REGINA - Opposition New Democrats are unimpressed with the Sask Party government’s Speech from the Throne, dismissing it as offering nothing new.
“It seems to be more the same from a government that pretends that it's learned a lesson, but I don't see a lot of evidence of that in this Throne Speech,” said Opposition Leader Carla Beck shortly after the Throne Speech was delivered.
Premier Scott Moe and his Sask Party government delivered a Throne Speech based on the theme of a "new beginning," with a focus on delivering on their plan for a strong economy and bright future, but also addressing the concerns of those who voted for change. But it was on that latter point that Beck seemed most frustrated.
She told reporters they didn’t hear anything in the Throne Speech “that this is a government that's actually intent on understanding the struggles that people are facing when it comes to the cost of living.” She also pointed to concerns about health care.
Of the health care measures announced in the Throne Speech, Beck said those were made “without consultation with those on the front line. And unfortunately, what we see from this government time and time again is promising one thing but delivering something very different.”
She pointed to one of the main issues in healthcare being a lack of healthcare workers. Beck pointed in particular to the failure to staff the new Regina Urgent Care Centre around the clock.
“We can't even staff the Urgent Care Centre in Regina 24-7 at this point. This is one of the concerns that we're hearing from those on the front lines. You know, having more surgeries -- (that is) something that needs to happen. Ensuring that people have access to primary care providers — absolutely, that's something that needs to happen. But what I see here are ambitious goals, but no evidence of a plan, and certainly no evidence that they've actually listened to those who are on the front line about how we're going to actually retain the health care workers we have, let alone be able to retain new health care workers coming in to provide these surgeries.”
Beck added that “these surgeries don't get performed based on, you know, good words from the Premier. They get performed with those skilled healthcare workers on the front line. Skilled health care workers that are leaving our province at a higher rate than any other province right now.”
During his media availability Premier Moe was asked about the Urgent Care Centre staffing. He said even at the current hours of operation of 16 to 18 hours a day, Moe said “it’s rivalling in numbers what is being seen by each of our emergency rooms at the Pasqua Hospital and Regina General Hospital.”
Beyond the health care issue, Beck also did not see much in the Throne Speech about dealing immediately with affordability concerns.
“I didn't see any understanding how incredibly stressed people are when it comes to paying their bills at the end of the month. How urgently people need some relief."
Beck pointed to the Sask Party instead offering "tax cuts that will, for most people, not even be available to them for over a year. People need relief now.”
The NDP leader also spoke of the NDP’s plans to bring a motion on Tuesday to suspend the gas tax for six months.
“We're going to put forth an emergency motion tomorrow. If the government were to agree with that motion, people in this province would see the gas prices drop an average of 15 cents a litre. That's something, you know, that might be small potatoes to the Minister and to the Premier. But for most people in this province, that represents real savings.”
Beck had this message to Premier Moe: “I say the people of this province who you say you understand — that you've heard from — need relief and they need it now. They'll have the opportunity to vote for that motion tomorrow.”
