SASKATOON — MLA-elect Betty Nippi-Albright expressed her readiness to continue pushing the provincial government to address the issues that plague her Saskatoon Centre constituents. Her successful re-election bid was part of the shift in Saskatchewan’s political landscape as the NDP won more seats since 2007 when they were in control of the Legislature for the last time.
Despite failing to retake the Legislature, the NDP strengthened its position in the incoming provincial government. Nippi-Albright believes having more voices of opposition will allow them to push for change effectively. Under Leader Carla Beck, the NDP have won or are leading in 27 of the 61 races based on the second count. The NDP swept all 12 Regina ridings.
“The more voices we have in the Legislature, the better. Opposition plays a critical role in holding the government accountable. We need to ensure that all voices are heard, especially those of the marginalized and underserved in our province,” said Nippi-Albright, who kept the electoral district orange after former MLA David Forbes decided not to run for re-election in 2020.
Nippi-Albright is one of the NDP candidates who won 12 of the 14 Saskatoon seats, where the opposition flipped several constituencies and, in the process, beat two cabinet ministers. The NDP can win one more seat if April ChiefCalf’s 37-vote lead over incumbent David Buckingham holds for the Saskatoon Westview after the final count on Saturday, Nov. 9.
“I'm pleased that I won again. It demonstrates the trust that the residents of Saskatoon Centre have in me as their voice. I will discuss the issues of the cost of living, homelessness, healthcare and education in the Legislature. Those are issues we also face in Saskatoon Centre,” Nippi-Albright told SaskToday.
“Many people can't afford to live on what they make. Housing and homelessness are the issues. I see many people out on the streets without a place to live. The crime rate in Saskatoon Centre impacts the communities and businesses. I want people to be safe. I want businesses to thrive, but I also want to ensure people aren’t living in fear. Public safety has to be a priority.”
Saskatoon Centre is considered the core neighbourhood of the city, covering the communities of Mt. Royal, Mayfair, Westmount Caswell Hill, and parts of downtown. Most organizations that help feed, clothe, and provide temporary shelter and healthcare to the poor and homeless are found in the stretch of 20th Street West.
“I'm pleased with the new distribution and boundary the new area has embraced. The name recognition of Betty Nippy Albright people recognizes that. They've also seen me on TV discussing the issues that impact them. They trust that I'm not afraid to raise the issues that need to be raised,” she said.
Bronwyn Eyre (Ministry of Justice and Attorney General) and Paul Merriman (Ministry of Corrections, Policing and Public Safety) lost their re-election for the seats in Stonebridge and Silversprings. At the same time, the NDP flipped Churchill-Wildwood and Riversdale orange, with Keith Jorgensen beating Lisa Lambert and Kim Breckner winning Marv Friesen’s seat.
The Saskatchewan Party won a fifth term and the second for premier-elect Moe, appointed in 2018. They maintained their hold in the rural areas but lost significant seats in Regina and Saskatoon.
Nippi-Albright is also proud of her Indigenous heritage and her two decades of working in the province’s healthcare sector, which is why she will continue to advocate for First Nations rights and healthcare workers, with the latter being one of the issues the NDP hammered on during the campaign.
Nippi-Albright, from the Kinistin First Nation with Saulteaux and Cree ancestry, said she has seen and experienced the toll that burnout and understaffing have taken on the province’s healthcare system. She said the shortage of healthcare workers, particularly physicians, is a problem that is only worsening.
She was also critical of the government’s handling of the $30-million-dollar AIMS program, saying it cost taxpayers’ money without addressing the root causes of healthcare worker shortages. She’s committed to advocating for better solutions, including improving conditions for healthcare workers and restoring funding to essential services.
“People I know are not getting a paycheck working in the health care system. People are dying because they can't get access to healthcare. Healthcare has always been an issue with the retention of our workers. We’re burning out our healthcare workers, and I’ve been one of them,” said Nippi-Albright.
“We can’t even retain the physicians we have. People are dying because they can’t get access to healthcare. It’s unacceptable. We need a government that will prioritize the retention and well-being of our healthcare workers, and we need to ensure that every person in Saskatchewan has access to the care they need.”
She said she would again advocate increasing Indigenous engagement in policy-making, saying that meaningful consultations with First Nations communities are needed. She believes the government must do more to involve Indigenous people in decisions affecting their lives.
“I'll also look at more of the Indigenous engagement. Indigenous Peoples need to be engaged. I’ve always said that Indigenous voices need to be at the table. Our communities are the ones facing the greatest challenges. We must listen to those most impacted by government policies,” said Nippi-Albright.
She added that the opposition, under Beck, would continue to push for solutions to the problems everyone faces in Saskatchewan by working and engaging with communities across the province. Homelessness, especially in cities like Saskatoon, is one of the issues the NDP would advocate for in the coming Legislature.
“When it comes to homelessness, the NDP has a platform. We were committed to returning the investment in the vacant social housing units to fix those up so they could be used. We had a plan, and we'll still advocate for it,” said Nippi-Albright.
“Our [opposition] leader, Beck, will continue advocating for that. We're open to working with community organizations and having meaningful consultations and dialogues because our issues are complex. The NDP will continue doing that.
