The Sask. Party claims they had to fulfill Transport Canada guidelines, but this is disingenuous. They knew this plane was on the way for a year, and should have had a plan to be ready for fire season.

Scott Moe needs to answer why his government let this water bomber collect dust and he needs to answer for why he either lied to the public, or was asleep at the wheel during a wildfire crisis unlike any we’ve seen in a decade.

The moment this plane arrived, the government should have brought it into action, dumping water on the fires burning our communities.

This is a crisis, not a coincidence. When nearly 100 people are packed into an ER designed for half of that, with patients on stretchers in hallways, no curtains, no privacy — this is a clear sign our healthcare system is overwhelmed.

People deserve better, and healthcare workers deserve better.

At St. Paul’s Hospital, there were 53 patients in an emergency room designed for 28, forcing patients to be treated in the waiting room (attached photos).

As of Tuesday afternoon, 93 patients were packed into the RUH emergency room designed for half of that. Stretchers lined public hallways leaving patients without privacy or dignity.

We need to work together to get everyone access to a family doctor in Sask, gather statistics by community, and work toward real team-based care.

We in the Sask NDP will always be willing, collaborative partners. Thank you for taking the time to chat with us.