NDP Leader Dwain Lingenfelter charged the Wall Government for failing to keep its promise to provide long-term stable and predictable funding for education throughout Saskatchewan. While both the Catholic and Public school divisions were promised to have the new funding formula in place this year, the Wall Government has caused greater financial insecurity for both school divisions by delaying the funding formula beyond the 2011 election.

The Wall Government introduced an historical change in the way this province funds education. They did so without any thought as to how they would administer funding in an equitable way to both the Catholic and Public schools that would ensure rural and urban Saskatchewan can maintain the quality education families deserve, Lingenfelter said. It has become a trademark of the Wall Government to make drastic changes without consultation with relevant stakeholders, and in this case its our children who are paying the price.

Lingenfelter argued the Wall Government is shortchanging Catholic school divisions, noting the funding inequity is felt right across the province. Lingenfelter said the education funding change introduced by the Wall Government in 2009 – whereby Catholic and Public school boards lost their ability to tax at the local level – has aggravated this funding inequity and is hurting the quality of education in our schools.

Under the Wall Governments interim funding formula for education, one Catholic school division is saying the inequity of funding for its students is an estimated $2.6 million difference, Lingenfelter said. Thats a lot of money that Catholic school divisions could be using towards programming, classroom and library materials and hiring teachers to accommodate the growth in student enrollment.

Lingenfelter said the Sask. Party Minister of Education, Ken Krawetz, has denied the Catholic School Board representation in the newly appointed provincial committee to develop a funding formula for school divisions in the province. Lingenfelter said the Catholic School Divisions and parents want to know why they are being left out of this process and why they are not allowed representation.

Its time the Wall Government addresses the funding inequities it has caused. Parents need to know what services their local schools are going to be able to offer their children, said Lingenfelter. The Wall Government needs to put a new funding formula in place for school divisions across Saskatchewan now. Parents, students and community leaders cant wait until after the next election.

NDP Advanced Education critic Cam Broten hosted a delegation of post-secondary students at the Legislature today who came to tell the Wall government that double-digit tuition hikes, high interest on student loans, and the lack of a promised scholarship fund are not acceptable. Broten raised the students issues during Question Period and demanded to know why the Wall government was forcing students to pay for its financial mismanagement.

Like countless groups before them who are fed up with the broken promises of this government, these students came to demand that their futures not be compromised because of Brad Walls failure to manage the finances of our province, Broten said. Their concerns continue to be ignored by a government that refuses to ensure quality education in Saskatchewan remains affordable and accessible.

Broten noted that last year, at a time of record high revenues and surpluses, tuition in Saskatchewan increased 3.5 per cent across the province and as much as 16 per cent for several colleges such as Veterinary Medicine and Agriculture. Broten said the students are requesting assurance that any tuition increase this year will not exceed 2 per cent.

Even during the good times, this government felt the need to offload the pressures of paying for a quality education onto the backs of students, Broten said. Now, with a billion dollar deficit and what appears to be a chaotic budget driven by the Wall governments erratic decision making, students are hoping for good news but fearing they will be let down by the Sask Party yet again.

Broten also called on the Wall government to address students concerns with the high interest rates on student loans and questioned why the Wall government has failed to fulfill a key campaign promise to create a Saskatchewan Scholarship Fund.

The cost and accessibility of post-secondary education continues to climb further out of reach for too many of Saskatchewans best and brightest young people. Students should not continue to be punished for the incompetence of this government, Broten concluded.

NDP Leader Dwain Lingenfelter blasted the Wall government today charging that its financial incompetence and mismanagement of the provinces education system continues to hurt students and their parents. Lingenfelter said of particular concern is the inequity of funding for Catholic School Divisions the difference in funding having been estimated by Regina Catholic Schools to be $2.6 million to their students alone.

Its clear that by continuing to fund education at unequal levels in our province that this government values the education of some students more than others, Lingenfelter said. Students and parents are rightly concerned about the direction this is heading and the ability for the government to provide them with a quality education at a standard acceptable to all school divisions in Saskatchewan.

Lingenfelter noted a particularly egregious example of the inequity exists within the Regina Catholic School Board where students receive $275 less per student than their public counterparts.

School divisions have said publicly that if the inequity of funding continues past 2010, they will be faced with the possibility of program or staff cuts that will affect all students, Lingenfelter said. Catholic parents and students cant wait another year or more for the Wall government to fix the inequity this is real money that could be used to hire many more teachers and provide quality education for our children.

Lingenfelter said making matters worse is that the Sask Party Minister of Education has appointed a committee to develop a new funding formula for school divisions that has no representation from Catholic School Boards. He questioned why supporters and parents of Catholic Schools are being left out of this process.

In typical fashion of the Wall government, it is continuing to make decisions that affect peoples lives without properly consulting with them, Lingenfelter said. We dont need more spin and empty rhetoric about funding education, we need to actually see it done properly. Wall and his government have a responsibility to correct this inequity now.

NDP Leader Dwain Lingenfelter will bring forward a motion in the Legislature today requesting unanimous support of the Legislative Assembly to pressure the federal government to release classified documents pertaining to former Provincial and Federal NDP Leader Tommy Douglas. Lingenfelter said there is no justification for keeping the documents secret and that they would indeed serve a valuable purpose if released.

Public access to information is a core tenet of our democracy and I cant imagine any credible reason that these documents are being kept under wraps after all these years, Lingenfelter said. But to release them would shine a light on many of the controversial political tactics used to try to suppress the introduction of the most progressive programs in our country such as universal healthcare, old age pensions, and the first Bill of Rights in Canada.

Lingenfelter said that strong-arm tactics by the police at the time medicare was being debated in Saskatchewan and elsewhere were used to intimidate Douglas and his supporters. Releasing the full, uncensored file that the RCMP gathered during that time, he said, would provide a valuable history lesson for those currently concerned with abuses of political power at the highest levels.

Sometimes we need a reminder of what can happen when power goes unchecked, Lingenfelter continued. This is much less a partisan exercise on the part of the NDP than it is about exposing truth and hoping to prevent future abuses of power through these revelations.

Actress and activist Shirley Douglas Douglass daughter said she strongly supports the motion being put forward today and said that she has witnessed a groundswell of similar support from people all across Canada.

Everywhere I go, people are enthusiastically endorsing the release of the full intelligence file and are puzzled by the refusal of the government to make these documents public, Douglas said. Its difficult to understand why these files are being withheld; our family, my fathers supporters, and indeed all Canadians deserve to know what information is contained within those reports. Otherwise how do we learn from our history?

NDP Health critic Judy Junor continued to pressure the Wall government today to reverse what appears to be a decision to cut funding for chiropractic services in the upcoming provincial budget. Junor hosted a delegation of chiropractors and patients at the Legislature today who brought with them over 20,000 signatures on petitions calling on the Wall government to guarantee that funding for this vital service will indeed continue.

Weve heard very strong signals from the Wall government that it intends to renege on the negotiated and ratified agreement it reached with Saskatchewans chiropractors, Junor said. Doctors and patients traveled to the Legislature today carrying with them the support of thousands of Saskatchewan people demanding that this decision be reversed.

Junor noted that Health Minister Don McMorriss justification for cutting the chiropractic subsidy has been that Saskatchewan is one of only a handful of provinces currently assisting chiropractic patients in a co-payment model. He has said, as well, that chiropractic care is an affordable treatment that people are willing to pay for. Junor said the governments position amounts to a race to the bottom in the standard of patient-centered care.

Despite what the Minister might think, thousands of patients absolutely rely on the government subsidy that allows chiropractic treatment to remain affordable and accessible for the treatment of chronic pain, Junor said. Saskatchewan has long been a national leader in healthcare and for the Minister to suggest that the lowest common denominator is acceptable to patients in our province is outrageous.

Junor said some chiropractic patients she spoke with have indicated that without the co-payment model, they would be required to access disability assistance from government or pay upwards of $1500 per year for unsubsidized treatment. Junor continued to question how McMorris and the Wall government believe they will save money by cutting this service.

Theres no doubt that patients and taxpayers will end up paying more for government-funded disability and health programs in the long run if the co-pay model is eliminated, Junor said. The Sask Partys short-sighted decision to force patients to pay more is a knee-jerk reaction to their budget mess. It appears that chiropractors and their patients are the latest casualty of this governments fiscal mismanagement.

NDP First Nations and Mtis Relations critic Warren McCall called on the Wall government today to restore funding to the First Nations University of Canada (FNUC) and said Advanced Education Minister Rob Norris should urge the federal government to do the same. McCall noted that previous calls for reform of the institution have been made and that while details of a funding arrangement with the University of Regina are worked out, students and faculty at FNUC deserve a commitment from both levels of government that their school will continue to operate.

It is high time that the provincial and federal governments step back up with secure funding for the institution, McCall said. Students and faculty worried about whats coming next deserve some peace of mind that their partners will assist the First Nations University with getting back on track and moving forward.

Last Thursday saw Federal Indian and Northern Affairs Minister Chuck Strahl deny a direct request from a First Nations University delegation to restore its funding. Later the same day, Norris stated his intention to travel to Ottawa to discuss the matter with Strahl in person. McCall said he was encouraged by the meeting but noted that Strahl repeatedly cites the provincial decision to pull funding as justification for the federal decision.

The meeting is a positive step but Minister Norris should be telling Strahl that provincial funding will be brought to bear in the new First Nations University model and that the federal government needs to do the same, McCall said. While Norris continues to posture on the issue and deny partners like the University of Regina even proper respect during this process, hes leaving the federal government with no real incentive to restore its funding.

McCall said the Wall government needs to answer a number of questions regarding its decision to pull funding as well as clarify its future intentions if it cannot convince the federal government to reverse its decision and restore its share of the funding.

The Wall government needs to explain to the students and faculty of First Nations University what the provincial government will do if the $7.2 million in federal money is not restored; this has not been made sufficiently clear, McCall said. But if the Wall government and the Harper Conservatives are truly determined to kill this vital institution, then who pays for the multiple liabilities associated with that decision and what will the price tag be? First Nations University of Canada is critically important to Saskatchewan and every effort should be made to see that it is saved and strengthened.

NDP Leader Dwain Lingenfelter charged the Wall Government today for deflecting the responsibility of health care spending onto local governments in rural Saskatchewan. Brad Walls government is wrongly offloading its financial responsibility onto the backs of local governments to fund health care in rural Saskatchewan, Lingenfelter said. The rural doctor shortage is acute. At the SARM convention this week health care dominated the bear pit discussions. Many delegates who traveled to Regina to hear Brad Wall speak left frustrated and disappointed. They came armed with questions and left without answers or the help they came looking for.

Lingenfelter said the budgets of local governments were never meant to fund health care, but many communities are running out of options as the Wall Government has failed to provide relief in the two years they have been in power.

The Saskatchewan Medical Association has declared the doctor shortage in rural in a state of emergency. Local governments are using municipal funds to recruit and retain doctors in their communities – some are spending as much as $800,000 to pay for incentives such as cars, homes, medical facilities and signing bonuses. The astronomical costs of these incentives to attract and retain physicians to rural Saskatchewan come at the expense of municipal projects such as infrastructure, snow removal, recreational spaces and community centres.

The Wall Governments zero percent increase in their 2010-11 budget means families are going to see cuts to programs and services across the province, he said. As Saskatchewan continues to grow, so too do the financial pressures to support that growth. But the Wall Governments fiscal mess means they cant and wont be helping rural Saskatchewan. How is that a fair deal to families living in rural cities and towns? said Lingenfelter.

The Wall Government has been short on specifics to how they are going to reach any of their phony targets to fix health care in this province. Instead, they are high on speeches and spin. When is Brad Wall going to own up to his mistakes and actually address some of the issues of Saskatchewan taxpayers? Their promises made have become nothing more than a series of promises broken, Lingenfelter concluded.

NDP Deputy Leader and Municipal Affairs critic Deb Higgins accused the Wall government today of offloading its financial responsibilities onto the backs of communities across Saskatchewan. She said two major promises stable and predictable funding to school divisions and providing a full percentage point of PST revenue to municipalities have been broken due to the reckless financial management of the Sask Party government.

This is a government always quick to take credit for increased student enrollment or population growth in our province, Higgins said. But when it comes to assisting school divisions or communities handle those increases and the pressures that go along with them, the Wall government is nowhere to be found.

Higgins said both broken promises represent sacrifices the Wall government is forcing families to make because of its incompetence. With a funding shortfall in education and no ability for local school boards to raise revenue on their own, services will likely have to be scaled back. Meanwhile, the denial of the full PST revenue to cities and towns has already caused some local leaders to say they will have to increase property taxes.

Wall can no longer continue to hide behind school boards and local governments these are his promises and his responsibilities, Higgins said. Setting the stage for program cuts to education and property taxes increases in some communities of 7 to 9 per cent are not acceptable ways to manage our province or plan for future growth. There are examples all across our province of communities feeling left behind and waiting for next year country with this government.

The following is a member’s statement read in the Legislature by MLA Sandra Morin, regarding the Saskatchewan Party’s lack of judgment for use of a graphic image on a fund-raising poster.

Mr. Speaker, the Sask Party is holding a fundraiser next month and recently distributed a poster advertising the event to all homes in Martensville. The poster superimposes an invitation to the pig roast fundraiser on a picture of the burning twin towers in New York City taken moments after the second plane struck the South Tower on September 11th.

Given the theme of the event, a photo of the fundraisers guest speaker, or any of the many iconic images of the heroic first responders would have been appropriate choices. But to use a graphic image of the burning twin towers–in which thousands of people tragically died–to raise political dollars, is both shocking for its lack of respect, and disturbing for its lack of judgment.

This poster is now drawing national attention, Mr. Speaker. And online commentators are clear in their condemnation of this offensive fundraising poster. One said this poster is, quote: they have no sense of common decency. Another said simply, quote: I’m at a loss for words. And, finally, another said the posters approval spoke to a basic lack of humanity.

Mr. Speaker, anyone who saw and approved this poster clearly lacks sound judgment. It is as simple as that. Mr. Speaker, I hope that the Premier would call on his cabinet minister to immediately withdraw this ill-conceived and offensive poster.

To view the image click on the following link: Saskatchewan Party Fundraiser

NDP Health critic Judy Junor attacked the Wall government today over what appears to be its decision to de-insure chiropractic services in Saskatchewan. Junor said the decision expected to be announced in the upcoming budget follows the signing of a contract agreement by the Chiropractors Association of Saskatchewan (CAS) an agreement that weeks later was cancelled by the government due to what it cited as its financial situation.

The ability of Saskatchewan families to afford the health and pain management services provided by the professional chiropractors in our province is being ripped away by the Wall government due to its financial incompetence, Junor said. The cancellation of this negotiated, ratified, and signed contract removes the government support for these services and passes the full amount of treatment onto the patient requiring care.

Junor said that while the explanation from the Wall government to the CAS was that reneging on the signed agreement will save the government money, the opposite is in fact true. She said in the short term, patients will be paying out of their pocket for necessary treatment while in the long term, those unable to pay because of the removal of the co-pay agreement will rely more heavily on emergency rooms, General Physicians, and surgery to combat their pain.

By ripping up this contract, the Wall government is giving a double blow to Saskatchewan patients and taxpayers, Junor said. Many people cannot afford to access treatment without the governments help and they will have nowhere to turn except our already strained and underfunded health care facilities. Eliminating chiropractic care is unfair, short-sighted, and in the end, will cost our health system more.

Junor noted that the agreement between the Wall government and the CAS had progressed so far that a draft news release was written by the Ministry of Health in January with Health Minister Don McMorris quoted as saying he was, pleased that we have reached a deal with the Chiropractors Association of Saskatchewan and that it would allow the government, to exercise some fiscal responsibility through the treatment cap and the copayments. Junor wondered what changed in the intervening period.

I am asking Minister why he is no longer pleased with the agreement, Junor said. What changed? Exactly what kind of financial disaster are we looking at here when in one month the Minister went from being pleased with the contract he was to sign to ripping it up at the expense of Saskatchewan chiropractors and their patients? Its not acceptable.