The NDP said in a news release Thursday that Scott Moe and the Sask. Party need to explain how they pushed the Royal University Hospital (RUH) emergency room to the brink. The NDP says the Saskatchewan Union of Nurses (SUN) raised the alarm when Emergency at RUH surged to over 350 per cent capacity just this week.  SUN said more than a dozen patient beds were put in the hallway and the ER ran out of oxygen.

Thursday’s campaign announcement from the Sask. Party took place in Prince Albert where Scott Moe says if re-elected his government will double the Active Families Benefit to $300 a year per child to help pay for sports and cultural activities. Right now, the benefit is $150.  He also said they would double the income threshold for families to be eligible.  Currently families have to make $60,000 or less to qualify but with the changes they are proposing it would allow families with income up to $120,000 to qualify.  The Active Families Benefit for a child with a disability will also double from $200 to $400 a year.

Moe kicked off campaigning announcing they would reduce provincial income tax which the Sask. Party says would save a family of four $3400 and a senior couple $3100 over four years.  Wednesday Moe announced an increase in the Graduate Retention Program benefit by 20 per cent for a maximum of $24,000.