Saskatchewan NDP Unveils Platform Focused on Healthcare, Education, and Economy
Saskatchewan New Democratic Party (NDP) Leader Carla Beck has officially unveiled her party’s platform ahead of the October 28th provincial election. Beck emphasizes that the platform offers a much-needed change for Saskatchewan, focusing on strengthening healthcare, education, and the economy.
The platform includes several pre-announced commitments, such as a six-month suspension of the gas tax and the removal of the provincial sales tax from children’s clothing and select grocery items. A significant investment of $1 billion over four years is pledged to address healthcare challenges, while $2 billion will be allocated to building new schools and reducing class sizes.
Beck’s platform also outlines plans to stimulate the provincial economy. This includes a provincial sales tax rebate for downtown business retrofits and a commitment to prioritize Saskatchewan-based companies for public infrastructure projects. “In Saskatchewan, we take care of each other, and we aren’t afraid to do the hard work to get big things done,” Beck stated in a recent press release. “After all, we are the province that brought public healthcare to the rest of Canada. It’s time to get Saskatchewan out of last place. This election, we can do that. We can change the government.”
Addressing the needs of rural communities and environmental concerns are also key aspects of the platform. Beck proposes expanding rural cellphone and broadband internet services, establishing a grant program for community rinks and halls, and taking a firm stance against illegal foreign farmland ownership. Furthermore, the platform includes plans for a wetlands conservation policy, a wildfire strategy, and the expansion of green energy projects. A retrofit program for energy-efficient lights and appliances is also part of the plan.
Beck emphasizes the NDP’s commitment to tackling climate change, stating, “Carla Beck and the Saskatchewan NDP know that taking action on climate change is a job creator. We must do more to reduce our emissions, protect our environment, and diversify the economy.” The platform also includes a pledge to establish an “accountability commission” to investigate alleged government waste and corruption under the current Saskatchewan Party administration. This commission would examine cost overruns on projects initiated and completed by the Saskatchewan Party, including issues related to a faulty payment system for healthcare workers, hotel spending for social services clients, and questionable dealings involving a Regina highway project.
The platform’s costing projections indicate that an NDP government would operate with small deficits during the first three years, followed by a small surplus by the end of its term. While the Saskatchewan Party’s Scott Moe has criticized the NDP for lacking transparency regarding the cost of their promises, Beck maintains that her government will fund these initiatives through economic growth and by eliminating what she considers to be wasteful spending under the Saskatchewan Party. Moe has yet to release a detailed costing of his party’s platform.
