Nearly 500 nurses, educators, steel workers, transit workers and more rallied Thursday in front of the Saskatoon Cabinet Office. The demonstration comes on the second day of the Saskatchewan Federation of Labour Convention. President of CUPE Saskatchewan Kent Peterson says workers in both the public and private sectors have had enough of Scott Moe, and the group encourages residents to vote for change on October 28th.

“We’ve seen a broken healthcare system in this province. We’ve seen him (Moe) focus on change rooms instead of classrooms, and we’ve seen a sluggish economy, loss of jobs, and we have the worst minimum wage in the country.”

He says NDP Leader Carla Beck addressed the SFL convention yesterday, detailing her plan to invest over $1 billion in the healthcare system, as well as hire 800 new workers, because 4,000 left the system last year alone. Peterson noted that her plan was very well received.

He adds that Beck had requested to come and speak to the group, meanwhile Scott Moe did not. “I think that’s a pretty good indication of who’s interested in listening to workers and who isn’t,” Peterson said.

Brandon Nicholson with the United Steelworkers Union says the Sask. Party has generated 17 years of failure, and Saskatchewan residents deserve better. He adds that the rally definitely garnered the city’s attention, if nothing else.

“We’ve got people driving by honking horns. We’ve got whistles blowing. We’ve got office buildings, and they’re watching us. They know what’s happening out here, and if it changes minds, even better.”