September 6, 2024 | Advertise with us

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Health Minister pens op-ed defending government’s record

Saskatchewan’s Minister of Health Everett Hindley has taken to the pages of the Saskatoon StarPhoenix to defend his government’s record on the file.

Last month, we told you about an opinion piece written by Dr. Isabelle Richard that was widely shared by the opposition. The health minister came back with an op-ed of his own in response.

The Minister said in the op-ed, “Earlier this year, the provincial government signed a new four-year agreement with the Saskatchewan Medical Association which includes a record-setting increase in ongoing funding for physician services and initiatives of approximately $245 million, which features general rate increases and investments in recruitment and retention.” Hindley goes on to list the investments.

Hindley continued, saying, “We recognize that there is room for improvement in our healthcare system, but it’s important to acknowledge the significant strides we have made. There are more physicians in our healthcare system than ever before, and thanks to our efforts over the last 16 years, we have added more than 1,000 new physicians in communities right across the province.” He finished the piece by thanking frontline workers. “We greatly value our physicians, and we will continue to work with them so that Saskatchewan can be the best place in Canada to establish a lifelong career in medicine.”

Polling continues to show healthcare as a top issue for Saskatchewan voters going into the election campaign.

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Learn more about the great work the Saskatchewan Heavy Construction Association and its members are doing at saskheavy.ca.

Provincial leaders respond to end of Confidence and Supply Agreement

Yesterday’s news that federal NDP leader Jagmeet Singh has ‘ripped up’ the Confidence and Supply Agreement with the governing Liberals sparked reaction from across the country.

Here in Saskatchewan, NDP leader Carla Beck shared a video on social media where she said “It’s about time.” Beck said she’s been talking to Singh for two years about the confidence-and-supply agreement, ever since she first became leader of the provincial party. “In terms of timing, I didn’t control that, I didn’t control when they entered into the agreement.”

A Government of Saskatchewan spokesperson told the Regina Leader-Post that the announcement was meaningless, unless Singh called an election, saying, “There is no indication that Mr. Singh is going to do that,” said the province in an emailed statement. “It’s past time for the NDP to support Canadians instead of supporting Trudeau.”

Premier Scott Moe took to twitter to respond to the news:

Regina’s Conservative MPs also spoke with the media to call Singh’s announcement a publicity stunt.

Sponsored by CNIB

Sask. PC and Buffalo Parties in merger talks

Two political parties in Saskatchewan are having discussions about a merger.

The Progressive Conservative Party and the Buffalo Party both confirmed to media this week that they are in talks of a possible merger, or a non-compete agreement at least.

PC Party leader Rose Buscholl said, “People are so distrusting of politicians and the political system as a whole. It’s getting very hard to try and find candidates and when you have seven parties, that makes it even harder.”

Buffalo Party leader Philip Zajac said, “We’re trying to see if there’s some mutual ground,” he said on Wednesday. “I’m not really sure how it’s going to look; that’s why we’ve got meetings coming up.”

As it currently stands, the PC’s have nominated 8 candidates. They ran 31 candidates in 2020 and received 1.9% of the vote. The Buffalo Party has nominated just 5 candidates. In 2020, they ran 17 candidates and received 2.5%.

The merger may lead nowhere. The Saskatchewan United Party seems to have solidified itself as the third-place choice in terms of fundraising and candidates and will be going for the Buffalo/PC alliance voters.

Sponsored by Saskatchewan Chamber of Commerce

The Saskatchewan Chamber of Commerce is promoting its “Fueling Momentum 2024” policy platform as a key resource for the upcoming provincial election. Developed through extensive consultations with the Saskatchewan business community, this platform outlines key priorities that will influence the province's future growth.

At a time when Saskatchewan is poised to seize global opportunities—ranging from food security to energy transition—the platform emphasizes the need for a competitive business environment that attracts investment and drives innovation. Its five strategic pillars, including tax competitiveness and energy transformation, are designed to ensure Saskatchewan's leadership on the global stage.

“Fueling Momentum 2024” is positioned as a vital tool in advocating for policies that will sustain and enhance Saskatchewan’s growth and prosperity.

Read the full platform here.

Constituency Profile Series: Sponsored by Saskatchewan Urban Municipalities Association (SUMA)

SUMA represents over 80% of Saskatchewan residents —cities, towns, villages, resort villages, and northern municipalities—that come together as one urban voice.

We’ve been here since 1905, advancing collective member interests with various government bodies, improving local governance, and fostering municipal growth. We are the urban hubs where you live, work, and play. We're where your children go to school, where you attend medical appointments at the clinic, and where you stop for coffee.

We are URBAN. To learn more visit www.suma.org.

Each week leading up to the 2024 election, The SKoop Political Briefing will highlight a constituency that has nominated a candidate from at least both major parties. Today, we look at Regina Elphinstone-Centre.

The incumbent: Meara Conway was first elected MLA in 2020 and has been a prominent figure within the NDP. She is one of the harshest critics of the Saskatchewan Party government. She is a lawyer and was ranked as one of Canada’s most influential lawyers in 2019. She holds a Degree in Music from McGill.

The challenger: Caesar Khan was also the party’s nominee in 2020. He is an immigrant from Bangladesh and is a businessman in Regina.

The takeaway: This is a safe NDP seat. Conway won with over 60% of the vote in 2020. In the past, this riding was represented by the NDP’s Warren McCall.

Sponsored by Insurance Brokers Association of Saskatchewan

More news and info

• Beck and NDP commit to funding school food program (Twitter)

• 'What do Riders do?': Saskatchewan remembers beloved coach and father figure Ken Miller (CTV News)

• Regina mayor, council races set to kick into high gear soon (SaskToday)

• No photos of Trudeau on campaign signs in Montreal riding ahead of byelection (Canadian Press)

2024 Election Candidate Tracker