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REGINA — Saskatchewan New Democratic Leader Carla Beck says she would hire 800 new front-line health-care workers over four years if her party wins the election on Oct. 28.
Beck says those positions would be filled by staff in areas that are of highest need, as the province sees long waits for emergencies, surgeries and family doctors.
She has already announced an NDP government would spend $1.1 billion more on health care over four years, with much of those dollars used for hiring and improving working conditions.
She says more than 4,000 health-care staff left the workforce last year in Saskatchewan.
Emergency rooms in recent weeks have also been overcapacity, with patients receiving care in crammed hallways.
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Beck has said she would convert part-time job postings to full-time and work with staff to come up with solutions to make sure new hires aren’t leaving.
“This simply has to stop,” Beck told reporters in Regina.
“We’re also going to end the culture of fear amongst health-care workers, we’re going to take steps to prevent worker burnout in the province and to ensure safe staffing levels with the tools they need.”
Beck made the commitments while sitting beside Kayla Deics, a Regina woman who was recently diagnosed with Stage 3 breast cancer.
Deics said she had to go to Calgary to get a biopsy to confirm the cancer, as the wait times were too long in Saskatchewan. She paid $2,000 out of pocket, she added.
“If I would have trusted the Saskatchewan health-care system and waited until 2025 for my original biopsy in Regina, I’ll be frank in saying this, I wouldn’t be alive to make that appointment,” she said.
“This is not how health care should be. You shouldn’t have to leave the province. You pay taxes for simple medical care.
“I’m a firm believer the only reason the health-care system is working at all is because of the doctors and nurses themselves.”
Saskatchewan Party Leader Scott Moe has said he would broaden his health-care plan announced two years ago. Moe has said 1,400 recent nursing grads have been hired over that time frame.
The NDP has criticized Moe’s fiscal platform, saying it provides little additional funding for health care and would result in service cuts.
The Saskatchewan Party has said it’s made record investments in health.
Beck also reiterated her opposition to the federal carbon tax on Tuesday, and said a Sask NDP government would be prepared to keep the carbon tax off home heating bills until a carve-out can be negotiated with the federal government.
“We don’t support the carbon tax, we think we need a different model right now,” Beck said.
“The carbon tax sees people in this province with increased costs and we’re actually not reducing emissions. That’s been our position all along.”
— with files from Daniel Reech, 980 CJME
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