Question Period (7 May 2024)

From Hansard (7 May 2024)

To view this section on video, click here and start play at 2:15:45 PM.

 Surgical Capacity and Contract with Private Clinic

Ms. Mowat: — Mr. Speaker, let’s be crystal clear about this. That government has the worst wait times in Canada right now. Mr. Speaker, this is basic information about public dollars that the Sask Party shouldn’t be afraid of releasing. These two orders in council redact the dollars that are being paid to a private company that has donated $14,000 to the Sask Party. When we look at the contract for breast cancer care, the total number of procedures is redacted, the administration fee is redacted, the cancellation fee is redacted, and the cost per procedure is redacted.

We know these scans and biopsies cost less in the public system. Why is the Sask Party hiding these numbers from Saskatchewan people?

Hon. Mr. T. McLeod: — Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Our government is committed to providing care to Saskatchewan residents across the province. We have the most ambitious health human resources action plan in the nation. We are taking every measure reasonably possible to address surgical backlogs. That’s why the Minister of Health announced this morning a record number of surgeries performed in this province ever in the history of Saskatchewan, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, we will continue to work on the challenges that we recognize and acknowledge across the health care system. But we have the most ambitious health care health resources action plan in the nation, and it is showing results. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Ms. Mowat: — Mr. Speaker, the results are that we have the longest wait times in Canada. If the minister has nothing to hide, release the numbers. It is that simple.

Mr. Speaker, the Sask Party promised to be the most open and transparent government in the history of Saskatchewan, but they have completely failed to deliver on that promise. We have the longest wait times for knee and hip replacement. And when we look at the contract the Sask Party signed with their Calgarybased donor, they’re again refusing to release details about the costs. The number of procedures, redacted. Cancellation fees, redacted. Consult fees, redacted. Fees for each type of surgery, redacted.

Doesn’t this minister think that Saskatchewan people deserve to know how much taxpayers are paying to this out-of-province Sask Party donor?

Hon. Mr. T. McLeod: — Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And as I said, the health human resources action plan is showing results. The member opposite talks about wait-lists. Almost 6,000 more surgeries were performed last year than the year before that. The wait-list is trending down with 4,600 people removed from that wait-list, Mr. Speaker.

Every one of those patients appreciates the efforts, Mr. Speaker. Every one of the patients that have received a hip or knee replacement in Calgary appreciates those efforts, Mr. Speaker. It’d be nice if the members opposite appreciated them just a little bit too.

Ms. Mowat: — Just a ridiculous answer from that minister to some very serious questions, Mr. Speaker. These are sole-source contracts. The information isn’t commercially sensitive. There weren’t any other competitors. Saskatchewan people deserve to know how much this tired and out-of-touch government is paying to send people away for basic access to health care. But the fact that they’ve redacted these numbers tells you everything you need to know about the Sask Party. It’s time for a change.

Why won’t the minister come clean with the dollars he’s paying to a Sask Party donor? And why won’t they fix the problems in our public system to bring down health care waits for everyone?

Hon. Mr. T. McLeod: — Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. The member opposite maybe doesn’t understand how this works, but the dollars going to surgical procedures aren’t going to any Sask Party donors as she alleges, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, since 2007, 162,000 procedures, publicly funded procedures, have been performed in private clinics. This government introduced the two-for-one . . . Mr. Speaker, this government introduced the two-for-one system on surgical procedures. And as a result of that, there have been hundreds, literally hundreds of procedures performed that otherwise would not have been performed.

Mr. Speaker, over 200 patients have accepted the referral to Calgary for hip and knee surgery, and of that 200, 90 have already received their treatment. Those patients have received the treatment that they needed as a result of the efforts of this government. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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Overdose Deaths and Treatment for Addictions

This section begins at 2:31:15 in the video link provided above.

Mr. Clarke: — Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The coroners service released updated statistics on the number of overdose deaths so far in 2024. In just the first four months of this year, we have lost 143 people to the overdose crisis. Mr. Speaker, we know that this crisis disproportionately impacts Indigenous people both living in urban centres and on First Nations communities. Communities like Fishing Lake First Nation, Joseph Big Head First Nation, Moosomin First Nation, Zagime First Nation — they’ve all tragically lost a member of their community to overdose in these last four months.

When will the minister recognize that his policies aren’t working and implement an evidence-based plan to save Indigenous lives today?

Hon. Mr. T. McLeod: — Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Overdoses are a direct result of drug use, and the dangers associated with drugs is something that this government is communicating to the people of Saskatchewan.

There is no safe use of an illicit drug, Mr. Speaker, and that’s why we are highlighting the dangers of illicit drugs. We are highlighting them through the provincial drug alert system, We have the provincial opioid agonist therapy program. We have overdose outreach teams. We have the free take-home naloxone kit program. Mr. Speaker, we’ll be introducing community wellness vans that reach out and connect to individuals who are battling addiction.

But this government’s focus will remain on treatment and recovery to help individuals overcome their addiction, Mr. Speaker. We will not take the path of the NDP and the British Columbia NDP who have followed the path of making it easier for people to access drugs and easier for people to use those drugs. We will increase addictions treatment spaces, make it easier for them to access treatment so that they can have healthy, safe lives in recovery. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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