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(Nadine Wilson MLA/Facebook)
SASK UNITED

A new party, healthcare, and a coffee shop: Local MLA reflects on very busy fall session

Dec 9, 2022 | 4:00 PM

A new party and a push for affordability and better healthcare were just some of the accomplishments of a local MLA this past fall.

Earlier this week, the fall session of the provincial legislature ended with new bills, policing initiatives, and affordability cheques headlining the sitting.

While Prince Albert’s SaskParty MLAs had great things to say about the fall session, MLA Nadine Wilson from Saskatchewan Rivers had other thoughts, saying the province is facing many challenges.

“It’s not only the province that we’re looking to for challenges but we’re looking to the federal,” she said. “We have a federal government with a debt crisis that is unsustainable and will trickle down into our provinces with inflation.”

“My overall impression was not very good during this session of what the provincial government is doing. We’ve got supply chain problems and security issues. I brought up the issue of SaskPower and SaskEnergy rate hikes that will threaten and create further inflation issues.”

During the fall sitting, she brought up many issues to the government regarding labour shortages, the health care crisis, and even the province getting into the coffee business.

“Saskatchewan Health Authority has purchased a Starbucks franchise.”

When it came to areas of healthcare, the pandemic and vaccines were front of mind for Wilson. She is asking for an investigation into the government’s response to the pandemic around restrictions, vaccine mandates, and supporting hospitals and health workers.

“And the effects financially, physically, and mentally that it did have in our society. I brought forth that we should rehire the existing doctors and nurses that were previously let go last year.”

Those issues have come front and centre for the Saskatchewan United Party, a new political group that’s expected to officially launch in early 2023. Currently, Wilson is the only MLA in the party and is serving as its leader.

Part of the platform for the party is to investigate the pandemic response and address what she calls vaccine injuries. She added that so far, the response to the new movement has been positive.

“I am so excited to see the birth of it after a year of talks with people and forming an executive and a board of directors,” she said. “I am overwhelmed by the positive phone calls, emails, even walking down the street, people wanting to talk to me and ask me about our guiding principles and mandates and where we go from here.”

However, the session was not without criticism for Wilson and once again she was asked by members of the SaskParty to step down and run in a by-election.

Wilson served as a SaskParty MLA until late last year after misrepresenting her COVID vaccine status. At the time, she said her medical history was a private matter and her leaving the caucus was over the Saskatchewan government’s erosion of residents’ rights and freedoms.

Wilson also commented briefly on the Saskatchewan First Act, believing there were some points in the legislation that would benefit residents. She was also pleased the government sent a letter to the federal Liberals voicing displeasure with recent amendments to Bill C-21 and how it affects legal gun owners.

For Wilson, one of the biggest highlights came on Nov. 30 when former Premier Brad Wall returned to the legislature for the unveiling of his official portrait. Wilson once served as parliamentary secretary in Wall’s government.

“It was good to meet with him and hear him speak and see his family.”

MLAs will return to the legislature for the spring sitting in early March.

derek.craddock@pattisonmedia.com

Twitter: @PA_Craddock

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