Saskatchewan NDP Shadow Ministers are touring northern Saskatchewan, aiming to hear from northern residents and ensure they are represented when the legislature reopens on March 19.
The tour will has a focus on how to make life more affordable and on building a bright future for all people living in Saskatchewan’s north.
The delegation includes Shadow Ministers Brent Blakley (Social Services), April ChiefCalf (Housing), Brittney Senger (Community-Based Organizations), Leroy Laliberte (First Nations and Métis Affairs), and Jordan McPhail (Northern Affairs).
They kicked off the tour in Prince Albert with a few stops in the city, including Peter Ballantyne Cree Nation’s Fire Management. The tour will take place over the next couple weeks and will head to many communities including the far north.
“Northern Saskatchewan has so much to offer, but after 17 years of the Sask. Party, many people here feel forgotten by their government,” said McPhail.
McPhail is looking forward to the tour and hearing from the north as it was his home for over three decades.
“A lot of the challenges Saskatchewan people face, especially the high cost of living and access to healthcare and good services are magnified in the North,” added Blakley.
The tour launched from Prince Albert, the gateway to the North, which has seen food bank usage and homelessness double since 2017 and 2022, respectively.
The city also ranks fifth in Canada for crime severity, and employment in the region dropped by 1,400 jobs last month, according to Statistics Canada.
“We’ve heard that housing is a huge issue, especially with a government sitting on vacant housing units. Stable housing is key to recruiting and retaining skilled workers, especially in healthcare,” said ChiefCalf.
“First Nations and Métis communities deserve a government that listens and works with them,” said Laliberte.
Laliberte is looking to partner and work with the Saskatchewan government to help address issues that the north is facing.
“Local leaders and frontline workers know what’s needed to move their communities forward. People in all corners of the province are tired of this government thinking they know best,” said Senger.
They want to hear directly from residents, so they can represent them well and bring their concerns back to the legislature.
The issues the north is facing are not going to be solved by those in Regina.
Photo of Leroy Laliberte / By Amber Bear