Regina Walsh Acres NDP riding association president was removed from her position by the NDP headquarters over an allegation of harassment. Then to make matters even more bizarre, the article states that Sandra Morin was placed as the president of the riding association. But Sandra Moring is running as an independent against the NDP.
It goes from bad to really bizarre.
On Twitter I found a guy who is going to post thirty different things the Saskatchewan Party has done in the last four years, one for each day leading up to the election. I don't know if I should disclose his name but I will certainly include his picks in this thread as they come.
Day One: Social Services minister cuts out funeral services for people on social services.
https://www.google.ca/amp/s/www.cbc.ca/amp/1.4093711
May 01, 2017
"Saskatchewan's minister of social services says she feels for people who will no longer have funeral services provided for their loves ones in the province.
"I'm certainly not a heartless person," Tina Beaudry-Mellor told reporters after the issue was raised in question period on Monday afternoon."
Day 2
April 02, 2017
Saskatchewan government scraps province's 44 year old hearing aid plan leaving people unable to hear.
https://www.google.ca/amp/s/www.cbc.ca/amp/1.4051561
"In the provincial budget unveiled last month, provincial officials said they had to make cuts to rein in the growing provincial debt."
Day 3:
April 11, 2017
MLA orders a background check on a constituent before replying to her email and says response will be "epic". He sent the background check email request to the constituent by mistake. Oops! But they don't order background checks on constituents, they represent all their constituents equally. And the word "epic" was just a flippant remark.
Nothing to see here folks! No flagrant abuse of power!
Day 4
Saskatchewan government cuts back on the food allowances for people on disability.
"Brad Cavanagh gave up the idea of fruits and vegetables in his shopping cart, years ago — but not by choice...
Most days, his diet consists of toast or cereal, but his doctor said that’s not enough.
SAID currently allots him $480 per month, but after program cuts he’ll receive $150.
According to Cavanagh, the money is supposed to cover the cost of food, clothing and other necessities such as soap or a toothbrush."
In another article,
https://wwwa.google.ca/amp/s/www.cbc.ca/amp/1.4389386
""The $125 bucks you get for a month of food isn't enough to meet the nutritional needs, and yet they're willing to pay for pills and everything."
The diet benefit change is expected to affect 760 people on Saskatchewan Assured Income for Disability program, and 600 people on the Saskatchewan Assistance Program, according to the Ministry of Social Services.
A message for the Sask. Party
"I would like to see the Sask. Party increase the food budget up to a maximum of $300," said Hall, a longtime advocate for people with disabilities. "It hasn't been increased in 32 years — that includes a couple of NDP governments.""
Day 5
June 08, 2017
Saskatchewan Party hiked the fees for half the residents living in long term care facilities. Some residents will pay 30% more to live in long term care facilities.
https://www.google.ca/amp/s/www.cbc.ca/amp/1.3195582
A Saskatoon care aid who disclosed details of working conditions at the legislature lost his job after Premier Brad Wall's office released private information about him to the media.
The premier's office was not covered by the government's privacy laws.
Day 6
October 12, 2017
Donna Harpauer, then Social Services Minister wanted to bipass the Public Service Commission and hire someone as a top advisor who had previously worked on her election campaign.
https://www.google.ca/amp/s/www.cbc.ca/amp/1.4348337
"The Public Service Commission is getting all crappy about us hiring people without open competition … Blah … Blah … Blah. Lots of fun. I really don't care what they think!"
The article goes on...
"In an effort to change that culture, she planned to bring on Korol.
She wrote that her then-chief of staff, Laurie Pushor, was "working hard to get around all the barriers in making changes to the public servants," and he was working on finding a "back door" approach for Korol's hiring.
"It will get your foot in the door … The back door that is … And although I doubt the PSC will be happy about it I don't think it can be reversed," she wrote."
And...
"On July 2, 2008, she told Korol he could expect a call soon for a job interview.
"Formality to appease everyone. Laurie is aware that even though you will be hired, you may not be able to start right away."
She said the Premier's Office was in the loop.
"The powers that be in executive council are already aware that I intend on hiring you and they are prepared to appoint you through an order in council if the rules and procedures of the PSC become a problem," Harpauer wrote.
When asked earlier this month about her approach to hiring Korol, she wrote, "Mr. Korol was hired by OC [Order in Council], which is well within my authority as the minister responsible.""
Well, she fired him after nine months so he went public with these private emails from her disclosing to the media that they used a private server for sensitive material to avoid "transparency".
Oops!
John Gormley, a former PC MP and talk show host, disclosed personal information over the radio about critics of the Saskatchewan Party government and encouraged listeners to harass them.
"Those partisan donations raise questions in light of formal complaints obtained by PressProgress detailing allegations that Gormley broadcasted personal information about Sask Party critics over the radio — many of whom are women — exposing them to harassment from the right-wing radio host’s listeners."
Moe has dropped the election writ. The most recent poll on September 16th, according to Wikipedia, had the Saskatchewan Party at 53%, NDP at 25%, PCs 12%, Liberals 8%, Greens 0.5%.
The leader of the Saskatchewan Party, Scott Moe, met with Lt.-Gov. Russ Mirasty Tuesday morning and asked him to dissolve the legislative assembly in order for the province's 29th election to begin. The province will go to the polls on Oct. 26.
He then launched his campaign just before noon at the Regina campaign office, repeating a question sure to be heard throughout the next 28 days: "Who do you trust to lead Saskatchewan's economic recovery?" He added: "I know this for sure. It isn't the NDP." ...
Saskatchewan Party politicians have said they want to balance the budget by 2024. The government recently projected a $2.1-billion deficit for 2020-21.
NDP Leader Ryan Meili, meanwhile, dug into this plan when he kicked off his campaign at the legislature — asking how voters could trust a politician who "didn't even know we were in a recession."
The province has been in economic decline since before the pandemic, and Meili warned that a vote for the Saskatchewan Party means four years of "austerity on steroids."
"We've seen this austerity playbook before," he said, citing cuts to health and education, the attempted sell-offs of SaskTel and the Crown insurance company SGI, and the closure of the provincial bus service.
Meili repeated promises already laid out by the NDP: to bring in affordable child care, an increased minimum wage and smaller class sizes. ...
There are currently six registered political parties in Saskatchewan: the Buffalo Party of Saskatchewan, the Saskatchewan New Democratic Party (NDP), the Progressive Conservative Party of Saskatchewan, the Saskatchewan Green Party, the Saskatchewan Liberal Party and the Saskatchewan Party.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saskatchewan/sask-election-campaign-kicks...
Here's a look at the leaders of the six parties in the election. The Buffalo Party wants independence for Saskatchewan.
https://regina.ctvnews.ca/meet-the-6-leaders-running-in-the-saskatchewan...
Here's a look at the leaders of the six parties in the election. The Buffalo Party wants independence for Saskatchewan.
https://regina.ctvnews.ca/meet-the-6-leaders-running-in-the-saskatchewan...
Buffalo Party. Ya well, that's a bunch of bull...!!!
Moe has dropped the election writ. The most recent poll on September 16th, according to Wikipedia, had the Saskatchewan Party at 53%, NDP at 25%, PCs 12%, Liberals 8%, Greens 0.5%.
The leader of the Saskatchewan Party, Scott Moe, met with Lt.-Gov. Russ Mirasty Tuesday morning and asked him to dissolve the legislative assembly in order for the province's 29th election to begin. The province will go to the polls on Oct. 26.
He then launched his campaign just before noon at the Regina campaign office, repeating a question sure to be heard throughout the next 28 days: "Who do you trust to lead Saskatchewan's economic recovery?" He added: "I know this for sure. It isn't the NDP." ...
Saskatchewan Party politicians have said they want to balance the budget by 2024. The government recently projected a $2.1-billion deficit for 2020-21.
NDP Leader Ryan Meili, meanwhile, dug into this plan when he kicked off his campaign at the legislature — asking how voters could trust a politician who "didn't even know we were in a recession."
The province has been in economic decline since before the pandemic, and Meili warned that a vote for the Saskatchewan Party means four years of "austerity on steroids."
"We've seen this austerity playbook before," he said, citing cuts to health and education, the attempted sell-offs of SaskTel and the Crown insurance company SGI, and the closure of the provincial bus service.
Meili repeated promises already laid out by the NDP: to bring in affordable child care, an increased minimum wage and smaller class sizes. ...
There are currently six registered political parties in Saskatchewan: the Buffalo Party of Saskatchewan, the Saskatchewan New Democratic Party (NDP), the Progressive Conservative Party of Saskatchewan, the Saskatchewan Green Party, the Saskatchewan Liberal Party and the Saskatchewan Party.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saskatchewan/sask-election-campaign-kicks...
The PCSask Party is really the Party to watch. The Sask Party won the last election with 64% of the popular vote. They are starting off now with 53%.
The PC Sask Party normally places a distant forth or fifth with 1-2% of the popular vote. They are starting off their campaign at 12% which is normally unheard of. Roughly 10% of the Sask Party vote has shifted to the PC Sask Party and the election hasn't even started.
There is real anger in rural Saskatchewan. The government closed down emergency rooms in some rural communities to make space for the anticipated covid surge which didn't happen. They didn't plan on reopening them either due to the surging deficit problems the government is mired in. There was a backlash. People in Saskatchewan are scared and angry. They don't like the debt, and Scott Moe is not Brad Wall.
The Liberals will not be a factor at all. Their party leader quit just weeks ago which is not a good sign and have an acting interim leader. Their interim leader is a follower of the heathen religion which social conservatives will not be warm to, and it doesn't look to get better for the party with the leadership chang either. I know more but won't comment.
If the Buffalo Party take away votes it will be from the Saskatchewan Party.
Day 7 of very bad things the Saskatchewan government did or tried to do.
2017 Massive Cuts to Public Libraries
https://journal.lib.uoguelph.ca/index.php/perj/article/view/4060
Article Heading: "The Saskatchewan Spring of 2017: 34 Days that Shook the Province and Led to the Provincial Government Reinstating Funding to Public Libraries"
Article Abstract: "On March 22, 2017, the Government of Saskatchewan tabled its budget for fiscal year 2017-2018. There were deep cuts in many sectors. One of the biggest budget cuts percentage-wise was to public libraries. The Ministry of Education announced that 100% of operating grant funding ($1.3 million) to the province’s two largest municipal library systems (Regina and Saskatoon) would be eliminated. Additionally, seven of eight regional library systems would have a 58% reduction of $3.5 million in operating funding from the government (Ministry of Education, 2017). Reaction to the news was immediate and support within and outside Saskatchewan grew quickly to have the decision reversed. This article describes the incredible series of events made by the general public and key stakeholders in the library community that led to the Government of Saskatchewan reinstating all funding for 2017-2018 to public libraries 34 days after the budget was tabled."
On Day 3 posted above Saskatoon MLA Eric Olauson ordered a background check on a constituent inquiring about cuts to the libraries and wrote that the response would be "epic". These were the library cuts in question.
Also, earlier today, I posted that John Gormley deliberately disclosed personal information about female protestors of the library cuts on the air of his radio call in show and encouraged right wingers to harass these women.
Well, these were the library cuts in question, and this is an example of how the government felt that they would handle the public reaction to their decision.
To them, people don't need to read. Low income people don't need to hear. Disabled people on assistance don't need to eat fruit and vegetables . Unemployed people don't need funerals; just dig a hole and throw them in the ground.
Here's a look at the leaders of the six parties in the election. The Buffalo Party wants independence for Saskatchewan.
https://regina.ctvnews.ca/meet-the-6-leaders-running-in-the-saskatchewan...
Buffalo Party. Ya well, that's a bunch of bull...!!!
If they won, would the headline read "SASKATCHEWAN GETS BUFFALOED!"?
And would the 200th anniversary of that result be called "The Bisontennial"?
"You've been a great audience, I'll be here all week. Try the 'Prairie Oysters!', and remember to tip your server!"
Well, what would the mother country say if Saskatchewan did decide to separate?
I'm thinking, "Bye son!"
Day 7 of very bad things the Saskatchewan government did or tried to do.2017 Massive Cuts to Public Libraries
https://journal.lib.uoguelph.ca/index.php/perj/article/view/4060
Article Heading: "The Saskatchewan Spring of 2017: 34 Days that Shook the Province and Led to the Provincial Government Reinstating Funding to Public Libraries"
Article Abstract: "On March 22, 2017, the Government of Saskatchewan tabled its budget for fiscal year 2017-2018. There were deep cuts in many sectors. One of the biggest budget cuts percentage-wise was to public libraries. The Ministry of Education announced that 100% of operating grant funding ($1.3 million) to the province’s two largest municipal library systems (Regina and Saskatoon) would be eliminated. Additionally, seven of eight regional library systems would have a 58% reduction of $3.5 million in operating funding from the government (Ministry of Education, 2017). Reaction to the news was immediate and support within and outside Saskatchewan grew quickly to have the decision reversed. This article describes the incredible series of events made by the general public and key stakeholders in the library community that led to the Government of Saskatchewan reinstating all funding for 2017-2018 to public libraries 34 days after the budget was tabled."
On Day 3 posted above Saskatoon MLA Eric Olauson ordered a background check on a constituent inquiring about cuts to the libraries and wrote that the response would be "epic". These were the library cuts in question.
Also, earlier today, I posted that John Gormley deliberately disclosed personal information about female protestors of the library cuts on the air of his radio call in show and encouraged right wingers to harass these women.
Well, these were the library cuts in question, and this is an example of how the government felt that they would handle the public reaction to their decision.
To them, people don't need to read. Low income people don't need to hear. Disabled people on assistance don't need to eat fruit and vegetables . Unemployed people don't need funerals; just dig a hole and throw them in the ground.
Ironically enough, the construction of a new downtown library in Saskatoon is proving to be a contentious issue, with former Sask Party MLA and mayoral candiate Rob Norris opposed.
Day 8:
Bill 40 was introduced in May 2017 to allow the government to sell off up to 49% of any crown corporation in the province.
Public outcry put a stop to the idea, but in August 2019, or two years later, the NDP found out that the government had actually been closer to selling off Sask Tel than they had ever let on. The NDP unearthed documents of a government secret committee, and plans were already underway to privatize the crown corporation.
"The NDP’s allegations stem from a freedom of information request submitted to SaskTel for any documents referencing any offers or purchases of equity stakes in SaskTel from May 1, to Aug. 18, 2017.
“We’ve learned … that the plans … around the sell off of our crown jewel, SaskTel, were much further advanced and way further down the road than they ever, ever pretended,” NDP finance critic Trent Wotherspoon told reporters Friday. “They had actual proposals that were going back and forth with two potential buyers.”"
From the same August 2019 article:
"Premier Moe has been clear that our government has no intention of privatizing Saskatchewan’s crown corporations, including SaskTel,” said the statement."
The Saskatchewan government sold off STC. How could Scott Moe say that they have no intention of selling off any crown corporations when that is exactly what they did.
The government also opened the province to private, for profit liquor stores to directly compete with and undermine the provincially owned liquor stores. It is a decision designed to deliberately sabotage their crown corporation.
Bill 40 and the secret committee happened in the spring and summer of 2017. That is the very same spring when they took away the hearing aid plan for low income residents, cut back on the food allowance for low income residents with disabilities, hiked the rents in long-term care facilities for seniors on fixed incomes, underfunded staffing in senior care homes, and scrapped funerals for people living on social assistance.
Scott Moe introduces plans for a $4 BILLION irrigation project at Lake Diefenbaker
https://www.saskatchewan.ca/government/news-and-media/2020/july/02/irrigation-project
The province is $23.5 billion in debt. They had to borrow $300 million in the spring of 2020 to cover expenditures. They have attacked and sold crown assets.. They have implemented drastic austerity measures against the poor and most vulnerable. They tried to shut down 13 rural hospitals in the province this past summer. Yet they can afford to spend money on a $4 billion irrigation project that will benefit few farmers in the province.
Rabble ran an article on the Saskatchewan NDP called, "Can the Saskatchewan NDP catch up with the future?"
https://rabble.ca/blogs/bloggers/views-expressed/2020/09/can-saskatchewan-ndp-catch-future
The article has some misleading parts to it which require clarification.
1. The article claims that the NDP heritage fund was empty before the end of the NDP's final term. The article says:
"Some call these the "golden years" of Saskatchewan's social democracy. But huge public investments, including some redirected from lucrative gas, oil and potash revenues, went into expanding the uranium industry under the Blakeney NDP (1971-82). By the end of its final term its own heritage fund was empty. "
Actually, this was the Progressive Conservstive's line that they repeated throughout their mandate. They claimed that the NDP lied about the heritage fund and said that the fund was already empty by the time they took office.
https://www.uregina.ca/arts/economics/assets/docs/pdf/papers/109.pdf
I'm not going to paste the history and overview of the heritage fund but it starts on page 4 and continues to the end of page 5. Both NDP and PC governments tapped into the heritage fund throughout the late 70s and 80s to invest in government infrastructural projects.
2. The article mentions under the subheading "The NDP's neoliberal legacy" the following:
"The Saskatchewan NDP talks a lot about protecting our Crowns. But it doesn't mention what happened to the NDP's star Crowns in the resource sector: the Sask. Mining Development Corp. (SMDC), Potash Corp. of Sask. and Sask. Oil, all created in the early 1970s. "
One can naturally assume from this paragraph that the NDP were the ones who were responsible for the privatization of these crown corporations. Here is the truth.
1. Potash Corporation of Saskatchewan.
https://archive.macleans.ca/article/1989/3/6/privatizing-the-symbols
"Since his re-election in 1987, the province has sold almost $700 million in assets, and now plans are almost final to sell another $1.5 billion worth, including the giant PCS and the Saskatchewan Mining Development Corp. Devine says that money raised from the sale will be used to erase part of the $3.3 billion in annual deficits that Saskatchewan has accumulated. But critics say that the premier is blinded by ideology and that his actions will erode the province’s economy."
It is worth noting here that in 1987, the PC's were in office and it was the PC's who sold off the crown corporation. The critics who said that Grant Devine was blinded by ideology and that his actions will erode the economy were the NDP.
2. The Saskatchewan Mining Development Corporation (SMDC)
According to the same MacLean's article,"The government is also attempting to privatize the world’s largest uranium producer. Last year, Ottawa and the province merged the federally owned Eldorado Nuclear Ltd. and the Saskatoon-based Saskatchewan Mining Development Corp. to create Cameco-A Canadian Mining & Energy Corp., with assets of $1.5 billion. Now the government wants to sell its position in Cameco through a share issue in the new firm. Like the PCS, the Crown mining corporation was an NDP policy instrument. Chartered in 1974, it was given the mandate to become a major developer in the province’s booming mining sector—particularly uranium...As part of its privatization effort, Devine’s government is pushing a parallel political agenda aimed at winning popular support."
In 1994, 1996, and 2002, the NDP government did sell off its shares in the company in three pieces in order to generate revenues. That was the NDP's doing.
3. Sask Oil
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saskatchewan_Oil_%26_Gas_Corporation
"Saskatchewan Oil & Gas Corporation, also known as SaskOil, was a Canadian Crown corporation owned by the Government of Saskatchewan from 1973-1986, after which the company went public under the name Wascana Energy Inc. In 1987, the last remaining government interest in the corporation was sold to Canadian Occidental Petroleum and in 1997 it was bought entirely by Canadian Occidental."
All three crown corporations were sold off by the PC Government of Saskatchewan in 1987 after the PC's had fully exhsusted all the money in the Heritage Fund that they always denied had ever existed.
Eric Berntson, the former Deputy Premier of Saskatchewan, sneered at the NDP in the Saskatchewan Legislsture at the time and vowed that "the PC government was going to do everything in its power to ensure that the NDP never gets its hands on this province ever again."
The author of the article is correct that the Saskatchewan Party Government is privatizing crowns on an incremental basis to avoid public panic. I agree that this needs to be addressed during the campaign by the NDP.
Day 9 The Minimum Wage
October 01, 2020 Saskatchewan minimum wage went up $0.13 per hour.
We had the lowest minimum wage in Canada before today and we still have the lowest minimum wage in Canada!
Well, at least they didn't slash the wage like they did the food allowance for persons living with disabilities.
If the Sask NDP ever DOES get back into power, it really needs to avoid putting deficit reduction over all other issues. In many respects, the party has never recovered from Romanow's austerity obsession- he broke faith with the poor by putting the goal of balancing the budgets without taxing the rich before common humanity, and convinced much of the NDP base that electing an NDP government in the province was pointless.
The Sask NDP mythology of Tommy led to that budget obsession. Tommy balanced the books so his government would not be in debt to the bankers. It was one of his core philosophical ideals. He didn't introduce health care until he had been in power for decades and had balanced the finances of the bankrupt province he got elected to lead. It strangely enough comes from a deep hatred of capitalism and its financial claws.
If the Sask NDP ever DOES get back into power, it really needs to avoid putting deficit reduction over all other issues. In many respects, the party has never recovered from Romanow's austerity obsession- he broke faith with the poor by putting the goal of balancing the budgets without taxing the rich before common humanity, and convinced much of the NDP base that electing an NDP government in the province was pointless.
The Sask NDP mythology of Tommy led to that budget obsession. Tommy balanced the books so his government would not be in debt to the bankers. It was one of his core philosophical ideals. He didn't introduce health care until he had been in power for decades and had balanced the finances of the bankrupt province he got elected to lead. It strangely enough comes from a deep hatred of capitalism and its financial claws.
I'm aware that Tommy set a lot of store in balancing the books.
One major difference between Tommy and the Romanow/Broten SNDP, though- Tommy didn't balance the books exclusively, or even primarily, by cutting spending, he went out of his way to avoid making any cuts to benefits, and unlike Romanow, he was willing to do what an NDP premier is SUPPOSED to do in a situation like that- raise taxes on the rich.
If the NDP ever does come to power in Saskatchewan again, it will need to show the courage Tommy showed, and if sacrifices are needed to balance the budgets, it will need to ask the wealthy to be the first to make those sacrifices.
Meili defends candidate under attack from Sask Party over energy issue:
Meili said Conway's comments are not the policy of the Saskatchewan NDP.
"We support the energy industry in this province. We support the men and women who do those jobs that has contributed an incredible amount to our province. We want to make sure we can get the resources here in this province to international markets, and that includes, through pipelines, a safe way for us to transport those materials," said Meili.
"All of our candidates agree with our party policy. That's part of the process of becoming a candidate. And we know that all of our candidates support the working men and women of this industry."
Conway was not at NDP's Monday announcement outside of Pasqua Hospital in Regina even though it took place in the constituency of Regina Elphinstone-Centre, where she is currently running.
Conway released a comment Monday afternoon:
"Ryan has been clear that oil and gas are a big part of our economy and will be for the future. I'm proud of the balanced approach he and the Saskatchewan NDP have articulated, which includes investments into renewable energy that would create sustainable, well-paying jobs for energy sector workers.
And I am of course very concerned about the impacts of climate change — and I know that Saskatchewan families agree with me on this."
Conway said her job as a candidate and hopeful MLA is to represent the "interests of everyone in the province."
"I will always stand up for the interests of Indigenous communities, individuals worried about the effects of climate change and the concerns of oil and gas workers who are worried about good, sustainable jobs," Conway said.
Pretty weak defense by Meili if you ask me. The Saskatchewan Party has branded oil and gas as essential to the Saskatchewan economy. The NDP should have known this candidate's remarks were going to be an issue and issued a better response. Deleting Facebook posts, waxing poetic about the "energy industry," and attempting to triangulate concern with oil workers keeping their jobs and mitigating climate change is not cutting it. Nobody who is pro-oil-and-gas is going to believe this reversal anyways. What the NDP needed was a clear and coherent message that said, "energy production in Saskatchewan needs to change to meet the climate crisis and benefit the Saskatchewan economy, this is how our plan achieves that and how it's better than what Moe is offering." The NDP failed miserably in that regard.
Day 10: The Failure if the Global Transportation Hub
https://twitter.com/eric_bellmb/status/1312230227691462656?s=21
"The Global Transportation Hub was in the news today, so let’s look at that. There is SO much one could say about the GTH, and how badly the @SaskParty screwed things up, but they can’t sell even an acre of land and the place is losing millions."
Day 11: 1 in 4 children are living in poverty.
https://twitter.com/eric_bellmb/status/1312606956415148032?s=21
"1 in 4 Sask. kids live in poverty. The @SaskParty has no plan to do anything about this. They also simply do not care. Kids in poverty cant vote."
Meili defends candidate under attack from Sask Party over energy issue:
Meili said Conway's comments are not the policy of the Saskatchewan NDP.
"We support the energy industry in this province. We support the men and women who do those jobs that has contributed an incredible amount to our province. We want to make sure we can get the resources here in this province to international markets, and that includes, through pipelines, a safe way for us to transport those materials," said Meili.
"All of our candidates agree with our party policy. That's part of the process of becoming a candidate. And we know that all of our candidates support the working men and women of this industry."
Conway was not at NDP's Monday announcement outside of Pasqua Hospital in Regina even though it took place in the constituency of Regina Elphinstone-Centre, where she is currently running.
Conway released a comment Monday afternoon:
"Ryan has been clear that oil and gas are a big part of our economy and will be for the future. I'm proud of the balanced approach he and the Saskatchewan NDP have articulated, which includes investments into renewable energy that would create sustainable, well-paying jobs for energy sector workers.
And I am of course very concerned about the impacts of climate change — and I know that Saskatchewan families agree with me on this."
Conway said her job as a candidate and hopeful MLA is to represent the "interests of everyone in the province."
"I will always stand up for the interests of Indigenous communities, individuals worried about the effects of climate change and the concerns of oil and gas workers who are worried about good, sustainable jobs," Conway said.
Pretty weak defense by Meili if you ask me. The Saskatchewan Party has branded oil and gas as essential to the Saskatchewan economy. The NDP should have known this candidate's remarks were going to be an issue and issued a better response. Deleting Facebook posts, waxing poetic about the "energy industry," and attempting to triangulate concern with oil workers keeping their jobs and mitigating climate change is not cutting it. Nobody who is pro-oil-and-gas is going to believe this reversal anyways. What the NDP needed was a clear and coherent message that said, "energy production in Saskatchewan needs to change to meet the climate crisis and benefit the Saskatchewan economy, this is how our plan achieves that and how it's better than what Moe is offering." The NDP failed miserably in that regard.
Ari wrote: "The NDP should have known this candidate's remarks were going to be an issue and issued a better response."
A bulk of their candidates were nominated just days before the election writ was dropped. I can assure you that they have not been adequately screened when you leave so much to the very last minute.
This candidate is concerned about climate change and speaks for the need for renewable energy choices which will enhance the economy. It's pretty bad that this is even considered a controversial topic.
Yes, this should have been handled better.
We all know that the Sask Party is going to go to war with environmental activists within the party. You would've thought that the Sask NDP would have had an action plan prepared in anticipation of this going into the election.
I have always perceived Ryan Meili as being a lazy and useless dud. Elections are not jokes. You have to be proactive and channel negativity into positive messsges. He is just reacting on the defensive to Sask Party attacks.
I just checked, and that candidate is from Elphinstone Centre. That is essentially a safe NDP seat. They should not have had any problems finding a candidate for that area, giving the candidate time, doing the proper screening, etc. The candidate for this particular constituency should have been in place a long time ago, along with being prepared to properly defend her under scrutiny or pressure. It's not like they had to rush to put someone in a place like Moosomin where it's tough to find people to run for the NDP there. That I can understand. There's no excuse for being caught flat-footed like this with a candidate running in a super safe riding.
She didn't say anything wrong! She spoke out for renewable energy expansion in the province and getting rid of the over reliance on fossil fuels.
Elphinstone was Allan Blakeney's old riding.
And again, she didn't say anything wrong.
The NDP has to learn to speak proactively on renewable energy and the environment. The opposition parties both federally and provincially are going to hammer them until they do or just say, "sorry, if you are worried about climate change don't bother running for our party."
I didn't say she did anything wrong. She said exactly what needed to be said. The problem is the party itself was caught flat-footed on something they should have known would be an issue and that they should have been better prepared for.
I know, Ari, and I agree with you. As much as I don't like Tom Mulcair, we need his commanding presence and style of leadership, someone who knows how to campaign. There is an election to be won but you have to go out on the offensive and present your case. Meili is a lazy and useless dud as far as I am concerned. I am sorry but that is the best that I can say right now.
I can remember when Meili ran for the first time, and he had the enthusiastic backing to almost beat a former oil executive on the idea that he was a fresh face with new ideas and a new approach. I can't see any difference between how he responded to that controversey and how a run-of-the-mill politician would. Having liked him from almost the start, I'm certainly disappointed to see that.
Day 12: Sask Party promises to reintroduce a program that they cancelled .
https://twitter.com/eric_bellmb/status/1313271103314370562?s=21
"Today the @SaskParty pledged to bring back the active families benefit...something THEY cut in 2016. You know you’re totally out of ideas when you’re running on bringing back something you’re responsible for eliminating."
Moe promises more child care spaces:
Saskatchewan Party leader Scott Moe is promising to create 750 new childcare spaces over the next four years if the party is re-elected.
"Two hundred and thirty of these childcare spaces will be located in the new schools we are building," Moe said while campaigning in Prince Albert on Monday. "The other 520 new childcare spaces will be home-based care spaces."
Moe said his party would also increase supports for licensed home-based childcare space beginning in the the 2022-23 budget.
Those include:
- One-time start-up grant for new licensed home-based childcare spaces would increase to $500 per home;
- The monthly nutrition grant for all licensed home-based childcare spaces would increase by $20 per month per space, from $60 to $80;
- The annual equipment grant for all licensed home-based childcare spaces would be doubled to $300.
Moe said it will cost $9.7 million over four years for the new spaces and supports.
According to the Sask. Party there are currently about 2,320 licensed home-based childcare spaces in Saskatchewan.
Pretty odd that he would announce this as if he was applying for the Premier's job when his government has been in control for the last 13 years. Unless there was a childcare plan that the Saskatchewan Party started working on and these new spaces are an extension of that?
What really jumped out at me is that the vast majority of those spaces are in homes. Opening a home daycare is a very consuming undertaking. You have to have your house inspected, you have basically no privacy at all, and you have no option to call in sick or take any vacation days. To do so, you are putting in far more work than the usual 40 hour work week. Shout-out to all those who decide to take on the challenge and who can successfully pull it off, however home based spaces as a main pillar of a child care plan is not reliable, especially if people are getting out of the home child care business.
Premier Scott Moe failed to disclose an alleged DUI hit and run from his past.
"“In 1994, when I was 20 years old, I was also charged with impaired driving and leaving the scene of an accident. Those charges were later withdrawn because I was not impaired and I did not leave the scene. I exchanged information with the owner of the other vehicle and I called in the accident to the police. Because the charges were withdrawn, the incident has not been part of my public disclosure but I am doing so now as I expect to be asked at some point in time, in particular in the environment and the atmosphere that we are operating in here today.”
“There was a car accident in the community where I live, Shellbrook, which I was driving, we had phoned the accident in to the police, we exchanged information with the other driver and there was charges that were put forward but those charges were later stayed or dropped by the prosecution … In this particular incident I was innocent and the courts did drop the charges that were originally put forward.”
Moe said no breathalyzer was administered on the scene and that the other driver was not injured in the accident.
Court documents show that after a number of trial delays and Moe switching up his legal counsel, prosecutors eventually withdrew the charges nearly two years after the fact in 1996."
Then why did the police go to the trouble of laying those charges in the first place if what Moe says about how he responded to the accident is true?
There's less and less evidence that voters care about politicians getting DUIs-especially right-of-centre voters, some of whom seem to see drunk driving as "the kind of thing REAL MEN do, by gadfrey".
In B.C., Gordon Campbell got a DUI AS PREMIER- and his government was still re-elected with a solid majority.
As much as I don't like Tom Mulcair, we need his commanding presence and style of leadership, someone who knows how to campaign. There is an election to be won but you have to go out on the offensive and present your case. Meili is a lazy and useless dud as far as I am concerned. I am sorry but that is the best that I can say right now.
I don't want to derail this into a totally different topic but I have a very different view of Mulcair, leaving aside policy. He was great at using prosecutorial skills during Question Period. He also ran the party somewhat autocratically. But his performance in the tightly controlled structure of Parliament was very different from what happened in his acceptance speech for the leadership, in his opening announcement of the 2015 campaign, and in the TV debates where his awkwardness strongly suggested a shy personality that did not deal well with less structured environments while he was able to mask his shyness in situation which was very structured and where he felt he was highly skilled. In addition to his policy failings, this IMO led to his failure to connect with voters and do well in the election.
Vote Compass' objective is to promote electoral literacy and public participation during election campaigns. The tool was designed by political scientists and asks participants questions about topics ranging from health care to education to the pandemic.
According to the Vote Compass' latest results, about 74 per cent of people believe the Saskatchewan Party is doing a good or very good job handling the COVID-19 pandemic.
Meanwhile, 63 per cent answered they believe masks should be mandatory in schools.
Day 13: Saskatchewan government sells off STC
"This is outrageous. Sask. people were told the STC sell off was about “savings,” but the contract for one service the STC used to provide cost just as much, only now there’s no public transit service.
Selling off our assets to reward their corporate friends. Gross."
https://twitter.com/eric_bellmb/status/1313603209081106435?s=21
"In 2017, the Sask Party government abruptly shut down the STC after over 70 years operating in Saskatchewan.
LifeLabs, a privately-owned laboratory services provider, is among a patchwork of private, for-profit companies who now provide courier services for rural communities in the absence of the STC.
In 2018, LifeLabs was awarded a 7-year contract worth $60 millionfrom the Saskatchewan Health Authority to provide “community laboratory collection services.”
LifeLabs also received $631,006 from the Saskatchewan Health Authority in 2017, although the SHA annual report does not specify which service was provided.
Since 2014, Elections Saskatchewan records show LifeLabs has donated $27,325 to the Scott Moe’s Saskatchewan Party.
...
The STC was a very standard system that was integrated into the healthcare system in such a way that things could be planned easily,” Alhassan told PressProgress.
One worker told Alhassan in 2019 that they’re “having to rely on private courier services” — “Sometimes it’s frozen, sometime’ its too hot – we are throwing out thousand of dollars of medication – we never know when medication is showing up.”
“It’s really hard to tell someone with cancer you can’t have your medication today because your drugs didn’t show up.”"
"Sister Veronica Dunne is calling for a forensic audit into the government's handling of the Global Transportation Hub file and dealings that saw two well-connected businessmen make millions from the sale of land to the GTH.
That buyer would end up purchasing the land from the nuns at $55,000 an acre, or more than $6 million, as well as another 87 acres next to the GTH, owned by McNally Enterprises. The property was then sold to a Regina developer, who in turn sold it to the GTH for two to three times what government appraisals said it was worth. "
The RCMP conducted an investigation and determined that there was not enough evidence to lay criminal charges.
"Apparently what happened wasn't illegal, but doesn't mean it was right — whether it was unethical, or immoral, or just plain wrong."
https://www.google.ca/amp/s/www.cbc.ca/amp/1.4762210
And this is all over land that was purchased for the Global Transportation Hub, which is losing money daily because the land is sitting vacant. The government cannot find any businesses interested in locating there.
Then why did the police go to the trouble of laying those charges in the first place if what Moe says about how he responded to the accident is true?
The whole thing sounds bizarre.
He was charged with a hit and run, and the article has Moe claiming that no breathalizer was administered at the scene of the accident. But if it's a hit and run then he didn't stick around at the accident scene to get his blood alcohol tested.
He admits that he had been drinking but denies that he was impaired at the time of the accident.
"Court documents show that after a number of trial delays and Moe switching up his legal counsel, prosecutors eventually withdrew the charges nearly two years after the fact in 1996."
Day 14: Ambulance fees. The @SaskParty today promised to reduce ambulance fees for seniors, but our fees remain the highest in Canada.
In fact, when one woman raised the issue of cost, a Minister told her to “host a steak night” to pay the bill.
https://twitter.com/eric_bellmb/status/1314386375358115841?s=21
The Regina Bipass
https://www.ndpcaucus.sk.ca/reality_check_more_money_more_problems_for_regina_bypass
"The most expensive stretch of flat road in Canadian history was completed today.
But before the Sask. Party pops the bubbly, it's worth reminding people of the scandal-plagued, flawed process that left us holding the bag for an almost $2 billion stretch of road:
“Should we really celebrate the fact that the Sask. Party paid a French company to build the most expensive stretch of flat road in Canadian history?” asked NDP Critic for the Regina Bypass Cathy Sproule. “We paid through the nose to accommodate a Global Transportation Hub that’s now a ghost town, and we sent most of that money out of province. More money, more problems — that’s the story of this build, start to finish.
“We could have put people first by building this road with our workers and our companies. Instead, the Sask. Party has let people down yet again with their entitlement.”"
IT WAS ALL UNNECESSARY!!!
Saskatchewan government's proposed $4 billion irrigation project is a fiscal and an environmental catastrophe with no guaranteed benefits but lots of consequences.
https://www.google.ca/amp/s/www.cbc.ca/amp/1.5653355
This isn't in the article. The source of the two Saskatchewan Rivers is the Columbia ice field. When it disappears and it is going to disappear within this century, the two rivers will significantly dry up as well. That is the source of water for more than 1/2 the province.
Our province cannot handle the capitalist expansion projects that the Saskatchewan Party is forcing on us. They are building more potash mines. These mines require vast amounts of water to flush the potash out from the ground.
They want to build two more potash mines around Regina. They want the tiny little Qu'Appelle River to be the water source for these two mines. Well, the water simply isn't there.
The article mentions that they need to look after the water for Regina and Moose Jaw. They already have water. I suspect that only difference is, their water source cannot sustain the two potash mines that they want to build.
There are First Nations communities who rely on the Qu'Appelle River for their survival. They don't want water diverted from their river system.
They say that this is going to cost $4 billion dollars. The article mentions that experts disagree. It will cost much much more, and there won't be the benefit for those kinds of expenditures, and that is just for assuming that the water is going to be used for agriculture.
NDP goes on the offensive for GTH, Brandt Building:
In Regina, NDP candidate for Douglas Park Nicole Sarauer said her party would work to prevent what she described as Sask. Party interference in Wascana Park, and would call a public inquiry into issues around the Global Transportation Hub and Regina Bypass scandals.
The Global Transportation Hub is deep in debt and was embroiled in a land scandal that was under RCMP investigation for more than a year.
The NDP has argued the $1.8-billion Regina bypass was overbuilt.
Sarauer made the announcement at Wascana Park in front of the Brandt/CNIB building construction site. The party has previously said the provincial government should stop Brandt's development in the park, arguing there were several controversial aspects of the development process, including the government changing the laws around who governs such development.
Brandt has made significant corporate donations to the Sask. Party from 2006 to 2019, she said.
"We know that what happened in Wascana Park should never happen to any community in the province," Sarauer said.
"That is why we are committing today that a New Democratic Party government will ensure that Wascana Park is able to operate independent of government control and we would end future commercial developments in our park."
In a statement, the Sask. Party said the provincial auditor has reviewed the project and put forward a number of recommendations that have been accepted and enacted by the Provincial Capital Commission.
"The approvals for the Canadian National Institute for the Blind building will continue to follow the process that has been laid out publicly," the Sask. Party said.
Sarauer said if elected, the NDP would introduce stronger conflict-of-interest rules for MLAs, close the lobbyist registry loophole and require all lobbying to be made public.
Sarauer also said the party promises to ban corporate and union donations to political parties and put a cap on individual donors
I noted that Sarauer took the lead on this file while Meili was elsehwere. I find that odd. Meili's the leader. Shouldn't he be the face of the party during a campaign, especially on an issue of this magnitude?
These issues should have been the lead story from day 1 of the campaign. That and the deficit and their wanting to spend another $4+ billion on an irrigation, water diversion scheme, the destruction of our crown corporations, massive private for profit contracts to their buddies, and drastic program cuts that hurt vulnerable people.
It's all there. The polls should not be where they are.
He didn't even have to wait for an election to discuss these issues. And now we are in an election and...
Crickets!!!
