Opposition leader Ryan Meili was back in North Battleford Tuesday afternoon for a busy day of meeting with local constituents and supporters.
Meili and Saskatoon Fairview MLA Vicki Mowat were scheduled to meet health care workers at Battlefords Union Hospital in the afternoon and then meet NDP supporters at a party barbecue late in the afternoon in the city.
Afterwards, Meili took part in the Territorial Days Parade in downtown North Battleford, riding a convertible and waving to the crowd of onlookers.
The NDP leader has continued to make the rounds around communities across the province over the summer. Most recently he had been at a parade in Birch Hills and he made stops last week in Melville and Yorkton, and was at a gathering at Leroy the night before. He had plans to tour in Regina and Lloydminster later in the week.
In speaking with the News-Optimist, Meili indicated the main concern he’s heard has been about economic conditions, and jobs.
“The thing that seems to be striking me the most is the way the economy is really struggling,” said Meili, saying “a lot of people are out of work or not able to get as many hours as they usually could. A lot of businesses that are struggling.”
The construction business is “really hurting,” said Meili. “The introduction of PST on construction was a real blow in a really slow time, but adding that on really made it a lot more difficult for companies to get by.”
The restaurant industry is also hurting, he noted, due to the PST.
Mowat, who is economy and jobs critic for the NDP, noted the Stats Can year-to-year comparison in the job numbers saw Saskatchewan down 3,000 jobs compared to July of last year.
“That was in the sectors primarily of agriculture, manufacturing and the trade sector as well,” said Mowat. “When you look at the month-to-month job losses, the numbers are even more significant so it’s 12,300 jobs lost from June to July 2018. So not only are we hearing this from people, but we are also seeing the numbers to back it up.”
Meili also said another issue was that people in skilled trades were “seeing work happening but not getting the jobs.” As an example he pointed to the Swift Current power station being built.
“Almost all of the employees, all the workers on that job, are from out of province,” said Meili. “So we see in a time when folks are out of work, this government is continuing to go to people from out of province to do their contracts.”
Meili also voiced concern once more about the Saskatchewan Rental Housing Supplement. Since the last time Meili was in North Battleford, that program has ended.
“That’s pretty concerning to me when we’ve got a struggling economy. Now we have people having less money to pay the rent, having to make really difficult choices between paying the rent, paying for groceries, and other core necessities.”
To turn it around, Meili says the NDP has some ideas, including more renewable energy.
“We’re a province with abundant solar, wind and geothermal opportunities,” said Meili. “There’s lots of employment that could be produced in the manufacturing, installation and management of that sort of project. I’d like to see us have a much larger rollout of that sort of energy production across the province to decrease our emissions, improve our energy grid and put people back to work.”
Mowat agreed with Meili and also pointed to the need for an actual job creation strategy. “Investing in education and skills training are key areas that lead to more jobs,” said Mowat.
The Saskatchewan Party recently launched political broadsides against the provincial NDP. On Tuesday, on their Twitter feed, the party tried to tie Meili to federal NDP leader Jagmeet Singh, accusing both of them of opposing pipelines and supporting a carbon tax.
When asked about those political attacks, Meili responded that it “sounds like the Sask. Party, where they point fingers elsewhere.”
“Every chance they get to pick a fight … to distract from the problems they have here, they’ll leap at it.” He called it a way to “distract and divide the province.”
What he pledged to do, when the legislature resumes in October, was bring the Sask. Party “back to Earth, and back to Saskatchewan and focus on the problems right in front of us.”
In gearing up for the 2020 provincial election, Meili indicated the party is still in the early stages. He expects the rules will be sorted out for the nomination process over the next few months, and the conversations have started with people who might be interested in putting their name forward.
NDP opposition leader Ryan Meili and Saskatoon Fairview MLA Vicki Mowat were back in the Battlefords Tuesday, to meet with health care workers and party supporters and also to participate in the Territorial Days parade that evening. Photos by John Cairns
