NDP Leader Dwain Lingenfelter criticized Premier Wall today for failing to look out for the interests of the real potash owners – the people of Saskatchewan by handing over the major decisions about the future of this strategic resource to Stephen Harper and the Conference Board of Canada.

This is another example of Premier Walls failed leadership, said Lingenfelter. The Wall Government should be out touring the province and talking to the people before making claims to speak on behalf of the Saskatchewan people.

Lingenfelter said that the Wall Governments decision to commission the Conference Board of Canada is misguided, because it fails to take into account public input and focuses solely on economic factors.

The Conference Board of Canada is the same group that advised the Wall Government to proceed with TILMA, said Lingenfelter. Hiring a group of Central Canadian economists to review the future of Saskatchewan potash is a totally inadequate process. Where is the public input? Why isnt Wall ensuring that the voices of the public are being heard?

Premier Walls track record for excluding the public in important consultation processes speaks to his lack of respect for the people of Saskatchewan, Lingenfelter concluded.

NDP MLA for Regina Walsh Acres, Sandra Morin, blasted the Wall Government today for denying children in Reginas North Central area a hot lunch. Morin said that Chili for Children, a non-profit organization, supplies free hot lunches every Monday, Wednesday and Friday to approximately 1300 students per week delivered through five schools, and said that the Wall Government has failed to come through on its promised funding for the program, which resulted in many of Reginas inner-city children going without lunch during their first week of school this year.

Susan McArthur, Program Director for Chili for Children, has been anxiously waiting to receive funding from the Wall Government so that she and her staff can begin to deliver lunches to the children, said Morin. Last year, Chili for Children received nearly $107,000 through the Ministry of Education and was promised an equivalent amount for the 2010-11 school year. This funding covers wages for five part-time and two full-time staff and the cost of food and supplies. This delay in funding has posed hardships for the program, the schools and families who depend on it.

The Chili for Children program delivers hot lunches to five schools in Reginas North Central area: Sacred Heart Community School, Imperial Community School, Albert School, Scott Collegiate and St. Lukes School. Morin said that while the Wall Government forces Chili for Children to wait for their contract and funding, the organization has already started to receive phone calls from schools asking where is the chili?.

We have a lot of families that are depending on this program. With the rising costs of living, food expenses and rent, more and more families are becoming dependent on the program, said Susan McArthur, Program Manager for Chili for Children. If we dont get our base funding to operate the lunch program, we will have to look to other avenues such as fundraising. We cant just close our doors to families in this area who depend on us, we have to keep going. We need to get our base funding as soon as possible. These kids need a full tummy to continue learning in school, said McArthur.

The children that really depend of the chili program went to school without lunches this week there is no other program to supplement the services provided by Chili for Children, said Morin. For the Wall Government to drag its feet and deny funding for such a worthy program is truly disheartening.

By Walter Smishek,

Letter to the Editor; The Leader-Post

Murray Mandryk (Aug. 27) correctly identified some similarities between Brad Wall and T.C. Douglas. Both politicians and party leaders became Saskatchewan premiers.

There the similarities end.

I cannot agree that Wall is an innovator like Douglas, eager to “nurture new ideas and approaches.” Nurturing something means helping it grow to maturity. Douglas did so often; Wall has not. Douglas is known as “The Greatest Canadian” for nurturing medicare, later implemented by Woodrow Lloyd. Douglas started with 1947’s Universal Hospital Services Plan, gradually building on that accomplishment so that others could complete the work on the foundations he established.

During his brief tenure, Wall has launched a cloud of trial balloons: nuclear reactors and nuclear power generation; a multi-million dollar cross-border carbon-capture scheme; and a domed stadium. Each balloon has in turn slowly drifted away, or popped against the sharp point of reality, leaving Wall to release another bright, empty idea into the prairie sky.

The differences continue.

Douglas’s Trade Union Act placed Saskatchewan at the forefront of workplace reform; the UN’s International Labour Organization has found that Wall’s labour legislation violates international law. Douglas used Crown corporations to extend telephone service, introduce natural gas heating and electrify rural Saskatchewan. Wall shows little understanding of the Crowns’ role in our economy, privatizing services and raiding Crowns of the funds needed to invest in their future success.

Douglas’s accomplishments came with balanced budgets and reduced debt. Wall, following in Grant Devine’s footsteps, runs huge deficits, allowing Saskatchewan’s total debt to grow 55% by 2014, or $4.2 billion from 2009. Douglas accomplished so much because he was a disciplined visionary, not an improvisation artist, playing to the mood of the moment.

That is the difference between true innovation and mere novelty.

To paraphrase Lloyd Bentsen’s famous words to Dan Quayle, “I knew Tommy Douglas personally, and worked on his behalf. Brad Wall is no Tommy Douglas.”

Walter Smishek

Smishek was a cabinet minister in the 1971-82 Allan Blakeney NDP government.

Regina

The Saskatchewan NDPs House Leader today denounced Premier Brad Walls latest legal stalling tactic in the PC Trust Fund Conspiracy Case, and called on him to return control of $3 million to the Progressive Conservative Party of Saskatchewan.

Just weeks ago, the provinces highest court unanimously rejected the Sask Partys last effort to have Premier Wall and Deputy Premier Krawetzs names dropped from the lawsuit launched by the PC Party, said Yates. Walls latest manoeuvre is nothing more than a ploy to further drag out a case that has been ongoing for nearly three years, said Yates, noting that the legal effort to allow the PC Party of Saskatchewan to have access to the Trust Fund established for its benefit has been going on since before the last election in 2007.

In arguing his party cant be sued because it does not legally exist, Wall is simply stonewalling, said Yates. He should stop wasting time and money in the public court system, and simply return the $3 million to its rightful owners. Constant delays give the appearance of trying to draw down the fund to pay for pointless legal work until theres nothing left.

This Sask Party scandal obviously affected the 2007 election and if no action is taken, it will affect the 2011 election as well. Even kids know its wrong to take something that isnt yours. Why doesnt Premier Wall know that? Yates continued.

Walls abuse of the provinces judicial and democratic institutions is wrong and unbecoming of his office, said Yates. Whatever clever arguments Premier Walls high-priced lawyers may come up with to say he and his party are beyond the reach of the law, they wont be beyond the reach of voters in November of 2011. If Premier Wall doesnt start behaving like a Premier, the people may deliver a verdict on his partys existence from which there is no appeal.

NDP Health critic Judy Junor said that Health Minister McMorris announcement yesterday that the Wall Government will open up request for proposals (RFPs) to own and operate a private surgical centre in Saskatchewan has raised questions about the Wall Governments commitment to medicare.

The Wall Government has made a philosophical shift from publicly owned and administered to privately delivered health care, said Junor. What the Minister doesnt realize is that you lose control of the health system if you dont have ownership. It will undermine the public system and open the door to an American-style health system. The Wall Government is diverting money into the private sector that could have been used to ramp up capacity in our hospitals.

Junor argued that the Wall Government is leading the public to believe a shift from publicly owned and administered to privately delivered health care is the only option to shorten wait lists and times, but said that the Saskatoon Health Region proved in the spring they could increase surgical capacity if properly funded by the Wall Government.

McMorris could have invested taxpayer dollars into the Regina Surgical Care Centre if shorter wait times and eliminating the backlog on surgical wait lists were really his goal. Instead he chose to cancel the project and put the money in private providers pockets, said Junor.

There are so many insurance companies and businesses that stand to profit from the Wall Governments third-party provider request for proposals, said Junor. Insurance companies and private clinics are not in business for the public good, theyre in it for profit. They are pressuring the right-wing Wall Government to open up the doors here in Saskatchewan because they feel they have a friend in the Sask. Party. The Health Ministers comments for request for proposals signal that a bidding war for health care in Saskatchewan has begun.

The following is the viewpoint of the writer, a Saskatoon-based NDP MLA.

The editorial Time for NDP to step to plate with new ideas (SP, Aug. 23), must have been written by someone unfamiliar with what has been happening in the province over the last three months.

I must take particular issue with the claim that NDP Leader Dwain Lingenfelter’s trip to North Battleford to tour flood damage was “not his common practice.”

Nothing could be farther from the truth.

During the NDP leadership race Lingenfelter promised to visit all 58 constituencies in the province — and he did, traveling to some on two, three or more occasions.

That commitment has continued and ever since the legislative session ended in May, Lingenfelter has been on the road nearly every day of every week, talking to families, businesses and communities across the province.

From farm families in places such as Englefeld who are struggling to make ends meet, he has heard that the province’s paltry $12-per-acre payment for flooded or unseeded land is completely insufficient.

And people in the southeast who need health care have told him about their concerns over bed closures and doctor shortages.

Those with flood-damaged homes and businesses in Maple Creek and Yorkton tell the NDP that the Wall government’s disaster relief efforts are too slow and inadequate.

On the doorsteps of his own constituency, Regina’s Douglas Park, Lingenfelter has heard from seniors and renters who are concerned about increasing power rates and a shortage of affordable housing.

Everywhere the NDP leader goes, he hears from those concerned about the Wall government’s two consecutive deficits totaling $1.2 billion, and the burden of increased provincial debt that will be felt for years to come.

Flood disaster damage, health care, affordability, fiscal responsibility — these issues may not fit The StarPhoenix’s definition of a “cause involving average Saskatchewan residents,” but they certainly seem to matter to the families, businesses and communities our leader and his team have been visiting all summer.

New Democrats understand very well that an “Opposition does not just do its work while the legislature is sitting,” which is why, like our leader, the other NDP MLAs have been touring the province as well.

For example, I have travelled to more than 39 communities with my colleague Andy Iwanchuk, hearing concerns and gathering ideas from Saskatchewan mayors, councillors, RM administrators, business people, health administrators, LPNs, doctors, special care aides, lab and X-ray technicians, nurses, dietary, maintenance, laundry and housekeeping staff, patients and their families.

These ideas will allow us to bring forward concrete, definite proposals to improve health-care delivery and address concerns about a wide range of workplace issues as well.

All of this activity unfolds against the backdrop of our party’s ongoing policy renewal process — the most comprehensive review we have conducted in many years.

My colleague Cam Broten is spearheading this effort, organizing town hall meetings and policy roundtables, gathering ideas submitted in writing and online through our website (www.saskndp.com), to help craft a series of policy proposals to be voted on at a major policy convention in March of 2011.

When that policy is translated into a platform document, the people of Saskatchewan will have a very clear vision of the differences between the NDP and the Wall government when it comes time to vote in 2011.

In fact, these differences have already started to become clear, thanks to a vigorous legislative session in which we worked hard to expose the broken promises, incompetence and mismanagement of the Wall government on health care, fiscal responsibility and affordability for Saskatchewan’s families, businesses and communities.

That work will continue this fall and on into next spring, as we continue our other efforts to reach out to the people of Saskatchewan who are being ignored by this government, and to craft a solid set of policies that will win their support in November of 2011.

I know the public will continue to watch all of this activity closely, particularly since the rural and weekly papers have been giving such extensive coverage to our leader’s and MLAs’ activities.

I hope The StarPhoenix will do the same in the weeks and months to come.

Copyright (c) The StarPhoenix

NDP Health critic Judy Junor said that with news of the Sunrise Health Regions suspension of Foam Lakes Nurse Practitioner Services, after the loss of the communitys only full-time Nurse Practitioner, it is clear that the Wall Government is failing to provide quality health care in the province.

There is a growing concern in rural Saskatchewan that the Wall Governments health care policy is youre on your own, said Junor. There was no new money in the budget for primary health care expansion and health regions have been left floundering. Now we have communities that are being told theyre on their own to figure out how to provide health care services. Where is the Wall Governments commitment to these communities? Theyve been abandoned.

Junor said the Mayor of Foam Lake, Bob Johnson, is particularly distressed about the Wall Governments dismissive attitude towards his community and its health care delivery. Were working hard to make our community grow, and this happens. We want more co-operation and more results. If we have to do it ourselves, we will, but we shouldnt have to, said Mayor Johnson.

Foam Lake is being driven to establish its own Medical Recruitment Committee to ensure that their health services wont be disrupted entirely, said Junor. This shouldnt be the responsibility of municipal governments. The onus is on the Wall Government to deliver health care services, yet all they have done is set up the provincial doctor recruitment agency, which only coordinates efforts by the communities and provides no leadership or resources; its just another bureaucracy.

The Wall Government expects these communities to come up with their own recruitment solutions, but many are at a breaking point. The situation is acute in Foam Lake, Leader, Spiritwood, Coronach and Big River, to name just a few. Other communities are on the verge of losing some of their services also, said Junor. When communities like these are forced to spend municipal tax dollars or impose levies to fund health care, they are really being double-taxed by the Wall Government because they have already paid their fair share to the provincial coffers. Health provider shortages have gotten worse under the Wall Governments watch, and communities like Foam Lake and others are literally paying the price for the Wall Governments mismanagement, concluded Junor.

“The ILO has offered an opinion that’s non-binding. The analysis is incomplete. Certainly from where we stand we have every confidence in both our essential services legislation and the amendments to the Trade Union Act.”

- Minister of Advanced Education, Employment and Labour, Rob Norris

NDP Deputy Leader and Critic for Municipal Affairs, Deb Higgins, called on the Wall Government to communicate how it intends to recycle funding through the Canada-Saskatchewan Building Canada Fund (BCF). Higgins stated the Wall Government has been dragging its feet on issuing an announcement while municipalities are left waiting to find out if their community project can move forward.

On July 24th the Moose Jaw Times Herald quoted Minister Hickie saying there is funding available from the BCF to be recycled for projects for communities under 100,000 people, said Higgins. Municipalities have been patiently waiting for the Wall Government to make an announcement on where funding is being allocated. A month has gone by since Minister Hickies last comments, the March 31, 2011 deadline is looming and these municipalities are still waiting for answers.

Higgins said that her ongoing discussions with municipalities and the Saskatchewan Urban Municipalities Association (SUMA) have revealed a lack of consultation and communication by newly appointed Minister of Municipal Affairs, Darryl Hickie.

Hundreds of municipalities applied for funding for local projects and many were not approved. Now that there is money available through recycled BCF funding, municipalities are looking at this as a last chance opportunity for improvements in their communities, said Higgins. For the Wall Government to keep municipalities in the dark is irresponsible. As Saskatchewan continues to grow, infrastructure needs must be addressed and municipalities deserve to know how the Wall Government intends to roll out the remaining funds so that the process is fair and transparent, Higgins concluded.

NDP Justice critic Frank Quennell said today that the Wall governments cuts to court security have left visitors and staff at Saskatchewans courts vulnerable to incidents such as the events of last Wednesday, when a man inside the Victoria Avenue courthouse in Regina is alleged to have had a stash of ammunition and weapons in his vehicle parked just outside.

The Wall government announced the cuts at the end of April leading to security screening reductions that the Regina Leader-Post characterized at the time as significantly scaled back. Quennell raised the issue in early May during the spring sitting of the Legislature with assurances from Justice Minister Don Morgan only that, We will continue to have security where it is appropriate.

The Wall government chose to virtually eliminate perimeter security at the Victoria Avenue courthouse and only months later, police were called to investigate what could possibly be a very serious situation, Quennell said. Does the Minister still believe that cutting security services there was appropriate?

Quennell also referenced events in November 2008 where, after security was temporarily understaffed, a number of people entered the courthouse and caused an incident that could have been serious. While no one was ultimately harmed, the Wall government assured the public that a back-up plan was being put in place to prevent similar events in the future.

Its shocking to think that the governments back-up plan was nothing more than further reductions to the safety and security of the employees and visitors of Saskatchewans courthouses, Quennell said. These are locations where emotions can run high and where confrontational events have been known to happen in the past. Further reductions of security and safety are simply the wrong way to go.