75-Minute Debate (25 November 2021)

From Hansard (25 November 2021)

 

Protection for Seniors during COVID-19 Pandemic

The Assembly was debating the following motion moved by Matt Love (NDP - Saskatoon Eastview):

That the Assembly condemns the government for their failure to protect seniors throughout the COVID-19 pandemic in Saskatchewan.

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Mr. McLeod: — Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The past year and a half has been a challenging time for everyone. Regardless of age, race, gender, or jurisdiction, COVID-19 has impacted us all. But how people around the world have responded in the face of those challenges has been anything but consistent, Mr. Deputy Speaker.

Some people experienced fear and confusion. They panicked. I don’t want to name names or even use initials, but suffice it to say that those people offer little more than negative dialogue and perceptions. They have no direction or positivity. Admittedly, Mr. Deputy Speaker, I don’t know many of these people, only about a dozen or so, but they’re out there.

And unfortunately they tend to blame others for everything going on around them. Perhaps they simply can’t accept that a global pandemic is a dangerous and often tragic reality. Maybe they fail to understand that we are all going through this situation together, and that the best way through it is to try and work together too. Or maybe it just makes them feel better to cast blame on others, so that they don’t have to look critically at themselves to see if there’s anything they could be doing to help the situation.

However, Mr. Speaker, we have also seen remarkable demonstrations of generosity and compassion during this time, especially in this province. Countless citizens in Saskatchewan have inspired those around them with acts of kindness. For example, we have seen healthy individuals offering free delivery of necessities like food and toiletries to those who may be isolated and unable to leave home due to illness.

Here in Saskatchewan we have seen demonstrations of ingenuity where people have found new and better ways to do things. I think about the Moose Jaw and District Chamber of Commerce and how their Big Give initiative found a way to feed families in need while at the same time supporting the struggling restaurant industry. A simple concept whereby community members who wanted to make donations could easily do so at any local co-op store. Those funds purchased meals from local restaurants which were then delivered to families in need through Moose Jaw Food Bank and Hunger in Moose Jaw. I will remind the members of this Assembly that initiative raised over $27,000, fed over 2,600 people, and supported 23 of our local restaurants.

Those are the types of things the people of Saskatchewan do in difficult times, Mr. Deputy Speaker, and as a government, we are incredibly proud of them and we express our deepest appreciation for them. They stand in stark contrast to those with no defined purpose, who choose to instead point fingers of blame trying desperately to spread their fears and discord.

We see that same contrast in this Chamber daily, Mr. Deputy Speaker. The NDP members opposite spend their time and energy trying to cast blame on the government for all things pandemic-related. They have shamelessly slandered members on this side of the House to the point that several of them have been called upon to withdraw their comments and apologize. In fact the Leader of the Opposition has had to do so twice in the last week alone.

The members opposite are clearly ignoring the fact that every jurisdiction in the nation, if not around the world, is facing the same challenges. Those members choose to blame others for circumstances they don’t like rather than trying to examine things they could do that might actually help the situation. For example, Mr. Deputy Speaker, they could appreciate that since 2008 this government has invested nearly $2 billion building new hospitals and long-term care facilities, many of which were needed to replace the ones they closed. Or they could stop thumbing their nose at the hiring of hundreds of new nurses, continuing care aides, and the recruitment of countless doctors since 2007.

Mr. Deputy Speaker, our government has worked hard to address the COVID-19 pandemic in practical and meaningful ways. We have invested hundreds of millions of dollars to combat this virus, setting record-high investments in health and education. Our government has supported the families and communities of Saskatchewan as they found innovative ways to continue to thrive despite the public health restrictions that were necessary to keep us all safe.

I will get into greater detail about that in a moment, Mr. Deputy Speaker. But before I do, I want to highlight that even before the first case of COVID-19 was detected in our province, this government took steps to protect our citizens from infection and spread of that virus. And the first demographic this government sought to protect was our seniors, understanding that they were at the highest risk of negative outcomes.

Then as soon as the vaccine became available our government once again targeted our seniors and the most vulnerable members of our community in the first stages of our vaccination rollout plan. And when our province began offering vaccination booster shots, the government once again ensured that our seniors and most vulnerable citizens were protected first.

Mr. Deputy Speaker, for the opposition to bring a motion calling for the condemnation of the government over the protection of seniors is simply ridiculous. But I suppose it’s a fitting motion to come from the NDP, since the definition of “condemn” is merely to express disapproval. It’s a motion of inaction. Nothing is required but to sit there with indignation, wagging your finger.

So we shouldn’t be surprised to learn that that’s what the members opposite desire. Not only does it reinforce the fact that the NDP want to blame the government for a global reality that no jurisdiction in the world has been immune from, but it also highlights the fact that they have not been listening to all of the innovative and supportive work the government has been doing to build, grow, and protect this province, not the least of which includes our seniors.

Mr. Speaker, here are just a few of the many things this government has done to support our seniors and continue to keep them safe. First, on top of the $750 million our government already spends on long-term care services annually, we have invested $6 million to hire up to 108 continuing care aides. As of November 4th, 2021, 95 of those 108 have already been hired. Let me repeat that. As of November 4th, 95 of the 108 have already been hired. That means in our first year we have already added nearly 100 CCAs [continuing care aide], Mr. Deputy Speaker.

The members opposite struggled to fire them at that rate, Mr. Deputy Speaker. Since taking over as governing party in 2007, our government has increased the number of staff working in long-term care facilities by over 725. That means we now have more than 5,100 CCAs, more than 2,100 LPNs [licensed practical nurse], RNs [registered nurse], and RPNs [registered practical nurse] working in our long-term care facilities.

Our government has also supported seniors by increasing the seniors’ income plan by more than 33 per cent to a maximum of $360 per month. As of December 2020 we kept our promise by providing full coverage of air and ground ambulance costs for inter-facility transfers within the province for seniors. We also lowered the cost of ground ambulance rides for seniors from $275 to $135. Our government also introduced the seniors’ drug plan, which allows eligible seniors over 65 to pay just $25 per prescription.

Mr. Deputy Speaker, this government cares deeply for our seniors. We respect that they helped build this province into what it is today, and we sincerely thank them for that. Our government will continue to prioritize the health, safety, and needs of our seniors, and we will never turn our backs on them.

This motion is not well founded, Mr. Deputy Speaker, and it embodies a general attitude that our society needs far less of right now. As we make our way out of this pandemic, the last thing we should be doing is tearing each other down for the efforts we made to get through it. After hearing all of the positive things our government has done for our seniors over the past 22 months, the NDP still offers nothing but negativity.

Mr. Deputy Speaker, I remember my grandmother telling me God gave us two ears and one mouth, which means we should listen twice as much as we speak. I wish the members opposite had met my grandmother, because I think they could have used her advice. Although given what we’ve seen from them thus far, I seriously doubt they would have listened to what she or any other senior like her had to say. Thank you, Mr. Deputy Speaker.

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After the 75-minute debate, there is a 10-minute question and answer period between members.

Mr. Love: — Thank you, Mr. Deputy Speaker. To the member for Moose Jaw North, a direct quote from the Ombudsman report. The Ombudsman writes:

The Minister of Seniors specifically asked the Ombudsman to investigate whether the conditions at Parkside impacted the transmission of COVID-19 within the facility. The answer is yes, but this should not come as a surprise.

The Ombudsman goes on to say that the ministry knew about these specific challenges for nearly a decade. And yet that minister did nothing to address these challenges, leading to 39 people dying. Does this represent a failure of government to protect seniors?

Mr. McLeod: — Thank you, Mr. Deputy Speaker, and thank you to the member opposite for the question. I believe the Minister of Rural and Remote Health already addressed this question earlier today. When he became aware of the issues of concern at Parkside Extendicare, he requested that the Ombudsman prepare a report. When that report was completed, he immediately took action in light of the recommendations within the report. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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Ms. Beck: — Mr. Speaker, the member from Moose Jaw North has chided the opposition for not working with them and being more positive in the face of 900 deaths in the province. Mr. Speaker, at the beginning of the pandemic, we asked for an allparty committee to address COVID, something that this government repeatedly denied.

So I ask the member from Moose Jaw North, does he have any co-operative project that he’d like to propose? Or would he like to sign on to our request for an all-party committee?

Mr. McLeod: — Thank you, Mr. Deputy Speaker. As the member opposite who posed the question very well knows, the government has been working right alongside Dr. Shahab throughout the COVID-19 pandemic and we will continue to do so. Thank you, Mr. Deputy Speaker.

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