NDP Leader Carla Beck releases a series of promises for northerners on Thursday. (Derek Cornet/larongeNOW Staff)

By Derek Cornet

campaigning

NDP attempts to sway voters with release of Northern Strategy

Sep 19, 2024 | 2:03 PM

Saskatchewan NDP Leader Carla Beck made several promises to northern residents on Thursday that she plans to fulfill if elected as premier.

“Everywhere I go I hear that it’s time for change, and nowhere do I hear that more than in Northwest Saskatchewan,” said Beck in a media release.

“Saskatchewan New Democrats have been listening to Northerners, and this Northern Strategy has been built with them to address the challenges people in Northern Saskatchewan are facing.”

The strategy states Beck is committed to providing cost-of-living relief to northerners by suspending the fuel tax for six months and removing the PST from children’s clothes and groceries, as well as hiring more doctors and nurses to improve access to healthcare in Northern communities, and getting more First Nations and Métis people working in healthcare through a new strategy to recruit and train-up healthcare staff.

She also plans on increasing funding for education in Northern Saskatchewan and ensuring that school boards in the North can provide the specialized supports kids need. The strategy also calls on Beck to work in partnership with First Nations and Métis people to respect Treaty and Inherent rights and restoring a physical presence for government in the North.

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Beck promises to invest in highway maintenance, partner with northern leaders to improve wildfire management, and ensure Northern residents have access to training and are a part of local wildfire responses. She also aims to improve access to culturally relevant mental health and addictions supports by scrapping the Sask. Party’s $20 million Marshals Service.

Lastly, the strategy calls for making vacant SaskHousing units available for people needing a home, introducing rent protections for tenants, and restoring the direct payment of rent and utilities to landlords for income support client.

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derek.cornet@pattisonmedia.com