The NDP Deputy Leader says the Premier hasn’t lived up to his election promise during his run for the SaskParty leadership. Nicole Sarauer points out that Scott Moe promised 400 Educational Assistants would be hired.

Education Minister Gord Wyant says $30-million was added to the budget, which is the equivalent of 400 EA’s, and it is up to each school division to decide what to do with that money. Sarauer countered that the SaskParty can’t have it both ways, saying the promise was delivered through this funding but in the previous budget, $54-million was cut, so that funding was used to shore up those expenses.

Also during Question Period, NDP Addictions critic, Danielle Chartier urged for more funding to deal with the opioid crisis in Saskatchewan. She stated that in Regina and Prince Albert, there is a single addictions counsellor dedicated to opioid substitution therapies for every 200 patients. That’s when patients are given a medication, for instance methodone, to substitute for their drug of choice. In Saskatoon, each addictions counsellor has an average caseload of 400 patients.

Health Minister Reiter pointed out that workers dedicated to substitution therapy are not the only ones working on this challenge. There is a Request For Proposals for a number of programs including 50 pre and post treatment beds, new beds have been opened at Pine Lodge and the Calder Centre, and in southern Saskatchewan there will be 6 new treatment beds for youth under 18.