Letters: Prosperous Saskatchewan is failing at poverty reduction

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Failed poverty reduction

Food Banks Canada gave Saskatchewan’s government an “F” grade in poverty reduction. Despite its claim of a prosperous economy, the province has high rates of child poverty, homelessness and food bank use.

Statistics Canada has reported its updated poverty line for Saskatoon:

“Basic market basket costs” for the needs of a family of four (two parents, a 14-year-old boy and a 10-year-old girl): a rented three-bedroom home, electricity and phone, nutritious food, seasonal clothing, transportation, personal and household cleansers in 2024 add up to $52,000.

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For the same family unit size where disabilities prevent full employment, the Saskatchewan Assured Income for Disability (SAID) program gives $26,000.

The same family unit with temporarily unemployed parents gets thousands less on the Saskatchewan Income Suppert (SIS) program.

As taxpayers, we face the societal costs of higher family, health and education breakdowns.

Mildred Kerr, Saskatoon

Moe’s bad example for children

I recently wrote a letter to Premier Scott Moe’s office, stating my extreme disappointment in his response to concerns Speaker Randy Weekes raised on the last day of the spring sitting.

At that time, Moe’s response to this speech was: “Oh it is nothing but sour grapes because he wasn’t successful in his nomination, and he is airing some dirty laundry.”

Moe’s response to my letter was as follows:

“I am grateful for Speaker Weekes and his long term service to his constituents, but his concerns he raised on the last day of the legislative sitting should have been brought forward sooner if he truly felt there was a legitimate concern about safety and harassment. The MLA code of conduct includes a process for making a harassment complaint and having it investigated, and to date Mr. Weekes has not done that.”

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My disappointment with that response is that nowhere in that letter did the premier address my concerns regarding kindness and bullying.

We are trying to teach our young children to not bully and be respectful, truthful and trustworthy. How do we explain to our children that it’s okay for adults in elected positions to display none of this and get away with it?

The house procedures committee asked to examine the harassment complaints was very one-sided, with its majority Saskatchewan Party members. It’s pretty hard to hang one of your own, isn’t it?

Mr. Premier, do you condone the type of behaviour your MLAs displayed?

For the sake of the future generations of Saskatchewan people, please do the right thing and ask Jeremy Harrison and Lori Carr to apologize and step down.

Denise Martinez, Swift Current

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