The Saskatchewan NDP and the family of William Hastie are calling on the Sask. Party Government to reverse their cuts to the healthcare funding immediately. This comes after the 96-year-old froze to death outside a Saskatoon care home, early February. The care home did not have working door alarms, was critically short-staffed, and had gone more than three years since its last inspection.

In 2021, the care home was cited for serious safety and care violations, but no follow-up occurred.

Keith Jorgenson, Saskatchewan NDP Shadow Minister for Seniors says, “This death was preventable. Our care homes are under-resourced and under-inspected due to years of mismanagement by the Sask. Party.”

Ashley Bonneville is William’s granddaughter and attended the Legislature on Tuesday and says the government failed to inspect and enforce safety standards in the facility where her grandfather died.  “Our grandparents should be able to die with dignity, in a warm bed, not frozen outside.  I’m here today to shine a light on this incident so it never happens again.”

A warning from Jorgenson on the Sask. Party’s decision to cut healthcare spending by $17 million in the latest budget, will only make the crisis worse.

In the meantime, the Saskatchewan NDP gathered with SEIU-West members at the Legislature to sound the alarm on how years of mismanagement of our healthcare system has left Saskatchewan in last place in the country for emergency wait times, surgery wait times and staff retention.