delivery of specialized programs.”

Gantefoer added Schools of Opportunity would qualify for support if a community was realistically anticipating a new economic development opportunity in the future that would bring new families to the area—a development opportunity that might be lost if a school was not available.

“These funds would be limited and available to help schools that meet stringent criteria,” Gantefoer said.

“And nothing in this plan would take away from the duty and rights of school trustees to make the decisions they feel are in the best interest of local students. We only want these boards to have more tools available as they plan for the future.”

Gantefoer said school boards tell him the current foundation operating grant system does not contain measures targeted to specific schools facing extra costs because of distance.

“This has to be fixed,” Gantefoer said.  “I think more has to be done, and that’s why I’ve made this proposal to the Minister today.”

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For more information, Saskatchewan Party Caucus, Regina, 787-4300.

REGINA—Saskatchewan Party Health Critic Don McMorris today called on the NDP government to follow Ontario’s lead and introduce a colorectal screening program in this province.

“It’s a simple test that can save lives by detecting the early stages of colon cancer,” said McMorris.

“This government is sitting on a billion dollar election slush fund and it’s time it used some of that money to take a leadership role in the delivery of health care.”

McMorris said lives can be saved by screening people with a family history of the disease and those between 50-74 years of age. Early detection provides a 90% chance of treatment and cure.

The Saskatchewan Party called for a screening program in November of 2006 and the Health Minister said he was considering it. However, a series of written questions revealed that his department has done nothing more on this file than refer to websites and national reports on cancer control.

“Time and time again, the Minister of Health says he’s aware of a problem and working to fix it,” McMorris said. “It’s time to join other provinces and do something.”

About 600 people in Saskatchewan will be diagnosed with colorectal cancer each year. It is the 2nd leading cause of cancer death in Canada, next to lung cancer.

“Other provinces have this program on their radar screen and are very close to taking action.” “It’s time we get in the game.”

“If this government doesn’t want to fund new cancer drugs to treat this curable disease, the least it could do is focus on prevention,” McMorris said.

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For more information, Saskatchewan Party Caucus, Regina, 787-4300.

“Know what that means, Mr. Speaker, and what the people of the province know it means, is it's not only a question of extra salaries. It's a question of extra pension benefits, it's extra offices in this building, it's extra staff, it's extra cars, extra airplane trips.”
- Lorne Calvert, Hansard, April 3 1990

REGINA—The NDP cabinet met recently to renew and reconfirm extra payments for each and every member of their caucus for another year. The payments are above and beyond their MLA salaries. This same practice was condemned by Premier Lorne Calvert when he was in opposition.

“I think this must be particularly galling for those members of the Saskatchewan Government and General Employees’ Union (SGEU) who have been forced to resort to rotating walk-outs since December 20,” Saskatchewan Party Labour Critic Ken Krawetz said.   “It appears it’s go-slow with government workers but take the money and run when it comes to their own extra pay and perks.”

Recent Orders-in-Council show the NDP has renewed extra payments for four Legislative Secretaries. That’s in addition to the other 26 members of the NDP caucus who also receive additional money.

Saskatchewan MLA Lon Borgerson was reappointed as Legislative Secretary for Organic Farming, Saskatoon Greystone MLA was reappointed as Legislative Secretary for Renewable Energy Development and Conservation, Regina Wascana MLA Doreen Hamilton is the Legislative Secretary for the Voluntary Sector Initiative and Regina Rosemont MLA Joanne Crofford continues with her appointment as a legislative secretary to examine the music industry.  Each of these appointments entitles the MLA to an extra $11,978 from the taxpayers.

Every other NDP MLA is either a cabinet minister, a committee chair or receives additional pay for caucus duties. In contrast, 12 of the 27 members of the Saskatchewan Party earn extra pay for additional duties and responsibilities.  

“Legislative Secretaries can perform important roles, committee chairs are given extra duties, but when every member of a caucus is getting extra payments, I think that’s a sign the NDP is abusing the system,” Krawetz said.

“This is just another sign of a tired, desperate government looking at the polls and trying to take every advantage of the situation before an election is called.”

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For more information, Saskatchewan Party Caucus, Regina, 787-4300.

REGINA—Saskatchewan Party Heath Critic Don McMorris today said the continued and now repeated closures of rural hospitals are unacceptable and an insult to the people living in these communities.

McMorris was responding to media reports of another reduction of services at the Preeceville Hospital. There will be no emergency or out-patient services as of 5 o’clock today. The closure will continue until 8 o’clock Monday morning. The Sunrise Health Region cites a “lack of physician availability” as the reason for the closure.

“I read a letter in the paper this week from retired rural physician and former NDP MLA Lewis Draper, who traced current problems back to the NDP’s 1994 decision to close hundreds of beds, sack over 600 nurses and drive rural doctors out of the province,” McMorris said. “And I couldn’t agree more”.

“It’s time for the NDP to start fixing the problems they created more than ten years ago.”

The Saskatchewan Party first raised the issue of problems at the Preeceville Hospital in Question Period last fall. At that time, there were also disruptions of services in Kamsack and Canora. The town of Spiritwood also went without emergency room services for a month.

“In early December, the NDP’s health minister did an about face and finally admitted that the situation was more severe than in the past, and promised to take a closer look at the situation,” McMorris said.  “Since then, Mr. Taylor has said little and done less to fix this problem. The people of rural Saskatchewan deserve more than words.”

McMorris said the NDP can’t keep ignoring the problem and hoping for a miraculous solution.

“As I said earlier this week following the cancellation of cardiac surgeries in Saskatoon, I don’t know why the NDP is so reluctant to sit down and listen to front line workers,” McMorris said.  “Unless working conditions are improved and recruitment becomes a real priority, rural people will continue to suffer from NDP revolving door medicine, with professionals coming and then leaving when working conditions become overwhelming.” 

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For more information, Saskatchewan Party Caucus, Regina, 787-4300.

REGINA—Saskatchewan Party Leader Brad Wall today announced his intention to introduce a private members’ bill in the spring that would protect the civilian employment of Canadian Forces Reserve members who volunteer for military training, for duties in Canada or for deployment overseas.

“I remember meeting with some of these brave men and women at a Riders game this past fall,” Wall said.

“I told my son ‘We may see some heroes on the field today, but these are the real heroes and I think we owe them our support and recognition.”

The Canadian Forces Reservist Protection Act would mandate an unpaid leave of absence for employees who find themselves in these circumstances. The process for guaranteeing a job on return from a leave of absence is outlined in Section 80 of the Labour Standards Act.

Right now, there is federal legislation to protect jobs if a reservist is “called up”. However, that legislation does not actually help, since reservists haven’t been called up in Canada for years.

“These are people in the prime earning years of their lives, willing to put things on hold while they help to make the world a safer place and rebuild countries ravaged by war,” Wall said.

“Under those circumstances, my job as an MLA would still be there when I got back. I think this is the kind of basic protection that everyone should be afforded.”

Wall said this plan will go nowhere without the cooperation and agreement of the current government.

“This is something I believe very strongly in, and it’s the right thing to do. So, I look forward to their support.”

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For more information, Saskatchewan Party Caucus, Regina 787-4300.

REGINA—Saskatchewan Party Health Critic Don McMorris today said news from Saskatoon concerning the cancellation of open heart surgeries because of a chronic nursing shortage is further evidence of the fragile state of health care under NDP mismanagement.

“The New Year is just a couple of days old and so far we’ve heard about heart surgery cancellations, the possible closure of an emergency ward in Regina and bed closures in the coronary care unit in Saskatoon,” McMorris said.

Since the beginning of January, nine out of 12 scheduled open heart surgeries in Saskatoon have been cancelled. According to media reports, senior administrators are blaming the cancellations on a bottleneck in intensive care caused by a shortage of nurses.

“The Saskatchewan Party has also learned that paramedics are being used to deal with the nursing shortage,” McMorris said.

“This is not an ideal situation. Paramedics perform crucial functions and have highly specialized skills to deal with emergency situations in the field. They should not be forced into staffing hospitals because of this government’s failure to deal with the nursing shortage.”

McMorris once again repeated his call for the NDP to sit down with the Saskatchewan Union of Nurses and to begin seriously addressing SUN’s call to fill vacant positions.

“The NDP has committed a mere pittance so far to the nursing shortage—filling vacancies alone would cost between $40 to $50 million,” McMorris said.

“This NDP government is spending $5 million and hoping for a miracle. It’s not going to happen.”

McMorris said nurses can identify where the problems are and why they are leaving.  And if workplace conditions are not addressed, there will be revolving door recruitment and the situation will never be resolved.

“I don’t know why the NDP is so reluctant to sit down and listen to front line workers, and start finding real solutions to the nursing shortage,” McMorris said.

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For more information, Saskatchewan Party Caucus, Regina, 787-4300.

REGINA-Saskatchewan Party Health Critic Don McMorris said the indefinite suspension of emergency services at the Wakaw Hospital is just another sign of the NDP’s failure to properly manage the health care system.

“Emergency services at the hospital were suspended indefinitely January 1 because of a doctor shortage,” McMorris said.

“So add Wakaw to the list with Spiritwood, Big River, Shellbrook, Preeceville, Canora, Kamsack, Arcola, Bengough, Coronach, Broadview, Central Butte and Vanguard as places where the NDP health system is failing.”

The Wakaw Hospital has 22 beds. It’s an acute care facility with a staff of 66. The 2 remaining doctors can’t cover all of the shifts and be on call continually.

“Retaining doctors has been a chronic problem for Wakaw,” McMorris said.

“This past summer, ER services were only available from 7 p.m. on Friday to noon on Wednesday. In March of last year, black plastic garbage bags had to be placed over the hospital signs on Highway  No. 2 because one doctor was no longer taking calls after hours and another doctor reduced services.”

McMorris said this latest news, combined with problems with nursing recruitment that officials in Regina said could possibly close the ER at a major tertiary care centre, shows just how fragile our health care system has become.

“It’s to the point where in some areas, if one doctor or nurse leaves or gets sick, that entire facility must close,” McMorris said.

“It’s time that the NDP government started listening to and acting on the concerns of front line workers. The NDP’s failure to address these serious issues means patients all over the province are not getting the care they need and deserve.”

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For more information, Saskatchewan Party Caucus, Regina, 787-4300.

REGINA—Saskatchewan Party Leader Brad Wall today said NDP government failures mean the public is being held hostage during a labour dispute involving government workers, including nearly 450 frontline highways employees.

“What’s happening right now is unacceptable. People need to know their highways are safe,” Wall said.

“And today, the NDP cannot make that assurance.”

Wall said there are a number of steps that should have been taken by the NDP that could have avoided the current situation. The ratio of in-scope to out-of-scope workers that stay on the job in the event of a strike could have been restored. In 2000, there were over 2,100 out-of-scope workers in the public sector (a ratio of 8 to 2). Today, the number is below 1,800 (a ratio of roughly 10 to 1).

“A Saskatchewan Party government would also look at implementing final offer arbitration, where both sides present their best case and an independent third party makes the final decision,” Wall said.

“And, prior to the expiration of a contract, an agreement outlining the level of essential services to be provided could have been struck—something that happens routinely in the health care sector.”

Wall said public safety is being threatened because of the NDP’s mismanagement and failure to plan.

“The people of Saskatchewan shouldn’t have to put up with this,” Wall said.

“They deserve better.”

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For more information, Saskatchewan Party Caucus, Regina, 787-4300.

“The minister may, from time to time, give a written directive to a regional health authority or to a health care organization to take any action that the minister considers necessary in relation to the operations of, or the health services provided by, the regional health authority or health care organization, as the case may be.”
 
                                                                                    Section 7 (1)
                                                                                    Regional Health Services Act
 
HUMBOLDT—Saskatchewan Party MLA for Humboldt Donna Harpauer today called on NDP Health Minister Len Taylor to take immediate steps towards resolving the crisis that has developed over the proposed new hospital in Humboldt.
 
“We have doctors quitting, we have communities questioning whether they will continue supporting the new hospital and yet this NDP Minister of Health has remained strangely silent and unwilling to show leadership,” Harpauer said.
 
“Why isn’t Mr. Taylor working with the parties to find a solution?”
 
Harpauer said the people of Humboldt and area need a way to express their views on how a new hospital is managed. She said the minister has broad powers under legislation to establish community advisory networks, order mediation and resolve disputes between parties when mediation fails.
 
“Clearly the minister has a duty and an obligation to seek public input and work with the parties to get this matter resolved,” Harpauer said. “So far, he’s not lived up to those obligations.”
 
Harpauer said time is of the essence, and the Minister can’t keep avoiding this issue.
 
“If we act now, there is at least a possibility of retaining the two doctors who have tendered their resignations,” Harpauer said.
 
“Mr. Taylor was quoted on September 14 as saying he didn’t want to ‘rush to any judgments’ and wasn’t sure whether his government would take any action. It’s time for him to show some leadership.”

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 For more information, Saskatchewan Party Caucus, Regina, 787-4300.

REGINA—The Saskatchewan Party has obtained a document stating that emergency rooms in Regina may not be able to provide full services in January and February because of a serious nursing staff shortage.

The “Decision Item” dated December 19th, 2006 says this could mean reduced services for the public, bed closures, the possible compromising of patient safety and EMS staff filling in. The document goes on to state that should additional staff leave the city’s emergency departments, the Pasqua Emergency Room may have to close.

In a separate document dated December 13th, 2006, the Saskatoon Health Region announced a reduction of beds in the critical care unit at Royal University Hospital. This reduction was also blamed on the continued difficulty in recruiting staff.

 “This is further evidence of the NDP’s complete failure to manage the health care system,” Saskatchewan Party MLA June Draude said.

“The quality of care being offered to the people of Saskatchewan continues to deteriorate, and the NDP just isn’t doing enough to fix the problem.”

 “This winter, we saw rotating closures of rural hospitals placed increasing stress on the health care system,” Draude said.

“Now, we’re seeing serious problems in our larger centres. Something has to be done.”

Draude called on Health Minister Len Taylor to begin working immediately with the Saskatchewan Union of Nurses to fill the growing number of vacancies. She also called on the two health districts to fully inform the public about what’s going on, so that patients can be prepared and plan for possible disruptions.

“The NDP created this problem in the 1990’s when it drastically reduced nursing education seats,” Draude said.

“Now it’s time for the NDP to act quickly to fix the mess it created”.

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For more information, Saskatchewan Party Caucus, Regina, 787-4300.

CUPAR-Saskatchewan Party Environment Critic Glen Hart today called on the NDP to immediately provide funding for the establishment of an ALUS pilot project.

“ALUS” stands for Alternative Land Use Services, and it needs money to set up a pilot project this spring. This initiative would provide incentives for farmers who practice sound environmental stewardship.

“The ALUS initiative is a prime example of how agriculture and environmental stewardship can work together,” Hart said, “but Saskatchewan’s NDP government is failing to provide any resources that could move this initiative forward in a meaningful way.”

Hart said NDP Minister Mark Wartman committed to supporting this concept at a meeting of agriculture ministers in 2005, but to date has refused to meet with the ALUS task force. NDP Environment Minister, John Nilson has also refused to meet with the task force.

“The NDP is flip-flopping on this issue. On one hand they say they support the idea, but when it comes to action, they’re all talk,” Hart said.

Hart said the NDP government should provide the necessary support and funding to the pilot project because the ALUS initiative links agriculture and environmental stewardship in a practical and functional way.

The Saskatchewan Party supports programs designed to encourage sound environmental practices. Last year, delegates to the Saskatchewan Party’s annual convention in Saskatoon passed a resolution supporting alternative land use programs.

“It is essential Saskatchewan start a pilot project so the ALUS initiative can be evaluated,” Hart said. “The time for talk is over - action is needed.”

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For more information, Saskatchewan Party Caucus, 787-4300.

REGINA—Saskatchewan Party Deputy Leader Ken Krawetz today congratulated Industry and Resources Minister Eric Cline for his many years of public service and said the Calvert NDP has suffered a serious blow with the loss of one of its most capable ministers.

Mr. Cline will announce later today that he is not seeking re-election.

Krawetz said the NDP will be a very different party and will have a very different voice without the moderating influence of Eric Cline.

“Mr. Cline was often the voice of reason and pragmatism who kept the NDP from adopting a more radical anti-business agenda,” Krawetz said.

“The loss of Mr. Cline means we can expect the NDP to move even more sharply in the wrong direction.”

“Eric Cline was the NDP’s most effective advocate in the Assembly. I thank him for his many years of dedicated service and I can assure you he will be missed by his colleagues on the opposite side of the house,” Krawetz said.

“Politics is a funny business because we work in an adversarial system with much conflict, controversy and disagreement,” Krawetz said.

“However, at the end of the day, it takes a fellow MLA to truly understand the sacrifices made and the toll taken by so many years in public service.”

Krawetz said Cline’s decision to leave is a clear sign the NDP ship is sinking.

“I think we’re witnessing the first signs of a profound period of transition for the Saskatchewan NDP, as support for that party and their leader continues to wane as we approach the next election,” Krawetz said.

“People are simply tired of a government that has been in power so long, is on the wrong track and has failed over the years to solve so many of the problems that are of concern to the people of Saskatchewan.”

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For more information, Saskatchewan Party Caucus, Regina, 787-4300.

“The whole idea that you’ve got to sign an agreement to be part of the New West is ridiculous. I mean we are part of the New West unless the map of Canada has changed much. We’re there and we’re one of the strongest provinces in the country…”

• NDP Finance Minister Andrew Thomson,
  John Gormley Live, June 8, 2006

REGINA—Word that Alberta and B.C. have signed an agreement to develop joint strategies to address skills shortages has Saskatchewan Party Leader Brad Wall wondering why the NDP is once again failing to act in the interest of our province.

“The NDP government doesn't even know enough about this agreement to say if it could be good or bad for us, because Saskatchewan isn’t even at the table,” Wall said.  “The NDP should have been there.  Under a Saskatchewan Party government we will be there, looking for partnerships that make our province stronger.”

Yesterday, B.C. and Alberta announced the signing of a cross-border strategic agreement aimed at addressing skills shortages, adding capacity to the training systems in both provinces, improving participation by Aboriginal learners and supporting applied sciences and innovation.

“These are key issues for Saskatchewan—imagine the potential of the new west if the two fastest growing economies combined together with the economy that has the most untapped potential,” Wall said. “Yet for some strange reason, the NDP isn’t even interested in finding out what opportunities these partnerships could bring.  That’s inexcusable.”

Wall called on Premier Lorne Calvert to start giving this issue the serious attention it deserves.

“The NDP can keep burying its head in the sand and ignoring the progress that’s being made in other jurisdictions, or it can finally admit that we need to be a partner in these discussions,” Wall said.

“The very economic future of our province depends on this. It’s time for the NDP to get serious.”

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For more information, Saskatchewan Party Caucus, Regina, 787-4300.

SASKATOON—Saskatchewan Party Leader Brad Wall today said a Saskatchewan Party government would establish an office in Calgary aimed at providing people living in Alberta with all the information they need to help them come home to live and work in our province.

Wall outlined this idea today in a speech to the North Saskatoon Business Association.

“The office would provide face-to-face service and would have four main roles: to provide an inventory of entrepreneurial opportunities in Saskatchewan; to provide an inventory of job opportunities in the province; to provide information to retirees from the benefits of retiring here to an inventory of lake-front and other retirement options; and, to network throughout Alberta to make sure that the Saskatchewan Option has a constant presence there,” Wall said.

“You only have to see the crowd at McMahon Stadium when the Riders are in town to know that this is where our market is in terms of the largest numbers of people who would favour considering relocation to Saskatchewan.  At the very least, a temporary street presence in Calgary, given our needs for population and huge potential for new Saskatchewan residents in that city, would support current marketing activities such as recruitment ads being run by the NSBA.”

Wall said a Saskatchewan Party government would charge Enterprise Saskatchewan with the task of setting up such an office and would look for private-sector support and partnership to fund the office.  Enterprise Saskatchewan is the unique public-private partnership proposed by Wall to implement a full growth agenda in the province of Saskatchewan.

In his speech, Wall also talked about developing a more significant role for Saskatchewan in the New West.  He said Saskatchewan should join the Energy Council – an international organization made up of several provinces, U.S. states and a foreign country, which works on issues including energy development, secure energy supply, alternative energy sources, and new technologies.

“There’s no question about it – Saskatchewan should be at the table of this important body.  After all, we are the world’s second largest producer of oil and third largest producer of natural gas,” Wall said.  “We can truly be an energy centre on the continent, but we need to be able to export that energy.”

To that end, Wall also announced that he has written to Prime Minister Stephen Harper to support the idea of a pan-Canadian electrical grid. 

“We know there are people from private and public sector beginning to discuss the potential of a significant national pan-Canadian electrical transmission system and I want to encourage the Prime Minister that it may well be time for a new national dream,” Wall said. 

“While the efficiency of such a national transmission line needs the attention of research and innovation resources, this is a concept that literally brings the country together.  Increased security of the electrical supply for central Canada and the opportunity to supply it can bring east and west together. There could well be a role for all levels of government in pursuing such a public-private partnership.”

Wall noted that under the NDP’s narrow vision that entails only a Saskatchewan supply, Saskatchewan is making “either-or” choices for new sources of generation, limiting the potential of renewable energy resources, and discounting the potential of nuclear power generation.

“We live in an energy-hungry world and I think Saskatchewan can play a lead role in supplying that energy in a sustainable and responsible way,” Wall said.

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For more information, Saskatchewan Party Caucus, Regina, 787-4300.

Like so many families in our province, we look forward to Christmas every year.

It seems like that first snow flake is barely on the ground when our kids Megan, Colter and Faith become dutiful agents for Christmas – going through the Wishbook and reminding me that it really isn’t too early to put up the Christmas lights at our home in Swift Current.

Like your family, we have developed Christmas traditions – some passed down from Tami’s family, some from mine, and some all our own … like our shopping trip each year when the kids pick out items for Operation Christmas Child shoe boxes … that is what Christmas is all about. 

When I was trying to decide what I wanted to say in this greeting, I couldn’t help think of several Saskatchewan families who are going to have a very different Christmas this year.  The families of Robin Cameron and Marc Bourdages – two RCMP constables who made the ultimate sacrifice protecting the people of our province and our country.  And the families of five Saskatchewan soldiers who lost their lives in Afghanistan: Corporal David Braun, Captain Nichola Goddard, Corporal Shane Keating, Corporal Bryce Keller and Master Corporal Jeffrey Walsh.

Each one a hero, they remind us of how blessed we are as citizens of a country free from war, a country where brutal acts of violence are the exception not the routine.  A country protected by women and men prepared to take the night watch while we sleep warm and safe in freedom and abundance.  These Saskatchewan heroes remind us of the words of the one whose birth we celebrate at Christmas from the 15th chapter of John, when Christ said “Greater love has no one than this, that they would lay their life down for their friend.”

This Christmas there will be empty places at the tables and in the hearts of these Saskatchewan families.  Because of the kind of place Saskatchewan is they will have the love of family and the kindness of neighbors for their comfort.  But may they also know that all of us will take a moment’s pause to think, to pray, if we are so inclined, and perhaps even to make a simple gesture of contact to let them know how grateful we are for their loved ones and how we are thinking of them this Christmas.

And so these greetings are meant for everyone, but I hope you forgive me to make a special dedication of this message to those Saskatchewan families who faced unspeakable loss this year. 
I dedicate this message to the parents of our fallen soldiers and to Shane Cameron and Luca Bourdages – the daughter and son of the two fallen officers.

More than anyone they need to know our wish for them is the still timeless, the unchanging Christmas blessing for “good tidings of great joy that shall be for all people...for unto us is born this day in he City of David, a Saviour who is Christ the Lord.”

From Tami, Megan, Colter and Faith and I, and on behalf of the Official Opposition Saskatchewan Party, Merry Christmas Saskatchewan and Happy New Year to each of you.

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For more information, Saskatchewan Party Caucus, Regina 787-4300.

Mr. Chisholm:  I move that this committee request the Provincial Auditor to carry out an immediate special investigation into all existing service agreements between child and family service organizations that provide services to children at risk….

Ms. Crofford:  I have the most difficulty with this particular resolution for a number of reasons.

• Public Accounts Committee-Oct. 5, 2006
  Committee Hansard pg. 754

REGINA—The Saskatchewan Party endorsed today’s call by the Provincial Auditor for the NDP to better supervise agencies that receive and spend public money.

“The Department of Community Resources paid more than $86 million to Community Based Organizations to deliver services, yet the department has no means of knowing if the money is going to the children and families who need it,”  Saskatchewan Party finance critic Ken Cheveldayoff said.  “As the Oyate Safe House has shown, things can go bad very quickly and the problems can remain undetected for years without any action being taken.”

“When we called for a special investigation into how money is spent by CBOs that provide services to children and families at risk, the NDP accused me of conducting a witch hunt. Now that the Auditor is calling for the same thing, I hope the request will be taken seriously.”

Cheveldayoff is also alarmed by the Auditor’s finding that some government employees in the Environment Department are still not following established procedures to prevent fraud.

“What’s the point of having procedures in place if they are not being followed?” Cheveldayoff asked.

Cheveldayoff also pointed to the continuing damage resulting from a last minute deal with some health care unions prior to the last election. According to the auditor, health authorities were directed to pay additional wages to employees before the final wage rates were determined and it’s unclear if overpayments of $4 million can be recovered.

“This is what happens when the NDP plays political games with your money prior to an election,” Cheveldayoff said.   “And the pattern is continuing with the $900 million election slush fund set up by the NDP and an infrastructure fund that contains millions of dollars without any rules to determine who gets that money.”

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For more information, Saskatchewan Party Caucus, Regina, 787-4300.

REGINA—Saskatchewan Party Leader Brad Wall says the fall session of the Saskatchewan Legislature has shown once again the NDP is utterly on the wrong track when it comes to addressing the needs of Saskatchewan people.

“Unless you spend your entire life under the dome in Regina, the only real measure of the success of a government is how well they are dealing with the real problems facing the people of Saskatchewan,” Wall said.

“Time and time again this session, we have shown the NDP is a complete failure by this measure.”

The issues raised by the Saskatchewan Party over the last month include:

• The fragile state of the health care system because of the NDP’s failure to fill nursing vacancies;
• The now routine closure of smaller hospitals and health centres, leaving parents and spouses scrambling to find emergency care for their loved ones;
• The complete mishandling of the Oyate Safe House as outlined by scathing reports by the Children’s Advocate and the Provincial Auditor;
• The recent embarrassing report that the Minister responsible for Oyate, Buckley Belanger, has given thousands of dollars to a “reputation management” company to train him on how to answer questions;
• The creation of a $900 million NDP slush fund to buy votes in the next election.

“Support for Lorne Calvert and the NDP is in a freefall and this government is scrambling to find some way to stay afloat,” Wall said.

“This NDP government is experiencing a time of unprecedented growth in revenue. They are sitting on a mountain of money, but Saskatchewan people are no better off.”

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For more information, Saskatchewan Party Caucus, Regina, 787-4300.

REGINA—In Question Period today, Saskatchewan Party MLA Don Toth grilled the NDP government on the latest rural hospital forced to close its doors because of a shortage of doctors.

Broadview Union Hospital has announced that it will be closed for patient admissions for an entire month, from December 11, 2006 to January 12, 2007, due to a shortage of doctors. 

 “The number of rural hospitals closing their doors continues to increase. With so many hospitals closing around the province, I’m concerned that Saskatchewan people are not receiving the best care possible,” Toth said. 

“So far this fall, we have now seen 12 rural hospitals or health centres that have been forced to shut down temporarily because of the doctor shortage in Saskatchewan.”

In Question Period today, Toth repeated the long list of hospitals that faced a temporary closure.

“So far this fall we have seen hospital closures in Kamsack, Canora, Big River, Arcola, Spiritwood, Bengough, Coronach, Preeceville, Shellbrook, Central Butte, Vanguard, and now Broadview,” Toth said.

Toth said Saskatchewan people should be concerned because when a hospital closes, it puts strain on neighbouring hospitals, including those in urban centres.

“It’s no secret that if one hospital closes, people will be forced to go to another hospital, which in turn will have to deal with this increased patient load. It makes life very difficult for health care providers and patients as well,” Toth said.

Toth said the NDP government should not be surprised that hospitals are closing their doors because it has been warned about the problem for years.

“The Saskatchewan Party has been raising the issue of a shortage of health care professionals for the last seven years and the NDP government still hasn’t addressed the problem,” Toth said.

“How many hospitals will have to shut their doors before the NDP government takes this problem seriously?”

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For more information, Saskatchewan Party Caucus, Regina, 787-4300.

REGINA—The Saskatchewan Party today introduced legislation to establish a set provincial election date every four years and to elect Saskatchewan’s representatives in the Canadian Senate.

Saskatchewan Party Leader Brad Wall said these changes would make both the provincial and federal governments more democratic.

“A set election date every four years means the governing party cannot play games with election timing and try to gain an unfair political advantage,” Wall said.  “A Saskatchewan Party government will enact set election dates so that voters will know exactly when to expect the next election.”

British Columbia, Ontario and Newfoundland have already established set election dates, and the federal government has introduced a bill to establish set election dates for federal elections. 

Under the Saskatchewan Party proposal, an early election could still occur if the government loses a confidence vote in the Assembly.

The Saskatchewan Party also introduced a bill that would lead to the election of Senate nominees in conjunction with the next provincial election.  While Senators are still appointed by the Prime Minister, Wall said any Prime Minister would be under tremendous pressure to appoint a Senator who was democratically elected by Saskatchewan voters.

“Senators would have a far more meaningful voice in Ottawa if they were democratically elected instead of simply appointed by the government of the day,” Wall said.  “The federal government has indicated that it wants to move toward an elected Senate.  The Saskatchewan Party plan would achieve that goal without requiring a constitutional amendment, which is extremely difficult to achieve.”

Under the Saskatchewan Party legislation, the names of four individuals would be recommended to the Prime Minister for appointment to the Senate, ranked by the number of votes each received.  These four candidates would stay on the list for consideration by the Prime Minister to fill future Senate vacancies until the next provincial election.

Wall said the Saskatchewan Party would not run candidates in the Senate election, since it is strictly a provincial party.

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For further information: Saskatchewan Party Caucus, Regina, 787-4300.

REGINA—In Question Period today, Saskatchewan Party MLA Yogi Huyghebaert raised the case of 10-year-old Tyler Finley of Vanguard.

“Tyler broke his arm on Friday, and when his father arrived at the Vanguard health centre, the sign read ‘Closed, sorry for the inconvenience’,” Huyghebaert said.

“When Tyler’s father, Myron, tried to use the emergency phone at the front door, it wasn’t working.  Why does the NDP keep letting this happen?”

Myron Finley started driving towards Swift Current. When he was finally able to get a cell phone signal, Mr. Finley called the local health district.

“The person at the health district told him to take his son to Vanguard,” Huyghebaert said.

“Talk about communications problems: not even the health district knows anymore which hospitals are open, and which are closed. That’s inexcusable.”

Huygehbaert said Vanguard is just the latest incident in a continuing series of rural health closures that has included Preeceville, Kamsack, Spiritwood, Arcola, Big River, Central Butte, Coronach and Bengough.

“Never mind there’s no back up emergency plan, never mind there seems to be serious communications problems—what about the NDP’s 2001 promise that no one in rural Saskatchewan will be more than 30 minutes away from primary health care,” Huyghebaert said. “It took Mr. Finley nearly an hour to get to Swift Current along one of the bumpiest highways in the area.”

“I guess we can just toss that into the ever-growing pile of NDP broken promises.”  

 
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For more information, Saskatchewan Party Caucus, Regina, 787-4300.

“…it is clear that Saskatchewan must now rethink its approach to colorectal cancer which in our opinion is neither compassionate nor responsible.”

- Barry D. Stein, President, Colorectal Cancer Association of Canada, “Colorectal Cancer - Saskatchewan - Compassion vs. Responsible Government?”, October 18, 2006 News Release

REGINA—In Question Period today, Saskatchewan Party Health Critic Don McMorris urged the NDP government to launch a screening program for colorectal cancer, the second leading cause of cancer death, after lung cancer, in Canada.

“There are more deaths from this type of cancer than breast cancer and prostate cancer combined – both of which have screening programs in place,” McMorris said. 

“We already have public policy on smoking to reduce the number of deaths from lung cancer in Saskatchewan, it’s time we took action on colorectal cancer – the second leading cause of cancer death, after lung cancer.”

“This type of screening would be inexpensive and would save the government money in the long-term by catching the cancer in its early stages.”

According to the Colorectal Cancer Association of Canada, a screening program would reduce mortality from the disease by 30 per cent.  There are more than 600 people diagnosed with colorectal cancer in Saskatchewan each year.  The screening test would cost approximately $15 per test.  Across Canada, Ontario is close to introducing a screening program, B.C. and Alberta have proposals before them and Quebec has funded a study.  Internationally, both England and Australia have screening programs for colorectal cancer.

“This NDP government is already offloading significant costs onto colorectal cancer patients by refusing to fund the cancer drug Avastin – the standard of care for the disease – even though the NDP stashed a billion dollars away in a slush fund last week,” McMorris said. 

“The least this NDP government could do is fund a screening program to ensure fewer Saskatchewan people die from this preventable disease.”

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For more information, Saskatchewan Party Caucus, Regina, 787-4300.

REGINA—The Calvert NDP government is putting nearly $900 million into an election slush fund to try to buy the next election, says Saskatchewan Party Finance critic Ken Cheveldayoff.

Cheveldayoff was responding to news that the NDP is putting $887.5 million of taxpayers’ money into its Fiscal Stabilization Fund, which had previously been unfunded. The NDP says they are doing this to be more “transparent.”

“'Transparent’ is a good word, because Saskatchewan people can see right through the NDP,” Cheveldayoff said.  “They know the NDP is using this mountain of taxpayers’ money to set up a slush fund to try and buy the next election.”

Cheveldayoff noted that for years, the NDP insisted it was not necessary to have money in the Fiscal Stabilization Fund.

“What changed?  Well, it’s pretty clear.  There’s an election coming next year and the NDP is dropping like a rock in the polls.  So they have to try to buy off voters with their own money.”

Cheveldayoff said the NDP may argue that a pre-election spending spree is good public policy, but that begs the question – why weren’t they doing these things earlier?

“Why weren’t the cutting taxes before?  Why weren’t they creating more training spaces before?  Why does the NDP only see fit to give taxpayers back their own money when there’s an election on the way?”

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For further information, Saskatchewan Party Caucus, Regina, 787-4300.

“We made some mistakes … One mistake was being too busy to really listen, to really hear, all the legitimate concerns facing healthcare workers.  Some problems that should have been dealt with promptly were allowed to fester ….  Never again will we allow ourselves to get too busy with other vital issues to fail to listen and to respond.”

- Former NDP Health Minister Pat Atkinson, letter to the Saskatchewan Union of Nurses during the 1999 Nursing Strike, April 11, 1999

“Five years of government denial and token responses to the RN/RPN shortage has left Saskatchewan much worse off than any other province.  Patients, nurses and health authorities are paying a very high price as a result of the vacancies … [t]he scope and destructive legacy of the Saskatchewan government’s mismanagement of the nursing shortage is simple to outline, but difficult to overestimate.”

- Urgent Action Required to Respond to Saskatchewan’s Deepening Nursing Shortage, Report from the Saskatchewan Union of Nurses, November 14, 2006

REGINA—Saskatchewan Party Health Critic Don McMorris today said a report by the Saskatchewan Union of Nurses on the severity of Saskatchewan’s nursing shortage is a damning indictment of the NDP government’s failure to address the shortage – a crisis that has been looming for a decade.

“Last year, the Saskatchewan Union of Nurses stated that we needed an additional 600 nurses to fill vacancies and to meet professional standards,” McMorris said.  “In this report, the union says there has been a 78 per cent increase in vacant positions since last fall and that now more than 700 nurses are required to fill vacancies and meet professional standards.”

The nurses’ union report outlines a number of disturbing trends, including:

• The shortage has “forced the closure of 247 hospital beds, negatively affecting admissions and wait times, and producing a vicious cycle.”
• “More vacancies and more bed closures are looming as 40% of our RN workforce reached age 50 or more last year.  This year alone, 485 of those nurses over 50 become eligible for retirement.”
• “Inadequate staffing means patient care suffers.”
• “The actual vacancy rate is much higher than reported.  Health Authorities have reacted to chronic vacancies they cannot fill by either abolishing vacancies outright, or replacing the RN with another health professional.”
• “If Saskatchewan had the same retention rates Manitoba, we would have 800 more RNs in the province, enough to fill all vacancies, staff up to professional standards, and cover annual retirements and long-term disabilities.”

“The Saskatchewan Party has been calling on the NDP government to listen to front-line health care workers for years and to be proactive in addressing the nursing shortage,” McMorris said.  “As a result of the NDP government ignoring the problem, nurses are tired and burnt out, beds are being closed and patient care is suffering.”

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For more information, Saskatchewan Party Caucus, Regina, 787-4300.

REGINA—Saskatchewan Party Leader Brad Wall today called on the NDP government to introduce a tuition rebate program for post-secondary students who stay and work in Saskatchewan after graduation.

Wall said the NDP government has failed to stem the flow of young people out of our province.

“Saskatchewan has lost 4,500 people in the past year and 18,000 since Lorne Calvert took office in 2001,” Wall said.  “Many of those are young people, who get a great education here in Saskatchewan, but then move elsewhere to start their career.”

Last year, the New Brunswick government introduced a tuition rebate plan which rebates up to 50 per cent of tuition costs to students who stay and work in the province for a number of years after graduation.  Now, the Manitoba government is set to announce a similar plan in that province.

Wall said that a similar measure is needed in Saskatchewan because the NDP’s Post-Secondary Tax Credit isn’t working.

“The NDP tax credit is a one-time, one-year measure that doesn’t provide a long-term incentive for young people to stay and work in Saskatchewan,” Wall said. 

“In the last election, the Saskatchewan Party proposed a four-year tax credit for post-secondary students after graduation.  Manitoba appears to be looking at a five-year rebate after graduation.  The New Brunswick tuition rebate can be claimed for anywhere from five to 20 years after graduation so long as you stay and work in the province.”

Wall said a tuition rebate isn’t the whole solution to keeping young people in Saskatchewan, but it could be part of the solution.

“Saskatchewan needs a growth agenda.  We need good careers for our young people. We need a government that believes in Saskatchewan.  Saskatchewan needs to lose its NDP brand.  In short, we need a new government.

“I believe that day is coming, but in the meantime, the government should take this one positive step and introduce a tuition rebate as an incentive for our young people to stay and work in Saskatchewan.”

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For further information: Saskatchewan Party Caucus, Regina, 787-4300.

“Residents will have access to primary care services within a 30-minute drive from their homes.”
- NDP Health Minister John Nilson, December 6, 2001 Leader-Post

“The suspension of hospital services in rural Saskatchewan is a fact of life.”
-NDP Health Minister Len Taylor, November 1, 2006 Leader-Post

REGINA-The Saskatchewan Party is wondering what happened to the NDP government’s 2001 promise that Saskatchewan residents will have access to primary health care services within a 30-minute drive from their homes.

Saskatchewan Party MLA Don McMorris today said that the recent rash of temporary hospital closures throughout the province due to doctor shortages contradicts the NDP’s commitment to provide residents with primary care services within a 30-minute drive from their homes.

“In just the past few weeks, we’ve seen hospital closures in Kamsack, Canora, Preeceville, Spiritwood, Arcola, Big River, Central Butte, Bengough and Coronach,” McMorris said.  “The NDP Health Minister says these closures are a ‘fact of life’ and we should expect more in the weeks ahead.

“What a complete admission of failure by this NDP government.”

Today in Question Period, McMorris grilled the NDP over its failure to keep hospitals open and asked which other hospitals will face closures in the weeks ahead.

“What is the NDP going to do to inform the public about all these hospital closures and what ever happened to their promise of primary care within a 30-minute drive for Saskatchewan residents?”

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For further information: Saskatchewan Party Caucus, Regina, 787-4300

REGINA—Saskatchewan Party MLA Greg Brkich today introduced a private members’ bill, An Act Respecting Bio-Diesel, that if passed, will mandate the use of bio-diesel blended fuel in Saskatchewan.

“Saskatchewan has the opportunity to be a leader among Canadian provinces when it comes to biofuels and that’s why I’ve introduced this act mandating the use of bio-diesel,” Brkich said.  “It’s a win-win situation for everyone – it’s good for the environment, it’s good for agriculture and it’s good for Saskatchewan’s economy.”
 
The act stipulates that no less than 2.5 per cent of bio-diesel blended fuel shall be used as soon as Saskatchewan’s bio-diesel production is sufficient to meet provincial needs. The act further stipulates that by January in the year 2010 that no less than five per cent of bio-diesel blended fuel shall be used in the province of Saskatchewan.

Brkich said his private members’ bill is a key part of the Saskatchewan Party’s Biofuels Strategy that was released by Saskatchewan Party Leader Brad Wall in the spring of this year.  That strategy has six key points:

• Pressing for a National Biofuels Strategy/ Mandate
• Provincial New Growth Tax Incentives
• Reducing Barriers To Growth
• Investing in Local Infrastructure
• Investments in Labour Force Development, Skills Training, and Research and Development; and
• Leading By Example

“Mandating the use of bio-diesel blended fuel will ensure Saskatchewan leads by example,” Brkich said.  “We know the face of agriculture is changing and this type of legislation is an innovative way to help move that sector of our economy forward.”

“Our province has a number of natural advantages that will enable us to be a national, even a world leader when it comes to both the production and use of biofuels.”

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For more information, Saskatchewan Party Caucus, Regina, 787-4300.

REGINA—In question period today, Saskatchewan Party Agriculture Critic Bob Bjornerud asked NDP Agriculture Minister Mark Wartman to recognize the drought blanketing the southwest corner of Saskatchewan.

“I want this Minister to acknowledge the drought affecting farm families in the southwest,” Bjornerud said.

Bjornerud said more than 15 Rural Municipalities have declared a state of emergency because of the drought conditions.

“This drought is real.  Producers are feeling the pain and municipalities want this NDP government to take notice of the crisis,” Bjornerud said.

Bjornerud said the NDP always seems to be two steps behind the needs of rural Saskatchewan.

“The NDP is always reactive rather than proactive when it comes to recognizing emerging agricultural issues,” Bjornerud said. “We saw it with the flooding in the Northeast part of the province earlier this year. The NDP has to be dragged kicking and screaming before it will do anything for rural Saskatchewan.”

Bjornerud said he wants the NDP Agriculture Minister simply to recognize the drought and to work with those affected.

“I want to know what the Minister has done to work with these RMs and if he has even made their cause known in Ottawa. Has he even picked up the phone and called yet?”

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For more information contact the Saskatchewan Party Caucus, 787-4300.

REGINA-Saskatchewan Party MLA, Ken Krawetz today called on the NDP government to address the systemic problem of rural hospitals shutting down services because of a lack of health care professionals.

Krawetz was responding to news that the Preeceville Hospital will be closed next week due to a lack of doctors. Similar closures have recently taken place in Kamsack and Canora.

"That’s three hospital closures in my constituency alone and there have been similar hospital shutdowns in other communities throughout the province," Krawetz said. "It’s getting to the point where people don’t know which hospital is open and which is closed."

Krawetz said the NDP government may need to set up a "Hospital Hotline" similar to the "Highways Hotline" to let people know which hospitals were closed.

"The NDP government is taking the province down the wrong track regarding health care recruitment and retention in rural Saskatchewan," Krawetz said. "What we need to see from this NDP government is a specific plan to address the suspension of services in rural hospitals so that this is not a common occurrence."

"The NDP government has watched this health care crisis develop for 15 years and it’s time to do something."

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For more information contact the Saskatchewan Party Caucus, 787-4300.

“Many of the province’s Emergency Departments are overcrowded, understaffed and under-resourced.”

- Emergency Departments Require Urgent Action to Retain and Recruit Registered Nurses (RNs/RPNs), Saskatchewan Union of Nurses, November 2, 2006

REGINA—In Question Period today, Saskatchewan Party Health Critic Don McMorris demanded the NDP government act on the critical shortage of emergency room nurses that nurses themselves say is jeopardizing patient safety, as well as the retention of experienced nurses.

“A recent report from the Saskatchewan Union of Nurses says Saskatchewan’s emergency rooms are short 64 nurses,” McMorris said.  “According to the nurses’ union, Saskatchewan urgently needs these emergency room nurses to ‘properly staff these departments’ and to ‘provide adequate baseline staffing’.”

McMorris reminded NDP Health Minister Len Taylor of his commitment earlier this spring to make filling nursing vacancies a priority.

“Given the minister’s promise this spring, I would certainly hope that the emergency rooms of this province would be at the top of his list,” McMorris said.

McMorris said he was particularly concerned about the 345 Work Situation Reports that jeopardized patient care as documented in the nurses’ union’s report.  Ninety per cent of these reports documented the adverse effects of inadequate staffing levels.

The report contained a sampling of comments from ER nurses including the following:

• “Patient and nurse safety compromised due to nurses working alone in the department on nights and weekends.”
• “Adult patients routinely placed in beds reserved for children so pediatric admissions are seriously delayed.”
• “Lack of senior nurses to work with junior nurses.  At times all nurses on a shift are junior nurses.”
• “Workload too great for scheduled staff due to vacancies.”

“Onerous workloads not only deter young nursing graduates – it is also having an impact on our emergency room departments’ ability to retain experienced nurses,” McMorris said.

“This isn’t a new problem and that’s what is so frustrating to me.  The Saskatchewan Party has been asking the NDP government to deal with the nursing shortage for years – and now patients and nurses are paying the price for government inaction.”

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For more information, Saskatchewan Party Caucus, Regina, 787-4300.

REGINA--The NDP is looking for a new name and the Saskatchewan Party wants to help them out. 

Saskatchewan Party Leader Brad Wall is inviting Saskatchewan voters to come up with a new name for the tired, old NDP in light of the news that the NDP will be considering a name change at its upcoming convention.  People can suggest a new name for the NDP at the Saskatchewan Party Caucus website. Click here for more.

“Everywhere I go, people have all kinds of names for this NDP government,” Wall said.  “Most of them aren’t very flattering.

“We want to give Saskatchewan people the opportunity to suggest some of those names, and we’ll pass those suggestions along to the NDP, since they have trouble coming up with new ideas of their own.”

Wall said he understands the NDP’s problem with its current name.

“They’re not new.  They’re not democratic.  And, from what we hear from inside their caucus meetings these days, it’s not much of a party.  You can see why they want to change their name.”

Wall noted that even NDP Industry Minister Eric Cline seems to support the idea of a name change.  Cline is whining about the Saskatchewan Party using the province’s name and said maybe the NDP should use ‘Saskatchewan’ in its name.

“The NDP keep stealing our ideas and now they want to steal our name,” Wall said. 

Wall said that while the Saskatchewan Party is obviously having fun with the NDP’s name change debate, it points to more serious problems within the failing NDP government.

“The NDP is obviously getting desperate and wants to run from its record,” Wall said.  “Saskatchewan people are demanding change, and that doesn’t mean a name change.  It means a change of government.”

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For further information: Saskatchewan Party Caucus, Regina, 787-4300.

REGINA—Saskatchewan Party Leader Brad Wall today released a plan outlining specific steps that should be taken to address the critical labour shortage in this province. 

“The NDP has created this problem by driving away our young people and we need a plan to get Saskatchewan back on the right track,” Wall said.

“The NDP government has neglected to deal with this urgent issue proactively. The surest way to deal with these emergent issues and to implement a growth agenda for Saskatchewan is a long-term, permanent partnership of stakeholders in the economy such as the Enterprise Saskatchewan plan we have proposed.”

The document released today entitled Getting Saskatchewan Back On Track: Addressing Saskatchewan’s Labour Shortage makes a number of recommendations, including:

• Investing in People: Assisting employers to help their employees get essential skills training and additional education through targeted tax credits;
• Enhancing Access to Work: Assuring training programs are geared towards local labour market needs and investing $5 million in community based organizations like food banks to develop and deliver life skills and employment readiness training;
• Partnering for Shared Prosperity: Improving educational outcomes for First Nations and Métis students, and increasing funding for the Saskatchewan Indian Institute of Technologies;
• Reducing Workforce Barriers for Women and Families: Enhancing the options for early learning and flexible child care, and encouraging businesses to take steps that create a flexible work environment wherever possible;
• Advancing Education: Long term investment in post secondary institutions and creating a greater role for regional colleges in developing and delivering programs to meet local needs;
• Immigration and Youth Retention: Leading international recruitment missions to attract foreign students and skilled workers to Saskatchewan and fast track entry for skilled foreign workers and their families. Work with non-governmental agencies to promote the benefits of Saskatchewan to young people.
• An End to Mandatory Retirement: Legislation enabling employees to continue working beyond the age of 65, if they choose.

Click here to download a copy of Getting Saskatchewan Back on Track (Adobe Reader required).

“This is not the last word on this issue, and I plan to continue the dialogue by inviting comment from people across Saskatchewan,” Wall said.  “We think this is achievable and that the labour shortage crisis can be addressed—but we have to act now.”

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For more information, Saskatchewan Party Caucus, Regina, 787-4300.

REGINA - Saskatchewan Party Leader Brad Wall said today’s Throne Speech offers nothing but the same old rhetoric from the worn-out NDP government.  Wall pointed to Saskatchewan’s falling population as evidence that the NDP is on the wrong track.

“Every year the NDP talk about keeping our young people in Saskatchewan, and every year, they drive more of our young people away to other provinces,” Wall said.  “Saskatchewan lost 4,500 people in the past year and over 18,000 since Mr. Calvert became Premier in 2001.”

Wall said the NDP is now even admitting that Saskatchewan has a “brand problem” that is driving people and investment out of the province.

“Two weeks ago, Mr. Calvert admitted that innovation is not a concept that business people outside of our province generally associate with Saskatchewan.  Last week, he admitted that there is a need to rebrand Saskatchewan as a jurisdiction young people can identify with.  And now, according to the government’s own polling, nearly 40 per cent of young people see themselves moving out of Saskatchewan in the next five years.

“The NDP has been the government for fifteen years.  Mr. Calvert has been Premier for nearly six years.  If Saskatchewan has a brand problem, it’s because of the NDP.”

Wall said the NDP’s fall agenda seems to consist of taxpayer-funded ad campaigns and fighting federal issues in order to deflect attention from their own failing record, like the growing labour shortage caused by population loss.

“During this session, the Saskatchewan Party will lay out our plan for addressing the labour shortage and calling for a meaningful debate on this important issue,” Wall said.

“We will also hold the NDP accountable for its failure to address problems in the health system,  for its failure to protect children in the government’s care at the Oyate safe house, and on many other important issues where this NDP government is on the wrong track.”

Wall said the NDP’s dismal showing in the Weyburn-Big Muddy byelection should have been a wake-up call for the government.

“Today’s Throne Speech suggests that instead of listening to that wake-up call, the NDP hit the snooze button and went back to sleep.”

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For further information: Saskatchewan Party Caucus, Regina, 787-4300.

REGINA—Saskatchewan Party Leader Brad Wall says he will be looking for a concrete plan in tomorrow’s Throne Speech to stop our young people from leaving the province to seek career opportunities elsewhere and to deal with the labour shortage.

“This tired, old and desperate NDP government has driven Saskatchewan’s population down to its lowest level in 24 years,” Wall said.

“The NDP has done nothing to reverse a labour shortage that is now turning into a crisis for business, public institutions and even health regions across the province.”

Wall pointed to a pair of studies showing that Saskatchewan is losing an entire generation of young people. According to the Canada West Foundation, fully one quarter of people under the age of 35 anticipate leaving the province in the next five years. That’s the highest rate in western Canada.

A recent survey prepared for Saskatchewan Industry and Resources found more than 38 per cent of people between the ages of 16 and 29 saw themselves leaving Saskatchewan in the next five years.  Most of them indicated they would stay if there were more career opportunities

Wall said the Saskatchewan Party will be releasing a plan early in the session to deal with the labour shortage.

“The construction industry will have to replace 17 per cent of its workforce in the next eight years. One-third of our nurses—the equivalent of over 1900 full time positions—will need to be filled because of retirements in the next four years,” Wall said.

“There is no time to spare--we need to be doing something now.”

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For more information, Saskatchewan Party Caucus, Regina, 787-4300.

“If it is true that ‘the children are our future’ there is bad news for Saskatchewan…
  a high number of under 35’s anticipating a move out of the province is a worrisome trend.”

An Analysis of the Looking West 2006 Survey
Canada West Foundation.   Pg. 10

“His second plank, Mr. Speaker, is that he says, I’m a different brand, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, there may be a little bit of sizzle to that, but  there’s no steak, no substance.”

Eric Cline, April 10, 2006  Hansard pg. 1053

SASKATOON—A new report says that young people are more likely to leave Saskatchewan than any other western province. At the same time, Lorne Calvert says the province needs to rebrand itself as a place where young people want to stay—a clear admission his party’s policies have failed.

Saskatchewan Party Leader Brad Wall said Calvert and his beleaguered NDP government have no one to blame but themselves.

“What we’re seeing is a deathbed conversion by a tired, old government,” Wall said. “(NDP cabinet minister) Eric Cline used to ridicule me for saying Saskatchewan had a brand problem—now the NDP is using the same language."

A report released today by the Canada West Foundation said that over 25 per cent of Saskatchewan young people aged 18 to 34 do not expect to remain in the province.

The report shows younger people in Saskatchewan are least likely in western Canada to see themselves remaining in the province over the next five years. Those in Saskatchewan with some college or university, a college or trade diploma are even more likely to leave. In response, Lorne Calvert talked about the need to rebrand Saskatchewan as a jurisdiction young people can identify with.

“The Calvert government now admits Saskatchewan has a brand problem—who’s fault is that?” Wall said.  “The NDP has been in power for 15 years and he’s been Premier nearly six years. The blame lies squarely with this tired, old government that has failed to create the kind of economic opportunities that will encourage our young people to stay.”

 “And I think the best way to rebrand Saskatchewan is by electing a new government.”

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For more information, Saskatchewan Party Caucus, 306-787-4300

Saskatchewan Party MLA Greg Brkich today said the latest report from the Action Committee on the Rural Economy (ACRE) is further evidence that the NDP government is on the wrong track.  The report released today lists 220 recommendations ACRE has made in previous reports and says that the NDP government has implemented 143 of the recommendations while failing to implement 77.

Brkich said that simply counting recommendations is missing the point.

“The NDP’s record in rural Saskatchewan is a disaster,” Brkich said.  “The real question is – is rural Saskatchewan doing better or worse than five years ago, and clearly, things have gotten worse.”

“Is the NDP fixing the highways?  No.  Are there more people in rural communities?  No.  Are they creating jobs in rural Saskatchewan?  No.  Are they addressing the labour shortage that is hurting existing businesses?  No.  Has the NDP addressed the property tax issue? No.”

Brkich said Saskatchewan people are tired of the NDP striking committees, accepting recommendations and then accomplishing virtually nothing.  He noted there are 19 previous reports and nine studies listed on the ACRE website.

“The NDP’s answer for everything is strike a committee or run an advertising campaign,” Brkich said.  “At some point, we need to see some results and rural Saskatchewan is seeing no results from this tired, old NDP government.”

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For further information: Saskatchewan Party Caucus, Regina, 787-4300

REGINA—A woman being tested for breast cancer was forced to travel from Saskatoon to Prince Albert with a needle and a wire in her body, because there is no radiologist in Prince Albert.

“I sat in the car for an hour and a half while my husband drove,” Betty Lou Palko said.

“I tell you, I felt every little bump on that road.”

Palko needed a special kind of mammogram done prior to a scheduled biopsy. The mammogram is performed, and then a needle on a wire is inserted into the breast. The wire is used to guide the surgeon to exactly where the biopsy is done. The procedure is very uncomfortable.

Because there is no radiologist in Prince Albert, Palko had to travel from her home in Hudson Bay to Saskatoon, where the needle was inserted. Then she was driven to Prince Albert where the actual biopsy was performed.

“My doctor said I could have the whole procedure done in Saskatoon, but I’d have to wait even longer,” Palko said. “I’d already waited 3 months to get my appointment.”

“There is just no way we should be putting people through something like this,”  Saskatchewan Party Health Critic Don McMorris said. “This is just another example of the delays and other problems that occur when the NDP fails to assure there are enough specialists in our province.”

McMorris pointed to a recent study by the Health Quality Council showing that women with breast cancer are waiting too long to receive the care they need.

“Betty Lou Palko and all the other women in our province with breast cancer deserve the very best treatment available,” McMorris said.

“And they shouldn’t have to travel between two cities to get a simple biopsy.”

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For more information, Saskatchewan Party Caucus, Regina, 787-4300.

SASKATOON—Saskatchewan Party Justice Critic Don Morgan today called on the NDP Justice Minister to order a coroner’s inquest into the death of 38-year-old Doug Bonderud of Saskatoon who passed away from a form of treatable cancer this week.

“Saskatchewan’s Coroners Act gives the Minister of Justice the power to order an inquest,” Morgan said.  “I think this is one of those exceptional cases where that power should be used.”

In September, Doug and his wife Crystal told reporters they were frustrated by the care Doug received in Saskatchewan. The couple believed he was misdiagnosed and that treatments were slow in coming. They visited the Mayo Clinic for a second opinion.   The couple said doctors at the clinic informed them that his cancer would have been curable, if he had received surgery earlier. Doug died Tuesday of this week.

“Many questions about this case remain unanswered as to why a young man in the prime of his life died of a treatable cancer,” Morgan said.  “One has to wonder if Saskatchewan’s severe shortage of oncologists means a lower quality of care for cancer patients in our province.”

“That said, we know that our cancer specialists are doing the best they can considering the environment they are forced to work in. They are under extreme pressure and stress due to the severe shortage of specialists and the heavy patient loads which result from that shortage.”

According to The Coroners Act, an inquest will “bring dangerous practices or conditions to light and facilitate the making of recommendations to avoid preventable deaths”.  Under the act, the minister responsible “may direct the chief coroner or any other coroner to hold an inquest into the death of a person”.

“From what the Bonderud’s were told by doctors at the Mayo Clinic, it looks like Doug’s death was indeed preventable,” Morgan said.  “Are there systemic problems in our cancer care system, such as a lack of coordination, consultation and a seamless referral system that may have contributed to Doug’s death?  We believe these are questions that a coroner’s inquest could answer.”

“Doug and Crystal have been robbed of their life together. No other Saskatchewan family should have to go through the same type of tragedy.”

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For more information, Saskatchewan Party Caucus, Regina, 787-4300.

REGINA—A Saskatchewan Party motion to have Community Resources Minister Buckley Belanger appear before the Legislature’s Public Accounts Committee to answer questions about the troubled Oyate Safe House was voted down by NDP members of that committee today.

“Today we heard from the Deputy Minister that the department started hearing about problems at the safe house in the summer of 2003,” Saskatchewan Party Community Resources Critic Ted Merriman said.  “He also said that Mr. Belanger was briefed about problems at Oyate.

“In March of this year, Mr. Belanger told reporters he had no ‘concerns about glaring problems in relation to money management’ at Oyate and ‘no evidence there has been any problems’.”

“It appears that Mr. Belanger wasn’t telling the truth and that’s why he needs to start answering some questions.”

Merriman said given the damning reports issued this year by both the Provincial Auditor and the Children’s Advocate detailing how the NDP government failed at-risk children at the Oyate Safe House, the minister should be providing answers to the Public Accounts Committee.

“This NDP government is responsible for a safe house that put at-risk children at further risk,” Merriman said.  “These are some of the most vulnerable and needy children in our province.  Ultimately, the Minister is responsible for the safety of these children.

“The least the NDP government could do is allow the Minister to appear before the committee to provide some answers.”

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For more information, Saskatchewan Party Caucus, Regina, 787-4300.

SWIFT CURRENT-Saskatchewan Party Leader Brad Wall today said the NDP government appears to have no solutions to the many challenges facing Saskatchewan heading into the fall legislative session, which begins on October 26.

“By Mr. Calvert’s own admission, the NDP seems to be stuck recycling programs from its last Throne Speech,” Wall said.  “The NDP has no plan to address our falling population, no plan to address the serious problems in health care and no plan to fix crumbling highways.

“All the NDP is promising is more of the same.  That wasn’t good enough for the voters in Weyburn-Big Muddy and it’s not good enough for people in the rest of the province either.”

Wall said everywhere he goes, Saskatchewan people are asking him – why isn’t our province doing better given our tremendous natural resources, our talented, hard-working people and government revenues which are at an all-time high?

“Saskatchewan people have so much pride in our province, but they are frustrated with an NDP government that is failing to take advantage of the opportunities we have,” Wall said.  “Why should Saskatchewan be losing people?  It doesn’t make any sense.”

Wall said during the upcoming session, the Saskatchewan Party will asking the NDP these questions on behalf of Saskatchewan people.

“Why are the NDP driving so many people and opportunities to other provinces?  Why is our health system still failing the people who need it most?  Why aren’t Saskatchewan people feeling the benefit of the hundreds of millions of dollars in extra revenue the NDP is collecting? 

“These are the questions I’m hearing from Saskatchewan people and these are the questions we will be asking this NDP government.”

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For further information: Saskatchewan Party Caucus, Regina, 787-4300.

“Clearly, as government, we want to see either a viable pulp and paper mill continue in Prince Albert, whether it is operated by Weyerhaeuser or another company, or some other long-term operation to replace it with another wood product.”

- Lorne Calvert, October 4, 2005, Executive Council News Release

PRINCE ALBERT—The Saskatchewan Party’s forestry critic, Batoche MLA Delbert Kirsch today said the NDP appears no closer than they were one year ago to re-opening Weyerhaeuser’s Prince Albert mill.

“Almost one year ago today, Premier Lorne Calvert set up this task force and put NDP Minister Eldon Lautermilch in charge,” Kirsch said.

“Mr. Lautermilch was given a clear mandate: keep a viable pulp and paper mill open in Prince Albert operated by Weyerhaeuser or some other company. Clearly, Mr. Lautermilch has failed”.

Kirsch said unfortunately, the situation in the forestry sector has only deteriorated in the past year, with the industry continuing to suffer from low prices and a higher Canadian dollar.

Now, closures and layoffs in Hudson Bay and Carrot River may make it even more difficult to get the Prince Albert mill back into production.

“This report also gives some interesting clues about why Weyerhaeuser left Prince Albert,” Kirsch said.

“Labour costs were about four times higher than the industry average.”

In addition, Kirsch said SaskPower is now telling the task force it is interested in co-generation agreements. The Prince Albert Pulp and Paper Mill has been generating electricity for a number of years.  Kirsch wonders why SaskPower is only now pushing forward with this idea.

“I think the people of Prince Albert and those working throughout the forestry industry were looking for some clear answers from this NDP government and this minister about the mill,” Kirsch said.  “Unfortunately, they’re not a lot further ahead than they were a year ago.”

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For more information, Saskatchewan Party Caucus, Regina, 787-4300.

REGINA—Saskatchewan Party Leader Brad Wall said today’s news that Weyerhaeuser is closing two more mills in this province makes finding a buyer and reopening the Prince Albert mill more crucial than ever.

“The Forestry Task Force was formed almost a year ago to the day with instructions to find some way to keep the mill open,” Wall said.

“NDP Minister Eldon Lautermilch has had since then to come up with a concrete plan. He’d better not disappoint the people of the Prince Albert region when he delivers the task force report later this week.”

Weyerhaeuser has just announced that the plywood mill in Hudson Bay and the sawmill in Carrot river are being shut down indefinitely effective January 3, 2007. The move affects roughly 300 workers and their families. It comes on the heels of Weyerhaeuser’s announcement in October of 2005 that the Prince Albert mill was also shutting down.

“The future of the Prince Albert mill is crucial to the survival of Saskatchewan’s entire forestry sector,” Wall said.

“A concrete plan of action and clear progress on getting that mill up and running would be a shot in the arm for Prince Albert as well as Carrot River and Hudson Bay.”

“Anything less than a timetable for reopening the Prince Albert mill will amount to a failure on the part of the NDP.”

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For more information, Saskatchewan Party Caucus, Regina, 787-4300.

REGINA—Saskatchewan Party MLA Mike Chisholm today said power consumers in the province would not be facing a 4.3 per cent rate hike this year if the NDP government had allowed SaskPower to re-invest its profits in infrastructure renewal, instead of taking those profits in the form of dividends.

“Over the last five years, SaskPower has been forced to pay more than $400 million dollars in dividends to the Crown Investments Corporation,” Chisholm said.  “In that time, power rates have gone up by approximately15 per cent.”

Chisholm said that in 2006 alone, SaskPower will be forced to pay 65 per cent of its profits in the form of a dividend, which works out to approximately $65 million.

“This rate hike is expected to generate $55 million – basically the corporation is asking for a rate hike to cover the dividend it must give to the NDP government,” Chisholm said. “I’m surprised the NDP government is still forcing SaskPower to hand over 65 per cent of its profits at a time when government coffers are overflowing.”

“While the NDP government is getting richer, the rest of us are being hit with rate hikes.  People in who live in small town Saskatchewan are being hit with the largest hike in the province.  And let’s not forget about how difficult it will be for those on fixed incomes to keep up with their bills.”

Chisholm said the NDP government is clearly on the wrong track when it comes to its dividend policy.

“The NDP government continues to force SaskPower to fork over profits in the form of dividends, despite the fact that those profits are desperately needed to replace aging infrastructure,” Chisholm said.  “And let’s not forget the equity stripping that went on in 2003 when the NDP government took $169 million in dividends from SaskPower, which was $95 million more than it actually earned.”

Chisholm said a Saskatchewan Party government would establish a Crown corporation dividend policy that publicly establishes net return levels adequate to meet re-investment requirements for each Crown corporation.  Any excess above and beyond re-investment requirements would be put in a dedicated provincial infrastructure renewal fund.

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For more information, Saskatchewan Party Caucus, Regina, 787-4300.

REGINA—The Saskatchewan Party’s Dustin Duncan was sworn in today as the new Member of the Legislative Assembly for Weyburn-Big Muddy.

Duncan captured just under 50 per cent of the votes cast in the by-election held June 19, 2006.

“I’d like to thank everyone in the Weyburn-Big Muddy constituency for the support and good wishes they’ve extended to me, both during the campaign and since,” Duncan said.

“My job now will be to live up to the confidence they’ve placed in me.”

Duncan has taken on the role of MLA Responsible for Youth Opportunities in the Saskatchewan Party Caucus. He will be responsible for developing policies that will allow Saskatchewan young people to build careers in this province, instead of moving away to seek opportunities elsewhere.

“Yesterday’s falling population figures show once again that we have a tired, old NDP government that is out of ideas and incapable of implementing a complete growth agenda,” Duncan said.

Saskatchewan Party Leader Brad Wall welcomed Duncan to the opposition caucus and said he’s pleased to have such a young, vibrant person join the Saskatchewan Party team in the Legislature.

“Dustin, like the people of Saskatchewan, is proud of our province and believes we can and should be doing better,” Wall said.  “People are ready for a team that’s focused on building on the successes of this province, instead of a team focused on its own internal discord.”

 “This NDP government is on the wrong track when it comes to creating the kind of environment that will encourage business to invest and build Saskatchewan,” Wall said.

“We have to come up with ways of ensuring that young people like Dustin and his wife Amanda can stay right here and build their dreams in Saskatchewan.”

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For more information, Saskatchewan Party Caucus, Regina, 787-4300.

SASKATOON—Saskatchewan Party Finance Critic Ken Cheveldayoff said people are continuing to leave this province because of the NDP’s failure to adopt a growth agenda.

“This is clear evidence that the NDP is on the wrong track,” Cheveldayoff said. 

“With the population falling nine times in ten years, I think it’s safe to say there’s a pattern emerging.”

Annual population numbers released today show there are 985,386 people living in Saskatchewan, down 4,571 compared to the same time last year. The province’s population has not been this low since 1982.

“We’re seeing unprecedented increases in the number of dollars flowing into government coffers,” Cheveldayoff said. “Apparently a lot of people don’t feel they’re enjoying the benefits of good economic times, and have decided to leave our province. We’re watching our future generation walk out the door.”

Cheveldayoff said with abundant natural resources, there should be plenty of opportunities for young people in this province. At the very least, Cheveldayoff believes Saskatchewan’s population should be growing at a rate equal to the national average of one per cent per year.

“The fundamental problem is that you have an NDP government that doesn’t believe our province can grow,” Cheveldayoff said.

“You have one NDP MLA saying with fewer people there will be more left for the rest of us and another NDP MLA saying it’s statistically impossible for Saskatchewan’s population to grow at a rate equal to the national average.”

“Saskatchewan people know we should be doing better. They believe in this province. Why doesn’t the NDP?”

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For more information, Saskatchewan Party Caucus, Regina, 787-4300.

REGINA- Saskatchewan Party Leader Brad Wall today expressed deep sadness at the passing of Ben Heppner, the Saskatchewan Party MLA for Martensville.  Heppner died yesterday in Rosthern following a lengthy battle with cancer. He was 63.

“On behalf of the Saskatchewan Party and Ben’s caucus colleagues who loved and respected him so much, I would like to extend our heartfelt condolences to Ben’s wife Arlene, their three children and six grandchildren,” Wall said.  “He will truly be missed.”

Wall said Ben Heppner’s life is a fine example of dedication and public service. Heppner taught in rural and city schools for 22 years, was a school administrator for 14 years and ran a successful business.  He also served on a variety of church boards, helped run Army Cadets and was on the Seager Wheeler Farm Committee and the Community Bond Corporation. Heppner was elected Mayor of Rosthern in 1988.  Heppner also taught Sunday school, was an avid hunter and enjoyed restoring vintage cars and trucks.

Heppner was first elected as a Progressive Conservative MLA in 1995.  In 1997, he was one of four PC MLAs who joined with four Liberal MLAs to form the Saskatchewan Party.  Heppner was re-elected by large margins in 1999 and 2003 and served as the Saskatchewan Party Caucus Chair since the day the party was formed.

Wall said it is hard to imagine the Saskatchewan Party Caucus without Ben Heppner.

“Ben has been a vital part of the Saskatchewan Party since day one,” Wall said.  “He has always been someone I deeply respected and admired, but never more so than during his courageous battle with cancer over the last year and a half.

“Ben never lost hope.  That’s because his hope came from his faith in God, and that’s something that even cancer could not take away.  I visited with Ben just a few days ago, and there was a man completely at peace with how he had lived his life and where he was going.”

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For further information: Saskatchewan Party Caucus, Regina, 787-4300.

SASKATOON- Saskatchewan Party MLA June Draude is calling on the NDP government to reconvene the Special Committee to Prevent the Abuse and Exploitation of Children Through the Sex Trade.

Draude, a former member of that committee, said recent reports on the Oyate Safe House by independent officers of the legislature paint a distressing picture of a government that put politics before the safety and well-being of Saskatchewan’s most vulnerable children.

“Community Resources Minister Buckley Belanger utterly failed the at-risk children who were supposed to be in his care,” Draude said. “And NDP Premier Lorne Calvert has utterly failed the people of Saskatchewan by not removing Minister Belanger from his post.  The Premier’s lack of action sends the message that he believes the Minister’s performance on this file was acceptable, when really, it was anything but.”

“I simply don’t trust them to fix this problem, nor do the people of Saskatchewan.”

In a recent report, Saskatchewan’s Children’s Advocate concluded the Oyate Safe House did not provide adequate services, did not hire personnel capable of delivering those services and did not prohibit sexual exploitation of children while they were at the safe house. The report said the Department of Community Resources also closed files on children with the full knowledge those children were still being sexually exploited.

“The idea for a safe house to protect these children came out of the hearings held by the Committee, so it only makes sense for the committee to play a role in fixing the mess the NDP government has created,” Draude said.

“Reconvening the committee would be the ideal way of ensuring public accountability. There could be direct reports to the committee on what progress was being made on Oyate, and what progress the Department of Community Resources is making on the broader problems that have been identified.”

The Special Committee to Prevent the Abuse and Exploitation of Children Through the Sex Trade was established in December of 1999. The final report, released in June of 2001, included 49 recommendations aimed at preventing abuse and getting children off the street.  Draude said she will send a letter to Premier Calvert calling on him to reconvene the committee. Read a copy of that letter here.

“I will never forget the heartbreaking, horrible stories that we heard during committee hearings,” Draude said. “We can’t just abandon these children and pretend this isn’t happening.”

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For more information, Saskatchewan Party Caucus, Regina, 787-4300.

REGINA—Saskatchewan Party Justice Critic Don Morgan today said he supports and will be signing a petition being circulated by the citizens of Whitewood that calls on the federal government to make changes to the justice system that will result in tougher sentences for sex offenders and better monitoring of convicted pedophiles.

“The people of Whitewood, and the province for that matter, are still shocked and shaken by the events of the summer,” Morgan said, referring to the abduction of a 10-year old Saskatchewan boy and a 14-year-old Manitoba boy by known sex offender Peter Whitmore in July of this year.  “Like any other community in this province and in Canada, they want to ensure the safety of their children and are circulating a petition to try and raise awareness of this issue.  They have our complete support.”

In August, Saskatchewan Party Leader Brad Wall wrote to Federal Justice Minister Vic Toews asking the federal government to increase the length of sentences for sexual assaults against children, introduce mandatory minimum sentences for crimes of this nature, review the National Sex Offender Registry, and review supervisory conditions for sexual offenders once they have served out their sentences.

Wall also wrote to Premier Lorne Calvert and called on the NDP government to create a public website that provides information about high risk offenders who are going to be released in the province or are expected to move to the province.  The Saskatchewan Party also supports a review of the process required to have someone designated as a Dangerous Offender.  Morgan said he will also send a letter to NDP Justice Minister Frank Quennell asking for an update on the status of the public website. Read a copy of that letter here.  The Official Opposition has also drafted a similar petition that can be presented in the provincial legislature.  Access a copy of that petition here.

Morgan said the Whitewood petition highlights the fact that Saskatchewan people want to know as much as possible about convicted sex offenders released into their community.
 
“Since the terrible events this summer surrounding Peter Whitmore, there has now been a case where a convicted pedophile was in Moose Jaw for a few days and the public was not aware of the fact until he had left town,” Morgan said.  “We know the police worked as best they could within the protocol they have to follow for public disclosure.”

“For the safety of children in all of our communities, however, the provincial government must look at ways of speeding up the public disclosure process so that communities are alerted to the presence of a known sex offender while in their community, not after the fact.”

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For more information, Saskatchewan Party Caucus, Regina, 787-4300.

SWIFT CURRENT— For the second straight year, Saskatchewan Party Leader Brad Wall will tomorrow attend the annual two-day Global Business Forum in Banff, AB.

“If Saskatchewan wants to take its rightful place in the emerging New West, it is important that we are at the table, participating in discussions about the global economy, the environment and sustainability issues,” Wall said.  “I am honoured at the invitation and look forward to exploring new opportunities for Saskatchewan at the Global Business Forum.”

The forum’s opening keynote address will be delivered by the Honourable Gale A. Norton, former Secretary of the United States Department of the Interior.  Other speakers include: General (Ret’d.) Charles F. Wald, Former Deputy Commander of the Headquarters of the United States European Command; Dr. Rosemary Hollis, Director of  Research, (Middle East), Chatham House; Joseph T. Kelliher, Chairman, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (Washingtion, D.C.); Ambassador David H. Wilkins, U.S. Ambassador to Canada, and James Milway, Executive Director, Institute for Competitiveness and Prosperity for Canada among others.

Delegates at the forum will participate in discussion forums on a number of topics inluding: global energy demand and pricing, global safety and security, power generation, water supply, and global economic competition.  Approximately 200 business and government leaders are expected to attend this year’s forum.

“Last year I attended the forum and spoke to a number of industry leaders about potential opportunities for Saskatchewan in the Alberta oil sands,” Wall said. 

“At that point in time, those industry leaders told me that no one from Saskatchewan had been there asking, ‘How can Saskatchewan benefit from Alberta’s oil boom and how can our businesses and people contribute? What about our own oil sands opportunities?’”

“That’s when the Official Opposition organized our own visit to Fort McMurray in January of this year to try to find answers to these questions.  I look forward to making even more contacts this year and finding more ways Saskatchewan can participate in the New West.”

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For more information, Saskatchewan Party Caucus, Regina, 787-4300.

“We’re just plain running out of people. This is not a glitch. It’s going to get worse.”

 - Doug Elliot, Sask Trends Monitor,  Star Phoenix August 15, 2006 Pg. A1

SASKATOON—Saskatchewan Party Leader Brad Wall today called on the federal and provincial governments to adjust student loan regulations that act as a disincentive to students who want to work part time.

“Right now, those with student loans can earn no more than $50 a week in part time earnings before those loans are reduced,” Wall said.

“I’ve talked to employers who say they can’t find student workers, and I think this is why.”

Page 9 of the Saskatchewan student loan handbook outlines this restriction:

 “You will be expected to contribute 100 per cent of your net income after having deducted a $50 per week exemption. In addition to part time   earnings, study period income may also include self-employment income and child support.”

“I’ve written the federal and provincial ministers responsible to outline how I think these regulations should change,” Wall said. Read Wall's letter here.

“If we allow our students to earn more, employers will have a larger pool to draw from and students will be in a better financial position when it comes time to repay their student loans.”

Wall said these are the kinds of regulations which should be reviewed regularly, and they would be reviewed regularly under the Enterprise Saskatchewan plan.

“That plan calls for employers, post-secondary institutions and unions to sit down together and find ways to reduce barriers to growth,” Wall said.

“The current labour shortage is a serious barrier to growth, and this kind of change is the kind of thing Enterprise Saskatchewan would routinely consider.”

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For more information, Saskatchewan Party Caucus, Regina, 787-4300.

SASKATOON - Saskatchewan Party Leader Brad Wall today said Lorne Calvert’s decision to dump Kevin Yates but keep Buckley Belanger in cabinet shows the NDP’s priorities are on the wrong track.

“The NDP has one minister whose incompetence put vulnerable children at risk and another minister who questioned Lorne Calvert’s leadership, and look which one gets fired,” Wall said.  “It’s just one more example of the NDP putting its own political interests ahead of what’s best for the people of Saskatchewan.”

Wall compared the disarray in the NDP government to the NDP’s “let it burn” forest fire policy – which allows fires to burn out of control until they get close enough to threaten a community.

“Lorne Calvert’s ministers have fires burning out of control all over the place – waiting lists, population loss, crumbling highways – but he does nothing about it.  But one of the fires gets too close to the Premier, and that’s the one he stomps out.

Wall said with Saskatchewan facing unprecedented opportunities to become a leading a partner in the New West and set the stage for long term economic growth, focused leadership with a vision is desperately needed not a government absorbed in its own political disunity and in-fighting.

“The NDP has completely lost touch with what’s important to the people of Saskatchewan.”

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For further information: Saskatchewan Party Caucus, Regina, 787-4300

SASKATOON-Saskatchewan Party Community Resources Critic Ted Merriman today wrote a letter to Premier Calvert outlining the case for the removal of Community Resources Minister Buckley Belanger in the wake of two scathing reports from the Children’s Advocate into the troubled Oyate Safe House.

Click here to read the letter. Click here to read the enclosure sent with the letter.

“I was shocked, sickened and disturbed by what I read in the Children’s Advocate’s two reports.  Despite the fact the Minister of Community Resources knew the Oyate Safe House was rife with problems, your government continued to send these vulnerable children to the facility,” Merriman wrote to the Premier.  “This raises some important questions that must be answered.  Where are these children today?  Are they back on the streets? What action is your government taking to secure their welfare?”

Merriman says there are at least three reasons why this Minister cannot be allowed to serve in his present capacity: 1) the Minister mislead the people of Saskatchewan; 2) the Minister failed in his legal responsibilities as a Minister of the Crown, and finally; 3) the Minister failed to put the best interests of the children in his care first.

“It is clear from the findings in the reports issued by both independent officers of the Legislature, that Minister Belanger mislead the Assembly in his answers to oral and written questions posed by the Official Opposition Saskatchewan Party,” Merriman wrote. “Not only did the Minister mislead the people of Saskatchewan on this issue, in doing so, he downplayed the severity the risk these children encountered because of the actions of his department.”

“Sadly, until this issue was raised by CBC Television and again by the Official Opposition Saskatchewan Party, this Minister did not stop children from being sent to Oyate.”

Merriman appealed to the Premier based on his former role as Minister of Social Services.

“If we had an individual parent who had acted so irresponsibly, we would be calling on the Minister to intervene.  But who is there to intervene when it’s the Minister who has failed in his duties to protect the most vulnerable children in our society?  You, the Premier.  And as premier, you must now do your job and remove the Minister from Cabinet,” Merriman wrote.

Merriman said the government will have the Saskatchewan Party’s complete support to implement all of the recommendations of the Children’s Advocate and the Provincial Auditor in order to build a better future for our province’s most vulnerable children, but as he noted in his letter,
 
“We cannot have confidence in moving forward if the present Minister is left to lead the process.”

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For more information, Saskatchewan Party Caucus, Regina, 787-4300.

“At the time the question was posed to me in the Assembly, I stand by those answers. At the time there was no evidence that Oyate was doing anything wrong and that the performance was not there…”

- Buckley Belanger, Minister of Community Resources, June 27, 2006 media scrum

“The CAO has concluded that DCR was aware that Oyate was not in compliance with the service agreement, but more importantly knew that the children being placed in Oyate were not receiving the services they deserved or to which they were entitled.”
 
- Beyond At Risk Children: Systemic Issues Report, Children’s Advocate, Page 12
 
REGINA—Following the release today of two damning reports by the Children’s Advocate Office on the Oyate Safe House, the Saskatchewan Party demanded Premier Lorne Calvert remove Community Resources Minister Buckley Belanger from cabinet.

“It is clear from these reports that the Minister lied to the Assembly, to the media and to the people of Saskatchewan when he said he had no evidence of any problems at the Oyate Safe House,” Saskatchewan Party Community Resources Critic Ted Merriman said. Click here to read what the minister said.

The two reports from the Children’s Advocate clearly show that the Department of Community Resources knew of serious problems at Oyate and yet continued to place children at the safe house. The investigative report found that DCR “did not investigate concerns of children who are alleged to be victims of sexual exploitation on new and active cases” and that “DCR discontinued case planning by closing files with full knowledge that the child continued to be a victim of sexual exploitation”.

“Reading these reports made me feel physically ill and made me wonder where are these children now? How many were forced back on to the streets to be sexually exploited once again?” Merriman asked.

Merriman said if there was an individual parent acting so irresponsibly, the minister would be called on to intervene. Tragically, everyone turned a blind eye to what was happening at Oyate.

“The only person left to intervene, now that the minister has failed in his duties to protect  the most vulnerable children in our society, is the Premier,” Merriman said.

 “The Premier must now do his job, remove the minister in charge from Cabinet, and direct the department to implement all recommendations from the Children’s Advocate and the Provincial Auditor as soon as possible.”

Merriman expressed his sincere thanks to Children’s Advocate Marvin Bernstein, for conducting not only a thorough investigative report, but for going further by highlighting systemic problems in this area.

“The Saskatchewan Party wants an immediate plan of action from the NDP government on the implementation of all recommendations,” Merriman said. “Our children deserve nothing less.”

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For more information, Saskatchewan Party Caucus, Regina, 787-4300.

REGINA-Saskatchewan Party MLA Wayne Elhard today renewed his Party’s call for the federal government to keep its election commitments to exempt non-renewable natural resources from the equalization formula and to move to a 10-province standard. Elhard also reiterated the Saskatchewan’s Party call for any new equalization formula to be applied retroactively to April 1, 2006, regardless of when the deal is finalized.

“Saskatchewan people expect the Prime Minister and his government to live up to the commitments they made during the election campaign,” Elhard said.

“It is our understanding from the Prime Minister’s most recent comments that a new equalization proposal will be put forward prior to the next federal budget. When that happens, it is our position that the new formula should be applied retroactively to April 1, 2006, to address any revenues that may have been lost to date while negotiations are taking place.”

Elhard said until such time that a new equalization formula has been finalized, the Official Opposition will continue its efforts to raise awareness about the importance of a fair equalization deal for Saskatchewan.

“Our position on this issue has been consistent from the beginning,” Elhard said.

“Our Leader, Brad Wall, has both written and spoken to the Prime Minister on this issue. We have impressed the importance of it to our Saskatchewan MPs, and in fact, Saskatchewan Party members approved our position at our 2005 policy convention.”

Elhard dismissed NDP Premier Lorne Calvert’s claims that the Saskatchewan Party was not pushing hard enough for a new deal. Elhard calls these claims a desperate attempt by Premier Calvert to deflect attention from his own failing record.

“At a time when Saskatchewan is enjoying record-high resource revenues, the federal and provincial governments should be focused on ensuring the people of Saskatchewan benefit fully from those resources,” Elhard said.

“This can be accomplished through the fair equalization formula we have called for, as well as through a commitment at the provincial level to use new equalization revenues to implement the full growth agenda in Saskatchewan.”

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For more information contact the Saskatchewan Party Caucus, 787-4300.

REGINA-Saskatchewan Party Leader Brad Wall is marking Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder Awareness Day with a call to make prevention and early diagnosis a bigger priority.

“Just this week, the provincial cabinet authorized $60,000 for an FASD support network, and at that very same meeting, they approved $775,000 to expand the liquour store in Prince Albert,” Wall said.

“That’s a very interesting comparison and one we should be thinking about tomorrow, as we pause to reflect on the damage caused by a disorder that is entirely preventable.”

Wall says it’s estimated that without early diagnosis and intervention, each person with FASD will cost the people of Saskatchewan between $1 million and $5 million in additional health, social services, justice and education costs during the course of their lifetime.

“That’s not just an added cost to society, we must think of the human cost associated with FASD both for the person afflicted with the condition, and their families as well,” Wall said.

Wall also congratulated Saskatchewan Party MLA June Draude for her tireless efforts in raising public awareness about this important health problem.

“Without Ms. Draude’s private members' bill passed in 2002, we wouldn’t be marking Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder Awareness Day in Saskatchewan,” Wall said.

“Because of the work done by Ms. Draude and the many others who work with this heartbreaking condition that is 100 per cent preventable, we can look forward to a day when we can put an end to the needless heartache and pain caused by FASD.”

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For more information, Saskatchewan Party Caucus, Regina, 787-4300

REGINA-Saskatchewan Party Northern Affairs Critic Denis Allchurch says concerns expressed by northerners about the way forest fires are being handled are being ignored by the NDP.

“The safety and economic prosperity of northerners should be a major concern for government,” Allchurch said.

“Unfortunately, the NDP doesn’t appear to agree.”

It’s been almost three weeks since Allchurch and Saskatchewan Party Environment Critic Glen Hart wrote to Warren McCall, Chair of the Standing Committee on the Economy.

Hart and Allchurch called for a review of the government’s response to the Noel fire this summer, and the current “let it burn” policy being followed by the NDP. The letter came after a tour of Stony Rapids and Black lake, where the two MLAs hear many complaints about the way the fire was handled.

“Many of the people we spoke with believe that if the fire had been dealt with much earlier, residents would have been spared evacuation,” Allchurch said.

“ The fire came within 900 metres of the new hospital, and only the heroic efforts of local people saved it from being burned to the ground.”

Allchurch said the lack of an immediate response from the NDP shows this is not a high priority for this government. Read a copy of the second letter Allchurch and Hart sent to WcCall here.

“The people of the north deserve some straight answers,”  Allchurch said.

“And that will only happen if the Standing Committee is allowed to conduct a review.”

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For more information, Saskatchewan Party Caucus, Regina, 787-4300.

REGINA-- Saskatchewan Party MLA and Public Accounts Committee Chair Elwin Hermanson says today’s Provincial Auditor’s Report shows that over the last two years, the NDP have accumulated a surplus of $1.5 billion. However, Hermanson says people in this province are still wondering why they’re seeing so little benefit from that money.

“Our provincial highways are in deplorable condition, some only slightly better than goat trails. Some people are still waiting far too long for medical services because of a chronic shortage of health care workers. Saskatchewan’s job creation record still trails every other province in western Canada and our post secondary students have experienced the nation’s third highest increases in tuition over the past 15 years,” Hermanson said.

“Clearly the NDP is on the wrong track.”

Today, the Provincial Auditor released Volume 2 of his 2006 report. Page 2 of the report shows an annual surplus of $844 million in 2005 and $694 million in 2006.

The report also states that taxation revenue this year was $527 higher than last year—mainly due to higher revenues from individual income taxes, sales taxes and corporate taxes. Between 1991 and 2006, provincial revenue from taxes has more than doubled, while Saskatchewan’s population fell.

 “As I travel around Saskatchewan, people tell me their taxes are too high,” Hermanson said.

“The NDP promised they wouldn’t raise taxes; then increased the PST by one point. Saskatchewan families need tax relief.”

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For more information, Saskatchewan Party Caucus, Regina, 787-4300.

PRINCE ALBERT-Saskatchewan Party Leader Brad Wall today said he is disgusted by a resolution to be considered at this weekend’s national NDP convention suggesting that Canadian troops in Afghanistan have been “acting like terrorists.”

“This is an absolutely deplorable statement for the NDP to be making,” Wall said.  “The overwhelming majority of Canadians support our troops and this just shows how out of touch the NDP is with the values of most Canadians.”

Wall called on Lorne Calvert and other Saskatchewan New Democrats to speak out against the resolution this weekend at the NDP convention.

“Of course, it is reasonable for the NDP and all political parties to debate the role of our Canadian troops, but the statement that our troops are “acting like terrorists” is completely unacceptable and should be condemned by anyone in a position of leadership,” Wall said.

Wall said the Saskatchewan Party is supporting Canadian troops by providing a link on its caucus website that allows Canadians to send messages to armed forced members abroad.

“Just this last weekend, my family and I had the chance to meet a number of Canadian Forces members at the Rider football game, including one who had recently returned from a tour in Afghanistan and was signing up to return.  They told me how much they appreciate receiving messages of support from Canadians.”

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For further information: Saskatchewan Party Caucus, Regina, 787-4300

REGINA—Saskatchewan Party Leader Brad Wall today called for a major push to assure the province’s forestry sector gets a bigger share of the U.S. market under the new softwood lumber deal.

“This agreement puts a cap on Canada’s share of the U.S. market, and quite frankly, I don’t think the Americans really care where that lumber comes from,” Wall said.

“With over-cutting in the east and beetle infestations to the west, there is absolutely no reason why Saskatchewan shouldn’t be allowed to move in and take a bigger share of the U.S. market."

In a speech to the Prince Albert Chamber of Commerce, Wall said he was appointing Batoche MLA Delbert Kirsch to consult with the industry, First Nations and federal officials to see how this could be achieved.

And Wall said its time Saskatchewan took a hard look at what other jurisdictions are doing in areas of new product development, technology transfer and market diversification.

“Yes, the forestry sector is experiencing worldwide problems. But we can throw up our hands and give up, or we can start looking for new and innovative approaches,” Wall said.

“There will come a time in the not-to distant future when our rich renewable forestry resource is in high demand. We will have in rich abundance what everyone on this planet will be looking for.”

“We must work towards our share of the U.S. market today and prepare for the opportunities of tomorrow.”

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For more information, Saskatchewan Party Caucus, Regina. 306-787-4300

SASKATOON-Saskatoon Southeast MLA Don Morgan wants to know why the NDP is still only working on a pilot program in Saskatoon to keep children in school, when as recently as last May, the NDP promised a full province-wide system.

“I asked NDP Learning Minister Deb Higgins this question during the spring sitting of the Legislature and she said this program would up in running by fall, but it hasn’t happened,” Morgan said.  “It’s just one more area where this NDP government is on the wrong track.”

Morgan said according the Minister’s numbers, 1,500 children are not attending school in the city of Saskatoon alone. Morgan believes as many as 5,000 children may be out of school throughout the province.

Morgan said a tracking system is only the first step in ensuring the children are getting the opportunities they need to succeed in life. 

“There are many other steps that must be taken to help these children, but first, we need to know who they are and where they are,” Morgan said.  “This NDP government simply doesn’t have a handle on the number of children not in school and as a result, thousands of children are being left behind.

“These children do not have the luxury of time. The longer they are out of school, the more difficult it is to integrate them into the system.”

Morgan said he also has concerns that children not in school are more at risk for becoming involved with drugs and/or other criminal activity.

Morgan said he is upset that the NDP is dragging its feet when it comes to helping children and ensuring they receive an education.

“The Minister made a promise and she should keep it,” Morgan said.

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For more information contact Saskatchewan Party Caucus, 787-4300.

“Even if we put a number on it (targets for more nurses), there’s no guarantee that we would be able to meet that number in any case.”
       Len Taylor, Regina Leader Post
       March 16, 2006

REGINA—Saskatchewan Party Health Critic Don McMorris said yesterday’s announcement on a plan to recruit and retain nurses is seriously flawed.

“Once again (Health Minister) Len Taylor is refusing to set goals or targets for the number of new health care professionals needed in Saskatchewan," McMorris said.

“Without targets, how will anyone know this money has been well spent, or if enough money has been allocated?”

McMorris also noted the absence of the organization representing front line health care workers in this province—the Saskatchewan Union of Nurses (SUN).

“I just wonder how effective this effort will be, without the active support and participation of SUN,” McMorris said.

“I think SUN and many other people are asking why it has taken the minister so long to concede more has to be done to fix this shortfall.”

McMorris said the sad reality is that nurses are being worked off their feet in Saskatchewan. Shortages of essential health care workers create an erosion in health services, which is putting people at risk.

He says other provinces have spent the last several years working more aggressively on the issue. Manitoba, for example, graduates almost 700 nurses a year—more than double the number in Saskatchewan. McMorris said there is an urgent need for action, since there are already 250 vacancies and 1,800 more nurses slated to retire over the next two years.

“What we need and what we never get from the NDP is a plan,” McMorris said.

“Our friends and loved ones deserve better.”

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For more information, Saskatchewan Party Caucus, Regina, 787-4300

SASKATOON—Saskatchewan Party Leader Brad Wall today called for specific steps to be taken, based on the information and impressions he gathered during the course of his summer tour.

“Those living in Saskatchewan are a proud and hopeful people,” Wall said.  “They’re looking for someone to show leadership on a number of fronts, and they’re not getting that leadership from the NDP.”

Wall called for a serious, long-term plan for replacing Saskatchewan’s highways instead of the defeatism and denial shown by Mr. Calvert and the NDP this summer.

“On the one hand, you have the Premier saying he doesn’t have time to drive the roads people have identified as the worst in this province. Then on the other hand you have Eldon Lautermilch saying the highways network is not sustainable,” Wall said.

“Instead of admitting defeat, they should be coming up with a plan.”

After touring Tisdale Alfalfa Dehi and Milligen bio-diesel in Foam Lake, Wall repeated the call he made in April for the federal government to mandate a 10 per cent ethanol blend for gasoline and 5 per cent for bio-diesel.

 “This industry is developing rapidly, and it’s absolutely essential that producers get a chance to invest directly in an industry that will provide benefits for decades to come,” Wall said.

After discussions with First Nations leaders this summer, Wall is also encouraging Federal Indian Affairs and Northern Development Minister Jim Prentice to continue work on making it easier for home ownership and property development. 

Read a copy of the letter, Brad Wall sent to Minister Prentice here.

“Home ownership is something Canadians take for granted, yet there are barriers currently in place for those who wish to own a home on reserve,” Wall said.

“But the question I hear most often from people is when is the next election? When are we going to start getting some positive change in Saskatchewan?”

“People are becoming increasingly convinced that the only way Saskatchewan is going to see some positive leadership is with a change in government,” Wall said.

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For more information, Saskatchewan Party Caucus, Regina, 787-4300

SASKATOON—After visiting Stony Rapids and Black Lake in northern Saskatchewan to consult with individuals, First Nations and other community leaders, Saskatchewan Party Environment Critic Glen Hart and Northern Affairs Critic Denis Allchurch are calling on the legislature’s Standing Committee on the Economy to conduct a review of the NDP’s “let it burn” forest fire policy and the handing of the Stony Rapids fire in June.

Read the letter Hart and Allchurch sent to Committee Chair Warren McCall by clicking here.

“When the fire was first spotted in early June, it was about 32 kilometres away from Stony Rapids.  Under the NDP government’s ‘let it burn’ policy, the fire was left to burn as long as it was outside the 20 kilometre response area,” Hart said.  “By the time the fire reached the community response zone, the smoke was so thick that air support was impossible.”

“Under the old policy, this fire would have been snuffed out when it flared up.  In this case, it was left so long that it came within 900 metres of the community – even hospital administrators told us they were very concerned that the new hospital could go up in smoke.”

Click here to view a photo gallery featuring pictures of the fire, the aftermath and the fire's proximity to Stony Rapids, and in particular, the new health facility.

Hart renewed his prior calls for the province to review its ‘let it burn’ policy.

“The general consensus we heard is that a 20 kilometre community response zone is not far enough,” Hart said.  “People living in northern Saskatchewan have witnessed many fires in their lives and know that a fire can easily travel 20 kilometres in a day once it gets into the forest canopy.”

“The community worked hard to divert the fire and while thankfully no one was seriously injured, the fire threatened homes, businesses, tourist attractions, a new health facility, and the local economy.”

Allchurch said many community members they spoke to believe that if fire had been dealt with earlier and if the current ‘let it burn’ policy was not in place, residents would have been spared evacuation.

“Clearly we need to examine what the cost of putting out the fire earlier would have been and compare that to the cost of fighting a much larger fire, evacuating communities and putting up residents in other cities,” Allchurch said.

The two MLAs say the legislature’s Standing Committee on the Economy must:

• Review the NDP government’s current ‘let it burn’ policy
• Review the government’s response to the fire
• Review the evacuation procedures utilized
• Review the costs of fighting the fire and evacuations versus dealing with the fire earlier.

Allchurch says the committee must also hear from witnesses in the community and consult with the Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations.

“It’s fair to say the community felt abandoned by their government in a time of crisis,” Allchurch said.  “Now it’s time for the current government to address those concerns and launch a full investigation into how the fire was handled.”

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For more information, Saskatchewan Party Caucus, Regina, 787-4300.

Saskatchewan Party Leader Brad Wall today said the NDP government’s failure to fill nursing vacancies in the Cypress Health Region is eroding health services in the area and putting people at risk.

“The failure to fill nursing vacancies is being felt throughout the region,” Wall said.  “In areas like Gull Lake and Cabri, health centres are operating under reduced hours.  In other communities including Shaunavon, Maple Creek, Eastend and Leader, health centres are operating without a full complement of staff, or without the appropriate number of nurses.”

Wall cited a July 20, 2006 letter from the Saskatchewan Union of Nurses expressing concerns about the recruitment effort in the Cypress Health Region.  In the letter, SUN’s Acting Executive Director, Donna Trainor writes: “After reviewing the Cypress Health Region’s Progressive Recruitment Initiatives, we became concerned that the initiative did not outline short term solutions to address the current staffing shortages or to deal with any crisis situation that may arise … there are a number of facilities where the Registered Nurse shortage is very apparent.  Yet no solutions are proposed by the employer other than to reduce services.”

Click here to read the letter and a recent press release from the Cypress Health Region.

“It seems as though the nursing shortage is being used by the NDP as an excuse to cut services,” Wall said.  “What we need from this NDP government is a plan, not excuses.”

“A good start would be to offer nursing graduates full-time permanent positions in rural areas.  If not, rural Saskatchewan will continue to face a reduction of services due to staffing shortages, which in turn will lead to increased burnout among nurses forced to work overtime.”

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For more information, Saskatchewan Party Caucus, Regina, 787-4300.

REGINA—Saskatchewan Party Economic Development Critic Lyle Stewart today said he is concerned that the latest job numbers from Statistics Canada, which show an increase in the province, also show a drop in the working aged population that may jeopardize the sustainability of that increase.  Between July 2005 and July 2006, that population fell from 748,000 to 745,900.

“While the increase in jobs in Saskatchewan is encouraging, we would like to see if this increase is sustainable,” Stewart said.  “Given the drop in the population of people able to work in Saskatchewan, I am concerned that any sustainability of this increase could be threatened.”

Stewart said he is also concerned that despite a boom in the resource sector, the NDP government’s job creation record is still below the national average, as well as the average for Western Canada.  Between July 2005 and July 2006, Saskatchewan created 7,500 new jobs and Manitoba created 4,100, while B.C. created 66,800 and Alberta created 82,900.

*Source: Statistics Canada, Seasonally Unadjusted Labour Force Characteristics 

Stewart said the province must look at ways to make it easier for people and businesses to move to Saskatchewan.

“Alberta and BC have made some serious progress in streamlining regulations between the two provinces in a precedent-setting agreement, the Alberta-British Columbia Trade, Investment and Labour Mobility Agreement,” Steward said. “One of the key aspects of this agreement is the merging of standards so workers and professionals who are certified or licensed in one province can work in the other without having to recertify.”

Stewart said a Saskatchewan Party government would seek a similar agreement with other western provinces.

“An agreement like this will break down barriers and make it easier for people and businesses to locate in Saskatchewan,” Stewart said. “We need to be doing all we can to make sure we have the people in Saskatchewan to fill the jobs that are available.”

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For more information, Saskatchewan Party Caucus, Regina, 787-4300.

SASKATOON—In the wake of the recent abductions of 10-year-old Saskatchewan boy and a 14-year-old Winnipeg boy by convicted sex offender Peter Whitmore, Saskatchewan Party Leader Brad Wall today said the Opposition wants the federal government to implement tougher sentences and release conditions for sexual offenders.

 “I was shocked to learn that Mr. Whitmore’s record of offences against children goes back 13-years and that the most time he’d ever spent incarcerated was 56 months,” Wall said.  “We need immediate changes to toughen sentences for sexual offenders and we must also ensure that they are strictly monitored by police once they are released from prison.”

Wall has written to federal Justice Minister Vic Toews asking for changes to the sentencing and release conditions for sexual offenders.  Wall also wrote to Premier Lorne Calvert asking him to lobby the federal government for tougher penalties for those convicted of sexual offences against children. Click here to read the letters.

“Clearly we need tougher sentences with mandatory minimum jail times to prevent sexual offenders like Whitmore from being released while they are still a danger to re-offend,” Wall said.  “I would also like the federal government to undertake a review of the National Sex Offender Registry to ensure that it is meeting the needs of police forces and families.”

Wall said the NDP government could be doing more to ensure parents and families have as much information as possible on sexual offenders in Saskatchewan.  The Saskatchewan Party is calling on the NDP government to create a public website that provides information about high risk offenders who are going to be released in the province or are expected to move to the province.

“In Alberta and Manitoba, provincial residents can go onto the government’s website and access information, including photographs and descriptions, of released offenders who police believe pose a serious risk to the public,” Wall said. “While the Saskatchewan Party is supportive of Saskatchewan’s participation in the National Sex Offender Registry, as well as the Amber Alert Program, there is always more we could be doing.”

Wall said parents and families deserve to know that their government is doing everything possible to secure the safety of children in Saskatchewan.

“Any time the safety of children could be jeopardized, we need to ensure that parents and families have access to as many tools as possible to ensure the safety of their children,” Wall said.

Wall said his thoughts and prayers are with the families of the two boys as they are reunited.
 
“No family should ever have to endure what these families endured over the last few days,” Wall said.  “We are thankful that these boys are safe and sound.”

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For more information, Saskatchewan Party Caucus, Regina, 787-4300.

SASKATOON—Saskatchewan Party Environment Critic Glen Hart and Northern Affairs Critic Denis Allchurch are heading to Northern Saskatchewan Thursday to consult with communities about the NDP government’s “let it burn” policy for forest fires.

“Earlier this summer, forest fires in the north destroyed recreational and tourism areas and also caused massive evacuations of several communities,” Hart said.

“Now that the fires have cooled and residents are back in their home communities, it’s time to discuss what happened earlier this summer in terms of forest fires and if community members think the forest fires could have been handled more effectively.”

Hart and Allchurch will depart from Prince Albert Thursday morning and fly to Stony Rapids where they will be meeting with local officials, hospital staff, community groups and individuals to find out what they think about the “let it burn” policy and if they have any suggestions on making the policy more effective.  Hart and Allchurch will then travel to Black Lake on Friday and participate in similar meetings in that community.

“I have received calls from a number of people from the area that have some serious concerns about the NDP government’s current ‘let it burn’ policy,” Allchurch said.  “Many communities in the north, including Stony Rapids, were lucky to survive forest fires this summer relatively unscathed with fires narrowly missing communities.”

Hart and Allchurch will relay their findings to the Saskatchewan Party Caucus next week at the caucus’ summer retreat at Jackfish Lake.

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For more information, Saskatchewan Party Caucus, Regina, 787-4300.

REGINA-Saskatchewan Party Finance Critic Ken Cheveldayoff today said the province’s first quarter report reflects the returns of a robust energy sector, but says he is concerned that Saskatchewan people are not benefiting from increased revenues.

“I think the people of Saskatchewan should be very concerned that the NDP government has failed to put forward a plan or vision for the surplus they anticipate,” Cheveldayoff said.  “We see more and more money coming into the province from a surging resource prices and this is good for the province’s finances, but what returns are there for the people of Saskatchewan?”

Cheveldayoff said the people of Saskatchewan deserve to reap the rewards of a strong energy sector.

“Under the NDP government, Saskatchewan’s population is lower than it was in 1982, the province’s job creation record trails every other western Canadian province, and immigration is down in the first part of this year,” Cheveldayoff said.  “As our population drops, there are fewer taxpayers carrying more debt.”

“The NDP government clearly does not have a plan in place to turn this around.”

Cheveldayoff said the Saskatchewan Party will continue to press the NDP government to adopt a full growth agenda.

“The Saskatchewan Party has been calling on the NDP government to adopt a full growth agenda that includes a plan for infrastructure renewal, a plan to reduce barriers to trade by working with other western provinces, and a plan for long-term, predictable investment in post-secondary education,” Cheveldayoff said.  “I don’t see a plan like this from the NDP government – in fact, all I see are band-aid solutions and the NDP government lurching from crisis to crisis.”

“Without a plan, Saskatchewan will continue to lose people and trail the nation when it comes to job creation. Saskatchewan people know that our province can be a leader in the New West – something the NDP government has failed to deliver.”

Cheveldayoff said he was pleased the NDP government finally committed to fully funding the CAIS program so Saskatchewan farm families can plan accordingly.

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For more information, Saskatchewan Party Caucus, Regina, 787-4300.

SASKATOON-Saskatchewan Party Justice Critic Don Morgan today said the latest Statistics Canada report on crime is an indication that the NDP government continues to place the safety and security of Saskatchewan residents at risk.

“Saskatchewan’s NDP government has had the worst crime record in all of Canada for eight straight years,” Morgan said. “This is not something to be proud of—far too many people in Saskatchewan don’t feel safe on the streets at night or even in their homes.”

According to Statistics Canada, Saskatchewan has more than 14,000 incidents of crime per 100,000 people. Saskatchewan’s NDP government has the dubious distinction of the worst crime rate in Canada and a crime rate that is twice the national average. Saskatchewan is also the murder capital of Canada, with the murder rate at a 30 year high. Click here to read the report.

“Saskatchewan’s overall crime rate is twice the national average—that’s astounding,” Morgan said. 

Morgan noted that as far as break-ins are concerned, Regina and Saskatoon have the highest rates in the country.

“There’s no reason a family in Saskatoon should be twice as likely to be robbed, as a family living in Toronto,” Morgan said.

Morgan said while crime statistics for Saskatchewan are slightly lower in 2005 than 2004, the NDP government continues to preside over the worst crime record in all of Canada.

“These numbers indicate it’s time to get serious about crime by putting more police officers on the street and dealing with the root causes of crime, including drug addiction,” Morgan said.  “We’ve seen in the past when resources are targeted at specific problems like break-ins in Saskatoon and car thefts in Regina, that there are significant results.”

Morgan said Saskatchewan people have a right to feel safe and secure no matter where they live in the province, in their homes and on the street. 

“The NDP government has talked for years about trying to deal with this problem, but today’s numbers from Statistics Canada demonstrate they’ve failed to commit adequate resources to even come close to addressing this problem,” Morgan said.

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For more information contact Neal Pobran, Saskatoon, 651-7242.

"Please have Premier Calvert travel the #310 Highway from Kuroki to Foam Lake.  I have never seen it in such bad repair - to the point it deters a lot of people from going there.  I work in Kuroki and do NOT RECOMMEND anyone to travel on this highway ... Please suggest to the Premier to take a four-wheel drive and allow trip forty minutes traveling time instead of twenty - leave early and learn to drive on the wrong side of the road.  Hope his vehicle has good steering to avoid all the potholes."

- Faye H. Kucheran

“This highway not only leads to Fishing Lake Regional Park, but also to Foam Lake Golf Course.  There is such a push on the tourism industry, and this highway is a direct link to golfing, fishing, camping, etc.  The problem is, there are so many pot holes on this highway, that it is almost impossible to pull a camper or a boat over this road without breaking an axle.”

- Shelly Chornomud, Yorkton

Saskatchewan Party MLA June Draude today challenged Premier Lorne Calvert to take time during his summer tour to drive down Highway 310 between Foam Lake and Fishing Lake.

“Given that the Premier will be in Foam Lake this weekend, I would hope he would take some time and drive his bus down Highway 310 from Foam Lake to Fishing Lake,” June Draude said. 

Highway 310 is one of the highways on the Premier’s Challenge Highways Route the Saskatchewan Party Caucus released earlier this month.  Saskatchewan Party Leader Brad Wall will be traveling down Highway 310 next week.

“This highway is in such a state of disrepair it’s embarrassing,” Draude said.  “Not a day goes by when my office doesn’t get a complaint about the highway.  I was recently told by a tourist that a sign should be placed on this road warning that the road is only meant for all-terrain vehicles!”

Draude says the highway is important to tourism in the area, including Fishing Lake Regional Park, and also provides a link to Highway 5 for businesses. The treacherous state of this highway is also great concern for anyone with an emergency medical situation.

“I’m afraid that if anyone was brave enough to travel down the road to come for a visit, they would never come back,” Draude said.  “The people of this community are so welcoming – it’s a shame the state of the highway can’t be as well.”

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For more information, Saskatchewan Party Caucus, Regina, 787-4300.

Saskatchewan Party Leader Brad Wall together with Rosthern-Shellbrook MLA Denis Allchurch today extended deepest sympathies to the families of RCMP Constables Robin Cameron and Mark Bourdages.
 
“This is an unspeakably great loss of two young people who in the course of carrying out their duties to protect their community and our province made the ultimate sacrifice,” Wall said.
 
“As this devastating news reached the people of Saskatchewan and Canada on this Sunday morning, we are all reminded of the words of Christ in the 15th chapter of John when he said, ‘Greater love has no one than this, that they would lay their life down for their friend.’”
 
“And I know the news was met with fervent prayers for the families, and especially for the children of these two fallen heroes.”
 
“At such a time of great loss as this we pray for the ‘peace that passes understanding’ and a measure of strength that will bear up the families, friends and community.”

MLA Denis Allchurch said his home town of Spiritwood has lost two outstanding officers and important members of the community who served as role models to many.
 
“We mourn today the losses of two of our local RCMP officers killed in the line of duty. Our hearts and prayers go out to their families on this tragic day,” Allchurch said.  “Our thoughts are also with the RCMP detachment in Spiritwood and the greater RCMP family – every day they go to work and put their lives on the line to save ours.”

“It’s a sad day for the community of Spiritwood, Saskatchewan and Canada.”

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For more information, Jessica Paul, Regina, 529-0566 or Neal Pobran, Saskatoon, 280-9937.

SPIRITWOOD—Rosthern-Shellbrook MLA Denis Allchurch, who lives in the community of Spiritwood, today praised the efforts of the RCMP and the people of Spiritwood for their efforts in the wake of a tragic shooting that has left two members of the RCMP in serious condition in hospital.

“We like to think of ourselves as a quiet little community that’s home to good, hardworking people,” Allchurch said.  “It has been extremely difficult for many in the area to cope with the devastating news that two well-respected RCMP officers were shot and that the suspect, who is known by many, is still on the loose.”

“Our thoughts and prayers continue to be with Constables Robin Cameron, Mark Bourdages and their families.”

Allchurch said both officers were well-known and well respected by the people in the community of Spiritwood.
 
“Just last week, I sat down and had a long chat with Constable Bourdages,” Allchurch said.  “I’ve known Robin Cameron and her family for years.  It’s all just such a shock.”

Allchurch said despite the fact that many community members are in complete disbelief over the incident, they have rallied together to help the hundreds of RCMP and other police personnel now stationed in Spiritwood and conducting a manhunt for the suspect.

“People and businesses have gone out of their way to make sure all of these RMCP officers have been well fed and welcome in this community,” Allchurch said.  “We are hopeful that the RCMP will be able to find the suspect as soon as possible so our community can start the healing process.”

Allchurch said it’s difficult for many to imagine what it’s like to go from a quiet little town to the scene of a police shooting and large scale manhunt complete with the spotlight of the national media.

“I am proud of my community for pulling together and trying to make the best of an upsetting and overwhelming situation,” Allchurch said.  “The way the community has responded is a real tribute to the people that live here.”

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For more information, Saskatchewan Party Caucus, Regina, 787-4300.

REGINA—Saskatchewan Party Health Critic Don McMorris says a report released by Statistics Canada shows the NDP government is failing to reduce health care wait times.

On Tuesday, Statistics Canada released a report called Access to Health Care Services in Canada, January to December 2005.  According to the report, Saskatchewan people face the longest average waiting time in all of Canada to access diagnostic testing.  Only people in Newfoundland and Labrador wait as long. 

When it comes to the average wait time to see a specialist, Saskatchewan people are now waiting longer than they were in 2003.  Statistics Canada indicated data collected on the average wait time for non-emergency surgery in Saskatchewan was too unreliable to be published.

“The information contained in this report is disappointing,” McMorris said.  “Not only are Saskatchewan people waiting the longest to access diagnostic testing, but they are now waiting longer to see a specialist.”

McMorris said that while it is frustrating that information collected on the average wait time for elective surgery in Saskatchewan could not be reported, he said it is even more frustrating that the method the NDP government uses to track wait times actually skews results to make them look more favourable.

“Right now, the NDP government includes emergency surgeries when it reports average wait times for the province of Saskatchewan,” McMorris said. 

“There should be no waits for emergency surgery.  The Health Council of Canada says including emergency surgeries with elective surgeries ‘skew[s] the overall results’ and ‘dramatically lower[s] the average’.”

Last November, the Health Council of Canada released 10 Steps to a Common Frame Work for Reporting on Wait Times, a report that aimed to set common definitions and methods for tracking wait times so that governments, health providers and the public could have access to the most accurate wait time information.  One of the recommendations was to exclude emergency surgeries from wait list tracking.

“I think it’s time the NDP government heeded the Health Council of Canada’s recommendations and gave Saskatchewan people an accurate picture of surgical wait times in Saskatchewan,” McMorris said. 

“The NDP must also provide more recent information and track waits for diagnostics, specialists and cancer care.”

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For more information, Saskatchewan Party Caucus, Regina, 787-4300.

REGINA—Saskatchewan under the NDP continues to lag behind the rest of Canada and other western provinces when it comes to job creation.

“There were 5,400 more jobs in Saskatchewan this June compared to last June. And while that’s an improvement over the job losses we were seeing earlier this year, it’s still not good enough,” Saskatchewan Party MLA Randy Weekes said.

“Employment growth in Saskatchewan was 1.1 percent over this period, exactly half the national average. And we’re still getting beat out by all of our neighbours—including Manitoba.”

For a chart on provincial job creation, click here.

Weekes said when you combine today’s job figures with population losses so far this year, you begin to see a disturbing picture of an NDP government that’s failing to make the most out of Saskatchewan’s huge potential.

“We could be doing just as well here in Saskatchewan in terms of job creation and population growth as they are in other provinces,” Weekes said.

“But the NDP continues to stumble along without any plan and without real targets.”

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For more information, Saskatchewan Party Caucus, Regina, 787-4300

SASKATOON—The Saskatchewan Party’s Environment Critic Glen Hart today called for a review of the NDP’s forest fire fighting policies to examine whether there are sufficient resources to handle potential problems, and whether those resources were effectively managed. Specifically, Hart wants to know if the government’s “let it burn” policy is causing unnecessary risk to families and properties in northern Saskatchewan.

“Once the fires have cooled and everyone is back home, I think it’s time for us to have a look at what has just happened, and whether these fires could have been handled more effectively,” Hart said.

“We’ve see the destruction of recreational and tourism areas, large-scale evacuations and rapidly growing fires narrowly missing communities. I think it’s time to have a look at whether the government is doing as much as it should be doing for people living under this threat.”

Two years ago, the NDP announced it was closing down six fire bases and cutting the hours of 70 permanent seasonal employees. A new policy was announced, allowing fires to burn unless they threatened commercial timber or came close to populated areas.

“This month we’ve seen just how quickly forest fires can grow and advance rapidly towards homes and businesses,” Hart said.

“We have to ask whether earlier intervention would have brought some fires under control before they threatened communities and forced evacuations.”

Hart said it’s also time to take another look at the role private aircraft might play in improving fire protection.

“SEAT (Single Engine Air Tanker) programs are now operating in Manitoba, Alberta, New Brunswick and Ontario,” Hart said.

“The industry has offered to help, yet the NDP has turned its back on what could be an effective way to enhance the protection of people and property.”

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For more information, Saskatchewan Party Caucus Regina, 787-4300

SASKATOON—Nearly 200 people from across Saskatchewan have challenged Premier Calvert to drive their highways as part of the Saskatchewan Party’s highway campaign. Today Highways and Transportation critic Randy Weekes said he hopes the Premier will accept the challenge to travel some of Saskatchewan’s worst highways.
 
“Today’s announcement marks a month long collection of testimonials, photographs and stories from Saskatchewan residents concerned about the state of their highways,” Weekes said.  “With nearly 200 invitations for the Premier to travel some 34 different highways, there was definitely no shortage of prospects for the Premier’s Challenge Route.”

The route includes Highway 368 from Lake Lenore to St. Brieux, Highway 310 from Ituna to Foam Lake, Highway 22 from Southey to Earl Grey, Highway 13 from Cadillac to Instow, and Highway 32 from Swift Current to Leader.  Click here for a map. Click here for a list of all the highways the Premier was invited to travel down this summer.

“The highways on this tour represent a number of areas of the province, including areas with significant economic development either in manufacturing or oil and gas development, areas that are cut off from health services because of poor road conditions, areas where basic safety is a concern, and other areas where local tourism is affected,” Weekes said.

“One clear message being sent by Saskatchewan people is that the NDP has no problem taking resources from these areas, and collecting the taxes and royalty cheques, but they fail to re-invest in those areas by providing a decent road.”

Weekes said the response to the campaign illustrates the need for the government to conduct an economic assessment of all Saskatchewan’s highways, the need to prioritize a road repair schedule, and the need for a long-term four-year rolling plan for highway repair and construction.

“The NDP have failed to provide the people of Saskatchewan with a proper long-term plan for the province’s aging infrastructure,” Weekes said.  “Sixteen years of neglect from the NDP government cannot be fixed overnight, but at the very least the government should have a plan.”
 
Weekes said the NDP’s latest announcement about changing primary weights is a perfect example of the NDP’s inability to plan.

“If these roads had the capacity to handle primary weights all along, why were they restricted?” Weekes asked.  “The announcement was more about politics than offering a long-term plan for our highways.  This government isn’t able to keep up with regular highways maintenance, and now they are adding a greater maintenance burden under this ill-conceived plan.”
 
Weekes said he would personally drive Premier Calvert on the route if that would make accepting the invitation easier.

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For more information, Saskatchewan Party Caucus, Regina, 787-4300.

REGINA—Saskatchewan’s population under the Calvert NDP continues to fall, according to figures released this morning by Statistics Canada. Saskatchewan lost 1,950 people in the first quarter of 2006.

“Despite unprecedented natural resource revenues, our most valuable resource—young people—continue to believe their best chances for jobs and opportunities lie outside our borders,” Saskatchewan Party Finance Critic Ken Cheveldayoff said.

“Young people are saying they’ll get left behind unless they move away. There should be plenty of opportunities for them here, yet the Calvert NDP continues to fail them.” Cheveldayoff notes population has fallen steadily since Lorne Calvert took office—from 1,003,688 in January 1991 to 988,980 in April 2006.

For a population chart and graph, click here.

Cheveldayoff notes Saskatchewan’s population has now dropped below 990,000 for the first time since July of 1982.

“A few of us can still remember what was going on then—Trudeau was our Prime Minister, Reagan was President of the United States, Dallas was the number one show on TV and Rosanna by Toto was the number one song on radio,” Cheveldayoff said. “We can’t afford to keep risking our collective future by relying on an NDP government that can’t even beat the performance level set over 20 years ago.”

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For more information, Saskatchewan Party Caucus Regina, 787-4300.

REGINA—Saskatchewan Party MLA June Draude today said NDP Premier Lorne Calvert must replace Community Resources Minister Buckley Belanger in the wake of the Provincial Auditor’s recent report into Regina’s troubled Oyate Safe House.

“This minister needs to be replaced by someone who takes this issue seriously,” Draude said.

Draude said in light of the Provincial Auditor’s recent investigative report into the Oyate Safe House, it is now clear that the Minister provided misleading answers to written questions asked by the Official Opposition during the Spring Session.

“The answers provided by this minister to legislators fly in the face of the information contained in the auditor’s report,” Draude said.  “How can we trust this minister to fix the problem when he can’t even provide accurate information on the Oyate Safe House to legislators?”

Click here to read a comparison of the Minister's answers and comments with the information contained in the Provincial Auditor's report on the Oyate Safe House.

Draude said she is very frustrated that the NDP government would hand over the care of children who are sexually exploited to an organization without any experience in the area and that the department did not undertake regular follow up to ensure all problems were being dealt with.

“What really saddens me is that if the minister and his department had followed the recommendations of the Special Committee to Prevent the Abuse and Exploitation of Children Through the Sex Trade, these children probably wouldn’t be caught up in this tragic situation,” Draude said.  “Not once have I heard this minister apologize to the children who ended up running away from what was supposed to be a safe refuge from the streets of Regina.”

“Children trying to escape the sex trade deserve to have safe houses that adequately address their needs in a culturally sensitive manner.  The government and First Nations people must be involved in the healing process and the counseling of these young people.  Unfortunately, these children’s health and well-being was jeopardized by the NDP government cutting corners.”

Draude again called for a comprehensive risk-assessment of community based organizations dealing with children and families.

“Last week after the Weyburn-Big Muddy by-election, Lorne Calvert said he heard the message and that he’s listening to the people of Saskatchewan,” Draude said.  “What I want to know is if he’s really paying attention to the horrific problems of sexually exploited children living under this government’s care.  The Premier must replace the Community Resources Minister with someone who’s willing to take this issue seriously.”

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For more information, Saskatchewan Party Caucus, Regina, 787-4300. 

REGINA-Saskatchewan Party MLA Elwin Hermanson today announced that he will not be running in the next provincial election.  Hermanson will continue to serve as the MLA for Rosetown-Elrose until the election is called.

“It has been an honour to serve the people of Rosetown-Elrose for the past seven years as their MLA but it’s now time for me to move on,” Hermanson said.  “I know we will find an excellent new candidate to become the new Saskatchewan Party MLA for Rosetown-Elrose.”

Hermanson was elected the first Leader of the newly-formed Saskatchewan Party in 1998.  He was elected to the Legislature and became Leader of the Opposition in 1999.  Hermanson was re-elected in 2003 and stepped down as Leader of the party in 2004.

Saskatchewan Party Leader Brad Wall praised Hermanson for his tremendous contribution to the Saskatchewan Party and to the province.

“Without Elwin Hermanson, there may not be a Saskatchewan Party today,” Wall said.  “He became Leader at a time when people were still wondering whether this party would ever really get off the ground. 

“Elwin’s leadership built this party.  On behalf of the entire Saskatchewan Party, I want to say thank you to Elwin Hermanson.”

“Since the leadership change, Elwin has been a great support and source of advice to me.  I will always remember his generosity to me as his successor.”

Hermanson said he has no specific plans in place for after his term as an MLA ends.

“I have more dreams and goals than I have time to fulfill them so by not seeking re-election, I can start to consider new involvement in different areas.”

 
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For further information: Saskatchewan Party Caucus, Regina, 787-4300

REGINA—Saskatchewan Party MLA Donna Harpauer today said the Baby Paige report acknowledges failures in communication and coordination previously identified by the Saskatchewan Party, but fails to answer why there was a failure to provide a timely diagnosis for Baby Paige.

“The NDP government still hasn’t answered the fundamental question, why Baby Paige was in the Saskatchewan health system for a month without a diagnosis, but then was able to be diagnosed within 24 hours upon being admitted to the Stollery Children’s Hospital in Edmonton,” Harpauer said. “Clearly the health care system failed Baby Paige and her family in a number of areas including communication, coordination and access to care.”

Harpauer said that while she is pleased with the recommendations being made in the report, she noted that the Saskatchewan Party has been advocating for many of these changes for a number of years.

“We know that our medical professionals need to be better educated about the out-of-province referral process.  We know there must be better continuity of care and better communication between health care providers, patients, families and health regions.  We know we need a seamless referral system.  And we know that nurses and other health care professionals are being worked off their feet and as a result, documentation of a case may be ‘less than optimal’,” Harpauer said.

“These are issues the Saskatchewan Party has been talking about long before Baby Paige’s family was forced to flee to Edmonton because they couldn’t access timely care in Saskatchewan.”

Harpauer said it is important that all the recommendations in the report are indeed implemented.  She said while she agrees that the role of Quality Care Coordinators must be better publicized, she says the government must also undertake a review of the job Quality Care Coordinators do and ensure that their job is results oriented.

“This wasn’t a case of the Hansen family not knowing about the Quality Care coordinators,” Harpauer said.  “In fact, the Hansen family was in touch with the Quality Care Coordinator on a number of occasions and the only recommendation from the coordinator was that the family should go back to their family doctor.”

“This NDP government has taken three months to deliver a report filled with irrelevant information and lacking an explanation as to why the system failed Baby Paige.”

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For more information, Saskatchewan Party Caucus, Regina, 787-4300.

“We have no evidence there has been any problems, we have no evidence they did not respond to the issues.”

- Buckley Belanger, Minister, Community Resources, Regina Leader Post March 15, 2006

“During 2003 to 2005, DCR received allegations of inappropriate care of the children, a sexual assault on a child, unfair labour practices, and misuses of public money.” “DCR did not always take appropriate action to remedy those concerns…DCR was unable to show us who at DCR received these papers, what corrective actions were proposed, and what, if any, remedies DCR took when Oyate did not correct the problems”

- Report of the Provincial Auditor on the Oyate Safe House, June 2006, Pgs. 6 and 25

REGINA—Saskatchewan Party MLA June Draude says today’s report from the Provincial Auditor on the Oyate Safe House is a scathing example of the NDP government’s disregard for the safety of  children in serious need of help.

“These kids deserved better, and it’s clear from this report that they didn’t get the care they needed,” Draude said.  “This NDP government clearly knew about all the problems for at least two years and chose to do nothing by turning their backs on the most vulnerable children in Regina.”
 
Because of the Saskatchewan Party’s request to the Public Accounts Committee for a special investigation by the Provincial Auditor in March of this year, it is now clear that:

• DCR did not closely supervise Oyate or take corrective action when it became aware of the allegations;
• DCR did not safeguard public money and ensure it was used for the purposes intended;
• DCR was unable to provide documentation showing why Oyate was awarded the contract for the safe house;
• DCR did not have a process to keep informed of serious problems and did not know if program objectives were being met.

“The results of the auditor’s investigation are shocking.  Not only was children’s safety put at risk, but the NDP government failed to take action when it knew about serious problems,” Draude said. 

The Saskatchewan Party is calling on the NDP government to adopt all of the auditor’s recommendations, particularly the recommendation regarding a comprehensive risk-assessment of all community based organizations providing services to families and children.

“Unless we have this review, how can we be confident that kids are safe and that the money the government is spending on keeping kids safe is actually helping them?” Draude said. “There was a failure both on the part of the NDP government and the Oyate Safe House board. We must ensure this never happens again.” 

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For more information, Saskatchewan Party Caucus Regina, 787-4300.

PORCUPINE PLAIN—After touring the Porcupine Plain area today, Saskatchewan Party Leader Brad Wall announced his support for more disaster assistance for farm families in the disaster stricken area.

“When you see this first hand, you recognize the extent of the devastation,” Wall said.  “These people need help and they need it now.”

Producers in the area are asking for an additional $25 per acre in disaster relief.  This would be in addition to the $15 per acre already allocated by the federal government.

Wall says the additional $25 per acre should be cost shared between the federal and provincial governments using the traditional 60/40 split.  Based on estimates of one million acres that have gone unseeded as a result of floods that have ravaged the area this spring, the province’s share would be roughly $10 million.  This disaster relief would help producers regardless of whether or not they are enrolled in Crop Insurance.

“An extra $25 per acre payment would bring support for these farmers in line with what producers received during similar floods in 1999 in the southeast corner of the province,” Wall said. 

The Dartmouth Flood Observatory reports that the flood in the Porcupine Plain region is the worst the area has experienced in 60 years.