A volunteer firefighter that attempted to save Denare Beach is standing alongside the NDP and calling for a public inquiry into the Province’s wildfire response.
Harley Vliegenthart was among 11 firefighters that stayed back to fight the wolf fire when they felt the provincial government had abandoned them. Despite their efforts, the community burned to the ground.
NDP MLA Jordan McPhail says an independent public inquiry is the only way to get to the bottom of what happened.
“Denare Beach burned, and Flin Flon was spared. To the Premier, why wasn’t more done to protect and to help Harley and his heroic fellow firefighters in Denare Beach?”
Public Safety Minister Tim McLeod stated that there were more resources deployed to Denare Beach than McPhail is letting on.
“SPSA, within a day, responded with two air tankers, helicopters, and groundcrews. That forest fire grew, between May 21st and May 23rd, 127 times its original size.”
McPhail called on McLoud to either quit or be fired for his lack of accountability. MNP has already been commissioned to conduct an independent review of the wildfire season, the results of which will be made public when it’s complete.
Earlier on during Question Period, the NDP called on the Premier to release his “secret” list of priority infrastructure projects he asked the federal government to fast track.
In response, Scott Moe stated that he’s always been very clear about which projects he wants fast tracked, which include several uranium mines, a nuclear endeavour, and the Ottawa-approved Foran mining project at McIlvenna Bay.
What I would say, and we’ve been very clear about this, is every single project that has a federal regulatory touch in any way is on our major projects list.”
He says what’s less clear is why the NDP only started advocating for trade-enhancing infrastructure in the last few months, while it’s been Sask. Party priority for nearly the last two decades.
On a separate topic, the Opposition stated that Tuesday’s federal budget did nothing to address Saskatchewan’s healthcare crisis.
Health Critic Meara Conway says Ottawa did not commit to extending its bilateral healthcare agreement past March of 2026, which 130 million healthcare dollars hanging in the balance.
Health Minister Jeremy Cockrill appeared certain that an agreement would be reached in the near future.
“Several weeks ago, in Calgary, the federal health minister committed to having a follow up meeting after the introduction of the federal budget. We look forward to that meeting happening very soon.”
Conway adds that a funding cut of that size would devastate a healthcare system that is already on its knees.
