By Derek Cornet

NDP MLA calls 2018 a ‘disappointing’ year for constituents

Dec 28, 2018 | 11:00 AM

Cumberland NDP MLA Doyle Vermette believes 2018 was a disappointing year for constituents in the riding.

In the last 12 months, he said residents have reached out to him with concerns on a wide range of issues including affordability, job losses, road conditions, long-term care, the elimination of Saskatchewan Transportation Company and much more.

“Northern Saskatchewan and the Cumberland constituency are feeling it pretty hard,” Vermette said about the state of the economy. “There’s more stress to families who are struggling already. We know northern Saskatchewan is probably one of the poorest regions in all of Canada.”

With the permanent layoffs of hundreds of Cameco employees, along with a rise in the cost of living, he expects 2019 to be rough for many residents. Vermette also wants the government to do more when it comes to birth services at the Flin Flon General Hospital, which recently came to an end. He noted women from Creighton, Deschambault Lake and Pelican Narrows will need to go other places to give birth.

Vermette would also like to see the government make an investment at the Pelican Narrows airport. He delivered a petition in the legislature earlier this month with signatures from hundreds of northerners requesting upgrades.

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“They need to bring that airport up to standard where air ambulance can land and people can takeoff whether it’s night or day,” he said.

In 2019, Vermette is hopeful the provincial government will also move forward with his bill to create a suicide prevention strategy. The bill calls on the Saskatchewan Health Authority to engage with stakeholders and come up with a province-wide strategy. He also called on the Saskatchewan Party to commit to fund a portion of the Lac La Ronge Indian Band’s proposed wellness, healing and recovery centre.

Heading into 2019, Vermette also wants to wish constituents a safe holiday season.

“I would like to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year,” he said.

derek.cornet@jpbg.ca

Twitter: @saskjourno