The Saskatchewan NDP fully supports and agrees with western premiers that theist share through the Canada Health Transfer is not meeting the current needs and the federal portion needs to increase to 35 per cent, from 22 per cent. Leader Ryan Meili says the last few years with the pandemic have highlighted the need to seriously address challenges in our health care system. He adds though, that the provincial government must commit not to continue the pattern of accepting federal dollars to backfill what Meili considers poor spending, and seven years of deficit budgets.

Meili says that has been the case with disability benefits, past federal health funds, and most recently the $32-million in federal funds to improve care for seniors living in long-term care. The NDP Leader would like to see healthcare workers and leadership consulted on how any increase in federal funding could best address surgical waitlists, seniors care and other urgent patient needs.