Legislative Report
(8 October 2009)

Keeping Our Promise To Hire More Nurses

The health of Saskatchewan families comes first, which is why I am happy to announce our government is now two-thirds of the way to keeping our promise to hire 800 new nurses. This means better and timelier access to health care for you and your loved ones.

Because of our historic partnership with the Saskatchewan Union of Nurses, health regions now employ 560 more registered nurses than they did before the NDP lost the 2007 election. We are keeping another promise we made to Saskatchewan people.

For 16 years, the NDP refused to do anything about the nursing shortage. We had the biggest nurses’ strike in Saskatchewan history. RNs moved to Alberta in record numbers. Hospitals were closed. In 2006 then-health minister, Battlefords MLA Len Taylor, stood in the Legislative Assembly and told Saskatchewan people “… that we have a critical shortage, Mr. Speaker, is not accurate.”

By hiring more nurses, increasing training seats for healthcare professionals, building Saskatchewan’s first Children’s Hospital and making prescription drugs cheaper for children and seniors, we are putting your family’s health and safety first.

BALANCING THE PROVINCE’S CHEQUEBOOK

Staying healthy, making sure your kids are in good schools and balancing the family chequebook are priorities for most of us. As your MLA, your priorities are my priorities.

When our government learned potash revenues were down, steps were taken to make sure the province’s chequebook stayed balanced. We put off some capital spending, took a dividend from the Crown Investments Corporation and started making internal spending cuts, by doing things like not filling vacant positions and cutting back on travel. That includes this week’s announcement of $31.5 million in reduced travel and communications spending. If we need to make more changes, we will.

In the end, the budget stays balanced, historic income and property tax cuts remain in place and Saskatchewan will still get its first Children’s Hospital.

Saskatchewan will continue to move forward.

Past Legislative Reports