麻豆视频

Opposition leader Nicole Sarauer points to a number of positives from the fall legislative session for the New Democrats.

Sarauer, who has been serving as the interim leader while the party goes through its leadership race between Ryan Meili and Trent Wotherspoon, outlines the inroads the party has made in her conference call with reporters.

鈥淲e had an opportunity to hold the Saskatchewan Party to account for a lot of their mismanagement and scandal and waste,鈥� said Sarauer. She pointed to the GTH and the Regina bypass in particular.

She also said the party had been able to 鈥減ush for positive change鈥� both legislatively and also in other areas.

Sarauer鈥檚 conference call came after another news-filled week in Saskatchewan politics, as Premier Brad Wall waded into a trade fight with Alberta over provincial license plates.

The Wall government banned Alberta license plates on all Saskatchewan work sites, in retaliation to what they claimed were protectionist measures by the NDP government there.听

听鈥淚t was yet another decision by this government that looks like they鈥檙e shooting first and aiming later,鈥� said Sarauer.

鈥淲e need to ensure that we are protecting Saskatchewan workers, but the New West Partnership is incredibly important to our province.鈥�

She said the Sask Party 鈥渃an鈥檛 provide proof of what is happening in Alberta and hasn鈥檛 thought about the consequences this could have on Saskatchewan workers in Alberta.鈥�

鈥淲e need to see a government that isn鈥檛 so focused on chasing headlines,鈥� said Sarauer, 鈥渂ut is instead ensuring that they are pushing forward policies that has been thought through, first of all, and second of all will protect Saskatchewan workers.鈥�

As for this last session, Sarauer pointed to 鈥渢he growing list of scandals we鈥檝e seen from the Sask Party government鈥� as the most important issue taking place in the legislature.听

In particular she pointed to the GTH scandal. 鈥淢ore concerns are raised about how a very few Sask Party insiders could have made millions of dollars, while at the same time we saw a budget that made serious cuts to many programs that Saskatchewan people rely on.鈥�

While the GTH issue has continued to be the main focus the NDP opposition has also highlighted other issues during question period, such as education minister Bronwyn Eyre鈥檚 comments in the legislature on treaty education that got her in trouble.听

The opposition 鈥渉ad some successes in getting some positive change,鈥� Sarauer believes. 鈥淲e focused on the diversity of the strength we have in our caucus, and I think that showed in particular holding minister Eyre to account for her comments in her response to the Throne Speech.鈥�

She also pointed to Carla Beck鈥檚 role holding the Ag Minister to account when pushing for funding to help those affected by the wildfires not too long ago.

鈥淎fter some push by Carla in Question Period the government agreed to provide up to $100,000 in matched funding鈥�, she said. Later, the government agreed to expand the PDAP disaster relief funding as well for that.

Sarauer also notes that having more MLAs helped quite a bit.

鈥淚t鈥檚 always nice to have more people on your side,鈥� said Sarauer.

She particularly pointed to the work of Vicki Mowat, MLA for Saskatoon Fairview, since joining the caucus. 鈥淪he hit the ground running, she did an incredible job,鈥� said Sarauer.

Now with the legislative session off, both the NDP and the Saskatchewan Party will concentrate on their respective leadership races. Both will have new leaders in place in time for the resumption of the session on March 12; in the Sask Party鈥檚 case, their new leader will be the new Premier.

Sarauer called her own role as interim leader a 鈥渧ery wild experience鈥� and 鈥渕ore than I ever expected it will be.鈥� As for the new permanent leader, that leader will need to 鈥渉it the ground sprinting because it is a very important time for this province,鈥� said Sarauer.

鈥淭here鈥檚 really no time for relaxing after a leadership race. We鈥檒l be right back into the house a week after we choose a permanent leader, but I鈥檓 confident we鈥檒l be ready.鈥澨�

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