Jason Kerr
Daily Herald
Cumberland NDP MLA Jordan McPhail blasted the provincial budget, saying it is not focused on the future and ignores the concerns of northern residents.
McPhail is one of two northern MLAs. Following the budget announcement on March 19, he said many northerners were expecting more spending on healthcare and education.
The provincial budget includes funding for Ducharme School in La Loche, and continued funding for design work on the Pinehouse Minahik Washagigan High School replacement.
The budget also includes continued funding to the construction of the La Ronge long-term care centre.
In total, the province is spending $8 billion on healthcare and $3.5 billion on education, but McPhail said that money is not going to where it’s needed most.
“I think it denies the serious reality of the massive challenges that we’re facing here today,” McPhail said.
“It’s really unfortunate to, again, see a government not investing in such critical infrastructure that could help Prince Albert and the far north,” he added. “The good people of Saskatchewan, they expected more out of their government.”
McPhail was also critical of the provincial government’s plan to move forward with the Saskatchewan Marshal’s Service. He said the money should be put towards existing frontline services.
NDP leader Carla Beck criticized the province’s healthcare budget, saying it represented a $17 million cut from the year before. She also said it fails to offer serious cost of living relief.
“The people of Saskatchewan want a government focused on the future, and this budget does nothing but take us backwards,” Beck said in a press release.
Speaking at a Prince Albert Chamber of Commerce luncheon on March 27, Finance Minister Jim Reiter told attendees the Saskatchewan Party was committed to keeping taxes low and spending on education.
He said the $3.5 billion education budget represents a $183 million increase from the year before.
The budget also included an 8.4 per cent increase in operating funding for school divisions.
“We heard loud and clear (that) people wanted to make sure that the education sector was resourced properly,” Reiter told luncheon attendees. “It’s an 8.4 per cent increase in education funding that flows to the school division. That’s where the actual frontline is.”
Reiter told attendees he was particularly proud of the government’s income tax reduction, something the Saskatchewan Party campaigned on in the last election.
“I think there is nothing better than keeping government out of the pockets and wallets of citizens as much as possible,” Reiter said. “I don’t think anything speaks to affordability better than your hard-earned money, (and) letting you keep more of it. That’s the goal with this. It’s substantial, and I would say that’s probably, on the affordability side, the most significant part of the budget that I’m most proud of. Anywhere we can look to keep taxes lower (or) reduce taxes, this government is certainly going to do that. That’s going to be a priority.”
Reiter also said the province is committed to easing cost-of-living issues caused by inflation. In March, the Saskatchewan government paused the industrial carbon tax rate. Reiter said this and other policies, like doubling the Active Families Benefit from $150 to $300 last October, are key to keeping costs down.
@kerr_jas • jason.kerr@paherald.sk.ca
